French lessons, life's lessons

So, I started working as a French teacher at a school. I had not taught in nearly 2 years and was a bit intimidated at first by the amount of students in my class...

The timing was off and on, meaning that I looked for steady work but it also coincided with my training at school.
I started teaching, with an idea in mind, that it was temporary.

But once in the classroom, once I started teaching the tricks and the concepts of the language and saw all these kids being interested in what I had to say, really understanding, it all came back to me. Why I liked it. Why I was good.

Explaining the subtleties of the phonetics, training people to dare to sound different, letting them know through a simple exercise of presenting themselves, how to identify who they are, how to find the one thing they want to be and how to be real.

Through
Bonjour, je suis Alain, we can cover " I am shy, I like animals, I do not like bullying. I believe in friendship" and I am lonely, and even " I did not know almost everyone felt like me."
Being a not very popular girl till I hit puberty and then being looked from afar, it took me nearly 2 decades to find friends on facebook and realize people in my school did not avoid me because I was weird and poor-er, but because I was intimidating and- according to most- pretty.
I had no idea.

I want these kids to learn how to speak another language because it is a tol and it educates their brain. i want them to open their minds to other cultures. But I also want them to open up and have meaningful discussion and real moments with themselves and the people around them.
And I know I am the person to do so.

Through:
"Bonjour, je suis Michel, Ahmed, Franceska, Pernille..." they will say
"I  do not know who I am yet, but I am on my way of discovery".

And they will learn how to speak perfect French.

I got rid of my polyps with cabbage and raw foodism

"You will need surgery"
The picture on the TV screen was frightening. A huge white lump on my vocal chord was unmistakeably the culprit of the sound my voice was doing for the past 2 days.

It was a weird sound, as if my voice was split in two, just like when you sing a verse and adds a copy of the same passage, creating that duality.
I was devastated.
I was 23, in a foreign country, hardly making any money for surgery, I was ambitious. I had plans. I had joined a music Tv station to be recognizable when my album would come out. ( Yes, back then in 1993 , we still thought of albums, cassettes etc). I had moved out of the country to have a better chance with my repertoire.
And now this.
All because I forced my voice at the highest note of the song, trying to compensate the noise in the club and the non-existent volume of my microphone.
The moment my voice split was noticeable. Right at the peak of the note.

I went home, crying.
My boyfriend, took me in his arms but I was inconsolable.
I went down to the payphone and called my mother. My mother was and is a bit a of a health freak and I avoid her old wives remedies like the plague, but with time I have learned to discern what makes sense and what is  worth while. So I called her. Besides, I needed my mama, if you know what I mean.

So I called, and after being clear she would not pay for my surgery, she told me to try and get rid of the polyps, the natural way. I was desperate, I would have done anything. And to be honest, back then I still believed that ANYTHING can be cured with nature.

So I started this regiment.
Nothing cooked.
Nothing mixed or processed. And I would shut up. To the delight of everyone around me.

Everyday I would eat a fruit, a piece of cabbage, watching my boyfriend getting stuffed on omelets and steaks.
I would chop organic  onions, carrots, herbs, celery, into little pieces and put them in a bottle with spring water. The bottle was of dark glass to prevent the light and plastic to prevent the alteration of  the  minerals, vitamins and other micro nutrients.

I did this for about a month. Of course I lost weight.
The funny part is that it was not hard after the first week. The omelets did not look appealing to me anymore. I had no more cravings. Food is just a habit, really.

D-day came, I flew home. I went to the best clinic, had a camera inserted in my nose, everything.
To make the long story short in this visit or the next, my polyps had gone.
The doctor could not believe his eyes.

A polyps is not supposed to disappear. It is a hard knob that smashes against your other vocal chord, damaging it. It has a natural circle of life. It is not absorbable. Supposedly.
But there it was.
My chords, clean as a whistle. Beautiful. Ready to go.


I thought it was worth mentioning,in case you have the same problem. Do not despair and try this method. If it worked for me. I can work for you,?

