Hi everyone! My name is Erik Peabody, and I'm an audio engineer and voice actor based in Rochester, NY. I see a lot of posts here about setting up recording areas and how to get a better sound from your recordings, and wanted to chime in to offer some advice. Below is a post that I shared about a year ago, but seeing new "rate my booth" photos made me think it might be useful for newer folks. Along those lines, for anyone posting "rate my booth" photos, include a recording of the audio you're getting with that setup! That helps the rest of us provide actual feedback. For the audio you post, don't clean it up or anything, just let us hear how the actual raw audio sounds. Okay, onto the main post. I spend a LOT of my time mixing audio for clients that have recorded in sub-optimal recording environments, and I also see a LOT of products marketed as "sound absorption" and "acoustic insulation" that have no business being sold as such. Keep in mind that everything I'm about to say doesn't matter IF YOU'RE HAPPY WITH HOW YOUR RECORDINGS SOUND. Every room is different, and you can sometimes stumble into great results in a situation that shouldn't sound nearly as good as it does! So, take everything here I say with a grain of salt. MAKE SURE YOU'RE LISTENING PROPERLY: Before we talk about anything else, you need to make sure that you're listening to your finished recordings properly before you can really diagnose what you should change with your recording setup. If you're only listening over desktop speakers in a reflective room, you won't really be able to hear your recording properly, and can't tell if you need to dampen your recording environment more. If you're listening on casual-listening headphones, you likely won't be getting a full representation of your bottom end, and there could be noise or rumble down there that you'll never know about. In a perfect world, you would have flat(ish) response monitor speakers in an acoustically-treated environment, but that's out of the price range for a lot of folks. My best advice is to invest in a good set of headphones. I use a set of Beyer Dynamic DT-880 open-back phones and love them. Good representation across the EQ spectrum, I get a decent idea of the low end, and they're comfortable to wear. That being said, it's always good practice to high-pass your recordings at a certain point (specifics depends on your voice) to make sure that you're removing any rumble that your headphones might not pick up. Keep in mind that open-back headphones tend to be better for critical listening, but are not good for use during VO recording, as there can be sound bleed out of the open backs and into the mic. FOAM DOES BASICALLY NOTHING: The "acoustic" foam that's widely marketed and that I see a lot on here doesn't do much at all. The goal of acoustic treatment is to absorb the sound and prevent it from bouncing around your room, which will result in an inability to properly hear frequencies during mixing, and will also create echo and reflections during voice recording. To absorb the full spectrum of your voice (or any sound,) any absorption material needs MASS. Foam does practically nothing, since it weighs practically nothing, and is so porous that most sound will cut right through it. You will likely get *some* change in sound if you put up a lot of foam, but it will mostly dampen the high frequencies, which require less mass. If anything, this will make your recordings sound boomier, since the low and mid frequencies are still bouncing around. You can spend a ton of money of proper absorption setup if you want, but there are some budget routes that work remarkably well. Booth Junkie (who frequents these subreddits) has a great video on building a budget acoustic panel, and shows you how much of a difference it can really make. I recommend you check out his video (and many of his videos) to help learn more about the acoustics of your room during voice recordings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5ApIWbjvcA To those of you that say, "but I put up a bunch of foam and now my recordings sounds way better," I respond, "do they really?" I would suspect that a great many of you that feel that way are actually lacking the proper listening setup to be able to determine if it really sounds better, or just sounds different. Remember, if you record in an echoing room and then listen back in the same room, how can you tell? Even if you can't tell, you might not be getting gigs because the people deciding who to hire CAN tell. PICK THE BEST AREA TO RECORD IN: Having a super small space (like a closet) will likely give you trouble even if you toss a ton of good absorption material in there. Every space is different, but I'd caution you to be VERY critical when listening to your first recordings, as low-end bass reflections are notorious in closet setups. If you have the option to try a few different areas, it's worth your time to setup your acoustic panels wherever you can and see which room sounds best. Sometimes, a larger room will work better if you're smart about placing the panels. WORK ON BETTER PRACTICES BEFORE BUYING NEW GEAR: Not happy with how your final masters sound? Outside of setting up better acoustic treatment, make sure to learn as much as you can about your software before you decide you need a new mic, preamp, AD converter, or anything else. I did the first year of my VO career with a Behringer B1, which cost less than $100. Proper EQ, compression, etc will have a huge impact on how your final recordings sound. It is much more worth your time to practice using these tools than it is to just go out and upgrade gear. Along those lines, find a professional voice over site that will let you download a demo from another VO artist. Toss that into your recording software alongside your own recording and do everything you can to make your recording sound like the demo recording. With some practice (and a proper listening environment!) you'll be surprised at how much closer you can get it without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on new gear. Keep in mind that mixing and mastering are totally separate disciplines that people spend years developing, so don't expect miracles, but you will likely get more mileage from this than purchasing new equipment. DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET HELP: There is frequent advice about hiring voice coaches or acting coaches, but I'm not here to talk about that. If you're not happy with how your recordings sound, don't be afraid to reach out to a mixing engineer for help. There are tons of people online (myself included) that offer professional services to VO artists and are happy to work for a reasonable cost. Additionally, I've had a number of situations where I've helped clients setup their room to work better for them. If you're doing this for fun or for little CCC gigs, do NOT spend any more that you don't need to. However, if you're frustrated with your progress and want some help in getting better recordings, there's nothing wrong with reaching out to a professional instead of wading through the dozens of charlatan blog posts and youtube vids online. That's it! I hope that this helps you setup a better recording environment and avoid spending money on foam and other things that you don't need to. I'm happy to answer any questions here, and you can also email me at viking.guitar.productions@gmail.com.
