How To Become A Voice Actor In 2023: Schools, Salary, Cost, Requirements

Do you have a great voice and does voice acting interests you? If you do, you can become a voice actor in 2023with the information in this article. 

In this post, you’ll get to know who a voice actor is, the duties of a voice actor, the steps to becoming a voice actor, the schools that offer voice acting, and how much you can make as a voice actor. 

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Who Is A Voice Actor?

Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs or rendering voices to represent a character or to provide information to an audience or user.  Many companies seek the services of voice actors.

Voice actors provide the voice for animated films and television shows, and narrate documentaries, television, and radio commercials.

In television and radio commercials and movie trailers in the United States, voice actors are often recruited through voice acting agencies.

What Does a Voice Actor Do? Work Description

A voice actor can perform in many roles, including providing narratives in commercials or playing characters in animated films or video games, narrating documentaries, generating podcasts, audiobooks, and a whole lot more.

Furthermore, they make an important contribution to many films, television productions, and advertisements in the United States and beyond.

Most of the work is done in a recording studio, with the voice actor reading lines in a recording booth while a sound engineer examines from the control room.

Voice actors are self-employed and typically have a busy work schedule. They often experience times when there is a lot of work available, as well as times when they have few projects.

Good voice actors are able to speak in multiple tones of voice and with various accents. The ability to speak audibly and with a pleasing voice is a vital skill. Unlike stage, television, and film actors, voice actors typically do not receive scripts in advance to allow them to rehearse and memorize their lines. Given the lack of rehearsal time, you must be able to read from scripts in a normal, conversational way.

Voice actors also are responsible for managing their voices. Frequent practice and vocal exercises, particularly with new tones and accents, prevent voice actresses from straining their vocal cords.

In summary, a pleasant tone, good diction, and solid microphone techniques are essential qualities of a voice actor.

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Duties of a Voice Actor

1. Interpreting Scripts

Scripts demonstrate a writer’s representation of characters and ideas. A voice actor reads and interprets a script that incorporates the concepts that the writer wishes to portray. He works under the guidance of the director to understand the script and better do his job.

2. Characterization

A voice actor must bring out the personality of a character through his voice. Therefore, you have to know how to tweak your voice to suit a specific character and action. An actor also needs to know how to alter the pitch of his voice, depending on the script. The quality of presentation in a radio jingle and other voice acting activities goes a long way to determine the level of audience engagement.

3. Voice Practice

A voice actor is accountable for managing his voice by engaging in voice practice. He may practice accents and tones to become proficient in the skill of voice versatility. Also, it enables an actor to offer a wide range of voice talent to an employer, be it in media advertisements, video games, audiobooks, or movie trailers.

4. Collaboration

A voice actor will collaborate with the team, particularly the director and voice engineer, to produce a professional piece of work. Ideally, they record scripts in studios and receive instructions from the director on what to improve.

To ease the job and smooth performance, qualities, such as patience and good listening skills are very important to a voice actor.

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How To Become A Voice Actor

Though there are no educational requirements to become a voice actor, there are schools that offer performing arts programs in voice acting. Some of these are standalone, non-credit courses or workshops that can be taken for personal enrichment or professional development.

Others are incorporated into degree programs in acting. Basic courses focus on performing voice-over work for a variety of mediums, and students typically practice reading scripts and receive feedback from industry professionals.

More so, voice-over actors should be able to advance their own work and have strong networking skills. With home recording equipment, a voice-over actor can practice and quickly create and send out demos over the Internet. Versatile voice-over actors, such as those who can perform accents or play multiple roles in one script, might have the strongest prospects for employment.

Because of the competitive nature of the industry, being a voice actor is not something that just happens, you have to practice constantly and hone your skills. Through perseverance, and hard work, you will be well on your way to becoming a voice actor. See the step-by-step process to becoming a voice actor below.

• Practice reading aloud
• Record your own voice
• Try speaking with your diaphragm
• Practice vocal exercises
• Take voice lessons
• Market yourself

1. Practice reading aloud

This involves practicing by reading things aloud. Read books, magazines, or news articles out loud on a regular basis to get acquainted with them. It will be nice if you spend 30 minutes or more a day reading out loud. Practice pronouncing words and work on your intonation. Try modifying the sound of your voice as you read for an added challenge.

