So, you want to be a Voice Over Artist?
Maybe you have experience performing as an actor, a singer, an emcee? Or you've got a background in radio? Perhaps public speaking comes naturally to you, and you've utilized that talent in a professional, legal, or educational setting?
Or, maybe you've just got one of those voices. A voice that people constantly tell you sounds like a million bucks.
Whatever your reason, you sought out this article because you want to know what steps to take next. And you are going to encounter other articles, similar to this one, that give different advice than I give you here.
And that's ok.
Read it all. And take from it what makes sense to you.
Who am I?
I am Kitty Jay, and I am a working, full-time Voice Over Artist. A Voice Actress. A Voice Actor. A Voice Talent. A VO.
Hey look, that's me!
Am I the most successful Voice Over Artist around? Nope. Am I the voice of a famous cartoon character? A well-known ad campaign? Not yet. But I am a full-time, working Voice Over Artist. I have recorded for some big-name clients like Toyota, Coca-Cola and AMC Theatres. I've worked on amazing animation projects. I have voiced characters in some major video games. I have narrated multiple audiobooks.
But you didn't come here for my resume. You came here to learn what you need to do to become a Voice Over Artist yourself. So I am going to give you the same advice i give to other people who are in your shoes, when they approach me in real life. I am not going to try and sell you anything. In fact, I am going to advise you to spend as little as you can, until you've really figured out what you are doing, and if Voice Over is right for you. Oh, and I am going to so my best to cover all of this in layman's terms, for those of you who are truly just starting out.
What should you do first?
That depends where you are starting from. But whether you are a Broadway actor, a high school teacher, or a waiter who does funny voices, you are going to need some practice. Practice reading copy, practice acting out roles, practice hearing your own voice. Can you do this with your phone? Yup. You already have one, right?
What should you read? You can search out practice VO scripts online. Or read website copy. Magazine articles. Books. The back of a cereal box. Whatever.
How do you sound? Do you sound robotic, or natural? Conversational, or like you are reciting a book report? What characteristics do you notice about your voice? Is it raspy? Clear? Do you enunciate your words clearly? Is your voice distinctive? Neutral? Do you have a regional accent? Can you control it?
Listen to the VOs you hear on TV, the radio, YouTube, audiobooks. Can you imitate them?
Believe it or not, some of the most successful VO's around have fairly neutral sounding voices. Not everyone sounds like Morgan Freeman. Having a nice voice is one thing, but knowing how to use your voice is far more important. Acting is far more important.
So, you're an actor now?
With every VO script you read, you are playing a role. The role of that friendly lady who really loves Olive Garden's breadsticks. The part of that company representative who is teaching new employees about best business practices. The role of a Nurse explaining the side effects of that shingles drug.
Not comfortable acting? Take an acting or improv class. Join your local community theatre company. Do a puppet show for your kids. PRACTICE.
You've done all that! What's next??
Ok, so at the same time you are doing all that practicing, you are also going to want to assemble some serious information. And you know what? A TON of it is completely free. YouTube is a treasure trove of great info that you NEED to learn. There are many talented, skilled, successful VO's who are extremely generous with their knowledge. Take advantage of it! Some of my faves:
VO Buzz Weekly - The Booth Junkie - Anthony Pica - VoiceOverAngela -
The Voice Over Master - Dane Scott - Bill DeWees
These are all people who offer their coaching and training services by the hour, for a price. But on YT, you can get so much of their valuable insights, for free.
Where else can you get free info?
Facebook. Join groups that cater to the VO community. Not the spammy ones that want to offer you $3 to record their audiobook for them. Groups like:
The VO Trainer - The VO Life - The Gig Doctor - VO Tech Talk - ACX/Audiobook Narrators
In these groups, you will be able to chat with folks at different experience and skill levels. When you join, I would recommend lurking for a bit. Search the group for the answers you seek, rather than posting day one with "Hi! I am just starting out and know nothing! Can someone tell me everything I need to do to quit my job and do this full time!?!?"
Please, don't be that guy.
What will you learn?
You will learn the how and why of building a recording space, at a variety of budgets. The difference between sound treatment (lower cost) and sound proofing (super pricey).
You'll learn what a noise floor is. The importance of mic placement. How to know which mic and interface to buy, at your budget. You'll learn about the different DAWs you can record and edit with (that's a Digital Audio Workstation, like Audacity, Adobe Audition, Reaper, etc...)
Sounds overwhelming? Don't worry, it did to me too. In fact, the tech aspect of what I do as a VO is my least favorite part of my job, yet it's a crucial one, that I am constantly learning and practicing. You may be different. You may totally geek out on this kind of stuff... and if you do, you will discover a rabbit hole of VO-tech-sound-engineering-geekery you can follow on YouTube. Enjoy it. It is possible to completely teach yourself a DAW, and how to produce broadcast-quality files in your home studio, all by watching videos and using a low-cost mic. And that's all you'd need at this point, since you are still in learning-mode. A computer, a cheap mic, and a DAW. (pssst... Audacity is FREE... )
You are still in! What now??
Up till now you've invested your time. Now, you've gotta start investing some money. So let's go over what you actually need, at a minimum, to be able to pursue VO professionally.
