International VO Acting Director Everett Oliver is coming to Australia in October and has two workshops that will run in Melbourne.

On Saturday October 21 Everett is running an Animation Workshop from 10am to 4pm
On Sunday October 22 Everett is running a Commercial Workshop from 10am to 1pm

Note: Booking are not done via Voices of Tomorrow. See the flyer below to contact Everett Directly.

Here’s what you can expect.

Animation – students will pick two (2) characters from copy that will be provided prior to the beginning of class.
Students will be encouraged to pick characters that provide a challenge and get them out of their comfort
zone.
Students will be reading copy in class on mic.

Commercial – Students will be assigned two (2) pieces of copy before class, to be read in class, individually on
mic.
The class will consist of several different sections.

Discussion

Everett will discuss the following topics (including but
not limited to):

• What is going on in the US?
• What’s hot, what’s not
• Current and future trends in the US in both
  Animation and Commercial
• Where do I learn about the US market
• VO Buzz Weekly
• Talkin’ Voiceovers
• VO Body Shop
• Entertainment Dudes Podcast
• The Hydrant
• Follow US Voice Actors on Social Media
• Look for classes you can attend in the US
  virtually
• Personal Coaches
• Differences between regions in the US
• How to get a foothold in the US
• Agents in the US
• How do they find talent?
• How do you get on a roster?
• What do they want to hear?
• Casting in the US
• What is the casting process?
• What’s booking
• Who are the Casting Directors
• Auditions
• What are agents/casting directors
  looking for
• What is the audition process in the US
• Follow directions (especially when
  labeling your auditions)!
• Selective takes
• Commercial auditions vs. animation
  auditions
• Who are the Casting Directors
• Behind the scenes in casting for
  Animation and Commercial
• Casting process
• What are Casting Directors looking for
• Who are the Commercial and Animation
  Casting Directors (Names)?
• The Business side of Voice Acting
• Branding & Marketing
• Website
• Social Media
• Competitive demos
• YouTube videos
• Industry research

At the end of each class Everett will wrap things up with a quick review of highlights from the class, answer any
final questions and talk about what follows.

All students will receive copies of their on-mic work during class

Voice over artists use their voice to sell ideas or products in commercials and corporate videos, and bring characters and stories to life in animation, audiobooks and many other mediums. To be successful in this field, you don’t need to have a certain type of voice but you need to know how to use it to execute the best delivery of a given script. This includes the ability to follow direction.

In the days before home studios, self-recording and online casting platforms you really had no choice but to be directed by someone else as you’d be working in a space that’s not your own with an engineer, writer, other members of the creative team and even the client in the room, so the direction always came from someone else. Yes, this scenario still happens, both in-studio and with home-studio tools like Source Connect, but we’re also seeing a growing requirement for Voice over artist to self-record and self-direct which doesn’t always yield the best outcome.

Let’s dig a bit deeper into why..

Being directed helps voice over artists improve their skills. When a voice over artist works with a director, they receive feedback and guidance on their performance, which helps them identify their strengths and weaknesses. For example, a director may point out areas where an artist can improve their pacing, intonation or pronunciation. They may also suggest different ways of delivering a line, such as changing the emphasis on certain words or altering the tone of voice. By receiving this feedback, voice over artists can develop their skills and become better at their craft.

Being directed also allows voice over artists to work more efficiently. When working on a project, a director has a specific vision for how they want the final product to sound. By working with a director, voice over artists can understand this vision and tailor their performance to meet the director’s expectations. This can save time and prevent the need for re-recording or editing. It also ensures that the artist is delivering the desired performance, which is essential for the success of the project.

Another benefit of being directed is that it provides voice over artists with valuable networking opportunities. When working with a director, voice over artists have the opportunity to build relationships and make connections in the industry. These connections can lead to future work opportunities, as well as recommendations and referrals to other professionals in the field. Networking is a critical component of any industry, and voice over artists who work with directors have an advantage in this regard.

