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 ;)

What kind of voice talent are you or want to be?

Obviously, the working kind :P
But in my two decades of training others, hiring others and working as a voice talent for others, these are the few things I have noticed, picked up and found out.

Voice talents are people. And as such, they come from different venues of life and have their own character and personality. We all put our working mask when it comes to clients, but between us, Voice artists, there is no such thing as a mask.

So here is what I have picked up. Please keep in mind these are generalizations.
Voice artists, do not like agencies or P2P sites. Why? Because they feel that the agencies or sites are taking a cut for THEIR work. And that may apply for certain sites that do absolutely nothing, except maybe create a funnel fro ongoing clientèle, but some agencies actually do the work. Non billable hours of putting a portfolio of sometimes 100- 200 samples for the client, in hopes he will accept and chose the ones he wants. Negotiations and phone calls to Europe, Asia, Usa, with people that may speak or may not speak English. Tracking of offers and names and audio files, checking for quality. And that is only the part before any deal is done. So, agencies, true agencies, should get paid for providing openings to clients.
Of course there are sites that not only take a cut, but also charge Vo artists to be in their rosters, and in return they do not provide any client, or too few to explain the registration fee. And these, are bottom feeders and loathed by the VO community. But more about sites and agencies in the future.

Another problem is humility. Either there is too much of it, people willing to work for nothing, totally destroying the market, or there is none.
Some VO artist keep looking at the pocket of the client and say things like "The client will make thousands of dollars with my commercial, it's only fair I get paid adequately". The problem with that way of thinking is that the VO artist is not realizing two fundamental things.
a) No one is that unique or irreplaceable. A Danish woman living in Thailand, will ask far less than a Danish woman in Denmark. A French artist living in Denmark or Greece, will ask far less than a French artist in Paris. It is a big world, with lots of gateways and lots of people willing to work for less, so focusing on ones true needs and value is important, and as my mother always used to say "Regarde ton assiette", which means, look at your own plate and do not look on what others have, with envy or greed. If  Coke will make millions, it will go on making them, with or without you, you are not a key component to its success. Ask for a logical price, put the brand in your resume and be happy for doing a great job that allows you to have your schedule.
b) Big companies spend lots of money for an ad, that includes writers, translators, film-makers, directors and producers, social media specialists, radio and tv stations and the voice over comes last in the food chain. Once the budget is decided, a chain reaction starts, with the ad agency hiring the writers, the producers, then the voice overs. If as a voice over you think your voice, again is the main component, you need to realize that for an ad that you get to voice, usually 6 to 20 people are involved and get paid from the prearranged budget.


Then there is the union one's. The ones that try to keep the job alive, and with decent pay and I have nothing but admiration for them, because they are passed by, many times. But on the other hand, they work in different venues.

And this is what it is all about, isn'it?
To find your niche, what you are good at. To exploit and market it.
For example, my English is Neutral. For years people told me I had an American accent and I agreed, until someone pointed out it was a global, undefinable accent that was very in demand.
I exploit my French and Greek.
I am very good at emotional readings, at portraying attractive feminine sultry or maternal characters. That does not mean I say no to e learning material, or applications, but  my ability to convey vulnerability and a certain je ne sais quoi, has allowed me to work on tv commercials, a lot.



If you are just starting in this business, you will need to read the guide. (coming shortly)
And with practice, you will find out who you are, what you are good at, and what your voice overs are worth.