“How did you get into that line of work? Where do you start? If you ever need an extra voice let me know. I’ve been told I’ve got a good voice for radio”. It’s probably one of the most often asked questions I get as a voice talent.

There’s a lot to unpack in all three of those questions so let’s start with the first. How did I get into this line of work? I spent many years in terrestrial radio honing that “radio” read and learning about where my natural voice sits and how to use it. Admittedly there’s a world of difference between a commercial radio read and a read for corporate narration or medical training video. However, that’s where I learned the basics to start my VO career. Breathing techniques, cadence, tempo, intensity, emphasis, marking up a script. All honed over a career of working with my voice.

“Where do you start?” Ah, that’s a great question. In my time in freelance VO I’ve watched the industry grow from having a small handful of qualified instructors to a point where you really need to vet the people who call themselves “instructors”. It seems like there’s a new “expert” hawking their wares for a crazy expensive fee and give you very little in return except more self-doubt or a bloated ego. There are some consistent leaders in the mix though. I’m not going to name names on either side of that conversation here.

The most important filter you should approach to whomever is teaching you is “Are they working in the industry?” If they’re not booking their OWN voiceover work then how can you ensure that what they’re teaching you will work? Where is your instructor making their money? Is it from you? Or are they booking work outside of the classroom? One of the best things you can do is to take an acting workshop. Learn to perform. Read everything you can out loud. Emulate what you hear during commercial breaks, either on tv or the radio.

Lastly, “I’ve been told I’ve got a good voice for radio – give me a call if you need an extra voice.” Cool, that’s great that you’ve been told that. I’m sure you do have a nice voice. And your friends and family are always there to support you. But will they PAY you to voice their small businesses commercials or marketing video? Just because someone has an instrument doesn’t mean they know how to play it.

There’s no denying some people are born with innate talent and a dazzling voice. For some it does just come easy. For the rest of us it takes a lot of hard work, a lot of rejection, a lot of money and training to become successful in this business.

Like the famous quote “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” That couldn’t be more appropriate in this wild world of voiceover. Cheers and good luck! DM or email me if you have more questions.