Commanding Presence

Have you ever told your dog to “go outside” or to “go potty,” and she just stood there staring at you? Or, maybe you’re one of those people whose dog obeys your every command and eagerly anticipates your telling him what to do. You might even be able to get your cat to listen to you.

It’s no secret that how we use our voices determines how people (and pets) respond to us. When it comes to choosing whom to trust, whom to follow, or even whom to elect, research has demonstrated that men and women across the board demonstrate a preference for the deeper versions of voices from both sexes.

According to Casey Klofstad, associate professor of political science at the University of Miami, who conducted one such experiment regarding public perception of the voices of people running for office, “That’s because we get the impression that lower-voiced individuals have more integrity, competence and physical power.” ...

So you’ve begun your journey into the world of voice acting. Maybe you have a bunch of funny cartoon voices up your sleeve, or you enjoy explaining things, or reading books aloud for money sounds like a dream come true. Maybe you play video games and you just know you could do all those gruesome sounds when a character is losing a fight. 

The point is, you’re pretty certain you have a great voice, or at least you’re confident it’s a distinctive one that would be a perfect fit somewhere. 

Welcome to the voice acting community—where we love hearing ourselves talk! (and grunt, and scream, and sound like we’re being  punched in the gut). 

In this article, we’ll talk about what you should be doing in order to succeed as voice talent and what may be wasting your time and energy. 

When you’re just starting out in the voice acting industry, you’re bound to have a lot of questions. From “How do I set up a...

In this article, I show you a step-by-step guide on how to format your audio files to ACX standards so you can publish them on ACX and Audible using Adobe Audition. 

Since Amazon and Audible have close to the monopoly on audiobooks, it is important that we know how to format our audio files after we record the audiobook so we can upload them to ACX.

Now, ACX is a company owned by Audible that brings together authors and producers with narrators and voice-over artists. 

The goal is to allow everyone the chance to publish their works without having to go through a large publishing house. KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) allows writers/authors to publish their books on Kindle and ACX allows writers/authors to publish their audiobooks on Audible. 

With all of this freedom to self-publish, ACX needed to create a standard for audio files in order to keep the level of sound and quality high. So they implemented a set of standards for audio files to be followed when uploading...

There are many different reasons for using an authoritative style voice over delivery. Some of these include eLearning, explainer videos, medical narration, corporate narration, technical manuals, PowerPoint presentations, documentaries, training, etc. 

For voice actors, it is important to learn this style and master the small parts so we can get more voiceover jobs and win more voice-over auditions. Although this is a given, I have found that most beginners struggle with this delivery. 

In this article, we will look at 3 different methods to help you sound more like an authority on any voiceover job you audition for.  

** Also, I am a practical voiceover coach, meaning I will give you actual steps you can physically take to change your styles. So, I want you to give these methods a try the next time you record an authoritative voiceover. 

Method 1: End Down When You Finish A Statement

This is my number #1 favorite method for changing the tone and...

If your idea of a career in voice acting primarily involves the ability to imitate all types of characters, voices, and accents, you are only partly correct. The whole picture includes a lot more preparation, promotion, and business savvy.

Find out what it takes to stand out as a voice-over artist.

1. Know Thyself. 

Listen to Socrates – become familiar with your strengths and qualities and figure out which clients are looking for your type of voice. Developing a signature sound (Money voice) helps casting directors easily match you with projects and gives you an idea of how to brand yourself. Do remember, though, that you don’t need to try to be different; your biggest asset is being uniquely you. So practice confidence to be authentically you.

2. Be Prepared 

Perhaps you’ve always been complimented for your good voice and your ability to imitate different characters. If you think that’s enough to make it as a voice-over talent, think again: there...

A career as a voice-over artist should be both fun and profitable. How lucrative the job will depend on your skill level, the size of the project, the word count, and the types of voice-over work you get. While many job industry rates vary by location and time in the industry, professional voice actors are usually working from home and therefore geographically independent. To give you an idea, here are some stats of how much voice actors get paid in the United States:

• an entry-level voice actor earns about $18,390 per year
• the average voice actor earns about $31,400 per year
• an experienced voice actor earns about $90,000 per year

Whether you are amongst the lucky ones that earn six figures, voice acting salaries will be determined by various factors. So let’s have a look at what those are.

Skill Level and Minimum Rates

Your years of experience and expertise are factors that determine the rates you can set. Once you establish yourself as a reputable voice talent, you're...

If you are serious about getting into voice acting, you can’t just dive into a career as a voice talent and hope for the best. While you may have a natural talent for voice-over acting, the most successful voice actors will attest that education is still essential to success. 

Hiring a vocal coach exposes you to industry insights, techniques, concepts, and tactics you would have never known about otherwise. In addition, a highly-rated voice teacher can help you become more connected with your talent and get you to a level where you can turn your upgraded skills into money and a career. 

A good voice-over coach will provide you with a solid foundation of theory and practical training to prepare you for a career as a voice-over artist. Parts of your voice actor coaching sessions should include: 

• Warm-up/ Breathing Exercises
• Voice Culture / Voice Overs
• Voice Acting / Dubbing
• Voice Modulation
• Correct Pronunciation
• Language command
• Diction & Accentual Patterns
• ...

If you want to become a voice-over (VO) artist, chances are you’ve been researching the basics, such as: how to get into voice acting; where to find voice acting classes; or simply how to be a good voice-over artist. Sound like you?

Some of the fundamental skills of a VO artist include: developing a unique, easily distinguishable voice; sounding credible; and fostering a pitch and tone that is easy on the ear. In addition, your rhythm should be calm and measured, without rushing, your reading flow steady, with crystal-clear pronunciation, and a confident delivery. Certain projects may require many hours of recording, like audiobooks, documentaries, or biographies, and these require a high degree of stamina and patience – which are specific qualities you develop through regular training and years of experience.

The demand for VO artists is high, as there are so many types of industries that require professionals to voice their videos. Each of these industries requires the...

Here is a thought: 

You have been tasked with digging a ditch along side other ditch diggers. You decide to work harder than all the other ditch diggers there, because you believe by working harder than everyone, you will dig the biggest ditch.

So ... you pick up a stick, and begin to dig. You are working harder than everyone else now, sweating and breathing hard. As you take a quick break, you see a fellow ditch digger with a tractor digging his ditch, working 1/10th as hard as you, but 10x's faster than you.

The man with the tractor is sitting in an air conditioned cabin siping on an iced tea. "How can this be" ... you say. "I am the hardest working person here, but I will never catch up to the man with the big tractor."

I love this analogy because I see so many voice actors working hard day and night, but not getting very far. And then you see another person, working half as hard, pass by them simply because of the tools they are using. 

The only way we are...

This article talks about how to do a voice over and discusses the different parts of the voice over and the industry and how you can get involved. 

But before we start, we should make sure we understand what is a voice over and who needs a voice over? 

What Is A Voice Over

 A Voice Over is spoken words that are mixed with (Or over), music, and/or video. 

Today, we hear voice overs all the time. We hear voice actors when we listen to the radio, watch TV, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, etc. Where ever we consume information or entertainment, we hear voice overs. 

Who Needs A Voice Over?

Anyone that is creating content can use a voice actor. That is broad, so let me narrow it down with these genres:

• Commercials (This can be on TV, Radio, or Social Media)
• Video Narration (Makes up 90% of all voice overs today)
• Movie Promos (Movies and TV Shows use voice actors for promos)
• eLearning (Anytime there is online training, usually there is a voice...