Over my adult life, I've repeatedly been told "It's a very competitive business. / It's really hard to break in to. / EVERYONE is doing it." In my case, that referred to: Interior Design, Landscape Construction, Photography, Writing and Architecture. Now, I'm almost 70 and I say "PHOONEY!!!" Ignore all that. Just go do it. And be the BEST that you can be!
Yes it's easy to become paralyzed by the fear of rejection and failure. If a person fails into that trap then he or she really did fail! You're right. Make a plan then go for it.
Bill, I have worked as a professional audio engineer and mixer for over 15 years and voiced hundreds of paid VO jobs. The points you make here are absolutely spot on! For anyone listening, this man speaks truth! There is so much noise on forums and social media about voiceover and gear etc. Most of it is garbage. Great video!
I’m 12 years in and I’ve made over $200-thousand in VO each of the last 5 years…and I could watch this video of Bill’s “Top 5 Mistakes New Voice Over Artists Make” regularly - first for myself, and then for the many VO talent who come to me for advice - it is critically important foundational wisdom for anyone trying to grow their VO business and very good “medicine” for those newbies and veterans of VO alike who might be struggling to achieve success! I’ve been around a long time now, and I’ve watched and read a ton of information from many VO coaches, and I have yet to find one who provides this kind of practical, sage advice consistently…and many times for free! There are lots of coaches peddling their wares these days, so be very careful who you listen to…for you will become like them! This video is a prime example of why I’ve gobbled up and applied the commonsense wisdom from Bill since his early RUclips days in 2011. Honestly, this might be one of his best - and that is saying a lot. Carefully listen to his advice and apply it to your VO business - it will pay off! Thanks much, Bill!
Listened to this on my way to work this morning. #5 especially hit home. I was beginning to wonder if I was good enough. Since I have been auditioning on ACX I haven’t gotten anything. 😕. I decided to stick it out a while longer. When I checked my email at lunch I discovered I had my first offer from ACX to produce an audiobook. 🙂 So excited! Thanks for the videos Bill.
Excellent advice Bill! Like you, I’m a former broadcaster turned V/O artist in the 90’s. New talent have to realize how great it is to audition from home. So work the numbers! Back then I could only do 3 in studio auditions a day. Now I can do as many as I want. Take advantage of it folks and listen to Bill.
I remember when I worked as a radio announcer I thought I was speaking at a normal pace at my first real job. Years later, I listened to some old audio recordings I had on my computer and holy hell was I ever talking fast! Yet my program director and the listeners never said anything. 🤔😄
This is very encouraging. As humans, we tend to get down on ourselves when we’re rejected. Helps me with knowing what to expect initially! I appreciate your truthfulness in the information you provide. I’m a little nervous, but I can’t wait to get started 😊. Thank you!
I am very new to voice over at age 40 and you have made all the information, found by researching on line, clearer and understandable in just a few short videos. I cant thank you enough for all the advice and experience you have shared. It is very encouraging, insightful and guiding.
I’m 57 and brand new to the whole world of voiceover. Your video is gold! Thank you so much for sharing these important mistakes that new talent can make. You are a treasure, sir!
Something that I’ve been wondering for a while. What are the differences between learning voice over, and learning voice acting? I’ve been dabbling in both and I’m curious if I should be approaching the two differently
Best advise ever. When I was young I moved to Nashville TN. Market research revealed over 1000 paint companies in the county. Still I started a painting business, worked to be the best I could. I NEVER went without work. Built a very profitable business. Same goes for anything. Now I'm building a studio for music and voice. I will be successful. Do it, and do it good!
When I was in high school, I took a class at a tech center for radio broadcasting and journalism. We got to research current events and news, make scripts, and go into small studios with microphones and mixing boards to produce those scripts, music drops and feature files in Adobe Audition with sound effects and music and all that. And there was a small radio tower too, so we got to be on the air, but not for a very big range..I loved it so, so much, and the smaller studios in that classroom didn’t even have sound paneling, they were just rooms the size of closets, but once I got to know the compression and volume mixing, I loved to work on those audio files. I just wish I could take that classroom studio and transfer it to my bedroom, now I’m graduated and all 😂
Luckily thanks to your tips and coaching I have avoided most of these. Occasionally I get frustrated but after choosing a cast for my own audio drama, I understand how many talented people there are out there and only 5 or 6 roles to fill.
"Working the numbers" is SO true. I've been trying to break into VO since I was dubbing cassettes on my dad's double cassette deck. In the days when you had to dub tapes and pack envelopes, you could send 20 tapes to all the talent agencies and radio and TV stations in your town, hear nothing, and you were done. Wait six months, get some notepads made to include with the next mailing, hear silence, repeat. And this was costing you money! Now in the internet, MP3 era, it's so much easier, and -- AHA! We have movement! (And I STILL get nothing from my hometown, all my customers are in faraway cities!) Great video!
Mr. DeWees, I really needed to hear that today. I was just having that frustration about not booking at all and it was nice to remember that, while I still have a ton to learn and improve on, it really boils down to a numbers game. Thanks again!
I don't recommend you follow up after an audition. If they want to work with you, they'll get in touch. Just do the best audition you can and keep moving.
That is great about the microphone. I worked in radio and am also a musician that also sings and I will tell you that I have better luck using my little $50 microphone than my $500 microphone and I recommend the cheaper mic to people who are recording their voice, over the microphones that I use for vocals and instrumentals. Price means nothing if you have the right space.
