VO Basics/FAQ time

Tamara Fritz

How this stream will work:

First, I’m going to go over what I perceive to be the most asked questions and what people need to know.

After I finish my “fancy” slides, then I’ll take questions! Questions will be chosen after I’m done, so save your questions for then!

Tips are appreciated for pulling this together! Check my description for donation info or donate via bits!

Your Road Map

Hobby

• A few hours in your spare time
• Primarily unpaid, although you may stumble on some paid roles!
• Low pay, when available
• Quality is a plus, but not as vital
• Lots of fan content
• “Exposure”�

Pro

• A full-time job
• Paid (but you set rates)
• Need to invest
• You run the business
• “Industry” pay is good (but hard to get at first)
• Limited by location for certain things
• $$STARTUP COSTS$$�

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Mics and recording setups

Where do I start?

Mic Setups- Low End ($100-$150)

• AT2020/Blue Yeti/Samson C01/”podcasting packs”
• USB Mics
• No interface saves money
• BUT there’s some self-noise, computer noise if it’s nearby
• Mic stand (either desk stand, floor stand, or attached to desk- check if your stand/clip fits your mic!!!)
• Pop filter (yes, you need one)

Mic Setups- Medium ($200-$500)

• Mics: AT2035/sE X1/Rode NT1A/AKGP220/MXL770
• Interfaces: Behringer U-Phoria/Scarlett 2i2/Presonus Audio Box/M-Audio Mtrack
• XLR-mic connects to interface which connects to USB.
• Interfaces need to have “phantom power” to power mic
• Before you buy, check mic tests if possible to see what’s good with your specific type of voice
• Mic stand, pop filter, shock mount

Mic Setups- High ($500-$2000)

• Mics: Shure SM7b/RE20/Senheiser MKH416/Neumann TLM103
• Interfaces: Audient ID44/Apollo Twin/Focusrite ISAOne
• Gain booster for low-output dynamic mics
• Dedicated effects chain (compression, eq, etc)
• Paid plugins (optional, only if you know what you’re doing)
• Same accessories, but better, sturdier
• Should be used in dedicated, treated space
• You should know how to use these items
• High cost, make sure they sound good on you before committing!

Recording Programs

• Audacity is great and free, everyone uses it (even pros)
• Lots of tutorials available, you need to learn your effects!
• Reaper
• Garageband for Mac users
• Logic Pro X (what I use, but it has almost too much for just VO)
• Adobe Audition is industry standard
• Pro Tools (Professional but almost too much again)
• Effects plugins for Audition, Logic, Pro Tools will help a lot, but they’re extra investment.

Sound Treatment

It’s not soundproofing!

“”It’s

Sound Treatment: How it works

Sound waves bounce around and- especially on parallel walls- cause reflections. It’s what you hear when you walk into an empty room and talk. There’s two ways to handle it:

Absorption: Absorbing sound, usually at specific frequencies

• Bass traps work by absorbing low frequency rumble
• Foam panels

Diffusion:

• Diffusion panels kinda look like art and scatter sound waves around. Churches/band rooms sometimes have these.

Low-End Options for Sound Treatment

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• Moving blankets (especially the deluxe kind), cheap foam from ebay/amazon
• PVC pipe faux-booth, make sure there’s as little external noise as you can.
• Closets work ok! Clothes help break up sound waves.
• No matter what anyone says, this stuff isn’t as good as more expensive stuff, but it’ll work for basic/hobby/beginner things just fine

Medium Investment for Sound Treatment

• Better quality stuff, invest in some Brand Name foam tiles (aurelex roominator) and/or build acoustic panels yourself with some rock wool, fabric, and wood.
• Better panels have better NRC rating, and I can tell you first hand, the cheap stuff doesn’t hold a candle to Auralex
• Works best in dedicated space!
• Remember: different sound treatment deals with different frequencies. You might need more than one solution!

High-End Sound Treatment

• High quality stuff, get your space analyzed by an acoustic professional who knows what you actually need. There’s no need to coat every surface in foam.
• Professional or home-built vocal booth. You can buy plans online! Or order one- studiobricks, whisperroom, vocalbooth all have options from around 8.5k and up (make sure it’s double-walled!)

Know your stuff

How do I learn things about VO?

Take classes!

• You can find these online, but take them in person if you can- if you live near a hub city (we’ll talk about these later), you’re lucky!
• Yes, they’re expensive sometimes
• Yes, they’re worth money
• Despite what you might already know, you can always know more AND you get to show an established actor what you can do- you /might/ make a connection for your future.

Types of Classes

• Workshops- These are usually interactive, and involve group practice.
• Webinars- These are usually pre-recorded OR live lectures(like this!) with maybe a little chat involvement. Usually fairly cheap.
• Coaching- If you have a lot to invest ($100-$200 a session), this is a great way to improve your skills with live personal direction.
• Try stuff you’re not good at!
• List your classes on your resume- this is your education!

On “voices”

“I heard that [insert myth here]”

Myths about doing voices

Myth:

“I have a good voice, so I’ll be great at this.”

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“I’ve been told I have a great voice for radio/VO/anime/etc”

Reality:

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If you have a good voice, it’s a good start, but you need to be able to do things with it.

The most important part of VA is ACTING.

Myths about doing voices

Myth:

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“I can do a million character voices so I’m set.”

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“I can’t do character voices so I’m hopeless.”

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Reality:

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You have a unique voice!!!!!! Voice acting isn’t just about “good” voices or “wacky” voices. It’s about using YOUR voice.

Demos

Do I really need one?

Demo Reels- What am I showing?

If you’re starting and want to get into doing work, a Demo reel will show people what you can do! For hobby work, consider making it yourself. If you’re going pro, have one made.

Demo Reels- What am I showing?

• 1:00-1:10 of different takes. Spend about 6 seconds on each “voice”, genre, or delivery style.
• This is meant to show your ability to act more than anything. It’s okay if your voices sound similar, but keep similar genres/moods apart
• Background music/sfx are awesome, but make sure you can hear and understand your voice primarily
• Vocal effects should be limited
• There’s a handy guide on the Voice Acting Club Forums, listen to your favorite actors’ demos for inspiration!!!�

Having a Reel made

• Having one made can be an investment
• Demo producers will write your script, edit, and mix, and in most cases will direct you.
• Try to find a producer in your area
• Many work remotely!
• A “pro” demo generally costs between $800-$1500.
• Shop around! If you hear a demo you like, ask who produced it. You can find producers who work for under that rate.

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Finding Work

The hard part

Where to start

• Follow VAs
• Follow people that cast (game devs, writers, etc)
• CastingCallClub and Voice Acting Club have calls- mostly for fan projects but there can be some gems.
• Pay to Plays/P2Ps- Voices, Voice123, etc. BEWARE!
• Low prices, follow rate cards.
• Some teachers/agents will not work with you if you’re on them.
• Agents- Applying to agencies can help, but they’re not the be-all end-all.
• Connections/Cold calls/emails: Reach out and ask! Local studios might have rosters, etc.

Hub Cities

Hub cities are places where VO work is pretty prominent.

LA is the ultimate hub. Everything can be found there. NY is big in commercials and some games. Dallas has anime, games, etc. Atlanta, Chicago, and Seattle have big commercial markets.

I work remote, and it’s still viable, but you have to tailor your expectations and take on more than just your dream work often times.

Remote work

Working remotely requires a professional home setup, an efficient in-booth monitor, and a way to connect with clients in your booth. I use Source-Connect (which sends my signal directly to the engineer as I record), Skype, Zoom, phone patch (Google Voice!). ipDTL is also popular, but very expensive to set up.

Auditions

Always follow the audition guidelines, but in the case they don’t have any, here’s some standard stuff

• Character/Company/Commercialname_YourName.mp3
• MP3 is often preferred for auditions for space.
• Sometimes they ask for no effects, but I usually apply normalization, eq, and light compression.
• Quality should be the same as your finished products (unless you’re going to a studio)
• Slate/Slating: stating name/role before your audition
• This is optional, and most people are torn. Follow guidelines.

Additional Resources

• Voice Acting Club-
• http://voiceacting.boards.net/
• I Want To Be A Voice Actor-
• https://iwanttobeavoiceactor.com/
• Community Theater Programs/Comedy classes/Local classes!
• Business Management Courses/Small Business Development
• Free resources for managing your new business!
• Global Voice Acting Academy- GVAA
• https://www.globalvoiceacademy.com/
• Gravy for the Brain (UK based)
• https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/

Final thoughts before questions

• VO is not a get rich quick scheme. Don’t expect results and dream roles right away.
• You need to learn to act above all else.
• Experience is worth everything.
• Connections are important, but don’t abuse them.
• Don’t lie about who you know, or exaggerate relationships to get ahead.
• Make your own stuff!
• Audition!!!! Success isn’t just on your skil, it’s on what roles you fit! Audition and forget it, and don’t take rejection personally.

Question Time!

Ask in chat, and I might answer! I won’t ask stuff I’ve answered already in my slides, so maybe watch back later if I don’t answer.

Questions answered so far:

• In self-editing, what’s the most important skill to have?
• Knowing your editing suite! Know your effects. In addition, learning to direct yourself is vital.
• A lot of stuff is expensive, but can you write it off?
• Yep! If you’re making money, you can write off your expenses. Keep track of it!
• Where to find agents and how much do they help?
• Try locally at first! Then take a step up and look for agents near bigger markets if you’re remote.
• How can i show off my range in a reel?
• Act in different scenarios, go for an animation kinda style and commit. Make sure you can keep the voice up for a few hours or so.
• Warm ups
• Hydration is your best warm up, then do some stretches, then stretch your tongue, lips, and look up singing warm ups (you don’t have to be good at singing, I promise)!
• Are more agents better or no?
• Having a few agents is advantageous, but don’t go overboard or else you’ll be pulled in a million directions!
• Would freelance pay calculators help?
• Yes and no. Remember to include your cost of operation/equipment in your price. Start at about $25-30/hr.
• Are there many singing roles?
• If you hunt them down, yes! Make sure if you want those roles, you need a singing reel!
• Consistency in (sometimes extreme) character voices?
• Hydrate! Give yourself a break, have your “voice” on reference so you can check yourself! Remember with extreme voices if you do stuff that’s strenuous, it can strain your vocal folds!