Los Angeles is an arena which favors the Princess & Prince Charming attributes of sculpted cheekbones, perfecty-coifed hair and veneered smiles. It might come as a relief to those who are not as easy on the eye that the sound of their voice can break open doors of opportunity. Even the most elite celebs are embracing the art of the voice over, creating multi-tiered careers within the film and TV commercial industry. I have to admit, though, it took me a while to pick up on the fact it was Queen Latifah pimping Pizza Hut (although my fave has always been Lauren Bacall’s raspy solicitation for Fancy Feast cat food).
Looks aside, it’s still a viciously competitive field, considering you can bank up to a six-figure income. With the lack of eye contact, your voice has to “smile” and paint the picture. Or seduce the listener, depending on the product or service.
Kalmenson & Kalmenson is a leading voice casting agency in L.A., having recently landed the bragging rights as Project Management for all voice implementation involving Harry Potter consumer products. Known for their reputable training, they provide several levels of workshops for clients, from the non-acting novice to the seasoned actor looking to sharpen his/her voice over “signature”.
Now if that doesn’t appeal to you, The Next Best Thing TV show for impersonators has yet to have a Shrek contestant.
