The world of voice acting presents a thrilling and fulfilling venture but it is not without hurdles. The pursuit of happiness leads us to professions that spark joy, such as voice acting. It offers an opportunity to leave an indelible impact, from inspiring children through captivating character portrayal to gaining global recognition and making substantial earnings. This five-part series is designed to guide you through key aspects of the industry, it will facilitate a full VO overview including sourcing for work, acquiring relevant training, and achieving prominence.
Previous articles on our platform have detailed where to secure voiceover work. For clarity, let's summarize these options, highlighting the most popular avenues and confronting possible biases. The objective is to provide you with a rounded perspective on available opportunities in the industry.
Every voice actor envisions lounging on a sunlit Californian deck, waiting for their agent to deliver the good news of a new job. However, this idyllic scenario is more fiction than reality. Despite the top-tier artists occasionally enjoying such luxuries, a significant part of their time, like any other, is spent promoting themselves, attending networking events, managing media interactions, and continually auditioning. There are only so many hours in the day and time is precious. Successful voice actors do all of the above as well as managing the usual tasks life provides, for example, spending time with friends and family.
Harness the power of the Internet! Proactively approaching prospective clients can boost your contacts, but remember to tread lightly. Given the abundance of voice actors, clients typically have the upper hand. The key is to tailor your approach, focusing on them rather than on yourself. Scrutinize their work, identify shared interests, and understand their clientele. Complementing this will start a dialog and social media provides valuable insights about organizations. A crucial piece of advice: Don’t lose heart after the first unsuccessful email. Persistence can pay off, but ensure you time your follow-ups wisely to avoid appearing too forceful. One email a month is a good, strong, and cautious model.
Social media platforms, while often divisive, are undeniably time-consuming for most. Whether you're an avid user or not, these platforms can be used strategically to uncover voiceover opportunities. They host countless pages and groups teeming with relevant content that you can tap into. Regular engagement can ensure you're always in the loop. Here's a bonus tip: Add every potential client to your contact list, irrespective of the outcome of your initial interaction. A rejection today might transform into acceptance tomorrow. Adopt a long-term perspective over short-term gains, but naturally, securing a gig on the first attempt is the ideal scenario.
Stay tuned for the second part of this series, which will further delve into sourcing work in the voiceover industry.
A Full VO Overview - Finding Work by Alan Shires
Voice Actor