Hey Sup Forums, ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to voice cartoon characters. I'm not against doing other voicework and acting, as I'm sure they'd be enjoyable and a positive experience that could bring me even closer to my goal, but I want to know how to ultimately get into it. Yes, I am aware that it's a tough industry to break into which is why I'm probably going to start as a side-thing while going to school for something that is almost guaranteed to make me money if my voice career fails.
As of now, I've bought a Blue Yeti mic and a pop filter, but I can't record a sample for anyone here because they're still being shipped and my only other mic was a crappy one that broke.
Enjoy making $50 a pop for a 30 second commercial every 2 months faggot
It's about where you live primarily
Nobody wants to hear what wacky voices you can do, they want to hear what you can DO with those voices - say actually ACT
Gabriel Barnes
Definitely won't make it my primary source of income unless it catches on and I actually do make it, like a regular character in a show kind of make it. I'm working on acting right now, just did two drama classes in high school and now I'm going to go to college for something unrelated but probably take acting classes on the side. I'm just wondering if there's any amateur stuff I can practice on. Like, I wouldn't mind finding a YouTube channel with barely any views who needs someone to voice some characters, I'll do it.
>It's about where you live primarily Am I fucked because I live near Miami?
Dominic Sanchez
Nother shameless bump
Jeremiah Ortiz
Post some examples of your work, otherwise this thread is fucking dead
Jace Robinson
Like I said, my mic is coming. I'm just looking for some general tips about the industry.
Actually, I do have an audio file testing my friend's Yeti using my normal voice, but I can't really post anything other than that right now.
I can't tell you anything Rob Paulsen doesn't tell you better in his podcast. It's a really great and enjoyable thing. acting classes are a really good start as for amateur stuff, you want to go to someplace like newgrounds. lots of the few remaining online animators congregate there. sadly online animation is dying because it was briefly profitable, followed by savagely unprofitable again >Miami fraid so m8. 25 years ago you might have been able to get involved in something at nickelodeon studios in orlando (i don't even know how close orlando is to miami) but nowadays the only action is in LA and Atlanta. so... you're from Miami? at least you're used to shitty hot weather and horrible, godawful people. Moving to LA would actually be an UPGRADE for you.
Ian Bell
in any case, have you considered radio broadcasting? obviously that's dying too, and I can tell you from experience radio college is a depressing, shitty 18 months that you will regret all the way to the poorhouse... but it's one of the few things that exists all over the country, and that a lot of voice actors start doing. I just got the degree hoping I could kinda finagle it into some local spots, but it's really tough finding that work.. a lot of places have local acting work to do, but it's really hard finding it. I briefly had an agent in Seattle but I ran out of money and now I'm in fucking Minneapolis and all the agents are full up on men in my (yours as well) range. It's the most crowded range, sorry. WHICHEVER you do, you'll wanna record a quality demo. Once again nothing I can tell you that you couldn't find out better yourself with a little research. and if you're smart you'll focus on commercial work, because that's just the majority of the market
Sebastian Moore
Different guy here. I live in the NYC Metropolitan area and within commuting distance to Manhattan (about 20 minutes by rail). Am I fucked because I don't live in Cali?
Brandon Sullivan
Thanks for the podcast suggestion, I'll check it out.
Orlando is over 3 hours away by car. I was considering LA but it's really expensive, but I've heard about the emerging film industry in Atlanta so that seems like an option. Honestly though I'd like to at least get some local stuff on my resume before I move, and also finish college here. I would have gone out of state but I'm fortunate that my parents set me up with Florida Prepaid so tuition is covered as long as I go to college in-state.
Jonathan Cruz
Sounds rough, I hope things turn around for you. I have considered something on the radio, but I don't know if I really want to go to radio college for 18 months.
Jordan Watson
EHhhh new york is another thing entirely. there's a lot of media production. Just not cartoons. but you'll be able to get a START voicing shit in new york. just like if I had been a little quicker on the draw, I could have done some videogame voicing in Seattle, what with the companies recording there, including good ol' Valve.. unfortunately just about everything i care about has stopped... existing.. since about 2008. but that's another story. in the end it's all about networking. You have some fucking nice pipes, if you can get a good demo together reading news articles and commercials (We call 'em spots!), you might be able to get someone to give you a shot.. but stations are probably looking for board operators, audio engineers, that kinda bullshit. i'm actually a decent audio engineer, and that skill comes up weirdly often.
oh and keep your eye on craigslist. i actually got a shitty gig recording news articles for an 'app' for.. well, pennies.
Noah Johnson
>EHhhh new york is another thing entirely. I'm down for any work that builds my portfolio, even if it's a shitty 5 second spot on a Taco Bell commercial. I do independent voice work of my own for fun and I've posted my channel on Sup Forums once or twice and I've been told that I have a good voice and potential (not sure if they were goofing or not). I'm college age so attending acting classes isn't completely out of the question, but as I understand it to get into any program with credibility you have to already have something under your belt (a portfolio of work). I feel like if I knew someone who knows the business to give a helping hand and point me in the right direction for my specific case I'd be able to get somewhere...
Jose Perez
>You have some fucking nice pipes Are you saying if I have nice pipes, or are you basing that on my shitty cardioid demo recording I posted in this thread?
Carter Hall
>my channel your what now? >taco bell commercial i THINK the big stuff like that is still going to be all LA, but there's definitely some surprisingly big work to be found in NY so give it your all, man. Good luck
Isaiah Cox
what? what else would I be basing it on? I heard it, I think you have a good voice. it's even newsier than mine. oh and just for reference, because I've been told it sounds pretty profesh, here's my demo. i dunno, might give you an idea. voice123.com/seanremel
>blue yeti What a great way to waste all your fucking money. Jesus christ what are you doing nigger. At least do SOME research. youtu.be/_sjZJ9i_mH0 Watch this series, it's about the only series on YouTube with decent instructions.
