Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Saydah.
Hi Elizabeth, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Like so many, I came to LA 16 years ago as an actor. It’s a very unique story, I know.
After slogging through countless terrible “survival” jobs to support myself, I had the – what I thought was – brilliant idea to pursue voiceover as a side gig. 12 years into it now, I realize how utterly misguided and naive I was in viewing it that way! It is a full-time, 100% hustle, relentless day-in, day-out craft and business.
But despite this – I would argue *because* of this since I’d always dreamt of being my own boss – I fell in love with it, went all in, quit my (actual) survival jobs (which was terrifying, by the way), and haven’t looked back since.
Today, Elizabeth Saydah Voiceover has thousands of projects in the can and continues to grow by the year. It’s not without its challenges, and there are no breaks, but I’m still working on the work-life balance thing. Slowly.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m going to fully lean into the cliche here and say, nothing worth doing is ever easy (sorry, sorry). But it’s just so true. I think looking back on the initial years now, hindsight is 20-20 and I think, oh that wasn’t so bad. But in reality, I was petrified, anxious, stressed as hell, unsure, insecure, clueless, and about 27 other adjectives. That discomfort pushed me through though because I knew that to survive and grow my confidence needed a serious makeover. And confidence meant learning Every. Single. Thing about the craft, business, technique, and tech I possibly could. And it’s an ongoing education – there’s always more to learn.
When I started, the industry looked quite different than it does today. Now, *especially* after Covid, voice actors have to be their own studios, engineers, marketing and accounting departments, tech support, AND actors. Gone are the days of having your agent call you, you go to a studio and done. That can still happen, but it’s becoming rarer and rarer; you have to be set up at home and ready to go at all times. The learning curve has been steep and eye-opening to say the least, but also super exciting!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a professional voice actor, and my work pretty much runs the gamut. I voice everything from video games to commercials to corporate narration to product promos to radio imaging to podcasts to audiobooks to phone systems, and the list goes on.
I’d say I primarily do tech and healthcare commercial and corporate work, as well as character work for video games and commercials. That said, I don’t like to limit myself if I can – it’s always fun to push the envelope and try something outside of my comfort zone. Like voicing meditation and sleep stories was a recent endeavor that I actually found very enjoyable, despite the fact that I’m as Type A as they come.
I really do try to treat every project with the same care and attention despite its budget and usage. I had a big Disney+ TV promo that ran for a year or so that was a proud moment for me, but those big jobs are fewer and farther between than say, a tech client I have who hires me constantly and is just a great, loyal customer. At the end of the day, those long-term steadfast relationships are the foundation of my business.
I mean, I’d LOVE to say my voice is what sets me apart. But to be honest, your vocal quality is simply not enough anymore. As I mentioned before, the voice is a fraction of the “winning formula.”
I think for me it’s a combination of things: yes, voice – I’m pretty versatile in my ability to just be… me, as well as do character work thanks to my comedy/acting background. I’ve also spent quite a bit of time and money refining and upgrading my recording space, investing in top-quality equipment, and honing my actual sound. You can have the most gorgeous voice in the world, but if you’re recording in an echo chamber, you’re out. And then finally, I prioritize customer service. I want to be the one who’s easy and fun to work with. I want to help you succeed. And I think if the client perceives that, you have a happy customer for a long time.
Any big plans?
Good question! Well, there are my plans, and then my goals, and hopefully there’s some overlap in there somewhere! I’d be lying if I said I don’t make future plans without a ton of anxiety given the state of the world and our collective post-Covid trauma. So as far as plans, I’ll say I’m going to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. I’m going to plan to take more time off so I can do my job better, ultimately. Ironically I’m planning on being more “content” in my work and stop focusing on what I don’t have or what isn’t happening. There’s just too much of that going around and it’s toxic; life is good.
As far as goals go, I’m focusing a lot more on animation and character work and more creative projects since that’s what really fills the tank and makes me happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elizabethsaydahvo.com
- Instagram: @lizsaydah
- Twitter: @LizSaydah
