The Sound Advice Voice-Over Podcast

If the adage, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” holds up, then it stands to reason the habits we practice, whether by design or default, ultimately determines our strengths.  With that, I give you five habits to strengthen your performance abilities. 

You build your professional reputation as a voice talent and as an actor by consistently delivering exceptional auditions. Lots and lots and lots of them. Which is why persistence and tenacity serve you so well to succeed in this, or frankly, any business.   So, how many auditions do you imagine it takes to land a single voiceover job? Five? […]

Let's assume you have a work ethic that won't quit, and everyone says you have a remarkable voice. You can have all the talent in the world, but it'll die on the vine without drive and momentum. Your passion and instincts account for a great deal, but neither will get you anywhere unless you dedicate […]

It may come as a surprise to most people as to what a casting director actually does, even if you've considered yourself a professional talent for a number of years. Casting agencies select talent they feel are most suitable for the specific job at hand from talent agencies based on the individual talent's professional promotional […]

Your type can and will eventually change. Type can be especially elusive in voiceover for a number of reasons, besides the obvious: we can only hear you. Therefore the audience must imagine what you look like; how you feel, what you think, how you approach the world, or at least the world your voiceover immediately […]

The quality of your auditions when recording from home is as important as your performance. In fact, it's never mattered more than it does today. Since COVID, production demands now require every voice talent to not only be well-trained and prepared to deliver their best at a moment's notice, but we're also assuming the quality of your […]

Here are a few key industry insights to improve your bottom line, elevate your brand, instill confidence, and expand your small business as an actor, on- or off-camera!

Avoid one of the greatest mistakes budding voice talent make and why to give your voiceover career the best opportunity to achieve the greatest results. Here are a few key industry insights to improve your bottom line, elevate your brand, instill confidence, and expand your small business as a voice actor.

“The Revolution shall NOT be televised,” as Gil Scott-Heron famously said. When it comes to the backstory that provoked the dual writers and actors'strike no truer word were spoken. The key details of how and why these two vital, creative industry Guilds entered into this collective strike hasn't been widely delineated, partly because the AMPTP […]

Whether you're a SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild & American Federation of Television & Radio Artists) member or not, you probably heard the American actor's union has joined with the Writer's Guild (WGA) in an historic strike that will continue to be an industry gamechanger, bringing about some of the most dramatic impacts to the entertainment […]

For decades now, legions of actors have emerged from assorted acting schools across the country harboring a deep aversion to pursuing and accepting commercial work. Yet, if you scratch the surface a bit, you'll probably find this unfounded antagonism typically stems from the misguided notion you'd become “a sellout” if you perused commercial opportunities. It's […]

Here at Actors' SOUND ADVICE, we coach all our voiceover clients to establish and expand their performance, promotion, and production routine to develop the most agile, creative, and effective abilities in order to advance their careers as working talent. Which initially begs the question: What does it take to go the distance in this business? […]

You might be relieved to discover the best advertising… isn't advertising at all. By that I mean the adage, “less is more” applies when it comes to art directing your graphics that will allow you to make your name known and associated with being a professional voice talent with taste and an elevated aesthetic.  Here […]

“Ambition is the first step to success. The second is action.” There are a few key basics voice talent should know about this industry from the onset that's either required of you or you can expect as industry standards. Hopefully, understanding them from the start will improve your ability to create, secure work and navigate […]

As Actors' SOUND ADVICE, we strongly encourage all non-union voicetalent to apply some basic union policies and standards to their voiceovercareers to achieve the best, most professional results in their careers. Hereare a few key industry policies to improve your bottom line, elevate yourbrand, instill confidence, and expand your voice acting business.

