- Interpreting The Script
- The Art Of Characterization
- The Ability To Collaborate
- Taking Care Of Vocal Health
- Never-Ending Skills Improvement
- Looking Ahead Investments
- Networking Is A Key To Success
From animated films and video games to audiobooks and TV commercials, voice acting brings characters to life through the power of vocal expression and performance. Voice actors are essential in conveying emotions, storytelling, and creating memorable experiences for audiences of any of those mediums.
Continue reading to learn about techniques and strategies that can help aspiring actors succeed in the competitive industry of voice acting.
Interpreting The Script
One of the most essential techniques every voice actor should add to their vocal skill set is the ability to effectively do the interpretation of the given script. While everyone can simply read a script, and many can do it in a rather compelling vocal tone, it takes a voice acting professional to be able to interpret it in a nuanced way.
To be able to believably portray characters, voice actors must be able to read between the lines, and understand the emotions and relationships of the characters in the script, as well as the vision the author had in mind for the overall mood of the story. Unlike amateur voice narrators who may sound unnatural or even robotic, professional voice actors bring emotion and authenticity to their vocal performances.
The Art Of Characterization
Another fundamental technique every voice actor should be able to do is to master the characterization through their vocals. This voice acting technique means mastering the ability to alter vocal pitch, tempo, tone, accent, and other aspects of the voice to match the necessary traits of a specific character.
This can include being able to mimic different accents, tones, and styles that can set actors apart from their competition in this industry. By acquiring such a versatile skill set of various dialects and even languages, voice actors can bring the character to life in an engaging and believable performance by solely using their vocals.
The Ability To Collaborate
A major part of being a voice actor is working together with other creative professionals, including sound engineers, producers, writers and directors. To be able to succeed in this industry, voice actors must be willing to follow directives to fulfill the overall vision of the given project.
Voice acting professionals also must be able to work with feedback received to effectively implement it into their vocal performance. The ultimate goal of such a collaboration process is to deliver a high-quality voice-acting performance that aligns with the creative vision of the specific project.
Taking Care Of Vocal Health
Similarly, as athletes have to commit to taking care of their body to stay physically fit, voice actors must ensure they stay ready to perform for their next gig at all times.
Performers must be aware of the numerous things and habits that can affect their vocal abilities, including smoking and consuming caffeine. Of course, common health issues, including cold, stuffy nose, and throat inflammation, also can put a strain on an actor's vocal cords.
As professionals, voice actors must be aware of these various factors and take steps to prevent them. Even simple actions like warm-ups before performances, opting to whisper instead of yelling, staying hydrated daily, eating products high in vitamins, and staying warm during cold weather can help to keep vocal cords healthy.
Never-Ending Skills Improvement
It is also crucial and basically, a never-ending commitment to have regular practice sessions. That is necessary in order to elevate voice acting craft and improve the vocal range, which includes versatility for the types of voices and accents actors can do. And also as well as simply staying competitive in an always-changing industry.
Amongst the various ways for voice actors to practice is breathing at punctuation, relaxing jaw, sight reading, tongue exercises, and word shaping.
By being able to adapt their vocals for different genres, styles, characters, and projects, voice actors significantly increase their work opportunities. Those in this highly competitive industry of voice acting can also include voicing commercials, animation, video games, audiobooks, and much more.
Looking Ahead Investments
Voice acting portfolio should typically include audio recordings of vocal abilities and performances, since there are not many other ways for potential employers to evaluate candidates, especially in the case of lack of extended experience.
Of course, everyone has voice recording options on their phone but the audio recorded through such is unlikely to do justice to the performer’s voice acting skills. And professional studio time can get really costly over time. That is the reason why voice actors should consider investing in high-quality recording equipment. Such equipment includes relevant software, microphones, and headphones, amongst other things.
While admittedly the initial investment involved in purchasing professional voice recording equipment can be intimidating, performers should look at it as a long-term one. By having their own equipment, not only voice actors can stand out with their quality audio when applying for casting calls but it can also make them more competitive in the market. Finally, in the long run, owning the recording equipment can also turn out to be cost-effective, since it can reduce the constant need for outsourcing recording services or studio time.
Networking Is A Key To Success
The same as with every aspect of the entertainment industry, attending various events in person and being active online is essential for voice actors as well.
Networking allows voice actors to connect with other industry professionals, including casting directors, agents, and other fellow voice actors. Since it can be a word-of-mouth industry, such connections may provide the performer with valuable new opportunities such as auditions, job offers, collaborations, and referrals.
Besides the job opportunities, networking can also benefit voice actor’s professional and even personal growth options due to possibly leading to partnerships, mentorships, and friendships.
Last but not least, it can provide voice actors with important and useful knowledge about the field they work in. That can include valuable voice acting industry insights, current trends, and best practices, as well as general development and learning opportunities, which can arrive in the form of idea exchange, skill improvement, and opportunities to ask for advice or feedback.
