Happy 10 Years of VO-ing To Me!

This year I’ve celebrated 10 years of working as a VO artist - wow.  It feels like a lifetime since I completed that very first job from a cupboard in my flat in Berlin, for a roofing company who needed an advert and gave me a shot. 

When I left my job in the film industry, I was an assistant music editor; it was phenomenal - I worked alongside Hans Zimmer (who advised my husband Ross that life was too short for boring socks - a lesson he has taken very much to heart), and Tim Burton, who let me finish early one day and come along to be an extra in a scene reshoot (If you squint for 0.25 of a second in Dark Shadows, you’ll see me there in full 70s costume);  I sat in on orchestral recording sessions with Danny Elfman, I got to plink-plonk on the Beatles piano at Abbey Road, I listened eagerly as Guy Ritchie made directorial decisions - it was a thrilling time.  But as exhilarating as it was, I knew I would burn out before too long - the work/life balance was a gruelling one, and I knew that one day I would want a family, and I wouldn’t want to miss out on the milestones of my children.  The decision to leave was unbelievably hard, but I stepped away, not knowing what would come next….

Well, what came next, I could never have predicted - I’m approaching 2000 (?!) completed voice over jobs, from TV and radio ads, to animations, corporate campaigns, to huge medical campaigns during the pandemic.  From a tiny side-hustle, a whole new career snowballed.   And what a job…when I left the film industry I was an assistant music editor, but now I firmly believe I’m the speediest dialogue editor in the West!    When I left the film industry, I had a safe home-counties voice, now I think my vocal abilities have exploded in range and expressiveness.  When I left the film industry, I was terrified about freelance life, now I run my own busy little business, and pride myself on producing the very best work, to the highest standard that I can.  

But, when you have done as much voice-work as I have, the funniest thing that happens is when people spot your voice out in the wild:   My husband was on hold to a large energy broker the other day, and he looked at me with furrowed brow.   “Is this you doing the on-hold message??” he said, passing the phone over to me.  Yes, yes it was.  

(Oh…and I don’t work in a cupboard anymore….)