Voice over and film talents encounter all types of situations surrounding the ongoing stream of auditions. Do you ever feel your best is not needed because you are not the best or the first choice for a piece? That’s no excuse. Always give your finest. Even if you’re not the first choice, perform each voice-over script like the role was made just for you.
Did you see Ghostbusters? I watched a documentary the other day on the making of the original 1984 movie version. Of all the talented, big-name artists and performers in the movie, one artist’s journey still stands out for me. Writer/Actor Rick Moranis played “Louis Tully,” a neighbor of “Dana” played by Sigourney Weaver. Moranis was a last-minute fill-in for the Louis part. The role was written with Comedian/Actor John Candy in mind. Some of the film pre-shooting storyboards in the documentary even contained the Tully character with a striking resemblance to Candy.
The narrator noted no other actor was considered because the movie’s producers assumed Candy would take the role. But, once Candy read the script, he turned it down. Needing a quick replacement, one of the producers thought of the much lesser-known Writer/Actor Rick Moranis. Moranis read the script and could not believe his luck. He quickly accepted the role. The role was so laid out for Candy that Moranis had to write most of his lines.
Moranis’ performance had audiences laughing nonstop with his business write-off party and offering the dog demon a Mike Bone (if he could find one). Now that’s a full-service artist.
A voice actor (which Moranis occasionally works as), must be ready to make any role his or her own. The director will often give some parameters of a script. Some voice seekers even suggest characters to emulate when performing a voice-over script. But, it’s up to the voice actor to develop each script performance with the proper attitude and element of acting to bring the text to life.
Like film actors, a voice actor must be the talent and determine how best to perform a voice-over role. There is no time when a script is just a straight read. Even when the direction is to take a cue from a character actor, there’s usually room for a specific tone, feel personality, and confidence level in the performance. A voice-over artist is not hired to be a slough reading with a friendly voice. A voice over is engaged to be an actor using the medium of voice.
Always be your best actor
Like Moranis, you may or may not be the person in mind first, but with the proper script analysis infused with your style and creativity, you can rock your best performance.
Let your personality shine through as you listen carefully to the direction and give it your best routine. If possible, listen back to your performance and see if there is anything more you can pull out of the story for a better performance. Once you’ve given the director or producer what they initially asked for, do you see where you can pull more from the role? Who knows, the director may like your take on the script. If not, you can always go back to your first execution.
Get help in developing you
I am a big proponent of acting classes. Voice actors should always look for ways to bring out the creative stylist that lies in the soul. As children, most of us made up characters, games, and played pretend adventures. That spirit of creativity still lies in our soul; acting and improv training will help bring out your best interpretation no matter how long it’s been since you were a child.
Be ready for that unexpected VO role
Voice acting is such a fun profession, and there will be times when you are chosen for a job because you bring something unique to a script, a believable performance. Take a cue from Moranis, be ready not just to be the voice over, but the best actor for that script.
You know what to do, break that lip!
A couple of days ago, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of voice actor friends. My elite group of 
As a US citizen, I hear daily political and climate news with dire predictions of future calamities and over accentuated, sensationalized headlines. The voice-over industry is not immune to those periods of dire predictions such as automated voices replacing human voices. Can you imagine your automated voice service as the voice of your favorite animation character? Give that a thought for a while. Don’t let bad news or hyperbole knock you off your life’s course. No matter your pursuit, keep yourself fresh and real with “wind-in-the-mind-time” to maintain your best.
Those of us who are self-employed know all too well what it’s like to struggle with optimism. We often face days when the world seems to be working for everyone but us. Voiceover talents must contend with not just the regular struggles of maintaining a business but can also suffer struggles from personal rejections like lost voiceover jobs. I’ve found that depending on the day of the week, finding the will to keep forging on toward one’s heartfelt goals may take several or many methods of encouragement. Life is too short, so make a point to find and use what will keep you motivated toward your best life.
In the voiceover world, they say, “Beware January and June.” So, if your June is not what your other colleagues may be experiencing business-wise, you need to come up with ways to regroup. Regrouping should lead to more jobs, better auditions, and more revenue doing what you love. Unconventional methods of regrouping can lead to better creativity and a renewed focus for business success.
I like the enthusiasm and excitement generated when I hear the rags to riches stories of motivational speakers. The rousing narratives spark hope and a belief in one’s possible future success. Still, with all the motivational streaming videos, books, podcasts, conventions, audiobooks, and the like, the listener is still left with the real work, and that is to DO the job. Become your motivator while reaching your life goals every day.
One of the things that still intrigues me is the stranger inside. You may think, “How can one be a stranger to one’s self?” I’ll give you an example. Have you ever encountered an unexpected event or emergency and you reacted in a way that you didn’t expect? Your behavior was not a surprise to your subconscious just to your conscious mind. As a voice talent, you need to get to know the personalities lurking in your subconscious and put them to work in your voiceover (VO) performances.
The summer has been a little slow for many in the voiceover business. Recent changes in the industry have taken many voice talent a back and have caused concern for many small business owners. You may be wondering about your next step? With more than half of 2017 in our rear-view mirror, (along with the historical total 
As many enter the voiceover and voice acting arena, there is an area not usually addressed in blogs, at conferences, or during training sessions. The mouth and vocal cords play an essential role in the success of anyone who speaks for a living. Moreover, dental and vocal care can affect how a voice talent speaks, breaths, and feels. Your teeth, breathing, and the way you form and express words are so crucial that such items can break or make your voiceover career. Here’s how you can practice healthy vocal and dental care for voiceover success.