One of the best ways to improve your skills and get ahead in any field, is to find a mentor - somebody who can help show you the ropes. We have secured the services of several voice actors who have proven themselves, not only in various productions, but also in reaching the final ten in a season of Act It! Each is now willing to serve as a mentor for some time to one or two aspiring voice actors.

If you are interested, please post in this thread, explaining something of your own experiences and goals. A demo reel or monologue or other example of your voice work would be helpful in matching you with a mentor. You can also specify a preference for one of more of our mentors, although we do not guarantee that you will be matched with your choice.

Note: if you would prefer not to post in the thread, you can also email your application to vhmentors@radioplaycentral.com

Our mentors are:

Actorman

Experience:
-1.5 years voice acting
-8 years of stage experience, four of which was pre-professional training at a performing arts school.
-3 years directing experience, both for AVA and stage.
-10 years singing experience in various capacities.

Expertise: Radioplays, Fandubs, General Acting; proficient in numerous dialects and accents

My background lies in stage, and I feel that's a blessing; stage work has given me incredibly supplementary skills to voice acting. These include creating strong, committed characterizations, analyzing beats and narrative flow to create multi-dimensional and dynamic characters, and a confident sense of self-direction. My training in voice also gives me a strong knowledge of voice placement, breath support, diction, and, perhaps most importantly, vocal health.

As such, my approach to voice acting is both academic and practical, combining a knowledge of theory and your own self with a strong regiment of practice and application. I give detailed and admittedly harsh critiques, but it is to help move actors in the right way and give the best end result possible.

Regardless of whether you have professional aspirations or not, if you're committed and open to new ideas and outside opinions, I'd be happy to help. I'm in many ways still learning myself, but I feel I have a lot of valuable insight to provide for anyone who wants to learn.

Merodi

Experience:
- 2 years online voice acting
- 1 year professional voice acting
- 7 years stage fighting
- certified Recording Engineer

Expertise: Radioplays, general acting, audio production


Do I have years of formal acting experience? No. Do I enjoy playing pretend? Yes.

While I've developed most of my performance knowledge as an instrumentalist, most of my acting ability stems from training as a stage fighter. My approach to improving your skills is to understand yourself and human nature at a deeper level to increase both your vocal and acting range. Knowing how your body and mind works will help you find/develop the voice you want more quickly, as well as create more believable emotion. It is probably not the most common way of learning, but if you do well with visualizing things and thinking both in and outside the box, you may respond well to this format.

That said, my strengths lie in developing emotional delivery and expanding your vocal range, regardless of age or gender. I am a proponent of detailed and constructive criticism - I expect you to be able to receive both without sugar-coating. I am happy to teach any and all experience levels as long as you have a desire and commitment to improving your skills.

As far as production, I am a Recording Engineer specializing in Audio Mixing/Post Production. If you want any pointers in the audio creation process (radioplays, commercials, etc.) feel free to ask - just be sure to come with specific questions.

Motly Fool

Experience: Over a year and a half of online voice acting.

Expertise: Fandubs, radioplays, vocal range.

The majority of my spare time is devoted to developing my skills as a voice actor, with an aim to make it a career.

My strength as a voice actor is in manipulating my voice to create a character, or make something fit coming out of a character design, and I am pursuing acting courses and other training to build up my acting skills. I believe in strong direction, and work well both as an actor being directed and directing other voice actors in my own productions. I will work with you on each line and try to really help you out on individual deliveries as well as voice.

I will help you improve your range and your acting techniques, whether you wish to focus on fandubs, radioplays, flash or machinima. I just expect you to do your part by practicing.

Russ

Experience: 3 years of online voice acting; more than a dozen years stage acting, two years of radioplay producing, two years of stage directing.

Expertise: radioplays, general acting.

I am a strong believer in the idea that acting is a collaborative effort between actors, and also between an actor and a director. I expect actors, including voice actors, to take some chances to find their characters, but also to learn to take direction, and then build their characters in the ways appropriate to the script, and consistent with the interpretation specified by the director / producer.

I am much less interested in impressions or voice selection than basic acting.

Sam Haft

EXPERIENCE: 3 years professional voice acting, 1 year online voice acting, many years stage/screen acting, many years professional singing, 1 year teaching stage presence and rock vocals at the New York School of Rock.

EXPERTISE: Wide-range male voiceovers, accurate impersonations, voice acting as a fulltime career

First of all, I'll make it clear what it is I will teach you; If you're an intermediate level voiceover amateur, I can teach you how to extend your vocal range, be able to hilariously deliver comedic text, and many many international accents if you possess the ability. If I find that you're beyond a sufficient level of skill, I may teach you the actual business of voice acting - though, again, that's only if I'm sure you've got the talent to make it, and I'm fairly judgmental as far as that is concerned.

If you come to me as a teacher, I'll be expecting certain things from you as a student: Know your voice, know your voicebox. When I tell you things to fix, I expect you to be in-touch with your vocal abilities enough to have some idea as to how to fix them. Though I may conduct myself in a colloquial manner, I'm a working professional in my field, and I take voice acting very seriously. You don't have to be a serious person to be serious about this profession (in fact, it often helps to not be), but I certainly expect the latter.

Also, I'm not quite as frightening as this makes me sound.

Sasuya

Experience: Roughly 4 years of ameteur voice acting. A couple years stage acting experience. Skilled in producing and mixing projects such as radioplays, fandubs, and animations.