Finally, being directed can help voice over artists navigate difficult scripts or characters. Some projects require voice over artists to portray characters or deliver lines that may be challenging or unfamiliar to them. When working with a director, voice over artists can receive guidance on how to approach these difficult aspects of a project. This can include tips on character development, advice on how to deliver a particular line, or suggestions for ways to connect emotionally with the material. By receiving this guidance, voice over artists can deliver a stronger performance and bring the project to life in a more meaningful way.

Being directed is an essential aspect of voice over work. It helps voice over artists improve their skills, work more efficiently, build networks, and navigate challenging projects. Plus all of this experience can be carried into sessions where you will need to self-direct. This being the case, we recommend that aspiring voice over artists seek out opportunities to work with directors and receive feedback on their performances.

You’ll get a taste of this during our Voice Over for beginners workshops – hope to see you at one soon!

In today’s world, audio recording has become an essential part of our daily lives. From creating music to recording lectures or voice-overs, audio recording has become more accessible than ever. However, when it comes to saving the audio recordings, many people often face a dilemma of choosing between compressed MP3 format or uncompressed WAV format. In this article, we’ll discuss why it’s better to save original voice-over recordings in uncompressed WAV format rather than compressed MP3 format.

First, let’s discuss the basics of audio compression. Audio compression is a technique used to reduce the size of audio files by removing redundant or irrelevant data. This helps to reduce the storage space required for the audio file, making it easier to share and transfer. The most common compressed audio format is MP3, which is widely used due to its small size and compatibility with most devices.

However, when it comes to saving original voice-over recordings, it’s better to use uncompressed WAV format. Unlike MP3, WAV format does not compress the audio data, which means that the original sound quality is preserved. This is important because voice-over recordings require high-quality sound to be clear and understandable. When audio is compressed in MP3 format, some of the audio data is lost, resulting in a loss of sound quality. This loss of sound quality is not noticeable in most cases, but it can become significant in voice-over recordings.

Another reason to save original voice-over recordings in uncompressed WAV format is because it provides greater flexibility in post-production. When editing a voice-over recording, it’s important to have access to the highest quality audio possible. With WAV format, you have access to the original, uncompressed audio data, which makes it easier to edit and manipulate the sound. This is especially important when it comes to adjusting the levels, adding effects, or removing background noise.

It’s worth noting, when you save your voice-over recordings in uncompressed WAV format, you can always convert it to other compressed formats like MP3 later if you need to. However, if you save it in MP3 format, you cannot convert it back to its original uncompressed format.

To conclude, saving original voice-over recordings in uncompressed WAV format is a better option compared to compressed MP3 format. WAV format preserves the original sound quality, which is crucial for voice-over recordings. It also provides greater flexibility in post-production, making it easier to edit and manipulate the sound. While it may require more storage space, the benefits of using uncompressed WAV format far outweigh the small inconvenience of larger file sizes.

When you’re ready to put your voice out into the world, a Voice Over demo is a powerful tool you can use to help showcase your talent.

In many cases, especially with online platforms, you’ll still be asked to submit auditions, however it’s quite realistic to also be cast from your demo, so it needs to sounds GREAT while also reflecting performances that you can replicate when cast for a job.

What exactly does that mean? Well the truth is that always anyone could walk into a recording studio and record a Voice Over Demo and with excessive coaching during the session and LOTS and LOTS of takes, PLUS clever editing and post production you can end up with a great demo. However this all comes undone very quickly when that person is cast for a job and struggles to deliver a performance that’s even close to what’s on the demo that landed them the job in the first place.

With that in mind, take a listen to this VO Demo created this week for Joshua Peter White.

Here’s the process I use to create a Voice Over Demo for someone.

Firstly I listen to an existing demo if they have one (or recorded voice samples)…or we just have a conversation so I can get a feel for what types of scripts their voice may be suitable for. On that note I rarely suggest that people choose their own scripts for a demo as in the ‘real world’ it’s the scripts that choose you, not the other way around.

Speaking of the real world, I also prefer that the ‘talent’ not spend too much time with the scripts in advance, again because with many voice over jobs there’s not usually much time between getting the script and recording it – no time for days of ‘practise’.

Once we get into the studio, the talent is directed, not coached through each script, recording no more than 3-4 takes on each script, which means their ability is well reflected in the demo recording and can be replicated when recording with others.

