I want to be a voiceover actor NOW. TODAY. PRONTO.
Holy crap why is everyone in such a hurry? There’s no such thing as Voiceover Prime. Learning a new skill takes time. Becoming a good enough voiceover actor that people are willing to pay you money to do it, takes even more time.
Do you see yourself as a student of this industry? Then please, forego fast for tempered, measurable results. Abandon speed in exchange for specialized training. Release any impatient need for instant results and focus instead on hard work.
You’ve likely heard the expression ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination’. If you see your voiceover career as a journey you will be better prepared for a successful, life-long career. Because there really is no destination.
I’ve been doing this full time since 2003. I have boarded a lot of planes (some of which never left the ground.) I’ve made a multitude of connections and I have changed trains at Jamaica, (Hi fellow NYers!) I check departure schedules all the time, consult my metro map, (get lost a bunch) and I live out of a virtual voiceover suitcase. And despite all that ‘travel’, I haven’t arrived anywhere. As a passenger, I look out the window and marvel at this beautiful thing called voiceover. The view is stunning. And most days, the seat is pretty comfortable.
Instead of focusing on ‘getting somewhere’, I instead focus on mastering the objective, necessary, checkable boxes that define the job of being a voiceover actor.
· What is the number one area of voiceover I wish to obtain work in?
· Do I possess the performance skills necessary to meet the needs of the buyers defined in question 1?
· Am I able, prepared and knowledgeable as to how to audition for work?
· Am I skilled in operating my equipment, recording and editing audio to a client’s specifications?
· Do I have the tools necessary to promote my voice effectively?
· Do I have a plan for how to find, engage and sell my services to buyers?
· Do I know how to price and negotiate my own work?
If you focus your efforts on being a student, not the speed at which you accelerate, you will set yourself up for a more rewarding career. So, get back to the studio, back on the mic and keep going. No, I won’t hold your hand. But look to your far left. I’m right there, walking along my own path. Sure, my tools might be more advanced than yours and I have better hiking gear. That’s because I’ve fall 8,000 times and learned a thing or two along the way. You’ll get there too. Eyes forward. Keep walking!