If you’ve been working in the voice-over industry in the last twenty years, but particularly in the last five, you know that rarely do you get the privilege of just “showing up and acting.” The transition from in-studio to home studio work has brought increased accessibility and flexibility, but this has also meant that in order to keep up, actors must acquire a myriad of other skills in addition to performing. Being the best actor for the part will get you the job, but home studio sessions also often require us to be engineers, editors, copywriters, localizers, and notetakers.

Most working actors today, especially those living outside of a major market, have accepted this plate-spinning as a reality of our current industry. But for newer folks, these supplemental duties often lurk in the shadows – until you’re in the midst of a session and a client says, “Can you play that back?”

Don’t panic! There are a few things you can prepare for ahead of time that will make you a rock star in any self-engineered session.

First and foremost, engineering!

Clients who cut out the middleman of an ad agency or audio production company will often expect you, the actor, to handle the recording of the audio on your end. (And it’s a good habit to get into even if they do record on their end – stuff happens.) In its simplest form, this means that you’ll hit “record” in the DAW (digital audio workstation) of your choosing, while simultaneously dialing in to a conferencing platform or phone call to receive your live direction from the client. Make sure to test this with a colleague ahead of time, if it’s your first session. I like to keep my DAW window visible while I’m reading the script, just so I can always have an eye on it to make sure it’s still recording. In between takes I’ll also periodically hit “save.”

Self-engineering also includes minding your gain – especially if you’re on a gaming or animation session, which tend to utilize a wide dynamic range (i.e. you might go from whispering in one line to shouting in the next). Get familiar with your setup so you can anticipate those changes and not waste any takes due to clipping or inaudibility. 

You’ll also want to make sure to test your audio setup on all major conferencing platforms ahead of time (including Zoom, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, and phone patch), so you understand the quirks of each, and ensure that your audio sounds great in all of them. None of these commonly-requested platforms allow for the client to capture your organic audio on their end, so you’ll be fully responsible for recording and delivering a high-quality product.

Slating

On a live session with an engineer, the engineer will usually slate the takes out loud before you begin to record. But since you’re the engineer in this situation, you’ll need to do that yourself. Slating – i.e., saying “here comes take one,” before reading the script – helps everyone stay organized. You can either just say the number of the take, or say the number and then follow it up with what you’re about to do. If the client asks for three versions of the line in a row, you can say, “Here’s take one, ABC,” then read the line three times. If the client asks for an alt (alternative) line, you could say, “This is gonna be take four, alt.” Slating is a unifier that helps prevent confusion when the client is searching for their favorite takes later. Which leads me to my next point…

Keeping track of takes and selects

Usually, the client will be taking notes as you read, but on occasion, they’ll ask you to track their “selects” for them. Selects are the client’s favorite takes that you’ve provided.

It’s advisable to confirm the client’s selects with them before you wrap. If the client is expecting you to put their selects together into one edited file for final delivery, having the slates that we talked about will make it much easier for you to find their favorites.

Timing

One of the most common asks is for you to time your takes and report that timing back to your client. This is especially common in commercial work, where ads have hard time limits; but it can also happen in any genre where the picture is already locked, and you only have a set amount of time to speak.

I don’t necessarily recommend that you run a stopwatch while you’re reading the script, unless that helps you. Instead, just record at the speed that feels natural, and then stop the recording and use your DAW’s tools to calculate the length of the last take. (You may need to edit out mistakes on the fly in order to get an accurate time.) Given enough time and practice, your brain will start to be able to deliver a 30-second read without much conscious effort.

Copy services

You may be asked to make script edits in the middle of a session. This can happen for several reasons:

• The spot is being translated or localized from another language or region, and the current translation sounds unnatural
• The writers realize they wrote too much copy for the time limit, or
• It just doesn’t sound as good as it looked on paper

Whatever the reason, be ready to notate the client’s changes on your script doc, and don’t be surprised if you’re asked, “What do YOU think would sound better here?”

Playback

The first and most common reason you may be asked for playback is that a client will want to hear back previous takes, in order to help them decide which is their favorite. If you’re not comfortable routing your DAW’s audio through your conferencing software just yet, you can often just play it back on your computer speakers.

The second reason is for you! When you work directly with an end client, they won’t often provide an audio reference (i.e. your audition that won you the job, or an example of your previous work together) so you can get back in the zone. You’re responsible for digging up that reference on your own, and playing it back before you start reading.

File preparation and delivery

Sometimes, when working directly with the end client, they won’t even have basic editing skills or software available to them. In that case, they may ask you to comp takes (compile their selects into one cleanly edited final file), edit out mistakes, split files, or clean up the audio quality. Make sure to clarify expectations so that the client leaves happy, and you deliver a product you can stand behind.

Bottom line: Make it easy for them

Of course, most of us would love to just show up and act. I do advocate for talent to adjust their session prices to account for these additional services, but if you can master these skills, being a full-service talent will keep folks coming back time and time again.

Alaina Wis is an award-winning voice actor specializing in commercial, corporate, and interactive work. She is a two-time nominee for Female Voiceover Artist of the Year (OneVoice® Awards), and took home the award for Best Automotive Performance – Female in 2025. Alaina completes nearly all her work from her home studio in Chicago and is an advocate for remote accessibility. She has voiced major campaigns for brands such as United Airlines, Toyota, SIX on Broadway, L.L. Bean, and Rocket Mortgage; and in the gaming world, is best known for her work in Starfield, Zenless Zone Zero, DC Dark Legion, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, and Skyrim: Bard’s College. She’s also an award-winning screen actor, and a singer-songwriter.

Connect with her on Instagram, X, LinkedIn, IDMb, or on her website.

P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry,  sign up here!

P.P.S If you want to learn more from VO experts and grow the knowledge you already have, join our VO Pro group!