The right voice

I hear this sentence from clients and contractors a lot.
What is the "right voice"?
Is there such a thing or is it just a fancy way to say "the one I like"? How many clients come to a meeting with an open mind, ready to hear and chose instead of having "some idea" of what they want, vaguely sounding like something they once heard, somewhere....
The challenge in our business is to guess what the client wants. Sometimes he says British accent and he chooses an Australian one. Other times he says "deep voice" when he means husky. Most times he wants you to convey an emotion, the way he would convey it.
Voice professionals have their own variety of expressions. I, for example communicate sorrow in a different way than one of my colleagues.
The challenge to overcome, is to be able to bypass all the pre-made expectations the client has, and make him appreciate what YOU have to offer.
You can't infuse in 10 mns the knowledge you accumulated over the years, or patronize him. The man owns a butcher shop and he wants an advert. done, now. He wants Angelina Jolie with Kathleen Turner's voice as the butchered cow on the table.
Customer is king.
So what do we do in those circumstances?
We accept the fact that this client is so set in his ways and stop "selling".
We politely say that "this is my voice, this is how I can express the fun of being slaughtered by a beautiful woman, the sense of adoration and sacrifice to feed the human race, and I'm sorry, I can not do a "British" accent (Australian, really).

I personally avoid such fussy clients, as they do not know the business. My business. They do not realize that they pay me to voice over their vision, but also my years of accumulated experience, my knowledge, my acting skill and the ability to sit down, relax and let someone take charge for 3 seconds.
I understand, specially if money is tight, their need to make sure everything is ok. But this is where trust comes into play. That you hired a voice you like. Good quality. Responsibility. Knowledge.
And that's what you pay for. And you get what you pay for.

You get retakes if I didn't get it right. You don't get retakes if you change the script after the recording. It's common sense. The right voice, is not just a sound. It is an attitude. It is patience, it is understanding, it is psychology, it is professionalism.
But it is also boundaries. Value of time. Respect of ones effort to please you,
Accent, tone, acting, power...language, pace, elocution, pronunciation.
Mixing, editing, filing.
Patience, willing to explain, willing to listen, willing to please, give 100%.
Swiftness, reliability, responsibility.
The right voice is more than just a voice.



It's the person who greets you on the phone and gives a je ne sais quoi to your company.
It is the person who soothes you, or excites you or sells for you.
It is your voice in the business world, the voice that comes in contact with your clients.
It is your energy, your personality, your imprint.

That's what "the right voice is". A perfect fit on all levels.


I remember when I worked for the Eurovision contest, the director asked me to be loud and strong to match the male speaker that was voicing the countries in English. The result was bad, in my opinion. My voice was set too high and sounded unnatural.
I gently suggested if we could also make a take with my own voice, how I would say it, how I pictured it in my head, without trying to match the other speakers tone and energy.
The director agreed that the sound coming out was more pleasant, relaxed and yet ceremonial ( at least I think he saw that this is what I was aiming for). My take was kept in the final mix. He was able to go past his initial idea and appreciate that new "image".
Narrating is a skill, that implies more than just reading a text.

You may not see the subtle details or hear the changes or intonations, but once the feeling you wanted to get across is expressed, you know you found, "the right voice".

Why sound

Of all the senses and the tools and the means we have as human beings to communicate, to make a living, to make an impact, I chose sound.

