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CAREER
Voice Over Guide From A to Z
... Here's What Works For Me

By Stephania Lintonbon
Voice Actor

My A to Z guide for voice over success ...

A - Analyze.  Analyze copy before beginning to record. There’s a time for rip and read, but it’s really best if I know where I’m headed and where my transitions are.

B - Baseline. I have a baseline in terms of investments/fees that I require for any given job. I’m open to negotiation, of course, but if the offer is quite a bit less than the baseline, I use the "delete” button or refer the talent seeker to another source.

C - Courage. If you’re not making the progress that you want in your career, have the courage to ask for professional help to see where improvement is needed, and follow the advice received. A little coaching can go a long way.

D - Diction. Get some tutoring if you need it. Tongue twisters are great. There are even apps for that!

E - Effort. Put love and your best effort into every transaction.

F - Friends. I love my online friends and the offline ones, too. We don’t have to go it alone.

G - Gratitude. Every day is a blessing!

H - Happy. Stay happy. If a home recording session gets you tied in knots, take a break and raise your mood, then give it another go. Works for me (most of the time).

I - Interest. Keep interested in many things. I never know what subjects I’ll be asked to voice, so it pays to learn to pick up the big picture of a subject quickly.

J - Joy. Even a small project can be a blessing. So be joyous.

K - Kind. Be kind to everyone, even voice seekers who offer ridiculous sums of money which we have to turn down.

L - Life. Put life into reads. Let it reflect our own individual personality.

M - Money. It’s a very good thing! Keep on top of monies due to you. Set fees according to your needs and goals.

N - Not a problem! Within reason, be willing to go the extra mile for your clients.

O - Optimize. Get optimum quality from your sound system. Get optimum results from your website, too. Google SEO for more info.

P - Perfect. Edit your recordings to the best level of perfection you can manage.

Q - Quickly. Respond quickly to audition requests and client or prospective client queries.

R - Relax. When times are slow, keep a determined but relaxed attitude. It’ll get better eventually. Multiple streams of income help life go a lot more smoothly!

S - Smile. Peeps can hear it in your recording, and a colleague advises that it’s good for clearing "s” sounds.

T - Train. Always keep training, learning and sharpening your VO skills.

U - Up To Date. Keep your contact details up to date.

V - Voice. Keep your voice in good shape with exercises, practice and warm ups.

W - Website. Make your website mobile device-friendly. Move with the times!

X- Xtra. VoiceOverXtra, run by John Florian, is a fabby site with great and helpful articles by industry experts.

Y - You Tube. It's a great source of inspiration with lots of interesting voice over interviews, tutorials and other good stuff. There’s a lot of nonsense there, too, so discriminate!

Z - Zest. Enjoy your voice over career, enjoy your life with Zest! Cheers!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ...

Stefania Lintonbon is an American voice over artist/actor based in England who uses her trans-Atlantic American accent to voice educational and game-mobile apps for children; a variety of British, American and Japanese-language character roles; and provides corporate message voice overs for American and European clients. A member of Equity, she also voices podcasts, broadcasts narrated stories, and blogs on lifestyle topics, book reviews and voice over.

Email: stefsvoice@hotmail.co.uk
Web: www.stefsvoice4u.co.uk

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Comments (3)
Ken Budka
7/9/2012 at 11:19 AM
Thanks Stefania, I love the positive energy that surrounds this list. The world is a better place with you in it...

Ken
Donna Postel
7/6/2012 at 8:50 AM
Well done, Stefania! This entire article would make a lovely poster - it is full of gems!
Don Griffith
7/5/2012 at 11:32 PM
Thanks for sharing this, Stefania! Very inspiring letters to live by!
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