CVAP Journey - Step 1: Discover Your Voice

 

Hey there, Voicemates! Welcome to my little corner of the internet. Make yourself at home! My name's Dy, and I'm so excited to have you here. This blog is my place to share my journey through the world of voice acting, from the discovery up until the unleashing of my voice. To commemorate this historical first, I'm thrilled to share with you my first week of experience and learning from CVAP.

 

CVAP, so what exactly is it? CVAP, which stands for Certified Voice Artist Program, is an online course designed for aspiring voice actors to learn from professionals in the field, hone their voice, and get helpful criticism to improve their abilities. 

 

I first learned about CVAP as I was scouring the web for information on how to get started in the voice industry. While doing my research, I found that they have a very good reputation and have produced many of the Philippines' leading voice artists. This is especially thanks to the founder, the Voice Master, Mr. Pocholo "Choy" de Leon Gonzales. He implemented the values of sharing, giving, loving, and caring; we could see it in the way the team assisted us, the participants (a.k.a., the Voicemates). Be it the hosts, the trainers, the mentors, or the secretariat team, everyone was incredibly welcoming even before the start of the program proper.

 

When I joined Batch 24 of the said program, the secretariat team sent an e-book called "Gusto Kong Maging Voice Talent" by Sir Choy, where we learned the popular myths in voice acting and the requirements when breaking into the industry. Our trainer also enlightened us with some popular "Pochology"—quotable quotes by The VoiceMaster himself. Some examples are:




• SOMEONE OUT THERE NEEDS TO HEAR YOUR VOICE
• THE BEST TIME TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF IS WHEN NO ONE BELIEVES IN YOU. 
• ANG KWENTO MO, MAY KWENTA
• WALANG NAGSIMULA NA MAGALING. NAGSIMULA KAYA GUMALING

There were also other words of wisdom mentioned that I really just couldn't ignore. Our trainer, Sir Navi, even shared his journey in the industry. But there was one line that really struck me: "Voice artistry is a journey that's not meant to be traveled alone." These words resonated with me the most. I think I even got emotional when Sir Navi explained this to us.

 

Well, I'm an introvert. Yes, I can communicate with others (despite the widespread belief that we can't). However, you won't really see me as the star in conversations. Even initiating small talk is awkward for me, and I felt it worsen through the years. When I decided that I wanted to try out voice acting, I said, "I'll do this by myself." I was embarrassed to let others hear my voice, even my family. If possible, I wanted to post my audio samples anonymously. This is why I initially planned to just rely on the web for information and not join any workshop. However, I was stumped and overwhelmed with the vast amount of information online. Some people online said, "Practice, practice, practice. Listen to someone else talk; try to do what they do." Then I found some people who were able to do numerous voice impressions, which I couldn't really do. You see, I started out with a bit of confidence, but I ended up losing that as I compared myself to others. Still, I really wanted to do this, so I had to admit to myself, "I can't do this alone." If I want to improve, I need proper guidance. I need to get out of my shell, or get out of the well. As I've said in my introduction video, which is our first assignment in CVAP, I felt like a frog in a well whose knowledge is very narrow and shallow. And I can broaden my horizons with the help of my new CVAP family.

 

As the training went on, I came to realize that voice is not the only important thing in voice acting. Our identity as voice artists is as well. And so, we were tasked with coming up with a voice brand by answering these five important questions: why, who, what, where, and how.




1. Why are you here? Why are you doing this in the first place?
2. Who are you as a brand? Who are you talking to?
3. What is your name, and how does it relate to you? What is your story? What is your message?
4. Where do you want to go?
5. How do you plan to make all of it happen? How will you get there?

 

As I pondered these questions, I looked back at the time I started looking for information related to voice acting. Why did I even start? What pushed me to do this? Is it because the people around me praised me for having "a good voice?" Partly yes. Is it to earn a bit of money on the side? I can't deny that either. As I tried to recall the struggles I faced since I started, how I felt downcast when I compared myself to others, and when I experienced indifference, I realized how much I've lost my confidence and resilience. I wasn't always like this. Then it hit me. I missed the sense of accomplishment that came with achieving something with my own abilities. Perhaps I became complacent after I quit working, believing that I would never lose my sense of self or feel directionless. I thought right then, "I want to regain my confidence and refortify myself." This idea had become the very core of my identity as a voice artist. In other words, this is my voice brand.


After a series of internal debates and external opinions, I came up with "DyVoicify," which combines my name with the words "voice" and "amplify". Unlike most brands, which take the form of a noun, I made mine sound like a verb. I'm not sure if that will work well in the future, but there is a reason for it. DyVoicify, as a brand, is more than just a method for people to recognize and remember me. It's a call to action—a reminder to myself to "speak loud and proud. Use your voice with confidence. Don't hesitate, and just unleash your voice."

This is also the reason behind my logo. Some may think that the emblem resembles a flower, but it's not that simple. My logo is actually inspired by one of the Adinkra symbols from West Africa called "Tabono" and a sacred Buddhist symbol for transcendence called "Unalome." Tabono is characterized by four stylized paddles that form a cross. This image symbolizes strength, confidence, and persistence, which aligns with my goal.

Unalome, on the other hand, begins with a spiral at the base, symbolizing the beginning of a person's spiritual journey. The spiral then turns into a succession of loops that begin large and gradually decrease in size. These loops represent the difficulties one endures on their quest to achieve their ultimate goal. It's essentially a period of pain and confusion until they find themselves on a less twisted and unpredictable path, such as a straight line. Because the straight line phase is less chaotic, the mind achieves clarity and harmony with its surroundings. Finally, the journey concludes with three dots, symbolizing enlightenment as one achieves their goal. They find a tremendous sense of inner tranquility here.

My logo's emblem is divided into four segments, comparable to the Tabono's "paddles". The 1st paddle, however, is a spiral like the base of the Unalome—the beginning of my journey. The 2nd and 3rd paddles resemble the loops—the difficulties I face in achieving my goal. Finally, the 4th is composed of curved and straight lines, as well as three dots. Notice how the 4th paddle that represents enlightenment, resembles the letter "D," which is my initial. The logo, like my voice brand, serves as a reminder to "D" (myself) of my ultimate goal, which is strength and confidence (Tabono). 
 

So far, CVAP has provided an invaluable learning experience. It was a true eye-opener. After the lessons, I realized that this is more than just a journey of learning voice acting. It's also a journey of discovering my voice and its purpose.