It’s the time of year for goals and planning for the future – so what better time to plan to attend some voice-over conferences and conventions?
What are they and why should I go?
If you’ve never heard of one, a conference or convention is an event for exchanging information and education.
The voice-over community is largely supportive and friendly, and if you’re going to attend a conference, you’re about to be in rooms with people who are just as excited about VO and exploring the industry as you are! Whether you’re a newcomer or you’ve been around the block, I guarantee you’ll come away having expanded your knowledge, network, and probably with a new friend or mentor.
In the vein of mentorship, these are great places to see some of the biggest talent in VO on panels and leading training sessions to help build your talent and knowledge. You may meet someone you can connect with as a mentor or coach as your career grows – in fact, many of our coaches (past and present) attend voice conferences and speak at them.
So whether it’s networking, career growth, industry knowledge panels, or something new, you’re guaranteed to learn details of the industry and broaden your knowledge and skills at a convention.
Other CON-siderations
A quick note about conventions: artists, directors, writers, casting teams, etc., are very involved in their communities and often you can find VO related talents across any number of conventions. Whether it’s BlizzCon, Muse and the Marketplace, E3, or something else large yet niche, going may be the right (and sometimes fun) decision to meet the people that help create work for voice artists!
How much does it cost?
Tickets can range from $200 to exclusive retreats which can cost thousands of dollars. Pick and choose which is best for you and what will be an investment. For beginners we suggest VO Atlanta or something within your niche. If your niche is Audiobooks then APAC will be better for you, likewise GYGA for character/animation niches. Check out the list below to see what is coming in 2023
2023 Conferences:
VOND (VoiceOver Network Drinks) – January 27 – London, UK
VO-Cation – February 9-12 – Cancun, Mexico
AVOX (Actor’s Voice Over Experience) – TBA Spring – Pasadena, CA
VO Atlanta – March 23 – 26 – Atlanta, GA
APAC (Audio Publishers Association Conference) – March 27th – NYC
WOVO (World Voices) – May 4-7 – Orlando, FL
Euro VO Retreat – September 26 – October 1 – Switzerland
One Voice UK – TBA – Usually May
One Voice USA – TBA – Usually May-August
GYGO (Get Your Game On) – November 3 – Los Angeles, CA
MAVO (Mid Atlantic voice conference) – November 10-12 – Herndon, VA
SOVAS Thats Voiceover – TBA (usually December, website not yet updated)
Interested in learning more about Cons? Join us live on Facebook on January 25th at 7pm EST for our first Voiceover Panel of the year; Conventions and Conferences!
Check out our free PDF with pro-tips from real working voice-over actors here!
Want to learn more about voiceover? Signup for our introductory VO webinar.
