The Voice Over Casting Director…What ARE They Looking For?

By Keith Brunson

Today I'll take you inside the mind of the Hollywood Voice Over Casting director. What is she looking for? How can you get her attention? How do you reduce the barrier to entry? And above all, what NOT to do.

Introducing Kelly Moshinski. She's the Owner of THE VOICECASTER. https://voicecaster.com/   Los Angeles' oldest and most established voice over casting office in southern California. Founded in 1975 by her predecessor, Bob Lloyd, who is now in the sunset of his life at 93 years old, Kelly casts union and non-union talent. She's looking for the best. The best in all voices, including celebrity kids, foreign languages, and accents. She's also the principal director of casting for voiceovers of an institution started in 1975.

Kelly Moshinski, the owner of THE VOICECASTER, specializes in casting voices for commercials, video games, and animation.

Nestled in Burbank, Kelly entered THE VOICECASTER after sending some 400 letters to casting directors looking for a place to develop. That was 11 years ago. Six years later, the founder sold the business to Kelly, and now she's the recipient of thousands of talented people that want to break through. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellymoshinski  She spends her days with her team pouring through countless demo tapes in search of that special person she can recommend. She's also a sound engineer and demo producer—more on the significance of the demo a little later.

Casting directors don't cast. They recommend. And they do so after sifting through a mountain of talent who want to get noticed. So, the casting director in film and voiceover should be perceived as your friend, not your adversary. They Want you to impress them. They're searching for you. And they find you after you find them. https://twitter.com/thevoicecaster. To become a talent of choice, there is much more than being talented. "I'd recommend someone who is easy to work with before I'd deal with a super talented person who was hard to get along with." Says Kelly. "Being easy to get along with is more important than being good."

Initially starting with the ambition to become a doctor, Kelly slid to a theatre degree and started acting in college and learning the art of performing. "Voice Over IS acting," says Kelly, "and while some people don't realize the reality of voice over, it's ALL acting FIRST."

Companies attracted to a voiceover casting director will come to Kelly to save time. She's sifted through who's out there, and Kelly can bring a talented voice to the attention of a producer and omit the search a production company or ad agency will have to spend to find the person that Kelly already knows and can vouch for the person. https://instagram.com/thevoicecaster. "We know the talent, their versatility, their personal side, and their ability, so we are the connection that talent is looking for if they're truly serious about using their voice to act."

You can't depend on a career just from an agent or casting director, "You have to work for it," says Kelly, "and we present the best possible talent to match the best possible project for anybody and everybody looking for that special voice."

Decisions on who makes the cut occur quickly. "I know within the first five to ten seconds of the demo if that person has "The IT Factor," says Kelly. "I'm listening to their demo and can tell if it's a homemade demo which is not advised." Kelly is listening for the proper production techniques, including technical aspects such as equalization, modulation, and the overall pace of the demo. "Anybody that really wants to become a voiceover actor should a hire a producer who specializes in demo tape production," Kelly tells me. "It makes all the difference in the world to have a professionally made demo by a producer that knows how to produce them." Here's a worthy plug. Kelly produces demos.

The voices you hear that you never see are comprised of a very small group of people. "It's not a big group at all; in fact, it's a very few people that we know personally and stay in touch with that get cast," says Kelly. "With us, we want to know the talent inside and out," says Kelly. "It's hard to self-direct." And therein lies the secret. It's teamwork. The goal is to have a group of people working together to compose a final product that is as good as possible.

Specializing in commercials, video games, and animation, Kelly is presently casting a pilot for an animation series and a national commercial. She's approachable and interested. But you must make the first move. Casting directors do not find you; you find them. And just so you will know, she returns phone calls. She did mine. You're next!      

THE Audiobook Narration Super Star Tanya Eby

By Keith Brunson

Tanya Eby is an audiobook narrator all-star. She became an Audie-award-winning narrator and the recipient of USA Today's Bestselling Writer contestant on NAILED IT. So, Tanya is one to learn from if you're interested in an audiobook career. Last month, she narrated her 1000th book. "Not too many people achieve this milestone."

Her beginnings were rooted in writing and art. Voiceover was not in her sights as a future, but she worked on it passively because, "It was a struggle to make it a career," she says. But ten years ago, after spending a decade voicing, Tanya went all in and developed a niche in voiceover that would change everything.

Audiobook narrator Tanya Eby recently celebrated voicing 1,000 audiobooks.

