VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #526 – Help Yourself…
Voice coaches, radio, everything voiceover, welcome to a brand new episode of voice coaches, radio. My name is Marissa and hoping this is finding you well here, uh, in the beginning of April. And I, you know, here's the thing is like when I look at the calendar and I see when this episode is going to drop, you know, I'm recording it a little bit in advance, but I will say this.
I know that right now. As this episode is airing, I will be in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, probably sweating my butt off, singing top of my lungs to a bunch of country music and doing a lot of things that I can't say on the podcast because YOLO and vacay, man, uh, you gotta enjoy yourself while you can.
And we've definitely earned it over the last couple of years, you know, but I will tell you, this is a trip that initially. got squashed and originally, honestly, we were supposed to do something completely different, but I, I planned last fall going to Florida to, to visit a friend with a bunch of girls that we're, you know, all mutual friends with and one by one.
They all backed out and I can't tell you how frustrating that is When you are me and you're organized to you know The last little tea and and then you know when I say I'm gonna do something. I do it like I am Very much to my word and so I was very frustrated about all that watching it all just fall apart With nothing that I could really control on my end and I had waited too long to to go ahead and book that initial trip anyway, because I had waited on all them.
By the time I went to do it, next thing you knew, the trip was going to cost just like almost 600 just for the flight. And I was like, okay, this, this can't happen. So turns out the friend we were going to go visit. She came home about a month or so ago and we all hung out and then her and I actually went to a bar afterwards and kind of closed that place down, but while we were there we were chit chatting a little bit and she was like mad for me that the trip fell through so she was like Why don't you just come out for Tortuga?
Like I'm going by myself anyway and it might be a cheaper flight for you to go to Fort Lauderdale instead of West Palm and I was like Huh, all right. Let me see what I can make happen. And the next thing you know, I was able to switch the dates at work. I was able to get a cheaper flight, and Tortuga was sold out, which was the devastating part about all this.
But, you know, nothing is ever truly sold out. That's what I've learned over the course of time. And next thing you know, I did end up scoring some tickets. I'm not going to say what I paid and really hoping that it comes through. So who knows? I mean, this could be the day that I am like panic driven trying to figure out how I'm going to get last minute tickets into this festival.
Um, but you know, I, uh, I'm just, uh, very, very anxious and very ready. to, to get to Tortuga. I can hear that Marcy's here. She's right outside the door. I don't know if you can hear the barking. Uh, but that's the beauty of being here at voice coaches. You never know which kind of a furry critter is going to be roaming around.
So listen, I hope that this is finding you well here in the second week of April. You know, there's a question that constantly pops up for me when I'm teaching and just people that have popped up in the industry as they're beginning and, and like, you know, what helped me? Most, you know, what helped me become a good voice actor, a good radio talent, a good entertainer all around.
And. Um, you know, what I'll tell you is things all come in time, right? Like, so your experience is going to be the biggest thing that probably helps you grow. I honestly also believe it's a little bit of the stuff that you go through in life as well. Um, you know, because as a voice actor, I mean, really, you know, we always say it's like, you know, it comes down to in a lot of ways being incredibly conversational because that's the real part of this, you know, that's you just being you.
The acting part, you know, a lot of people kind of forget even though it is in your title. It's like, you know, that's That's a little challenging at first, trying to wrap your head around it. And for me, I mean, I pull from personal experience, right? So it's like, you've got to go ahead. And in some cases, like it's like faking it till you make it, you know, it's, it seems so cliche to say that, but I can tell you like, just, there was a really long stretch of time that I was.
surrounded in a really toxic environment personally. So when I would go to the radio station and to go and do my show, I can't tell you that I was in the best of moods, right? Like, I mean, I was just kind of getting through every day for a while and, you know, put on a brave face. 'cause that's what you kind of have to do in those kind of circumstances.
And when I would get into the radio studio, you know, by myself, sometimes I would get in my own head in my own way. You know, I was an emotional human being at that point. Uh, you know, so, but when that microphone went on to do my show, it was night and day. You know, I all of a sudden, boom, big smile on my face.
