It's every voice actor's dream: working full time purely as a voice actor. But how can one do it? Is there some magic to the whole process? Is it being connected to the right people? Is it just dumb luck?
'Nope' to all of the above.
Actually, success can be broken down into 5 simple steps, and voice actor Richard Horvitz tells you all about them in his popular 1 hour and 40 minute audio seminar that you can get through Dan O'Day's website.
In Choosing a voice coach - part 1, we looked at some of the different types of lessons out there and how to find the best match to your learning style. Now in part 2, we're going to talk a little bit about what kind of person you want as your coach. Should he or she be a full-time voice actor already? How about a professional director (but not necessarily an actor)?
Ira Glass of This American Life is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of being a person driven by creative ambitions. In this video, Ira shares some extremely profound advice for beginners to any creative field. It doesn't matter if you're an up-and-coming writer, designer, musician, actor, or voice actor, these words will hit home.
Okay. So, you've made the decision to really try out this whole "voice acting" thingy. You've read some really good books on voice acting and maybe even listened to a voice over seminar / webinar or two. But now you feel it's time to take the plunge; to dive in deep. That is to say: start taking lessons from a really good voice acting coach.
"But who should I choose as my voice coach?"
To many, that question is difficult to answer. That's why in this post (and others to follow) I'll endeavor to take as much of the confusion as possible out of the selection process. (And at the end of this post, I'll show you a cool video about teachers, too.)
Today's post introduces you to the world of HISHE — How It Should Have Ended: original videos of new and funny endings to popular movies.
What I like about HISHE isn't only that the videos are a hoot, but it's proof of what people can do when they have an idea and run with it. Too many beginners to voice acting whine and whine and whine "No one will hire me! No agents will represent me! Wah!" To them my answer is always "Get off your butt and create your own career!"
"What exactly does a voice actor do?" is a question often asked by those curious about this occupation. For some time now I've given a basically bland answer to this question. But recently after much thought (and maybe one too many beers) I've come up with what I believe to be a more accurate definition:
A voice actor is someone who gets paid to spend hours every day trapped inside a tiny room no bigger than a phone booth pretending to be someone they're not while talking to imaginary people.
(Is it any wonder why the rooms are padded with foam? )
Just recently I came across yet another website selling an ebook all about how to become a voice actor in no time at all. It had the standard hype: all you need is a computer, some free software, and a microphone! No experience required!
In this post I'd like to shed a little light on these "expert" voice-actor authors and their goods and give you a peek behind the scenes.
I subscribe to a wide variety of blog RSS feeds. Some are really good. Some are just okay. And some are better off being lost in the backwaters of Google's 100th page of search results. More often than not, when I see a great post I get the urge to write about that same topic. But two things stop me: 1) I don't have the time and 2) I realize that I couldn't do it better than the original author (number 2 being the case more often than not.)
With those two reasons staring me firmly in the face I have decided, instead, to round up some of best posts I've seen during the past week or so and present them here. I'll try to make this a regular feature here on VAN under the Great web reads category (say THAT five times fast! )
On Tuesday, February 8th VoiceOverXtra will present a webinar called AUDIOBOOKS 2011 Success in Narrations taught by award-winning voice talent and trainer Bettye Zoller. You'll learn how to enter and expand your role as an audiobook narrator, learn specialized skills in audiobook voice acting and marketing - and understanding how this rapidly changing business works.
Lots of great information for beginners and veterans alike!
Recently, voice actor Paul Strikwerda created a very eye-opening video about the realities of becoming a professional voice actor. It's worth checking out (and now you, too, can finally hear how to correctly pronounce his last name! )
Remember: being a voice actor really is about loving the job. It certainly ISN'T a get-rich-quick profession. But if you love doing the job, then you'll actually feel rich until the day you might just actually become monetarily rich (but I wouldn't bet the farm on that one. )
It's every voice actor's dream: working full time purely as a voice actor. But how can one do it? Is there some magic to the whole process? Is it being connected to the right people? Is it just dumb luck?
In 
Okay. So, you've made the decision to really try out this whole "voice acting" thingy. You've read some 
)
Just recently I came across yet another website selling an ebook all about how to become a voice actor in no time at all. It had the standard hype: all you need is a computer, some free software, and a microphone! No experience required!
On Tuesday, February 8th VoiceOverXtra will present a webinar called 
