Are Voice Acting Training CDs Good For You?
Hi Voice Cat,
Are voice acting training CDs good or are they scams?
Shaunte M.
Y'know, Shaunte, I really don't know.
I would imagine that they're kinda like medication:
Works for some people, not for others. I think that when you're learning a skill, and training and practicing, you'd want and need feedback to tell you if you're on the right track. And a CD can't do that for you. In a voice-acting class, you'd have immediate feedback in the form of constructive criticism, one-on-one, from your instructor.
If a CD comes with a book you're interested in, well, consider it the icing on the cake. If it's solely a package of CDs, I'd ask around to hear if anyone felt that they got their money's worth. You might want to post this question on Voices.com to see if anyone else has had a good (or bad) experience with instructional CDs.
And let me know what the upshot is.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Marc
MARC CASHMAN creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television. Winner of over 150 advertising awards, he also instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, CA.
Cashman Commercials © 2007
Comments
Hi Shaunte,
I get a lot of positive response from my Proven Voice-Over Techniques CD.
It's always better to attend a good live workshop than get a good CD workshop... but a Good CD workshop is better than a bad live workshop...
You can check out what other talent say about specific products in the review section of the voiceover forum at http://www.voice-overs.com/forum .
Good luck!
Posted by: Julie Williams | October 15, 2007 8:46 PM
I addressed something similar to this in my new blog: http://voice-over-studio.blogspot.com/
Should you take voice over classes? If you are a beginner, absolutely! Who should you take those classes from? The possibilities have certainly been expanded via the internet! Whoever you choose, make sure it's someone who has a great deal of working experience. As with any type of class, there may be those who want to teach, and could possibly do a relatively good job, but they don't have the actual working experience to back it up. Someone who has done voice over work for years or who has directed or cast voice talent will have more to offer than someone who has not. So much of acting and voice over performance is organic, and the more sessions you have actually worked, the more knowledge, tips, tricks of the trade, and professionalism you acquire. Does that make everyone who works a lot a great teacher? Of course not. Check resumes, but check around. Ask other voice talent if they have studied with a particular teacher and if they would recommend that teacher. Don't forget to check with local agents, too. They often know a great deal more about a particular voice talent or teacher than anyone else.
What if you're a seasoned pro? Do you need classes? Well, if you find the right teacher , it definitely couldn't hurt! Even though you may have been working for many years, there may be certain categories of voice over that you never seem to book, you feel you need help being more comfortable with different types of reads, you need to get out of a voice over rut - doing what you've done for years without challenging yourself - etc. I recently took 2 courses from Rodney Saulsberry: Promo and Trailers Teleclass and Commercial Intensive voice over teleclass. I can't tell you how long it's been since I took a voice over class! Since I stay very busy and often can't attend classes that I must travel to, these were so convenient because they were handled over the phone one evening a week. And Rodney is a generous, knowledgeable teacher who holds nothing back. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, validated my abilities and learned some new things along the way. I'll be implementing new ideas and leads and breaking new ground in 2008!
Thanks!
Melanie
www.melaniehaynes.com
Posted by: Melanie Haynes | January 13, 2008 5:47 PM