VO Seminar 101

Theater Companies

So many theatre professionals have shifted to expand into the VO market and with good reason. The flexibility of working from home while flexing creative muscles between shows, tours and semesters is a wonderful thing but it can be daunting and demand dedicated research hours we simply don’t have to get it all started.

That’s where VO 101 is designed to work. The goal is to give insight to help you avoid pitfalls and start from an accessible place that saves you time. I run down styles, equipment, auditioning and marketing basics and you walk away with a much more in depth understanding of what your VO career needs to get off of the ground.

Designed to function over zoom/google meet in a group setting, this course is perfect for companies and those who have a performance or radio background and are looking for opportunities to grow their understanding of the industry and their career options. 1-2 days is the recommended course schedule.

Both professional and recreational theater performers can gain a lot of knowledge here!

Colleges and Performance Programs

There are so many elements of theatre and the performing arts that covering all the opportunities for work and creativity will never be possible, even in the most esteemed programs. I started this offshoot of VO 101 when reflecting back on my own BFA experience and how, as someone who discovered my desire to pursue VO during undergrad, I was completely at a loss for how to get started or advance my career post graduation.

What equipment do I need to submit? Where do I find auditions? How do I compare rates? Do I need an agent? How is a recording session run? How do I walk into my first job with the confidence I need to leave a good impression?

This seminar entails all of the gems of information I wish someone had told me as an actor starting my VO journey but shouldn’t be limited to performers in terms of value of information or experience in the industry. Sound technicians, booth directors, marketing professionals, vocal performance majors—VO is truly a collaborative medium and even though we often do much of our work independently, learning how the industry works and how various roles inform our production is a huge lesson I learned along the way.

This course works well as a 1 time seminar/group setting and while performance programs are the target, it is encouraged to invite other majors and departments to come or contribute—A future commercial copywriter and marketing director can learn a great deal from this information and even more so a future VO.

Marketing and Sessions from a VO Perspective

Before launching into the corporate world of marketing, pitches or regular office hours, get a better understanding of what you need and can gain from the “voice” of your brand, product or content. In addition to working in VO, I spent over a decade in marketing, both in the corporate and promotional world. There is a great deal of time to be saved and insight to be gained around how to communicate more clearly with target audiences via the advertising and content you produce. I can’t tell you how smoothly well directed sessions breeze by, when a team knows what they’re trying to produce vs those that fall victim to constant missed cues, confusion on direction and far too much time or money wasted on the part of the client.

Beyond marketing, every phone message, local commercial, grassroots business needs to generate interest and genuine connection to succeed. I want you to feel comfortable knowing how to hire the right person as the voice of your company or even to confidently feel you can take on the role yourself. It’s less about acting ( though insight into how voice actors work is very helpful) and more about intentional branding and messaging. Learn how to clearly get this from your voice talent you hire as well as how to better champion your own brand or services with this more corporate focused series.