God's Got You!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For approximately 20 years I have wanted to be a voice over actress, but didn’t know how to gain entry into the industry.  Though this goal seemed out of reach, it always remained in the back of my mind.

About a year ago I was thumbing through the local paper and ran across a class that was being offered for voiceover. The class was just $45, was offered through Zoom, and included an evaluation of your voice to let you know if and how you fit into the industry. It also offered an avenue to gain entry into the industry.  I signed up right away. After completing that class, my enthusiasm about the industry grew.

Around this time, a husband and wife couple, who were in the music industry, became new members at my church. I asked the wife if she knew anything about voiceovers and how to break into the industry?  She promised to talk to her friend who might be able to help. The next day, she included me in a text message with her friend who sent me videos about DIY (Do It Yourself) demos that would be needed to get started.  I was to send the videos to the person from church and she would send them to her friend (we will call him Simon) who would be able to help me.  My husband and I got busy trying to create videos that would be acceptable for Simon. 

I don’t know how many videos we attempted, but none were acceptable to the new member at our church.  We came to the conclusion that we didn’t have the capacity nor experience to accomplish this on our own. I contacted a childhood friend, who owns a production company and asked if she knew of a studio that could assist us with my voiceover demos.  She emailed back and suggested we contact Simon who owned a studio.  She also said to let him know she referred me to him.  Simon?  That sounded like the same name that was in the text messages.  The guy who would get my demos once they were accepted by the new church member and her DIY friend. To be sure,  I went back to the text messages, and it was the same name!!  Could this be the same person the other ladies were planning to send my demos too? What is the possibility this was the same guy?

I did as I was told and sent an email to Simon which included my friend’s name on the subject line.  He responded and agreed to meet the following week.  He spent about an hour with me, showing me around his studio and sharing a lot of valuable information regarding the voiceover industry.  I was so excited and thankful for the opportunity that I took a book along to take notes.  What I didn’t know was while we were talking, he was listening to my voice.  After our meeting he told me he would do my demos because he liked my voice.  He only helps people whose voices he likes.  I must say, I was overjoyed when I left his studio.  

Following the meeting, we set up dates to record. Two days before the first meeting, Simon contacted me to get my okay for a friend of his to assist him with my recordings.  The two of them had been wanting to work together coaching and recording newcomers to the industry.  I would be the first student of their collaborative endeavor.  Although I was very nervous,  I agreed to her involvement.  She lives in New York, where she is a voiceover actress and coach.  Now I had two professionals helping me create and record my demos!!!  What a blessing!!!  

Today, I have professional demos and have started auditioning for jobs.  God is good and faithful.  Twenty years ago, may not have been the right time for me to get into this industry, but now is the right time.   It is as wonderful as I imagined.  I am looking forward to a successful, prosperous future as a voiceover actress.