Sometimes an actor goes through all of the training and all of the courses and pays all their dues and does very well and enjoys the education and the process… and then steps out into the bright lights of the industry with all its mechanisms and professional trappings, takes a long look around and says: "Meh. You know what? I don't think this is for me. I don't love it." And today, Todd Kramer and Jay Reum talk to just such an actor. His name is Rob Cairns. But don't worry about good old Rob—he's landed on his feet. Rob trained at UEA and the Oxford School of Drama, dove deep into the craft, and came out the other side with clarity: the acting life wasn't his forever path. Instead, he pivoted into a life behind the mic—becoming an audiobook producer and founding Voice Reel London, where he now helps actors and voice artists craft high-quality showreels and narration work. Jay and Todd recently collaborated with Rob on an audiobook project, and in this episode, they talk all things training, transitions, self-awareness, and sound waves. It's a real look at how one actor stepped back from center stage—and found a new way to perform. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Opening 03:00 – When actors realize acting isn't "it" 06:30 – Rob's acting training and Oxford journey 10:00 – The "smart quitter" mindset 13:00 – What drama school really prepares you for 15:30 – Jay and Todd's training comparison 18:30 – From actor to audio engineer 22:00 – Founding Voice Reel London 26:00 – Creating voice reels for today's industry 30:00 – Todd's audiobook adventures 33:00 – The joys and pains of audiobook narration 36:30 – Rob's pivot during COVID 40:00 – The audition disillusion 43:00 – Are you cut out for the actor life? 46:00 – Measuring passion vs. practicality 49:00 – What Rob loves about sound production 52:00 – Todd & Jay riff on zodiacs & Aries vibes 56:00 – "Manifesting" your own creative pivot 59:00 – Final thoughts from Rob 💬 Join the Conversation What resonated with you in Rob's story? Drop your thoughts in the comments — or tag us on socials with your takeaways! 🔗 CONNECT & FOLLOW 🎧 Full Podcast & More: https://offstageacting.com/podcast 🤩 Facebook: https://facebook.com/OffstageActing 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/OffstageActing 🌍 Rob Cairns: Voice Reel London 💫 TODD: https://linktr.ee/toddkramer 💫 JAY: https://linktr.ee/jayreum 📣 Hashtags #acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #act #actorslife #ToddKramer #JayReum #OffstageActing #voiceover #audioproduction #dramaschool #actorpivot #oxfordschoolofdrama #voicereels #audiobookproduction #careerchange #voicereellondon #creativecareer

Ver todos los episodios