I love sound. And here is why. (I don't know if this will make sense, I write as I go along to put an order to my thoughts, and I am sleepy....)
Looks can be deceiving.
I started my first career solely based on my looks. Don't get me wrong, I was no Nicole Kidman, and I' m short. But I got my break on tv due to the fact I was photogenic. I got singing jobs cause I was cute. And a female.
I didn't know it then. The thought is insulting, but I was able to get to that conclusion without being too upset about it, because I did do something after the breaks I got,
 I was able -in some cases- to make people see the value of my labour and establish myself professionally.
In my 20s,as every other snobbish snotty overgrown teenager who thinks "he's made it" to the grown up world, I thought I was sophisticated, talented and ready to be discovered.
 And I was. Talented, that is. Just not as much as I thought. *( Every time I hear my first demo tape, made by Billy Dertilis a very accomplished, famous and established producer who was doing a favor to a friend,, I cringe. Even more, I am embarrassed with the ease and nerve I displayed- asking him to re do the whole thing when he had worked on the wrong song. On the other hand, when I got my opening on tv, I was not satisfied with just presenting some video clips, I wanted to interact with the audience at home. I wanted more. I wanted to get them involved and proceeded to do just that, organizing auditions, rehearsals, recording and airing time. The newly hired director insisted I would show cleavage, I refused, we fought, he got fired. But I'm digressing.)

Oddly enough, I did get discovered. Someone paid for my education- I was living alone since I was 16 and had no means to study with the teachers I later had. It was someone with business sense who never saw anything more in my looks, than an asset to sell records. So yes, as a general rule, the way people perceived me visually, were a door opener.....and closer. What I could and was able to do once the door was open, was up to me. And the business sense of my bosses. If they could go pass the looks, the sex, and the age, sometimes.

I can still remember a journalist trying to find me and hire me for his newspaper, really excited about an article I wrote, who decided the moment I got into his office, he didn't want me. Was it my unconventional outfit? Or my extra kilos? I don't know, but it was one of these times when you can actually feel the energy changing in the room, instantly.
Living in a land where women were -in my experience- second rate citizens, and where ones attractiveness is a double edge sword, I realized, deep in my mid thirties, that the way I looked and how someone experienced my physical presence, was my best ally and worst enemy.
 Usually talking would set the record straight. My voice, my way of expressing myself would immediately convey the right energy, and set the tone. No misunderstandings there. (But I won't dwell on the misfortunes of being a working woman in Greece, this is not the topic today although it would be fun to write someday this little horror story)

So to sum it up, looks were a big factor that I wanted out of the way.
As I grew older, I started working in the media, that were less open to public scrutiny. Less ...visible. Teaching. Blogging. Writing. Event planning. I kept singing but not as often, just to remind me who I really was. Not a mom, not a divorcee, not even an author, a daughter, a lover, a bitch or whatever.

Opening my mouth to create sound was like putting comfortable slippers after a long day with high heels. Singing was what I wanted to do ever since I could put dolls people gave me,  around me, and perform. At least they had some purpose now. ( I hated dolls, yet my voice was not powerful enough to be heard by grown ups). 
Singing was just who I was and the only way I had found to make people stop and listen to me, pay attention to what I had to say, or how I felt. It was a way to shoo away  all the expectations, pressures and other peoples idea of who I am or should be.
Sound is not something that you can interpret. It's there. It shows who you are. Soft, or energetic, sexy or angry, sensual and vulnerable....

I had my share of recognition till then. I worked in front and behind the cameras. I sang all over Europe.And to be honest, I needed not to draw attention any-more, but stir the focus on the product, the book, the article, the concert, the pupil...I felt satisfied, full, and in a good place.

I enjoyed stepping sideways and create in a different, more abstract way. This time it was no pencils, or a piece of music that needed lyrics. I had a virtual audience and a keyboard to write my thoughts. I had roles and tasks and imagination to create something, out of nothing. A seed of an idea that would give a product. I enjoyed the fact all of my previous experience was coming into play, even when I worked for an organization for deaf people. (The irony. I can't stop talking, I adore to sing, I love my job as a voice artist and here I was, surrounded by people who could not hear a sound. The challenges I had to overcome, out of my comfort zone were immense but I had chosen it and I loved it.)
A voice is to me, the soul's (finger)print.
It is enriched with emotions, feelings, expectations, fear, hope and all these things that it betrays. A voice can not be controlled when we are in a deep emotional state.Try to talk when you had sad news.
A voice makes you guess.It triggers your imagination and makes the other person familiar, close, intimate sometimes. It creates a connection.

