There are two things you don’t want to trivialize on any journey you embark on: Mentors and Time Management.
Oluwatobi Oladipo certainly doesn’t trivialize them!
In a previous post, we discussed his growth and his journey to success but you should that these two keys played instrumental roles in his growth as a voiceover artist…
And you can learn about it!
“I had many trainings from people who have shaped me and my abilities and talents as a voiceover artist.”
Tobi Oladipo
Under the tutelage of his mentors, Tobi accounts that they impacted his career positively; grooming and shaping him into the voiceover artist he is today…
Here are some things he’s learnt from them that can help you too!
The QEQR technique
“When I was taking professional training as a voiceover artist, I learned something called the QEQR technique…”
It involves saying the letters Q-E-Q-R and these letters help expand your vocal cords.
So if you would say Q-E-Q-R you’d realize that you’d feel some contractions in your throat and your mouth.
This is a practice Tobi learned from his mentor and still uses to this day.
Once he’s able to do that, his vocal cords adjust and opens up his throat as well as helps him to achieve the depth that he wants with his voice.
Listening to the Radio
“My mentor at the time used to tell me to listen to the radio a lot…”
Tobi accounts that the reason for this is that you hear so many types of advertisement and so many types of delivery that you can learn from.
As a voiceover artist, paying attention to other artists and their mode of delivery will undoubtedly help you add a few things to your arsenal too.
He also adds that trying to replicate certain tones and modes of delivery helps him and this can help you too!
For example, Tobi listens to the likes of James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman and a lot of other voice actors and continuously learns from them.
Because of his mentors and time management skills, Tobi has succeeded in having a 12-24 hour delivery time on jobs with clients.
“…if you hire me for a voiceover job, you get your job in less than 12 hours. The maximum would be 24 hours. Of course, there are exceptions to this – the likes of audiobooks…”
According to Tobi, one thing that has helped him a lot when it comes to managing his time is scheduling.
He knows exactly what he has to do every day but this doesn’t mean that his schedules aren’t flexible as sometimes meetings can run late.
“I schedule a lot…and that’s why I’m still able to keep the track record of delivering on the 12 hours and 24 hours maximum.”
5 Tips to Schedule Effectively
Identify Available Time:
There are 24 hours in a day and this time should be utilized wisely. Identify times when you’d be available to do some work. This work could include school, your profession etc.
Make a list of everything you need to do:
Invest in a notebook dedicated to time management and also download an app to help you stay organized. Then create a list of every task you need to accomplish.
Identify Frequency of Tasks:
Some tasks might appear daily; for example, personal time; while some may appear just once or twice a week, such as assignments.
Identify Things Tasks of Utmost Priority and Set Them Atop Your List:
Identify tasks that need to be completed as soon as possible and set them above everything else. This will help you avoid procrastination and focus on other tasks at hand.
Allocate Time for Each Task:
Dedicate a specific amount of time to each task and ensure you’re diligent with it. Put away distractions and see that you complete it.
One important thing you should do when scheduling is make room for flexibility because emergencies and unexpected events may arise…
But with a flexible schedule, this wouldn’t throw you completely off track.
When you understand the value of mentors and time management you’re walking the right path to success.
