Welcome to episode 83 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In the last episode, I talked at length about agents and managers. Specifically, I explained how to build a fruitful relationship with an agent by understanding what is their responsibility as your representative and what is your responsibility as their client. I also discussed the differences between agents and managers to ensure that there was no confusion among my listeners about the different jurisdictions and approaches of these two kinds of professionals.

In this episode, I’d like to talk about how best to interact with Producers and Casting Directors. I want to help you understand the mindset of producers since they are the ones who usually have the final say about who does and does not get hired to play a voice acting role. This may come as a surprise to some aspiring voice actors who might think that this decision gets made by a show’s voice director. While a voice director’s creative input is definitely considered during the initial casting stage, it is almost always the producer who finally decides which actors will play which characters.

Sometimes, producers will hire an industry professional known as a casting director to help with this process. A casting director can save a lot of the producer’s time by helping them narrow down the number of auditions submitted by actors. The casting director serves as a filter, listening to hundreds of submissions and bringing the producer only a final few to be considered for each available role. Even though it has become more common recently for producers to approach actors’ agents directly in order to solicit auditions, a good casting director can still play an important role in bringing actors and producers together.

Both producers and casting directors have a problem, one that only you can solve! Check out the episode to learn how best to help them!

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #83 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 82 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In the last episode, I explained the basics of how the casting process works for traditional Hollywood style voice acting productions. I talked about the interaction between actors, their agents, casting directors and the producers of these projects.

However, after releasing the episode, I realized that some members of my audience might not be as familiar with the job descriptions and/or responsibilities of agents, managers and casting directors. Others may be familiar with what these industry professionals do, but may not know the best way to approach or work with them.

I’d like to take the next couple of episodes to clarify how you as a voice actor might interact with these types of industry professionals in the most fruitful way possible.

One of the most important business relationships you will have as a working voice actor is the one you share with your agent, so I want to spend the majority of this episode explaining what an agent is, what they are not, and the best practices for collaborating with them. Even though it is possible, especially in the beginning, for a voice actor to gain a certain level of experience and success without the professional representation that an agent can provide, it’s useful even for beginners to learn how actors and agents work together. This way you can be prepared to approach an agent with confidence once you’re ready to reach the next level in your career. I’ll also explain the difference between agents and managers, a distinction that can be confusing to actors new to the entertainment industry.

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #82 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 76 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In episode 75 I explained the importance of creating and maintaining a positive and consistent voice acting brand. I gave specific advice on how to start with your “signature sound” and how to make sure your website, e-mail and other marketing items represent you as a voice acting “product” in a consistent way. Building and maintaining a clear brand makes it easier for casting directors and producers to remember who you are and what you have to offer as a voice actor. As I mentioned in the last episode, your voice acting brand should be based on your full name. This makes it easier for potential employers to reliably contact you for audition and job opportunities. I also touched on the importance of backing up your marketing message with absolute professionalism.

In this episode, I’d like to take the idea of branding yourself even further by introducing you to the concept of “external” vs. “internal” branding. You see, your voice acting brand is not only about your signature sound and your marketing materials. These things do promote you by showing others what you can do as a voice actor, but they are only part of your branding story. Things like your demo, your website and other promotional items contribute to your “external” brand. Your body of work as a voice actor is also part of your external brand, since your list of credits and your finished performances show your unique creative contribution to anyone who sees or hears them. As powerful as this is for promoting yourself as an actor, these external brand items are not actually you. They are “reflections” of you. They are the artifacts or manifestations of your brand in audio and visual formats. These external brand items are your representatives; they communicate who you are as an artist to casting directors and producers when you’re not around. But what about when you actually are there, in person, interacting with industry professionals, the press, or the public? How do you apply the idea of branding yourself to your face-to-face encounters? The answer is to develop not only your external brand, but your internal brand as well.

In the podcast, I outline in detail how to develop your internal brand to make sure it supports and does not detract from your external brand. I think you’ll find it incredibly useful.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could give me a positive review in the iTunes Music Store! Here’s how:

1. Follow this link to the Voice Acting Mastery Podcast in iTunes. Your browser should open up to a page listing the podcast.
2. Click on the View in iTunes button which looks like this:  in order to view the podcast in iTunes. (NOTE: You must have iTunes installed on your computer for this to work)
3. Once you’re inside the iTunes program, click on the stars to rate. They look like this: 

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #76 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 75 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In episode 74, I discussed at length how important it is to develop a public persona in order to interact more fruitfully with the public and with fandom. I described your public persona as the face you show to the public, to your fans, to the press, to anyone outside of your intimate circle of family or friends. Such a persona is not only useful to help you maintain a gracious and respectful relationship with fandom, but can also serve as emotional armor when you feel the need to protect yourself from public criticism. How you design your public persona depends on your own artistic values, and also on the brand you choose to build as an industry professional.