A voice on the other end of the line, has no restrictions. You don't judge and are not judged.
You can imagine the other person and listen to the message he/she has to say. Really listen.
In business, a pleasant voice is attractive enough to get your attention but not to the point of distracting you from the goal.
Voicing your thoughts, opening a window to your mind, is a wonderful thing, and people's reactions to what you say are telling far more about the way they think than when they act or speak the way they think they should.
Writing has its magic, as you read my post with your own tone, your own intonation. But it also creates misunderstandings. Because you read the post in the tone you think the other person is using. Sound, is missing. Sound that sets the mood. The pace. The intentions.
Image is powerful, but distracting from the message. If someone is too attractive.
Or too old. Or too fat. Or filled with pimples, or dirty, or whatever....We miss valuable things solely based on the fact that our eyes decide what is worthy or not.
I recently enrolled to CPHbusiness and conducted my own little experiments. How many people would stereotype me due to my age. How many would come forth and maybe ask me questions, as I made it clear with some hints here and there, I had experience in the field. How many teachers would feel at ease or not. Make eye contact, involve me in the process, feel confident or uncomfortable...How my age would be a factor. It was for some.
You cant really put a person that doesn't fit in a box, in a box. A mom but... a former tattoo artist? A professional but a student? A talkative 44 year old who doesn't keep a "grown up distance"? Am i like your mom? I am. I am not. How, when .... ah, never mind.
Now imagine if classes were held on skype. You get my point.

Another example of how what we see inhibits and limits us...I had an obese  friend who was unemployed for years and as soon as she lost the extra weight, she was hired. Was she suddenly qualified? Was something in her body mass stopping her from being adequate?
Of course not. But people perceived her differently.

When I was getting on stage for an opening number, I knew after the few first notes, that eyes would open wide and the comments after my performance about how "such a strong voice can come out of such a tiny person" would pour. It was not about liking me, but how they were surprised and got something they didn't expect. Based on my looks. Height. Whatever.

When you are alone with your loved one in the dark, and he is holding you, even kissing you, hearing his voice, voicing his thoughts, and that husky timber betraying his emotions, you get involved. Even if two minutes before you were mentally going through the grocery list for tomorrow, his voice reeled you in. Because it was real, and moving and gripping. Can't fake that. (And I know some will think that some women do fake "that". But are they women or girls afraid to show how they really feel? Are they dealing with men or inexperienced boys who don't really listen or are involved spiritually and mentally as well as physically?)
Sound, is real. Sound never deceives.
Sound is also related to experiences from childhood.
Tomatis has proven that we can't hear some sounds that are related to one or both parents. Depending on early traumas, our ears "shut down" some sounds related to the parent in question. It makes you think what happens when we relate to a person who emits those missing nuances and sounds. Also when learning a language we are deaf to certain sounds. It takes re-education of the mouth, the tongue, the throat and the ear to be able to lose that deafness.
Eyes deceive. Sight is used to evaluate a person, a situation, to label it and to move on.
But eyes, the sense of sight, is poor. Even in the film making industry, they use sound in crucial points, in order enhance the experience.
Of course I will use imagery when presenting a project to my colleagues. It helps people understand the little movie in my head. But its not the images, or my green eyes that gets the point across.
Its the passion in my voice, the excitement, the care, the enthusiasm and the honesty that pours out of me. If I was a movie and you muted me, you would not be sure 100% what I am saying. Arching brows, smiling, talking,(with my hands) it would set a positive note, but it would not get the point across. The personality is missing.
The voice and the sound are always able to communicate feelings, ideas, thoughts without complications. Without prejudices. Without stereotypes.
And yet, it is the most neglected, underrated, unappreciated tool in today's business world.
And it is my job,and personal agenda, to change this. To prove how voices are the back bone of every advertising venture, how a voice can ruin a film, a spot, a presentation, a first impression.
How music can add the right set and mood to any situation.
How the tone and articulation can attract listeners or shoo them away.
Speak up, present yourself. How do you sound?
Would you buy from you?
Would you trust you with your money?Are you convincing?

