Voice Over Business & Money 101

Great acting skills are the core of a successful career in voice over. However, performance ability is only half of the required skill set. The other half is knowing how to successfully run a small business, and how to navigate the complex voice over industry.

Business & Money 101 provides students with a review of the evolution of the voice over business; the role of technology as a driver of change in the industry; an overview of the current voice over landscape; and then step-by-step guidance on successfully starting a voice over business, including advice on accounting, insurance, unionization, and getting established, as examples.

At the conclusion of this class, students will:

• Understand their personal motivations and goals as a voice actor
• Appreciate the commitment and persistence required for success
• Discuss the history and evolution of the voice acting industry, and understand the role of technology in this historical context
• Know how to use voicebank.net, backstage.com and other online resources to grow their knowledge of the voice over business
• Set their rates per industry norms, understand how voice acting services as priced, and appreciate the perils of underpricing
• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of various forms of corporate structures – sole proprietorship vs LLC
• Appreciate the accounting and taxation requirements that may be applicable to them