Buzz
Voice actors lend their voices to animated movies, TV shows, documentary narrations, and advertisements on TV or radio. If you're passionate about acting and have a unique voice, this might be the perfect career for you! This field requires skill development, clear pronunciation, and participation in numerous auditions. Given the highly competitive nature of the industry, voice acting isn't for those who shy away from challenges. However, with perseverance, dedication, and hands-on experience, your path to becoming a voice actor will open up.
Steps
Develop Your Talent
Practice Reading Aloud. Clear and confident reading aloud is an essential skill in voice acting, especially when you're required to read from a teleprompter or script. Make it a habit to read books, magazines, or news articles out loud to familiarize yourself. Dedicate at least 30 minutes daily to practice reading. Focus on pronunciation and improving intonation. Challenge yourself by varying your voice while reading.
- Practice reading diverse materials to refine your voice. You can start with Dr. Seuss's works, then move on to the movie The Hobbit, and eventually challenge yourself with poetry. Never approach reading as just reading—think of it as performing an art form. A professional in this field breathes life into every word.
Record Your Voice. Try performing monologues or reading scripts and record yourself. Press play and make notes to improve. You might be surprised by how your voice sounds! The recorded voice doesn’t always sound the same as your natural speaking voice. Pay attention to these changes and get familiar with your recorded voice so that you can express yourself effectively through the microphone.
Use Your Diaphragm. Pay attention to whether you're using your nasal, throat, chest, or belly voice. A nasal voice sounds shrill, throat voice is weak, chest voice sounds pleasant, but belly voice is powerful and ideal. To develop a belly voice, practice deep breathing and focus on the rise and fall of your diaphragm. Breathe from your belly and make sounds, such as laughing or yawning. Once you're proficient, the only challenge left is to maintain your voice. A vocal coach can help you with diaphragmatic pronunciation.
Practice Voice Control. Certain exercises can help you control and improve your voice. Most people consider breath control fundamental. Try humming a scale by blowing through a straw to practice breath management. You can lie on the floor, take deep breaths, and exhale while making the 'sh' sound. Even simple actions, like sitting up straight and pulling your shoulders back, will make a difference in your voice. You can also practice clear pronunciation by saying tongue twisters, like 'Lúc nào lên núi lấy nứa về làm lán nên lưu ý nước lũ.'
Imitate Famous Actors or Fictional Characters. Mimicking voices helps you build flexibility, recognize pitch and tone, and provides valuable material for your demo reel. Voice actors don’t need to be impressionists, but the ability to switch voices is a great asset. It makes you more versatile and enhances your acting skills. Try reading in a way that not only matches the person's lip movements but also aligns with their personality to create a more authentic performance.
- To get started, imitate famous characters like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Cosby, Tony the Tiger, Roger Rabbit, Christopher Walken, Don LaFontaine.
Ad-lib as the Character. Ad-libbing is a crucial skill in voice acting as directors expect this. This skill helps you truly embody the character and think like them. Once you’ve immersed yourself in the role, try creating a humorous story based on the character’s situation. If you need help, ask friends to give you questions and respond as the character. For example, if imitating Kermit the Frog, make up a story about a date with Miss Piggy.
Take Acting Classes or Find an Acting Coach. This helps you develop your film talent. Voice actors may never appear on screen, but they need real talent to deliver lines effectively. Remember, in some ways, voice acting is even more challenging than other forms of acting because there are no co-actors, and the audience can't see your facial expressions, hand gestures, or movements. There are no props or tools to assist in the performance. You must convey all emotions and character traits through your voice alone.
- If you're still in school, consider enrolling in a theater program and auditioning for any play or one-act show currently in production. If you're no longer in school, you can try joining community theater groups.
Join a Voice Training Course. Consistent participation in voice training sessions (at least once a week) will help you expand your vocal range, adjust volume, and master your voice. You should try out several teachers to find the one who fits you best. A good voice coach not only helps students develop advanced techniques and control but also helps them discover their unique vocal qualities.
- A skilled teacher will guide you through proper voice warm-ups. There are many warm-up exercises you can try, such as blowing air out of your mouth while vibrating your lips to create a 'brrr' sound. Then yawn and sigh while smiling to relax your jaw muscles.
Promote Yourself
Create a Demo Reel. This is how voice actors showcase their talents when seeking jobs. Your demo reel may include your natural voice or imitations of characters/scripts. Having a high-quality demo reel is crucial to affirming your abilities and demonstrating your skills. You can either record it yourself or go to a professional studio. If you record it yourself, be mindful of sound quality and make sure you're in a noise-free environment. You certainly don’t want any distractions while recording.
- To create a professional demo reel, you may need to spend hundreds of dollars. Money won’t necessarily improve the reel, but it will ensure the output sound quality. The content of the reel is the most important. You can still create a high-quality reel with a good microphone and a quiet room at home.
- Make a strong impression in the first 30 seconds of your reel. Potential employers might only listen to the first 30 seconds, so make sure to make the most of this opportunity. The demo reel should be short, no longer than one to two minutes, and get straight to the point by showcasing a few characteristic voices.