Expertise: Character voices, commercial voices, voices for radioplays and animation.

I'm not saying that I'm the best, but I do have some experience under my belt. I will do my best to teach you everything I know by giving you useful tips and direction. As well as building on your acting and characterizations.

If you're hoping to find someone to reassure you that you're an amazing voice actor and feed you sugar coated opinions, please find someone else. My motto is that without critiques and feedback you will never learn or better yourself. My critiques and opinions tend to be raw and straight to the point.

If anyone has tough skin and a passion for voice acting, I would be happy to teach you everything I know =)

sonicmega

Experience: 3 years of voice acting; approx. 2-3 years of stage acting (spaced between many years)

Expertise: Fandubs, radioplays, animation and "anime"

Animation can be exceptionally beautiful, powerful, and memorable even without the use of sound or dialogue. However, there comes a limit after which characters and stories need to have a personality, a life, an ability to be related and connected to the audience that sees them. This is where Voice Actors come in, to provide a seamless and believable voice that gives life to these characters and situations. With them, we are able to further immerse ourselves in an environment outside our own.

Voice Acting should never be the saving grace for a production - it should be the icing on the cake that makes the final product all that much sweeter to present. It is with that mentality that I take on the projects and roles that I do, to seek not only to expand my own capabilities, but to illicit happiness from those who care to share in the experience, whether as directors, viewers, or even fellow actors. On a literal plane, it is how I give back to the community, but on an emotional (or even spiritual) one, it is how I intend to achieve my immortality - for even if I am gone, one need only play a project I have been a part of in order for me to be right there to entertain them once again.

Taking direction and challenging what you already know always remain important concepts to consider if you want to seriously improve and perform well in this craft, but above all else, love what you do. Only then can you truly shine in your output and show the world that this is what you want to bring to the table.

Alright, here's my application using the sample application I suggested in the brainstorming thread. Others may feel free to use the same template for their application.

Username: Apatheria

Age: 22

Experience/Time Voice Acting: 7 months amateur voice acting, and 4 years of theater work (mostly avante-garde and experimental theater)

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Intermediate, just beginning to approach advanced.

What you feel your strengths are: Comedic delivery, ability to be playful and energetic with line deliveries, impressions, character variety within my range, and my strongest range runs from medium to low.

What you feel your weaknesses are: Serious delivery, Subtle delivery, some enunciation problems, a tendency to be over-the-top at the wrong times, problem with certain accents, and I'm still attempting to work into a higher range as well but am just not quite there yet.

Recent Projects: Soon to be released is a Berserk clip dub produced by Motly Fool & Darkwolf, and a Canaan clip dub produced by S h u d o - R a n m a r u. Currently released (most notably) is a clip dub of Dirge of Cerberus produced by KuroKoe, a Fairy Tale clip dub produced by Para_Bolic, and a clip dub from Inuyasha: The Final Act, produced by Sukisho.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I have a strong drive to improve overall as a voice actor. I've come pretty far in just seven months, through practice and frequent auditioning, but it's time to take things further. I feel I'm at the point where having a mentor would allow me to achieve that next level, so to speak. I should also note that I have a great deal of respect for all the people currently signed up as mentors and would love to learn from any of them.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: Mainly I want to become a better dramatic actor and be able to perform powerful as well as subtle emotional deliveries. I tend to be over-the-top and it bleeds through into my serious deliveries, so I'd like to work on curbing that tendency. I'd also like to work on becoming an even better comedic actor as well, but honest, dramatic acting will be my main focus. Along the way though I'd like to broaden my voice range as well as the range of characters I can play convincingly.

A little about yourself: As for my current skillset, my background in experimental and avantegarde theatre has given me a leg above in my introduction to voice acting. My naturally lower tone came from a year of voice exercises during theater workshops, and my natural inclination towards comedic characters came from frequent improvisational sets, often several each week, done during those very same workshops. During them, I'd often have to create characters on the fly in front of an audience of my peers, which has lent tremendously to my ability to find a lot of character variety in my natural range. However, due to the focus on mostly avantegarde theatre techniques, I am somewhat lacking in experience doing more serious roles.

I want to act for a living someday, whether it be on a stage or behind a microphone. Currently, voice acting is my passion and I truly want to become better at it. I take acting very seriously; far more seriously than anything else in my life. As for my personality, my general demeanor is usually laid back and playfully sarcastic, and I cheerfully admit to being somewhat immature for my age. I'd like to think I'm a pretty easy guy to get along with, and I have no problem taking lessons and instructions from other people, even if they are younger than I am. I don't want to be coddled, so I feel like somebody who is both tough and brutally honest, though supportive would be the best match for me.

A short recording: I do not currently have a demo reel that is up to professional standards. However, here's a compilation of lines/audition lines I've done recently that can act as a placeholder demo reel to give you an idea of my abilities.

http://www.4shared.com/file/242258063/6609...holderDemo.html

How much time are you willing to commit?: As I said, voice acting is my passion, so whenever I am able to be behind my microphone, basically. I am certainly available for scheduled lessons, but would also enjoy impromptu lessons if both myself and my mentor happen to be online simultaneously with some free time on our hands. I'm willing to commit as much time is necessary (and then some) in order for me to improve.


I don't want to make a particular request, as I don't wish to seem as though I'm playing favorites. I'll trust the mentors to pair me up with who I am the most compatible with.

