Description
A successful voiceover career, while rewarding, doesn't come without its stressors. Between intense competition, tight deadlines, irregular income and more, the voiceover industry can be an overwhelming place. So how do voice actors care for their mental well-being in such a demanding environment?
On The Mindful Voice Actor podcast, you’ll learn from experienced voice actors, mental health professionals, and mindfulness experts as they share their insights, experiences, and advice on how to best support your wellbeing in the world of voiceover and beyond. Whether you’re new to the industry or already well-established, this podcast will teach you how to become more grounded, resilient, and mindful, both in and outside the booth.
How it all began
On September 15, 2023, I attended my favorite recurring Clubhouse room, The "Working" Voice Actor, where each week, we would discuss different topics, tell stories, play games, and lots of other stuff that mostly didn't have to to with work (hence the double quotation marks). On that particular day, the topic of discussion was mental health. I shared my experiences with mental health, as well as insight into the ways I've learned to cope with the pressures and stressors that come with being a VO artist. I received a lot of positive feedback from the other participants, and it gave me an idea. And thus was born The Mindful Voice Actor.
Logo design
Our logo was created as a collaboration between myself and Paula Ambrosio, an artist and illustrator based in Londrina, Brazil who designed and illustrated the podcast's cover art.
I chose a font called "FinalSix" from an Adobe Stock Font Pack called The Centered Self, which was part of their larger 2022 Visual Trend of the same title. Here is an excerpt from Adobe Stock explaining the aesthetic they were going for when they chose to include FinalSix in their font pack:
"So many of us are battling stress, burnout, or self-doubt. In these uncertain, difficult moments, people are turning to the value of prioritizing and sustaining their mental health. The Adobe Stock visual trend The Centered Self recognizes this reality. Pair these fonts with imagery celebrating mental wellbeing and a focus on self care."
Surrounding the font is a well-known symbol representing Mindfulness. It was created by Lithuanian graphic artist, Cibulskisa, as a physical representation of time and space, and asthetically as a reflected water droplet:
Mindfulness symbol visualizes the experience of being here and now.
Firstly, the symbol is presented as a physical representation of the present moment.
Vertical forms represent time - past and future. Horizontal forms represent space - 360 degrees. And the one is always in the center - being here and now - perfect equanimity.
Secondly, you can see a symbol of a water drop. This is the most often used metaphor to represent the idea of Mindfulness. But in this symbol, the water drop is presented in a kind of mirrored way, which symbolizes time - past and future - both are illusions, so stay centered in the present.
Empty your mind, be formless. shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.– Bruce Lee