And again, I was faking it till I made it. And I gotta tell ya. I think I became one of the best actresses that you could possibly be in that scenario because not a single soul if you were listening to that show Knew that inside I was kind of falling apart and we all have these Trials and like tribulations and stuff that we have to get through in life and It's true.
Like, I mean, you just don't know what anybody's going through, but especially when they are coming across, like they are in the best of moods or the happiest person, or like they're just ready to have a good old time and a good party. Like that's what I've always said. Like, you know, if you hear me on the radio, I'm having a great time.
It doesn't matter what's happening, you know, behind the scenes, I am having a great time because my audience comes first. Uh, you know, so in that aspect, I did find that. awful as that experience was in that time period for me, it really, really did help me know how to turn it on and turn it off. So I now, I mean, you heard in the last episode of this podcast, if, if you go back an episode, all the medical that I've been dealing with over the last year, even though I have had times when I have felt awful, or the room was spinning, or, you know, I've had a major headache or whatever.
I'm able to turn it on and off because it's like, you know how long something's going to take you to record, at least when you get to a certain point in your career, that it's like, all right, I just need to turn it on for 30 minutes and then I can go back to feeling like garbage. Um, you know, so that's, that's something.
That's a learned trait. I feel like it is a skill that you build over time, and I don't want to wish ill will on anybody. But if you can get yourself in those awful days to be able to, to switch your mood even for a few minutes to be in like this happy place for the work that you're doing, you know, it just it gradually builds up and I think, you know, that's It's really something that did help me in, in becoming a, you know, a good voice actor as, as itself.
Um, I will say this, you know, other things that I have done over the course of my career is I really paid attention to speech patterns and I've paid attention to behaviors and you know, the people around me and, and just watching and listening. And I think that goes back to as well, I was a really shy, shy kid growing up.
So, you know, I was always the quiet observer that I got to learn people very well, like my best friend, Bill, like he can literally walk into a room and I'm just like, what's the matter? And he's like, how do you do that? Like every time. Uh, but you know, I, I feel like when you start paying attention to the intricate details of, of how somebody is speaking, you know, maybe why they, they are.
Acting in certain ways and stuff like that. It really helps in in bringing something that you're doing to life because you can kind of take from from those personal Encounters and and and utilize them in some really good ways. I'm trying to think of some other things too. Like when I was in college Going back to being shy, like, I was doing everything I could to break out of the shyness.
So one of the things that I did was I tried to take public speaking. I don't know if I've mentioned this on the podcast before, but like, my community college wouldn't let me take public speaking. They said it wasn't a part of my curriculum, and I just feel like whoever decided that should be Hella fired right now, you know, like Public speaking should be a part of every single human's curriculum.
I don't care because we all have to do it and I feel like we all Regardless of the human we all have a little bit of anxiety doing it initially. I'm not bad with it at all now, but I had to do a lot to get there, you know, so instead of public speaking, the one thing they would let me do was take acting classes.
So I went and I took acting one, I took acting two. And I'm not going to say it was easy as for at first, you know, I really had to allow myself to get more comfortable. And. But it came down to I always loved entertaining. So it was like, this was something that I always wanted to do. So I had to really push myself, uh, outside of that comfort zone to, to start taking those baby steps in the right direction.
And, you know, I got my first radio job rather quickly. So it kind of forced me again to get out of that comfort zone. And just start to embrace who I truly was, uh, and, and am, uh, you know, as a human. Cause, you know, there's, there's the shy me, and then there's the person I've become that was deep down inside that was just itching and like ready to come out.
Um, so, you know, that's, that's what, you know, it takes some steps, but you know, acting classes are really good because it really does allow you to be somebody different too. You know, and really embrace the, the acting part of being a voice actor, because you get to, you know, do a lot of, um, different, different things that you don't get to do in your, your normal life.
You get to be different people, different characters, and get yourself accustomed to what that's. Um, so, you know, you put that together with the skills that you've developed over time and being conversational and relatable and you put those two together and it's like, you're almost unstoppable. Um, and it's, it's a lot of fun, but you know, what I was getting at too is.
