Is Voice-Over Right for You?
Why do you want to be a voice actor? Let me know in the comments below
How to Get Into Voice Acting – Step 1
by Jason McCoy
Updated August 2022
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Hi Jason- I have found voice over work to be a lot of fun! I love acting and crafting a message to be exactly what the director wants. Getting direct and immediate feedback in the booth is the style I like the best. It accesses the creative side of my brain and, as I said, is a blast!
BTW, in the above video there is a typo: You use Traning instead of Training.
I’d be my own boss and therefore, never required to answer to managers, supervisors, etc. Having the flexibility, and the freedom of working whenever I wanted to. Earning a steady income. Gaining technical knowledge. Getting hired by companies on a consistent basis.
Hey Eric – All great reasons to get started in VO! Hope the videos help you.
I am a commercial actor and a retired teacher/administrator with a lifelong personal and professional interest in reading. I have been complimented on my voice and have finished voice-over classes. Additionally, I possess the time and dedication required to develop my career as a voice-over actor.
Renée – sounds like you’ve got an excellent background for a voice-over career!
I’m excited to get started. I’ll admit that I do not take rejection exceptionally well, but I’m prepared for it. I’ve been told I have a great voice. I was involved in theater for years and my favorite part was the table read. I have a business degree with marketing experience. Also, I have a sister who is a brilliant video and sound byte editor. Now, to the equipment and coaching. Thank you for all your resources!
Hi Jennifer! Sounds like you’ve got the perfect background and connections to get started! I’m excited for you!
I have already completed an 8-week course with a Rachel Alena, in which we read scripts. I got into Voice Over due to recommendations from my previous boss and others that said I have the voice for it.
I hope the videos help you Edward!
Hello, I have been learning all about vo for the past year. I wanted to find something I can do from home. I needed a way to make extra income. Vo also has a creative side I enjoy. I have my set up. I’m at the stage of marketing.
Hello Jayson, I really really thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am very new in this I felt lost. Your podcast it is so helpful and you have a great voice by the way 🤗
Well I am totally interested in VO because I think it is a nice job, very fun and very very interesting all the job that is behind. Once again thanks for sharing your experiences. Blessings 🙏
Thanks Veronica! Keep me posted on your progress!
Hi Jason, I am an avid reader and hobby vocalist. I love both. I actually love the sound of my own voice and find myself reading and aloud often, I’ve always read to my children. I’ve worked in sales most of my career and have been told I have great tone and a very soothing voice. Both my kids are off to college now and I have run a few at home businesses over the years so the idea of having an in home studio and using my voice excites me. I am a real people person, so I truly want to establish happy clients that keep coming back.
Sounds like you’ve got a great background for VO!
When my kids were young I loved reading books to them and going to the local schools/kindergartens and reading stories to the kids. Now and then I’d see volunteer jobs for narrating books for the blind at my local library, which I thought would be a wonderful and fulfilling job to do but I just didn’t have the time then to do it. Fast forward 10-15yrs, I’ve moved from Australia to USA and I always get told by people that they could listen to me talk all day with my accent. Hmmm…. Maybe there’s something in this. So now the kids are nearly all out of home, I’ve the time and I’m ready to start on this journey.
Hi Jason!
I’m looking to get into voice acting as part of an overall plan to generate sustainable income as a performing artist. I’m currently in pre-production on a YouTube channel, I’m getting more involved with improv, and the larger goal is to get out to L.A. to be closer to more opportunities for networking. My formal vocal training is in classical music, but I think that familiarity with my instrument and my experience with more conventional theater and public speaking have given me skills that will translate nicely into voice-over.
I wanted to become a voice actor because in all honesty, I enjoy a more unique section of voice acting talent. Comedy. I love making my friends laugh. It’s so much fun. So making silly voices or mimicing existing ones always was a fun way to express myself in a way that makes others notice me in a way that’s different from being talked over all the time. I can be heard and build confidence and learn new things as I go. I originally learnt of my desire to voice act from going to anime cons and meeting voice actors in person. So many of them were so selfless and some not so much but. While actors amuse me, I think it’s truly a talent to take something that’s not real past the extent of an idea and helping it come to life. Maybe dragons don’t exist, but the funny oddity of remembering Paarthurnax was Mario’s voice actor is an example of something quite magical. To help something imagined come to life is but magic in itself and if me being silly and having fun is what someone came home to and watched a show one day that I took part in, that’d fill me with so much joy to think about. If for whatever reason my role ends up being part of people being sad, that wouldn’t bother me because it’d be appreciation of the plot and love of relatability that can always be seen as another way of healing people. And that is just the crazy thing about it all. Why leave one piece of you in history’s records when you can etch yourself into the world in a way that people who don’t even know you will just adore you? Adore you for doing the thing you already loved to do. What could be better than that?