I have a Scarlett Audio Interfacer that's been in a box for the past 5 years. I also have a mic, pop-blocker and such, just sitting there in a box. When I came across voice over acting material, I took that as a "sign" and am now getting information...etc on how to do voice over acting... Might as well put this equipment to use...lol...
Thank you Bill. Im brand new to this and almost considered voice123 to start. Im part of a group that are just killing themselves wondering why they cant land their first job there or on voices.
Ah, Bill... I wish I had known about #'s 2 and 3 years ago; it may have spared me much anguish and heartache. I had to learn it the hard way. But I'm coming back in a little wiser from the wear. As always, thanks for the wisdom shared.
Hmmm, funny that you say not to project too much - I have the opposite problem: my recordings always sound so soft, but if I crank up the gain, or normalise in post, I get so much background noise... So I can only conclude that I'm speaking too softly, no?
Truly sage advise. I keep telling my kids that better clubs don't make them better golfers but they keep spending money on new clubs. The thing is, I don't know the process of doing any kind of demo!. What do I do? Brian
Totally going to agree. Especially #3. I made that mistake and am now trying to redeploy with a different strategy. 1000+ auditions in a year, tons of shortlists, and 6 hires. It was like a hammer blow to the chest that seriously fed the doubt monster. Time to reconfigure my approach.
All I can say is BRAVO sir. You could make a business out of constructing boothes like yours. What's the approximate cost (materials and labor) just for the info. A ballpark figure ... $7000 to $8000?
Loved every minute of this video. I know it's over 2 years old and I have just found it because I am a newbie (in time as a VO artist, not in years...LOL), but point 5 (no spoiler here) is worth waiting for and is spot on!
All five of your points were spot-on. In particular listening to advice from other VO talents on social media. I follow four all of whom are very successful (you're one of the four btw). Each of you while similar in some respect bring something a little different and from a slightly different angle to the game. I have found some very useful information from each of you that I employ in my day-to-day VO business.
@@joshuareagan8819 Don Baarns. Anthony Pica and Scott Dane Udenberg. Each come to VO but from different backgrounds so their perspective is a little different from one another. I probably identify more with Bill and Dane because we all have a radio background. But each person contributes their knowledge to the collective. We as business owners and VO entrepreneurs have to decide how their knowledge helps move our business forward.
Some of these speak to why I think it's helpful to prioritize getting coaching and pro demos as soon as you can afford it. If you can get a few sessions where a coach can tell you if your skills are viable, an audio specialist can tell you if your space is bad, and a demo producer can verify your performance skills and give you a demo that is free of technical issues, playing the numbers game is SO MUCH EASIER. You still get rejected, but at least you can feel confident it's a matter of matching what the client is looking for rather than being sabotaged by offering a product that's not ready for prime-time. Obviously, if you don't have the money, you will probably spend a lot more time in the DIY realm. That's good experience to have, even if you can afford pro coaching and demos. But, between not knowing if you've got a problem / where it is and the overload of people on social media giving eight-million different pieces of advice, it can be a lot more stressful.
This is why I'm so glad VO isn't my first business endeavor. When I started content writing, I cold emailed so many businesses and sent more proposals than I could list. Same with editing and consulting. And now with adding VO work. I do feel grateful I have a slight in since I can approach past clients from other services to see if they want me to give voice to the words I've written, but it's still definitely easier to put myself out there since I've done it so many times. Great tips! And I'll hunt for your audio treatment videos now!
Bill: I really appreciate the vast body of work you've put out there for us all, especially people who are new to this business. I started doing VO work about a year ago after answering an ad. That same company in the city where I live has reached out to me about 20 more times and offered me work. Over time, I looked more and more at the idea of expanding this opportunity. This past month, I've built a studio at home, gathered and created demo content, work on getting platforms established, and in short, have just learned as much as I can. I've not gone 'live' yet. That is, I've not really sought work. But in the next month or so, I'll do so with some confidence. Thank you so much for being a guiding light. Watching your videos now and taking notes. All the best!
The scariest thing for me about the first topic is a) I'm from Connecticut. The thing of rapid fire talking from Gilmore Girls, is generally applicable. b) I naturally talk loud. I come from a loud family, and my spouse regularly asks me to speak softer... when I'm just talking in my normal voice. =/ I didn't think it was _actually_ a thing, till I was in a small-ish space with my brother and noticed how loud _he_ was.
Gearheads are everywhere. The music and recording industries are full of dudes who are financing $20,000 worth of microphones. They're like car bros except it's guitars, amps, synthesizers, plugins, etc.
Two words that instantly perked my ears. DISCERNING & GOSPEL. As a thinker, and a believer, I love how these two words just happened to be related. Thank you for your information sir. I will take your advice 💪✊️
Bill great point about the platforms out there. Easy to become discouraged throwing your auditions against the wall and getting at most a thumbs up as you say.
