Everyone has a story to tell, whether it’s a post about what you’re having for lunch, a radio commercial or a highly produced motion picture. The stream of communication we are faced with each day is endless. Much of our time is spent assimilating and choosing to act—or not act—on the information we receive.

Regardless of the information or delivery format, there are only two ways to communicate a message: intellectually and emotionally. Of these, the most effective is to connect on an emotional, often unconscious level. This involves drawing the intended recipient (or audience) into a story or creating a dramatic or emotional scene that the listener can relate to; in short, effective communication is really excellent storytelling. And the best storytellers create vivid imagery through a combination of interpretation, intonation, attitude, and the incorporation of a variety of acting skills. This is exactly what we do as voice actors! The voiceover (VO) performer, in fact, is more accurately referred to as a voice actor.

Voice actors play a very important role in entertainment, marketing, sales, and delivery of information. As with any other form of acting, it is the voice actor’s job to play a role that has been written into the script. To effectively play the role, the performer must, among other things, be able to quickly determine how to best communicate the message using only the spoken word.

The term “voice acting” is often misunderstood as referring only to performing for Japanese films, known as Anime. But the truth about voice acting goes far beyond a single performing genre. To confuse things further, the common term used to describe all types of work in which the entire performance is delivered only through the sound of the voice is “voiceover.”

So, I hear you ask... “What’s the difference between ‘voiceover’ and ‘voice acting’?” In a word… “substantial.”

Let’s begin with a simplified definition of voiceover: Voiceover can be defined as “any recording or performance of one or more individuals that you hear, but do not see, for the purpose of communicating a message.” Just about anyone who can talk can “do” voiceover.

If you’ve ever recorded an outgoing message for your voicemail, you’ve done a form of simple “voiceover.” But just because you talk into a microphone does not mean you can act. I’ve received many demos from self-proclaimed “voiceover artists” who have just completed a class and produced a demo in an attempt to break into the business. A few of these individuals have some raw talent, but unfortunately, most have not mastered basic performing skills to a point where they can effectively compete as a professional. It’s all too common for people to want to take shortcuts or think they can learn this craft without proper training.

Many people just getting started in voiceover will often deliver a performance that sounds more like “reading” than talking to someone. The delivery is often strained and can sometimes be very difficult to listen to. Of all the demos I receive, there are only a few that show a level of competency demonstrating the individual has made the transition from merely reading a script to performing as a “voice actor.” Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts for learning this craft.

Using this definition, there is certainly a place for voiceover, and if done properly it can be quite effective. But professional voiceover is done within the context of a larger performance or is designed for a very specific purpose, and presented from a very specific perspective. The best “voiceover” work is performed from a foundation of “voice acting.”

“Voice acting” takes the communication of a message to an entirely new level. Mastering the art of speaking from a script in a way that sounds conversational or tells the story in an effective and appropriate manner, is what truly makes for professional voiceover.

The key is in the acting.

Voice acting is about creating real and believable characters in real and believable situations that listeners can relate to and be motivated by. To do this, a performer must be able to reach the audience on an emotional level. In other words, voice acting is about creating compelling characters in interesting relationships.

There are several factors that separate simple voiceover from professional voice acting. Among them are: competent training, acting ability, interpretive abilities, improvisational skills, dedication, business acumen, computer skills, and certain technical skills.

For the balance of this book, the terms “voiceover” and “voice acting” will be used interchangeably.”

Types of Voiceover Work

You hear voiceover messages many times every day, and you may not even be aware of it. Most people think of voiceover as announcing for radio and TV commercials or funny voices for cartoons. These are only a small part of the business of voiceover.