Audiobooks are where Tanya feels the most at home. She'll voice categories from true crime to fiction, even poetry, but romance novels have become her calling card. "It needs to have a happy ending, and the romance has to be Key to the story," she says. And although hard to believe, Tanya does not consider herself "an A-lister," citing narrators like Julia Whelan and Luke Daniels. "Those guys are the very best… I'm a workhorse," she elaborates. Her productivity is impressive. She delivers one and a half books a week, with a normal year encompassing around (70) books. For the uninitiated, that is a LOT of audiobook work. "You become the voice of the author," Tanya comments, "and in doing so, you pretend you're telling the story to a friend, and that'll create an "intimate" performance."

When voicing, Tanya explains she'll become emotionally involved with the subject manner. "You have to have a disposition of being task-driven and heavily focused so you can affect the listener," she says. Her workload is highly regimented. "I work from 9 am to 2:30 pm because the voice itself can't handle so much endurance." But to deliver a performance in any genre, Tanya searches for content that speaks to her personally. "And it doesn't Have to be about romance." That is demonstrated in this non-fiction book about John "Sonny" Franzese, the mafia boss who once was an underboss of the Columbo crime family written by J.S. Peddie. "I'm proud of this one."

As the voice for name authors like Dean Koontz and Susan Malory, Tanya speaks of her voice acting subtext, which takes place as she voices. "You have to get dialed into the story, and there is a sensation of just getting into the flow, which becomes a performance," she tells me. "Getting in the zone is how you make those words come to life."

Working with publishers and indie authors, Tanya cites getting involved with the Audio Publishers Association https://www.audiopub.org  as a key to getting to the publishers that look for great narrators. "It's its own unique community, and when you're in, your IN."

Networking with other narrators is also a road in. "Here in Grand Rapids, several of us communicate together and share ideas, and that networking really pays off," she says, "and there are a lot of subtleties that make your narration work." Tanya, this week begins work on book number 1001. And her style varies from book to book. But one thing that does not change is her attitude toward this field. "It's a dream job, and that's for sure."

The Astronomical Success of Animation Video Voice Artist Stephanie Southerland

By Keith Brunson

Today we meet one of the voices behind the video game “Genshin Impact.” https://genshin.hoyoverse.com/en/home The game is the third biggest-earning video game worldwide in the last 12 months. In China alone, the game has earned $577 million and $2 billion worldwide, according to App analysis Sensor Tower. And one of the voices behind it is Stephanie Southerland. “It’s very humbling.” Says Stephanie. “I had no idea when voicing that I was involved in a show that would become a worldwide success.”

Stephanie Southerland provides video game voice acting
for the wildly popular Genshin Impact video game.

https://www.stephaniesoutherland.com/

Stephanie started in voice-over just like anyone else. Following college, the 35-year-old BFA graduate in musical theatre with eyes on Broadway departed that dream and went to Los Angeles. The relocation to LA gave Stephanie an “at-home feeling” because of the creative environment LA offers talented people. But no amount of positive imagination can predict THIS kind of success. It’s a video game phenomenon. At this writing, Genshin Impact ranks as one of the most profitable games in the world, and Stephanie is a key player. “But you aren’t aware of it, AS it’s happening,”

Being a part of a megahit video game is like winning the lottery for a VO artist. The popularity leads to a lot of attention, but the sheer fact of being a part of a worldwide hit game is so rare that only the very few can say their voice is on such a game. “I know my sound, but I would have no idea that my voice could generate what it has with Genshin Impact because it keeps expanding,” Stephanie tells me, “it just continues to grow in popularity.” Comparable to Genshin Impact would be the 2016 game “Clash Royal,” which grossed over $2 billion. Any way you look at it, Stephanie herself is now part of a formula in video games that has created a buzz for the A-List voiceover actor. “And work begets work,” she says.

Good voice acting has a dramatic effect on the success of a video game. In 2000, the producer accepted bad voice acting. But producers learned that a convincing voice would attract more of an audience. And that makes the voice behind the scenes vital to the game’s success. Now with the industry fully matured, casting the perfect voice can affect not only the popularity of the game but its’ bottom line as well. The perfect voice increases the power of storytelling. It attracts More of an audience, so the audience can immerse themselves into believing what they are seeing and hearing. So, to tell a believable story, the choice of voice casting determines how well the user will believe the game and tell others about the game they found.

