Frequently Asked Questions:

If you don’t find an answer to your question here, please email us at info@voice-international.com or visit the VOICE Forum by clicking on the FORUM link on the VOICE website. We’ll be adding new answers as needed.

Why should I attend VOICE?
Will I be able to give my demo to agents at VOICE?
Is there an age requirement to attend VOICE?
Can I take a tax deduction for attending VOICE?
How do you select the presenters?
Will presenters just be selling their stuff?
I’m a working pro. Why should I attend VOICE?
I’m new to voiceover and don’t want to feel isolated if I attend.
Will there be tracks at this year’s conference?
How do you attract such big names to teach at VOICE?
Do you offer day passes?
What’s happening the night before the conference starts?
Why should I stay at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza?
Why is VOICE in Los Angeles and not Las Vegas?
Do you offer any tuition discounts?
Why must I enter my registration type?
What is a VIP code?
Can I share a room to save on expenses?
Do you offer any travel discounts?
How do I choose my breakout sessions?
What if I want to attend two breakout sessions scheduled at the same time?
I live in LA and don’t want to use the hotel’s valet parking.
What time does VOICE end?
I’d like to attend VOICE, but I don’t want to miss any of my regular session work.

Why should I spend my money to attend VOICE when I can spend less by taking a more concentrated workshop with just one coach?

We certainly encourage you to take as many workshops as you can afford. As with any other form of acting, voiceover requires ongoing training if you are going to reach your optimum level of performance and business expertise.

Consider this: you can spend hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, to attend a one-day or two-day workshop with a single coach, and you’ll get only that coach’s perspective on performance and the business of voiceover. In some cases, that coach may be interested in little more than signing you up for an expensive demo session rather than helping you to succeed as a voice talent. You’ll be one of only a small group of people and the focus of the workshop may be on a single aspect of the business. Is this valuable? Of course it is!

But now, consider this: for the same amount of money (or less) you can attend an International conference where you can choose to attend specific seminars on subjects that are of specific interest to you, and which are taught by more than two-dozen of the best-known and most experienced voice actors and coaches in the world! You’ll be able to meet and network with hundreds of your peers from around the world, making dozens of new friends in the process. And you’ll not only learn about performing for voiceover, but also about how to better run your own VO business, and how to properly use the technology of voiceover work.

Is one approach better than the other? No! Mastering the performing skills, technology, and business of voiceover requires an investment in yourself. The results you get from attending an event like VOICE can be ultimately far more valuable than the mere dollars you invest in your career.

Will I be able to give my demo to agents or producers at VOICE?

The VOICE conference is intended to be a place for voice talent to learn new skills and network with peers. The agents, producers, coaches, and major-name voice talent who appear on our panels and teach the seminars are here to help you to be better and more successful voice talent. They aren’t here to solicit demos or seek out talent to represent. We ask that you please respect our presenters and guests by not asking them if they will listen to your demo or evaluate your marketing materials. You are encouraged to ask appropriate questions during the seminars when the presenter opens the floor for questions. And, of course, if a presenter or panelist offers to listen to demos, all bets are off!

Is there an age requirement to attend the VOICE conference?

Yes. For a variety of legal and safety reasons we do have a minimum age requirement. The VOICE conference is intended primarily for adults and the following is our policy regarding children: An unaccompanied attendee must be at least 16 years of age. Any attendee under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. Children under the age of 7 are not permitted in any of the seminar rooms or in the Exhibit Hall at any time - even if they are currently working in the entertainment industry. Parents or guardians who are working voice talent or actors and their accompanied children must register separately and pay the regular full tuition. A tuition of 50% off the current regular tuition is available on a case by case basis for parents or guardians who are not in the entertainment industry but who are attending solely in the capacity of accompanying a person under the age of 16. If you have any questions about this, please call us.

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Is the money I spend to attend VOICE tax deductible?

You should check with your tax preparer to determine exactly what you can take as a tax deduction. However, you should know that the IRS allows a tax deduction for those expenses that directly relate to your continued education in you chosen line of work or for training that is intended to prepare you for a new career. This means that you may potentially be able to deduct the majority (if not all) of your VOICE expenses, including: your travel expenses, hotel, event tuition, products purchased at the event, and even a portion of your meals.

I’ve heard the old adage “... those who can’t do, teach.” How do you select the people teaching seminars at VOICE?

Let’s begin by dispelling this myth! The assumption of this myth is that if you’re teaching something, it must be because you can’t “do” the work successfully. This concept is flawed at best, and for the most part just plain ridiculous. The implication is that just because someone may not be very successful in their chosen line of work, they somehow have lesser talent because they teach, and that someone who is successful at their work would be a better teacher. Many of the most successful actors and business people are ineffective teachers! They simply do not have an ability to communicate to others the knowledge they have gained from experience. Some of the best teachers in the world cannot do what they teach, yet they have a unique ability to teach others how to excel in their chosen line of work. How many excellent music or piano teachers do you know who are also well-known concert or studio musicians?

