How to Get Started in Voiceover
Last updated November 8, 2025
If I were starting over in voiceover, here’s what I’d do:
Get equipment.
Get training.
Get work.
Get an agent.
Upgrade everything.
GET EQUIPMENT
Here’s what I use now.
But to get started, I’d buy an affordable microphone (Rode NT1) and audio interface (Focusrite 2i2), and an XLR cable to connect the two. I’d download Audacity, which is free, but also nasty looking. I’d use whatever headphones I already have—for me, it was AirPods 2, which I still use, although I recently started stealing Wiff’s AirPods Max, and absolutely love those. And I’d make sure I have some sort of acoustic treatment in my recording space. Even a blanket over my head would work. I did my first voiceover jobs in the bathroom talking into a fabric shower curtain, with towels hanging over the mirrors to dampen reflections.
Recommendations to get started:
Mic: Rote NT1
Audio interface: Focusrite 2i2
XLR Cable: Doesn’t matter the brand [for the most part]. This one’s great.
GET TRAINING
You don’t have to get training to get started. If you’re just dipping your toe in, you may not want to spend several hundred bucks on a class. I started booking jobs on voices.com (I have thoughts below) well before I’d received any sort of training. Later, I took a few classes and found it really helpful for two reasons: one, you meet other people who have been doing this longer than you—you can see what their setups look like and how they approach reading copy—two, you can get on casting directors’ rosters faster.
Recommendations to get started:
Voiceover Gurus. My voiceover agent recommended Lesley Bailey of Voiceover Gurus. I booked an hour with her and found it really helpful.
I took a class with Kelly Moscinski, owner of The Voicecaster. I prefer classes with casting directors (like Kelly) over coaches because once you take a class with a CD, you'll be on their radar.
Jesse Carroll's VoiceOver School. I did this for one month and found it helpful. He's got a full course to help you setup your own booth, a really supportive community, and a roadmap to help you go from zero to booking your first gigs. I was only in the School for one month because I already had an agent, and didn’t find as much value after I started booking real voiceover gigs.
Jesse’s YouTube channel is also a great resource.
Authentic Commercial Voiceover, by Dave Bisson. Great read with some great exercises that I found really helped my auditions. Dave also does a weekly or biweekly live coaching session in Jesse Carroll’s school, so that could be another reason to check out the school…
GET WORK
I’d recommend completing a few gigs before looking for an agent to make sure you actually want to and can do this job, and to get the experience and a few credits needed to get an agent.
There are only two places I’d recommend looking for work, voices.com and voice123.com, and both suck. They’re what’s called pay-to-play sites, which means you pony up cash to get audition requests. There’s no reason anyone should have to pay for the opportunity to audition for work. The buyers aren’t savvy. Many times they haven’t finalized their scripts, so they’ll come back with rewrites mid-job, and often they don’t know what they’re looking for until they hear it.
Also, timing matters. If you’re not within the first 50 people to respond, your audition won’t be listened to. As if that all weren’t bad enough, most jobs top out at $500, so you’re going to be grinding out tons of auditions for very little pay. To put it in perspective, most jobs from my agent start at $2500.
All that said, here’s my recommendation to get started:
Start with voices.com. Do it for one year to see if you even like and can do this job. You’ll learn a lot just through auditioning. And you’ll need to book some work to get a reel to send to an agent. (Jesse Carroll has great videos in his course on getting started with voices.com.)
Maybe do voice123.com when you’ve booked 10 or so jobs through voices.com. Do not pay for anything less than the $888/year tier or you’ll never see an audition.
Optional: If you have money to invest in this career, it might be worth skipping voices.com and voice123.com and instead hiring someone to produce your demo. Spending $2000 to get a demo produced—and to get some coaching in the process—may not be a bad idea.
GET AN AGENT
Once you’ve booked some jobs, cut the finished projects together into a demo reel. Start sending that to agents.
UPGRADE EVERYTHING
The Rode NT1 and Focusrite are fine, but they might hold you back from booking higher-end work. When I bought the Sennheiser MKH 416—the industry standard for commercial voiceover work—my sound completely changed. I did side-by-side comparisons with my old mics—a Shure SM7B and a POS Sennheiser ME66— and wondered how I’d ever booked anything before.
Also, I finally got around to converting a closet to a sound booth. That also made a HUGE difference. Check out my booth walkthrough here to learn more about what I did and all the equipment I use.
