The Sound Advice Voice-Over Podcast: Recent Episodes
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If the adage, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” holds up, then it stands to reason the habits we practice, whether by design or default, ultimately determines our strengths.
With that, I give you five habits to strengthen your performance abilities.
Here are a few key industry insights to improve your bottom line, elevate your brand, instill confidence, and expand your small business as an actor, on- or off-camera!
It may come as a surprise to most people as to what a casting director actually does, even if you’ve considered yourself a professional talent for a number of years. Casting agencies select talent they feel are most suitable for the specific job at hand from talent agencies based on the individual talent’s professional promotional materials.
Suffice it to say, casting agents don’t solely conduct auditions to casting talent; they offer industry insights to both the production.
For decades now, legions of actors have emerged from assorted acting schools across the country harboring a deep aversion to pursuing and accepting commercial work. Yet, if you scratch the surface a bit, you’ll probably find this unfounded antagonism typically stems from the misguided notion you’d become “a sellout” if you perused commercial opportunities. It’s especially unfortunate and shortsighted when you consider mastering commercial voiceover and on-camera work offers you the greatest opportunities to effectively subsidize your acting career.
the Voiceover Industry, Part 1 Whether you’re a SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild & American Federation of Television & Radio Artists) member or not, you probably heard the American actor’s union has joined with the Writer’s Guild (WGA) in an historic strike that will continue to be an industry gamechanger, bringing about some of the most […]
Here at Actors’ SOUND ADVICE, we coach all our voiceover clients to establish and expand their performance, promotion, and production routine to develop the most agile, creative, and effective abilities in order to advance their careers as working talent. Which initially begs the question: What does it take to go the distance in this business? […]
As Actors’ SOUND ADVICE, we strongly encourage all non-union voice
talent to apply some basic union policies and standards to their voiceover
careers to achieve the best, most professional results in their careers. Here
are a few key industry policies to improve your bottom line, elevate your
brand, instill confidence, and expand your voice acting business.
You might be relieved to discover the best advertising… isn’t advertising at all. By that I mean the adage, “less is more” applies when it comes to art directing your graphics that will allow you to make your name known and associated with being a professional voice talent with taste and an elevated aesthetic.
Here are five key elements to consider when offering insight to your graphic artist as to what you’re after when creating your brand logo and identity.
“Ambition is the first step to success. The second is action.”
There are a few key basics voice talent should know about this industry from the onset that’s either required of you or you can expect as industry standards. Hopefully, understanding them from the start will improve your ability to create, secure work and navigate your voiceover career.
Here’s a brief, but important list…
If you’ve been pursuing voiceover work on your own in America for the past decade or more, chances are you’ve been following a business model that concentrates almost strictly on securing work all by yourself, or DIY, by procuring jobs primarily through excessively low-paying sites like Fiverr, Upwork and a few Pay-to-Play (P2P) platforms. Nevertheless, voiceover as a career has chiefly been in the hands of actors since the onset of recorded audio, and anyone who hires you as a voiceover assumes you’re an actor, even if you don’t. Traditionally, professional actors enlist the services and expertise of seasoned, accomplished talent agents to secure work.
The question is: Is there a better way to land work as a voiceover?
One of the many benefits of being a voiceover today over any other time in history is the fact that every session is as near as a simple ‘digital patch’. No need to travel to another town, state or country to record in the same studio where the client who hired you may be. Recording […]
As a special Halloween surprise, meet our special guest, Marti Matulis, seasoned voice talent and ‘Creature Feature’ actor joins SOUND ADVICE founder, Kate McClanaghan. Some of Marti’s creature credits include: – American Horror Story – Sleepy Hollow – Teen Wolf – Harry Potter and the Ten Years Later – Grimm – And many, many more!
There are a few key basics voice talent should know about this industry from the onset that’s either required of you or you can expect as industry standards. Hopefully, understanding them from the start will improve your ability to create, secure work and navigate your voiceover career.
In the interest of managing your expectations about your acting and voiceover career, here are five common, initial assumptions many talent fall prey to that can and should be avoided…
Regardless of whether you’re delivering a take for an on-camera or voiceover performance, no one wants only a single delivery from you. Every take requires spontaneity, expression and subtle, yet discernable, variety—regardless of your skill level. So, what do you do? Discover: • The Goal of Every Take, Every Performance • How to Offer a […]
There is no success without failure. Its only accomplished after overcoming obstacles, both perceived and unexpected, that demand we experience both to even conceive the difference.
