VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #601 – Don’t Talk Yourself Down
Voice Coaches Radio, everything voiceover. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Coaches Radio. What is going on? My name is Marissa, hoping that you are doing pleasant this evening. If you happen to be listening on release day, if you're not listening on release day, guess what? I still hope that you are doing pleasant, uh, whenever you might actually be listening.
Uh, so, so there's that, uh, you know, I was talking about, um, video gaming voices and. Stuff last week, and you know, I found out that I guess the new Super Brothers Wonder video game is coming out October 20th. There is a brand new voice actor, I guess, that they have doing Mario, uh, Hey, I am a Mario. Uh, that's really awful of me.
I probably should edit that, but I'm not going to, uh, but they're not letting anybody in on who that voice actor is until you play the video game. And you see the ending credits. So, I don't know why it's such a big secret. Maybe it's somebody very prominent, uh, but, Uh, who knows? Maybe it's Chris Pratt, uh, you know, But people didn't really like his, uh, version of Mario at first.
But, you know, to each their own, uh, So maybe they're just trying to take Mario into a brand new... Uh, atmosphere, or I don't know, situation, whatever. Um, now I noticed, we get questions all the time, right? But in one day, I kind of had the same thing popping up with students. And it's like, well, how likely is it That I will be successful in this, you know, what is the probability of me with my what I would call vanilla voice, you know, being able to, you know, stand out and do any of this and, you know, honestly, the probability is in your hands at the end of the day.
I'm just gonna be flat out honest with that, you know, because we've talked about this, uh, various times over the years on the podcast, you know. The world of all of this has changed, you know, when it comes to voiceover, when it comes to a lot of stuff in the entertainment industry and how it's done and why it's done the way it's done and whatever, so on and so forth.
Uh, but... You know, the beauty of today, I feel like is that there is a need for almost any voice that's out there, you know, it's just sometimes it is just, um, a little bit of a investigation or adventure, if you will, to find what, where the work is, right? Or, uh, you know, where you fit, you know, that's, that's always the struggle at first.
It's like, well, how do I know where I'm meant to be? And I always like to think it's like, well, where do you find yourself enjoying as you're practicing? You know, where do you see yourself constantly gravitating towards? Cause like, that is probably a pretty good indicator, you know, if you are, you know.
feeling good and confident or enjoying that type of work, then, I mean, go ahead and do some investigations on where, where could I find opportunity in that portion of voiceover? Um, you know, the one student I had. I just remember like he said something like I'm just very vanilla. I just feel like my voice is very, um, plain and, and, you know, probably good for like educational things and, and trainings, but like what makes me better than anybody else or stand out?
And it's like, well, I mean, are you trying to tell me that you don't think that there's a A place for somebody that sounds kind of like the guy next door. I mean, come on. Uh, you know, don't downplay yourself. You know what I mean? Like, we always do that to ourselves, right? We're like, eh, I'm not good enough for this.
Yes, you are. Stop it. Don't be silly. You know, like, I, I always think it's funny where, where people are like, saying to me like, yeah, no wonder you're doing that. You've got the voice for it. And it's like, Okay, but you do realize that maybe I didn't always have this voice, and I definitely didn't always have this confidence in doing it.
I definitely didn't always have the education behind me to understand, you know, the rights and wrongs and all these things. You know, I at some point was that shy kid thinking I want to do this. But, God, where do I fit? Can I actually do this? You know, can I ever step out of my shyness and allow myself to do it?
You know, even when I do step out of the shyness, will I be accepted? And I was. You know, it's because of the work that I put into it, though. You know, it's not just the work and developing the skill. That is incredibly important, though. You know, because if you have no skill, then of course, like, of course the work isn't going to come.
But if you are. Hustling on how to, you know, make yourself better day in and day out. It's just a matter of time. And then it's a matter of also putting that same hustle into finding the work. I just thought it was so funny because, you know, he was being so hard on himself for. In, in reality, what is an amazing natural presence that he has, you know, that is something that you can't just develop, you know, that is just something that you're kind of born with.
You know, it's kind of like when somebody's like, man, she just has it, you know, she's got the X factor, whatever that X factor may be, you know, that, that natural, like, almost like calming familiarity in being a voice that is. Almost just like your next door neighbor or your best friend. Like, that is something to a lot of people that is going to be very comforting.
Yeah, that could be really good for things like training videos, right? Somebody's really nervous and starting a brand new job, and they have no idea what the heck they're doing, but all of a sudden, there's your voice. And you're calming them. And you're allowing them, in your presentation, to absorb easily what they need for that job.
And the entire time that you're doing this, You might be questioning yourself, but in reality, you're helping to allow them to make an easier transition. And it's all because of that natural quality that you're bringing, but also that skill that you've taken the time to develop. Um, you know, maybe it's like a medical situation, somebody's gotta have some surgery, and like, next thing you know, it's like, your voice is the one that they hear.
In, in the description and understanding of the procedure they're about to go through. Do you want somebody that's over there like, This is heart bypass. Blah, blah. No, that is scary as heck. You know, you want somebody that sounds like they care. Like they, they're your friend, you know, that this, it's somebody that you've known for years and that you're in good hands now, you know, that's why it's like, don't brush off this quote unquote vanilla quality that, uh, you know, this gentleman had in class.
Cause I mean, personally, it worked, it worked for the stuff that he wants to do. Um, so don't downplay yourself. All right. You just never know. Where that is going to bring you and the opportunity, uh, that can arise from just some of the natural qualities that you bring. Uh, but listen, another episode of Voice Coaches Radio is gonna be coming your way next week.
