A Successful Leap of Faith

    As always, it’s too long between entries. This one will jump back a year because the end of 2015 marks one full year working in the voice over industry. At the end of 2014 I had enough money in the bank to last me a good 6 months. I know that many people would need much more than that in order to justify a “leap of faith” but it was now or never for me. Things had been going in a steady upwards pace for over 2 years and I didn’t see it slowing down! So leap I did, carrying the momentum I started to feel. I have to tell you, it was a scary, freeing experience that first month.  But signs that I did the right thing were popping up everywhere. My new demo sounded amazing, I landed my wonderful Agency, SBV, 3 months later I booked my first big union job with McDonalds, and I started to become so busy that after the 5th month I started to think to myself.. This better keep working because I no longer have time for a second job! 

Perhaps you wonder, “Well, how do you know you’re ready to quit the day job?” To be honest.. I don’t think anyone really “knows” they are ready. It’s more of a feeling. I had spent 3 years learning, coaching, networking, and upgrading my equipment. 3 years building a base of clients that needed voice work from me at least once a month. 3 years of learning how to find new work and clients when weeks were running dry. And 3 years simply getting better at what I could do. There was nothing left that I needed to spend money on other than coaching and classes (and food and rent and bills) So I took the leap.

Yes there were points in that year that I began to get nervous. There were two very dry months where perhaps I spent a bit too much on coaching or splurged on a workshop or two too many. And maybe it was faith in “the world will provide” or the "Luck of the Irish" but I managed to pull through with a last minute booking every time, or a repeat client saving my butt. You can’t take a leap of faith in your career without the confidence that you are good enough to succeed. And you definitely can’t stop working your ass off every single day, switching up your routine, finding new ways to get people to hear your voice, auditioning smarter and better and at times, more often! 

Here’s a list of things to keep in mind if and when you decide to take your VO career to the next level. 

Turn the time you spent working the “other job” into more time spent working on Voice Over. This means adding the 20 - 30 hours a week from the job you just quit, to more auditions, workshops, classes, self marketing, and networking. 

• After a long day of auditions or recording, and a few hours of marketing. STILL GO OUT. You will start to get tired and you will be tempted to choose “Netflix and Chill” instead of hanging out with your friends or going to an event that could further your career.

• When money starts to dwindle and make you nervous. Work harder, go out more often, pre-occupy your brain with the NOW, and not the future. Never appear like you NEED work, and don't let the lack of cash stop you from following your routine. (This one is hard, I know) 

• Don’t bore yourself with a routine. Switch up your plan of attack from month to month. Getting stuck marketing the same way, or only taking a workshop on a Wednesday and only with one teacher or place can run the risk of boring you and making you lazy. Seek out new teachers, new classes, new friends. There are wonderful people all around you, find them. 

• Try not to automate your social media. Not everyone is cut out for social media marketing. Do your darnedest to not allow a “bot” to run your social media for you. It is spotted very easily, and makes you look impersonal and at times fake. (If you don’t know what a “bot” is, or have no idea what this means… GOOD) 

• Find a way to give back to the community that gives to you. Don’t always go to networking events to make a connection or to meet someone that can help you. Sometimes.. go and help someone else. You will find that it is just as fun and (sometimes surprisingly beneficial) to make it your sole purpose to help others at networking events. It’s pretty easy to spot who needs help actually, just look for a reflection of you from a few years ago. 

That should be enough to keep you going strong as you keep kicking ass out there. I’m coming up on my 5th year of pursuit into the Voice Over industry, and I couldn’t be more excited for 2016!! I’ve spent the majority of 2015 coaching with Jeff Howell, Dave Walsh and the occasional amazing workshop with Jodi Gottlieb in order to prepare myself for the world of Promo and In-Show narration. I am very confident that I’ve gotten to a place where I can cut the new demo’s so that my agents can get my style and sound into the right ears! I’ve decided to go with Chuck Duran again for these upcoming demo’s. I just love the personal touches he ads and the care he takes in making sure my signature voice shines through each spot. I can’t wait to share them with you all, and see where I land in a few months from now. 

Until then, let’s focus on the present, and make each day worth waking up for. 

Happy New Year friends!

~Jay

Welcome to Hollywood, Now MAKE A CHOICE!

