Six Figure Voice, The Voice Actors Podcast - SFV #008: Voice Over and Video Games

SFV #008: Voice Over and Video Games

08/05/15 • 26 min

Six Figure Voice, The Voice Actors Podcast

Kyle McCarley has been a Los Angeles voice actor for about six years. He is represented by 90210 Talent in Los Angeles and DB Talent in Texas. He regularly works in anime, cartoons, video games, audiobooks, commercials, podcasts, radio plays, learning software, and phone promts.

After taking classes in Burbank and getting a home recording studio set-up Kyle started reaching out to industry professionals, producers, audio books, and video game creators to book work on his own before he found representation. He believes that you have to be willing to do the work, because the business side of the industry is at least 80% of this career.

Listen to hear his insight on the industry and his great advice!

For more great information visit SixFigureVoice.com!

Listen to hear his insight on the industry and his great advice!

For more great information visit SixFigureVoice.com!

Previous Episode

SFV #007: A Recording Engineer's Secrets

Our hosts Tyrone Jackson and Alyson Steel know from experience that it is critically important to have a good engineer when you are in the recording studio. Alyson says that even pyschologically speaking it puts you at ease to know that someone is there to catch your eye and be on your side if there is a problem. And most importantly, the engineers make you sound good!

Luckily, successful hollywood engineer Bryan Showalter was able to join us and share his insight from the other side of the glass.

Bryan grew up in Oklahoma City with a musician father who had a recording studio in the house. He grew up around music and recording, ended up becoming a musician himself, and moved out to LA with his band. After his band "imploded" as he says, Bryan decided to get into recording, with which he was already familiar. He started recording for musicians and segued into recording voice over after working with voice actor Ashton Smith.

Bryan believes being a musician helps you to be a good engineer because you already have an ear for cadence and timing. Tyrone and Alyson agree that a good engineer is also a buffer between the talent and directors/producers. The engineer conducts the orchestra that is the recording session and plays the part of the diplomat. Having a good personality goes a long way.

From his years of experience in the booth, Bryan knows what makes a successful voice actor. Listen to find out what he thinks are the top four characteristics of a great voice artist. He also tells us stories of grown men crying during a recording session!

For more great advice on how to amp up your voice-over career, visit www.SixFigureVoice.com.

Next Episode

SFV #009: A Producer's Journey to Being a Voice Over Artist

Roger Leopardi started out in the music business. He and his brother were recording artists known as MVP with a popular single in 1991 called Do It To Me. Because of contracts and bad management, MVP didn't end up taking off.

As Roger was leaving the music business he met his wife and decided to get a "regular" job. He worked in retail for years but always wanted to work for himself. When he decided he could not work retail ever again, a customer who Roger had always helped with programs like Pro Tools came back into his store and Roger asked him, "How come you've never asked me if I wanted a job?" He got an interview with an ad agency the next day.

Roger began his career producing commercials at this ad agency in Fort Lauderdale. He learned the environment and increased their productivity, making 30 - 50 commercials per day. There were about three voice over actors that he worked with on a daily basis. He built relationships with the them and eventually the voice actors started to tell him that he had a good voice that was popular right now.

With this encouragement and the need for growth, Roger told his bosses that he was never going to be satisfied. They never had to pay him a dime over what he was making at that moment, as long as they gave him the flexibility to pursue his voice over career.

Years later, Roger now lives in Los Angeles as a successful voice over artist.

Want to get your voice over career started? Visit SixFigureVoice.com for articles, advice, and much much more that will help put you on the fast track.