Here are just some of the many types of voiceover work that require talented performers, like you:

Accents and dialects (ethnic)
ADR—automated dialogue replacement (film)
Anime—character
Audio book narration
Celebrity spokesperson
Character—animation, toys
Character—announcer, tags
Character—celebrity sound-alike
Character—real people
Character—sound effects
Character—video game
Commercial—radio
Commercial—television
Commercial—web
Dialogue—conversational
DJ—radio personality
E-Learning (online training)
Foreign language
Imaging (radio)
Industrial—training
Industrial—video kiosk
Industrial—web learning
In-store messaging
Jingles (singing)
Live event/promo announcer
Looping—film backgrounds
Multi-voice—ensemble
Narration—corporate marketing
Narration—documentary
Narration—medical/technical
Narration—multi-media
New Media—web video
Podcasts
Political
Specialty
Spokesperson
Talking toys & games
Telephony—IVR (Interactive Voice Response)
Telephony—cold call marketing
Telephony—message-on-hold
Telephony—phone prompts
Television—news
Television—programming
Television—promo
Theatrical—various
Trailer (film)
Video game
Voice matching (film)
Youth (real or child sound-alike)

The Essentials

Regardless of the type of voiceover work you choose, there are several basic requirements:

A decent speaking voice: The days of the "Golden Pipes" are history! Voice acting is not about your voice—it's about what you can do with your voice. And that means acting ability and how you tell the story.
Excellent reading skills: All voiceover work requires excellent reading skills. There is no memorization in voiceover work.
Directable talent: You must be able to act and change your delivery or interpretation at the whim of the director.
Passion: You must be willing to spend the time, energy, and money necessary to develop your acting and business skills, set up a home studio, and market and promote your talent.

All four of these minimum requirements are necessary to achieve even the slightest degree of success as a voiceover performer. If one or more of these is missing, the journey to becoming a professional voice actor will be long and arduous.

The Realities of Voice Acting

I’ve got some good news... and some not-so-good news.

The good news is that you are unique! Fortunately, every person has uniquely different talents, abilities, and levels of skill. It is this variety that makes the voiceover business a potentially profitable career for anyone willing to invest the time and effort.

The not-so-good news is that voiceover is not an easy business to break into. It is estimated that there are roughly five times as many people who claim to be voiceover talent as there are actors trying to break into TV and movies. Add to that the major film stars who have found that voiceover work is more fun than spending many hours in makeup, and all the “wannabes” who want to “do” voiceover, but never actually learn their craft or study the business. The simple truth is that competition is tough and obtaining voiceover work is often a numbers game. But an additional truth is that you are unique and when you understand the business and have mastered your performing skills, it is entirely possible to create a demand for yourself as a voice actor.

Voiceover work is part of “show business.” As such it has all the potential excitement, celebrity status, and opportunities as other areas of show business, as well as the endless auditions and challenges dealing with agents, producers, and clients. Because voiceover is part of “show business,” it can take many years of study and constantly being in the right place, to achieve a level of success. One voiceover coach I know suggests that it takes 15 years to become successful in voiceover. I disagree!

We all define “success” differently. If you define success as being in high demand and making the “big bucks,” it could easily take 15 years or longer to get there. But if you are doing voiceover because you love it, and you wonder why you’re not paying them to let you get in front of the mic, then success can be as soon as next week.

Like most performing arts, voice acting is a hurry-up-and-wait kind of business. By that I mean you will spend a lot of time waiting: waiting for auditions; for a callback; in the lobby of a recording studio; for the email with your script; and, sometimes waiting to get paid. Once a voiceover recording session begins, things tend to happen very fast. But you may still find yourself waiting as the producer works on copy changes, or while the studio engineer deals with a technical problem. It’s just a reality of the business.

If you are recording in your home studio, which has become a standard practice for voiceover work at all levels, you will be expected to deliver studio-quality recordings. You’ll also be expected to have some basic production and editing skills—even though you are not a recording engineer. That means you need to be computer-literate and you may need to invest in the training, equipment, software, and acoustic improvements necessary to build a functional recording facility in your home.