My application has been emailed to the address. This is very exciting!

Apa made such a pretty template for application 8D

Username: Majinboo0111

Age: 17

Experience/Time Voice Acting: About a year and a half of online voice acting in fan-work. About 2 years in online improv if that means anything.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Smack dab in Intermediate, maybe a bit lower than average among Intermediate but yea.

What you feel your strengths are: Comedic voices and delivery, ability to put energy in one's performance, strong medium-high and medium range, and an alright medium-low range.

What you feel your weaknesses are: Enunciation problems, more serious delivery. Mainly Enunciation. I have no abilities in accents as well

Recent Projects: My most recent work voice acting would have to be Resident Evil 4 clips with SweetSourSauce and True_Blue, as well as the role of Prince Lune from a The Cat Returns fan-dub by Animated93. For projects to be released soon there is a role in a Rayearth OVA fan-dub by Sukisho as Clef, and Episode 7 of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Fan-dub by Missack as Taniguchi and extras.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I really want to improve as a voice actor and hopefully be recognized as a very talented AVA, and hopefully do some professional work at some point as well. I realize to truely be a step above the rest requires full determination, discipline, respect, practice, and a will to do so. I always give 110% on anything I do and respect any decision of those willing to help me. I hope that having a mentor will let me unlock my potential with their knowledge and experience. With their help I hope to do the best as I can and improve as much as well.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: Mainly to improve my serious acting ability as I feel it is not as good as I know I could be. Hopefully enunciation as well, though I think most of it is due to braces, I still don't understand. Expanding my range would come second; I feel I have a good grasp upon character voices and have a good range in general, but again that it isn't as good as I know it can be. I would LOVE to have someone who could teach me how to properly talk in different accents convincingly as well. To improve everything really, but mainly serious deliveries and my range.

A little about yourself: I always loved voice acting as a whole, the different styles, the voices, the deliveries needed in each situation. It was all amazing. I would always mute t.v.'s or anything with voices and try to recreate my own voices, my own skill, basing what I knew from the impact all these voices being heard around me. Singing also came a passion as well, even if my skills in the art I would rate in the middle of average to poor. The ability to use ones voice to tell stories, make one laugh, or awaken the feelings in everyone's heart always interested me, and I always hoped one day I could be doing those things professionally. Personally I'm a kid and gamer at heart, and I want to stay that way forever. I believe the respect you give those others is very important, so in all serious matters I will give full respect to those around me. I do hope that those around me don't mind my company and are truthfully honest as well.

A short recording: I have a sorta silly yet sorta serious demo reel I created a few months ago as I felt I needed to record something to show my abilities, even if it isn't the best example. However it is short and shows what I can do with my range and hopefully emotion.

http://www.4shared.com/file/205688899/2dbb..._Demo_Reel.html

How much time are you willing to commit?: All the time needed and more to improve. I will try to adjust to any schedule in hope that both myself and a mentor assuming there is one willing to teach me are able to get the most productive time out of each practice. I do have a very loose schedule in the first place, and I will give as much as my time needed.

For requests I really don't mind who I'm paired with. Just hopefully they work very well with me and they strong points at my weak points, hopefully making it a good pairing ^^ but anyone willing to help me is welcome, I promise to do my best!

Username: Alana

Age: 19

Experience/Time Voice Acting: 3 years on-and-off voice acting, 3 years theater performance and improv, 6 years vocal performance lessons

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): I suppose I may be Intermediate, but in many ways I still feel like a Beginner.

What you feel your strengths are: Emotional delivery & writing

What you feel your weaknesses are: I feel like my character range is still really weak-- I can't make my voice do too much; it feels like sometimes I have two modes, my voice and headvoice. I also don't have a great grasp on the technical aspects of creating audio-productions.

Recent Projects: Currently in SingIt!8 with Russ, and Episode 5 of Russ' Misfile audioplay.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: Voice acting is something I really enjoy, but I feel like I don't have nearly as much of the range as my compatriots. I also feel like I work and learn best with someone to offer helpful critique and, while in productions that is usually offered by the director, outside of that things like auditions and demo-reels and just learning how to be better in general it would be nice to have someone to bounce things off.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: I would like to finish a complete demo reel with a greater range of character voices, as well as possibly pick up another short-term project.

A little about yourself: I am an English/Media Studies/Music student and that is my first priority, because my parents are shelling out 40k+ a year to send me to school, and I'm not going to let that go to waste. I am fascinated by the place where sound, image, and narrative meet. Besides being an amateur voice actress, I am an amateur short-fiction and poetry writer, as well as an amateur singer-songwriter. I guess you could call me a professional amateur.

A short recording: Ah, I don't really have anything done and polished at the moment, but this is what I'm working on, currently. (It's my fail demo-in-progress)

How much time are you willing to commit?: I'll be honest-- this is not my first priority. I am pretty sure I mentioned something about attending a $40 000+ a year college? Yeah. That's being maintained mostly by merit- and competitive-scholarships, which require me to have a certain GPA and also to attend certain programs consistently. If I don't meet these requirements, they could be taken away, and then I would not be able to attend this college anymore, and, uh, I REALLY like this program. Because of this, my schoolwork and other scholarship-related requirements will always come first. Having said that, that doesn't mean I don't have free time, and that I am willing to spend working with a mentor in a more official capacity. Weekends especially are very good, because my workload tends to come in a light-reading-for-two-weeks-OH-GOD-ESSAY-HELL sort of pattern, so, when not being mauled by essays, my late-at-night and weekends are generally pretty free.


