Exploring the Voiceover Business
For you if: You've never done this stuff before, or it's been a looong time.)
Voiceover Exploration — $200
This is a big part of what we do over here at Voiceover Studio Chicago. Dozens of people, older, younger, children, actors, non-actors, mimes (not really) have all made the journey to my home studio, and have gone away happy with what they've learned during this personalized, one-on-one workshop. Here's what happens:
Voiceover Exploration — $200
This is a big part of what we do over here at Voiceover Studio Chicago. Dozens of people, older, younger, children, actors, non-actors, mimes (not really) have all made the journey to my home studio, and have gone away happy with what they've learned during this personalized, one-on-one workshop. Here's what happens:
- We'll start the conversation with your background and experience and what goals you have in voiceover
- We get to work, and as I record your session, you'll work on the microphone through each piece of copy, while I give detailed, in-depth, personalized coaching (If someone else offers something called an "Orientation," ask if you'll do this)
- We'll do repeated takes until you're ready -- okay, until I say you're ready -- to move on
- You’ll get an idea of what it’s like to do this job while receiving direction from a currently working professional who knows what's required to get a good read of copy
- You’ll have a seat and we'll listen back to what you recorded
- You may be delighted or you may be dismayed
- You'll probably realize it's tougher than you thought it would be
- You may be impressed at how good you actually are - or - You may realize that this is work you're not cut out for
- You'll have absolute confidence that your skilled, experienced coach is giving you honest information and not just trying to sell you more coaching
- In person and then in a long follow-up email, I give you detailed, personalized information based on what I heard, which includes how to build your skills after this workshop, where to find material to use for practicing and what you specifically should focus on
- I tell you what equipment you need to build a home recording studio (it's not as difficult or expensive as you think)
- You pay me for my time
- You now "know a guy." After you leave, you are free to email me anytime with anything you forgot to ask while you were here
- You'll walk out, knowing that you'll never hear a recorded voice the same way again
WE INTERRUPT THIS BIG HONKIN' BLOCK OF TEXT FOR A MOMENT TO ADDRESS HOW THE HELL TO GET GOOD QUALITY VOICEOVER COACHING DURING A PANDEMIC WHEN WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BREATHE ON EACH OTHER AND BREATHING IS USED OFTEN IN THE VOICEOVER BUSINESS.
UPDATE, 5/14/21....
OKAY... THE CDC IS SAYING WE CAN DO MORE STUFF NOW THAT WE'RE VACCINATED. But I've discovered that I like coaching via Zoom. I can do most things as well as I could when coaching in person and some things even better, like viewing and commenting on microphone technique. So for the foreseeable future. I'm still coaching only via Zoom. (Unsolicited non-VO commentary: If you think COVID is a hoax and thus don't plan to get vaccinated, you're too dumb for the voiceover business and I don't want to meet you.)
All coaching is done remotely, via Zoom. Here's how that works...
You go buy a microphone. (Yeah! Sometimes you have to spend money to learn how to make money! That's true even when the world isn't falling apart and people aren't using toilet paper as building material.) Some choices of microphones are here. By buying a microphone, you've proven to yourself that you actually want to do this. Then if you change your mind later, you can always put the mic on Ebay, or exchange it for the new currency.
You buy a pop filter, too. We use those whenever we're on a good microphone, and you're not just messing around here.
You contact me and arrange a day and time for us to "meet." Meet is in quotes because we can't be in the same space. Well, we could, but even learning about voiceover is not important enough to risk getting sick. We only risk getting sick by drinking alcohol to help us cope with too much togetherness and too many Tiger King gifs.
You do EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE THAT IS THE VOICEOVER EXPLORATION. Except we're in our own spaces. Okay?
Now back to lots of information about the Voiceover Exploration.
There are plenty of people who advertise "Come in for a Voiceover Evaluation!" "Come in for an Orientation!" And then do everything they can to sell you a demo. Other people invite new folks to a casting session -- or to a "casting session." Not surprisingly, you'll hear, "Heyyyy, you have a good voice... You should make a demo!" Right. Just like that. Listen, I charge $200 for the Voiceover Exploration, and not just because I think my time is valuable and I provide a good service. I charge that amount because I know that with my very complete, honest, straight-forward approach, I'll never see most of you again. :-)
Even if you never make a demo with me, by going through the Voiceover Exploration session, you'll receive:
Ready to get going? Shoot me an email by clicking here. Or if you like cool, free things, read on to learn about this cool free thing...
Special Benefit for taking the Voiceover Exploration -- free coaching on three sets of audio files.
