The most misguided question in voiceovers has got to be a combination of timing and naiveté. It is the one that comes before any training at all has ensued: “Do I have what it takes?” Granted, when most people think about the voice over industry they naturally assume the talent, the skill, the “everything it takes to make it” is all in the actual existing qualities of the voice itself. But there’s a reason they call it voice acting. I would say the voice itself factors in only in certain specific genres such as animation and perhaps when the copy is so short you can’t help but notice the voice. When storytelling is involved, when acting is involved, when relating on a human scale is involved, only a sense of authenticity and dynamism will engage the listener – fabulous voice be damned.
So, when I am asked right up front before any commitment to learning the craft is involved whether they should pursue voiceover or not, I gently remind my prospective students that voiceover is actually no different than any other field – it is a skill that must be learned. I, nor any coach out there cannot predict one’s propensity for learning the skills involved upon an initial conversation because again, this is one of learning, not of voice quality. In a way, it’s no different from piano lessons. You cannot ask a teacher if you have what it takes by just showing them your long, strong, and elegant hands. Imagine a football player walking onto the field and throwing the ball for the first time. It could very well be a terrible throw. But wait! Show that guy how to grip the ball properly, show him the proper way to extend his arm before, during, and after releasing the ball. Now let him try it again and again and again. Now you may tell him whether he might have a shot in this sport. There are no guarantees of success in any field you choose to pursue, but at the very least there must be some TRYING first before you’ll be able to gauge your chances, yes?