Hello everyone! Today, we're diving into an inspiring journey of transitioning careers and finding passion in unexpected places. We have Adrian Lopez with us, a talented voice artist who found his way into the world of voice overs during the pandemic. In addition to Adrian becoming a Voice Artist, he has also enticed his partner into the field and they have completed dual narration projects as well. Adrian has the experience to share lots of great advice to those newer in the field. Let's get to know him better through this engaging Q&A session!
Q: What was your background prior to enrolling in the Work from Home doing Voice Overs course?
Adrian: Before diving into voice over work, I was a massage therapist and did some local theater where I grew up.
Q: What motivated you to enroll in the Work from Home doing Voice Overs course?
Adrian: The pandemic hit, and I needed a job. I also wanted to reconnect with my theater roots.
Q: How did you find the Work from Home doing Voice Overs online course?
Adrian: I found out about it through an email referral from a proofreading course I had looked into.
Q: Could you share your initial expectations about the course? Did it meet or exceed those expectations?
Adrian: Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never worked with audio before. But the actionable advice made it super easy to stay engaged with the program.
Q: How long ago did you complete the course?
Adrian: I completed the course about four years ago.
Q: How much time do you spend working as a voice artist?
Adrian: I work part-time as a voice artist.
Q: What types of voice over work have you completed so far?
Adrian: I've done audiobooks and some learning modules.
Q: What’s your favorite type of voice over work?
Adrian: Non-fiction audiobooks are the easiest to do, but fiction is the most rewarding. Character work can be challenging, but it's also great for learning about yourself. You have to pull from somewhere, right?!
Q: What’s a typical work day like for you when you are doing voice over work?
Adrian: I start by warming up, reading aloud with my partner over coffee. We then have a big meal, and I jump into the booth—never record on an empty stomach! If my recording time is done and my partner needs to use the booth, I step back and get some editing done. My schedule depends on the phase of my current project and whether I need to prioritize editing my partner's work. Regardless, I always leave space open for some sort of VO work.
Q: What do you love most about being a voice artist?
Adrian: I take a lot of pride in my work. When a project comes together, sounds great, and the rights holder is happy, I'm satisfied. The production process is a fantastic learning tool for various skills like technical know-how, troubleshooting, time management, script interpretation, and character performance. But what I learn the most is patience, which I've struggled with in the past. Each project teaches something new, and I love that personal growth.
Reward yourself with patience and let go of perfectionism.
Q: What advice would you offer to others who are considering becoming a voice artist?
Adrian: Reward yourself with patience and let go of perfectionism.
Take your time, rushing only makes things harder.
You're only going to be able to learn as you go, so there are no shortcuts! You can't perfect every project you do and you will HATE your first 10-15 projects in terms of the quality of your own work. There are SO many projects I wish I could go back and "fix" but you have to learn to say, "Good enough." You will never finish anything if you fixate on that one line doing take, after take, after take.
Work hard and do your damn best, but don't let perfectionism get in the way of progress and growth. If you learned something, you're doing the right thing. Oftentimes we let "perfectionism" get in the way of commitment and follow through. Ask yourself… Is that line you're obsessing over not good enough for you, or are you afraid of finishing the project and seeing what people think of your work? Is the fear of rejection making you procrastinate?
Be honest with yourself! I've found that, with art, we all have to let go and let culture and public scrutiny decide our fate as a creator. We create for ourselves but we also create to share. If people reject us, well, that's okay. You, as a creator, always have something a critic doesn't: a creation.
Q: Please describe your recording space. Where do you record? How did you treat the space?
Adrian: We use our walk-in closet for our recording space. We treated it mostly with black and grey moving blankets. The more official soundproofing material we bought from RealTraps.com. I highly recommend their products. Moving blankets and some acoustic panels from RealTraps are all you need.
Q: Is there anything you'd like to add?
Adrian: I hope some of my ramblings were educational! I appreciate the time and space to share my experience. I didn't realize how influential this course and VO work have been for me. I appreciate you, Julie!
Head on over to Adrian's website – you can listen to samples from both his solo projects and dual narration projects.
You can find samples of Adrian's work here: https://loxproductions.com/
Thank you, Adrian, for sharing your journey and insights with us. Your story is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and passion in navigating career changes. For anyone considering a career in voice over work, Adrian's advice and experiences are invaluable. Happy recording!
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