At some point in your voiceover career, you may decide it’s time you knew how to get a voice agent. You may start off asking yourself ‘should I have an agent?‘ Or maybe ‘when in my career should I get an agent?‘
When the answers to these questions are ‘yes’ and ‘now’, the next question is ‘How do I get a voice agent?’
Ask Someone Who Knows!
At one of our GFTB voiceover training and networking events this summer, we caught up with Michelle Daeche, a voiceover agent from The Voice Agency.
I had a chat with Michelle to find out whether she had any advice for voice artists about how to approach a voice agent, and when is the right time to do so.
We talked about how VOs can make themselves stand out to agents who are inundated daily by new voice artists. She explains the fundamental must-haves before you get in touch, including why voice actors should have a Spotlight page.
Inside Secrets
I also asked Michelle what it really means when agents say ‘we’re not hiring now’. Is that actually true or just a way of letting someone down gently?!
What do things look like from the voice agent’s point of view? If you know the answer to that, you can make a much better impression when you approach an agent to represent you.
How to Get a Voice Agent
So here’s a summary of some of the key advice Michelle gives about how to get a voice agent:
- Do as much research as you can to find gaps in agencies which your voice could fill.
- Make sure you have a good voice reel and a Spotlight page.
- Contact an agent with a personal, engaging email including your reel, photo and Spotlight link.
- Keep expanding your skills through voiceover training.
Watch the Interview
All the unmissable detail of Michelle’s advice is in the video, so make sure you have a look.
Michelle Daeche Interview from Gravy For The Brain Ltd. on Vimeo.
Brilliant interview, Hugh. I had no idea the importance of a Spotlight page. Many years ago, I went to an agency and said I was interested in voice acting. No reel, just a portfolio and a short stage acting resume. Things would have definitely gone better if I had Michelle’s advice before that interview! Here’s to being better prepared. Thank you!
Thanks Michael. Glad you found it useful! 🙂
Thank you for posting this interview, Hugh. I’m in the process of trying to find that “perfect fit” with an agent and Michelle’s advice was very helpful. Do agents and casting directors ever hire “across the pond”? Just looking to expand my horizons. Thanks again for all the posts and webinars. Always helpful!
Hi Susan. Actually from time-to-time, UK agents do hire US voices and vice-versa as they are often asked for native speakers. Obviously, being available, great at it, and with a solid ISDN/Source Connect/ipDTL link is crucial to this. For example, one of our voices over here, Jay Britton has just landed an LA agent from the UK…so it can be done!
Great positive advice here direct from the `horse’s mouth’ but she glibly says “join Spotlight”. If only it were that easy! It is the old `chicken and egg’ story. You need work to get the experience (to qualify for Spotlight membership) but without the experience (and Spotlight membership) it is difficult to get the work. Advice on how to qualify for Spotlight membership might be useful!
Hi Terence. It’s much easier than you think – you just need two media based jobs and they are quite easy to pick up. Even getting a couple of jobs from P2P sites count. 🙂
Peter – regarding a link to a page like Spotlight, would a similar link to a VoiceRegistry.com page be suitable? It’s a bridging page to Voicebank.net and seems geared to North America in the same way Spotlight is geared to Europe and the UK. On that page are my demos and cv etc. I imagine the aim is similar.
HI Michael.
Yep – the point is that you have everything you’ve done on one page. The reason spotlight is so commonly used rather than IMDB is that IMDB is so hard to control and validate, whereas Spotlight can contain your headshot, your CV, all your voice, theatre, tv, film work etc. The reason we don’t usually advise people to do this on their websites is that they inevitably make it hard for people to see what’s there and it doesn’t look straight forward – but if it is, then a normal web page would be fine as would your suggestion. 🙂
Hugh
Interesting advice in regards to Spotlight. I’d often wondered if this was a necessity as a V/O, so it’s great to get this cleared up by an industry insider! It’s a shame Spotlight have kept the same pricing structure since the decline of the physical Spotlight books (the printing of the books were a cited reason for the costing structure). At the end of the day I guess we have to remember Spotlight costs are tax deductible and if it get’s us seen (or rather heard) by the right people then it’s money well spent!
