Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions. UPDATED WITH NEW ANIMATION DEMO!

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Shawn

Shawn

For a long time I've been wanting to break into a voice acting career. But time and budget have always made me reconsider. But I've decided that I'm going to have to risk the debt because if I make a successful career of this I'll not only be making good money, but I'll be doing something I enjoy.
My overall goal is animation. I love animation of all sorts, and I think it would be the greatest thrill to make a contribution to the process. But this being reality you have to start somewhere if you want to get noticed.

The last few weeks I've been working with Marc Graue. He's a successful voice guy who makes a living on all sides of the voice over business. He's a voice actor himself, but also produces and directs voice talent (You can recently hear his voice on the most recent Last Airbender movie trailer). He has a working studio in Burbank that has recorded all sorts of talent in it's 25+ years of existence. He's not an inexpensive fellow to go to for a voice demo, but you'll be happy with the results for certain.

I just got my Commercial Demo finished and ready to go. I'd love to get your opinions on it.

UPDATED : My newly revised animation demo is done and ready for your opinions! Fire away!
 

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Rob King

Rob King

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Shawncy, that sounds excellent. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's terrible voice acting. I know this isn't what you're going for, but at least it's a step, so I'll say it: If I heard this stuff on my radio I'd either be impressed, or otherwise I just wouldn't launch into that rage I get when someone in a radio ad talks like he's reading a high school presentation off a sheet of looseleaf. And I launch into that rage quite often.

Good luck to you, for sure!
 
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Wasabi Poptart

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

I think your voice is great for commericals like the Arrowhead, Columbia, and Snickers ones. The voices for Pedigree and Diddy Kong didn't really do it for me though.
 
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Matt²

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Excellent!! You're well on your way!

Note.. if you're on your way to animation, maybe do some voices of character lines? Like maybe mix something up with a short story?

I'm envious.. I want to do that too, and I'm going to be in California at the end of the month!
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Rob: Thanks for the awesome vote of confidence!

Wasabi: I really like how the Arrowhead spot came out, and think that's likely what I'll probably be booked a lot for.

Matt: I'm actually going to be working on an Animation Demo next. That's where you get to really go to town with the character voices and accents. If you're serious about voice acting I highly recommend Marc Graue's class and demo production to get you started. http://www.fixinthemix.com/
 
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Matt²

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Shawnacy said:
Rob: Thanks for the awesome vote of confidence!

Wasabi: I really like how the Arrowhead spot came out, and think that's likely what I'll probably be booked a lot for.

Matt: I'm actually going to be working on an Animation Demo next. That's where you get to really go to town with the character voices and accents. If you're serious about voice acting I highly recommend Marc Graue's class and demo production to get you started. http://www.fixinthemix.com/
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heh.. I keep seeing "Marc GRUE" =D

Man I don't know where to start.. I'd need a script for one, I'm not spontaneous very much.. but I know I can do a few voices - particularly a spot on Mr Burns impersonation, as well as some passable King of the Hill voices. But definitely gonna check it out!
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

We're nerds. We all see it that way first.

Here's what's awesome about that class. It's a one day class that basically covers everything you need to know about the industry, your demo, finding an agent, and making a career of it. You also get to spend time in the booth using some copy that Marc provides. When you get your demo done with him part of the cost also covers the copy he'll provide you. Writing your own stuff can be dangerous, so it's best to just go with stuff that already exists. Another class that I have heard is awesome (yet I have not taken it) is Susan Blu's class. She covers mostly animation work.

Here's the big thing though, impersonations are great, but you'll want your own characters for the demos. No reason for a spot-on Mr. Burns impersonation if Harry Shearer is still working. Play around with those voices and find variations on them that work. Maybe add an accent, or make it more nasal, or pitch it up, etc.
 
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Matt²

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Good advice, thank you!

O_O .. his next voice seminar is the day AFTER I'm supposed to be down in that area!! (I could MAYBE just barely make it if not for the cost - which I was expecting would be $3k or so) .. probably make the next one since I'm helping a friend move down there) I see the seminar is all day Saturday June 26th, and costs $325 for reserved seating.. if you don't mind me asking, how much was the demo taping?
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

He does the class every month, so if you can't make the first one you'll have time to settle in before the next. Occasionally he gets an agent to come by for part of the class and talk more in depth about agencies and then let you do some voice work while they listen. Great way to make a first impression. Doesn't change the cost of the class, so it might be worth waiting for him to advertise an agent appearance.
The Demo set me back about $1.5k. You can find cheaper if you look. Just make sure you know it's quality.
 
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Matt²

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

It's very sudden to just "Boing!" and go.. but I *MIGHT* have a friend that would loan me the money and I *MIGHT* be able to convince my friend who's moving to swing into Burbank on the way to Hemet.. we'll see. If it doesn't work out, then it's not meant to be right now, and I can plan it better in the future without jumping out of the boat unprepared.. knowing some costs is VERY VERY helpful to me. Knowing where to START is also extremely helpful! I wanted to do stuff like this 20 years ago but was too afraid and didn't know where to start.

Good luck on your tape! What types of places are you sending it to?
 
Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

That was amazing, Shawn. It sounded completely professional. I honestly wouldn't have thought most of those were you, even though us in the D&D games have heard so many of your voices.
 
drawn_inward

drawn_inward

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Way, way, way better than I thought it would be!! I also thought the Arrowhead water and Columbia ones sounded great! They are better than tons of commercials I've heard. Good luck!
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

I attended a 2-day class and cut a voice demo in my area (for only about $500), and it turned out pretty good, but I ended up getting a 'real job' before landing anything in voice work (still moonlight a little, but nothing dependable). But if I were to pass on the best advice from my class, it would be this: Send your demo out to 8x-10x the number of places that you think might be interested. Carry some CDs in your car, in your wallet, everywhere you could possibly be. Shove them under the nose of everyone you can think of. Tell your friends that you're looking. Strike up random conversations at (almost) every opportunity. If you're working to market your voice, you want it to be everywhere.

