Voice acting for anime shows and films can be a rewarding career to get into, but how do you break into the industry? This ultimate guide to voice acting for anime will give you the tools you need to break into the industry.
Read on to discover how to get into voice acting, including freelance voice acting for anime.
We will also discuss how much voice actors make annually and what resources you can use to help you improve your talents and start voice acting for anime.
Table of Contents
How To Get into Voice Acting for Anime
Anime is increasing in popularity among mainstream audiences, and voice acting for anime is becoming more popular as well.
Many mainstream audiences want the option for English voice tracks, so how can you become one of the voice actors that voices anime?
Voice acting is a form of acting in itself, and most people fail to realize that. Before attempting to get into voice acting, you should already be taking or have taken acting classes in the past.
In addition to traditional acting classes, there are some things you can do to get into the world of voice acting for anime.
Hire A Vocal Coach to Work On Your Technique
Hiring a vocal coach is one of the first steps to getting into voice acting for anime. A vocal coach can help you develop a warm-up routine for your voice and even improve the range of your voice.
Vocal coaches are also experts in teaching articulation and how to project your voice, tools that you will need to become a successful voice actor, especially for anime.
On a more technical note, vocal coaches can teach you more about the tools you will be using as a voice actor, like various microphones and recording equipment.
Once you are confident in the equipment you are using, you can begin developing your voice and practice some more advanced techniques that will help you become a voice actor for anime.
Research The Type of Roles You Would Want To Voice
Doing your research is one of the most important steps in becoming a voice actor for anime. First, decide what type of anime you would prefer to voice, then research examples in that specific genre. Some different anime genres include:
- Kodomo– Children’s Shows
- Seinen– Shows For Young Men
- Josei– Shows For Young Women
- Harem-Boy Surrounded By Girls
- Reverse Harem– Girl Surrounded By Boys
The genre of anime that you wish to voice will immediately affect how you need to train your voice.
Children’s shows may require a higher inflection when compared to shows for young men. Do your research and watch some examples that contain roles like those you want to play.
Create A Portfolio to Showcase Your Talents
Now that you have worked with a vocal coach and have begun developing your voice, you will want to create a portfolio that showcases what you can do.
There are plenty of services on the market that can help you create a portfolio. Some tools that you can take advantage of when creating your portfolio include:
- YouTube
- SoundCloud
- Creating A Personalized Website with Wix or Squarespace
- Uploading samples to Spotify or Audacity
Using these tools to create a stunning portfolio can certainly help you get your foot in the door when attempting to become a voice actor for anime.
A portfolio of quality content may be the only thing you need to land your first quality voice acting gig for anime.
Be sure to make your portfolio as professional-looking as possible and your content as high quality as you can make it.
Go On Auditions to Gain Experience And Secure Jobs
Voice actors, much like regular actors, attend casting call auditions to gain experience in the industry and attempt to secure jobs.
Keep an eye on specific studio websites and websites like voices.com that are dedicated to posting voice acting auditions.
Voice acting auditions are where the majority of voice actors spend their time. Use these opportunities to find out what directors and studios are looking for and learn how to impress them.
Use these auditions to practice each time, and before you know it, you will land a job as a voice actor for an anime series.
Move To Areas with Work Available
Voice over work for anime can be done over long distances but going on auditions and doing work in studios will likely get you much more work than long-distance work.
Directors prefer to work one-on-one with voice actors and working in person at a studio is much easier to do.
The best area for voice over work for anime in the United States is in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles is the acting capital of the country, so if you are looking for consistent voice over work for anime, then you may consider a move to Los Angeles to actively pursue jobs in the industry.
Freelance Anime Voice Acting
If in-person voice acting for anime is not in the cards for you, or a move to Los Angeles isn’t possible, don’t worry.
Anime voice acting can be done on a freelance basis thanks to sites like Fiverr and Upwork. There are a few extra steps to complete in order to be a working voice actor for anime.
Freelancing as a voice actor for anime will take a bit of footwork on your end. You will no doubt have to make a quality portfolio filled with intriguing content.
You will also find yourself having to apply for gigs and seek out potential clients to make it worth it.
In the end, the freedom that you will gain as a freelance voice over actor will be worth the footwork you had to put in at the beginning stages of your freelance journey.
Set Up a Home Studio For Freelancing
The first step to becoming a professional freelance voice actor for anime is to set up a home studio.
A home studio does not have to be incredibly elaborate to begin with. One of the only items you will need is a voice actor quality microphone and free software like Audacity.
Begin with dubbing over existing shows and trying out processes that work for you.
Freelancers should take advantage of voice acting lessons and any education they can find on the subject. Complete all of the items that we have discussed so far before beginning your freelance journey.
Practice as much as you can before accepting any gigs for voice acting for anime. Begin with impersonations or voices that you have been doing for a long time, then move to dub over some of your favorite anime.
Once you are comfortable in your craft, then you can move on to accepting freelancing gigs for anime voice acting.
Where To Find Gigs for Voice Acting For Anime
There are several sites dedicated to providing freelancers with opportunities for gigs in the fields that they are talented in. Sites that give freelance voice actors access to jobs include:
These sites allow you to post some examples of your work or even post gigs that you are willing to complete.
You are able to set your own prices and timelines for delivery. Some sites let you propose your own prices and proposals to job postings that are added by potential clients.
How Much Do Voice Actors for Anime Make?
Whether you are a freelance voice actor or one that is contracted by a studio, the question still remains: How much money do voice actors for anime make?
The answer to that question depends on how much work you put into finding gigs and potential clients and how often you are going on auditions. At the end of the day, voice actors can be anywhere on a broad spectrum of salaries.
