Next Lecture: October 16, 2010

Why Voicetrax?

Do I need acting experience to do voiceovers?

Do I need “natural-born” talent to do voiceovers?

How long will it take before I'm ready to make a demo?

How many Voicetrax students actually become working voice actors?

How much money do voice actors earn?

FAQS #1

Why Voicetrax?

While much has changed since 1988 when Samantha founded Voicetrax San Francisco, her guiding vision has remained the same—provide voiceover students with rigorous, state-of-the-art training in all areas of voiceover so that they can develop the skills necessary to compete successfully anywhere… whether in the Bay Area or any major metro area in the US, including LA. To this end, Samantha has always gone to great lengths to bring many of the top directors, casting directors, producers, coaches and actors in the industry to Voicetrax to give students an opportunity to learn from the best; and if you peruse the current Voicetrax Guest Director™ profiles, you’ll find many of the most savvy, capable voice acting experts in the business listed there.

In addition, to ensure that students get the most from their Voicetrax training, Samantha and her staff have dedicated themselves to creating a supportive, friendly, safe environment that encourages creativity, imagination and self-expression without fear of failure—a fun place where even non actors who just want to come and explore voiceover feel welcome and comfortably at home.

FAQS #2

Do I need acting experience to do voiceovers?

Many people who study at Voicetrax have no previous acting experience, but since learning to do voiceover is primarily about learning to act with your voice, acting is an integral part of our curriculum. To meet the needs of students who have little or no acting training, we offer many beginning and intermediate-level classes that focus on teaching acting basics in a relaxed, unintimidating way.

FAQS #3

Do I need “natural-born” talent to do voiceovers?

Our philosophy at Voicetrax is that anyone with the desire to do voiceover, the commitment to study, the willingness to take risks and ultimately be themselves has the potential to succeed in voiceover. While we recognize that it may be more challenging for some people than others, we’ve seen students with the desire and determination to succeed overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges through dedication and hard work. For example, one of our successful alumna, Dionne Quan, has been blind since birth, but now works as a voice actor in LA and has been featured in several animated cartoon series. Incidentally, one thing that is not required to do voiceovers is a "great voice."

FAQS #4

How long will it take before I'm ready to make a demo?

You should put together a demo when you are good enough to compete against the working talent in your market on a consistent basis. While some people may be ready to put together a demo in about a year, for most others—especially those with no previous performing experience—it usually takes two or more years. While we understand that it's tempting to want to make a demo right away, we can't stress enough how important it is to wait until you have the skills necessary to really "shine" on your demo. Most voiceover talent agents will tell you that producing and distributing a demo before you're in competitive shape can really hurt you. While it’s true that in this age of digital "enhancement," you can manipulate tracks on a demo to simulate a certain level of voiceover proficiency, bear in mind that if you are hired, you’ll be expected to deliver the same level of performance on demand and in real time. If you’re unable to live up to your demo within the time allotted, it’s unlikely that the same producer would ever hire you again.

When you are finally ready to have your demo produced, it’s important to work with an experienced, professional who understands both the demo process and the voiceover business. When agents and casting directors hear demos that aren't well produced or up to industry standards, it alerts them to the fact that the actor submitting the demo isn't well trained and doesn't understand what it takes to compete in this highly competitive profession.

FAQS #5

How many Voicetrax students actually become working voice actors?

Many actors who started at Voicetrax are now working full-time as voice and on-camera talent in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Countless others book jobs regularly, thereby supplementing their incomes. Some also work on the other side of the mic as directors, producers, casting directors and instructors.

Voicetrax-trained talent have provided voices for thousands of promos, commercials, video games, animated television series and feature films, including campaigns for such major advertisers as Clorox, McDonalds, Marie Callender’s, USDA’s “Hungry Pests,” Honda, Comcast, Kashi Foods, Cisco, Sprint, VISA, Toyota, Wells Fargo, Bell Sports, AT&T, Sony, H-P, EBay, US Cellular and Banana Republic; network promos for NBC, MSNBC, PBS Kids’ Sprout, ABC and CW’s “Gossip Girl;” narration for E! Entertainment and HG-TV; and video games including “Sims 3” and “Tales of Monkey Island.” The voice of the villain in the "Scream" series of movies and "Thor" on "The Super Hero Squad Show" also got their starts at Voicetrax. .

Of course, not everyone that comes to Voicetrax is looking to become a full-time, professional voice actor. We have plenty of professionals from all walks of life who come to Voicetrax for a multitude of reasons—to relax, have fun, express themselves, boost their confidence or improve their communication skills.

FAQS #6

How much money do voice actors earn?

Top voice actors make a lot of money…upwards of seven figures, but that’s a very small group. However, there are thousands of voice actors who are hired to do voiceovers every day, and many are able to make a comfortable living at it. While voiceover is not an easy business to break into, there is always room for talented, hard-working, professional newcomers.

But don't give up your day job just yet! Before most voice actors are able to earn a full-time living doing voiceover, they go through years of study and audition for hundreds of jobs they don't get. Many pursue voice acting part-time while holding another job or rely on another form of income. It takes quite a while to establish oneself in the marketplace and develop the ability to consistently win auditions.

Earnings vary dramatically depending upon the type of jobs you book and whether you’re a member of one of the actors' Unions. For instance, how much you earn for a TV or radio ad will depend on where the spots are broadcast and for how long. Rates can range from between a few hundred dollars for a small market radio spot that airs for a few weeks to several thousands of dollars for a nationally broadcast ad that runs for months.

For most other projects—including multimedia, industrial narration and video games—actors are typically paid on an hourly basis. Rates for the first hour normally range between $300-500. For sessions lasting longer than an hour, rates for each additional hour are normally between $200-350. For sessions lasting more than four hours, or for projects requiring multiple recording sessions, the negotiated hourly rate may be less. For audio books, rates are typically in the range of $100-200 per hour, depending on the length and complexity of the project.

We tell our students up front, “You must enjoy the journey… the process of learning voiceover. Along the way, you'll experience the joy of discovering your creativity and expressing yourself. If you can do that, the financial rewards become the icing on the cake.”

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