One of the most frequent questions that I receive is how to begin a career in voice acting. Every actor may give you different advice. Here is my ha-penny’s worth!

First, practice reading aloud. Try to act out different types of writing – a paragraph from a novel, the copy from a newspaper advert, a cereal box etc. Once you are comfortable with your acting skills you can put together a voice over (VO) demo.

The majority of paying gigs for beginners seem to be in narration work – corporate videos, websites etc. A good narration demo will probably help you to book your first paying job. Once you have further developed your acting skills, your next demo should probably be a commercial demo. This demo will show some of your range as an actor.

It’s a good idea to set up a home studio so that you record your auditions on your own schedule. You may find that you have to hire a professional studio and sound engineer for actual gigs. If so, the client should cover the cost of both studio and engineer. Be sure to discuss this topic before agreeing to take the job!

Agents are your friend. If you are accepted by an agent, they will send you auditions on a regular basis. Always be prompt in returning your audition recordings, and you and your agent should get along like a house on fire. Most VO agents will accept your demo via their website. Agents earn their fees once you have recorded a gig – typically 10%.

Your best VO training is to record your voice and listen to yourself with a critical ear. Try to practice different takes of the same script. For instance, you might try the first take with a natural sound as if you are talking to a friend. Then try the same script with high-energy, then in a corporate tone etc. The point is to gain control of your voice so that when a client asks you for a certain type of take, you have a handle on how to do it. Trusted friends can give you feedback on what they like or dislike about your takes. You may find everyone has a different opinion on what sounds good. Every person that you know probably represents a different audience in terms of age, sex, education etc. and you can’t please everyone. Eventually, you will find your sweet spot.