Recommendations:
Upgrade your booth/room first. That’ll improve your sound regardless of mic.
Mic: Sennheiser MKH 416. Don’t even think twice about it…
Audio Interface: I use the Sound Devices MixPre-6 II, but that’s mainly because it does double duty with other production work. A ton of people recommend the Apollo Twin X. One of the advantages is that you can buy software to clean up your sound.
Software: Audacity is ugly. It’ll technically work just fine for everything you need it to do. I used to use Adobe Audition, but hated the monthly subscription fee, so I switched to DaVinci Resolve. They have a FREE version that’ll do everything you need it to do. I use the paid version because I do a ton of video stuff.
Dump voices.com and voice123. I plan to let both of my subscriptions lapse because they’re not worth it for me. ONE JOB from the agent is worth five on these sites.
🚨New Commercial - Sprite!🚨
Director: Will Stefan Smith (@williamstefansmith)
Talent: Me, Eric, Love, Carlos, and Jalen Hurts
Agency: Majority (@majorityagency)
Production Co: Biscuit (@biscuit.filmworks)
Producer: Christine Presto (@cpresto915)
My Voiceover Setup (New for 2025)
Updated July 22 2025.
I recently setup a new voiceover booth and setup at home. You can read about my previous setup here, but suffice it to say my new one blows the old one out of the water. And the kicker? The mic I’m using is older. [As of May 20, 2025, this is no longer true… update below.]
Here’s a walkthrough of the new setup.
COMPUTER
Apple 16” MacBook Pro. I’m still using a MacBook Pro, but I upgraded in 2021. Now, I know 2021 is ancient for a laptop, but I splurged and got the M1 Max chip and I haven’t complained once about any perceived slowness. I do lots of video editing in DaVinci Resolve and have yet to notice any slow down.
SOFTWARE
DaVinci Resolve V20. Speaking of DaVinci Resolve, this is one area where I made a huge switch. In my previous setup, I used Adobe Audition for a DAW. But I’ve since dumped Adobe and moved to DaVinci Resolve. I just couldn’t stand paying the monthly subscription! The crazy thing is that, technically, you can use the FREE version of DaVinci Resolve to do almost everything you’d need to do as a voice actor. I opted for the paid version, which is a one-time payment of around $300, because I wanted some of the fancier features on the video editing side of things.
Source Connect. Source Connect is the industry standard for live directed sessions. I don’t like it. For starters, the website is confusing to navigate. It’s also really expensive. They also have two versions of the product, versions 3.9 and 4.0, and they’re not operable with each other. I have version 4 but most of that studios I connect to have 3.9. Source Connect allows you to create a “bridge” to connect the two versions, but it only lasts for 90 minutes. And in order to get the full 90 minutes out of it, you have to manually 15 minutes. But you can only add 15 minutes when you have 5 minutes left in the session… So it’s super fun to be in the booth and tell the engineer, the producer, and sometimes the client, “I’d love to record the next take, but I gotta go feed the meter.” Unless you’re booking several Source Connect sessions a month, go for the two-day $25 license. This is especially helpful since some clients opt for Zoom because they don’t like working with Source Connect either.
Moving on.
MICROPHONE
Sennheiser ME66 with K6P (no link because it’s old). Here’s another big change. Last time we talked I was using the Shure SM7B. But when I recently got back into doing voiceover work, I watched some YouTube videos on mics and noticed some of the people were using shotgun mics. I have a shotgun mic, I thought. And a halfway decent one at that. I used the ME66 exclusively on a recent project I did and really liked the sound, so I started using it in my booth. I LOVE IT. And the crazy part is that I picked this thing up suuuuper used on eBay for $50 years ago. On my wist list are the Sennheiser MKH 416 and the Neumann TLM 103. But until then, the ME66 will do just fine.
UPDATE!!!
Sennheiser MKH 416. I finally bought it. And I wish I’d gotten it earlier. It sounds SO SO SO different and SO SO SO much butter than the ME66. It’s the industry standard for a reason.
RECORDER / AUDIO INTERFACE
Sound Devices MixPre 6 II. Before I was using a Zoom H4N Pro. But now? I’m in love with the Sound Devices MixPre 6 II. This little guy is small enough to fit inside an on-set sound guy’s bag, but clean and quiet enough to be act as an audio interface. It’s also got tons of gain for gain-hungry mics like the Shure SM7B (which, I’m not using much anymore). It’s not entirely “out with the old and in with the new” though. I still use the Zoom H4N Pro to record multitrack audio recordings of comedy shows.