So I recently used the Talent Link service from Actors’ Access and got a response from a management company and I have a meeting scheduled with them. Just curious what you all usually ask when in these intro meetings. Like the most important/imperative things you must know before you feel you can make an informed decision on whether or not to sign. Very interested to hear all of your thoughts!
Seasoned and experienced actor here: I’ve been seeing a lot of questions and confusion about “paying” representation to get more auditions etc. Actors don’t pay representation for their services. However, rep will take a percentage from your earnings. If an agent or manager is asking you to pay for them/their service, walk, don’t sign with them, it’s a scam and it’s even illegal in California. If you are non-union: you pay your agent 20% (You make $100, they get $200) If you are union (this means that you are SAG, not SAG-eligible, but SAG): you pay your agent 10% (You make $100, they get $10) Your manager gets 15% of the work you do. (You make $100, they get $15) IF you have an agent and a manager, you have to pay them both. Example: Let’s assume you are non-union. You make $100 on a commercial, you pay your agent $20 and your manager $15. You get to keep $65 for yourself. At the end of the day, you have to do all the hard work. Don’t rely on your manager or agent to do the hard work for you. You have to self submit, you have to network, you have to show up with a good attitude no matter of what happened moments before. Take classes, learn how to tape an audition at home, read script, analyze movies, it’s not going to be “easier” once you have representation. They represent you, they don’t do the work for you. I’ve booked some of my best and biggest work without representation, you don’t need representation to act, especially not if you are just starting out. Best of luck and break a leg, and be kind and humble. The race is long, sometimes you are ahead, sometimes you are behind, but in the end, it’s only with yourself.
I’ve always wanted to be an actor. And I regret not getting into it in high school, even though I wanted. Still haven’t tried it. Anyways, my question is, those of you who have roles in movies, theater plays during the day etc. how do you get off work? I can’t imagine a manager letting you leave earlier because you have a play, or maybe I’m wrong? Just something I have been wondering. Thanks and I hope you all succeed!
When a cartoon character burps do the voice actors really burp or is it just sound effects and if you want to become a voice actor do you really have to learn to burp is it hard or simple to burp by yourself
Little backstory: Ever since I was a kid, all I wanted was to be an actor. My dad got me a few opportunities to pursue that dream when I was a kid but my mom always shot it down because she didn’t want me to grow up in that lifestyle. Everyone in my life, except my dad (who is no longer around), told me I would never make it and that it wasn’t logical. So I’ve gone through life trying to find my passion and here I am at almost 25 and I still can’t find a single thing that makes me feel fulfilled even slightly. I know 25 is still young. I just have this constant feeling that I was meant to be an actor. Movies have always been my distraction from life and always help me through dark times. I want to be able to do that for other people too. The dilemma: The thing I’m down about, is that I’ve gone and gotten lots of tattoos. 1 partially finished full arm sleeve and one partially finished lower half sleeve on the other arm. I know this will severely diminish my opportunities at making it as an actor and I can’t afford to remove them. Not really sure that makeup would fully cover all of them though none of them are color. I’m also a 5’4” guy. Just looking for any advise that anyone is willing to offer. Should I pursue acting? Are my chances good? Should I keep searching for some other passion?
