A voice-over actor is an actor that is not seen rather, but heard, and must work on getting across emotions even better than a stage actor. Unlike other area in show business, your voice and vocal acting abilities are more important than the way you look. This type of acting can be a lot of fun, very creative, and is a wonderful field of work! You do need to maintain a tough exterior because this business is not for wimps. You will receive positive and negative feedback and will also be in competition with many other passionate actors for your job in the larger markets, so hang tight, learn, grow, and don’t give up on your dream.
To get started as a voice actor there are a few things you need to do. First, you must start practicing! As a New York actor studying the art of voice you must become versatile in every type of characterization such as foreign accents, cartoon characters, narrative, and celebrity impersonations. Read articles and storybooks out loud especially the kind of material that requires many voice changes. For example, portraying a cast of characters in a book is a perfect way to practice staying “in character”. When you become confident in your skills you can then volunteer at a local library or bookstore to read to children’s groups. There is no one more honest than a child to tell you exactly how good or bad your story-telling is. You should also record your different characterizations so you can play them back to yourself, friends, and family. Practice makes perfect, and feedback helps the process. Studying the masters, both male and female, is always a great idea, too (James Earl Jones, Hank Azaria, Morgan Freeman, etc.). And don’t rule out a college education. Attending a junior college that specializes in Communication is a great way to get into radio production.
After you get your bearings, have some voice-over education under your belt, and feel ready to put yourself out there and start getting some paid work, you need to find an agent. An agency can represent your voice in television, radio, film, and TV commercials. Having the ideal representation will really make you or break you in this business. It is so highly competitive you need to utilize your best resources to give it your best shot. Remember to stay positive, work hard, and learn as you go! It’s a difficult field to get into, but it can be very rewarding.