By Keith Brunson
Have you heard of Scooby-Doo, the cartoon character? Today, we'll learn about how the voice of that cartoon character turned his voice into a business. And he did it all, with talent, but most interestingly, his mind. Either way, "all my life, I've been chasing that dog," says Scott Innes, who served as the voice behind Scooby-Doo from 1998 to 2001, who replaced the original voice of Don Messick, who passed away in 1982.
A young Scott Innes started crafting his voice at an early age.
Scott started as a public address voice at 13 at a skating rink, "and I got fired for talking too much." He crossed the street to the bowling alley, where he got a job as the PA announcer once again. And that was when Scott was approached by a guy in radio who became his mentor into professional announcing. "You've got "the IT factor," Speck Rhodes of the Porter Waggoner show said Scott wanted it so bad, "I worked for free," he says. It was 1982, and "if I hadn't have done so, none of the doors I have walked through since would be present in my life."
Scott's mentor Speck Rhodes.
These kinds of stories are rampant. Teenagers who start a career in radio, music, or television by working for free then take it to the next level. Ambition can't be taught, but at The Voice Shop, introductory classes are available to teach someone how to begin. And this kind of skill is not taught in college, any college. Especially animation character voice work. "But we do," says Steve Tardio, a voice coach at The Voice shop who teaches that niche. Offered is a two-hour remote voice-over class on character animation.
Voice coach Steve Tardio helps students develop voice acting skills at the Voice Shop in New York City.
But back to Scott. As he was working without pay, he began to imitate the voice of Casey Kasem, "and that was when I realized I could mimic sounds of other fictitious characters." This led to doing the voice of Scooby Doo, Popeye, and Barney Rubble. "All of my life, moments of serendipity continue to happen." And so now, at 55, Scott carries a very heavy schedule. He's a songwriter and has won a CMA award. He publishes a family magazine called "Hug." He promotes concerts in Louisiana. He also works two on-air shifts on commercial radio. Mid-days on-air in New Orleans and the afternoon shift on-air on the classic rock station in Baton Rouge. But his utmost notoriety is cartoon voices, "and if you believe in yourself, it will happen, but you have got to believe." https://www.onescottshop.com
From making music to radio host and the voice of famous cartoon characters, voice actor Scott Innes has successfully turned his voice into a business.
Listen to Scott's character voices come to life:
The Voice Shop teaches voice acting classes remotely and in person. So, no matter where you're reading this from, if you want instruction, you can get it via zoom originating with instruction from their studios in Manhattan. There are nine instructors, all with a special niche to help you "find your voice." This is a reference to learning what it is about you that can make you marketable. And the school is a good way to learn what they are looking for in the voice-over market. https://voiceshopcoaching.com
And Scott Innes has a unique point of view. "Everything I have ever dreamed of has come true," says Scott, "all you have to do is speak it, and it will come into existence." You take a small kid, watching the movie "Grease," and you start thinking about what you want to become, and it becomes a reality." But having a deep desire to accomplish something is a subject that the late Mel Blanc spoke of. "It is better to take a job you love to do, and you'll be rich and emotionally happy."
Scott Innes followed his childhood ambitions and dreams to succeed as a voice actor.
Watch the video and hear Scott's voice "in action."
So, as you're reading this, If you think you might not be able to accomplish great things, think again. Turning your voice into a business is a function of turning yourself into your own business using your distinct voice. It may not sound like a voice you think would be of value, but the voice over world is full of niche voices that bring out the best in all types of voices, not just deep voices in a man or sexy voices in a woman.
