I was so estatic when I got an email later that night saying that they wanted to use me for their Hair Salon Video! I was literally jumping up and down in my seat with excitement and amazement!!! My first VO gig, and so soon! We worked out the terms over email, he sent me a script. It was recorded and edited it that same night, sent off as a wave file, and two days later, my salon commercial was on You Tube! And true to their word, I received payment in the mail just a few days later.

I can't wait until my internship is over and I can devote more time to Voice Over. I want to work on my animation/gaming/ character demo, and have been developing some distinct 'voices'. I also want to start submitting myself for more gigs, to agents, and to studio's and companies.

I'm certain that more success stories are sure to follow!

Tell Andrea she would have been proud we only did a few takes and it was done quickly, I had remembered all she told me. I will be purchasing equipment for my home studio very soon, so I will be in touch for vocal sound approval. Hope all is well with everyone. - Susan

I then continued this journey by jumping in and taking the VFA Master Class in the Spring of 2009. What a wonderful experience it was. Mike opened up, with great expertise, the encompassing world of Voiceover to me.

With information in hand and motivation in my heart, I immediately started to build my home studio, procure all the necessary tools, and create my voiceover identity - ALL with the help and support of the VFA team.

Once I felt I was fully prepared and ready to search for work, I started the job search. Confident that I do have the voice people want, and being fully aware of the entertainment/media world - where you need to pay some dues before getting that proverbial foot in the door - I pursued my new dream. My first job was an IVR for a large Canadian Company - in English and French. This job should have taken no more than an hour or two to record and edit - but.....my final hour count was 10!!!

After this eye-opening experience, I started to work on my editing skills a little every week - and continue on to search all those gigs waiting for me. I responded and responded to audition requests. Several months went by without a bite, but not giving up, I got a surprise regional TV ad gig from a large LA production company - they saw me on the VFA site. The producer directed me with his client via a phone call. It turned out great and gave me confidence to go on.

In the tunnel of my new founded career, the slightest glimpse of that light at the end kept on flickering, but wasn't quite bright enough to lead me out.

Keeping my motivation going, I marched on, never faltering in my pace and got a great gig with an established NY Photographer and Art Director - NON-PAYING - to create a concept ad. What a good thing that was! As this was a collaboration, we worked TOGETHER on this, each one feeling free to add any and all input into this project. I was able to prove myself to him, with both my voice skills and my creative insight. We are beginning a new perfume concept ad. Not only did I gain experience from this collaboration, I had several doors flung open for me - that light was growing brighter. I also got another gig for an Ohio Cable Network Promo. The contacts and networks start to grow. I could now actually feel the warmth from that light.

I have been spending time submitting my demos everywhere and anywhere. I've gotten great feedback and interest. These grueling hours are definitely paying off. The more people hear from you the more responses you get. It's a no-brainer. I have been signed with Vox Talent, Inc., Toronto - the largest voiceover talent agency in Canada! Creative Media Design in New York is interviewing me as I write (difficult to multitask) and I've been accepted as talent on several voice sites. So Williams Morris here I come!!!

My adventure is far from over, it is just beginning. With the support of all those around me, the excellent VFA Team, colleagues old and new, I will continue to strive this course - though bumpy at times and not too green ($$$) yet - with the motivation I still hold in my heart and a lot more information under my belt!

I had the honor of attending and helping out at the event and was told many times by attendees that they had "heard about it on the radio." In fact, one attendee said, "I heard the announcement so many times that I just knew this place would be packed!" and it was. I recorded the spot in Monterey in the sound studio at the radio station!

Success Update Update: It's an honor to be able to state that I've completed the voiceover/narration for the League of Women Voter's 90th Anniversary video. I narrated the video for the Eden Area Chapter of the League and I understand that other Leagues in California as well as the National League have requested copies for their use.

Just wanted to let you know...thanks again for all your help!!!

While it was clear that one could expect to make money with this training, I am enjoying a reward of another kind. I work at University Presbyterian Church (UPC), a very large congregation in Seattle, WA. We have about 3500 people in worship on Sundays. My pastoral role involves developing ministry for those in the second half of life. As our church is getting more and more tech savvy, with many web-based communications and opportunities, it occurred to me there is still a layer of oldsters who are not computer people. So with the encouragement of my husband, I began a ministry out of our home that anyone with a phone can easily access. It is called Pray the Word. I brought in a 2nd phone line and every weekday, I prepare and record a 4-minute outgoing phone message of scripture and prayer that people can dial up and hear anytime of the day. The recordings are produced out of our simple home recording studio, which the VFA class helped me design.

After a couple of weeks, UPC asked us to put Pray the Word on a church phone line, which we did. In the course of a few weeks nearly five dozen people stopped me in the halls of UPC or emailed me with words of appreciation for this offering. I was somewhat surprised that people in age groups other than seniors were listening. A request for a podcast soon followed. At the beginning of May, a Seattle radio station, AM 630 KCIS Radio picked it up for their Quiet Time program which reaches 50,000 listeners every weeknight.

Since then I've had a couple of clients from a large insurance company hire me for some of their OGM menus. That lasted for awhile but then moved-on. I've done some voiceover work on a couple very low budget personalized/family documentaries. Not much money but lots of experience was gained on the technology side. I began to realize that the technology used in audio and video recording appealed to me. I wrote, edited, and produced 2 DVD movies last year. I'm currently in the middle of the production phase of another family documentary with 2 more scheduled for later this year.

When I started my business 2007, I was focused on the voiceover aspect of the business. Though I continue to offer that element to my perspective clients, I've gravitated more to DVD movie production. I'm given family photos and home video and assemble the "raw" material into full-length DVD movies showing everything from family vacations to family genealogy documentaries. The documentaries are where I do much of my voiceover.

I have started gathering "still" photos and video recordings documenting the creation and transformation of a local national wildlife refuge. This particular project will take approximately a year and a half to complete (to capture the changing of the seasons). When completed, the hour-long DVD will be used to promote the refuge as well as a fund raiser for the youth wildlife program. I will be performing all the voiceover for this project in hopes of getting my voice "out there" a little more.

My life would have never taken this turn were it not for you folks at VFA. My girlfriend and I had a wonderful time when we went back in 2007. You showed me what could be. Your support after I returned home was "second to none". You were always there for me. You answered all my questions and offered advice which proved to be invaluable. No matter where my business takes me, I have you to thank for my new "life path". Thank you and keep up the good work!

Wishing you well!

Just a quick update on how things are going after my Voices For All Masters Class. It has taken about a year but persistence does pay off.

After numerous auditions and learning to listen really well to what I was submitting as an audition I finally landed my first job. It was small but it was a narration which I like. I have been getting some small narration jobs mostly for business presentations. Recently I auditioned for 2 national and 2 worldwide distribution documentary projects and placed 2nd and 3rd in the final rankings. That was certainly encouraging.

Meanwhile I was hired to do a large business narration for a Canadian company ($2,000). They were very pleased and asked if I would be interested in doing 4 or 5 more of these for them and of course I said yes! More encouragement! Another opportunity came when I placed 1st for hire for a narration with a worldwide charity ($4,000 job). The client eventually chose one of the other auditions but the producer was pleased enough with my audition that he is keeping it for future narration possibilities. Talk about a HIGH, then a LOW, then a HIGH!

So far I can say that it takes a great deal of patience, constant learning, self evaluation and self improvement. And updating and expanding my demos has been essential too.

Thanks to Voices for All and the Masters Class and your entire team.