Most sales men, sound like sales men. Rehearsed, trying to convince and push their product.
Most IVR messages sound like tired secretaries put to the job.
Most web videos fail due to poor quality of sound and image.
On the other hand, all tv spots are done by actors. ,Animation and games. Actors. People who study the art of projecting their voice, an emotion and communicate through words, the message needed.
It is clear to me that we all need to learn the art of speaking, and develop the ability to dig deep inside in order to convey the right message, at the right time, at the right person. Find our own voice and use it the best possible way. Authenticity and energy must pour out of you and strike the other person to the core.Whether it is a book, a menu, a spot, a radio announcement, a meditation tape, a self help tape, a gym program, a game, an app, a power point presentation.... we need to know how to do it, or hire the person to do it for us.
Think of a bad play, a non professional performance. What gives it away, 99% of the time? Their voices.
That's why I chose sound to be my tool. Because of all the forms of expression I had the luck to obtain, it is the one that forces you to soul-search, that makes you dig deep in yourself to create a sound and present it in an effective way, while it shows who you are, and what energy you are made off.
I rent my energy to companies who have no voice of their own, to spread their identity across.
I read a book and bring it to life.
I keep company to someone who is waiting on the line.
I help you meditate, relax, work out.
I sing your sorrows and your pain.

I am someone you know. Even if we never met.

Voice overs, that overlooked driving force

The past few years, whenever I tell people I am a voice over artist, I get a multitude of reactions, varying from "oh?" ( as " oh is that a job?) from "oooh" ( as "ooooh I have no idea what you do but it sounds cool").
Well, it is. A job and cool.
But it is also extremely demanding. A voice over artist has to:

a) Have good pronunciation
b) Have versatility.Know how to act. There is a difference in story telling, in selling, in advertising, when reading a manual, or a book. When voicing a cartoon or recording a dictionary.


A GOOD voice artist has to:
a) and b)
c)Have a home studio and have knowledge of editing and mixing.




A GREAT voice artist has to:
a), b) c) and
d) have studied acting or singing in order to know his/ her craft in depth ( or have some artistic background as a radio producer, MC, television presenter, actor, singer etc)
e) know more than one language
f) be able to proofread and translate
g) have a professional studio
h) have patience, people skills and a good business sense.


If these are covered, voice acting can be very fulfilling and diverse. No job is the same. You connect with all kinds of people from any kind of industry.

The reason is that voice overs are needed almost anywhere.
a) every time you call a company, there is a voice over greeting you and guiding you through the steps.
b) every time you watch a commercial on tv or hear it on the radio, a voice over is heard.
c) every time you pass an exam in a foreign language or hear an exercise, a voice over artist was hired.
d) every meditation or yoga tape was voiced over.
e) every exercise dvd or documentary that was dubbed in your language, every cartoon you took your child to, a voice over artist is behind it.
f) every you tube video that is half decent, has used a voice over.
g) every learning application was voiced over.
h) every time you listen to a gps system someone probably did it.
i) every game you play had voice over artists play the parts "Greetings traveller" ;)
j) every film or tv series you watch had parts that were voiced over, especially if it was filmed outside.


People in the entertainment industry have found out long ago the importance of sound and the valuable tool the right voice can be. The rest of the world is catching up, and more and more companies rely on professionals to voice their marketing videos, their presentations, their in-company videos and telephone menus.

Big companies had researchers to point out the importance of impressions and they have the funds to produce such impressions with videos, tv spots and web advertisements.

But what about the smaller companies?
Well, nowadays it is easy to find a few bilingual voice artist to greet their customers on the phone, and the kind of voice they want at a fair price for their promotional videos.


www,thepros.dk ( ignore the certificate warning, godaddy is a company that did not include it in my package)  id a company that creates non expensive phone menus, but still gives a decent rate to their voice artists.
You can also order a ready made package with up to 20 prompts for the price of 100 dollars, in 3 languages. That is a very good deal.

