Kim Handysides-Award Winning Female Voice Over Artist-Logo

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The Best Voiceover Coaches still Polish their Craft

Voiceover Coach


You know the old saying “those who can, do and those who can’t, teach.” This doesn’t apply to voiceover. Or it shouldn’t. I​n​ voiceover, those who can, ​sometimes​ coach. Of those that do,​ the best voiceover coaches still polish their craft.

Don’t Trust Your Voice Over Career to Just Anyone – Make Sure You’re Choosing Coaches With Experience

A word of caution – the voice over world is large and just getting larger. As with any growing industry, there are many choices for coaches to work with. It’s important to make sure you d​on’t trust your voice over career to just anyone​ with a teaching shingle on their website. Make sure you’re looking to work with people in the industry who have the know-how to guide you. ​Choose coaches with experience.

Take the time to do a bit of research to find out how long the coach has been in the industry, what area of voice over they work in, if they’re experienced with casting or highly successful and know themselves what is booking. Make sure they’ve had some directing experience. They must be able to help you take it where it needs to go. Have their students gone on to further success of their own? Are they actively involved in the community and keeping up with the latest trends, technology and challenges?

No matter who you end up choosing to work with, make sure you are compatible – does their instruction make sense to you, are you “on the same” page when communicating? An amazing coach with a lot to offer isn’t going to be the right choice for you if the two of you can’t speak the same language (figuratively and literally, obvi.). Sometimes people really click and that connection improves the learning experience.
Sometimes they don’t – no fault of either of you – so ​finding the right match and getting the best ROI with a coach is just smart business​.

A Successful 25+ Year Career in Voice Over

I have a looooong history of working in ​voiceover​ – ​a successful 25+ year career​. I’ve worked in many different genres of voice over including radio, tv, commercials, elearning, narration of various flavors and degrees of technicality and audiobooks to name a few. I’ve spent a lot of time and money over the years polishing my craft. I am proud to note that thousands of creatives and producers have trusted me to tell their stories. I feel like I can safely say I’ve seen if not all, most of it anyway.

So when I made the choice to start teaching it was from a mindset of giving back to the community and industry that has given me so much. I bring to my coaching the benefit of having “been there and done that” and love being able to help guide new voice over entrepreneurs.

I coach voiceover for:
● Narration
● Elearning
● Commercials
● General VO Entrepreneurship – including marketing & business best practices
● Improving your read rate – specifically for long form narration

I’ve been excited to have also coached and been a guest speaker here:
● Worked with ACTRA on Commercial Performance Delivery at AGM
● Worked with ACTRA & L’INIS (L’Institut National de l’Image et du Son) on annual
workshop on voiceover
● Coach/Guest speaker at Dawson College Theatre Department on voiceover
● Coach/Guest speaker at National Theatre School on voiceover
● Demo Director at Les Syllabes in Montreal
● Coach/Guest speaker for Black Theatre Workshop Montreal on voiceover
● Speaker/coach at VO Atlanta 2018, 2019
● Speaker/coach at VO North
● Coach at Elley Ray Hennesey’s Open Mic workshops on Narration and Commercials

The Art of Voice Acting Is Always Changing And Growing – Never Stop Studying It

As a fellow voice actor, I firmly believe the essence of our work is a craft. ​Voice acting is always changing and growing​ – and one can always improve and learn from the successes of others. In fact, learning from each other is one of the best ways to gain insight to be better. If this is your calling, ​never stop studying it​.

Here is a short list of some of the coaches
I’ve worked with in the last few years. Many are colleagues as well as teachers and have all brought meaningful new insights to our work together and have given me fresh perspectives to bring to my performance and business:
● Dave Walsh
● MaryLyn Wissner
● Cliff Zellman
● J Michael Collins
● David Tyler
● Pat Fraley
● Scott Brick
●Marc Graue

Every year, as part of my annual business plan, I carve out time and set aside money to reinvest in improving my skills as a voice over artist and to make my business more streamlined. If you’re not already doing so, I encourage you to do the same.

