voiceover

Halloween Voices: From Evil Prince to Pumpkin King

If you’ve ever watched the classic movie The Princess Bride, you can’t forget the villainous Prince Humperdinck. He slimes his way through the movie, providing the perfect haughty foil to the heroes, and gets his just desserts in the most appropriate manner. He’s an excellent example of the kind of villain people love to hate.

The Man Behind the Sneer

Chris Sarandon was born in Berkley, West Virginia. He was the son of Greek restaurateur parents. Chris Sarandon and Cliffie. He jumped into performing in high school, playing in a band called the Teen Tones. His band toured after high school and backed up various acts like Bobby Darin, Gene Vincent and Danny and the Juniors. College landed Chris at West Virginia University where he got a degree in speech, graduating magna cum laude. He continued to perform, appearing in productions like Music Man as Harold Hill. Chris took his education to a further level, deciding to pursue a masters at Catholic University of America in Washington D.C.. There he majored in theatre, and met his first wife Susan Sarandon. He scored his professional debut in The Rose Tattoo in 1965. Chris and Sarah were then married in 1967. Chris did some regional theatre and worked with some improv troupes before the couple moved to New York in 1968.

Bright Lights and Creepy Characters

New York brought Chris a television debut on the long running series, the Guiding Light. He played Dr. Tom Halverson in 1973-1974. During the remainder of the 1970’s, Chris was astonishingly busy, both making movies and appearing in plays. Shakespeare and Shaw festivals took him all over the US and Canada. As for the silver screen, Chris debuted in Dog Day Afternoon in 1975 alongside Al Pacino, a thriller Lipstick in 1976, then a demon in The Sentinel in 1977. He expanded his range with the role of Christ in The Day Christ died, a TV movie, and two very different characters in A Tale of Two Cities. By the end of the decade, he and Susan had divorced and he remarried model Lisa Ann Cooper.

The 1980’s and A Different Kind of Prince

The new decade brought Chris more movie roles, opposite Goldie Hawn in Protocol, 1984, and a vampire next door in Fright Night 1985. Chris added another TV movie, Liberty, to his credit in 1986, which covered the development of the Statue of Liberty. His best known movie role was his next one, 1987’s The Princess Bride’s Prince Humperdinck. Chris didn’t stop there, adding on another classic horror film, playing an investigating cop in the original Chucky movie in 1988. The decade also brought Chris 3 children with Lisa, Stephanie, Alexis, and Michael.

The 1990s and Pumpkin King

As time passed into the 1990’s, Chris also divorced again, marrying his current wife, actress and director Joanna Gleason. She is best known for her role as the Baker’s Wife in the musical Into the Woods. She is also the daughter of Monty Hall, of Let’s Make a Deal fame. The two met on the set of the musical Nick and Nora, 1991. 1993 brought Chris his biggest role, Jack Skellington in the surprise hit, The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Director Tim Burton was working for Disney as an animator when he first developed the poem that became the genesis for the film. He drew inspiration from the old holiday specials like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, as well as the poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas. Burton’s first idea was to create a 30-minute television special, with the narration spoken by the unforgettable Vincent Prince.

He also considered a children’s book as a possible project. Burton began to create storyboards and concept art to flesh out his story and he and other animators at the Disney created character models for their budding idea. When the men pitched it to Disney, they considered the idea, then rejected it as being ‘too quirky’. Burton was subsequently fired, and went on to direct Beetlejuice and Batman for Warner Brothers. Burton discovered in 1990 that Disney still owned the rights for the film. Disney has a clause in its contract that any art or concepts created by their animators belong to the company during the time they are working for the Monolithic Mouse.

After his commercial successes, Disney was willing to make a feature film with Burton out of the project. Disney chose to release it via Touchstone Pictures at first, believing it was ‘too creepy’ for their mainline children’s audience. Danny Elfman wrote the songs for the movie, and was cast as Jack’s singing voice. Chris was brought in to match his tone in a speaking voice. They considered having Chris sing as well, but he was unable to fit in singing lessons before the production began.

