Viz Media Question

[tjthompson]

Well, I feel like one of those newbie voice actors asking this question, but I'll just go ahead and do it. I've been doing a lot of research and reading a book called, "Voice Over Voice Actor What it's Like Behind the Mic" by Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt which by the way I highly recommend. Back to the point, I have always read that you technically don't need an agent to get into the industry which I don't seem to understand. I am in the process of trying to get an agent, and I'm pretty close to landing a paid job which would make it a lot easier, but in the meantime it seems like you need an agent to be called for any auditions in the video-game/anime industry. All I know is that Funimation holds open auditions, and I am on their list but I live in San Francisco. I had to turn down an invite to audition for a new show which was disappointing but I hope to make the next one. But honestly, I don't live where the kind of voice over work I love is, the only dubbing company that I know of in San Francisco is Viz and I don't know how to contact the talent coordinator. This sounds really unprofessional huh? I know. I'm sure you need an agent to audition. It is really depressing as I have actually seen the building where they are recording which is about 15 mins from my house. If anybody knows of anything please let me know. Thanks.

[Kei]

It might be different here, but I was recommended against getting an agent. You're not going to be making allot of money on anime voice over and it's just another pocket your money is going to be going to. Not to say getting one is bad, just that I won't be getting one for that reason.

[topleka]

If you intend to go pro all the way (as in, voiceovers full time for radio, commercial, everything), then you might want an agent. In general, agents have more connections than you do, and they're more likely to get you that audition you want. If you're only interested in being a dub actor, you probably don't want an agent. Agents always take a percent of the money you make, and since dubbing pays approximately a hill of beans, you'll be making even less. Plus, honestly, an agent probably isn't interested in representing you if that's all you want to do. The advice I always give is to take classes and join community theater. Besides giving you a huge edge when you do land that audition, you'll also be making important contacts. The person teaching the class you're taking might know the talent coordinator and recommend you if you perform well. I'm pretty sure several VAA members have done work for Bang Zoom after taking their Adventures in Voice Acting courses. I can name several people at FUNi who got voice work because they were in a stage play with a fellow actor who saw their talent and recommended them. Get your name out there any way you can.

As an aside, a good percentage of voice actors at FUNimation have agents. The ones who don't tend to not be full time voice actors, and they have other jobs.

[tjthompson]

If you intend to go pro all the way (as in, voiceovers full time for radio, commercial, everything), then you might want an agent. In general, agents have more connections than you do, and they're more likely to get you that audition you want. If you're only interested in being a dub actor, you probably don't want an agent. Agents always take a percent of the money you make, and since dubbing pays approximately a hill of beans, you'll be making even less. Plus, honestly, an agent probably isn't interested in representing you if that's all you want to do. The advice I always give is to take classes and join community theater. Besides giving you a huge edge when you do land that audition, you'll also be making important contacts. The person teaching the class you're taking might know the talent coordinator and recommend you if you perform well. I'm pretty sure several VAA members have done work for Bang Zoom after taking their Adventures in Voice Acting courses. I can name several people at FUNi who got voice work because they were in a stage play with a fellow actor who saw their talent and recommended them. Get your name out there any way you can.

As an aside, a good percentage of voice actors at FUNimation have agents. The ones who don't tend to not be full time voice actors, and they have other jobs.

Thanks! I actually do stage as well, I've performed quite a few times at the San Francisco Cow Palace, (over 9,000 in attendance!) I love stage, but for those performances I get asked to do them. And I actually don't even have a community theater! I would like to take improv and maybe drama over the summer. Thankfully I have the best voice acting school in my area, Voice One. I would love to do the workshops at cons too, I haven't been to a con though! Hoping to go to Fanime in January I think.

[tjthompson]

It might be different here, but I was recommended against getting an agent. You're not going to be making allot of money on anime voice over and it's just another pocket your money is going to be going to. Not to say getting one is bad, just that I won't be getting one for that reason.

I'm honestly not doing this for money, I do voice acting because I love it and have a passion for it. I would pay them to do it! I love voice acting, I do it for free right now and why? Because it's fun! It's like playing! I'm not saying this is you, but if someone wants to do voice over for the money, they just shouldn't. The voice actors that make it do so because it's something they love. When auditioning for an anime, Vic Mignogna was asked, "I just don't understand, with what you are getting payed and having to fly out here you're barely making an money! Why would you want to do that?" Vic replied, "I love what I do. I get to come in here, and it is fun for me, I feel like I should be paying you to have this much fun. If I get payed, then that's great but that's not why I do it."

Sorry, I'm not mad at you, it's just a sensitive area for me in voice acting. All around, yes I might mainly want to do just anime, animation, and video games but in general you need an agent to be invited to audition for such projects. This is why I am auditioning for small animations, commercials, small games, promos etc. because they are technically speaking professional and something to put on my resume. Once I have a good enough resume with these kins of things I can get an agent so I can audition for things I love.

[Kei]

I'm honestly not doing this for money, I do voice acting because I love it and have a passion for it. I would pay them to do it! I love voice acting, I do it for free right now and why? Because it's fun! It's like playing! I'm not saying this is you, but if someone wants to do voice over for the money, they just shouldn't. The voice actors that make it do so because it's something they love. When auditioning for an anime, Vic Mignogna was asked, "I just don't understand, with what you are getting payed and having to fly out here you're barely making an money! Why would you want to do that?" Vic replied, "I love what I do. I get to come in here, and it is fun for me, I feel like I should be paying you to have this much fun. If I get payed, then that's great but that's not why I do it."