2. Record your own voice

Try recording the scripts you read out loud, play it back to yourself to hear what you sound like, and make personal notes for correction. Don’t be surprised at the sound of your voice. The way you sound in a recording is quite different from the same way you sound to yourself each day. So, take note of these changes and know when to make modifications, especially over a microphone.

3. Try speaking with your diaphragm

When listening to your voice, consider whether you are using a nasal, mouth, chest, or diaphragm voice. A nasal voice sounds unpleasant and whiny, a mouth voice sounds very quiet, and a chest voice sounds pleasant, but a diaphragm voice is the most powerful and has the best sound.

To develop the diaphragm voice, practice breathing deeply and watching your stomach rise and fall. Make sounds that come from the diaphragm, such as laughing or yawning. Once you get the hang of it, it is merely a matter of maintaining the voice. A voice teacher can help you project from the diaphragm.

4. Practice vocal exercises

Certain exercises can help you to control and improve your voice. Many of them are based on breathing. You could try humming a scale by blowing through a straw for breath control. You could lie on the floor and deeply inhale and exhale, making a “shh” sound while exhaling. Even simply sitting up straight with your shoulders back can make a big difference in the sound of your voice. You could also practice articulating with tongue twisters, such as “Red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather.

5. Take voice lessons

Having regular voice lessons (at least once a week) will help you improve your vocal range and teach you how to better control the volume and sound of your voice. You may need to scout for voice teachers to find the best fit for you. A good voice teacher will help you not only improve strong technique and control but also will help you to find your unique voice. A good voice teacher will teach you how to warm up your voice well.

6. Market yourself

After a series of classes and training, I’m sure you’ll fancy the idea of making cool cash out of it. Therefore, you need to market yourself and build a network in any way you can. This can be done through drafting a resume, building an online portfolio, creating a demo, attending auditions, and finally putting your best in the slots you get.

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Required Voiceover Equipment

Here are some equipment you need for voice over acting:

• Laptop or tablet
• Professional-grade microphone
• Editing software
• Good acoustics

Which Schools Offer Courses In Voice Acting?

Though there are no specific academic requirements to become a voice actor, there are some schools that offer voice acting courses. See the schools below;

• Boston University
• Temple University
• University of Connecticut
• DePaul University
• Texas Tech University
• University of Nevada
• University of Washington
• Ithaca College
• Texas Christian University

1. Boston University

The BFA in Acting is intended for students who have a strong passion to focus primarily on actor training and recognize the craft of acting as a means to approach, comprehend, and brighten the complexity of the human spirit.

The program develops deep self-awareness, heightened intellect, rich emotional life, expanded imagination, and generosity as a foundation for the development of a transformational actor.

Furthermore, in this program, students are exposed to studio classes in voice, speech, and movement, and Alexander Technique provides the foundation for the Acting major and encourages students to develop a deep connection to themselves.

2. Temple University

The Certificate in Voice and Speech for the Actor enables undergraduates from other disciplines to continue their interest in voice and speech.

The Department of Theater at Temple University boasts two master teachers and one associate teacher of the renowned Fitzmaurice voice method.

The Certificate in Voice and Speech for the Actor allows a student to continue training with professional actors and faculty from the Department of Theater at Temple and the rich theatrical community of Philadelphia.

3. University of Connecticut

UConn Voice & Opera provides students with a well-rounded vocal education, in addition to various opportunities to perform. UConn Voice & Opera strives for excellence, providing performances and other shots of the highest caliber to undergraduate and graduate students, alike.

Students involved in UConn Voice & Opera partake in UConn Opera Theater, which stages opera and operetta from across the repertoire, opera outreach, opera scenes, honors recitals, and two regular Songfests each year.

4. DePaul University

The Theatre School’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in acting equips actors to work on both stage and screen. It develops actors who are imaginative, skillful, expressive, and vibrantly alive.

Furthermore, students undergo voice training and classes to enhance vocal communication.

5. Texas Tech University

The Voice Area at Texas Tech University holds a long tradition of excellence, seeking to assist qualified students in fulfilling career goals in the field of music and voice acting. Voice Area graduates of Texas Tech are performing in international careers as singers, teachers, choral conductors, voice actors, and in numerous related fields.