Top 10 Voiceover Blogs to Follow – Marc Scott

blogs

Voiceover is an incredibly fun, but labor intensive profession. People who think it’s easy to “get in” and easy to build a business as a voice over artist are misinformed. But, learning from others who are doing well in the the voice arts is a great way to learn more and stay abreast of what works and what doesn’t. I regularly check out blogs of some of the cream of the crop in our industry. Now anyone can talk can blog, but not everyone creates insightful content worthy of my (or your) time. Earlier this year,  I began my Top Ten Voiceover Blogs to Follow list and released interviews with people on the list.

Released in alphabetical order, we’ve so far heard from J Michael Collins, Dave Courvoisier, Bill DeWees, Anne Ganguzza, Debbie Grattan, Paul Strikwerda and Laura Schreiber. Next on my list is Marc Scott. A terrific guy (he’s a volunteer firefighter, people – truly Marc is salt of the earth), an inveterate marketing man and a solid voiceover talent, Marc is a busy guy who blogs, vlogs and podcasts now too. Chock full of tips on how to handle the business end of your solopreneurship, Marc is also a coach and a source of inspiration for a good work-life balance.

 

Voice Over Artist Marc Scott

 

Voiceover Artist Marc Scott

Marc, why do you blog about voice over?

 

I started blogging simply to share the lessons I was learning as I was trying to figure out how to grow a sustainable, full-time business. I figured if I was already making all the mistakes and learning all the solutions, maybe the blog would help someone else do the same.

 

Do you have a theme to your blogs or do you wait for inspiration to strike?

In the beginning, it was all about lessons learned. Eventually the theme became business and marketing, and that’s where I’ve continued to focus my coaching.

 

What are your favorite kinds of blogs to write about?

It’s got to offer something practical. I want people to walkaway with someone tangible. An action they can take. Something that will produce results.

 

What kinds of blogs have you noticed get the most attention or feedback?

When I was giving advice that made a difference in a business practice, people always responded to those. People want information that they can use.

 

(Do you have anything (else) you’d like us to know about your blog in particular or your (philosophy and) approach to the industry?

As I’ve evolved and the world has evolved, I’ve actually moved away from traditional blogging and more into the podcast realm. I noticed a shift in my blog about a year ago. People were spending a lot less time reading my blogs and a lot more time watching the video content I shared. It was easier. That turned into a decision to focus efforts towards a podcast which is content that can be consumed nearly anywhere… from the office to the gym to the commute home from work. The numbers on my podcast far outweigh the numbers I was seeing on my blog last year.

 

Top Ten Voice Over Blogs – Number 3 Bill DeWees

Voiceover Business

Source: Unofficial Royalty

It’s the second instalment of my list of the Top Ten voice over blogs to follow. For insight and advice into the voice over industry there are a few bloggers who dominate. Yesterday we revealed the first (as in alphabetically first) two awesome bloggers. Today we have two more out of the ten.

Following great voice over bloggers, people who’ve been around the industry for years (this top ten list has a collective 200+ years of experience and wisdom) is an easy way to learn what to do and what not to do to make it as a voice artist.

I reached out to my favs. People I follow and consider among the best. I asked them all the same questions and am posting their responses this. We’ve heard from J. Michael Collins and Dave Courvoisier. Today it’s Bill DeWees. Who will it be tomorrow?

 

Voice Over Artist Bill DeWees

voice over artist Bill DeWees
Voice Over Artist Bill DeWees

I first came across Bill DeWees via his book How to Start and Build a  Six Figure Voice Over Career. Though Bill left blogging years ago for vlogging instead, I find his posts helpful, especially a few years ago during my transition from a voice over veteran confined to external studios within my city to a the owner of a full-fledged remote home studio and seeing my voice over career expand internationally.

 

Bill, why do you blog about voice over?

Someone suggested to me (about 9 or 10 years ago) that I should record a YouTube video regarding how I build my VO business.  I had never vlogged before, but i gave it a shot and got a great response.  I’ve now recorded about 500 videos for my YT channel and have over 30,000 subscribers.

 

Do you have a theme to your blogs or do you wait for inspiration to strike?

My themes are typically taken from questions/comments that I receive via e-mail.  After I posted my first video, people began e-mailing questions to me which has created a never ending source of content.  I have over 200 VO students and I often use their questions as well (not to mention my own personal experiences in the “day to day” of VO work).

