Are You Interested In Becoming A Voice Over Talent : Voice Over LA

Take a minute and answer the following questions:

1.    Has anyone ever told you that your voice was “amazing” or “memorable”?
2.    Do you have a penchant for mimicking dialects?
3.    Do you have excellent breath and vocal control?
4.    Have you ever thought about getting into the world of acting/performing?
5.    Would you like to work in a dynamic Hollywood industry where you don’t have to be a size zero or sport a six-pack in order to succeed?

If you answered “yes” to at least three of the above questions, you may have what it takes to become a voice over talent!

Voice over artists may not be chased by the paparazzi and splashed on the covers of grocery store tabloids, but that isn’t a reflection of their abilities to do what they love or to make a decent paycheck. In fact, many voice over artists enjoy a comfortable lifestyle thanks to their ability to give otherwise-ordinary voice over personality and pizzazz.

Of course, not every person has what it takes to make it in the industry; like all acting professionals, voice over artists have to deal with auditions and, unfortunately, rejections. But if you think that you have what it takes, Voice Over LA has some serious suggestions for you:

First of all, get some vocal training. Take singing lessons, take speaking lessons, take voice over lessons. At the very least, record yourself speaking and listen to that recording with a keen ear. Successful voice over artists know their voices intimately and do not shy away from hearing themselves on tape. If you really want to get better and snag lucrative gigs, it is crucial to overcome any hesitance or reluctance to review yourself.

Secondly, work every day on your diction and enunciation. Voice over artists are extremely picky about the way their words come forth. For instance, if you know you have a habit of “popping” your “p” sounds or of allowing the ends of your sentences to “drop off”, it’s time to begin working on those flaws. The more you practice, the better you’ll become.

Third, seek out representation from at least one reputable voice over agent. At Voice Over LA, we’ve represented hundreds of voice over artists and recommend that you go through an agency to land gigs. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to truly break into the business. You don’t need to have a snazzy demo to get started, but it wouldn’t hurt to get professional sound bytes made to use as part of your portfolio.

Fourth, get out there and do your stuff! If you’re just starting out, do some free gigs for friends, colleagues, the local college radio station, whomever! This will earn you credit as far as experience goes, and it won’t matter if you’ve been paid or not – you can still put the job on your resume. After you begin to amass some real-life know-how, you’ll be more equipped to expertly audition for upcoming parts.