OK, I have been studying the Gravy For The Brain, voice over course for beginners. I did this as an insight to the work, I fell into the trap of people telling me I had a nice voice and wondered if I could capitalise on it. I’m not looking to be a full time artist, you’re OK there Mr Dickson, but I thought it would help with doing You Tube videos and possibly some smaller voice over work on an informal basis.
It seems to be common sense, although loads of it I wouldn’t have thought of, I also wonder if some of it is unnecessary. I mean this in the best possible taste. I guess a lot of actors get their voice over work because of who they are, and the emotions and pictures their persona create in the minds of the listener. Their voice and ability is second to this. Just wait for the law suits now!! But really I’m sure you will admit, that quite a few advertisements are voiced over by people for who they are and not their studio skills. Although actors are trained to deliver lines and to understand the technology, so they will automatically fit into some of the patterns we are being shown to learn. But anyway, I have now finished the course and successfully passed the required mark, as has everyone else, but curiously I did get excited when they discussed the money that could be earned in this field. So, I am wondering if I should take this up seriously on a part time basis. If I became good I could earn a full time income for 12 hours work a month, and although it will take quite a trek from where I am now to where I need to be, it is something that is possibly doable. Its one of those things where I feel its about time I did something and stuck at it, just to see how I could have done 30 years ago if I had stuck at the things i was doing then!
So perhaps I will blog my plans and progress on the Voice Overs in the coming months. It would be a good way to motivate myself and possible aid one or two other people to take it up. That is one of the good things about this, you don’t need to worry too much about other artists taking trade from you. If you develop a voice or niche for yourself, not many people will fill it. So in the next few days I will polarise my thoughts on this and draw up a plan if i decide its something to go for.
But all in all, it has been interesting. It has inspired me to sort out my voice recording program on the PC, so now i can do relatively crisp recording without background noise. I am also aware more of how I sound, and the incidental noises that can crop up in the recording, breathing irregularities and the need to practice loads of the ideas I have been given throughout the course!
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