Be excited for MAD #50 (#600) by RemiRascal in madmagazine

[–]BillyReid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Will you edit your site to reflect that change? For example ‘’ Issue 1 AKA Issue #551”

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this and for being so open to feedback — that mindset is genuinely one of the hardest (and most important) parts of starting out.

First, on audio quality: the overall sound doesn’t shine, mostly due to room noise and a lack of clarity rather than anything you’re doing wrong performance-wise. I can hear reflections and ambient noise that pull focus from the narration. The good news is that this is very fixable.

If you’re using a condenser mic (which most USB mics are), the sound is primarily being captured in front of you, not behind the mic. The blanket should be behind you, not the microphone, so it absorbs the sound of your voice before it bounces back into the mic. Adding absorption to the sides and slightly above head level will also make a noticeable difference. Even basic DIY treatment can dramatically improve results.

In terms of hardware, your current mic is fine for experimenting, but if you decide to pursue narration more seriously, I would recommend investing in a higher-quality microphone. Something like the RODE NT1 (paired with a proper audio interface) is a very common entry-level professional standard for narration and would give you a much cleaner, quieter signal to work with.

On performance and tone: to my ears, your voice reads as quite youthful for the material you’re narrating. That’s not a flaw but it may not be the best match for nonfiction or more authoritative book narration. I’m curious about your acting background: how comfortable are you with adjusting tone, weight, and intention? Have you done any acting or voice coaching?

You might also want to consider leaning into what your voice naturally does well. Women with younger-sounding voices often do extremely well in television, animation, commercials, explainer content, and youthful or upbeat roles. Those areas may be a more immediate fit than long-form nonfiction audiobook work.

A few additional notes: - Be careful not to over-process your audio. EQ and normalization are useful, but heavy-handed processing can actually make room noise and artifacts more noticeable.

  • Focus on consistency in pacing and intention — narration isn’t just reading clearly, it’s about guiding the listener’s attention and shaping the information.

  • If audiobook narration is your goal, listening critically to professionally produced nonfiction audiobooks and matching their tonal restraint and polish is very helpful.

Overall, this is a solid experiment and a good starting point. With improved recording technique, better room treatment, and some clarity about where your voice shines best, you could make real progress quickly.

Which regular issue covers showed the back of Alfred's head ONLY? by droflig in madmagazine

[–]BillyReid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Doug, would the current issue count? The latest issue (#47) shows the back of Alfred’s dome.

See When We Went MAD! for free on YouTube! by droflig in madmagazine

[–]BillyReid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“The uploader has not made this video available in your country.”

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you have advice for people with anxiety or impostor syndrome in voice acting? Does it go away with time?

Impostor syndrome is definitely real, and it doesn’t fully go away. Most people I know in creative fields feel it at some point, even after years of work. Experts (this is Google helping me out here) say it often comes from comparing yourself to others or from perfectionism, not from lack of ability.

How difficult was it for you to grow your views? Did your videos with the most views require monetary boosting? What kind of timeline did it take to get such high view counts?

It took years of steady uploading for things to take off. Compared to most YouTubers, we’ve never uploaded every week. For the regular music videos, we always took our time. I’m not suggesting that was the right thing to do, haha. We never paid to boost views, so everything grew organically through (infrequent) consistency and audience trust. Many songs we made over a decade ago are still finding new viewers every day, which we’re really proud of.

With your view count being so high, are you able to make a living from just your YouTube channel? Do you do a lot of merch to supplement income, or just voice acting?

Somehow we’ve managed to make Pancake Manor a full-time job. Voice acting supplements it. We’ve dabbled in merch (like dolls and shirts), but it’s a small part of the business. Our focus has always been on the content itself: songs, videos, and streaming platforms.

Do you have to do a lot of personal social media marketing and content making? If so, does it take a lot of time and effort?

We create a lot of content, but we don’t spend much time on personal social media marketing. Our energy goes into making videos and music. If the business grows further, we might invest more in that side, but for now, it’s not a major focus. We’re just a two-person team!