New Commercials (H&R Block)
Last updated: July 16, 2025
“Hi, Liz!” I said. The Zoom callback started and I put on my Book Me smile, one part hope, and two parts desperation.
She squinted behind oversized glasses. “What are we looking at here?” As a casting director she’s probably seen some strange auditions. The way she said it told me she hadn’t quite seen this.
I was in the middle of another job, dressed as Ebenezer Scrooge. I was also in heavy prosthetic makeup, not the ideal situation for a callback for a “Secret Tax Prep Company,” as the breakdown had called it.
“Oh, uh…I didn’t have a chance to moisturize this morning…hahaha…haha....”
The director spoke up. “I…I dunno if I can send this to the client.”
“Oh sorry. Seth said he told you guys that I’d be on set today dressed as Scrooge.” Seth is my agent’s assistant, and was the one who coordinated the meeting.
Liz paused a moment. “He did not mention that.”
[I found out later that Seth did, in fact, mention it and it was just a misunderstanding.]
“But, you know what,” the director said, “why don’t we run it a few times and let’s see if it’ll work.”
Maybe he wanted to see me for the role, or maybe he wanted to help me save prosthetically aged face, but I appreciated him throwing me a bone. We ran the scene a few times, adjusting the direction with each take. “This time say it like you’re telling someone a secret.” “This time, like you can’t wait to tell your friend about it.” “This time, better.”
That evening, my agent emailed. “Can you send in another tape? They just want to see you out of the prosthetics.”
So I sent in another audition. The next day, another email from my agent. “Hi! Hope you’re having a great weekend! I’ve got a booking for you!”
I finished patting myself on the back this morning, just in time to see the three beauties drop.
⬇️ (This is me during the callback.) ⬇️
But wait, there’s more!
As of April 2, 2025, H&R Block released another commercial. Watch it here.
How to get a commercial agent in nyc
Last updated September 7, 2025.
If you’re just looking to get into commercials and you don’t care about my story or all the really amazing commercials I’ve been a part of, skip to #3 below.
Here’s the brief story of how I found a commercial agent in NYC who’s helped me book a ton of great work with great clients like Carl’s Jr / Hardee’s, Autodesk, Regeneron, Get Your Guide, Travelers Insurance, FILO, Prudential, and FanDuel. (Check out my commercial reel here.)
I created a profile on Backstage and started self-submitting to low-paying gigs ($200-$500) to build out my resume and get experience. Those gigs included GFuel, AT&T, Quadrant Homes, Westy Self Storage, Ask Mr. Franchise, Porch and Patio, Magyar Bank, Downs Ford, Hilltop Nissan, Sovereign Global Advisors, At Leisure Licensing (I wrote that script too), Interactive Brokers, and a handful of others…
Someone told me to get on Casting Networks, so I did that and started booking background work on movies like The Goldfinch and TV shows like Billions. One of the actors on the Billions set told me about Actors Access. I booked some featured background work there on Evil Lives Here, and a lead role on a TV pilot.
I took Brooke and Mary’s On-Camera Commercial Intensive class (which I’d HIGHLY recommend). At the end of the class, they gave us a list of 10 agents and told us to mail—yes, mail—them our headshots and resumes. If you take the class, tell them I say hello!
One of the agents I snail-mailed happened to be doing a meet & greet at Actors Connection. I signed up for it. During our meet & greet, he liked my read of the sample script and invited me in for an office visit.
A few weeks later, I went to his office and signed with A3, and have been with them for the past 6 years.
UPDATE!
In February 2024 A3 ceased operations. In May 2024, a casting director I’d booked the Autodesk gig with—Mary Callahan, of the aforementioned Brooke and Mary—emailed me and asked whom I was auditioning through since A3 shut down.
I said no one.
The next day she introduced me to CESD. Two weeks later I had a Zoom with Kirsten Walther and Maura Maloney, and the following week I had my first audition through them.
They’ve since booked me with Naadam, Goldbelly (twice!), H&R Block (twice!), Lumineux, Stitch Fix, Sprite, Clear Captions, and, depending on when you read this, a whole lot more. I couldn’t be happier.
I love helping people get started, so if you have questions drop them the comments below. 👇
New Commercials
Last updated: February 13, 2025
(Looking for the H&R Block commercials?)
