“Make tons of money in your pajamas” & other VO myths

TRUTH: This is one of the most obnoxious phrases that constantly gets thrown around, usually to promote some type of get-rich-quick scheme ("if you’ll just take THIS class and get your demo produced with us at the end of it, you’ll be making bank in no time!") This field is incredibly competitive and requires hard work and financial investment. It can absolutely be lucrative once you are working very consistently, but for most people, it takes time and patience to get to that level. As for "working in your pajamas", you could theoretically do that if you were recording a job that works remotely, but many jobs - particularly for character work - ask talent to physically come into the recording studio, in which case people usually try to look somewhat presentable!

TRUTH: While having a “good voice” can be an asset, it's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what will actually get you booked. Your vocal type will of course play a part in what types of roles you’ll be suited for, but just because someone has a pleasant voice doesn’t automatically make them a good performer. Ultimately, what will book you the role has less to do with how you sound and more to do with how you bring that character or copy to life through your acting choices. And even a “generic sounding” voice can be a blessing in disguise because it allows you to be somewhat of a vocal chameleon and fit all types of roles! Furthermore, even commercials now are straying away from the polished, booming “radio announcer” voices and are seeking more of an everyday person feel.

TRUTH: It’s true that certain skillsets come more naturally to certain people than others. However, even people who are naturally adept at something need to refine their skills through training and practice, and not being predisposed to something from an early age doesn’t mean it's impossible for you to succeed at it. For example, someone who instinctively knows how to draw as a child might find it easier to make progress as an artist as they grow up, and someone who can’t draw at all is going to have to work longer and harder at it, but chances are that person can still learn to draw through art classes, individual study, and constant practice and discipline. Don’t let “I don’t have talent” be a roadblock to pursuing what you want if this is what you’re passionate about. You just have to be willing to learn and work hard.

The majority of currently working voice actors you hear in media didn’t start out being great at what they do. In fact, if you asked them about their early recordings or first demos they’d probably tell you they were terrible! Even though people can progress at different levels, everyone has to start somewhere.

That being said, if you're training and working hard for years upon years with absolutely zero return on your investment despite doing everything "right", there may come a time where you have to take a hard look at whether or not this is the right career path for you. If it's what you love and you can't imagine doing anything else, then keep going for it, but if it's making you burned out and miserable than it may be better to take a step back and put it on the back burner, at least for a while, and see how you feel.

TRUTH: If you’re just starting out, there’s not much sense in spending thousands of dollars on top-of-the-line equipment that you’re not sure will even give you a return on your investment yet. While USB mics tend to get a bad rep (and it’s true that you should upgrade to XLR eventually if you are consistently doing professional recordings from home), a decent-quality USB mic is fine for most hobby and indie projects and also beginner-friendly in terms of how easy it is to use. And the most expensive microphone in the world won’t make up for poor acting—-if you don’t have proper training and practice, a great mic won’t magically make you sound amazing. The same goes for sound treatment—-you can easily do some DIY stuff when starting out that won’t break the bank. Your home studio is going to be a constant work-in-progress that you will improve upon as time goes on.

TRUTH: Some actors who are already very established in the industry might tell you that they don’t have or need a demo because by this point, everyone knows their work—-their agents know how to pitch them, they’re on casting directors’ radar for auditions, and they don’t need to seek out independent clients. That’s great, but for the vast majority of actors, a demo is still crucial because you need a way to get access to those audition opportunities in the first place! If you want to get signed by an agency or submit to a closed talent pool or even just solicit potential clients via your website, a proper voice demo is a must-have. Some people simply slap a compilation together of work they’ve done in the past, which is functional enough as a placeholder, but your demo reel is ultimately the core of how you market yourself as a voice actor and it shouldn’t be overlooked unless you’re already far past the point where you don’t need one anymore.

TRUTH: If you are seriously at the point in your career where you are industry-level competitive and ready to submit to agencies and major production studios, then a professionally made demo can certainly be an asset to you. Established and respected demo producers tend to keep up on industry trends, know what agents and casting directors are looking for, and can mix the demo in a way that makes the audio sound as if it could be taken from professionally recorded projects. That being said, these days, the focus is more about the acting and less about fancy production and effects. Plenty of actors manage to get signed with demos that didn't cost them thousands of dollars, because they are great at what they do. A professional demo can certainly help you, but you don't need to spend the money on it until you are at the level where it will seriously benefit your career.

