What Being Cast in Red Dead Redemption Taught Me About the Industry (and Myself)

If you look at my IMDb page, two credits tend to jump out: Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2.

Being a part of one of the biggest video game franchises in history is a career highlight. It’s cool. It’s something my nieces are actually impressed by.

Looking back, the experience of working on those two games taught me lessons that have nothing to do with cowboys and everything to do with the reality of the voice over business.

Here are five things I learned from riding with John Marston (and chasing him for stealing my horse).

1. There Is No "One Way" to Book a Job

The story of how I booked these two games is a perfect snapshot of the randomness of casting.

For Red Dead Redemption, I booked it through a Craigslist ad. Yes, really! Back in the day, that was a valid place to find voice over work. I responded to a vaguely-worded post, auditioned, and I booked the gig.

For Red Dead Redemption 2, my manager sent me an audition and I booked the gig.

In both cases, I had no idea what I was auditioning for. This is standard for high-end video games; everything is code names and secrecy. But the lesson remains: All audition sources are valid. The work is the work!

2. The Cone of Silence is Real (and a little scary)

Both times, I recorded at the Rockstar Games office in New York City. And both times, the level of security was intense.

I signed NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) that were thick enough to stop a bullet. Because of those legal bindings, I still can’t discuss the recording process, the direction, or the script. What I can tell you is that AAA game developers protect their IP fiercely. As a voice actor, your ability to keep a secret is just as important as your ability to act. If you leak, you never work again.

3. Save the Screams for Last

Video game sessions can be physically demanding. You aren't just talking; you're falling, fighting, getting stepped on by a dinosaur, and sometimes worse!

I learned very quickly about the importance of "exertions." These are the grunts, screams, and death rattles that flesh out the gameplay. Save the most vocally stressful lines for the very end of the recording session. If you blow out your voice screaming "I've been shot!" 50 times in the first ten minutes, you’re vocally useless for hours or sometimes days.

4. Work Does Not Necessarily Beget Work

I was in RDR1. I was in RDR2. Logic suggests I’m now "in the family" and will be called back for Grand Theft Auto or whatever Rockstar does next, right?

Wrong.

I have not been asked to audition for another Rockstar Games project since. In this industry, every project is a blank slate. You don't "level up" and stay there. You have to earn your spot every single time. The work is hard, and frankly, video game pay is often surprisingly low compared to commercial work, but we do it because it’s fun as hell—not because it guarantees a sequel or a big paycheck.

5. I Earned My Place

The biggest lesson I learned wasn't about business; it was about mindset.

Walking into a massive studio to work on a project with a budget bigger than some movies can give you a serious case of Imposter Syndrome. You look around and think, "Do I belong here?"

Standing in that booth, delivering those lines, and seeing the game hit the shelves later taught me something vital: I am worthy.

I didn't get there by accident. I got there because I’m a professional storyteller who delivered the goods when the red light went on. Whether it came from Craigslist or a manager, I earned my place in that digital Wild West. And sometimes, that quiet confidence is the best paycheck of all.

Thanks For Reading!

To learn more about me, hear some samples, or download my demos, just go to www.tomdheere.com.

---

Tom Dheere is a voice actor with over 25 years of experience narrating just about every type of voiceover you can think of. He also helps other voice talents navigate the voiceover industry as the VO Strategist. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.