So I'm not getting auditions (dramatic/serious/sad etc. kind of roles), life itself is getting more and more frustrating (covid,living expenses, just waiting/looking for auditions) BUT, recently I thought, why not try comedy...like actual stand up comedy, there are open mic nights all over even with covid restrictions in place. I know I may be able to do comedic scenes on film/tv, but I feel that stand up comedy is in a sense for a "different type of person"...Also once you get noticed in comedy, good luck getting any dramatic roles (in other words, once you start comedy,there is almost no switching back)...I know theres Adam Sandler,Tina Fey,Dan Aykroyd and a list of others who became succeful after stand up. But also, comedy is not what it used to be, there are too much stuff you can NOT mention/joke about in 2021/2022...I think thats whats really making me question trying/starting stand up... **I'm sorry for this confusing rambling...but are there any other actors on here that had this same thought, if so, how did it work for you? or what are your thoughts on it ?** **OR, should i simply just do background work (extra) instead?**
I was rewatching Dexter season 7 when this crossed my mind.. Ok so I get early in his career he was a teen/young heartthrob and was a part of some pretty sore projects,... every actor is. .., but in the past decade or two a lot of his roles especially on Dexter, Bosch, Murder One, and Luck were awesome. I've been waiting for him to get a bigger, main role at this new stage in his career where he can play the warm, charming handsome father all the way to the dark, scary, creepy villain and anywhere in between. He definitely deserves it, being in the industry for 40 years I think its time he gets his biggest role yet!!! I sure hope so, I can feel it coming.. Anyone else ever thought of this?
I applied for a role online. I was selected for the next round of auditions! Now the director wants me to submit a self-tape audition. He sent me a script to read. **Question: the script has dialog with other people. In my self-tape, do I just pause as if other people were speaking, or do I enlist the help of family members to read with me?** Family are not actors. That could be a train wreck.
In a stage play I'm doing, I've got a bit of a tricky fall to do and am struggling to coordinate it without hurting myself. In the context of the scene, the "ship" crash lands and us actors are propelled off our seats towards the front of the stage. I leap forward off my stool and am supposed to clip my right shoulder on a set piece in front of me, then land on my left side. I keep landing on my left hip which is now quite sore
I did an email blast of new materials and one of the agents that reached out to me is Affinity Artists Agency. I'm not familiar with them, but I also realize I'm not at a stage in my career where Abrams or CAA are gonna be fighting over me. I have a meeting with them today, and I cant tell if they are legit. They are bicostal with 270 clients on IMDBPro, which seems high but maybe not if they are bicostal. They seem to not have any big names but it looks like some of their people are working a lot (its hard to tell when an actor has a manager and an agent, who is helping them the most tho). The only thing that gives me pause,. is their website is pretty badly made and seems like they use models a lot which always makes me think a place isnt a real agency. Im probably over thinking this, but if anyone can give me any tips on how to determine is an agency is legit? I'm an early career actor, so Im also wondering if any agency is better than nothing at this stage.
Hello everyone, i am an high school student and i am in my last year ,which means i have to choose where i want to go professionally but here is my problem ; i cant figure out what i wanna do later .Acting has always been present in my head, but I always told myself that it was impossible for me to manage to make a profession of it. I know that I want to do a job in the artistic field, and cinema has connected me a lot lately (several months).And btw i'm in my highschool drama club,i did theater shows for like 4 years in school.I'm totally lost because i would like to be an actress,but i don't know if i'm good enough for this job. I have a shy personality in front of people,but when i'm alone in my room at 3 am,i'm able to show and play emotions.Actually,i'm quite ashamed to show it in front of people because i'm scared of their reaction,and i don't know in the moment if i'm doing it right.I have a passion for british cinema and it could be a problem to fit in it too,because i'm french .My english is not too bad i guess,so i'm not really scared of that,i'am just worried about the fact that i'm french and it would be a brake for it.The french cinema is not attracting me as much as the british one. my theater teacher told me that i have a "presence" when i play ,but i'm not confident enough to express more emotions,and i'm really frustrated. Whatever,if some of you have advice or could just help me ,it would be really nice and helpful of you . You're basically my last hope lol. Thank you for taking the time to read it and sorry for spelling mistakes :)
Have been working on shooting my own, just wanting to gauge different people’s results, etc
Hello! I’m a voice actor who’s wondering how to do a certain style, in my script a character gets their wisdom teeth removed and Is very loopy, so I was was wondering how do I get that sound of being woozy thank you! (P.S should I put gauze or cotton balls in my mouth for the sound?)