Following the session each recording (usually about 10) goes through post production and then a compilation of around 2minutes is created that highlights a variety of different styles that the talent can perform.

The result…is what you hear above.

If you’re ready for your first VO demo or looking to update your demo with some fresh material to fill some gaps in showcasing your talent, book in now to get started at https://www.voicesoftomorrow.com.au/voice-over-services/ or get in touch for a brief chat.

There’s now just TWO places available for the “Creating Character Voices” workshop that’s happening on the evening of Wednesday February 22 in Melbourne.

Here’s a short video of Cecelia and Andy talking about this upcoming workshop. Hope to see you there!

One of our goals here is to deliver a Voice Over Coaching experience to suit YOU. For some that means getting individual coaching, for others it’s about running a group workshop on a day and at a time that suits, while for some it comes down to ensuring it’s also affordable with the possibility of payment options. In more recent times, we’ve also been able to cater for individuals on an NDIS plan.

With all this in mind we’re now pleased to be offering a new Half-Day Voice Over Workshop on March 25.
This shorter format workshop is, like our other full-day workshops, designed for beginners, however we’ve scaled back one some of the content and amount of recordings to make this an enjoyable 4 hour session for $330 per person inc. GST.

The 4-hour session will focus on basic skills for voice over in the context of Commercial and Corporate genres. It’s important to note that there won’t be any discussion or recording of character voice over in this shorter format workshop.

We’ll be running 2 workshops on March 25. The first session from 9am to 1pm, and a second session from 2pm to 6pm. There will be 6 places available in each session.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out any time, otherwise we look forward to seeing you at a workshop soon!

Happy New Year everyone!

To kick things off for the year we’re starting to roll out some new workshop dates for the coming months, starting with the Voice Over for Beginners Workshop on Sunday February 12.

This workshop is perfect for anyone (Age 15+) who is interested in finding out more about the Voice Over industry and getting in a studio and seeing what they can do with their voice, guided by experienced Voice Over professionals.

Previously we had called this our “Introduction to Voice Over” workshop, however we were getting a lot of enquiries from people asking if it was suitable for beginners so have renamed the workshop just to make it clear that it’s PERFECT for beginners.

This group workshop runs with a maximum of 6 participants and is lead by Cecelia Ramsdale and Andy Wells, who are both working voice over professionals with decades of experience.

Places usually fill up fast for these sessions so we recommend booking early at https://www.voicesoftomorrow.com.au/course-dates/

If you have any questions about the workshop feel free to call the number above or drop Andy a message via the contact page.

You’ve done all the right things to get started in Voice Over.
Attended courses/ workshops and/or had some professional coaching/ mentoring and along the way putting in LOTS of practise, recording anything you could get your hands on. You feel like you’re ready to really put yourself out there and start pitching for some paid work so you jump onto some casting websites and start auditioning.

For any independent, self-recording voice over artist this is the hard part. You feel like you’re nailing the brief for each audition but you’re just not landing jobs. Here are some thoughts on why that may be.

Firstly, remember that Voice Over is competitive. There are a LOT more people doing it now, and while there is also a much greater variety of work you could be part of a very large pool of talent pitching for the same job.

Are you really ready? Don’t directly compare yourself with other Voice Over Artists but DO listen to them. Are you confident with your reads? How many times do you need to read a script to get a great take? Are you just reading the words and hoping they like the sound of your voice or are you truly delivering the meaning and feeling of the script. A voice that’s easy on the ear is a start but a voice that can really sell a product or make the listener feel something and take them on a journey is better.

Does your recording sound like it was done in a cupboard?
Yes. That’s a serious question.
As someone who regularly casts Voice Over Artists who record in their own studios I need to let you know this – If I can hear the walls in your recording it’s a deal breaker.
What I mean by this is that if you’re recording space isn’t acoustically treated, the sound of your voice will bounce off the walls (and other hard surfaces) and be captured by the microphone. An extreme example of this is when you sing to yourself in the bathroom and your voice comes booming back at you thanks to all those lovely tiled surfaces. Great for singing to yourself, not so much for recording.
When faced with the choice of voice talent who have the right vocal age/tone for a script and skills to deliver it. If the requirement is they are recording in their own studio, the best recording sound will win.

