Having patience while waiting for your “big break” as a voice actor is something I like to talk a lot about, because like most people, I want things right away.
The fact is, one of the most important attributes you need to be successful in this business is learning to pace yourself and your expectations. Very few people are overnight successes, and you won’t last if you frantically set goals no human can meet.
For instance: do you believe you must be able to completely support yourself with voice acting within your first year? It’s possible, but you could be setting yourself up for disappointment.
Have you tried to get an agent right away and were unsuccessful? Or, have you been auditioning on pay-to-play sites for a while and not booked anything?
As voice actors things rarely go as planned and most big breaks happen over time.
If you don’t want to be a one hit wonder and instead have a career that lasts, you need to diligently work on your talent, marketing, and philosophical outlook on the business.
1) Assess your current level of basic voice-acting skills.
Have you perfected your pronunciation, phrasing, pacing, and breathing? The voice-over industry has high standards in these arenas, yet it’s surprising how many folks rush to market themselves without working on their problem areas.
2) Are you an announcer or a voice actor?
There’s been a sea change in the world of voice-over. Unlike the impersonal delivery of the old announcer style, today’s expectation from casting is a deeply personal delivery that’s authentic and relatable. This means your script analysis skills must be top notch and every word on the script must have deep meaning for you.
3) Are you having fun?
Believe it or not, a big part of our job is to have a good time! Once we’ve mastered the basics and honed our script analysis and acting skills, we must be able to let loose, take risks, and let the chips fall where they may!
4) Are you continually training?
There’s a saying in the performing business: when you’re not working, you’re training. When it comes to coaching, it’s not one and done. Get more voice-over training, and join an acting class or an improv workshop. Always be learning and stretching.
5) A sense of community.
Community is important to human beings, and the importance of getting together with other performers can’t be overemphasized. It’s too easy to stay in your little booth and become isolated. Joining groups, and attending conferences and casting seminars not only helps you stay abreast of what’s going on in the business but creates a way of life that is fulfilling and lasting.
Everybody’s experience as a voice-actor is a little bit different, but we all share the frustrations of the ups and downs: the high of booking jobs, and the lows of dry spells. The one thing that separates the successful voice actor from the one who fades away is understanding that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
The successful voice actor knows that uncertainty is an integral part of this business, and in a way that’s its allure. Every audition is a role of the dice, and when we book it, the high is similar to winning the lottery!
We need to work hard to be the best, most authentic voice actor we can be, because there is a huge reward in being great at our art all by itself.
My experience as a voice-actor has been similar to reaching high mountains followed by dry deserts, then high mountains again, and the cycle goes on…
Yet, because I’ve come to understand that no actor works all the time, I’ve actually come to enjoy the ride!
Embrace the down time to decompress, avoid burnout, and go into the world again with recharged passion and imagination. It will enable you to become a better actor and stay in it for the long haul.
Check out our free PDF with pro-tips from real working voice-over actors here!
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