Requiring a smooth voice, junior Charles Walsh tries his best to speak into the microphone with poise and charm. If the recording is not good enough, he records over and over again. Finally, he saves the polished recording and sends the audition to his producer.

“I started [voice acting] one or two years ago, and it was more like narrating. Then I stopped that for a little bit,” Walsh said. “Sometime in August, I saw this casting call, and I auditioned for it. It’s the first ever audition I’ve made.”

Charles has always enjoyed acting and portraying different characters, but does not enjoy performing in front of an audience. His solution to this problem was voice acting, since he can hide behind the microphone and perform undercover.

“I didn’t ever want to go into theater because I am not comfortable performing in front of people,” Walsh said. “With voice acting, I have the luxury of rerecording, and I can act like someone I don’t get to do as often in a normal situation.”

Soon after he started his journey of voice acting, Walsh participated in a live stream with fans, which is one of his favorite memories to date.

“The first role that I got, I debuted as a villain,” Walsh said. “I ended up on a live stream with the animator and a couple of other [voice actors and actresses] and answered questions from viewers in our role’s voice. It got really interesting, and it was a memorable experience.”

Soon enough, casters wanted Walsh to voice their characters, and now he is granted roles left and right.

“Voice acting has been going on for three months,” Walsh said. “I get a role or two every week.”

To prevent slip-ups and nerves, Walsh puts in countless hours of work and commitment into an audition.

“The way auditions work can vary. I make sure I know what it entails and commit to it,” Walsh said. “The writer or animator will send out a few sample lines, and I get a character sketch and a suggestion for how their voice might sound, and I never just do one take.”

Walsh gives advice to others pursuing voice acting and informs about what producers want from their actors.

“I think the biggest thing is to focus on emoting well,” Walsh said. “If you are auditioning for a role, people are going to want to see if you can emote well and show a wide range of emotions convincingly.”

Walsh enjoys not only the thrill of the hobby, but also the people he has met along the way.

“[Voice acting is mostly] a productive hobby that I enjoy,” Walsh said. “Another thing that is nice about it is the social aspect. I didn’t really know how many people would be interested in voice acting, but with these projects, you get to know so many people with common interests.”

Walsh discovered his passion in voice acting, and he wants others to know that there are many opportunities to find their possible talent and passion as well.

“I would say if you have an inkling of interest in voice acting, give it a try. If finding a good mic is an issue, our school has resources and can let you use them. I’ve used the snowball mics from the school before I got my Blue Yeti,” Charles said. “There are definitely ways around it. Just give it a try. There is nothing to lose.”