In both those instances, taking acting classes, getting on the radio and just forcing myself to do it. It was me stepping out of my comfort zone. A lot of us get stuck, right? We get stuck in our comfortable space. And that's why a lot of people stay in the profession that they've been in for so long, even though maybe they hate it.
They, they're comfortable and they don't want to start over again. But the moment that we take even the slightest step outside of that comfort zone is where we start to grow our most. And I'm like a prime example of that because you know, people that I went to high school with, they can't even believe what I've been doing for my entire outside of high school life.
You know, like it took me taking those little baby steps to just push myself a little bit And then take that nice dive into the deep end when I got onto the radio station and on the air to, um, to just really find myself and, and what, and get comfortable and enjoy what I knew that I was destined to do.
It was a matter of me taking those steps to do it. So, what I'll tell you is like, You know, obviously take from life experience, go ahead, pay attention to the people around you, the stuff that you're listening to and all the, the emotion or the speech patterns and all those kinds of things step outside your comfort zone.
It is the best advice I can ever give you because that is where you will grow the most. That is where you will start to notice things about yourself that may be You were too scared to do before, but all of a sudden you're excelling at them and so on and so forth. So these are all the things that really did help me get to where I am today.
And, you know, I'm still always picking myself apart and seeing how I can keep getting better. Um, you know, like, I, I know that things that I would love to do at some point is doing more character work, but I know that I have to work on it for the consistency and, and being able to wrap my head around it.
Of course, we go back to the last episode and now you know that I had a concussion and it was real bad. Uh, so , so wrapping my head around stuff isn't exactly the easiest sometimes these days, but I'm working on it, you know, you gotta do you, and you gotta take the steps to allow.
Um, you know, I am going to be having some interviews coming up if you're maybe a former student or, or somebody who has been utilizing the podcast as a tool to help start and get yourself up off the ground and the voiceover field. And you've had success. Success or things that you wanna talk about, I am interviewing people too, so please reach out [email protected] and we're gonna have more coming at you next week.
I'll be nice and, and sunny and, and then burnt probably from Florida and I can't wait. But have a fantastic rest of your week guys, and I'll be talking to you soon. Stay safe. Visit voice coaches.com for more voiceover news and for.
I know that right now. As this episode is airing, I will be in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, probably sweating my butt off, singing top of my lungs to a bunch of country music and doing a lot of things that I can't say on the podcast because YOLO and vacay, man, uh, you gotta enjoy yourself while you can.
And we've definitely earned it over the last couple of years, you know, but I will tell you, this is a trip that initially. got squashed and originally, honestly, we were supposed to do something completely different, but I, I planned last fall going to Florida to, to visit a friend with a bunch of girls that we're, you know, all mutual friends with and one by one.
They all backed out and I can't tell you how frustrating that is When you are me and you're organized to you know The last little tea and and then you know when I say I'm gonna do something. I do it like I am Very much to my word and so I was very frustrated about all that watching it all just fall apart With nothing that I could really control on my end and I had waited too long to to go ahead and book that initial trip anyway, because I had waited on all them.
By the time I went to do it, next thing you knew, the trip was going to cost just like almost 600 just for the flight. And I was like, okay, this, this can't happen. So turns out the friend we were going to go visit. She came home about a month or so ago and we all hung out and then her and I actually went to a bar afterwards and kind of closed that place down, but while we were there we were chit chatting a little bit and she was like mad for me that the trip fell through so she was like Why don't you just come out for Tortuga?
Like I'm going by myself anyway and it might be a cheaper flight for you to go to Fort Lauderdale instead of West Palm and I was like Huh, all right. Let me see what I can make happen. And the next thing you know, I was able to switch the dates at work. I was able to get a cheaper flight, and Tortuga was sold out, which was the devastating part about all this.
But, you know, nothing is ever truly sold out. That's what I've learned over the course of time. And next thing you know, I did end up scoring some tickets. I'm not going to say what I paid and really hoping that it comes through. So who knows? I mean, this could be the day that I am like panic driven trying to figure out how I'm going to get last minute tickets into this festival.
