The Magazine of Santa Clarita readers send me questions every day about the voiceover business. Here’s a good one:
Q: I’m a film actor who wants to be behind a microphone instead of being in front of a camera. Some of my friends have made the switch, but I hear that it’s just as competitive as film acting. But do I need to study voice acting? Should I start at the beginner level and work my way up the “technique” ladder? Do they want to hear real acting, or just a pretty voice? — Bill H., Valencia, CA
A: Bill, thanks for your question. What area of show business isn’t competitive? Voice acting, although a basically anonymous side of acting, is a highly competitive industry, populated by very talented individuals. But I work with a lot of people who think they can be successful in this business because they have great “pipes.” And while a clear, resonant voice is definitely de rigueur in V-O, you have a leg up, sir: you’re an actor, and this business is, many times, about voice acting, as opposed to voice over.
There are a lot of techniques that you use as an actor that you’ll be able to apply to voice acting—coloring words, giving them depth, shading, substance and particularly emotion.
All too often voice talent will be able to articulate words beautifully, but utter them bereft of any tangible feeling. And that’s where you have a distinct advantage. Take a voice-acting course to give you a good idea of what’s involved in commercial voice acting. After you’re done, you’ll know whether you’ve got the talent for this line of work. You don’t need to have a gorgeous voice (although it certainly helps) in this business, but you do need to be a great actor!
If you have any voiceover questions, please write to me, and I’ll answer them in the coming months.
Cashman Commercials © 2009
Marc Cashman creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television. Winner of over 150 advertising awards and named by AudioFile Magazine as “Best Voice of the Year,” he instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, California and does One-on-One coaching via phone and the Internet. He can be contacted at cashcomm@earthlink.net or his website, www.cashmancommercials.com .