Exercises for the Voiceover Actor Last month, I talked about exercise, the importance of vocal warm-ups, and more. This month, let’s discuss specific breathing and vocal exercises. Breath Control: I cannot emphasize enough the importance of proper breathing and breath control. There are so many techniques for breathing for different workouts—yoga, Pilates, and many others—it can […]
Vocal Training & Vocal Health
How to keep your voice healthy when you depend on it for a living. Last month we talked about how to “yell” into the mic. While I addressed some basics on warming up your voice and general vocal care, I also mentioned that this is a growing issue in the voiceover world and worthy of […]
The Art of the Scream in Voiceover
One of the questions I’m often asked in voiceover is, “If I have to ‘yell’ or ‘scream’ or project loudly, do I step back from the mic?” Even though that might intuitively feel like what you should do, it actually is not how you achieve the best sound. The danger in stepping back from the […]
The Art of StoryTelling in Voiceover
“We want real people, not actors.” It’s something we hear almost every time we audition, particularly in the commercial world, but also across the board, from animation to video games. But we know that claim isn’t necessarily true. They want actors. So, what does it really mean? Whoever’s stating this seems to want a performer who doesn’t […]
The Future of Voiceover
We’re in the transition of re-opening from the pandemic shutdown, but what does this mean in the world of voiceover? Will it change forever, or are we going back to what it once was? No one knows exactly, but I reached out to some colleagues in the voice business to get their take, and here’s what […]
Making Strong Choices as a Voiceover Actor
In previous columns, I’ve written a lot about the logistics of doing voiceover. From ways to get the best sound from your voice and your mic to what kind of V/O jobs are even available to you. This month I’d like to focus on the simple yet powerful choices you make before every audition or job that […]
Creating A Rich World With Sound
One of the things that distinguishes the voiceover world from on-camera or stage acting is that you create a world, a scene, a drama, cartoon, book or a commercial with only audio – and for the voiceover actor – only your voice. One of the most helpful tools in voiceover I like to refer to […]
DETAILS TO MAKE YOUR VOICEOVER AUDITION STAND OUT
This month, I want to take things to the next level. As in all acting, it’s helpful to look at auditioning as your job and a chance to do what you love to do. When it comes to ratio of auditions to booking, it is in the range of 40 or 50 auditions to one […]
Setting Up A Home Voiceover Studio
As discussed in previous segments in the past few months, in the current market, a home studio is imperative. Most cities, particularly on the coasts, or major markets are still on some sort of lockdown with strong COVID restrictions. If you do happen to book a job, you may be required to record from home […]
What kind of voiceover Jobs are Out there? – Part Two
Last month in this column, we focused on voiceover categories that are more agent-driven. This month, we’ll focus on voiceover possibilities that are driven by you. More often than not, these are auditions and jobs that do not come through agents, so it’s a chance for you to build a portfolio and make some money. Let’s recap […]