Um, but you know, I, uh, I'm just, uh, very, very anxious and very ready. to, to get to Tortuga. I can hear that Marcy's here. She's right outside the door. I don't know if you can hear the barking. Uh, but that's the beauty of being here at voice coaches. You never know which kind of a furry critter is going to be roaming around.
So listen, I hope that this is finding you well here in the second week of April. You know, there's a question that constantly pops up for me when I'm teaching and just people that have popped up in the industry as they're beginning and, and like, you know, what helped me? Most, you know, what helped me become a good voice actor, a good radio talent, a good entertainer all around.
And. Um, you know, what I'll tell you is things all come in time, right? Like, so your experience is going to be the biggest thing that probably helps you grow. I honestly also believe it's a little bit of the stuff that you go through in life as well. Um, you know, because as a voice actor, I mean, really, you know, we always say it's like, you know, it comes down to in a lot of ways being incredibly conversational because that's the real part of this, you know, that's you just being you.
The acting part, you know, a lot of people kind of forget even though it is in your title. It's like, you know, that's That's a little challenging at first, trying to wrap your head around it. And for me, I mean, I pull from personal experience, right? So it's like, you've got to go ahead. And in some cases, like it's like faking it till you make it, you know, it's, it seems so cliche to say that, but I can tell you like, just, there was a really long stretch of time that I was.
surrounded in a really toxic environment personally. So when I would go to the radio station and to go and do my show, I can't tell you that I was in the best of moods, right? Like, I mean, I was just kind of getting through every day for a while and, you know, put on a brave face. 'cause that's what you kind of have to do in those kind of circumstances.
And when I would get into the radio studio, you know, by myself, sometimes I would get in my own head in my own way. You know, I was an emotional human being at that point. Uh, you know, so, but when that microphone went on to do my show, it was night and day. You know, I all of a sudden, boom, big smile on my face.
And again, I was faking it till I made it. And I gotta tell ya. I think I became one of the best actresses that you could possibly be in that scenario because not a single soul if you were listening to that show Knew that inside I was kind of falling apart and we all have these Trials and like tribulations and stuff that we have to get through in life and It's true.
Like, I mean, you just don't know what anybody's going through, but especially when they are coming across, like they are in the best of moods or the happiest person, or like they're just ready to have a good old time and a good party. Like that's what I've always said. Like, you know, if you hear me on the radio, I'm having a great time.
It doesn't matter what's happening, you know, behind the scenes, I am having a great time because my audience comes first. Uh, you know, so in that aspect, I did find that. awful as that experience was in that time period for me, it really, really did help me know how to turn it on and turn it off. So I now, I mean, you heard in the last episode of this podcast, if, if you go back an episode, all the medical that I've been dealing with over the last year, even though I have had times when I have felt awful, or the room was spinning, or, you know, I've had a major headache or whatever.
I'm able to turn it on and off because it's like, you know how long something's going to take you to record, at least when you get to a certain point in your career, that it's like, all right, I just need to turn it on for 30 minutes and then I can go back to feeling like garbage. Um, you know, so that's, that's something.
That's a learned trait. I feel like it is a skill that you build over time, and I don't want to wish ill will on anybody. But if you can get yourself in those awful days to be able to, to switch your mood even for a few minutes to be in like this happy place for the work that you're doing, you know, it just it gradually builds up and I think, you know, that's It's really something that did help me in, in becoming a, you know, a good voice actor as, as itself.
Um, I will say this, you know, other things that I have done over the course of my career is I really paid attention to speech patterns and I've paid attention to behaviors and you know, the people around me and, and just watching and listening. And I think that goes back to as well, I was a really shy, shy kid growing up.
So, you know, I was always the quiet observer that I got to learn people very well, like my best friend, Bill, like he can literally walk into a room and I'm just like, what's the matter? And he's like, how do you do that? Like every time. Uh, but you know, I, I feel like when you start paying attention to the intricate details of, of how somebody is speaking, you know, maybe why they, they are.
Acting in certain ways and stuff like that. It really helps in in bringing something that you're doing to life because you can kind of take from from those personal Encounters and and and utilize them in some really good ways. I'm trying to think of some other things too. Like when I was in college Going back to being shy, like, I was doing everything I could to break out of the shyness.