6. University of Nevada

The Department of Theatre and Dance is a collaborative community of artists and scholars – faculty, staff, and students that aims to achieve the highest level of excellence in their teaching, learning, research, creative endeavors, and outreach to the community and state.

Here, students explore all aspects of the performing arts through classes, studios, and hands-on experiences onstage and behind the scenes. More so, students undergo intensive voice training to sharpen their vocal skills.

7. University of Washington

The UW Professional Actor Training Program (PATP) is a three-year conservatory training program. UW prepares carefully selected actors for the professional world of theatre, film, television, and new media.

The curriculum dwells on the time-honored traditions and practices of Stanislavski combined with extensive physical training that includes the Suzuki Method, Viewpoints, Alexander Technique, and stage combat.

8. Ithaca University

Ithaca College’s nationally-recognized BFA in Acting offers the rigorous, highly individualized training of a conservatory within the enriching foundation of a liberal arts education. Through a range of classroom and performance experiences, students deepen their talent and hone their technique and expressive abilities.

Ithaca College displays two musicals in most years, and a dance concert in alternating years, in addition to four plays and an opera. BFA Acting students are eligible to audition beginning in their first semester and are required to audition in every subsequent semester.

This program exposes students to voice training, movement, and scene study.

9. Texas Christian University

Students of Texas Tech Christian University take several courses in realism, period styles, non-realism, acting Shakespeare, stage combat, advanced stage movement, advanced voice & speech, and more.

BFA performance classes average 12 students. Those in the acting and musical theatre emphasis train together in fundamental performance courses such as acting, stage movement, and voice, and speech.

The academic experience in TCU’s Theatre department is both artistic and challenging — allowing students to expand their perspectives and grow in a program with academic rigor.

What Are The Requirements To Become A Voice Actor?

When getting started in voice acting, you don’t really require any academic qualification per se. What you need is the desire and willingness to learn. It is possible for you to have a natural talent for voice-over, but the most successful voice actors will attest that regular practice and getting a voice coach are ideal. There is so much value in attending training sessions and hiring a voice-over coach.

Courses in voice acting are available both online and in person. In addition to learning voice work techniques, most courses also discuss self-promotion and teach students how to create a demo.

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How Long Does It Take To Become A Voice Actor?

Typically, becoming a voice actor takes time, there’s no doubt about it. Nevertheless, it all depends on your level of commitment and dedication to the course. 6 months of training will be a nice ride. To become a voice-over actor you will need discipline, skills, the right attitude, and a lot of ambition.

It can be really tough at the initial stage but when that first job comes your way, it really will be worth the wait.

How Much Can You Make As A Voice Actor?

Though the amount of money voice actors earn differs according to the type of work, size of the project, experience, and other factors, your earnings as a voice actor range from $35 for a small market radio spot, to $150 for a 15-second recording for say a small website, $250 – $350 for a 30-second major market radio commercial (Plus use fees) to about $2000 – $5000 per audiobook, as an established voice talent. In addition to the bit-by-bit payments, the average voice actor has a salary of $31,400 a year.

An entry-level voice actor can expect to earn $18,390 a year while an experienced voice actor has an average annual salary of $90,000 a year.

It is also important to note that the yearly income of a voice actor is an individual ball game, in the sense that what Mr.A earns annually might be far greater than what Mr. B earns annually. This is determined by the nature and type of jobs you get. Therefore, once you start building a portfolio of clients as a voice actor, you’ll experience a leap in your earnings.

It is also important to note that other factors such as; the level of skill and niche talent, number of auditions submitted, agency listings, and your personal sales capability determine a lot too. If you are not good at what you do and you don’t have the network base that builds confidence and marketability, you might see your voice-acting career going down by the day due to low earnings. it is important you work on your professional promotion too.

Average Voice Actor Salary

• The top 10% of voice actors earn $90,000 and above
• The top 25% of voice actors earn $51,000 and above
• Median voice actors’ pay is $31,400 while the bottom 25% earn $21,700 and above

How Do Voice Actors Make Their Money?

Voice actors make their money on a contract basis. Your earnings as a voice actor can come from a radio spot, fifteen minutes recording for a website, a major market radio jingle, audiobook, Podcasts, animations, gaming, short films, animations, narrating documentaries, and a whole lot more.

In most cases, after getting a contract, the costing is done per word count and duration.

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