David Edes had his demos produced by Such A Voice in the summer of 2018; since then, he’s been booking consistent work creating training materials for the company he works for, as well as on audiobooks. Let’s hear what he has to say about his experience with SAV and in the industry so far!
What is your background; what were you doing before you got into voice-over?
Most of my work before voice-over has been in customer service and/or technical support. Since 2010, I’ve been working for a technology firm in San Francisco. I still have that job and with it, I have opportunities to do voice-over projects. I took a class with Such A Voice in 2017, and finished the training in 2018.
What was the most valuable part of your training with SAV?
I found the live reads with my coach to be the most valuable. I had already been doing a lot of voice-over with my training videos, but having a professional talent critique me and help me refine my skills and discover my versatility has really helped me in my auditions and in booking gigs I did not think I could get.
Is there anyone in particular (at SAV or otherwise) that has been a mentor/role model in the industry?
My coach, of course, Jan Haley-Soule. Also, Bill DeWees.
What advice would you have for folks currently going through their VO training?
Listen to your coach and learn to take direction from them. Their direction and constructive criticism will be incredibly valuable to you as you learn to become a professional voice talent. Also, make the time to practice and work through the exercises every day.
From what I understand, a lot of your work revolves around doing VO for training videos for your employer. How has that process been, and how different is it from what you were doing before that?
Producing training videos, which include script writing, narration, and graphics production, is a lot of work. But, as you might imagine, it’s the most fun thing I do in my job. I love collaborating with my colleagues on the scriptwriting, and the best part is hearing from customers how much the videos have helped them. In terms of what’s different about narrating training videos, the biggest difference is that I get to use my voice to reach many more people at one time with valuable information that can help them in their business.
I hear you have a pretty crazy work/commute schedule! Tell us a little bit about that, and how voice-over fits into your life.
My day starts at 3:30 in the morning, as I need to arrive at our San Francisco office by 5 am to do my audio recording before I start work at 6. My voice is at its best early in the morning and I can be most productive during that hour before anyone else arrives. Even with a full-time job and family, I can do most of my editing while riding mass transit and during our evening routine at home. It’s an intense schedule, but I can still make time for the things which are most important.
Aside from those training videos, you’re also involved in the audiobook industry. What kind of audiobook projects have you been working on?
I just finished a 10-hour book written by a 90-year-old author, who tells of his adventures in Alaska, teaching with his wife in rural schools, hunting, fishing, and kayaking. I’ve also done two delightful children’s stories by the same author, a repeat client. My other projects have been historical non-fiction and educational books.
What would your dream VO role/project be?
I would love to narrate a nature or science documentary for National Geographic or the Discovery Channel.
Any other thoughts you have about voice-over in general?
To be successful in voice-over, you have to have a passion for helping clients reach their audience with their message. So: find your niche, develop your brand, and strive for excellence on every project.
Anything you’d like to plug?
If you’re auditioning on ACX, look for books published by I’m Hearing Stories. It’s a great organization that hires the best of the best. They will help you get your name and your talent visible in the audiobook business.
You can check out David’s website and listen to his demos here!
Eager to join David and get your start in voice-over? Check out our introductory webinar to learn more about how to get started!
