Articles, blogs and what’s happening now at Halp
Mike Smith’s an adventurer at heart who took a big leap from his government job to chase his dream of voice acting. As a former Peace Corps volunteer who served in Albania, Mike’s love for exploration and freedom drove him to leave the nine-to-five life behind. Now, he’s on an exciting journey to live and travel wherever his heart desires, all while building a career he truly loves.
Without an acting background, Mike jumped headfirst into the world of voiceover, learning everything from scratch with determination and grit. A lifelong fan of video games and animation, he found inspiration in the characters he’s admired for years, starting by mimicking their voices and evolving his craft every day.
His ultimate goal is to refine his craft to the point where recording location is no longer a limitation, earn recognition alongside his accomplished peers, and eventually move abroad, creating a fulfilling life fueled by his talent and passion for creativity.
I can’t live without a gaming PC. I play a lot of games for enjoyment AND research as to what’s booking and how things sound so that I can do those same types of performances.
I finally booked a BIG promo partnership with the Dallas Mavericks for the 2025 season. I have wanted to do promo since I began but have only managed smaller jobs until now. Hopefully this will lead to more big promo work in the future!
Mine is personal but I always felt like maybe I didn’t belong because I didn’t grow up acting or interested in the arts (I played basketball forever) but learning from THNEA directors and being able to keep up makes me feel like I can do really big things in the future because of their guidance.
You will hear lots of people tell you what NOT to do, but believe in yourself and use your strengths to do what you know needs to be done. There is no “right way” to succeed in VO!
You can learn more about Mike on his website, IMDB, and Behind The Voice Actors!
16 06 25Hunter McCoy (they/he) is a non-binary actor based in Los Angeles! They were born in Manassas, Virginia, and moved around a bunch as a kid, but for the most part grew up in Cary, North Carolina. Their parents called it that they'd be a performer, having put them in community plays at 4 years old, but Hunter didn't bite right away. As a lifelong gamer, they started high school thinking they were on their way to being a concept artist or a programmer.
16 06 25We've been having such a blast organizing opportunities for actors to work with voice directors in a setting that mimics real recording sessions! We love seeing people bring their A-game, having lots of fun, and connecting with us in-person!
16 06 25Are you "directable?" What does that mean, exactly?