 

What are your favorite kinds of blogs to write about?

I tend to enjoy content that focuses more on the mental/psychological aspect of being a talent and running your own business.  Motivation, inspiration and even the psychology of VO performance.  Most people tend to think their success lies in their “gear” or their “chops.”  Their issues typically exist in the gray matter between their ears!

 

What kinds of blogs have you noticed get the most attention or feedback?

Even though VO equipment is not a critically important topic, people LOVE to hear and talk about equipment.  My most watched YT video is a coaching session that recorded in which I worked with a guy with “announcer syndrome.”  I think it really resonated because of the battle we can all have in being/sounding like ourselves, as opposed to what we think others want us to sound like.

 

Do you have anything (else) you’d like us to know about your blog in particular or your (philosophy and) approach to the industry?

I’m definitely a “non-traditionalist” when it comes to VO.  I come from a business background.  My focus is on what works in BUSINESS.  The laws of marketing in business apply to VO as much as they do in any other type of business.  The notion of success as a “great” voice and having an agent is an old and outdated notion.  When people begin to realize this and start to treat VO as a business, frustration turns into progress.

 

 

There we go. Number three from my Top Ten list of voice over bloggers. Another professional chock full of insight into the voice over business.

Top 10 Voice Over Blogs

Voiceover Business

Blogs can be the most insightful and rich source of free information in the Googlesphere. But there are a lot of them out there. In fact, Google told me today that there were 505 million blogs in the world in 2018. Within that daunting figure, voice over blogs are a narrow niche. For voice over seekers some blog posts answer questions about our industry. For voice artists, following blogs are a convenient way to gain insight into voice over craft, marketing and technology of our industry. VO blogs rich in content can save you time and money, improve your workflow and performance.

I regularly post myself and peruse the content of some of my confreres. To find out what’s new and what’s hot. To join in on great conversations.  If you’re an industry veteran, I don’t need to harp on the value of staying current in the voiceover industry and taking part in discussions about issues of import. You get it. Whether you’re deep in, or on the fringes of the industry, treat yourself. Pick one or two, or all ten of these bloggers and check them out. Dive into their back blogs.

(source:Ed Casas)

Here is my list of Top 10 voice over blogs (alphabetical). I’m going to post two a day this week, otherwise the blog post would be WAY to hefty and would take forever to get through, so check back in. This way, 2 of the VO Top Bloggers a day, it’s a bite-sized snack of getting to know some of the best writers of voice work in the biz. Click the hyper links in their answers to check out samples of their blogs.

Based on my sources of inspiration with a few recommendations thrown in from my inner circle, I asked these bloggers the same questions and their answers are wide and varied. I loved hearing the contrast & compare & the insight into the people behind the blogs. At the end of this Top 10 reveal, if I’ve missed someone you have found to be particularly useful, please let me know in the Comments below.

 

Voice Over Artist J. Michael Collins

 

voice over artist
Voice Over Artist J Michael Collins

J. Michael Collins is one of the beloved, trusted names in our business. A talented voice over artist, successful businessman, consummate professional and generous soul, when J. Michael speaks, people listen.

 

J. Michael, why do you blog about voice over?

I blog because I believe there are issues in the voice over industry that affect all of us, and that by discussing them we can help rose together as a community.

 

Do you have a theme to your blogs or do you wait for inspiration to strike?

I wait for inspiration to strike. Most of my articles are conceived and written in less than an hour based upon industry happenings.

 

What are your favorite kinds of blogs to write about?

Uplifting topics, reminding talent that while things aren’t perfect, they are a lot better than the doomsayers would have you believe.

 

voice over artist website landing page
J Michael’s website

What kinds of blogs have you noticed get the most attention or feedback?

You might think it would be the controversial ones, but I find I get the most attention and feedback from inspirational blogs that take a practical but positive look at the industry. This gives me hope.

 

Do you have anything (else) you’d like them to know about your blog in particular or your (philosophy and) approach to the industry?

My blog and my personal approach reflect a perspective of abundance in the voice over business. Too often today we hear from those who advocate a perspective of scarcity…..scarcity of jobs, of pay, of ethics. We all have to be vigilant against the dangers and predators that confront our industry, but we should never lose sight of the fact that there is more work than ever before, and there are just as many parts of VO where pay is rising as where it is falling or stagnating. If it seems like the sky is falling where you are, stand somewhere else.

