Hey Everyone!!!
Literally, this week about 5 people contacted me in some way asking the same kind of question. "How do I get into the whole VO thing?"
That's when I usually take a breath and kind of shrug my shoulder and say, "It's kind of a time and money sink, but if you put in the effort and the investment, you can do it!"
1) If you are looking to get an agent, you have to live in LA or NYC. That's the hard fact, that I've found.
1) Train with Casting Directors A LOT.
2) Do One on One training with a highly recommended casting director with the INTENT on having that person help you record your demo.
3) Record your demo with a highly reputable studio while being director by that casting director of your choice.
4) Take VO classes with specific VO agents.
This will take awhile and be extremely costly but you can probably do it in a year. But, you have to really put in the effort that your teacher wants. Homework, everything. It's an intensive type learning experience.
COSTS: Demo ($1k or more, Multiple 1 on 1 sessions $1k or more, Classes 3-4 $1k or more) Looking at about 3k and mind you, if you GET an agent, you may not book for a long time. When I got my agent, it was about 6 months til I actually booked something. I actually did book something within three months and got REPLACED during the session. Wanted to kill myself but it happened. ALSO, be prepared to go UNION when you have to, that means around $3k when it happens.
NON-UNION ROUTE.
2) If you are looking to be a non-represented Freelance VO artist, and you are non-union then do these things.
a) Get a home studio. Computer, Microphone, Preamp, Soundproof a closet with quilts and blankets, mic stand, Kindle or Ipad, editing and recording software.
b)Get a subscription to Voices.com. If you do well there, use the money to get a Voice123 membership too.
c) AUDITION FOR EVERY AUDITION
d) Train with VO classes.
This will take awhile and a LOT of auditions. You may not see any jobs til about 3-4 months but if you work at it and AUDITION away, you will eventually get jobs. You will get better and producing and you will get better at auditioning. You can be a part of ACX (audiobooks) or Voicebunny (cheap jobs) to audition EVEN more! Within a few years, you should be able to make enough money to support yourself. But, you have to commit.
COSTS: Home studio setup can be about $1k maybe more, depending on what you need. The mic under 200, the computer and ipad will be the ones that will cost you. Voices.com is $300 a year and Voice123 is $350 or maybe $400 a year. A few VO classes with teachers or schools will teach you how to use your voices, may cost about 1k but it will help. The major cost here is your time. Auditions take time and learning how to record is going to be a process. It may be stressful but you'll get it.
In conclusion, voiceover is a skill like any other, the only difference is that you can make money at it relatively quickly but you are going to have competition. The difference will be how hard you work at it. Hope this helps you out!!