Listen to Actors’ SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney discuss one of the most elusive and sought-after performance styles in the voiceover business.
How much time does it take to establish your voiceover career? How much time and attention does it take to establish and maintain any small business?
Listen to Actors’ SOUND ADVICE seasoned voiceover demo producer/ career coach, Kate McClanaghan offers expert guidance and insight into how to navigating your career as a voiceover. Regardless of your experience level, those auditioning, or most likely to hire you, will assume you’re a professional actor and expect you to know your job both in […]
Beyond your sparkling personality, dulcet vocal tones, and unlimited imagination—your voiceover demos are the most important tool you have to secure work in this business. They are the vehicle you’ll benefit from most to drive your career… provided they’re done right! So, how do you know when you need a new one?
There are a few key basics voice talent should know about this industry that’s either required of you or you can expect as an industry standard. Hopefully, understanding them from the onset will improve your ability to create and navigate your voiceover career. Here’s a short list…
You may have asked for feedback in the past simply for a lack of anything else to say, and you hadn’t thought it through beyond this point. Or maybe you wanted praise for your remarkable vocal prowess. (It’s only human to require some form of acknowledgement that you’re on the right track.) Yet, if you’re […]
If you’d been blessed with dumb luck from the onset of your career, and scored some profitable results early on, you might assume your career could run on automatic from that point on. Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth, and likely how your current ‘slump’ came to pass. Regardless of how talented and […]
The Oscars,Voice Over&the Most Sought-AfterYoungActor in Hollywood,KodiSmit-McPhee Meet actor, Kodi Smit-McPhee, star of ten major feature films in the last year in a half… Including: Opposite Gary Oldman in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes which premieres this Friday, July 11th! Opposite Ben Kingsley in the soon-to-be-released, A Birder’s Guide to Everything Opposite Michael Fassbender […]
You have to study the medium you intend to work in if you hope to feed your imagination—which ultimately reflects in your performance. Lucky for us, today we’re able to view and study television, voiceover, film, and commercial work with greater ease than ever and from almost anywhere.
Listen to SOUND ADVICE founder & author of The SOUND ADVICE Encyclopedia of Voiceover, Kate McClanaghan, defines: The Two Distinctly Different Business Approaches to Voiceover The Standards That Define Professional Voiceover Demos Who We Create VO demos For In The First Place How Many Demos Do You Honestly Need As a Voiceover And a whole […]
Here’s a question you need to honestly ask yourself: How coachable are you? It’s fair to assume you’re about as coachable as you are ‘direct-able’. If you can’t be directed, it unlikely you’ll play well with others either. And acting, even voice acting, is often a team sport. You want to please yourself, but only […]
As actors we’re generally expected to be versatile enough to play everything. Or at least that’s the general consensus regarding acting as a profession, and not simply from actors and their coaches. Of course, precious few rise to the occasion for the simple reason none of this work is all that easy. Mastering the skills […]
Listen to SOUND ADVICE founder & author of The SOUND ADVICE Encyclopedia of Voiceover, Kate McClanaghan, defines: • How Does IMPROV Relate To All Forms Of Media, Especially Voiceover • How To Agree With The Reality of Any Script & Build On It • How To Build Your Frame Of Reference & • What Is […]
While we all continue to wrestle with this on going, combination social-psyche stress test and health threat, Actors’ SOUND ADVICE continues to assist voice talent across the country establish, maintain and expand their voiceover business. It may surprise you to learn, it’s never been a better time to double your efforts in this field.
There’s a common misconception in our culture that states if a road proves too difficult then maybe “it wasn’t meant to be.” Instead, I happen to think the opposite might actually be true. If you are on the right path, then you’re likely to face far more opposition than you ever may have imagined. I […]
Regardless of whether you’re on-camera or off-, engaging your imagination is required of you as a talent. Discover a key element that will assist you with every take, regardless of your skill level, and allow you greater spontaneity, expression and subtle, yet discernable, variety. Discover in this podcast: • The impact on your audience when […]
No matter the industry, commerce is confidence. It’s imperative you instill confidence, often when you feel anything but. And while I’ve never been a fan of the phrase “fake it till you make it”. The fact is, even from the very onset of your career as a talent, involves making those who hire you feel […]
We’re moments away from family reunions, vacations, long weekends, and some well-deserved time off. So, here’s a bit of advice that will keep you in your talent agent’s good graces well beyond the holidays…
Feeling torn between embracing the best of the holidays and wishing they were over already so you can get on with maintaining (or creating) the momentum in your career it’s taken you all year to develop. Listen to Actors’ SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney discuss one […]
It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday. And the most enduring Thanksgiving Day memory I have began when I was fifteen, and, well…it’s a story that honestly may never end.
