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kim@kimhandysidesvoiceover.com

voice actor

4 Keys Successful Voice Artists Use to Unlock The Perfect Delivery

Voice

As a voice over artist, what do you do with a script when you get one? Other than just read it cold into your microphone. Do you analyze it for meaning? For nuance? What about its message? The writer of your script definitely spent much more than a few minutes putting it together, so you as the performer must spend more than a few minutes analyzing it. Discovering the perfect delivery for any script separates the professional from the amateur in our business.  I’m going to discuss four keys successful voice artists use to unlock it.

No matter the genre – commercial, narration, promo, game, etc. – dozens of hours go into the script before it ever gets to your studio to voice.  Clients hire a creative team – copywriter or script writer, creative director, producer – or they go to an advertising agency, elearning company, explainer video shop, etc. who then provide the directives and all together they sit down and discuss end goals.  They dream up a concept, stories they intend to tell, messages they want included to resonate with their intended audience. The writers then pack all those nuggets into an engaging, intriguing script. Your job is to unpack that.

Step One: Read the Script For Flow

It may sound obvious that you will need to read the script.  But this means giving it more than a cursory glance. You need to read the script for flow, to start to absorb what is being said, why and how. Read it multiple times.  Like eight or ten. While you’re doing that, think about how the script might be said aloud. Then think about multiple ways it might be read.  Ask yourself what the script is about. If you’re having trouble figuring that out, try this: if you had to sum it all up into one or two words, what would they be? Does the story have a problem/solution structure? Does the narration build slowly or move quickly between points? What is the environment where the story takes place? A kitchen table? A grocery store? A science lab? A forest?

How does the actual language flow? Does changing emphasis assist in the voicing of the script? There is a great exercise for quickly seeing how emphasis can enhance story telling. Take the sentence “I am going to buy shoes”.  Read through the sentence 6 times, each time with the emphasis on a different word, i.e. “I AM going to buy shoes” or “I am going to buy SHOES”. Where you place the emphasis can expose the subtext of the script and improve your delivery.

Step Two: Understand What the Script Is Saying and Why

If you are not clear on why you are saying something, do you understand the language? What is the deeper meaning behind it? If it’s uncomfortable, how would you say it? You can’t change Shakespeare. You have to find ways to understand what the script is saying and why.

In a workshop on unpacking the Bard I took several years ago, the instructor had us paraphrase lines in Hamlet in our own vernacular. This helped those who hadn’t grasped the meaning really isolate why they were saying what Will had written. So “To be or not to be, that is the question” became something like “Do I keep on living with this pain or should I just kill myself? That’s what it comes down to.” Once you’ve put it in your own words and it’s comfortable, switch it back to the existing script. ‘Cause you can’t rewrite Shakespeare, neither can you rewrite the Whole Foods ad you’re about to record.

Step Three: Sort Your “Who’s”

Part of understanding the what and the why is understanding the WHO.  Every script has at least one character and you need to sort your “who’s” – Who’s talking? Who’s listening? 

For example –  let’s say you’re voicing a commercial for Skippy peanut butter.  Who are you? Are you the company that makes and sells it explaining its nutritional value to consumers? A mom thankful for a food her kid likes who is sharing this discovery with another mom? Or are you a kid who tells her friend she can’t wait to have lunch because it’s a peanut butter sandwich?  These three characters are going to have vastly different perspectives about Skippy. And that perspective is going to then influence what they say, how they say it and why. You can’t find the right delivery without knowing what character you are portraying.

Or another example – now you are providing narration for an explainer video discussing 5 steps to help flatten the curve of coronavirus outbreak.  Who are you now? A doctor? An authority such as a mayor or a governor? A concerned family member or friend? Are you speaking to a patient who is worried about catching it? Or to a city or state who needs to understand the risks or new rules? Are you hoping to help those you love stay calm and do what’s necessary.  Again, a serious subject, but who you are will guide you to why and how you are saying what is in the script.

Work on making the connection between speaker (you) and listener strong and clear.

Step Four: Connect Emotionally With the Script

Finally, give yourself the chance to connect emotionally with the script.  This is another reason why a cursory glance through the words on the page before recording really won’t help you nail the voice over delivery. What emotions come up for you when you read the script? What emotions is the client looking for? Was the script funny? Did it make you tear up? Did you want to shout “hell yeah!” when you got to the end?  Note how you’re feeling.

Now, see how that aligns with what you understand to be the creatives’ intention. What is the obvious emotion or intention being invoked? Is it happiness? Does the spot fuel outrage (like in political spots)? And what is the subtext –  the unspoken or less obvious meaning or message?  

