VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #627 – What Are They Looking For?
Voice Coaches Radio. Everything voiceover. I'm not sure if you know this, but March 19th was actually International Read to Me Day. And I thought I should just point that out here as we start a brand new episode of Voice Coaches Radio. Because one of the biggest Things that you should be doing all the time is just not reading to me, but you know, read out loud and get your practice in because that is what is going to help you keep growing and growing and growing in skill set.
And you know what? On the 20th, it was actually World Storytelling Day. So this has been like a really big week, I think, for voiceover without even realizing it, because every single day there's something new. Something to celebrate. I always check the weird holiday calendar list just to see, like, let's just scroll through.
Is there anything else that helps us out this week? Uh, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, no, it doesn't really look like it. Uh, but you know, you've got a couple little things there to go ahead and make sure that you make some time for, but you should be making time for that anyway, right now. Uh, you know, cause, uh, the practice is, I like to say not what makes perfect, but goes ahead and allows you to keep growing in that skill.
And that's what you want to always, always be doing. I, uh, I wanted to go ahead and like pick some brains, you know, and just see, see what, you know, when people are hiring out voice actors, you know, what is something that's really important to them? Uh, because you can think that you have a great voice. You can be told that you have a great voice, but what is, what is important to you?
Something that they are looking for specifically when they hire people. And, uh, what I have found, you know, just in some little searching on, on the interwebs, if you will, like this person, uh, is saying that, you know, I've hired many voiceover artists over the years. To me, the quality of an artist's delivery, his or her interpretation of the material, is much more important than voice quality, pitch, or timbre.
They go on to say that aspiring artists often force their voices to be artificially low, over enthusiastic, or over inflected. None of these are desirable. What's important is that the listener both understands and believes what you're saying. So basically, it's that relatability factor, right? Like, they want you to be just natural.
They want you to be you. They don't want you to be forcing something that's not true to you. And I think that is very, very important to keep in mind, right? Because there are people who I think, like, for me, I'm very animated when I talk and I'm very well aware of that, but that's me. Like, I'm not, I'm not forcing it.
I'm not, uh, over acting or, or any of that. I'm just being naturally me. So, you know, that is where it becomes. Something that is more just relatable and more human. Um, you know, at the end of the day, I go on to say the, the last thing a listener should notice is any particular aspect of your voice. When your voice is noticed, it should be because it sounds pleasant, friendly, Convincing.
Human. Not because it is deep, rich, or exaggerated in any way. I do believe that a lot of people as they're getting started, uh, you know, they're trying to work with the basics that are given if they're taking courses and classes and in understanding conversational skills. So, uh, I'm going to be talking about how to speak and how to, you know, be able to bring, uh, you know, a page to life.
And because of that, you know, you're trying to put education to the page and you might do a lot of over exaggerated kind of things. So, the one thing that this person in this piece is really suggesting is what we always suggest. And it's polishing your voice skills by recording yourself long and often.
You know, you want to be able to go ahead. Pick up a book, read it, record yourself, even if it is just on something as simple as a smartphone, because, you know, we all have an easy access to that, you know, to be able to record ourselves in a semi clear kind of way to be able to listen back. The listening back is vital.
That is where you get to really understand how you truly sound, uh, and you get to make those changes. You get to tweak some things, right? Like, listen to yourself, like, do you have, like, a smartphone? Super regional accent that you can start to try to tone down. Do you have maybe, um, you know, a way of delivering where you're noticing that you know what the important things are to hit, but you're hitting them a little too hard, like you got to tell me, you got to pull back a little bit on that.
It's. That's the over exaggeration. Like, if you wouldn't do that naturally in conversation, then you shouldn't be bringing that to the page right now. That's pretty much what I think they're getting at, and that's some, like, really great advice from somebody who has hired many, many voiceover artists over the years.
Now, there were also some things that I was looking at, you know, like, okay, you got a, you got a good voice, you know, you want to get into all this, but what are some of the major things that you need to do to get started? Well, of course, you know, taking classes and educating yourself about the industry and how to develop your skill is key, right?
You want to make sure that you are doing the right things, you know? Because it's like, well, one of the most challenging things I think to people is like, well, how can I be myself with words that I wouldn't necessarily say in life? How do I, you know, make that happen? And that's where having some, some coaching is, is really just key.