Listen to Actors’ SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney offer guidance and keen insight into how to navigate and ultimately unburden yourself as a voiceover, especially if you’re not all that techie but longing to work in this often-elusive field.
Voiceover demos, by definition, are a professional demonstration of what you do best and what you want more of. Yet many well-meaning, even experienced talent fall prey to many of the following misconceptions regarding what should and shouldn’t be included on your voiceover demos.
Typically training for the average actor and voice-over are categorizes into one of three camps: beginner, intermediate or advanced. Problem is: nothing in this business is lumped into those categories; you’re either a professional or you’re not, right out of the gate.
This is our final podcast offering in our month long homage to creepy storytelling and to Halloween. This is the remarkable result of gathering a few of my most talented friends a few years back after divvying up roles between the apple cider and donuts. We hope you enjoyed these stories we’ve presented all […]
This is our third recorded offering in our month long homage to great storytelling and to Halloween. This podcast is the remarkable result of gathering a few of my most talented friends in our LA studio one crisp night a few years back after divvying up roles between the apple cider and donuts, which I […]
As in every business, how we’re perceived often comes down to you being either too young or too old. Certainly every aspect of the entertainment industry is riddled with subjectivity and preconceived notions, and age is no exception. In fact, it’s one of the key defining elements used when casting. Yet, age may even surpass […]
This is our second recorded offering in our month long homage to great storytelling and to Halloween. Adapted from Ray Bradbury’s “The Martian Chronicles”, we present our spin on this Twilight Zone-inspired tale, performed by a few of my most talented friends in our LA studio one crisp October night a few years back. This […]
As a kid I fell in love with short stories in large part from hearing old radio theatre-style recordings that often played on the radio throughout October leading up to Halloween. I especially loved Ray Bradbury’s “The Martian Chronicles”. So much so, I adapted my own version of a few of his wonderful “Twilight Zone-ish” […]
Much like a really good first date, sitting down with a new agent can be simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking. Granted your date may appear stunning and very discriminating, and you may feel flat-out privileged to be out with them, but you want to be sure you’re both on the same page. If this relationship is […]
Let’s say, hypothetically, you come from a business background and always wanted to transition to voiceover. Let’s say you’ve been doing a bit of “fact finding” and finding a lot of contradictory information about this business. Not the least of which, will any one tell you honestly if you can cut it as a voiceover? […]
Acting is empathy.The best performances are achieved by having a deepacceptance and understanding of the unique realities of the individual role,character, story, personae, or voice.This is precisely why the individual artist is so critical to the success ofevery production.
You practiced, practiced, practiced… but still, no Carnegie Hall! So, what happened? Well, a number of things could be in play, or entirely absent from your auditions, as the case may be. Here are 5 reasons you probably didn’t book that last audition…
Listen to SOUND ADVICE founder & author of The SOUND ADVICE Encyclopedia of Voiceover, Kate McClanaghan, offers insight into the fact that: • Those most likely to hire you see you as an actor and expect you to perform accordingly • A great many voice talent don’t have any acting experience, at least to begin with • […]
At first, you might think voiceover is all about the ability to parrot famous stars,create cartoony characters at a moments notice, and authentically mimic anyaccent under the sun. And while these skills are certainly useful to us as actorsand might beasked of us from time to time, it may surprise you to learn thatthey’re not […]
As an actor, you’re most often asked to just be yourself. Come to think of it, this could be said of all manner of business, just maybe more so as an actor. Those casting are most interested in you being you. In fact, you’re expected to be the most dynamic, comfortable, spontaneous “YOU” you can […]
Passion and instincts account for a great deal, but neither will get you anywhere unless you dedicate yourself to keeping your skills sharp, while relentlessly pursuing the work. It’s there to be had. Let’s assume you have a work ethic that won’t quit, and everyone says you have a remarkable voice. Terrific. Question is: do […]
There was atimenot too long ago when it was commonplace to audition for voiceoversin frontof producers at ad agencies, in various recording studios, in front of castingdirectors, or at your local talent agencies where you’d be offered direction in real time.Obviously times have changed.Since the pandemic it’s safe to say pretty mucheveryaudition, on or off-camera, […]
Acting is very much like playing poker. If you intend to play, if you hope towin, you need to play your hand well, and, frankly, you need to risk.Yet, far too many talent kill a perfectly wonderful opportunities to createby second-guessing what little direction they are given. Perfectly capable,creative talent completely shutting down at the […]
Let’s suppose you’ve just received your newly produced voiceover demos. Wonderful! After months of preparation and hard work, you now have your well-produced voiceover demos ready to go. You’ll probably listen to them about 80 times in the first 24 hours. I have to warn you, this is an odd experience.
