History SoYouWantTo / BeAVoiceActor

* '''NEVER''' sign a contract that has the word "'''''perpetuity'''''" in it. This means you are giving away the rights to your work. Not only are you missing out well-deserved payments, this can also lead to a conflict-of-interest if you want to work with competing brands.

* AwesomeDearBoy / PromotedFanboy: Many newcomers start with dreams of starring in cartoons or video games. However...

!!!'''Sound Insulation vs. Sound Proofing'''

* ''Sound Insulation'' is about minimizing echoes and can be as simple as recording [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VRlubjTUBo while under a heavy blanket.]]
* ''Sound Proofing'' reduces/blocks sound from coming in or out of the environment and is much more expensive.

** Having someone else, especially of a different gender give the Slate--''This is '''your''' reel, not theirs''

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl5-j4eR7xU A Complete Beginners Guide To: Voice Acting Online]] - A straightforward, step-by-step guide for people who want to do voice-acting for fun

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sjZJ9i_mH0&list=PLGUJF8aG_m7soM0uaA_ucKHlgh890Uyou How to Be An Online Voice Actor]] - [[JerkassHasAPoint A blunt, condescending instructional to professional recording and voice-over.]]

** Commercially-made {{soundproof booth}}s. The cheapest (and smallest) ones will run you at least $2000-3000 before shipping, which is also expensive due to how large and heavy these booths are. There's a reason why most voice-over artists get in the closet (at least at first).

** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in the past. Before the rise of home studios, voice actors had to commute to different recording studios. The late Creator/DonLaFontaine was famous back in the day for riding a limo to studios all over Hollywood, day in and day out.

* Be careful about doing different voices over long periods of time. Speaking beyond of your natural voice will strain your throat if you keep it up for too long.

Be sure follow these steps and you'll be golden:

** Not using your normal voice-–''self-explanatory''

!Studio Etiquette (under construction)

!Vocal Health (under construction)

* Voice-acting is ''very'' competitive. Get used to rejection, and don't expect much positive reinforcement. There are thousands of people getting into voiceover and only so many roles and gigs. In the professional world, a 1-2% booking ratio[[note]]1-2 paying jobs for every ''100'' auditions[[/labelnote]] is actually a good standard to reach.

* Be careful about doing different voices over long periods of time. Speaking outside of your natural range will strain your throat if you keep it up for too long.
* When you become eligible for [[UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood SAG-AFTRA]] (first off, congrats), be careful about joining too quickly. Once you do, you'll be competing against the best in the business ''and'' you'll have an even harder time finding work thanks to [[http://www.sagaftra.org/production-center/globalruleone Global Rule One]][[note]]no working outside of union productions, though some get around this by working non-union jobs under a pseudonym[[/note]], not to mention the fees involved.
* This applies to all artistic and creative pursuits, but it cannot be re-iterated enough: if you want to be a voice actor, your main reason ''must'' be for the sake of it. Not money. Not fame. You want to voice act because '''''[[DoingItForTheArt YOU LOVE IT]]'''''. Most professional voice-actors[[note]]well, '''actors''' in general[[/labelnote]] are obscure to the general public and are lucky to make between $10,000-40,000 per year.

!!Why You Don't Make Your Own Professional Demo[[note]]Chances are, if you're reading this article, you definitely shouldn't.[[/note]]

** Not using your normal voice – ''self-explanatory''
** Having someone else, especially of the opposite gender, give the Slate – ''This is '''your''' reel, not theirs''
** Saying other things besides your name – ''It wastes time and detracts from the rest of the reel''

* Get plenty of rest

* WaitingForABreak: Yeah, voice actors are no exception. You'll often be working a second job as a professional voice actor, at least for some years.

There are thousands of recording microphones[[labelnote:*]]('''not''' counting the cheap built-in microphones on computers, phones, cameras, headsets, etc.)[[/labelnote]] but there is no single microphone that fits all voices. Some are more versatile than others, and each one has its share of supporters and detractors.

The industry standard microphone for recording voices in cartoons & video games is the [[https://en-de.neumann.com/u-87-ai Neumann U87 Ai]]. Other common industry standards include the [[https://en-de.neumann.com/tlm-103 Neumann TLM 103]] (often used to dub Japanese media) and the [[https://en-us.sennheiser.com/short-gun-tube-microphone-camera-films-mkh-416-p48u3 Sennheiser MKH 416]] ('''''very''''' popular in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles L.A.]] for recording voice-over in commercials and promos)[[labelnote:*]]However, Creator/CoreyBurton famously '''[[https://web.archive.org/web/20030622110543/http://www.coreyburton.com/sennheiser.html hates the Sennheiser 416]]''' and deplores its popularity in voice-over[[/labelnote]].

