Six Figure Voice, The Voice Actors Podcast - SFV #001: Seven Steps to Becoming a Professional Voice-Over Artist

SFV #001: Seven Steps to Becoming a Professional Voice-Over Artist

06/03/15 • 17 min

Six Figure Voice, The Voice Actors Podcast

Welcome to the Six Figure Voice Podcast! Our hosts, Alyson Steel and Tyrone Jackson, introduce themselves and explain how they got into voice acting. The two actually met in high school at The High School of Performing Arts in New York City, made famous by the movie “FAME.” However their journeys to the industry and to success have been quite different.

Tyrone explains that there’s nothing special about his voice, he just knows how to use it. He’s a great storyteller. People have an impression that doing voice-over work is all about the quality of your voice. In reality, almost anyone can break into the voice-over business; you just have to know how.

Alyson and Tyrone go over the first three of Seven Steps to Becoming A Professional Voice Over Artist. You can find the rest of the steps at SixFigureVoice.com.

First, decide if voice-over work is a hobby or career. If the work is only a hobby, you tend to give it half the attention it deserves. At the beginning of your voice-over career you must do something every day to make your dream a reality.

Next, intern at a local radio station. Just by being in the environment you will learn every aspect of the business and how the pieces fit together. Network with the people you meet and start to build the relationships that will help grow your career.

Work on your skills every day. Today’s voice-over market is very competitive. There are thousands of beautiful voices looking to break into the “biz.” The more you work on your copy reading skills, the more value you’ll have to producers and casting directors. They hear voices every day and can easily tell the amateurs from the professionals.

Want to read the next four steps to becoming a professional voice-over artist? Visit SixFigureVoice.com, the one stop shop for everything Voice Over. Click here for more info.

Alyson and Tyrone go over the first three of Seven Steps to Becoming A Professional Voice Over Artist. You can find the rest of the steps at SixFigureVoice.com.

Want to read the next four steps to becoming a professional voice-over artist? Visit SixFigureVoice.com, the one stop shop for everything Voice Over. Click here for more info.

Next Episode

SFV #002: Listening to Earn Thousands

Voice-over artists Tyrone Jackson and Alyson Steel discuss how the industry is the business of show, but it’s also a business of people. It’s important to be presentable, listen to others, take directions, and know your place. As Alyson says, “Be present, prompt, prepared!”

Richard Malmos, whose voice you may recognize from the Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn and later with Craig Ferguson, stopped by to chat with Tyrone and Alyson about the business.

Richard started as an actor and a singer, eventually got into radio in the Midwest, and got to learn about voice-over on the job from all the people that came through the studio. He simply listened to what other people were doing. Just like actors observe how people behave out in public, Richard listened to the tonality of people’s voices.

Richard luckily got an agent before coming out to LA. He says that this was key because it’s darn near impossible to get auditions for the big jobs, especially in a big market like Los Angeles, without an agent. His first big paycheck came from a gig for Western Auto. They had sent him three separate checks and he thought it was a mistake! Turns out it paid more than he thought!

Richard’s advice for new voice-over artists is to really give it some thought and if you are going to go for it don’t do it halfway. Get the training, invest the money, and take it seriously.

If you take the business seriously, visit SixFigureVoice.com for more tools, articles, and advice on how to grow your career.