Chris reprised his role in the Kingdom Hearts videogames, the Disney Infinity video game and a Capcom movie sequel called Oogie’s Revenge. He also was featured in several special Halloween themed events at Disney World itself.

And He Just Keeps Going!

The rest of the 1990’s brought Chris and Joanna some opportunities to appear together, both onstage and in the movies. They appeared in Eddie &Pen in 1996, American Perfekt in 1997, the stage production Thorn and Bloom in 1998, and the movie Let the Devil Wear Black in 1999. He has continued to grace stage, screen, and movies, with a blizzard of appearances into the new millennium, including roles onstage in The Light in the Piazza, Cyrano de Bergerac, Through a Glass Darkly and The Exonerated.

In the 2015 production of “Preludes,” he played multiple roles that included Chekhov, Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy. He has also appeared in various films with featured parts in Perfume 2001, Loggerheads 2005, My Sassy Girl 2008, a cameo as a vampire victim in a remake of Fright Night 2011, Safe 2012 and Frank the Bastard 2013, Big Stone Gap 2014 and I Smile Back 2015.

Numerous TV show appearances including: ER, Charmed, Cold Case, Judging Amy, Law and Order, The Good Wife, Orange Is the New Black and as the voice of Dracula in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He has also done voice work for The Wild Thornberry’s, appearing as Myka the penguin, Adventures from the Book of Virtues as Jim Dellignham Young, and The Chosen one as Zebulon ‘Zeb’ Kirk. In his many decades of performance, there has rarely been a year where Chris was not working, and most of the time in more than a single production at a time.

Chris has said about acting, “Being on stage is a seductive lifestyle. My advice to aspiring actors is think twice. People sometimes go into acting for the wrong reasons – as a shortcut to fame and fortune. If these goals are not attained, they feel a bitter disappointment. Acting should be an end in itself.” and “As an actor, we are, in a way, a mirror of other people.”

Why a Woman May Be Best for Your Brand Voice

Business, Marketing

So, your product is up for a refresher. You’ve got ads, and marketing, and you’re looking for that needed brand voice. Traditionally, many companies have chosen men for these roles to produce a strong, authoritative voice for products, but ask any Mom… women know how to use a strong, authoritative voice when needed. So while breaking from traditional casting of men in those roles may feel counter intuitive, it’s possible a woman’s voice will give your product or sales new life.

Why should you choose a woman instead of a man? Well, change ups can be very valuable, especially since you may have kept your brand voice the same for a long time. Moving into a new voice will catch your potential customer’s attention. It’ll bring new engagement to your product right off the bat.

If a man’s voice has always ‘sounded right’ to you, perhaps try inviting other people to voice auditions to get new perspectives on the available options. It’s a lot easier to just audition voices so you can try on a different casting direction before committing to a brand voice change.

Women are being selected for brand voices more and more often as the market shifts. There’s a wider variety of products that can fit with women’s voices than has been used before. Roles for women in society have always been multifaceted, and are only growing more so over time. There are a diverse array of reasons that a woman’s voice is good for you to consider.

Diversity is not just a hashtag these days, it’s becoming an important principle by which to judge a company. Building trust with customers is essential for sales. Choosing a woman for your brand voice can open doors you might not otherwise have access to.

