January 4, 2021 / / How To

10 Tips on how YOU can get started in voiceover

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Lots of people ask “how can I get started in voiceover?”

I’m not going to lie to you, it’s a tough business to get established in. I’m working on that myself right now. But it’s rewarding as hell, and people do it, including me, so you can too — if you’re motivated, consistent, and do the work. Here’s a small trove of information I’ve collected in my travels in the voiceover world, becoming a professional voice actor.

However, if you just want to do this as a hobby — and that’s a perfectly valid thing to do — get a Blue Yeti mic, plug it into your computer and get on CastingCall.club and start auditioning and have fun!

Voiceover is fun, rewarding, energizing, and hard work. Here are some tips to get you started in the business!

  1. Most important, and that’s why it’s first: Take classes and / or get coaching. Find a good voiceover class and coach to get you started. I’ve listed a few below. There are a lot around, and even a few bad ones, so make sure to do the research and get referrals from people who’ve taken their classes.
  2. Watch as many videos on voiceover as you can on YouTube. I’ve compiled a list below
  3. Join a few voiceover groups and ask lots of questions, take lots of seminars.
  4. Read some good books, like V-Oh by Marc Cashman, Voiceovers by Joshua Alexander, There’s Money Where Your Mouth Is, by Elaine A Clark, 
  5. Invest in high quality (but not necessarily expensive) studio equipment. I recommend the TechZone Audio Stellar X2 or Rhode NT1 mics, about $200 as of this writing; a Focusrite Scarlett interface ($110) or, if you want to splurge a little more, SSL2 interface ($230), and a reliable computer that doesn’t make a lot of noise. The Mac Mini is perfect, but any decent computer will do if you put it outside your recording area. The advantage of the Mac Mini is that you can put it IN your recording area. The only time I’ve ever heard the fan come on is when rendering video files.
  6. Treat your recording area for good sound. This is critical, and it’s ideal to get a sound engineer to help listen and give advice for your particular room. Frank Verderosa or Uncle Roy Yokelson are two accessible, affordable engineers who are eager to help and skilled at what they do. I recommend these Zhermao foam panels and / or Audimute sound absorbtion sheets. You can buy pre-made small, affordable booths at https://www.vocalboothtogo.com/
  7. Did I mention take classes and get coaching and training and attend seminars either in person on online? This is critical. That’s why I’m mentioning it twice. You’d never expect to become anything else without proper training, either on the job, or with classes. Voiceover is no different. You can even take regular acting classes. Remember, voiceover is voice ACTING.
  8. Once you’re ready — and that means ask your instructor and coach — get professional demos produced. They cost money (about $1200-$2000) but they’re worth it if you’re serious about your career, and amateur demos you do at home, or get a friend to do for you will just damage your career. Here’s a list of people who do good demos.
  9. Social media: At a minimum get on LinkedIn with a separate voice actor profile, as well as Twitter. Instagram and Tik Tok are bonus points.
  10. Get on voiceover sites. If you’re into animation, get started auditioning immediately on CastingCall.club for free. It’s fun, you can hear other people’s auditions and learn, and you can get cast in fun, amateur animation. It’s great practice and did I mention fun? Create a free profile on Voice123.com, and when you’re ready, you can buy a subscription to start auditioning for real-world commercials and roles there, and VOPlanet.com and Voiceovers.com. Stay away from Voices.com, you’ll thank me (why?). Also stay away from Voice Bunny, Covoco, and all the other cheapo vo sites. You deserve better. Fiverr and Upwork is a whole other discussion. Some swear by them, some swear at them. You’ll have to do the research on that yourself.

The minimum investment to get started is going to be about $600 for a mic, an interface, and a slightly treated small space like a closet. Add a demo and classes, and a better treated space, and you’re looking at a minimum of $2500. I know the barrier to entry is high, but if you seriously want to do this as a business, and not just a hobby, that’s what it’s going to take.

Teachers and Coaches I have worked with and recommend

Helpful Voiceover Videos and Podcasts

VO Groups and Seminars

  • Voice Actors of NYC — far and away the best VO resource on the Internet and best group ever, and you don’t even have to be in NYC to join
  • VO Dojo — great free and low cost classes and resources
  • Lisa Biggs‘ free and low cost classes
  • Vopreneur Facebook group

VO Demo Producers I Recommend

A good demo will run you between $1200-$2000 and is worth every penny. Make sure you get it done by someone reputable, experienced, and talented, like one of these folks:

Originally posted at https://voicebyian.com/2021/01/04/how-to-get-started-in-voiceover/

CategoriesHow To

Ian Kleinfeld Episode by:

Ian is a voice actor with a professional home studio providing voiceover talent for commercials, animation, web videos, and films. With a voice that can be warm, conversational, friendly, upbeat, likeable, authentic with a broad range from sincere and straightforward to ridiculous characters, or sarcastic and over-the-top. Professional, easy to direct, on time, and on point!

Voiceovers by Ian Kleinfeld at http://voicebyian.com

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