The ability to portray a personality, to convey emotion, and to bring listeners into a story with voice alone is a remarkable talent – and one that is often highly sought-after. Voice actors must be able to captivate an audience, tell a story, and show a lot of personality, all without the benefit of facial expressions, body movements, or visual props. With the right voice over training, gifted voice actors can succeed in a number of different careers that call for voice talent. Do you think you have what it takes to make a career as a voice actor? Here are a few career options in the field to consider.
Broadcast Media
Many voice actors make their living doing voice acting for various forms of broadcast media, including television and radio voice-overs. As radio is entirely dependent upon sound to get the message across, voice actors often turn to this medium for their careers. From disc jockeys and news broadcasters to radio talk show hosts and even colorful weekday “morning crews”, radio offers a number of excellent opportunities for talented voice actors to work in a live setting.
Commercials Voice Overs
Broadcast media voice acting isn’t limited to live work. Radio and television alike rely heavily upon the talents of voice actors for their commercials and advertising content. Voice actors who work in commercials have to be able to convey trust, assurance and enthusiasm for a product, all without the assistance of any visual aids. After an extensive career, their voices may be familiar enough for listeners to recognize immediately. One such example would be the late Don LaFontaine. The name may not ring a bell, but if you’re familiar with the movie trailer cliché “In a world…”, then you’re familiar with Don LaFontaine’s voice.
Film
Film may not seem like a natural setting for voice acting, considering the highly visual emphasis in film acting. However, it’s used far more than one might realize. Any time in a movie that there is a faceless voice on a telephone, or an unseen narrator, or a non-human that speaks – whether animal, puppet, or CGI character – voice acting is being used.
Animation
From the early days of Disney’s Mickey Mouse short cartoons to today’s full-length animated blockbuster movies, voice acting has been bringing cartoons to life for decades. Though many of today’s big budget animated films are hiring famous on-screen celebrities to voice the main characters, the cartoon and animation industry is an excellent resource for actors who specialize in voice acting. Animation voice acting is more than simply being able to make “silly” voices – it relies on having the talent to create a unique and distinctive voice that still portrays emotion and helps tell the story, all while remaining true to the character’s personality.
Still Have More Questions?
KD Conservatory has acting, musical theatre, and film production programs to help prepare students for careers in the entertainment industry. Contact us with any of your questions, or check us out on Facebook for ongoing updates and information!