Why are you opening your mouth to say anything at all in this?  Aka – What do you want to share?

If script analysis is new to you, work on this a lot until it becomes second nature. Practice makes the process quicker, but it also makes you better at analysis which makes your performance better too.

Filed Under: Voice Tagged With: voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice over artist, voiceover talent

Top 10 Voiceover Blogs to Follow – Anne Ganguzza

blogs

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.

For insight and advice into the voice over industry there are a few bloggers who dominate. 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. Released in alphabetical order, I’ve already mentioned three awesome bloggers. Today we have another. Anne Ganguzza is a force for good in the voiceover industry. An excellent talent in her own right, she also is extremely knowledgeable about marketing and education. Driven, with a heart of gold, you can learn a lot in following Anne.

Voice Over Artist Anne Ganguzza

Voice Actor Anne Ganguzza

Anne Ganguzza is not only a phenomenal blogger, she is a stand-out coach, industry leading demo producer, top voice talent and a great friend. Anne’s sharp head for business and heart of gold drive her several voice over brands, including VO Peeps and VO Boss among others.

 

Anne, why do you blog about voice over?

I blog about voiceover on my website to connect and engage with my community.  As individual entrepreneurs, it can be a lonely existence never stepping foot out of the booth. Blogging allows a way for me to reach out and connect on a more personal level than just a static website! 

 

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

I have multiple brands and manage multiple communities within the industry so I use them as muses (I have lots to talk about!) – I try to rotate between them all.

 

What are your favorite kinds of blogs to write about?

Anything I am passionate about! My hope is that I can inspire and motivate others to have joy and growth in their careers.  That is where I personally have found the most joy in writing.   Some of my favorite topics are: Entrepreneurship, Anything BOSS 🙂 and VO Technique

 

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

I always seem to get the most feedback and comments on blogs that highlight other people’s amazing work, such as my student’s demos or when I blogged about my studio (built by my Daddy!).  I also get a lot of feedback when I am completely vulnerable and transparent with my readers.

 

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 love to think that I can offer readers a unique perspective on the industry with my corporate and educational background combined with my industry experience and longevity.  I’m happy to share my experiences transparently, especially my failures, as I feel my readers can benefit positively from them (as have I) I am committed to continuing to build a community that can share and grow together!

 

Oh, and do you have any fav vo bloggers to recommend?

Yes, my list includes: Kim Handysides :), Marc Scott, Paul Strickwerda, J Michael Collins and Dave Courvo

 

Thanks so much Anne! Personally and professionally, I have incredible admiration for this voiceover industry pro.  If you haven’t explored all of the wonderful advice and insight Anne has to offer yet, do yourself a favor and put that on your To Do list.

Filed Under: blogs Tagged With: Anne Ganguzza, coaching, VO bloggers, VO Boss, VO Peeps, voice actor, voice over, voice over artist, voiceover, voiceover blog, voiceover bloggers, voiceover brands, voiceover demo, voiceover industry pro

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.

Filed Under: Voiceover Business Tagged With: actor, coaching, home studio, voice actor, voice over, voice over artist, voice over bloggers, voice over brand, voice over career, voice over industry, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover 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?

Filed Under: Voiceover Business Tagged With: actor, freelance professional, VO professionals, voice actor, voice over, voice over blog, voice over craft, voice over industry, voiceover business, voiceover industry, voiceover talent, World-Voices Organization

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.

Filed Under: Voiceover Styles Tagged With: activity ads, actor, ads aimed at kids, character, coaching, commercials, commercials for kids, conversational, destination vacation ads, family friendly activity ads, family friendly ads, family friendly commercials, retail ads, storytelling, storytelling voice over, vacation ads, voice actor, voice artist, voice over performance, voice work

Bridging the VO Gap – International Voice Work with Shelley Avellino

Voiceover Coach

head shot of Shelley Avellino Bridging the VO Gap
Shelley Avellino

I don’t know what percentage of VO work is done internationally in the current market, but it’s a lot. Personally, 80% of my voice work is for clients outside my home and native land, eh? Whether you’re an expat working for the US market back home, or live on here but are accessing work abroad, bridging the gap between home and away takes finesse. Shelley Avellino knows that more than most. A Brit from Wales who’s been living abroad (in the US and Hong Kong) most of her adult life, she’s just launched a new service to voice over artists helping us navigate customs and costing and clients, oh my.

A casting director for Sweetrush, and director and performance coach at Melissa Moats’ Voice Over Studio in Las Vegas and a terrific talent herself, Shells was on her way from Vegas to London today for the One Voice conference, but I caught her for a few minutes to shed light on her new site and service.