These elements of success were first discovered with “Minecraft,” which sold 238 million copies across all platforms. It was first released in 2009 by Swedish game developer Mojang Studios. Since then, it continues to be a world leader in revenue with new editions. Here are some of Stephanie’s other credits in the video game genre.

But video games were not where Stephanie’s success began. Being trained in musical theater, Stephanie used her gift of singing and grabbed work in singing. Her work is impeccable, and just listening to it, one can easily see her talent in singing coming to life.

“I always loved music,” she says, “and voiceover allowed me a chance to thrive using my ability to sing.”

Singing led inadvertently led to narration.

And narration led to animation, which excelled on all levels.

This led to voice imaging or promo voice work which stung the listener with a memorable impression.

But back to video games. Stephanie is acutely aware of how she comes across. “I know my voice.”  This translates to an upfront understanding of where she can succeed and how to do it. “I found my voice through vocal classes, which I continue to take once a month.” Continuing education is a barometer of how Stephanie can improve and never become typecast. “I absolutely remain involved with formal study at least once a month. I get rejected 20-plus times a month, but I continue to grow in all voiceover genres, from narration to famous video games.”  There are ups, and there are downs, “but in voiceover, you can excel at ANY genre when you study,” There’s no doubt Stephanie concludes, “In voiceover, the world truly is our oyster.”

The Medical Narrator

By Keith Brunson

Whether you've read the New England Journal of Medicine or a medical brochure, you've seen the complexities of medical jargon and how complicated it is. Narration for this topic is typically very difficult to understand. That's because many of us are not educated in the complex dialogue that sits on the page to explain the medical topic at hand. But medical terminology, like any literature, requires that words we rarely use as part of the explanation. It can sometimes be difficult to understand. And that's where voiceover entrepreneur Anne Ganguzza comes in. https://www.medical-narration.com

Anne Ganguzza is a voice over artist, voice coach, and medical voice-over specialist.

Anne is a medical narration expert. Her job is to communicate the topic, voice highly technical words and not be overwhelmingly confusing to the listener. "But to do this, you have to have compassion for the listener while demonstrating clinical knowledge at the same time," says Anne, "And for me, it didn't happen overnight; it took ten years."  

In a medical narration scenario, the narrator's objective is to convey complex information so the listener, who knows very little about the subject, can understand. "You become the voice of knowledge, and you must be authority oriented," says Anne. "Care and compassion are in the back of your mind as you narrate." In summation, "you don't want the medical narration to sound like white noise, so you have to be the voice of reason and understanding." And that means "you can't sound robotic using all of those complicated words, without being engaging."

Anne was initially exposed to the medical industry by working for Stryker, an orthopedic supplies company. Stryker supplies hardware needed for surgeons in orthopedics. So it was in corporate America that Anne learned this voiceover specialty. "Care and compassion are necessary to do well at medical narration," says Anne, "and serving as the patient's voice of reason is your primary goal." You also need to truly care, "and that's where the care and compassion for others comes in."

Many terminologies come into play, "but you have to portray to be a person of authority," she says. "You don't want to sound robotic; you must be more empathic to relate to the listener." And to illustrate that, have a listen to Anne's work. https://anneganguzza.com/medical-voiceover 

In addition to narration, Anne is a well-versed narrator for medical videos. It's an advanced type of narration.

"My goal is to communicate authority in a relatable manner. And that's why video helps. Here's Anne playing the part of a wife in a video about a vasectomy reversal. Here, the producer uses animation with Anne's voice to make the patient understand the complexities of reversing a vasectomy.

The art form is complex. "It's a combination of creativity and technology," says Anne. Narrating medical explanations is not for just any voiceover artist. Terms and jargon encompass the medical narrative process. The real key is communicating highly complex topics into understandable information that the patient can understand.

But Anne's specialty in medical narration became a niche she developed while working in other genres. https://www.anneganguzza.com  She teaches and assists other people in the learning process. But being versatile is what Ganguzza's career is all about. Here is Anne narrating familiar topics. https://www.anneganguzza.com/demos   

Medical narration is not for everybody. It isn't easy to execute. It's a tongue twister to handle. But a corner in the voiceover market is wide open if you love creativity interfaced with science. At The Voice Shop, classes are taught remotely or in a classroom setting. Voice-over education on how to deliver this type of narration can be accessed at www.voiceshopcoaching.com

"I love it because it IS technical while being creative," says Anne. "and so, when I left orthopedics, I went into CAD software, and medical narration allowed me to be technical and creative and use it fully in voiceover."

