You’ve been told you have a nice voice – great! But where do you go from there?
The majority of voiceover artists are actors, and this stands them in good stead for the barrage of direction and notes that will fly around the control room by producers and creative directors alike (believe me, it can get intense).
But what if you’re not an actor I hear you ask? Well that’s no problem, but it’s worth considering taking a course or two and taking some voiceover coaching – there are plenty of resources available if you know where to look (and who to ask).
What next?
So you’ve had some coaching and you’re starting to get your head around what’s required of you… now you need a voicereel.
Your voicereel is what your agent will use to get you work, and acts as your audition, so it needs to be good (better than good) and recorded professionally – any agent worth knowing won’t take you on without one.
Start with a commercial reel and build from there, this will get you your bread and butter corporate and online gigs to get you going, then you can move on to character and video game reels after you’ve perfected your mic technique and you’re feeling more confident.
Below are a couple of links to some great companies that can help you create the perfect reel:
Hang in there
It’s competitive, so don’t lose faith – agents won’t extend the offer of representation if you sound too similar to someone that is already on their books.
Analyse their roster, see where you might fill a gap and pounce… they’ll appreciate the effort that you’re putting in for sure.
If that still doesn’t work… wait. Don’t overcrowd a representation inbox with your name, you don’t want to be remembered for the wrong reasons. Timing is everything, so leave it for 6 months and get back in touch.
Good Luck!
TVP