I have learned a lot about myself throughout my career and have come up with a unique way of connecting to my voice-actor clients. I have found this to be a very important part of my process. As a voiceover coach, I want to understand who you are and how you think as a performer. My style is very basic and simple. I am honest and forthright when it comes to telling it like it is. I want to get to know “the real” you. What defines you as the performer? Once this process has occurred I can then begin to work with you.
I want to get to know “the real” you. What defines you as the performer? Once this process has occurred I can then begin to work with you.
During my 5-year run as a booth director at AVO Talent, a Los Angeles talent agency, I had to learn the personalities of over 150 actors (and their agents). This helped me to become a better director. The more information I knew about an actor, the better director I became, and the better my actors became through my direction.
One of my favorite stories that I love to share is when an AVO Talent client almost delivered her child in my booth while I was editing her audition. She was sitting on the floor watching me because she was not feeling well. Then as she was about to leave, I reached for her hand to help her get up off the ground and heard a pop, but didn’t think much of it. It turns out that her water broke. Well, she didn’t deliver her baby in my office but I will tell you that our bond became very strong after that event. After that experience, she booked about 93% of her auditions that we worked on together.
This process of understanding my clients didn’t happen overnight. I had to learn and develop my craft and my ability in order to help actors book jobs very quickly. I had to put a lot of pressure on the actor as well as myself because as a booth director, I only had 20 minutes to work with them. They would have just received their scripts the night before and barely had enough time to prepare before they entered my booth. Once working with me, they were only allowed two takes per script to get the performance right. I moved them very quickly through each take, which helped them to not overthink the script. This process is something that I have incorporated into my one-on- one private teaching as well as my online and in-person workshops. I love to challenge my actors to exceed their expectations. It takes a lot to impress me. I am tough but fair when it comes to getting what is needed out of an actor’s performance. I want the best for them and I want them to succeed to the highest level in their career.
Early on in my career, one of my clients said to me that they felt like I was their champion, always rooting for them to book the gig, which is very true. This is why I take the necessary time to get to know each client on a more personal level. Because I want them to succeed! Within a few seconds of hearing an actor’s performance I can tell whether they’re connecting to the copy or the character. My instructions are very simply, either go outside of the booth and look over the script again or take a minute and a deep breath, collect your thoughts and give me more emotional levels and your nature personality.
What I have learned about my experience as a booth director and coach is that if you understand who you are as a person, chances are you will book the job. This is true in all genres across the board in voiceover. The client can easily tell if you’re not true to who you are. It’s not about your voice. It is about you as the performer connecting to the copy naturally. My role is to help you understand how to make that connection, and book the job!
By Everett Oliver