Really a fantastic video! As someone who is basically "brand new" as a voice artist I really want to emphasize point by point how good this advice is: 1&2 - First to contrast, I have done a couple of gigs for youtube video scripts where the specific request is "read fast and be an announcer" - if someone wants you to be big and bombastic, it will almost certainly be in the notes. Otherwise, everything else I have done has been about emphasizing the conversational nature of the tone and delivery and in my very small number of gigs is basically the default. 3. Yes, be on platforms rather than just using "I'm learning from others" to keep you from putting your voice out there. There is phenomenal advice out there, but until you start doing the work your skills are not actually improving. Listening to videos about editing does not actually help you establish a workflow (though it will help you understand your DAW of choice!). Listening to people use their voice to tell you about tone and delivery is not recording 20 samples/auditions/gigs and then listening to them over and over so you develop a clinical understanding of your own voice and what makes it sound the best. 4. DEAR GAWD, ROOM TREATMENT! I probably have about a 100 lbs. of padding on my walls (I had to block a window off entirely... odds are you'll need less...) and I otherwise currently work entirely through a Rode NT1 mic, a Focusrite Scarlett interface, and I happen to have a DBX 286s which allows me to do some basic EQ and gating before the signal hits my computer. If you have a well treated room, just like Bill says, you can even be on the cheaper side than I am as long as the final product is noise free and high quality (it is EASY to overprocess your voice). 5. Because voice has to compete with ha 50 hour a week day job, I'm not working the numbers. Even without that, just having a basic fiverr profile and a professional demo I get very small bits of business daily to weekly (a roughly 1% conversion rate from impressions of my gig). I probably do about 20 auditions to any given ACX response but have been avoiding that platform lately because of widespread fraud by "authors" claiming random work by other actual authors. My escape path is.... not great because I'm not prioritizing the time to work those numbers and build a mountain of defeat that will eventually be a ramp directly to success... but that's a personal choice about priorities right now and I know how much it needs to change before that happens. Never give up, rinse, wash, repeat, audition 40 more times!
I find myself in a unique position with a voice audition. I found two videos that gave very clear concise advice on this topic, and I am grateful you shared this.
I’m making a studio in my closet the sound and audio is good I started exploring voiceovers in 2002 when I got injured at my job I took some classes in Burbank California nonetheless I returned back to work and I put my voiceovers on the shelf now I’m retired and returning back I know I have some work to do learning to speak slower and I have a deep sexy voice if that is a category I sometimes wanna quit but what do I have to lose I have a pension from my retirement but I’m still a young 63 gonna work harder at this but the thank you for your information so many people out there spitting out different sometimes false information I’ll stick with you Eugene Ellis II
Didn't even know there was a Job doing this till a week ago. Golf Clubs.. Back in College I had a Dean sell me a set of Staff clubs He later bought them back Why I have no idea? Either way I played with those Staff these were 1970's clubs. Close as I could come to how to describe them was like swingeing a Telephone pole But I was a Brute back then and planned on Gripping and Ripping I sold the clubs as I said and Bought a New set of Callaways S2H2 they had just came into Business-- First set ever made I have just now gotten a New set Used of Taylor Made Bladez I bought from my Dr. Looks like New I have never hit them yet WEATHER issue. I was getting tired of seeing the same old clubs so after what? 40 years I'm making the switch Baby! New Sub!
You're a great coach!! I was just told about you this morning and you are the first person I have checked out on the subject. I have been in network marketing business for years!! The numbers game is the absolute truth!! Great content!! Thank you for being open to sharing. Can't wait to dig into some of your other videos!
Mr.DeWees awesome video. I related to No.3 "dont pay to play first" and No.5 "working the Numbers". thank you Sir for the coaching and the heads up on "don't be discouraged at first". Just finished my DIY and going on ACX Fiverr.
I just started doing voiceover for some videos I've been making for my own business and came to this video for advice. Now I'm considering trying my hand at profession voiceovers :D Great content, thanks!
Thanks so much for this! I've always wanted to do voice overs. My manager recently requested three voice overs from me a minute long each. I'm excited yet lots to learn.
Bill, thanks for the sound advice. I'm completely new to this, and it's good to be reminded of the practical side of voice over work, as well as any self-driven business.
I do recognise a lot from this, thanks for that. I meanwhile learned that the beauty of your audition is in the ears of the listener. I even got a gig once with my Dutch accent in English although the role was for native British because the person got a different angle in his head from hearing my sound. P2P platforms are mostly crap, but is a great way to get those scripts and practice btw😉
Hi. Good morning Bill. I recently retired from 35 years as a long haul trucker extensive osteoarthritis brought that about prematurely. My best friend of several years and others have been encouraging me for sometime now to look at doing voice over and narration. Comments like you’ve got a good speaking voice why not use that have been said frequently. Well I’m nearly 71 years old and why not use a God given talent to do something interesting and make an income at the same time. I’ve just started watching you RUclips channel and of all that I’ve seen yours has been the most encouraging and common sensical. I thank you very much for this along with your time and effort. At last some good guidance from an experienced person. Glad to hear as well that it doesn’t take megabucks to get started with equipment as being prematurely retired my means are modest. Again my thanks to you and yes I have subscribed to your channel and am following what I consider to be a good and encouraging reference source. All the best to you in the New Year.
Thank you for the tips Bill! This is my first video I've watched from you, and I appreciate you sharing your wisdom. Looking forward to learning more from you sir! Keep it up!
Hey Bill, any advice for microphone stage fright? When I get in front of the mic I end up getting really self conscious. Any tips to relax even when no one else around?
