Resources for the working and aspiring Voice Actors

If you’ve been in the Voiceover business for any length of time, then you’re already in the know for this next topic by The VO Daddy.

Those of you who are in the beginning stages of the Voice Acting career, you’ll definitely want to get familiar with the Voiceover Resource Guide (VORG).

Back when I started out on my Voice Acting journey, the Voice Over Resource Guide was a free quarterly pamphlet publication which included directories of recording studios, acting classes, demo production services and more.  The VORG was often handed out during workshop classes, in Talent Agencies, or Casting Director offices to name a few. Now days, the information is available online via the VORG website.

Regardless of your experience in Voiceover, the Voice Over Resource Guide is still a valuable tool for all voice acting talent.

As great as this resource is by providing a directory of Talent Agencies, Casting Services, Recording Studios and so forth, there’s no guarantee that this database of updated information will accelerate your career on its own. It is a tool of resources and should be used as such.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have agency representation from a few different Talent Agencies.  To be honest, none of the agencies I signed up with came from the Voice Over Resource Guide, but your experience may be different.

My first agency representation was through The Berzon Talent Agency in Costa Mesa  California which I found on the Voiceover Resource Guide.

My demo was edited down from two minutes sixteen seconds, to one minute thirty seconds as I recall.

I was working as a first responder for Schafer Ambulance in Orange County CA at the time.

On the day I decided to drop off my freshly re-cut demo, I was working a twenty-four-hour shift and pulled up to Marian Berzon’s office in my Ambulance. Decked out in my first responder uniform, and without any advance notice, I stepped into Marion’s office to hand off my demo.

I may have said something like, “I want to be a voice actor, would you please check out my demo and let me know what you think?”

It just so happened that my demo had a commercial spot for “Anacin” which was in the style of a first responder having a headache.

I believe the combination of these things fell into place since Marion called me up the next day and asked me to come to her office to sign some paperwork.

Within the next twenty-four hours I was officially represented by the Berzon Talent Agency back in mid 2022.

My over all experience with the Marion was great. In most cases she would call me up to tell me I booked a job the following day. Marion had the influence in the voiceover industry to sell her talent on the strength of their demo. It was a rare occurrence to have to go an audition, but it did happen.

Sadly, Marion passed away in 2008 and I was back to self-managing my voice acting efforts.

Fast forward approximately four years later, and I was signed with the Hervey Grimes Talent Agency. This connection came through as a referral from my wife at the time who had worked on a play with Jeremy Aluma. Jeremy had posted on social media that he had recently become the head of the Voiceover department at Hervey Grimes and was looking to build his talent roster.  After exchanging a few emails and demos of my previous work, I was back to being represented.

That representation lasted about a year or so, and while I auditioned for a lot of high-profile projects, I ultimately booked one Audio Book project before the agency closed the Voice over department and yup, you guessed it, I was back to representing myself again.

A few years after that, I received another referral for The Library Agency with Julia Iryk.  I was with The Library Agency for approximately four years.

I don’t recall how I got an invitation the Julia’s office, but I was asked to come to her agency for an in-person audition.

I read a Direct TV Commercial spot and was signed with The Library Agency on the spot.

Unfortunately, my booking rate was rather lackluster with The Library Agency. In the end I made the decision to separate from agency.

While most people would consider having representation a good thing, I can say that I booked more work and have had a bit more success without representation as of these more recent years than I did with my previous two agencies combined. I suppose that’s one of the fickle parts of the business.

If I’ve learned anything about agency representation thus far, I would say that if you’re looking for representation, you’ll likely have the best results by being referred by someone already connected to the agency you’re seeking representation from.

For example, let’s say you’re a female voice talent seeking a voiceover agent, and you know a male on camera commercial actor friend who has representation from a local boutique talent agency.

Ask your friend/colleague if the agency he’s represented by has a voiceover department, who the point of contact is and what the agencies talent submission process or guidelines are.

When you submit to the agency for representation, you now have all the details necessary, from a referral, and you’re well on your way to making a good first impression., so don’t screw it up and good luck!