Joe Cipriano answers this question in detail in his latest blog post. These are words from one of the most successful voiceover people in the United States. But, more importantly, there words from a genuinely nice guy, who’s telling it like it is.
Here are a couple of key paragraphs…
I always tell people who ask me if they should move to Los Angeles or New York for voice overs to only do so if they have a job waiting for them in the new location.
And…
Too many people come to Los Angeles with no job and a dream of acting or getting into voice overs and find themselves struggling to pay the grocery bill. All this does is make your chances for success in the business even slimmer. No one…NO ONE…wants to be around, let alone hire, someone who is DESPERATE for the J O B. Do not have the stench of desperation follow you into auditions and interviews.
Read the whole thing. Please.
Hi Bob… new blog looks good.
Could you change the link to my new blog site
http://www.bigearcreations.blogspot.com
I’ve streamlined my Blogs into one Blog Home!
Take care and keep up the good work!
Dave
Dave,
Sure. Consider it done.
Be well,
Bob
I tried to comment on Joe’s site but had problems with the registration. It’s a great blog! I was told upon leaving the ‘big city’ of Dallas, TX I had just ended my voice over career. 5 years later I’m doing just fine in NC! Even though I fly to Dallas often to record, they continue to tell me I would make ‘so much more money’ if I would just move back! True, the money may be slightly better with more animation studios than in Charlotte, NC, but there is something to be said about quality of life. Right now I wouldn’t give up being surrounded by the mountains and ocean for just about anything! Success comes from the work you put into chosen craft, not from the place you rest your feet.
Thanks! Kara
Kara,
You’re welcome. And thank you for the thoughtful comments.
Be well,
Bob
I just happened to stumble across your blog on someone elses blog role. I have always been interested in voice over but have never found the opportunity to really explore it. My simple question to you is where do I start?
Robert
Robert,
My simple answer is to encourage you to join the VO-BB.com, lurk for a while. Read the archives. Lurk some more. When you believe you’ve got a good foundation for yourself, ask some questions.
You’ll find lots of nice (and somewhat crazy) folks there with a wide variety of backgrounds and levels of experience.
Be well,
Bob
Hey Bob,
I read Joe’s article and he is absolutely right! Always have a plan, a job and be prepared.
Something else to add – I’ve noticed that nearly every instructor lately is saying that this is the best time ever for someone to get into voiceover, and for many reasons, they’re right!
I heard Nancy Wolfson say that very statement last week in her Break Into VoiceOver teleseminar. Anna Vocino seconded the motion.
The sentiment at the VOICE Conference will likely be the same.
What do you think?
Cheers,
Stephanie
Stephanie,
Some folks have a sour outlook on life, regardless of how things are actually going. (Hopefully I’m not one of them, no matter what my last name is!) Folks with such a disposition see this as an age when the Internet has caused standards to be lower than ever before, that things have never been worse.
Hogwash! Sure there are a lot of folks attempting to “make a little money doing voiceovers,” but there’s so much more work available today and in so many interesting new avenues that I couldn’t agree with you, Nancy, and Anna more. This is a great time to work in voiceover. And the standards for genuinely professional work are not lower, they’re higher.
I will be very surprised if we don’t hear this idea many times at the V.O.I.C.E. conference in March.
Be well,
Bob