We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rosie Cusack a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rosie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

I quite literally googled “how to be a voice actor” one day. There was A LOT of info and articles out there, but I noticed that the first step seemed to always be some version of “take lessons” and “find a good coach”. After some searching, I found Michelle Sircusa! I learned so much from her about so many things that I didn’t know I didn’t know. From acting coaching, to recording techniques, to setting up my recording space, to audio production and editing, to how to navigate the industry, Michelle’s insights and direction were so valuable. Honestly, all of those skills are equally essential, but the most important thing I have learned is where and who to ask when I find things I don’t know. There are many great online communities filled with people ready to give all kinds of helpful advice. Conversely, there is a lot of bad information and negative people, so having access to mentors and resources is crucial.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Voice Over artist! I specialize in dynamic, vibrant character creation for narration, animation, and commercial projects. Lately, I have been enjoying audiobook narration. I love telling stories in that way and especially love working with independent authors who are new to the process. There is something so special about being the voice of a whole story, and I don’t take it lightly that authors trust me with their work.
Publishing is a complex industry and while I am definitely not an expert in that world, I am able to walk authors through the audiobook process. Audiobooks are the fastest growing format in publishing, so I view my narrator role as a way for more readers to access the worlds being created!

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

My dream is to voice animated characters in TV shows and movies. Recording audiobooks often requires working solo, but I crave the collaborative process of working with other actors and a director.

Growing up, I didn’t consume media that had much, if any, LGBTQIA+ representation. Since coming out as a lesbian myself as an adult, I’ve seen more and more storytellers build worlds where the queer community specifically is not just included as a footnote, but celebrated. I am particularly passionate about being a part of stories like this that make people feel seen, validated, and celebrated.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Creatives – especially freelance ones – are often their own marketing team, accountant, lawyer, human resources, and customer service representative. Sadly, we don’t get to create art and tell stories all day. Most of us work day jobs until we are able to support ourselves with our craft. This means that we either lose out on opportunities to build our career, or essentially work two full time jobs until we can go full-time creative. I think there’s this stereotype that creatives are often these chaotic scatterbrains, but I’ve found the opposite is true. Freelance creatives (but really all creatives) are the most versatile group of people out there!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rosiecusackvoiceover.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosiecusackvo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-cusack-b33059249/

Image Credits

Profile picture: Hosi Olah
Others: Ryker Huizinga