So one of the things that I did was I tried to take public speaking. I don't know if I've mentioned this on the podcast before, but like, my community college wouldn't let me take public speaking. They said it wasn't a part of my curriculum, and I just feel like whoever decided that should be Hella fired right now, you know, like Public speaking should be a part of every single human's curriculum.
I don't care because we all have to do it and I feel like we all Regardless of the human we all have a little bit of anxiety doing it initially. I'm not bad with it at all now, but I had to do a lot to get there, you know, so instead of public speaking, the one thing they would let me do was take acting classes.
So I went and I took acting one, I took acting two. And I'm not going to say it was easy as for at first, you know, I really had to allow myself to get more comfortable. And. But it came down to I always loved entertaining. So it was like, this was something that I always wanted to do. So I had to really push myself, uh, outside of that comfort zone to, to start taking those baby steps in the right direction.
And, you know, I got my first radio job rather quickly. So it kind of forced me again to get out of that comfort zone. And just start to embrace who I truly was, uh, and, and am, uh, you know, as a human. Cause, you know, there's, there's the shy me, and then there's the person I've become that was deep down inside that was just itching and like ready to come out.
Um, so, you know, that's, that's what, you know, it takes some steps, but you know, acting classes are really good because it really does allow you to be somebody different too. You know, and really embrace the, the acting part of being a voice actor, because you get to, you know, do a lot of, um, different, different things that you don't get to do in your, your normal life.
You get to be different people, different characters, and get yourself accustomed to what that's. Um, so, you know, you put that together with the skills that you've developed over time and being conversational and relatable and you put those two together and it's like, you're almost unstoppable. Um, and it's, it's a lot of fun, but you know, what I was getting at too is.
In both those instances, taking acting classes, getting on the radio and just forcing myself to do it. It was me stepping out of my comfort zone. A lot of us get stuck, right? We get stuck in our comfortable space. And that's why a lot of people stay in the profession that they've been in for so long, even though maybe they hate it.
They, they're comfortable and they don't want to start over again. But the moment that we take even the slightest step outside of that comfort zone is where we start to grow our most. And I'm like a prime example of that because you know, people that I went to high school with, they can't even believe what I've been doing for my entire outside of high school life.
You know, like it took me taking those little baby steps to just push myself a little bit And then take that nice dive into the deep end when I got onto the radio station and on the air to, um, to just really find myself and, and what, and get comfortable and enjoy what I knew that I was destined to do.
It was a matter of me taking those steps to do it. So, what I'll tell you is like, You know, obviously take from life experience, go ahead, pay attention to the people around you, the stuff that you're listening to and all the, the emotion or the speech patterns and all those kinds of things step outside your comfort zone.
It is the best advice I can ever give you because that is where you will grow the most. That is where you will start to notice things about yourself that may be You were too scared to do before, but all of a sudden you're excelling at them and so on and so forth. So these are all the things that really did help me get to where I am today.
And, you know, I'm still always picking myself apart and seeing how I can keep getting better. Um, you know, like, I, I know that things that I would love to do at some point is doing more character work, but I know that I have to work on it for the consistency and, and being able to wrap my head around it.
Of course, we go back to the last episode and now you know that I had a concussion and it was real bad. Uh, so , so wrapping my head around stuff isn't exactly the easiest sometimes these days, but I'm working on it, you know, you gotta do you, and you gotta take the steps to allow.
Um, you know, I am going to be having some interviews coming up if you're maybe a former student or, or somebody who has been utilizing the podcast as a tool to help start and get yourself up off the ground and the voiceover field. And you've had success. Success or things that you wanna talk about, I am interviewing people too, so please reach out [email protected] and we're gonna have more coming at you next week.
I'll be nice and, and sunny and, and then burnt probably from Florida and I can't wait. But have a fantastic rest of your week guys, and I'll be talking to you soon. Stay safe. Visit voice coaches.com for more voiceover news and for.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa answers the question, “What has helped you most become the voice actor you are today?”
