Dream Job

My Dream Job

When I was young, I watched a lot of cartoons; they made me laugh and held my attention longer than any baby doll or toy car could. Part of me still has a strong appreciated for animated shows. Cartoons bring so much joy to children everywhere, and I want to be part of the process. I want to be a voice-over actor. All my life I've loved singing and making up different voices to make people laugh, so why not make a career out of it? The pathway to success in the acting industry is winding and hard; I'll have to take classes, make demos, go to auditions, book jobs (LOTS of jobs), and try to eventually land where I want to work--PBS Kids Sprout.

Getting Started

The absolute first thing on the path to voice-over acting is taking classes. Jim Duncan, a meteorologist in Richmond, Virginia said, "[he] just got thrown into being on TV and in the studio. [He] wished that [he] had taken extensive classes prior to booking the job" (Duncan). This personal reflection shows just how vital training is to be comfortable in the industry. A person living in Texas or Tennessee will not have problems taking classes and receiving training, however he will have trouble booking a job and using those new skills effectively. The most logical places to live if a person wanted a voice-acting job would be New York City or Los Angeles, which comes as no surprise to most of us. One of the most famous and effective voice acting studios in the United States is located right in the heart of it all-- Los Angeles (Bevilacqua).

Voicecaster Studio

W. Burbank Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91508

Phone: 818-841-5300

Fax:818-841-2085

Since 1975, Hugh Liggett and Voicecaster have made connections for voice talent with producers and advertising agencies. It has the largest, most extensive database of voice actors, which ahs made the studio and its team a leader in the industry for the past 37 years. The studio offers classes at a range of different levels: beginners, intermediate, advanced, and a special class just for animation. Once a person is in its database, the studio finds auditions to suit that person's talents. Some of the clients Voicecaster has served in the past include FOX, Disney Channel, Starbucks, and Bravo ("Voicecaster").

The Audition Process

Auditioning is the most stressful part of the entire process. An actor can go to a hundred auditions and only be accepted for one or two jobs. That is just part of the industry, and actors will need to get used to being rejected. However, actors must enjoy the process of auditioning, because they will likely be trying to book gigs more than actually working in the studio (Bevilacqua). Some things stand out to potential directors as instant "no's:"

* The actor doesn't understand the character for which they are auditioning

* While the actor may have prepared something for the audition, he does not seem to have any versatility

* The actor has not prepared a "unique" voice (i.e. if the director requires a witch voice, 9 out of 10 actors sound like the Wicked Witch of the West)

* The actor is not able to take direction in the studio

(Kenyon)

What talent should do instead is make the audition stand out in a number of ways. The first and easiest way to look good to a director is to be on time (Kenyon). If the employer sees that an actor is punctual, he will be more likely to cast that person because of his responsibility. Another guideline is to make sure unique skills are displayed appropriately (Bevilacqua). Showing a way to approach a line that no one else has done before can make an actor pop instead of blending into the sea of actors who the client has already seen.

Another way to stand out in the auditioning process is to be completely involved in the performance. Even though ultimately only the actor's voice is what is being broadcasted, showing involvement in the words takes the audition to the next level and shows the director that the actor is really interested in what he is doing and that he is the one to book! (Bevilacqua)

The Recording Session

There is not just one type of recording session available to directors and actors these days, but there are three popular ways that almost every animated piece uses. Sometimes, actors have a session separately with their character(s). Then, a producer works with a sound engineer to mix all of the separate clips together. The actor has a difficult time performing this way because he is by himself, not able to play off the other actors' energies or feel like he is having a conversation with them (Bevilacqua).

On some occasions, the animation is completed before the voice-actors even step inside the studio. This is done by taking the voice-over clippings and putting them to the animation. Actors simultaneously watch the cartoon and speak the words their character is meant to say. This is the most difficult method for an actor because he has to try to match what the animation is doing. Many cartoons that are originally in one language and translated to another language are done this way (Bevilacqua).

The third type of recording session is arguably the easiest and best for voice-actors. In this type, all the actors are in the same room. They can see each other and can feed off of each other's energy. Instead of trying to predict how the co-actors will respond to a certain piece of the script, the actor can see for himself and act accordingly. The way they interact act looks almost like they were doing a fifties radio play. The other advantage to recording with all of the actors is that parts can be changed to fit the professionals' talents and skills (Bevilacqua).