And keep practicing. Don't want to get rusty.

--Patrick
 
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Matt²

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

PatrThom said:
I attended a 2-day class and cut a voice demo in my area (for only about $500), and it turned out pretty good, but I ended up getting a 'real job' before landing anything in voice work (still moonlight a little, but nothing dependable). But if I were to pass on the best advice from my class, it would be this: Send your demo out to 8x-10x the number of places that you think might be interested. Carry some CDs in your car, in your wallet, everywhere you could possibly be. Shove them under the nose of everyone you can think of. Tell your friends that you're looking. Strike up random conversations at (almost) every opportunity. If you're working to market your voice, you want it to be everywhere.

And keep practicing. Don't want to get rusty.

--Patrick
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What he said. Get some of those mini cds (not the ones "cut" to fit like a business card, they can get stuck in computers..that'd be a BAD thing!) to stick in your jacket side pockets or shirt pockets (if you wear shirts with pockets)...
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Amorous: Thankya! I didn't go too crazy with the voices this time around due to this being more commercial than animation. I've gotten some good and some bad feedback about the voices I used for the pedigree and diddykong commercials, so it sounds like I'll probably have mixed results on that. But I'm glad folks are liking the Arrowhead spot. That's my personal favorite as well.

Matt: I'm sending the demo to anyone and everywhere. I'll be doing research on a lot of agencies all over the world and I'll send it to any of them who have a valid email. To market myself I'll need agents all over so I can book for some of the local spots that smaller companies put out in a generalized area. So long as my agents are not booking me the same job, I can have as many as I can find.

Daryll, Gusto, Awkward: Thanks for the listen and feedback! Used my light Nikto voice for the Diddykong spot, though it sounds like they sped it up a bit.

Patr: Thanks for the advice. I'll need to get some CD's burned.
 
bhamv3

bhamv3

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Definitely sounds good to me. You're at least as good as any of the voice actors I've heard in my life, so you've got what it takes.

The problem is getting your break and entering the industry, though, as you've no doubt found. Going into debt sounds like a pretty big gamble.
 
Fun Size

Fun Size

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Can't listen at work, so I'll simply state that while voice acting is cool, never underestimate the pleasure one can take from a nice bust.
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Finally got to listen. You have a great voice for commercials! A couple were better than others. The one with the dog was probably my least favorite. But for the most part you have GREAT energy, expression, and pronunciation. I think you're going to do very well. :) Good luck!
 
doomdragon6

doomdragon6

Staff member
Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Wait, you people don't like the cartoony voices? Those were my favorite! I was most impressed with the Donkey Kong and Pedigree ones.

But then, I'm a silly child that loves Shawn's voices.

Hey-- get at least one voice in an anime and you can come be a guest at Kami-Con. ;D
 
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Philosopher B.

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

They're all great, but the Arrowhead Water one just sounds so right, somehow. It's like your voice is just washing over me, soothing.

Cajungal said:
You have a great voice for commercials! A couple were better than others. The one with the dog was probably my least favorite.
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I actually liked that one. I was ready to rub his belly. :p
 
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Philosopher B.

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

I'm sorry, you're just too convincing/persuasive.

*Rub*
 
checkeredhat

checkeredhat

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

I thought it sounded very professional. If you hadn't said you were just breaking into the business, I'd have sworn that these were all commercials I had heard before. I can't wait to hear your animation voice demo.

If I wind up going with my current idea for a thesis film, I'll be looking for a voice actor inthe fall for an animated short, if you'd be interested in that I'll definitly keep you in mind.
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

checkeredhat said:
I thought it sounded very professional. If you hadn't said you were just breaking into the business, I'd have sworn that these were all commercials I had heard before. I can't wait to hear your animation voice demo.

If I wind up going with my current idea for a thesis film, I'll be looking for a voice actor inthe fall for an animated short, if you'd be interested in that I'll definitly keep you in mind.
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Totally! Would love to!
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Heard back from my first out-of-state agent today.
She asked me if I was union and if I had a full studio with ISDN access.
So uh "No and No"

Never heard back from her. Oh well. Gotta keep trying.
 
Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Sounds like she was new and hoping to latch on with someone already semi-established, but looking for new representation.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

ISDN? That's so 1999. ISDN would be a really expensive means of getting high-speed (1Mb/s or so) internet. Cable and DSL are much more affordable ways of getting broadband these days.

--Patrick
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

I'm not a gizmo guy, so I did have to look up ISDN when I was asked the question. But I had a pretty good idea what it was at the start based on the context.
Basically they were just asking if I had access to a full voice studio where I could connect with people online for direction and recording purposes. While ISDN might be a bit ancient, it's still the understanding that if I'm going to voice act for clients in other locations of the world I'll need to be able to do it from here. Typically it's more likely that the client will rent a local studio and technician for me, so all I have to do is show up on time.
 
Shawn

Shawn

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

Just got back from another recording session with Marc. This time we recorded some additions to my old animation demo that I had done a few years ago. He's going to take my old demo and add the new voices in where needed. He's also probably going to cut the length of some of the older voices so they don't drag on as much, add some additional sounds/music as needed, and we'll see what the final result will be by some time next week.

But I thought that for the time being I would attach the first version of my animated demo. See if you folks like any of those. And then when I post the updated version you can check out the additions and differences.
 

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drawn_inward

drawn_inward

Voice Career or Bust. Looking for your opinions.

I liked the bat bit and the 'Drat' villain. The Godfather one was a bit weak, IMO, but the rest were pretty solid.
 
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