Just curious :) TIA
DGA director here currently casting 8 roles for a 3-spot comedy campaign. All the initial casting submissions I review to make a callback list are self-tapes now because of covid, so I'm evaluating probably 150 clips from different actors. Probably 5 will only do an intro and not even tape the scene (?). A couple will use a terrible background filter that will be distracting (just use a white wall or solid backdrop). Many of them will only do one reading of the scene. I assume they've rehearsed, made their choice, and taped it. I think this is a mistake. For this to work, they've got to have just the right look to nail the role (something no one can control, it's just luck and being typecast). For 95% of actors out there, that's not you. Sometimes you're just starting out, or you've only worked with shit directors, or you don't totally understand the role, or you get nervous, you've got diarrhea, whatever. Everyone has bad auditions. Acting is fucking hard. This advice is for those of you who don't fit the typecast look of the generic dad, brother, prom date, girlfriend, etc. That's good. I hate typecast, generic, forgettable shit. I want people who are believable in that role, but feel fresh, unexpected, and memorable. But agencies don't have a director's vision and clients don't have a creative hair on their bodies, so you've got to win over a hell of a lot of people with a great performance. One thing I'd suggest is to send 2 takes, maybe even 3 if you see fit. If you think the director could possibly want more energy in the scene, do another one with a little more energy. But both times, make sure you connect with the material. If it's comedy, you figure out what the joke is and why it's funny (or supposed to be. Most scripts are as funny as colon cancer). For that and all other genres, make sure you really connect with whomever your scene partner is during the taping, especially if it's imaginary. If it were me, I would literally take a stand and tape someone's face to it and use that instead of staring off into your kitchen. If it's your spouse, tell him/her to get into the character, give you something to play off of. Direct them to help you give your best. (I can hear the wives and husbands in the background just reading the script flatly.) For example, let's say I'm casting a comedy scene that takes place during a crime in progress. The joke is two actors are arguing about something mundane while they're being shot at. The vast majority of tapes I get will have actors playing the scene urgently with their imaginary scene partner, but they'll be so focused on the lines that it's not funny because the comedy hinges on them being in danger, not them effectively arguing about the mundane topic. Now imagine you only send me one take of that and I don't think you've got the look the agency is going for, and I've got one take of you not understanding the scene as well as you could. I'd have to pass on you. Now, if you sent me two takes and in the second one you pushed it just a little further, you played up the danger of the scene and made it feel more like a movie scene than a commercial, you've got my attention. You're willing to try things. I can work with you on set to craft a great performance. To be clear, I'm not talking about submitting something radically different because your initial instincts were hopefully pretty good. I'm not talking about "going big" and hamming it up. I'm just talking about going a little further to make the scene and performance more believable and give you more than one chance to woo people. I've never taken an audition workshop with a casting director so I've got no idea what you've been told. I don't know what your agents tell you to do. And let's be honest, this self-taping thing is relatively new and is here to stay, so who really knows anything yet. People are making shit up. Perhaps they tell you how to stand out to casting directors more, and I'm sure much of it is great advice. I'm only telling you what I like to see when the casting director emails me the self-tapes. Hopefully this can help some of you book more work, or at least get a callback. If you've got any questions I'll try to answer them over the weekend.
I moved to Los Angeles from chicago in august. To chase the dream of being an actor. At the ripe young age of 37. I have trained extensively in chicago with little luck of grabbing an agent worth a damn. When I say this she would just send me voiceover auditions. Automated ones. I also have a decent resume from the background work and theater I have done. I currently send hard copy submissions to LA agents while also doing cold email submissions from agents I believe are a good fit for me. It’s so frustrating. I don’t know if I just needed to write this to vent. Or I’m just asking for any help of people in my Demographic with success. I get no response. I have gotten 2 auditions off actors access since August. I also have and will continue to take classes I believe will help my craft in LA. I’m not ready to give up. As I feel I haven’t even had an opportunity to try. It’s like joining a baseball team and they never let you in the batters box. I don’t believe I have done anything to move forward as I haven’t had an opportunity to fail. What are the best steps to get an agent who can actually care about you? What are the options to move in the right direction? I ask all you, my fellow actors for any advice. I would just like an opportunity to know if I’m good enough to make a career out of this. No, I don’t believe I’m the next James Dean. P.S. I am very familiar with the Industry. As I have worked as an electrician for the past 10 years. So I’m aware this doesn’t happen over night. Thank you all. And best wishes.
I’m a filmmaker starting a series for TikTok. I need a narrative voice actor. We don’t really have a big budget. Just looking for an eager voice actor that wants to collaborate on the project and see where it goes. If anyone follows Stefan Johnson on TikTok that’s the kind of voice we are looking for. We can pay $10 per video. The videos are short 30-60 seconds. Average 75-100 words per video.
Hi, so I know this is probably a silly question but… before Christmas, I applied for a talent agency by sending my details/a photo as asked, thinking nothing would come of it. Shortly after, they asked me to do an audition for them, and the audition is tomorrow morning. They sent me a short little piece to learn (it’s only five lines and it’s someone taking to themselves/voices in their head). They’re a super small agency in London, 1st Talent Agency. However, I haven’t done any proper drama work since I completed my drama degree in 2019, although I’ve been practicing monologues etc in my spare time. I’m not very body confident because I’m plus sized and also I don’t particularly like how I look, and I’m hoping in the new year to lose some weight etc. I don’t know if the anxiety and sickness I’m currently feeling is just normal pre audition jitters or something else. Part of me is debating cancelling the audition because I lack experience, and maybe I can apply again/to other agencies once I’ve done some local theatre/classes/short films etc. There’s a local amateur dramatics club that’s holding auditions for their show next month, which I’m definitely going to try out for. But also I’m worried that by cancelling I’m not putting myself forwards and I’ll miss any remote chance I have, if that makes sense. Like I feel like if I quit then I’m taking the coward’s way out, and I really do want to be an actor badly. So I guess I just want some advice because I’m not sure what to do?
