Curious on how to become a voice actor? Our community of voice actors tells you how!
If you are an aspiring voice actor, asking yourself how to become successful in this industry – then this is for you.
With the great strides in media, technology, and communications in recent decades, voice acting has been growing in popularity as a career choice for many professionals of all ages and backgrounds. In the last two decades alone, there has been an explosion of hopeful voice actors joining the industry, driving down the barrier to entry. Still, competition is now fiercer than ever before.
So, rather than having Voquent – as a business – provide all the answers to you, we asked our community of voice actors for their own tips and insights.
Don’t just listen to one source; learn from many and decide for yourself.
Q: Did you complete any voice-over courses or training to become a voice actor?
The answers are pretty diverse from the Voquent community. Some of our respondents indicated that they had no formal training when starting in their careers.
Still, almost all have booked sessions or classes with experienced coaches or mentors eventually.
One of the respondents, Richard, said:
Nothing when I first started, then once I started recording at home, producing and directing myself, a few webinars and a whole stack of YT videos. That is all!
— Richard Savage Voice Artist (@DickSavagecz) October 9, 2020
In contrast, Mikael has had extensive training before becoming a voice actor:
Drama training and workshops galore as a child and into college. Had many pro voice acting mentors; relationships forged in hundreds of session hours as engineer, which I feel was more genuine & valuable for me as opposed to paid courses. As was sitting in the director’s chair.
— Mikael Naramore (@MikaelNaramore) October 9, 2020
Notably, many of the voice actors who responded didn’t actually take voice-over courses but instead took acting or improv classes.
A few indicated that it’s important to jump right into it and that they eventually found people who were more than willing to mentor them. Others responded by saying that many of their techniques are self-taught and that they learned them through imitation and observation.
As evidenced by the responses, there’s no one size fits all approach nor even a uniformity in what classes the voice actors who responded eventually took – most honed their skills personally.
Meanwhile, others took lessons from YouTube tutorials and online courses. Whichever form their further education took, this led them to advance their skills and up their confidence.
Q: How long did it take you to get your first acting job?
As with our previous question, the responses to this question are pretty varied, with some voice actors indicating that they could book a gig in just a month or less, while others said it took them decades.
Quarter Life Crisis Lago replied:
6 years! After doing fan projects and practicing and learning, it took me 6 whole years!
— Quarter Life Crisis Lago (@OrangeJulisuVA) October 11, 2020
In contrast, we have Garnet Williams, a responder who was able to book a gig in just 2 weeks!
While there’s a huge disparity in the timelines, most respondents indicated that they scored their first acting gig in a span of few months to a year. It’s important to note that some of these roles were unpaid and for their first paid gig, some voice actors mentioned it took them longer.
Additionally, there may be some lull in between gigs. While some voice actors managed to book their first gig relatively quickly, they found it difficult to score their next one.
Got my first within the first 35 auditions I submitted after getting my commercial demo done. Then… not another gig for months. It spoiled me, honestly.
— Bruce E Hennigar II (@scrubbsdj) October 10, 2020
This shows that getting a steady stream of work requires a combination of strategising, hustling, and luck.
Read more answers on Twitter >
Q: How important is your professional show-reel/Demo Reel to getting cast for voice acting projects?
Many of the responses stressed the importance of Reels in catching the attention of prospective clients – it lets you get a foot in the door, so to speak. Some voice actors said that they were able to land projects with their professional show-reels alone.
One voice actor, Mimi, puts into words why show-reels are important:
Paramount! A professional, relevant demo is not merely important, it’s fundamental for competing in today’s voiceover industry. If voice is your product, show your product in the very best manner possible!
— Mimi Barker (@MimiBarker) October 13, 2020
While the majority of the responses agree that Demo Reels are important, a few pointed out that they’re just one of the many factors that can land you a gig.
Taher highlighted the significance of both Demo Reels and auditions:
A demo has attracted the attention of clients who reached out to me (as opposed to the other way around), it’s absolutely a key thing to have.
But for the majority of times, I still have to audition for projects – and that’s where having a demo really doesn’t make a difference.
— Taher Chy (@khobis_VA) October 12, 2020
The importance of sending relevant Samples is also mentioned by Ken:
Most of my bookings come from samples of previous work I’ve done more often than my demo reel.
It’s been my experience that sending the prospective client a sample that is relevant to their project wins more gigs than a generic reel will ever do.
— Ken Marsiglia (@KenMarsigliaVo) October 12, 2020
Based on the responses, it’s clear that Demo Reels are essential to get your name out in the industry, but one should also prepare for auditions and deliver relevant Samples to prospective clients.
With the amount of competition in the industry, clients may only be looking at the first 10-15 seconds of your Reel, so it’s best also to consider this.
Q: When do you think it is ok to do a voice-over free of charge?
Some expressed willingness to do gratis work for friends who don’t have much money to pay and for student projects.