Women buy more stuff-they don’t only buy for themselves, but they purchase for households and others. Many times, even if a woman lives with friends, she will buy more ‘household’ stuff than men in the household will. And of course families and children come into big play here. 2020 drove record profits for many companies, because women had to shop from home more than ever.
Women enjoy listening to and sharing with other women, much like they do with friends. Women’s communication styles tend to revolve around sharing tips and information. A comfortable, friendly voice for your brand can help a woman feel like she’s sharing with a friend about a good deal or a good idea. This is especially true with a more conversational read. This is where your voice talent is just chatting with the potential customer, instead of being more traditional sales like.
Many positive characteristics are associated with women’s voices, trustworthy, soothing, relatable, melodic, intelligent without being domineering. Men’s voices transmit authority, control, and strength. For decades, research has said that people prefer men’s voices for many products. But women’s buying power has been growing, and their voices are finding a home in more places. Yes there are products that would sound better than a man, but would your brand benefit with a different sound? If you’re doubting, try some focus groups or studies. The results may surprise you.
Female voices are versatile in that they appeal to women and men-but men’s voices don’t resonate with women talking about women’s products. There are a lot of products that can be related to women. It’s not just clothes, shoes and household goods. Women are creating their own businesses, and many of them have had to step up in educating and entertaining their children. Movies, streaming services, parks, real estate, special events, there’s really very little that strictly has to be voiced by a male.
Increasing market share-millennial moms are being included in more purchasing decisions than moms across generations. The millennial generation is far more egalitarian in their buying choices. Dad isn’t the only one deciding for those major purchases in many cases. You have the opportunity to speak to this wider audience, and to catch more attention by doing so. And it’s unlikely this trend will reverse, so you’re not just buying into current market share, but the future as well with the upcoming Generation Z.
Business is booming- millennial moms are starting new businesses and creating new ways to earn money for their families. Partnering with this desire can help any brand drive sales. Many moms had to make tough choices in 2020. Some households could not maintain 2 incomes, and it was usually the mom that stopped working. But these moms aren’t idle. Many of them are looking to create influencer blogs, social media presences, and an endless array of ways to earn money. They can monetize their experiences, create interesting crafts, and anything else their minds come up with. Helping moms make their lives easier, and helping them bring in those extra dollars is a great way to build brand connection. And Moms love hearing from other moms!
Women want to see their bosses and jobs taking the lead on social issues. They are consuming more news, and discussing it throughout their lives. Women in particular want to see gender equity and equal pay as priorities for brands. But keep things real in your company. More than one company out there has tried to tout diversity or inclusion and badly failed. It’s very easy to find from internal leaks or social media whether or not you’re actually doing what you say you are. It’s not just employees that want transparency and trust, investors are now looking at the impact of scandals on their dollars. Women love to see change being made in companies, showing that brands lineup with their values too.
Being online means that companies can get called on negative behaviors very quickly. Social Media keeps brands honest-but fake news and false promises are a significant eroder of trust. Keep this in mind if you’re not quite ready to be public about your desire for diversity. There have been many years of brands and other institutions promising what they can’t deliver. These days people are very aware of who is doing what they say they will, and who is falling short. Honesty and transparency, not longevity are big trust builders. Venerable companies are all well and good, but there are significant opportunities for new ones that are willing to show more and be more. Women want to see companies that are aware of their impact in the world, and their impact in the workplace. Showing your values by having diverse hires is a great way to build this trust. And a brand voice is one of the most visible ways that you can do that.

So, as you can see, although a woman’s voice isn’t the right decision for every brand and product, there are many positive elements going with that choice. Diversity and inclusion are the way the world is moving, and brands putting a woman’s voice out front have a head start to go along with it. And time will show that the sales come right along.

When to outsource editing as a VO

Business, Voiceover Industry

So the first thing I need to recommend about when to outsource your editing is a mindset change. It’s understandable that when beginning a voiceover business, money can be at a premium. Between classes, equipment, coaching, and marketing, there’s a hefty dollar cost before the money comes flowing in. Any additional expenses can feel dangerous or maybe unneeded. Jobs you get at first may not have ideal rates or client relationships. In fact, there is some benefit early on in your career as a voice actor to editing your own work because it’s a crash course in audio production.

However, at some point, there’s an important fact about what you’re doing that you need to think of. Business takes investment. In order to grow, you need to put money back into your business, and one of the best ways to do that is concentrate the most on what you do the best.

Talk. Your voice is one thing in your business that only you can do. Your voice is the centerpiece of your ability to make money in general. And the more you focus on what you do best, the more of it you can do. Obviously there are limitations with needing breaks to rest your voice, but outsourcing your editing also gives you more time for marketing, invoicing, or any of the other business elements you may need to catch up on.