1) A sound treated recording space. Did you think you'd be going into a pro studio to work? That may happen one day, but a working VO does the bulk of their work from a home studio. It could be a coat closet, a guest room, a garden shed, a fancy isolation booth (whisper room), or the corner of your bedroom. The price for this space could be $20 or $20,000. The Booth Junkie has a great video on recording in a regular clothing closet, using your actual clothes for sound treatment.
What do I use? I gutted out a guest room closet, and lined the walls and ceiling with 2" Auralex foam panels. That keeps my voice from echoing off the walls. I also bought two sound-absorbing blankets (they work better than moving blankets, but you could use those as well) that I hung on one wall and the doorway. The floor was already carpeted, and I covered an old IKEA kitchen cart with stick-on rug panels... that's where I have my mic, sitting on the IKEA cart with a weighted boom arm, my monitor, my interface, a comfy chair, a wireless keyboard, and a wireless mouse. It all connects with wires to my Macbook that I keep at a small desk outside of the closet. I do all of my recording and editing from inside this closet. For the sound treatment alone, I spent @ $600. And it's important to note: my space is sound treated, not sound proofed. I live in the 'burbs, and it works for me. Your environment will dictate what you need to do.
2) Recording and editing equipment. Microphones can vary wildly in price, and not all mics were built for VO. Some mics lend themselves to male or female voices. There is a lot of info out there about the ins an outs of mics, and why you need a decent one. What do I use? A $400 Rode NT1 that came in a bundle with a Pop Filter/Shield, and a shock mount so I can attach it to my mic stand. It's a heavy mic, so I needed a heavy, weighted mic stand that I found on Amazon for $79. Someday, I will spend more $$ and get a fancier mic**. But for now, what I have is serving me just fine.
**Update. I now use a Neumann TLM 103 that cost around $1200. But I was making enough $$ to justify that upgrade. I didn't need that mic to get started.**
You also need an interface. I use a Scarlet Focusrite Solo (it has one input). I paid $100. I will let the experts explain to you what an interface does, but I can tell you that it is the middle man between your mic and your DAW. My mic connects to it, and then my interface connects to my computer.
You need a DAW. A Digital Audio Workstation (its actually just software, not an actual, tangible piece of equipment.) We talked about these before, remember? Audacity is free. Most others cost something. I personally think that Audacity is amazing, even though many seasoned VOs turn their nose up at it. I also use Adobe Audition, (but it costs $$ each year to renew.) Once you've learned your DAW of choice, you can purchase or source all sorts of plug-ins to sweeten your sound, but they aren't completely necessary.
You need a computer. The newer and better it is, the faster you will be able to do your editing. I keep mine outside my booth, and wires run under my sound blanket/curtain that attach to the equipment in my booth including a monitor that I use with a wireless keyboard and mouse.
3) Coaching. There are seasoned VOs and Coaches out there that are going to tell you that you need a solid year or more of private coaching before you can start making $$ as a VO. And maybe you do. And if you can afford that, go ahead. Shop around, take the free group or sample class a coach offers, follow some folks on social media and find someone that you vibe with. Did I do this? Yes and no.
I did get coaching! And still do. But after a lifetime of experience acting on stage, earning a BFA in Theatre, judging theatre competitions, directing plays, and teaching years of acting classes myself, I didn't need an acting teacher. I didn't need help with my diction, or enunciation, or analyzing scripts. I needed help with the part that scared me the most: the tech. So you know what I did? I booked private sessions with an amazing coach/sound engineer who taught me how to use my DAW and my equipment. This part was CRUCIAL. If you want to be a VO today, you absolutely need to know how to record and edit clean, broadcast-quality files for all auditions and paid work that you will submit to a client.
I also did a few sessions with a different coach, who taught me how to set myself up on freelancer platforms and pay-to-play sites. These are the places I got all of my work for the first two years of my career, before I ever signed with an agency. He also helped me to pinpoint the niches of VO that were well-suited to my voice, and helped me to create a beginner's marketing plan.
I did small group sessions where a coach guides and instructs in different styles and niches, and you take turns doing reads, with feedback from the coach and the group. I got a lot out of these sessions, and they were MUCH cheaper than private lessons.
Ultimately, trust your gut. Does it seem like someone is being super pushy about selling you on coaching services? Is this person currently working as a VO? What do they excel at? What aspect of VO will they be working on with you? Your delivery? Your tech? Your business plan?
Interested in private coaching with Kitty?
I wrote this post to give you a ton of info for FREE, because I know how overwhelming it can be to be starting out in VO, and faced with the major dollar signs you see standing between you and your goals.
I do offer reasonably priced sessions for beginner's, and all those looking to dip their toes into the VO pool, with a NO BS PROMISE. What does that mean?
It means I will not try to sell you a monthly membership, or push you into a huge package of lessons. I WILL refer you to other coaches or programs if I believe they would better suit your needs or level.
Sessions are offered for one hour, on Zoom, and are designed to accommodate your individual needs. An hour costs $75. You can pay on Paypal, Venmo, Zelle.
Things we can work on include:
Insider's insight as to how this biz really works
Setting up your recording space (but I will also refer you to a sound engineer)
Setting up your gig page on freelancer platforms like Fiverr or UpWork (I am Top Rated on both)
Setting yourself up on Pay-to-Play sites like V123 or Voices
Performance and analysis of material and scripts
Recording samples
Vocal exercises and vocal health
Discovering your VO niches
How to run a BUSINESS
Marketing
CONFIDENCE
Reach out to Kitty at
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