Voice Actor vs. Actor: What Are the Differences?

Voice acting and acting are both creative professions that can be extremely rewarding. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, you may be wondering if you should become a voice actor or an actor. In this article, we compare and contrast these two job titles, and we provide helpful tips for those interested in starting a career in either field.

What is a Voice Actor?

Voice Actors provide the voice for animated characters in movies, television shows, video games and other forms of media. They audition for roles and, if selected, are given a script to prepare. Voice Actors use their voice to bring the character to life, conveying emotion and conveying the character’s dialogue. They may also be asked to provide voiceovers for commercial, educational or industrial projects. Voice Actors must be able to take direction and make adjustments on the fly to ensure the character’s voice is appropriate for the scene.

What is an Actor?

Actors use their voices and bodies to portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media. They memorize or read scripts, and they may improvise dialogue or action. To prepare for a role, actors typically undergo training in voice, movement, and character development. They also may study the work of other actors to learn about different styles. Actors must be able to understand and interpret the emotions of their characters in order to convincingly portray them. In addition to performing, actors may also be responsible for auditioning for roles, developing characters, and promoting their work.

Voice Actor vs. Actor

Here are the main differences between a voice actor and an actor.

Job Duties

Voice actors and regular actors fulfill different duties during their work. Voice actors only perform voice-over work, so they don’t have to prepare for or film scenes. During a recording session, they sit in a soundproof room and read the script several times while an audio engineer adjusts recording levels and captures different takes of the voice actor reading the script. Afterward, the voice actor reviews the recordings and selects the best take to send to clients.

Acting involves more steps because regular actors need to rehearse and perform before audiences. They also spend time preparing for roles by researching characters’ personalities, histories and emotions. These preparations help them nail character performances when filming begins.

Job Requirements

Voice actors typically do not need any formal education, but they must be able to demonstrate their vocal range and acting ability through a demo reel or audition. Some voice actors may have a background in theater or another performing arts field, which can be helpful for landing roles. However, it is not required.

Actors often pursue a bachelor’s degree in theater arts, although some may have a degree in another field. Many actors also participate in community theater or other amateur productions to gain experience. Professional actors typically have an agent who helps them land auditions and roles.

Work Environment

Voice actors and actors often work in different environments. Actors typically perform on a stage or film set, while voice actors record their performances in a studio. Voice actors may also travel to different locations for recording sessions. For example, an actor who works as a movie star might fly to another state to shoot a new film.

Voice actors can also work from home studios, which allow them to complete projects without leaving the comfort of their own homes. This is especially helpful for voice actors who have young children or other family members they need to care for during the day.

Skills

Both voice actors and actors use their voices to perform. Voice actors may provide the voice for an animated character or they may do voice-overs for commercials, movies or television shows. Actors use their voices to deliver lines in movies, television shows, plays or other live performances.

Both voice actors and actors need to have strong vocal control. This means they need to be able to project their voices, modulate their tone and pace their delivery. They also both need to be able to memorize their lines and deliver them convincingly. In addition, both voice actors and actors need to be able to understand and interpret the script they are given. For voice actors, this may mean understanding the emotions that their character is feeling in order to convey those emotions through their voice. For actors, this may mean understanding the motivation behind their character’s actions in order to portray those actions realistically.

Salary

Voice actors can earn an average salary of $67,114 per year, while actors can earn an average salary of $55,627 per year. Both of these average salaries may vary depending on the size of the company at which you work, location of your job and the level of experience you have prior to pursuing either position.