Meet Anthony Kelly | Voiceover Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Kelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Three habits drive me forward: practice, patience, and perseverance.

Practicing art with others has helped me tremendously. In voiceover, the majority of auditions and work is done alone, so it’s easy to feel isolated from the world. Enrolling in online-virtual acting classes on a regular basis keeps me sharp, and helps keep that feeling of loneliness and stagnation stay at bay.
I think a lot of us self-isolate, put on blinders, and focus on our craft alone. The wonderful part about art and life is they’re both rooted in self expression and empowered by community. We all have our distinct styles and voices, yes, but we gain so much when we make a habit to work with and learn from others. Art and life lived is richer when we do them together. “As Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Its true what they say, “patience is a virtue.” Art takes time to develop 🙂 I’ve had to remind myself that growth and success is a slow burn — overnight success stories often start with years of preparation and are maintained with good work habits. Patience ties into persistence. No one books 100% of what they audition for. Hearing the word no and moving on to a different audition, without taking it personal, is something I’ve learned to do.
Everything isn’t for everyone and that is OK.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My voice is something that definitely stands out! A lot of friends encouraged me to do something in radio or voiceover in high school; later, one of my favorite random nicknames in college was Golden Pipes Kelly, it became a fun brand for some time. While it hasn’t been a straightforward journey, I’m happy I chose to pursue a career in voiceover. My biggest challenges early on was purchasing all of the equipment, then learning how to use it (YouTube was my best friend for years), separating money for acting classes, and searching for work with an agent and later without one. Now, I’m happy to say that I’ve found friends, practice groups, some representation from a group overseas, and work opportunities online – occasionally working with clients both domestic and abroad, all from the comfort of my home studio. Providing voice work for games that have made it to PlayStation, Nintendo, and Steam is a dream come true! I’m excited to keep going and have goals to work in other areas of voiceover, too.

Speaking to difficulties, I’d like to highlight some current events if that’s OK: the biggest-latest threat is AI. Presently, there is little to no legislation stopping companies from sampling and stealing our voices. Right now, SAG-AFTRA members are striking so that performers do gain those protections in interactive media, which includes motion capture and voiceover in video games. Sadly, some big name companies are trying to sidestep the strike by switching games from a Union to Non-Union project, and sending out audition slides under a new title or code-name; thankfully, artists in and outside of the union are standing strong, exposing dirty tactics, and fighting for our rights as performers. Its encouraging to see folks holding the line. This is our biggest battle yet… AI isn’t going away, but we can find a way to regulate and limit its use. Art in any form is valuable and artists deserve fair pay.
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I want to encourage people who come from a similar background as me, and show that they can do it too.
Even if you’re from a smaller, more removed town, away from the glitz and glam, or are younger and still figuring out the ropes, or are older now and have a “regular job” but still have that dream you want to pursue, I want to share that your goals are worth developing and pursuing. Its never too early or too late to start. All it takes is one little step and some research in the right direction. I believe in you and want to encourage you to believe in you, too 🙂

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d probably plan a mix of sports, music venues, bit of outdoors, food and gaming! Day one: tailgate and go to a broncos game; day two: checking out the new Ford Amphitheater in the springs or Red Rocks in Morrison for a show; day three: High-Speed go kart racing and eats at Overdrive Raceway in the springs; day four: hitting up Top Golf and Dave N’ Busters; last day: going to the Boettcher Concert Hall for some of the best sound in music.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate this to my family! Their love and support has fueled me here. 🙂 Thank you for believing in me everyday. To my little brother, in Heaven, whos joy kept me going and inspired, I’ll keep working to make you proud, buddy. To mom and dad, thank you for investing in me and encouraging your boy’s dreams always.

Website: https://aokellyjr.carrd.co

Instagram: aokellyjr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aokellyjr

Twitter: aokellyjr