Anne's career has developed over the years into a fully operational organization of voiceover artists who network, learn from each other, and share their knowledge. It's a unique career Anne has carved out for herself, and it continues to thrive.

The Voiceover Artist That Makes Things Quiet

By Keith Brunson

Imagine you have problems when recording your audio. The barking dog. The lawnmower. The bird just outside your window. The baby crying. The thunderstorm. All of those distractions. All of those sounds that bust your good take. Think about it.

Now imagine all of that sound going on, and there is silence inside your home recording studio. All of the sounds that are unacceptable to your recording; silenced!

Enter Keith Dwyer from Park City, Utah. A voice-over artist that has changed that negative dynamic. Keith has developed a home sound booth that omits most unwanted sounds that ruin your good take. "It's not guaranteed, but it'll knock down the sound distraction by 30 decibels," says Keith. "It'll allow you to record in complete quiet, "most" of the time."

Use code VOICESHOP at checkout at https://www.voicesuite.net for a free upgrade to 3-inch Acoustic Interior Foam on any booth ($110 value)! This offer is exclusive to the Voice Shop and can be combined with other Voice Suite promotions!

Voice over artist Keith Dwyer showcasing
a custom-made sound booth.

Devised after having problems overcoming noisy distractions himself, Voice Suite is a portable, modular recording booth created in Utah and then shipped to you for in-home assembly. And Keith talks you through the assembly. "It's built sort of like a LEGO in that it snaps together with (6) screws in the back, (6) screws in the front, and (4) on the roof," he says.

Voice Suite sound booths are made to order and feature high-quality construction and easy setup.

The sound booth is constructed of ¼-inch plywood, laminated glass, 2" acoustic foam, 1" architect foam, and KILMAT, a proprietary sound deadening material that prevents sound waves from entering the enclosed space. Sizes range from a 2 X 3, 4 X 4, 4 X 3 and 6 X 6. And prices start at $1,900, with free shipping. It prices a full $1500-$2000 lower than the competition. Each booth is built to custom order. And the client can expect in-home delivery within 3-4 weeks.

A voice actor utilizes an in-home sound booth to get the best take without noise distractions. 

But the sound booths are not just for voiceover artists. Buyers have also included podcasters, singers, students of music, and autistic children who need a quiet place to calm their thoughts. "It's super quiet once installed," says Keith, "and because it's modular, you can move it to any place in your home, or to an office, or to a garage…so it is not permanent construction."

Keith started the business in June of last year, and the runaway business idea has taken Keith from working alone to a team of (6) employee craftsmen who work out of a warehouse. "And that's a big move from starting alone, in a storage shed, believe me." So far, he has constructed over a hundred, and business is brisk. "I was in the hospital when the first order came in two weeks into the website posting, and the next day I had another order," says Keith, "It just took off."

Each Voice Suite sound booth is hand-constructed and then
shipped directly to customers for in-home setup and use.

Keith got started because "I always loved woodworking and using my hands," he says, "so this evolution of me going from voice over to construction for voice over artists was a natural thing to take place." His wife advised him to try and sell the booth he built for himself, and the first customer appeared in two weeks.

So, if you're encountering a sound problem and would like to learn more, contact Keith at his website. There will be no voicemail, no receptionist, no assistant, and no secretary to answer your questions. You'll be talking directly to Keith.

And Keith returns phone calls and emails, In most cases, on the same day. This I can attest to because that was my experience, and I'm just a writer. 

Use code VOICESHOP at checkout at https://www.voicesuite.net for a free upgrade to 3-inch Acoustic Interior Foam on any booth ($110 value)! This offer is exclusive to the Voice Shop and can be combined with other Voice Suite promotions!

From Metal Musician to Voice Over Actor

The Amazing Reinvention of Dave Jackson

By Keith Brunson

For more years than one can fathom, Dave Jackson performed as a lead singer in a heavy metal band. He sang in venues all over the country. It was the "hair-band" era. The music needed to be rough, rowdy, and LOUD. "And I can sing it," says Jackson. "It's something that I can do very well." 

Metal music singer Dave Jackson featured in the band October Rising.

Many things happened in chasing the rock and roll dream. Making a record deal and receiving an advance from a record company was the goal. "To write, record and tour; that was all I thought about." And the first band was "Heathen." The musicians did everything in their power to breakthrough. But "It's hard to make it in music big time," says Dave, "because of the process of becoming a rock star," it is one of the most difficult things to accomplish in music.

