I have worked 10 years in local radio and television around my town in South Georgia. Over that time period I built my career by learning on the job. I started out as a part-time board operator for local high school games like basketball, football etc. A board operator is just someone who controls what is being played OTA or over the air on people’s radios. This is where I first started getting that itch for voice over work.
Radio, Voice Over and Production
I then moved pretty quickly to editing audio/video and producing commercials, music videos, interviews and eventually shows. Once I built up my skills producing the media I then started hosting shows, recording voice over for local commercials, writing scripts, covering live events and a lot of other odd and end things that go along with all that. This was a really enjoyable time and I had so much fun doing all of this. Learning how sounds work and practicing reading and editing my own clips was fun. As with most people I despised my own voice as it did not sound like it was supposed too. I heard other peoples voices and was just like, “why does mine not sound as good as that?”
Finding Your Right Voice
I listened to my own voice so much that I started figuring out my “RADIO” voice (I hope you read that in your mind as some grandiose line shouted from a rooftop) and what sounded good to me. I eventually learned what I did like when I tried new things with my voice. A practical example would be if you ever talk to me in person my voice is a little higher then when I record. This is because I noticed that when I recorded myself, that if I dropped a little bass into my voice, it made the recording sound “fuller” and in turn made me start to like my own voice more. I took that and kept making small changes until I found the “right” voice. Now, If you ever do this for yourself, if you ever were to change your recording setup, it may change how your voice records. You might have to make more adjustments each time you introduce changes to your setup. At least that is what I have found when I moved or added new hardware.
Recording Voice Over Work
Fast forwarding through those ten years I eventually left radio/TV and got a job in IT. IT is super fun but not really what you go to for voice over work… Or so I thought! During my initial early days in IT, I learned a lot of technical skills but I really missed recording. So, when I moved to Florida, I took to my closet, drilled some holes and used my first cheque and bought some sound dampening materials. This included things like a bar and wall attachments to hang that material on, a better mic etc. I then started auditioning like crazy on a bunch of free sites. I got quite a lot of small jobs that ranged from indie video games, promotional videos, and commercial work. It really scratched that itch again of VO work that I had missed.
Voice Over Work and IT
I currently still work in IT but along the way I got promoted to trainer. I now produce training content for my cooperate job. So now I feel like my radio/TV days have merged with my IT world. It has been great doing both as I get to learn new Tech each and everyday but I also get to produce training content. I get to make it as fun as I can with skills that I gained so long ago. I have moved back to South Georgia and I am currently rebuilding my booth (A better version then just my closet I might add). My next aspiration, is to focus more of my auditioning on Video Games, Anime, and other media that surrounds that type of work. I would not be able to do what I do without the people placed in my life that helped me improve myself along this journey. Onwards and upwards.
Voice Over Work and IT by Mizell Allen