At least a few times a week I get an email, Facebook message or tweet from someone interested in breaking into the voice over business. They come to me looking for wisdom and advice. I wish I had more to offer. That said, I’ve been doing this long enough that I have learned a thing or two.
Here’s one of things I’ve learned.
Being a Voice Actor in the online realm is not a 9am – 5pm job!
If you think it is, or think you can make it so, this probably isn’t the line of work for you. It might work out great for you as a side gig. A way to make a little extra spending money. But if you’re desire is to do it full time, I honestly think you need to get the 9am – 5pm dream out of your head.
It’s A Small World After All
Last week I worked with a client on the west coast. They’re three hours behind me. I worked with a client in Beijing. They’re twelve hours ahead of me. I also worked with a client who is starting a business on the side. Something outside of his regular full time job. He works on it after hours.
When you do voice over work in the online world you open yourself up to clients in the entire world. Working 9am – 5pm isn’t going to work for them which means it’s not going to work for you.
When you do voice over work in the online world you open yourself up to clients in the entire world.
When I did the job for the left coast client it was 4pm there. It was 7pm here. When I booked the job with the client in Beijing is was 11am there. It was 11pm here. When I recorded the voice over for the client starting working on his upstart business, it was 8pm.
If I only worked 9 to 5 I would have missed all three of those jobs. That was a significant chunk of my income last week. I’m self employed. A solopreneur. I can’t afford to miss opportunities. Not if I plan to pay my rent!
Monday thru Sunday
The reason I’ve been able to make it working full time in the online voice over world is because I’m willing to put in the time. If a client needs me at 10pm I’ll try and make myself available. If a client needs a recording on a Saturday or Sunday I’ll try and get it done. My business operates Monday thru Sunday and the hours are whatever it takes!
This is not the life for everyone.
If you’re serious about breaking into voice over full time and you want to do it from home, I’m just trying to be honest with you. It’s going to be hard if you can only do it for a few hours a day or only for a few days a week.
This Is My Voice Over Story
This is, in my experience anyway, what it takes to make it. I work hard. Really hard. I audition a lot. I spend a lot of time networking. I’m always reconnecting with past clients. I work on my demos. I work on my web site and blog. I might be sitting on my couch with my MacBook at 10pm or 1:30am still plugging away on something related to my business.
Working for myself, and being able to do voice over full time really is a dream come true for me. But dreams don’t just happen. They come to pass with a lot of determination, dedication, sacrifice and sweat equity.
If you want to make it full time in voice over online you’re going to have to be willing to do the same.
Are you working full time as an online voice over? What’s your experience been like?
