The Line That Lives in the Red Light

There’s this moment in voiceover work that never quite stops feeling strange. As a voice actor based in Copenhagen, I’ve come to know it well — when the red light comes on, and everything goes silent — except for you. No faces, no blocking, no one else to move the scene forward. Just you, your breath, and the exact timing of a line that might only last three seconds.

This week I was back in the booth in Copenhagen. Standard headphones, water bottle, lamp in the corner that always looks like it came from someone’s childhood bedroom. The script was simple — a mix of commercial voiceover and ADR for a character who says very little, but means a lot.

I did one line at least eight times. Not because it was wrong, but because it wasn’t right enough. One was too cheerful. One slightly too clipped. One had a half-breath in the middle that pulled focus from the ending.

I don’t think people realize how precise voice work is. It’s not about performing the line. It’s about letting it land exactly as it needs to — with the mood, the tone, the breath, the timing, all in sync with someone else’s vision.

I like that. It’s quiet, focused work. You don’t get applause. Sometimes you don’t even get to hear the final cut. But you know when it’s right — because no one says anything. They just press “next.”

Voice acting is a strange kind of invisibility. You’re shaping something the audience doesn’t see — but hopefully feels. And when it works, it’s like you’ve vanished into the story completely.

🎧 You can hear a few samples here — or spot me in the booth with noise-cancelling headphones, probably redoing a single breath.

Liv Hansen is a Danish actress and voice artist based in Copenhagen. She works across film, television, and commercial voice, with a focus on subtle, character-driven storytelling.