The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over by James Alburger Read Free Book Online Page A

give you opportunities to learn about directing, dramatic structure, comedic timing, stage presence, emotional delivery, and innumerable other fine points of performing. Voiceover classes will give you opportunities to practice your skills on-mic and study new techniques with personalized coaching. Improvisation in voice work is common with dialogue or multiple voice copy and is an essential skill for commercials, animation, video game and other niche areas of the business. This type of training helps improve your spontaneity and ability to adapt quickly. You will also learn skills that can be applied to character development and copy interpretation. Andbecause the nature of voiceover work today is largely entrepreneurial, it is imperative that you have at least a basic understanding of fundamental business skills. I truly encourage you to take some classes, attend a workshop, or even spend a few days learning from the pros at a voiceover convention. Continued training is an incredibly worthwhile investment in your performing career. I promise you will learn a lot, and you might actually have lots of fun. Here are some of the places you can find classes:
Community theater groups are constantly in need of volunteers. Even if you are working on a crew, you will be able to study what goes on in the theater. Watch what the director does, and learn how the actors become their characters. Don’t forget that voice acting is theater of the mind—without props, scenery, or lighting.
Most community colleges offer continuing education classes, often in the evenings or on weekends. Tuition is usually reasonable and the skills you can learn will pay off later on. Suitable courses can also be found in most college theater arts curriculums.
Many cities have adult education classes in voiceover, acting, comedy, improvisation, and other subjects that can give you opportunities to acquire the skills you need. Check your local adult or continuing education office, or local colleges and universities for classes offered in your area.
Many cities have private acting and voiceover courses. They are usually not advertised in the phone book, so they may be somewhat difficult to locate. An Internet search for “voiceover (or voice acting) Your City” may bring up some interesting results. Talent agents in most cities may be aware of local training and may be able to refer you to a class or coach. Check the classifieds of the local subscription and free newspapers in your area. You can also call the drama department at high schools and colleges for any referrals they might be able to make. Your local professional and community theater groups may also be able to give you some guidance. You’ll find a comprehensive listing of voiceover coaches in the Resources area at www.voiceacting.com .
For voiceover classes, try calling some of the recording studios in your area. Many recording studios work with voiceover performers every day and can offer some valuable insights or give you some good leads. Some studios offer classes or do the production work for a class offered by someone else. Or they might be able to simply point you in the right direction by suggesting local workshops or refer you to a local talent agent who might be able to give you some direction.
    A WORD OF CAUTION
    Larger cities, such as Los Angeles and New York, have many voiceover workshops and classes available. Most are reputable and valuable resources. Be careful, though, because some classes are little more than scams designed to take your money. Usually the scam classes will begin with a short “teaser” class or workshop where they provide you with information that you can often find elsewhere for free or from a book. They tell you just enough to get you excited—usually conveniently underplaying the true realities of the business. Then they tell you they will produce and market your demo for a fee—anything from $500 to $5,000. You may even be required to take their class if