996. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Professional Voice Actor?

“Because my dad was friends with the owner of a radio station in Dallas, Texas, at not-quite 15 years of age I got an internship as a ‘gofer’ on a popular show–Texas Money in the Afternoon. My voice had already dropped so the owner graciously let me do a few on-air segments. I had developed a passion for radio and voice work for several years by that time, so I was very excited by the opportunity to learn more. After a while, working part-time at the station, I began to get hired by sponsors to do their commercials. I was paid a reasonable amount of money even at that age and began to wonder if perhaps voice over work might even be more lucrative than being a radio show host. By the time I graduated from college at the University of North Texas, I was already making a modest but decent living doing part time voice over work. After graduating with a degree in political science, I moved back to my hometown of Washington, D.C., got an agent and began working full-time as a voice over talent.”

J. Michael Collins, with over twenty years as a professional voice actor, has worked with some of the biggest companies, brands, sports leagues, and organizations on the planet. In addition to his work in the classic, agency-based world of voice over, J. Michael has established himself as a leading authority in the online casting marketplace and has become recognized as an industry leading voice talent coach and demo producer as well. J. Michael is a 38-time Voice Arts Award winner as a voice actor, demo producer, script writer, and casting director.