I want to be a voice actor because of my love for animation cartoons, anime, and games. I got interested in voice acting because of YouTube I saw lots of great projects there like Cliffside on Liam Vickers Animation channel. I love all their voices.
I wanted to start voice acting because of my hobbies. I love geeky stuff like video games, anime, etc. and there were some VA’s that really brought a character to life and it inspired me to start. I had a few people ask me to do some voice over work at college and currently work as a Pastor/guest speaker; so public speaking and clarity in my voice has become a strong-suit.
I want to be a voice actor because it fulfills two of my bucket-list goals:
1. Getting a career in the entertainment business, which allows me to use my creative side
2. Becoming a celebrity entertainer, and entertain people with my creative work.
Another reason why I want to get into voice acting is because I already have some level of experience related to the field. I am currently in community college about to finish my third semester in Radio, Television and Film. I have been editing and directing my own student films for nearly 7 years. In terms of film, I find the editing process the most fun. I have the most experience when it comes to editing footage and audio.
In terms of my voice, I am not afraid to project my voice and try something new with it. I don’t have proper training, but I am able to do a variety of character voices. With more training, I can be better with my inflection and my other character voices.
I want to be a voice actor because I have always been interested in it. I’m a part-time vocalist, so I love working with my voice. I’d also like to educate people with my voice and medical knowledge (I’m an RN, by profession). The biggest reasons are the freedom and flexibility voice acting provides, the fun, and the challenge of reading and recording different scripts. I also want to be able to work from home or anywhere I go. I think it’s an incredible job that I would truly enjoy, and would love to make a living doing it. Thanks for this excellent guide and all your help, Jason!
Hi Jennifer, With your medical knowledge, medical elearning could be perfect for you. I wish you the best!
I feel I want to do VO and it’s something I love from my heart.. I love to read aloud and singing is my passion..
That’s great! I wish you the best with it!
Thanks so much for providing the guide and videos, Jason. Over the years I have had opportunity to speak publicly, read Scripture and do announcement skits in church, sing and act in a number of venues. I had considered voice over a long time back, but didn’t have the confidence then. Recently, I was encouraged to consider voice over as I really enjoy reading and sharing announcements. Moreover, I did cultivate a number of voices representing different creatures, people, etc., and had a blast. This is definitely an intriguing line of work – sounds VERY interesting. Thanks again!!
Thank you Peter! I wish you the best as you get started!
I have always wanted to be a voice actor because I like to talk and I feel like when I tell someone something they are very attentive and interested in what I have to say. I think that would translate well to VO. I want to start my own business and I can’t think of a better way to do it than to be a voice actor.
I have a couple of reasons why I am interested in voice acting. I love the work flexibility and the creativity of the field. Working from anywhere in the world is a plus because one of my dreams is to become a traveling nomad. Reading is a huge hobby of mine so getting into audiobook narration would be a dream. I am also an animation fan and would love to learn how to voice act characters. However , voicing a commercial for a product at work was probably the moment I realized I could do this and enjoy it. I have so much to learn but I’m excited for the journey.
Hi Desiree, It sounds like you have many interests that intersect with the world of VO. I’m excited for your journey to begin!
I have been on broadcasting since the mis 70s. I really enjoyed the creative side in production. Now, i am semi retired and have all the time i want, tp delve into VO on a full time basis…but I really want to do it all the right way. I want the proper coaching/Mentoring, proper acoustically treated room and recording environment, the proper equipment, IE, computer, pre-amp, microphone, audio interface, reference monitors, stands, mic stands, pop filter, mixing board. I want to learn to purchase and use gear to work form home and be directed by others from their studios, and most importantly, the business of Voice-over…becoming an LLC, proper accounting, marketing, having a great website and when my coach/mentor says it’s time, proper demos.
