Talent Agencies (Voice)

[American Oyaji]

Hey guys, I need some advice. Apart from my writing, I want to start doing voice work. Ive never done it, but Ive been told for years that I have a great voice. Do any of you know anything about talent agencies or how to get voice work?

Any info or advice is appreciated.

If you don't want to post out in the open, you can email me.

I did not know where to put this thread so I put it here.

[halfnip]

Hey guys, I need some advice. Apart from my writing, I want to start doing voice work. Ive never done it, but Ive been told for years that I have a great voice. Do any of you know anything about talent agencies or how to get voice work?

Any info or advice is appreciated.

If you don't want to post out in the open, you can email me.

I did not know where to put this thread so I put it here.

AO, why don't you try out for American Idol? Sorry, couldn't resist. In all seriousness, good luck with this. There must be a TON of voice trainers in the US, I suppose you just need to find a good one in your area.

Sorry, but I have absolutely no advice to offer here.

[American Oyaji]

AO, why don't you try out for American Idol? Sorry, couldn't resist. In all seriousness, good luck with this. There must be a TON of voice trainers in the US, I suppose you just need to find a good one in your area.

Sorry, but I have absolutely no advice to offer here.

I actually thought about it, but I dont fit their age demographic.

There is always America has talent, but I'm not a ventriloquist, even though I do have a range of voices I can do.

[Kuang_Grade]

Well, you can always start practicing "In a world where......" Speaking of which, he has this advice.
http://www.donlafontaine.com/DLF2007/Index.html?p=AskDon.html&pt=

How do I get started in the business?

To begin, remember that it's not the quality of the voice that counts, it's the quality of the delivery. For those just starting out, I suggest you find a good VO class. This may not be easy in many parts of the country, but if you live in or near Los Angeles, New York or Chicago, you should be able to find a choice of classes. Some also exist in other cities, but be sure to check out the credentials of the teaching staff before you commit. If classes are not available (and even if they are) I recommend a few books that I believe will give you a running start in the business.

"Secrets of Voice Over Success" by Joan Baker features the viewpoints of more than a dozen working Voice Actors, including myself. You'll learn from their experiences, and receive terrific guidance in the areas of acting, studio techniques, client relations, and many other areas.

"Step Up to the Mic: A Positive Approach to Succeeding in Voice-Overs" and "You Can Bank on Your Voice" by Rodney Saulsberry. These books explore critical aspects of VO from the viewpoint of one of the most successful Voice Actors in the business.

"The Art of Voice Acting" by James R. Alburger. Step by step instruction on developing a voice over career, including exercises to help strengthen your instrument.

(Joan, Rodney and Jim's contact information can be found in the "Other Voices" section of this website.)

And remember, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

[American Oyaji]

Kuang Grade! Thank you! That is a starting point!

(That guy is a legend)

[Mr Doricar]

Can you call me and say something sexy into my voicemail please?

[Kuang_Grade]

For those of you who don't know of Don LaFontaine, you'll probably recognize his voice...such as this VO work on this trailer for one of the best movies of the 80's, GYMKATA

[YT]9Mkl9rtttog[/YT]

[Greji]

Kuang Grade! Thank you! That is a starting point!

(That guy is a legend)

I doubt if anyone is going to want to hire some guy from Ohio that has a Tohoku zuzuben accent! You better stick to NASCAR AO!

[Molokidan]

A history teacher I had a few years back, a 60-something old guy with no prior experience whatsoever, got jobs doing voice acting for local commercials (as like, announcers, etc.) just randomly because he'd thought it'd be fun. Then, he got really into it and now he's been going down to LA to record in studios for stuff like that.

So while it's probably not what your ultimate goal of voice-acting may be, it certainly might be a good start. I'd look local first, wherever you live, and then try to work your way up. There's always also radio, but I know nothing about that.

[Charles]

A history teacher I had a few years back, a 60-something old guy with no prior experience whatsoever, got jobs doing voice acting for local commercials (as like, announcers, etc.) just randomly because he'd thought it'd be fun. Then, he got really into it and now he's been going down to LA to record in studios for stuff like that.

So while it's probably not what your ultimate goal of voice-acting may be, it certainly might be a good start. I'd look local first, wherever you live, and then try to work your way up. There's always also radio, but I know nothing about that.

A videographer friend of mine told me about a new resource he's using, there are websites where he can shop for voice actors, he can listen to samples of their voices online, pick 3 actors he likes, then submit his script, and he gets 3 different actors' voice tracks returned as mp3s. Then he picks the performer he likes best, pays for that one, and the other 2 get nothing (keeps them competitive, I guess). Apparently these voice actors are recording in home studios, it's all done over the internet.
So if I were trying to get into voice acting, I'd probably start by setting up a little home studio and testing out how I sound in a recording. And while the bulk of the work is done in cities with a concentration of media producers (like LA) that is no longer an obstacle.