James Meddock is a voice actor and game designer who aspires to perform in video games—and work alongside Dan Castellaneta on “The Simpsons.” Here’s his approach to achieving his goals.
Pave a path to your dreams.
“Be very clear with yourself [about] what exactly you want, and go after it. I always had a passion for video games and a dream to eventually be in them. I’m still working toward that. Ultimately, I found my way into a career in video games while still auditioning for various voiceover roles—mostly commercial and industrial work.”
Stand by your choices.
“Most of my auditions are for commercial VO. I generally just play with the lines out loud and listen for what I think sounds the best. Oftentimes the casting notice can be pretty broad, so always make sure to play to your strengths and be bold.”
Every audition opens a door.
“I trust that every audition I send [in] is being listened to and that I’m not necessarily auditioning for [only] that role, but perhaps the next one the director is casting for.”
James Meddock's Voiceover Reel
Take a class to figure out what’s best for your reels.
“I took voice acting classes a while back at Voice Trax West [in Los Angeles], and the amazingly talented demo producer Susan Palyo, who also taught those classes, put together my reels. [Because] I had taken those classes, she was very clear on my range and was able to put together the various samples on my demos.”
Maintain a healthy work-life balance.
“Some advice I was given by my old college professor was to not sacrifice quality relationships for my career, because life is much simpler with a partner. I took that to heart and met my wife, Carly, who’s taught me that I can have it all and [who] encourages me every day to keep auditioning and going after opportunities.”
This story originally appeared in the Dec. 28 issue of Backstage Magazine.