Rick Allen Lippert

In voiceover, momentum is common. Intention is rare. You can stay busy auditioning, upgrading gear, posting on socials, etc. But if you’re not clear on why you’re doing any of it, you’re just spinning your wheels in a very nice booth. Intention is what turns routine into training. It’s what separates a hopeful hobbyist from a working pro. When I step up to the mic, I ask: What does this script need from me? What story am I helping tell? How does this move my career forward? You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be deliberate. Voiceover isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters—on purpose. Walk with intention. Stay on the path. #voiceover #VOlife #freelancecareer #mindsetmatters #intentionalwork #stayonthepath

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How in the world do you hire voice talent? These 5 steps can help you hire a voiceover for your project. The process is actually simpler than you think! 𝟭. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 Evaluate your project scope. Will the video, etc need to be informational, entertaining, or something else? How long will the script be? How long will it air? That could be three months, six months, a year, five years… determine your timeframe. Consider the industry you are hiring for and the tone and style needed. Are you looking for a warm voice? What about confident or authoritative? Does the voice need to be energetic? Does the voiceover need to fit a certain demographic? Once these details are established, you can move on to determining your budget. 𝟮. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 Your budget is generally based on the length of your script, project type, and usage rights. Decide what your must-have items are for the scope of your project and set a budget around those items. Many talent use the GVAA Rate Guide as a barometer. Talent often are willing to negotiate depending upon your budget. I always ask what the budget is, because I know budgets vary so much. 𝟯. 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 There are a few avenues you could take to find the right talent for you: You can use an agency. Agencies often have set processes and a roster of diverse voices to choose from. You will pay additional fees and higher rates, but they do a lot of the leg work for you. Freelance platforms can be a great way to discover talent you might not otherwise find. My personal favorite is direct hire and referrals. If you find great voice talent yourself or know the contacts who can point you in the right direction, working directly with voice talent has many benefits, where you can receive a personalized experience. 𝟰. 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘀 Often, a big factor in hiring the right voice talent is reviewing demos and previous work. Listen to their portfolio and take note of their delivery and pronunciation, technical sound quality, and more. The voice talent might even be able to record a custom demo for you featuring part of your script! (I am always happy to record an audition for you!) 𝟱. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 Communication is crucial for this stage in the process. You want to ensure that all parties involved are on the same page. Not only is a contract important for finalizing the deal, but communicating specific details is, too. If you have pronunciation guidelines or pacing and emphasis preferences, now is the time to let your voice talent know. Of course, you’ll also want to agree on deadlines and file requirements as well. The option of being part of the recording session is always available with me, by the way. That way, you can direct while I record and receive exactly what you want. Are you on the hunt for the right voice actor for your project? Contact me!

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Thursday VO Tip: When you're working in voiceover, most clients will simply ask for a clean, raw vocal track. But every now and then, a client will want the whole package—music, sound effects, mixing, the works. That’s why it’s worth learning the basics of audio production. You don’t need to be a certified engineer, but having the skills to produce a finished spot can make you stand out. It also means you can charge more for your work. So don’t just be a voice—be a full-service voiceover pro. The more value you bring, the more doors you open! #voiceovers

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Journalists are trained to spot your talking points 👀 and avoid them ❌ It’s drilled into journalists from day one: they aren’t stenographers. They are trained to cut out self-serving, promotional language. The kind designed to impress clients, shareholders, or the marketing team. Poorly written, overly polished talking points? Gone. Pitches that sound like ad copy? Deleted. Press releases packed with fluff? Barely skimmed. Releases aren’t a journalist’s guide to story creation. They are just a starting point. Want better coverage? ✅ Cut the BS. ✅ Ditch the flowery self-promotion. ✅ Stick to relevant facts that actually support the story. Journalists work to inform their audience, not to sell your message. If you align with that, your pitch has a much better shot.

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One of the most common issues I hear in voiceover demos isn’t performance. It’s sameness. Good voices. Well recorded. Competently produced. But not offering anything you couldn’t generate quickly with a template or an AI tool. When everything sounds fine, but nothing sounds intentional, there’s no reason to remember it. Most demo rebuilds aren’t about fixing talent. They’re about clarity, contrast, and making deliberate choices that give a listener a reason to care.

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I've started learning CapCut three times. Never finished once. Premiere After Effects  DaVinci  Avid That new AI tool everyone's talking about. I'd watch tutorials. Download trials. Get excited. Then a week later? Back to what I already knew. Sound familiar? I thought I had a discipline problem. I didn't. I had a clarity problem. Here's the truth about shiny object syndrome: It's not about curiosity. It's about avoidance. Every new tool feels like progress.  Like you're investing in yourself.  Like you're staying competitive. But jumping between software isn't learning. It's hiding. Hiding from the discomfort of mastering one thing.  From the boring middle where real skill is built.  From the fear that maybe you're not progressing fast enough. New tools feel exciting. Mastery feels slow. So we chase the dopamine of starting over. Here's what finally broke the cycle: 1. Pick one tool - The best software is the one you actually learn.  - Commit for 90 days. 2. Define the outcome  - Don't learn Resolve.  - Learn color grading in Resolve for narrative work. 3. Finish one project  - No switching until you complete something real.  - Tutorials don't count. 4. Ignore the noise  - That new plugin can wait.  - Your fundamentals can't. 5. Measure depth, not width  - One tool at 80% beats five tools at 20%. The editors getting hired aren't the ones who know everything. They're the ones who know one thing deeply. Generalists get curious. Specialists get booked. Stop collecting tools. Start mastering one. What's the one software you keep abandoning? ___ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Davone Alexis for more.

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Most actors walk into auditions thinking: “Am I good enough?” “Will they like my choices?” “Do I look right for the role?” After nearly forty years directing actors, I can tell you: We’re not thinking about any of that. The real question in every audition is: “Will this actor make my job easier — or harder?” If you’re in the room, talent is already assumed. Casting directors have already decided you can act. What we’re assessing is whether you arrive as: a solution under pressure, or another problem to manage. By the time we’re shooting, time is locked. Budgets are fixed. There may be a hundred people standing around waiting for the scene to work. Actors who work consistently understand this reality without resenting it. They arrive with something that already works — and can adjust intelligently. Actors who struggle often arrive hoping the director will help them find the performance. The difference isn’t talent. It’s preparation. Careers aren’t built on being impressive. They’re built on being reliable under pressure. I explore this mindset — and why it’s the foundation of a sustainable acting career — in full here.

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Daily Nuggets: 1.) Not everything that glitters is gold. There are lots of shiny things in the voiceover industry. You have to peel back the layers to find out which ones are 24 carat and which ones are just plated. Ask around and do your research before committing your funds. 2.) Sometimes you're gonna find yourself in a situation where you just cannot do a job. A better response than, "I'm not available, or able," is a short list of colleagues you can recommend to the client. You'll get the next one, but someone you care about will get that one......and more often than not that buyer will remember that you didn't make it all about you. 3.) Your studio ambience and ergonomics are everything. If you're physically uncomfortable, that will come through in your reads. Create a space, even if that's your walk-in, that allows you to focus on nothing but the read.

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