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 “The play is not in the words, it’s in you!” – Stella Adler

If you’ve spent any time acting, you’ve heard at least one Stella Adler quote. Another quote we hear all the time in our industry is, “Acting is reacting”. To me, this really showcases how our life experiences inform our acting; in order to be genuine, we must rely on who we are day-to-day and where we have been.

I’m fairly certain none of us come to voice-over without having done anything else. Moving through life, we all gain insights into the world that are unique to us. We all have different experiences and skill sets.

I, for one, have held a lot of jobs. I’ve worked in kitchens, driven forklifts, sold couches, recycled electronics, and worked in optometry. These jobs all had their own needs and challenges. However, I learned a lot while in those phases of my life. Now, when I find myself working on medical narration or speaking about data security, I feel right at home, because I can apply my life experiences to the script.

If you’re taking your life experiences and breathing life into scripts to be a better performer, then why not apply it to your whole business? It’s really easy to get that tunnel vision: you’ve worked so hard and all you’ve ever wanted is to hear your voice doing the thing! But freelance work ebbs and flows; finding any kind of stability can be hard, so how do people do it?

It’s not a secret!

I’m going to let you in on a little “not” secret. Every single one of your VO coaches is also a full-time actor. I mean, that’s why we trust them to coach us, but think about that for a second. They are doing more than one thing. Sure, they are voice actors, but they leverage that skill to teach. Many even have additional services. They are applying their skills in a new and different way. If you look at the greats in our industry, they’re all doing multiple things and it’s not just teaching acting. 

From a personal point of view, I started to get real traction in our industry when I realized I had a unique skill set that was VO adjacent. I’d been playing in DAWs, manipulating music, doing sound design, and just generally being creative for years already. My experiences made me a natural audio engineer. More than that, having experience on both sides of the microphone gave me even more of an edge.

Looking at my peers, I’ve seen them also succeed by embracing their additional talents. Of course, we should never compare ourselves to others – we each have our own path. That doesn’t mean we can’t take some inspiration. What are others around you doing to expand their brand? Do you have a skill that is marketable to the voice-over community? 

Use what you already know!

We wear a ton of different hats running our own business. What are you already good at? This may take some brainstorming, but we all have unique skills. Take a moment and make some notes. Is there something specific that you seem to just understand better than some? Maybe you had a job in the past that gave you unique qualifications? 

Grab a pen and paper, open a Google Doc, or just turn on the mic and start talking. Do whatever you need to do to get that information somewhere you can access it. There is a good chance that it won’t be long before you see something. To give you a head start, here are just a few of the opportunities I see people taking advantage of. 

Tech Support:

If you are a techie like me, then this is a no-brainer. We get excited about tech and want to know how it all works. Guess what? Most voice actors just want to turn it on and press record. We all know it’s not always that easy. If you can walk someone else through troubleshooting a problem, you are a huge asset. 

Website Design:

There are a lot of domain services out there touting how easy their platform is. Having used a few of them, I can say that is an exaggeration. Some people just aren’t wired to understand website design. If you understand any of these sitebuilders on a fundamental level, you could be the new voice-over website-building guru! 

Graphic Design/ Artist:

A successful business knows how to leverage images to make its brand pop. We may all be artists, but visual art is a unique skill to be proud of. It may seem like just a hobby to you, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. If this is your skill, then you could be a master of creating digital media and not even know it!

Canva Expert:

This one is a bit similar, but also super important. Canva is such a powerful tool, and knowing how to use it is a skill. Do you know how to whip up an amazing logo, put together an out-of-this-world slideshow, or make a social media banner that tells a story? If you can make powerful branding, then you have a marketable talent. Double points if you can teach this skill to others! 

Writer:

English majors, this one is absolutely for you! Voice-over needs all kinds of writers. Scripts, branding, and even resumes. Writing a good resume doesn’t come easily to everyone. It is even more complicated in a creative field like ours. If you are a wordsmith you could be crafting all kinds of valuable content to the community and your business margins. 

Virtual Assistant:

Admittedly, this is a bit of a catch-all, but there are a ton of opportunities to be a virtual assistant. This category is absolutely massive. It’s not just scheduling, but that is certainly one thing you can do! Are you an expert at crafting emails? Do you have a lot of experience managing CRM’s? If you are a social media master, this could really be your chance to shine! Not to mention the subtle gains of getting to work side by side with another working voice actor. 

These ideas are all just the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities really are endless. Finding ways to stay engaged with the voice-over community while expanding your business is, in my opinion and experience, a double win. So I encourage you to put on that thinking hat and consider all the ways you are unique and talented. Get out there and craft something AWESOME!

Nick Marrs is a voice actor, audio engineer, and BBQ dad based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You can find him online at: https://linktr.ee/nickmarrs

P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry,  sign up here!

P.P.S If you want to learn more from VO experts and grow the knowledge you already have, join our VO Pro group!

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 Before we dive into all the different programs out there, let’s start with the basics. A Digital Audio Workstation — or DAW — is simply the software you use to record, edit, and produce your audio. If you’ve ever opened up a program to record your voice, trim out a mistake, add a little compression, or export a file for a client, congratulations—you’ve already been using a DAW.

Think of it like the toolbox on your computer or phone that makes your voice-over sound clean, polished, and ready to send. Some DAWs are super simple, others are loaded with features, and the right one for you often comes down to how you like to work and what your budget looks like.

If you’ve hung around the voice-over world for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about Audacity. It’s free, it’s simple, and it’s helped a lot of us get started recording auditions and jobs without spending a dime. For many voice actors, it’s all they’ll ever need. You can record, edit, and deliver clean files with zero upfront cost…what’s not to love?

But at some point, you might start wondering, “Should I try something else? Is there a DAW that could make my life easier or my workflow faster?” The good news is that there are plenty of other options out there, and you don’t have to be an audio engineer to use them.

Let’s chat about some of the most popular alternatives voice actors use and why they might be worth checking out, plus a few ways to record on your phone when you’re on the go.

