My Voice Over Origin Story Part 5: Year Zero

An architect drawing blueprints for a new building on a nice wood table. — Photo courtesy of Wix.

Last time I talked about how I met a voice actor who showed me how to get started in voice over. This time, I’ll share my next moves.

With Wolf William’s info, I was ready to plunge into voice over (the right way this time). We first chatted in early February 2020. The world was optimistic. Everything was coming up Millhouse.

Cue March 2020.

The pandemic hit, and like most people, I was laid off from what would be the last journalism job I’ll ever have. At the time, I was studying to enter the IT field, but by April/May I’d flunked COMPTIA’s entry-level certification test multiple times.

COMPTIA is the gatekeeper organization for the IT world and is home to most major IT certifications and their difficult tests, which are expensive. The entry level test comes in two parts, which are $250 a pop. Without this certification, you cannot start your IT career.

I was already out $1,500 from an IT course I finished a few weeks before COVID started and another $500 in the hole from the tests. With so much uncertainty, I decided to cut my losses. That also meant I needed to figure out my next career move. Voice over would have to wait....or so I thought.

The “A-Ha” Moment

A woman in a green shirt paints a colorful abstract on a canvas by a bright window. Pink flowers and art supplies are nearby, creating a calm mood. — Photo courtesy of Wix.

After six miserable years as a journalist, I knew that wasn’t an option. As I wondered what field I could transfer my journalism skills to and apply what I’d be learning at the new job to voice over, it hit me.

Marketing.

Fortunately, my then-girlfriend, now-wife, kept her job. Plus there was government aid to help me in the interim. I started looking into both areas with Wolf’s advice in the back of my mind. Listening to the voice over podcasts he recommended got me through it. My lady’s office called her back in July 2020, and with the rest of the world shut down, there was a lot of isolation in our apartment. I had nothing but time and nowhere to go.

While researching acting schools and voice over coaches, I racked up eight marketing certifications — all free — in two months.

As I revamped my resume and began applying to marketing gigs, I took virtual acting classes with the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. These classes helped a ton — and not just for learning acting skills. Isolation and thousands of rejected job applications are a Molotov cocktail for the mind.

A Consultation Bust

Overturned semi-truck on grassy hillside under clear blue sky. White cab and red trailer. No visible text. Scene suggests an accident. — Photo by Stephen Tafra via Unsplash.

In early 2021, after six months of classes with Stella Adler, I started looking into acting coaches and reached out to a top candidate for a “free” consultation.

Contrary to their reputation, this person could not have been more unprofessional.

During our discussion, they made sexist jokes about my wife’s “shoe collection,” dressed down my living space, ate Chinese food and loudly took a phone call from the Department of Health about their COVID-19 vaccine eligibility.

To top it off, not only did they tell me that based on my apartment I might not be able to do voice over (as though sound treatment options didn't exist), they made a joke about how I should instead consider mortuary school because it was “a great business to be in right now.” Sensing my shock, they then talked me into sending them $50 for the consultation.

Distraught, about a month went by before I remembered another name I kept going back to.

Voice Over Coaches You Can Trust

Two men in blue shirts fist bump on a gym floor, resting beside barbells. The floor is black with white lines and numbers. — Photo by Victor Freitas via Unspalsh.

Terry Daniel has been doing voice overs for more than 20 years. He has a wonderful training program called Universal Voice Talent (aka UVT Coaching) and a fun podcast called VO Sermons.

Terry’s program consists of a group of working pros and voice over coaches that help students do it all from 1 on 1 coaching to group classes to demo production packages. His fleet teaches multiple voice over styles, sets up your marketing website, shows you how to market directly to clients instead of going on pay-to-plays, and helps you treat the sound in your space. Terry and crew are great people and his programs are reasonably priced. I can’t thank them enough.

I signed up for the Big Kahuna package and was off to the races. I worked with Terry, Rob Marley, Trish Basanyi, Garnet Williams, and Jan Anderson for the next several months. I spent most of my time with Marley, who has a great book on how to get started in voice over. He produced both of my demos, recorded at a great place in New York City called JAMBOX Entertainment Studios. Lee Evans is the man!

Everything’s Coming Up Millhouse

The word "YES" is written in smooth sand, creating a positive mood. The sandy texture is uniform, with no additional objects visible. — Photo by Drahomír Hugo Posteby-Mach via Unspalsh.

After recording my voice over demos for commercial and e-learning/narration, Terry and the team helped get my site set up and my demos sounding fresh. Jan helped me get my home studio (aka modified walk-in closet) sound up to snuff and Trish connected me with a graphic designer for logos.

After a few months of waiting and more than 3,000 job applications (I counted), everything happened at once. By July 2021, I had my voice over site set up, demos completed, gotten a logo designed, and accepted my first marketing job. By September, I’d be engaged.

With my negative years (an entrepreneur’s learning/startup phase before opening a business) in the books, I was ready to launch my voice over business. It would be about nine months of marketing before I’d get my first gig and client — a British e-learning company — but whenever it gets tough, I think back to Wolf’s voice over advice.

“This is a long chess game.”