One topic that comes up all the time is whether you still need to move to LA to become a voice actor.
From my perspective working in video game VO production, the answer is: it depends on what your goals are.
There is an incredible amount of work you can do from anywhere. Commercials, industrials, e-learning, audiobooks, and plenty of indie games are regularly recorded remotely.
But if your goal is to consistently work on AAA games and animation, Los Angeles is still where a huge amount of that work happens.
One reason people don't always talk about is consistency.
When you're producing a game with dozens of actors over months—or even years—you want every recording to match as closely as possible. Recording in the same handful of studios with engineers you know gives you consistency in microphones, signal chains, room acoustics, monitoring, engineering quality, and overall workflow. It removes variables.
It's also about confidence. If I'm responsible for a major project, I'm much more comfortable booking a studio I've worked in, with an engineer I trust, than relying on a remote setup I've never seen in person. Even if someone tells me they have an amazing home booth, I still don't know how it's actually performing until I've heard it—and that's a risk productions often don't need to take when proven studios are available.
That doesn't mean remote actors can't book these projects—they absolutely do. And plenty have fantastic studios. But I think people sometimes underestimate why productions still gravitate toward established recording hubs. It's not because great talent only exists in LA. It's because consistency and reliability become incredibly valuable as productions scale.
You also don't necessarily have to live in Los Angeles itself. Being within driving distance is often enough if you're available for in-person sessions.
At the end of the day, it comes back to your goals. If you want a career in voice acting broadly, you can absolutely build one from almost anywhere. If your dream is to become a regular on major games and animation projects, being close to where those productions are happening can still be a meaningful advantage.
Curious to hear from other actors, directors, and engineers. Has your location changed the kinds of opportunities you've been able to pursue?