Adobe Audition – The Crowd Favorite

One of the most talked-about DAWs among voice actors is Adobe Audition. It’s part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, which means it plays really nicely with other Adobe programs like Premiere Pro.

The big draw? It’s built for speed and flexibility. The interface is clean, the editing tools are powerful, and the noise reduction features, especially the spectral display, make cleaning up audio way easier. Mouth clicks, hums, weird background noise? Gone with just a few clicks.

The catch? It’s subscription-based, currently around $22/month. That can feel pricey, but if you’re booking regularly, many pros find it worth the investment for the time it saves.

Reaper – The Budget Powerhouse

If you like the idea of upgrading but don’t want a monthly bill, Reaper might be your new best friend. It’s a super flexible DAW that runs on both Mac and PC, and you can fully customize it to fit your workflow.

It’s also very affordable, around $60 for a personal license, and the trial version is fully functional. A lot of VO folks love that it’s lightweight and fast, even on older computers.

Now, full disclosure: Reaper looks a little intimidating when you first open it. The interface isn’t as “friendly” out of the box as Audacity or Audition. But once you get the hang of it, or grab one of the VO templates floating around online, it’s incredibly powerful.

TwistedWave – Sleek and Simple

For Mac users who just want something clean and straightforward, TwistedWave is a fan favorite. It’s not a full multitrack DAW; it’s designed mainly for single-track voice work, which is perfect for most VO sessions.

It’s easy to use right away, and its batch processing is fantastic. If you’ve ever had to normalize and export a bunch of files at once, TwistedWave can do it in minutes. Bonus: there’s even an iPad and browser version for recording on the go.

The only downside? It’s Mac-focused, so PC users will have to look elsewhere. But if you’re in the Apple ecosystem, it’s a fantastic tool.

Pro Tools – The Studio Standard

If you’ve ever been in a big music or post-production studio, you’ve probably seen Pro Tools. It’s the industry standard in those worlds, and some voice actors use it for that reason.

For high-end projects or clients who request Pro Tools compatibility, it’s a solid option. It’s also insanely powerful; there’s basically nothing you can’t do in it.

But let’s be real: for most voice actors, it’s overkill. It’s expensive, the learning curve is steep, and unless you’re mixing music or doing a ton of complex audio work, you probably don’t need it.

 Ocenaudio – Another Freebie

Not ready to spend money? Ocenaudio is another free DAW that’s worth checking out. It’s simple, lightweight, and some users find it faster than Audacity.

It has some nice built-in effects and makes it easy to clean up files without a lot of extra steps. The only drawback is that it’s not as widely used in the VO world, so finding tutorials or templates may take a little digging.

Hindenburg Journalist – Perfect for Narration and Podcasts

If you do a lot of narration or podcasting, Hindenburg Journalist might be a hidden gem. It’s built specifically for spoken-word audio, and it shows.

The software auto-levels your tracks, has a super-easy editing workflow, and is designed for voices rather than music. It’s a bit niche, and you may not need it if you’re mostly doing commercials or character work, but for narration-heavy projects, it’s a dream.

What About Recording on Your Phone?

Sometimes you’re traveling or stuck away from your booth, and a last-minute audition pops up. Good news, there are solid options for recording directly on your phone.

For iPhone users, TwistedWave’s mobile app is a lifesaver. It lets you record, edit, and even apply basic processing right from your phone. Pair it with a decent travel mic, and you can deliver audition-quality audio on the fly.

Another popular option is Ferrite Recording Studio (iOS). It’s designed for podcasters and journalists, but works great for VO. It has multi-track capabilities and built-in editing tools, all optimized for touchscreens.

If you’re on Android, WaveEditor is a strong choice. It offers recording and editing in one app and supports plenty of file formats.

And if you want something more robust on mobile, check out Audio Evolution Mobile Studio (available on Android and iOS). It’s closer to a full DAW, with multi-track recording, effects, and editing tools. For folks who need more control while traveling, it’s a solid option that bridges the gap between a simple voice memo app and a desktop DAW.

Even the basic voice memo apps built into your phone can work in a pinch; just make sure you’re in a quiet space and clean it up later.

Are phone apps a replacement for a treated home studio? Not really. But they’re fantastic for emergencies or when you need to record a quick audition while you’re on the road.

So, Which DAW Is Best?

Here’s the truth: the “best” DAW is the one that makes your life easiest, fits your budget, and helps you deliver clean audio to your clients. Some folks stay with Audacity forever and never feel limited. Others upgrade to Audition or Reaper and swear they’ll never go back.

The most important thing is how comfortable you feel using it. A DAW is just a tool; your clients care about the quality of your final product, not the software you used to make it.

Exploring new DAWs can feel intimidating at first, but it’s also exciting. Each one has its own personality and strengths. Try a few demos, experiment with a phone app or two, and see what fits your workflow. Whether you stick with Audacity, upgrade to a more powerful DAW, or add a mobile option like Audio Evolution for travel days, the goal is the same: deliver great audio and make the process as stress-free as possible.

P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry,  sign up here!

P.P.S If you want to learn more from VO experts and grow the knowledge you already have, join our VO Pro group!

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When I worked on Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, I played over forty different characters: Wildlings, Boltons, Stark Bannermen, Maesters-in-training, Nobles, and the everyday people of King’s Landing. And since the geography and culture of Westeros is based on the United Kingdom, this meant I used Scottish, Yorkshire, Manchester, Received Pronunciation, and Cockney accents to bring these characters to life. In other words, five UK accents were enough to create an arsenal of NPCs, with the accent laying the foundation to define each character’s place of origin and socio-economic class from the moment they utter their first words. 

This is not to humble-brag, but to illustrate a point: the accent is not the character – if that were the case, I would have maxed out at five. Instead, an authentic accent lays the cultural and linguistic foundation of a fully-realized three-dimensional character. From this authentic foundation, we can then create an infinite number of unique characters within any dialect. 

So rather than simply asking, “What makes an authentic dialect?” we should instead ask, “How do I bring authenticity to my characters when using a dialect”? 

