“The difference between who you are and who you want to be – is what you do.” -Bill Phillips
Well, thanks a whole lot for that mighty fine quote, Bill Phillips. Your quote packs quite a punch!
It inspired me, and I hope it inspires you too.
So, who are you in the process of becoming? Whether we slow down enough to ponder this or not, we’re all growing. New influences, new experiences, new people in our lives, new curiosities, interests, and ideas all impact our growth. Evolving is exciting, interesting, and can also be scary at times. It’s all part of the process.
There was a day when you decided to go for it and pursue becoming a voice actor. There was a clear decision made. You signed up for the workshop, you started buying recording gear, and you started getting serious about practice and performance. By taking action you began bridging the gap between who you were and who wanted to become.
Today I’d like to introduce you to “practicing the art of becoming.”
When becoming a newly evolved version of ourselves, it’s important to be present. In the context of becoming a voice actor, ya gotta do what voice actors do!
1. Get to know thyself.
In the beginning, you don’t know what you don’t know… So it’s all about exploring and trying lots of different genres and scripts on for size. It’s also about keeping an open mind. Most talent are drawn to a particular genre, and over the years I’ve discovered people are usually pretty amazing at the genre they’re most drawn to! So have fun, play, and explore. This is how you start figuring out where you fit. We’re used to adulting, so switching off adult mode can be hard. Give yourself permission to play again. Go back to the sandbox. Except this time it’s a sound-box! 😉
2. Develop a plan.
There’s a lot of wisdom in the quote, “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” You need to have clarity on where you’re heading so you can get there. Are you a VO hobbyist? Are you aiming to do voice work part-time? Maybe eventually you want to make it your career? I always recommend taking baby steps. In the beginning, put most of your emphasis on learning the craft, because without solid performance skills, the tech/marketing/business training won’t take you very far. Honing your craft is #1. You gotta have the goods to promote the goods! You do this by reading loads of scripts and receiving feedback from experienced ears. Once you’ve spent some time exploring various genres and dialing in your reads, you’ll know if you really want to pour more of yourself into becoming a professional talent. You can lean on your coaches for advice on which steps to take next.
3. Stay focused & consistent.
Over the years I’ve watched many aspiring talent expect to leap from the start line to the finish line without putting in the necessary steps in between. They somehow expect their abilities to form without consistent effort and practice. The work you do in between workshops will help you improve tremendously! Check out “Practice Tips & Practice Scripts” in our TVAS Shop for 20 different ways to practice at home. And spend time actively listening to the styles of VO you want to pursue. This helps you shape your ear and understand what’s booking. There are many things in life you can fast-track, but skill development isn’t one of them.
4. Persistence for the win.
I’m rooting for you. Our whole TVAS Team is too. You’re working hard toward a very important VO milestone – recording your first professionally produced demo! It’s an exciting step in the journey, and you want to be ready. You want to not only be as great as your demo – you want to be even better. The goal is to have solid enough skills to replicate your stellar demo performances and range when your clients reference them. A few other key areas for demo-readiness include solid script interpretation and self-direction abilities, confidence, and trusting your talent and gut.
Final thoughts. We’re practicing the art of becoming – not perfecting. We’re slowly unlocking and developing a new part of ourselves. So if you’re serious about voice acting, ask yourself, what can I do today… even for 15 minutes to help move myself forward? Think like a voice actor to become one. We read scripts every day. We pay close attention to what’s trending. We work with our mentors and coaches to keep building new skills and expand into other genres. We show up and enjoy the process over and over again. And then one day you look in the rearview mirror and realize – you became.
“Becoming is not finding yourself. It’s creating yourself again and again – with grace, patience, curiosity, and courage.” -Unknown
