So… You want to become a Voiceover?

Another year has rolled in and despite it being a different time from what we’re used to, certain things remain the same. Things like; people making decisions to try something new.

 

So, it’s this time of year that I get approached by people who say: “I want to become a voiceover”.

 

The first question I always ask is, “why do you want to do it?”.

 

To this I get a variety of answers: “I think it’ll be fun… I need some extra money… I’ve always wanted to… Why not? It’s just talking isn’t it?”.

 

And then I ask another question, “what do you think getting started will entail?” And I’m often met with a blank stare.

 

To which I say, “it’s going to entail a lot more than you think!”. It will entail time, effort, training, and investment. When I say time, we could be talking years and years, as it’s a continuous learning process. And when I say investment, we could be talking thousands of pounds worth of investment. At this point the smile of the person I’m talking to often starts to wane as the dream of making what they thought might be easy money begins to disappear.

 

Now let me be clear that I am not trying to put anyone off, as I would never discourage anyone from becoming a voiceover if that’s what they really want to do. In fact I encourage people that come to me and ask, but it would be irresponsible on my part if I didn’t tell them the truth and point out the sometimes harsh reality of voice acting, being a voiceover artist or any which name you give it.

 

It is not easy! Let me say that again for the people at the back that missed it. It is not easy! It’s going to take a lot of work to get off the ground, build, and then maintain a successful career in.
For starters, you actually need some talent as it’s not just reading. It’s acting, it’s performance, it’s communicating, character embodiment and a whole lot more.

 

You will need to train, this is the bit where you have to put your hand in your pocket for courses, mentoring, coaching etc.

 

People have to hear you to know if they would like to hire you, so you need good demos and these can cost a pretty penny.

 

Additionally, a home studio is a must nowadays if you hope to progress, as clients want their audio and they want it now.

 

And then there’s the old hustle and grind to actually get work… “Why do I need to hustle, can’t I just get an agent to do all that?”. Well good luck with that one as the days of getting on the books of an agent and just sitting back and watching the jobs roll in are over. Agents are absolutely inundated with people trying to get on their books, and even if you get on the books of an agent there is no guarantee you will get regular work. In fact, I’ve even heard of some agents who expect you to bring in a certain amount of work to them!

 

So nowadays your best agent is YOU. You’ve got to hustle!

 

And there you have it, your ‘Getting into voiceover 101’. Welcome to the adventure house!

Tim understood my client's requirements and did not hesitate to offer some demo options in various styles to make sure everything was on the right lines.

Good work, Tim. I'm sure I'll be using your voiceover services again.

Rik Watson

Creative Audio Producer

I have worked with Tim a number of times now and have found him to be extremely reliable.

Firstly, his studio sound is top notch and most importantly he can deliver the read you want.

Versatile, meaningful, credible.

John Calvert

Award Winning Commercial Producer

As a producer you don’t just need a voice actor who can read a script; you need someone who can communicate naturally and who brings something new to the party.

Tim is just such a guy. Highly recommended.

Matt Hopper

Creative Director and Co-founder - Trisonic

Working with Tim was great. He listened to direction and his vocals worked very well with the products he was advertising.

Tim also sent the audio back in very good time so his customer service was top notch. Would highly recommend.

Toby Huggins

Senior Producer - KVH Studios

Tim has a great ear for accents. Took my voice-direction well and he was able to bring to life a fully rounded character just with his voice.

It was a pleasure to work with him.

Keith Lindsay

Senior Producer - JMS Group Limited

Having Tim as one of our preferred voices is a breath of fresh air, different from the norm, original and genuine as well as versatile and directable.

I would highly recommend Tim to any production.

Julian (Doc) Sharp

Director - Radio Jingles

Tim is a great guy and very professional. He always returns work to a very high standard with a very quick turnaround.

He’s very talented and a pleasure to work with.

James Summers

Head of Presentation - Imagesound

Tim has produced some great voice over work for us here at Crosscut for a number of projects.

Always delivers quickly and to a high standard!

Dan Flanders

Director - Crosscut Media Limited

Professional, friendly and incredibly easy to direct.

After just one read of the script, Tim knew what style and sound we were going for and he delivered exactly that!

Jordan McKay

Creative Producer - Bauer Create

Tim was an absolute pleasure to work with!

His tone and delivery were perfect for the scene we were trying to capture and he took direction well; looking forward to working with him again!

Katia Greene

VO Casting & Direction - Next LLC

Very talented and very cool!

A real pro!

Adders Jeffrey

Owner of LBS Manchester Ltd

Tim recorded a great Jamaican accent for our security awareness training video and was very easy to work with.

Roy B Cohn

Chief Creative Officer - CCG

Tim has a superb voice full of character, he’s also a joy to work with in live sessions and takes direction really well.

Simon Vause

Co Founder - Vaudio Audio

A selection of Tim's Clients...