As an added bonus, you’ll also have more time for family or personal needs, which is easy to lose in the entrepreneurial mindset. So although it can seem like an unnecessary expense to hire an outside editor or proofer, it’s a worthwhile investment to help make your business more effective and sustainable for you. And cost isn’t the only mindset worry that you need to change–some people enjoy the process of editing and figure that why shouldn’t they just take care of it themselves? As an established talent, this can also hold you back because like it or not, you could have a better or more efficient use of your time. Give yourself the ability to have a greater flexibility in your day. It might be a scary jump to make, but it is worth it to make your business run like a business. You don’t have to-and shouldn’t-wear all the hats yourself.

Here are a few things to consider that will help you decide whether it’s time to outsource your audio. It’s important to make sure that not only are you ready, but that you’re ready to put forward effort on your part to make sure that hiring out not only is but stays effective as a business choice.

Length of audio. Are you working on shorter or longer audio in general? With shorter pieces (like less than 10 minutes) you may have a better ROI by doing the editing yourself, if you’ve got enough experience to make it work smoothly. It’s not that you can’t outsource shorter work, but by the time you send it out and wait for the audio to come back, you could have probably just had it done yourself. Many people do a good variety of work, and some much longer than that, but your auditions and short pieces are probably worth it to take care of in house. ***Though if you are in the position to hire an in-person assistant, audio editing for short narrations is a great task for them to handle. See number 5 & 6 on this list
Finances ROI/income. I would never advise someone to take bread out of their families’ mouths, but it’s important to think about as you build your business that for some time after you start you may need either savings or a second income to help cover start up costs. Long term, editing will emphatically pay for itself, especially with longer work. Not only does it involve cost savings to focus on what you do best, it also offers benefits in terms of workflow smoothness, and the psychological benefit of having one less thing to worry about. But in the beginning when you’re still paying out more than you bring in, outsourcing may not be a good fit. When you are the sole person responsible for your business it’s easy to fall into an individual mindset, but shifting to a collabrative/team mindset can open up a lot of freedom for you. Lots of people come into voiceover from creative industries, where that kind of thought can be hard to set down for yourself. But it’s a necessary part of being successful, and sustainable.
Expectations. You should know what you’re looking for in an editor. What kind of turn around do you want? Keep in mind that what you do in your own life is not necessarily how someone else is going to think or operate. It helps to think carefully about your needs, and write them all out so that you can speak clearly about them and make sure that you get what you’re looking for. But also, particularly, if you have an acting or non-techie mindset, it can be a good thing to be willing to listen if your editor has experience that can help you learn what is reasonable from their end of the business. A good editor will be a strong support and aid in your work.
Friends in the business. One of the best ways to find a good editor is through word of mouth. Experienced talent often have an editor or two as a go to person, especially in the audiobook world. Sometimes end clients do the editing on their own, but even in such cases, talents will often hire a proofer to help make sure their narration is as polished as possible before they turn it in. And when you have a variety of clients, having an editor will help you be ready no matter what end client you’re working with. (Or whether or not they need editing.)
In person or at a distance. Another good question to ask yourself is whether you’d want to be physically near someone who is working for you. Some people would rather be able to see and talk to their employees face to face, and some don’t mind if the communication is all online. It’s a good idea to figure this out before you start looking so that you don’t end up in a situation you’re uncomfortable with.
Training. If you’re an experienced talent who knows the ins and outs of audio, sometimes you can get a little bit of a bargain by training someone-a friend, relative, child, or intern-and work with them. That can have upsides and downsides though, since the person doesn’t have your years of experience and getting good with audio takes a lot of time. Hiring a freelance pro means working with someone who already has the experience and knowledge you need-although you should make sure that they have recommendations or experience like you would with any contractor.

At the end of the day, handing off your long form narration editing can free you up to tackle things in your business that otherwise would be pushed to the wayside. It can be scary to give up control, but prioritizing the things that need your direct attention is an important step in growing, and thriving in your business. Investing in a reliable, skilled editor can do wonders for your career if you give it a chance.

Amplifying Diverse Voices

Voiceover Industry

The business world has gone through some significant shake ups with social movements in the recent past. #MeToo shed light on the way that so many women have been treated. Black Lives Matter has lifted up Black voices and shown how much they are hurt and harmed. The killings of Asian people in connection with COVID-19 related racism. The striving and sacrifice of Native American water protectors fighting to keep their lands clean. Mexican and South American families getting ripped apart in a hideous border policy. All of these movements and many others have intertwined with social media. And being connected with social media means that the companies who interact with those groups are also in the spotlight.