I don't have any preferences as to who my mentor may be. If someone is willing to teach me the things I want to know and they find my application interesting, I would be honored to have them.

Username: Koichi_Saito

Age: 20

Experience/Time Voice Acting: 2 years total of amateur online voice work, 5 years of theater acting & stage combat, 3 years of improvisation training, 1 year of vocal training in singing.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Somewhere in the middle of beginner and intermediate. People keep claiming I'm good, but results in getting roles tell me otherwise.

What you feel your strengths are: Nasally voices, voices ranging from medium high to medium low, Moogle voice (if that helps), angsty and comedic roles.

What you feel your weaknesses are: Accents are my weak point since I can only do a few fairly well. I also feel I have a weak point delivery wise, since I tend to have to build up energy in my lines. I would also like to work on my lower range to make them sound more convincing.

Recent Projects: Recently released clips include Train Heartnet in a clip dub by RainbowApplication, Keiichi Morisato in Fantachan's Ah! My Goddess! Fighting Wings episode 1 dub, and Riku in several Kingdom Hearts related clips. Recent things I've been cast as include Welkin in Majinboo0111's Valkyria Chronicles fandub, Sho Marufuji and several other roles in SoraStar's Yu-gi-oh GX Season 4 fandub, and Sanjuro in WhateverYeahOk's .hack//Legend of the Twilight fandub.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I always feel like I'm several miles behind the talented AVAs here, so I hope to not only expand my repetoire as an actor, but also become a voice actor who's worth something instead of being second-rate trash. I would love to become a professional voice actor (if not here in America, then I'll go to Japan.), but I feel I would not last long if I do not improve and catch up to those who already have the potential to be hired. I take my acting very seriously, and I feel now is the time to show how serious I am to make my dream a reality.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: I would love to become a better actor in terms of delivering lines perfectly to developing the voice range needed to play many different characters. I want to be able to show everyone that I'm not a one-voice VA, and that I'm passionate about acting as a whole. Performing is what makes me happy, and one of the only things I feel I'm good at in this world. Without a life of performance, I feel my life would have ended by now. What I want most in this program is the tools I need to show the world that this young man from middle-of-nowhere Hawaii can become a great actor: an exellent range and convincing deliveries.

A little about yourself: I've fallen in love with the performing arts. Whether it be dancing, singing, voice acting, or theatre acting, performing on a stage or in a booth is what I love to do. I've started voice acting because I love anime and video games, as well as animation. Without voices, animation is just a bunch of moving pictures. I would love to become a voice that brings the character to life and connects with the audience in some way in sort of the same way the voices in my favorite media connected to me.

Ever since I've started acting, I feel like I'm not a complete and total loser. There are still times I feel like that, but performing makes me forget the majority of the negative thoughts that run through my head. Plus, I love the feeling of performing.

As a guy from Hawaii, there aren't a lot of oppurtunity to act, let alone voice acting. There is only one professional theatre company on this island, and there are no dubbing companies down here, so the only way I can fulfill my dream is to move. Plus, there are so many people down here with dreams of a future in the performing arts, but there are only a few well-known actors from Hawaii, and I want to be one of the few who represents my home state with pride.

Personality wise, I'm usually an easy going guy. I take direction pretty well, prone to be depressed every once in a while, but I am willing to work hard for my goals. I'm alright with people being blunt with me about my acting, as long as they give some kind of advice as to how I can improve upon what I need to work on. I don't take kindly to anyone who just sits there, insults the hell out of you, then expects you to act better just because they yell at you. I respond better to someone who is honest yet supportive. This way, you can give me harsh critique without just saying something like "you suck".

A short recording: The following link is a link to three different demo reels I've done for myself. I feel my acting has improved a bit, but there is always room for more improvement, y'know?

http://koichisaito.webs.com/voicedemos.htm

How much time are you willing to commit?: As much time as I need to make myself into the best actor I can possibly be. I am currently attending college and looking for a better paying job, but the weekends are mostly free for me. Early Tuesday and Thursdays currently are good for me as well. Within the next month, I will be pretty busy, so I will only be able to commit at least an hour each day. Anytime after that though will be free for me, so just talk to me and we can work out a schedule so I can receive mentorship.

As for who I am paired up with, I seriously don't have a preference. I want to be paired up with someone who will make me into the best actor I can be. I do not care how long or how harsh the training is. If this helps me become a better actor in the end, it will all be worth it.

Username: The Pawt

Age: 19

Experience/Time Voice Acting: 7 months of Amateur Voice Acting.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): I'd say I'm Intermediate

What you feel your strengths are: Psychotic and creepy characters, Fairly good at accents and my ability to improv in almost all kinds of scenarios.

What you feel your weaknesses are: Comic deliveries, enunciation, voices above Medium-Low range that aren't psychotic and most of all, laughter. My "real" laughter is either high-pitch, borderline psycho or a soundless giggly kind thing. I REALLY need to work on laughing.

