Interview with Rhonda Phillips about How does someone get started in voiceover?
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Rhonda Phillips answers the question, \\u201cHow does someone get started in voiceover?\\u201d
Rhonda is a voiceover actor, voiceover performance coach, and host of a monthly webinar series called Late Night Secrets for Voiceover Success.
Full bio:\\xa0 Rhonda has been a full-time voiceover actor for the past 16 years. Her voice has been heard everywhere from national milk campaigns to Las Vegas casinos to major furniture brands.\\xa0 She\'s voiced\\xa0thousands of television and radio commercials as well as hundreds of eLearning modules and on-hold campaigns. She\\u2019s also a beginner performance and business coach for aspiring new voiceover talent. Rhonda began her speaking career by teaching effective speaking classes and traveling as a public speaker. She then turned to broadcast radio where she and her morning show partner held a #1 comedy Hot AC morning show. When she\\u2019s not working, she enjoys the great outdoors in Western Colorado with her husband and yellow lab.\\xa0
Website and links
Facebook - Search Late Night Secrets for Voiceover Success - Webinar Series\\xa0
https://rhondasvoice.com/#late-night-secrets (to subscribe to newsletter)
https://rhondasvoice.com/events/ (for all upcoming coaching and webinars)
https://www.instagram.com/rhondasvoice/\\xa0
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondasvoice/\\xa0
http://introductiontovoiceover.com is Rhonda\\u2019s 3-hour, self-paced course about the VO industry.
Highlights from the interview
There are many ways to get into voiceover (VO).
\\u2705First, do your research.\\xa0 What\\u2019s current?\\xa0 What\\u2019s happening?\\xa0 What\\u2019s out there?\\xa0
\\u2705Listen to demos by professional voice actors, and visit their websites.\\xa0 Shop around.
\\u2705Learn what different genres of VO sound like:\\xa0 commercial, eLearning, explainer videos, etc. \\xa0
\\u2705Reach out to a coach who works with newbies in the genre you want to explore. \\xa0
\\u2705Learn the performance side of VO.
\\u2705Learn the business side of VO.
Checklist of things to think about
\\U0001f7e3Budget (marketing, branding, a logo, website design, hiring a team to help you, and more)
\\U0001f7e3A brand and a logo (To learn more, check out Celia Siegel\\u2019s book Voiceover Achiever.)
\\U0001f7e3Business cards
\\U0001f7e3Business plan
\\U0001f7e3Coaching
\\U0001f7e3Conferences
\\U0001f7e3Cover letters
\\U0001f7e3A CRM (customer relationship management tool)
\\U0001f7e3Editing audio is an important skill you MUST have (you may need coaching). \\xa0
\\U0001f7e3Equipment: a microphone, an audio interface, headphones, a computer, audio recording software/DAW (Ex:\\xa0 Adobe Audition)
\\U0001f7e3GVAA Rate Guide (Check out the replay of David Toback\\u2019s appearance on Late Night Secrets.\\xa0 He talks about VO industry standard rates.)
\\U0001f7e3Invoicing
\\U0001f7e3Legal:\\xa0 LLC, contracts. (Check out Rob Sciglimpaglia Jr.\\u2019s book Voice Over Legal.\\xa0 Coupon Code RHONDA saves you $5 on either the paperback or ebook.\\xa0 Thank you John Florian at Voice Over Xtra for providing the link and coupon code!) https://www.voiceoverxtra.com/ebook.htm\\xa0
\\U0001f7e3Memberships
\\U0001f7e3Mission statements
\\U0001f7e3Networking
\\U0001f7e3Online courses
\\U0001f7e3Organizational skills
\\U0001f7e3Pay to Play (P2P) sites
\\U0001f7e3A quality home studio:\\xa0 home-built or purchased (A purchased studio can cost $5,000-$10,000)
\\U0001f7e3Social media presence
\\U0001f7e3Support groups, stand-up groups, and meet-up groups
\\U0001f7e3Time management
How much does it cost to get started in VO?\\xa0 $5-10K is a good starting point.\\xa0 It can cost more or less depending on your training, equipment, and needs. \\xa0
Everyone has \\u201ca great voice,\\u201d but everyone needs to learn how to use their voice.