From a performance standpoint, producers assume that you know what you are doing and expect you to deliver your lines professionally. They expect a masterful interpretation of a script—usually within the first two or three takes. Direction or coaching often comes very fast, so you must listen closely and pay attention. Sometimes, the concept of a script might completely change, or there may be major copy changes—and you need to be able to adapt quickly. More often than not, if you’re recording in your home studio, the session may be director-less and producer-less, meaning you are on your own! You need to develop excellent interpretive skills and be a versatile performer with the ability to self-direct and provide what your client is asking for, even when you’re not certain exactly what that is.

Your job as a voice actor is to perform to the best of your abilities. When you are hired, either from your demo or after an audition, it is your performance that has been chosen over many others as the one most desirable for the job. In most cases the recording session is a one-time thing. Whether you are booked into a recording studio or recording from your personal studio, you will usually not get a second chance to do your best work.

Full-Time or Part-Time

If you think voiceover work is for you, you have some decisions to make. Not right this minute, but soon. Do you want to do voiceover work as a full-time career, or as a part-time avocation? What niche area of voiceover do you want to focus on? Should you move to a different city in search of work in your niche area? The choices may be many and may not be easy!

Doing voiceover work on a full-time basis is unlike just about any other job you can imagine. You must be available on a moment’s notice when you are called for an audition or session. In addition, you must constantly market yourself, even if you have an agent.

Full-time voiceover work may also mean joining a union, and possibly even moving to a larger city—if that’s where your destiny leads you. Many major cities are strong union towns for voiceover work, and you must be in the union to get well-paying jobs in these cities. However, today’s voiceover world is largely non-localized, and non-union work abounds, even in most major markets. If you are just getting started in voiceover, union membership will best be reserved for some time in the future.

It is very important to know exactly what you are doing before “taking the leap” into full-time voiceover work. In other words... don’t quit your day job! But that can create a challenge of how you will study your craft, promote your business, and submit auditions, all while earning an income with an unrelated job. So, the question now is, “Can I break into voiceover on a part-time basis?”

Although working as a part-time voice actor is possible, you won’t be doing the same kind of work as you would if you devoted more time to it—and it will likely take you considerably longer to reach your goals. You will likely do some corporate narration work, telephone messages, and smaller projects for clients who have a minimal or nonexistent budget. Some of your work may be voluntary, barter, or you will do it just because you want the experience. The pay for nonunion freelance work is often not terrific—but freelance work is a very good way of getting voiceover experience. You can gradually build up a client list and get copies of your work that you can use to market yourself later on when, or if, you decide to go full-time.

The biggest challenge with doing voiceover work part-time is that you may find it difficult to deal with last-minute auditions or session calls. If you have a regular full-time job, you will usually need to arrange your voiceover work around it. Part-time voiceover work can, however, be an ideal opportunity for the homemaker or self-employed individual with a flexible schedule.

With the advent of online audition services and advanced computer technology, it has become very convenient to record auditions and paid projects in a home studio and submit them as MP3 files via the Internet.

Voiceover work can be very satisfying, even if you only do an occasional session. Yet, the day may come when your skills are at a level where you decide to go for the big money or move to a major market. Until then, don’t be in a hurry. Make the best of every opportunity that comes your way and, more importantly, create your own opportunities whenever possible. Networking is extremely important, whether it be meet-up groups, local meetings of professional organizations or as part of your Social Media activities. You never know when you might be in just the right place to make a connection that lands that national spot that changes your entire life!

Are You an Actor or a Salesperson?

When you stand in front of a microphone as voice talent, your job is to effectively communicate the message contained within the words written on the paper in front of you. You are a storyteller. Although the ultimate objective of your performance might be for the listener to make a purchase, rarely will your job be to actually “sell” something. There’s a difference between telling a story in a way that motivates a purchase and speaking in a way that sounds like you are selling something. People love to buy, but people do not like being “sold.” Part of your job is to figure out how to speak the words in such a way that your listener understands the message and is motivated to act on what they hear.

