“I’ve been doing voices since I was little,” said voice actor Kasper Michaels.
“I got started by doing a bad impression of Thurston Howell III.” That “Gillian’s Island” character impression and childhood curiosity evolved into a career in voiceover, where Michaels has carved out a niche in long-form voice work.
“My bread and butter is long-form narration,” he said. “But I enjoy narrating biographies and animation and video games for the fun and challenge.”
A transatlantic accent, a global client base
Though he’s based in the UK, Michaels frequently books work from North America, thanks in part to his transatlantic accent and his remote recording setup.
“I am UK-based and most of my clients from Backstage are in America,” he explained. “Remote work has certainly become common and amazing at the same time. I did a job recently with the ad agency in Spain, the client in Ireland, and most of the producers spread across the UK. I find that aspect amazing.”
The gigs that keep on giving
Through Backstage, Michaels has found repeat work and long-term clients, including one unforgettable session that turned into an ongoing collaboration.
“At the end of the session, one of the clients asked me to try something next to impossible, for fun,” he recalled. “When I did it first take, everyone clapped. That day, another repeat client was born.”
He’s also a big advocate for student films. “A lot of my jobs from Backstage are student films,” he said.
“Just because a project is pro bono doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Some of my most enjoyable Backstage projects have come from student films.”
Profile polish
Michaels advises other voice artists to ensure their Backstage profiles prioritize quality over quantity.
“Make sure your reels are solid and professionally done. Unless you are a sound engineer, amateur reels will almost always sound cheap,” he said.
“If you have more than one example of the same thing, only use the best one. Don’t be too concerned about tags. What someone might describe as deep and sexy, someone else might describe as boomy and muddy.”
The audition mindset that works
Michaels approaches each audition with discipline—and then lets it go.
“Audition for everything. Unless the client is very specific, throw your mic in the ring,” he advised. “Read the instructions very carefully so you don’t waste everyone’s time, including your own. Take note of the budget so that you know what you are being paid.”
And mostly crucially: “Do the audition ASAP. Don’t sit on it until the end of the day. Get it done.”
Then what? “Once you audition, forget about it and move on.”
Why he keeps coming back
For Michaels, it’s all about momentum.
He said the volume of opportunities on Backstage are what keep him coming back. Even if his profile doesn’t always match a post’s requirements on paper, that hasn’t stopped him from booking. “I do know that my profile is often tagged as missing something that is required, usually location. Ironically, these are the jobs I book most of.”
With clients across continents and repeat work that starts with a single audition, Michaels has built a voiceover career that spans borders—and keeps growing.
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