definitions

Classes

During a voice acting class, you will learn in a group setting with other students, whether online or in-person. Classes may either be lecture-only (usually featuring a Q&A with the instructor afterward), or may feature both a lecture portion and a live-read portion in which students will perform scripts and receive feedback and direction from the instructor.

Some classes offer the option to audit, which essentially means “observation only”. You do not get to read scripts or participate in the class itself, but you get to listen to the students read and receive feedback, which can still be a valuable method of learning. Auditing offers a great opportunity for those on a budget (auditor seats tend to cost quite a bit less than signing up as a participant) and also offers chances to get in on a class that’s already full.

>>Who is it meant for?

Classes can be for anyone at any point in their career, but some classes may be targeted towards beginners while others will have prerequisites such as having taken a previous class, having a certain number of years of acting credits or already having experience in the industry. Be sure to read the class description prior to signing up to ensure it’s at an appropriate level for you—this will help you get the most out of your investment.

Coaching

During a coaching session, you meet one-on-one with the instructor (usually online these days, but some coaches may still offer in-person options) to go over your goals as an actor and receive tailored feedback. How each coach operates may vary, but here is a generalized example:

You are looking to improve upon your commercial reads in hopes of being represented by an agency. You decide to study with a coach who is experienced in the commercial realm and knows what modern casting directors and agents are looking for. During your initial consultation, the coach may work with you to develop a personalized “action plan”—or, they might simply dive in and have you start reading copy, to which they will provide critique and direction.

For coaching to be most effective, you’ll ideally work with the coach across multiple sessions, but sometimes actors—especially already working pros—may prefer to meet with a coach for a “one-off” session to either ensure they’re on the right track with their auditions or identify areas that need improvement.

Some coaches may focus more on other areas adjacent to VO—for example, an actor may hire a “marketing and branding” coach to assist with their website and social media accounts.

>>Who is it meant for?

If you are a beginner, group classes will almost always be a better investment than one-on-one coaching. This is because many beginners tend to fall into similar patterns and pitfalls. Learning generalized acting techniques, such as how to break down a scene and interpret emotion in the copy, can be universally applicable to all the students in the class and do not require meeting one-on-one to learn. Group classes can also be a chance to make friends and potential industry connections, and learn by observing others’ acting choices and the feedback they receive.

Workshops (and showcases)

Workshops can be synonomous with “classes”, but often imply a more hands-on approach. Rather than focusing on lecture, workshops may prioritize on-mic time and are sometimes targeted to particular genres of works.

One common type of workshop – especially in LA – are casting director or agent workshops (sometimes also called “showcases”). Rather than a traditional class, these workshops are meant as a chance for actors to read copy in front of a specific industry professional and receive feedback. These are commonly seen as a chance to get in front of that director or agent, and people can and do sometimes make industry connections from these events, though it’s important to note that it is ultimately still an educational opportunity and does not necessarily mean you will receive auditions, work or an offer of representation.

>>Who is it meant for?

For a traditional workshop, be sure to read the class description to see what – if any – prerequisites are recommended. There are workshops available for actors at all levels of their careers, from beginners to working pros.

Casting director/agent workshops, however, are largely targeted to already-working actors. The guest director isn’t there to help you learn to act; the general assumption is that you already know how to act if you are there taking that workshop. Instead, they will provide brief but targeted feedback on your reads from their perspective in the industry. For example, if you are reading animation copy in front of an agent, the agent might make note of some adjustments you could make that would help your audition be competitive with the talent they already represent. If you are reading video game copy for a casting director, they might provide some direction for how your audition could hypothetically make it to the shortlist for a game that was being cast.

While beginner actors may understandably be tempted to take an agent or casting director workshop in hopes of getting on that person’s radar, it is very unlikely that they will reach out further to amateur/inexperienced talent unless you happen to already be exceptionally skilled or happen to fit exactly what they’re looking for on a current project. Taking group classes first to ensure your acting foundations are solid is generally a good strategy. Remember that it is only a chance, not a guarantee, that this person may reach out to you in the future—but at the very least, it is a chance to get some direction from them and learn what they may be looking for in the projects they cast or the talent they represent.

Intensives/Programs

An “intensive” is a group class experience designed to pack as much information and training as possible for students who are seriously looking to level up their craft. For example, you might hear about an “animation intensive” that would run for four or even eight hours on a weekend, or perhaps a multi-week course program dedicated to various aspects of acting or voiceover.

>>Who is it meant for?

If you are serious about leveling up your skills in a relatively short amount of time, and have the availability in your schedule to participate, an acting intensive or a multi-course program such as a summer conservatory may be beneficial to growing as a performer. Single-day or weekend intensives can be good for already busy working actors, as it is less likely to interfere with availability for gig bookings.

