Voice Acting for Kids: Making it Sound Real

Unlock the secrets of professional voice acting with Disney Junior star Genevieve Goings as she launches "Successful Young Creatives" – your ultimate guide to navigating the entertainment industry. Drawing from her extensive career as the beloved singing train conductor from Choo Choo Soul and her Grammy-winning work across Disney and major brands, Genevieve offers transformative insights for young performers and their families.

Voice acting isn't about creating silly voices or technical tricks – it's about authentic character development and emotional truth. Discover why understanding "who you are and what's happening" forms the foundation of every successful audition. Learn how to slate your name with confidence, convey genuine emotions, and create the vocal variety Genevieve calls "the roller coaster." These techniques distinguish amateur readings from professional performances that captivate casting directors.

The most critical question every young performer must honestly answer: "Does this sound like a kid reading from paper, or like a scene from a movie?" Genevieve shares a brilliant technique of creating improvised lead-in lines that make scripted dialogue sound naturally conversational. Listen to real winning auditions from her coaching clients Sofia Clifton and Jahzara Collins who landed major roles using these exact methods.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to elevate existing skills, this episode provides actionable techniques that professional casting directors notice --and for parents navigating their kids acting careers, this can be a safe and fun space to learn. Subscribe for upcoming episodes featuring scripts, exercises, and deeper dives into voice acting techniques. 

Download your free kids voice acting script at GenevieveGoings.com/VO-script and begin your journey toward booking professional voice acting jobs today!

Check out Genevieve's recommended microphone:https://amzn.to/42GIfwe

and more at Genevieve's Amazon shop: http://www.amazon.com/shop/genevievegoings

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Successful Young Creatives
• 0:46 Voice Acting Audition Fundamentals
• 4:07 Emotional Expression and Authenticity
• 6:22 Vocal Variety and Roller Coaster Technique
• 10:58 Real Winning Audition Examples
• 14:04 Recap and Final Tips

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

S-Y-C-S-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C. Creatives Woo yes. Okay, most of you may know me from my show on Disney Junior as the singing train conductor from Choo Choo Soul and the various songs and themes I've written, produced and performed across the Walt Disney Company and more. I actually got my start through voiceover work on the video game Toe Jam and Earl 3 Mission to Earth. Anyway, after countless productions, albums, music videos, toys, a Grammy, my voice is now being used to coach the next generation of stars. So this is about you. This podcast is a safe and fun space for families to learn and understand the entertainment business and how to thrive in it. We're going to cover a lot across this podcast, but today we're zeroing in on voice acting and how to elevate your auditions. Okay, we're going to uncover how to understand a scene, how to convey your emotion and just make it sound believable, and also I want you to know what winning auditions should sound like.

Speaker 1: 1:16

First and foremost, I want you to slate your name. This is something you're going to hear a lot, whether you're just getting started, you're getting to know the industry. Slating your name is how you introduce yourself and it's actually your very first time that casting is going to hear your voice. Once upon a time, people would hold an actual slate, an actual thing that had their name and measurements and all the information written on it, and you just stand in front of the camera and you're like, hey, this is me Now we say this information. So I don't want you to miss out on this opportunity to kind of show your real voice and your personality. If it says slate your name, that means just your name. So that would be like this Genevieve Goings, all right, see, I gave it a little bit of a smile, a little bit of a sparkle.

Speaker 1: 2:04

If you have to slate your name and it's like this really long slate, sometimes it will be a really long slate. You guys like hi, I'm Genevieve Goings, I'm 29 years old, I live in Los Angeles and I have a home studio. Okay, it might be that long, don't come for me with the age. All right, just don't even worry about how old I am, okay, we're just trying to have fun, okay? So, anyways, you get your slate out of the way, do me a favor and just slate your name right now. Ready, one, two, three, all right. Did you do it like in a way where you're like um, genevieve Goings? No, be proud of your name and let's say it again One, two, three, excellent, all right. Now here's the thing If you're doing an audition, I need you to relax a little bit, okay, and realize you are acting Just because it's voiceover.

Speaker 1: 2:55

I think a modern misconception is that they want you to do these crazy voices or silly voices or, like I can do Stitch's voice, like okay, great, that's cool, but for this we need you to be a certain character, All right. So our first thing we're going to talk about is character development. Who are you and what's happening? All right, that is what's important here who are you and what's happening? It's very important you understand the character's personality, their age and their background, okay, so this is why you want to read through a whole script quietly to yourself to understand it all first. Now we all kind of want to grab a script and just record, like press record. I'm ready. No, you're not ready. Okay, you need to kind of to yourself, act it out, and all that Almost every single time, you guys, when you get to the end of a script, that's when you really understand the character and you're kind of like, okay, I've met this character, now I know who he or she is, got it. Then you go back and you're going to fix it all up, okay, so that's going to be very important. Who are you and what's happening? Because I need you to make me believe it, okay.