Based in Ontario. Hi. I’m a grade 10 student with a question regarding a career choice. I really want to pursue acting when I grow up because I have so much fun whenever I do it, and I’m not into it because of money. I just want to do it but my parents told me countless times that they ARE NOT OKAY with it and I HAVE to go to a college/university and pursue a normal 9-5 job but I don’t want to do that although it’ll be good to have a backup plan. We’re not the wealthiest either but not the poorest either and they don’t want me to take any acting courses or to at least be a background actor or try out student films. Honestly, I have no idea what else I’d like to do, I don’t want to waste their money on tuition either. Also, I’ve been trying to become better on my own by reading books (Respect for Acting), practicing, and watching movies so I’m really determined to do it but not having my parents to back me up kinda hurts. Any advices on what to do? Should I start reading some investing books? I’m lost.
What are the chances of a Korean female actress breaking into the Hollywood industry? Should I go for it? yolo?! If yes, should I go to New York or Los Angeles? How do I start getting my feet wet? Any best strategies let me know!
I made my first post here back in mid 2020. I was a senior in high school back then with a burning desire to act, even though I didn't know where I belonged in the community or what acting even was. It's been almost 2 years since "acting professionally" first emerged as an idea in my head. I know I still have a long way to go, but taking stock of my progress from the days of "do I have to cry on cue to be an actor" to who I am today, I am absolutely awestruck by just how much I've grown from day one. I now know that I have an equal passion for musical theatre and film/TV acting, and with careful planning of my career tracks and training, I can navigate and cross over both sides of the industry. Since 2020, I have: * Read hundreds of books related to acting * Taken a foundational acting class * Taken a musical theatre class * Started with my BA Theatre Studies major at my state college * Begun applying to transfer into a drama school or conservatory where I can take my craft further * Attended countless workshops on acting and voice * Learned how to do a proper selftape with a professional tripod and lighting * Auditioned for all kinds of productions, from youth theatre companies to TV commercials * Become absolutely comfortable with moving, speaking and singing on camera and in front of an audience * Developed a daily routine of vocal warmups, dance conditioning and acting exercises I completely understand that setting goals like "be a lead in a feature film" and "get into RADA or Juilliard" won't do me any favors because those are very much out of my control. Instead, in 2022, I hope to achieve the following: * Structure my daily routine so that I have a clear progressive curriculum and goals that I can work towards * Document my progress by writing down what worked and what didn't work in my daily routine and when I work on auditions * Go for more open call auditions * Update my resume more frequently * Get professional headshots by the end of the year * Develop a clearer and better-enunciated speaking/singing voice * Learn enough dance basics for college musical theatre auditions * Become more specific in my acting choices, and truer to the given circumstances * Take more classes and continue to develop my performing arts technique in every aspect of my craft All the best fellow actors! Let's make 2022 our year.
Hello California actors! What are some of the best acting studios or acting coaches found in Los Angeles? I’m a 20 year old actor trying to get some great training in the city! Also, open to suggestions to great theaters to get experience as well! Grateful for this thread, thank you to everyone responding <3
Use this thread to post your headshots for feedback, get info on your age range/type, find good headshot photographers, ask any questions you may have about headshots. If you are posting a DIY headshot for feedback, and not just a snapshot in order to get feedback on your age range/type/etc, it is advised that you do at least some basic research on what actor headshots look like--composition, framing, lighting. You will find a Google Image search for "actor headshots" to be very helpful for this. Non-professional shots are fine for age/typecasting; please keep in mind that one picture is a difficult way to go about this. Video of you moving and speaking would be ideal, but understandably more difficult to post. For what it's worth, the branding workshop at SAG-AFTRA recommends a five-year age range. That's inclusive, so for example 19-23, 25-29, 34-38, etc.
hey, I've worked as a casting agent on Some stuff. I thought you guys might wanna know that being absent is way worse than being a bad actor. Most casting directors can find somewhere to put "bad" actors that best suits their talents. Being absent just means you've wasted everyones time and it puts a bad taste in the mouth.
When the pandemic hit, I lost my bartending and waitressing job. Since then, I’ve had a few more service industry jobs but I really feel I’m done with that chapter in my life. I’m currently interviewing for full-time jobs in production or event planning but am worried it will take significant time away from auditions/callbacks/shoots, etc. If you’re a working actor is there even such a thing as a stable job with reliable income?