If you've been pursuing voiceover work on your own in America for the past decade or more, chances are you've been following a business model that concentrates almost strictly on securing work all by yourself, or DIY, by procuring jobs primarily through excessively low-paying sites like Fiverr, Upwork and a few Pay-to-Play (P2P) platforms. Nevertheless, […]

One of the many benefits of being a voiceover today over any other time in history is the fact that every session is as near as a simple ‘digital patch'. No need to travel to another town, state or country to record in the same studio where the client who hired you may be. Recording […]

As a special Halloween surprise, meet our special guest, Marti Matulis, seasoned voice talent and ‘Creature Feature' actor joins SOUND ADVICE founder, Kate McClanaghan. Some of Marti's creature credits include: – American Horror Story – Sleepy Hollow – Teen Wolf – Harry Potter and the Ten Years Later – Grimm – And many, many more!

There are a few key basics voice talent should know about this industry from the onset that's either required of you or you can expect as industry standards. Hopefully, understanding them from the start will improve your ability to create, secure work and navigate your voiceover career.

In the interest of managing your expectations about your acting and voiceover career, here are five common, initial assumptions many talent fall prey to that can and should be avoided…

Regardless of whether you're delivering a take for an on-camera or voiceover performance, no one wants only a single delivery from you. Every take requires spontaneity, expression and subtle, yet discernable, variety—regardless of your skill level. So, what do you do? Discover: • The Goal of Every Take, Every Performance • How to Offer a […]

There is no success without failure. Its only accomplished after overcoming obstacles, both perceived and unexpected, that demand we experience both to even conceive the difference.

There are a few key basics voice talent should know about this industry that's either required of you or you can expect as an industry standard. Hopefully, understanding them from the onset will improve your ability to create and navigate your voiceover career.  Here's a short list… 

The Oscars,Voice Over&the Most Sought-AfterYoungActor in Hollywood,KodiSmit-McPhee Meet actor, Kodi Smit-McPhee, star of ten major feature films in the last year in a half… Including: Opposite Gary Oldman in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes which premieres this Friday, July 11th! Opposite Ben Kingsley in the soon-to-be-released, A Birder's Guide to Everything Opposite Michael Fassbender […]

Listen to SOUND ADVICE founder & author of The SOUND ADVICE Encyclopedia of Voiceover, Kate McClanaghan, defines: The Two Distinctly Different Business Approaches to Voiceover The Standards That Define Professional Voiceover Demos Who We Create VO demos For In The First Place How Many Demos Do You Honestly Need As a Voiceover And a whole […]

Here's a question you need to honestly ask yourself: How coachable are you? It's fair to assume you're about as coachable as you are ‘direct-able'. If you can't be directed, it unlikely you'll play well with others either. And acting, even voice acting, is often a team sport. You want to please yourself, but only […]

As actors we're generally expected to be versatile enough to play everything. Or at least that's the general consensus regarding acting as a profession, and not simply from actors and their coaches. Of course, precious few rise to the occasion for the simple reason none of this work is all that easy. Mastering the skills […]

Listen to SOUND ADVICE founder & author of The SOUND ADVICE Encyclopedia of Voiceover, Kate McClanaghan, defines: • How Does IMPROV Relate To All Forms Of Media, Especially Voiceover • How To Agree With The Reality of Any Script & Build On It • How To Build Your Frame Of Reference & • What Is […]

Beyond your sparkling personality, dulcet vocal tones, and unlimited imagination—your voiceover demos are the most important tool you have to secure work in this business. They are the vehicle you'll benefit from most to drive your career… provided they're done right! So, how do you know when you need a new one?

You have to study the medium you intend to work in if you hope to feed your imagination—which ultimately reflects in your performance. Lucky for us, today we're able to view and study television, voiceover, film, and commercial work with greater ease than ever and from almost anywhere.

While we all continue to wrestle with this on going, combination social-psyche stress test and health threat, Actors' SOUND ADVICE continues to assist voice talent across the country establish, maintain and expand their voiceover business. It may surprise you to learn, it's never been a better time to double your efforts in this field.

How much time does it take to establish your voiceover career? How much time and attention does it take to establish and maintain any small business?

