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VOICE ACTING Find Your Authentic Voice And Dare To Be Different March 14, 2017  By Bobbin BeamVoice Actor When working as a voice over actor, one must dare the difference to find your own authentic voice. The explanation of the thought behind this statement follows. Recently for me, there have been times of fun, joy, stress, death of a family member, grief, travel, family bonding and memorable times with good friends. Good and not so good stuff. So I’m into keeping my head down, working hard lately. At many things. Trying not to become distracted from what’s important. And a new regimen of incorporating meditation and yoga is helping me to feel "centered.” I believe that becoming still with your thoughts is needed more. Not just in life, but in our industry, which is growing and becoming more fragmented. That's why daring to be different is the challenge in a sea of voice over actors and all-consuming social media. PUMMELED INTO PARALYSIS Social media is the huge, bright shiny object of the day. It’s easy to be tempted to hang there. Not only to keep our egos fueled, but to find out what people think of us. Yet, the temptation is to define one’s identity in terms of keeping score of others’ wins, losses, likes, or who you are as a voice over person. (Note: voice over PERSON.) Therefore, it’s easy to get your identity off track. BUT WE ALLOW IT! We are deluged with such information overload that we can become overwhelmed - pummeled into paralysis from constant bombardment. And we’re basically allowing it to happen! We’re wanting someone to give us the keys to the kingdom to fast success. We have so much at our fingertips in the resources of the internet. Much of human knowledge is digitized for immediate access. Today there are so many more voice over coaches, teachers, mentors and self-proclaimed experts than ever. The news and social media, academia, webinars, conferences, content marketers and online groups tell us what we should be doing. MAKE IT ABOUT YOU Here’s a suggestion: Make who you are your selling point. Stop measuring yourself, your voice over performance, your "popularity” against the standards and claims set by others. Start from you own unique perspective. After all, the chance of you even being born is one in 400 trillion! Be true to yourself. And authentic about your "why." Your "why” should be what you wake up every day for. If you work hard, practice and train to be your best constantly, you’ll be confident about your own differentiation from the crowd. YOU'VE EARNED IT So believe in what you do, what you’ve learned, how you’ve practiced, and how you deliver your performances. And don’t give up. Stay confident about your own differentiation from "the crowd.” Some of my favorite quotes come from my mentor, Jim Rohn:
I’m not suggesting we drop out of everything, just to be or say we’re different. I’m saying we are often smarter than we give ourselves credit for. The answers aren’t to be Googled or in our Facebook groups. And here’s one more Jim Rohn saying: "Learners are earners. And earners are learners.”Be mindful of trends. Get smart and read. Keep training. Practice, practice, practice ... perfectly. Use your own brain. Be discerning (ie. call out the B.S.) Take some time to discover what’s already inside and is marinating around that miraculous mind. I’ll bet you’ll find new insights and intuitions that are truly original. Wow. It’s that inner, authentic voice. "Voiceover is what I do, not who I am” - Bobbin BeamSo, take a time out from the other 95% once in a while. Come up with some of your own answers. And dare the difference. ----------------------- ABOUT BOBBIN Bobbin Beam has been a full-time female voice over talent and voice actress since 1985, based in the USA near Milwaukee, WI. She performs voice over projects mostly "from the trenches” inside her broadcast-quality recording home-based studio. Her voice is heard on radio and television commercials, digital content, promos, programs, corporate videos, narrations, audiobooks, e-Learning, documentaries, explainer videos, and apps. Clients include ABC, Disney Parks, Discovery Channel, Mitsubishi, Merck, Toyota, Citgo, Nivea, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Pro Flowers and San Pellegrino. Email: bobbin@BobbinBeam.com Blog: www.bobbinbeam.com/bobbins-blog Web: www.BobbinBeam.com SEE MORE HELPFUL VOICE ACTING ARTICLES! |
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Comments (2)
Ken Unis
4/14/2017 at 12:26 AM
What a great article, Bobbin, to believe in myself, appreciate and celebrate the voice that I have...and to be on top of things in today's world.The greatest gift I can give myself is knowledge. Thank you !
Rebecca Haugh
3/14/2017 at 2:45 PM
LOVE this, Bobbin. Fabulous points. So true!
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