Q: "What is Voice-Over ?"
A: Often called the "Theater of the Mind", Voice-Over is acting with your voice, really "working" the
words and phrases. When you hear commercials on the radio or on TV... listen to the narrator of a
cartoon story or film documentary... learn routine information while "on hold"... play CD
games... or use high-tech toys... you are listening to Voice-Over. It's just about
everywhere, from "in yo face" to "in the background". And the folks that read and record the written scripts
are called Voice-Over Artists.
Q: "Do I Have To Be An Actor To Do Voice-Over ?"
A: Surprisingly, many people in the business have never been on a stage or in
front of a camera. As voice talent, your job is to use your voice and your imagination to breathe life into the
client's script. In today's world of real people casting, you may actually be a
dentist, a mechanic, a waitress, a student, a young kid or senior citizen. And yes, a
theatrical background is still a valuable asset, though not required.
Q: "How Long Does It Take To Learn ?"
A: That depends on how long have you been working on your voice so far. Have you ever been
a singer or dramatic actor?
Those with previous training and experience can be
ready to go into the studio and make their demo within a week. Newcomers should spend a little
more time. The more time you spend with my home study course
The Voice Package,
reading from the scripts, listening to the tapes, and practicing what you learn, the sooner
you'll be ready to record a demo tape that will get you noticed and really get you jobs.
Q: "Do I Need A Great Voice ?"
A: Relax, be yourself. There is no one voice. Agencies may be
looking for a woman who can do a child's voice or a man with a deep voice like
James Earl Jones. Often they don't know exactly what they want until they hear it.
People who have a wide range of styles do well. It all comes
down to being consistent and creative. Agents are always looking
for new voices that have a certain attitude or style that gets the listener's
attention.
Q: "Who Should Do Voice-Over ?"
A: If people often say you have a good voice...they're probably right.
You should be someone who is comfortable meeting and working with new people. Your phone and answering
machine are very important. When you enter the world of Voice-Over, you'll be making phone calls, sending out tapes, photos and
resumes, and going out on auditions and to recording sessions. And as long as you can draw a breath, you can draw a paycheck.
Q: "How Much Money Can I Make ?"
A: Some big name celebrities earn as much as $1 million or more for
just one campaign. But until then...most lesser known voiceover artists earn between $50,000 and
$80,000 a year, many with six-figure incomes. Individually most local radio and TV
spots pay about $300 to $600 each for :30 sec. and :60 sec. copy. Corporate or Industrial narrations pay $500 and up.
Regional and national spots pay from $2,000 to $10,000 and up.
The goal is to score on a regular basis and produce a comfortable income stream from the
residuals payed to you each time a commercial or program airs another 13 weeks. And if you treat
your clients and associates like the gold they really are, you will get much of your business from repeats and referrals
Q: "What If I Don't Live In New York or Hollywood ?"
A: As long as there is a recording studio in your area, you'll be
fine. These days it doesn't really matter where you live. It's nice if you're fairly close to a
radio or television station. You may want to start your career
in Radio as a DJ or on Television as a Station Announcer. As a freelance Voice-Over Artist, you often
record in a nearby studio for clients that
are not even located in your area. They will typically fax or email you the script and direct you via a
"phone patch" into the studio. Then, when you're done, you can overnite mail the tape or CD. In many cases you can even
ftp the finished audio files or email them as attachments.
Q: "Will I Just Be Doing Commercials ?"
A: While commercials usually make the most money, you won't necessarily make most of
your money doing just commercials. There are lots of great paying jobs doing corporate narration, documentary,
news, straight and character voices for cartoons, books on tape, On-Hold
messages, musical jingles, CDs and the rapidly expanding interactive entertainment
industry. Female, Youth, and Ethnic
markets are opening up fast. In fact, there's more work now than ever before.
Q: "Where Do I Go From Here ?"
A: Be sure to prepare yourself for this new business you are entering. You need to create
an impressive demo tape that properly showcases your talent
to those who are in the position to hire you.
To be sure you're giving it your best shot, check out my home study course...
The Voice Package ...It may be just what you're looking for.