However, it’s important to note that everyone progresses on their own time, and studying in a conservatory or other course program does not mean you will be automatically ready for an agent, a demo, or paid work by the end of the term. Nevertheless, it can be a nice addition to your resume and you will almost certainly come out of it having learned something. Just be sure it is a reputable program and not a “get rich quick” or “get discovered” scheme!

Mentorships

Mentorships are a unique opportunity that either happens naturally or by way of a mentorship placement program. A mentorship is a chance to work one-on-one with and learn from a senior, more experienced actor in your industry. This could be as simple as meeting for coffee or on Zoom every so often to ask for their insight, or perhaps even “shadowing” them in a session if permitted by the studio.

Mentorships aren’t always paid deals—sometimes, an established actor may offer to mentor a newer actor because they are already friends with that person, believe they have exceptional potential, or want to help out someone who would otherwise be lacking in the resources to pursue VO education. Unlike a coach, a mentor may be less focused on providing acting feedback but rather helping the actor pursue their career as a whole.

Most of the time, simply asking someone to be your mentor won’t work, as many working actors do not have the time or mental bandwidth to take someone “under their wing” so to speak. But you can always check to see if an actor you look up to offers paid consultation opportunities, or if there is a mentorship program available for a specific group or demographic you belong to. If you already know the actor in question to some degree, you can also simply ask if you may take them out to coffee or lunch and ask them a few questions. As long as you are polite and respectful of their time, the worst they can say is “no”!

getting the most out of your training

in group classes

• Listen to your classmates’ reads and the feedback they are getting, rather than just zoning out and waiting for your turn. Much learning can be done through observation!
• Bring materials to take notes so you can remember the points that were discussed. These notes can end up being valuable even years down the line!
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the Q&A period. There are no “stupid questions” and the answers you get may help someone else in class, too!
• Try to attend the full class if you’re able to—while sometimes schedule conflicts mean leaving early is unavoidable, dipping out as soon as your read is done means you are missing out on valuable chances to connect with and learn from others.
• If the instructor gives out their email address at the end of class, it’s okay to send them a quick thank-you note so they have your contact info just in case they ever want to keep in touch down the line. You may also (sparingly) reach out to them down the line if you book something using techniques you’ve learned from them and would like to share your win!

in one-on-one coaching

• Prior to or at the beginning of your session, go over your goals and what skills you are looking to improve. Being specific can help your coach target the areas you want to work on.
• If you need any disability accommodations, don’t be afraid to bring them up ahead of time. For example, asking to record the session could be considered a reasonable accommodation for an auditory processing disorder so long as you agree not to post or distribute the session recordings.
• When you are given a direction, resist the urge to argue or try to justify why you did the read you did. Part of effective coaching is learning to interpret notes you are given and apply them to your reads.
• If you didn’t understand a note you were given, it’s okay to ask for it to be repeated or rephrased.

how to find reputable coaches/teachers

Ask for recommendations.

Talk to your actor friends in your area and see which teachers they recommend. Ask them to be honest with you about why something worked or didn’t work for them—remember that each person’s experience is different, so just because one person didn’t feel they learned much or didn’t “click” with a particular teacher doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t. You can also research online, but beware of putting too much stock into the “testimonials” section of a website—most companies and individuals that offer lessons will gladly post full and glowing testimonials from former students, but those who did not feel the class was valuable to them probably would not write such a testimonial.

Try to find unbiased sources for referrals. Chances are people will be happy to refer you to someone with whom they have a vested interest in, such as a family or friend who teaches. This isn’t a bad thing – we all want to support the businesses of people we know – but don’t feel pressured to study with a certain person just because you know them or have friends in common. Certain entities may also get a “kickback” or discount for referring people to a specific teacher or coach, so be wary (for example) if an agency tells you that you must study with a certain person in order to be considered for representation.

If an actor that you looked up to trained under a certain person or program, that can be a good sign, but it’s not necessarily the be-all end-all. An actor’s skill is a combination of many factors and even great actors have most likely taken a few classes that didn’t really work for them. But if you hear and see glowing recommendations from multiple (unbiased) sources for certain teachers, that’s usually a good sign!

Consider the coach’s background, experience, and current relevancy in the industry.

Just because someone is a voice actor doesn’t automatically make them a great teacher or coach. Some voice actors go into coaching to supplement their acting income when bookings are slow, but lack the ability to effectively teach their students.

An ideal coach is someone who has significant professional experience in the area of the voiceover industry you are looking to work in. This could be as an actor, director, casting director, former agent, etc. The coach should generally have experience working with multiple studios/clients and have a solid idea of what people casting are looking for.

If someone has only been working as an actor for a couple of years and with one single production studio, chances are they are not yet ready to be coaching others. Conversely, if someone is an industry veteran but has barely worked in the past 20 years, they may be passing along outdated information. Styles and trends change quickly, so it’s important that your coach is up to date on the current pulse of the industry.

