People have told you that you have a great voice, right? Someone has probably suggested that you should be on radio, be the voice on a movie trailer, or use your storytelling skills to narrate audiobooks. Even if you don’t have an acting or broadcasting background, you’re fairly confident that your voice has what it takes to do voice-overs.

What exactly, though, makes a voice right for voice acting? Everyone has a voice, but only some people have the necessary skills and traits needed for voice-over work.

Just because you have been talking all your life doesn’t mean that voice acting will come naturally to you. Voice acting is an art, and truly, it is acting. Although most voice work is recorded in the privacy of a studio away from the glare of the cameras, a voice-over can serve as a performance for the hundreds – if not thousands – of people who will receive the message you are giving voice to.

Before you make a decision to go into voice acting, you have to take a close look at yourself and determine whether the business is right for you. Decades ago, if you were to get into the business of voice acting, you either had to be born in a studio, raised behind a microphone, or have a relative in the business (that, or be very, very persistent, not unlike today). Times have changed. Now voice acting is all about the acting.

Your Mom may think you have a beautiful voice, but unless your Mom is the casting director or producer, she can’t land you the job.

Ask yourself these questions to see whether this business is right for you:

*  Do you know how to use your voice for voice acting? Although most people think that voice acting is all about the voice, the truth of the matter is that it’s more about how you use your voice. For instance, you may be born with a booming, announcer voice, but if you don’t know how to use it effectively or know how to act, your naturally sonorous voice won’t get you anywhere.

*  Do you embrace technology? This question is important, especially if you freelance. Being a freelance voice-over actor means that you need to have the skills to operate all the studio equipment as well as provide a convincing performance. Some people in the industry can help you get familiar with your equipment and show you how to put it to good use.

*  Do you have marketing know-how? The voice acting industry, like all entertainment and media fields, is teeming with talented people. So how do you get noticed? Successful voice actors are savvy marketers. Marketing the services you provide as a voice actor is critical; people won’t know what you do or why they should hire you unless you tell them.

*  Do you think running your own business is risky? Most entrepreneurs enjoy the thrill of risk. Whether you have an agent or you’re freelancing, you are running your own business — you’re an entrepreneur. Part of running your own business is accepting and being prepared to take some risks.

So, after asking yourself these questions, do you have what it takes? Your skills, abilities, interests, personality, and temperament all play a vital role in the career path you choose. The good news is that many career self-assessment tools are available in case you need some extra help. These tools test your compatibility with a variety of industries and potential career paths, and you can develop any of the industry-specific skills you don’t already possess by seeking out training in the industry.

About The Authors

Stephanie Ciccarelli and David Ciccarelli are the founders of Voices.com, the largest global web hub for voice actors. Over the past nine years, Stephanie, David, and their team have grown Voices.com from the ground up to become the leader in the industry. This article was originally published in Voice Acting For Dummies and has been republished with permission from John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

You’ve dabbled a little bit in voice acting and decided you want to pursue it more as a career, or perhaps you’ve worked in the voice-acting field for several years and you want to take your abilities to the next level. Either way, it’s a good idea to examine the basics of voice acting to ensure that your next move is a successful one.

Voice acting is an amazing way to put to use something you already have — your voice. Great voice acting is about knowing how to best use your voice and interpretive skills to deliver a well-crafted message. More than just mere talk, voice acting is the art of taking the written word and skillfully translating it into a persuasive spoken message that encourages a listening audience to not only hear what you’re saying, but also to act on it in some way. Voice acting is designed to educate, inform, or entertain.

When taking the next step in the voice over industry, keep the following in mind:

• Voice Prep: Preparing and taking care of your voice are essential keys to voice acting because you rely heavily on your voice to work. Preparing your voice includes everything from warming up to ensuring you don’t abuse it by yelling, screaming, or smoking.
• Your Role: As a voice actor, you play a unique role in a production, whether it be the role of the narrator, announcer, spokesperson, or instructor. These different roles help get the message to the listener, and each has its own characteristics.
• The Script: By reading the script, you can discover a lot about the characters you’ll be voicing. When you read, you need to think like a detective and look for clues that will aid you in developing characters and creating unique voices for them. As a voice actor, your job is to bring characters and scripts to life. The more information you have, the more believable your reads, and the greater your performance.
• Your Demo: Your demo shows people what you can do with your voice and is a tool used for marketing yourself. Most people start with a commercial demo to showcase their ability to read for commercials you would hear on television or radio. You can use demos as promotion vehicles on your website or to accompany your profile on a voice acting marketplace website. You can also send them to talent agents or clients you want to introduce yourself to.
• The Audition: No matter whether you’re auditioning online or in person, clients expect proper etiquette, which means knowing to warm up your voice, prepare your read, follow directions, and being able to interpret copy.

Remember that being a voice actor isn’t just about sounding pretty. Your voice is merely an instrument used to communicate effectively and breathe life into a story. Being a voice actor includes the business of meeting the needs of a client, and making sure that your product is up to snuff. Keep the basics in mind as you put together your tool box, and you will be able to build an extraordinary career for yourself.

About The Authors

 Stephanie Ciccarelli and David Ciccarelli are the founders of Voices.com, the largest global web hub for voice actors. Over the past nine years, Stephanie, David, and their team have grown Voices.com from the ground up to become the leader in the industry. This article was originally published in Voice Acting For Dummies and has been republished with permission from John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Voice acting is a unique career where the actor’s voice can be heard worldwide — in commercials, audiobooks, animated movies, documentaries, telephone systems and much, much more. But where do you start?

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Like all Dummies books, this book is full of useful and practical information on getting started and being successful doing voice-overs.  It’s also fun and easy to read.

With contributions from over two dozens industry veterans, agents, recording engineers and audio producers, you’ll be learning from the experts who do voice-overs each and every day for the largest organizations on the planet.  In short, you’re in good hands.

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Is it all about the voice, or is there something more?

In the hard copy edition of Voice Acting For Dummies, you will explore the basics of voice acting, get to know your voice and gain an appreciation for the importance of voice-overs, a voice actor’s role and interpreting scripts to find your unique voice in the industry.

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Read and then share the 12 Trends for Voice Acting, a document detailing observations on industry trends from the perspective of the voice over marketplace. We hope you enjoy this gift and that it proves useful to you in the days and months ahead.

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Recording Your First Demo? This One is For You! Your demo is a crucial tool in your marketing mix. How do you make an amazing voice over demo? Discover what it takes to promote your voice and acting skills while uncovering the basic truths about what works and what doesn’t.

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