Competing with Native Speakers

When you audition for a role with an accent, you may very well find yourself competing against native speakers. You might think – and I’ve been here myself – “Why would they hire me if they can just hire someone with the real accent? Should I even audition?”

The reality in casting is that sometimes dozens of native speakers audition, and none of them bring the character to life the way you, a non-native speaker, do. Sometimes your voice simply fits the client’s vision of the character’s sound better than anyone else’s. First, though, your accent has to be believable enough to compete, or you won’t be considered at all, no matter how good your acting or voice is.

Notice I didn’t say “perfect”: you just need to be believable, consistent, and supportive of the character’s circumstances. The accent shouldn’t define the character; it should reinforce it.

As a Marvel fan, I love Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange. While his American accent is far from “perfect”, it is believable enough because it is delivered in an authentic, realistic way. Sure, his /ɹ/ and /æ/ sounds aren’t always quite right, and sometimes his placement and prosody slip into his native RP, but audiences forgive this because his performance is grounded. He’s not trying to “sound American”, he’s becoming the American-accented doctor-turned-Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange, and I can’t imagine anyone else – even an American with a native accent – playing the role the way he did. 

The same goes for you in voice acting. The client might choose you because of your understanding of the character, your energy, emotional connection, your storytelling, or even your voice. But to even get through the door and into the selects folder, your accent must hold its own beside native speakers. Once you’ve put in the work so that your accent is believable, then it’s your job to stand out and become the character through excellent acting! 

What Authenticity Really Means

People often assume native speakers produce a “perfect version” of their dialect. They don’t, because there’s no such thing. In fact, even the concept of a dialect is a bit misleading! Instead, every person speaks with their own idiolect: the unique blend of regional, social, and personal influences that make up their way of speaking.

To make sense of and codify this diversity, linguists group similar idiolects and call this collection a dialect. So, for example, if we take a group of traditionally working-class speakers from East London, we can broadly describe their shared speech as Cockney, a dialect that has evolved and diversified over time. From there, we can make accurate generalizations: most Cockney speakers tend to drop their H’s and swap their th sounds for f or v (“am I bovvered?”) that instantly place a character in Historical or Modern East London.

The mistake many actors make when learning dialects is that they stop at the generalization. They learn the “rules” of the dialect (e.g. “in Cockney you drop your H’s” or “New Yorkers say coffee with a rounded back vowel”), but never learn how real individuals actually speak. The result is often a performance that sounds like a sample from an accent textbook rather than an actual *cough* authentic person. 

To find authenticity, you have to go further than the pattern and study how one person from that dialect community really talks: their pace, melody, posture, and even their quirks. The humanity of the character and believability of the accent come from finding the balance between textbook “correctness” and realistic inconsistency. Inconsistency is the next piece of the puzzle, but you can’t just be inconsistent wherever you want. There are rules to the inconsistency! Ok…let’s break this down: 

First, let’s imagine dialect work as a toolbox. Inside, you have a wrench, a hammer, a soft mallet, screwdrivers, and pliers. If you need to pull out a nail, the “correct” choice is the back of the hammer (that’s what it was made for). But you could also get creative and use a flat screwdriver to pry it loose, then finish with the pliers. It’s not ideal, but it might get the job done. You definitely wouldn’t use the soft mallet, though! And if you’re trying to remove a Phillips-head screw, your only choice is to use the right size Phillips screwdriver. (And if you don’t have one, well, you’re screwed!)

In dialect work, you have two major toolboxes: sounds (placement, consonants, and vowels) and prosody (intonation, rhythm, and melody). Your job is to make sure both toolboxes contain the right tools for the dialect and that you know how to use them appropriately.

If your native idiolect doesn’t include a certain “tool” (say, a vowel sound or placement pattern), you have to acquire it through consistent practice. For small personal projects, say, an improv bit or a YouTube sketch, you can improvise with what you have and deliver an inauthentic caricature. But if you’re walking into a professional VO session, your client expects you to show up with the proper tools and use them effectively from the start.

Ok, Danny, but WHAT IS AUTHENTICITY?!

Alright, fine, you’ve waited long enough!

In my personal and professional opinion, an authentic character with a dialect requires building a new idiolect for every character you play. With this approach, you’re no longer thinking about a vague category of Yorkshire or Scottish, you’re thinking about how one specific person from Yorkshire or Scotland would actually speak. It’s quite literally the difference between “doing an accent” and embodying an actual human being (fictional or not).

The tricky part is that you have to do all this while acting: you can’t be in your head about vowels or rhythm, you have to trust the work you’ve put into it to live in your body so you can focus on story, emotion, action, intention, truth, and connection. The only way to do this is by practicing while you act — a lot. 

So what does it mean to “learn an idiolect”? 

Let’s start with the idiolect I know better than any other – my own!

My natural speech blends rural Northern California, casual Los Angeles, and educated General American, with a touch of French and Spanish from a few years living abroad. Add in the influences of being a millennial gamer, a linguistics nerd, and a queer performer, and you get something entirely unique: the Danny Scott idiolect!

Now, let’s look at how I pronounce one simple word: “that”

Sometimes I’ll pronounce the final /t/ with a crisp aspirated [tʰ] (especially when I’m teaching or speaking carefully). More often, I’ll use a glottal stop [ʔ] (“that goes”) or a tapped [ɾ] (“that I”). And if I’m being super casual, I might even drop the /t/ altogether (“that’s so cool!”).

But these aren’t strict rules for “pronouncing the word ‘that’ in Danny Scott’s idiolect”, instead, they are options: tiny adjustments depending on context, emotion, and who I’m speaking to. Once you start listening for these options for all the words and phrases of English and start to see how they work in real speech, you begin to understand that that’s how every real human speaks: fluidly and “imperfectly” responding while using a living toolbox of choices that shift with circumstance (put that on my epitaph!) In other words, the concept of a “correct accent” may be accurate for a dialect textbook, but inauthentic for an actual human being. 

