First I would recommend, just starting out, is take a beginner class or get a beginner coach. This will save hours in sifting through YT videos. there are so many informing you what to do when starting out. this way, your most prominent questions will be answered in person, and you'll find the answers to other questions as you go.
Like any trade skill, this is a job that requires first, participation, patience, and practise. You want to be a plumber or electrician? You tube videos can show you how to do things, but you need to practise the practical applications with the right tools. not necessarily the best, or most expensive tools. the tools you need. Then you need training on how to use the tools properly. A beginner vo session is going to fit that bill for you.
There are many coaches out there, so good, others not so good. You just need to find one that is right for you. Beware any that promise to get you work. Unless they are casting directors, that is out of their hands.
I get no kickbacks for this referral, but a good aquaintenance in the business, Richard Cotton has just started something that is right up your alley. Check out his website for details. https://www.voiceoverprep.co.uk/
Only 5 jobs ? Hi why can I only see 5 jobs, I used search facility and the only selection in drop down window I clicked on was gender and voiceover, only 5 jobs show ? I can see several pages of jobs before I log in..
Confused... Thanks Alan.
That's a question for the Mandy staff. you might have activated a filter when you used the search facility and are only being shown jobs containing that search. try emptying the search field.
that's the million dollar question. like any job, you need to put in the work as well as the training. this is not a quick win win type profession. This is what was suggested to me. find something you are good at and want to do. say that is medical elearning. start researching companies that do medical elearning through google and linked in. find out who the companies are, what they specialize in, and then find out who does their HR. there will be someone.
from there, craft a unique email that mentions names, and then tell them what you think you can do for their company. Avoid cookie cutter copy pasta emails. they are obvious and rarely read.
do not, be any means, put "voice over looking for work" in the subject line, and then just attach your home made demos. a lot of people in a company don't realize they utilize voice over. some people will delete these right away, saying, why do we need vo?
and guess what, you're going to need to send out 30-50 of these a week when you are starting out. you need to tell people you are there. you need to market yourself. the most successful VO artists started by sending 200-500 emails a week.... and still do, keeping in touch with clients.
work is not going to come to you. you have to go get it. Especially now with AI text to speech. you need to convince companies you are more worthwhile and better value than AI. And you are. We all are.
but you have to put in the time. Decide how much you want to do this and then put in the effort. If this is a side job, that's okay too, just know it will be harder to get off the ground and into the booth.
In the meantime, use the Opportunities resource in Mandy and Backstage to apply for student films, freebies, indies. get a portfolio. get your name out there. don't worry too much about branding at this stage. People are not hiring you for your webpage or logo. They are hiring you for your voice. This is a trap beginner VO artists fall into. They spend too much time on a webpage and not enough time looking for jobs.
In the end, this is one of the coolest jobs on the planet. I used to think telling people I was an actor was the coolest. then when I got into VO, I realized the average person forgets that VO is everywhere. The reaction I get when you tell people, I do voiceovers for television always makes me day.
is it ever too late to start? Never. you just have to be willing to put in the time. and guess what, later in life, we actually have more time to spare.
from my 15yrs exp here in the UK, cover letters these days should be brief, contain all the relevant info, and be personalized.
Have a basic template you can add or subtract from for each submission. This will include contact details (including an agent if you have one), what type of gear do you use, and can you do remote sessions. In my experience, I state my rate is equity standard but negotiable. It's up to you about the "standard" part, but don't mention numbers and lock yourself into something you should be getting more for. Also include your turnaround rate (ideallly 12-24hrs depending on the job) and your revision policy.
Personalize this with: are you available for the recording dates? can you travel in to a studio if needed?
thank the client for the opportunity and mention that if they require another custom demo you are happy to supply another free of charge.
and that's pretty much it. now you wait. Voice over is actually one of the few professions though in which it is bad form to follow up on an audition, as the client is likely receiving anything up to a 1000 or more submissions. If someone gets back to you to thank you for submitting, but, alas, you didn't get it, this is actual quite huge. most clients do not sent out "so sorry" emails. chalk it up to making it to the top of the pile.
3 weeks ago
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