So, info at voicecoaches. com if you've got questions that you'd like discussed or topics you'd like discussed here. And so, we'll go ahead and yeah, we'll keep moving through September. Alright? Safe. I know. COVID's ramping up again, they say. So just, you know, wash your hands.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
Uh, so, so there's that, uh, you know, I was talking about, um, video gaming voices and. Stuff last week, and you know, I found out that I guess the new Super Brothers Wonder video game is coming out October 20th. There is a brand new voice actor, I guess, that they have doing Mario, uh, Hey, I am a Mario. Uh, that's really awful of me.
I probably should edit that, but I'm not going to, uh, but they're not letting anybody in on who that voice actor is until you play the video game. And you see the ending credits. So, I don't know why it's such a big secret. Maybe it's somebody very prominent, uh, but, Uh, who knows? Maybe it's Chris Pratt, uh, you know, But people didn't really like his, uh, version of Mario at first.
But, you know, to each their own, uh, So maybe they're just trying to take Mario into a brand new... Uh, atmosphere, or I don't know, situation, whatever. Um, now I noticed, we get questions all the time, right? But in one day, I kind of had the same thing popping up with students. And it's like, well, how likely is it That I will be successful in this, you know, what is the probability of me with my what I would call vanilla voice, you know, being able to, you know, stand out and do any of this and, you know, honestly, the probability is in your hands at the end of the day.
I'm just gonna be flat out honest with that, you know, because we've talked about this, uh, various times over the years on the podcast, you know. The world of all of this has changed, you know, when it comes to voiceover, when it comes to a lot of stuff in the entertainment industry and how it's done and why it's done the way it's done and whatever, so on and so forth.
Uh, but... You know, the beauty of today, I feel like is that there is a need for almost any voice that's out there, you know, it's just sometimes it is just, um, a little bit of a investigation or adventure, if you will, to find what, where the work is, right? Or, uh, you know, where you fit, you know, that's, that's always the struggle at first.
It's like, well, how do I know where I'm meant to be? And I always like to think it's like, well, where do you find yourself enjoying as you're practicing? You know, where do you see yourself constantly gravitating towards? Cause like, that is probably a pretty good indicator, you know, if you are, you know.
feeling good and confident or enjoying that type of work, then, I mean, go ahead and do some investigations on where, where could I find opportunity in that portion of voiceover? Um, you know, the one student I had. I just remember like he said something like I'm just very vanilla. I just feel like my voice is very, um, plain and, and, you know, probably good for like educational things and, and trainings, but like what makes me better than anybody else or stand out?
And it's like, well, I mean, are you trying to tell me that you don't think that there's a A place for somebody that sounds kind of like the guy next door. I mean, come on. Uh, you know, don't downplay yourself. You know what I mean? Like, we always do that to ourselves, right? We're like, eh, I'm not good enough for this.
Yes, you are. Stop it. Don't be silly. You know, like, I, I always think it's funny where, where people are like, saying to me like, yeah, no wonder you're doing that. You've got the voice for it. And it's like, Okay, but you do realize that maybe I didn't always have this voice, and I definitely didn't always have this confidence in doing it.
I definitely didn't always have the education behind me to understand, you know, the rights and wrongs and all these things. You know, I at some point was that shy kid thinking I want to do this. But, God, where do I fit? Can I actually do this? You know, can I ever step out of my shyness and allow myself to do it?
You know, even when I do step out of the shyness, will I be accepted? And I was. You know, it's because of the work that I put into it, though. You know, it's not just the work and developing the skill. That is incredibly important, though. You know, because if you have no skill, then of course, like, of course the work isn't going to come.
But if you are. Hustling on how to, you know, make yourself better day in and day out. It's just a matter of time. And then it's a matter of also putting that same hustle into finding the work. I just thought it was so funny because, you know, he was being so hard on himself for. In, in reality, what is an amazing natural presence that he has, you know, that is something that you can't just develop, you know, that is just something that you're kind of born with.
You know, it's kind of like when somebody's like, man, she just has it, you know, she's got the X factor, whatever that X factor may be, you know, that, that natural, like, almost like calming familiarity in being a voice that is. Almost just like your next door neighbor or your best friend. Like, that is something to a lot of people that is going to be very comforting.
Yeah, that could be really good for things like training videos, right? Somebody's really nervous and starting a brand new job, and they have no idea what the heck they're doing, but all of a sudden, there's your voice. And you're calming them. And you're allowing them, in your presentation, to absorb easily what they need for that job.
And the entire time that you're doing this, You might be questioning yourself, but in reality, you're helping to allow them to make an easier transition. And it's all because of that natural quality that you're bringing, but also that skill that you've taken the time to develop. Um, you know, maybe it's like a medical situation, somebody's gotta have some surgery, and like, next thing you know, it's like, your voice is the one that they hear.
In, in the description and understanding of the procedure they're about to go through. Do you want somebody that's over there like, This is heart bypass. Blah, blah. No, that is scary as heck. You know, you want somebody that sounds like they care. Like they, they're your friend, you know, that this, it's somebody that you've known for years and that you're in good hands now, you know, that's why it's like, don't brush off this quote unquote vanilla quality that, uh, you know, this gentleman had in class.
Cause I mean, personally, it worked, it worked for the stuff that he wants to do. Um, so don't downplay yourself. All right. You just never know. Where that is going to bring you and the opportunity, uh, that can arise from just some of the natural qualities that you bring. Uh, but listen, another episode of Voice Coaches Radio is gonna be coming your way next week.
So, info at voicecoaches. com if you've got questions that you'd like discussed or topics you'd like discussed here. And so, we'll go ahead and yeah, we'll keep moving through September. Alright? Safe. I know. COVID's ramping up again, they say. So just, you know, wash your hands.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa talks about how we can be our own worst enemy. Recently a student had a belief that they wouldn’t get work due to sounding “vanilla,” as they put it. Oh, but wait…what is really happening here?
