Sean Daeley & the Reality of Doing Creative Work for a Living

If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Sean Daeley yet, allow me to introduce you! He has the most interesting background and, bonus, is a ton of fun to coach with and talk to. There’s a lot of knowledge and creativity in that noggin. You never know what will come out!  If you’re lucky, Skeletor may even join you! Read on to meet Sean and learn about what he brings to coaching, and about some cool bucket list items he’s already ticked off.

Sean, I think what most of my VO peers know you best for is being the face of Global Voice Acting Academy (GVAA) and you’ve been with them since pretty much the beginning.  I always recommend GVAA as a great resource for people interested in breaking into voice over. Can you talk a little bit about GVAA and what the program offers for talent to keep them on track and moving forward in VO?

Wow the face of GVAA?! That’s a big responsibility! You’re making me self conscious! Checks self in mirror

Seriously, though, that’s quite the honor! I’m happy to provide a friendly face for what can be an intimidating pursuit!

GVAA offers a variety of programs and services to help voice talent whereever they’re at in their career. We have our GVAA On Demand streaming library, which is an affordable way for folks to learn about the industry before they begin training. The library features webinars from industry experts (Voice Actors who specialize in various genres, Agents, Casting Directors, Audio Engineers) and cover topics like Performance Styles, Home Studio setup and optimization, and marketing for different genres and platforms.

GVAA On Demand can be purchased by itself, and it’s included with our GVAA Membership Program (that’s my baby!)

The GVAA Membership involves a consultation and performance evaluation to assess your ability and flesh out your goals, two monthly Coach-Led Workouts to practice performance in your genres of interest, a monthly Q&A to answer your VO Career questions, quarterly evaluations to keep you on track and prepare you for demo production, Home Studio Setup, setting up a personal website and social media pages for your business, Rate Guide and Negotiation support for when you start working with your first clients, and ongoing guidance and support! (Wow, that does sound like a lot when you write it all out like that!)

We also offer private coaching outside the Membership for performance practice, Home Studio setup and support, Vocal Health, and Rate Guide and Negotiation support. So whether you’re completely new, trying to keep your skills sharp, or add more tools to your repertoire, GVAA has something for you!

In these, what, about 10 years, you’ve seen people come to GVAA at every possible stage and feeling excited, discouraged, hopeful and scared. Even people whose medical issues impact their abilities. What’s the hardest kind of situation for you to sit with as a coach?

Oof, you had me at Medical stuff. Unfortunately, a few of the people I’ve had the pleasure of working with are no longer with us. Erin Gullage was an incredible talent to work with, always positive, receptive to direction, and unflappable in her determination. Her passing a few years ago was unexpected, and hit hard.

And recently, some of my favorite Members have had to take extended hiatuses due to cancer or stroke. I struggle wondering about that untapped potential, about reluctantly having to let go of a dream you’ve poured your heart and soul into, and I hope that those who are still with us are able to return to that pursuit.

From a different angle, I often work with talent who don’t have any external obstacles or challenges they’re dealing with, but internal ones. Often a perfectionist mindset resulting in a “failure to launch,” when in fact they’re perfectly capable of putting themselves out there and pursuing the work. I can tell you right now, there’s never a perfect time to start. Do what you can when you can, and eventually you’ll be able to move on to bigger, better things!

I think if it were me, I’d keep replaying the workouts in my head, analysing what we could have done better or what I hoped we could tap into the next time. How do you keep from carrying other people’s in-progress training, frustration or challenges with you, into your own sessions, especially when you clearly care so much?

Awww, thank you so much! Is my bleeding heart that obvious? laughs I admit, I used to get frustrated when I felt my teaching methods weren’t clicking with someone, or I wasn’t able to teach all the things we wanted in the time allotted. 

To combat that, I wouldn’t say I’ve lowered my expectations, but I’ve become a lot more realistic with them. More importantly, I try to customize my expectations to meet who I’m working with where they’re at. Acting is one of the hardest things you can learn how to do, and it takes time and repetition before we truly understand and can apply what we’ve learned.

Nowadays, I can glean pretty quickly when I can push a student who has more experience or innate talent, and when I might need to break things down into simpler concepts for someone who’s fresher. And I always try to celebrate progress when I see it.