** On a similar note, don't rely on your ability to do impressions. Even if your impressions are spot-on, companies will simply hire the original instead of a sound-alike [-(unless the original is dead, retired or otherwise unavailable)-][[labelnote:*]]Occasionally they '''do''' hire celebrity voice matches when they need quick re-recordings (pickups)[[/labelnote]].
* "''Voice acting is easy money!''" -- ...except it isn't. Voice-acting gigs come infrequently for most at the start of their careers and much of their time is spent auditioning, marketing themselves and making connections, i.e. "working to get work".

* Voice-acting is ''very'' competitive. Get used to rejection, and don't expect much positive reinforcement. There are thousands of people getting into voiceover and only so many roles and gigs. In the professional world, a 1-2% booking ratio[[labelnote:*]]1-2 paying jobs for every ''100'' auditions[[/labelnote]] is actually a good standard to reach.

* When you become eligible for [[UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood SAG-AFTRA]] (first off, congrats), be careful about joining too quickly. Once you do, you'll be competing against the best in the business ''and'' you'll have an even harder time finding work thanks to [[http://www.sagaftra.org/production-center/globalruleone Global Rule One]][[labelnote:*]]no working outside of union productions, though some get around this by working non-union jobs under a pseudonym[[/labelnote]], not to mention the fees involved.
* This applies to all artistic and creative pursuits, but it cannot be re-iterated enough: if you want to be a voice actor, your main reason ''must'' be for the sake of it. Not money. Not fame. You want to voice act because '''''[[DoingItForTheArt YOU LOVE IT]]'''''. Most professional voice-actors[[labelnote:*]]well, '''actors''' in general[[/labelnote]] are obscure to the general public and are lucky to make between $10,000-40,000 per year.

* '''Length:''' Most professional reels are around 60 seconds long[[labelnote:*]]Audiobook reels, however, are typically 3 minutes long[[/labelnote]]. Any shorter shows a lack of range. Any longer shows a lack of specialties.

!!Why You Don't Make Your Own Professional Demo[[labelnote:*]]Chances are, if you're reading this article, you definitely shouldn't.[[/labelnote]]

** Unless asked, '''do not''' critique/insult the script; that's the writer's job.[[note]]Often, the scripts will have been re-written and revised multiple times before they come to you.[[/note]] Your job as the actor is to deliver the lines as written. That being said, feel free to point out any glaring typos and grammatical errors[[labelnote:*]]You might even make extra money as a proofreader![[/labelnote]].

* Where to buy used equipment online: [[https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/browse/Pro-Audio/ci/2875/N/4294246787 B&H Used Department]], [[https://www.craigslist.org/about/sites Craigslist]][[labelnote:*]]{if you're looking for something specific}[[/labelnote]], [[http://www.ebay.com eBay]], [[http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/ Guitar Center]], [[https://www.pixelproaudio.com/microphones/used.html Pixel Pro Audio]], [[https://reverb.com/marketplace/pro-audio?condition=used Reverb]], [[https://tradingpost.sweetwater.com/ Sweetwater Trading Post]]

** Unless asked, '''do not''' critique/insult the script; that's the writer's job.[[note]]Often, the scripts will have been re-written and revised multiple times before they come to you.[[/note]] Your job as the actor is to deliver the lines as written. That being said, feel free to point out any glaring typos and grammatical errors.

* Bring water

* Do not critique/insult the script

* First and foremost, ALWAYS have water
* Avoid the following foods at least 3 hours before recording

** Not being able to scream on cue, usually out of embarrassment (To be fair, how often do you find yourself screaming in RealLife?). If you don't have your own house and/or you don't have a soundproofed space, you should politely warn your neighbors.
** Talking normally in front of the microphone (no, really). For a lot of people, speaking seems forced and unnatural when not talking directly to others. Growing out of this habit takes time and practice, but it can be done.

*** If you're booking jobs from your home studio, the majority of clients will not care what equipment you have as long as the recordin sounds good.

The most popular option is a walk-in closet because the clothes inside provide natural sound-insulation. Many professionals choose to sound-treat their closet rather than spend thousands on a commercially-made [[SoundProofBooth soundproof booth]].

* '''Authenticity:''' Your lines have to sound like they come from an actual script. You can use scripts from projects you've done or create your own. Use only your best samples for the demo and don't have ''any'' weak spots.

** Any spicy or sticky foods

** Talking normally in front of the microphone (no, really). Speaking often sounds forced and unnatural when not talking directly to other people. Growing out of this habit takes time and practice, but it can be done.
# Warm up your voice before recording, stay well-hydrated and do not act with a sore throat, or you could irreversibly damage your larynx.

** If you're working with other voice actors, '''do not''' give them direction; that's the director's job.

* AwesomeButImpractical: [[DiminishingReturnsForBalance The more you spend on a microphone, the less improvement you'll hear.]] The average listener cannot hear the difference between microphones that cost hundreds and ones that cost thousands. Despite this, comparing these subtle differences is SeriousBusiness for professional voice actors, musicians and sound engineers.

** Commercially-made [[SoundProofBooth soundproof booths]]. The cheapest (and smallest) ones will run you at least $2000-3000 before shipping, which is also expensive due to how large and heavy these booths are. There's a reason why most voice-over artists get in the closet (at least at first).

