As a voiceover actor for over 25 years with a pretty high booking to audition rate, and coach, I have a pretty good idea of what agents and casting directors look for when hiring for voice over jobs. But for this post I reached out to three people who have more insight into this than I do. Between them, these women have over 75 years of experience and the best voice over booking tips!
Liz Atherton, my friend (and former agent) is the founder of CastVoices.com and former co-owner of TAG Talent. A respected coach in the voiceover industry, my colleague, MaryLynn Wissner is the award-winning Casting Director and founder of Voices VoiceCasting in Los Angeles. And Tania Giampetrone is a partner in Reisler Talent, a top-tier agency based in Montreal, Canada (and my agent and therefore, biz partner in Montreal for decades).
Voice Over Booking Tips from Casting Site Founder Liz Atherton
Kim: How long do you typically listen to an audition that you know is NOT going to make it on a shortlist?
Liz: Opinions vary; I suggest you get about 6 seconds. This is why I started the trend many years ago of foregoing the slate. These days, however, if the Casting Director/Project Manager requests a slate, or if they leave it optional, I say give ’em a GREAT slate. Be funny, be creative, be short and sweet.
For the read: As always, step immediately into your magnificence. Assuming the listening person has many auditions to listen to, or maybe they already have some folks they have shortlisted, when auditioning you MUST bring your best from the very first word.
Kim: What are the top reasons someone doesn’t make it on a shortlist?
Liz: There are many reasons folks won’t make the shortlist. The most prevalent is that every piece of the audition cycle is influenced by human choice: the choice of copy, the specs, the interpretation of such by the auditioner, and the intake of the listener – all human. These things cannot be changed with the first impression – they can with direction, but you have to get to that next step.
With all that said, the other more obvious, fix-before-it-happens reasons are mostly technical: recording must be spot-on with the sound, any edits should be non-discernible, the copy should be the copy unless improv has specifically been allowed (writers love their words), etc. The most obvious reason a person does not make the shortlist is that the listener already has folks chosen. This is why it is VERY important to get your auditions submitted ASAP!
Kim: How important is it to match the spec in booking the job?
Liz: The person who gets booked does not always match the spec – why? because we are human and we change our mind, or someone catches our attention, or the favorite nephew enters the playing field; sooooo many possibilities. As for the percentage, I genuinely have no idea. It was such a rarity that I even knew who got booked unless it was in my stable, and then I didn’t go reference-check against the specs to validate assumptions – I simply jumped into the “hell yeah” space and started the booking procedures.
Kim: How many (typically) make it on a shortlist?
Liz: In general, casting will narrow choices down to 3-5 with the client, producer making the final selection. From there it is an iterative process – more may be added/taken away until the final choice is made.
Kim: Any tips for someone who consistently gets shortlisted, but just can’t seem to book?
Liz: If you are consistently getting shortlisted, thank your lucky stars – you have already risen to the top and for whatever reason, you are not blending into the mosaic. To up your game, here are a few suggestions:
- Trust your intuition – it is your best guide.
- Up your slate – be funny, be engaging
- If allowed, give two completely DIFFERENT takes.
- Train, train, train.
- NEVER give up – you will find that pot of gold.
- Always seek your joy in all you do.
Voice Over Booking Tips from Agent Tania Giampetrone
Kim: What are your top three pet peeves when auditions come in from voice actors?
Tania:
- Low volume
- Too many takes
- Flat delivery
Kim: Does the person who gets cast always match the spec given? (If not, how often/what percentage of the time does someone who does something off-spec get cast)?
Tania: Mostly, but every now and again, they can go another way. Maybe 10-20% is different.
Kim: How many (typically) make it on a shortlist?
Tania: A shortlist is usually 2-3 performers.
Kim: Any tips for someone who consistently gets shortlisted, but just can’t seem to book?
Tania: If someone gets shortlisted consistently, they are doing things right. They just need to keep doing what they’re doing. They will book eventually. They can always try to give something different at the end of their audition (3rd take) to show range. It may just give them an edge.
Kim: What is your thought process when selecting actors within the roster to invite to audition?
Tania: Sound equipment and previous auditions. If I know someone will do a good job and they broadly meet the specs then I will ask for an audition. I can always choose not to send in a tape or have a performer re-do it if it’s not up to par.
Booking Tips from Casting Director MaryLynn Wissner
Kim: What are your top three pet peeves when auditions come in?
MaryLynn:
1) Bad sound quality
2) Not honoring the casting specs
3) Not acting…just reading
Kim: Does the person who gets cast always match the spec given? (If not, how often/what percentage of the time does someone who does something off-spec get cast)?
MaryLynn: Good question…it’s about 65% of the time they match the spec and the other 35% of the time it’s a ringer or another, totally different type of voice, read or gender that gets cast.
Kim: How many (typically) make it on a shortlist?
MaryLynn: 1-2
Kim: Any tips for someone who consistently gets shortlisted, but just can’t seem to book?
MaryLynn: Think about that first sentence….are you talking to someone? or just reading to them. We don’t need readers, we need your performance to sound like you’re talking to someone and I need you to pull me into your performance. Most talent, who are not booking, are more worried about how they sound vs just being themselves or the character. Again, we want to hear your interpretation of that character (the person speaking). We don’t want to hear your best reading voice.
Kim: Thanks all!
As you saw, there were some differences in a couple of the answers and I think some of that has to do with different things that are expected in different markets. But there are some pretty powerful booking tips in there. Let me know if it helps your rate of success.
Great blog Kim! That is some great advice from 3 amazing people. Thanks for sharing.
Very helpful info! I’ve wondered, more specifically to the pay to play sites, how much the talent’s quote comes into play? As someone who is frequently shortlisted but also quotes as close to the GVAA rate guide as possible, I’ve wondered how many jobs that may have affected the outcome of. Though, I suppose if they’re put off by a fair price, I would prefer not to work with them anyway! 😉
Exactly Lacey, in my (long) experience, the clients with the lowest budgets don’t understand the industry/process/rates/etc and often end up being much more difficult than the clients who pay a good market rate and are in and out in no time.
Terrific advice compilation, Kim! Thanks to you, Liz, Mary Lynn and Tania.
A pleasure Dean 😀
Awesome blog, Kim. Very enlightening and informative.
Thank you Kim! This was a great read. I appreciate the time and effort you take to share great information like this with us! I will put these ” nuggets of Knowledge” into better practice promptly. Make it a great day!
Great insider advice! Thanks Kim & all of the talented CD’s for sharing.
Thank you, Kim! Great questions, great answers! Always grateful to be reminded of the foundations of good audition technique.
Really appreciate the information Kim! Thank you!