Here’s the thing. Even if you don’t understand why people are riled up, and what all of these folks mean, diversity is the way of the future. The planet is changing, and mass movements of people are only going to continue as time passes, meaning more diversity and mixture of folks. It can be hard and complex to take a good look at yourself and your company, and the way that you interact with BIPOC employees and outside people. It is uncomfortable to hear, and may make you or others in your organization feel very defensive.But making an effort to foster real, top down change will set you up for success both now and in the future. In addition, you’ll be giving yourself a far wider scope to find truly perfect people for your company. It’s a well documented fact how many organizations avoid ‘ethnic’ names on resumes. You may not even realize that you do it! That’s how sneaky internal biases can be. Or if the company does hire a BIPOC candidate, they’re the only one in the office. Show the kind of values you can be proud of both inside and outside your organization and look for the kind of people you’d overlook before.

Plus, it’s the right thing to do.

So what’s the fastest way for a company to jump on the diversity train? Start with inside hires. If you want to hire consultants to help shift things, make sure that whomever is on that team is BIPOC. Too many times there will be a table full of white folks, and 2 people of color. The norm isn’t enough any longer. Yeah, there’s lots to learn, but it’s the difference between keeping an unfair system and making a true difference.

One of the first things to learn is why being colorblind is wrong. That probably feels strange to read. Most white folks were taught as kids that we should “not see color” and just treat everyone the same. But the reality is when we are ignoring color, we are missing the unique challenges and pains that BIPOC are going through. Justice and good values means that instead of colorblindness-equality, we should strive for equity. Equity means giving resources to the people who need it so they can have the same opportunities as everyone else.

Ask the BIPOC folks in your company what their specific needs are, and just accept them. If a Black women doesn’t want questions about her hair, or an Asian woman doesn’t want people mumbling pretend Asian language gibberish at her, those requests are valid and reasonable. There are a hundred examples like the above, some more racist in the way that white folks are used to seeing, some harder for the average person to understand. But all of them are just as real and valid as anyone else’s issue. And just the same, don’t make your BIPOC employees explain racial justice to every white person in the company. Ask who has the space and time for that kind of conversation and then PAY them or another BIPOC teacher to educate your company on diversity and racism in the workplace. For white folks, it’s a topic of hot topic or interest, for a BIPOC person, it’s about their every day life itself. It’s about the harm done to them personally, or to people they know. It’s neither a light or an easy conversation.

It’s not possible for white people to completely understand the BIPOC experience. Sadly, the kind of hurts that those types of actions can cause are things that get dismissed far too often. You don’t have to understand how someone is feeling to accept that they are being hurt–and that is the core of what can help people understand the kinds of changes needed. Company values should be to encourage understanding and cultural exchange, but to accept that regardless, if someone says ‘please don’t do this’, to accept and move on. This is also a conversation that will never truly be over. Race is an extremely complex issue, and the nuances of policy and company life will always need revisions to greater understanding.

The second major way your company can get on the diversity train is to connect with diverse voices! Social media influencers are of as many backgrounds and perspectives as there are people. Recent social media campaigns like #sharethemicnow have given you an awesome way to start. Turn over your channels to influencers that are BIPOC and allow them to highlight their movement, their work, and they in turn will draw attention to your company simply by being there. It’s likely that you can find an influencer that relates to your company in some way in their project or interests, so you can cultivate that connection. There’s no limit on the kind of partnerships you can create. More well known organizations like the NAACP and many others are out there for you to build bridges with. Make giving a company value-and lead from the executive level, not an employee drive.

The most important thing about these actions, both internal and external in your company, is truth. These days people care about companies doing what they say they will, and displaying their values in action as well as with words. If you make a big statement about making diversity a part of your company, actually make the change. News and information can leak out any time and anywhere, and with how easy it is to be anonymous, you can never stop it. (You’ll look even worse if you try.) Whether it’s internal experiences as an employee, or an external one as a customer, when you don’t take action, people will notice. And the longer it takes for any real action to occur, the more people will notice. That’s the way that reputations are changing as time passes. Make the changes now, and stand up for what’s right, and make it top down truth.

