Written by: Suzanne Amey
About 8 months ago, I committed to launching myself into a career as a voice actor. I have training as an opera singer and have done lots of community theater in my hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. The combination of being my own boss and using my creativity appealed to me and it still does!
I signed up for training, recorded a demo, signed up for casting websites and contracted a web designer to create a professional website. A few weeks after my website went “live” in early March, my city implemented social distancing and stay-at-home orders and the world completely changed. What has this meant for my new voice over career? What does this mean for the voice over industry in general? What does this mean for stage and screen actors, or everyday entrepreneurial folks, who recognized the appeal of the voice over industry and want to see if it can work for them?
Suzanne Amey in her at-home voice over studio. Photo credit: Suzanne Amey.
First of all, the voice over industry has been growing over the past few years with the increasing availability of affordable audio technology. In the past, voice actors had to travel to a studio where an engineer would use his or her professional equipment and microphone. While this is still the case for some voice actors, in the past few years it has become increasingly affordable and possible for a voice actor to set up a home studio using only a personal computer, some audio equipment and a sound treated recording space. With lockdown orders taking effect in most of the world, recording studios have been forced to shut down as well, or operate on a very limited basis. While many voice actors were already setting up their own home studios, COVID-19 has now made it essential to have one. According to professional voice actors and coaches I have heard from, the amount of work available for voice actors, especially voice actors with their own home studios, has stayed the same or grown since the start of the pandemic. In some instances, the type of work has changed with an emphasis on COVID-related projects. With social distancing orders possibly extending for months or years, there are some who say that the industry may never go back to the way it was before, meaning very little voice over work will be recorded outside the home in a studio.
For my part, the impact of this global pandemic on my burgeoning career has been small. Like many actors and creatives, I have a day job that allows me the flexibility to work on my passion without worrying about paying the mortgage or where my next meal will come from. My voice over work right now consists of practicing, auditioning and reaching out to production companies, casting agents and advertising agencies. I was already accustomed to auditioning online before the pandemic, as that is how many voice over auditions work. Like stage and screen actors, voice actors can get auditions from agents. However, voice actors have access to what are known in the business as “pay-to-play” websites. Pay-to-play, or P2P sites, are sites that allow talent to sign up for an account, pay an annual membership and get access to auditions for voice over gigs that are posted directly by clients. P2P sites are exploding; there are dozens and many more freelance sites that offer voice over services. The benefit of these sites is that most people can join them for free or for a few hundred dollars. The downside is that anyone with a credit card can buy a membership and call themselves a voice actor. While I think it’s wonderful that entrepreneurial people can start their voice over careers and have the same opportunities as everyone else, each site is different and have advantages and disadvantages. Before joining any P2P sites, make sure to read all the fine print, read reviews and get a sense of their reputation among the professional voice over industry.
Where can someone get started in voice over? As many people reading this are probably stage and screen actors, you already have the advantage of training and experience as an actor. If you’re a fan of audiobooks, just think about how many of them are narrated by famous actors, for example Benedict Cumberbatch or Anne Hathaway. Being a good actor is a huge benefit to voice acting. One of the most memorable actors on tv commercials right now who is known for his iconic voice is Dennis Haysbert, better known as “The Allstate Guy.” His voice over and acting skills have made that series of commercials stand out in a sea of forgettable commercials. However, voice acting is about more than having a “good” voice or even the best acting training. As with stage and screen acting, having a nice-looking face or the highest caliber training doesn’t guarantee success. Voice acting takes a lot of the same “hustle” you may be used to as a stage or screen actor: marketing, networking, establishing a good reputation, branching out into different areas, being multi-talented, having discipline and dedication.
If you are eager to start your voice over career, avoid one of the mistakes I made. When I first got interested in voice acting a few years ago, I took a one-day course, and went out and bought a microphone. It was kind of like buying a Ferrari before getting a driver’s license. I had a fancy piece of equipment, but no idea how to use it properly. Before you invest in any equipment (quality microphones can be anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars) do some research, talk to a professional working voice actor and find out if you have a marketable voice and the right disposition for this career. I have done all my training through Edge studio, Gravy for the Brain and with voice over coach Shelley Cohen. While almost all of my pre-lockdown training was done online before, with the global situation nearly all teachers are offering online training if they weren’t already.
So, there you have it – an inside look at the voice over industry. At the risk of sounding like a commercial (I wish I had the Allstate guy to read it!) you too can start a voice over career during a global pandemic!
About the Writer:
Suzanne Amey is a professional voice actor with a fully equipped home studio, specialising in long-form narration. She has additional training in theatre and opera. Recently, she started a blog about her experiences as a voice actor on her website genuineVO.com. When not in lockdown, Suzanne enjoys seeing live musicals and going to the beach.