Bill Brown - Consultant, Speaker, Voice Talent

So You Want to Break Into Voice-overs

I frequently get a call from someone who wants to know how to break into voice-overs. If that's you, here is my two-cents worth.

First, the realities of the business. One comment I frequently hear is that people want to get into the field because voice-over artists make a ton of money. Yes, some of them do, but most do not. Recognize that the bulk of the business goes to a small handful of people. Everyone else is working their way up the ladder - and that can take a long time. Unless you have an unusual voice, you will no doubt start at the bottom like everyone else. As the saying goes, don't quit your day job.

Another comment I usually hear from the caller is that someone told them that they have a good voice. That may very well be, but so does everyone else in the business - and there are a lot of people in the business. Also you need to know that there's a lot more to voice-overs than a good voice. You have to have talent and know how to use it. For most people, that means getting some training.

And you have to plan on spending a certain amount of time and money marketing your services, even if you get an agent to represent you. Recognize that agents are representing a large number of people, most of whom are your direct competitors. Agents get paid a percentage of the fee of the selected talent. And the more experienced people make the bigger fees. In short, agents get paid more for pushing your competition. So plan on doing your own promotion.

Bottom line, voice-over work is fun and rewarding, but it is also a profession and a business. It is not a hobby - especially if you want to make money at it. You have to have a performance that is in demand and you need to work at getting booked.

So if you think being in the voice-over business is for you, I recommend that you do two things.

First, get some training. I strongly urge you to attend a group class. They are usually less expensive, which is important if you are still checking out the business. But the most important benefit is that you get to compare yourself to other people who are also trying to break in. You will find out very quickly whether or not you have the talent to make it. If you are in Orange County, CA, I recommend that you look into a class taught by Tim Keenan and Sylvia Aimerito at Creative Media Recording. They have a multi-session class every couple of months. Silvia is a voice-over and on-air talent with a lot of experience. Tim is an audio producer who hires talent on a regular basis. You will get solid training and feedback. Info on their next workshop can be found at www.creativemediarecording.com/news/workshop.asp.

The second thing I recommend is that you plug into the industry. The best way to do this is to attend meetings of your local chapter of the Media Communications Association - International. MCA-I is an international organization of video and multimedia producers, the people who can hire you. Get involved, learn about the industry, and let the producers get to know you. You will find it invaluable. Again, if you are in Orange County, the local MCA-I chapter website is at www.mcai-oc.org.

See you at an upcoming meeting!