So what is this not more known?
Because customers and business men tend to overlook things that have always been here.
Try to think today, how many times you will hear a voice over, anywhere.
You will be quite surprised.:)


( If you are interested in becoming a voice artist contact info@thepros.dk  for info and tips)

You talk for a living?

Hm, that's one way to put it. I don't see it like that.
I breathe life into your project.

Take a look a this movie, at any random spot.
Something is lacking, right? That little something that existed in Toy Story, or any Pixar and Disney movie for that matter. That magic. Is it the actors? Well they are all pretty well known, and good at what they do, so why is this movie lacking that oomph, why is that movie rhythm-less, almost lifeless?
The animation is good, the music is good. But the sound mixing is not. The voices lack enthusiasm. So this pretty little movie bombed.
Shame, isn't it?
Now, bare in mind this is my personal opinion and someone else might disagree. But then again, maybe not. "In addition to the decade confusion, the pacing is often way off, with strange editing hiccups that lead to an uneven viewing experience. "
Now let me take you to this.
Films of any kind where about conveying feelings, communication. They still are. Songs, are more than voicing notes in an impeccable voice. Look at Madonna's career. Granted she sold sex, but she also sold rebellion, a fuck off without being metal. She helped the public identify with her and she lost them once her public was settled with grandchildren and she was not relevant anymore to the old or the young. She lost that communication.

Look at most sites. They crave for content. Something that will get the interest, that will convey a feeling, that will generate an image, that will bond the viewer for a split second, to sit and watch one more, then one more.. at the day and age where there is so much info, it is boring to read, or take time to see what this is or the other.

So why is a voice important? Because it conveys feelings. Enthusiasm, sadness, fear, anger, friendliness, sex and intimacy. It breathes life to still images, to a deaf and mute piece of film, enriching it, instead of distracting from it. It gives personality, it sometimes convinces to the point of forgetting there is a voice over.

The person doing this, is usually an actor, trained to bring out his own feelings , or someone gifted who is good at expressing himself or imitating. On top of that, the person in question has to have basic knowledge of sound engineering. And a lot of other qualities I wrote about in another post.
So yes, I "talk" for a living. I talk on behalf of your broom, your application, your BBQ grill, your bra, your cakes. I talk directly to your clients asking them to be patient, I talk to them encouraging them to take that step towards your site and click on the basket. I give life to everything you do.
"yes, but why are you getting paid so much money?" some say.

First of all we are not. Most people expect us to work for peanuts. Some of us are part of a union, some of us are not. Unions are here as a policy. Making sure that if we get sick and can't work, for example, we will not starve. Or to get rights for things we do, so that the client cant reuse and reuse the same audio till the end of times. Or cut my voice screaming "delicious!" and put it in a porn movie for example. I am stretching, of course, and It has never happened, but it's an example.
We have no regular jobs, we have no steady income, the client benefits from the audio, so it is only right to ask for some royalty. Of course, in some cases the client neglects to inform you and is even reluctant to give you your royalties, and you give in, either because you need the job, or because its a high profile job that will open doors.Now I am not stating that I didn't get royalties for that one. In fact, I don't know. I would have done it either way... But what happens with certain jobs coming our way is not right and many voice talents get passed over because they stick to their guns. When in fact they are fighting for all of us.

The thing is, just like any job, you need to love what you do. Yes, it sounds cliche, but think of the times you fell in love with someone. You had the energy and the vision to lift mountains, and nothing was impossible. People in love travel, break lifetime habits, abandon marriages, being in love is the most powerful energy next to lust and sexual attraction, But just like any relationship, being in love is no excuse to let the other walk all over you. You can love what you do, but you also need to set boundaries and be professional. You need to see yourself for who you are and expect the other person to see it too.

