Danny Burnside’s Love Affair with Process
By Kayla Bowles, July 16, 2023
Hello SOVAS readers, and thank you for taking the time to visit my column, Diary of A Voiceover Intern. Here, I intend to engage my evolving learning experience as an intern at the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) through a series of conversations with voiceover professionals. I will engage SOVAS ambassadors, previous winners of the Voice Arts Awards, casting directors, talent agents and others in discussions about breaking into the voiceover industry and building a thriving career.
Meet Danny Burnside. Danny is a professional Voice Actor and Host. His voice has been heard in Super Bowl commercials and multiple national and international campaigns, including China. He is a National Active Member of the Television Academy in Los Angeles and a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. Danny is an alumni of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he was honored to receive the prestigious Charles Jehlinger Award. Please welcome him as my guest.
Kayla: Danny, thanks so much for being here. I’d like to start by asking: What drew you to the world of voiceover? Did you start out aiming to focus on working in casting, acting, or a bit of both?
Danny: Thank you for having me! I fell into voiceover by way of hosting. I was co-hosting a reality dating show pilot and the producers liked my voice and asked me to record the promo voiceover for another project. I agreed without hesitation! That gig led to an artist introduction with a voiceover agent and the rest is history! I instantly felt “at home” in VO. I have a background in choral music, vocal jazz, and theatre, so voiceover was a craft well-suited to my skill set! I never set out to be a voice actor or to be involved with casting. My focus was straight acting, musical theatre, and hosting. But, when something’s working for you, run with it!
Kayla: I love the idea of finding something that works for you and just running with it. I sort of “fell into” voiceover in a similar way; a voiceover opportunity related to work I was doing in the writing and publishing field came up, and I took a step back to study acting and voice. In that time, I met some truly incredible and talented people who coach, mentor, and support me to this day. Did you have any mentors or peers that helped you find your place in the industry, or even someone that you wanted to model career after?
Danny: Along my entire artistic journey, I’ve been blessed to have terrific mentors and teachers. From my high school choir teacher, who was my first true mentor, to the fantastic instructors at the performing arts college I attended. Those folks not only taught me craft, they taught me how to be an artist. When I eventually started studying in small pro VO workout groups, I found my peers to be disciplined, welcoming, and encouraging. I was the newbie, the weakest link in those workout groups, and they treated me as an equal. Their example has inspired me to welcome the next generation of artists with the same open arms.
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Kayla: That’s amazing. I definitely feel that sense of community here at SOVAS, and am immensely grateful being welcomed the way that I have been. Now, if possible, I’d like to pivot to more industry related questions. How does your experience as a casting director inform your experience as an actor, and vice versa?
Danny: I was a student director for my high school choir. That experience taught me to be a better singer. I was later the musical director for a handful of summer camp musicals. That experience taught me to be a better actor. Live-event hosting taught me to be a better voiceover artists. All art forms compliment each other. I find the most effective artists, and fascinating people, are individuals who are skilled and knowledgeable in multiple disciplines. I have always been confident stepping into new artistic positions, in large part, thanks to a varied artistic background.
Kayla: I agree completely! I’ve been working on that a lot in my own career, allowing different areas I am interested or proficient in complement one another rather than keeping them separate. Now, over the last three years, there has been a major shift to the usage of home studios and virtual setups due to the pandemic. As someone just breaking into the industry, I actually found this to be rather convenient, as I was able to submit countless auditions and connect with other beginners over the internet. However, I’m interested to know know how that shift to working entirely online has impacted the voiceover industry from where you stand.
Danny: Less time waiting in lobbies! That’s a pro and a con. I used to be at my agent’s office a few times a week for auditions. That repetition lends itself to lasting friendships and inspiring conversations with fellow actors. I miss that. I also massively benefited from working with booth directors and I learned so much from them. I fear new talent these days misses out on that education. I’m grateful that I had in-person experiences.
Kayla: I see. The in-booth education is something that can’t be replicated anywhere else, and I hope that in-person recording becomes more accessible to voice actors everywhere as the industry continues to grow. Do you think you could, from both the perspective of an actor and casting director, share what you think is the most important thing for someone breaking into the industry to know?
Danny: Process over product. Never endgame. Fall in love with the artistic process and become enamored with art. Do it solely for the love of the craft.
Kayla: Thank you, Danny. I will definitely remember that as I continue to move forward in my career. It is easy to become frustrated or discouraged while working in this industry, but I believe that artists who truly love the craft are the one who will succeed. Again, thank you so much Danny, for being here and conversing with me. Do you have any closing thoughts?
Danny: The greatest artists are well rounded people!
Kayla: Yes! As an artist, exploring all your areas of passion is invaluable in building a sustainable career. Your skills, your brain, and your heart matter.
Kayla Bowles is assistant to Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker, founders of the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS), creators of That’s Voiceover! Career Expo, and the Voice Arts Awards. She currently studies the art of voice acting with Joan Baker, and has studied with Real Voice L.A., The Acting Studio, and Broadway Evolved. Though new to the voiceover business, Kayla has already booked a local TV commercial, a role in an indie animated series (in development), and lent her voice to various passion projects. She is currently an undergrad at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY.
From the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences
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