I'm not speaking for Bill but two fingers of bourbon on the rocks is a good place to start. For me it's mic placement either slightly above or below my line of sight and focus on the
I appreciate what you are saying about mics. I have two that I am sure are good enough. But I was wondering about these hundred+ dollar audio plugins. And I wonder if the same isn't true about them? I am a live sound tech from WAAAAAY back so I know about recording clean audio but I know nothing about audio processing specifically for voice over. Just how much audio processing is necessary if I am just starting out?
Well, I'm glad that the first problem isn't a problem for me; if anything, I'm worried that I read and recite too _slowly._ I have a background in drama and theater, and my teachers taught me that the _pauses_ between lines and between words can say as much as the words themselves; not only can pauses and pacing mean the differences among "He's anxious," "He's pensive," "He's angry," "He's in mourning" and so on (and thus, one's pacing must be considered in regard for the character one portrays and that character's present mood) but speaking _too_ quickly can also break the line of immersion that separates "He is King Oedipus" from "He's just an actor reciting King Oedipus' lines;" King Oedipus himself _still_ needs an extra second or split-second to think about what he'll say next, even if King Oedipus' _actor_ knows every line by heart. (I met with the same problem about four or five years ago, during a stage production of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"; I was playing the so-called Duke of Bridgewater, and the character of King Louis XIV (the scoundrel pretending to be him, rather) was being played by an actor much younger than myself, even though King Louis XIV is supposed to be _older_ than the Duke of Bridgewater; our production's casting had been a bit limited, with about three children and teens auditioning for every adult or elder. So our young King Louie insisted on rushing through his lines, like kids tend to do. So several times I had to gently advise him to slow down along the lines of, "Okay...when we first come running onto the stage, we're _supposed_ to be rushing; the Duke and King Louie are running from an angry tar-and-feathers mob, right? But once we're on the raft, we're safe, and now we're a couple of scoundrels trying to manipulate these kids into helping us with our next con game. You even start off trying to out-con *_me_* once we have a chance to sit down and exchange names, and that deception takes some thought. So _slow down!_ King Louie and the Duke need a moment here and there to think up the stages of their plan to cheat a widow and her family out of their inheritance. Okay?" King Louie came down to a more reasonable pacing before Opening Night, so I like to think that my advice helped. :) ) But I'm concerned with your mention of Voices; their How To videos here on RUclips are what convinced me to switch from recording three one-minute demos to recording six 15-second demos for each of my demo reels, reasoning that the authors and casting directors who are looking to hire a narrator or a voice actor typically don't have much time at all to listen to every demo reel that comes across their desks, so my objective is to snag their attention and their interest within the first half a minute, if not the first ten seconds or even the first five seconds. Are they right or are they wrong? 🤔
I haven't started yet and wanted to do some research first, I love the tips. Learning a lot from your videos and they seem sincere and trustworthy! Appreciated!
Thanks so much for your advice. I hope you can give me some recommendations too as to what kind of microphone should I be needing since I am just a newbie and I don't have a home studio yet. Is it a condenser mic or a dynamic one? I wish you could see this, thanks in advance!
Hi Bill! Thank you for all of the content you provide! I look forward to the day when I can afford to join your course!! Quick question, what are the dimensions of a good and comfortable recording booth
If not casting platforms, where do you recommend is the first place new VAs go when starting out? They seem like the easiest/most accessible break-in point to starting one's learning
Over my adult life, I've repeatedly been told "It's a very competitive business. / It's really hard to break in to. / EVERYONE is doing it." In my case, that referred to: Interior Design, Landscape Construction, Photography, Writing and Architecture. Now, I'm almost 70 and I say "PHOONEY!!!" Ignore all that. Just go do it. And be the BEST that you can be!
Yes it's easy to become paralyzed by the fear of rejection and failure. If a person fails into that trap then he or she really did fail! You're right. Make a plan then go for it.
♡
In all fairness, back in the day it was hard to break into
Thankfully for people like you I am taking the steps to move towards what I want to do.... not what people think is possible. Cheers.
Thank you for confirmation sir
Bill, I have worked as a professional audio engineer and mixer for over 15 years and voiced hundreds of paid VO jobs.
The points you make here are absolutely spot on! For anyone listening, this man speaks truth! There is so much noise on forums and social media about voiceover and gear etc. Most of it is garbage. Great video!
When we needed him the most, he returned.
Big Bill,
as an elderly voice over, I tell you that your words are wise.
New talent should treasure it. A hug.
I’m 12 years in and I’ve made over $200-thousand in VO each of the last 5 years…and I could watch this video of Bill’s “Top 5 Mistakes New Voice Over Artists Make” regularly - first for myself, and then for the many VO talent who come to me for advice - it is critically important foundational wisdom for anyone trying to grow their VO business and very good “medicine” for those newbies and veterans of VO alike who might be struggling to achieve success!
I’ve been around a long time now, and I’ve watched and read a ton of information from many VO coaches, and I have yet to find one who provides this kind of practical, sage advice consistently…and many times for free! There are lots of coaches peddling their wares these days, so be very careful who you listen to…for you will become like them!
This video is a prime example of why I’ve gobbled up and applied the commonsense wisdom from Bill since his early RUclips days in 2011. Honestly, this might be one of his best - and that is saying a lot. Carefully listen to his advice and apply it to your VO business - it will pay off! Thanks much, Bill!
Agreed!!! Well said!
Listened to this on my way to work this morning. #5 especially hit home. I was beginning to wonder if I was good enough. Since I have been auditioning on ACX I haven’t gotten anything. 😕.