Within our own idiolects, we constantly move between careful and casual speech, adapting to who we’re talking to and why. Authenticity in dialect work mirrors that. 

So, how do you find that kind of authenticity? Find real people. Use the internet. Watch interviews, vlogs, podcasts, anything that lets you see and hear real speakers whose accents move you (and if you’re like me, save them and make huge YouTube playlists so you can come back to them again and again!) Don’t just listen for vowels; notice their posture, rhythm, melody, and how their emotions shape their speech. Watch their mouth, their teeth, their eyebrow muscle: it all factors in! 

Then start building your arsenal, speaker by speaker, idiolect by idiolect. Learn their patterns, their musicality, and their quirks. Once you’ve studied enough individuals, you’ll start to recognize not just the actual rules of a dialect, but the freedom within it. That’s when you stop imitating textbook accents and start building real, believable characters.

And that’s the note I will end on today – performing a dialect with authenticity is not about adhering to the strict ruleset of a dialect, but rather, finding the freedom within it. 

(And side note: if you’re serious about dialects and are wondering about all those symbols I used a few paragraphs back, that’s called the International Phonetic Alphabet, the IPA, which will become your best friend!)

Danny Scott is a voice actor, dialect coach, improviser, and director — and a proud linguistics nerd based in Burbank, California. Known for his sharp ear and quick adaptability, he’s built a career on bringing characters and accents to life with energy and precision.

Credits include Game of Thrones: Kingsroad (2025), where he performed Yorkshire, RP, Cockney, and Scottish roles; Reverse: 1999, where he played the Floridian squirrel Buddy Fairchild in addition to performing in French and voicing Spanish, Russian, Greek, British, and Italian accents; Mafia: The Old Country, voicing dozens of Sicilian characters; and How to Train Your Dragon, contributing Scottish walla to Berk’s bustling world. Check out Danny’s website: dannyscottvo.com

P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry,  sign up here!

P.P.S If you want to learn more from VO experts and grow the knowledge you already have, join our VO Pro group!

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At some point in every voice actor’s career, they need to start thinking about making a demo, a reel, or some samples. Oftentimes, people can get confused about the differences between these things and what they’ll need for different genres and niches. So let’s break down what the difference is between a demo, a reel, and a sample.

Let’s start with the granddaddy of all of them all: the demo. A voice-over demo is a collection of short spots that showcase your acting ability and range within a certain genre. A demo should also be focused on one category. For example, you don’t want to have video game/interactive spots on the same demo that you have commercial spots. Each demo should be specialized for the specific genre you want to showcase. 

The average voice-over demo is about a minute to a minute and a half long (sometimes longer in certain cases). A demo usually consists of short scripts within a given genre to demonstrate your range and abilities within that genre. Scripts are usually written for the specific demo, and do not have to be real gigs you have actually worked. 

The demo is meant to showcase the culmination of your experience and abilities in a condensed format that you can then use to pitch yourself to agents, studios, and casting directors. It needs to be short enough not to take up a lot of their time, but also attention-grabbing so that they stay interested. Also, it’s a good opportunity to show off a bit! A demo is going to be one of your biggest marketing tools, so it needs to be professional, captivating, and a selling point for you as a voice-over artist.

Next, let’s talk about the reel. Sometimes people will use this term interchangeably with “demo.” It is also a showcase of your abilities; however, a lot of people will refer to a reel as a short collection of credits or things you have done. Unlike the demo, where the spots are all made up, the reel is usually comprised of snippets of things you have booked and worked on in the past. A good example of this is the visual reels we see people post on social media: someone might take short snippets of different characters they have done for various video games or anime, and create a showcase of them together.

Finally, let’s talk about samples. These are a little more abstract and can vary a bit from genre to genre. They are usually singularly focused on one specific thing and not a wide variety of range and characters like the demo and the reel are. Let’s visit audiobooks for a moment as an example. 

Samples work well in the audiobook world because of the long-form format; an audiobook sample would be one specific thing, such as an excerpt from a sci-fi novel. If I were to record 2-6 minutes of a sci-fi novel, this would be a sci-fi audiobook sample. When we look at characters, someone might ask for a sample of a “loving dad type character.” This would be me recording only a small spot of that specific character archetype to submit, not dissimilar to an audition. A sample is a focused, singular thing, meant to fill a specific need.

Overall, the demo is your genre-specific showcase meant to show off your abilities in a given genre and market yourself. The reel, sometimes used interchangeably with the demo, is also a showcase of your range and abilities in a given genre, but usually made up of past credits you have. The sample is a focused, singular spot or example.

Just like selecting the right tool from the toolbox, this will help you know specifically what you need for different applications. If a casting director wants to hear your video game demo, you don’t want to send over a reel of past commercials you’ve done. If a publisher wants to hear an audiobook sample for specifically romance novels, sending over your character demo might not be the move. Hopefully, this helps clear up some of the confusion surrounding these three tools, and you can go forth and use them effectively! 

P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry,  sign up here!

P.P.S If you want to learn more from VO experts and grow the knowledge you already have, join our VO Pro group!

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Marcus is a biracial (Black/Jewish), non-binary voice-over artist.

They got their start in audiobooks and have since branched out to other areas such as commercials, animation, video games, ADR, and more. Marcus can be heard in a wide variety of projects, such as multiple video games, including Star-Lord in Marvel Snap, multiple voices in various anime, including Gintama, DanDaDan, Windbreaker, and That Time I Was Reincarnated As A Slime, commercials, multiple audiobooks for Penguin Random House and other publishers, and multiple live-action dubs!

Marcus has always had a passion for storytelling and entertaining those around them. They have used this passion to fuel their drive in voiceover, and also launch and helm “Queer Quest,” organizing and running tabletop role-playing games for the Queer Vox Community. Marcus also serves on the board of directors for Queer Vox where they serve as a PR director, and also help with organizing community events and classes.