There are so many factors involved that the true odds of becoming the person the singer fantasizes about will baffle the mind. The odds of a band becoming a famous musician is 0.000002%. This is according to the online source Answers To All. And that's the reason that so many outstanding bands do Not become famous. The numbers are stacked against the artist. "It's really hard, man," says Dave. "I mean really hard."

Now, let's go back in time to Dave's childhood. The television was always on, and Dave found it fascinating. Dave discovered he was interested in the voices that came out of the TV. "I would imitate the voices I heard starting when I was very young." During Dave’s childhood, he became a self-taught student of the voices he heard from shows and commercials on television. "I'd listen and imitate all the time, but I didn't know what to do with that ability."

Back to Dave and his rock band pursuit. "My influences were Alice Cooper, Kiss, AC/DC…music like that." High stakes and lofty ambitions for a little kid listening to records on an album. "I just related to the music and discovered early on that the sounds coming out of those records was a sound I could duplicate."

Dave did not give up, and he pursued music with all of his heart until he was 55 years old. "But suddenly, I realized I had to get another gig going," and that was when Dave became a voice-over artist. "I mean, it was still using my voice, but it wasn't music, so it never occurred to me that being "the voice" people heard could be mine." But sometimes destiny has a strange way of changing your direction, and that's what happened to Dave.

Today, Dave is a narrator for the very well-known sci-fi author M.R. Forbes. To date, Forbes has published (38) books about science fiction, and Dave is one of his narrators.

Audiobook voice over narration is part of Dave Jackson's voice acting portfolio.

https://www.facebook.com/jack.davidson.969300/videos/2925408297713847

"I had no guidance, no mentor, no teacher, and no connections," says Dave, "but I did have myself." The success was quick compared to the heavy dues that Dave had paid to become a rock artist. "And to help with my concentration, I moved to the middle of nowhere in Ohio, and this omits distractions."

Dave, who characterizes himself as a "child of media," broke in voiceover when his girlfriend sent a demo tape to a Russian organization. "And suddenly, all the moving parts converged," Dave says. "Things began to happen in a forward direction, and suddenly I connected my love of imitating voices from the TV to voices I would use to narrate." And that's when Dave realized what music had done for him.

The author M.R. Forbes himself, explains why Dave is the right fit. "His tone, pacing, and annunciation were spot on," says Forbes. "And that's rare," says Forbes. Moreover, "he completely nailed "the feel" of the book." The author explains that "some narrators are just SO smooth, it puts you to sleep, but Dave just gets it."

Director Jason Epperson agrees. "We use him for commercials and videos, and there's something he's doing that makes him a standout." Jason relies on Dave for multiple disciplines in vocal production. Jason, the President of Epic films, www.eppicfilms.com, explains that "Dave just has "it," Whatever "IT" is." Jason adds, "there is very little interaction   with Dave." I just send the script and receive an audio track that is completely excellent."

Dave Jackson provides TV commercial voice-overs that have a Southern flair.

Dave explains the lucky break in an industry he knew nothing about did not take years. "But all of a sudden, all of those years singing and those years imitating voices from the television converged, and all in a moment, it just all made sense."

Dave professionally is somewhat of a freak of nature. He has never had a class, never had an instructor, never had a mentor, and never had a contact in the literary world. This is unheard of. "When I see the words on the page, things just click, and I enter that world and the sound that just comes out."

"He's a natural," says Mr. Epperson. "And so, when we send audio to Dave, we always get more than we bargained for." And it helps that he's a "nice guy."

Now 58, Dave is all cleaned up and looking the part of a narrator. It's a career that has nothing to do with music but everything to do with the voice. "I think of Edgar Allen Poe all the time, and it just makes me cry," he says. "I gave music everything, but it was voiceover that gave me the break in show business that I wanted," Dave admits his devotion has changed. "My life once centered around music, but now my entire universe is about the art of the voice."

Voice actor Dave Jackson reviewing a voice over script.

The world may never hear Dave growling heavy metal. He may never become the person he thought about in his youth. But it was always leading somewhere, and that's when Dave connected the dots.

Meanwhile, Dave is still singing. "We've got a show coming up," he says. "But before we do, I have audio to record, and it is not music."