Other blogs I recommend? Marc Scott, Paul Strikwerda, Laura Schreiber, and of course Kim Handysides – Thanks, JMC 🙂

 

Voice Over Artist Dave Courvoisier

 

voice over artist Dave Courvoisier
Voice Over Artist Dave Courvoisier

Longtime voice over artist, newly retired from a fabulous television news anchor career in Vegas, co-founder and one of the big force majeures behind WOVO, Dave Courvoisier is a down-to-earth wealth of insight and info into VO.

 

Dave, why do you blog about voice over?

What inspired me back in 2007 was simply looking for a way to journal online about my growing voiceover business.  That way I’d know where to go if I wanted to remember this helpful site, or that useful tip.  Now, I blog because I enjoy it, I have subscribers who depend on me (I think), and it helps me build a bank of goodwill within the community.

 

Do you have a theme to your blogs or do you wait for inspiration to strike?

The direction is to provide helpful information the everyday voice actor can use in his/her business.  The theme is to provide relevant information that helps voice actors of all levels of proficiency to be better voice actors and freelance businesspeople.  I occasionally get inspiration, or see and share a new piece of information that has not yet appeared in online forums.  But overall, my mind is working in the background all during my waking hours in a constant awareness of ideas that could be adapted to help voice actors.  Often, I’ll get clues from other freelance professionals (writers, photographers, graphic artists, etc.) on topics they’ve written for their community.  I’ve rarely struggled to find ideas to create 3-4 fresh blogs every week.

 

What are your favorite kinds of blogs to write about?

New products, new online tools, services for freelancers, and interviews.  I like to work on articles that inspire and encourage.  I like sharing new information from my constantly trolling the internet for new ideas.  I regularly write opinion pieces about trends I see damaging our community’s professional status or compensation rates.  Coming from a perspective of experience, and (frankly) age, I have assumed a role of marketplace critic/commentator that I believe benefits especially newer VO professionals who need to be aware that they have a responsibility to uphold our shared community standards; something that has grown into being a founder of World-Voices Organization (with 3 others) to advocate for the voiceover profession.

 

website landing page of voice over artist
Dave’s website

What kinds of blogs have you noticed get the most attention or feedback?

Articles that reveal secrets of marketing, job-finding, client-relations, and freelance common-sense.  Also popular are “list” articles for voice over. My most-read blogs include an interview with a Craigslist expert, a list of royalty-free music and sound-effects sites, and admissions of bare-faced personal honesty and transparency.  There’s a lot of “success posing” among professionals.  Voice actors love it when someone speaks authentically and openly about their trials and failures.

 

Do you have anything (else) you’d like us to know about your blog in particular?

It’s constant.  Several fresh articles/week.  I enjoy the discipline of writing, and often an article is fairly short (catering to attention spans).  People tell me they read my blog with coffee every morning.  I like sharing new stuff I find on the internet that others haven’t yet seen.  I try to make the blog visually appealing, and easy to reach.  Most of all, I really work to make it VO-specific as a helpful tool for others voice actors.

Who would I recommend?

Paul Strikwerda, who is a fellow journalist, friend, and astute thought-influencer for our business. Kim Handysides who always has helpful insights. (Thanks Dave!)

 

Circle on back tomorrow for Pt 2 of my Top 10 Voice Over blogs to follow. Can you guess who’s next?

How to Approach Voice Over for Family Friendly Commercials

Voiceover Styles

Summer time and the living is full of family friendly get-togethers and outings and commercials offering advice on what to do to keep everyone happy and how to save money doing it. To be able to serve Mom, Dad, the kids, Grandma and the clients as well, we as the voice over actors have a few things to keep in mind regarding how to approach these enticing little packets of advertising invitation and fun for all in 30 seconds or less.