I decided to stick it out a while longer. When I checked my email at lunch I discovered I had my first offer from ACX to produce an audiobook. 🙂 So excited! Thanks for the videos Bill.
You are good enough. Just keep with it! That's fantastic! Keep me updated on your progress. 😁
It would be awesome to get an update on how it went and how it's going!
Excellent advice Bill! Like you, I’m a former broadcaster turned V/O artist in the 90’s. New talent have to realize how great it is to audition from home. So work the numbers! Back then I could only do 3 in studio auditions a day. Now I can do as many as I want. Take advantage of it folks and listen to Bill.
On it!
Thank you
I remember when I worked as a radio announcer I thought I was speaking at a normal pace at my first real job. Years later, I listened to some old audio recordings I had on my computer and holy hell was I ever talking fast! Yet my program director and the listeners never said anything. 🤔😄
This is very encouraging. As humans, we tend to get down on ourselves when we’re rejected. Helps me with knowing what to expect initially! I appreciate your truthfulness in the information you provide. I’m a little nervous, but I can’t wait to get started 😊. Thank you!
It doesn't matter to me how many people are in the VO business. There is such a large market I'm confident I can find work if I keep plugging.
I am very new to voice over at age 40 and you have made all the information, found by researching on line, clearer and understandable in just a few short videos. I cant thank you enough for all the advice and experience you have shared. It is very encouraging, insightful and guiding.
This was a better beginner video than any others out there lol
I have always found Bill's advice balanced, practical, and very magnanimous. Thanks for posting these common mistakes!
Realistic, to the point, spoken from experience and most importantly, encouraging.
Great stuff! 👍
I’m 57 and brand new to the whole world of voiceover. Your video is gold! Thank you so much for sharing these important mistakes that new talent can make. You are a treasure, sir!
Hey Brother Bill. Good on ya for posting these man. 30+ year V.O. vet, Tim Dadabo. Listen to this guy!
Something that I’ve been wondering for a while. What are the differences between learning voice over, and learning voice acting?
I’ve been dabbling in both and I’m curious if I should be approaching the two differently
Best advise ever. When I was young I moved to Nashville TN. Market research revealed over 1000 paint companies in the county. Still I started a painting business, worked to be the best I could. I NEVER went without work. Built a very profitable business. Same goes for anything. Now I'm building a studio for music and voice. I will be successful. Do it, and do it good!
When I was in high school, I took a class at a tech center for radio broadcasting and journalism. We got to research current events and news, make scripts, and go into small studios with microphones and mixing boards to produce those scripts, music drops and feature files in Adobe Audition with sound effects and music and all that. And there was a small radio tower too, so we got to be on the air, but not for a very big range..I loved it so, so much, and the smaller studios in that classroom didn’t even have sound paneling, they were just rooms the size of closets, but once I got to know the compression and volume mixing, I loved to work on those audio files. I just wish I could take that classroom studio and transfer it to my bedroom, now I’m graduated and all 😂
Luckily thanks to your tips and coaching I have avoided most of these. Occasionally I get frustrated but after choosing a cast for my own audio drama, I understand how many talented people there are out there and only 5 or 6 roles to fill.
I've been super frustrated. Needed that button reset about the numbers game. I knew better but I had forgotten. Thank you Bill! 🙏🏻
New follower and I’m enjoying your guidance and honesty Bill. Thank you!
Thank you for the video! I'm a novice wanting to dip my toes into the VO world and this most certainly was helpful advice!
"Working the numbers" is SO true. I've been trying to break into VO since I was dubbing cassettes on my dad's double cassette deck. In the days when you had to dub tapes and pack envelopes, you could send 20 tapes to all the talent agencies and radio and TV stations in your town, hear nothing, and you were done. Wait six months, get some notepads made to include with the next mailing, hear silence, repeat. And this was costing you money! Now in the internet, MP3 era, it's so much easier, and -- AHA! We have movement! (And I STILL get nothing from my hometown, all my customers are in faraway cities!) Great video!
Mr. DeWees, I really needed to hear that today. I was just having that frustration about not booking at all and it was nice to remember that, while I still have a ton to learn and improve on, it really boils down to a numbers game. Thanks again!
I don't recommend you follow up after an audition. If they want to work with you, they'll get in touch. Just do the best audition you can and keep moving.
The tip regarding social media groups! A word! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 Thanks Bill!
That is great about the microphone. I worked in radio and am also a musician that also sings and I will tell you that I have better luck using my little $50 microphone than my $500 microphone and I recommend the cheaper mic to people who are recording their voice, over the microphones that I use for vocals and instrumentals. Price means nothing if you have the right space.
What mic are you using?
I have a Scarlett Audio Interfacer that's been in a box for the past 5 years. I also have a mic, pop-blocker and such, just sitting there in a box.
When I came across voice over acting material, I took that as a "sign" and am now getting information...etc on how to do voice over acting...
Might as well put this equipment to use...lol...
Thank you Bill. Im brand new to this and almost considered voice123 to start. Im part of a group that are just killing themselves wondering why they cant land their first job there or on voices.
Ah, Bill... I wish I had known about #'s 2 and 3 years ago; it may have spared me much anguish and heartache. I had to learn it the hard way. But I'm coming back in a little wiser from the wear. As always, thanks for the wisdom shared.