Speaker 1: 4:05

Now the next emotional expression, which this is how you would really act, okay. So, if you are need to be excited, then you need to sound excited. Okay, if you're worried, you need to sound worried. And if you're sad let's breathe all your air out you need to sound sad. Okay, it's very important that you convey these emotions, because that's the whole point. Again, who are you, what's happening? And now we're talking about how are you feeling? Again, the point is make me believe that this is really happening. This is not just congratulations. You said the words, you guys. This is make me believe it.

Speaker 1: 4:50

Okay, and another thing I do hear a lot, which some of you guys have some experience, like on stage, performing live. When you're on stage, you need to be like really, really big, like wow, that was crazy. Okay, we don't need to be that big on a voiceover They'll ask you for it if they want it to be big, but generally, they want to hear your real voice. Who are you and what do you sound like Okay and can you play this character in a believable way. So if let's just say the question is like mom, what are you doing, if you wouldn't really talk to your mom like that, then try to think about how would you really say it. Like mom, mom, what are you doing? Or mom, what are you doing? Okay, um, don't recommend talking to your mom that last way, but you know, okay.

Speaker 1: 5:49

So I like to tell my kids that I coach, sometimes I'll be like I'll ask them to tell me a friend's name, like an actual friend that they hang out with and say, okay, now say this line to that friend. Would they look at you like why are you talking like that? You know, it's like you guys, I found this most amazing thing. They'd be like whoa, what is wrong with Genevieve today? I think she had too much coffee. I'd be like you guys, I found the most amazing thing. Okay, see, just much more natural like that All right.

Speaker 1: 6:20

Number three what I want to tell you about is vocal variety. We call this the roller coaster. When we talk, we do hit certain notes, like singing. Okay, so I'm not singing right now, but I am putting my voice on a roller coaster. Sometimes I go up, sometimes I go down, sometimes I keep it right in the middle. Okay, and that's what I want you to do in all of your auditions. These need to sound interesting and keep me engaged, all right. So if you, if you notice that you're ending your sentences on the same note every time, I want you to switch that up. Okay. So here's that roller coaster. Okay. So, like, oh, mom just hugged it Gross, don't tell me you want to meet them too. Oh, I can't even believe we're related. Okay, you hear those lines where some were up, some were down and it kept it interesting Kids, when they read scripts or read anything, actually it's kind of like they just want to get through it.

Speaker 1: 7:26

They hold the page and they just get through it. Ew, mom, just hugged it Gross, don't tell me you want to meet them too. I can't believe we're related. All right, that was one of those congratulations. You read the words, but you didn't really take me there. So I want you guys to think about that roller coaster where, if you ended the last line that you just said on kind of an up note, try ending the next line going down. Okay, so this is a little bit easier to explain. When we're talking about a real script, which we will be doing in following episodes and I do have places that you can go and download some free scripts and so I'll put those in the show notes I always want you to sit and ask yourself did I take my voice on a roller coaster there?

Speaker 1: 8:14

Was it interesting? Interesting and on a kind of higher thought level, I want you to think about how the casting directors are going to listen to maybe a hundred different auditions. So if they're kind of zoning out, you want them to wake up when they hear yours and be like, oh okay, this is good, this sounds like a real movie. All right, so so far we've talked about who are you and what's happening and making sure you understand that and how would you really act in that situation and are you putting your voice on that roller coaster? Sometimes up, sometimes down, and just different ways of saying things.

Speaker 1: 8:52

Okay, now number four. This is for you, kids, but it's also for your parents that are listening over your auditions. Okay, you, kids, but it's also for your parents that are listening over your auditions. Okay, I have to ask this question and I need you guys to ask this question all the time, every single audition. You must ask yourself does this sound like a kid reading from a paper? And you have to be honest. Parents, you got to be honest with yourselves. Kids you got to be honest with yourselves too. Does it sound like a kid reading from a paper or does it sound like you're watching a scene from? Parents, you got to be honest with yourselves. Kids you got to be honest with yourselves too. Does it sound like a kid reading from a paper or does it sound like you're watching a scene from a movie? Okay, we need this to really sound real, and the best way to do that is to start by being yourself. Okay, so you can do this. This is really fun. Number five this is a fun tip for you guys and it really helps in an audition.

Speaker 1: 9:44

Sometimes, I'll give myself a couple of lines that I make up that come just before the line on the script. Okay, so you're working your way into the scene so that by the time you say your line, it sounds really, really real. Okay, so let's say the line is all I have to do is fix this and we should be good, all right. So you could say, all I have to do is fix this and we should be good. Now, if I get made up a line that came before that, oh, it isn't working, we really need to get there. Okay, all I need to do is fix this and it'll be good, all right, do you hear? By the time I got to the line that they need that sounded really real. I'm gonna edit these together and let you hear the first way. I read it, and then let you hear it the second way. Tell me if you can hear the difference. All I have to do is fix this. All I need to do is fix this and it'll be good. See, just that added little mm, and that's what we need. We need to elevate every single audition, and that's an excellent way to do it. So think about that sometimes. Make up a couple lines that would come before your character's line and then work your way in to your line. Trust me, it's going to sound better every time. You guys, what I'm going to do now is share some real world examples with you.