Consider the genre of VO your coach is knowledgeable in.

While “acting is acting”, commercials, animation, video games, and narration all have vastly different approaches and methods for effective auditioning. If you’re looking to improve your commercial reads, you probably wouldn’t go to a coach whose primary experience is directing anime, and if you’re looking to improve your video game reads, you probably wouldn’t go to a coach who primarily works in audiobooks. Chances are you will study with different coaches depending on what you’re hoping to work on at the moment.

Don’t skip your fundamentals.

If you’re a beginner, things like acting 101 and scene study are important for learning basic acting techniques such as how to break down a script and understand a character’s motives. You will almost certainly get more out of doing these classes before attempting to branch into more targeted workshops such as motion capture or dubbing.

Regarding “VO 101” classes…

You may be tempted to take an introductory course that claims to teach you all about the voice acting industry, but does not offer the opportunity for live reads. While some of these classes may be helpful, do keep in mind that much of the information they give can be found online for free via websites (such as this one, or I Want To Be A Voice Actor), podcasts, and YouTube videos. Sites such as NAVA and Gravy for the Brain also provide free resources about the business side of VO. Again, you can take an introductory lecture class if you think it will help you, but if money is tight, consider what you can learn online already at no cost!

In-person or online?

A traditional in-person class is great if it is available to you. Getting face time with the instructor and fellow students helps you be more “present”, and if the class is held in an actual recording studio, it will help you get practice behind the mic. If you don’t live in a hub city, taking in-person workshops can be a good excuse to take a trip and meet fellow voice actors!

However, particularly since Covid, many workshops are now available online, making this type of education more accessible to those outside of places like LA, Dallas or London. Online learning can still be a great option if it’s what works best for you!

Remember: A class or coaching session should primarily be approached as an educational experience.

There are many reasons why someone might want to take a specific class besides just working on their acting skills. Many people want to be “seen” by a specific casting director or studio and figure taking classes with them is the best way to go. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing and can lead to possible connections, but using that as your only reason to take a specific class will lead to disappointment if that connection doesn’t pan out. Ask yourself if you still feel like you could learn something valuable from this lesson even if you don’t walk away with any possible new work opportunities.

If an actor you follow or look up to also offers coaching, study with them because of what you hope to learn from them, not just because you’re a fan of theirs. Approaching your lesson as a means to get to know them rather than have them give you feedback on your reads will probably make things awkward and won’t really be a valuable use of your money, anyway.

Unless terms of the class prohibit doing so, it’s okay to reach out to the instructor afterward to thank them for the experience and give them your contact info. However, it’s important to respect their time and not continue to bother them unless it’s for necessary business purposes. Taking a class or coaching session with someone means that they are giving you feedback during the session time which you paid for. It does not mean they are obligated to listen to your demo, be your friend/mentor, or that you may solicit their feedback on other auditions, unless they specifically reach out to offer you these things.

Feel out the vibes.

Many coaches will offer a consultation or some other introductory type session where you get to know each other and see if the partnership is a good fit.

An ideal coaching session should feel like a safe place to learn, play, and be yourself. The coach should not judge you for making mistakes—a coaching session is actually the perfect place to make mistakes because it’s a chance to learn and grow! Some coaches do take more of a no-nonsense approach and while criticism is essential, it shouldn’t make you feel terrible about yourself as a person or an actor. The overall experience should still feel constructive, healthy and positive.

As always, trust your gut instinct!

We say this again and again here, but it’s important! Remember that unless you prepaid for a set amount of workshops or coaching sessions, nothing obligates you to continually studying with someone if you don’t feel it’s helpful for you or the best use of your money. Not everyone’s method is going to be a good fit for everyone. Perhaps the type of feedback they’ve been giving doesn’t really resonate with you, or your personalities don’t mesh well, or you’ve been studying with them for a while but don’t really see much improvement in your performance or technique even though you’ve made the effort to learn and work hard. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re a bad teacher, just that it’s not currently effective for you. Just as their time is valuable, your time and money is, too.

(And unfortunately…there are occasionally snakey con artists and scam companies out there who will be happy to take your money and provide very little value in return, so it’s important to trust your gut when it comes to bad/dishonest/greedy vibes you get, too.)

red flags to watch out for

“Get rich quick” or “get discovered” schemes

If an introductory class frames voiceover as a quick and easy way to make money from home, RUN.
If a company sells their class as a way to “get discovered” as a voice actor, RUN.

These companies do not have your best interest in mind—they’re hoping to hook you in with lofty promises about how you can get rich doing voiceover…as long as you continue spending money with them! They may attempt to pressure you into not only taking more and more classes with them, but buying their specific services, equipment, demo production, etc.

