Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Chiara Marano.
Hi Rebecca Chiara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Well, I’ve been acting my whole life in various mediums. I started with singing, dancing, and theater, then slowly got into film, circus arts, and the occasional voice over work. I then started to take my theater work more seriously by the time I was in high school and attended several acting academies and summer programs. I even performed in an off-broadway show when I was a senior in high school. That being said, when it was time for college, my family wanted me to take a safer path, so aside from the occasional vocal training, I started pursuing a career along the medical track. However, by the time I was ready to graduate university, I just wasn’t feeling good about that decision. I really missed performing. Not to mention, during that time, I had gotten really into my school’s anime club and had also studied abroad in Tokyo. So my interest in the world of voice over had started to pick up again. Thus, by the time I was ready to graduate, I ended up making a deal with myself and my family that I would take a year to pursue voice over and let the chips fall where they may. I immediately applied for a school in NYC specifically for voice over, got accepted into their animation program, and built up my voice over business from there. Since then, I’ve worked with tons of studios from around the world and even relocated to Dallas in order to take advantage of the amazing in-person studios in the area.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road and I think anyone with a career in entertainment who tells you it was easy, is either lying or in for a rude awakening at some point, haha. Being a freelance performer is always going to be challenging because you never know when your next job will come along, and a lot of times you may start doubting your abilities or the risks you took to get to where you are. It’s also a job of constant self-reflection. If you’re not booking work, you need to analyze what’s going on and how you can change things up. Sometimes it’s because you’re not in the right location, sometimes your equipment needs upgrading, sometimes it’s your marketing skills, and sometimes it literally has nothing to do with you whatsoever. But it’s always going to be hard work. So you need to make sure that you’re passionate about the process and not just the end goal!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a professional voice over actor, I provide voices for characters, brands, books, and more in order to bring a project to life. A lot of my work can be heard in animations, video games, dubbing, and commercials. Some examples being cute characters in kid shows for platforms like Netflix, more serious characters for AAA video games, the voice of your favorite sneaker brand, or zany characters in anime. However, every now and then I get really unique projects like providing voice work for a foreign airport! I also specialize in realistic animal sound effects (usually cats) and creature sounds. And that’s a whole different animal in itself (no pun intended).
In addition to my voice over work, I often provide casting or directing work for independent studios overseas. This is another aspect of the voice over world that’s super important. A lot of times studios who are just getting off the ground or have never worked with English-speaking voice talent have no idea where to start as far as finding quality actors or understanding how the process should go. That’s where I step in to help everything run smoothly and also offer amazing opportunities for my fellow actors.
What matters most to you? Why?
I’d say enjoyment of the craft is what matters most to me. When I get to breathe life into a character and contribute to an amazing final product that will be loved by people, I feel fulfilled. And part of the reason I chose this field is that, even though it’s super difficult, it’s something I can see myself doing every day. I personally don’t care if a project has a big name or is super lucrative, I just want to wake up each day knowing that I enjoy the work I do. There’s no other feeling like being in the booth and playing around with a character’s voice or acting out a ludicrous scenario when you realize, ‘Wow, this is my job.’
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rcmvoice.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rcm_voice/
- Twitter: https://x.com/rcmvoice
Image Credits
Yolanda Perez Photography LLC
