Voice acting is a thrilling and rewarding career, but for newcomers, the journey can be full of challenges. Whether you are aspiring to voice animated characters, commercials, or video games, it’s essential to recognize the common pitfalls that new voice actors often encounter. Understanding and avoiding these mistakes can help you make a smooth transition into the professional world of voice acting. Below are some of the top mistakes and how to avoid them.
Neglecting Proper Vocal Care
Why It Happens:
A common mistake for new voice actors is neglecting the importance of vocal health. It’s easy to assume that your voice will always be in top form, especially if you are starting, but this assumption can lead to vocal strain or damage over time.
How to Avoid It:
To maintain a healthy voice, always warm up before you begin any session. Simple exercises such as humming or lip trills can help prepare your vocal cords. Stay hydrated, avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol, and rest your voice when needed. Regular vocal care can ensure your voice stays strong for years to come.
Overacting or Underacting
Why It Happens:
New voice actors often make the mistake of either overacting, sounding too dramatic, or underacting, where the performance feels flat and disengaged. Both extremes can be a result of nervousness or uncertainty in how to approach the material.
How to Avoid It:
The key to good voice acting is balance. It’s essential to pay attention to the tone and emotional depth of the character you’re voicing. To avoid overacting, focus on staying grounded and true to the character’s personality and the scene. On the other hand, if you tend to underact, experiment with adding more energy and variation to your delivery, but make sure it stays authentic to the character’s emotions and motivations.
Ignoring Pacing and Timing
Why It Happens:
Newcomers to voice acting sometimes neglect the pacing of their delivery. This often happens because they’re more focused on getting their lines right, rather than considering how their lines fit into the broader scene or script.
How to Avoid It:
Timing and pacing are critical for delivering an effective performance. Whether it’s the timing of a punchline in a comedy sketch or the pacing of a dramatic monologue, practice the rhythm of the script. You can improve pacing by listening to professional voice actors and studying how they build anticipation, pause for dramatic effect, or pace their deliveries for maximum impact.
Lack of Understanding the Character
Why It Happens:
It’s easy to fall into the trap of simply reading the lines on the page without fully understanding the character’s motivations, emotions, and context. This lack of depth can lead to a performance that feels robotic or disconnected.
How to Avoid It:
Before recording, take time to analyze the character you’re voicing. Ask yourself questions like, “What does this character want?” “What emotions are they feeling in this scene?” and “How do they relate to other characters?” The more you understand your character, the more you can bring them to life with an authentic voice.
Failing to Adapt to Different Genres
Why It Happens:
Many new voice actors make the mistake of becoming too comfortable in one genre, such as animation or video games, and neglect to explore other areas of voice acting. This can limit their potential and career growth.
How to Avoid It:
Voice actors should strive to be versatile. Experiment with various styles, such as commercial voiceovers, audiobooks, video games, or corporate narrations. Diversifying your experience will not only increase your chances of landing a variety of roles, but it will also help you discover your strengths and weaknesses as a performer.
Not Investing in Good Equipment
Why It Happens:
When starting, some new voice actors attempt to cut costs by using subpar equipment or recording with a basic microphone. While it’s understandable to want to save money, poor audio quality can severely hinder your chances of landing a job.
How to Avoid It:
Invest in a quality microphone, pop filter, and soundproofing equipment. You don’t need to go overboard, but having the proper setup is crucial for professional-level recordings. Clean, clear audio is essential for any voice acting role, and having a decent home studio setup will give you the edge when auditioning.
Not Practicing Enough
Why It Happens:
It’s easy to get excited about the idea of voice acting and jump into auditions right away without putting in the necessary practice time. Voice acting requires skill, technique, and consistency, and without regular practice, improvement can be slow.
How to Avoid It:
Set aside dedicated time each day or week for practice. Record yourself reading scripts aloud, experimenting with different voices, emotions, and characters. Additionally, consider working with a coach or mentor who can provide feedback and guidance. The more you practice, the more refined your technique will become.
Ignoring Feedback or Criticism
Why It Happens:
New voice actors might be hesitant to accept feedback or constructive criticism, fearing that it will hurt their self-esteem or that they aren’t performing well enough. However, avoiding feedback can stunt your growth and improvement.
How to Avoid It:
Seek out constructive criticism and use it as an opportunity to learn and improve. Whether it’s feedback from a coach, director, or even a fellow actor, listening to others and being open to suggestions is crucial for your development. Remember that even the most experienced voice actors continue to receive feedback and evolve.
Not Understanding the Business Side of Voice Acting
Why It Happens:
Many new voice actors focus solely on the creative aspects of the job and neglect the business side. Understanding contracts, rates, marketing, and client relationships is essential to having a successful career in voice acting.
How to Avoid It:
Take time to learn about the industry. Research industry-standard rates for different types of work and understand the nuances of contracts. Network with other voice actors, attend conventions, and keep up with trends. A successful voice acting career doesn’t just depend on talent; it also requires good business acumen.
Expecting Immediate Success
Why It Happens:
It’s easy for new voice actors to think that success will come quickly, especially with the rise of online platforms and social media that showcase success stories. The reality, however, is that building a career in voice acting can take time and patience.
How to Avoid It:
Set realistic expectations for your journey. Understand that it takes time to build a portfolio, land auditions, and get established in the industry. Keep working on your craft, expanding your skills, and auditioning regularly. Success will come with persistence, dedication, and continuous improvement.
Starting in voice acting can be overwhelming, but understanding and avoiding these common mistakes will put you on the right path. With practice, perseverance, and an openness to feedback, you can develop your skills and achieve success in the industry. Remember to take care of your voice, understand your characters, and adapt to different genres, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a skilled voice actor.