But the other thing, that I think a lot of people for voiceover tend to, I don't know, like maybe not think it's as important is, is actually getting some acting classes under your belt. Now as somebody, I will admit, I have tried to find some locally here in town to go ahead and, and, and like take myself.
I haven't been able to really find any since I was in college. You know, like I took a couple acting classes in college. Um, and. The, the classes that I tend to find around town are usually geared towards a younger audience. And like, I, I literally can't take them because I'm old, uh, which is just rude by the way.
Uh, but you know, the beauty of, of technology, just like, you know, with us and, and voice coaches and the way that we handle our program, I mean, we, we do these via zoom, you know, so it gives that opportunity to get the coaching that you need. And the understanding of things so you can go ahead and, and really have that, that solid foundation before you go ahead and just try to do this all on your own.
You won't have to do it on your own. You know, you'll have some backing, uh, but acting classes are really, really important because I think that's, what's really hard for people to grasp at first is like, how do I bring emotion to the page? And. It's not just for audiobooks. It's not just for, like, kids material or character based stuff.
Like, you may need to utilize some of that in, like, PSAs. Those are very emotionally driven. Maybe it is something as, as simple as a, you know, a training piece. might need to be a little bit of acting that goes into that, depending on the way the script is written. Like, you want to be able to do whatever's put in front of you, right?
So, get these acting classes also under your belt. I think it's just very important to, like, whatever education that you can get that will be beneficial to allowing you to be a great voice talent. Um, and, and just make sure that, you know, it's just leading you in the right direction of naturalness and being naturally you.
Uh, but I wanted to go ahead and throw those your way. Because, you know, it's like getting that little piece of advice from somebody who actually does the hiring, I think is super, super important. Um, you know, so that way you can go ahead and, you know, tweak maybe what needs to be tweaked on your end. And, and start taking those steps to, to keep being as, as, you know, that you can in, uh, in skill.
Uh, but Marissa at voice coaches. com. If you want to throw a question my way or, or whatever the case might be, we'll get some brand new episodes coming your way again, next Friday. Remember they drop five o'clock Eastern and, uh, you can stream our podcasts here, wherever you stream podcasts. Uh, but, uh, thank you so much for tuning in today and, uh, get ready to enjoy your weekends and stay safe.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information. Transcription by ESO. Transcription by ESO. Transcription by
And you know what? On the 20th, it was actually World Storytelling Day. So this has been like a really big week, I think, for voiceover without even realizing it, because every single day there's something new. Something to celebrate. I always check the weird holiday calendar list just to see, like, let's just scroll through.
Is there anything else that helps us out this week? Uh, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, no, it doesn't really look like it. Uh, but you know, you've got a couple little things there to go ahead and make sure that you make some time for, but you should be making time for that anyway, right now. Uh, you know, cause, uh, the practice is, I like to say not what makes perfect, but goes ahead and allows you to keep growing in that skill.
And that's what you want to always, always be doing. I, uh, I wanted to go ahead and like pick some brains, you know, and just see, see what, you know, when people are hiring out voice actors, you know, what is something that's really important to them? Uh, because you can think that you have a great voice. You can be told that you have a great voice, but what is, what is important to you?
Something that they are looking for specifically when they hire people. And, uh, what I have found, you know, just in some little searching on, on the interwebs, if you will, like this person, uh, is saying that, you know, I've hired many voiceover artists over the years. To me, the quality of an artist's delivery, his or her interpretation of the material, is much more important than voice quality, pitch, or timbre.
They go on to say that aspiring artists often force their voices to be artificially low, over enthusiastic, or over inflected. None of these are desirable. What's important is that the listener both understands and believes what you're saying. So basically, it's that relatability factor, right? Like, they want you to be just natural.
They want you to be you. They don't want you to be forcing something that's not true to you. And I think that is very, very important to keep in mind, right? Because there are people who I think, like, for me, I'm very animated when I talk and I'm very well aware of that, but that's me. Like, I'm not, I'm not forcing it.
I'm not, uh, over acting or, or any of that. I'm just being naturally me. So, you know, that is where it becomes. Something that is more just relatable and more human. Um, you know, at the end of the day, I go on to say the, the last thing a listener should notice is any particular aspect of your voice. When your voice is noticed, it should be because it sounds pleasant, friendly, Convincing.