I’m often told I’m very beginner-friendly, and my workouts sell out consistently, which I still think is nuts, but I’m grateful for, so obviously I’m doing SOMETHING right!

What’s a misconception about coaching, or about being coached, that you wish would quietly disappear?

That it’s unnecessary! People don’t bat an eye about going to medical school to become a doctor, or trade school to become a plumber, but everyone thinks they can become a paid voice actor on a dream and a prayer!

Don’t get me wrong, people get very passionate about this pursuit, but wanting something, even if it feels like you want it more than anything in the world, entitles you to NOTHING. (Ask me how I know!)

In a similar vein, do you have any idea how often I see people posting voice samples on social media, asking for a free evaluation of their voice and if they “have a chance in the industry?” While I commend them putting themselves out there, and I commend the people who are willing to listen in and critique, I just don’t know if that’s helpful!

First off, the qualities of your voice do not determine if you can succeed at this, your acting ability does! Second, if you’re completely fresh at this, will you understand and appreciate the feedback you receive? What if you receive conflicting critiques? How do you know who to listen to? Thirdly, strangers on the internet will not be as invested in your goals and your success as someone you hired to help you improve. (The same goes with Audio troubleshooting. Why risk “the wisdom of the crowd,” when you can get focused support from an industry expert who knows your studio setup and what you’re trying to accomplish with it?)

I also noticed a general skepticism, distrust, and stigmatization of coaches and coaching. Maybe it’s the old adage, “Those who can’t do, teach.” Or the stigma of the stereotypical “Life Coach/Motivational Speaker,” but people seem incredulous when it comes to the idea of expert help. Maybe they feel they need struggle a bit on their own to even deserve coaching, and to that I say, “Why take the hard road?”

Now, I get it. Coaching is expensive, and unfortunately, there are some predatory coaches and programs out there. But there are so many credible, wonderful coaches out there, too that you really just need to pick one, and chances are you’ll be in good hands! (And I archived them for you here!)

You spent some time living and teaching in Japan. Being immersed in another culture, living and teaching, changes how you listen. What did that experience rewire in you that still shows up in your coaching today?

Probably the biggest thing I learned was “listen more, speak less!” Not only because my listening ability was better than my speaking ability in Japanese, but you’re more present in your conversations, and the people you’re talking to feel like you’re giving them your full attention, and they appreciate that!

Also, when verbal communication/translation failed, you would get creative with your explanations, like using gestures/pantomime, and you’re quick to pivot and try a different strategy when you see something isn’t working. 

Did being an outsider there change how you relate to voice actors who are struggling to  feel like they don’t quite fit in this industry?

Hah, if anything, it made me feel special, cause I was dong something that at the time, not many people knew about, or dared to dream about! (This was over a decade ago, before documentaries like “I know that voice,” or VO podcasts and  web series brought the Voice Acting profession into the general zeitgeist.)

To your question, this industry can be inviting to those who show a willingness to learn, and listen to the wisdom that working talent are pretty generous with! 

There are also “low barrier to entry” platforms like Casting Call Club and the Voice Acting Club (VAC) Discord that welcome beginners, providing community, and even opportunities to audition and work with fellow indie creatives!

That being said, “Imposter syndrome,” is real and honestly it never goes away! It rears it’s ugly head whether you’re not booking, or even if you land a dream agent or role! Just know that you deserve the opportunities you receive, because you’ve trained and worked  hard to achieve them!

What’s something Japanese work culture taught you that North American creatives might resist—but probably need?

That the work day is longer than 8 hours! Haha! There was a time in the 6 months before I moved back to the states that I was working anywhere from 12-18 hour days between my teaching job and recording and editing for my first clients. And trying to record in a small apartment with thin walls on a busy street was no easy feat!

Now I’m very lucky that I don’t need to work those crazy hours to sustain my career, but I will forever be impressed with what I was able to accomplish because it was important to me. And I’m prepared to work that hard when I need to!

At this point in your career, what still makes you feel like a student?

