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By
Don Balestrero
Is
there a lot of money to be made?
Some
of the top professionals make between three and five million a year;
other full-time professionals make $70,000 to $100,000 a year. As
a rule, most major talent agencies like to have the people they represent
book at least one hundred to several hundred thousand dollars per
year. Still other voiceover artists never leave their day jobs, but
earn a comfortable five-figure income by servicing a few clients on
a regular basis and are never represented by talent agencies. Simply
put, the possibilities, and payscales, are broad.
What
if I don't have a big, deep voice?
Long ago it used to be that "Big
Voices" did everything, but now it’s just one part of the
market. Just listen to TV or radio nowadays; you’ll notice that
all kinds of voices are used, so that all kinds of listeners feel
included. As a matter of fact, savy advertisers have been deliberately
using many more “quirky” voices simply because they stand
out. Having an unusual voice can be an advantage.
Is
there room for me?
Definitely. There is practically no such
thing as a bad voice—not for advertisers anyway; they want the
sound of the person next door, in all their variations. That being
the case, there is a constant search for new talent to bring a fresh
approach to each ad campaign—and constant opportunities for new
voices to enter the market.
Is
there an age limit?
There is no age limit, either way. Advertisers
are happy to use 10-year-old voices, or 80-year-old voices, if it
talks to the audiences and wallets they want to reach. There are just
as many jobs open to seniors selling life insurance, for instance,
as there are for kids selling toys or snacks. Generally, if there’s
a product being sold to an age range, there’s a voice from that
age range talking to it.
Are
there any advantage to being male, or female?
None whatsoever. In the early days voiceover
was mostly a male world, but over the years the commercial market
has split pretty evenly. On the whole now, women sell to women, men
to men, and the markets are same size. The only place where men are
still dominant is in movie trailers.
Do
I have to live in a big city to work?
No. That’s the beauty of voiceover;
there are lots and lots of small markets. Sometimes if you don’t
live in a big city it’s an advantage, as there’s less competition
and the talent agencies are more open. Many voiceover artists, for
example, have started in smaller towns and graduated to the major
markets.
Do
I have to do it full time?
No, you don’t. In fact, almost everyone
starts out without quitting their day job. Since it takes time to
place your voiceover demo, as well as to network and build up relationships,
if you’re lucky enough to be in a job where you can get away
to audition during a long lunch, often that’s all you need.
How
much does it cost me to get basic training and get started?
Wherever you study, we strongly suggest
people start by taking two six-week class sessions, then doing their
voiceover demo for submissions. The first six weeks should be spent
learning the different voiceover styles and training your voice; the
second six weeks, selecting and perfecting the eight or ten pieces
for your voiceover demo. Typically, this costs about $2,500. However,
you can spend more or less, depending on your talent and needs. Some
may only attend six weeks, then make a quicky “starter”
demo for around $1000 total. The choice is really up to you.
Can
I study at home?
Absolutely. Our home study course covers
all the topics covered in the live classes taught in Los Angeles;
plus, you have the additional advantage of reviewing any section as
many times as you wish—something which can’t be done as
easily in a classroom. For this reason many of those who have taken
our classes have also bought the home study course. In the end, no
matter where you live, it doesn’t matter how you learn the principles,
only that you apply them.
 Do
I have to have a talent agent to start?
No. In fact most people start without
one, as most talent agents don’t want to represent someone with
no experience. After you’ve done a number of jobs and have some
experience, THEN you can look for an agent. A good course should teach
you to get those first few jobs on your own, and how to leverage those
jobs to get that agent.
30 day money-back guarantee. Please allow 10-14 days
for delivery.
Click here
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