Voice actor Tim expressed three situations where free voice over work is okay:
If it’s for an organization that does charity work, helps people and has no budget for voiceover, I’d do it for free.
I’d also do it as a way to pay someone back who has helped me. It’s also not a bad idea to do a free project with high exposure: could pay off down the line.
— Tim Chessman Voiceovers (@TimChessman) October 13, 2020
As a word of caution, one must always be watchful with the last point since unscrupulous clients can easily exploit this. Meanwhile, some expressed willingness to do free work for passion projects and as a way to beef up their resumés.
Stephen has some words of wisdom for those who are just starting:
I tell my new students that it’s up to them, but at first to get some credits it is worth it. However, you have to tell yourself that there is a stopping point for that and then stick to it.
— Stephen Weese (@steveracercom) October 13, 2020
Overall, the majority of the voice actors who replied to our question indicated that they would be willing to do pro bono voice over work for non-profit organisations, charities, and local initiatives for people in need.
Q: How much did it cost to set up your own home recording studio?
Responses ranged anywhere from $200 to more than $15,000, depending on the setup – including the booth, gear, and recording software subscriptions.
Stephen helpfully gave a cost comparison between his first and current studios:
First studio – $415 all in (PVC booth, mic, interface, etc.). This setup helped me achieve 75% income replacement year 2-ish.
Current studio – $1538 all in (custom Iso-booth, mic/interface upgrade, etc.). This setup helped me achieve 100%+ income replacement year 2.5.
— Stephen Carlock (Voice Actor – Home Studio) (@Stephen_Carlock) October 14, 2020
Sometimes the environment becomes an important factor in determining the type of equipment you want to get, like in the case of Jeff:
$10,000. I live in the city and my sound environment demands a sound proof vocal booth. When you strive to do this for a living, you do what it takes. No excuses.
— Jeff Savage VO (@jeffsavage) October 14, 2020
Many of the respondents who set up their home recording studio for under $500 could do so by scoring secondhand equipment and utilising available home space, such as their closet:
Mic and input chain $500, Mac mini, $500, studio acoustic treatments $0 used coat closet. I’ve progressed passed that now. But that is where I started.
— Thyphear (@thyphear) October 14, 2020
Many professional voice actors start with a simple studio setup for a small budget, then they move on to better equipment and software as they gain experience.
Of course, with a better studio environment and higher-end gear, you’ll get more professional-sounding recordings. This will make your Demos and your work sound at their best helping you to attract better-paying clients.
Q: What kinds of businesses give you new opportunities?
Most of the respondents from the Voquent community stated it that online platforms give you more opportunities.
This comes as no surprise considering that more and more of our interactions and transactions are digital, the internet makes it easier to connect with potential clients.
Besides online platforms, production companies and creative agencies also provide new voice actors opportunities.
Heather comments:
Production companies & creative agencies. Make good connections with those places!
— Heather Loduca (@heatherloduca) October 15, 2020
Others mentioned their agents and their own websites and SERP ranking, but some of the more notable answers indicated the importance of actively searching out potential clients.
Adam explains his strategy in reaching out to clients and the importance of building up one’s portfolio:
Online platforms only, for now. I want to have b, c, and d. E would be proactively reaching out to potential clients with my demo or specific clips that indicate that I like what they do and that I’m a good fit for them. I just think I need to build up a larger volume of work.
— Adam Rosenbloom (@AdamRosenbloom2) October 15, 2020
Additionally, Lynette presents a fresh way of looking for work:
New opportunities can come from a mixture. I believe that every problem is a business opportunity. Don’t seek a business instead seek a problem.
— Lynette Wortham (@WorthamLynette) October 15, 2020
Q. What does being a ‘successful’ voice actor look like to you?
For many of the respondents, success comes in being paid enough that you can devote most of your energies to voice acting.
Jeff adds to this by highlighting the relationships that you’re able to cultivate with the clients you’ve worked with:
When Voice Acting can support you 100% without needing a supplemental stream of income. Removing the “side hustle” mentality, building relationships with repeat clients, and building a trustworthy brand.
— Jeff Savage VO (@jeffsavage) October 16, 2020
In contrast, Stephen offers a different way of framing success:
Early in my career, I used to view “success” as making a living from voiceover only. As I progressed, I realised only a tiny percent are able to do that so I reframed success: to be professionally competent and happy with the work that one gets.
— Stephen Weese (@steveracercom) October 16, 2020
For others, success comes in the form of people recognizing your work. Mexi puts this into words:
i feel like thats quite relative, to some success is being in big budget movies, but to small time VA’s like me, its more like having a decent sized set of people who like stuff with you in it and know your name
— Mexi (@mexiwastaken) October 16, 2020
Because the definition of success varies from person to person, it isn’t easy to pin down just a single answer. Ultimately, if you can find joy and satisfaction in your work, what else is there?
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