How to become a voice actor

Voice acting is a highly rewarding and competitive career choice for individuals with a passion for performance, acting, and storytelling. Whether you dream of lending your voice to animated characters, commercials, video games, or audiobooks, it takes dedication and hard work to make it as a professional voice actor. In this article, we will explore the steps you need to take to launch your voice acting career.

What is a voice actor?

If you have a unique voice or love performing, you may want to consider a career as a voice over artist. Voice over artists, also known as voice actors, lend their voices to recordings used in a variety of media, such as television shows, movies, video games, commercials, documentaries, podcasts, e-learning, and audiobooks. They use their own voice to bring animated characters to life, narrate documentaries, and perform character voices for video games and animated films.

Benefits of voice acting

There are many benefits to pursuing a voice acting career. First, it allows you to work in the entertainment industry without necessarily being on-screen. This means that you can enjoy the perks of working in show business while maintaining your privacy. It can also be a lucrative career path, with top voice actors making six figures. Even beginner voice over actors can make a decent living with the right opportunities through freelance websites.

Types of voice acting

There are many different jobs voice actors can have, but here is a brief overview of just a few:

1. Animation and video game voice acting — This type of voice work involves bringing animated characters or video game characters to life through voice acting. Actors must be able to convey emotion and personality through their voice alone.
2. Commercial voice overs — This type of voice work involves recording voice overs for commercials, such as radio or TV ads. Voice actors must be able to grab the listener's attention and deliver the message effectively.
3. Promos — Similar to commercial voice overs, this type of voice work involves recording voice overs for promotional content, such as movie trailers, TV show teasers, and more.
4. Audiobooks —Voice actors in this field record narrations for books and other written content, bringing the story to life through their voice.
5. E-learning — This type of voice work involves recording educational content, such as online courses, training videos, and tutorials.
6. Documentaries — Voice actors in this field record voice overs for documentaries, adding commentary and narration to the visual content.
7. Podcasts — This type of voice work involves recording and producing audio content for podcasts, including hosting, interviewing, and narrating.
8. Dubbing — In this type of voice work, voice actors record new dialogue in a different language over existing footage or media. Dubbing is commonly used for movies, television shows, and video games that are released in different countries with different languages.

How to become a voice actor

Getting started in the voice acting industry can be challenging, and it takes time, dedication, and hard work to establish yourself as a professional voice actor. Here are the top steps you can take to become a voice actor and pursue your dream career in voice acting.

Master your skills

If you want to become a professional voice actor, you need to have a solid skill set. Before pursuing voice over jobs, it's important to have acting skills and experience. Take acting classes, participate in local theater productions, or work with a drama coach to develop your skills. Additionally, consider vocal training workshops to develop your vocal range and techniques. A voice coach can also help you with technical skills, how to warm up to keep your voice healthy, as well as how to breathe properly, develop your tone, and enunciate clearly.

Record voice over demos

Once you have developed your skills, you can create a demo reel showcasing your voice talent. A voice over demo is a compilation of your best work, highlighting your range and abilities. It includes samples of different types of voices, such as character voices, promos, and dubbing, as well as different types of voice overs, such as examples of voice overs for audiobooks, commercials, and video games. You can use your demo reel to find work by auditioning for roles or by searching freelance websites for voice over jobs.

Set up your recording studio

To stand out from the competition, you need to invest in high-quality recording equipment for your home studio setup. This includes a microphone, headphones, a pop filter, a soundproof recording booth, and editing and recording software. Creating a professional environment can make all the difference in the quality of your audio recording.

Network and apply

Once you have a demo reel, start auditioning for voice over roles. You can find auditions through casting calls or by searching freelance websites for voice over work. This is a great way to build your portfolio and gain experience. Social media is also an important tool for finding work as a professional voice actor. You can connect with casting directors, subscribers, and other voice actors.

The best places to find voice over work

If you are overwhelmed with how to find voice over acting work. Here are the top marketplaces to find voice acting jobs.

1. Voices.com — One of the largest and most popular voice over marketplaces, Voices.com connects voice actors with clients looking for voice talent for various projects, including commercials, video games, and audiobooks.
2. Backstage — Known for its casting opportunities for actors and performers, Backstage also offers voice over job postings for clients in need of voice talent for projects such as commercials, podcasts, and animation.
3. Voices123 — A popular voice over marketplace that connects clients with professional voice actors, Voices123 offers a range of projects, including radio and TV commercials, e-learning, and explainer videos.
4. Voicebunny — Voicebunny is an online platform that connects clients with professional voice over artists for a variety of projects, including advertising, explainer videos, and telephony.
5. Freelancer — As a popular freelance marketplace, Freelancer offers voice over job postings for clients looking for voice talent for various projects, such as commercials, audiobooks, and animation.
6. Upwork — Another popular freelance marketplace, Upwork offers voice over job postings for clients seeking voice talent for a range of projects, including podcasts, commercials, and video games.
7. Fiverr — Fiverr is an online marketplace that connects clients with freelancers offering a variety of services, including voice over work for projects such as commercials, explainer videos, and audiobooks.
8. Mandy — Mandy is a job board that posts a variety of job opportunities in the entertainment industry, including voice over work for projects such as commercials, animation, and video games.
9. ACX — ACX is an online marketplace specifically for audiobook narration and production, connecting authors and publishers with professional voice over talent for their audiobooks.

Speechify Voice Over Studio

If you'd rather not set up your own home voice over studio, Speechify offers an AI Voice Over Studio that can help you save time and money. Choose the ideal voice to narrate your project from more than 200 realistic voice selections and 20 accent options. Upload your script and instantly produce a high-quality voice over. From there, you can edit your project by altering the tempo and tone, inserting natural pauses between words for flawless phrase delivery, or adding background music for extra flair.

Speechify Voice Over Studio is fantastic for writers, teachers, students, assignments, internal communications, and more. Try Speechify Voice Over Studio for free today and see for yourself how easy it is to create high-quality voice overs.

FAQ

How much money do voice actors make?

The amount of money that voice actors make can vary widely depending on factors such as experience, industry, and the type of project they are working on. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for actors, including voice actors, was $20.47 per hour in May 2020.

Can you be a voice actor with no experience?

Yes, it is possible to become a voice actor without any prior experience. However, it will require a lot of hard work, dedication, and the development of your skills through training, practice, and feedback. Building a portfolio and networking with other professionals in the industry can also help to increase your chances of success.

Can you be a full-time voice actor?

Yes, it is possible to be a full-time voice actor, but it is not easy. Voice actors need to be highly skilled, have a great work ethic, and be able to market themselves effectively to find work and build a successful career. It may take years of hard work and persistence to establish yourself as a full-time voice actor, but with the right skills and mindset, it is achievable.