Summer is calling. We’re moments away from family reunions, vacations, and long weekends for the first time in a really long time for most of us! So, here’s a bit of advice that will keep you in good graces with your talent agents and potential clients: if you know the dates you won’t be available […]
To earn a living as a working talent, there’s no question of the value and importance of expanding your professional skills beyond a single medium, such as strictly stage, or solely on-camera—especially today! One of the best ways to diversify your skills is by committing yourself to mastering voiceover. In fact, you may be surprised […]
“The world will ask you who you are, and if you don’t know, the world will tell you.” – Carl Jung After coaching, producing and branding scores of voice talent over the years, I can confidently state that most voice talent can no more art direct (or art direct their own brand identities) any more […]
SOUND ADVICE coach, producer and founder, Kate McClanaghan, offers insight into your career as a voice actor, and how to make yourself accessible to the work and to those most likely to hire you as a professional voiceover talent and actor
Conventional wisdom teaches us that mastering all manner of performance styles and offering the widest possible range of characters is how to be read as versatile. And while that’s certainly true, the fact remains that the most consistent direction you’re likely to hear, regardless of the genre or medium, is “just be yourself.” And after years […]
Listen to Actors’ SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney discuss one of the most elusive and sought-after performance styles in the voiceover business.
Discover some of the best-kept industry secrets that will help you develop the most sought-after skills in the voiceover business. Learn what producers, directors and casting professionals need, want and expect from you as a professional voiceover talent that no one else will likely impart to you!
Listen to Actors’ SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney discuss becoming a voice talent and the various expectations you may face, right from the start.
SOUND ADVICE coach and founder, Kate McClanaghan, offers insight into the most common direction you are likely to get as an actor, and how to best engage your imagination to improve every audition, every take, and every performance. (Phew. Meaty stuff.)
Kate McClanaghan & Jeff Finney, discuss online privacy as a voice actor with Cathy Dudley, Voiceover, IT Expert & Software Architect: • Is Protecting Your Privacy Online at Cross-Purposes with Marketing Your Voiceover• Why Protecting Your Privacy Online Matters• And a great deal more!
Discover why crazy character voices and dialects on your voice over demo can read as amateurish Why being “yourself” is the most marketable thing you can play What SOUND ADVICE offers that no one else does Learn more about voice-over with our most current SOUND ADVICE PODCAST!
Listen to Actors’ SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney discuss the industry, and some key branding suggestions.
Listen to SOUND ADVICE founder & author of The SOUND ADVICE Encyclopedia of Voiceover, Kate McClanaghan, offers insight into the importance of:• How to get oriented with the VO Industry• Why training matters if you hope to succeed• Why a professionally produced demo matters• How to build your reputation• Keeping home recording simple but effective• […]
Listen to SOUND ADVICE founder & author of The SOUND ADVICE Encyclopedia of Voiceover, Kate McClanaghan, offers insight into the importance of: • How plausibly playing a role that’s a dramatic departure from your self isn’t the only way to convey versatility • How the ability to offer a variety of performance options, take after take, […]
SOUND ADVICE founder, Kate McClanaghan, and Producer Jeff Finney sit down with professional Sound Man Brian McKinney and talk about his work on The League, how to be professional on set, the kiss of death for an actor, the importance of a vocal warm-up, the difference between scripted and unscripted television, and more!
Acting is empathy. The best performances are achieved by having a deep acceptance and understanding of the unique realities of the individual role, character, story, personae, or voice.
This is precisely why the individual artist is so critical to the success of every production.
Understanding who you’ve created your demos to service most is typically overlooked by both seasoned and novice talent alike. Yet, it’s the endgame, and why this should be your primary focus from the very start. Certainly there are no absolutes in voiceover but there are a number of elements you should consider when first pursuing voiceover as a profession.
The truth is, nearly every client in the States, not just talent agents, require a Commercial demo first and foremost.
• What is ‘sibilance’ and why should you correct it with your performance instead of leaving it to fix in post
• Who tends to have the greatest issue with a sibilant ‘s’
• Discover how to quickly and effectively correct a whistling ‘s’ quality and impress every one at the session