Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Drovdlic
Carrie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was a kid, I could often be found singing into an unplugged microphone pretending I was a rock star (or a Broadway star, I wasn’t picky). My dad ran a video production business from our home in Struthers, OH, so we always had lots of camera equipment and microphones lying around. So microphones have never scared me. Which is good because now I speak into one every day from my own home studio, creating audio, voicing commercials, narrating audiobooks, and bringing characters to life for videogames, animation, and children’s e-learning content as a voice actor.
I wish I could tell you that I went straight into this line of work from my dad’s office, but I took a couple detours along the way. Oh I started out performing – school plays, show choir (these were big in the 80s, and the Struthers High School ‘Singers’ was a HUGE part of my formative life), and then went to Baldwin-Wallace University (College, then) in Berea, as a Musical Theater Major. But then I took a turn into science, got a degree in Biology and stayed in that field for the next two decades.
It was a huge failure that led me back to performing and, ultimately, to voice acting. After getting graduate degrees in molecular biology, I worked as a genetic counselor (GC) in the Clinical Genetics Department of The Ohio State University for six years, then took some time off to raise my children. While I stayed home I did a little work as a science/medical writer, but my plan was to go back to being a GC. After almost ten years being out of the field I had to pass a board exam to start practicing again. Despite spending lots of time and money on studying and prep for that test, I failed it by two points (it still stings).
I walked out of the testing center, sat in my car and cried, and wondered what to do next. It was my husband who suggested I should do audiobooks because when I read books to the kids, I’d give all the characters distinct voices and act them out. This was always fun for me, and I think I’d always thought that work should be work. It was an epiphany to realize that work could be fun. So in my mid-40s, I invested in some equipment and training and jumped into a completely new industry knowing nothing and no one.
Succeeding in the voice acting industry is not easy. I’ve climbed multiple learning curves in the last seven years: learning the craft, learning the tech, learning how to market myself, learning how to make social media and promotional content, and learning how to network in an entirely new industry. Competition is fierce. New voice actors can expect about a 1% return rate on auditions. Those who’ve been in the industry for a while can typically expect 8-10%.
But landing a job is the BEST feeling, and I’ve been blessed to get all kinds of work. I’ve narrated corporate training videos (if you’ve recently watched a Columbus International Airport employee orientation video, you heard me!), voiced local and regional commercials for clients all over the country, narrated well over a dozen audiobooks (under the pseudonym Ellen A. Connor), and, my favorite, voiced characters for videogames, short films, and children’s animation and e-learning ranging from a spoiled kid, to a warrior princess, to an old crone, and MANY in between (including several dogs, cats, a monkey, and a rat). For these jobs I’ve worked with clients all around the world: Cyprus, Ukraine, Portugal, Australia, France, England, and Shanghai.
The day-to-day life of a working voice actor isn’t particularly glamorous. I work from home in a former closet converted into a sound-treated studio and like most freelancers, I spend the majority of my time looking for work by auditioning and marketing myself (emails, in-person events, social media, meeting casting directors/agents, etc). But I love that I can work in my pajamas and that, thanks to apps like Zoom and SourceConnect, I can do live recording with a director from anywhere in the world, right from my home studio.
I’ve now got enough training and experience under my belt that I’ve started helping out those interested in getting into the industry. I’ve facilitated some workshops on voicing videogame characters (and will be giving one again at the GDEX conference, October 26, 2pm Columbus Convention Center: www.thegdex.com), and have started private coaching beginning voice actors. I’ve always loved teaching opportunities and particularly like helping people avoid some of the mistakes I made along the way!
I also really like helping out people who, like me, are a little more (ahem) seasoned because I’m living proof it’s never too late and you’re never too old to start something new. Especially something you love!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like many freelancers, I face the constant challenge of making good decisions about where to best spend time and money without wasting them. Every venture requires an investment of time and money to get started (equipment, training, etc), and to keep going (upgrades, ongoing coaching, etc), but knowing when and where to spend them is something I’m still learning and I’ve made some mistakes along the way: buying equipment I didn’t actually need, taking a training course that didn’t teach me anything, etc.
I also got a slow start in the industry because as a SAHM any time I spent on building my business had to come after all the kids’ and house needs were met, and sometimes I just didn’t have the energy!
Things are a little smoother now as my kids are older and I’ve learned to better discern a good investment from bad.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Like many VAs, I always loved to make ‘funny voices.’ With training, I’ve learned to make those voices into fully fleshed out characters. My classical vocal/singing training has given me a big range and a high-degree of control of my voice, and accents have always come rather easy to me (though I’ve taken some training here as well to fine-tune them). Put all that together and I’m capable of making a wide range of unique and distinct character voices. An audioboodk reviewer once said of me: “(the) narrator’s uncanny ability to use so many different voices really impressed me. The characters are well-defined and easily draw your interest.”
This ability serves me well in animation, videogames, and especially in audiobooks in which there are lots of characters. In commercial reads and corporate training videos this helps me because I can breathe some life and interest into a script that might be a little dry on its own.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I fully believe Seneca was right when he said that luck is “when preparation meets opportunity.” I am always actively digging up opportunities. Unfortunately early on I didn’t have enough training or experience to fully recognize or capitalize on them, and I made some mistakes (bad luck?). Now, however, with some years under my belt, I’m better prepared, and have been at some right places at some right times, recognized the opportunity in front of me and was able to capitalize on it (good luck?).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carriedrovdlic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriedrovdlicvo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Carrie-Drovdlic-Voice-Artist
- Twitter: https://x.com/CarrieD_Voice
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@notjustaprettyvoice
- Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/carriedrovdlic
