What is a voice actor?
A voice actor is someone who uses their voice in TV, radio, film, theatre or to perform as an animated character. Voiceover artists might work on a wide range of projects, including:
- Audiobooks
- Adverts
- Animated films
- Documentaries
- Dubbed series
- Video games
Why become a voice actor?
There are many reasons to become a voice actor. It can be easy to forget that voice acting is both a way into a career and an excellent way to practice and enhance your acting skills.
Voice actors are in high demand. With such a wide array of media requiring voicework, there are plenty of job opportunities for any aspiring voice actor.
It's another route into the world of acting. If you're struggling to land roles on stage or camera, voice acting can be a whole new opportunity for you.
You can work remotely and with more flexibility. If you live a busy life, you can buy your own gear and work from home. You'll be able to meet online with creative and voice directors to work on projects from your own home.
Terence Mann is course leader and teaches voice acting on our BA (Hons) Acting course. Terence is a professional voice actor having done over 50 plays for BBC Radio 4, several animations for CBeebies and feature length animations on Netflix. On voice acting, he says:
"In a world increasingly obsessed with the way we look, there is something liberating in voice acting. The actor is no longer restrained by their physicality and is able to play characters they might never get a chance to play on screen or on stage."
— Terence Mann
Voice acting vs voiceover
Voiceover is the technique of using an unseen speaker to narrate or explain things— usually in film and television. Voice actors are the people who actually record the voiceovers, though often "voice acting" and "voiceover" are used interchangeably.
Once you're a voice actor
Once you have some experience and have built up a portfolio, consider hiring an agent to help you find more opportunities and negotiate contracts.
It's also important that you continue to train your voice. Work with a coach to refine your voice acting skills and make sure to ask for feedback and take it on board. Keep up with industry trends and continually work on improving your skills.
Educate yourself about industry best practice and learn from other people's experiences. Read books on voice acting, such as "The Art of Voice Acting" by James Alburger ,"Voice-Over Voice Actor" by Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt and “Voice Over for Animation" by Jean Ann Wright. Listen to relevant podcasts and participate in webinars to stay inspired and up to date.
We hope this has helped you understand how to become a voice actor. If you would like to pursue this career, you should consider studying acting further.
Where next?
- Course
Acting, BA (Hons)
This unique actor training programme taught by industry professionals provides you with the skills and knowledge to work as an actor on screen stage and in digital media. - Article
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