This week’s episode is all about documentary narration. Voiceover actor Paula Tiso joins me to share her journey from sketch comedy in Los Angeles to working steadily in promos, radio imaging, true crime, and documentary series.

We talk about training, the shift from “perky” reads to grounded storytelling, and what it really takes to support a story with your voice.

About Paula:

Paula Tiso is a veteran voiceover actor whose work spans documentary narration, true crime, television affiliates, video games, and more. She’s voiced Smithsonian Channel documentaries, Oxygen and ID series like Living with a Serial Killer and The Devil Speaks, and brought characters to life in games including Final Fantasy X, No More Heroes, and Fallout 76.

Whether narrating history, guiding audiences through true crime, or connecting viewers to their local TV stations, Paula’s voice combines warmth, authority, and authenticity.

Paula started out in sketch comedy and found her way into voiceover through commercial training. She explains how those early skills built the foundation for narration work across genres.

Narrating true crime requires neutrality and steadiness. At the same time, it calls for empathy when addressing victims and families. Paula shares how she prepares for heavy scripts and keeps her delivery both clear and compassionate.

• Commercial training as a base for timing and clarity

• Adaptability when scripts change mid-session

• Authenticity in the read, not a “performance”

• Curiosity to keep learning and exploring new material

• Preparation that marks cues and supports clean delivery

• Nature: slow pacing, voice supports the picture

• History: sometimes includes character inserts, with age shifts in voice

• In-show and lifestyle: friendly and helpful

• Promos and affiliates: concise and reliable

Paula describes narration as building a career vine by vine, one connection leading to the next. She emphasizes curiosity, preparation, and adaptability as the keys to staying relevant.

Paula also discusses how AI is impacting voiceover, and the work organizations like NAVA are doing to protect performers through transparency and consent.

• Let the voice support the picture

• Documentary reads today are grounded and authentic

• Empathy without bias is essential in true crime

• Preparation and adaptability make sessions run smoothly

• Careers grow step by step, connection by connection

• National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA)

• Living with a Serial Killer on Peacock

• Paula Tiso’s narration shorts and blog

If you’re enjoying the Acting Business Boot Camp podcast, please leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen. We’re close to reaching 100 reviews, and your support makes a real difference.

Email: peter@actingbusinessbootcamp.com
Coaching and classes: Acting Business Boot Camp

Today’s episode is called “Your Audition Superpower.” We’re talking about what really makes an audition competitive, not just good. Because in a crowded industry, good auditions disappear. Competitive ones get remembered.

Whether you’re stepping into the booth, walking into the room, or recording a self-tape at home, these five elements can transform how casting directors see you.

Every actor has talent. What separates the hobbyists from the professionals is how you show up under pressure. Casting directors don’t just want a great read. They want someone they can rely on, someone who takes risks, and someone who knows how to communicate humanity through their choices.

That’s why these five aspects aren’t just skills. They’re your audition superpowers.

Not the fake-it-till-you-make-it kind. Real confidence is clarity and control, the ability to deliver without obsessing about what the casting director wants. It’s trusting your instincts, playing with choices, and knowing every version is still you.

Prepared actors sound professional. Unprepared ones sound like hobbyists. From knowing your character’s secrets and desires to understanding the platform you’re working in, preparedness eliminates scrambling and allows you to deliver with authority.

The least glamorous but most powerful superpower. Label your files correctly. Follow directions exactly. Show up early and ready. Charm gets you in the room once. Professionalism is what builds long-term trust.

Safe auditions are wallpaper. Bold choices make casting directors look up from their coffee and say, “Who is that?” Boldness isn’t about volume. It’s about commitment. Commit to your weird, specific humanity. That’s what makes you unforgettable.

Range isn’t about pitch or speed. It’s emotional truth and control, the ability to flip from playful to grounded, warm to terrifying, sweet to cruel, without losing authenticity. Range shows casting directors you can carry an entire character’s humanity in your voice.

Confidence. Preparedness. Professionalism. Boldness. Range. Together, they make you unstoppable.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about being consistent, being human, and being willing to risk a little weirdness. Some of the strangest choices I’ve made in auditions are the ones casting directors still remember.

So ask yourself: which of these audition superpowers do you need to level up right now?

• TikTok: @AstoriaRedhead

• Substack: The Actors Index

• Email: mandy@actingbusinessbootcamp.com

• Coaching & Classes: Acting Business Boot Camp

This week’s episode is all about doing the damn thing. Inspired by Jen Sincero’s You Are a Badass, we explore how to move from wishful thinking into real, consistent action.

Because let’s face it:

• Epiphanies are useless without execution.

• Self-help without follow-through is shelf-help.

• Trying to be an actor isn’t the same as being one.

Many actors fall into the trap of passive self-help habits. That looks like reading books, journaling, or attending seminars but never actually taking the uncomfortable, messy steps that move your career forward.

Here’s the three-part shift:

1. Awareness – Notice your thoughts, excuses, and passive habits.

2. Acceptance – Own them without judgment.

3. Action – Act your way into right thinking and build your courage muscle.

Every day, ask yourself: Am I going to the gym… or am I really going to the gym?

Here’s a sobering stat: only 5% of SAG-AFTRA members qualify for health insurance. And of all the people who take courses (in any field), only 5% ever implement what they learn.

We want you in that 5%. The ones who suit up, show up, and keep going. The ones who build resilience, embrace discomfort, and grow stronger by being brave.

Waiting is the perfect recipe for self-sabotage. If you want a career, start now. Start messy. Start imperfect. But start.

At Acting Business Boot Camp, that’s why we’ve built:

• The Weekly Accountability Group – so you don’t just learn, you follow through.

• Monthly Classes with Mandy – so you keep sharpening your tools and confidence.

• The Weekly Adjustment Group – to help you build bravery into your daily life.

Because knowledge without action won’t book you jobs. Action will.

• Epiphanies without execution don’t create change.

• Awareness + Acceptance + Action = Transformation.

• Success is about getting comfortable being uncomfortable.

• Build your courage muscle daily.

• Don’t “try” to be an actor. Be an actor.

• Book mentioned: You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

• Join us in the Weekly Accountability Group or the Weekly Adjustment Group to put this into practice.

If you’re enjoying the Acting Business Boot Camp podcast, please leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen. It helps us reach more actors around the world who are ready to stop waiting and start doing the damn thing.