by Alan Smithee
The only downside with videogames is that the talent receives a single check for his or her “session work,” meaning that, unlike a great deal of animation, there are no payments for residual sales of the video game the talent performs on. That said, people who work regularly in videogames can make a great deal of money, depending on the deal negotiated by the agent who books it. This, however, is usually only the case for those who book leading roles. For the vast majority of people who work on videogames, you’re looking at long hours and a surprising amount of shouting. People who work these gigs often call them “scream-and-grunts.” Whatever character you play, you’ll be called upon to die, loudly, in various ways: being shot, being crushed, being burnt to death. Accordingly, these sessions are usually booked on a Friday, so that the voice actor will have time to regain his or her voice for any work the following week.
Audiobooks
Audiobooks stand alone in the voiceover world, for a number of reasons. First off, a number of audiobook performers don’t have agent representation; they book jobs on their own, through relationships they establish themselves. Further, because performers usually work from their home studio, they set the hours he or she will work on a given day. And finally, audiobook narration, besides requiring real acting and storytelling chops, it also takes a great deal of patience. Actors can spend days or even weeks completing the reading of a book. As an audiobook reader, you need to give as much weight and attention to the first sentence of a book as you do to the last, even if you’ve been reading the same book for twenty hours. Therefore, audiobooks aren’t for everyone. But for a growing number of voice people who have the skill and the patience, it’s a dream job.
Political
Every political season brings a new set of campaigns across the country, and with it, a fresh batch of political ads. Voice actors who do these ads can adopt authoritative (or disdainful, or disbelieving) tones. This is another area where those with announcer-type voices can succeed. In most cases, voice actors looking for work in political ads are asked to declare a party affiliation, and are submitted by their agents accordingly.
ADR/Looping
Any time you see a crowd scene in a film or TV show, you can hear a loop group at work. That’s because when a crowd scene is shot, the story is always focused on the main characters in the scene who are speaking the lines you hear. Believe it or not, everyone else you see in the background—all the extras—are mouthing as if they’re speaking; in reality, there’s no sound at all.
That means that in “post-production,” after the scene is shot and edited, it’s up to a group of voice actors to fill in the sound of random background conversations that appear to be taking place on the screen.
It’s actually more specialized than you’d imagine. For example, if the show or film being depicted is a legal show, medical drama, or cop procedural like “CSI” or “Law and Order,” it’s important that the loopers are conversant in the lingo of whomever they’re portraying. In other words, if it’s a legal drama, the loopers are expected to talk like lawyers; if it’s a medical show, they’re called upon to have a knowledge of medical terminology, and so on.
Looping is a fun, lucrative way to make a living as a voice actor. The major loop groups are in Los Angeles and New York, because that’s where most TV and film is produced. So if you want to work as a looper, that’s where you’ll need to be.
Voice Matching
Voice matching is a highly specialized area of voiceover in which a voice actor is called upon to sound like someone else, usually a celebrity. In most cases, it’s for an animated series in which the celebrity in question is being parodied. But sometimes, voice actors may overdub lines of dialogue for a film or television program when the celebrity is unavailable.
In either case, voice matching is usually done by voice actors who naturally sound close vocally to the person in question. It’s helpful to ask yourself (or ask others), who do I sound like? If you have agency representation, the agent will usually keep a list of celebrities whom his clients can voice match.
Live Announcing/Voice of God
Whether announcing the batting lineup at Yankee Stadium or introducing speakers at corporate events, live announcers bring a sense of real-time excitement to the proceedings. Plus, they have one of the coolest titles in the business: “Voice of God” (or “V.O.G.”). Live announcers also work on late night talk shows, game shows, and award shows. Let’s not forget the living legend of live announcers, the Saturday Night Live announcer, Don Pardo, who is now over 90 years old and still going strong. Of all of the venues for voiceover, this is the one that almost always demands the traditional big-voiced announcer.
The margin for error is obviously very slim when voicing as a live announcer, but if you like the rush of working in front of a live crowd, maybe you’ve got what it takes to be a Voice of God!
Radio/Television Imaging
Next time you turn on the radio, listen closely. In between the music, the commercials, and the DJ are little snippets of sound effects, music, and voiceover that give the call letters or brand name of the station. They’re quick pieces designed to establish the attitude and feel of the station. This is called “imaging,” and voice actors play a central part in them. Some voice actors work exclusively with companies that produce the imaging, and can therefore be the image voice of several stations across the country. For others, it’s a one-shot deal.