TRUTH: There are already people who have been cast to play those characters, and it's not super frequent that voice matching auditions come up. These skills CAN be valuable as one of the many tools in your toolbox - for example, by giving you a baseline from which you can come up with your own new characterizations - but many beginner actors tend to focus too much on impressions and assume that because they can do a great Vegeta or Stewie Griffin, it's going to get them hired. Again, the acting must come first. Everything else is a bonus.

TRUTH: It is very rare that an agency will be willing to sign someone with virtually no acting training or experience. An agent's goal is to sign on talent that will make them money (meaning you must already be at a somewhat competitive level to get an agent meeting). There are always exceptions, but they are few and far between. Before attempting to jump into agent submissions, it's best to take classes as well as doing independent work online. There are plenty of open auditions and talent rosters you can submit to that do not require having representation.

TRUTH: People who started as child actors may of course have an advantage, as they got a head start. However, it's not a requirement for success. There are people of all ages who are successful in this field, including those who start well into their 40s and 50s. Characters of all ages need voicing, too! While it may be frustrating to feel like you have to play "catch-up" or watching talent much younger than you succeed sooner, it is never too late to start. If it's something you want to do, it's better to dive in than to wonder "what if".

TRUTH: There is a fair amount of crossover between content creators and voice actors, as both fields essentially involve performing. It's not uncommon for someone to want to become an actor but to do content creation on the side, or for someone who starts out as a content creator to also decide to explore voice acting. However, neither of these fields are quick and easy ways to make money. There is no harm in trying out streaming or content creation if you are genuinely interested in it, and it may help you feel more confident as a performer, but it's not necessarily going to get you "in". People may point to influencers who get VO cameos due to having lots of followers - yes, this sometimes happens, but the majority of people who work on these projects day-to-day are regular voice actors, some of whom also happen to do content creation.

MYTH: Becoming a successful voice actor is all about networking and who you know.

TRUTH: Sure, this is one part of it. We've all heard the stories about someone who fell into the industry "by accident" years ago by being in the right place at the right time, or someone who was working on the production side and got pulled in to do VO. Those scenarios were far more common decades ago than they are in today's ultra-competitive market, but it is true that being well-connected in the industry can help you get jobs... assuming you are good at what you do. Again, if someone does not yet have the acting skills to be competitive, just knowing somebody probably isn't going to help them---and people can feel resentful if they feel they are being "used" for their position in the industry. The best way to network is to make friends and connections naturally, be a genuine person, and be a great actor!

TRUTH: If this is something you want to pursue, it's best to at least give it a try---even as a hobby. Some people may assume they are not cut out for VO because they are auditioning a lot and not getting booked, but that is actually fairly common in the industry. Of course, the hard truth is that not everyone is going to be successful in the industry, but if you are truly passionate about performing, you can find ways to do so.

TRUTH: There are of course things you can do to boost your odds, and if you are able to invest in these things, it may help you progress a bit more quickly. However, skills are not developed overnight. Even if you had access to the highest quality recording studio and were trained by one of the most successful pros in the entire industry, they can't just magically make a career happen. It will take time, patience and hard work. Again, many organizations that offer class packages will be happy to "sell you a dream" by making unrealistic promises of being super successful right after completing their courses, but the reality is it takes most people years to get a solid footing.

TRUTH: Any voice actor who has done an interview of some kind has probably heard at least once: "Okay, but have you ever considered doing REAL acting?" By real acting, people typically mean on-camera roles for film or TV. However, this implies that acting with only your voice doesn't actually count as acting, when in reality it's simply a different form of acting. Acting is still acting, regardless of the medium. On-camera actors, theatre actors, and voice actors are all valid as actors, and each of these professions come with their own unique challenges. (Protip: If you find yourself wanting to ask this question to a voice actor in the future, a better way to phrase it is "Have you ever done on-camera acting?")

TRUTH: Character work is only a fraction of the type of work that’s out there. Voiceover artists are used for all sorts of work—-from the ads you rush to skip at the beginning of YouTube videos, to podcasts and audiobooks, to the automated phone systems telling you to press “0” to speak to a representative and so much more. A lot of people aspire to get into character work because they grew up watching cartoons and playing games, and that’s completely valid—-just don’t discount the other opportunities out there to help you make a living!

