VENTURE INTO VOICEOVER:

AN INTERVIEW WITH ELENA REY

Elena started her VO journey with Voiceover Workshop NYC and found success pretty immediately. In this interview, we discuss how she started out, what has worked for her- and get her advice for anyone beginning a career in VO!

How did your voiceover journey begin?

Elena: Well, it all started in my senior year at Vassar and the lovely VO Workshop did a workshop with us. I knew for awhile that I wanted to do voice work, but had no idea how to get started - anything about the industry at all - and these lovely people taught me everything I know. It was at the very end of that workshop that they were like, if you want to internship with us at the end of the summer we’d love to have you! And that really solidified my involvement in this work and then from there, having them produce my demo and continually coaching me and being able to take more classes about setting up my home studio and doing audiobook… I think having you both as mentors, made so much possible for me. You sent me the information about the Penguin Random House Mentorship Program that allowed me to get into audiobook!

Tell us a little about the Penguin Random House Mentorship Program?

Elena: So, you dm’ed me about the program - I applied. It was just like tell us about yourself, and send us a demo - you can record it on anything you have - there were no requirements. I got into that program, which I learned like there was 15 of us who got in, I think like 600 people applied. Which is crazy, I was like "oh, I didn’t realize it was that selective!"

Sara: I mean that’s kinda like real world numbers too - when you audition for something, sometimes it’s hundreds of people.

Elena: Yeah! And so, they pair you with one of their 15 - 18 audiobook producers that they have. In addition to monthly - me and my mentor did bi-monthly meetings, just to figure out what samples I wanted to have on my profile, how I wanted to market myself - in addition to that they had monthly panels, with established audiobook narrators, with people who had done the program before their opinions and experiences, a panel on home studio. And so, kind of like all of that that is specific to audiobook that was really, really great. And through Penguin Random House I got a couple of jobs! A great part about Penguin is AHAB (ahabtalent.com) - the platform is amazing. That’s how I got - not even though Penguin - but I got other jobs through AHAB as well - people will find my profile, which has all of my information about who I am, my vocal qualities, what stuff I’m interested in - even like my hobbies. So yeah, I got a job for Harper Audio through AHAB, and a romance podcast, and learning ally books. It’s been great having that as a home base for my audiobook stuff in addition to my website