Sorry, I'm not mad at you, it's just a sensitive area for me in voice acting. All around, yes I might mainly want to do just anime, animation, and video games but in general you need an agent to be invited to audition for such projects. This is why I am auditioning for small animations, commercials, small games, promos etc. because they are technically speaking professional and something to put on my resume. Once I have a good enough resume with these kins of things I can get an agent so I can audition for things I love.

I wasn't discouraging you from pursuing it, I wasn't even really talking about you exactly. You said: "I have always read that you technically don't need an agent to get into the industry which I don't seem to understand." and I was explaining why I don't want an agent. =|

Also, please don't double post. ^^'' use the multiquote feature if you want to quote two people.

EDIT: Also, to clarify. Toronto doesn't have much of an 'anime market' so I'll just be doing general voice work.

[topleka]

I'm honestly not doing this for money, I do voice acting because I love it and have a passion for it. I would pay them to do it! I love voice acting, I do it for free right now and why? Because it's fun! It's like playing! I'm not saying this is you, but if someone wants to do voice over for the money, they just shouldn't. The voice actors that make it do so because it's something they love. When auditioning for an anime, Vic Mignogna was asked, "I just don't understand, with what you are getting payed and having to fly out here you're barely making an money! Why would you want to do that?" Vic replied, "I love what I do. I get to come in here, and it is fun for me, I feel like I should be paying you to have this much fun. If I get payed, then that's great but that's not why I do it."

Sorry, I'm not mad at you, it's just a sensitive area for me in voice acting. All around, yes I might mainly want to do just anime, animation, and video games but in general you need an agent to be invited to audition for such projects. This is why I am auditioning for small animations, commercials, small games, promos etc. because they are technically speaking professional and something to put on my resume. Once I have a good enough resume with these kins of things I can get an agent so I can audition for things I love.

No one's saying you're in it for the money. If someone says voice acting doesn't pay much, it's just a cautionary thing. If you don't have to now, you'll eventually have to pay for your own clothing, food, gas, living area, etc. and that costs a lot of money. A lot of money you simply won't have if you're doing solely anime voice acting.

As I mentioned earlier, the actors at FUNimation are either full time pros doing other acting work (TV, film, commercials, etc.), or they have another job. One of the most popular VAs at FUNi makes her living as a school teacher. You know, the people who get paid practically nothing. You say you're willing to pay to be a voice actor. Nothing wrong with that, but where will you get the money from? Your day job? The one that requires you to be at work during the same hours that a recording studio normally operates? I don't know many directors and engineers who will say, "Sure! I'll stick around after hours to let you record, even though I could be home with my family right now."

The reason ANY voice actor wants to be paid is so that they can focus on voice acting without having to carry another job or dance around schedules or get in trouble with the boss at the other work place. It's because they love voice acting so much, it's all they want to do. Kei is only advising against getting an agent so that you'll be more likely to have enough money to pay your rent at the end of the month.

[tjthompson]

No one's saying you're in it for the money. If someone says voice acting doesn't pay much, it's just a cautionary thing. If you don't have to now, you'll eventually have to pay for your own clothing, food, gas, living area, etc. and that costs a lot of money. A lot of money you simply won't have if you're doing solely anime voice acting.

As I mentioned earlier, the actors at FUNimation are either full time pros doing other acting work (TV, film, commercials, etc.), or they have another job. One of the most popular VAs at FUNi makes her living as a school teacher. You know, the people who get paid practically nothing. You say you're willing to pay to be a voice actor. Nothing wrong with that, but where will you get the money from? Your day job? The one that requires you to be at work during the same hours that a recording studio normally operates? I don't know many directors and engineers who will say, "Sure! I'll stick around after hours to let you record, even though I could be home with my family right now."

The reason ANY voice actor wants to be paid is so that they can focus on voice acting without having to carry another job or dance around schedules or get in trouble with the boss at the other work place. It's because they love voice acting so much, it's all they want to do. Kei is only advising against getting an agent so that you'll be more likely to have enough money to pay your rent at the end of the month.

Yeah, I didn't actually mean that I'd pay people to let me record. I'm just making a point, that I do it because I love it. And I don't just plan on doing anime, as I said I'm doing everything right now for experience. The things I'm passionate about are animation, anime, and videogames. And I have a part time job (I'm 16...). Personally I don't plan on just doing voice for a living.

Anyway, enough of the side point I didn't plan on this being a discussion about, "Do you voice for money?"

[chalyn]

Does anyone know of an agent or someone who is a reliable starting point? I want to get into voice acting but i have absolutelu no contacts whatsoever....

[AssenavxActress]

Well, I feel like one of those newbie voice actors asking this question, but I'll just go ahead and do it. I've been doing a lot of research and reading a book called, "Voice Over Voice Actor What it's Like Behind the Mic" by Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt which by the way I highly recommend. Back to the point, I have always read that you technically don't need an agent to get into the industry which I don't seem to understand. I am in the process of trying to get an agent, and I'm pretty close to landing a paid job which would make it a lot easier, but in the meantime it seems like you need an agent to be called for any auditions in the video-game/anime industry. All I know is that Funimation holds open auditions, and I am on their list but I live in San Francisco. I had to turn down an invite to audition for a new show which was disappointing but I hope to make the next one. But honestly, I don't live where the kind of voice over work I love is, the only dubbing company that I know of in San Francisco is Viz and I don't know how to contact the talent coordinator. This sounds really unprofessional huh? I know. I'm sure you need an agent to audition. It is really depressing as I have actually seen the building where they are recording which is about 15 mins from my house. If anybody knows of anything please let me know. Thanks.

Hey! There's no silly questions! I am very glad you decided to ask because I LOVE reading what people have to say. Lots of great advice to be given. So thank you!