Voice over work is a magical, almost invisible act. Often you go to a soundproof booth at a studio (or your own private setup) and record only audio without any visuals. It requires a certain amount of imagination to narrate or talk through what is happening on screen if its film or TV or a level of exuberance or seriousness for commercial work. This level of storytelling comes from the modulation and characteristics of the voice alone. Here are 16 different lessons around voice over from working creatives who have found their own story and brand through the act of voice over work.
1) Voice over stories are vast and deep.
“What I love most about working in anime/animation & video games as a voice actor is how vast & deep the stories are that we can participate in telling to a wide age range of audience. It’s incredibly gratifying seeing whole families connecting over something you’ve been a part of & the mediums themselves are constantly pushing new boundaries with no end in sight!” - Ryan Colt Levy (@RyanColtLevy), Atlas Talent
2) Voice over allows
for greater team collaboration.
“Voiceover is simply another medium through which diverse stories can be told. What the audience ulti
mately sees is a collaboration between an actor, and a writer, and animators, and a casting director, and an animation director, or a session director…and countless other creative professionals who all take part in adding to that character and that story. What matters is the work, what matters is the story, and what matters is that you can tell it all authentically. We need more of that, and I think we are seeing more of that.” - Alejandra Reynoso (@AleReyn0s0), A3 Artists Agency
3) Voice over pushes the limits of your own body.
“To leave your first session of the day voicing a brawny man hoping you make your second session of the day voicing a small child on time. To be trusted to use your instrument in such an expressive and impactful ways. To be able to push and perform past the limits of your own body. That’s what I love about Voiceover.” - Joshua David King (@JoshuaDavdKing), Atlas Talent
4) Voice over tells different stories than your own.
“It's both amazing and freeing to be able to experience and tell a story similar to or different from your own. It's a way to not only grow more in touch with your perceived self, but also learn new aspects of yourself that you didn't realize existed.” - Emi Lo (@KitsuneSqueak), CESD
5) Voice over interprets others’ work thoughtfully.
“My favorite part of storytelling as an actor is collaboration. We're brought on to interpret the works of others. There's no better feeling than discovering what makes your character who they are and building that with your team.” - Francesca Meaux (@Phrantastic22), CESD
When you aren't able to see the face attached to a voice, your imagination begins to fill in the gaps.
6) Voice over brings truth to a fictional character’s story.
“It’s such a surreal experience bringing truth to a character’s story just by speaking into a microphone. Hearing peop
le resonate with our performances has to be my favorite part of the storytelling!” - Shara Kirby (@sharanicolelynn), Atlas Talent
7) Voice over has stories that build empathy toward others.
“As a first generation Cuban immigrant, brought up in a poor household where my only agency was getting any job I could at the age of 16, I was told that our stories were the one's I would never hear get told. Voice Over isn't just a way for me to tell stories about my people, it's a spotlight on an otherwise unfamiliar face that in my wildest dreams, can teach others how to love someone that doesn't look like them.” - Luis Bermudez (@LuisBermudezVO), CES
8) Voice over is the exploration of complex ideas.
“As a lifelong storyteller, the ability to use my voice to give life to stories is one of the greatest privileges I could have, and it allows me to add energy to those stories that create a unique synthesis of mine and the creator's intent. As a queer woman who often plays men as well, this fusion of the acting and writing often allows exploration of very complex ideas in new light even regardless of subject matter, and the chance to perform a large range of characters and lived experiences that I authentically can improves me, as I hope it does for those enjoying the final product- I would not want it any other way.” - Kayleigh McKee (@GhaspeyVO), CESD
9) Voice over as an industry is gradually changing for the better.
“A few years ago we weren't even allowed to read. Today I see people that look like me as leads. God I can't wait to see what's next.” - Bill Butts (@Billdozer777), Atlas Talent
10) Voice over isn’t limited to physical appearances.
“Voice over can transcend age, gender, even species! I love that my roles aren’t limited by my appearance. I can’t think of anything else that could be more creatively fulfilling for me.” - Cristina Vee Valenzuela (@CristinaVee), Atlas Talent