The concept of branding oneself as a voice actor can be confusing, especially when you’re just starting out, so in this episode I’d like to share some tips on how to approach the subject. Having a solid grasp of your own brand can not only help you decide how your public persona will behave, it can also shape your marketing, your overall business strategy, and your personal interactions with fellow industry professionals. Building a strong, positive brand and then staying true to it can help it grow, which strengthens your ability to stand out from the crowd and be remembered by employers, peers, and the public. On the other hand, a weak or inconsistent brand can make you less memorable or even undesirable as an actor.

In the podcast, I explore in detail what it takes to create an effective and consistent brand. I hope you find it helpful in your voice acting endeavors.

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #75 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 73 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In this episode, I continue answering questions from my podcast audience! For those who may not be as familiar with the podcast, in past episodes, I’ve given out a phone number where you can call in and leave me a question about voice acting as a voicemail. From time to time, I’ll pick the most relevant questions I receive and answer them here on the podcast.

For this round of Q & A, I answer questions from Wesley from Thousand Oaks, CA and James from Dallas, TX.

Wesley has learned through experience how important it is to act professionally towards voice actors. He’d like me to expand on that idea of acting professionally so that others can understand the value of acting professionally.

I’m happy to expand on the idea of professionalism and I’m glad Wesley brought up the topic.

I talk at length about how to think and act like a professional in episode 30 of the podcast. I also explain what is expected of professional voice actors in the booth in episode 31.

However, what Wesley seems to be describing is how someone who may be a fan of certain characters or voice actors should interact with industry professionals. What’s the best way to approach those whose artistic work you admire deeply?

Creative people, like anyone, want to be treated with courtesy and respect. No matter how enthusiastic a fan may be, if they cannot act in a courteous way towards a creator, the creator will want to avoid that fan. If you are a fan and you would like to join the ranks of industry professionals, I explain how to educate yourself and change your mindset so you can talk to them as an equal, and not like a fan who wants or needs something from them.

James had an opportunity to audition for a studio, but has yet to hear back from them. He worries that he may have made a bad first impression. He wants to know how to approach them so that he can make a better impression the second time around.

I explain to James that while it is true that we never get a second chance to make a first impression, I believe that it is always possible to impress someone in the industry the second time around. It just takes a little more work.

The best way I know to regain the interest of an industry professional is to go out and make good art. Go work on other projects. Start your own projects. Get out there and hustle a bit and apply your artistic skills in any project you can. Once you have created something or worked on something that is measurably successful, you can then share your success with industry professionals.

However, it is vitally important NOT to overwhelm those professionals with every little thing you might be working on.

I explain to James how to communicate his successes in projects in a professional manner so he can avoid annoying or harassing the very people he’s trying to impress.

I hope you find the answers useful in your own voice acting endeavors!

If any of my listeners would like to call in with your own thoughts, thank you’s or questions, the number is:

323-696-2655.

Please don’t forget to include your first name and what city in the world you’re calling from. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #73 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 71 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

This is the fourth and final part of my interview with my good friend, the incredibly talented voice director, Andrea Toyias. Andrea works for Blizzard Entertainment and has voice directed on such high profile titles as World of Warcraft: Cataclysm and Diablo III. We first met while working on Diablo III, where I played the voice of the Male Wizard. We’ve admired each other’s work ever since.

As we wrap up our discussion, Andrea talks about what it took for her to develop her fantastic directing skills. She also recounts how challenging it was for her when she tried her hand at acting. Her experiences in acting class increased her appreciation for the craft of acting immensely. She also shares with me her final advice to voice actors and why the skill she is looking for in people who audition for her is called “voice acting” and not “voice reading”.

It’s not every day you get such intimate knowledge of what is going on in a director’s head. I’m incredibly grateful to Andrea for being so honest and generous in sharing her challenges and her insights as a director with us.

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #71 Here (MP3)