Recent Projects: Been in a couple of BlazBlue dubs with a friend of mine, as well as voicing Kamina in a few Gurren Lagann dubs. Projects I'm in that have yet to be released are KawaiiBleach's Ouran Ep 23 dub, where I play Ritsu Kasanoda, Koichi_Saito's Bleach ep 228 dub, where I play Abarai Renji and a Dawn of War Mod where I'm the voice of the Imperial Guardsmen as well as the Imperial Sentinel.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I want to improve. I do feel that I've improved greatly since I first joined the VAA 7 months ago, but now that I've learned most of the basics and am working getting better at them, I feel that I need someone with experience to both help me improve on what I already know as well as learning new things that I've yet to understand and learn on my own.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: First and foremost I want widen my range. As much as I love my own voice, I don't want to be stuck plaing Medium-Low/Low characters with the occasional Medium-High psychopath for the rest of... Well, for the rest of my amateur "career" (If you could call it that). Secondly, I want to learn how to laugh convincingly as well as becoming better at comedic deliveries.

A little about yourself: As things are now, voice acting is a hobby for me. Sure, it's a fairly passionate hobby, but I'm not pursuing it as my one and only future career- Game Design comes before that. HOWEVER, I'm not at all against the idea of it being a possible career should I not make it into the game design business. Because of that I try to learn as much as I can and practice as much as I can with my voice and my acting here on the VH and VAA boards- so I'll have some kind of personal experience should I ever find myself trying to become a Professional Voice Actor.

A short recording: My latest demo reel, released in early February. Although there are a few things I'd like to change with it, I'm still pretty proud of it.

http://www.box.net/shared/6dgh6aerg3

How much time are you willing to commit?: Since I work VERY random hours and can get called in at the last minute, time isn't exactly my friend here. Especially since I don't live in the US and thus have the time difference to take in mind as well. However, on the occasions both me and my mentor would be online at the same time and able to practice, I shouldn't have too many time-related problems getting in the way.

I do not have any preferences when it comes to mentors. As long as it's someone who can teach me, I'll be willing to learn! ;D

Username: Lucidity

Age: 16

Experience/Time Voice Acting: 3-4 years of online amateur voice acting, several years of school music...stuff

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Though I'd like to say I'm (almost) intermediate, I'm probably still around base beginner level

What you feel your strengths are: character voices, singing, and comedy

What you feel your weaknesses are: inflection and strong emotion, and a mic that peaks easily

Recent Projects: ...

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I want to increase the range of my vocal interpretations on whatever stage I might be on, whether it's a physical stage, the icon of a computer file, or just a random shop with my friends. While acting isn't so much what I want to do for the rest of my life, it's intriguing either way, and I want to discover what I'm capable of in preparation of anything I might be doing in that avenue nonetheless.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: To discover my potential, as well as seeing it in others so I may one day help in the same way I've been helped. Plus I always like to know stuff.

A little about yourself: While I'd always say there's not much to know about me, it's constantly proven wrong by questions like these. I'm kind of a hardcore gamer. I don't get really competitive, but I play a LOT of games. As a sophomore in high school, my homework often interferes with the stuff I find fun or interesting.

A teen living in Iowa doesn't have much to do in the way of fulfillment, but that's what the internet is for. *thumbs up*

A short recording: This is the closest thing I have to a demo - http://www.4shared.com/file/244758905/e5fc...mercial_VH.html


How much time are you willing to commit?: As much as is necessary, if not moreso

Username: YamiRin

Age: 18 (turns 19 in April)

Experience/Time Voice Acting: hard to say, I did my first attempts at it in spring 2008 when I became a member of the VAA, but I haven't voiced that much during this time.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): also hard to say, I guess beginner since I haven't actually done that much voice acting. even though I do have a little experience I'm not sure if it's enough to call me intermediate.

What you feel your strengths are: what hard questions those are^^;. my streangths... hmm... detication? is that considered a streangth? like, if I get a role I really do my best to get the best results on the lines. once I even jumped the rope to make a my "heavy breathing" in a line sound natural X3. but voice and acting whise I'm not sure. I'm just doing my best at getting into character and make my lines sound as natural as possible.

What you feel your weaknesses are: THE ACCENT!!! well, maybe I'm overdoing this, but I've heard a few times after I send in an audition that I can't get the role only 'cause I don't sound american! even though there were nothing in the thread about that. aside from that I guess the deeper and more mature kinds of voices is the once I'm less good at.

Recent Projects: I don't have anything recent that actually has been published yet. and aside from the radioplay I'm doing with my friends (Girl Pirates) I haven't got many lines in the plays I have voiced in. but the most recent thing I recorded for were episode 1 of Hallstar's Resident Evil radioplay in which I play Dr.Ellen Smith. I had alot of fun with that since it was different from what I've done so far. both in voice and stage acting (yes, I've done stage acting).

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I just really want to improve in the voice acting area and feels like this can be a good chance to do that. since I haven't got many roles and tend to only self-cast myself in roles I already know I can do quite easily I don't feel like I've got many chances to really improve my skill with acting, accents or range.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: well, as I've already mentioned I've missed out on roles because of my accent, and while I still may use it when accepted I'd like to be able to get rid of it and sound american and/or english. I'd also like to extend my range, especially towards the lower spectrum. and of course I'd like to get better at voice acting in general.

A little about yourself: as mentioned I've done stage acting, and not so little either. I've been taking lessons for amature stage acting for several years now (have lost count on how many). I got into voice acting when I found the VAA for almost 2 years ago but haven't got to do it much yet. I've produced more than I've voice acted. I have alot of imagination and have come up with several original stories, some of them I've started making radioplays and others are still waiting to be turned into something.