Yes that’s right. We have no affiliation with Spotlight, it’s just that it’s very simple to get to see your complete CV in one area. If you ripped off the layout etc for your own cv web-page that would also do – it’s just got to be immediately obvious what you’ve done etc.
You can’t get a Spotlight page unless you are a trained actor. Some VO’s aren’t “trained actors” yet are working Full Time as VO’s – thoughts?
HI Jo.
I think you need to have 3x proven Gigs – receipts should do. 🙂
I had the same question as Jo when I approached Spotlight, I pointed them to my website and they said yup that’s good you can join. I havn’t done that yet but the people at Spotlight were great
I am a trained actor who chose to go into broadcasting instead and I have been doing this for job in one form or another for thirty one years. However, I am told that Spotlight won’t accept me arguing that this range of experience, and the fact that I make my living from my voice, count for nothing. I haven’t worked in front on stage or camera for forty years. The last time checked those were their criteria.
Spotlight can be difficult, but call them up and talk to them and you should be ok. 🙂
Hi Hugh,
I have watched your interview with Michelle Daeche. Very useful. Thanks.
Do all of the leading Voice Over Agencies request some kind of formal Drama School qualification?
I studied Languages and Theatre Studies at University many years ago. I have done some professional voiceover work via an Agency in Paris where I used to be based and am struggling to get an agent here. I know my voice is well suited to commercial work (as confirmed by Penelope in her recent feedback) but will I ever get an agent in the UK to take me seriously if I don’t go and train at a reputable Drama school first? I have been looking at a Masters in Professional Voice Practice at the Birmingham Conservatoire which has been set up in partnership with the RSC in Stratford where I live. Do I need to start exploring this option if I really want to stand a chance of getting Commercial work? This is my area of strength and I love to spend time in a studio with the sound engineer and the client. I am willing to invest the time and hard work it requires and I am not looking for shortcuts but equally, I don’t want to sign up for a years training only to find myself back at square one. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks so much. Esther.
Hugh,
If you live in another country or on another continent for that matter, should you still have a Spotlight Account? Are you able to self submit?
Hi Yvette – I don’t think so – in that case use the free Career Profile Website at GFtb – it’s in the shop – totally free. 🙂
This was helpful! Thank you.
I didn’t know about spotlight and I’m just in the process of getting a good reel.
Hi I just wondered how you go about doing this kind of thing with a background in broadcasting rather than acting as I haven’t had any formal acting training but have read lots of voiceovers, news bulletins and radio scripts ?
Thanks
Lizzie
Hola, me gustaría más información sobre el Spotlight, dónde me puedo registrar; muchas gracias.
Hello Hugh,
Terrific and informative interview, as always. Great insights. I admit I was a bit surprised to hear what sounded like Ms. Daeche’s reference to ‘Red Indian.’ Is that a received or acceptable trade term? In the USA we are experiencing with a widespread reckoning with our country’s and culture’s history of systemic racism. I understand that every industry has its shorthand, and the motion media and advertising insider terms can sometimes be alarmingly outdated or offensive (at least in the USA). Am I being hyper-sensitive, or is this a term we, or people across the English-speaking world, should avoid? Just curious – as a Voice Actor I really would have no occasion to use the term. Thank you for all you do – love GFTB! Cheers, Michael Greco
Good Afternoon
i am interested v o but how ? I want this job so how ?
Thank you
Hello,
I would love a free consultation, and look forward to hear from you!
Great!!!!
Tks for the interview.
Hey there!
Just wondering — would Spotlight be useful for us voice actors based in the USA? I’d be happy to sign up and pay the fee if you think it would be worth it. It’d be fun to have representation across the pond this seems like a useful step in that direction. Thanks so much!