We are fortunate in the voiceover world to have a great many very successful voice talent who also have the ability to teach what they know. Of course, as with anything in life, some will be better teachers than others. The people we invite to present sessions at VOICE must first have some credibility in their area of voiceover. This may be as an author, a successful voice talent, or as a recognized teacher, some of whom are well known and others you may have never heard of. Second, and more important, each presenter must have a desire to share their knowledge and experience with those who are learning. Every presenter must submit a proposal describing their program, which is then evaluated by our Program Committee prior to booking.

The true value of the VOICE conference is not in the “names” of those presenting, but rather in the generosity of those who are teaching to help their fellow voice artists. For these first few years of VOICE, most of the people we invite to speak are relatively well known in our business. In the future, we’ll be inviting presenters who may not be as well known, but who nonetheless have valuable information to share.

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I’ve noticed that many of the presenters at VOICE are coaches, authors, or have something to sell. I don’t want to attend a conference like this just to be sold books, CDs or a demo package.

The VOICE conference is definitely NOT about selling stuff! VOICE is about learning new skills and learning how to apply existing skills in new ways. Of course, many of the presenters are professional coaches or have a business that supports voice talent and will be offering their services and products for sale. Some will even be offering private coaching or consultation sessions during the conference. This only makes sense so they can offset some of their expenses and make the most of their appearance at VOICE. However, we are very careful to let our presenters know that VOICE is not about them selling their “stuff.” We’ve very careful to only accept presenters who are well established as professional voice talent, reputable coaches, or who, in some other way, have a presence in the voiceover community. We’re NOT interested in having anyone teach or exhibit at our event who is solely interested in taking money from our attendees.

Why should I attend VOICE? I’m already a working pro with lots of regular VO clients and I already know what I’m doing!

VOICE is built around three fundamental building blocks for success in voiceover: Education, Technology, and Community. You may be a successful working pro, but there is always more to learn that will help you to be better at what you do - and therefore become more successful. Many fortune 500 businesses require their senior staff to attend regular training in order to keep their knowledge and skills in top form. Just because you “know” how to voice your client’s projects, does that really mean you should stop learning? It only takes one new idea to completely change the way you serve your clients - and we guarantee you’ll take away more than one idea from VOICE.

You may have a wonderful home studio with all the latest gear, but the technology of voiceover and sound recording changes on an almost daily basis. At the rate things are changing, it’s critical that we keep up with the new tools of our trade and learn how to properly use the tools we already have.

The voiceover “industry” is one of the few specialized types of work that does not have it’s own association or means by which those doing this sort of work can network and collaborate with others in the business person-to-person. Sure, there are some great on-line discussion boards - but one of big attractions of the VOICE event is that voice talent from around the world have a place to come together. Old friendships are renewed and new friendships are made.

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I’m new to voiceover and I really don’t know anyone else who’s doing this. I’m concerned that if I attend VOICE, I’ll feel alone and isolated. I’m also worried that I might be spending a lot of money and may not learn anything I can use.

Voiceover performers are some of the friendliest and most supportive people we’ve ever met! Even if you come to VOICE knowing no-one, we guarantee you’ll have some great new friends by the time you leave. As for the price: you can easily spend as much or more for one or two weekend workshops with just one VO coach. At VOICE, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from more than a dozen coaches to learn exactly what you want to know. Every day of VOICE is packed with information for you to take home, review, and put to work immediately. As Connie Terwilliger puts it “VOICE is a fire hose of information,” which is exactly what you want if you are going to be successful as a professional voice talent.

Will there be any “tracks” for different aspects of voiceover or will everything be geared for the beginner?

The VOICE conference is still very new and we’re not quite at a point where we can offer tracks. However, this year we have programs for every level of experience. Whether you’re just getting started, or you’ve been working as a voice talent for years, there will be lots for you to learn that you will be able to immediately apply to making both your voiceover performing and business more effective.

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Do you offer day passes?

By design, each segment of the VoiceOver International Creative Experience builds upon what precedes. The conference is intended to be experienced in its entirety as much as possible in order to receive maximum value. Although we encourage you to attend the entire conference we know that’s simply not possible for some. So, we do offer Day Passes for those who can only attend one or two days. We also offer an Exhibits Only pass that can be purchased if you can’t attend the conference but want to visit our exhibitors. Both of these options can be selected during the first page of the registration process. Please note that evening and extra charge events are NOT included with a Day Pass and a Day Pass includes only the workbook for that day’s programs.

How do you manage to get so many big-name voiceover coaches to teach at VOICE?