Family Friendly Activity Ads

Whether roller coasters or science centers, museums or events, family friendly activity ads seek to entice the gang to come together for some sort of way to spend time and make great memories together. From a voice over perspective the approach can go a couple of ways. Joyous, raucous, good time fun or slightly wry amusement at the antics the gang will get into. It’s a lot easier to stay in the moment with these kinds of spots if you can see the visuals at the same time. For most of us recording remote, that’s not possible and of course, that never happens in radio, so here’s where you get to pull in your imagination and see in your mind’s eye the gang running toward the entrance, pointing upward in awe or getting more ice cream on their faces than in their bellies. Building imaginary visuals makes it real, keeps you in the moment and makes your voice over performance spectacular. Here’s a lively ad I did for the Birmingham Zoo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_tRrm9B1DQ

Fun in Your own Backyard Commercials

Fun in your own back yard commercials are centered on smaller budget enjoying time together every day time. So, picnics and pools, pup tents and barbeque, playgrounds and slip and slides, even gardening and lawnmowers. These spots roam from the Dad’s Day and Mother’s Day territory through Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. While occasionally high-energy (think slip and slide) commercials in this family friendly realm are often a little more pulled back. Relaxed fun, warm n’ cozy. Obviously the script will reveal which direction to sink into and you’ll bring your own choices to the table. This is a chance to really pull out your storytelling voice over skills.

Voice Over for Family Friendly Destination Vacation Ads

I don’t know about you, but many of the best memories of my life are centered on trips taken and shared with family. We particularly love visiting National & State parks and spots for these wilderness & adventure areas fall in this category. So do some tourist board and airline ads. But mostly this is the domain of the week or two at Disney or the all-inclusive fun-cations at Club Med and other companies or on cruises. Draw on your own experiences (or perhaps the ones you wish you had or want to have) to voice this kind of ad. Sharing relax time, adventure and the delight of discovery with my kids, husband, cousins, siblings and/or parents have been just the best. That’s what to keep in mind when doing voice over for family friendly destination vacation ads. (like this one I did for Club Med)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSkYlQq8xfM

Voice Over for Family Friendly Retail Commercials

The voice over for successful family friendly retail ads is welcoming, approachable, smart and understanding. You know that $30 in savings this week on bathroom tissue and sundries or that 25% off on back-to-school items will make a big difference to the (one) person you’re talking to. Maybe the difference between having extra money to take the kids out for pizza or maybe the difference between having to put in extra shifts to make ends meet that week or being able to stay home with their kids. I always find the way to make these commercials pop is building back story for the person I’m talking to. A back story I personally care about (or can relate to) and then, sharing the excitement of getting to be the one to help make a difference in their day to day lives. Retail ads encompass everything from groceries and pharmacies to hardware and clothing. Our everyday essentials and little extravagances. Even healthcare – check out my Texas Children’s Hospital Plan ad here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6HhSwtfyCQ

Voiceovers where the Ad is aimed at Kids

Three kinds of style choices when voicing ads aimed directly at kids are very effective. There’s what I call the camp counsellor or scout leader style. Where you’re rallying the kids together on a fun adventure. You’re a little older than them and you’re in a relaxed position of authority but you talk directly to them and get them pumped for next activity or game you’ve got planned. The second is where you are either one of the kids yourself or you’re playing with the kids. Think toy ads, cereal, snacks and merch based on cartoons and movies. Remember when you were over the top excited and having the time of your life all because of a toy, and Saturday mornings and after school times were the best ever because of that cereal or snack? That’s the direction. The third choice is the character approach. Much the same as animations, these voiceovers where the ad is aimed at kids are driven by character choices as wide as the world. Fairies and princes and zombies and unicorns and dragons and fish. Anything under the sun and stars. This ad I did for the Virginia Air & Space Center combines the energy and rallying call of a family friendly activity ad with the cartoon fun of talking directly to the kids through their “shopping list” of activities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibWJajkWEp8

As well as voicing tons of family friendly commercials myself, I offer voice over performance coaching on commercials, narrations and eLearning. If you ever need either, contact me.

Being Award Announcer at the WTA Grand Slam of Voice Over

My Voiceovers, Voiceover Styles

WTA Awards Kim Handysides is Gala AnnouncerOne of the things I love about being a voice over announcer are the places and jobs it takes me vicariously or in person. This October, one of the biggest events in the female tennis world was held in Singapore. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals Gala Evening. And though I wasn’t there myself, I was there in voice… performing the award announcements and spinning the stories behind each player. This high profile gig was uber fun. I worked with the WTA team both in the US and UK. 