I personally would not want to f@ck someone just for the sake of friction* excuse my crudeness), although like everybody (hopefully) reading this, I have, specially in my younger days.. I like to make love (and fuck) with someone I m in love with, want, appreciate and uniting physically is the only way to get close.( And forgive the vulgarity of that comment, but its a long post and shock value works)
I want someone who wants me. And when he does, I put my conditions. Not for him to follow, but for me to say yes. If he is just looking for any random piece of ass, I just wont apply. I need to feel I am the right person for the job, to put all the love I have inside and to help him get his voice and message heard. Just like I would nurture and help and support a partner whom I worshipped, I channel what I have to give and offer. Without being a doormat. Without wasting myself with someone who can't tell the difference... who is easy and any 4.99 bit will do. Who is looking hungrily at a quick fix. I consider myself a juicy, tender and fulfilling, mouthwatering steak, not a dried up, filled with salt hot dog. I want and hope to become for some, sometimes, a gourmet meal. I will let myself be used and consumed, but only if I know the other person is a connoisseur. One night stands are for young inexperienced kids or for people who are down and out on their luck, and I don't say that in a bad way. I have been there. I know. I could go back there, any time. Nothing is forever.
I mix eroticism, food and work in my examples, because it helps to understand what I want. I want the other person to acknowledge my worth and give me the amount of money that is coming to me for my expertise, my time, my training and the dues I paid, doing all kinds of shitty little jobs when I was learning the trade. I am getting paid for my energy, my rhythm and my ability to communicate. And lastly for my reputation.

Some artists demand crazy money. Because they are renowned. They jumped to another league. Julia Roberts f.e is a very good actress but after the Oscar, her fee was extraordinary. She had to pay publicists, image makers, agents, on her way up, she had to play shitty films at the beginning, but once she was there, she was worth every penny. She was a brand. And it was time to collect. And people pay, because she brings it.
In our field, we do not become famous in that aspect. But we do create a name. We are meticulous about quality, our equipment, we cut and edit and we read, each time with that feeling of love in our heart. That desire to play a role, that need to create something out of nothing, really. If our voice is special it is harder to get a jobs but if we manage, to do so, we can become a brand.
The client has a model in his head, he wants a perky voice or a deep voice, like something he has heard. There is not a lot of room for innovation and breakthroughs and after working for years, you pretty much know what the client wants and you do it, fast. You sometimes suggest a different way, just to infuse some originality, when the project is important and the selling pitch is important. So yes, you love what you do, but you are a professional, you have learned to structure, prioritize and finish a project in just a few hours. It is a job. Your job.
 My job.

So yes, I talk for a living. And I sing, And I write, and I do everything I can to express my emotions, and my thoughts, silly or not, smart or not. I need to let the flow come in and out of me, all the stimuli, all the experiences, all the products of my body, my mind and my heart...
I don't guard my ideas jealously, more will come. I don't dwell on those that were stolen from me, I look forward.(But I still cringe when I see my artwork on Tshirts everywhere)
And if I get bored, I take a break. I come back with fresh ideas. I write a script, I sing a song with a friend, I make love, I get a new job, as a karaoke presenter, or a booking agent, to experience the field in every possible way. I teach, I coach, I taste, I love, I explore, I experiment, I feel, I evolve.

And then, I talk.












Ps: if you go to www.thepros.dk it will warn you I have no certificate. I don't. I refuse to paygodaddy extra money for something that was supposed  to be in the original package :) But it is safe.

So you want to be a voice artist.

Lets start with the basics. You can't record with your phone or Ipad.
 I mean, you can, if you charge 4 dollars. And your client is not fussy. But that's not being a VO artist. That's being an opportunist. Doing anything for anyone. And creating a very bad name for yourself amongst your peers and never being able to step up, for the good jobs. If you are serious about getting in this business you need to know it is a very competitive field and some work non stop but most, work occasionally.