There is no "Voiceover Exploration II." I'm also not interested in setting you up for an endless string of expensive coaching sessions. You don't want to pay for them and I don't want to do them. (I'd rather be working behind the microphone, and these days, I'm busy.) So what do you do? You practice and prepare, like I tell you in the Voiceover Exploration. And then you do what I and other professionals do to get work. You record audio and attach it to emails.
To say that again: You record three to five commercial spots (I'll tell you where to find copy) and attach them to an email. Then you do that again. Then you do that a third time. After each email, I give you my opinion and coaching. And I don't charge you a dime -- this is free for taking the Voiceover Exploration.
When I get your first email, I listen to the attached files and say things like, "You're too far from the microphone" or "you're reading too fast" or "you sound like you hate hamburgers!" or "do you have a cold?" or "you need to sound more conversational" or whatever I hear that needs correcting. You read my notes and record another batch of three to five files, attach them to an email and ship 'em over. I coach on those. We do this one more time, and then you're aaaaall done. You're a perfected being or have achieved nirvana or Clear or some such thing. Okay, maybe not. More likely you just know one helluva lot more about what you're doing. If you're still having issues, we can arrange for more coaching. But if you've made it this far, and are still motivated to keep going, it's probably time to record a voiceover demo with me or someone else.
I've not heard about other voiceover training that is geared toward this, and I don't understand why not. Recording at home and sending mp3s by email is how we audition for work in the 21st century. You need to know how to do this so you can try to make some money. That's why you're here!
My thorough and detailed explanation of the voiceover business and how to participate in it, plus the free coaching follow-up, is why the Voiceover Exploration is the most valuable, cost-effective method for learning about the voiceover business available anywhere.
Click here to send me an email and get started.
Even if you never make a demo with me, by going through the Voiceover Exploration session, you'll receive:
- A seasoned pro's valuable assessment of your talent, including notes you'll watch me write down during our time working together
- A workshop in mic technique
- Tips and tricks on how to prepare, interpret and voice copy
- All the recorded audio from our time together, often marked to emphasize what went right or wrong
- Information on how to practice on your own -- without expensive, ongoing coaching
- Links to important web sites
- How to set up an affordable home studio good enough for practicing, auditions and paying jobs
- An assessment of where you stand in relation to the overall voiceover business
- What your 'voice personality is' -- what YOU are selling with your voice
- Ideas for using your unique skills and life experience for success with voiceover -- you may be surprised by how you can turn your areas of expertise into ways to generate $$$
- Your money's worth
Ready to get going? Shoot me an email by clicking here. Or if you like cool, free things, read on to learn about this cool free thing...
Special Benefit for taking the Voiceover Exploration -- free coaching on three sets of audio files.
There is no "Voiceover Exploration II." I'm also not interested in setting you up for an endless string of expensive coaching sessions. You don't want to pay for them and I don't want to do them. (I'd rather be working behind the microphone, and these days, I'm busy.) So what do you do? You practice and prepare, like I tell you in the Voiceover Exploration. And then you do what I and other professionals do to get work. You record audio and attach it to emails.
To say that again: You record three to five commercial spots (I'll tell you where to find copy) and attach them to an email. Then you do that again. Then you do that a third time. After each email, I give you my opinion and coaching. And I don't charge you a dime -- this is free for taking the Voiceover Exploration.
When I get your first email, I listen to the attached files and say things like, "You're too far from the microphone" or "you're reading too fast" or "you sound like you hate hamburgers!" or "do you have a cold?" or "you need to sound more conversational" or whatever I hear that needs correcting. You read my notes and record another batch of three to five files, attach them to an email and ship 'em over. I coach on those. We do this one more time, and then you're aaaaall done. You're a perfected being or have achieved nirvana or Clear or some such thing. Okay, maybe not. More likely you just know one helluva lot more about what you're doing. If you're still having issues, we can arrange for more coaching. But if you've made it this far, and are still motivated to keep going, it's probably time to record a voiceover demo with me or someone else.
I've not heard about other voiceover training that is geared toward this, and I don't understand why not. Recording at home and sending mp3s by email is how we audition for work in the 21st century. You need to know how to do this so you can try to make some money. That's why you're here!
My thorough and detailed explanation of the voiceover business and how to participate in it, plus the free coaching follow-up, is why the Voiceover Exploration is the most valuable, cost-effective method for learning about the voiceover business available anywhere.
Click here to send me an email and get started.
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Here's how it works: a customized pdf certificate is sent by email -- or you may choose to receive a paper certificate. Pay for the session. The recipient and I arrange over email or by telephone for the day and time of their session. They come in for the two-hour workshop, which of course includes free follow-up on audio they create.
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