The most successful people in voiceover understand what it takes to get to their level of accomplishment. They’ve learned a lot during their careers and have a strong desire to pass on their knowledge to those striving to learn or improve their skills. The coaches and other professionals booked to present at VOICE consider it an honor and a privilege to have been accepted to be part of the conference. They understand that by teaching what they know they are helping to improve a continually developing performing craft. And they know that by teaching others, they become all the more successful. They aren’t concerned about competition because they are confident with their level of skill and they know that by helping raise the standards of both the performance and business sides of voiceover, they are helping to improve voiceover work for everyone. Some of the top professionals in voiceover ask to be part of VOICE and we invite VO coaches from around the world to teach at the conference. Being a presenter at VOICE is a way to give back to the voiceover community that has never existed before.

Why are the dates posted as certain days, but you’ve got something happening on the evening before the first day?

The VOICE conference officially starts at 8:45am on the first scheduled full day. The day before will generally be a travel day for most attendees coming in from outside the Los Angeles area. From 1pm to 5pm on the afternoon before the conference starts, there will be an opportunity for “Early Sign-in” at which time you can pick up your VOICE Show Bag. From 6pm-8pm the evening before the conference start, you’ll want to be at our “Red Carpet Reception.” This is where you’ll have an opportunity to meet voice talent from around the world and network with many of our presenters, exhibitors, and staff before the conference begins on Friday morning. You’ll also have an opportunity to meet the producers and support staff for VOICE.

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Why should I stay at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel?

No matter where you travel these days, hotel rooms are getting expensive - and Los Angeles is no different. We spent a lot of time searching for a hotel that has the facilities for what we have planned and where we could negotiate a great room rate. By booking your room at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, you'll not only be in the heart of VOICE, surrounded by hundreds of other voice talent, but you'll not have to worry about driving in LA traffic. You'll be able to spend your spare time relaxing and meeting other voice talent from around the world, rather than trying to make sure you get from wherever you are staying to the hotel in time for the morning general sessions. Besides, you'll be getting an amazingly low room rate for this hotel.

When should I book my hotel room at the Hyatt Century Plaza?

We suggest you book your hotel room as early as possible, ideally immediately after registering for VOICE. We have only a limited number of rooms available at our group rate of $169 (single) and $189 (double). When our room block is “SOLD OUT,” we can’t guarantee that you will be able to get a room at our deeply discounted room rate. (FYI, the average room rate at the Hyatt Century Plaza is in the mid-to-high $200’s).

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Why is VOICE in Los Angeles, and not in Las Vegas, New York, or Chicago?

Our first VOICE conference was in Las Vegas because we wanted to put the event in an entertainment city, but needed to keep our production costs to a minimum. One of the things we learned about Las Vegas is that there is cigarette smoke everywhere! In 2008 we moved VOICE to Los Angeles for several reasons: First, there’s no cigarette smoke in the hotel! L.A. is also one of the centers of the voiceover world and by holding our conference in L.A. we are able to attract even more of the top professionals in our business. The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza is an amazing venue for the VOICE conference. There is a possibility that we may offer a VOICE conference in New York at some time in the future, but for the time being, VOICE will be happening in Los Angeles.

Do you offer any tuition discounts?

For those who qualify, we do offer a discount on the current tuition for VOICE. A special discount code is provided to qualified individuals. If you did not receive a discount code, please use the full tuition registration option. If you were given a discount code, please select the appropriate category and enter the code when asked. Discount codes are not case sensitive.

AOVA GRADS: Graduates of any Art of Voice Acting workshops taught by James Alburger and Penny Abshire receive a discount to any other AOVA workshop taught by James and Penny (see the Disclaimer in the Contact area at www.voiceacting.com).

VOICE is a conference for voice talent at all levels of experience, and is technically not a workshop. The conference is not taught by James and Penny (although they may occasionally teach a seminar.) However, because James and Penny are the executive producers of VOICE, and truly value the relationship with their students, AOVA graduates DO receive a discount to VOICE. AOVA Graduates are notified by email of the special registration code they must use to receive their discount. Grads can also call VoiceActing, LLC to request the discount code.

PRIOR VOICE ATTENDEES: We appreciate the support of prior VOICE attendees and offer a special discount code for those who have supported our efforts in the past.

SENIOR CITIZENS: We know of many very talented seniors who are either working voice talent or want to improve their skills. If you’re a senior over 65, you must call our office in order to receive your discount code. See the CONTACT area of this web site for our phone number.

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Why do I need to choose my “registration type” on the registration page?

If this is your first VOICE conference you’ll use the First Time Attending type. The Prior  Attendee type is specifically for those who attended a previous VOICE conference and requires a password before registration can proceed. The AOVA Graduate registration type is for grads of James and Penny’s workshops and requires a password before registration can continue. We believe in supporting those who support us, and offer a tuition discount to prior attendees, VIP’s, and qualified professionals. If you have any question as to whether or not you qualify for a tuition discount, please call us.

