Voice acting is one of the most prestigious roles you can get into if you are planning a career in the entertainment industry. As foreign language films become more popular and widespread through the help of streaming services like Netflix, there is a high demand for talents who are ready to give life to characters in another language.
Whether you want to become a dubbing artist or a commercial voiceover artist, you will need to know what it takes to enter this highly competitive arena where seasoned talents could earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Here’s a guide to help you get started on the path to a successful career in voice acting.
- Develop your skills
Great voice actors aren’t always born. They are a product of discipline and countless hours of practice. Consider taking up voice acting workshops where you can learn important skills such as voice modulation and enunciation. Aside from taking up online courses, you can also join face-to-face voice acting classes. These give you the advantage of having a coach or mentor to track your progress and provide advice for improving your skills. It’s also important to hone your voice-acting skills by watching foreign and animated films that are dubbed in your language. Through observation, you can know how voice actors add emotion and impact to their work and see if you can apply the same to your demos.
- Record a demo reel
Before auditioning for a voiceover job, you need to provide casting agents with a compelling reason to hire you for a project. For this, you will need to record demo reels that contain your best voice sample. Whether you are doing narration for a video game or a commercial for a brand of breakfast cereal, make sure to record quality audio reels that showcase your range, from serious to whimsical. Using high-quality recording equipment and a sound booth so you can create clear and crisp monologues and narrations. Once you have your demo reels, you can save them in one folder or upload them on audio streaming sites.
- Look for jobs and roles
Once you have a collection of quality voiceover reels, you now need to know where the best jobs are found. It could be difficult at first considering how saturated the voiceover market has become, but don’t let that stop you from promoting your work. Use social media networks like Twitter and Facebook to upload your reels and check online for local auditions. If you want to start slow by taking on basic voiceover jobs, consider building a presence on sites like Fiverr and Upwork. It takes time to find a job that matches your level of voiceover experience, but stay consistent. You will never know if your first client would serve as your springboard to stardom!
- Add emotion and passion to your work
If you want to become a serious voiceover artist, you should look at yourself as a serious actor or actress. The best talents are those who know how to memorize lines by heart and add strong emotions to every word they say. It’s one thing to act with your body, and it’s another to act with your voice. To be at the top of every agent’s list, you should know how to add force to your voice and develop a unique style. This should come up with a warm-up routine as well as character research. The best voice-over talents are the ones who take their time learning about the characters they play and the mood or tone of the scene they are recording for.
- Start making friends in the industry
As you accept simple voice-over jobs, stay connected with your past clients as well as fellow professionals. To get ahead in the entertainment sector, you need to invest time and energy in building your professional network. In addition to setting up a LinkedIn page, consider building a professional website that outlines your background as a voice actor and lists the projects you have done before. Other than that, you can also join online or offline groups where you can find mentors and friends who can help your career build momentum.
Becoming a successful voice actor won’t take overnight, but with these tips in mind, you might be able to land a job that opens up to greater things ahead!