Outside of the booth, Marcus enjoys D&D, anime, painting, kayaking, hiking, making their own dice, and hanging out with their 3 dogs.

Check them out at https://queervox.org/ and their personal website https://marcusrvoice.com/.

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“Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances.” – Sanford Meisner.

That quote is a classic for a reason. It’s also the simplest way to think about authenticity in voice-over. Authenticity doesn’t mean you have to bare your soul on every read or reveal your deepest secrets on social media. It means connecting truthfully, in the moment, and bringing the version of yourself that best fits the story being told.

Now, have you heard “authentic” in casting briefs so often that it’s started to lose all meaning? Fear not, my friend, you hold the answer to your own success, and here’s a secret: you’re not just one version of yourself. And you don’t need to be.

1. Authenticity Isn’t One-Dimensional

Being authentic doesn’t mean you’re locked into a single “true” identity that you carry around 24/7. You’re a lot of things: maybe a teacher, a friend, a colleague, a parent, maybe even a rival (hopefully not a sworn enemy, but hey, life is long). All of those sides of you are authentically you.

In VO, that flexibility is your power, drawing on the part of yourself that fits the script. Sometimes it’s the warm, approachable friend side of you that explains how a product works. Other times it’s the confident mentor who shows a new employee how it’s done, or the professional colleague who delivers information with clarity and purpose. 

2. Why “Be Yourself” Actually Matters in Casting

If you’ve been in VO long enough, you’ve probably heard casting directors say they’re looking for something “unique.” But…if everyone is unique, how can anyone be unique?

The answer: nobody else has more experience being you than you. That’s your competitive edge.

Your experiences, perspective, humor, and quirks are what make you stand out. That shapes your opinion, and your opinion is what clients are actually hiring when they say, “just be yourself”. When you take a script and filter it through your lens, you create something that no one else could deliver in quite the same way.

Take a moment before each script and ask: what part of me connects to this? That connection: your lived experience, memories, and feelings layered over the words, is what turns a read from generic into memorable.

That’s why the note “just be yourself” shows up so often. Your individuality is the most valuable tool you have.

3. Why Authenticity Works (and Will Keep Working)

Authenticity has become such a buzzword because audiences demand it. For decades, the Don LaFontaine-style “big voice” ruled: commanding and directive. But Millennials (and now Gen Z, who are quickly becoming the decision-makers) don’t respond to pushy “buy buy buy!” commands. They don’t want to be sold to. They want to feel like they’re being spoken with. That shift has changed the entire advertising landscape as millennials and Gen Z become the buyers and creative directors, and that old style has lost its pull.

Their radar for anything fake, inauthentic, or over the top is off the charts. In fact, research shows Millennials in particular resist being told what to do. What moves them is a shared experience, something relatable – and that can be good or bad. That’s why so many ads now sound like testimonials, sharing experiences with the product or presenting its benefits. Instead of “Book your Vrbo today”, it’s “create memories together, with Vrbo”, or even, “I created my favorite memories in a Vrbo”. Pay attention to what comes across your desk and plays on your TV. Authenticity sells.

People can spot “faked realness” a mile away, so when you lean into your own perspective, you stand out.

4. Social Media: Keep It Real, Keep It Professional

One of the easiest places to show your authentic self is on social media. Clients and peers want to know who they’re working with – not just the demos you post, but the person behind them. Sharing a little humor, behind-the-scenes moments, or stories of the ups and downs of VO builds trust.

But here’s the caveat: remember, clients are looking. Authentic doesn’t mean unfiltered. Your political rants, off-color jokes, or raw diary entries might feel like “the real you,” but they may not serve you professionally. Keep it real, but keep it pro. 

5. Authenticity in Networking

The VO industry runs on connections. Jobs absolutely can come from relationships built over time. I’ve hired my friends before, and they’ve hired me. The best way to find and build those connections? Show up genuinely, not just when you need something.

Here’s the thing: when you’re real with people, they tend to be real with you. Think about why being around animals or out in nature feels so relaxing (assuming no allergies or fear of geese). No judgment, no performance. That ease is what people respond to, both in your reads and in relationships.

Studies show that around 80% of jobs across industries come through networking. Authenticity makes those connections sustainable. People want to support and collaborate with people they know, like, and trust. 

6. Your Background Is Part of Your Authenticity

Your background and life experiences shape your delivery in ways you might not even notice. This also extends to your marketing and branding. Just briefly, think about it like this:

1. Someone with a background in corporate leadership might naturally bring authority and polish to executive narration.
2. A former mortgage broker or financial professional may have a knack for explaining detailed processes clearly and making complex topics sound simple. Also, the financial sector of voice-over is huge! 
3. A teacher might instinctively deliver with clarity and patience, think about what authentic sides of you these things from your past bring out – those are benefits! 

They aren’t boxes to be stuck in, but starting points. Your past experiences shouldn’t be forgotten; they’ll make your reads sound lived-in and believable. So stop trying to sand down your edges, and start booking the work that fits you best.

So yes, authenticity is important, but not in the one-dimensional way we can get stuck in thinking about it. You’re not one true self; you’re many authentic versions. The key is knowing which part of you fits the script, the client, and the moment, and then bringing that version unapologetically to the table.

Clients aren’t looking for perfection – no one relates to that. They’re looking for you. And no one has more experience being you than you.

Lean into that, and your authenticity won’t just be a buzzword; it’ll be the foundation of your success.

P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry,  sign up here!

P.P.S If you want to learn more from VO experts and grow the knowledge you already have, join our VO Pro group!

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 When election season rolls around, campaigns are in full swing. Candidates are racing to make their case to the public, and one of the most powerful tools they use is the political commercial. At the heart of every strong political spot is a voice that connects, convinces, and compels. That is where political voice-over comes in. If you have the right sound, you could be the voice that helps shape the narrative and drive voters to action. 

