Mic’d Up For The Planet: Voiceover Insights with Erika Ward

Introduction

What genres of voiceover do you work in?

Mostly commercials, eLearning, and non-broadcast corporate work, but I’ve done a little bit of everything over the years. Lately, I’ve been expanding into audiobooks and audio drama.

Why do you love being part of VO4TP? What motivated you to join VO4TP? 

Recording voiceovers is typically a solitary activity. I mean, other than live directed sessions, most of our time is spent talking to ourselves in tiny rooms. Community is vital! When I found VO4TP it felt almost serendipitous as I had been looking for a way to bring more purpose and meaning to my VO work. And it’s been genuinely inspiring to be among a group of people who are finding ways to do just that.

What are 3 words your best friend would use to describe you? 

Well I may have cheated on this question because I just asked him. He said, “Vivacious, insightful, and creative.” I’ll take it. 

Additional Work Insights

How did you get started as a voice actor?

I had been acting since I was a kid and it was always my dream to work in film and TV – so, in my mid-twenties, I moved to LA to pursue on-camera work. Things had been (very) slowly moving along, when an acquaintance asked me to record a demo for Pandora. They had recently launched and were looking for voice actors to join their roster. Despite my initial reluctance to do voiceover (I didn’t yet realize how cool of a job it was), I recorded the demo, got on their roster, and, before I knew it, I was voicing ads full time. From there, I went on to find a variety of other VO work through online casting sites and agents… and here we are, nearly 15 years later.

If you hadn’t pursued voice acting, what career path might you have explored instead? 

Realistically – if I hadn’t fallen into voiceover – I’d probably have explored screenwriting more. Unrealistically, my ideal career path can only be categorized as “traveling philosopher” although the practical application for that still eludes me. 

The Business Side

How do you manage your schedule and prioritize projects?

I honestly don’t know what I’d do without my iCloud calendar. Well, I’d most likely just have a giant paper calendar with lots of cross-outs and pencil smudges, but still, I am highly dependent on it. And to-do lists with tiny check boxes that I can mark off when I finish something. That’s not only super helpful for remembering stuff but also incredibly satisfying. 

Environmentalism

Which organizations are you most passionate about giving to with your time and money?

I’m passionate about mental health and personal development/empowerment; the more balanced and grounded we are within ourselves, the more we are able to positively contribute to the world around us. In today’s noisy, digitally-focused world, time spent outdoors and immersed in nature has become vital. Not only for our own mental health and states of inner harmony, but as a reminder of our interconnection and our responsibilities for each other and the planet. 

A few organizations I’ve found that fit within this category include: Human Nature Counseling Society, Experience Nature Unplugged, and Restorative Blooms.  

Any great tips on being sustainable in your work and/or life? 

My partner and I try to be as minimalist as we can, only keeping things in our house that are necessities and/or bring us joy to have. Otherwise – recycling, upcycling, buying secondhand/thrifting, avoiding single-use plastics, and supporting more locally-owned businesses – all come to mind as regular practices.  

For Fun

If you could have any animal as a pet (real or mythical), what would it be and why?

This is the sad answer, but it was what first came to mind – I’d choose our terrier-chihuahua Remy again. She passed away this year and was the sweetest little soul and best animal companion. 

Imagine you’re creating a playlist for a road trip through the world’s most beautiful landscape. First, where would you be, and second, what would be the first song on your playlist? 

Hmm. Hard to choose! The world is full of beautiful places. The first two that come to mind would be New Zealand or Patagonia. And there’d be no playlist! I’d want to take in what I was seeing without getting distracted by the music or by my own (often uncontrollable) need to sing along.

Listen to Erika Ward’s work for the South Dakota Food Bank below:

Learn more about voice actor Erika Ward.