Starting out making money is tough to do.\\xa0 Don\\u2019t quit your day job right away.
Finding the right coach can be a challenge.\\xa0 Ask your friends for references, and go on Facebook.\\xa0 Search within Facebook groups.\\xa0 Go to a coach once before signing on for sessions.\\xa0 For example, Rhonda does a consult with clients before coaching with them.\\xa0 Rhonda wants to learn who they are, where they\\u2019re coming from, what they\\u2019ve done, and how she can help them reach their goals.\\xa0 Some people need a business coach.\\xa0 Others need a performance coach.\\xa0 Some people need a coach who does both.\\xa0
Shop for demos on several voice actors\\u2019 websites.\\xa0 voiceactorwebsites.com has a number of examples on their Portfolio Page. \\xa0
Subscribe to Late Night Secrets for Voiceover Success (LNS)
\\U0001f31fUsually the last Wednesday of each month
\\U0001f31fCost is typically $15 to sign up (as of June 2021).\\xa0 A replay is included.
\\U0001f31fReplays are also for sale.\\xa0\\xa0
Past LNS guests include:
- Carin Gilfry on the business of voiceover
- David Toback about the GVAA Rate Guide
- Maria Pendolino about negotiation and the Millennial Read
- Larry Hudson about performance, editing, and other aspects of VO
- George Washington III on The Impact of the Black Lives Matter/Race Awareness Movement in Voiceover Castings\\xa0
- Debbie Irwin on Medical Narration and Non-broadcast VO
Rhonda refers students to other coaches as needed. Ex: animation, medical, and video games.\\xa0 Rhonda specializes in the following:
- Commercial
- Elearning
- Explainers
- IVR/on-hold
Rhonda offers group coaching
- Beginner group classes learn the basics about breaking scripts down.\\xa0 Some people feel intimidated by more experienced voice actors.\\xa0 Beginner group classes offer a safe space to work with other beginners or those who feel like beginners.\\xa0 Learning from other students is eye-opening about different delivery styles.\\xa0 Students also learn self-direction. \\xa0
- General group class:\\xa0 Students still learn the basics, but they also learn skills to use in different genres of VO. \\xa0
*In both kinds of group classes, students learn from the other students in the class.
\\u201cRun your own race.\\u201d Just because you\\u2019re struggling doesn\\u2019t mean you\\u2019re failing. \\xa0
How does someone know if they should be doing one-on-one coaching or group coaching?\\xa0 There are pros and cons of both.\\xa0 It\\u2019s hard to say if you should start with independent or group.\\xa0 Either way is ok.\\xa0 Trust your coach; s/he will tell you what you need to do.
It takes a village to raise a voice actor.\\xa0 VO talents may need more than one coach. \\xa0
Learn how to use your voice. Rhonda recommends any of the following to get used to speaking:
- Improv
- Basic acting
- Toastmasters\\xa0
What should newbies avoid?\\xa0 Don\\u2019t pay $400 to be on a P2P site, then get the microphone, then decide to start doing auditions.\\xa0 Do things in the right order. Otherwise, heartbreak may be around the corner if you\\u2019re auditioning and you don\\u2019t know what you\\u2019re doing.
How do you know if someone is coachable?\\xa0 Coaching goes both ways.\\xa0 Find the right coach for you, and BE COACHABLE. Everyone is coachable depending on how open they are to feedback.\\xa0 How positive is their attitude toward work?\\xa0 It\\u2019s easy to get discouraged.\\xa0 Be able to take direction and put direction into action.\\xa0 Retain what you learn.
Not every coach is right for every student.\\xa0 It\'s a business.\\xa0 If you\\u2019re not getting your needs met, say something!\\xa0 Coaches can refer.\\xa0 You have to know how you like to be coached.\\xa0 What approach do you like?\\xa0 Do you appreciate directness?\\xa0 Nurturing and kindness?\\xa0 Find the coach that works for you.\\xa0 Everyone learns differently.\\xa0 Find who you respond well to and whose feedback you don\\u2019t take personally.\\xa0
To learn more about Rhonda Phillips, visit https://rhondasvoice.com.\\xa0
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