Human. Not because it is deep, rich, or exaggerated in any way. I do believe that a lot of people as they're getting started, uh, you know, they're trying to work with the basics that are given if they're taking courses and classes and in understanding conversational skills. So, uh, I'm going to be talking about how to speak and how to, you know, be able to bring, uh, you know, a page to life.
And because of that, you know, you're trying to put education to the page and you might do a lot of over exaggerated kind of things. So, the one thing that this person in this piece is really suggesting is what we always suggest. And it's polishing your voice skills by recording yourself long and often.
You know, you want to be able to go ahead. Pick up a book, read it, record yourself, even if it is just on something as simple as a smartphone, because, you know, we all have an easy access to that, you know, to be able to record ourselves in a semi clear kind of way to be able to listen back. The listening back is vital.
That is where you get to really understand how you truly sound, uh, and you get to make those changes. You get to tweak some things, right? Like, listen to yourself, like, do you have, like, a smartphone? Super regional accent that you can start to try to tone down. Do you have maybe, um, you know, a way of delivering where you're noticing that you know what the important things are to hit, but you're hitting them a little too hard, like you got to tell me, you got to pull back a little bit on that.
It's. That's the over exaggeration. Like, if you wouldn't do that naturally in conversation, then you shouldn't be bringing that to the page right now. That's pretty much what I think they're getting at, and that's some, like, really great advice from somebody who has hired many, many voiceover artists over the years.
Now, there were also some things that I was looking at, you know, like, okay, you got a, you got a good voice, you know, you want to get into all this, but what are some of the major things that you need to do to get started? Well, of course, you know, taking classes and educating yourself about the industry and how to develop your skill is key, right?
You want to make sure that you are doing the right things, you know? Because it's like, well, one of the most challenging things I think to people is like, well, how can I be myself with words that I wouldn't necessarily say in life? How do I, you know, make that happen? And that's where having some, some coaching is, is really just key.
But the other thing, that I think a lot of people for voiceover tend to, I don't know, like maybe not think it's as important is, is actually getting some acting classes under your belt. Now as somebody, I will admit, I have tried to find some locally here in town to go ahead and, and, and like take myself.
I haven't been able to really find any since I was in college. You know, like I took a couple acting classes in college. Um, and. The, the classes that I tend to find around town are usually geared towards a younger audience. And like, I, I literally can't take them because I'm old, uh, which is just rude by the way.
Uh, but you know, the beauty of, of technology, just like, you know, with us and, and voice coaches and the way that we handle our program, I mean, we, we do these via zoom, you know, so it gives that opportunity to get the coaching that you need. And the understanding of things so you can go ahead and, and really have that, that solid foundation before you go ahead and just try to do this all on your own.
You won't have to do it on your own. You know, you'll have some backing, uh, but acting classes are really, really important because I think that's, what's really hard for people to grasp at first is like, how do I bring emotion to the page? And. It's not just for audiobooks. It's not just for, like, kids material or character based stuff.
Like, you may need to utilize some of that in, like, PSAs. Those are very emotionally driven. Maybe it is something as, as simple as a, you know, a training piece. might need to be a little bit of acting that goes into that, depending on the way the script is written. Like, you want to be able to do whatever's put in front of you, right?
So, get these acting classes also under your belt. I think it's just very important to, like, whatever education that you can get that will be beneficial to allowing you to be a great voice talent. Um, and, and just make sure that, you know, it's just leading you in the right direction of naturalness and being naturally you.
Uh, but I wanted to go ahead and throw those your way. Because, you know, it's like getting that little piece of advice from somebody who actually does the hiring, I think is super, super important. Um, you know, so that way you can go ahead and, you know, tweak maybe what needs to be tweaked on your end. And, and start taking those steps to, to keep being as, as, you know, that you can in, uh, in skill.
Uh, but Marissa at voice coaches. com. If you want to throw a question my way or, or whatever the case might be, we'll get some brand new episodes coming your way again, next Friday. Remember they drop five o'clock Eastern and, uh, you can stream our podcasts here, wherever you stream podcasts. Uh, but, uh, thank you so much for tuning in today and, uh, get ready to enjoy your weekends and stay safe.
Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information. Transcription by ESO. Transcription by ESO. Transcription by
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa had the opportunity to find out what’s most important, to at least one person, who hires out voice over talent and what they suggest you should be practicing and preparing for.