Television imaging is a bit different. While there are, essentially, only five major TV networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and CW), there are hundreds of network affiliates throughout the country who carry and broadcast the programming of those networks. And while the networks produce their own promos (voiced by promo people, as discussed above), the local stations also have programming blocks that are specific to their station. Often it’s a block of syndicated re-runs, or maybe a local talk show, but usually, the main programming a station produces is the local news broadcast. Whatever the case, these stations hire TV imaging people to voice promos for these programs. As in radio imaging, some TV imagers hold contracts for many different stations throughout the country, and others handle single stations.
People who work in radio and TV imaging almost always have agent representation, but motivated individuals with a home studio can always pick up the phone and call local affiliates to inquire about their imaging needs.
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CONCLUSION:
This guide is designed to be an overview of the world of voiceover, but it is by no means definitive. The last few decades have seen enormous change in the field of voiceover. What was once the dominion of a lucky few has been opened up to virtually anybody. With the advent of the internet, home studios, and online booking sites, the field has shifted dramatically, and will no doubt continue to do so in the years to come. Therefore, success in voiceover requires the ability to be aware of and adapt to these changes. Success also requires patience, skill, as well as that great intangible, luck.
The good news is that there’s now more voiceover work out there than ever, and it’s never been easier to get started and establish yourself as a voice actor. No matter what your focus, no matter where you live, no matter your budget, you can have a career in voiceover!
If you’d like more information, check out ThatVoiceoverPodcast.com for informative interviews with voiceover people from across the spectrum.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Should I Take an Acting Class?
Absolutely. Ultimately, voiceover is about acting. Even if you’re one of those people with a traditionally “great voice,” you’re dead in the water if you can’t use it properly. An acting class will familiarize you with the fundamentals of how to read and interpret a script, so when you do take a voiceover class or hire a coach, you’ll be ahead of the game!
Do I Need to Spend a Fortune on Recording Equipment?
Not necessarily. While a top-of-the-line studio will set you back thousands of dollars, anyone with a
laptop or an iPad can get started for less than $300, and in some cases for as little as $150. If you have a quiet corner of the house and a couple of blankets to hang on the wall, you’re in business.
Do I Have to Live in a Big Market City to Work in Voiceover?
It depends on what kind of work you want to do. If want to break into animation, you’ll probably need to live in or around Los Angeles. Similarly, if you want to get into looping and ADR or be represented by a major agency, you’ll need to live in one of the big three markets (LA, New York, or Chicago). But there are voiceover people with successful careers who live all over the country. (This is especially true for audiobook people.) If you have a reliable home studio and are able to bring in work from online sources, you can live wherever you choose.
People Tell Me I Have a Great Voice. Is that All It Takes to Make It in Voiceover?
Unfortunately, no. No matter what your voice sounds like, you’ll need to learn how to use it properly. It all boils down to acting, which is to say, it’s about taking words that someone else has written and making them sound like your own. It’s as easy and as hard as that. With the proper training, though, you can learn to channel that great voice into a something special.
What’s with All the Celebrities in Voiceover?
It’s a touchy subject among rank-and-file voiceover people. More and more agencies are choosing to go with celebrity voices to hawk their wares: Jon Hamm for Mercedes, Ed Harris for Home Depot, Jeff Bridges for Hyundai, and on and on. While celebrities are snapping up some of the more plum voiceover gigs, (not to mention starring in virtually every animated feature film), there’s still plenty of work to be had in virtually every other area of voiceover. Celebrities in voiceover are here to stay, and we all have to get used to it.
Should I Volunteer to Read for the Blind?
If you have a potential interest in voiceover, one of the best things you can do is to volunteer to read for the blind. Not only will you log some time behind the mic and learn about the recording process, you’ll be helping out a very worthy cause. To learn more about opportunities in your area, Google “reading for the blind volunteer.”
How Much Do Voiceover People Make?
This varies dramatically. Some voiceover actors make seven figures yearly, while others maybe book a few jobs here and there as a supplement to their income. The union, SAG-AFTRA, dictates the rates for any given job (to learn more, Google “aftra sag voiceover rates”). On the non-union side, the rate is either set ahead of time by the client, or by the actors auditioning for an online job who place bids for their service.
