Matt Fogarty is a voice actor based in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. His website describes his work as “Human connection, authentic POV, meaningful content and killer audio.”
We will discover that voice acting is a family affair in the Fogarty household.
Matt Fogarty is today’s featured voice actor.
Jeff Lynn: I’d like to start with your background. What led you to the studio you sit in today?
Matt Fogarty: My background is radio. I was a creative director for 14 years and started doing voiceover work for clients of the station. I built it from there.
JL: After COVID, many people have jumped into this side of the business. How do you make sure you stand out?
MF: Much like radio advertising, I think top-of-mind awareness is a big part of it. Being visible. Reaching out, making connections, and having a quality body of work and demos to showcase your skills. Great agency partnerships and strong relationships help, too.
JL: What advice would you give someone wanting to enter the voice actor business?
MF: Treat it like a business from the start. Invest in yourself. Coach. Work hard.
JL: What’s a normal workday like?
MF: Wake up at 5:30, gym from 6:00-7:00, and in the booth by 7:30. Then it’s voicing requests from clients, directing sessions, auditions, and marketing. Take a quick break for lunch, go for a short walk or bike ride, and back in the booth until it’s time to pick up the kids from school, then some family time and complete any remaining work tasks until the end of the day (the timing of which varies!)
JL: What other voice actors do you admire?
MF: Dave Pettitt, Lisa Keys, Brian Lee—I have a great deal of respect for so many talents, but those are the first three that come to mind.
JL: You also take acting classes. How does that enter into your work?
MF: Voice acting is acting, so absolutely, yes. Taking on-camera/in-person acting classes has given me more tools to layer into my voice work.
JL: Tell me three funny things about yourself that others may not know.
MF: I played guitar in two bands in high school (punk rock and blues). My favorite food is lasagna with Caesar salad and garlic bread (yum). I have two daughters who also do VO!
Check out Matt’s Demos here.
Meet Everley, his daughter, and check out her work here. Lynley, his youngest daughter, will have a demo soon.
Atlas Talent Agency, Premiere Talent in Vancouver, and Ta-Da Voiceworks in Toronto represent Matt.
Connect with Matt directly here.
Jeff Lynn serves as Editor of Barrett Media’s Music Radio coverage. Prior to joining Barrett Media, Jeff spent time programming in Milwaukee, Omaha, Cleveland, Des Moines, and Madison for multiple radio groups, including iHeartMedia, Townsquare Media, NRG Media, and Entercom (now Audacy). He also worked as a Country Format Editor for All Access until the outlet shut down in August 2023.
To get in touch with Jeff by email, reach him at Jeff@BarrettMedia.com.
