Hey, everybody, and welcome to “Whose Job Is It Anyway?”, the industry where the lines are made up and the specs actually matter. That’s right, the specs are just like Schrodinger’s Cat; invisible if you don’t care and extremely important once observed.
“Wait, are you saying I can’t just read for any part? As if this wasn’t hard enough to get work already…”
Things are tight for everyone right now, especially for people who haven’t had many opportunities in the first place. Delivering authentic, complex performances is the forward-facing direction our industry is heading toward. This isn’t to shut people out of work, it’s about inclusivity and bringing varied people and identities into the fold.
We all have our stories to tell, and some stories you need to not audition for. Let’s break down what exactly Authenticity means and how we all can market our natural selves.
- Authenticity
Casting Directors are a lot savvier on gender and identities, whether on-camera or voice-over. More often than not, they’ll have specifics on what the character is, and they have a valid reason for that. If you’re not a paraplegic person, why would you think you could deliver a truly authentic performance of a character who is paraplegic? There are subtleties to the performance and characterization you, if you are an able-bodied performer, cannot possibly be aware of through any amount of research.
The same applies when a spec asks for other labels (e.g., race, gender, background, native language, etc.). If they ask for only an accent, that’s fine, go for it. But if they ask for a specific race or national heritage for certain characters, you don’t get to be the arbiter of the employer’s decision. If you fit, read—if not, pass. It is, honestly, that simple. There will be more auditions and parts in the future, I assure you.
It would be incredible if we lived in a Society where anyone could read for any part, we get to experience what it’s like to be someone else for a few hours, and we all get paid—but the fact is, we’re not there.
So, until that day, find and figure out what your labels and unique story to tell is. It could be your journey with gender and vocal-affirming tones, your regional upbringing, your grandparents’ stories of the Motherland, the types of romantic relationships you’ve had. All of these inform our day-to-day selves, and those become the stories we’re capable of telling.
- Equity and Marginalization
To BIPOC actors, to my fellow LGBTQIA+ actors, and to our Allies: We live in challenging times. It is deplorable that people have to make the active choice of whether to express themselves as they are, to tell their whole truth, and to try to live the best life they can in a world that doesn’t necessarily want that for us.
You alone get to make the choice of when, where, and how you present. Queer people can and should read for all roles they fit, and cisgendered, straight people cannot and should not read for queer roles.
Why? The short answer is: Equity.
The long answer is: marginalized people have been type-cast, relegated to only certain parts, only able to get roles that mock their actual lives and communities, and are passed over for roles they otherwise align with and fit (that end up going to cis white actors by default).
We don’t need more caricatures and stereotypes of marginalized identities. We all deserve to be seen, tell our lived experiences, and work like anyone else.
Something we, as a collective, can do is know our community. Often, we’ll get sides and pieces that don’t match us in any way. But we may know someone for whom it does fit. We naturally remember who built us up, who put us in front of opportunities, and who kept the ladder ready for people to climb up. That’s just as valuable as the audition itself.
- Marketing
Now, you may identify a certain way, but that’s not all you bring. As actors, we excel in our fields by being approachable, befriending all we can, and being amazing at what we do.
A quote I carry with me daily comes from Emma O’Neill, “I’m queer. I’m here. Let’s work”. This fully encapsulates the heart of the issue: Yes, some of us are queer or gay or some non-normative label, but we’re here to do a job.
Brands are either looking for or have already established their sound. It’s on us, as actors, to learn what those are, see if it fits with us, and deliver stellar performances with crisp, clear tones. That’s our 9-to-5. You can make the process even faster by deeply knowing your labels, your boundaries, what you feel comfortable reading for, and what envelopes you feel like pushing.
It is such a personal choice on how we present ourselves. Even online—where people post ad nauseam about their beliefs, gripes, and stances—we are judged for what we say, and both our peers and our employers take note of this. To that end: how outspoken do you want to be? If a publisher wanted you to be silent on social media because they knew you believed a certain way about a topic, would you care if you ever worked with them (or their colleagues) again?
This is a tough philosophical choice we all may face in our careers, and it’s important to have a moral framework on which to stand, whichever way you go. Neither choice is wrong if it leads to us continuing our causes, supporting our comrades, and standing in our truths.
- So What’s Next?
I wish the answer was simple. Unfortunately, we have to dig deep.
We have to discover and know ourselves, inside and out. Who are we? What labels do we choose to attach to our name and our presentation? What kinds of voice-over performances are we comfortable with? What can we authentically speak on, and what should we give to other actors? Do we want to be loud and proud or strategic and deliberate?
This isn’t a black-and-white issue. The answers to these, like most things, is on a spectrum, carries nuance, will vary from person to person, and could change literally after reading this. Heck, you might not even have the same answer to a question a year from now. I promise you the time you take for self-discovery and categorization is never wasted and will make you an even better actor than before.
It’s incredibly important to stand as we are, not be afraid to be real, approach everyone (yes, everyone) initially with kindness, and be leagues better than what’s expected of us. We all can get there by being our truest, unapologetic selves and making sure our voices and stories are heard.
P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry, sign up here!
