How to Break Into Voice Overs
Voice-over actors are actors who provide the voices to animated characters and radio shows and provide narration during movies, TV shows and commercials. Many voice-over actors are also "regular" actors, who may appear on the stage or on screen and various intervals. A unique voice and the ability to make a script come to life are two of the major ingredients for becoming a voice-over actor.
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Instructions
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Enroll in an acting class to get down the basics. Although voice-over work is different from acting because you are not able to use your entire body to convey your emotions. Your only tool is your voice. However, acting classes are very useful as they can help you develop a range of emotions and further your talent. You can enroll in acting classes at most universities, community colleges or local theater groups.
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Record a demo onto a CD. Ask your acting teacher who he would recommend for a voice over demo. Likely, he will be able to point you in the right direction. Costs for recording a demo range from $375 to $1500, depending on if you choose to hire a director or not. If you have a friend who is a budding director and looking for work and/or a friend with high-quality recording equipment, you can easily cut costs by asking them to help you out for free or at a lower rate.
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Audition for any and all voice overs you can. Your acting teacher may announce auditions in your area, or you can peruse websites like backstage.com or voices.com, two legitimate websites for actors to get work without an agent. Although you can make quite a bit of money doing voice work, consider taking non- or low-paying jobs to start out with in order to build up your resume.
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Find an agent. You'll want to make sure your agent is legitimate, so make sure they are SAG (Screen Actors Guild) or AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) franchised. Once you've located a few you feel might represent you well, send out your demo. Include contact information (such as telephone number and e-mail address) and a list of tracks on the CD.
Agents typically take 10 percent to 15 percent of your salary, but legitimate agents will never ask for money up front for any reason. If an agent asks for money or sends you to one recording studio to make or re-record a demo, this is a red flag. Agents should have several contacts that you can choose from.
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Audition. Remember, show business is a highly subjective business. Don't take it personally if you're rejected once, twice or even several times. You'll hear more no's than yes's, so it's important that you keep trying until you succeed.
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I have a voice!
