Hey there! I spent quite some time compiling this list of resources. It’s extensive (I hope not overwhelming?) and there’s still more to add. But this is MORE than enough to get you off to a great start. I tried to organize things according to order of priority but I’m sure somewhere in there I stopped doing that and just said “ooh, and this too” a few times. Most of the specific suggestions themselves are not listed in any kind of hierarchy.
I suggest starting with the following video by my friend and colleague. It’s a great synopsis on How to Get Started in Voiceover.
Books & Blogs
The Art Of Voice Acting: The Craft and Business of Performing is pretty much the the VO bible. It’s a must read if you’re serious about a profession in Voice Over. Also be sure to check out Dee Bradley Baker’s post: Starting From Zero. Below is an excerpt from the post.
The barrier to entry into voice acting is very low. It doesn’t take much to call yourself a voice actor, but developing the skills needed to become a successful voice actor, as Dee Bradley points out, takes time. His entire website is a wealth of information for novices, experts, and everyone in between!
Podcasts
Other than reading materials, here are some podcasts that I recommend listening to while you go about your day…
I’ll begin with podcast host, producer, and educator, Jamie Muffett. Binging on the VO School Podcast will really help you to understand the industry. Jamie is a really good guy that wants to help people getting started. Theres 50+ episodes that will keep you busy for a while!
Each of the first 55 episodes of this podcast are devoted to a different voiceover subject. From episode 56 onwards the podcast has an additional 7 hosts. Each episode features 4-5 of the hosts, as they digest the latest industry news and drill down into specific subjects. The podcast offers a range of perspectives, and continues to educate, entertain and analyze the latest industry happenings.
I Love me some Tiffany Copeland of Black Girl Voiceover World! In this podcast actress, Tiffany J. Copeland discusses how to start and grow your voiceover business. Industry professionals join her for a casual chat where they candidly share the highlights and lowpoints of their journeys. You’ll learn how to break into the voiceover world, find success and have fun on the journey.
In the episode Go Hard or Go Home with Leslie L. Miller, both of these talented Black women talk about how Leslie has put her chocolate sprinkles all over the video game and animation world. For more Black Girl Voiceover World content visit blackgirlvoiceoverworld.com and download the Black Girl Voiceover World app on your android or apple device for ad free listening.
Conferences
What is Voice Over with the plethora of conferences offered year round by some of the most talented folks in the industry?
Voice Over Atlanta offers a wealth of information and opportunities to network. My career honestly kicked off when I attended this conference. It’s the largest and longest-running conference of its kind. More than twice the size of any other conference, VO Atlanta offers more opportunities to connect with agents, casting directors, managers, leading voice actors and celebrities, and network with your fellow talent than you’ll find anywhere else.
SOVAS (Society of Voice Actors) That’s Voiceover! Career Expo – is another great conference that was virtual this year. Also Black-run. The annual career expo brings together the key players in the voiceover industry, where voiceover newcomers and working professionals engage in networking, employment opportunities, training, education, and auditions for voiceover jobs with major brands.
Social Media
For additional information and networking opportunities I recommend joining these Facebook communities: Voiceover Camp, VOpreneur, Voiceover Red Flags, VO Peeps, The VoiceOver Community, VOcation, Voiceover Universe, Voiceover Start-Up with Carrie Olsen.
Get on Twitter and follow all the voiceover tags and people in the industry! #vo #va #voiceover #voiceactor #voicetalent to name a few. It’ll be a quick and dirty immersion into the world!
auditioning
You’ve watched, listened, and mingled and now you want to know how to get the voice over jobs? There are quite a few options where you can get started with little to no experience. I suggest starting with Voice123, a pay to play site. Online casting. Most of these sites are pretty much unscrupulous in how little the jobs pay and how much of a cut they take, etc. but it is so easy to hop on and start auditioning! (Too easy) This is the best of them IMO. You get a lot of practice this way (but it very well could be the wrong kind of practice!) You get better auditions faster the higher tier you are. I mention it because while the industry frowns upon P2Ps it’s where most of us start. And one of my biggest and highest paying client today, Johnsonville, came from there. So. Proceed at your own discretion.
CastVoices – an online casting site recently launched. The VO community is really hopeful and putting faith in this enterprise. Check back for an update in the near future.
Bodalgo is an International/European market. I’ve had very limited success here, but they are certainly reputable.
**Do NOT mess with voiceovers dot com or voices dot com, they’re crooks! **
Getting Paid
How do you know what you should be getting paid? Bookmark this rate guide! This is the Gold-standard industry rate sheet – know your worth!
Posting Demos
Where to go when you’re ready to post your demo and start putting your work out there? I suggest starting with The African-American Voice Actor Database. Companies are looking for US, and this community (website and FB group) has been absolutely invaluable to me.
Voice Over Gear
Wanna know where I get my gear? Sweetwater.com And that’s not even a plug. Just a fact. Experts there can usually talk you through everything you need and come up with a setup that works for you, while making sure you have every cord and screw you didn’t know you needed.
Audacity – free software for recording your voiceover. Good place to start practicing. Eventually you may wish to move over to Adobe Audition (what I use, but it’s kind of expensive). Some people also use Reaper, or Logic Pro. Some even use Pro Tools but that one is overkill for simply recording spoken vocals. You’ll absolutely have to learn the basics of sound, recording yourself, and editing before you’ll be able to audition for anything. This was the most tedious and daunting part for me.
The gurus/wizards you wanna talk to to make sure your audio quality is up to snuff and who also teach you how to edit your audio (can be found on social media or their respective websites):
Tim Tippits – VO tech guru
Jordan Reynolds – Audio Ninja
Roy “Uncle Roy” Yokelson – director/producer/engineer
The first two offer classes to teach you editing and mastering so that you can have flawless sounding recordings and audition with confidence. Also, on strictly the audio tech end, George Whitman.
Coaching
Coaches I recommend: These are usually gonna be about $125/hr and up. Some are hard to book and have to be done well in advance. You eventually need to go through all of them and then some, as each has a different style and can bring more and more out of your performance.
Kay Bess
Dave Walsh
Donovan Corneetz
Jodi Gottlieb
Mary Lynn Wissner
Everett Oliver
Joan Baker
Denise Woods (check out her book Power of Voice)
Bill Holmes
Nancy Wolfson – no nonsense, no sugar coating
Alyson Steel
Tina Morasco
Kelly McGee – more affordable
More affordable, Black, and friends of mine who are working VOs: (Donovan Corneetz would have been top among them, but he just raised his prices so I put him in the A-team above. Still more affordable than some of the others in that list, though, and he’s killing the VO game)
Jean-Francois Donaldson
Tremayne Mosley
BZ Cullins
Sign up for emails for and regularly check for classes and workshops from: Atlanta Voiceover Studio, RealVoiceLA, Voiceover Xtra
They’re legit, affordable, and you’ll quickly learn the “who’s who” of VO
Alright y’all. That’s all I got! Go forth and flourish!
Warmly,
Rebecca Lee