Videos with the voice of Harmen Sipkema

I am Harmen Sipkema, Dutch voice-over artist and voice actor. On this page you can see and hear a wide selection of productions featuring my voice: TV and online commercials for brands such as Disney, Jupiler, Microsoft, Nintendo and Red Bull, promotional videos for the Mauritshuis in The Hague, public information videos for the Dutch government, and corporate films and explainer videos for organisations all over the Netherlands.

Would you rather just listen? My audio demos for commercials, corporate, characters, trailers and Euro English are on the homepage.

Curious how your script sounds in my voice? Ask for a free custom demo: I record a section of your script, with no obligation. Or call or message me directly: +31 6 22 34 09 93.

TV and online commercials

In a commercial, the voice has just a few seconds to make the message land. The spots on this page range from 5-second billboards to 30-second TV commercials, for radio, TV, online video and social media.

• Entertainment: Disney/Pixar Brave, Disney’s The Muppets, Disney Classics, Nintendo Wii U, the Magic Jinn toy, Let’s Dance with Humberto Tan for RTL Live Entertainment, a monthly promo for HBO, FitChannel and the channel voice of Animal Planet.
• Food and drink: Jupiler, Red Bull, Babybel, Dr. Oetker, Leerdammer, Kwalitaria, SPAR, Snelle Jelle, Sportlife and Heksehyl.
• Technology, retail and services: Microsoft, Samsung, Euronics and Miele, Lotto, Ditzo, Schwarzkopf, Willie.nl, Pig & Hen, Vrijbuiter and Bional, plus a series of TV billboards for SBS.
• Charities: the Adopt an Animal campaign for WWF Netherlands.

More about my voice for radio, TV and online commercials.

Museums and culture

For the Mauritshuis in The Hague I voiced promotional videos, including the introduction to 200 years of the Mauritshuis and short videos about Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Bull by Paulus Potter, King William I and Abraham Bredius. I recorded an audio tour for the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam and for the museum at the Culloden battlefield in Scotland (National Trust for Scotland). At Museon-Omniversum in The Hague you can hear my voice in the film Animal Kingdom, and for the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam I gave my voice to the robot in De Robot van de Rommelmarkt.

Corporate films and explainer videos

Explaining a product, service or process clearly takes more than reading out a text. I make sure I understand the content first, so the emphasis falls on the main points and the viewer can follow the story easily. Examples on this page:

• Philips, on financing for sustainable LED lighting
• Janitza, on apps that give more insight into power quality
• Slingeland Hospital, on its temporary operating complex, and Pathologie Friesland, on what pathology is
• VRY, on pension and annuity investing
• Aviation Coaching, on coaching for fear of flying and simulator training for pilots
• WasteTool (among others for NedVang), Unipanel, Ploeger Logistics, First Consulting and Diamant van Midden Nederland
• The Tasty Club app, HigherLevel, Loopbaanplatform and NKC Camper Experience

More about my voice for corporate films and corporate video.

Government and public information

Public information calls for a voice that sounds clear, calm and trustworthy. Among other things, I recorded:

• Dutch government: activating your MijnOverheid account in four steps
• NCTV (National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism): the Terrorist Threat Assessment for the Netherlands
• The Municipality of The Hague: an instructional video on The Hague’s brand identity
• The campaign ‘Maak je smartphone BoefProof’ (make your smartphone thief-proof)
• The Regio Zwolle Monitor 2014

Animation and e-learning

In animations and educational videos, the voice has to hold the viewer’s attention from start to finish. Examples include an animation for RSG Magister Alvinus, a secondary school in Sneek, and the explainer video about Paco for KidsKonnect. More about my voice for animations and instructional videos. For character work, listen to the character demo on the homepage.

Showreels

Short on time? Then start with the showreels: the commercial demo, the corporate demo, a small selection of my voice work and a compilation of business and informative work. The tone-of-voice demos let you hear how one script sounds in different styles: from upbeat and friendly to factual and dry, calm and caring, deep and powerful, or high energy and selling.

Recorded in my own studio

I record most of my work in my own studio, designed and built by Pinna Acoustics. For my voice I use a Brauner Phantom Classic: it sounds consistent and is not very sensitive to a slightly different angle or distance, so recordings made on different days match well. There are several options for remote direction, so you can listen in live and give directions without being in the studio yourself. Post-production of the recordings is also possible.

While studying Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire, I started out as an audio engineer in broadcasting. Because I spent years behind the mixing desk myself, I quickly understand what a director is after, and I am easy to direct. More about the studio.

Hear your own script in my voice

Curious how your production sounds? Ask for a free custom demo: I record a section of your script, free of charge and with no obligation. Send a message via WhatsApp, email info@stemharmen.nl or call +31 6 22 34 09 93. You can also use the contact form. With a good briefing and tone of voice, the recording goes even more smoothly.

Frequently asked questions

Which languages do you record in?

Dutch is my native language, and I record most productions in Dutch. I also record in English, including Euro English: English with a slight Dutch accent, which many European listeners actually find easier to follow.

Can you be directed remotely?

Yes. My studio offers several options for remote direction, so you can listen in live and give directions while the session is running.

What kind of productions do you work on?

Radio, TV and online commercials, billboards and promos, corporate films, explainer videos and animations, e-learning, museum audio tours, character voices and trailers.

Will my script fit into 30 seconds?

An average speaking rate is around 120 to 150 words per minute, but numbers and long words make a script longer than it looks. With the free ScriptChecker you can see right away whether your script fits into 20, 30 or 40 seconds. You will find more tips in the questions about voice recording.

What does a voice-over cost?

That depends on how the recording will be used: the medium, the reach (local, regional or national) and the buyout period. On the rates page you will find indicative prices, excluding VAT.

How do I know whether your voice suits my production?

Ask for a free custom demo. I record a section of your script, free of charge and with no obligation, so you can hear right away how your production sounds.