All you need to do, is a make a choice. 

Well, that’s not ENTIRELY ALL you need to do. But it is definitely the first step, and chances are you won’t be able to do do it right away. When I first started acting many many moons ago, my “choice” was, to be an actor, I chose to be on the stage. I didn’t realize back then that that was my 'choice'. But now that I look back at this roller coaster of a path I’ve been on. I realize. it was exactly my chosen focus. Being an actor on the stage. I achieved that for myself while living in New England. I was always on the stage in one form or the other. It was indeed grand. Then I made a “choice” to move to LA and I sure did. Then you know what happened? I forgot to make another choice. I started wanting. I wanted to be an actor, I wanted to be in films, I wanted to be on TV, I wanted to still do improv, I wanted to make video’s for this new thing called youtube with my buddies, I wanted to find a way to get back on stage.. I think you get it. 

I spent 4 years wanting to do it all, and hoping that I could. I did this film over here, and then I did that improv show over there, and I took this class to meet this agent and then that class to meet this casting director, I then did some background to get on this TV show and I kept .. kind of .. inching forward in all directions. Then (Hollywood catch 28) just as you made some progress, the industry changed, or you booked something that took you away from the door that was about to open etc. Needless to say. I wasn’t getting anywhere. Was I living, Was I having fun? Sure, but I was getting fed up. 

Just as I was about to throw in the towel, a window opened to a world I really didn’t know existed. Voice Over. I looked in that window, and smelled what was baking in that kitchen and I had a long talk with myself. I then made a choice. To give up trying to be open to all avenues. To choose to become a voice actor. To put all my resources, networking, money, and focus into one aspect of this entertainment industry. All the little goals in life, became little vo goals, all the big goals became bigger vo goals. Everything pointed in one direction, and a path became clear as day. Still hard as F*#*&K to get going and figure it all out. But at least my path was clear. And goals became easy to achieve. 

I went further with this focus idea. Within VO is many area’s. Video games, Commercial, Promo, Animation, narration, audiobooks etc. I felt it would be best to focus on one at a time. All classes and workshops and practice would be in one area, become great at that and then move to the next. If you’ve read this far and have been following my career, you already know this works. If this is the first thing you are reading of mine, and you got this far, it’s because part of you knows this is making sense. Or perhaps you know this to be true already, you just needed to hear it again. 

It’s very hard to CHOOSE one focus, especially out here in LA. But fear not. All that other stuff your good at. On camera, improv, photography. It will still be there and believe it or not, it will start to happen more and more often for you. Because people will want to work with the successful happy you, you will randomly be asked to go out for an on camera audition or commercial, and you’ll book that because you no longer have a fear of NOT booking it. I’m so busy with VO every day that I don’t have time for the other things, and yet I do. The friends I make will have projects, and they’ll want me to do a bit part here or there, and I always seem to have the time. With my focus and attention in one pot, I’m still very much enjoying them all. 

You start to better define who you are, and people have a clear view of what you can do. For example, let’s say you need some new professional pictures taken. Do you hire the guy who is a photographer, sound engineer, film editor, actor, and works as a bartender at night? Or do you hire the full time photographer, who takes pictures every day? Some of you will say, well whoever is cheaper, or whoever takes better pictures or blah blah.. not the point. You know the point I’m making. With a clear defined focus, you will know exactly what you are after and everyone you meet will know exactly what you do when someone they know needs someone with your skills. 

Accomplishing goals will start to become easier too. Make sure to have your end goals. The lofty ones, then the one’s that may take a year or two to achieve, then the one’s that you achieve in 6 months, and all the way down to your daily “to do” lists.  With those in place and marked on your calendar, you can’t go wrong! I mean, you can, but it will usually be harder to fail. Let’s not forget about Murphy and his laws. Expect that every now and then he will be there, helping you struggle. But go forward and chance that horizon! 

People will Listen, Let’s make it worth their while!

Till next time

~Jay

Getting started as a Voice Actor | Focus, Time, Friends

How's that Leap of Faith treating you?

Dec. 31st 2014 was my last day waiting tables. Now begins my 4th month surviving in LA as an Actor. 8 years in LA, and I am finally able to pay bills (high bills) with my skills. Bills with Skills! I don't know, that was fun to say again. So this "leap of faith" is nerve-racking, exciting, and insane. Every day I wake up I check my phone to see if the work I did the day before has gotten me anywhere. It's that small feeling of Holiday anticipation. 

