Conversations with Karli Walker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karli Walker.

Hi Karli, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Short answer – I started doing voiceover work in 2015 due to a post-college graduation career crisis. The long answer is an assorted history of discovering myself as an artist. Growing up, I was a visual artist. The public schools I attended in Maryland were heavy in the arts, and my best friend and I were those kids that always had a sketchbook in hand. My family moved to North Carolina before I started high school, and, in a place where literally no one knew me, I saw an opportunity to try new things. My high school gave students the option of taking either P.E. or dance – I chose dance. This was my introduction to performance art, or at least it felt like it. Technically I did performance art playing flute in band ensemble, but when you’re in a large crowd like that it’s easy to feel like you’re a small part blending into a machine. Until that point in my life, I was really shy about using my body to express myself. Dancing, singing, acting – no way. My dance teacher focused on modern dance, which I think is a really great style for beginner dancers especially if you’re shy. Fluid movements, less rules, really anything goes. It lets you be free with your movements. I really connected with that, and it was the first time I ever started feeling comfortable expressing myself in that way.

I only took a couple semesters of dance because other priorities got in the way, and by the time I started college I wasn’t really working on visual art either. Attending Appalachian State University, I got busy exploring all the classes that interested me, as you do trying to figure out a career. I rediscovered dance and declared it my minor – joined a dance crew for a bit, took lots of classes, and went on road trips just to learn some random person’s choreography. One time one of the teachers was a childhood neighbor from Maryland whom I hadn’t seen since 6th grade. I still think about that to this day. It was insanely odd. It was my creative outlet for those years, and that was crucial because my major was very technical – geography with a concentration in geographic information systems. I’m the kind of person with many varied interests – it’s no surprise I was diagnosed with ADHD a couple years ago.

So after I graduated, and I’m sure so many people can empathize with this, it’s easy to get lost in trying to jumpstart your life in the real world. You’re so busy just trying to live and pay your bills and get by and figure everything out. Life started to feel kind of drab and aimless, so I started searching for a new outlet. I’d moved to Northern Virginia and had trouble finding a dance community similar to the one in North Carolina. I’d lost most of the visual art skills I used to have and didn’t feel inspired at the time to revisit it. So I started looking elsewhere. I went through probably four or five ideas, including game design and animation, before landing on voiceover. Nothing else really clicked until then. I think I was drawn to it because growing up I always paid such close attention to the voices in animated shows and movies. I would memorize voice actors’ names. I could often recognize a voice before seeing the credits. They fascinated me. And also I talk a lot….like a lot.

When I got the idea, I searched for local classes, and there happened to be one the following month at a recording studio. It was four hours on a Saturday hosted by Edge Studio. They went through the basics of the industry, helped you pinpoint areas you might be interested in (i.e., commercial, animation, video games, narration, etc.), and finally everyone got two scripts and time behind the mic. I had zero experience with any kind of acting so it was kind of terrifying – but I also loved it, so I kept on. It took quite a few years to really get going, but I’m happy I stuck with it. These days I focus on commercial voiceover, and I’m delving into character voice acting and most recently on-screen acting.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Unfortunately, and I’ll always be really honest about this, voiceover work can be expensive to get into and is the reason it took me so many years to get going. You need coaching, demos, a home studio, and some basic knowledge of audio recording and editing. Just like any career, you have to invest in it. You have to really want to do it because you’re basically expected to be a one-stop shop – talent. recording, and editing. It took until 2018/19 after some life changes gave me more financial flexibility, and then another change in 2021 when I finally had the funds to get my first demo made. This was my experience, but for some it will be a lot easier. I started supporting myself quickly after college. Salaries in your 20s leave a bit to be desired to say the least. However, there are lots of ways to get by at first. My first recording booth was completely DIY, including the sound panels which were large wood boxes I made from scratch filled with sound insulation and covered with felt. Before I could afford coaching, I would join weekly workout groups, and that was my sole source of practice for years. The good thing is that this community is vast with lots of people that want to provide help and resources. Even if you’re struggling with a financial barrier, I can guarantee you’ll find something to keep you going.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
You can find much of my work on my website and instagram. I specialize in commercial voiceover, like what you hear on radio, tv, and streaming commercials, so maybe you’ve heard me in the wild! Stay tuned for updates on a sci-fi audio drama podcast I’m voicing for along with some very talented creatives.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If you want to support me, feel free to follow me on socials. I’m mainly on instagram (karliwalkerofficial). If you’d like to collaborate, my email is contact@karliwalker.com.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karliwalker.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karliwalkerofficial/