Whether you're a singer or not, if Dave inspired you and you'd like to learn more, seek the guidance of The Voice Shop and learn what you can do with Your voice. It may not happen overnight for you, but you'll be advised what you can do with YOUR voice with an entire staff of voice coaches. Even if you sing heavy metal, like Dave, who is still performing. Still Performing. Some fifty years after the dream was first born.

Voice Actor Brandon Eells’s Zany Voices

By Keith Brunson

It’s probably difficult to grow up in the shadow of a sports broadcasting legend. And Brandon Eells would know. His father, Paul Eells, was the voice of the Arkansas Razorbacks, the sportscaster in Nashville and Little Rock.

Paul Eells (left), Father of Brandon Eells (right).

A sensory overload for a little boy who witnessed the adoration of his Father by the public no matter where they went together. “He was known by everyone, and It had an overwhelming effect on me,” says Paul. And so, this experience would alter the course of Brandon’s life. “And still does, because It helped me realize I wanted to be an actor.”

Things moved along quickly for Brandon. Brandon began his voice acting journey in the ninth grade and noticed a strong resemblance between his Father and himself. “We were both using our voice to pave our way,” says Brandon, “and it gave me the confidence to take further steps.”  Attending a Catholic school for boys was Brandon’s light bulb moment when he realized that being born into voice privilege would help him for the rest of his life.

Fast forward years later, here’s Brandon as the voice of Meow Mix.

https://vimeo.com/178400780

“Cats may ask for the product by name” as is part of that advertisement, but it was Brandon who began to be requested because of his unique and noticeable delivery of words on a page. Listen and view a different Meow Mix commercial and the tonality of Brandon’s signature voice once again.

https://vimeo.com/178400781

As a full-on departure from Meow Mix, Brandon demonstrated an ability to voice an entirely different kind of voice, as you’ll hear here in this television ad for Capri Sun.

https://tivoads.com/watch/capri-sun-roarin-waters-tv-commercial-viking_mcN37jEctT7mESt.html

His professional image was taking shape as a voice of variety. Notice in this commercial for the same drink company, the voice at the end, that’s Brandon.

https://tivoads.com/watch/capri-sun-organic-tv-commercial-pet-dragon_53Nzqd4Sz39bJrW.html

Soon came the video game industry. The need was for a voice-over actor to play DRAX in the Marvel video game. Here is Brandon’s performance.

His voice acting continued to attract the attention of big advertisers. VALSPAR made contact for the voice of an iguana, and with total believe-ability, Brandon created his imaginary voice of what he thought a lizard would sound like. Here’s what he delivered.

https://tivoads.com/watch/valspar-tv-commercial-chameleons_vNham8PpuGHEIEX.html

The voice worked. This provoked a return performance, and here is the work.

https://tivoads.com/watch/valspar-reserve-tv-commercial-mess-proof-paint_RBhB3xTNHkxQljR.html

Taco Bell was yet another hallmark. Noticing Brandon’s voice as a good fit, the fast-food chain used him for a new product they were debuting. I think you’ll agree he morphed into the action hero perfectly.

If “variety is the spice of life,” Brandon evolved into a voiceover artist that could handle just about anything. From Italy came Alfa Romeo. In this case study, Brandon sounded nothing like his character credits. Here he voices a campaign from DDB Worldwide, a prominent ad agency, to handle the sex appeal and flash needed to carry this client directly into introducing a new product. It sounded nothing like him. But it sold cars, and Brandon continued his journey toward outstanding performances.

“I guess I’ve now done about 2,000 commercials,” says Brandon, “And every time, it’s a pure sensory experience that reminds me of how childhood taught me to be versatile.” And so, Brandon continued his journey with no destination. He studied voiceover, and he kept the same goal. “You have to find the magic,” says Brandon, and you do that “with your imagination.”

You can find your imagination when you choose to study your voice at The Voice Shop. Voice classes are offered remotely in a group or privately. You can start your voice acting career there or fine-tune it there. The operation is headquartered in New York City, but the class location is wherever You are. https://www.Voiceshopcoaching.com

At the time of this writing, Brandon is doing a theatrical production of “Our Town,” a classic play produced worldwide for audiences to enjoy. “And theatre allows me to remain grounded,” says Brandon. But the commercial world pursuing his very unusual voice persists beyond the tradition of community theatre. Here’s Meet Alex.

And his versatility continues to dominate his voice-acting career. Listen here to the chocolate Frosted Flakes commercial.