But not every political ad sounds the same. Campaigns need different tones, pacing, and delivery depending on the message they want to send. Let us break down the major styles of political commercials and what makes them effective. Then we will talk about where you can find opportunities to book this kind of work. 

Inspirational and Uplifting 

These are the spots that make voters feel hopeful. Think soaring music, bright visuals, and a voice that lifts up the candidate’s story. The delivery is passionate yet approachable. You are telling people, “This is someone you can believe in, this is a vision worth supporting.” It works well for campaign launches, introductory ads, or closing arguments right before Election Day. 

Hard-Hitting and Urgent 

Sometimes campaigns want to strike with force. These ads are bold, fast-paced, and full of energy. The voice needs to punch through the noise and grab attention. You are not just delivering lines, you are rallying an audience to act right now. That concentrated energy makes them perfect for ads that respond to breaking news, highlight an opponent’s weaknesses, or drive turnout in the final days. 

Good Ol’ Fashioned Attack Ads 

Love them or hate them, attack ads are a staple of modern politics. These ads shine a spotlight on an opponent’s flaws, missteps, or policy positions. The voice in these ads has to balance concentration with credibility. Too theatrical, and it feels fake. Too soft, and the message does not land. The sweet spot is a concentrated delivery that carries authority and seriousness. This is where timing, tone, and emphasis matter most. Your job is to guide the listener to one conclusion: the opponent cannot be trusted with their vote. 

Conversational and Relatable 

Not every ad needs to sound like a blockbuster movie trailer. Many campaigns use a conversational tone, almost like a neighbor talking over the fence. The goal is to make voters feel comfortable and connected. These ads are especially effective for reaching everyday people who may not respond to high drama. A conversational read works great for testimonials, grassroots campaigns, and local elections. 

Narrative and Documentary-Style 

Some political ads lean into storytelling. These spots feel more like mini-documentaries, walking viewers through a candidate’s background, accomplishments, or vision. The voice-over here is calm, steady, and trustworthy. You are guiding the audience through a story that is meant to stick with them. This style is often paired with archival footage, interviews, and a slower pace. 

Where to Book Political Voice-over Work

Now that you know the main styles, where can you actually book these jobs? Political work is not always posted in the same places as commercial gigs, but there are several strong options. 

Casting Sites 

Many pay-to-play casting sites host political projects, especially during election years. Sites like Voices.com, Voice123, and Bodalgo often list campaign ads at the local, state, and national levels. Keep your profiles updated with political demos that show off your range. 

Direct Outreach 

Production companies and media agencies that specialize in political work are always looking for fresh talent. A targeted email introducing yourself with a polished political demo can open doors. Look for firms that have a history of producing political ads, especially in your region. 

Networking and Referrals 

Relationships matter in politics, maybe more than anywhere else. If you know people working on campaigns, let them know you do voice-over. Many jobs get filled through word of mouth long before they are ever posted. Do not discount going out to places where the politicians will be speaking or attending events. It may seem old-fashioned, but the best way to show a candidate what they will be getting from partnering with you is to let them hear your voice and passion live and in person. 

Social Media 

Campaigns and consultants are constantly on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook, looking for talent. Share your demos, post about your experience, and connect with political strategists and media professionals. 

Political Consultants and Agencies 

There are agencies that exclusively handle political advertising. Building relationships with these firms can mean steady work every election cycle. Do some research, compile a list, and start reaching out directly. 

Final Thoughts 

Political voice-over is fast-paced, high-stakes, and deeply rewarding work. Whether you are voicing an uplifting campaign anthem, a concentrated attack ad, or a neighborly testimonial, your voice has the power to move voters and shape the outcome of elections. If you are serious about breaking into this field, polish your political demos, start building relationships, and put yourself in the mix. The next great political campaign could be waiting for your voice to bring it to life.

P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry,  sign up here!

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Sound like the Expert

As an actor voicing an eLearning script, you are the authority in the subject matter you are voicing. Therefore, you need to be able to confidently explain and represent the content that is presented. There are so many different topics and genres of eLearning, that we can’t possibly know about them all in great depth! However, we need to sound like we do and that is when you need to step into your “actor shoes.” Through script analysis, you should understand what the script is really saying and be able to present it in a confident, clear and engaging manner. It’s important to create a script analysis that supports this, whether you are a teacher, professor, medical professional, HR representative, anyone who you can imagine being an expert in the subject matter you are voicing. If you have a background or education in other areas, this is a great opportunity to use your past experience to your advantage!

Be Mindful of Pacing

eLearning can be a great deal of information packed into a script and the goal of voicing this content is clarity for the listener. You don’t want to race through text, you want to be mindful that this may be the first time the listener is introduced to this material, so you want to be as clear as possible. However, when you are taking your time with text, you should be mindful of your tone so that it doesn’t come across as condescending in any way.

Check Your Work!

Nothing is worse than spending a considerable amount of time on recording and editing a file, only to hear back from the client that you mispronounced a word that repeats in the script multiple times! If there is a mistake in the script from the writer’s perspective you are (usually) entitled to charge for any pick-ups (just be clear about that when setting forth the agreement with the client in your initial correspondence). However, if it is your mispronunciation or mistake, that would not qualify as a paid pick-up. Be diligent about checking your work for your wording and pronunciation, especially if this particular topic of eLearning may not be familiar to you.

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What is your background; what were you doing before you got into voice-over?

I actually write, direct, produce, and act in theatre as well as use the arts (coupled with technology) to help people in vulnerable communities. I design programs for young people and adults to help them with social anxiety, self-esteem, making better choices, etc. That was my main focus before I came into voice-over.

How did you find out about VO, and what about it struck you as something you could do and excel at?

I came across an email by Dan Levine and it spoke a little about the possibilities of VO – it was always my dream to do a cartoon so I was curious about how voice-over could help me reach that goal. I got in touch with Dan and joined the Such A Voice program shortly after. 

What was the most valuable part of your training with SAV?