When you’re looking for organizations to connect your company with, make sure that the leaders are of the population in question. It’s unfortunately not uncommon for organizations to say they are for this or that group, but to have no real connection with the minority in question. Influencer’s aren’t immune to this too, more than one has collected money that didn’t end up where they said they were going to send it. Thankfully, online research is easy, and just like with your company, these people will have backgrounds and information available online also. The following links are some BIPOC organizations that will help you get started making your diverse connections today.

3 Places to find FREE voiceover resources

Business

There’s an old saying in business, “you have to spend money to make money.” This is very true in voiceover, where the tools of your trade and the training to back it up cost a great deal before you’re at a ‘pro’ level. Your voice and the sound put out of your studio is your product, and in order to make it sound the best, you’ve got to polish and fine tune even the best set of pipes.

But what about free stuff? Is there anything you can look at that doesn’t require you to drop bank? Of course, and if you play your cards right, you can find colleagues and networking opportunities aplenty. Voice talents are giving, sharing people, and have spent countless hours over the last few decades creating a great deal of informative content that can help you in your career.

Before we get into that, let’s go over some quick etiquette when approaching these groups and individuals for help and advice.

Treat the VO as a respected expert.

Unfortunately in recent years, there’s been quite a few articles that label voiceover or audiobook narration an ‘easy career you can do from home’. It’s a career you can do from home but it sure isn’t easy! Anyone who is making a living from doing voiceover jobs has invested time and money into their craft, and is doing far more than “just talking”. Think of whatever type of person you would consider a respected professional, and treat the voice talent the same. The VO doesn’t “have it easy” any more than you do at your current job.

Remember they don’t OWE you anything.

This blog is about free resources, but if you talk to individuals looking for further advice, sometimes people will need or want compensation for their time. Or they may be unable or uninterested in helping you. Before you get upset, remember that these are industry professionals who are taking time out of their day to help you. Accept that something is out of reach at this point in time if it is, and move on. Also, never forget that voice talents, coaches, post production professionals all talk to each other. If you make a public stink, it can easily brand you in the community forevermore, and you’ll have roundly shot yourself in the foot before you start the race.

Listen to what you might not want to hear.

This can be a really hard one. Not every voice is well suited to every genre. You also have to be ready to start a business and every challenge that goes with that. Maybe a friend gave you advice, and it turns out they were mistaken so you need to change something in your setup. (Example: Music post production and voiceover post production are not the same thing. Many skills do not cross over, so advice from that direction could be mistaken.) Perhaps you’ve worked really hard on something, and people tear it apart in a critique. Be sure and stay open to more than just praise–voiceover requires talent AND skill, which comes with time, training, and practice.

So let’s get down to business!

1. Facebook– The grand blue monolith of social media has a great many groups related to voiceover. Unfortunately, some of them are not worth your time. If you see groups with little to no activity, or they are dominated by ads, you should probably move on. Here’s a curated list of a few valuable places to start. If you’re interested in audiobooks Indie (ACX And Others) Audiobook Narrators and Producers, and Audiobook Crowd are full of pros and a group history full of useful questions and answers. If you’re already on the path with some booked jobs to your credit, Voiceover Pros will give you a good crowd. Voiceover Mamas is pretty self explanatory. It’s a serious challenge to juggle a career in voiceover and kids! VOPreneur, and Voiceover Camp are both groups aimed towards people starting out in our business, and if you’re looking for basic business information, they’ll get you started.

2. Blogs– Since blogging has been around nearly since the internet began, there is a truly vast amount of information available. People have been writing their thoughts and experiences in voiceover for decades. Before we discuss the blogs themselves, voice actor’s websites contain useful information in other ways as well. First of all, the sites themselves can give you some thoughts on design for your own website. Second, you’ll get a useful idea how it’s most commonly done to present yourself to potential clients. Third, for people who are solid pros you might want to emulate, you’ll be able to hear their standard of work in their demos. There are not a lot of hard no’s in design, but do not fake anything-like who you’ve worked for, or personal details. You will get found out eventually and look very bad.