What is a VIP CODE?

Everyone who attends a VOICE conference needs to register through the VOICE web site registration process. The producers of VOICE may need to make special arrangements for presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, press, media, and other VIP guests. VIP’s are given a personal “VIP CODE” to use when they register that will expedite their registration and identify them to us as VIP’s. In many cases VIP’s are registered by the VOICE staff and are sent their personal code so they can update their profile and select activities and events they would like to attend.

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Can I share the cost of a room at the conference hotel?

Yes. Your hotel room is completely separate from your VOICE registration. Because we’re holding the conference at a major hotel, we’ve been able to arrange for special room rates for our attendees. If you’d like to share a room with someone not traveling with you, visit the VOICE FORUM at www.voice-international.com. If you haven’t already set up an account, do that first. Then log-in and click on the Forum thread for “Lodging and Travel.” This is the place where you can get travel suggestions and arrange for room-sharing.

Are there any travel discounts available?

Yes. We’ve made arrangements with American Airlines for travel discounts as well as with Hertz Rental Cars and SuperShuttle ground transportation. Full details and discount codes are on the confirmation page that appears at the completion of on-line registration.

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How do I sign-up for the break-out sessions? I don’t see any names or subjects!

You can choose your breakout sessions during the registration process. After entering your personal information, you’ll be taken to the AGENDA page where you can select the program sessions you’ll be attending during VOICE.

You can change your choices up to 15 days prior to the start of the conference. You can do this by going to the VOICE web site and clicking on the Registration tab. From the home page of our Registration form, select “Register Now,” then select “Existing Registration.” Enter the user name and password you set up when you registered and proceed to the Agenda to select your breakout sessions. Please note that if you do not select your breakout sessions, they will be assigned to you. Some sessions will “sell out” early, so we suggest you make your breakout session choices when you register.

What do I do if I want to attend more than one of the breakout sessions scheduled at the same time?

One of the main requests we had from our past VOICE attendees was for a greater variety of coaching sessions for more levels of experience. We’ve made every effort to create a schedule that we hope will meet the needs of most attendees. However, we know some people will want to attend more than one session scheduled at a given time. Because of the large number of people expected at VOICE, we need to ask all attendees to please only attend the sessions they have selected. Please note that your VOICE  Workbook will have the supplemental material for every seminar presented. We are also audio record most of the sessions presented at VOICE*. A compilation DVD-Rom that will contain most of the presentations will be available for purchase at the conference for a reduced price. It’s difficult to be in two places at the same time, so if you want to hear a session you weren’t able to attend, it will probably be available on the DVD-Rom if you purchase the VOICE 2008 DVD-Rom.* We also plan to offer individual sessions for sale during the conference.

*Due to contractual arrangements with some presenters, there are a few sessions that we may not be able to record, offer for purchase, or include on the compilation DVD-Rom. We apologize in advance for any seminars that we are restricted from making available to our attendees. These sessions will be noted on the agenda page when you register.

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I live in LA and I don’t want to use the hotel’s valet parking. Does the hotel have a self-parking lot? (Century Plaza Hotel)

Yes. There is a self-parking facility located behind the hotel. The rates for self-parking are $12 for a 10-hour maximum (no in/out privileges) and $21 overnight with in/out privileges. We’ve negotiated a valet parking rate of $18 for a full day (no maximum time and no in/out) and $20 for overnight with in/out (hotel guests mostly). For $3 more than self-park, you’ll be able to stay for the whole day without having to worry about getting out of the lot on time. The difference is negligible and the convenience of valet parking (and not having to walk around the block) may just be worth what you pay in tips.

When does VOICE end?

We do our best to schedule VOICE events so the last program ends either on a night or by noon of the final day. This will give you plenty of time to check out or catch your flight. Depending on the conference schedule, the Exhibit Hall may be open until 12 noon on the day after the event closes (or on the final conference day) for those of you who want to make those last-minute purchases. Please see your registration package for specific conference days and times.

I’ve got a busy schedule, and I really want to be at VOICE - but I don’t want to have to miss my sessions. What can I do?

We realize that it can be a challenge for many voiceover professionals to take time away from their session work to attend VOICE. That’s why we’ve arranged for ISDN and phone patch lines to be available at VOICE. ISDN and phone patch sessions can be booked in 30-minute increments at the VOICE STUDIO located in the conference area. All ISDN and phone patch sessions will be “call-in” and will be fee-based to cover the cost of the phone lines and interface equipment.

We’ll be adding more answers to your questions as needed. If you’ve got a question that’s not answered here, please send it in an e-mail to: info@voice-international.com

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