How Can I Get Into Voiceovers?

"My Aunt Esther says I have a great voice. How can I get into voiceovers?"

"You do voiceovers? Money for nothing, lucky you!"

"Isn't voiceover something that anyone with a good voice can do?"

Voice over is a craft. If a voice actor is good at their work, they make it look easy. That does not mean that it is easy.

While "good voices" are reasonably common, not everyone is cut out to be a voice actor. In fact, statistics show that 98% of people who try to become a voice actor will fail at it.

If you would like to join the successful 2%, here are some tips to help you on your way. To be a professional voice actor, you have to know how to:

• Enunciate well
• Speak into a microphone correctly
• Avoid creating audio artifacts when pronouncing certain letters such as "p", "t", "s"
• Interpret a script, how to pace a script correctly
• Not sound like you are rushing when given a lot of words and only :30 seconds to read them
• Read a script naturally, believably, and conversationally
• Read difficult words and tongue twisters without stumbling
• Act, act, act!
• Interpret what the client wants, how they want you to sound
• And much more

In other words, you need not only ability, but training and practice, as well.

Once you have obtained the requisite training and practice, if you would like to record from home, you need to set up a professional home studio and learn some audio editing techniques. Without quality sound recording equipment, your voice will not shine. I can't tell you how many voice demos with poor sound quality I have heard online!

If you prefer to record at local studios, you have two options: (1) record a professional demo and send it to the studios with which you would like to work (the preferred option), or (2) contact the desired studios and ask if you can come in and audition for them (cheaper, but they may not be willing to have you over for an audition).

Finally, don't quit your day job just yet. Even for the most successful voice actors, it will take well over a year to gain enough experience and enough return clients to earn a full time salary at voiceover.

Break a leg!

Article by Victoria Feinerman