Here’s a list of informational blogs to start with-

Nethervoice– Dutch American voice actor Paul Strikwerda who delivers great viewpoints with a sprinkle of snark and sass
Tom Dheere– VO Business guru and NY based voice actor.
Karen Commins– Narrator blog, and if you’re interested in audiobooks, her Narrators Roadmap are chock full of good information.
Kim Handysides– Montreal, Canada based coach and VO talent with tons of useful tips
Voice Actor Websites– A great bunch of people to get a website built from, and a fantastic blog.

3. Podcasts–

If you’d rather listen and learn than read and learn, podcasts are for you. Just like the blogs there is an amazing amount of information available on every aspect of the business. Many specialize in various areas and genres of the industry, so you can look for information that’s as general or as specific as you want. Plus, the diverse array of guests is a great way to get a ‘taster’ for a coach or demo producer that you might be interested in. You’ll have the opportunity to listen to them and get a feel for them without spending anything. Then there’s the advice and experience of everyone from the up and coming to the decades long veteran. It’s a bonus to get to listen to as many “regular” talent hosts and guests. Hearing people who are not all that far from where you are is very encouraging.

4. Bonus Items! VOBS on youtube has every tech question you could possibly ask and then some. Speechless: Real Life in VO is a behind the scenes look at voiceover life from two lady talents!

One Last Golden Nugget

Remember that there’s no one path to success in voiceover. Every talent I’ve ever met has had a different journey to get where they are, and if yours doesn’t look like theirs, don’t be too hard on yourself. The important thing is to always be open to learning more, and to educate yourself to understand what the professional standard sounds like. Also, do not compare yourself to other people’s work! You don’t know what their life looks like, and the shiny part we see online never shows how much struggle may be in the background. Don’t make yourself unhappy when you could be doing something to better your own career.

Iconic Voices: Tim Curry

History of Voiceover, Voiceover Industry

“Anticip-”

Tim Curry, born Timothy James Curry, is an icon of stage and screen, and the recording studio. Participating in productions as diverse as Annie and Spamalot, every turn he makes is an indelible memory.

EARLY LIFE

Born in Grappenhall, Cheshire, England, on April 19th 1946. His parents were a school secretary, Patricia, and a Royal Navy Chaplain, James. He also had an elder sister, Judith who was a concert pianist. His parents met in Malta during World War 2 and married in Egypt. Judith was born there, and Tim was conceived in South Africa. He was born in England, but before he was a year old the family had moved to Hong Kong. The Curry family moved like any military family until Tim’s father suffered a stroke. Then they moved to Plymouth, near Tim’s maternal grandfather. The stroke did not still James’ efforts, he received an M.A from Bristol University in 1956. Sadly, after another stroke and a bout of pneumonia, James Curry died in 1958.

EDUCATION

After his father’s death, Tim attended boarding school. After that, he got a scholarship to attend Kingswood School in Bath, England, where he began to act in plays. He also developed his singing voice. For a while, he went back and forth trying to decide which art he wanted to pursue. He spent a gap year traveling around Europe with a friend, and decided to focus on his acting. Tim chose the University of Birmingham for college. At the time it was one of the only schools in England to offer a drama program.

Academics weren’t Tim’s passion in school. He went through his classes putting the minimal effort. The majority of his time and passion was spent on stage. He participated in as many extra-curricular productions as he could. A story from those days is that one of Tim’s professors wouldn’t let him sit for a final exam because Tim had been absent so often that the professor didn’t recognize him.

THEATRE

After college, Tim wanted to break into the theatre scene in London. But he faced the classic college grad problem. And in the unique flavor that actors deal with. In order to be in his first professional show, HAIR, in 1968, Tim needed an Actor’s Equity union card. In order to get the card, you need professional acting credits. And in order to have professional acting credits, you need to have the card.

