How Do I Become a Voice Actor?

The path to become a voice actor can include formal acting education, coaching, and the preparation of a demo. Voice actors need to develop their voices with advanced training while cultivating a professional work ethic. Jobs in this field can be highly competitive, and it may be difficult to get established. People with a wide range of skills, distinctive voices, and a pleasant working demeanor may find it easier to find work.

Voice actors provide the voices for commercials, animated features, overhead announcements, and similar settings. They work in recording studios to produce the desired voiceovers, which may require working with other actors to record dialogue scenes. There are no specific educational requirements to become a voice actor, but formal training can be beneficial for auditions, as can experience. As people develop their careers, they should assemble demo tapes with samples of their work to go with a resume.

Some acting schools provide specific voice acting training, and can be a useful resource. Others more generally train actors to improve their diction and range. Someone who wants to become a voice actor might also consider working with a voice coach.

In addition to developing the voice, it’s also necessary to work on acting abilities to make the voice dynamic and expressive. Trainers may refer their students for auditions in some cases, which can help people break into the market. In other instances, students may need to seek out opportunities on their own through listings in trade publications and other resources.

At a voice acting audition, attendees should have resumes and professionally prepared demo tapes ready. If they don’t have formal experience in the industry yet, the tapes can include a sampling of voiceover parts the actor has worked on in training. Those auditioning to become a voice actor receive a script to follow, and may be given some direction and asked to repeat the audition if the people handling casting are interested. Actors can learn from auditions, both by listening to other actors and paying attention to feedback.

It can help to relocate to an area with a high demand for voice talent. Someone who wants to become a voice actor may need to attend large numbers of auditions to start getting parts and building up a reputation. In some cases, seeking an agent for representation can be helpful, as can joining a professional organization that provides opportunities to its members. As an actor starts to build up a career, it may be possible to start receiving requests where potential employers directly solicit the actor for auditions.