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How do I know if I have "The Voice" for voiceovers? |
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Thats a good question, and we have the answer for you. In today's world of voiceovers the trend is toward natural, everyday voices, like someone who might be your neighbor, friend, or a person who you can really relate to. Just listen to the radio, or an audiobook and you will hear “normal everyday” people. You will hear voices of people who could be your friend, your neighbor, or even you. Finding success in today’s voice acting market seems to be more an issue of having the proper tools, knowing how to use them, and then following through, rather than having that unmistakable voice that is more reminiscent of the voiceover world from days past. TOP |
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Q: |
Is there enough work out there? (I have heard that this is a very competitive business) |
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A: |
Think about this for a moment...
- Think about how many commercials will be played today on the radio stations of your local area, your state, your region, and the entire United States. There are many many thousands of commercials being created weekly around the US.
- Now think about audiobooks for a moment. Think about how many popular books there are that have yet to be converted to audiobooks. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of new audiobooks yet be made. And... of course there are new books coming out every day that also need to be performed by a professional voice actor.
- Now think about how many businesses have professionally recorded voicemail systems and message on hold systems. We are talking about tens of thousands of them and many of these need to be updated regularly.
- Now think about all the toy, video game, airport, grocery, and retail store voiceovers that you hear on a daily basis. We are talking about many many thousands more.
We could go on and on. So, is there enough work out there? Yes, there is plenty of work. Now, is it competitive? Of course, just like most other businesses, it is competitive. The good news is that there are differing amounts of competition at different levels of the voice acting business. If you are competing for the big national jobs like being ”the voice” of a given national chain, then sure, the competition is stiff and rightfully so. One of these jobs can pay you nearly enough to supplement a large portion of your annual income. But what about regional jobs? Local jobs? How about smaller publishers of audiobooks versus the mega publishers? There is much less competition for these types of jobs. What does this mean for you? It means that if you have the needed tools, then it is very possible to build your momentum in the voice acting business. Once you have the needed education, you will know where to look for work at different levels and how to best go about being the voice actor chosen for a given job. The national jobs are achievable for any voice actor, and we encourage you to shoot for the stars, but at the same time, keep your feet on the ground with local and regional work. TOP |
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Q: |
Can I really make a full time living as a voiceover artist? |
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A: |
Voice acting is fun, rewarding, and can be very lucrative. We however, do not recommend quitting your day job while you grow your voice acting business. The good news is that by spending just a few hours per week, you can grow your voice acting business into something lucrative for the time spent. It is possible to become a full time voice actor, but it takes drive, determination, consistency, and time. There are voice actors who make a very good full-time living. Can you make a full-time living from voice acting? Well that's up to you. It is possible, but most people do it as a source of additional income on the side and for fun, and have a great time doing it. TOP |
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Do I really need to have a home studio? |
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A home studio certainly increases your ability to get work as it allows you opportunities to audition, practice, and actually work from your home. So, yes, VFA recommends having one. If you have a fairly current home computer, chances are that you can complete your home studio for under a seven hundred dollars, and be capable of making very good quality recordings. The real answer however, is that no you do not need a home studio to start your voice acting business.
Now, just because we recommend having a home studio does not mean that you should go out today to your local music store and buy a whole bunch of gear. That would be putting the cart before the horse. First, start with education and training. Then the development of your marketing plan and materials, and as much learning and industry research as possible. You will know when it is time to create your home studio, and by then you will know much more about what you may want to purchase. TOP |
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