You are surely familiar with some of the following information, some others probably do not apply to you, we hope in any case that some of these tips will be useful to you.
If you have little experience, refrain from giving advice to other voice actors on Facebook, Linkedin or other forums. Your enthusiasm is based on a good feeling, but if you want to help them, you risk giving false information and misleading it, which is never the best way to earn the respect of your colleagues. Now that you can hire voice over actors you can come up with the best deals.
The Right Advice
If you seek advice or feedback from experienced colleagues, do not play scared maidens when feedback is not as glowing as you expect. Did you want flattery or an honest critique of your work? Did you want your ego to be caressed, or to progress in your job?
Be grateful and show it. If the comments you receive do not please you, do not please those who give them. And when we say ‘give’, it’s usually a service that is given to you for free. By generally very busy professionals, who are generous enough to help you.
Voiceover thanks
Nobody likes people who have a diva attitude, and who behave as if everything is due to them. So, whether the comments are complimentary or not, please give them the gratitude to thank them – publicly if your request was public. Yes, it counts.
As in all trades, ours has its jargon. Learn it. Nothing is more annoying for a client who pays you to have to teach you your job and explain what he tells you because you do not understand.
- When you read an article, a post, an email or a private message, and you encounter words that you do not know, do not immediately ask the author to translate them. Use Google, do your research. The person who has written what you read has spent time to move you forward, and it is your turn to invest your time to help yourself. Of course, if after much research you can not find, do not hesitate to ask!
- Do not pretend you can do what you can not do. If casting demands a deep voice and yours is medium, accept that it is not for you and do not apply.
If the casting asks for a native English voice and you are fluent in English but are NOT British, do not apply. And do not pretend to be native when you’re not, it’s called taking people for idiots, and people usually do not like it.
Forget the 20000 different accents, imitations and chameleon voice unless you are exceptionally talented in these specializations, which is extremely rare.
By pretending to do what you can not do perfectly, you are wasting time on the caster, who has very little. The result? It annoys him, you pass for an amateur, and you are put on his red list.
Conclusion
Do not break prices hoping to win jobs, it will be known and you will become an outcast in the profession. Nobody (including customers) respects people who do not respect each other. You will be chosen if you have the required voice and skill. If you think that your lack of experience prevents you from moving forward, improve your art by practicing and following courses with coaches real, not fair clowns.