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VOICEOVER AGENCY GUIDE:
Abrams Artists Agency - LA
9200 Sunset Blvd. #11th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90069
310-859-0625
http://www.abramsartists.com
[email protected]
Abrams Artists Agency - NY
275 7th Avenue, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10001
646-486-4600 ext243
http://www.abramsartists.com
Access Talent
171 Madison Avenue Suite 910
New York, NY 10016-7919
212-331-9600
http://www.accesstalent.com
Actors Etc. Limited
9773 Lafayette Plaza
Omaha, NE 68114
402-391-3153
http://www.actorsetcltd.com
[email protected]
Affinity Artists Agency
5724 W. 3rd St. #511
Los Angeles, CA 90036
310-359-8796
http://www.affinityartists.com
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Affinity-Artists-Agency/167519799955725
http://twitter.com/#!/affinityartists
Agency SGH
6525 Sunset Blvd. PH 9th fl.
Hollywood, CA 90028
323-375-1005
http://agencysgh.com
http://agencysgh.com/contact.html
https://www.facebook.com/AgencySGH
https://twitter.com/#!/AgencySGH
AKA Talent Agency - Adult and Youth Divisions
6310 San Vicente Blvd, #200
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323-965-5600 ext 393
http://www.akatalent.com
http://www.akatalent.com/submitting.html
Amanda Rosenthal Talent Agency, Inc.
543 Richmond Street West, Suite 123
Toronto, Ontario M5V 1Y6
Canada
416-925-4255
http://www.artagencyinc.com
http://www.artagencyinc.com/submissions.php
[email protected]
[email protected]
Ambition Talent
487 Adelaide Street West, Suite 202
Toronto, Ontario M5V 1T4
Canada
416-916-8340
http://www.ambitiontalent.com
[email protected]
http://www.ambitiontalent.com/ambitiontalent/contact/
AMI - Artist Management Inc.
464 King Street East
Toronto, Ontario M5A 1L7
Canada
416-363-7450
http://www.amiagency.ca
http://www.amiagency.ca/submisions.html
[email protected]
Ann Wright Representatives
165 West 46th Street – 1105
New York, NY 10036
212-764-6770
Arcieri & Associates
305 Madison Avenue, #2315
New York, NY 10165
212-286-1700
http://www.arcieritalent.com/
[email protected]
Arlene Thornton & Associates
12711 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 490
Studio City, CA 91604
818-760-6688
http://www.arlenethornton.com
[email protected]
A Special Project
800 E Fairview Ste 119
Asheville, NC 28803
323-230-8200
http://www.aspecialproject.com
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Special-Project-Voiceover-Agency/123509454369349
http://twitter.com/#!/aspecialproject
Atherton Group (TAG) Talent Agency - Austin
1310 E. University Ave.
Austin, TX 78626
512-930-9301
http://www.tagtalent.com
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Atherton-Group-TAG-Talent-Agency/40338713629
http://twitter.com/#!/TAGTalent
Atlas Talent Agency - LA
8721 Sunset Blvd., #205
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-324-9800
[email protected]
http://www.atlastalent.com
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/atlastalentagency
Atlas Talent Agency - NY
15 East 32nd Street, 6th floor
New York, NY 10016
212-730-4500
[email protected]
http://www.atlastalent.com
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/atlastalentagency
Avant Artists
6200 Tunney Avenue
Tarzana, CA 91335
818.609.1556
http://www.avantartists.com
[email protected]
http://www.avantartists.com/policy.htm
AVO Talent
5670 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1930
Los Angeles, CA 90036
310-360-7680
Baker and Rowley Talent
1016 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60607
312-957-7599
http://bakerandrowleytalent.com
http://bakerandrowleytalent.com/contacts/
[email protected]
B
enz Model and Talent Agency
2211 7th Ave.
Tampa, FL 33605
813-242-4400
http://benzmodels.com/
[email protected]
Bobby Ball Talent Agency
4116 W. Magnolia Blvd., Suite 205
Burbank, CA 91505
818-506-8188
http://www.bbatalent.com
http://www.bbatalent.com/submit.html
https://www.facebook.com/bobbyballagency
http://twitter.com/#!/bobbyballagency
Brick Entertainment
18663 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356