Jackson native breaks into entertainment business

Fred Stoverink's Midwestern accent is what landed him the position as voice actor on the nationally syndicated car and motorcycle show "Steel Dreams," aired on WPSD (channel 6) at 4:30 a.m. Sunday or at 3 a.m. Monday.

"I hammed up my accent and auditioned over the phone and they asked me to do the job," said Stoverink, a 1991 Jackson High School graduate. "I kept the job by being eager to work, professional and reliable — a trait not readily found in L.A. Unlike a role, voice actors carry the energy of the show providing a segue from one clip to the next."

Stoverink graduated from the University of Missouri in 1998 with two bachelor's degrees, one in electrical engineering and one in computer engineering.

"In college I did a few radio gigs — voice overs," Stoverink said. "It brewed in the back of my brain."

Stoverink knew he was good at engineering but soon became frustrated when he realized the hours stretched past a typical day. He said another frustration was that projects could suddenly get ripped away from him for reasons beyond his control.

Stoverink said working in St. Louis as an engineer was great but he wanted some adventure.

In 2002 he set out for Los Angeles in his black 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe with a phone number of a friend of a friend scribbled on a slip of paper. The plan was to start his own engineering business.

More than 1,800 miles later and with the help of a contact he'd never met, Stoverink planted roots in Santa Monica, Calif.

The move was the result of the advice of a career counselor. He'd made it clear he liked movies and television but wasn't ready to admit entertainment was the field he was interested in.

The coastal city of Santa Monica was a place for recreation and a place to make friends with people from all over the globe. Volleyball at the beach was the happening thing for those who didn't surf, Stoverink said.

"I made new friends from England, Ireland, Israel, Belgium, Argentina, Costa Rica, Greece, Switzerland and, of course, Mexico. All from volleyball at the beach," Stoverink said.

"After a few measly attempts at business ideas and a few lackluster engineering jobs," he said, "I decided that I needed to focus more on what my interests were instead of my degrees."

He had a demo made in 2006 but didn't seriously promote it because he was still distracted by his engineering career.

By 2007 he committed to start sending out the demo and answered a few casting notices on Craigslist.

One of those casting notices was for "Steel Dreams."

Stoverink got the gig at "Steel Dreams" without the help of an agent or manager. When he interviewed for the voice-over position, Stoverink admitted his lack of expertise with boats and motorcycles and emphasized his interest in cars, including his work while living in Jackson on a 1964 Thunderbird, which he still owns.

Stoverink considers himself just another working man in L.A. He reads from a script that contains narratives and interviews about unique cars, motorcycles and boats and sometimes motorcycle routes. "I do recordings in the valley, Sherman Oaks, north of Los Angeles. Nothing glamorous. I occasionally record from home. My neighbors probably think I'm nuts when I start talking into the mike," he said.

But lately he has been talking to a couple of agents and working with a highly respected voice coach who is helping him develop a professional commercial demo to represent his skills. Acting is next on his agenda after establishing his voice career.

His experience with film acting includes a spoof on horror films where Stoverink played the bodyguard of a mob boss. He said it might make video store shelves after production.

While Santa Monica weather and lack of smog is agreeable to Stoverink, commuting to Los Angeles on the Santa Monica Freeway, which is one of the busiest highways in all of North America, leaves a bit to be desired.

"Traffic is brutal in L.A.," he said.

A recent visit to Jackson made him glad for the break from traffic. Checking out cars at the Jackson City Park Car Show gave him a chance to look at muscle cars from the 1960s. "Cars of that era get the most attention around here." Driving the Thunderbird may have been fun in Missouri but in L.A. it is not an option. "It only gets eight miles per gallon," Stoverink said.

Stoverink grew up in the country and jumped at any opportunity to go into Jackson. "We fished, camped and rode bikes on a dirt road," he said. Once Stoverink was in high school, the family had moved into town and sporting events took up much of his time. "I loved to cheer at Jackson events. I watched my sisters, who all played sports," he said.

Stoverink was on the Jackson basketball team but sat on the bench. "I liked the coach and enjoyed being part of the team. My high school experience didn't revolve around basketball. I took advanced science, computer classes. My high school teachers were great," Stoverink said.

Stoverink described his attitude in high school as poor. "I was bored. I was always dreaming about doing something different," he said.

The dream of having a fun career seems to be coming true for him.

Stoverink said a fully established commercial voice actor doing regular union work can earn up to seven figures a year.

"The difference in fun between engineering and acting is immense, regardless of pay. No one should ever get into entertainment strictly for money. You have to enjoy the work, which can be difficult at times," he said.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133