Your Role as a Voice Actor

You are an actor! The words, by themselves, are nothing but ink on a page. As a voice actor, you must interpret the words in such a way as to effectively tell the story, bring the character to life, and meet the perceived needs of the producer or director in terms of communicating the message. I say “perceived needs” because many producers and writers only have an idea in their heads. The producer may think he knows what he wants, when, in reality, he hasn’t got a clue as to the best way to deliver the message. This is where your acting skills and performance choices come in. You may find yourself in the enviable position of solving many of your producer’s problems simply by performing the copy in a way that you feel effectively communicates the message.

Your acting abilities are the vital link between the writer and the audience. You are the actor playing the role of the character written in the script. On the surface, that may sound like a fairly simple task. However, mastering the skills to create interesting and compelling characters on a consistent basis can be very challenging.

Unlike stage performers, who may have several days, weeks, or even months to define, internalize, and develop their characters, you may have only a few minutes. You must use your best acting skills to deliver your best interpretation of the copy—and you must do it quickly. Your job is to breathe life into the script, making the thoughts of the writer become real through the character you create. You need to be able to quickly grasp the important elements of the script, figure out who you are talking to, understand your character in great detail, find the key elements of the copy, and choose what you believe to be the most effective delivery for your lines.

Every script is written for a purpose and you must be able to find and give meaning to that purpose. In most cases, the purpose of the message will be found in the story, or in the way the script is written. The purpose might be to introduce a new product, or simply to give some basic instructions. Whatever it may be, you need to figure out what it is and make some choices in how you will tell that story.

The Voice Actor as a Salesperson

It can be argued that virtually all voiceover is “selling” something. Commercials sell products or services, or try to get an emotional response to motivate action; instructional products sell procedures; audio books sell entertainment; and so on. The argument goes that acting is the means by which any of these messages can be effectively communicated, the story told, and the listener motivated to take action. So, technically, you are not only a performer, but, in a sense, you are also a salesperson.

For the time you are in the booth or recording studio, you are an employee of your client’s business. In fact, you, as an actor, are the advertiser’s top salesperson and must present yourself as a qualified expert. And you, as the actor playing the role of the expert, must be perceived as real and honest.

Your acting job may only last a few minutes in the studio, but that performance may be repeated thousands of times on radio or TV. Your voice may be heard by more people in a single minute than might walk through the front door of a business in an entire year. But even though you may be playing the role of a salesperson, you must never sound like you are selling. The credibility of the product or advertiser—and the success of an advertising campaign—may be directly related to the authenticity, effectiveness, and believability of your performance. Tell the story... Never sell it!

Are you beginning to see there’s more to this thing called voiceover than merely reading words on a page? And we’re just getting started!

Getting the Skills You Need

The bottom line here is to get experience—as much as you can, wherever you can, any way you can! Take classes in acting, voiceover, improvisation, business, and marketing. Get as much experience as you can reading stories out loud. Read to your children. Read to your spouse. Volunteer. Practice telling stories with lots of variety in your voice.

Analyze the characters in the stories you read. Take more classes. Read the same copy in different ways, at different speeds, and with different feelings or emotional attitudes—loud, soft, slow, fast, happy, sad, compassionate, angry. If possible, record yourself and listen to what you did to see where you might improve. Take some more classes. Become a master of performing in front of a microphone. You can’t take too many classes!

One of the best ways to acquire voice acting skills is to listen to other voice actors. Mimicking other performers can be a good start to learning some basic performing techniques, but your ultimate goal should be to develop your own, unique interpretive skills and your own, unique delivery style. To really get an understanding of communicating on an emotional level, listen to how other professional voice actors deliver their lines and tell their stories:

How do they interpret the message?
How do they reach you emotionally?
How do they use inflection, intonation, pacing, musicality, and express feelings?
Is their delivery conversational and natural or not?
How do you respond to their interpretation?

In short, do they sound as if they are reading or do they sound natural and believable? Use what you learn from studying others and adapt that information to your own voice and style. Learn how to “make the copy your own.” This simply means that you bring to the performance something of yourself to give the character and copy truth and believability. That’s good acting!

