Call for Western Australian voice actors for audio book pilot UPDATED!
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Fremantle Press is seeking voice actors for its exciting new audiobook pilot.
The audiobook pilot will focus on accessibility in education and making local stories and our rich cultural heritage available to more listeners.
Starting with junior to middle grade reads, the audiobook pilot is set to launch in early 2027.
General notes
New and emerging voice actors are encouraged to apply, with two First Nations narrators sought.
Voice actors should familiarise themselves with current trends in audio books for children and possess the ability to provide clear enunciation, emotional range and interesting characterisations that will appeal to the audience in a way that is respectful and treats the audience as equals.
Actors should be residents of Western Australia or, in the case of Blu and the Lost Storm, the Northern Territory.
Recordings will commence from November through to early January.
To apply, download the sample chapter(s) from the Fremantle Press website and upload a reading as an mp3 file as well as your professional CV, feel free to provide notes about why you are suitable for the role plus any other details we should know, like rates and availability for the project.
Your mp3 file can be recorded on a phone in a quiet room.
If shortlisted for the narration, you may be required to undertake a short in-person meeting and recording session.
Successful applicants need to be available for an onsite prep-run shortly after.
Rates are a set fee based on up to 7 hours recording for middle grade readers.
Recordings will take place at 10 Parry Street, Fremantle, on a Friday or a Monday but we will be flexible for the right narrator.
For more information contact: Fremantle Press via admin@fremantlepress.com.au
Book narration details
You are welcome to apply to be the voice actor for multiple books and these can be included in a single application.
Please note that some books may have triggering content, primarily in keeping with historical accuracy. Please read the narration notes carefully for each book before deciding to apply and take care.
Details for each book are as follows but you will also need to download the narrator brief and sample chapters here:
Blu and the Lost Storm by Sabrina Dudgeon-Swift
Narration notes:
We are looking for a First Nations narrator who can represent an 11-year-old-boy as well as read dialogue between multiple family members and characters. Actors representing either the Larrakia or Bardi peoples are encouraged to apply.
About the book:
Eleven-year-old Blu loves spending weekends fishing on Larrakia Country in Darwin with his dad, his best friend Elijah and his faithful dog, Storm. But on one outing, things take a dramatic turn when Storm goes missing in the mangroves. Blu is heavy with guilt. Not only did he not protect Storm, but he also fears the worst after a recent sighting of a cunning crocodile hanging around the creek. With help from his dad and Elijah, a risky rescue mission unfolds – they need to find Storm before the crocodile does! Blu navigates what now feels like dangerous territory, while battling his fears and learning the true meaning of loyalty, courage, friendship and the bond between a boy and his dog.
Penguin Peril by Deb Fitzpatrick
Narration notes:
We are seeking an audio narrator who can represent an 11-year-old boy. Much of the text is an internal monologue but there are sections of dialogue at the start and end of the book.
About the book:
Mitch just wants to go on a little solo fishing adventure in his dad’s new kayak. But when he gets caught in the tide and almost swept out to sea, things take a scary turn. Beaching at the last minute on Penguin Island, Mitch is trapped for the night, without food, in the dark, surrounded by strange noises and … penguins?
Sunny and Shadow by Helen Milroy
Narration notes:
We are seeking someone comfortable with reading text featuring multiple characters. The main narrator is female and First Nations and of indeterminant age, though not a young person.
About the book:
Calla is born with a precious gift – she can talk to the dingoes. It is her special job to learn their ways and to look after them. But when new people come to her land, Calla and her family are forced to move away from her beloved dingoes. Meanwhile, one of Calla’s favourite dingoes, a cheeky little pup named Chichi, escapes from danger through a special cave. When he emerges in a different time and place and is befriended by a young girl named Sunny, she takes him to meet her grandmother, and discover that they already know each other – Sunny’s grandmother is Calla! Together they work to get the dingoes safely back to country.
NEW!
Annie and Maeve Are Definitely Not Friends by Olivia Muscat
Narration notes:
We are seeking someone comfortable in switching between first person and third person narration. The narrators are female and identify as blind. Disabled actors are encouraged to apply for this role. Please let us know how we can best support your participation.
About the book:
The first day of term has got off to a bad start for Maeve. Late to school, stuck sitting next to the most annoying boy in her class, and now she’s been forced to buddy up with the new girl! Annie and Maeve have almost nothing in common, and they definitely do not want to be friends. But from braving the high swing at camp to battling it out in the talent contest, maybe, just maybe, this fiasco could grow into friendship.
From the joys of friendship to navigating the world while living with a disability, Olivia Muscat’s own-voice debut novel for young readers pokes fun at society’s assumptions, and celebrates the unexpected happiness of finding somebody who really gets who you are.
Jack's Island by Norman Jorgensen
Narration notes:
We are looking for someone who can bring a colloquial but nostalgic feel to the narration of this book, making it sound in keeping with the 1940s time frame but still accessible for today's audiences. It would suit someone who can switch between portraying mischief makers enjoying their boyhood and an empathetic portrayal of some very serious and challenging themes. One of the characters in the book is intellectually disabled which requires a respectful approach to ensure that the limitations of the historical time period are portrayed accurately while still reflecting today's values.
About the book:
Set on an island off the coast of Australia during World War II, this is an exciting adventure story about friendship, revenge and growing up. When war comes to Australia, Jack’s family moves to Rottnest Island while his father helps the military build an airfield. Jack is left to explore his new home with his best friend Banjo … and the pair have a knack for getting into trouble. Trouble that’s only exacerbated when their new classmate Dafty seeks revenge against the local schoolmaster for a punishment inflicted on Banjo. Will Dafty’s loyalty lead to things suddenly becoming more serious?
Trapped! by Julia Lawrinson
Narration notes:
This is a verse novel and narrators will need to show they know how to treat stanza and line breaks, when to let the poetry breathe and how to maintain the story arc and emotional integrity of the work. We need someone who can help recreate the turn of the century time period, treat the social mores and inequities of the time appropriately, handle flashbacks and convey the pace and intensity of a rescue mission.
About the book:
In 1907, the mining town of Bonnie Vale experiences a sudden deluge of rain that floods a gold mine while miners are still at work down the shaft. Joe’s dad is one of them. And it soon becomes clear that he’s the only one who hasn’t made it back out yet. Where is he? Why didn’t he escape with the others? And more importantly, how will they rescue him?
Inspired by the true story of the trapped miner of Bonnie Vale and told in verse, Julia Lawrinson weaves a tale that will beckon readers down into the gold mine with Joe’s dad to find out how the rescue unfolded.