Meet Dan Bailey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Bailey.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Dan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started working in the entertainment industry as a stand-up comedian in Northern Nevada and California. I was fortunate enough to open for some great comedians, learn from them, and had some great experiences. However, I felt like I needed a more stable career, so I took a break from comedy and made the switch and became a video game producer after getting my Master’s Degree in Game Production and Management. I was always very interested in audio and voice over production, and when I was a Senior Producer at Telltale Games, I was able to work with the voice over department and do some acting in a couple of the games. While I initially went there to learn more about being a Producer, I fell in love with voice over and acting. I decided to further my education in voice over and began taking private lessons with award-winning voice actor Dave Fennoy. I signed up for acting classes to become a better voice-over artist and developed an even deeper appreciation and love for acting. Like everything else in my life, when I decide to do something, I do it 100%. While taking acting classes in Reno, I was able to get smaller roles in a feature film, a couple of commercials, and some television shows. I knew that if this was going to be my career, I needed to move to LA, so I saved up as much as I could and made the move. Since then, I have continued to work in film, TV, and voice over. I am now beginning to refocus my energy more on my stand-up comedy, and am working on a podcast that will be coming out this summer.

Has it been a smooth road?
The road getting to where I am hasn’t been particularly smooth or rough. Like anything that is worth having, it came with its own set of unique challenges and roadblocks. Getting traction in the video game industry was tough, as I worked for three studios that closed down in a four year period, so I was constantly moving and spent a lot of time unemployed. When I decided to get into acting, I felt like I was at a disadvantage being noticeably older than most of the other actors in my classes and the industry. I missed out on a lot of opportunities and felt like I had “aged out” before I even started, When I took the leap and moved to LA, I went with another actor so we could afford the city a bit easier and support each other as actors. This was important to me as I was in debt from a recent divorce and being unemployed from the studio closures. I used my entire savings to move myself and my roommate to LA, and this person later refused to repay the thousands of dollars I loaned them, leaving me broke and unable to pay my bills. I also worked on a few projects as an actor where the producers later refused to pay me, and haven’t been able to get the footage for my reel. All things considered, though, there are way worse things I could have run into, and it hasn’t deterred me from continuing my pursuit of acting, and I have continued to audition and get roles. I have a feature film coming out soon and am filming two television projects and a short film in the next couple of months.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am primarily an actor, both on-camera and voice over. I started as a stand-up comedian and am focusing a lot more energy on that area in the coming months. I am starting an audio and post-production studio, where I will focus on helping individuals and small companies with their audio needs. We will work on things like hosting and recording podcasts, recording voice over for all mediums, reels and coaching for voice actors, mixing, editing, and post-production services for video games, television, film, web, and radio. I will be focusing the company’s energy on helping those on a budget – individuals, actors, independent film and game companies, etc.

I am not trying to get into the space with all the “big boys”; I want to focus on those who typically have a hard time finding resources and getting off the ground. Whether it is because they lack experience, network connections, general knowledge, funding, or are generally overwhelmed by the process, I want to help them have all the same opportunities. I know from my personal experience, getting started in the industry is so overwhelming and is the hardest part. Once you have some solid footing, doors start to open. It’s that first step that is often the most challenging. I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am were it not for all the great people I met in the industry that shared their knowledge and experience with me and were happy to help me as much as they could.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
As I am sure most will agree, the cost of living and traffic are hands-down the worst things. Other than that, I love the LA area. The people are very friendly, there is a lot of culture as most of the people you meet are from other areas and all come together to share and learn from one another. There is no shortage of entertainment, beautiful drives, beaches, and architecture. As someone who has a hand in so many different buckets in the entertainment industry and is always trying to learn, I love how accessible opportunities and experiences are. There are so many classes and workshops for acting, venues for comedy – both to watch and perform in, even for new comedians – places and companies to audition for, and so on. But more than that, there is no shortage of people that share your struggle and are there for you to help and lift each other up. Even those with tons of experience and knowledge, who have paid their dues and are reaping the rewards, will take the time to share that knowledge and experience and help you get to where they are.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.danpbailey.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danpbailey/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanPBaileyActor

Image Credit:
Jude Abadi

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.