- If you're creating a demo reel for a specific job application, ensure the content is relevant. For example, if you're auditioning for a male character role, the employer doesn't need to hear you impersonating an elderly woman’s voice.
Write a Resume. Typically, you need work experience to apply for jobs, which can be challenging for beginners. Try to recall and include any related experience in your resume. You can list acting classes, attending workshops, creating a YouTube channel to post your demos, building relationships within community theater groups, applying for school news anchor positions, narrating audiobooks, or simply looking for any voice acting jobs you’ve done in the past. This will make you appear more experienced to casting directors and help develop your skills.
- In the voice acting industry, your resume is far more important than your headshot. A professional headshot may look nice, but it can be expensive and is irrelevant to a casting director since your appearance doesn't matter in voice acting.
Find a Talent Agent. Similar to any other type of actor, a talent agent will represent and support the career of a voice actor. They will keep track of audition schedules and help the actor find suitable roles. Agents are responsible for promoting the actor's image and managing their career. They also negotiate pay and earn commissions from the deals. They have access to job opportunities that you might not find on your own. Make sure to send your demo reel and resume to talent agents near your location. Choose someone trustworthy who brings you peace of mind.
- An agent will help advance your acting career. Before seeking representation, it's important to develop your voice quality and clarify the type of work you want to pursue.
- Look for an agent who specializes in voice acting. Decide whether you want to work in television, film, or radio and seek an agent with experience in those areas.
Send Your Demo Reel and Resume to Studios. Find a film studio near your location and send your demo reel and resume to them via email. If you're willing to travel, you might even drop them off in person. Be prepared to wait for responses and face rejections. Studios receive hundreds of demo reels, and yours may be exactly what they're looking for or not. However, not hearing back immediately doesn't mean they won’t ever consider you. They might not have a role for you at the moment, but they may appreciate your demo and keep you in mind for future opportunities.
Create an Online Portfolio. A well-crafted online portfolio can significantly support your career. You can create a personal website using services like Wordpress, showcase your skills on YouTube, or set up a dedicated professional account on social media. More and more casting directors are using the internet to scout talent. If someone hears about your work, you’ll want them to easily find and follow you online. A website dedicated to your voice acting career will help promote your personal brand.
Choose the Right Location. If you're serious about pursuing a career in voice acting, you may need to live in a city with a thriving voice acting industry. While the internet has made it less necessary, being in a major voice acting hub can still be beneficial. Some of the top cities in the U.S. for voice acting include Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, and San Francisco.
Audition
Attend an Open Audition. Even without a talent agent or any response from film studios, you can still participate in an open audition. These auditions are open to anyone. Be prepared for short audition times due to the high number of people attending. Even if you don't land a role that day, it's a great opportunity to practice and get used to the audition process, while also catching the attention of casting directors.
- To find open auditions near you, check the listings on backstage.com.
Audition Online. Since voice acting can be done with just a microphone, it's entirely possible to audition from home. There are various job listings online, such as on voices.com. The online marketplace is changing how auditions work, and online auditions are an excellent option for those who don't live in major film cities.
Audition as Much as Possible. Some say the true job of an actor is auditioning. This is because acting is highly competitive, and you may need to attend numerous auditions before landing a role. Once you're done with one, you'll need to start auditioning again. Therefore, it's important to embrace the audition process and attend as many as you can. This helps you stay sharp and keep your voice ready until you land the role. The more auditions you attend, the more career opportunities you'll have.
- Don't hesitate to audition for roles that may not seem like a perfect fit. You never know what a casting director is looking for.
Prepare in Advance. Make sure to warm up and keep your voice hydrated. Be sure you're familiar with the script and know how you'll read it. Some auditions may only require you to read a single line, so it’s essential to be prepared to deliver that line well. This also helps reduce the stress of the high-pressure audition environment. Prepare additional lines not included in the script in case the casting director wants to see more.
- Try to immerse yourself in the character's mindset and think beyond the script. Who is this character? What is important to them? Why are they saying these words? It might be helpful to jot down some notes about the character to better understand their key traits. This will aid in bringing the character to life.
Be On Time. Punctuality is key to success when attending an audition. To ensure you're on time, plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. This will give you a chance to relax and review your script.
Dress Appropriately. While your appearance may not directly affect your voice acting abilities, your overall presentation still speaks volumes. Make sure to dress appropriately. Avoid wearing old, sloppy t-shirts. Opt for a professional style that reflects the character you're auditioning for.
- For instance: If you're auditioning for a ninja role, there's no need for a costume; a simple black button-down shirt will be enough to portray the character in a professional manner.
Advice
- Keep your voice healthy by staying hydrated and avoiding smoking.
- Give your voice occasional rest. This is beneficial for your vocal cords.
- Make sure you've agreed on the salary with your talent agent. Some agents or brokers may charge higher commissions than others.
- If you start your career early (e.g., as a child), you will likely have more job opportunities in the field.
- The competition in voice acting is fierce. You must have a unique voice and be a genuinely talented actor to succeed in this career.
Warning
- It may take time to establish your career as a voice actor. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t land a job immediately. This field is highly competitive.
