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Getting Started
in Voice-Overs, Chapter 2 - What You Must Have and Do
By
Stew Crossen
Get Training and Coaching
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Your voice
is your instrument and coaching will help you learn to
play your instrument. You will need training and coaching,
to learn how to use your voice.
Even if you're
blessed with a silky smooth set of pipes, you'll need to
learn how to use your voice and how to deliver as wide a
range of vocal styles as possible. Can you be serious?
Whimsical? Can you do accents or dialects? Character
voices? Can you raise your performance to another level?
The best way to get training is through other voice-over
and acting professionals by taking classes, workshops and
coaching sessions. Learning really never stops for a true
voice-over artist. Take specific workshops on character
voices, audio book, narration and even acting classes.
Attend various workshops whenever you can. The more you
learn, the better you'll be. The more versatile you are,
the more jobs you'll get.
Practice, Practice,
Practice
The next thing you absolutely need is practice, practice
and more practice. Read out loud every day. Magazines and
newspapers are a good start. You can even read road signs
while you're driving!
**Tip: Get an inexpensive
recording device (micro cassette recorder, or USB
microphone that plugs into your computer), so you can
record yourself and play it back. You need to listen and
analyze what you do well and what you need to work on. A
recorder will also come in handy if you're working on
character voices. You'd hate to come up with something
brilliant and then lose it forever because you can't
remember what the character sounded like! Record those
voices and give them names.
Be Highly Organized
Organizational skills are important, as anyone who has
worked in an office will attest. A voice-over business is
just that: a business, and you need to treat it as such.
Set aside space that you can use as your office. Make sure
you have a phone number where you can be reached (or at
least respond to messages) quickly. A computer is a must
for tracking income and expenses, as well as for online
communication, marketing, promotion and job hunting.
Think about Legal and Tax
Considerations
For legal and tax reporting purposes you may consider
starting a DBA, a sole proprietorship, an LLC or become
incorporated. At the very least, and if you're using a
name other than your own, like "Super Cool Voiceovers,"
you may consider registering in the town where you live.
The fee is generally small, and you may learn about some
useful small business resources in the process.
**Tip: Always consult an
attorney and a qualified tax accountant before starting
any business venture or partnership.
Have a great Demo Reel
We're going to talk about this later in more detail, for
now we'll just say this: your demo reel is a
professionally produced recording, usually on CD, that
offers samples of your best voice work. It's your calling
card, your voice-over resume and one of the most critical
tools for voice-over success. Don't cut corners on
producing your demo reel.
In Chapter 3, we'll talk
about 4 Things You Can Do Right Away to get started
and keep going in your very own voice over business.
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