We recently connected with Raven Viceral and have shared our conversation below.

Raven, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Learning the craft of voice over was a long process that I gained through years of experience, online resources, the support of peers, and classes. Initially, when I began my voice over journey I didn’t know anything about the field other than the fact that it used a microphone. I jumped the gun and bought a USB microphone on Amazon without doing much research at all which was a rookie mistake. At the time, I had no idea what I was signing up for and how much time and dedication it would take to gain proficiency enough to start my career. I quickly realized that I was in over my head and began watching YouTube videos on the topic. I watched videos from all different sorts of voice actors in the field who made start up guides and began talking with like minded peers over Skype for insight. I took notes and began building up my equipment and making informed decisions from then on.

I eventually stumbled upon Voice Acting Club, which had a detailed guide on getting started in voice over and was also directed to Dee Bradley Baker’s site “I Want To Be A Voice Actor.com.” I was also recommended to listen to Crispin Freeman’s free podcast, “Voice Acting Mastery.” By this point, I had utilized as many free resources I could get my hands on. I joined Discord servers and read through any linked resources or guides. I then went on to read Voice Over Voice Actor by Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal that provided even more insight into the field. It was at this point that I was hooked and knew I wanted to keep learning.

During this time, I continued to audition and be part of unpaid fan projects to gain experience. I practiced expanding my range in the car while commuting to school and sometimes would even do voice in the shower. I would read my textbooks and assigned readings aloud to get a feel for my voice and hone my craft. Through auditioning, I grew as an actor as I listened back to performances and analyzed what I could improve on. I began to critically consume media and copy other actors’ performances to really get a grasp of character acting. I continued to do this before moving on to original and eventually paid projects. It was only after a few years of dabbling in the field that I took my first paid workshop.

Until now I am still actively learning and growing. I continue to take workshops with different directors and actors and take notes on their feedback to improve. I also began taking private coaching which really helped me pinpoint my strengths and weaknesses. At the start, improving fast was difficult due to a lot of knowledge requiring money for formal teaching and coaching. I found that by using the resources I had to start I was able to grow slowly but more steadily. I was always actively working on my skills even passively by reading aloud despite these obstacles. Looking back now, I believe investing in private coaching earlier would’ve been much more beneficial as I could target my specific goals early on rather than have to relearn habits I developed over the years. I didn’t trust my own ability enough to believe I was ready.

I think the most essential skill in learning voice acting is not being afraid to make mistakes and grow from them. At the base of voice over is believable acting skills and that is not built overnight. I have hundreds of performances that I now find embarrassing to compare to who I am now, but that was all part of the process. Being willing to accept feedback, take risks, and grow is the fastest way to not just improve in your craft but to truly embrace the field and enjoy all the joys voice over has to offer.

Raven, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Raven Viceral and I am a Filipino-American voice actress, singer, producer, and website designer. I began doing voice over in 2014 as a hobby before establishing a career in the field in 2019. Initially, I discovered voice over from watching fan audio dramas on YouTube and quickly discovered what a fun side hobby it could be. It wasn’t until a dear friend of mine, and fellow voice actor and mentor, Dave Soltura encouraged me to seriously consider a career in voice over that I thought more seriously about the field which lead to me booking my first paid project.

Since then I have lent my voice to various animations, video games, visual novels, and audio dramas. I specialize especially in children voices (both male and female) and bubbly, cheerful characters. My range also includes strong leader warriors, shy and soft spoken high school girls, and witty protagonists. I have minor experience in commercial work but I find most of my work primarily in character voices.

In addition to my voice over work, I also work behind the scenes often in production. I have assisted with casting, organizing, and coordinating various projects. This includes helping with arranging meetings, brainstorming marketing ideas, and assisting with securing funding. I also assist with creating efficient project timelines and managing social media. I generally shift into whatever role needs to be filled on the creative team where I can.

I began a minor side hustle in creating voice actor websites last year after creating my own website. It began initially as me helping my fellow voice actor friends with reimagining their sites and quickly turned into a large side business. I currently take commissions to create websites for fellow creatives. I design sites that really speak to the personality and brand of each individual actor as I believe that a website is an extension of yourself.

I am most proud of my versatility in the various hats I wear both on mic and behind the scenes. I have often played characters that oppose each other without much difficulty differentiating between them. I believe in sharing my talents and creating the best final product that I can. If I can offer services beyond my voice behind the scenes, I am happy to assist wherever it is needed. I also believe in uplifting my fellow peers and have various other actors I always recommend for other roles I may not be able to fill. I believe that supporting each other and building a thriving community built on helping one another is what makes our community great.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My creative journey is primarily driven by my love of authentic storytelling. I believe that the best stories are a reflection of ourselves and the world around us. I find I am compelled and moved by performances that are relatable and evoke strong reactions. I seek to continue to contribute to the creative field by connecting with my audience beyond the microphone and touching them. Whether that be making someone cry, scream in hatred, or laugh aloud- I simply want the audience to feel involved and as invested as me. I most especially believe in representing all voices in media. There are so many untold stories and I am a huge advocate for authentic casting and representation on all fronts. We need to see more of ourselves in media, and we need to ensure everyone is included in that. If I can inspire another individual to see themselves represented, I’m accomplishing my mission in bringing not just the character to life but bringing the audience into the world as well. Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in the media we consume and have their stories shared and told.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I built my social media presence up over time by being authentically myself and kind. I think people pay way too much attention to numbers and don’t make efforts to show who they really are. I believe in treating others with kindness and genuinely connecting with others. I have never viewed followers or peers as a means to get ahead or even think about how the relationship may benefit me; I simply approach people with genuine love and care to get to know them as a person. People want to connect with someone real and organically rather than feel forced to interact with you. Genuine connections go a much longer way in the long run and you’ll find your true friends that will support you through it all that way.

My recommendation to anyone starting is to not be afraid to be yourself. There isn’t a need to put on a persona or fake personality just to get followers in this field. Being yourself is enough! It is better to have loyal followers and friends who like you for who you are than to keep pretending to be something you’re not (that’s why we’re actors!) Don’t be afraid to reach out yourself either! Many voice actors are introverts and are terrible at making the first move. Most of us are happy to chat and make friends!      

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ravenviceral.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravenviceral/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ravenviceral
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theravenviceral
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ravenviceral
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10004193/
• Newgrounds: https://ravenviceral.newgrounds.com/