We the audience can hear, feel and relate to authenticity. There’s a place for everyone in our world of voice over today! Having the courage to be your authentic self is now sought after and celebrated. Unequivocally, the number one trend in VO today is diversity and inclusion. What are some trends you’re noticing in voice over today? Long story short, I invited this acting student to audition, and not only did he win the job, it grew into four national radio spots and it became his access via Taft-Hartley to join SAG-AFTRA! It launched his voice acting career. There was one young man who came across naturally as the type we were auditioning that very same afternoon. This all happened in a matter of seconds for each person. They each gave their name and shared 3 natural personality characteristics describing themselves. While I had the pleasure of lecturing to acting students at Cal State Northridge, I conducted an interactive exercise in which we passed around a cordless microphone to each person in the auditorium. What’s one of your favorite casting discovery stories? Funny story – a few years ago, at a hospital while I was under sedation from an epidural injection for a back injury, Harvey tells me he saw me extending a business card to the nurse who was pushing my temporary post procedure wheelchair to the elevator! Voice casting is clearly my passion. Unlikely places we’ve discovered VO talent include: at Costco, a spa, in restaurants, striking up conversations in an airplane, in an elevator. Likely places include: our own voice acting classes, on-stage performances, college acting showcases, improv showcases, comedy clubs, social media and from voice demos submitted to us by agents and managers and demos emailed directly to us from voice acting talent from around the world. Over the last 30 years, we’ve discovered and developed voice acting talent at both likely and unlikely places. Where are some of the most interesting places you’ve discovered VO talent? We’re proud to share that our graduates report increased booking averages in both their voice over and on-camera careers. Harvey is the creator of the Kalmenson Method for Voice Acting. Kalmenson & Kalmenson still offers producers the option of voice acting auditions directed by a pro/veteran voice acting director, most often, by our co-founder, Harvey Kalmenson, who I like to call our CWO – Corporate Wisdom Officer. In other words, when it comes to online robo-casting services, it often comes down to who will do the voice over job for the least amount of money. Online undirected robo-casting attracts thousands of unqualified candidates and pits talent against each other in open-market bidding for the job. The advent of robotic online casting services has no human touch! Missing are: strategic and curated casting, along with auditions directed by a human. And yes, you can audition and work in your pajamas! The upside to self-directing: saving travel time, gas and parking money. Which is why a strong VO acting skill set, along with improvisational skills are needed for the confidence and positive self-belief required for the nature of this business. The VO auditioning process has become mostly self-directing, followed by no feedback for the actor, unless they book it. These days, like many other vocations out there, there is less human contact in the voice over industry. How has the VO business changed, in general and for K&K in the last few years? And then there’s the joy and gratification of matching an actor’s truth with the truth in the role. To know their essence is like discovering gold. I’m blown away by getting to know talent by their honest self-expression. I am inspired by the courage and vulnerability that it takes for VO actors to be authentically responsive. For more information on Kalmenson and Kalmenson, voice acting and casting, visit What inspires you about the business of voice over talent? I spoke with Cathy Kalmenson about some of her favorite highlights from a long career and the current state of the industry.
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