The Off Air Voiceover Podcast

Hello and welcome to S5 E5 with the wonderful Pete Wicks!We had a right laugh chatting to Pete and we reckon this is a good one on the relatability scale for voice actors at varying stages of their career!In this episode, Pete shares his journey from stage and screen acting to voiceover work.  We talk about the challenges of the acting industry, including mental health struggles, the transition to and from a 'normal' job, and Pete talks about his process of reigniting his passion for voice acting. We talk auditions, mental fortitude, and the balance between work and personal life. The episode highlights the realities of pursuing a career in the arts and the resilience required to navigate it.
And pretty much everything else in between!
 
Hope you enjoy it as much as we didM&J
 
 

What a privilege it was to have Actor, Voice Actor and world renowned Impressionist Mr Jim Meskimen join us on the podcast this week!
 
In this chat with Jim, we talk about his early days where a chance encounter with Harvey Keitel set him on a more focused path of pursuing something he felt passionate about, acting. 
From his journey from art and illustrating on Thundercats and The Comic Strip, to involving himself in Improv, theater and voice acting, im talks on the importance of improvisation, authenticity, and continuous learning in a successful acting career.
Jim also shares insights into his diverse career in voice acting, on-screen roles, and the evolving industry landscape, including the impact of AI on voice work.
Jim often cites the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard as one of his first beginnings on getting his mindset right, and with a strong self belief and blocking out things that don't serve him, Discover his process for character development, tips for overcoming self-doubt, and his thoughts on the future of entertainment.
Jims website is a treasure trove of further information including his coaching service and his online community as well his 'Meskiverse' and of course his infamous 'Jimpressions'
 
You can find out more by visiting www.jimmeskimen.com
Thanks again Jim!
 

Hey Folks
An absolute delight to have on the podcast for this week's episode, the wonderful Billie Fulford-Brown!
Billie has narrated 300+ audiobooks and built a career spanning romance, horror, audio drama, and video game voice work. We chat to Billie about leaving traditional acting for VO, preparing for explicit and emotionally demanding content, and what it takes to sustain a character across a full-length narration.
We cover things like game voice acting and localization, the emotional weight of indie titles dealing with grief, and why networking in this industry is about real relationships, not transactions.
We close on a topic every VO parent and freelancer will recognise: protecting kids online, and protecting your own time from an industry that never stops asking for more.
Hope you enjoy it!
Michael & Jen
 
You can find Billie at https://www.billiefulfordbrown.com/
Michael at https://www.manchestervo.co.uk
Jen at https://www.jenlawtonhunt.com 

Hey Folks
 
Super happy to share this episode with the one and only Nick Apostolides!  It was great to get to know more about Nick and his journey as a Voice Actor and what would eventually lead him to be cast in one of gamings most iconic characters, Leon S Kennedy!
 
But we also got to learn about his love of gaming in general, the Resident Evil franchise specifically.  He also talks about the mentality to succeed in our competitive industry so there's definitely some words of wisdom for people still auditioning and growing their career!
 
Thanks again Nick for your ite and a really enjoyable chat!
 
Michael & Jen
 
You an find Nick at https://www.nickapostolides.com/
Michael is at www.manchestervo.co.uk
Jen is at www.jenlawtonhut.com
 
#voiceacting #residentevil #voiceactor 

Hellooooooo
Welcome to Season 5!!!
We kick off this new season with a bit of a random chat about things that have been going on in the industry and things that are coming up
A few things have been going on such as the heatwaves everyones navigating, the controversy around Fish Audio, upcoming conferences and of course some other Ai bits that are relevant and personal goals and milestones 
It was great to just hit record and waffle for 30 mins about stuff (it was originally MUCH longer 😂) but outside of this chat we have some really special guests joining us this season that we cant wait to share with you!
Hope you enjoy it!
There are some links below that reference some of the things we discussed 
 
Human Consent Registry — Protect your voice likeness and movement rights
Kate Blanchett AI Voice Registry — Oppose unauthorized AI voice use
Develop Brighton Conference — Industry event for devs and voice actors
UK Voiceover Industry Associations and Legislation Updates — Stay informed on legal protections and industry standards
Connect with the Hosts:
Michael on https://www.manchestervo.co.uk
Jen on https://www.jenlawtonhunt.com
 

Welcome to Episode 10 - Press Pause!
 
