Is Voice Over Rigged? What the VO Business SHOULD Be

Today I want to talk straight from the heart, and I'll start by saying that I am head over heels madly in love with this business we call voiceover. It's given me gifts I can never begin to repay. A sense of accomplishment, fulfillment, freedom over my life. Creative freedom, flexibility in my life, money, deep, rich friendships, you name it. Voice over has given it to me and probably more things than I could ever really list if I sat down to list it all out. I love this business more than anything I've ever done professionally. And second isn't even close.

That said, this business is not perfect. It has things that need fixing.

professional development, marketing, familyPaul SchmidtJuly 28, 2022vision, fixed, rigged Comments

The Top 3 Worst Sites For Voice Over Work

Nobody starts out looking for the worst places to find voice acting work.

But if you're going to look for the best voiceover websites to find voice acting jobs online, it's also useful to know the voiceover websites to avoid and more importantly, why they're sketchy at best.

The Number One Threat to Your Voice-Over Business

Most of us mistakenly tend to focus on external threats to our well-being. We endlessly worry about the things that could do harm to us, that threaten our physical, psychological, social, or financial well-being. Psychologists call this rumination.

The problem with focusing on the external is that we waste an inordinate amount of time and useless energy on things we can’t control.

Quoting Voice-Over Rates: Abundance vs. Scarcity

I’ve been pretty vocal on social media about so-called “coaches” in this business who purport that Fiverr, Upwork, Craigslist (for chrissakes), and the like are the key to a career as a professional voice actor.

My problem is not with these sites. My problem is with the scarcity mindset and the so-called “coaches” who teach it.

The VO Freedom Master Plan - Now Accepting Applications

Back in February, I recapped my research talking to almost 70 voice actors last Fall, and announced the development and launch of The VO Freedom Master Plan (VOFMP).

Here’s an update on what’s happening right now.

You Don’t Know What Impossible Is

Too many times, we start to dream a dream, and we tell ourselves, “That’s impossible.” And too many times, we let ourselves believe that bullshit.

A Journey of Becoming

We do the work. We build the habits required. We put in the time, training, sweat, failure, education, and long hours. We do the hard shit. We do what it takes.

And when we do that consistently and long enough, eventually, we see improvement. Progress. Successes. We start to achieve the goals we set for ourselves. We have those days you just can’t beat when we get those gigs that just make your whole day, or week, or month.

And a funny thing happens along the way…

Don't Quit

I know things are dark for you right now. I get it. I’ve been through it. There was a time I literally did not know where the rent was gonna come from. I’ve had those sleepless nights. And there are many that have had it way tougher than I and made it through.

Comparison is Killing You

We all do it. Voice actors included. Newbs and veterans alike.

We look to the left, and to the right, and we see our colleagues doing well. We see their wins. Their successes. Their triumphs.

And then that little green goblin of envy and jealously starts to rear its warped and ugly head.

We get insecure. We feel less than.

We start to believe that because we don’t have their successes and wins and triumphs that somehow that makes us less successful.

We compare ourselves to others. And it’s killing us.

My Chats with Almost 70 Voice Actors: A New Mission

My original hypothesis that people are getting stuck and quitting is very real. There is commonality around the frustrations and sticking points. The problem is definable.

Which means the solution is definable.

Confidence with No (or Little) Experience

One of the most common concerns for new voice actors as they begin their voice-over journeys is, “I don’t have any (or very few) credits to my name. I haven’t worked with anyone (or very many) clients yet. How do I still market myself and what do I do?”

It’s the classic college grad’s dilemma, right? “How will anyone hire me with no experience and if no one hires me how will I get any experience?”

What's Keeping You Stuck

We’re highly adept at blaming external circumstances and other people, and not so good at looking inward, analyzing our beliefs about ourselves and the world, and adopting… choosing… beliefs that free us and allow us to realize our potential.

True for humans. True for voice actors and freelancers.

But how do limiting beliefs show up in our psyches and businesses as voice actors? Here are some examples…

Committing 100%

“I’m having trouble consistently training 3 times a week, and once or twice makes no sense, and surely going more will be even more challenging, right?”

Wrong.

Enter, The 100% Rule.

The 100% Rule is a paradox. It says that 100% commitment is in reality easier than 98% commitment.

Motivation vs. Intention

Motivation is the emotion, the feeling, that drives your actions.

The problem with emotions is, as powerful as they can be, they’re fleeting. Temporary. Some than longer than others. They wax and wane. They’re inconsistent. And when what drives your actions is inconsistent, your actions themselves can’t help but be inconsistent.

personal development, professional developmentPaul SchmidtJanuary 13, 2022intention, motivation, habitsComment

Talking to Voice Actors: Their Biggest Frustrations and Fears (updated)

As I’ve written, I spent just about all last Fall talking to as many voice actors as I possibly could.

One of the things I was most curious about was what are the biggest frustrations voice actors face in today’s world. This was my way of trying to find out what’s holding people back, what do they find vexing, and what do they need help with.

My Wishes for You This Holiday Season

Entrepreneurship and freelancing have stretched me and forced me to grow in ways I never imagined and often scared the hell out of me, both for which I am eternally grateful. I’ve learned so much about myself that in the almost 50 years before becoming a full-time voice actor I never knew.

As we turn to the new year, I have some things I wish for you. Where appropriate, I’ve listed a book that helped teach me that lesson.

family, professional developmentPaul SchmidtDecember 23, 2021happy holidays, happy new year, planningComment

Planning Your Next Year – Goals Are Not Enough

Setting goals is nice. The problem is, that’s where most people stop. Goal setting is merely a starting point.

Goals are nothing but directional headers. Every team, even the worst team in the league, wants to win the Championship. It’s not the goal that separates the winners from the losers. This notion that better goals produce better outcomes is hogwash.

Talking to 60 Voice Actors in 60 Days

I’ve had the sense for the last two to three years, well before the pandemic, that there are a lot of folks struggling in this business. I feel like we do a really good job as an industry of getting people trained up on acting, technique, and performance, and we get them enough training to be able to competently record, edit, and deliver a quality audio voice track in a room that’s treated and sounds professional.

And then we send these freshly trained voice actors out into the world and wish them luck.

And they go, “Uh… ok…. What do I do now?”

professional developmentPaul SchmidtNovember 18, 2021the vo community Comments

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