Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Autumn Woodland. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Autumn, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I was the only African-American girl in my class until 8th grade. Being the only one in the room who looks like me isn’t new. It made me feel uncomfortable as a child. At times, I’m still uncomfortable being the “only one” whether I’m the only person of color, the only woman, etc. My parents taught me that comparison steals joy. Life has shown me that they’re right and comparison is also a distraction. So, I focus on what I want to accomplish, and I remind myself that once I start getting to know the people around me, we will likely have a lot in common. We’re in the same room. We probably have similar interests or goals.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a visual artist and voice actor. I’m passionate about both, but I’m focused on voice acting more right now. I’ve been manipulating my voice for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, I’d entertain my family and friends with my different voices. It was something I did for fun, but I didn’t know voice acting could be a career.
In 2007 I decided to take a class to learn about the voice acting industry. I was given an evaluation after the class to determine whether I had potential, and I got great feedback. A couple of years later I took a voice acting workshop. The workshop helped me build my confidence and I recorded my 1st demo a few months later. I used the demo to audition for freelance projects, and I had the opportunity to work with clients like UPMC, Pandora Radio, and Maya Angelou schools. I took a break from voice acting in 2016 because of other responsibilities, but I started again this year.
2023 has been an incredible year for me. I recorded a new demo to reflect how much I’ve grown. I’m proud of how it turned out and I’ve met one of my goals as a voice actor which is securing representation with an agency. I’m represented by two agencies; one in NY and one in LA. I also have representation specifically for audiobooks. I have a studio in my home where I can record projects remotely. Auditions are a regular part of my life now. I record them throughout the week and it is so much fun! Especially auditions for video games and animation. I’m learning a lot about editing and sound quality too. One of the best things that happened this year was meeting Cree Summer. She is the reason I decided to pursue a career in voice acting. When I found out she was featured at a local convention I immediately bought a ticket to her meet and greet. Cree has been the voice of over 500 characters and her delivery is so effortless. I’ve been a fan since I was 9 or 10 years old.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Courage, coachability, and a singer’s ear have had the most impact on my journey. Whether it’s an audience of 1 or 1 million, public speaking terrifies me. I’ve had to face that fear to grow as a voice actor. I try to be like a sponge when listening to anyone who works in voice over or audio engineering. I trust the advice pros give me; it’s always been helpful. I was informally trained by my mother who is a professional musician. My mother has a degree in music and taught K-12 for decades. She was also the director of our church choir. Of course, I was a member.
I’d advise folks to learn to love their voices. If you can listen to your voice and get comfortable with the way you sound, it will be easier to develop confidence. When you’re comfortable with your voice you can listen for ways to improve. Improving will lead to more confidence as well. I don’t think you need a singer’s year as long as you are open to learning. There are so many talented coaches out there who are willing to provide guidance. The right coach is out there for anyone who needs them.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’d love to collaborate with other voice actors, artists, and writers. Organizing a joint art exhibit or writing and voicing a funny cartoon series would be so cool! It’s easy to connect with me via email: [email protected]. Or my website autumnwoodland.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.autumnwoodland.com
- Instagram: @autumnwoodlandart and @autumnsornaments
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/autumn-woodland
