So, I Tried Voice Over Acting…

Hello blog reader! A short introduction is in order; my name is Nate Myers. I am the Social Media Manager here at The Voice Shop, a voice coaching school. I am relatively new to the world of voice over, and to submerge myself in the nuances of this art, I asked to attend one of The Voice Shop’s virtual classes, The Fundamentals of Voice Over. I learned about my voice in some ways I never thought possible.

 So, I tried voice over acting for the first time, knowing absolutely nothing of the craft or the industry! What follows is a summary of the incredible value I received during the two-and-a-half-hour class.

The teacher for the class was Michael George. Mike, as he prefers to be called, has been a voice-over professional for decades. Trends, industry practice and standards have changed multiple times as he forged his path into the voice over field. I would use words like friendly, professional, genuine, frank, and uncompromising to describe Mike. The last one may be a bit of a surprise, but it was in the best way, as I’ll explain in a bit.

Voice coach, Michael George, teaching voice lessons at the Voice Shop in New York City.

 When I first joined the class, we went around the horn and introduced ourselves. It was a diverse group, both ethnically and regarding age and location. Some students had some experience in singing or other related respects, but we were all new to voice over. This “newness” made me feel very comfortable knowing that I wouldn’t be compared to someone far better than me. It can be intimidating to try something new. Luckily that wasn’t a factor at all that night.

 The first half of the class consisted of Mike teaching us various techniques to control our voice. We practiced accentuating different words in a message, using our tone and expression. He had several voice over parts from commercials and the like that we could try and use for comparison. Mike was extremely focused on what he heard from us and provided clear feedback before trying again. I noticed immediately that my voice became lighter sounding, more positive, and friendly. And I got my first epiphany of the night:

 “Wow, I could actually do this.”

 I have never in my life thought I had a voice-over-worthy voice. I thought I always sounded younger than I was and so casual that no professional voice over project would even consider me. I hadn’t thought these things specifically, but if someone had asked me, “Have you considered performing voice over?” I would have laughed at them. It wasn’t in the stars for me, or so I thought.

Mike continued to take us through the exercises and techniques, and something else started to shine through. We all had different strengths and personalities. Mike was helping draw that out of us and quite quickly. Two and a half hours felt like a very short time because I was so engaged the entire class. I watched as other students found their voice and started reading things as themselves. It was inspiring. I said earlier that Mike was uncompromising. I meant that he didn’t accept it if someone read the prompt exactly like the person before them. Imitation was not the goal. He wasn’t satisfied with unenthusiastic attempts. He had constructive feedback for every single line that was read. He was uncompromising in making sure we were all getting our money’s worth from the class.

 The Voice Shop brings out the strengths and nuances of each voice during the voice lessons.

Mike emphasized that we should try to be relatable, accessible, genuine, human throughout the night. Probably the opposite of what you would think of the voice over industry. In my mind, it’s full of talent who are actually actors, but their abilities are featured behind the scenes as voices rather than people on film. They were people pretending to be someone they were not. While this may be true in some cases, especially in animation, Mike wasn’t focused on that. He wanted us to find success in the best way for us individually. He said, “People these days don’t want to be marketed to; they want to hear from their friend or their neighbor about a product.” So, marketing departments and agencies have been looking for voice over talent that sounds just like that. REAL.

The latter portion of the class is dedicated to questions and answers. I found this section equally interesting and helpful as the first. All of us, being beginners, had a lot of questions. Some of the best ones were: 

·         How much money can you make for a gig?

·         What equipment do I have to buy to get started?

·         What facet of the industry is best to focus on? Commercial? Animation? Radio?

·         How can I better improve myself?

·         How can I leverage an agent or agency to market myself?

Mike was brutally honest in his responses, which was great for the other students and me. Again, two hours earlier, we had zero knowledge of voice over or how to do it. Here we were, completely transformed into more professional beings. Every student wanted to learn the next steps. They wanted to continue down this path they had stumbled upon.

Mike recommended we sign up for the following classes, which include Intermediate Essentials and Advanced Techniques. He also offered to do one-on-one sessions with each of us if desired. Then we could really dig into the industry and where we wanted to contribute. Which opportunities we should pursue, how to further polish our voiceovers.

The class ended, leaving me a very different person from before. I had learned of a way that I could make income as a side hustle. I knew how to do it, what to do next and where to turn to for advice.

 All in all, it was a 10-out-of-10 experience! Mike, you took a person with casual interest at best and turned them into an aspiring voice-over artist. Thank you.

You Can Do This Voice Over Job From Anywhere

Imagine being able to wear anything you want, have no commute, and be rewarded for your creativity every day.

Welcome to the world of the modern-day professional voice over artist. You can do this voice over job from anywhere. And that means ANYWHERE.

 Voice over artists get hired because of what they sound like, not how they look. "And that suits me just fine," says Judy Fossum of Cheyenne, Wyoming, who pops out of bed and produces content "in my pajamas, if I want to."

It's true. Today's voices you hear in media were probably not recorded in a recording studio per se, "and it suits the introvert I am so I can create beautifully from my quiet home studio," says Judy. "There is no boss."

