If you are looking for a new and exciting career that you can work full or part-time, voice acting is certainly one you want to consider. There are many benefits to this line of work that can enrich your life and that of your family.
At the same time, there are some potential disadvantages that you will want to consider before you pursue it wholeheartedly.
Becoming a voice actor requires a substantial investment on your part in terms of time and money. Before you decide to spend this much human and financial capital on something, you will want to make sure that you analyze as many of the pros and cons as possible.
Continue reading to uncover both the positive and negative aspects of voice acting.
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Can You Make a Living Off Voice Acting?
As with virtually any profession, the amount of money you make with voice acting is directly proportional to the amount of effort you are willing to put into it.
While your initial jobs might not pay as much as you would like, more important assignments can be pretty lucrative for what amounts to just a few hours of your time.
Many voice actors will start with small radio spots in their local market. These will pay about $35. While that might not get you rich anytime soon, they can quickly lead you into landing assignments for recording digital video recordings for small websites.
Here is a quick listing of what you could potentially make as a voice actor:
- Small market radio commercials – $35
- Brief recordings for individual websites – $150
- Major market radio commercials – Between $250 and $350
- Full audiobook – Between $2,000 and $5,000 per audiobook
This is just a sampling of the types of jobs and the average pay you can expect to earn as a voice over actor. While you might not be able to make a living right away, this is one field where experience and name recognition really does matter.
Once people know you and your talent becomes in demand, it is quite easy to see yourself earning more than enough money to make this your full-time career.
4 Notable Advantages of Voice Acting
This is a field that continues to grow. If you have the passion and dedication required to excel at voice acting, then there is likely a place for you. There are certainly some benefits associated with doing so, beginning with the following four.
Your Voice Can Leave a Mark on the World
Voice acting can be a fulfilling profession that allows you to use your talent to do some good in the world. There are many different types of jobs you can accept that enable you to impact your audience positively.
This will give you a certain amount of pride in your work that is not easily found in other professions.
Many projects would not have the type of impact they do on the world without a voice over actor. You might do a piece for a charitable organization where your voice alerts people around the world of an essential need and motivates them to give accordingly. This will make you feel good about what you have done.
Work with Interesting Clients and Join a Vibrant Community
You will work for some unique and interesting clients along the way as a voice actor. The connections that you make will enhance both your professional and personal life. This is much different than just sitting in an office all day long doing a desk job.
There are a number of industry events, seminars, and trainings that you can attend as a voice actor. This allows you to mingle with other actors, exchange ideas, learn how to land more exciting and lucrative projects, and simply enjoy the profession that you have chosen.
You Are Not Limited by Geography or Time
If you are the type of person who never knows where you will be at any given time of the year, voice acting is for you. It is possible to travel the world and continue working.
You just need to take your equipment with you. It is incredible how easy it is to set up your recording studio virtually anywhere in the world.
It is also possible to do your voice acting at any time of the day or night. You will typically be given a deadline. As long as you complete your work by that time, you are free to work whenever you want. You can even perform voice acting in pajamas if you choose to.
Work Hard and Earn More Money
As mentioned earlier in this post, it is possible to make a full-time living with voice acting if you choose to do so and you put your mind to it. You are limited by how much and how hard you are willing to work.
As a voice actor, you become your own boss. Your voice is what you use to sell your talent. Do that well, and you can earn as much money as you would like to.
Voice acting has become a tremendous part-time profession for some while earning others a significant full-time income. The choice is yours.
3 Notable Disadvantages of Voice Acting
Thus far, everything sounds perfect about voice acting. You are probably ready to sign up and start recruiting your first clients. Before you jump into the mix with both feet, read through the following three notable disadvantages of voice acting so that you know what you are getting into.
It Can Take a Long Time to Get Established
Your time is valuable. Keep that in mind because it will cost you a great deal of time at the beginning of your voice acting career to really make this work.
You will need to rehearse and get your voice ready for the studio. It is also essential to master the technology required to be a voice actor.
Using your voice in this way takes work. You need to account for the time required to learn the profession, meaning that you will probably need to have another source of income until you can master the trade.
You Will Be Isolated for Long Periods of the Day
When you are working on a project, you can count on spending long hours in your recording studio trying to get things just right. This results in periods of isolation.
It is not a social job, meaning that you will not have people around to talk to and share the time together. That is something to keep in mind as you start out in your career as a voice actor.
There Are Some Monetary Expenses to Account For
This is a job that requires equipment. That can be expensive at the outset, so account for this in your budget. There are some training courses that you will need to take. In the early days, you may need to pay for auditions.
The money you spend will be going towards your future, so keep that in mind. If you are not willing to spend some money to make it big in this profession, you will want to think twice about getting started in the first place.
Wrap-Up
Now that you know the pros and cons of voice acting, it is time to make your decision. Are you willing to put in the effort required to learn the trade, get some clients, and perfect your niche? If so, then this could well become a lucrative profession for you that also provides you with a great deal of self-fulfillment.
Sources:
https://dubbingking.com/pros-and-cons-of-getting-into-voice-acting/
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