Let’s be honest — auditions are weird.
They’re nerve-wracking, slightly awkward, and often involve sitting alone in a booth trying to sound natural while talking to absolutely no one. And when it comes to how to audition for voice acting, things can feel even more cryptic; especially if you’re used to traditional on-camera castings where you get a room, a reader, and at least a few eyebrows to react to.
But voice over auditions? Not quite the same. Sometimes you’re face to face with a casting director. Sometimes you’re whispering into a mic at 2am from your closet, hoping the neighbor’s dog doesn’t ruin take seven. Either way, it’s on you to bring the goods — fast, polished, and believable — without much feedback or direction.That’s why I put this together.
I’m Hunter; a full-time voice actor who’s been booked to work for everything from Nike and Sony Pictures to startups with names you can’t quite pronounce. I’ve auditioned for what seems like more times than I’ve blinked, and I’ve learned (often the hard way) what actually gets you noticed… and what just gets you skipped.
So if you’re new to this whole thing, or just sick of hearing radio silence after sending in your demo, here’s what you need to know.
How Do You Audition For Voice Acting Roles?
The first thing to understand is that there’s no one way to audition for voice acting roles. Some gigs will have you reading in front of a live panel, others will send a brief and expect you to self-record at home, sometimes with little more than vague notes on tone and style and a 24-hour deadline. Fun!
Most voice actors, especially early on, will be auditioning remotely. That means you’ll get:
- A short script (sometimes just a few lines)
- A bit of context (if you’re lucky)
- And some loose direction like “friendly but authoritative” or “think Ryan Reynolds meets David Attenborough”
Your job? Interpret that as best you can, hit record, and deliver something that sounds like you weren’t just deciphering vague notes in your inbox three minutes ago.
For better or worse, this setup means there’s no room to rely on direction from casting. You have to trust your instincts. Which is why understanding how to audition for voice acting is about more than just hitting “record” — it’s about knowing how to prep, perform, and package your reading.
My Top 10 Voice Over Audition Tips
1. Act It Out
Yes, it’s voice acting — but how to audition for voice over work can lean into the traditional ways of auditioning, and that means your body’s not off the hook.
Physicality adds life to your delivery. A raised eyebrow, a hand gesture, a little lean forward — these things help unlock vocal nuance you just don’t get when you’re sat frozen like a mannequin.
You don’t need to flail around like you’re in a stage play, but even subtle movement keeps your energy up and your read connected. If the character’s smiling, smile. If they’re exasperated, let your body join in. Sounding believable often starts with feeling believable — and that means getting physically involved.
2. Invest In Audio Quality From The Start
No, you don’t need to go full Hollywood, but yes — you do need to stop auditioning for voice acting on your phone. If you’re serious about voice acting, you need a halfway decent mic, and a DAW setup that won’t crash mid-take.
Why? Because casting directors are listening on good headphones. If your audio is tinny, hissy, or sounds like you’re shouting from the bottom of a well, you’re done before you’ve even hit line two. Crisp, clean audio tells them you’re not just talented; you’re also serious and ready to work.
3. Try To Slate (Briefly) In Character
If slating is required, don’t break the tone you’ve just set. A jarring “Hi I’m Hunter Peterson reading for the role of…” right before a medieval warrior monologue is going to snap the listener out of it faster than you think.
Keep your slate short, and (if possible) delivered in the same energy or character as your read.
It shows polish. It shows awareness. And it stops your intro from killing the mood right before you land the good stuff.
4. Practice Your ‘Cold’ Reading
One of the best voice over audition tips I can give you? Get good at winging it!
Cold reading is the art of picking up a script you’ve never seen before and sounding like you’ve lived with it for weeks. And in voice over — where quick turnarounds are the norm — that’s not just a cheap gimmick or party trick, it’s a survival skill.
Practising cold reads helps you get better at spotting tone, pacing, and phrasing on the fly. Try it regularly: pick random scripts, give yourself 30 seconds, and go. It’ll make a massive difference to how you handle real audition briefs (and the curveballs they tend to come with).
5. Follow Directions
Sounds a bit too obvious. But honestly, you’d be surprised how many people don’t do this well enough!
If the brief says “slate in character” — do it. If it says “two takes, different styles” — do that. If they say “don’t slate, label file like this, and please no compression” — definitely do that.
Knowing how to audition for voice acting roles also means knowing how to follow instructions. Why? Because casting isn’t just listening to your voice, they’re clocking whether you’re; directable, professional, and low-maintenance to work with. And nothing screams “this’ll be a nightmare client call” like not reading the brief properly.
6. Vocal Warmups Matter (Yes, Really)
If you’re still skipping vocal warmups because they feel awkward or unnecessary stop. Right now.
Even five minutes of lip trills, hums, or light articulation drills can mean the difference between a sharp, clear read and a take that sounds like it’s been dragged out of bed.
Knowing how to prepare your voice for an audition isn’t just about sounding smooth, it’s about sounding ready. If your first take sounds like a warmup, it probably was and casting are going to notice!
7. Make & Submit Multiple Takes
Unless the brief specifically says one take only, always record at least two. Not wildly different, just enough to show range.
Maybe one is lighter and conversational, the other a bit more grounded or intense.
The idea here is to prove you’re directable, that you can interpret a line more than one way without needing hand-holding. It’s a small thing that can make a big impression, especially in auditions where they’re listening to 50 versions of the exact same read.
Bonus voice over audition tip: label your takes clearly so the client doesn’t have to guess what’s what.
8. Really Focus On Getting Into Character
Even if the script is two lines about cereal, make a choice. Don’t play overtly generic.
Knowing how to audition for voice acting isn’t just about reading words, it’s about figuring out who’s saying them. What’s their deal? What’s the situation? Are they excited, annoyed, in a rush, bored stiff?
The moment you stop trying to sound “good” and start thinking like the character, everything improves — pacing, rhythm, energy. Even your mic technique adjusts subconsciously. That’s when the read starts to feel real.
9. Be Efficient & Try Not To Obsess
Record. Edit. Send. Move on.
You will not book every gig — not even close! If you linger on every audition wondering “Was that right?” or re-recording 14 times, you’ll burn out. Learn the art of letting go.
Understanding how to audition for voice acting roles also means understanding the numbers game. It’s a simple law of averages, the more you audition, the more chances you give yourself to land something. But that only works if you keep moving.
Do your best, hit submit, and start the next one.
10. Be Sure You’ve Genuinely Studied The Script
Sounds obvious, but I mean really look at it.
What’s the tone? Who’s the audience? Is there a punchline? A shift in emotion halfway through? Are there words you might be mispronouncing if you don’t Google them first?
Figuring out how to audition for voice over work means understanding that your job isn’t just to read well, it’s to interpret well. The better you know the script before you open your mouth, the more confident (and natural) your performance will be.
Final Advice On How To Audition For Voice Acting Roles
Auditioning is never going to feel completely normal. You’re performing into the void, trying to land a role you’ll probably never hear back about, while wondering if your mic picked up the neighbor’s mower again.
But the more you do it, the more it starts to click.
You’ll start spotting patterns in briefs. You’ll hear when your reads are landing and when they’re not. And you’ll get better, not just at the technical stuff, but at knowing how to audition for voice acting with confidence, clarity, and character.
So whether you’re just starting out or knee-deep in rejection emails, keep going. Do the work, hit record, send the file, and then — onto the next one.
That’s how you win at this game.