Hmmm, funny that you say not to project too much - I have the opposite problem: my recordings always sound so soft, but if I crank up the gain, or normalise in post, I get so much background noise... So I can only conclude that I'm speaking too softly, no?
Facts!
Truly sage advise. I keep telling my kids that better clubs don't make them better golfers but they keep spending money on new clubs. The thing is, I don't know the process of doing any kind of demo!. What do I do? Brian
Totally going to agree. Especially #3. I made that mistake and am now trying to redeploy with a different strategy. 1000+ auditions in a year, tons of shortlists, and 6 hires. It was like a hammer blow to the chest that seriously fed the doubt monster.
Time to reconfigure my approach.
Great stuff, Bill. Thanks so much. Can you do one on using "strip silence" or a noise gate in your DAW for removing breathing?
WAVES makes a plugin called Clarity VX. I'm looking into this now as I build my studio. It removes background and ambient noise, preserving the voice.
Thanks, Mark!
All I can say is BRAVO sir. You could make a business out of constructing boothes like yours. What's the approximate cost (materials and labor) just for the info. A ballpark figure ... $7000 to $8000?
Loved every minute of this video. I know it's over 2 years old and I have just found it because I am a newbie (in time as a VO artist, not in years...LOL), but point 5 (no spoiler here) is worth waiting for and is spot on!
All five of your points were spot-on. In particular listening to advice from other VO talents on social media. I follow four all of whom are very successful (you're one of the four btw). Each of you while similar in some respect bring something a little different and from a slightly different angle to the game. I have found some very useful information from each of you that I employ in my day-to-day VO business.
Who are the others that you follow?
@@joshuareagan8819 Don Baarns. Anthony Pica and Scott Dane Udenberg. Each come to VO but from different backgrounds so their perspective is a little different from one another. I probably identify more with Bill and Dane because we all have a radio background. But each person contributes their knowledge to the collective. We as business owners and VO entrepreneurs have to decide how their knowledge helps move our business forward.
Thank you for the info. I’ll have to check them out
Some of these speak to why I think it's helpful to prioritize getting coaching and pro demos as soon as you can afford it. If you can get a few sessions where a coach can tell you if your skills are viable, an audio specialist can tell you if your space is bad, and a demo producer can verify your performance skills and give you a demo that is free of technical issues, playing the numbers game is SO MUCH EASIER. You still get rejected, but at least you can feel confident it's a matter of matching what the client is looking for rather than being sabotaged by offering a product that's not ready for prime-time.
Obviously, if you don't have the money, you will probably spend a lot more time in the DIY realm. That's good experience to have, even if you can afford pro coaching and demos. But, between not knowing if you've got a problem / where it is and the overload of people on social media giving eight-million different pieces of advice, it can be a lot more stressful.
Bill, I'm only three years deep into the business , and so I have a ways to go. But thank you for your wisdom and these excellent videos!
This is why I'm so glad VO isn't my first business endeavor. When I started content writing, I cold emailed so many businesses and sent more proposals than I could list. Same with editing and consulting. And now with adding VO work.
I do feel grateful I have a slight in since I can approach past clients from other services to see if they want me to give voice to the words I've written, but it's still definitely easier to put myself out there since I've done it so many times.
Great tips! And I'll hunt for your audio treatment videos now!
I'm just breaking into VO, this video is exactly what I needed to hear.
Thank you!
Bill: I really appreciate the vast body of work you've put out there for us all, especially people who are new to this business. I started doing VO work about a year ago after answering an ad. That same company in the city where I live has reached out to me about 20 more times and offered me work. Over time, I looked more and more at the idea of expanding this opportunity. This past month, I've built a studio at home, gathered and created demo content, work on getting platforms established, and in short, have just learned as much as I can. I've not gone 'live' yet. That is, I've not really sought work. But in the next month or so, I'll do so with some confidence. Thank you so much for being a guiding light. Watching your videos now and taking notes. All the best!
"Its not the clubs" or in my case "Its not the cue". So true.
The scariest thing for me about the first topic is a) I'm from Connecticut. The thing of rapid fire talking from Gilmore Girls, is generally applicable. b) I naturally talk loud. I come from a loud family, and my spouse regularly asks me to speak softer... when I'm just talking in my normal voice. =/ I didn't think it was _actually_ a thing, till I was in a small-ish space with my brother and noticed how loud _he_ was.
Gearheads are everywhere. The music and recording industries are full of dudes who are financing $20,000 worth of microphones. They're like car bros except it's guitars, amps, synthesizers, plugins, etc.
Two words that instantly perked my ears. DISCERNING & GOSPEL. As a thinker, and a believer, I love how these two words just happened to be related. Thank you for your information sir. I will take your advice 💪✊️
Bill great point about the platforms out there. Easy to become discouraged throwing your auditions against the wall and getting at most a thumbs up as you say.
Really a fantastic video!
As someone who is basically "brand new" as a voice artist I really want to emphasize point by point how good this advice is:
1&2 - First to contrast, I have done a couple of gigs for youtube video scripts where the specific request is "read fast and be an announcer" - if someone wants you to be big and bombastic, it will almost certainly be in the notes. Otherwise, everything else I have done has been about emphasizing the conversational nature of the tone and delivery and in my very small number of gigs is basically the default.
