So You Want to Be a Better Voiceover Artist?

If you are relatively new to the voiceover industry, then you likely realize the challenge that you are up against, but you also likely have a lot of questions that you would love to ask the pros.  There is a lot of competition in the market today and that often means that those who have been successful in the business don’t want to help out the newbies.  That said, you don’t have to operate in the dark.  There is a lot of information to be had online, and several general tips that can make the transition into the business much easier.

The biggest thing is to understand that working as a voiceover talent is about much more than your ability to read something with feeling and a pleasant cadence.  Voice over professionals must be marketers and businesspeople.

You Must Have a Brand Even if you are running your business under your own name, there is a brand to sell.  It just shares your name.  You have to consider what you want your brand to represent and then do your best to always portray that image and that message everywhere and to everyone.

Spread Your Reach Be sure that you are networking – online and off. Even time spent speaking with someone completely unrelated to the industry could ultimately lead to a referral one day.  Spread your brand as far as you can, and understand that, even if you work out of your home, you may have to do some travel for this job, if clients want you to audition in person.

Take Classes Yes, they are out there! Sign up for voice over workshops and acting classes. They can be extremely beneficial for many types of narration.  And will help clarify your expectations as a talent. The character is important in everything from novels to video games, commercials to cartoons.  The classes aren’t going to be a replacement for experience, but they can help you be better prepared for auditions, and help you come up with new techniques for tackling challenging projects.