AUDIOBOOKS
Matt is an accomplished voice actor and audiobook narrator. Boasting a range that encompasses a wide spectrum of genres, Matt’s versatility, rich voice, and strong characterisation allow him to pull listeners into immersive narrative experiences as well as deliver authoritative, informative voiceovers.
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A natural baritone with a confident and well-rounded RP voice, Matt's versatility means he is a perfect match for nearly any audiobook, with particular specialisation in romance and fantasy fiction. Matt is adept at a number of accents, and records from his home studio in Berkshire.
You can enjoy some samples of his audiobook narration work below and check out his ACX narrator profile here.
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SAMPLES | PROCESS
It was an absolute pleasure working with Matt. He was professional, supplied documents detailing his process, communicated well, and was courteous. The work he did for our audiobook was wonderful and emotional, and we enjoyed it immensely. We’d highly recommend working with him.
Tiffany Roberts, author of The Warlock's Kiss
SAMPLES
Check out a few examples of Matt's voice in action across a variety of audiobook genres and styles. if you'd like to request a custom narration sample for a project, feel free to reach out via the contact form.
Hearing your story and characters come to life is a surreal experience, and there is not a soul in the world I would trust more to do this than Matt Gardner.
Matt took my novel and, using his own creativity and expertise, brought the Highwings world to life in the most breathtaking way. It is beautiful, intense, and masterful all at once. Nothing short of real-life magic. I have only the highest of praises for Matt, who worked with me every step of the journey. If you need an audiobook narrator, you are in the right place.
Keylin Rivers, award-winning author of All The King's Traitors
PROCESS
So you’re thinking of hiring me to narrate your audiobook? That’s great news! Here’s a little look at what my narrator process is, and what happens next…
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The very first thing I always like to do is request the final manuscript in PDF (preferred) or Word format so I can give it a read through and make notes. I'll also send a little welcome package document across, and this serves to introduce me a little more and outline the process in further detail, to hopefully put you at ease that your book is in safe hands, and give you an idea of what comes next. It also includes a character sheet so I can get to know the people at the heart of your book a little better, and give you a chance to let me know about any contextual plotting that goes beyond what’s on the page. This can be especially useful if the audiobook is part of a larger series.
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After that, I usually like to set up a (completely optional) short call over Meet or Zoom to broadly discuss the audiobook and how you’d like it to sound. This is a great opportunity to talk through specific directions and stylistics, as well as accents, if any are required.
The next step will be to prepare a 15-minute mixed and mastered audio sample for your approval. This is the opportunity for you to review and verify the choices I intend to make for my narration, and as such, it’s important to select the parts of the book that will give you the best insight. This is probably the most crucial stage from a creative standpoint, as it allows us to really work together to set the direction for what is to come.
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Once I have your approval on the "First 15", we’ll move into full production, and I’ll take creative control of the whole project from that point. I’ll give you a production schedule, and we'll agree on a deadline for delivery. For Per Finished Hour (PFH) projects, please note that 25% of the estimated fee will be payable upon approval of the 15-minute sample.
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Please do note that although I’m open to important changes that you may wish to make within reason (and I’ll deliver production updates throughout the process) as the narrator I reserve the right to any final decision regarding stylistic changes beyond this point.
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Once recording is complete, I will have the files proofed for errors before final mastering. I’ll send the finished files across for final approval, and issue an invoice. After that, you’ll have yourself an audiobook!
Sheer perfection! […] Working with Matt is exceptionally easy, and that is because of the process Matt uses. He remains transparent throughout the entire process, which is reassuring and will put anyone at ease. The personal touch of a quick phone call to discuss the book, and the welcome pack he sends out to get to know the author and the book is more helpful than I ever expected it to be. He is extremely professional, but is also a nice guy and I hope to work with him again on future projects.
M B Feeney, author of Where There’s A Will