In this final episode of Season 4 we did a Q'n'A on each other about aspirations, goals, funny moments, awkward moments, what were proud of and what we would like to aim for in the mid to the long term, something that everyone who listens can think about for themselves
 
Its good to sometimes talk about these things as it sets you mind on what the long term plan may be and also take stock of where you started and where you are now
We'll be back in June for Season 5 which were really looking forward to along with a revamped YouTube channel and some other little things thrown in besides
 
A huge thanks to everyone that's been part of this fantastic season, we really appreciate the time you've taken to come and chat with us.  And of course a massive thanks to everyone who has been listening and downloading!
See you for S5!
 
M&J
 

Quick Disclaimer - We had issues with Riverside and had to switch to Zoom and their audio is a little bit processed, Michaels the main casualty!
 
Welcome to Episode 9 - Human Renaissance with NAVA co founder Tim Friedlander!
Finally, Michael gets an episode to talk about Ai  😂
But this episode is much more than that.  Its the one that matters when it comes to the fight back against illegal cloning 
Most voice actors have been helpless against the rapid rise of AI cloning, until now.
In this incredibly insightful episode, NAVA co founder Tim Friedlander discusses his groundbreaking legislative effort called the No Fakes Act that aims to give voice talent real control over their likenesses and protect their livelihoods.
If you've ever worried about how AI could threaten your career, this conversation is your must listen blueprint for advocacy and change. Tim shares candid insights from over 30 years in the industry to the seismic shifts driven by AI technology. You’ll discover the shocking ways AI is being used to clone voices without consent, the current legal loopholes that leave artists vulnerable, and the critical steps creators can take to safeguard their careers today.
For our UK and EU listeners, we discuss what current protections are in place that you can utilise if necessary and we chat about what the future of UK/EU legislation may look like
We had a great time chatting with Tim and we learned loads, and even if the US legislation won't benefit you, the steps being put in place by NAVA will undoubtedly create a ripple effect that eventually benefits us all
Cheers Tim and Carin for setting up this amazing organisation
 
Tim and NAVA can be found at www.navavoices.org
Michael can be found at www.manchestervo.co.uk
Jen can be found at www.jenlawtonhunt.com
 

Hey folks
 
Welcome to Episode 8 featuring the fab Lizzing Jobling!
Lizing made big waves earlier this year by confirming her acquisition of The Voice Finder, an online casting directory.  In this episode, we talk alot about why she feels this is her chance to set high standards in finding the right voice talent via online directories, the measures she puts in place to vett the talent who want to join, and some of her insights shes seen from the other side of the glass that might hold some talent back in how they present themselves
Lizzing also holds the record for having the only accredited voiceover coaching course, where her primary focus is the business side of voiceover, and Lizzie delves into some best practices
 
It was great to just talk freely about the industry as a whole and we shared some thoughts and opinions on various different things
 
Hope you enjoy it!
 
Lizzie can be found at https://elizabethjobling.com/
Jen can be found at www.jenlawtonhunt.com
Michael can be found at www.manchestervo.co.uk 
 
#voiceactor #voiceover 
 

🚨 EPISODE 7: “Voiceover Assassin” out now!  🚨
Whether you’re a diehard fan of Hitman (Michael) or a total newbie to it (Jen) this episode will not disappoint. Voice acting legend David Bateson shares his fascinating acting journey with us; from being a household name in South Africa, to sofa surfing in the UK to a serendipitous corporate recording session in Copenhagen that led to being cast as AAA lead Agent 47 and cementing his name in gaming history.
David shares insights into making your gaming audition standout, industry changes, and the emotional connection with his fans. This episode explores the evolution of his wok, the surprises of gaming fame, and candid stories from a prolific acting career, including an anecdote about Sean Bean which made fellow Sheffielder Jen particularly happy ☺️
HUGE thank you to David for being so candid and generous in our chat. We LOVED it and we hope you do too!
Available to download now!
 
David can be found at https://davidbateson.dk/
Michael can be found at www.manchestervo.co.uk
jen can be found at www.jenlawtonhunt.com
 

Welcome to Episode 6 featuring the wonderful and infamous duo of Rob and Helen Bee from B Double E!
 
We had a great chat about all things branding, what it means to be a brand and how it can often be misunderstood and over complicated.
We discuss studio tickling tours and Rob gives some great tips on home studio set ups and finding the perfect mic…
And Michael has an identity crisis….
Out on your favourite pod player and YouTube tomorrow!
A really fun and insightful episode, cheers Rob and Helen! 
#voiceoverpodcast #podcastclips #voiceactors #voiceovercommunity
 
Rob and Helen can be found at https://b-double-e.co.uk/
Michael can be found at www.manchestervo.co.uk
Jen can be found at www.jenlawtonhunt.com