3. Yes, be on platforms rather than just using "I'm learning from others" to keep you from putting your voice out there. There is phenomenal advice out there, but until you start doing the work your skills are not actually improving. Listening to videos about editing does not actually help you establish a workflow (though it will help you understand your DAW of choice!). Listening to people use their voice to tell you about tone and delivery is not recording 20 samples/auditions/gigs and then listening to them over and over so you develop a clinical understanding of your own voice and what makes it sound the best.
4. DEAR GAWD, ROOM TREATMENT! I probably have about a 100 lbs. of padding on my walls (I had to block a window off entirely... odds are you'll need less...) and I otherwise currently work entirely through a Rode NT1 mic, a Focusrite Scarlett interface, and I happen to have a DBX 286s which allows me to do some basic EQ and gating before the signal hits my computer. If you have a well treated room, just like Bill says, you can even be on the cheaper side than I am as long as the final product is noise free and high quality (it is EASY to overprocess your voice).
5. Because voice has to compete with ha 50 hour a week day job, I'm not working the numbers. Even without that, just having a basic fiverr profile and a professional demo I get very small bits of business daily to weekly (a roughly 1% conversion rate from impressions of my gig). I probably do about 20 auditions to any given ACX response but have been avoiding that platform lately because of widespread fraud by "authors" claiming random work by other actual authors. My escape path is.... not great because I'm not prioritizing the time to work those numbers and build a mountain of defeat that will eventually be a ramp directly to success... but that's a personal choice about priorities right now and I know how much it needs to change before that happens. Never give up, rinse, wash, repeat, audition 40 more times!
I find myself in a unique position with a voice audition. I found two videos that gave very clear concise advice on this topic, and I am grateful you shared this.
Thank you for your honesty in the industry.
This was VERY helpful thank You!
Honest and so useful, thanks Bill x
I’m making a studio in my closet the sound and audio is good I started exploring voiceovers in 2002 when I got injured at my job I took some classes in Burbank California nonetheless I returned back to work and I put my voiceovers on the shelf now I’m retired and returning back I know I have some work to do learning to speak slower and I have a deep sexy voice if that is a category I sometimes wanna quit but what do I have to lose I have a pension from my retirement but I’m still a young 63 gonna work harder at this but the thank you for your information so many people out there spitting out different sometimes false information I’ll stick with you
Eugene Ellis II
Just starting out seeking paid voice-over work.. finding your videos very useful, particularly appreciate your "calibration of expectations"...
Great vibe and energy from you.
Didn't even know there was a Job doing this till a week ago. Golf Clubs.. Back in College I had a Dean sell me a set of Staff clubs He later bought them back Why I have no idea? Either way I played with those Staff these were 1970's clubs. Close as I could come to how to describe them was like swingeing a Telephone pole But I was a Brute back then and planned on Gripping and Ripping I sold the clubs as I said and Bought a New set of Callaways S2H2 they had just came into Business-- First set ever made I have just now gotten a New set Used of Taylor Made Bladez I bought from my Dr. Looks like New I have never hit them yet WEATHER issue. I was getting tired of seeing the same old clubs so after what? 40 years I'm making the switch Baby! New Sub!
You're a great coach!! I was just told about you this morning and you are the first person I have checked out on the subject. I have been in network marketing business for years!! The numbers game is the absolute truth!! Great content!! Thank you for being open to sharing. Can't wait to dig into some of your other videos!
Thank you. Great information. If I can make 80 to 100 calls a day on a part-time job, I surely can pursue the benefits of providing voice overs.
*Talented Person
Mr.DeWees awesome video. I related to No.3 "dont pay to play first" and No.5 "working the Numbers". thank you Sir for the coaching and the heads up on "don't be discouraged at first". Just finished my DIY and going on ACX Fiverr.
I literally just got into voice acting a week ago. I definitely needed to hear these--especially #5! Thanks so much!
I just started doing voiceover for some videos I've been making for my own business and came to this video for advice. Now I'm considering trying my hand at profession voiceovers :D Great content, thanks!
Thanks so much for this! I've always wanted to do voice overs. My manager recently requested three voice overs from me a minute long each. I'm excited yet lots to learn.
I really do want to
Wow, I needed to hear this. Thanks Bill.
Bill, thanks for the sound advice. I'm completely new to this, and it's good to be reminded of the practical side of voice over work, as well as any self-driven business.
this is something I really want to pursue. I'm so glad I found your channel. I'm absorbing your information like a sponge.
I do recognise a lot from this, thanks for that. I meanwhile learned that the beauty of your audition is in the ears of the listener. I even got a gig once with my Dutch accent in English although the role was for native British because the person got a different angle in his head from hearing my sound. P2P platforms are mostly crap, but is a great way to get those scripts and practice btw😉
Hi. Good morning Bill. I recently retired from 35 years as a long haul trucker extensive osteoarthritis brought that about prematurely. My best friend of several years and others have been encouraging me for sometime now to look at doing voice over and narration. Comments like you’ve got a good speaking voice why not use that have been said frequently. Well I’m nearly 71 years old and why not use a God given talent to do something interesting and make an income at the same time. I’ve just started watching you RUclips channel and of all that I’ve seen yours has been the most encouraging and common sensical. I thank you very much for this along with your time and effort. At last some good guidance from an experienced person. Glad to hear as well that it doesn’t take megabucks to get started with equipment as being prematurely retired my means are modest. Again my thanks to you and yes I have subscribed to your channel and am following what I consider to be a good and encouraging reference source. All the best to you in the New Year.
