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Guest Post: 5 Tips For New Voice Actors

* The following is a Guest Post courtesy of Irish Voice Actor (or is that Actress?) Nicola Redman. *

Now, I’m no expert. Except perhaps at doing my mascara on public transport. That has, like most things, taken years (of London tube journeys…) to perfect. I still have a lot to learn about this crazy voice over business running type affair. But here are a few tips I’ve learned so far that have been integral to my growing success;

5 Tips For New Voice Actors

Nicola Redman Northern Irish Voice Actor and Voice Over Artist1. Get to know your peers. You will need the support of your professional community at some point, like anyone in business, so make friends. And I don’t mean ‘The One with all Ten Seasons’ Friends. Real ones.

2. Network outside your industry circle. No matter how specific or strange a business (within reason, keep your x-rated beetroot-cookie-icing business to yourself…) there will always be someone with an additional skill in their arsenal that might be useful to you. Skills barter! Work out what skill you can offer in return for someone helping you.

3. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. And definitely not ‘Snickers’ (*90s snack reference, too niche?) Basically head down and keep moving. You’ll get there. And someone might even wrap you in tin foil at the end.

4. Chocolate is bad for your voice (hashtag sad face…) so chose when you eat it wisely. EG, with wine after recording and not with wine whilst recording. It’s a hard life…

5. Take and give. Those with experience will already have gone through what you are going through today; take their advice. Those who are new to the game will go through it tomorrow, so give them your wisdom, how ever basic or trivial. It’s a nice feeling. Like eating chocolate and wine…WITH YOUR REAL FRIENDS.

And so we’ve come full circle, clever. Basically, get some mates, eat chocolate and drink wine. Just AT THE RIGHT TIMES.

Tenuous? Perhaps. Relevant? #Totesamazeballs.

Big thanks to Marc for his invaluable blog, it’s been a joy to share my nuggets. As it were. Ooh matron.

I write more here, www.nicolaredman.com. Have an auld gander, as we say in Ireland. In the ‘50s…

FOR COMMENT: Have any of your own tips for rookies?

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