A new batch of national commercials just dropped for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. I’m so so proud of these. It helps when you get a director as funny as Chris Werner, a co-anchor as funny as Oriana Lada, an agency as creative as 72andSunny, and a production team as hard working as Schrom. The whole team did an incredible job. Especially me.
In case you don’t watch TV, you can check them out below.
Oh! And I’m especially proud of my first Spanish-language commercial. I’d like to thank my seven years of Spanish language classes for preparing me to say “Planeros unidos” on national television. You can watch that one at the bottom of this page.
Carl’s Jr.
Hardee’s
En Español
5 Tips For Starting a Career In Acting
Move to New York or Los Angeles.
The first thing you'll need to do is move. Your big dream is too big to fit in your small town. Your only options are acronyms: NYC, LA. Sure, you can find opportunities in other cities, but putting "LA-based" on your resume is way cooler than "Cleveland-based."
Get a headshot.
You've moved to a real city. Congratulations. Welcome to crippling financial insecurity!
Next, you'll need headshots. They have to be professional and they have to be expensive. Can't afford them? Ask your roommates to chip in. You'll pay them back with tips from waiting tables.
Headshots are your way of showing people what you look like because your looks are the only thing that matter. [I am not kidding.]
If you're hot, at least an 8.5 or a 9, you'll have an easier time in the biz.
5 to 7? Be prepared to battle to the death for the worst roles [anything with the Weinstein Group].
If you're anything below a 5, oof. If I were you, I'd practice saying "do you want that with whip?". Unless you have a unique physical characteristic...in which case you could carve a niche as a character actor - [think Doughy White Bossman, or Lithe Porcelin-skinned Corpse]. Don't worry about getting pigeon-holed. That's the only way you'll find work.
When you get your headshots, get 3-4 different "looks" so you can send the right headshot for each role. You'll need one serious look, one smiling, one looking over your shoulder, and one naked.
Any reputable headshotist will Photoshop out your double chin. You might think you can hide your double chin by sticking out your neck and pushing your shoulders back [known in the industry as Gooseing]. You can't. You might think you don't have a double chin. You definitely do.
Casting Directors are trained to look for double chins and, unless they're casting for "Guy/Girl with Double Chin" they'll disqualify you for being ugly.
Sign Up For Acting classes
While you're spending money you don't have, sign up for acting classes.
Here you'll get to meet your competition. On the surface, you'll be working with partners in various scenes to develop your acting ability in pursuit of your dream. But you'll realize pretty quickly [during introductions] that none of you has any acting ability whatsoever and you're all pretty close to quitting and moving back to your parents' basement.
Your goal in acting class is to find ways to undercut and backstab your classmates to ensure you come out on top.
Be Attractive
You might think you're only cut out for such distinguished roles as "dad" or "guy with kids" or "man married to woman with children" [all roles I've played], but unless you're beautiful, you'll have a snowball's chance in hell of landing even those parts.
This applies even if you're a phenomenal actor [which you're not, and will have realized after every audition]. If you're not attractive, be prepared to do a LOT of work as an extra [also with the Weinstein Group]. Extra work is fun because you get to work long hours, earn minimum wage, and your work may not make it to the final cut.
To ensure everyone's on the same page in terms of attractiveness, a midwest 9 is a Los Angeles 6, which is a New York 1.
Sign up for Backstage.com
Okay, so you moved to LA or NYC, had your 12 roommates front you money for your headshot, and signed up for an acting class that you now use as a support group to deal with the impending soul-crushing rejection.
Now it's time to put yourself out there!
Sign up for Backstage.com. You could also use actorsaccess.com. These two websites are where you'll compete with thousands of other actors for roles with pay scales ranging from "Some Pay" to "No Pay, meals provided."
Do not sign up for Nycastings.com. It's a steaming stack of turds. The interface is kludgy, the site is slow, and they charge an arm and a leg to put up multiple pictures and videos. And those are the only ways to show casting directors you're not as moose-ish as the next schlump.
Be prepared to apply for a lots of roles and attend lots of auditions. You'll need to learn how to deal with lots of rejection.
But... look at each of those as a learning experience. Each time you go out, you'll get a little better. You'll earn another line item on your resume [which no one will read].
One of you millions of misguided readers might make it. The rest of us will look at you as an example of what we wish we were: talented and hardworking [beautiful].
Here's a supercut of the first background work I ever did. NOTE: The audio will be difficult to follow since I cut out each shot that didn't have my face in it.