A Twist of a Word

The best voice actors do not sound like someone “doing” voiceover. And they certainly don’t sound like they are reading from a script. They sound like your best friend talking to you—comfortable, casual, friendly, and most of all, not “announcery.” A good performer can make even bad copy sound reasonably good—and what they can do with good copy is truly amazing.

Create an emotional, visual image in the mind of the audience with a twist of a word. A slight change in the delivery of a word—a shift of the nuance—can change the entire meaning of a sentence. Speaking a word softly or with more intensity, or perhaps sustaining a vowel, making the delivery crisp, or taking the inflection up or down can all affect the meaning of a sentence and its emotional impact in the mind of the listener. These are skills that are acquired over time and require an in-depth understanding of basic acting techniques that help to create an emotional connection with the audience.

To be an effective voiceover performer you need to discover the qualities and characteristics of your voice that will make you different from all those other voices out there. Keep developing new techniques. Keep practicing and studying the work of others in the business. Find your unique qualities and perfect them. Learn how to make any piece of copy your own, and you will be in demand. Remember, it’s not about your voice, but what you can do with it.

Voiceover “Reads”

Although the term “read” is commonly used in this industry, it is really a misnomer, because literally all delivery styles require at least some acting ability and a mastery of performing techniques. The term “read” implies that it’s the words that are important, but the reality is that voiceover is all about acting, which is what brings the words to life.

There are more than three dozen genres in voiceover, ranging from commercials to movie trailers to talking toys, and many of them have their own unique delivery style, or “read.” Some of the more common styles are: conversational, story teller, announcer, objective narrator, authoritative narrator, intense drama, attitude personality, real person, whimsical, contemplative, and extreme character, among others.

For example, an “announcer read” might sound like a circus ring master or a used car salesman while a “conversational read” will sound like someone just talking to their best friend. And an “intense drama” read for a movie trailer might sound like someone telling a very scary story.

Specific techniques for delivering copy for many of these genres will be covered elsewhere. For now, it is only important to know that it’s the acting that brings the words to life—and that the delivery style (or “read”) is how the words will be spoken.

Classes

One observation that has appeared in discussions of this book over the past several editions is my repeated recommendation for continued training. The simple truth is that the only way you will learn the diverse range of performing and business skills needed to be a successful voice actor is to take classes. The necessity to keep up with business trends and constantly hone performance techniques cannot be over-emphasized! It is impossible to take too many classes! There is always something new to be learned. Even if you leave a class with only one small piece of useful information, that small gem may someday pay big dividends.

There are four types of classes that are most valuable for the voiceover performer: acting, voiceover, improvisation, and business. Acting classes will give you opportunities to learn about directing, dramatic structure, comedic timing, stage presence, emotional delivery, and innumerable other fine points of performing. Voiceover classes will give you opportunities to learn about other niches of this business, practice your skills on-mic, and study new techniques with personalized coaching.

Improvisation in voice work is common with dialogue or multiple voice copy and is an essential skill for commercials, animation, video game, and other niche areas of the business. This type of training helps improve your spontaneity and ability to adapt quickly. You will also learn skills that can be applied to character development and copy interpretation. And because the nature of voiceover work today is largely entrepreneurial, it is imperative that you have at least a basic understanding of fundamental business skills.

Voiceover training will be found in a variety of formats including introductory workshops, single and multi-day workshops, genre-specific workshops, online webinars, podcasts, weekly blogs, and even large week-long conventions. Continued training is an incredibly worthwhile investment in your performing career. I promise you will learn a lot, and you might actually have lots of fun and meet many like-minded voice actors. Here are some of the places you can find classes:

Community theater groups are constantly in need of volunteers. Even if you are working on a crew, you will be able to study what goes on in the theater. Watch what the director does, and learn how the actors become their characters. Don’t forget that voice acting is theater of the mind—without props, scenery, or lighting.
Most community colleges offer continuing education classes, often in the evenings or on weekends. Tuition is usually reasonable and the skills you can learn will pay off later on. Suitable courses can also be found in most college theater arts and business curriculums.
Many cities have adult education classes in voiceover, acting, comedy, improvisation, and other subjects that can give you opportunities to acquire the skills you need. Check your local adult or continuing education office, or local colleges and universities for classes offered in your area.
Private acting and voiceover courses are offered in many cities. They are usually not advertised, so they may be somewhat difficult to locate. An Internet search for “voiceover training (or voice acting training) Your City” may bring up some interesting results. Talent agents in most cities may be aware of local training and may be able to refer you to a class or coach. Check the classifieds of the local subscription and free newspapers in your area. You can also call the drama department at high schools and colleges for any referrals they might be able to make. Your local professional and community theater groups may also be able to give you some guidance. You’ll find a comprehensive listing of voiceover coaches in the Resources area at VoiceActing.com.
For voiceover classes, try calling some of the recording studios or talent agents in your area. Many recording studios work with voiceover performers every day and can offer some valuable insights or give you some good leads. Some studios offer classes or do the production work for a class offered by someone else. Or they might be able to simply point you in the right direction by suggesting local workshops or refer you to a local talent agent who might be able to give you some direction.

A Word of Caution

Larger cities, such as Los Angeles and New York, have many voiceover workshops and classes available. Most are reputable and valuable resources. Be careful, though, because some classes are little more than scams designed to take your money.

Usually the scam classes will begin with a short “teaser” class or workshop where they provide you with information that you can often find elsewhere for free or from a book. They tell you just enough to get you excited—usually conveniently underplaying the true realities of the business. Then they tell you they will produce and market your demo for a fee—anything from $500 to $5,000. You may even be required to take their class if you want them to produce your demo. Demo fees are usually in addition to the fees you pay for the class, although some will include a demo as part of their overpriced tuition. You may get a demo from these classes, but the quality will likely be poor, and their promises of marketing your demo or sending it out to agents are usually worthless.

Many legitimate classes will also offer their services to assist with your demo. The difference is that you will not be pressured into buying their services and the demo will not be a condition of taking the class. An honest and reputable voiceover instructor will not encourage you to do a demo until you are ready. When they do assist with your demo, the production quality is generally very high. Regardless of who you hire to produce your demo, be sure to check them out. Get copies of some demos they have done and get a list of former clients who you can call to ask about their experience with the producer. If they are legitimate, the demo producer will be happy to help you. Some will even give you a free consultation.

Be aware that no workshop coach or demo producer can guarantee your demo will be heard by an agent or talent buyer, or even that you will be accepted for voiceover representation or work. No matter what they tell you, you are the only person who will determine your success in this business. Do not rely on someone else to do it for you.

Resources

Access to voiceover training has seen an incremental increase over the past few years. Dozens of new books have hit the market, many top professionals have launched blogs or podcasts, several websites offer free information or resources, there are numerous Social Media voiceover groups, and there are even a few weekly video streams that offer interviews, voiceover tips, home studio assistance, and lots of other information for the voice actor.

As with classes, all you need is one tip or trick to help you become a better performer or improve your recordings, and the time spent with that resource will be well worth it.

I recommend starting your own library of voiceover resources, including books, downloads, and website links. As you learn about voiceover, you will begin to discover many of these resources, but some can be pretty obscure. So, here’s a list of a few of my personal favorites that only scratch the surface of what’s available. There are dozens more, but these will get you started. These are all active at the time of this writing and will likely be around for some time:

voiceacting.com—Training and other resources
voiceoverxtra.com—a clearing house of VO information
vobs.tv—VoiceOver Body Shop—weekly VO video talk show
vobuzzweekly.com—weekly video interviews with VO pros
edgestudio.com—click on the Pro Voice Actor Resources tab for practice scripts, word-count timer, and more
courvo.com/blog—weekly blog with always useful information
nethervoice.com/nethervoice—VO pro Paul Strikwerda's blog
voiceoverinfo.com/blog—VO pro Kate McClanaghan's blog
patfraleyteaches.com—Lots of free tips and short lessons
world-voices.org—The only organization dedicated to advancing the profession of voiceover

Breaking into the Business of Voiceover

Not Your Typical Small Business

Being in business for yourself as a voice actor or performer can be highly rewarding in many ways: the independence, the freedom, the creative opportunities, and the potential for monetary success, among others. But being a solopreneur also has its downside.