TRUTH: Due to the popularity of anime (and anime conventions), voice actors who play main characters in popular anime shows do tend to develop some sort of a fan following. These actors may be invited to appear as guests at anime and comic conventions, where they can make money by selling autographs and photo ops. However, the work itself does not actually pay as much as most other types of voiceover work (such as video games). While successful efforts have been made over time to raise pay rates and get more dubbing jobs on union contracts, it's difficult to make a living solely on anime.

TRUTH: As a voice actor, you are considered an independent contractor. Even if you happen to work a lot with a specific studio or client, or even if virtually all of your work comes from that one source, you are still not considered an employee of that company. When you are “hired”, you are hired for that one specific project and when that contract ends, so does your work (until the next thing comes around that you happen to get cast in.)

TRUTH: If you have your sights set on certain types of voice work (such as anime/dubbing, prelay animation, and video games), most of these are recorded in-person and you do need to be where the work is in order to be considered for these types of jobs. Most character work is recorded in the LA area, with a good portion of dubbing work in Texas (particularly DFW) and occasionally New York. But as technology has evolved, there are many other types of voice work—-such as audiobooks, commercials, industrial narration, promos, phone messaging, eLearning, and mobile apps—-that do cast and record remotely, either from the talent’s home studio or via a professional recording studio in their area. Even if your goal is character work but you’re not ready or able to move yet, you can still submit for projects like indie games and online animation that are willing to work remotely. And some dubbing and game jobs nowadays are willing to consider remote recording if there is an actor they really want to cast. There’s likely a limit to how far you can go in certain aspects of your career if you don’t live in LA, but it is still possible to work regularly if you get a bit creative, have a great home studio and are good at marketing!

TRUTH: You are technically running your own small business, but at the same time, your directors and clients are essentially your "bosses" for the duration of that particular job and you have to work according to their specifications. "Being your own boss" implies that you don't have anyone to answer to, and that simply isn't the case when someone is contracting you to perform work for a project of theirs. In a live session, your director is considered the one in charge.

In regards to scheduling, it's a mixed bag. When recording independent projects from home you'll have a lot more freedom with what hours you actually record as long as you meet your deadlines, but in-person sessions or anything else with live direction requires you to show up and be on time just like you would for a regular job. For the most part, studios can work around your availability within reason, but they've still got deadlines to meet, and sometimes you'll have to make compromises by recording at less-than-ideal hours when working with clients in other time zones. If you're too difficult to schedule or too picky about your schedule, it may impact your ability to be cast for main roles that will require a lot of hours.

TRUTH: Generally speaking, voice actors get paid based on the number of hours worked, or sometimes by a flat session fee depending on the job. If you’re working on a commercial through your agent that goes to broadcast radio or TV, then you may get “use fees” based on how long the spot airs, and certain union productions that premiere in movie theaters or on broadcast TV can also be subject to residuals, but for something like a video game, the number of copies sold doesn’t have any effect on how much actors get paid. So while it’s great to buy games and DVDs your friends or your favorite actors are in to support the industry, they’re not getting paid extra from it (and the same goes for those who try to “boycott” a show or game because an actor they don’t like is in it—-they already got paid for their recording sessions, so your money wouldn’t be going to them anyway.)

TRUTH: While actors do often record as a group for prelay (original) animation and sometimes play off of each other for “partner reads” in commercial spots, this is rarely the case for video games and most other types of projects (especially dubbing). Even if your character has constant dialogue with another character in a video game, chances are you’re not reading with the other actor or even hearing what they’re doing (you may not even know who the other actor *is* until the game is out!) For context, you'll be relying on the information given by the voice director as well as quickly skimming over the lines that come before yours in the script.

There are a number of reasons why group records for most projects aren’t practical, but the basics are budget, time, and scheduling. Thankfully, part of the job of the voice director is to direct the actors in such a way that everything will sound seamless when put together, like the characters are actually having a conversation in the same room.

TRUTH: There are many factors that go into whether a performance sounds good or bad, and the actor is only one link in that chain. Sure, maybe that actor really just isn't that great, but consider some of the other possible contributing factors:

TRUTH: Many actors pursue teaching as a side job, usually as a mix of a passion of sharing their knowledge and also a way to make a bit of extra income. Some will also attempt to step into casting, directing, and demo production. Some of these actors are great at all of these things; however, keep in mind that acting and teaching are separate skill sets. There are great actors who aren’t great teachers and vice versa. It’s good to listen to recommendations from others as well as trust your gut instinct when it comes to who you study with. (Also, keep in mind that a certain teacher or coach’s method may be effective for some students but not for others.)