How to Get Started in Voice Over

Training: The first step

Your first step to becoming a professional voice actor or voice over artist should be training.

If you're a trained or experienced actor, broadcaster, presenter, comedian, puppeteer or character performer then you already have many of the skills necessary to work as a professional voice artist. Attending a short course, workshop or best of all, sessions with a voice over coach will give you an overview of the voice over industry, help you to discover your strengths and weaknesses and identify the type of voice over work to which your voice is best suited. Look for a coach who specialises in voice over, rather than a standard voice or vocal coach.

If you're completely new to voice over and don't have a background in acting, broadcasting, character performance, comedy or using your speaking voice in a performance context, then I would suggest working with a voice over coach to bring you up to the standard required to use your voice in a professional context.

There's a list of recommended voice over coaches and courses at the end of this guide.

Alongside training you should also be practising as much as possible. Listen to commercials on TV, radio and online. Write your own scripts and practise performing them. Record yourself, listen back and critically assess your performances.

Do your research. There is a wealth of information out there on social media, blogs and websites dedicated to voice over. There are some resources listed at the end of this guide to get your started.

Recording a demo (voicereel)

Once you feel you have enough training and knowledge to start working as a professional voice artist, go and have a professional voice demo produced. Find a company that specialises in creating voice demos and voice reels, particularly if you're recording your first reel. Don't be tempted to create your own reel unless you are an experienced voice producer, confident at directing yourself and absolutely sure you can create a reel that is on par with the reels you can hear on top voice agency sites.

Start by recording a commercial demo, and either a corporate narrative or narrative demo, or narrative samples. Commercial and corporate work drives the voice over market, so it makes sense to start with these reels. Gaming, animation and audio drama demos are often the next step for trained and experienced actors or voice actors.

Like any type of acting, character voice acting requires a high level of skill and experience. If you don't have a solid background in acting or voice acting, invest in acting or voice acting lessons or coaching before recording any kind of gaming or animation character or audio drama voice demo.

Do your research and listen to examples of top gaming and animation demos before you record one – and don't record any kind of character demo before you feel ready to compete at a top level. Animation, gaming and audio drama are very rewarding and enjoyable areas to work in, and are therefore very competitive.

To give you an idea of the standard and range expected, you can listen to examples of award-winning and award-nominated gaming, animation and audio/radio drama demos here: https://soundcloud.com/kirstygillmore/sets/animation-voice-demos https://soundcloud.com/kirstygillmore/sets/gaming-voice-demos https://soundcloud.com/kirstygillmore/sets/radio-drama-reels

Getting Work

Voice over work can be very broadly divided into two categories: work you get through a voice agent and work you get through your own efforts.

Applying to and working through Voice Agents

If you want to work through an agent, do your research and approach voice agencies to whom you feel you can offer something different from the talent they already have on their books.

Also consider if the agency would be a good fit for you. Do they already have someone that sounds like you on their books? Do they represent people for the type of voice over work you want to do? Some agencies don't look for character work, for example. Do you meet their requirements to apply? Some agencies only represent trained/experienced actors, others prefer broadcasters, some won't consider new voices and others will.

Agents take voices on for one main reason: they think they can sell them to their clients. You improve your saleability to a voice agent by:

1. Filling a slot that they don't already have on their books e.g. a specific accent, age or skillset that they don't already have

2. Being very experienced or having a good track record in a particular type of voice over work they already book e.g. being an experienced animation voice

3. Being a celebrity or recognisable voice

4. Having an established career with recognisable credits in acting (theatre, film, TV), broadcasting, comedy or another kind of performance.

When you apply to agents:

1. Make the email short, 200-250 words

2. Include relevant information about your native/natural accent and age and any accents you do to a native standard (as long as you can back that up with examples in your demo)

3. Include a brief bio, where you trained, your background in voice over/acting/broadcasting/performing, including any impressive recent credits (voice over or otherwise)

4. If you're an actor, include a link to Spotlight if you have one

5. Attach your voice reel as an MP3. Commercial reel definitely as this will be what voice agents want to hear first. Character reels if you know the agency represents people for character work. Narrative reels if it's something they specifically ask for.

6. Check if the agency has any specific guidelines on what to include in your application e.g. headshot, CV, specific reels or reels in a specific format, using a specific email address to apply.

Getting work yourself

If you want to get work through your own efforts, look into approaching production companies and studios, registering with online voice over sites like voiceovers.co.uk and auditioning for jobs through casting sites and P2P (pay to play) sites. Your options and opportunities will increase if you have your own home studio and can produce high-quality audio as many production companies, online agencies and casting sites will only consider voice artists or offer auditions/jobs to voice artists with their own studio or good access to a studio.

There is no one way to be a successful voice artist or voice actor. I suggest trying various routes and decide which ones work for you. I know voice artists who solely work through an agent or agents, many who work solely through their home studios and plenty who do a mixture of both. Think globally rather than locally.

However you decide to approach it, know your market, figure out what's unique about what you can offer and position yourself accordingly.

Tailor your demos and auditions for the areas on which you want to focus. Have a separate demo for each area e.g. commercial, corporate narration, promos, IVR, documentary, audiobooks, animation, gaming etc.

Be patient and persistent. Invest in yourself and your skills, whether that's in training in a specific style, voice coaching, home studio setup, audio production, accents, whatever you feel will most benefit you.

Engage online and offline with your fellow voice artists and the wider global voice over community of producers, engineers, developers, directors, production companies, animators, coaches etc. You never know where your next job may come from.

