What Do I Have to Do to Become a Voice Actor?
So, your friends have told you you’ve got a great voice, and now you’re dreaming of becoming the next big thing in the voice-acting industry. You want to be that famous voice behind one of your favorite movie characters, or maybe you see yourself narrating those thriller audiobooks. Whatever it may be, you’re in the right place to learn how to realize your dreams!
Well, back in the day (in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s) to become a voice actor was pretty much a nicely crafted super-puzzle. You needed an agent to get jobs, but agents only wanted experienced actors. Crazy right? Well, times have changed. Getting your foot in the door has never been easier. Now, let’s take a dive into how you can turn your voice-acting dreams into reality.
Voice Acting in The Old Days
Imagine wanting to get into that really cool club, but the bouncer at the door says, “Sorry, members only!” That’s kind of what it used to be like to become a voice actor. Here’s what you had to do:
1. Get Coaching: First, you would need to find a coach in voice acting. It was not impossible but pretty tough!
2. Practice, Practice, Practice: You’d log tons of hours working on your craft daily. Think of it like leveling up in a video game but without the cool sound effects.
3. Get Experience: But here was the Catch-22. You needed experience to get the jobs, but you needed the jobs to get experience. That’s like needing money to make money, and that’s just super frustrating!
4. Find an Agent: An agent is like the golden ticket into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Without one, you had a hard time getting good gigs.
5. Audition (If You’re Lucky): If you were that lucky to have an agent, they might have sent you to auditions. The competition was stiff, though—the chances were few and far between.
It’s a cruel world out there for up-and-coming voice actors. You used to have to know the right people get that big stroke of luck, and then wait patiently. Well, don’t you worry, things have changed big time!
How to Become a Voice-Acting Super-Star Today
Okay, it’s time to get excited! The world of voice acting has changed so much, it’s like we’ve gone from black-and-white TV to 4K streaming. Here’s what you need to know to make it in today’s voice-acting world:
1. Drive and Determination
First of all, you must really want it. I mean, really, really want it. “I’d give up pizza for a year” kind of wanting (Okay, maybe that is a bit extreme, but you get the point). Be realistic! just because your mom thinks you sound like a newscaster doesn’t really mean you’re ready for the big leagues, okay? But don’t worry, with practice and determination, you can really most honestly get there!
2. Developing Your Skills
You know that in fighting games or role-playing games you start out weak and level up character? Your voice needs the same type of development. Here is how you can do it:
Get Some Basic Coaching: Sign up with a voice acting coach or take online classes. It’s like a personal trainer for your voice!
Practice Every Day: Read out loud, try different accents, and make funny voices. The more you practice, the better you are.
Listen to the Pros: Pay attention to commercials, cartoons, and audiobooks. What makes those voice actors sound so good?
3. Marketing Yourself
In the old days, agents did all the marketing. Now, you’ve got to be your own cheerleader. Here’s how:
Social Media: Share the process, get in touch with other voice actors, and share some funny moments of voice impressions.
Network: Join groups specializing in voice acting online and where you live. Who knows who might come looking for your type of voice!
Build a Website: Let people hear your greatest work and let them know why you are awesome.
4. Customer Service Skills
It’s about being as great to work with as it is having a great voice. Here’s how you do that:
Be Professional: Be on time; be gracious; deliver what you promise.
Ensure You Understand What Clients Want: Clearly understand what they want, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Take Feedback Well: There can be times when they might need revisions. Don’t take it personally—it’s part of the job!
5. Basic Audio Editing
You might not be a professional sound engineer, but knowing the basics can greatly help you. Here’s what to learn:
How to remove background noise: Because nobody likes the sound of your neighbor’s lawnmower.
How to adjust volume levels: So your voice isn’t too quiet one moment and blowing up your speaker’s ear the next.
How to Add Simple Effects: Timing delay and a bit of reverb are popular client requests. When you know how to do this, it sets you apart.
6. Recording Environment
You want to record in as quiet a space as possible. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but the quieter the better. Here are some tips:
Find a Quiet Room: A closet full of clothes will work great; all those clothes help absorb sound!
Soundproof as Much as You Can: Help decrease echo by using blankets, foam panels, or even egg cartons.
Invest in a Good Microphone: You don’t need to get the most expensive one, but any decent USB microphone will make all the difference.
7. Auditioning
Now it’s time for the fun part: auditioning! Sites like The Voice Realm make this super easy. Here’s what you need to know:
Audition Often: The more you audition, the better you’ll get. It’s like playing a sport: the more you play, the better you are!
Read the Instructions Carefully: Ensure you give the client exactly what they’re asking for.
Don’t Get Discouraged: You won’t nail every voice-over job, which is fine. Every audition becomes good practice.
8. The Voice Realm
Speaking of The Voice Realm, let us discuss why it is one of the best places to begin for people like you who are starting out:
Quality Control: They are not like some of those other sites where anybody with a credit card gets on. The Voice Realm vets every voice actor. You compete with other serious actors, not just people with a microphone.
Loads of Opportunities: Having more than 200,000 voice-over demos in this very database, just be assured to find a myriad of jobs out of which you can at least get to audition. Want to be the voice of an animated cartoon character? Chances are there will be one requiring your services. Fancy being the one narrating an audiobook? Yep, they have those too!
Easy to Use: It really is. You just log on, create your profile, upload your demos, and snap—off you go to auditions for contracts in no time at all.
Fair Pricing: The Voice Realm wants its earners to know precisely how much they’re cutting them a check for. No surprises here!
Global Reach: You may end up working with clients from everywhere in the world. How cool is that?
How it works with The Voice Realm:
You can boil it down to three steps.
1. You audition on their website.
2. A client listens to the different auditions and chooses their preferred voice.
3. If you were that customer pick, now you’re immediately paid to work your voice magic!
Best part? Listing with The Voice Realm is done only by experienced and dedicated voice talent. So once you’re in, you can rest assured that you are in good hands!
Conclusion
Now, the world of voice-over is so much easier to get into than it ever has been. Forget the days when you must have had an agent just to get a foot in the door. With online platforms such as The Voice Realm, you could now control getting your talent known to people worldwide.
Remember, every big-name voice actor started right where you are. They had a dream, put in the work, and never quit. And now it’s your turn. Your voice is special, and your perfect role is somewhere out there—just waiting for you to take it.
Take that step. Audition to The Voice Realm, work hard daily and believe in yourself. Who knows? The next time you flip through the channels on your TV or listen to a commercial, it just may be your voice that you will hear. Now, that is something to get one excited about!
What are you waiting for? Warm up those vocal cords and set up that home studio, even if it’s just a blanket fort, on your journey to becoming a voice actor. The world is ready to hear your voice—are you ready to share it?