The industry standard microphone for recording voices in cartoons & video games is the [[https://en-de.neumann.com/u-87-ai Neumann U87 Ai]]. Other common industry standards include the [[https://en-de.neumann.com/tlm-103 Neumann TLM 103]] (often used to dub Japanese media) and the [[https://en-us.sennheiser.com/short-gun-tube-microphone-camera-films-mkh-416-p48u3 Sennheiser MKH 416]] ('''''very''''' popular in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles L.A.]] for recording voice-over in commercials and promos)[[labelnote:*]]However, Creator/CoreyBurton famously '''[[http://www.coreyburton.com/sennheiser.html hates the Sennheiser 416]]''' and deplores its popularity in voice-over[[/labelnote]].

The industry standard microphone for recording voices in cartoons & video games is the [[https://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=current_microphones&cid=u87_description Neumann U87 Ai]]. Other common industry standards include the [[https://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=current_microphones&cid=tlm103_description Neumann TLM 103]] (often used to dub Japanese media) and the [[https://en-us.sennheiser.com/short-gun-tube-microphone-camera-films-mkh-416-p48u3 Sennheiser MKH 416]] ('''''very''''' popular in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles L.A.]] for recording voice-over in commercials and promos)[[labelnote:*]]However, Creator/CoreyBurton famously '''[[http://www.coreyburton.com/sennheiser.html hates the Sennheiser 416]]''' and deplores its popularity in voice-over[[/labelnote]].

** On a similar note, don't rely on your ability to do impressions. Even if your impressions are spot-on, companies will simply hire the original instead of a sound-alike [-(unless the original is dead, retired or otherwise unavailable)-][[labelnote:*]]Occasionally they '''do''' hire celebrity voice matches when they need to quick re-recordings (pickups)[[/labelnote]].

* When you become eligible for [[UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood SAG-AFTRA]] (first off, congrats), be careful about joining. Once you do, you'll be competing against the best in the business ''and'' you'll have an even harder time finding work thanks to [[http://www.sagaftra.org/production-center/globalruleone Global Rule One]][[labelnote:*]]no working outside of union productions, though some get around this by working non-union jobs under a pseudonym[[/labelnote]], not to mention the fees involved.

* UpMarketing: Bock Audio, Neumann, Manley and Microtech Gefell products cater exclusively to high end buyers.

* GermanicEfficiency: AKG, Sennheiser, Neumann, Telefunken, Microtech Gefell and Schoeps are among the oldest manufacturers of audio equipment based in Germany and have produced some of the world's most renowned microphones.

* ''"I can do a bunch of different voices and impressions!"'' -- Before any of that, you need to know how to act. You do not need to be a [[ManOfAThousandVoices Man/Woman of a Thousand Voices]] or a VoiceChangeling and the ability to do different voices is much more common than you think. The most important voice to master is your own.

* ''"People told me I have such a nice voice so I should be a voice actor!"'' -- You do not need to have a [[ArousedByTheirVoice sexy]] or distinctive voice. Most voice actors have completely normal speaking voices, and there's a place for every kind of voice.

* "''[[PerformanceAnxiety I have stage fright, but no one can see me when I'm voice-acting!]]''" -- This reasoning might fly in NoBudget projects, but in professional voice-over, you'll often work with clients, voice directors and sound engineers who will be listening and critiquing while you record. Occasionally, you'll be recording alongside other voice actors who'll want to work off your performance.

** Not to mention, having too many weak auditions on your profile makes a bad first impression for prospective clients.

** Another term to watch for is "''Full Buyout''". A normal "buyout" means they can use your recordings as many times as they want, but ''only'' for a certain purpose and period of time. If these are not specified beforehand, a "Full Buyout" is basically a perpetuity.

* '''NEVER''' sign a contract that has the word "'''''perpetuity'''''" in it. This means you are giving away the rights to your work. Not only are you missing out well-deserved payments, this can also lead to a conflict-of-interest if you want to work with competing brands (your owner can claim copyright on your voice).

** Unless asked, '''do not''' critique/insult the script; that's the writer's job.[[note]]Often, the scripts will have been re-written and revised multiple times before they come to you.[[/note]] Your job as the actor is to deliver the lines as written. That being said, feel free to point out any typos and grammatical errors.

* When you become eligible for [[UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood SAG-AFTRA]] (first off, congrats), '''don't''' join right away. Once you do, you'll be competing against the best in the business ''and'' you'll have an even harder time finding work thanks to [[http://www.sagaftra.org/production-center/globalruleone Global Rule One]][[labelnote:*]]no working outside of union productions, though some get around this by working non-union jobs under a pseudonym[[/labelnote]], not to mention the fees involved.

Most of these guidelines are not strictly mandatory, but highly recommended.

** Each section must be short and meaningful. Make each section just long enough to establish the scene and character, and ''immediately'' move on to the next. It keeps listeners on their feet.