 Voice over artist Judy Fossum provides voice work
from her home in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

 Fossum, 46, who is married and very well established in the voiceover world, proves that where you live makes no difference and confirms so because she's "never been asked." Yet to do business with Judy, who handles narration, e-learning, and commercials, all the producer does is contact her. She can have the voiceover done the same day. Judy is extensively trained in voiceover from the Denver Center for the performing arts. She believes "you must seek training to learn not just the voice techniques, but to understand technically how to satisfy the deliverable." (www.JudyFossumvoiceovers.com)

 Think about that. A few short years ago, you had to be near NY, LA, Atlanta, Chicago, or Miami. You had to be near a major metropolitan city. The reason: that is where the studio was. You'd go into the physical location, work with a producer, an engineer, and perform at a certain time with an entire team of people fussing over every word you said. But that has all changed.

 "It excites me that I can live here and be heard anywhere," says Kelly Wilson, 37, from Twin Falls, Idaho.  After all, she has the in-home studio, the talent, and the booking, but "technology changed all of that," As a married mother of two living in the middle of nowhere, "the industry has been more open to wherever you live," Kelly adds. (https://www.kellywilsonvo.com) The profession accommodates Kelly's life as a stay-at-home Mom, and "Yet, it has no effect on the voice work I deliver," she says.

 And Mike McGonegal agrees. Mike lives in Wilton, New Hampshire. Population 3,677. There is only one traffic light. But Mike, 53, a seasoned veteran of the craft, still invested in a custom-built studio specializing in E-Learning. (https://www.MikeMcGonegal.com) "With the advent of technology, it omits location, and all you have to have is electricity, that's it." Mike is the voice of Porsche Automobiles of South Africa. "I am heard all over the world, and I do it right here in New England, never leaving the front door."

 Not too far from Mike's place is Mary Catherine Jones, 54, who hails from Shelburne, Vermont. Population 7,500. "My negotiations involve organizing mow times with the neighbors," says Mary Catherine, who acknowledges a quiet studio is a healthy one. She's a specialist voice in audiobooks and E-learning, "and I'm also a sound engineer and can handle any technical requirement that Manhattan needs." So, Mary Catherine spends 90% of her time marketing for work and 10% producing. "The work is fun, but finding the work is the labor." And for 12 years, Mary Catherine has done Just fine from her home studio in New England, including a weeping willow tree in the front yard. Yahoo! (www.voiceoververmont.com)

 Voice actors (from left to right), Kelly Wilson, Mike McGonegal, and Mary Catherine,
create voiceovers from their home studios in locations across the USA.

 Conversely, there are still those that work in the big city, but they do it at home. Enter Hillary Hawkins, a bi-coastal talent with home studios in New Jersey and Los Angeles. Hillary can do it all. But she found a niche in accents that sets her apart. "I can hear any accent and mimic it," she says, or "I can talk like this, and you'd never know I was a woman." What she's talking about is her extraordinary ability to sound just like a little boy. And she did so on the phone during the interview for this story. She sounded just like a child. (www.HillaryHawkins.com/accents)

 Hillary booked 373 vo jobs in one day during the pandemic. She is, without question, an all-star. And now has a book out that is Amazon's #1 new release, "How To Become A Voiceover Artist." And, as Hillary comments, "I can do remote voiceovers right here at home." Hillary, who is single, lives the life she wants, all day, every day. "And my inspiration comes from my faith."

The new book from Hillary Hawkins, who records voice-overs
from her home studios in two different locations.

All the above performers do have one thing in common. They believe in education. "I took class after class after class," says Judy Fossum. "You've got to have the education to work in today's technological world." Judy, a former radio personality, feels "you have to treat this like a business, so sing or get off the stage." And therein lies Judy's key to advancing her abilities. "I got trained IN THIS FIELD, and it worked." Judy studied not only in Denver but at The Voice Acting Academy in San Diego. (https://voiceacting.com)

 And that's what the voice coaching team at The Voice shop in New York does. There's voice acting instruction in exactly how to develop your God-given voice talents. You choose the voice lessons study path. You set the pace. "And the vocal coaches help you get there," says Mike George, one of the leading voice trainers at The Voice Shop in New York City. (www.voiceshopcoaching.com)

 Mike George (standing) is teaching a voice class at The Voice Shop in New York City.

 Judy Fossum believes that her degree in Journalism was not enough to carry her into a successful world of abundance. "If you're gonna be in this industry, you have to continue to learn," says Fossum. "My introversion has no factor on getting it just right, and it all happened because I took it seriously and trained…and trained and trained." Already holding two bachelor's degrees, Judy feels that going pro means you're thirsty for knowledge. "You learn as you go, but you always have to be in a learning mode."

 If you are considering a voiceover career, consider becoming a trained voice artist at The Voice shop, which is company-linked to Creative Media Design vo agency and voice production studio. (www.cmdnyc.com) The advantage with both facilities combined, you can become a trained voice actor AND be exposed through voice over casting to producers hiring for voice projects.

 Leave the Armani on the hanger. Keep the Gucci bag in its' corner. And think BIG. You'll be entering a world of talented people on a global scale. The only thing you bring to work each day is your voice, and that speaks volumes.