The Lull in Voice Over Work

In any line of work or business, there is always that lull that is experienced, where sales and the influx of work slow down.  In the world of artists, this sometimes means they do not know what to do with themselves.  They’ve got all their creative juices flowing and are raring for something to do and earn money from, of course, but there just aren’t any jobs forthcoming, and when there are, there’s plenty of competition, because it affects the whole industry and not just a select few.  So what can a voice over artist do that is productive while waiting for the lull in the industry to pass, without making themselves an annoyance to their agents and their agencies?

Six ways to make a slow week count. © The Voice Realm

1. Join conventions

There’s a lot of argument going around that conferences are a waste of time and money.  

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Listen to those who DO say conferences can be helpful, informative and a lot of fun.  Whether you are a veteran voice actor or new to the industry, there is still plenty to be taken away from conventions and conferences.  Besides, if you don’t want to be a paying participant, you can always volunteer your knowledge and be a volunteer.  Do the research: while there are scammy ones just set up to rip people off, there are conventions that are not only legitimate but are there to gather a community and create a venue where everyone can express themselves and learn from each other.  Not all conventions are costly, either.  There are quite a few that are value for money.

2.  Complete a Webinar

At least one.  It does not hurt to learn something new or to refresh yourself, whether it be something relevant to being a voice artist or something new to add to your skill set.  Also, if you’ve gotten any feedback about your work, now is the time to use that as a basis to choose a webinar to sign up for.   There’s plenty of information about this subject available on the internet as well.

3.  Studio and Gear Check

If you have a professional home studio, this is the perfect time to go over your equipment and check that everything is still in optimum working condition.  If you’ve gotten feedback about the sound quality of one of your reels, that’s a good reason to go over your gear.  If you haven’t, you can also listen to your own recordings to assess sound quality yourself.  If you don’t have a studio at home and are planning to build one, this is a good time to learn what you can about building your own studio and look into cost and materials.

A slow week is a good week to test every cable. © The Voice Realm

4.  Update Your Profile

Many voice actors have their own personal websites, and while others might not, there’s always a Facebook, Twitter or other social account you are active in, or a blog.  Updating these with your recent accomplishments is a good way to spend time, too.

5.  Update Demos

Uploading new demo reels to these personal websites or social media accounts is also a good idea,  especially if you’ve developed your voice or improved your vocal range.  It demonstrates improvement and maintenance of your voice.

6.  Assess Your Marketing Strategy

Work with your agent, if you have one, or look into the way you currently market yourself, and then look into expanding that marketing.  It’s like putting in more applications if it were a regular job.

Plan the marketing now, so it's ready when work picks up. © The Voice Realm

Basically, the idea is to be productive.  It can be a downer not getting new paid projects, so concentrate on doing something useful and something that can take you further.  Good luck!