A short recording: goddamit! don't have much to show... but here's something I just put together with auditions and lines I have on my computer. some are a lil old though and there isn't much variation in there really: http://www.box.net/shared/26ggy6a4ib

How much time are you willing to commit?: as much as I have...lol. really, I'm willing to commit quite much of my freetime to this. 'cause I really want to get more into voice acting now!

and I don't have a specific request. though I'd love someone who can give live mentoring (like through skype), at least sometimes. just note that I live in Sweden so there are some time differences. so maybe not someone who has, like, 10 or more hours time difference from me. unless they're up when I am anyway ^^; you never know.

Username: blackjackAV

Age: 19

Experience/Time Voice Acting: Almost 6 months

Self Rating System : Intermediate

What you feel your weaknesses are: Going ALL out with voices. Finding an Anime voice.

Recent Projects:

• Twilight Prom Scene - Jacob
• Who Wants to be a Super Villain - Prodigy
• Hook Dinner Scene Dub - Rufio

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I have a lot to learn still and I want to take my VAing to the next step.

Goals/Results desired from this program: Well, I've tested the waters with some amateur projects and have received very positive responses. I would like a mentor to help me with some of the more professional waters of Voice Acting. And from there I'll gauge whether or not VAing would be something I could more seriously pursue.

A little about yourself: I work at a movie theater. I'm producing a new show on the VH called ENTERTAIN US!
I play World of Warcraft a lot. I voice act for a lot of small projects and enjoy it!

A short recording: Virtual Hollywood Wrestling Alliance - Announcer and Gamble Also check out my other things I posted above!

How much time are you willing to commit?: I am willing to make as much time as is required. If you need an answer I guess 21 hours a week. That's 3 hours a day. But that's all up to my mentor.

Request a Mentor: Since no one has made any requests, I'd like to request Sam Haft. However, just having help from any one of your fine selection of mentors is more than I can wish for!

Why not? Let's do this!

Username: BladeBlur

Age: 23

Experience/Time Voice Acting: 1 year of amateur voice acting.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Intermediate.

What you feel your strengths are: I'd say energetic characters. I also think I have a decent range but I am not against developing it even further.

What you feel your weaknesses are: Probably my accent, but that mainly leads to enunciation problems as well which leads to me being unintelligible at times. I believe that because I sound too different I don't do well as others.

Recent Projects: I have produced a Vampire Knight clip staring myself and Mirielle and I have been in several Fairy Tail clips by Para_Bolic.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: To be honest, it's for my confidence. I won't lie I am not the most confident person in the world and I just want to be in the same playground as everyone. In the following year I have done a lot, but I know I can go further than that. I am good, but I strive to be great.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: I want to be able to be an actor that can do anything regardless of where I came from. High to Low, Serious to funny, I want to do all and excel in all. I really want to become a voice actor late down the road so I really want to improve on what I am.

A little about yourself: I have to admit that prior to my AVA start I haven't done a lot. All I really did was going to a few Bang Zoom workshops months prior and that was the extent of it. I went to an acting class when I was younger, but I was too shy to actually finish the class so unfortunately a lot of the things I learned got "swept away". In other words, I learned pretty much most on the thins on the fly.

Back when I was in Israel I always watched cartoons and I was always interested in the people behind it, to be it was very fascinating how much effort and passion it takes to take one role and make it memorable. Granted a lot of the things I watched were dubbed to Hebrew so I am not good with impersonations, but even so it seemed like a fun job. I wanted to it there, but back then I lacked the spine. It took me about 21 years to realize I love doing it.

A short recording: This is the demo reel I have made in 10.23.09.

http://www.box.net/shared/yn3unecyvg

How much time are you willing to commit?: As much as my schedule allows me. I am working full time now but I have spare time so I'd love to always schedule a time and I'll do my utmost best to fit it to the mentor schedule. I love voice acting and there is one thing I learned: No matter how many times I wanted to raise my hands and give up, I enjoy it too much!

Username: khcrazy10
Real Name: Tara

Age:16 (17 in April)

Experience/Time Voice Acting:
- I've been a member of Voice Acting Alliance for about a year (since 2009), and started auditioning for a few projects when I joined (never got parts then). I'd been on Youtube for about a month prior to joining and my first video on there now has 10,000 view (why I wouldn't know... It seems terrible to me now), I have not done any stage acting, but I have been studying voice acting through podcasts and books.

- Taken 4 years of conservatory singing lessons prior to starting voice acting, I attribute some of my skills to techniques I learned during this time and singing I've done independently. This is probably why I managed to double my high voices range in a few hours when I first started. I can sing classical soprano but usually only sing pop music that doesn't utilize the higher end of my singing range.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Intermediate - I know the basics and I'm halfway to approaching Advanced

What you feel your strengths are: Emotion and being in character. I can put myself in the place of the character and feel what their feeling. Singing in my normal voice. High voices are also my strength. I'm good with little girls and teenagers, as well as young adult voices. I can make myself sound like I'm crying without actually crying.



What you feel your weaknesses are:
- My Little Boy Voices and Lower Range I can do a pretty good little boy voice, but it doesn't sound right to me, it still sounds like a girl. I'm thinking I don't have enough rasp or something, but if I put more in it hurts. I'd like to learn how to do as convincing a little boy voice as I can without hurting myself. I'd also like to develop my lower range in general for lower girl voices and characters older than myself.