Average Salary of Voice Actors For Anime
The average salary for voice actors for anime can range dramatically depending on the work and its physical demand.
For some seasoned voice actors, three to four-hour recording sessions are the maximum they can do in one day. Anymore and voice actors risk damaging their vocal cords.
Voice actors can range in salary between $23,000 to $111,500 or approximately $36.68 per hour.
Voice actors for anime must consider the time they spend auditioning for roles vs. how much time they spend doing actual voice over work.
The voice acting industry is expected to grow at least 1% between 2008 and 2028. Freelance voice actors for anime are becoming more popular since 2020, which saw a rise in gig-type work that can be found on sites like Fiverr or Upwork.
Resources To Help You with Voice Acting
Practicing your craft is one of the best ways to become a talented and successful voice actor for anime, but a few extra resources could never hurt. If you are looking for additional resources to help improve your chops as a voice actor for anime, you could investigate voice acting lessons or audiobooks to help you improve.
Lessons To Help You Improve Your Voice over Acting
There are many avenues to take that can help you improve your craft and get you into the door of voice acting for anime.
There are tons of organizations online that offer voice-acting lessons. Here are some of the best ways to get voice-acting lessons for anime.
- Skillshare
- Skillshare offers a wide array of voice over-acting lessons for just $9.99 per month.
- You can take these courses at your own pace and on your own timeline
- There are various instructors with accreditations or that are currently working in the industry that can give you insider knowledge on how the business works.
- TakeLessons.Com
- TakeLessons.com lets you pick the instructor of your choice and the rate that they are offering.
- TakeLessons.com has a wide array of different instructors with different qualifications that may suit your specific genre of voice acting.
- This site gives you the opportunity to work one-on-one with an instructor in real-time instead of watching pre-recorded videos.
- Lessons.com
- Lessons.com gives you the opportunity to search for in-person lessons in your area by putting in your zip code and browsing through nearby instructors that are offering lessons in your field.
These three options for finding lessons for voice over acting for anime represent three different types of learning. Skillshare offers pre-recorded videos that you can watch and learn at your own pace.
Takelessons.com offers you a digital one-on-one method of learning. Lessons.com gives you the opportunity to seek out an in-person lesson from an instructor in your area.
Choosing one or more of these options is not required by any means but will only give you that much more of an edge when it comes to making quality content for your portfolio and applying to gigs in the industry.
No matter which of these options you choose, getting voice acting lessons will help you become a successful voice actor for anime.
Books To Help You Improve Your Voice over Acting
There are plenty of books on the market that can help you hone your craft. Voice acting for anime is a skill that can be worked on and improved constantly.
If you are the type of person that learns from written material, don’t worry; there are plenty of books on the market to help you improve your craft and eventually land a job as a voice actor. Here are some of the best books to look into when searching for ways to improve.
- The Voice Over Actor’s Handbook
- This handbook from voice over coach John Burr is designed to help you break down and understand script reading.
- You will learn to compare and contrast characters and read and understand the dialogue.
- Burr includes a section on language dynamics that instructs the readers on how to decipher sentences within scripts.
- Voice over Voice Actor: The Extended Edition
- This voice over book contains an incredible amount of information about what goes on behind the scenes in voice acting.
- It includes:
- Warm-up exercises
- Tips on reading copy effectively
- Hints to help you stand out
- Tips on setting up your home studio
- Keys to marketing yourself
- Voice Over Acting: How To Become A Voice Over Actor
- This book is a definitive guide to becoming a voice over actor.
- It will allow you to gain knowledge on how to get a career in voice over acting or how to take your voice over career to the next level.
- It will help you utilize the techniques you will need to get the gigs you want.
- It will also teach you about the equipment you will need to use and how to use it.
- The Art of Voice Acting: The Craft and Business of Performing for Voiceover
- This handbook covers:
- How to get started as a voice over actor
- Common performing techniques and tips
- How to set up a home recording space
- Doing voice over demos
- How to run a voice over business
- How to effectively work with agents and unions.
- Additional content not found in the book can be found ad AVOAvoiceacting.com
- This handbook covers:
- The Voice over Startup Guide: How To Land Your First VO Job
- This voice over startup guide covers the ins and outs of landing your first job as a voice over actor.
- You will learn:
- How to make money voice over acting from home
- How to create voice over demos
- How to perform the fourteen styles of voice over acting
- This book provides new voice over actors with twenty-five actionable steps they can take to immediately improve their progress in the industry.
These books are all excellent options to use when trying to get your foot in the door as a voice actor for anime. They will teach you all the fundamentals and business practices that you need to become a successful voice actor.
If you are currently voice acting, these books could help you take your career to the next level, especially in the business aspect of the industry.
Conclusion
Getting into voice acting for anime can be tougher than you would expect, but with work and dedication, there are no limits to the payoffs that this career offers. Voice acting for anime begins with acting lessons.
Honing your craft is the most important thing you can do to succeed in this industry. Do your research and decide what roles you want to audition for or what gigs you want to apply for.
If you are looking to be a traditional voice actor that does a lot of studio work, you will need to be sure you live somewhere close to where this type of work is available.
If you don’t want to relocate, then becoming a freelance voice actor for anime is always an option.
Create a portfolio and set up your home studio, then practice as much and as often as you can to really perfect your craft and seal your fate as a successful voice actor for anime.
Sources
https://animewhiz.com/anime-voice-actor/
https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/how-much-do-voice-actors-make/
https://www.voices.com/help/beginners-guide-to-voice-acting/making-money-doing-voice overs
https://www.mellostudio.com/top-5-websites-to-find-voice over-jobs/
https://manga.tokyo/otaku-articles/how-to-become-a-voice-actor-in-the-anime-industry/
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