Questions - Introspective, Retrospective, Prospective

Diane Havens · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 12:38 (GMT) Post subject:

i agree, todd. and i'm a fan of e.e. cummings, too!

Todd Ellis · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 12:52 (GMT) Post subject:

who? i'm afraid i don't keep up much with the new music.

Philip Banks · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 13:15 (GMT) Post subject:

After deciding to go into voice acting, how long did it take you to get your first project?

3 months. Radio commercials. Fee in 1990 was $130

Did you attend any workshop or classes?

No

Did you come into the industry with an acting background, ala a graduate in theater or acting classes?

No. Was investment director for a Swiss merchant bank

In a retrospect, would you recommend that someone takes voice acting classes or could you be successful learning about the craft via the net, practicing with various types of scripts, buying audio software and creating your own demo?

You need an intuitive/natural ability to go it alone and few people have that. The global market and the internet has raised the bar in terms of quality so being OK for you local market is no longer good enough so you need to equipe yourself to compete with the big guns. In terms of investing money in your career, only spend what you are prepared to lose as there is a 95% chance you will not make a single penny.

Lastly, can you crack into this business without an agent? If yes, can you find projects to submit a voice audition, via the Internet?

Unlikely that you will get any of the nice gigs without an agent but it is possible to make a good living. Once again, bear in mind that the market is saturated with people claiming to be voice overs. If you win, it's fabby!