So, for the inspired reader, Brandon advises you to master the audition process. “It’s the audition that determines your success,” he says. “You’ve got to learn to be in the moment.”  https://www.virtualbrandon.com

Arianna Ratner – Video Game Voice Over Actress

By Keith Brunson

Before we begin, you've gotta hear this.

 https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdfLAxJu/

That is Arianna Ratner. In studios since diapers, Arianna was literally born into the voiceover business.

Few people have every single inch of their life well-groomed and absolutely manicured. But Arianna Ratner is the exception. As an A-list voice-over artist, Arianna's life story reads like a textbook of perfection. She's known as one of the most dependable and versatile voice over artists in the gaming industry. The monster success of Blizzard Entertainment is one of many game producers that hire Arianna.

Arianna Ratner is the voice of Brelshaza in the Lost Ark video game.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZ5VDlGj_t_/?utm_medium=copy_link 

"To do video games, you have to be a really good actor first, because everything you say you have to imagine in your mind is all around you, yet nothing is there."

Arianna applies her acting skills to portray “Sorbet Shark Cookie”
a character in CookieRun Kingdom video game.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVqI8rsJr4t/?utm_medium=copy_link

Arianna grew up in a sound booth as she watched her Father voice acting. "And I knew as a child what I wanted to become," she says, "and from day one, I discovered that my ambition was absolutely in line with my potential." https://www.ariannaratner.com

Well composed, Arianna demonstrates the epitome of success. Versatile in character voices, Arianna is a constant work in progress. To this day, she continues her study of the voice despite years studying privately with some of the best voiceover teachers in the country. "I think that it takes training; no one just jumps straight in," she says. "But if you love acting, you can apply it directly to a voiceover career."

Another Arianna Ratner video game voice over for
Geomancer Persephone, a character in the game SMITE.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVbazOUjew_/?utm_medium=copy_link

The video game industry is highly specialized. Superb execution of animation. Excellent storytelling. Cutting-edge entertainment. The type of entertainment that requires everyone involved to be a top-drawer personality. "It takes years," says Arianna, "and it's not just talking." Skills needed are not only a home studio, "because luck is involved." That unknown can intimidate people. "And that's what instruction does. It prepares you for the future."

Arianna is also a voiceover teacher. "And there are roles for every type, every soul out there, so a beautiful voice is no longer all it takes to be hired." One thing that is a craft unto itself is the audition process.

"And that for the gaming industry voice requires excellent cold reading skills," says Arianna. "You walk in; they hand you the script, and you're evaluated from your ability to make something come to life you have never seen." And that, as she explains, having the ability to ACT is the most important skill you can have. "There are no props, no people, no environment, just you and the page in front of you." So, learning how to convert words on a paper into a believable character translate into whether you'll get hired or not."

Vampiress Amaterasu features a dark and evil
voice over from Arianna Ratner.

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To see the unique way that Arianna teaches, here's an example of how to do a little boy's voice. Watch how she explains the vocal mechanics.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdfLyME8/

Having the ability to emulate a voice and understand what is happening is important and Not for the beginner.

Another option for you to learn instead of a private voice over lesson is to study with The Voice Shop. You can know nothing and begin your studies from your home on the computer you're using right now. Remote voice-over classes are offered nationwide. All you need is the ambition to find your voice. You do that through study. www.voiceshopcoaching.com

"I have students with high-pitched voices that work," says Arianna, "because just a deep male voice or a sultry female voice is no longer what the voice artist is about."

Arianna has been acting since she was five years old. She's been a member of the Screen Actors Guild since childhood. She's taught roughly five hundred students.

So, if being a voice for the video game industry attracts you, expect an understanding of the voice and how to use it is all part of the journey.

And unlike Arianna, you do not have to have grown up in the voiceover business. Although being fundamentally a good actor will make this profession a lot easier.

"I'd say being able to do games is all about your ability to be an actor first and a voiceover artist second," says Arianna.

Arianna's next step will be to move into video game directing, "and that would never be possible if I wasn't a consistent student of the voice and have years of experience portraying people in productions that I am not."

So, if you're just starting out or well into the journey, see video games as a destination, not an entry point. We all realize how sophisticated the production of a video game is.

Now picture yourself IN that game. That'll happen, Only after you have paid the price and booked your first job.

Arianna is well on her way. And she should be. She's been in the profession of acting and voice for thirty years.