Adam Ross
>your what now? I post trash on YouTube. I don't take it seriously and haven't posted for months but I've been told what I have isn't shabby, despite what I personally think of it. I suppose the choicest cuts from there could form a rough scaffolding for a portfolio. Also I'm not photogenic (not supremely like in the way that's needed for commercials), so I think either student films or straight up voicing instructional videos would be a foot in the door for me. NYU always has a high demand of union and non-union actors for roles.
Everyone says start off with acting classes but how do I avoid getting jewed out of my money by some fake shitty seminar and a Xeroxed "certificate" from Kinkos?
Grayson Hughes
i was lucky. if i had to spend a fucking dime i never would have gotten anywhere, i can never bring myself to 'invest' as it were, in anything. i waited until a mic "broke" at work (recording internet commercials for a media company) and asked if I could buy it off of them. shit works fine, they just had tin ears and thought anything that hit the ground sounded bad forever. M-audio makes a fine product.. all I had to do was lay down a few dozen bucks for a preamp phantom power combo, a mic stand, and a few cords.
Brandon Morales
oh cool. I should do youtube shit. I've always wanted to. even if it was like bad slideshow cartoons like 'ariel needs legs' I guess it's just hard to bother anymore.. I was all ready to do it back in the day before it had a chance to make you money, but now if you do it and nobody sees it you have actually failed.
Daniel Reed
Thanks for the example, you've got an awesome voice. I was just asking because I felt like that recording wasn't my best because I was just fucking around and honestly kind of tired when I made it.
Btw, we're both named Sean, which is cool.
Wyatt Thomas
Alright, going to watch this. Had no idea the Yeti was somehow bad, but I guess this video is going to show me. I can definitely buy more stuff for the future though.
Brody Roberts
heh, if i ever make it big i'm going to need a pseu-diddly-eudonym for sure. because there's already a sean schemmel and he is fucking goku, so.. i'll sound weird if his name sounds like what you say when you sarcastically dismiss mine.
Juan Cooper
I can't say anything about the industry because I don't know it well enough, but can't it be beneficial for your name to be really similar? Like, someone will hear about you and Sean Schemmel, accidentally search up your name and discover your stuff? Hell, I know I've done that with actors with similar names in the past before.
Noah Watson
I actually considered that briefly. jocularly. but the best case scenario is I get an audition when they wanted him, and then that's just disappointment.
Xavier Perry
True, but you'd think any serious company would check before-hand that they contacted the right person.
Chase Richardson
Very interesting. I was surprised how low-cost equipment can be, but he did claim that those were eBay prices and I have a strict no eBay rule (been burned too many times in the past) so maybe it'll burn a bigger hole in my wallet. Still sub-$500 though which is good.
I understand that this is supposed to be a primer, but I feel like too much time was spent on "emote" and less time was spent on "get a formal education because this is an art" Every one says "Get lern'd" but no one goes into any more depth then that.
Ian Williams
well what they'd ACTUALLY do is contact his agent, so really that would probably never happen.. but maybe.. I might get something in the mail by mistake.. One thing I do know about auditions is that it costs them nothing to let you come in, since they're not paying you, so all kinds of people show up only to be told 'sorry, go home' and it's only your own time wasted
Mason Rivera
That's in a later video familia. There's like four of them
Julian James
OP, you need to remake this thread AFTER you have your mic and can post examples. That way if you are talented, some people might want to hire you. And if you're not, people can give you tips on how to improve.
Jackson Hughes
Let's be real, who's gotten hired on Sup Forums?
Andrew Evans
i'm doing a little thing for someone's dumb cartoon right now. it doesnt pay but it's the kind of thing I should have been doing for years
Jose Long
Point taken. Do they already have something released? And would they be okay with you linking it?
Damn, that's a nice video because he goes straight to the facts and cuts out the "le follow your dream" meme advice. Thanks user, that's pretty good.
Logan Wood
Kek, don't know what that's about but it looks interesting. Keep at it, user.
David Ortiz
Plenty of people hire freelance artists and voice actors here.
Joseph Wilson
Damn, I've got to come on Sup Forums more often.
Austin Phillips
>Plenty of people hire freelance artists and voice actors here. How? I'm not understanding this: Are there threads that specifically ask for freelancers or do the freelancers dip into those "Stop slacking and work on your X" and offer their services or are there just straight-up shill posts/threads? I've never seen an interaction that could remotely lead to hiring a freelance VA (although I have seen a few people exchange deets for a webcomic...)
Grayson Russell
Just this past week there was a very short-lived thread of someone came here looking for a artist to do a a comic commission and asking for pricing, availability, etc. It was some kind of space comic.
There's been people who have worked on voicework projects too. Some unpaid, hobbies some paid.
The fact that interactions tend to be short and that there's no one place for them means they just kind of sprout up from place to place for no rhyme or reason. But I lurk a lot because I have no life. If I had any talent for drawing, animating, or voices I'd have been interested. Though at some point in the future I will come here to look to hire some voice actors to do a fantastic four parody dub project I have an interest in trying once I get enough skill in sound mixing and editing video.
Joseph Martin
awesome dude, i've always wanted to be involved in parody dubs. i feel like those of us who lack the more flashy talents still have a vital role in recruiting and managing those of us who do. right now I really wish there was such a thing as a commission agent: someone who represents a bunch of artists, goes around advertising them to dumbass teenagers with too much money, negotiating rates, discussing the content, all the piddly crap that we'd rather not do, and then take 10 percent of the commission.
