Voice Over Experts

What a great spot from Bob. I think what he has to say will speak to many of our members who are considering having their first demo recorded.

I think Bob's comments are invaluable especially, as one who is transitioning from a producer/editor to voice talent.

Bob identified all the same problems I encountered with training and a demo produced by a NYC studio... too soon, too little variation, inadequate backing tracks.

Many thanks!!! Now I'm off to find an acting class.

This whole site is fantastic! I'm about to attend the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and these podcasts are very valuable! Before I start creating any kind of voice over demos, I'm going to do a significant amount of practicing and learning from this site's tips as well!!!

I have voluntarily quit my full-time job to pursue acting and voice over work. Right now I live in Utah and am trying to research about how to get started.

Can you please provide or offer some suggestions?

Hi Crystal,

Thank you for your comment and I hope you are enjoying the podcasts.

The first thing you'll need to do is to create a business plan. Voice Over is a business like any other and you will need to be organized and ready.

Here's a link to an article we posted this week on how to write a business plan:

How to Write a Business Plan

Definitely subscribe to Voice Over Experts and VOX Talk to help nourish your understanding of voice acting and how to get started.

I also encourage you to check out the VOX Daily blog at http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/ to read up on everything you need to know about getting started in voice overs.

There is a wealth of information out there that you can access for free, so take advantage of everything that you can.

Join a chat group or a voice over bulletin board. The http://www.VO-BB.com is a great place to learn directly from other voice actors through previous discussions and via new topics once you are versed in what they have already discussed.

There are many things that you will need to do before you can truly get started as a professional. I hope this has helped.

Best,

Stephanie

Hi, the information here is wonderful, and as a new voice talent who is trying to break into the business, I appreciate it.

My problem is getting jobs. In order to get work, you need experience. In order to get experience, you need work.

I need a demo, but they are very expensive, and I was hoping to get a few jobs and save up for the demo.

Any advice for someone in my shoes?

Thanks!

Hi Lesleigh,

Thank you for commenting and asking a question about how to get voice over work.

The short answer is that you need to at least have something put together (whether on your own or produced by a friend / local studio) and the ability to record from home at a professional level. If you are unable to record at home for whatever reason at first, be sure to establish a good relationship with a local recording studio.

Investing in a career does take financial investment as well as a passionate heart. It's hard but it's the truth!

If you can get auditions in person, that is probably the only way to get around the whole spending money on a demo before acquiring work in the field of voice over.

Before making a demo, studying with a voice over coach is advisable. That will also have a fee associated with it but you will more than make your money back with a really well produced demo.

You mentioned that in order to get work, you'll also need experience. You can volunteer in a number of ways to gain that experience. Here are some ideas to consider:

Ideas on how to build your portfolio

You are welcome to use any of the resources here at Voices.com to help you get started. If you have any other questions, we're here to help.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Lots of great advice here. I wish I had listened to this when I first started. Like most people I was in a rush and did a "starter" demo way too early. Having been in radio for years, I believed that would provide an advantage.

Still, I have made a part-time income using the demo. It has served its purpose, paid for itself and hopefully not caused too much damage to my career!

Rob Ellis