Kim: What led you to create Bridging the VO Gap and offering the service you do?

Shelley: I’d been thinking about doing it for a very long time. I actually have to thank Tom Test for this because six years ago at my very first FaffCon, he was doing a talk on International voice work and said “Hey Shell, you’re foreign, why don’t you be part of my talk and tell people what you do?” And I did and after a lot of people approached me saying, “I didn’t even think about looking abroad for work.” To me it was normal and I thought everybody was doing it, but of course they weren’t. So, I began writing all the information I had and have been gathering for the last six years or so properly and put it together to be able to help other voice actors realize that they don’t have to just stick to their own back yard. There’s so much work out there, but they may not know exactly where to start. SO Bridging the VO Gap is a great way for people to know there’s somebody out there who’s been there, done that, got the T-Shirt, learned sometimes the hard way and can give people guidance on what mistakes to avoid.

Why You Should Go International with Your Voice Over

Kim: There are a few moving parts to going international with your voice over work? What are they?

Shelley: Exactly. It’s just like when you market yourself here. You may have an agent, may belong to a Union, and get a lot of work that way and don’t do a lot of self-marketing and that’s great. But for those who don’t have that or rely on Pay2Play sites, again you’re limited, you may get jobs from P2Ps, but not clients. Clients are a little more hard to come by. So, for those who are not Union and not relying on P2Ps, international marketing is a great way to start, and the first “moving part” is where. Where do I even start looking? ‘Cause the world’s big, right? It can be quite scary to know what to do, where to begin. So, I help people break it down. Where do I look, where are the good resources, search engines, how do I get around that. And then we move on to how do I contact these clients. People speak different languages and have different customs, so you have to navigate that moving part. And then once you’ve booked a job in say, Italy, it’s what voice over rate do I charge, do they do usage, how do they do business, how do they talk to their clients, what’s the best way to contact them? So it’s all those moving parts, knowing different currencies, different time zones, all that kind of stuff.

Site homepage from Bridging the VO GapKim: Theses are one-on-one lessons over Skype or Zoom, right? Without revealing the info you give away in your sessions, what can participants expect to get, in a nutshell?

Shelley: Yes, Skype or zoom and the reason I’m doing them one-on-one is that everybody’s journey is different and I want to be able to tailor it to best fit each person’s needs. What I do covers so much, some people might only want info in one area, they might already be marketing abroad, but they want to expand and they don’t know how to find rate cards for certain countries, or other aspects they want me to cover with them. Or it might be they’ve got a live directed session with someone in another country and they’re not sure of themselves. I do performance coaching as well, which is something I love to do and I always give a little bit of insight into customs of say live sessions in France, or China, or Singapore, or India, because it is very different. They deal with clients and business in different ways. I can go quite in-depth depending on what someone’s needs are, or I can give a broad outline. It really depends, it’s kind of bespoke.

Diving into International Voice Over Rates and Customs

Kim: The world is wide and there is so much cultural diversity. You dive into voice over international rates and customs in your course. You must have put a lot of research into the various markets. How did that happen?

Shelley: That was a bit of a task. It’s all right getting voice over rates from production companies and Unions in specific countries, but if there’s a South African client, for instance, how am I going to get rates for that country? I decided the best way to get an indication of rates in various countries was to reach out to the voice over talent themselves. So, I spent a long time over many years building this info and getting input from more than one VO actor in each region and building up my rate sheets that way.

Kim: Who do you think will best benefit from working with you?

Shelley: I think somebody who’s been in the craft for maybe a couple of years and just wants to branch out to get new clients. People new to the industry can get an overview of what’s out there, so really most people can get something out of Bridging the VO Gap. Even those who’ve been at it for years and years, because guess what? They may have a couple of areas they work at outside of where they live, but they may not know about certain directories or certain places to go for usage rates, or sweet little websites to be aware of. So, I’d say probably everyone could find something of value.

 

Kim: Is a one-hour session sufficient? Or if voiceover artists want to really take on the world, do they need more time with you?

Shelley: I’ve done a bit of both with people. Again, it depends on what they need. Some people may only need an hour, and some may come back to me and say, ok, I’ve got a handle on this, now I’d like more insight into listing on certain websites, currency or payment issues. An hour is good to get the basics or work on something specific. And if someone wants to work with me on voice over performance afterwards, I’m totally down for that.

Filed Under: Voiceover Coach Tagged With: Bridging the VO Gap, coaching, international voice over rates, international voice work, Shelley Avellino, voice actor, voice artist, voice over, voice over coaching, voice over rates, voiceover talent

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