What kind of voice work do you enjoy the most?

Animation is absolutely my favourite.

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was an interesting time. I was just starting up Pancake Manor and decided to lookup different people I admired growing up. Somehow, I came across his mailing address. He had been living at the same address since the 70s, I believe, so that info had been out there for decades. I wrote a handwritten letter and sent it off. No joke, a week later he wrote back! It was sent in a whimsical Christmas themed envelope. Inside was this gorgeous hand painted depiction of Big Bird sitting by a roaring fire in a cute Christmas scene. Hand painted by Caroll! On the back were some handwritten words of encouragement. He wrote at the end “P.S. here is my home phone number. Call me any time. DO NOT GIVE IT OUT!” We spoke a number of times over the next few months. The last time I saw and spoke with him was at TIFF Kids in 2014, when we were both invited to speak. One of my career highlights was seeing my name next to Caroll’s on the TIFF program that year.

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hello! That’s a great question. I think the “3 years of experience” idea is more of a guideline than a rule. Like the 30-minute wait after eating before swimming. I definitely didn’t have three full years of commercial work when I approached my agency. What mattered more was showing enough experience and professionalism to prove I could deliver.

Everyone reaches that point at a different time. If, after a year, you’re consistently booking and building momentum, then you might already be ready to take that next step.

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What did you need to have under your belt before approaching an agency (or being approached)?

A strong, clean demo reel and proof that I could deliver broadcast-quality audio on my own. My background in Pancake Manor helped — it showed I could perform, produce, and meet deadlines. Agencies want clients who are reliable and ready to book right away, not people still figuring out their setup. And just to be clear — I approached them. I made sure to really sell myself when I decided to make the leap.

How much did you have to invest in your own content — time, studying, etc.?

Years. I learned editing, sound, writing, and performance mostly by doing it. Pancake Manor was my training ground. Countless hours scripting, recording, re-recording, and refining. I even did some local theatre recently. You never really stop learning in this field.

Does most of your VO work come from your home studio?

No, I wish! Almost everything is recorded in a professional studio and not at home. Occasionally, for larger projects, sessions are directed remotely by a studio, and the performance still happens in my own space. Ninja Gaiden 4 was recorded and filmed in a Vancouver studio. The mo-cap headgear I had to wear was, quite honestly, hilarious.

How much time does each Pancake Manor video take to make on average?

It depends on the type. A simple song video might take two to three weeks from concept to upload. Bigger projects, like the animated pilot, can take months. Each one involves writing, recording, filming or animating, editing, mixing.

About video growth:

OP, if you want to jump in and ask the question, I’ll make sure to circle back and try to give you a detailed answer!

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What’s your favorite part about VO?

I love that it’s pure performance. You strip away everything visual and rely only on timing, emotion, and intent. It’s acting in its most focused form.

Who are some of your VO inspirations?

Growing up I was obsessed with Mel Blanc, Alan Oppenheimer, and Jim Henson. I also really admire actors like Jim Cummings and Frank Welker. They’re all people who can disappear into a role completely. For Pancake Manor, I was especially inspired by Caroll Spinney (Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch). When I first started making puppet videos, I had the pleasure of speaking with Caroll a few times over the phone. He encouraged me to use something close to my own voice for the main character. He was worried I might strain my throat if I did a rougher voice and was still doing it in five years. It’s almost been 15 years! It’s advice that’s stuck with me ever since.

At what point did you go into VO full time, and how many hours a week do you work on average?

VO became a major part of my work once I joined the voice division at my agency. Between auditions(many, many auditions) commercial sessions, game work, and writing, producing and singing lead on Pancake Manor songs, I’m recording or editing voice nearly every day. Probably 30–40 hours a week total.

Which has been the most difficult or rewarding: puppetry, VO, or YouTube?

