Behind the Mic: The Remarkable Journey of Voice Acting Legend Mike Paine | Whereabouts Tales Ep.13
Episode #0013
In a world where everyone thinks voice acting is just a quick side hustle, Mike Paine has been mastering the craft for nearly four decades, proving that authentic passion and confidence are the real keys to success.
There's something magical about hearing a voice that instantly captures your attention. Whether it's narrating your favorite audiobook, guiding you through a museum tour, or bringing a video game character to life, great voice acting feels effortless. But behind that seeming ease lies years of dedication, experience, and genuine passion.
I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Mike Paine, a voice acting veteran with an incredible 38-year career that spans radio, commercials, audiobooks, and international projects. What struck me most wasn't just his impressive resume, but his infectious positivity and genuine love for what he does.
From Teenage Radio Dreams to Voice Acting Success
Mike's journey began when he was just 17, in an era of reel-to-reel tapes and audio cassettes. With nothing but raw enthusiasm, he cold-called video production companies in Dallas, Texas until someone took a chance on him.
"One guy by the name of Morris Rose took a chance on me," Mike recalls with a smile. "He showed me everything. He was so patient with me and told me how to inflect my voice and how to do different styles. That was my first paid work ever and great experience."
What's fascinating is that Mike had no formal training or YouTube tutorials to guide him—this was the 80s after all. Instead, he learned by doing, diving headfirst into the industry with a confidence that belied his age.
This boldness continued when he pursued his radio dreams. After selling a guitar to a local DJ, Mike asked how to break into radio. The DJ mentioned an opening for a producer position, and Mike walked straight into the station manager's office with an audacious proposition:
"I'll work for you for free for a week. If you like me, great. If you don't, just hire somebody else and just teach me 'cause I want to learn."
That gamble paid off spectacularly. He became the producer of a national top 40 morning show and was soon doing character voice bits, picking music, and eventually landing his own on-air slot at a Heavy Metal network. By 18, Mike was reaching audiences nationwide.
The Ozzy Interview: Jumping In Without Overthinking
One of the most revealing stories Mike shared was about interviewing Ozzy Osbourne just two months into his DJ career. Without any prep time, he was suddenly thrust into a live interview with the Prince of Darkness himself.
"I had no preparation time at all. It was not scheduled. But I knew the music. I loved Black Sabbath and I loved Ozzy Osbourne. So I just rolled with it," Mike explains.
That interview became a life lesson: don't overthink it. Mike believes this approach should be applied to everything:
"That's the way you should approach everything. Don't overthink it. Yes, you need to analyze some things and look things over and don't go in naive, but don't overthink it because that'll affect your performance, that'll affect your confidence and everything else. Just do it. Go for it."
I love this mentality. How often do we talk ourselves out of opportunities because we're overthinking how we might fail? As Mike puts it, "Do we fail? We all fail. I've failed at things a million times, but I've succeeded 10 million times. So that's okay. I don't look at the 1 million. I look at the 10 million."
Voice Acting: It's All About Acting
When I asked Mike about his approach to different voice acting styles, his answer was refreshingly simple: "All voice acting is acting."
He explained that whether it's a commercial, video game voice, or an audiobook character, it's all about getting into the mindset of who you're portraying. His process involves analyzing scripts by order of importance and difficulty, saving the most vocally demanding work for last to preserve his voice.
For audiobooks and projects with multiple characters, he keeps reference files:
"If it's fiction, that's the tough one. You have to remember sometimes 8, 10, 12 different voices. So you record a piece of that voice and hold it as a separate file. So let's say I'm a vampire, the vampire has this voice, and the werewolf has that voice... sometimes you won't use a character for 10 chapters, so you need that reference."
Beyond Technical Skills: The Importance of Confidence
Mike's passion really shines when he talks about coaching others. In his view, voice acting success is "25% technical and 75% confidence in finding your inner voice."
"The outer voice I can work with pretty easily. The inner voice, that's the challenge. And to get someone confident is probably the biggest hurdle I'll have in getting somebody to that next level."
This applies equally to public speaking. It's not about having fancy techniques—it's about having the confidence to start in the first place. Without that foundation, all the techniques in the world won't help.
Projects That Matter
Among his countless projects, Mike speaks most proudly about voicing the D-Day tour in Normandy, France—an audio-visual experience that guides visitors through this historic site.
"To be able to voice something like that... I'm actually speechless. It's just such an honor to do something so important," he says with genuine emotion. "That's probably one of the things I'm most proud of to ever have voiced in my life."
His work has literally taken his voice around the world—from the Sunshine Observatory in Tokyo to museums in Estonia, China, and Armenia. It's a testament to how digital connectivity has transformed the industry, allowing voice actors to collaborate globally without ever meeting face-to-face.
The Secret to Longevity: Love What You Do
Throughout our conversation, one thing became abundantly clear: Mike genuinely loves what he does. After 38 years, he still lights up when talking about new projects:
"I open my email, I get a big smile on my face because I see scripts waiting for me and I can't wait to see what's on there. It could be anything... church announcements all the way up to a game and a song. It's always different every day."
This joy extends to how he markets himself in an increasingly competitive industry. Rather than sticking rigidly to industry rate cards, Mike takes a more flexible, human approach:
"I put myself out there as someone with a lot of experience, I'm very versatile, I'm easy to work with, I'll do free auditions all day long, and let's talk. I want to give somebody's dream a voice."
Simple Advice for Aspiring Voice Actors
For those looking to enter the field, Mike offers refreshingly straightforward advice:
Don't overthink it - Confidence often matters more than perfection
Focus on your recording space - You don't need expensive equipment, but you do need good acoustics
Take care of your voice - His simple technique: a bite of cracker to clean the palate, then water
Be organized - Whether it's post-it notes or digital tools, organization builds confidence
Be flexible with pricing - Not every client has a big corporate budget
Final Thoughts
As our conversation wound down, I was struck by Mike's continued enthusiasm for both creating and teaching. He's launching a podcast on MotivatingRadio.com and continues to coach voice actors at all levels.
What's his secret? Perhaps it's best summed up in his own words: "It just felt natural... it felt like this is something I need to do." After nearly four decades, Mike Paine still approaches each day with the same enthusiasm he had as that 17-year-old kid calling studios in Dallas.
In an industry that's constantly evolving with new technology and platforms, Mike reminds us that the fundamentals never change: passion, confidence, and a genuine desire to connect with listeners. Whether you're interested in voice acting or any creative pursuit, those are principles worth remembering.
You can find Mike Paine at MikePayneShow.carrd.co, on YouTube as MikePayne6287, and soon on MotivatingRadio.com.
What voice acting questions would you like answered? Have you ever considered trying it yourself? Let us know in the comments below!
