Remember the last time you were at the airport, hearing those voice overs rushing you to gate B? On your way back from work today, did you listen to those voices trying to sell you auto insurance, or maybe – a soft drink? Back home, as you were watching TV, did you hear that voice announcing the next shows for tonight? Voice overs have become such a natural part of our daily experience. Have you ever wondered who those hidden talents are, behind the scenes? Have you ever wanted to be one of them?
In fact, doing voice overs is an exciting career opportunity which is relatively easy to get started with. If you prefer to be your own boss and earn well, here are 7 steps to get you up to speed:
1. Setting the stage
Doing voice overs professionally would require you to create demos that showcase your work. Recording in a studio would be pricey but you can do it on-the-cheap; Choose a quiet room with no echoes. A carpeted floor would be ideal.
2. The right components
You’ll need to get a microphone, so for starters a cheap USB microphone would do. Headphones should go along with it and again there’s no need to spend too much. A computer to record your audio and a sound editor are a must. Free software such as Audacity could fit the bill.
3. Getting some PR juice
If it’s within your budget, an agency would give you a real boost in the business of voice overs. If not, move on to the next step. Doing research about current actors and voice talents and finding out who represents them is a good starting point. The Hollywood Reporter is a great source of information as well.
4. The night before
A wise thing to do is to sleep well the night before and to refrain from alcohol. Cold water is a no-no during the voice over recording and greasy food shouldn’t be consumed beforehand. Just to keep your voice nice and crisp…
5. The audition
Create demos that showcase your voice over work. You can do announcer reads, cartoons and commercials for example. A good idea would be to do a few versions of each read and to improvise a little bit. You can download scripts from voice casting agencies online or you can model existing TV or radio commercials.
6. Spreading the voice
Email your demo to production companies, TV stations, voice casting agencies etc. Sites such as Voices.com and Voice123.com would get you more exposure and job opportunities. For long term success, get your own website to represent you. A small site or a costumized WordPress blog would do. You can outsource that cheaply on Rentacoder.com or Digitalpoint.com, to name just a few.
7. Rinse and repeat
It might take time but don’t be disheartened – consistency is key here. Even though the market is competitive, there is more opportunity to get your foothold in voice overs then compared to the rest of the acting market!