How to become a videogame VO Actor
Hey everyone, T.J. Fixman here. I’m the Senior Writer at Insomniac Games, and I’ve had the privilege of working here for almost four years. That’s four years of ridiculous Qwark one-liners, Nefarious cackles, Ratchet witticisms, and Hale… well, Hale never talked much – but he stared broodingly! Over the course of four projects I’ve met, written for, and directed dozens of voice actors, and have come to a simple conclusion: I am in the wrong line of work.
Voice actors get to bring to life what we writers can only imagine. We write a joke, monologue, or heartfelt moment in the story – but it remains ink on paper until a talented actor gives it a soul. Sure, we like to remind ourselves that it all starts on the page, but good writing can be undone by poor acting. And conversely, mediocre writing can be heightened by fantastic acting (at least, to a point – I’m looking at you, George Lucas). At Insomniac, we’ve made finding top-tier talent a priority in our projects. It doesn’t matter if you’re auditioning for the principal role or just Soldier #5 shouting “Incoming!” on a battlefield. If you can’t make us believe, you’re not getting through the door.
So how does one get paid to become Nathan Hale, or Marcus Fenix, or Kratos? We get that question a lot, and there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is, breaking into voice acting is extremely difficult. The good news is, even James Arnold Taylor (Ratchet) has been where you are now. David Kaye (Clank) had to break in just as you’ll have to. People do it every day with hard work and persistence. So let’s dive into what you need to do in order to one day sit on the other side of the glass, taking direction from Brian Allgeier or Amy Hennig!
Step One: Forget the Fantasy
When people are on the outside of the entertainment industry looking in, things seem rosy and magical. As a 17-year-old neophyte writer, I imagined travelling around the world with my laptop, penning my opus on the patio of some French café and emailing my script to Paramount with a note to direct deposit my millions. Yes, Mr. Spielberg, that’s Fixman with an “x”.
But the reality is, being in the most creative industry in the world means a 24/7 work schedule. VO work, like writing, is almost entirely contract. This means you have to constantly work on new voices, produce new material, audition as much as possible and work as much as you can while you can. Acting is a notoriously “feast or famine” endeavor, and you never know when the next dry spell is going to come. So say goodbye to a comfortable profession, because tough times can hit any actor. Huzzah!
Step Two: Location is Everything
So you’ve been working on your voices, accept that rocky times lay ahead, and still decide you want to follow your dream. Step two is a brutal one for some – move to Los Angeles or New York. A lot of folks try to get their careers started from around the country, believing they’re part of the mythical group of working performers who can operate out of the studio in their garage. That may apply to actors who read copy for radio ads, but most cartoon and video game studios will want you to be present so they can direct you. If you make it past the audition phase, we may call you in the next week – and we don’t want to have to wait while you make travel arrangements.
Los Angeles and New York are the hot spots for acting. Move there and stomach the indignity of becoming a walking cliché for a few years. Sure, it sucks, but you’re paying your dues and putting yourself within driving distance of tons of recording studios, video game companies, and talent agencies. Plus you’ll finally have a legitimate reason to keep quoting Swingers.
Step Three: Take a Class
There are typically two reactions to this step:
What? School?! I already graduated with a degree in Theatre from [INSERT PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL NAME HERE]!
Or…
What? School?! The reason I got into acting is because I hate school and love goofing off!
Both are pretty common, but as any VO actor will tell you, voice over requires a special skill set. Your voice is your toolkit, and there are several workshops and seminars that will teach you how to develop it. Can you yell using your throat instead of your diaphragm? Can you alter the age of your character on command? Can you mimic different accents correctly versus those jokey ones you put on around your friends? Can you create amazing monster sounds like Fred Tatasciore, or pull off a four-hour Dr. Nefarious session like Armin Shimerman?
There’s also a lot to learn about actor/director interaction. When you’re in the booth facing a director who just paid thousands of dollars to rent the studio and engineer, he/she won’t want to waste time teaching you the lingo. Learn what terms we use so you don’t end up with this:
