Welcome to Voice Over Germany, the online portfolio of Dana Heidner. Dana is an articulate, expressive and passionate voice-over talent with 15+ years experience. She adapts your unique message to reach a wide German-speaking audience. To get an impression of her voice, visit the SAMPLES and watch below video (external link to MSN Germany):

Q: What type of German do you speak?

A: I speak German without any accent or dialect. It is my native language. When speaking English, I have a slight German accent.

Q: Should voice-over for the German market always be spoken in Standard German?

A: Let me get a little bit into what I learned in marketing for broadcast media: It depends on what you want to sell. Let’s take a commercial for Chevrolet. If your voice talent has an American accent, your product will be more recognizable and competitive. It will grab attention. On top of it, Germans love an American accent.
On the other hand, if you want to sell a German car in the U.S, you might want to consider a voice with a German accent. Take this Volkswagen commercial as an example: “Un-pimp your ride”.

Q: Doesn’t German sound harsh and unfriendly?

A: This statement is apparently so ingrained in some people’s brains that most of them think I am French rather than German when they hear me speaking. German is like any other language, in that it is able to sound melodic and convey gentleness. There is a reason why Germany is called “the land of poets and thinkers.” However, if you want me to come across as harsh, bitchy and unfriendly — just let me know;)

Q: How did you get to do what you currently do?

A: I feel blessed to work with so many talented, amazing people on exciting projects and consider myself very lucky.
The German language has always been my passion. At school, I was the kid who loved writing essays and detested math. Another favorite class was English. A third was social studies. I hated dry, uninteresting textbooks and loved to write and chat (the latter preferably during a boring class). So, after my career in German radio and my move to the United States, I was able to combine all of my passions. By living in Los Angeles, I speak English 99% of the time. And working as a German Language & Media Specialist covers both the bilingual and the chatty aspects. Visit my personal blog, too!