I like the honesty of tip number 5.
Thank you for the tips Bill! This is my first video I've watched from you, and I appreciate you sharing your wisdom. Looking forward to learning more from you sir! Keep it up!
What a high quality channel you have. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. And by the way, my golf career also plateaued a long time ago
I wish i could like this video more than once! I've got to hammer into my head "play the numbers game". It's a mindset i definitely need
Numbers Game! loved your theory Bill, practical and very much universal
Hello, I love voice commentary, and I am good at voice commentary in Arabic
Hey Bill, any advice for microphone stage fright? When I get in front of the mic I end up getting really self conscious. Any tips to relax even when no one else around?
I'm not speaking for Bill but two fingers of bourbon on the rocks is a good place to start. For me it's mic placement either slightly above or below my line of sight and focus on the
copy.
Great question, Geoffery! I think this topic is worth making a video on. Stay tuned.
Thank you!
I appreciate what you are saying about mics. I have two that I am sure are good enough. But I was wondering about these hundred+ dollar audio plugins. And I wonder if the same isn't true about them? I am a live sound tech from WAAAAAY back so I know about recording clean audio but I know nothing about audio processing specifically for voice over. Just how much audio processing is necessary if I am just starting out?
Thanks for keeping it real. Not discouraged just understand that it's a work in progress that you don't give up easily on
I wish I knew about #3 before, man I feel dumb. But thankfully I’m gonna do coaching soon, thanks Bill for this. Time to fix things up.
this is the most informative channel i have subscribed to. thank you Bill
I love your content! Your advice is honest and the most helpful out there! 👏
Well, I'm glad that the first problem isn't a problem for me; if anything, I'm worried that I read and recite too _slowly._ I have a background in drama and theater, and my teachers taught me that the _pauses_ between lines and between words can say as much as the words themselves; not only can pauses and pacing mean the differences among "He's anxious," "He's pensive," "He's angry," "He's in mourning" and so on (and thus, one's pacing must be considered in regard for the character one portrays and that character's present mood) but speaking _too_ quickly can also break the line of immersion that separates "He is King Oedipus" from "He's just an actor reciting King Oedipus' lines;" King Oedipus himself _still_ needs an extra second or split-second to think about what he'll say next, even if King Oedipus' _actor_ knows every line by heart.
(I met with the same problem about four or five years ago, during a stage production of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"; I was playing the so-called Duke of Bridgewater, and the character of King Louis XIV (the scoundrel pretending to be him, rather) was being played by an actor much younger than myself, even though King Louis XIV is supposed to be _older_ than the Duke of Bridgewater; our production's casting had been a bit limited, with about three children and teens auditioning for every adult or elder. So our young King Louie insisted on rushing through his lines, like kids tend to do. So several times I had to gently advise him to slow down along the lines of, "Okay...when we first come running onto the stage, we're _supposed_ to be rushing; the Duke and King Louie are running from an angry tar-and-feathers mob, right? But once we're on the raft, we're safe, and now we're a couple of scoundrels trying to manipulate these kids into helping us with our next con game. You even start off trying to out-con *_me_* once we have a chance to sit down and exchange names, and that deception takes some thought. So _slow down!_ King Louie and the Duke need a moment here and there to think up the stages of their plan to cheat a widow and her family out of their inheritance. Okay?" King Louie came down to a more reasonable pacing before Opening Night, so I like to think that my advice helped. :) )
But I'm concerned with your mention of Voices; their How To videos here on RUclips are what convinced me to switch from recording three one-minute demos to recording six 15-second demos for each of my demo reels, reasoning that the authors and casting directors who are looking to hire a narrator or a voice actor typically don't have much time at all to listen to every demo reel that comes across their desks, so my objective is to snag their attention and their interest within the first half a minute, if not the first ten seconds or even the first five seconds. Are they right or are they wrong? 🤔
I haven't started yet and wanted to do some research first, I love the tips. Learning a lot from your videos and they seem sincere and trustworthy!
Appreciated!
What a great set of revelations and so down-to-earth. Thank you for the insights, Bill.
Thank you, so much for this. I have been getting work. Not consistently. This information has helped me tremendously.
Great business knowledge! For any game.
Bill your information is priceless. Thank you so much for sharing it with us .
I'm so grateful for your channel Bill, thanks for sharing your experience.
Thanks so much for your advice. I hope you can give me some recommendations too as to what kind of microphone should I be needing since I am just a newbie and I don't have a home studio yet. Is it a condenser mic or a dynamic one? I wish you could see this, thanks in advance!
Another great update, Bill! And love the Boston tee shirt 🙂
Great advice Bill. You've been saying it for years, and if I had really listened I would be further along than I am now.
Thank you Bill…you're golden!!!
Really helpful, thank you so much. You mentioned where not to start, thank you, where would you recommend to start getting auditions? Thanks, Spence
Hi Bill! Thank you for all of the content you provide! I look forward to the day when I can afford to join your course!! Quick question, what are the dimensions of a good and comfortable recording booth
Good explanation... will try my best.
Thanks, Bill! Straight talk and to the point. Appreciate this.
True but ibknowe for a fact that I can in the bigenning start with just my phone no Mic
If not casting platforms, where do you recommend is the first place new VAs go when starting out? They seem like the easiest/most accessible break-in point to starting one's learning