It’s not as hard to get right as you think.
Firstly, unless your home studio solution is one of the commercially available standalone booths, you’ll never achieve anything close to sound proof. I hear a lot of people talk about sound proofing but what they are really talking about is sound deadening, acoustically treating the space to absorb sound that would normally be reflected off walls and other hard surfaces.

Jump onto eBay and search “Studio Acoustic Foam”. A few packs of these on walls and the ceiling will make a big difference to your recording space and they’re not that expensive. Add to that plenty of soft furnishings, even stuffed toys and your rooms is going to sound much less ‘roomy’. You can achieve the same in a walk-in robe that has plenty of clothes hanging up in it also.
The key here is to experiment both with what you can do to change the sound of the room, but also in where you have your microphone placed in the room and even what type of microphone you’re using. For example a mini-shotgun microphone such as a Sennheiser 416 is much more forgiving than a larger diaphragm Rode NT1 in a less than perfect room as the 416 has a much tighter pickup pattern.

If noise is your problem then mitigation is your solution, not post-production. This may mean you need to record at times when there is less external noise (such as traffic) or turning the heating/cooling off while recording to eliminate ambient sounds. While there are some excellent noise removal tools available you need to understand that when they remove the noise they can also degrade the quality of your voice recording. If the person receiving your recording is an experienced sound engineer they will want a completely raw, unprocessed recording – so no noise reduction applied either.

Now that I’ve laid all that out for you it’s also important to know that it also works the other way. You can have a $5000 Microphone and a StudioBricks Voice Booth but if you don’t have the Voice Over Skills to go with the professional hardware you’re not getting your investment back any time soon.

Not everyone who attends one of our workshops or does 1 on 1 coaching chooses to pursue Voice Over, but it’s always great to hear back from those who are not only putting in continued effort, but getting some return from it.

Darcy was one of the participants in the June Introduction to Voice Over workshop. He really enjoyed the experience and let us know right away…

I’d also like to again extend my deepest gratitude for last Saturday as I really feel enthused to go forward with voiceover. 

Darcy via email 26/6/22

At the end of each workshop we encourage everyone to keep practising and if they feel confident start looking for opportunities to build up experience. Clearly Darcy’s enthusiasm paid off as we received this update from him in September.

I’m at the moment sitting in a quiet spot of my first ad read recording session, and it feels like it’s going well! I just wanted to take a second to thank you two for everything you taught me in the intro course, it’s proven truly invaluable both through my auditions and the live recording today. Seriously, thanks so much. I thought you’d want to know how much it’s done.  When the ad is released I’ll be sure to share with you!

Darcy via email 16/9/22

We wish Darcy continued success as he pursues voice over and encourage everyone else who is just getting started to keep on practising!

The next couple of months are looking busy here at Voices of Tomorrow HQ with workshops to suit just about every interest and experience level in voice over.

Firstly we have our most popular workshop, the Introduction to Voice Over Workshop, happening on October 16 and November 27. No experiences is needed to take part in this workshop – it’s made specifically for beginners or those with limited experience.

Then, for those exploring the world of video games on Tuesday October 4 (from 6pm) we have Aimee Smith running a workshop on “Booking multiple roles in Video Games“.  She’ll discuss the role multi-casting has had in her career, the perks of being able to book many roles, the rates for video game work and some of the strategies that can be utilised for vocal and performance differentiation.  
There will also be a practical part to the workshop that involves some character recording.
Cost: $220 inc GST.  Only 1 place available.

Then on Saturday October 22 we’re running the Voice Over: Next Level Workshop.

This workshop is aimed at those of you who have already done some coaching or have some experience but want to improve your performance by tackling more challenging scripts and recording scenarios.
As part of this workshop, along with your raw recordings you’ll get 2 fully produced recordings.

Cost: $550 inc GST.

Bookings for both of these workshops can be done here – https://www.voicesoftomorrow.com.au/course-dates/

Andy Wells – Director / Voice Over Coach / Sound Engineer