There’s a new awards show in town — the Voice Arts Awards.
As the new kid on the block it is feeling its way around. It recently announced that it has introduced two new categories for male and female voice actors: Outstanding Body of Work by a male actor and by a female actor. The submissions deadline is July 31.
Submitting voice actors may include up to five minutes of work in at least three genres: commercial, animation, promo, narration, video games etc. The Outstanding Body of Work category is judged on overall performance as determined by the jurors. Each entry may consist of multiple individual samples. Entrants can upload as many files as they wish, up to five minutes in total length.
The Voice Arts Awards is an open competition voted upon by experts within the various fields that constitute the entry categories. Several special awards will also be awarded. Some awards will be presented during a live Voice Arts Awards Gala, Nov. 9, in New York.
One highlight of the show will be presenting a Voice Arts Icon Award to James Earl Jones.
The Voice Arts Awards is intended to provide acknowledgement of the skill and artistry that goes into the voiceover acting and the associated roles and to hold up a standard of achievement to which the industry can aspire. The awards program is administered by the society’s officers, board of directors and volunteers.
The Voice Arts Award statuette was designed in partnership with R.S. Owens & Co. The company designs and manufactures awards and has been involved in production of the Oscar, the Emmy, the MTV Video Music Awards and the Clios.
Additionally, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences welcomes donors who want to help provide merit-based scholarships for those experiencing financial hardships.
The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences says it is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the acknowledgment, recognition and advancement of voiceover actors and the associated professionals (casting directors, producers, creative directors, agents and coaches), who make up what is generally described as the voiceover industry.
Among the SOVAS board members are SOVAS founders Joan Baker and Rudy Gaskins, producer and executive producer of That’s Voiceover! Steve Ulrich, executive director of the Sports Emmy Awards, Stephen McCarthy, CEO/founder of Brave Dog, complete the leadership team. McCarthy was formerly the head of the Promax/BDA Awards program and awards show.