A reputable coach or teacher should be willing to be honest about how the VO landscape realistically is. They may share what success can look like, but they won’t make false promises about how you’ll be making money right away if you just study with them. Similarly, they may offer to help you get on the right track to where your skills are competitive enough to get agency representation, but they won’t sugarcoat how difficult the process can be.

Demo mills

Individuals grow and adapt at different rates and there is not a one-size-fits-all formula for how long it takes for someone to be ready. This is particularly true for certain milestones like recording a demo or getting an agent. You cannot magically force yourself to achieve “success” on a specific timeline regardless of what kind of classes you take. Yet there is no shortage of companies that are happy to sell students that dream.

A “demo mill” is a course program that claims to be able to fast track students on the path to VO success. Part of the allure of these programs is that they offer to produce a demo for you at the end of your training. While this isn’t always a bad thing, many of these programs tend to prey on newer actors by luring them in with false promises of success—“if you just take our course and get your demo done with us, you’ll be ready for an agent in no time!” Thousands of dollars later, the student is left with a mediocre demo that they weren’t quite ready for.

One of the problems with demo mills is not only that the student isn’t evaluated for their demo readiness, but also that these demos tend to be generic. Scripts are reused for multiple talent (and often taken from recognizable existing copy), talent are assigned these scripts without consideration for how to highlight their own unique skills and archetypes, and may be directed into reads that are outdated or otherwise not competitive in the modern industry. The mixing, length and structure of the demo may not adhere to modern industry standards either, causing the actor to fail to make a good impression when sending it out.

While getting a demo as part of your training may seem like a good deal, it will rarely serve you well in the long term. When you are truly ready for a demo, you should work with a demo producer who is willing to tailor the demo specifically to your strength and your goals and is also aware of what casting directors and agents are currently looking for. A reputable coach should also be honest with their students about whether or not they are ready for a demo.

Insisting their way is the only way

A reputable coach or teacher will acknowledge that there are various methods and approaches to acting, and that their method may not ultimately be the one that resonates with everyone. They can ask you to keep an open mind and try their method to see if it works for you, but if they try to forbid you from studying with anyone else or claim that all other teachers/coaches are a sham, that’s a red flag and shows a lack of maturity. An individual who is secure in their teaching methods will understand that it may not work for everybody and not begrudge you if you decide it’s not working out.

High-pressure sales tactics

A “used car salesman” style coach who continually pressures you to purchase more sessions or shows a complete disregard for your financial situation indicates that they care far more about making money than they do about your growth as an actor. Yes, coaching is a business and coaches deserve to be paid appropriately for their time, but they should also be understanding if you need time to think things over before committing to multiple sessions or if you need to put your working relationship on hold for a bit due to finances.

Requiring classes to join a casting roster

If a casting director or studio insists that you must take their class or do a private coaching with them in order to be considered for their casting roster, this is a red flag. Many teachers who are also casting directors DO keep their students in mind for potential projects they may cast down the line, but this should not be sold as a primary reason to take their class. Remember: a good casting director will want to cast the right person for each part, regardless of whether that person happens to have paid them money before.

Unprofessional behavior

There are many examples of unprofessional behavior, but basically, someone marketing themselves as a teacher or coach should display at least the bare minimum of courteous behavior befitting of an industry professional. Possible red flags include:

• Trash-talking other teachers, current/former students, or others in the industry (educating students on how to spot scammers is one thing; gossiping about fellow actors or coaches is another)
• Poor communication skills (if your coach is also a busy working actor, they may have to reschedule often for gigs – plus “life happens” to everyone – but they should be communicating with you ASAP when this happens)
• Belittling or insulting you (coaching should feel like a safe space to play and learn—blunt feedback is OK, but they shouldn’t be talking down to you or making you feel bad about yourself)
• Routinely behaving in an unprofessional manner on social media (attacking other actors, involving themselves in drama, breaking NDAs, badmouthing clients, etc – perhaps they may still provide good insight on acting in which case you can ignore it at your discretion, but would this be someone you want as a role model?)
• Making you feel unsafe or uncomfortable in any way

Lack of actionable feedback

A coach who only gives you very generic feedback OR says nothing but positive things about your performance isn’t helping you grow. Even if they are a very nice person, chances are the reason you’re paying for coaching is because you want to improve as a performer. Some coaches may be more accustomed to working with beginners and that’s okay, but if they’re not able to provide more detailed critique and direction, you may be better off moving on.

What if you can’t afford classes or coaching?

• Take advantage of free resources online as much as possible (articles, podcasts, YouTube videos, webinars, etc.)
• Form a peer group with friends of yours at a similar skill level and schedule regular calls where you give each other feedback on your reads.
• If available to you, see about getting involved in a theatre production at your school, church or elsewhere in your community.
• If you have a small budget, look into auditor seats, which are often fairly cheap.
• Practice makes perfect! Practice reading out loud on your own and auditioning for open casting calls posted online.