Resources https://www.sarahsealey.com/so-you-want-to-be-a-voice-over/ - UK perspective https://iwanttobeavoiceactor.com/ - US perspective

Voice Over Coaches and Workshops

Voice Over Coaches: General and Commercial

Nicola Redman http://nicolaredman.com/ is a professional voice artist and a voice coach, who I highly recommend. She has a Masters in Voice Studies, and is a trained and experienced actor and voice artist and really knows her stuff, both about general voice use and how to approach commercial, character and narrative voice over work. She specialises in dialects and accents. Based in Manchester, she offers coaching in person and via Skype [email protected]

Becca Stewart is an experienced voice artist. She offers Skype as well as in person coaching and is based in London [email protected]

Tanya Rich is a voiceover artist and voice coach based near Bath. She may do Skype coaching as well as in person, you'd need to ask [email protected]

Nancy Wolfson is an American commercial voice over coach based in the LA. She has a long list of established professional voice over artist clients, including British voices and is highly recommended by many US and UK voice over artists. She coaches by phone. http://braintracksaudio.com/

Mary Lynn Wissner is a top American commercial casting director and voice over coach, based in LA. She coaches by Skype or phone (and in person in LA). Highly recommended by many top voice actors http://voicesvoicecasting.com/coaching/

Voice Over Coaches: Animation and Gaming

Dian Perry is another highly experienced voice over artist and voice over coach who teaches voice over workshops at City Lit. She specialises in character voice acting, particularly for animation. I've done one of her animation character courses and she's a great teacher. She's American, based in London http://dianperry.com/

Sara Jane Sherman is an American animation casting director and animation voice over coach, based in LA. Sara spent 12 years as a casting director for Disney TV and knows what it takes to work at the top level of animation. She runs online (and in person) workshops as well as offering individual coaching https://www.sarajanesherman.com/

Dave Fennoy is a well-known and highly experienced American voice actor and coach. He's probably best known for playing Lee in The Walking Dead game series. Dave offers Skype coaching https://davefennoycoaching.com/home11517500. He also hosts workshops a few times a year in London through The Voiceover Network – see below for details.

Experienced US voice actor and producer Marc Graue offers online coaching sessions

6 https://www.fixinthemix.com/marcgraue

Voice Over Coaches: Business

Jay Britton is an award-winning voice actor who has had a fantastic journey from IT geek to animation and gaming voice actor. Jay's a great person to chat to about getting into animation and gaming as he targeted those areas from the start, though he also invested in developing commercial voice over skills as well. He invested in training, brilliant demos and he's now available as a voice over business coach. He doesn't coach in vocal performance, just the business of voice over. Have a read of his blog for his journey and he's always willing to chat to people passionate about getting into voice over http://www.voiceofjaybritton.com/

Celia Siegel is a specialist in branding, marketing and management for voice actors. US-based https://celiasiegel.com/

Voice Over Courses and Workshops - General

The Voice Over Network http://www.thevoiceovernetwork.co.uk/ is an organisation aimed at providing resources for experienced voice artists. They run regular networking events and offer in-person and online courses and webinars for all aspects of the voice over industry.

Gravy for the Brain offers a wide range of online and in-person voice over workshops and networking events for all levels, taught by experienced voice producer & casting director Hugh Edwards and highly experienced voice over artist Peter Dickson. Their website also has a wealth of advice and resources, including a rates guide https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/

City Lit in London has a number of voice over courses, aimed at beginners up to professionals. The standard of teaching is generally very high and the course materials useful. Their Voiceovers Beginners course is a good starting point.

The Actor's Guild http://www.actorsguild.co.uk/workshops/ and The Actor's Centre http://actorscentre.co.uk/workshops both offer workshops with experienced voice actors and voice producers

Voice Over Courses and Workshops – Animation

City Lit in London has a number of voice over courses for character voice over work, focussed on animation, aimed at beginners up to professionals. The standard of teaching is generally high. http://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/performing-arts/tv-radio-and-film/voiceover-and-radio- acting-and-presenting

The Actors Centre offers workshops in cartoon voices https://www.actorscentre.co.uk/

Global Voice Acting Academy is an online voice acting school run from the US, which offers a range of character (and other) voice over courses taught by experienced voice actors and coaches. Voice actor colleagues recommend the courses. http://globalvoiceacademy.com/

Voice Over Courses and Workshops – Gaming

Gravy for the Brain offers several online and in-person voice over workshops focussed on acting for video games, taught by experienced voice producer & casting director Hugh Edwards and highly experienced voice actor Peter Dickson https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/voiceover-courses/

Global Voice Acting Academy also offer gaming character workshops and coaching – see information above.

Voice Over Courses and Workshops – Other

City Lit in London has a number of voice over courses for character voice over work, focussed on radio drama.The standard of teaching is generally very high. http://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/performing-arts/tv-radio-and-film/voiceover-and-radio- acting-and-presenting

Wireless Theatre Company offers workshops on radio drama with Cherry Cookson http://www.wirelesstheatrecompany.co.uk/workshops/

Louis Elman Associates offer excellent one-day courses in ADR at Warner Bros De Lane Lea Studios in Soho, London. It covers all aspects of ADR work including loop groups, revoicing and more and is a great way to get practical experience of ADR http://www.louiselmanassociates.com/lea-academy/

Sync or Swim is another ADR and loop group company that offers ADR courses in London https://jbenedict.wordpress.com/sync-or-swim/

Motion Capture and Performance Capture Courses https://www.themocapvaults.com/ https://www.themocapacademy.com/ https://www.performancecapturedacademy.com/