Listen to Actors' SOUND ADVICE seasoned voiceover demo producer/ career coach, Kate McClanaghan offers expert guidance and insight into how to navigating your career as a voiceover. Regardless of your experience level, those auditioning, or most likely to hire you, will assume you're a professional actor and expect you to know your job both in […]

There's a common misconception in our culture that states if a road proves too difficult then maybe “it wasn't meant to be.” Instead, I happen to think the opposite might actually be true. If you are on the right path, then you're likely to face far more opposition than you ever may have imagined. I […]

You may have asked for feedback in the past simply for a lack of anything else to say, and you hadn't thought it through beyond this point. Or maybe you wanted praise for your remarkable vocal prowess. (It's only human to require some form of acknowledgement that you're on the right track.) Yet, if you're […]

Regardless of whether you're on-camera or off-, engaging your imagination is required of you as a talent. Discover a key element that will assist you with every take, regardless of your skill level, and allow you greater spontaneity, expression and subtle, yet discernable, variety. Discover in this podcast: • The impact on your audience when […]

No matter the industry, commerce is confidence. It's imperative you instill confidence, often when you feel anything but. And while I've never been a fan of the phrase “fake it till you make it”. The fact is, even from the very onset of your career as a talent, involves making those who hire you feel […]

We're moments away from family reunions, vacations, long weekends, and some well-deserved time off. So, here's a bit of advice that will keep you in your talent agent's good graces well beyond the holidays…

Feeling torn between embracing the best of the holidays and wishing they were over already so you can get on with maintaining (or creating) the momentum in your career it's taken you all year to develop. Listen to Actors' SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney discuss one […]

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday. And the most enduring Thanksgiving Day memory I have began when I was fifteen, and, well…it's a story that honestly may never end.

Listen to Actors' SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney offer guidance and keen insight into how to navigate and ultimately unburden yourself as a voiceover, especially if you're not all that techie but longing to work in this often-elusive field.

Listen to Actors' SOUND ADVICE co-founders, coaches, and seasoned voiceover demo producers, Kate McClanaghan and Jeff Finney discuss one of the most elusive and sought-after performance styles in the voiceover business.

Voiceover demos, by definition, are a professional demonstration of what you do best and what you want more of. Yet many well-meaning, even experienced talent fall prey to many of the following misconceptions regarding what should and shouldn't be included on your voiceover demos.

Typically training for the average actor and voice-over are categorizes into one of three camps: beginner, intermediate or advanced. Problem is: nothing in this business is lumped into those categories; you're either a professional or you're not, right out of the gate.

This is our final podcast offering in our month long homage to creepy storytelling and to Halloween. This is the remarkable result of gathering a few of my most talented friends a few years back after divvying up roles between the apple cider and donuts.   We hope you enjoyed these stories we've presented all […]

This is our third recorded offering in our month long homage to great storytelling and to Halloween. This podcast is the remarkable result of gathering a few of my most talented friends in our LA studio one crisp night a few years back after divvying up roles between the apple cider and donuts, which I […]

As in every business, how we're perceived often comes down to you being either too young or too old. Certainly every aspect of the entertainment industry is riddled with subjectivity and preconceived notions, and age is no exception. In fact, it's one of the key defining elements used when casting. Yet, age may even surpass […]

This is our second recorded offering in our month long homage to great storytelling and to Halloween. Adapted from Ray Bradbury's “The Martian Chronicles”, we present our spin on this Twilight Zone-inspired tale, performed by a few of my most talented friends in our LA studio one crisp October night a few years back. This […]

If you'd been blessed with dumb luck from the onset of your career, and scored some profitable results early on, you might assume your career could run on automatic from that point on. Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth, and likely how your current ‘slump' came to pass. Regardless of how talented and […]

As a kid I fell in love with short stories in large part from hearing old radio theatre-style recordings that often played on the radio throughout October leading up to Halloween.  I especially loved Ray Bradbury's “The Martian Chronicles”.  So much so, I adapted my own version of a few of his wonderful “Twilight Zone-ish” […]

Much like a really good first date, sitting down with a new agent can be simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking. Granted your date may appear stunning and very discriminating, and you may feel flat-out privileged to be out with them, but you want to be sure you're both on the same page. If this relationship is […]