If you want to get into this business, you have multiple ways to start.
This is the utmost rudimentary, cheapest starters kit you can have if you want to jump into the field.
First thing first, the technical stuff.
You need a decent microphone. A little inquiry online will help you decide what you need, but a safe bet -from what I hear- is to not use the blue yeti or snowballs kind of microphones because although they are great for skype and twitch and your youtube videos, they are not as good as needed for a pro voice over. You need a pro microphone. No need to get a very expensive one, but you can not buy a cheap one either.
You will need a recording program. Audacity is good for beginners but it is unreliable sometimes so a good choice would be to choose Reaper.
 It can be free, for small business and for big business allowing you to choose how much money you will spend. Try to avoid noise gates, normalizing and noise removals, as they distort your final result. This is why it is important to get a good mic and a decent audio card setting like the Steinberg. The M Audio is very popular but there have been problems with some Pc's.
(Thomann is a good site to buy what you need).
You will also need, a stand, a pop filter, some sort of padding around your area. When I first started I was in a very quiet area and all I needed was two ikea libraries with books right and left to drown the room noise. Later on I used a futon on top and on the sides, instead of buying foam bricks. Whatever works, without spending too much. A heavy blanket...a carpet. Improvise and experiment.

So now that you are all set up, you need to find your first gigs.
I would suggest you start with low expectations and low quality sites that offer little jobs. This way you can practice while learning and get a little bit of a pocket money. You will have to learn how to edit, clean, file and enhance your audios. You will experiment with your settings, your mic position and before you know it, you will have enough money to upgrade your microphone and system. Make youtube videos, about your favorite game or topic, practice practice practice. Youtube is your friend in learning and getting exposed.

Working as a booking agent at myvoices and speak and not ThePros.dk, I have to listen to many samples a day, and most are pretty good. Good elocution, good rhythm, good pronunciation and acting, good sound... but, if I can hear the sss or the space or room around the microphone I have to turn down the file. And it's a shame because many of the candidates have everything needed to be heard, except the right set up.
I often reach and tell them the problem and sometimes they reply that they never had a problem before. And I know they didn't, the internet is filled with voice over artists but also voice over crap. Clients with high standards and clients who don't care or don't know better. My job is to allow in the site only those who reach a certain standard. For our reputation as a company, of course, but also for my artists' sake. They need to know. They need to be humble as well.
When working with an international company, it doesn't matter if they are the best in their country. By being in the data base, they are exposed to a different market, they start over and they need to adjust to the kind of sound that particular market is used to.
Every country and culture has a different preference. American sound is very different than Arabic. And I am not talking about the language, but the setting. The sound itself.
Most times there is no problem, the files come back re arranged, re edited and the profile is activated. Of course the internet is filled with sites, agencies and vo artists. But my job is to weed out the ones I want, nurture the ones that have potential, negotiate their fees. 

This is what I get paid for, to be the middle man, to fence for the pay of the voice artist, to present a finished, impeccable product. The client expects of me to search, negotiate and connect them with someone who will give them what they need. The Vo artists expects me to find him work. And that is possible only if he has a good product to give.
So yes, I weed out. But I don't turn down. I educate, I give my opinion, I redirect, I encourage. This is also part of my job. I am not the worlds leading expert, by all means. But I have a good ear, I have worked in the voice field over 20 years and I have managed to raise my child solely on my vocal abilities. whether I was singing, teaching how to sing or pronounce correctly or doing voice overs. I must be doing something right :)In fact in  the near future, I will hold seminars and lessons and free recordings of demos for those who want to get into the business, in Copenhagen.


So, to get back to the basics. If you want to start this career you need to earn it to pay your duesas we all have. To have your ears and eyes open and to learn from those willing to include you. Not always the case I have to add.
You need to include a pro studio to go and record in your price, but only if you are good enough to get that price, or invest a minimum on a set up.
You need to read out loud, act and play, bring your emotions to your voice.
And most of all, you need to have self awareness. Who you are, who you are addressing to, and what your target groups is.

And find someone who cares enough to help you out when you are in doubt ;)