A Slice of Voice Over Life- From Suits to Sweats
February 4th, 2008 Posted in General Info, Marketing, Q & ASo many of us dream of getting out of our dreaded day jobs to jump into something that pushes our creative envelope. Some actually take the leap of faith and do it. This launches my series, “A Slice of Voice Over Life.” A look into voice actor’s lives- How they survive and thrive in this competitive world, plus tips and a little inspiration if you’re thinking of taking your own leap. Got a “Slice of Voice Over Life” story? I’d love to hear from you.
Margaret Lorenz’s story:
T: What was your corporate job before you got into voice over?
M: I was a sales manager for SBC communications here in San Francisco.
T: What made you take the leap of faith and quit your cushy corporate job?
M: My job wasn’t fulfilling any more. But I’d always been scared of financial insecurity. It was kind of a fluke. One of my colleagues overheard me leaving a voicemail message about our upcoming corporate picnic and said, “Hey you should do voice overs, you’ve got the love in your voice. My brother does the surf report at a local radio station. He can show you the ropes.” It was funny because I switched from my usual stressed out voice to my voicemail voice. It was like I was selling the picnic. So that was the moment I decided to change my life.
T: What was your game plan?
M: I saved money for a year before I quit. Then looked for an agent.
T: When you left your day job, how long did it take you before you started making money in voice over?
M: A month or two later I got a couple of small jobs, then it was another six months.
T: Any secrets to your voice over success?
M: I started listening to other actor’s demos and then I produced the second demo myself so that it would be a good representation of my voice over skills. I got an agent in two days.
T: What are you doing now?
M: I’m doing a lot of voice over work for clients like Apple, Macy’s, Yahoo, and I’m the voice of a computer on an amusement park ride in Florida. I’m also producing a local TV show in San Francisco about people doing amazing things with their lives, like traveling 6,000 miles to help disabled people in a developing country.
T: Any advice to others ready to take a leap of faith?
M: Don’t do it until you’re financially ready-Create a home studio so you can do your auditions while you have your day job.-It’s worth it! I love what I do everyday.
Check out Margaret Lorenz’s website.
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