Diary Of A Voice-Over Artist In Training, Part 1

This is the first of an occasional series on my journey into the world of voice-over acting.


Thursday, Oct 17, 2013 7:00PM EST--A couple of weeks ago I was flipping through a brochure of adult education classes at a local high school. I came across one about how to break into voice-over acting. I've always harbored an interest in movie/TV production--I took a TV production class in high school, and had a radio show on the campus station in college--and this seems interesting.

Tonight is the class, taught by Such A Voice (SAV) founder and president Dan Levine. He went over the basic aspects of the industry and some technique. For instance, there are two basic types of voice over--commercial (i.e. advertising), and narration (Mike Rowe on Deadliest Catch). And it's amazing all the different technologies that use voice over, from audiobooks and video games to GPS systems to corporate phone systems. It certainly isn't just commercials and animation anymore.  Dan even mentioned that the voice of Apple's Siri was an early student of his.

In the second half of the class Dan has us read some practice scripts and he will assess our voices. Later tonight he will send us all emails with that assessment, and offers to have his company call us tomorrow if we want more info.


Thursday, Oct 17, 2013 11:30PM EST---I check my email before going to bed and I got one from Dan. Here's what he says:

"Bill has a friendly, honest, and informative voice...unpretentious and genuine which are both great qualities. He could do announcer spots for tech related products and services plus a wide array of spots that call for a good, solid, male announcer voice. I would encourage Bill to move forward."

Very exciting!

Friday Oct 18, 2013 9:00AM EST-- I get a call from SAV. I tell them I am interested in going forward, but I can't find any pricing info on the website. They will email me the 3 plans and we plan on talking again tomorrow.


Saturday Oct 19, 2013 11:30AM EST--I decide on the Platinum plan.  Among other things, I get fourteen 1 hour coaching sessions via Skype, some home studio equipment, and when the time comes, professional studio time to record my demo, with an original script written just for me by the SAV copywriter. 10 minutes and roughly $3500 later, our meeting is done and I'm officially a client.


Wednesday, Oct 30, 2013 7:00PM EST--I've never used Skype before, and after a practice call with my sister, I'm ready tonight for my first coaching session. I've also downloaded a free audio recording program called Audacity. My coach is SAV coach/producer and voice talent in her own right Angela Castonguay out of Macon, Ga. (This is officially a national project now---I'm in Massachusetts, Angela's in Georgia, and SAV is HQ'ed in Vermont. )

Over the next 14 sessions (approx. 17 or 18 weeks because of the holidays) we will go over all aspects of voice work, from how to analyze a script to working with different emotions, pacing and tone. We will work with both narration and commercial scripts. And she will help me with tips on how to use studio equipment and set up my home studio. Over all, she will be my guide in successfully entering the business.

Your humble correspondent, doing his homework.

Tuesday,Nov 12, 2013 3:30PM EST--Arrive home from work to find a delivery from Sweetwater Music and Pro Audio. (Another state heard from...they are in Fort Wayne, Indiana) It's my home studio equipment! I got:

One set of Yamaha RH2C stereo headphones
One Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB recording interface (Pro Tools ready)
One Rode NT1-A microphone (w/ free popshield, shockmount, and XLR cable)
One Euroboom microphone stand

Looks like I have homework to do. By the way, we have gone international now--Focusrite is a British firm, and Rode is Australian.


Wednesday, December 4, 2013 7:00PM EST-- Tonight is our 5th coaching session. The lesson tonight is on breathing technique and how to read numbers. These are actually more important than it might seem. For breathing, you don't want to stop in an awkward place. I'm shown how to mark my script for natural places to breathe--it's more than simply at the end of a sentence.

In terms of numbers, you go with your instincts. For instance, if you have to read the year 2013, do you say twenty thirteen or two thousand thirteen? The natural way is twenty thirteen.

One last bit of business tonight....last week Angela told me my voice reminds her of someone, and she thinks she has figured out who......It's a younger John Ratzenberger, the guy who played Cliff Clavin (the mailman) on Cheers. I say that's great-- I like him!