As it was an event highlighting the best of women in the world, personally I thought it was a great choice to hire a woman to voice the awards.  Announcing awards requires a different focus and mindset to most other voice over jobs. It’s a celebration, and we’re all here to have a good time!

Elite Voice Over

elite female standing out from crowdIf you’re familiar at all with tennis, you know the WTA Finals Gala Evening is the big one. It’s a night filled with the creme de la creme of the women’s tennis world, and people travel from all over the planet to be there. I was proud to be a part of it professionally.

Held in Singapore in October of this year, the international event saw many big names and players in attendance. The one thing all of these players had in common is their stories of overcoming obstacles, of strength of spirit and mind, of determination and focus – this is where I, as their Award announcer came into play. As each award nominee was announced before the winning player made her way to the stage, their stories, achievements, and accolades were told. Whether they won an award that evening or not, this night was special. It may have been the highlight of their careers and lives, being lauded among peers, or one in a string of more to come.  

Without heavy namedropping, the WTA gave me the opportunity to announce some extremely high profile names in the industry. And the best part of the whole affair was that the team was so happy with my performance this time around, they’ve pre-booked me for next year’s awards. Needless to say, I’m tickled pink.

Girls Rule… And So Do Our Voices

ladies at Award show announcerHappily, female voice overs in award announcements are growing.  Once, totally a male dominated slice of the industry, advantages of the female voice at events include (still) standing out and grabbing attention. Elements of a great voice for award announcer include warmth, depth and clarity. The delivery must come across as in-tone with the overall evening, and add grace and dignity to the event.

The step away from male voice in Award announcer, may be a step away from the traditional. But it is a step toward more visibility and more representation. This year Danica Patrick became the first female ever to host the ESPN ESPY Awards. While there have been a handful of female Oscar co-hosts (including Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn) there have only been two female Oscar hosts: Whoopi Goldberg (4 times) and Elen deGeneres (2 times). Happily, my colleague and friend Randy Thomas has donned heels and strappy black dress numerous times to be the live announcer of the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Tonys, showing a deep, pleasant, stand-out female voice over has the capability to cut through the clutter and calm any possible chaos during an awards show. 

This aspect of the voice over industry differs from others. Unlike much of the voice-over work I do, at award shows, the audience is not just one person. The Award Announcer is talking to a crowd of people. This approach requires a different focus and mindset.

As well as sounding more formal than regular speech, one needs to think bigger in order to sound bigger. At the same time, strike that balance between warmth and professionalism. My voice is there to be clear and articulate, but also captivate and hold people’s attention. To calm and relax nerves, but also amp up the excitement appropriately. 

A Celebration of Stories

The key to announcing awards is that while it is a formal event, it’s also an exciting event. It’s a celebration. Announcing the awards for the WTA was very much stylized voice over storytelling. Capturing the attention of everyone in the room and bringing them along for the ride to celebrate the most elite female tennis players in the world.

Many of the players become known in the media for loud or strange grunting noises or what they’re wearing on the court. But during an awards event, the voice-over helps to showcase their achievements, struggles and who they are as a person. As a professional female voice over artist, Award announcing holds a special place among the work I do. It’s an honor to be hired to venerate people, corporations and organizations who’ve gone above and beyond.

Awards Announcing is a Workout

Performing as an award announcer requires a lot of energy. These formal, exciting events are quite the workout. It requires vocal care: good hydration, great storytelling technique and excellent diaphragm control to bring authority and charisma without blowing out your vocal chords. 

While the WTA may be one of the highest profile organizations I’ve announced awards for, it’s not the only one. I’ve been the pre-recorded awards voice for educational institutions, non-profit organizations, industry alliances and associations, and everything in between. In every instance, whether it’s red carpet, black ties, sparkles and champagne, or town halls lauding the heroes of the community. I am cognizant of the part I play in bringing it together. Vocally, I represent the brand, the event, and the people behind it – and that’s what I love about working with awards.

If you’re looking for a professional female voice-over artist for your own awards event, please get in touch. I’d love to discuss working together!