Oh yes! The most successful of us have “neutral” accents. Now, that’s not to say that some words are going to come out a little accented. The best way to deal with it is to know your weaknesses. Like, I ALWAYS have trouble with the word “create”. ALWAYS. It just sounds weird. So I’m always careful to look ahead in scripts to make sure I see it coming and can concentrate. I also listen while I’m editing audio to make sure my Southern accent doesn’t shine and sparkle. I’m a native Georgian, 4th generation, so I can twang with the best of them! You’ve got to have the neutral thing so you can appeal to customers in Georgia and in California. For the most part, California American English is probably the most acceptable. Midwesterners have to watch their “o’s”, Southern have to watch their drawls. We’ve all got those little accents 
Interesting.
I was once in the entertainment business, and a colleague suggested I get into voiceovers. When I actually did one for a friend later on, I realized how much I would HATE that sort of work. It felt like someone putting words into my mouth, which I had to say even if I didn’t want to. And of course, that’s exactly what it is.
It was not for me.
Thanks Mike!
Hmmm…a bad day? When I’m not working! 
But there are other days that go something like this:
ringing phone
Me: Hello?
Client: September! This is Ralph from Captive Sound Productions. Our client heard your demo online and wants to hire you!
Me: Great!
Client: The scripts have just been approved and I’m sending them now. We want you to sound professional but friendly but you need to sound like you know what you’re talking about! Ok?
Me: Sure! In fact, I have this great device called a phone patch that let’s you listen while I record and give me direction on the fly. We can wrap this up in 10 minutes!
Client: Oh, no need! We trust you!
Me: sigh Ok,Ralph. I’ll have the commercial over to you in a few minutes
–a few minutes later
ring ring
Me: Hello?
Client: September! It’s Ralph! We got your file and well, the client wants you to sound a little older. Like 3 years older,ok? Not 4 years older, that’s too old. Just 3 years, got it?
Me: Well, ok. Did I mention about the phone patch?
Client. You did, but I think you’ll nail it this time!
Me: bigger sigh Ok, I’ll end you the next cut in a moment.
—a moment passes
ring ring
Me: Hello?
Client: September! Ralph here again. You sounded great! But…well, the client. You see, he was picturing someone with a taller voice. Can you sound taller?
Me: Taller?
Client: Yes, you know. Not so short.
Me: Um, sure. You know, this phone patch thing is a miracle of modern science…
Client: Oh! No worries! I’m sure this is the last bit of direction!
Me: sound of swallowing back anger Ok, I’ll get to work on it
–even later
ring ring
Me: Hello?
Client: September! It’s Ralph…again. Listen, get job on the tallness! Look, after listening to it a few times, the client is going to do a re-write. We’ll contact you in the morning with the new script,ok?
shotgun blast
Hey, I’m a Southerner and I can slur like crazy when I’m not concentrating! Go pick up a magazine that you would NEVER read. I mean NEVER! Your goal is to get through 3 full paragraphs without slipping up. Trust me, when you have to concentrate on unfamiliar words and phrases, you will slow down and take your time. You dont need to spend money on lessons until you’ve tried correcting it yourself with a cheap magazine
Yup, I get that! Sometimes, we get some room for creative juices to flow. Sometimes the writers freak if we change even on word. I always try to change up scripts just a touch to stand out. I add an “um”, a different pause, say “cool” instead of “neat”. That sort of thing. But yes, I voice other people’s words most of the time. It’s the “acting out” of dialog and scripts that I enjoy.
I just listened to your voice. You sound familiar. Do you do any work for Carmike Cinema? You sound sort of like the voice telling everyone to shut their phones off, and to go buy popcorn right before the trailers start.
Can you read a language that you don’t understand, if you get some pointers on the pronunciation first?
Yes! Good ears! I’ve never actually heard it in person because I don’t have a Carmike nearby.
Hmmmm…kinda. If it’s not a terribly long narration or something like that. Case in point, I’m the imaging voice (the voice that says things like, "All the hits, Q100!) for the largest rock station in Istanbul. Now, I know no Turkish at all, but the station send me the liners and an mp3 of one of the jocks saying them so I can hear the pronunciations. I listen through them a few times, record, and send off!
Ok, that is kinda creepy. Heck, I can barely remember faces and someone pegged you from a theater nag? I definitely lack that gene.
When you meet people, do they think you have an especially nice voice?
Do you think anyone can ever replace Don LaFontaine? Is he considered a god among voice over talent?
Honestly, sometimes I don’t even recognize my voice! 
Sometimes people will mention it. More though, they ask what I do and when I tell them, they’ll notice that my voice is nice.
Ah,Don. He was a sweet, sweet man. Always helpful to any new talent and just as down to earth as he could be. Not only a great talent., but a great man. Yes, he is considered a god among talent, but not just for that voice Joe Cipriano is the closest to Don that I know. Joe is the voice of NBC and a ton of movie trailer. But, I’m really hoping that the movie companies start using more females for trailers!
What made you decide to go into this line of work? It’s really interesting!
And…how old are you? Don’t have to answer if you don’t want. You say you do teenage voices and I can totally get that from the FinePix ad, but you also say you tweak your voice. So now I have no idea what to think!
Wow Aesiron you do have good hearing!
I think you could do soccer mom September. Your voice is really cute!
Well, I dated a DJ in high school and did a few tiny things on air but didn’t really think I could make a living at it so I became a veterinary technician instead. Loved the job, but it was truly grueling and after 7 years I was kinda done. So, it occurred to me that I might try voice over. I bought two books and started auditioning.
I’m 32 And tweaking is more like compressing my voice, making it digitally fuller. That light cute happiness is all me. I can naturally sound as young as 12 and as old as 35, but my sweet spot is 22-ish. But that works well for my money voice. Some of you won’t admit it, but I’m betting you’ve heard my voice in more…let’s say…adult areas.
LOL…thanks! But I never get cast as one. They have to sound older, more experienced. I get cast as “fun, cool Aunt Melissa”.
In my defense, my best friend has dragged me to a lot of movies lately.
No judgment here! In fact, if you could write to the President of Carmike Cinemas and tell then what a great job the voice is doing, that it’s making you come back to see more movies, that would be swell. In fact, if you could write the OTHER movie theater owners and tell them you would go to their places if they used me, that would be even sweller!
Are there any clips of these for us to listen to online?
I’d love to do something like what you do, but I stutter, stammer, and stumble ofer my words way too much.
Answer this only if you feel comfortable with it;
What would a typical spot (like the camera one you linked to*) pay? and how many spots are you typically producing in a day?
*assuming that one was typical.
S^G
grin
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Those messages on hold are me.
If it’s something you want to try, give it a go! Read out loud every day and do the same line over and over until you can do it perfectly. There is a lot to be said for natural ability, but even more for hard work!
Ah, pricing! Well, that gets interesting. The camera spot was a little lower rate than normal because I did it for a company who has hired me for a few spots, so I cut them a better rate. Also, some companies keep me on retainer which means I get paid a set amount every month whether they use me or not. But normally, a product walk-through like the Fuji camera will pay around $500. Some days I’m working 5-7 projects, some day none. I try to schedule projects all on the same day and get it all out of the way. If I can finish up by Wednesday, I’m off the rest of the week except for auditioning and emergency projects
I would, but neither of us buys soda or popcorn, so it’s the studios making all the money on us, not the theater. We’re not the kind of customers they want.
How comfortably do you live with the income you make doing this? What’s your workload like?