Can I still apply for the role of Annabeth who is supposed to be 12 even though I‘m already 18 because compared to me being 12 I really didn‘t change at all except for my height. I‘ve read about many actors applying for Percy Jackson on Reddit and I was also wondering how old you are if you‘ve applied? Thanks in advance for answers :)
I’ve been acting since February 2021, and while I have grown a bit, I feel like I have a long way from being a truly good actor. I don’t believe I have unrealistic expectations, I don’t expect to have Viola Davis skill or anything after such a short time or ever, but I feel like most people progress a bit more than I. Is this normal? Do you actually have to start from having natural talent to become good?
Pay can be discussed through DMs. It’s better we find out price so we both are satisfied. It’s a single line of dialogue. Thanks.
I will be going on a national tour with a professional Theatre company as a paid actor. This is my first professional role. Once I complete the tour, what sort of doors will have opened to me as someone with a professional gig on my resume? Should I consider joining a union? I’m unsure about this because I do not know if I have a strong enough resume (for auditioning after joining). I do not have much Theatre education either. Should I consider doing unified auditions? Again, not sure if I’m qualified because I did not receive a Theatre degree. I just want to know what might change, if anything at all, after I have officially worked for a professional company as opposed to a community/local theater. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!
For some time now I have been interested in becoming a voice actor. I already have a good recording space and equipment, but I'm not sure where to start. This leads me to the title. I have 0 acting experience. Never taken a class in school or with a group. The closest I have ever been to the stage is singing Hamilton in the shower. I have heard that improv classes are great, and somehow there is an in-person one 15 minutes away that meets twice a month, so I will sign up for that. But then I come to the conundrum of taking a class or working with a coach first. On top of that, some people have recommended taking general acting classes first, which I guess would come before acting classes. So is the proper way to do it, classes, then coach, or should I even work with both at the same time?
my childhood dream was always to become an actor and i really want to get started. i live in oc, california- next to LA- and i dont know where to begin. do you begin with school? do you begin with classes? any classes? where do you sign up. i really want to start somewhere but i just need some direction so i dont waste my time and money somewhere completely random
I only had two lines. In my opinion, that's a co-star role, but the show's official website and credits say "guest." What would you consider this and what would you label it as on your actor resume? Thanks everyone.
Before I ask the question, let me explain what I am trying to do first. I just thought of an interesting project I can work on. I recently read the Princess Evangile visual novel. After reading it I through, I just had a brilliant idea. Since the visual novel has Japanese voices, I thought it would be cool if there is a dubbed version of it. The reason why it will be cool if there is a dubbed version isn’t because I dislike the Japanese voices, I really liked them. The reason why I want a dubbed version is because it would be interesting hearing the character portrayals in English. I always wondered how each character would sound in English as well. There are many issues, and roadblocks in this idea as you can imagine. The first question is would I have to ask Mangagamer (The company responsible for the publishing of the visual novel) for permission first? The thing is if I decide to do this project I wouldn’t know where to start, and the steps to accomplish for me to reach my goal. Is it even possible to make this happen? Here are some of the many questions I need help addressing. How to find voice actors? How expensive would it even be to hire voice actors? Is there a cheaper alternative than hiring professional voice actors? Where on the internet should I go for even more help about the production? What steps do I have to do to make this a reality? I just need these questions answers because quite frankly I do not even know where to start. If you don’t know how to answer this question, please point me in the direction of someone that can help. If there are more things that I missed be free to let me know. I do not want to do anything illegal as well. I just wanted an ambitious project to work on. I will post this question on many different websites to make sure I get enough coverage. If you spread the word about this, then that would be greatly appreciated. It will help me reach my goal. I just want to see this become a reality. Thank you for taking your time out of your day to read this long question. Princess Evangile visual novel (NSFW) [https://www.mangagamer.com/r18/detail.php?goods\_type=1&product\_code=117](https://www.mangagamer.com/r18/detail.php?goods_type=1&product_code=117)
Hi everyone! I just wanted to post about my current goals and journey in hopes to maybe inspire others to create their own goals :) My current update on my acting journey: I turn 18 soon. My local agent and I are on the same page and I feel like I can be really successful with her! We are working together to try and get me signed with a new manager since my last one was not a great fit. I’ve been auditioning pretty frequently for the age range I’m in the dead zone currently. I’ve been also writing a lot more! I feel inspired and hopeful for the future! 2022 Goals: 1. Sign with a manager in a LA 2. Be in a feature length film 3. Be in a SAG project 4. Write a feature length film 5. Direct a short film 6. Get a lead role in a theatre production 7. Audition for the new PJO Disney+ show 8. Win any acting award 9. Learn how to use After Effects 10. Meet a well know AAPI actor
For **anyone** looking to get into voice acting full time I seriously recommend taking a quick look at this article! It's short and to the point but outlines one of the core things that held me back from being a Voice Actor full-time... and that is understanding that this is a business. By stepping into the Voice Acting sphere, you are becoming an entrepreneur who is selling their voice to help solve and/or enhance someone else's project. This article is so *good!* Anyhoo good morning, all! I hope that you have a great day in the booth or wherever you're recording from! Ps. I don't agree that you have to spend a lot to get started, but the article makes it's points clear. [https://www.bodalgo.com/en/know-how/how-to-not-break-into-voiceover/90](https://www.bodalgo.com/en/know-how/how-to-not-break-into-voiceover/90)
Moving to LA next week in hopes of starting to work on film, for LA actors currently there, how is it? Will it be difficult for me to get an agent? Are there things even filming? I feel like I’m going out on a limb just by moving out there but I don’t feel like I’ll be doing any different than I am in my home state. Please give me reassurance!