For most business ventures, the entrepreneurial business owner is working from a business model in which the products or services offered are the primary focus of the business, not the business owner herself. When you’re working as a professional voice actor, your entire business model is built around... you guessed it... you! You are the brand. You are the product. You are the service. You are the actor. You are the talent. You are the voice. You are the business. And the success of your business depends entirely on the continued and on-going acceptance and effective marketing of... you!

Developing basic voice acting skills and learning techniques for reading and interpreting a script are a good start. But don’t stop there. If performing with your voice is something you love to do, keep studying: take acting and improvisation classes; study commercials and professional actors; analyze what the pros are doing to create character and make their scripted words sound real; learn how to take direction; read every book on this craft you can get your hands on; visit voice talent websites and listen to the demos to learn what works and what doesn’t; watch television programs about acting and theater; and finally... be a perpetual student. Never stop learning.

It’s important to understand that the disciplines of voice acting are different from stage, film, or TV. In all other forms of acting, your lines are internalized and committed to memory, and you have time to understand and develop your character. In voice acting, you may have only a few minutes to create a believable character, find the voice placement, and deliver a compelling performance.

Voice acting is creative, fun, and potentially lucrative—if you know what you are doing and have the patience to master the necessary skills! To be a successful voice actor, learn how to be natural, confident, real, and most of all... believable.

Most people think voiceover work is easy. For some, it is easy. For most, though, voiceover—just like theatrical acting—is an ongoing learning process. In our VoiceActing Academy Performance Workshops, it is not uncommon for someone, after only a short time, to say “Oh, my! I had no idea there was this much to learn about voiceover! This really isn’t about just reading a script!”

Even experienced professionals will tell you that voiceover work is far more difficult than on-camera or on-stage acting. There is no memorization and the advantages of props, scenery, wardrobe, makeup, and lighting are not available to the voice actor. Voiceover is truly theater of the mind. Everything about the message must be communicated solely through the spoken word to elicit the desired response in the listener’s imagination. This requires a tremendous amount of focus and concentration, plus an ability to make quick changes in midstream. Prior acting experience is an advantage, but the essential performing skills can be picked up as you go, so don’t let a lack of experience stop you. If you can use your imagination, tell a story with vivid imagery, and take direction, you can do voiceover.

One of the greatest misconceptions is that you need a certain type of voice to do voiceover. You do not need a “good” voice, or “announcer” voice. You do need a voice that is easily understood. If your voice has a unique quality or sound, you can use that to your advantage, especially for animation and character work. But a unique voice quality can also become a limitation if that is the only thing you do. Develop vocal versatility.

Variety is an important aspect of voiceover performing. By variety I mean being able to use your voice to convey a wide range of attitudes, delivery styles, personality, interpretation, energy, and emotions. These are the characteristics of your voice presentation that will allow you to effectively convey a message within the context of a story. And that’s what voiceover is really all about!

Many people think that because they can do lots of impersonations or make up crazy character voices, they can do voiceover work. Making up voices does not mean you can act. Vocal versatility is certainly valuable; however, success in the world of voiceover also takes focus, discipline, and acting ability. Remember, it’s not about your voice, it’s about what you can do with your voice.

As you move through your journey in voice acting, you may find you are better suited to one particular type of voiceover work—for example, corporate narration or character voices. If that’s the case, you should certainly focus on marketing yourself for that type of work. But you should also consider other types of voice and become skilled at delivering copy in a variety of styles and genres. You might also consider studying other types of acting for stage and on-camera. The more versatile you are as an actor, the more prepared you will be for the audition or booking that might kick your career into an entirely new level.