- My Range of Accents I've been doing pretty well with British Accents but it's not as great as it could be. Overall I have practically no range of accents. I can do Japanese in Japanese and French in French but I can't apply these to english lines. I'd like to learn how to perform english scripts with accents other than American, Canadian (yes there's a difference between canadian and american), and a sad attempt at British.

- Ability to perform with others around I realize this could apply more to stage acting than voice acting, but I'd like to get comfortable with using more of my voice with people around without feeling like a total goofball and/or my lines coming out too soft. I'll need this later on if I decide to get into stage acting or go pro with voice acting. Not to mention that I need to get comfortable with my parents being around when I record my scripts cause it's almost impossible to get them out of the house.

- Singing in different character voices I know this is very hard to do, but I'd like to learn. I know some people who can do this very well. I'm beginning to touch base with my ability to sing in higher sounding voices without changing the key, but I still need some more practice. If anything I'd like to learn to sing in a little boy voice similar to my current attempt or with whatever improvements I make with it.

Recent Projects: Elana in Andieluca's BASIC (episode not yet released), Allison in Shinigami1300's Hunter (not yet released), Akemi (recast) in Hari26's Angel's Touch (not yet released), Alia in my own A Little Fish Tale Radioplay (Trailer Here: http://www.4shared.com/file/228420950/182e...e_Trailer.html).


Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I'd like to improve my voice acting skills and gain new knowledge about voice acting and acting in general

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: I want to learn to develop my lower range of voices, learn to speak with different accents other than Canadian and American, improve my current British accent attempt, and in general get better at acting. I'd like to move my self rating to just starting to touch base with advanced voice acting.

A little about yourself: My real name is Tara and I've been interested in voice acting since age 12 when I tried to dub a video from kingdom hearts and failed. Since then I've been building my skills and getting better at what I do. I've never done any stage acting or improv, but I'd like to get into some of that some day. For now I'd just like to improve my voice acting.

A short recording: My demo reel is by no means up to professional standards but it's the best I can do for now. I'm not going to say much more as I believe the demo speaks for itself. I'd like to learn if possible, better ways of showcasing the talent I do have in a demo.

http://www.4shared.com/file/221582911/b538..._Demo_Reel.html

How much time are you willing to commit?:
I don't know how much time I'd have to commit with school and everything happening, but I can try to put in some time now and then. I'm allowed on the computer an hour at a time and when depends on if I have homework or not. I'm awake during daylight hours for central time (GMT -6 without daylight savings). If It's scheduled well enough I'm sure something could be set up.

UPDATE: I'm available from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM on skype in my school's library in my timezone assuming I can get a computer and they're not booked by a class. I can also be reached by email and check my email often.

We will see...

Username: TheNationMaker

Age: 20

Experience/Time Voice Acting: 2 years experience of amateur voice acting, I think.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): It depends on how you look upon me, but I think I'm better off as an Intermediate.

What you feel your strengths are: Memorizing the pitch, tones, line delivery of a certain character or person said. I'm usually suited for roles which were medium to low range.

What you feel your weaknesses are: Speech impediments, that's all I can say. Some delivery of words are problematic even it might as well seem simple. High pitch tones or screams are probably what I might fail at. And there might be in some tones in the lines I say that might not be said like how most American VA's would pronounce it. [I'm just a foreigner here...]

Recent Projects: Recent projects I've once hosted was a Riviera: The Promised Land audio drama, and starting up the Inside The Gamer's Studio series inspired by the comics itself. There were some random roles I usually get myself in, but none of them were ever big time.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I need a mentor to see what kind of voice I am best suited with, what delivery I should do, how to make that voice and other things I need to know. I may or may not have any knowledge of what people would want me to act in, just thought a real professional would give me some things to know.

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: I want to have some kind of reputation from people that I'm still a voice-actor and I'm willing to be scouted if anyone needs me. I also wish to become better at my caliber so that one day I could work as a professional voice actor as a future career.

A little about yourself: I'm a voice-actor from a far away land they call Singapore, wanting to get to the US for better job opportunities. Voice Acting seemed to me like an easier job, and I could get myself known by people without getting much of exposure. My goal is to become a professional voice-actor and becoming an amateur voice-actor has been constant training for me until I could get myself to be known. I work with other voice-actors and actresses in hopes of experiences they have learned, and sometimes gain friendship. I still need lots to learn and need someday to be recognized out there.

How much time are you willing to commit?: I'm not too certain about the certain timelines since I'm in a different country. I could only be available around Friday and Saturday nights at Eastern Standard Time.

Username: Miss_voice_of_an_angel

Real Name: Chrissie


Age: 22

Experience/Time Voice Acting: Almost 2 months

Self Rating System : In between beginner and Intermediate only because I took a voice acting class a few years ago. That counts right? Also, I've taken acting classes and had been in a play

What you feel your weaknesses are: Overacting, I have the hardest time overacting and that has kept me from getting the roles I want, also finding my anime voice, along with vocal ranges

Strengths: Character voices, most definitely character voices. I'm especially good with fast talking, extreeemely hyper girls be it kid or teen.

Recent Projects:
Bulma Briefs in a DBZ fandub (still recording my lines)
Sing It Season 8
Clipped Dub CCS as Sakura- CCS

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I need someone with experience to help show me the ropes. I've gotten a few roles on my own however, I'm sure with the right help, I could get even better!

