The voiceover industry is full of great VO actors. But that doesn't mean they'll make a good VO coach. What should you do if you find out the hard way?
Why there are so many cringey voice over coaches.
- 8:54
Hey Gabby, when am I going to be a full-time voice actor? I don't know, Gabby. What's the best area of voiceover for me? I don't know. How can I become a voice actor now? I don't know. Um, if you want to stick around, I'll tell you what I do know.
Hey guys, thanks for joining me in today's episode of The Gift of Gab. We're talking about what I know and what I don't know. And the main reason for this is because I'm not a fortune teller and I'm not a mind reader. But these are the kinds of questions I get asked all the time from beginners. "When am I going to be able to make money in voiceover?" I don't know. "What's the best area of voiceover for me to pursue right now?" I don't know. I get asked questions like, "Am I going to make money in voice acting?" Again, I don't know. And anyone who tells you with absolute certainty that they do know, they're probably full of crap. We don't know. We have no way of 100% assurance or being able to assure you that any of those things are going to be possible, when they're going to be possible, how they're going to be possible, because everybody is different. And the reason this is so important is because, look, there are scores of people all over the Internet that have theories, right, that may seem really convincing, that are answers to these questions. But please understand, that's all they are, they're theories. Again, no one can tell you with 100% certainty.
What I know is that in my 25 years of doing this, it's hard work, it's dedication, and it is slow and steady progress that wins this race. It doesn't happen overnight, and there are no shortcuts. Please, I'm going to say that again, there are no shortcuts. And all of the people that are promising you that there are and that are trying to give you these fast track ways to get into this field, that's a cash grab, that's really genuinely all that is. They are trying to get you to part with your money and do it right this second, because there's no way for any of us to be able to say with that much certainty what is or isn't going to happen in the course of your voiceover career.
I can tell you is that coaches who offer you services right this second, without having worked with you, without having heard you, no, that's just dicey. And what I would say, and my advice to those newbies, those seekers, is really simple. If everyone is saying the same thing, if everyone is saying, "Get a coach, train, get practice, work long and hard before you make a demo, take your time to really know and understand the industry before jumping on a pay-to-play site," if that's what the majority is saying, that's probably what's accurate. Because everybody else, they're just trying to slim your wallet. They're just trying to come up with ways, again, to part you from your money as quickly as possible before you realize that they may not have the answers to the things that you're seeking, because the best teacher is time, and patience goes hand in hand with that.
And I know, right, we don't want that. Everybody wants to hear, "How do I do it now?" You don't. That's the truth. You don't. You become a student. You take your time. You seek out quality coaches. You work with people in this industry who are known for helping people achieve the success that they want. And you realize that it's going to be a journey, and it's going to take time, okay? And that is the advice that you're going to hear over and over and over again from the people that are interested in furthering and strengthening this career that we love, and we want to see it be around for many, many years to come, and we want to strengthen that talent pool, not weaken it.
The other thing is this: I think educators who are willing to say, "I don't know," are some of the most honest, and really what they're saying is, "I may not know right now, but I may in the future." It's that curiosity and that exploration that are going to be needed to take you to the next place. If you want more videos like this, you can check out this one here. It may have some helpful information for you. And as always, you can go to GabrielleNistico.com, look at my free resources, look at my FAQ, and the coaching options that I have there when you're ready. Thanks, guys. Take care.
704-674-8294 / GabrielleNistico.com / gabby@voiceovervixen.com
Gabrielle Nistico, Gabby Nistico, The Voiceover Vixen, The Business First VO Coach, #VoiceoverVixen #VoiceOnFire #BusinessFirstVOCoach Voiceover, Charlotte, North Carolina, Voiceover Demo, Voiceover Coaching Advice, Working Actors, Los Angeles, New York, fortune teller, business success, FAQ