Speaker 1: 11:11

I'm a kid's talent coach as well, so I work with a lot of kids on their auditions and I help them elevate their auditions. I want to play two of my friends, sophia Clifton and Jazara Collins. I want to play you little clips of their auditions so you can hear what a winning audition sounds like, because they booked these jobs after coaching with me. Now, when I was working with Sophia on this, we did some physical movement, okay. So she would be like, um, what are you doing? Kind of a thing. And I had her imagine. Like, imagine you're really there. What does the script say is happening? Okay, there's a kid doing some weird kind of playing and you're just looking at them like, okay, all right, so that energy we got into that energy first before we ever pressed record. Okay. So that was really good. Sophia booked this job, so I want you guys to hear what a winning audition sounds like.

Speaker 2: 12:09

I'm working on circus tricks. Okay, have fun with that. Bye, that's actually really cool. And who were you just talking to?

Speaker 1: 12:20

Isn't that great. So that is Threadi Bear. You guys can actually watch that show on YouTube now. So she did an excellent job and that was so much fun. So now, moving on to Jazara Collins. Now, I helped her with this audition. This is for the Winter Festival for Frozen. This is so fun. You guys can watch that on YouTube as well. I'll link all the links to the videos. Now for her, she needed to read through a book, and so I really again made her think about where are you standing, what are you wearing, what's going on in the room, what does it feel like? And now lift this heavy book and open the pages and read through it. Okay, again, we did that kind of work before we ever pressed record. She booked this job and it's great. And so here is her audition job and it's great.

Speaker 2: 13:11

And so here is her audition. Marshmallow, I cordially invite you to the inaugural winter festival. What's that? Of course you can get a plus one. Who are you thinking? Okay, plus 100. Let's go.

Speaker 1: 13:24

So good, right? Oh, my goodness. You can hear that this was recorded in sections OK, where she's like, well, who are you thinking? And then she's really reacting to it, like, ok, you know. So it's not just reading down from a page, she's actually reacting to the person talking to her and it feels real. So excellent job, jazara Collins and Sophia Clifton, and to so many of my clients who have booked huge jobs after coaching with me and just learning everything. It's not about always having me there with you, you guys. It's about internalizing the things that I can teach you and then you starting to come up with those decisions on your own.

Speaker 1: 14:07

Okay, you guys, for our first episode together. This is really fun and this podcast is going to be all sorts of fun and tips. We're going to have scripts, we're going to have exercises for you guys to do. It's just going to be a blast. So I'm so excited to be here and make sure you definitely subscribe to the podcast so you can download everything and just keep up with us, because we're going to have a lot of good stuff for you. Okay, so let's just recap everything we've done. Number one, you guys, if you remember, I'm asking you to ask yourself. Does it sound like a kid reading from a paper? Okay, just make sure like. Are you really putting yourself in the shoes of the character you're reading for? And you can always do more than one take. You really should. By the way, I don't want you to just read through it one time and be done. That's never going to be the way you book. Just letting you know.

Speaker 1: 15:03

Even the best of us, you know, do multiple takes to find that sweet spot of what sounds good. So try challenging yourself. Do one take that's bigger and the other one more grounded and relaxed. Okay, we're going to do episodes specifically about this bigger versus grounded but I want you to think about that. It's like mom, what are you doing Versus grounded Mom?

Speaker 2: 15:32

what are you doing?

Speaker 1: 15:34

Okay, they're both good and there's certain instances that call for either kind. But those are two very different reads and if a script is short enough, you can absolutely deliver two takes of that script, but you only ever do more than one take. If they're going to be very different from each other, okay, again, we'll get into that more in other episodes. All right, and another thing to think about try to think about what that casting director is thinking about while listening to 50 auditions. Okay, it can probably get a little boring sometimes if everyone reads the same way, especially if it sounds like a kid reading from a paper. So be the one who's going to wake them back up, get them in the mode where they're visualizing you as the character, like they're watching the movie or show. Okay, so I really hope you enjoyed this episode and this is just. This is about the kids, this is about the next generation and you can do this. It's really fun, it's really entertaining, it's wonderful for kids and their imaginations and their communication and just confidence overall. So I'm really excited that you're here. We are going to have a wonderful time together and this is for you, my successful young creatives. Yes, I know I'm gonna be successful.

Speaker 1: 17:05

This episode is brought to you by Genevieve's Creative Camp. I am coaching kids all over the world virtually over Zoom, as well as sometimes in person here at my studio in LA, on singing, recording, voice acting, auditioning and overall creativity for their careers. So definitely keep up with me on social media at Genevieve Goings or at GenevieveGoingscom. Download your free kids voice acting script at GenevieveGoingscom. Slash V-O script.