We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michael Vale. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michael below.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic is one of organized chaos, if I had to label it. Where that came from, I’ll never truly know – maybe out of necessity to get ahead best I could. I know exactly what needs to be done, right now, pressing me forward, and then I daisy-chain prioritize down from there. I was never the type of kid to study – I just walked in and knew the subject material. It was maddening to people I studied with, to my parents, to myself at times – I don’t want to say I coasted but I definitely was a short-cutter for sure.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to really just sit down and tackle what needs to be done, but always looking for the best way to do so. Work smarter, slightly harder – that sticks true in the creative field for sure. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bounced an idea off someone and it just became all the better for it. Think before you speak – that’s what my dad always said – words I’ve always tried to hold true. The same routines of work, the day to day, the people around me, both in my daily routine and in the creative realm definitely all have a small part in shaping my motions and actions, and that’s helped me grow as a person, as a friend, and as a creator for sure.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name’s Michael Vale – I’m a voice actor with a background in AM radio. I had my official voice acting start in 2020 during the pandemic – started out as a team project of three creating fan content on Instagram and YouTube centered around the anime JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and you may know that project’s name already: Voiceover Requiem. That page and name has grown beyond one series – on any given week, I’m posting anything from a silly Tumblr textpost to a Five Nights at Freddy’s post, to a collaboration with two or three other voice actors deep, parodying something obscure or highly niche-core funny. Voice acting is awesome. It’s really cool when people realize VR is me, I am VR – I was recently involved in a sci-fi podcast, and as I was getting to know the cast, it was surreal knowing that some of these folks had seen my silly little memes, that they were like “you’re the same person as in this? No way!” and that just made me feel so happy.
I use the Instagram posts themselves to try out new voices, do a goofy thing in my video editor, use a song to comedic effect, things like that. I consider myself more of a director and writer than a bonafide content creator – I’ve really had the chance to shine with writing some parody sketches with folks like solid.jj and some YouTube-based horror creators and actors, and I’m really appreciative of the opportunities afforded to me by getting to work with these folks.
I’m always open to working with new VAs on post ideas, a video (dub, parody, abridged, whatever) idea you may have, or a new project. I’ve been fortunate in my time voice acting to have voiced in videos that have multi-million view counts, in audiobooks and podcasts, in video games and built-from-scratch game modifications – projects like Cabin Tales, a tour-de-force horror anthology podcast by Thom Halle, where not only have I been so lucky to voice act in, but also write and co-produce, are opportunities I would have never even expected to know about when I started back in 2020, and for that I am so grateful, and I am very excited as to what comes next.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1) Do this for yourself. Success will come later. Keep at it and try your best. I have been down when I don’t immediately see success – we’re all only human. Rome was not built in a day – success does not happen overnight. Social media is very misleading – you’ll never know the full story for why someone’s post blows up and yours does not. You never know who’s watching, and you never know who’ll be right around the corner waiting to work with you. The more you do, the more you get your name out there, the more opportunity will come your way. I tell folks all the time that I make my content for myself first, and the audience second. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched my own stuff, with stupid laughs following. I make the content I want to see.
2) Consume a lot of media. This one always gets some “huhs” but it really does help. I watched a lot of The Simpsons growing up, and I can do a fair number of the voices, just from repeating iconic lines and with practice. You never know when a voice you’ve got in your back pocket will become the voice for an original character, or could be just the voice, with tone/inflection/etc., a director is looking for. I had that exact thing happen with an Instagram post that did very well – person saw the video, loved the voice, asked if I’d be down to voice a Kickstarter trailer for them – agreed same day, and we’ve been associates and friends ever since!
3) Don’t look at this as just another job. Once it becomes a chore, a bore, then you’re cooked. That’s it. It’s just another job. Be humble about your successes – prop up your fellow actor. When we rise, we should rise together. Plus, I can assure you that it’s so much more fun to do this with friends! I would not be where I am today without the support of those on my team, in my corner. It takes a village, literally.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
As mentioned, I’m always open to working with new VAs on new projects, but I’ll work with anyone for sure if the project’s right! I have a background in horror series and comedic parodies, so I’m definitely that atypical Scorpio creative – tonal whiplash in my “featured in’ YouTube playlist for days. I’d love to voice in more dramatic, serial-type podcasts and noir fiction. I got a nice taste of that during Christmas with Cabin Tales’ Underneath the Christmas Tree episode – a gritty period piece with mystery, horror, murder, and more. Also, more screaming roles. I think I have a good set of pipes to do so and I’ve always wanted to be the final boss in something, a menacing foe, almost like the end-game monster in a video game – think the Gravemind from Halo 2! Am I dating myself with that reference? But seriously, I’m always open to working with creators of all shapes and sizes, and I thank you for any consideration to be in your series/project/whatever!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13732901/?ref_=hm_rvi_nm_i_1
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voiceover_requiem/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/voiceover_req?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VoiceoverRequiem
- Other: https://www.castingcall.club/voiceover_requiem https://ko-fi.com/voiceoverrequiem
Image Credits
QurpleCat on Instagram soupninjaha_ on Instagram
