Finding Your Voice 

"I have always done “voices,” impressions and monologues my entire life, so when I told family and friends I was pursuing voiceover, they were not at all surprised. To quote my mother,  “Why do you need to take classes; you already know how to use your voice. You can teach them more than they can teach you!” I have heard similar comments from everyone who knows me. My reply is always the same, “I’ll always learn; I’m never done learning.” 

"My focus is audiobooks, video games, voice matching, sound-alike and commercials. I have also learned that talent is not enough. Skill can be learned; that, too, is not enough. In the new VO world, you must be your own director, sometime producer and writer, sound tech, booth designer, etc. In a working capacity, the key is to audition as much as possible.

"I have taken most of my voiceover classes and training during the pandemic, with exception of an Austin Community College class I took in January 2020. It was interesting to sign up for another ACC VO class, which turned into one of the first of many Zoom classes to come from other coaches, instructors and mentors. One of my most notable experiences this year was a Zoom script read with Sean Astin, directed by Ned Lott. Astin said I was 100% ready and he can’t wait to work with me in the future. I have been told by many instructors that the world is my oyster and “you can do practically any VO you choose.” So, whatever your VO interest may be, there is a class out there for you. For example, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation offers the Voiceover Lab. When it comes to voiceover, there has always been more than enough work out there. Whatever you believe VO is, you have only scratched the surface."

This article was originally featured in the Houston-Austin Local newsletter.