The great thing about voice over is anonymity. We get to be heard and not seen. So, it makes sense that you can be any age and be successful as a voice actor. Certainly there are voice over jobs for all ages, but is there more work for the younger sounding voices, especially when it comes to women?

Seems like when I hear commercials, the women often sound like they’re in their 20s. Like say, the Oreo commercial I just saw on TV (a 20 something female voice) followed by the older male voices of GM and HSBC Direct. Is it the same in voice over as in other parts of the entertainment industry, where being (or sounding) 18-35 is where the gold is?

But, you may look and be older, yet SOUND so much younger. A winning combination in voice over. You get to have the wisdom (hopefully) of age and the opportunity of youth. Or at least sounding youthful. Unfortunately, sounding young is mostly genetic. I didn’t sound 20 when I was 20.

So, is there more work for younger voices? Yet, there are 78 million baby boomers, the biggest consumer segment of the population. Why aren’t there more voice over jobs for people who are older or who at least sound that way? (Of course there are plenty of those ED and AARP on-camera commercials)

-Tracy Pattin