You Love It and You Know It
It all begins with an idea.
The voiceover business can be a challenging place to make a living. There's the initial investment in equipment, setting up your recording space, getting coaching, practicing, more coaching, more practicing, the cost of demo production. The cost of continuing education. And auditioning and auditioning and auditioning...
And if you're skilled enough (or perhaps you remind someone of their uncle) maybe you land the job.
Of course, more often than not, you don't.
But you don't stop. You keep practicing, improving and auditioning. You're one of those people that turns the radio UP when a commercial comes on. You read out loud anything that falls in front of your eyes. You do tongue twisters just for fun.
Face it: you're a freak.
We all know that there are far easier ways to make money than doing voiceover. But you do this because you love it.
Let me say that again: YOU DO THIS BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT.
You do this because you can't possibly think of anything better than helping a business mold their idea into a tangible product. Because you walk into your studio confident that you can nail that audition, ace that narration, become that character and be the rockstar voice that everyone recognizes, yet no one knows your face. You're the unsung hero. There is nothing that gives you more excitement than being in this crazy business we're in. And that excitement you have shines through the microphone like a light through a lens. That passion makes what you do that much more important to you. Sure, you may only be talking about the discount on toilet paper on isle five, but to you, it's the freakin' Declaration of Independence. You know you have to give 100% of your heart and soul to this. You know that this business is cruel and unforgiving; It's merciless and doesn't care one way or the other about you. You know that success comes no other way. You know that if you can't, or don't want to do that, then this line of work isn't for you. But you shrug off all that nonsense, take a deep breath and hit record one more time, because you can't think of anything you'd rather do more.
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About Rob Marley - A Los Angeles native, Rob is an accomplished voice talent, producer and writer, now living in the Hill Country of Austin Texas.
Ride Your Own Ride
It all begins with an idea.
I’ve been riding motorcycles daily for about 9 years now. As a rider, there are certain things you encounter that are just an inevitable part of motorcycles. In addition to people feeling obligated to inform you about every horrific accident involving a motorcycle they’ve ever heard of, there will always be bikers going faster or doing crazier stuff than you think is safe.
A veteran biker knows the phrase “ride your own ride.” In other words, don't be too concerned by what someone else is doing and focus instead on what YOU are doing to be a safe, responsible individual.
This same principle can be applied to voiceover.
After going through this week, several things have become pretty evident:
There will always be someone willing to work for less than what is fair just to get the job.
There will always be someone cashing in and exploiting the naivete of a neophyte.
There will always be someone who responds to a disagreement with the nuclear option.
Trolls are going to be trolls no matter what.
You are ultimately the only person in control of your own destiny. You can choose to be angry or upset by the reactions of others, or you can continue to focus on what matters most: your own success. I'm not losing any sleep over the rantings of people I care nothing about. All I care about is being a professional and exceeding my clients expectations.
All you can do as a professional is shake your head, laugh it off and plan the work week ahead.
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About Rob Marley -
A Los Angeles native, Rob is an accomplished voice talent, producer and writer, now living in the Hill Country of Austin, Texas.
Blog Post Title Three
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Blog Post Title Four
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.