Tim decided to fudge his resume. He lied and said he had both an Equity card and professional experience. By the time the producers caught on, they were so impressed with Tim’s talent that they allowed him to stay in the show, and helped sponsor him to get his card. During the run of the show, Tim met Richard O’Brien, who would change his life just a few years later. HAIR palled for Tim quickly, and he managed to get out of his contract.

He moved on to AFTER HAGGARTY with the Royal Shakespeare company in 1970. After that, the next three years were a mixture of small television roles, various productions in the West End, the Glasgow Civic Repertory company, and the Royal Court Theatre, where stardom waited under the spotlight.

British great Ian McKellen recalls how Tim would come to his Christmas parties in the early 70’s. Tim was mixing with the London theatre crowd at the time. Ian recalls Tim as “the quiet lad in the corner who was a little hard to understand because he never opened his mouth.”

ROCKY HORROR

In 1973, Richard O’Brien invited Tim to audition for his experimental musical project, called THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. This production would be produced at The Royal Court Theatre upstairs. Tim’s audition song was Tutti Frutti. Originally, the director had another actor in mind for Frank-N’-Furter, but once Tim auditioned, there was no other choice.

Rocky Horror was an enormous hit, setting off fireworks in the London theatre scene. The show moved to progressively larger venues, attracting celebrity attention. Mick Jagger and Tennesee Williams were two names interested in the show. After several location changes, the show moved to Los Angeles, where it enjoyed a very successful run at the Roxy. Next, the show moved to Broadway, and for some reason, did not enjoy the same success. It closed after only 45 performances.

Tim was enormously crushed by Broadway’s reaction to Rocky Horror. He retreated to his apartment, and dealt with his first real failure as an artist. He said about that time, “‘I think that was really one of the most formative things that has ever happened to me. I just went home and took out a bottle of vodka for about a month, actually. I sent out for submarine sandwiches and drank and got hugely patched, and then started work again. And I think once you’ve had a really serious failure, nothing can ever be as bad as that again. So you might as well just go for it, because they can’t make you feel any worse than they did before.”

BEHIND THE MIC

Tim Curry didn’t let his failure keep him down. To detail his career over the next four decades would take a far longer article. He was in numerous plays, television shows, movies, and also moved into voice acting. Interestingly, Tim particularly enjoyed voice acting as it gave him a chance to practice American characters. He is so well known as having a British accent that producers wouldn’t hire him for onscreen American parts, so voiceover gave him the opportunity to stretch his craft in a new direction. His credit list for cartoon voices is just as diverse as the rest of his resume. Tim also worked in video games and audiobook work. One of the biggest markers of Tim’s career has been diversity. He has said about his choice in roles, “I want to establish a wide range and play all kinds of parts. It’s that sort of acting career I really respect. I like to turn a sharp left from whatever I’ve done before because that keeps me awake. That’s why I want to be an actor — I don’t want to play endless variations on one character.”

In addition to his incredible range and talent on stage, screen, and behind the voiceover mic, Tim also was able to produce several solo record albums. His youthful ambition to be a singer was given an open door by the success of Rocky Horror. He was able to work with A&M records and produce three solo albums between 1978 and 1981. Tim didn’t find as much success as a singer as he did as an actor, later saying they couldn’t make a ‘greatest hits’ album for him because there weren’t any.

VOICEOVER AND RETIREMENT

In more recent years, Tim’s health has begun to decline, and in 2012, he suffered a stroke. The stroke left him using a wheelchair He has remained more out of the public eye since, but credits his sense of humor for helping him get through his recovery. “Maintaining my sense of humor through rehabilitation was absolutely vital but not tough. It’s just part of my DNA.” Tim has attended a few comic conventions, table readings, and premiers as he has slowly recovered. However, voiceover remains a way for him to continue to perform.

Tim’s long career and many iconic roles across all media render him an iconic cultural voice. One can’t help but admire the passion and craft that has driven him to choose such a variety of roles from the silly to the most serious. The world will always be grateful for his contributions to the entertainment field.

“-pation”

Lauren McCullough

Female Voiceover Talent

717-281-1991‬

LaurenMcCulloughVO@gmail.com