there was a role that was posted by a major casting office on Nov 30 on Actors Access looking for a very specific type of role for a streaming network to fill and I fit the bill perfectly. I applied a week after on Dec 6 (I somehow got super busy and only logged on AA a week after role was posted). On Dec 18 I got a message asking to send in a self tape due Dec 22. I sent it in and now it is Jan 5th and its radio silence. The info said the show shoots sometime between Feb and May for two weeks. But why would they be asking for self tapes right now if the show was shooting in like April or May? Surely, I think the show must be shooting that episode in Feb is more likely. Does anyone have any insight into this very specific case or should I assume I did not move up for a call back? I was told by actors that everyone was off the week between Christmas and NY anyway and they were probably not looking at tapes. But who knows. Sigh.
Saw this on IG today about 'I am ready to get hurt again' on IG OneBrokeActress. I'm curious what people think about looking up 'who booked it over you' - it's an interesting debate I got into with friends recently. I did NOT do this for the first 8-10 years in the business (for me it would've psyched me out) and I am glad I didn't. Nowadays when SO and I are watching shows and hear 'familiar dialogue' and we see who got the part we kind of laugh bc the ones that booked it are very different than what my look/essence are. I wonder if this is true for POC - like the ones that book it are totally different in vibe, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Anyway, it's been a freeing process bc the best indicator is really that the CDs keep calling you back. But curious if it helps or hinders others? I get it's a joke post but....If it hurts, why do it?
My question is, do all agents have access to the same auditions and is it just luck if an actor from a smaller agency will book a huge role? Second question, does anyone know how does it work with European agents when it comes to English movies? Not from UK of course I'm about to move to another country to pursue acting and I don't speak the language yet, but I've seen some actors from the agency I've been keeping an eye on, booking roles in movies in English, so hopefully they have a wider access to those auditions.
I just signed up for an EMT-b class. This isn’t exactly the kind of job you can just drop for an audition, but I can’t see myself doing grocery store/restaurant work for years, and I really need a confidence boost. Plus I was always interested in healthcare. Was wondering if any of you are actors who work in EMS or healthcare? If so how’s it going?
I am a SAG-eligible background actor. I book a ton of work through Central Casting as a non-union background actor. For those of you who are SAG Background actors working through Central Casting, do you get booked as much as you did when you were non-union? I'm trying to decide whether I should pull the trigger and join SAG this month.
Hi! For those of you who have ever used the Actors Access Talent Link and have had some people reach out to them, what kind of profile did you have? I have a reel and some pictures but I was wondering if that was enough to get anyone’s attention. What was your experience?
I've been told that Seattle has plenty of acting opportunies. I myself am primarily located in Spokane, and I was wondering if there are any reputable agencies or ways to get acting work in my area? Or if anyone has any recommendations for sites that new actors can use to get started.
It’s one line, that’s it. I will pay a small price, probably around $5 USD. Thank you!
I'm a newer actor (making the leap from stand up/Improv comedy) so I don't have a lot of experience on camera and nothing in my reel but self-tapes. But this evening I just got my first set of sides and a EcoCast Audition for a role I submitted to on Actors Access!! Someone looked at my headshot and said, "Sure, they look they could do this." I know it's just a self-tape but I'm really proud of myself for submitting in the first place. And don't worry, I'm not expecting much in terms of hearing back. I'm just ready to give a great performance and see what comes next. Make sure to celebrate the small victories in this journey! Keep up the great work, everyone!