Please help.
I really do like your set-up and would love to mimic.
I have so many question. I am excited, positive and willing to hang on to my thick skin, accept rejection and give it all I have.
Hi Devin, It sounds like you’re very willing to learn. That’s awesome! I hope the free guides here on Voice Acting 101 help you get started. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions.
I am pc based. I see that you upgraded your audio interface to uad apollo X. I am looking at the apollo X twin duo usb. How do they compare?
They are identical as far as I know. It’s a high-end audio interface and the software is complicated. If you want a simpler audio interface, I’d go with Focusrite. They have great starter interfaces with a more plug n play experience.
I became interested after hiring vo actors for my meditation videos. Afer sometime I realized they increased their rates. I enjoy public speaking and can converse in seven languages including Italian. I am committed to make it a success with voice over – narration, and podcasting.
Wow! Knowing 7 languages is a huge advantage in voice-over!
I became interested when I found a video on youtube about a year ago. Then I lost my job and decided to start a business and started looking further into voice acting. I am always making up characters, I love to talk, and have experience running my own business. This kind of work gives me the freedom that I am looking for.
I have a southern drawl, as I am from Mississippi. Everyone seems to love my accent except for me. I was asked for voice-over samples for a potential job and now he’s asking for my finish rate. I don’t even know what that means! LOL! I’m reading an article, trying to wrap my head around it. I was thinking if it pays well and I like the work, I could become more friendly toward my voice, meaning perhaps I’d feel less like a country bumkin and more like a southern belle, and at least learn to respect my own voice. LOL! I have always read fun books and read to my daughter as she grew up, doing all the voices and we laughed hysterically.
Btw, my website has nothing to do with voice acting. The website is actually still up in the air. I initially started it due to writing a book, because all the agents I queried said I needed more of a following.
Welcome Carol! Here’s a guide on rates: https://voiceacting101.com/voice-over-rates/ I hope you do learn to love your voice and accent. I wish you the best!
Always dreamed doing voice overs for cartoons. Been told I have a pleasant radio like voice. Looking for a creative outlet.
Looking forward to learning a bit about this avenue. I’ve contemplated it many times. As a full time English and Drama teacher, I use my voice in all sorts of ways, and I’d like to explore other possibilities. Thanks for this:-)
Thank you for taking time out to lay out all this foundational steps to help newbies
God bless you.
I want to start out in becoming a voice actor because I believe I have the gift and I have tried recording some audio by myself and I was told by friends that I have a wonderful voice to do this.
Happy to hear it’s helping you Dickson!
I always enjoyed reading characters in different voices back in my reading lessons in school , recently I left my 9 to 5 job because I felt that it did not fulfill my passion , so in attempt to rediscover my passion , I’m try voice over in hope to become great at it with hard work
A long, long, long time ago I took some drama classes because I had loved acting at school. I took a LAMDA exam in ‘speaking of verse and prose’ , which I passed with distinction, but didn’t pursue acting. Instead I went on to study voice production (amongst other things).
I’m now retired (from teaching), with time on my hands and a limited income, and I came across some information about voice overs. My old interest has been awakened and I’m wondering if it would be possible for me to have a new career.
It’s great to meet you Ellen and hear about your past experience. I hope the guides, videos and podcasts are helpful for you.
thank you!
I got interested in the skills of voice acting because I started to stream in 2nd language English. After fallen down to mental health issues caused by a long-term addiction and ASD etc, I became mentally handicapped and am challenging the ways to face my downside and am trying the things I can. To stream, I have to learn to speak better, hence.
I find my overall presentation, how I speak, and how I generate my voice, is pretty horrible, including pronuncing the words as I mumble or am constantly nervous. I have never been a confident person socially as far as the way I see myself. and I used a lot of “like……..” while I am speaking and I want to fix it. As an ASD, the region where I process the information is under-developed, so I am quite slow hence, a speedy conversation has never been my thing, generating an appropriate reply. and also, I have to try hard to feel the emotions, or to express it.
so my reason for taking this course is to learn to speak better, learn the technical side of audio equipment, learn to “act” and market myself.
I am doing this to re-do myself so I can grow out of it.
I wish you the best as you get started!