Goals/Results desired from this program: I want to get into professional voice acting but at the moment have no confidence to audition for anything professional. I want to come out of this mentoring project with loads of confidence.

A little about yourself: I am a college student studying musical theater, I love voice acting; it lets me be someone else even for a short while. I love playing computer games, love love looove music and singing and am currently in Sing it, Season 8!!

A short recording: http://www.box.net/shared/55hf821lqr

How much time are you willing to commit?: I would say at least an hour- two hours in the evening, Pacific Standard time.

Request a Mentor: It doesn't matter, as long as it's a female that'd be great!

I sent in my application to the email. I hope I'm not too late seeing as how the last post in here was like forever ago >.O

Username: SharpCookies

Age: 17

Experience/Time Voice Acting: Almost a year in on and off voice acting, three-four years in live theatre (school productions), and if you would like to count them a year and a half in private singing lessons, many years of choir, school events and etc.

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Beginner, definitely.

What you feel your strengths are: Subtle delivery, passionate/emotional reads, facial expression on occasion (though that won't help with voice acting lol)

What you feel your weaknesses are: Conversational delivery, connecting with a character, comedic delivery, etc.

Recent Projects: my most recent was on Act It, if you count it as a project. I've also been cast in snowfenders newbie production and an extra in a few other productions.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I want to become a better actress. I have been attracted to acting and the theatre and things like that for a long time, and I feel like with help I could become much better. I want to make people feel things when I act. I want to be able to connect. I want... I want to be able to act. lol

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: Basically what I said above. And this way I may acquire more roles to further develop my experience and talent, and yeeaahh.

A little about yourself: I am a very energetic person. I find myself quite lively (when awake), friendly and so on. I can be a bit stubborn, but a few bashes to the head always help get me in line. lol I am very passionate and excitable, and eager to learn more and more. If you need more info just ask, I'm not sure what else to put. lol

A short recording: http://www.4shared.com/file/146643049/8d81...ode11Part4.html (starts at 7:20.)

How much time are you willing to commit?: Though I often work in the evenings, Tuesday/Wednesday evenings are usually good, and during the summer more time will be free. Thursdays are also a possibility, and during the morning/afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays perhaps.

Everyone is getting looked over and matched up, but it may be the summer before we have enough mentors for all of the applicants, so bare with us guys. :-)

Everyone is getting looked over and matched up, but it may be the summer before we have enough mentors for all of the applicants, so bare with us guys. :-)

oh oh oh Dylan! When you do get more mentors I don't mind if mine has to be male or female. As long as the mentor can help me. It's cool! So keep that in mind for moi, please and thank you! ^.^

Username: Jeimuzu

Age: 23

Experience/Time Voice Acting: Have been doing wee bits of voice acting for friends since 2006, but its only been recently have I truly wished to voice act properly for projects. But I have been acting in theatre and short films for college people since 1998, Pantomimes and musicals included. Studied acting for a year, hoping to be in university studying it next year, and I do stand up comedy for a laugh

Self Rating System (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced): Intermediate

What you feel your strengths are: Comedic Character acting, parodying of american cartoon voices, and villainous and creepy voices.

What you feel your weaknesses are: Enunciation and tempo

Recent Projects: Working with Green Flame Inc, May be in 8 Bit Theatre Chaos and their Phoenix Wright Dub, but will definately be in their Shinkenger (Japanese Power Rangers) dub.

Reasons for Requesting a Mentor: I know I have potential to do this properly, and I really want to, to make myself an all rounder actor, but also because voice acting is fun :D But I need help to make sure I can do my recordings properly and to help maybe train me more

Goals/Results (be specific) desired from this program: To use all of my acting skills of the stage, to be shown through a mic, to fully use my emotions and be better at enunciation and use my weird character voices to good use through many variations.

A little about yourself: Been in involved in comedic plays, shakespeare, Chekov, Peter Brook. As well as doing stand up and improvisation comedy in scotland.

Acting is my main passion, its what made me leave Aberdeen for Glasgow to do more and learn more to become a better actor, and hopefully next year audition for the prestegious RSAMD or London's RADA.
I love voice acting, and have this ability of recognizing voice actors from games, cartoons and adverts for some reason, as well as sometimes mimicking them for fun. I like making weird and wonderful character voices, it makes my friends laugh!
Hence why I want to do it on a more global scale if possible, for my own ego, but also to make people either laugh, or maybe even think seriously about stuff, through seeing different situations from another persons eyes...stuff like that...ya know...

A short recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2AfHpYEWU4
Making a new better reel at the moment

How much time are you willing to commit?: Whenever at the moment, trying to find a new job but otherwise, free any time. I can wait anyways :D Whoever is willing to take me own and maybe see for themselves what I'm like, would help so much.

It looks as though this is not working as I had envisioned. In many cases, people who have signed up to be mentored have gotten busy or lost interest, or something similar; and in some cases, mentors may have run into time problems. So let me suggest a change. Rather than assigning mentors, let's just note that some of us - possibly those listed in this thread - are willing to do some mentoring, but let's try it on more of an ad hoc basis.

So, if you want help with something, whether an audition, or a role, or general skills improvement, feel free to contact one of our mentors with a specific request. If they are too busy, they can let you know. If things work out after repeated requests to the same mentor, you may develop a more ongoing relationship.

I cannot speak for the others, but I am willing to review readings and coach people. I hope some of the others will, as well. And feel free to let me know how things work out when you contact a potential mentor.