So back story: I was in acting classes in high school. Like, it was an actual subject. I loved it, my favorite class. I regret not trying out for plays, because I was the slacker who just wanted to leave school at the end of the day ASAP. I wish I did. Well anyway, I knew I wanted to act eventually, just wasn't sure of what I needed to do. But, I got pregnant with my first child about a year, year and a half after graduating. I put it on the back burner to raise my baby. And I had more babies lol. I have 4 of them now. I'm blessed and thankful to have them in my life, they are my every heartbeat. I mean there were times through the years my mind wondered back to my want of getting into acting, but again, I wanted to focus on my kids and well, I was insecure of what people would think because I'd already had my fair share of people expressing how "dumb" and how much of "a waste of a degree" it was. Well, then I was about to hit my 30s and my husband and I got talking about something he held in about what he wanted to do. So I told him ok don't laugh, but I always wanted to get into acting but I thought maybe I was too old to try getting into actually doing something. He said why would he laugh at that. I think I even reached out here on reddit a few years ago and many also assured me I wasn't too old to start. I even reached out to my acting teacher to ask him how to go about things. Well then financial issues arose. So I put getting into acting on the back burner again. It took a couple years to sort out, but we got through it. And because we're good again, I started my application for my local university that actually has theater/acting majors/minors. I even talked to the admissions consultant and he said since it's been so long since I graduated high school ('07), that all they'd need is my transcripts from high school and from the community college I went to back in like 2009 or 2010 area. I didn't get a degree from there, because I actually dropped out mid semester like a dope, because I was majoring in something I thought would be an ok job for me; it wasn't something I really, REALLY wanted to do. It was something that would be "stable". It was a mistake really to enroll in that college in that major to begin with. So that's the big thing I feel such a lag in my goals in my life about, what's holding me back from getting enrolled in the university to FINALLY do what I've always wanted to do, and show my kids that they can do what they set their minds to as well (just hopefully they don't sit on it as long as I have). How am I to lecture them about doing something with their lives (a job) they love and enjoy doing if I'm not doing it too? I'm glad I was there/am there during their formative years, but who says I really couldn't have done both though? Anyway, I can't get the transcript from the community college until I pay back what I owe from dropping out. I really truly thought they just deducted it from my tax refund because that's about when I stopped receiving calls and letters. I told them needed more time to figure out how I can pay them back. But like I said, thought it was done with after tax time. Man was I naive. So I told my husband that this tax time I needed to finally pay that back and get my transcript so I can move forward with the university. I have not been so sure of anything I wanted to do as I am of wanting to get into acting for real, for real. I know there will be lots of disappointments and let downs of not getting calls of being casted, that this kind of thing can take a while, years. And I'm prepared for that. I've already waited this long, I'd like to not wait longer getting this started. I'm longing for it that it has brought me to tears sometimes. I believe maybe I'm longing for it even more now because I have a support system (my husband for starters) and I have even more encouragement and motivation than I did back then. But it's not just about my kids and being a role model in that aspect, it's me. I want to do this for me! I want to do something for me now. I'm so sorry for such a long post. I thank anyone who has come this far reading. I just really needed to get this off my chest, and I thought well who better than a forum full of actors who may possibly have been in my shoes in one form or another, who maybe felt/feels how I'm feeling? Or, I don't know, maybe this is just my own unique situation lol. By the way, I do feel a bit better getting this off my chest and out of the bottle that I bottled this up in. I know it's a lot. Thank you all for bearing with me. :)
Im almost at my 2 year mark come the end of February. I've been working as the assistant to the animation agent and will move up to junior agent of the video game division come my anniversary. Before, I'd been working 3 years at an on camera agency also as an assistant. I am writing this to see if anyone has any questions or needs any sort of advice in their careers or prospects as a voice over artist. Our agency reps about 200 people at the moment solely in the VO field. We work primarily in the animation, commercial and video game departments. Some work we do in audio books or narration. Anime as well. We rep some pretty notable people in the VO field in the divisions I've mentioned above, as well as a few name on camera actors. I'm here to help and advise or give you some insght into my job. I'll open it up to you to ask me what you would like. Cheers! -P
I’m currently ISO of voice actors for a sims 4 voice over series I’m working on. I’m looking for a female and two male lead actors. You will be voicing young adults with sarcastic/goofy personalities. Please pm me for more details if interested!!
Hello guys! I’m new to this but I got picked up for a streaming service (excited but nervous as hell) and we’ll I want to bring on some actors for a show I created, as supporting or background cast to give people a chance that I got. It’s a couple of roles where you play comedic mercenaries kinda like a Saturday morning cartoon but more adult, if anyone is interested and needs more information, feel free to message me!
Weeee, you found me!
I'm your buddy Bottie, I was hiding behind the scenes, but now that you've found me I'd be happy to tell you what I'm doing.
I just wrote a few fun facts about Web For Actors
Would you like to take a look?
Click here to check them out. I hope it will cause involuntary audible response.