Thank you, you’re too kind! As someone often described as “animated, polished, articulate.” I can really struggle with more grounded and subdued reads like you might find in Commercials or Video Games. These qualities can be helpful for animation and instructional narration, but I’m still trying to improve in these areas too. With animation, I’m striving to strengthen my imagination, to add in more nonverbals between my lines to add to the sonic context, and not rush through my reads before my character has a chance to feel what they’re saying. Because if the character doesn’t feel it, the audience won’t get any feels, either!

You're really skilled at a lot of different reads. What part of your own technique took you the longest to truly trust?

Honestly? My natural voice! Speaking from a place of relaxation rather than tension. Making more subtle, nuanced choices. Audiobook narration has actually helped a lot with that. Strictly from a stamina standpoint, you have to be more conservative with your delivery in order to record for hours on end!

Embracing my voice as it’s perceived, rather than the parts I think I can do/really want to do. I just turned 40, but I still sound like I’m in my 20’s, or even teens! I often joke, “I probably won’t be cast as Batman, but I could be Spider-Man, or Robin!” (Honestly, that would be a dream come true, too!)

From your seat at GVAA, what problem do voice actors think they have—versus the one they actually have?

Vocal versatility vs. Emotional versatility. In other words, voice vs. acting. People tend to focus on what they think a character should sound like vs. why they might sound like that. If people spend more time exploring their emotional range, you can discover so many characters that way, and making superficial adjustments like age, weight, and accent can be so much easier when you have a strong acting foundation.

Anyone who has coached with you even once, is sure to hear character voices come out of the blue, and these skills allowed you to tick off a bucket list item. You voice the character Rat Pack on the kid’s show Super Spy Ryan. Rat Pack even became an action figure, which I know is kind of the dream. Can you talk about the show, the character, and how that opportunity actually came about? Did you get to decide on his voice or was that highly directed, because it’s definitely a character voice?

Thanks, I can’t help myself! Growing up, I was a mimic. I would watch and rewatch my favorite shows and movies until the VHS tapes melted (remember those?) And I would entertain/annoy my family and friends with my word-for-word recitations of animated quotes and stand-up comedy routines.

Ah, Pack Rat. My first broadcast narration, and my first action figure! (For those who don’t know, I’m an avid Toy Collector, so this truly was a bucket list item!)

I can’t tell you how much I learned from that experience. First off, I got the opportunity to audition from my boss David Rosenthal. (Networking, folks! It works!)

I was actually visiting my girlfriend-now-wife at the time, and I got a text from DR to remind me to submit because the audition window was closing that evening. Luckily, I had my VOMO from Vocal Booth to Go, a portable folding “booth,” my Apogee Mic+ USB Mic, and my laptop to record/read scripts from. (Always be ready to record!) I may have also had some “liquid confidence,” that evening which I don’t recommend before important auditions, but it may have made me less self-critical and trust my instincts!

I actually created Pack Rat’s voice in my audition, and that’s what we used for the show, without much modification! Like most animation scripts, there was an image of the character and a description (something like “Mustached-twirling supervillain for a young kids show. A greedy obsessive collector with a whiny, high-pitched voice. Also, his mustache is fake, and constantly falling off.)

As a collector, I naturally wanted the part, and so I channeled everything from Skeletor, to Comic Book Guy, to Snidely Whiplash. I also gave him a British twang, because he had a monocle!

Two other things I tried to do was give him a strong maniacal laugh, as well as nonverbal effort sounds when his monologue gets interrupted by his mustache falling off. I guess it worked, because I got the part!)

The animation for the film was actually done before the Voice Over, so there was one line where I had to fill about 14 seconds, where Pack Rat has an evil monologue, maniacal laughter, followed by his mustache falling off, and him having to grab and reapply it. We did take after take of me dragging out effort sounds, adding grunts and “harumphs!” Until we finally got it to time! 

In that moment, I had two synchronous thought processes:

1. This is ridiculous! What is my life?

2. I’m having an absolute blast, this is what I’m meant to be doing!

As someone with a truly impressive action figure collection, what was it like holding a toy connected to your own work? And, just how many do you have on hand? I assume the 3 required by any collector! Will they make it to your kids, nephews or nieces one day?

