News: Industry

The voice-over industry appears headed to yet another revolution: synthetic voice, also known as Voice AI (for artificial intelligence). Online casting powerhouse Voices(dot)com may have accelerated this by partnering with synthetic voice developer VocaliD. Along with evolving niche job opportunities in recording source material for Voice AI, the move worries voice actors of the human kind. Questions and answers …

Come on, admit it: You’ve tried the Porky Pig voice more than once. Now hear the real deal – live – when personally animated Bob Bergen joins The Guys tonight on the Voice Over Body Shop (VOBS) webcast (starting at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET on vobs.tv). Bob is the current voice of the Warner Bros. cartoon characters Porky Pig, Tweety Bird and many more …

When you’re laughing through TV episodes of Jane the Virgin, the hilarious trigger of those laughs is often the voice of Jane’s unseen Latin Lover – played by VO star Anthony Mendez. And tonight you can actually SEE the talent behind that voice, as Anthony joins the guys as special guest on the Voice Over Body Shop (VOBS) webcast (starting at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET on vobs.tv) …

#VOICESTRONG, a new movement seeking to empower voice actors to reject unfair job requirements and pay, is explained in this new video and a VoiceOverXtra Q&A with outspoken VO vet and advocate Erik Sheppard. Plus – here’s where to download the #VOICESTRONG logo for your emails, website and social media …

Will voice-over’s alleged sexual predator Peter Rofé and his #MeToo accusers meet again – but this time in court? Rofé is charged with sexual assault in a class action suit filed in New York’s Manhattan Supreme Court, and the accusers want Rofé to “face public legal repercussions for his crimes.” The suit’s attorney also anticipates a “large” jury award for the physical and emotional damages suffered by the women …

What would YOU do if you felt sexually harassed in a voice-over studio – or in any work or personal environment? In the wake of dozens of accusations of sexual harassment and assault over nearly two decades by (possibly former) voice talent and coach Peter Rofé, VoiceOverXtra invited Rofé’s accusers to share their advice to other women on how to react to and emotionally process harassment and assault …

Dozens of women currently or formerly in the voice-over world have felt empowered by the ‘MeToo’ movement to come forward about sexual abuse – many publicly. Here’s how it happened …

The voice-over industry has a ‘Harvey Weinstein.’ Voice-over producer, actor and coach Peter Rofé, based in the New York City area, has been named by 16 women as a predator who sexually assaulted them in his studio, according to an article today on CNN …

Voice over is a changing industry – with a dollar value of $4.4 billion in jobs completed annually by voice actors worldwide (as of 2015), according to a recently-released study – Report on the Global Voice Over Market – commissioned by Voices.com, the online global voice over marketplace.

New voice over poll results: “Under normal circumstances (not charity, etc.), what is the approximately LOWEST $$ you will accept for a single voice over job?” …