Simply put, a voice over career is a highly-sought-after gig. With it comes satisfying work, the opportunity for additional jobs, and even the chance to work from your very own home studio every day. While a career in voice over can present all these things, it’s also a hard-to-attain job, as everyone with a great voice would love to make a living off of it. With this, you can imagine how difficult chasing a career in such an industry can be. Nonetheless, there’s plenty you can do to perfect your voice, get noticed, and really get your voice over career off the ground.
Here at the Voice Shop, we aim specifically to help those with aspirations of a career in voice over through effective voice over classes led by industry professionals. Of course, we offer a range of classes that cater to both beginners and those with a little more experience. While our voice over classes can surely help you in your endeavors, there’s plenty more to learn and practice to improve your chances of making it in the world of voice over. So, how can you get your voice over career off the ground?
Initial Steps in Considering Voice Over
Quite often, people who’ve been told they have a great or unique voice instantly believe they are cut out for a career in voice over. While having a great voice is typically a requirement for such, there’s much more to voice over than simply having a nice voice. Technique, skill, and projection, to name a few, all factor into one’s potential to become a voice over talent. Having said that, with the right practice, knowledge, and resources, you could very well improve your chances of becoming a professional voice over talent. So, before we get into our list of tips, let’s take a look at some initial steps you should take if you’re just getting started in voice over:
There’s no need to compare yourself to established talent, but it’s good practice to search online and check out some examples or working talent. You’ll gain a little insight and see what kind of voice over work is out there.
Do some of your own research, aside from taking online classes. This could be reading forums, reaching out to established voice over talent, and watching tutorials.
Every voice over talent needs a quality mic. If you’re just starting out and are unsure of how committed you are, get a cheaper mic and start recording your own voice to see what you can do.
Practice speaking and voice acting in front of others. While you may be able to work alone in a studio in the future, it’s always good to be comfortable speaking into the mic with an audience.
Consider the money and time that’s often required to get started. To better your chances, you’ll need to record a quality demo, whether that’s spending the money on a legitimate home setup or paying for studio time.
Once you do a little research and decide you’d like to give voice over a whirl, it’ll be time to really take action and start improving your voice and getting it out there. Now, let’s get into the key tips to starting a voice over career.
9 Tips to Starting a Voice Over Career
We’ll say it again: voice over calls for much more than a great voice. You need to develop the right techniques, produce a quality demo reel, and have a firm understanding of the industry. With this, check out the list below for some key tips in achieving a career in voice over:
Before you can perfect your voice, you’ll need to know where it needs improvement. Classes (as you’ll see below) are a good idea, but you should also practice in front of peers or even reach out to talents online to see if they’ll give you a review. Networking is key in the voice over industry.
Learn the basics of voice over. Breathing, pauses in sentences, popping P’s, and smooth speaking should all be considered and reviewed.
Take voice over classes online or in person to find your voice, perfect it, and more. Our classes can actually guide you through each step of the process. First, you’ll need to learn the fundamentals of voice over.
Record a quality voice over demo. This usually entails about 90 seconds of several clips displaying your best work (voice). Quality is key, too, as any discrepancies in the audio can be an instant pass from the producer or whoever is reviewing your reel. You’ll want to consider paying for some studio time.
If you feel you’ve got what it takes, you may want to consider setting up a personal home studio. This will be costly, but professional equipment and proper sound proofing can go a long way in producing a great demo—not to mention any gigs you land as a result. Soundproofing and a reputable microphone are two must haves!
Consider finding an agent. This can be as difficult as finding a job, but a good agent will help you land jobs and best represent you. While not every talent needs an agent, some companies will only work with those with representation.
If you decide to not utilize an agent, you’ll need to find the right places to submit. You can look for work on industry specific sites, but you may also find plenty on various classifieds sites.
Send your demo wherever you see fit. The more submissions, the better your chances of receiving a call back.
In sending out your demo, and auditioning in general, you can help yourself and better your chances by following industry protocol. That is, keeping submissions short and to the point. Keep your intro (slate) short or even exclude it. You should also ensure your demo meets everything that was asked.
Get Started at the Voice Shop!
As you can see, numerous factors, skills, and traits go into scoring a voice over career. While you can do plenty at home to perfect your voice and get it out there, taking voice over classes from experienced professionals can have far-reaching results. Within our classes at the Voice Shop, you can find your voice, better your technique, record a demo, and develop a strong understanding of the industry.
If you’d like to sign up for our classes or have any questions, be sure to contact us today! You can give us a call at 212.213.9487.