I can’t tell you how good it felt! I collect figures because they remind me of the characters that inspired me growing up. And to know that I voiced a character that might be a child’s favorite villain, and they can have a plastic version in their hand to live out their own adventures in their imagination, or simply stare at and remember all the joy they brought? Absolutely amazing!

I even did an interview with one of the Toy Tuber channels I’m a patron of (Geek Dad Life) shortly after that happened, and it was awesome being surrounded by fellow Collectors who could appreciate it!

To your follow-up question, I only have 1 loose. I don’t have the space to “have one to stock, and one to rock!” Haha!

But I did give him some sick accessories! I have a bunch of spare ones from my Masters of the Universe Classics Collection, so I gave him a yellow power sword, and the Diamond of Disappearance, an infamous artifact from the pilot episode of the series!

My wife and I don’t plan on having kids, and honestly I’m not sure if my nieces or nephews will be interested. Kids don’t generally seem as interested in toys compared to consoles and tablets these days. (After all, they weren’t subject to the amazing brainwashing of the 80’s, like we were!)

But if they show an interest, I’d be happy to pass them down! If not, I don’t mind selling them to a fellow collector or local toy shop, or even donating to “Toys for Tots!”

But you have another! Roxie Monroe: Private Eye! This one is right up my alley. I love audio dramas. Talk a little about that opportunity and how you landed it.

I love Audio Dramas, too! The perfect intersection of Animation and Audiobooks!

Yes, Moxie Monroe! They had me at “Film noir meets D&D!”

I actually found the casting on the Voice Acting subreddit, of all places! And this speaks to a trend I’m noticing this year. There has been a huge upsurge in indie creators posting their projects on social media. And some are quite ambitious! If you aren’t scouring social media for opportunities in addition to agency and online casting, you may be missing out on some interesting opportunities, especially if you’re just starting out! It also reminds me of the power of “Content Marketing,” creating your own original works to create opportunities for yourself.

I tried out for a number of characters, but the one I wanted the most and luckily landed was the Lizard Man thug “Slick.” I joke that he’s the “Smart dumb one,” as he’s a part of a pair of thugs, and while he’s brainier than “the dumb one,” Slack, that doesn’t count for much!

Vocally, I wanted him to sound reptilian, so I drew inspiration from two characters: King Hiss from the 2002-03 version of Masters of the Universe, and Slythe from “Thundercats.” Personality wise, I drew heavily from the head weasel in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”

Are there franchises, character types, or worlds you quietly hope you might someday voice, and may occupy a spot on your wall?

That’s an easy one! Almost anyone in the Spider-Man, Batman, or He-Man universe would be an honor and a pleasure to voice.

If I had to pick one role for each, Spider-Man, Nightwing, and Skeletor! Nehehehehehehe (Maybe Stratos, if I can do a Sean Connery impression like Scott McNeill did in the 2000’s version!)

If early-career Sean walked into GVAA today, what would you say to him?

You obviously know a lot about voice acting, and are very passionate about it, but you have a lot to learn. This is an exercise in emotion, not just intelligence. Strive for excellence, not perfection.

Also, no one likes a know-it-all, so be humble, be receptive to direction, and don’t give up!

So let’s end on a silly note. Which fictional character would you most want to trade voices with for a day?

Keith David (Goliath from Gargoyles) partially because his voice is so diametrically opposed to my own, and I wonder how people would react seeing his voice come outta my face! 

Also, to take the silly into the profound, I’ve long known the power of voice and the spoken word. There have been times in my life where the things I’ve said, and the way I said them, changed the lives of those I care about in impactful, positive ways. I wonder what power of voice I could muster with an even more powerful voice like his! Mwahahahahahahahahahaha (Here I go, already going mad with power! Cue Supervillain Origin story!)

Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about me and GVAA. It was great to reflect, and I hope your readers will find this informative and entertaining, and please reach out to us at GVAA if you need help reaching your own Voiceover Goals!

Sean DaeleyVia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-daeley-1a0ab42a/

Website: https://dailyvo.com/GVAA: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/about-gvaa-membership/

Ryan’s World episode featuring Rat Pack : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8UPROA_x5U

Moxie Monroe: https://moxiemonroepodcast.podbean.com/