George The Tech’s Performer Friendly Podcast

Voice actor and audiobook narrator A.W. “Aaron” Miller joins George to talk about the long road to becoming a full-time voice actor—and why sounding polished isn’t the same thing as sounding real.

They get into audiobook workflow, auditions, improv, breaths and mouth noise, perfectionism, and the importance of making an actual choice when you step up to the mic. A.W.’s recurring advice is refreshingly simple: be yourself, let yourself play, and stop trying to make every audition sound like a finished commercial.

00:00 — Why Authenticity Beats “Performing”

George the Tech sits down with Heidi Rew, full-time voice actor, on-camera actor, podcast host, and co-owner of Atlanta Voiceover Studio, to talk about her unlikely path from childhood performer to radio personality to working voice actor and studio owner.

Heidi shares why persistence often matters more than raw talent, what she learned from losing a nine-year client, how Atlanta Voiceover Studio grew from a tiny recording space into a major VO training resource, and why making a demo before you're ready can set you up for failure instead of success.

00:00 Sponsor: Full Compass + GTT Sound Check

George talks with UK-based voiceover engineer and demo producer Henry Willard about the rise of virtual engineering and why more actors are bringing their own engineers into remote directed sessions. Henry explains how having someone handle recording, playback, timing, and client requests can free the actor to stay where they belong: in the performance.

They also explore Henry’s approach to creating authentic commercial demos, why overproducing auditions can backfire, the never-ending battle with mouth noise, common home-studio mistakes, and the realities of producing audiobooks by hand in an increasingly automated world. And because two audio engineers can only behave themselves for so long, there’s plenty of talk about Pro Tools, headphones, plugins, noise reduction, Macs vs. PCs, and keeping your processing chain simple.

00:00 Sponsor and Sound Check

Voiceover veteran Thom Pinto joins George the Tech for a trip through more than four decades of VO—from cutting quarter-inch tape in radio to voicing trailers for The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and more.

Thom shares stories from the golden age of LA voiceover, explains how he’s stayed relevant as the industry has changed, and talks about his current focus coaching documentary and docuseries narration. George and Thom also dig into what today’s talent needs to succeed: versatility, self-direction, a dependable home studio, and auditions that sound polished without sounding overproduced.

00:00 Zoom, Tech Changes, and Old-School Stories

Many voice actors know the term conversational read—but fewer understand what actually makes a performance feel authentic.

George welcomes Hugh P. Klitzke to discuss the evolution of conversational voiceover, the changing casting landscape, and why coaching has become more important than ever. Hugh shares his unconventional path into voiceover, lessons learned working behind the scenes at a New York talent agency, and how those experiences shaped his teaching philosophy.

They also discuss Hugh's popular Open Studio coaching sessions, the value of letting performers observe real coaching in action, and why creating genuinely helpful free content has become one of the strongest ways to build trust in today's voiceover community.

Whether you're a newer talent or several years into your career, this episode offers valuable insight into developing stronger performances—not just better recordings.

00:00 – Introduction and podcast setup

03:10 – Hugh's musical background and unexpected path into voiceover

10:45 – Working behind the scenes at a New York talent agency

18:20 – Why Hugh eventually began coaching actors

26:40 – Leaving the agency and launching his own coaching business

33:15 – Building the Conversational VO brand

40:30 – Why conversational reads are harder than they sound

49:05 – The philosophy behind Open Studio

58:20 – Helping experienced voice actors solve performance problems

1:08:15 – Creating free educational content that provides real value

1:15:40 – Final thoughts and where to learn more

In this episode of the GTT Performer Friendly Podcast, George Whittam talks with voice director, casting professional, producer, writer, actor, and VO coach Andy Lerner about the intersection of performance, audio, and modern voiceover.

Andy shares how he moved from engineering and comedy radio production into directing and coaching, including his work in the SpongeBob SquarePants universe during COVID. He also offers practical advice for newer voice actors on training, rejection, improv, mic placement, and avoiding overly edited, lifeless auditions.

00:00 — Sponsor Message

What makes a voiceover audition feel bookable — and what makes casting hit pause?

George the Tech sits down with Kim Hurdon of KH Casting for a deep conversation about the casting side of voiceover, especially in video games, animation, and remote audition workflows. Kim explains why human performance still matters most, why over-editing can hurt more than help, and how actors can avoid sounding processed, artificial, or disconnected from the role.

They also explore the post-COVID home studio divide, the value of hub studios and engineers, video game realism, effort sounds, PCAP, inclusive casting, NDAs, and why booking often comes down to fit — not just skill.

00:00 Sponsor and Sound Check

In this episode, George talks with Jodi Gottlieb, a voiceover coach with more than 20 years of industry experience and a background working with major networks. Jodi shares how she coaches established voice talent who are ready to raise their game, especially in commercial auditions where subtle, natural choices can make all the difference.

George and Jodi discuss common audition mistakes, why dramatic pauses often work against you, how to use two different reads strategically, and what it really means to “show range” without ignoring the specs. They also explore the impact of AI on the voiceover industry — including Jodi’s concerns about lost opportunities and her belief that audiences can still hear the difference when a performance is genuinely human.

George the Tech sits down with longtime client Sara Van Beckham to unpack what it takes to build—and sustain—a voiceover career across multiple genres.

Sara shares how acting training transformed her reads, why SOVAS sparked a major career reset, and how she transitioned to remote work long before it became the norm. She also gets real about vocal health, promo pressure, tech anxiety, and the standards that separate working pros from everyone else.

00:00 Sound Check Promo

George sits down with longtime client and voice actor Chris Fries to talk about what it really looks like to build a sustainable, high-level voiceover career.

Chris breaks down how commercial work became the backbone of his business, why promo is a completely different beast, and how trust—not just talent—keeps you booked on long-running campaigns.

They also get deep into studio design, workflow, and the gear choices that support fast, reliable sessions.

00:00 – Sound Check Promo