I love that I can appeal to an international audience but still keep my voice my identity. When you hear most artists who come from my country (I am from Trinidad and Tobago)  on interviews and other platforms internationally, they try to hide their accent and sound “North American”. My training with Such A Voice has taught me that my unique voice is important and it needs to be heard. 

Is there anyone in particular (at SAV or otherwise) that has been a mentor/role model in the industry?

Nancy Wilson stands out off the bat. Nancy taught me everything that I know and she was an amazing coach! To this day I always let her know what I am doing. I look back or listen to some of the early lessons and I remember her telling me, “Don’t be afraid to experiment – you have nothing to lose!”

The other person is Angela Castonguay. Angela and I only had a couple of sessions together but she made a great impression on me. She always seemed to have fun with my voice and always wanted me to do things more expressive, more over-the-top. When I felt I was getting too theatrical she would say, “No! Push it further!” and those are the things that help me do all types of voice characters. Nancy made me the artist I am today and Angela made me feel free to take my voice out into the world. 

What advice would you have for folks currently going through their VO training?

Take it seriously; every minute of your classes count and make sure you work on your craft. Make it fun, but work hard at it. 

What kind of projects have you been working on?

I am currently working on a children’s platform with content and characters that are original and Caribbean. I also do some classic stories like “Horton Hears a Who” (I loved doing all the voices in that project). I direct other voice-over artists for games, podcasts, etc.

All these things just don’t exist for people in my country – the stories they are exposed to are usually from some North American influence so I am very glad to be given this gift to create something for the Caribbean. 

Tell us a bit about ‘Theatre for Tots to Teens’ – how does VO fit into that project, and what is the idea behind the project in general?

Voice-over is in everything that we do in “Theatre For Tots to Teens”. From the characters to the stories to the games, everything we do has voice-over in it and I am very proud to be working on such a wonderful project. [Seriously, check this project out! They are creating original Carribean content for youth ranging from 3-16 including audiobooks, animation, video games, and of course theatre. We love to see people putting their VO talents toward a good cause!]

I know you produced a film recently – how did your experiences in VO help with that project?

Well the film is “Toco Tim and the Turtles” it was a short film shot on a smartphone, but it has officially been selected in over 30 film festivals worldwide including India, Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Europe, and the United States of America. It won two awards in India and People’s Choice Awards in Trinidad and Tobago. I voice Toco Tim in the real-life and animated versions, and that is something I could not have been able to have done without the training at SAV. 

Eager to get your start in voice-over? Check out our introductory webinar to learn more about how to get started!

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About two weeks ago, I was walking through the aisles of a CVS in Nashville and I saw a kid playing with a new deluxe talking action figure, giggling happily as he pressed the button and the action figure recited it’s ten catch-phrases. It put a smile on my face to see that the voice was bringing such happiness to him, and as it so happens, it was MY voice. Voicing characters in cartoons and videogames is the thrill of a lifetime, but being able to lend a voice to a toy is one of the most rewarding things to do in VO, in my opinion. Your voice and performance play a small, yet crucial part in sparking imagination and play for kids!

In fact, some of my happiest childhood memories involved going over to my best friend Justin’s house with a box of action figures. At the time, technology wasn’t quite where it is now and not everything was electronic, so we would provide the voices and sound effects ourselves. Come to think of it, those hours spent in his living room setting up and knocking down X-men action figures might have been some of my first acting experiences. 

Now more than ever, consumer products drive every corner of the VO industry, but it also shines a light on one of the most delightful by-products of this type of VO work: happiness. Sure, many of these toys can have small speakers, but that doesn’t mean they make any less of a big impact, especially to a child! And sometimes work on toys can even lead to the full animated treatment -so many characters began life in a collectible box before making it to the big-time on television: Barbie, He-Man or Stretch Armstrong, just to name a few. 

If you’ve never considered lending a voice to toys before, here’s just a few places VO actors might find opportunity to voice toys:

Action Figures, Talking Dolls, Tie-In-Toys: Yes, with giant blockbuster movies come giant play-sets, stuffed plushies, and even fast-food toys. It’s not uncommon for these toys to be voiced using lifted lines from the film, with limited pre-negotiated usage, but occasionally the original actors will pass on the project and these toys require skillful soundalikes to lend a lip. 

Talking Cards, Decor and Ornaments: At the time of publishing, it’s September which means that in just a matter of weeks, Halloween and Christmas decorations will begin surfacing for the usual holiday overhaul in shopping centers and toy shelves. And with it comes a lot of opportunities. Don’t believe me? Take a walk through your grocery store and give a listen to the many novelty products that line the aisles (hey, I once even auditioned to voice a Pumpkin shaped like a Toilet—you can’t make this up). This particular realm of toy voices can be rewarding, as a talking ornament or holiday keepsake becomes a sentimental memory or even the cornerstone of a new holiday tradition! You better watch out, Elf on the Shelf! 

Educational Toys & Apps: Ah yes, we’ve come along way since “The cow says: MOO!” some of the most cutting edge technology is used in kids toys these days, and there have been some incredible technological leaps that integrate toys and apps, requiring an incredibly large amount of pre-recorded voice-over. 

Now that we’ve discussed some of the fun and games of toy work— let’s discuss acquiring work for toys. Since the client might be directly producing the voices for their toy or consumer product, it is often best to attempt to reach out to these toy companies and manufacturers directly. In fact, most of the toy-work I’ve done has been directly offered from the company. Although I have received toy auditions through agents, they most often appear from toy and card companies that are located regionally throughout the country. 

One final word of advice: When pursuing work in toys, the one thing to consider is that often the rates are negotiated at a non-union buy-out. Even under a union contract, sometimes it can be quite difficult to calculate a fair rate of compensation especially if you happen to be working on the next “Tickle-Me-Elmo”. Here’s wishing you lots of luck on your pursuit of toy voices, but don’t let them pull your  string until you’ve negotiated fair compensation for your VO services.  

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