So, just how do you learn voiceover performing skills, break in, and get yourself known as a voice actor? There is no simple answer to this question. To be successful, you should learn everything you can about acting, communication, and marketing. In this business, an old adage, “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” is also very true. Getting voiceover work is largely a numbers game—a game of networking and making yourself known in the right circles.

This book will be a great start toward acquiring the right skills. The other parts you’ll need to do on your own.

To be successful you cannot be shy. Let every person you meet know what you do! But you must also possess both the performing and business skills that qualify you as a professional, and that is what this book is really about!

Or, you can do voiceover as a hobby!

Ten Things You Must Know about Voiceover Work

On the surface, voiceover appears “easy,” but in reality there is a LOT to learn! Here’s a list, inspired by VO pro Michael Minetree (michaelminetree.com), of some essential things you need to know about voiceover before you take the leap. I’ve added a few “reality checks” of my own to round out the list:

You can’t learn voiceover on your own. You need the guidance of a qualified coach who knows the business.
You can’t learn how to perform for voiceover by reading a book. Any VO book (yes, even this one!) is only as good as the information it contains. The purpose of a book is to provide you with the information you need so you can more effectively learn the skills. You need talent, dedication, passion, and training that goes beyond the information contained in a book.
You can’t learn how to perform from a tele-course. A telecourse will give you lots of information, but by its very nature, will be limited in the effectiveness of any performance coaching. You may get the general idea of how to use a technique, but it won’t qualify you to compete in this business. Personal coaching and experience are your best training.
You can’t learn this craft from a single workshop. Any workshop will only be good enough to get you started on the path. You need to take the next steps with additional training. Professional film, stage, and television actors constantly train between projects. Continued training is essential in the voiceover business.
If you produce your demo immediately following a workshop, you will be wasting your money. Your money will be better spent on additional training and personalized coaching. Do not even think about spending money on producing your demo until you know you are ready.
If a demo is included as part of a course... find a different course! No one is ready for a demo after a single workshop. Your demo must be great—it cannot be merely “good.” More than that, your performance must be comparable to the best voice talent out there. That level of skill only comes with time and proper training. When you are ready, vet your demo producer thoroughly, fully understand the details of their production process, and ask to talk to some of their demo clients before committing to any production.
Be wary of workshops and coaches who promise success and a substantial income from taking their course. There are lots of coaches and several businesses that offer voiceover training and marketing services, but whose services are far less than adequate. No one can promise you success, and no one can promise your demo will even be heard. Your degree of success in voiceover will be directly related to your dedication to running your business in a professional manner.
Voiceover is a “hurry-up-and-wait” kind of business. Auditions and booked sessions will often require immediate action, even if you’re on vacation. Between auditions and sessions, you’ll be waiting to hear if you got the gig or waiting for the next booking. Even during sessions, you’ll often wait long periods of time while your client figures out how to fix a problem with the script.
Voiceover is part of “show business.” It carries with it the potential for all the celebrity and excitement of being a star. It is also the most difficult and challenging area of show business. And the larger part of that phrase is “business.” Most voice talent are truly creative individuals for whom the details of business are the last thing they want to do. But mastering the business side of voiceover is critical to achieving any level of success. You must be willing to become proficient in both performing and business skills if you are to become competitive and considered to be a professional.
Voiceover is not an “overnight success” kind of business. Many people think they can take a single workshop and immediately start making money as a voice actor. The business of voiceover simply doesn’t work that way. It can take months—or years—before any level of success is achieved or even before any monetary return is seen. Only a passion for performing, continued training, an attitude of never quitting, and steadfast determination will get you where you want to be. If you’re attracted to voiceover because you think this will be “easy money,” you would be wise to consider a different line of work.

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Table of Contents for
1. The Business of Voice Acting

1
The Business of Voice Acting

“Voiceover” vs. “Voice Acting”