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What is a Voice Actor?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered March 03 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
A Voice Actor is a performer who lends their voice to portray a character or convey information. They can also be called voice artists, voice talent, or voiceover specialists. If you're looking for a job as a voiceover actor, it can help to set up a few different job alerts using different keywords so you do not miss any opportunities.  

We may not realize it, but everyone encounters voiceover and voice acting daily. From animation, radio, video games, audiobooks, advertisements, and more, there are so many fields in which voice acting is used.  

Generally, Voice Actors are regular actors who also work on stage in the film. They audition for voice roles just as they would audition for any other medium. However, as the demand for voiceover work grows, there is an increasing prevalence of people getting into voice acting without formal acting training. Depending on the context, a Voice Actor needs to embody the speaker's role and possibly do many different voices and characters.  

Specialized Voice Actors sometimes receive recruitment offers through voice acting agencies. The agent sets up the auditions and sends the actor the audition text. You should never have to pay an agent upfront for any work; they only get paid a small commission once you are paid for the job.  

Personality of a Voice Actor

Beyond having good pacing, pronunciation, and diction, Voice Actors should cultivate their resilience and flexibility to be successful.  

  • Resilience
Like any creative field, rejection is a part of the process. If rejected for a role, it does not mean you are bad at voice acting; it just means your voice was not right for the part.  

  • Adaptability
Voice Actors need to listen to directors' instructions and apply them to deliver the director's performance. It requires flexibility and being able to take criticism gracefully.  

  • Focus
Gaining traction in voiceover can be a long process. Keep your eyes on your goal and find creative ways to get yourself "out there" to work on projects you find interesting. Start a podcast or a YouTube channel to build an online presence.  

  • Confidence
Confidence is catching, and it puts others at ease. Plus, a person can convey confidence through voice. Work on your inner confidence so you can project it in your work. Even dry technical voiceovers are more engaging when the voice talent is confidently reading the text. 
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