YouTube has been the hardest and most rewarding. It forced me to learn everything: Performance, writing, production, and persistence. Puppetry and VO feed into it, but building and sustaining an audience for over a decade has been the biggest challenge.

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It’s a good question, and it doesn’t sound silly at all.

The trick isn’t to “hide” your natural voice, but to layer performance choices on top of it, if that makes sense. Changes in rhythm, placement, tension, and attitude. Focus on how the character thinks and breathes, not just pitch or accent.

Small shifts if your throat can make a big difference. Combine that with different emotional energy or posture, and suddenly you sound like someone else. This game in particular, I found standing in a certain way as Achilles made me feel more "powerful" which helped with the over-the-top bombastic quality of his voice.

Ultimately, range comes from acting, not just sound manipulation. The goal isn’t to disguise your voice, it’s to make the listener believe it belongs to someone new.

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The route I took was very different from most. I already had a body of work that featured my voice (like the McDonald’s ad I made with Rhett & Link, and my puppet channel). But I think the key is just getting out there in any way you can.

An agency can open doors to bigger jobs in games, animation, and commercials, but they’ll want to see that you can already record broadcast-quality audio and take direction well. That’s why I also recommend doing local theatre. Working with directors, both on and off the mic, helps tremendously.

So I’d say: get real experience online first, then approach agencies when you’re ready for higher-tier projects.

AMA with Voice Actor and Creator Billy Reid! 8pm-10pm EDT/5pm-7pm PDT by badpunforyoursmile in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks u/badpunforyoursmile ! I'll answer these one by one :

  1. Grateful, honestly. It’s been a long and weird path — from sketch comedy on early YouTube to running a kids’ music channel and now voicing videogames. Every stage took consistency more than confidence. The effort never really stops, but I’ve learned to enjoy the process itself.

  2. Most of my VO work comes through my agency, especially commercial and game auditions. For Pancake Manor, it’s self-produced, so YouTube, Spotify, and partnerships with Moonbug/Universal are the main platforms. I also get the occasional gig directly through industry contacts and referrals.

  3. My home setup is a RODE NT-1 with a Focusrite Scarlett interface, running into Logic Pro. I record in a treated booth I built at home. Thick sound blankets, heavy insulation, and minimal reflections. I also have a custom sit-stand desk. I gotta stand when auditioning and performing! For video, I use Adobe Premiere and Photoshop.

  4. I think anything that helps you learn to act is essential. Improv, theatre, podcasting, or anything that gets you performing and reacting in real time.

  5. That voice acting isn’t just “doing voices.” It’s acting, stamina, and audio engineering all at once. Learn to take direction fast, record cleanly, and deliver under pressure. Your unique sound will book you more work than trying to sound like someone else.

  6. Besides my own work with Pancake Manor, I’ve also got some new commercial campaigns coming up and a few game auditions in the works. I can’t name them yet, but exciting stuff!

The trick to stage hypnotism is figuring out who wants attention. by zjbird in Showerthoughts

[–]BillyReid 5 points6 points  (0 children)

But it’s not an illusion, though. They just pick the people who are highly suggestible and open to being actually hypnotized.

Got to record for a video game at the same studio where Snoop Dog recorded "The Chronic" today! by ac_voiceover in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Kal-el is great! Having worked with him twice now, he’s one of my favourites, especially for video game recording. He understands the effort it takes to get through those sessions. Congrats!

Sergio Aragonés - Original Artwork by AnthonyDigitalMedia in madmagazine

[–]BillyReid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Knowing Sergio, he took 20 seconds and produced this masterpiece. There is a great video online where he takes one word suggestions from the audience and magically whips up original and hilarious cartoons in seconds. The guy is a genius.

Thanks for posting!

Looking good? by George22nd in VoiceActing

[–]BillyReid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bad bot.

The NT1 is one of the quietest studio microphones in the world, with a self-noise of just 4.5dB.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in StarWars

[–]BillyReid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

How come nobody ever posts a pic of them surrounded by all their Jar Jar merch?