Last time I posted about my new website, a new demo and a new outlook on life. In January, because of my demo, I was asked back in to where it all started, SBV. I met with everyone there, and they signed me!! It was a dream come true. Mary practically set me on this path of VO, was sent away twice to continue growth and NOW she's my agent (and I'm still growing).

Dedication, Focus, Hard Work, and NEVER giving up. I've been receiving amazing auditions ever since and just last month, on St. Patty's day of all days. I booked with McDonalds! Three TV spots and a Radio spot! It was an incredible full circle! EVEN MORE so, 3 years ago on St. Patty's day at the Tam O'Shanter, Yuri and Tara handed me their book, Voice Over Voice Actor. Back then I was just starting, with no professional equipment no agent and no idea what I was getting myself into, just hope.  This past St. Patty's they both joined me there once again, and we raised a glass to the days incredible booking. (*Note Tara raised some water) It meant a lot more to me than just a cheers to a great day. It was a feeling of gratitude and grace. I've been working my little buns off, and the people I have met, that I look up to, and learn from, have been true leaders and friends. I raise a glass (of wine) to that. 

Remember your Journey.

I will say this. If you are reading this at the beginning of your career, if you have the same hopes I did 3 years ago. I implore you to go back to the beginning of this blog. Not THIS blog, but of this journey of blogs. I went back today and read through what I had written three years ago. I noticed all the "beginner" mistakes I was making and then writing down on my journey. The little "success" I was making back then, felt amazing and when I read them now, I think "Silly boy". But to be honest, I was not silly, I was learning. With the very little money I had, and the serious "no clue" about the business. I realize that's why I started keeping track of my journey. So that I can always REALLY remember where I have come from. So beginners can start reading, and gain a hope and a reality check. This is my 4th year, and only ON this year do I feel like I've made considerable progress. I also, still feel like i'm at the beginning. Stronger & More professional but still just starting! A little voice fledgling in the vast world of opportunity. Making new connections each month, and plotting my next course of action. I have 5 agents for voice over now. Each one is sending me incredible opportunities daily.  But the competition is SO incredibly fierce in this business. There are so many talented Voice Actors. I will not allow myself to stop getting better. 

It Can NOT be done alone

Make friends with talented Voice Actors. We all spend upwards of 10 hours a day in our studio's. Auditions, emails, projects, recording. Many hours are spent trying to figure out how to book that next job. Well all the other professional actors out there are doing the same thing. With all the knowledge combined you can all achieve success faster. Think about it. If I make 5 mistakes this week, and you make 5 mistakes this week and she makes .. you get the point, and then we all get together and talk about our weeks. I will learn from yours and you will learn from mine, effectively saving us time in the long run. AND interacting with each other! A voice actor who simply hermits up and rarely goes out, has less ammo than those that interact. Life gives us the energy and the passion to continue living. Through networking and FRIENDS, opportunities and jobs WILL come your way. When you aren't asking for them, when you aren't hoping they will. If you are doing your job, and everyone else is doing their job. Opportunities arise. One of your clients may ask you if you know anyone that could voice this or that. They ask you, because they like working with you, and they figure, a friend of yours will be just as good, just as great to work with. If you have no friends to offer them, no one as talented as yourself. That opportunity disappears, they will never present more for you down the road. However, if you do happen to suggest someone, and that person wows them, two things happen. 1) They will ask you again the next time they have a need and you get to help out another friend.  2) That friend, will remember that. And you will be on the top of their list when one of THEIR clients does the same thing down the road. Work begets Work and so does good grace.  Here is an example of one of the most recent jobs I've booked through this very thing. I must thank Tim Tippets for sending the audition to his talented friends when his client asked. All the Voice Actors that booked, including Beau Stephenson, James Lax and myself are friends. (You may have to watch it on Vimeo) 

This Is Your Moment. Avant. from VES Creative on Vimeo.

I wish the best to each and every one of you. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter and never hesitate to reach out. We will all rise together! www.JayPreston.com

Here's another recent video from my friends at Next Quest! I voice 3 characters in this episode. Such a blast: