Voice Acting For Dummies

by David Ciccarelli

  Most agents work hard to maintain good relationships with their voice actors as they strive to get them work. That being said, you may not hear from your agent as often as you may like, but don’t be too discouraged by that fact. So long as you’re happy with the stream of opportunities you receive and work you book through your agent, working with an agent is usually smooth sailing.

  Among their other responsibilities, agents only submit auditions from voice actors on their roster who they feel best meet a prospective client’s overall needs. When an opportunity arises, they refer to their roster of actors, consider their options, and then settle on a select person or a select few that they believe stand the best chance of being hired to interpret copy and perform the voice-over.

  Finding an agent

  Locating an agent who can represent you and promote your voice and increase the amount of auditions you get is more than just flipping through a phonebook or doing a quick online search. This person or people can ultimately help you make it or break it in the voice acting business.

  So how do you locate an agent? Try the following tips:

  Ask a friend or colleague for a referral. Sometimes word of mouth referrals are the best option. If you know people who have agency representation, ask them if their agent may have an opening. If your friend thinks you’re a good fit, she can personally recommend you to her agent for consideration.

  Attend conferences, workshops, or mixers where an agent may be present. You can introduce yourself, discuss your skills with the agent, and network (see Chapter 9 for some networking tips).

  Approaching agents

  After you find some prospective agents, you need to follow up on your research and see if you’re a good fit for their agency and vice versa.

  At a conference called VOICE, Joyce Castellanos shared some tips on what works and what doesn’t when trying to get a talent agent. She has worked for more than 25 years as an audio director/producer for promo departments at NBC, Disney Channel, Warner Marketing, and The WB Television Network.

  If you’re in the process of pitching your voice to agents and want some direction, keep these insights in mind and carefully think them through before you pound the proverbial pavement for representation. Here are some of Joyce’s tips for what works when approaching talent agents. We’ve added some explanatory information to help you.

  Introduce yourself by email or phone. Introduce yourself depending on the agent’s preference. Do some research to see which mode of communications the agent prefers.

  Have professionally recorded demos at the ready. An agent may want to listen to your demo on the spot. Make sure you have something representative of your work with you whether it’s a CD or something online. For more information on demos, go to Chapter 6 and 7.

  Know what you can offer to the agent or agency. Research the voice actors that the agent already represents and see if you can fill in a hole on the agent’s roster.

  Express what your needs are. Let the agent know what you’re looking for and what your expectations of a voice actor–agent relationship are.

  Describe how you would fit in on the agent’s roster. After you research the agent’s roster, identify where your voice can fit in and highlight particular areas where you can shine and be an asset to the agent.

  Conduct yourself honestly. Always tell the truth and act with integrity. Honesty is the best policy, which includes anything from how your business is doing to the kind of auditions and work you’re willing to do. For more on how to determine what you will and won’t audition for, go to Chapter 10.

  Have enough personality to shine. Be yourself! Share who you really are with the agent so that she can appreciate your unique gifts and attributes.

  Be honest about where your talents lie. Know your voice and capabilities. Be sure to represent yourself well when describing what you can do. Agents will likely book your signature voice. Read more about how to find your signature voice in Chapter 2.

  Don’t sound needy. One of the last things an agent wants to hear is how badly you need her representation. Voice actors who get represented by agents are usually able to book their own work in addition to booking with agents.

  Don’t second guess yourself. Interacting with agents can be intimidating, but that shouldn’t affect how you see yourself. Be confident in your abilities and approach getting an agent as another part of your overall business and marketing strategy.

  Going Alone As Your Own Agent

  Although many voice actors dream of having an agent, landing an agent can be difficult to do. Some other voice actors prefer not to have an agent. In fact, most if not all voice actors start their careers by being their own agent. During that beginning time, you develop your business acumen, artistry, and audio production skills.

  Some voice actors find that even if they have an agent, they end up booking more work on their own than they do with their agent’s help. We have heard many instances where voice actors get frustrated because their agent isn’t sending them as many auditions as they’d hoped or the agent isn’t putting their demo forward for consideration when the voice actor may actually be a good candidate for the job.

  If you choose to be your own agent, you need to remember that you represent yourself and get more opportunities you believe you’re qualified and suited for. In order to do that well, you need to think like an agent. These sections help you figure out what you’re responsible for as your own agent as well as how to know whether to audition and to enjoy the auditioning process.

  Thinking like an agent

  If you are your own agent, you may not be quite sure what it really means. As your own agent, you need to see your voice through the eyes of someone who is trying to make money, not necessarily just as an artist. An artist sees things subjectively, whereas an agent will, if she wants to get the booking, objectively see things through the client’s eyes.

  Being your own agent means that you bear the responsibility of promoting your own voice, so you need to be selective with regard to the kinds of opportunities you submit yourself for. This is especially true when you’re using websites, such as www.elance.com and www.voices.com, or trying to get work through an online casting call via social media or by other means.

  Voice actors applying for work via the voice-over marketplace do a lot of unsupervised, self-directed auditioning. In some cases, this independence and liberty may result in some actors auditioning for jobs that they’re unqualified to do, which negatively affects their audition to booking ratio.

  In order to think like an agent, keep these two tips in mind:

  Be honest with yourself and only apply for work that you can do.

  Read and follow instructions.

  Deciding whether to audition

  As your own agent, you can be selective and only apply and audition for jobs that pertain to your expertise. When you’re selective and apply for work you’re able to do, you make a much better first impression and are more likely to be hired by the client.

  You don’t need to audition for every casting call that comes your way. If you feel that a particular audition, although it technically matches your expertise, isn’t in line with something that you’re confident doing, you are at liberty (and encouraged) to pass on it. Use your time wisely and determine whether the opportunity can yield some form of value for your business.

  Making the auditioning process more fun

  Thinking like an agent makes auditioning more interesting for you and also helps you to book more of the jobs that you audition for. When you think like an agent, you’ll save time (which can also equate to money) and energy, and get a better shot at booking the projects you’re auditioning for. As your own agent, you need to do the following before you audition:

  Know your voice and your abilities. Understanding what you’re good at and being honest
with yourself as a voice actor is important. If you need clarity in this area, a voice coach can help. Discover some coaching options in Chapter 3.

  Have and exercise objective discretion. Know where you draw the line in the sand. What jobs do you audition for and which ones do you pass on? Chapter 10 goes into greater detail regarding how to select opportunities that best reflect you and your business.

  Understand what is being asked of you. Thoroughly read the casting specifications and only answer the job if you understand the requirements and can meet them. Again, refer to Chapter 10 about reviewing job postings.

  Commit to your choice. After you decide to audition and map out your approach, you need to stick to your interpretation in order to deliver a confident performance. Chapter 11 guides you on how to make artistic and technical choices when auditioning.

  Submit your best possible audition and let it go. After making minor edits (if necessary), submit your polished audition and move on to the next one. Refer to Chapter 12 for more on submitting auditions.

  Applying for work from the perspective of someone else representing you can be an interesting and enlightening experience. As your own agent, you’ll be maintaining a website or completing your profile on a marketplace site as best you can, considering opportunities as they come along, and deciding which opportunities are most aligned with you as a voice actor, whether technical, artistic, or as a person. The freedom this brings can be amazing. Some voice actors have agents and never hear from them all year long, let alone get submitted for work. As your own agent, you’re advocating for yourself and can open doors of opportunity that wouldn’t have been made for you otherwise.

  Building a Winning Team with Professional and Advisory Support

  Even though as a voice actor you’re a freelancer, you’re not alone. Consider yourself a businessperson. Every person in business is supported by their peers and colleagues within the industry. The reality is that you are in business, and the service you provide is voice acting. That being said, you won’t be an expert in some areas of business in general, so having the right people in place to fill in the gaps where you aren’t experienced can make an amazing difference.

  This section covers how you can build a winning team of qualified people to help you grow and succeed in your business. We focus on three of the more important areas. Your winning team can also include

  Voice coach (check out Chapter 3 for what to look for in a voice coach)

  Agent (refer to the earlier section, “Getting an Agent” for some help

  Peer support group (refer to Chapter 1 for online communities and support)

  People in your social network (see Chapter 9 for more on social networking)

  Tech or web person (see Chapter 9 for more information on web support)

  Vendors and partners (see Chapter 15)

  Lawyer and business advisers (see the next sections)

  Role model or mentor (check out Chapter 9 for more guidance)

  Spouse or significant other (Family matters! See Chapter 2 about discovering voice-over to glean how your other half can help you explore your voice.)

  Finding legal representation

  Having a good attorney who is reliable and understands the entertainment industry is like having a secret weapon. Your attorney can help you develop your standard agreements and review agreements that you’ll inevitably receive. Attorneys who specialize in business or entertainment law have seen hundreds of contracts so they can provide you a professional opinion on how best to proceed. Although the ultimate decision whether to sign a contract or enter into an agreement rests with you, your attorney’s advice can steer you in the right direction and save you countless headaches down the road.

  When searching for an attorney, do your homework to make sure you’re comfortable with this person:

  Ask friends and family members for referrals.

  Consult a professional organization that can refer you to someone who would best meet your needs.

  Check with industry organizations, such as an actors’ union or guild, to see if they can recommend a few attorneys and provide you with their contact information.

  When meeting with your lawyer candidates, interview them and ask lots of questions, such as

  How do you like to communicate? Some prefer phone, while others email. Every phone call or email you send to your attorney has a price.

  What is your fee structure? Some attorneys charge by the hour and some in 15-minute increments. Find out ahead of time, so you can keep your communications brief. On the other hand, other attorneys are available on retainer, which means you pay a monthly fee, and the attorney is on call and can answer any questions you may have, review contracts, and provide general advice on-demand. Either way works; just know the details upfront.

  What do you specialize in and how can you best help me? Different kinds of attorneys can help with different aspects of life and business. Look for lawyers who work in business law. You may even want to consider looking for an entertainment attorney to see what he can offer to you as a voice actor.

  You’re not shopping for just any service provider. Rather, you’re looking for someone you can rely on and who in all likelihood will be your attorney for many years to come.

  Hiring an accountant

  If you want to become a professional voice actor, hiring an accountant may not only save you time, money, and stress, but an accountant can also make sure that you’re in good financial shape. Even if you have a background in finance, delegating this aspect of your business allows you to focus on the creative side of what you do and build your business through serving your customers and reaching out to prospective customers.

  Your accountant should be someone who is personable, generous with his time and advice, and who has a lot of patience. From setting up your accounting system, to teaching you how to issue an invoice and how to account for the check when it arrives in the mail, an accountant keeps you financially healthy.

  When it comes to tax time, your accountant can help you reduce the amount of tax you pay or possibly find tax credits, which can result in a refund. The services of an accountant, such as a Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Professional Accountant (CPA), or Certified General Account (CGA), easily pay for themselves.

  Connecting with business advisers

  You also want to surround yourself with other business advisers. These people can be your champions who celebrate your many successes as well as speak truth and wisdom into your life when you need a reality check.

  Some of the business advisers that can be important to a voice actor include

  Banker: Your banker at your local financial institution can be one of your greatest allies. Keep an open line of communication and share what’s going well in your business by sending a quick email. If cash is tight, your banker will be much more likely to provide some financial relief and help you get through a rough patch if she has a history with you. When business is booming, your banker can provide you with the capital required to grow or pursue a new opportunity.

  Small business administration personnel: The folks at your local small business administration office are good people to know. They can review your business plan, discuss challenging situations, and help you make connections in the local business community.

  Business coach or mentor: For personalized attention, a business coach may be right for you. A business coach or business mentor provides general business advice, encourages you, and helps you avoid costly mistakes.

  Business advisers should be a part of your overall career or business plan. As they say, success in business is “not what you know, but who you know.” Business advisers are the people who can open doors and connect you to others who can help you grow in your career.

  Looking at whether a Union Is Right for You

  Just lik
e in the working world, unions exist in the entertainment industry to protect voice actors and supply them with benefits. Some unions are by invitation only, while others allow voice actors to pay an initiation fee that enables them to join their organization. They just have to pay union dues each year thereafter.

  Unions can provide health, insurance, and disability benefits, and they serve their members in legal matters where contracts and financial compensation are concerned. The union works as an advocate for its members and is a useful body to belong to when looking for solidarity. The union is a structured, accepted means of conducting business as an actor on the stage, in film, television, radio, or behind the microphone or otherwise.

  If you’re interested in knowing more about unions, the following sections can help. Here we explain what unions a voice actor can join and what you can do if you want to join.

  Getting up to speed on the union

  At their core, unions embody the utopian idea that everyone should behave in a particular fashion, observe the same guidelines, assume the same political leanings, and strive to achieve a common good as is defined by the union. As a reward for doing so and by hitting a specific financial goal, members can achieve access to health coverage, a pension, and other worthwhile benefits.

  Unions exhibit traits of strength, unity, and purpose through strong membership. Without a strong membership base and reasons for everyone to abide by the ideals set out by the leadership of the union, no matter how great a union’s past, it can still fail because an organization is only as strong as its weakest link.

  Identifying the unions you can join

  The most recognized entertainment unions include the following: