My friend Brian Haymond’s most recent blog post is about a young lady who also lives here in Charlotte (as do both Brian and I) named Kara Edwards. Her demos are on her main website, here. Quite a talented lady, as you can hear. I’m adding her to my talent list as soon as I finish this post.
Blog
Insights from the voice of Bart Simpson
With thanks to my friend Joe Rodriguez, click here for a terrific interview with Nancy Cartwright.
It’s not too late to get involved
A couple of days ago I noted Dave Christi’s request for volunteer voiceovers for a Public Service Announcement he was creating for a charity called VoicesForAChange.org. It’s not too late to get involved. More importantly, it’s not too late to sign up to donate your services going forward. I’ve already done so. I encourage you to do the same. You’ll find a link on how to sign up at VoicesForAChange.org.
Google Audio Ads
Kudos to my friend Brian Haymond for getting some international press on the ZDNet web site. Brian was interviewed as part of an article about the new Google Audio Ad marketplace by Donna Bogatin.
Like Brian, I’ve applied to be one of the Ad Creation Specialists. I figured I might as well since I’ve spent many years writing, voicing and producing radio commercials both locally and nationally. I have no idea if I’ll make it past the first round, but it will be interesting to see how it goes. I’ll update this post when I learn more.
Meanwhile, good for you, Brian!
The new podcast is online
One of my favorite, on-going voiceover projects is the podcast edition each quarter of the “bridges” newsletter from the Office of Science and Technology at the Embassy of Austria. Science has been an interest from my youth, so it’s a delight to record the articles and stories for each edition.
You’ll find the current edition, Vol. 12, of “bridges” here. And you can listen to the podcasts either through the links with each individual article, or all collected on one page, here.
Contest winner (updated)
I’m a few days late and no doubt at least a few dollars short with this post, but congratulations are in order to Pamela C., the winner of the Minewurx Project voiceover contest. You’ll find details on Mike’s Studio Echos site here.
Good for you, Pamela. I wish you much success.
Update: There’s more information about Pamela on the Minewurx Echos page here. And Pamela has begun blogging about her experiences here.
Don’t sweat the small stuff?
While this post at the American Small Business blog isn’t about voiceover, I think there’s a vitally important point to be drawn from it.
It’s extremely easy to imagine that little things aren’t important. Yet, as Jane’s post makes clear, often it’s the little things that influence how other people perceive us. And those perceptions have a powerful influence on whether or not we’re hired again.
My goal with every voiceover session I do is to leave my client deliriously happy with my work. No doubt, I miss that mark much of the time; but it’s still my goal. And as evidence that I don’t always miss the mark, a fair amount of the time, when someone casts me once they do so again.
For example, the very first real voiceover client I ever booked in 1983, still casts me for voiceover work. In that particular case, their business model has changed in the last 10 years, so we don’t do as much work together as we once did. But, I still get work from them every year. Several other clients go back more than 10 years as well. And I’m deeply grateful to every one of them. Of course, I’m equally grateful for even the newest clients.
Hopefully, every one receives the same level of care and attention and passion. That is always my aim. So, how are you “sweating the small stuff?” I’d love to read your comments.
The playground just got a lot bigger
My friend Brian Haymond believes (rightly so, I think) that with the advent of Google Audio Ads, the world of voiceover and audio production just got a lot bigger. Because suddenly there are a bunch of advertisers who need audio production and voiceovers, many of them for the very first time.
Brian offers some good words for both voiceover talent and for advertisers on his blog, here.
And, if Brian’s not the voice you’re looking for, you can hear my demos with the flash players on the upper right side of this blog. Or there are dozens of links to male and female talents over on the left.
Jack London as Voiceover Talent (updated)
Take a few minutes and read the story at the top of this thread at the Voiceover Bulletin Board. Enjoy the latest fruit from the mind of Philip Banks!
Update: And while you’re there, be sure to download the amazing audio piece done by Travis in the second post of the thread. Wow! There are some mighty talented people who hang out at the VO-BB.
Why do a voiceover for free? (updated)
Because it’s for a good cause. Which is exactly what I’ve done today. And if you do voiceovers, at whatever level, I encourage you to do the same. Check out VoicesForAChange.org.
My thanks to my friend Dave Christi for letting me know about this opportunity.
Update: Stephanie at Vox Daily, the voiceover blog of Voices.com, as interviewed Dave Christi about this project. You can read the interview and learn more about what, how and why Dave is starting this service, here.
And by the way, it’s not too late to volunteer your services, either for a second (or third) version of the PSA that’s started this whole thing or for this project as a whole. Click through to VoicesForAChange.org.
Are We There Yet?
For a quick dose of Christmas cheer from the somewhat bent mind of Pat Fraley, click on the phrase Are We There Yet in his initial message of this thread at the Voiceover Bulletin Board.
Great fun from a great talent. Oh, and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Fame or a solid career?
You’ll find some interesting thoughts about the ups and downs of voice acting in this post at the Voicemarket.com vblog. One of the best insights is this quote about why not to include a photo of yourself on your demo (or web site):
“In a word,” says agent Jack Browne, “Looks. As an agent, whenever I’m helping one of my clients sound out a demo tape, I always try to discourage them from including a photo of themselves. Anyhow, part of the beauty of the form is that one voice can suggest such a wildly different array of physical appearances. Including a photo shatters that vital illusion.”
Ouch. Sometimes the truth hurts. This, for example, is why you’ll find no copies of my “good face for radio” anywhere on this site.
The article isn’t long and well worth a few minutes of your time. Read the whole thing.
The truth isn’t always simple
This isn’t a post about voiceover. The only connection with voiceover work is that voiceovers are done by human beings, and this story is also about human beings.
I encourage you to watch this YouTube video. It’s disturbing, but not oppressively so. And, it’s important to realize that sometimes efforts to help people can do more harm than good. The speaker is Martin Rapaport. Google that name to find out why he’s someone to hear. But whether you do or not, please watch the video.
Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts. I’ve love to read what you think.
(My thanks to Roy Williams and his Monday Morning Memo for pointing me to this video this morning.)
A deep well of experience
The following letter arrived in my inbox this weekend.
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Bob –
Here is my anonymous response to some to the recent postings at your blog.
Feel free to quote from it, as it may be something others may find helpful, or they may be able to relate to my career situation, time of life or personal/professional goals. However, I’d rather not say who I am because parts of this may seem like I’m lazy or not passionate about the VO biz, which could not be further from the truth. Also, some financial disclosures I’m mentioning are such that I don’t want others to attach them to me, my reputation or my name. For some, I’ll be perceived as rich, for others I’ll be viewed as not aiming high enough in the VO field.
You may also want to re-word or re-work some of this, if you even want to use it at all. If you don’t use it, I will view it as a chance to “talk” with an old friend, as well as review some important aspects of my life. At this stage of the game it’s hard to really be in touch with how one really feels about some things, but your blog and other VO forums of late have sparked some serious – as well as some fun – thinking!
I’m much like you and your friend, Mary C. McKitrick, regarding the point of consideration by some people to get out of the VO biz. I just hate to see anyone have to do it, but any number of factors can force the issue. Lack of money is the main one ….in other words, not seeing one’s venture really take off. This is where my perspective of being in the business a full 30 years may be helpful.
To me, it’s all about finding your niches …. NOT niche, niches. Plural. Yes, this is a crowded business, more competitive than ever. But with technology, more media beyond radio and TV commercials has evolved, requiring more specialized voiceovers.
Look at the landscape now: Internet and cable outlets, training videos and CD-ROMs, web presentations, messages on hold, flash presentations, tutorials, documentaries, corporate presentations, industrials, Imaging voices for television and radio promos and station identification, voice prompts, voice mail trees… There are hundreds of new opportunities to explore!
Even 30 years ago I learned that I needed to diversity in the VO work I offered. I marketed myself for dialog spots, character voices, straight VO, narration work, as well as on-camera. I even started getting good using the ear prompter before deciding to focus just on voice work about 10 years ago.
Here’s what happened for me: I lost two huge voiceover accounts in the mid-90’s. At that same time, there were 3 concurrent “technology megatrends” emerging:
1) ISDN studios enabling real-time sessions from studio to studio.
2) Home studio digital recording and editing.
3) The Internet, offering the means for distribution of audio files and other media, as well as scripts and email communication across great distances.
From these innovations, new VO niches began to spring up.
I was rattled for a while, after losing those major accounts, but decided to get my demos on as many studio and marketing sites as possible and promote myself like crazy using the Internet and by developing a web site. The website not only serves for promotional purposes, but also is functional as a means of delivering large sound files to clients.
The strategy worked! Some new niches emerged for me right away … churches and ministries that need VOs for local broadcasts or even cable networks …. narrations for business PowerPoint presentations … message-on-hold …. government training CD-ROMS and videos … ad agencies in different parts of the country that need announcers for car spots and other local accounts. … colleges and universities that need donor-appeal narrations for banquets and DVDs …
Yes, I am still do a lot of work with one local studio and I still do tons of auditions and love reading and learning about the VO field…but I feel I have enough tops spinning that I can now call myself “semi-retired” and enjoy other aspects of my life.
I read online recently this statement from actress and VO artist, Karen Hutton:
The (home) studio’s usually up most of the day, since if I’m not recording client work… I’m working on a number of my own projects I’ve got in the works. Also… it’s fair to say that some days I just have to shut it all down and go skiing, get outside, go hear music and have some other life too. Because I’ve always felt that part of what I can bring to my work that’s unique… is me. If I’m not living a rich, multi-faceted life of many colors… how can I bring that to my work? That’s something I’ve always lived by…which was reinforced many years ago by some wonderful acting mentors. If my world gets too small, my work gets stale and flat. The most successful and well-rounded people I’ve known DON’T work 24/7…they have balance and live a really full life. So, I really listen to that voice inside and try to be in the flow of things.
Exactly, Karen! I’m learning the same thing too.
After working in a deadline-driven business for 30 years, I am now at a place where I can realistically aim to make $300 – $500 a day. If at the end of a given week or month I see I am off pace, I’ll take a look at what’s slipping, but for the most part, I remain on course.
Should I aim higher? Do more? Be better? Try harder? At this stage, frankly, I want to reap the harvest. If something big comes my way, great! Several times a year, I do a national spot or get to record some cool character voices for a museum, whatever. But I am no longer striving for such things. The good Lord is my agent and I am reminded of the scripture that says, “teach me, Lord to number my days”. I’m in my 50’s now. Do I want to work night and day like I have been for the last 30 years? No. Do I want to wait until I am 70 to start traveling with my wife? No.
Two scenarios coming up highlight what my “semi-retired” life is starting to look like.
1) A producer friend I’ve known for years, but haven’t heard from in a long time, is now the public relations manager for a Bible college in one of my favorite parts of the country. He called me the other day and says he has me in mind to narrate two projects for the college. One is a 5 – minute piece that I can do by phone patch from home, the other is a long form narration for a DVD and possible broadcast. We’re negotiating a rate for this that would allow me to record at their facilities. They would fly me and my wife there on a Wednesday, I would record on Thursday and Friday while my wife shops or hangs out at the hotel … and we would take Saturday and Sunday to tour around some more.
2) To celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, I’ve decide to make it extra-special for my bride. I’ve arranged for two weeks on the Hawaiian islands. Since I’m incorporated and own my own production company business, my “boss” (the owner) is paying for most of the trip. I will work out of an ISDN studio in Sacramento on the way there, which will break up the trip. Plus we’ll spend a weekend to take in the Redwoods and giant Sequoias along the northern California coast. The company has enough frequent flyer miles to make airfare free.
I experienced a panic attack this past summer that sent me to the local hospital emergency room. While there, I happened to see in the waiting room another VO talent that I have known for years. He’s near 80 years old, has a great voice and has been know for always being there and always doing a good job. But I realized as I looked at him that this guy was not known for having much of a life outside of doing voiceovers. He was at the studio all the time. Yes, he’s made a ton of money, but, well, it was a “Christmas Carol” moment for me, and it was as though I was observing the “ghost of Voiceover future” if I’m not careful. How many vacations had I put on hold or canceled altogether over the last 3 decades? How many rounds of golf have I passed on, or even opportunities to be of service in the church or community?
So what I’m saying is…don’t turn up your nose at the low-mid range VO jobs out there. Don’t think you have to be on the upper tier of VO work to make a decent living and enjoy the one life you are given on earth to make the most of.
Folks who desire to do voiceovers should not give up too soon. If you work in radio, do what I did and get a night shift so you can freelance during the day and get that home studio going along with the web page. Hone your demos, sign up with online voiceover services and aim to make $300 – $500 a day so you can quit your night job 😉 … Phase into the VO work you love, and then begin to really enjoy your life!
Mr VO Anonymous
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I’ve made a few slight edits to what was sent me to clarify a few points made by my friend; but the substance of what he’s written is entirely his own. I’d love to know your thoughts. Leave a comment.
Finding voiceover representation
If you’re relatively new to voiceover work, finding an agent is probably one of the things you believe you need to do. You’ll find some very helpful guidance at Vox Daily, the main voiceover blog from Voices.com as well as two very fine posts (one and two) at their voiceover advice blog called Ask the Voice Cat.
Read them all. They are well worth your time.
But, let me offer one note of caution. Hopefully not discouragement, just caution.
You must be able to actually deliver the level and quality of work that’s on your demos. If you’ve hired a demo producer who has helped you create a killer demo or two or twelve that all feature reads you can’t pull off for real in the studio, you could torpedo your career before it even gets going.
Yes, you want to put your best foot forward on your demos, but it has to be your best foot, not the genius of your producer and editor. A killer demo will help you find representation, but if you can’t deliver the goods from behind the mic, a killer demo could kill your reputation. You’ll lose the represenation you’ve worked so hard to find, and you’ll lose opportunities to work.
This, by the way, is why so many auditions are required now. Too many killer demos from too many people who can’t actually deliver the goods in the studio. Producers really don’t like unhappy surprises when they are burning money at a booked session.
Tell the truth. Show what you can do. But, don’t try to fake it. You will be found out.
As I’m typing this, I’m remembering something that happened quite back in the late 1980s. I had signed with an agent in Chicago and was starting to get cast fairly often for commercials and especially for narration work. A friend of mine was a pretty decent voiceover talent, but his demo was produced using a number of editing tricks to make his voice sound deeper than it really was.
One day, he asked me to take a copy of his demo to my agent. I told him that I would be happy to. I also told him that if he were ever hired for a session on the basis of that demo, the first time he asked the engineer to use the speed control on the tape machine to make his voice sound like it did on the demo, he’d be laughed out of the studio. He dropped the subject.
Sometimes it feels that way
Dave Carroll describes his recent voiceover session experience as being sort of like…
…a piece of meat and poked and prodded until the right sound comes out of my mouth.
Yeah, it can feel that way, sometimes. But, it’s still way better than working for a living!
Read the whole thing. It’s not long and if you’ve done any number of voiceovers you’ll know exactly where Dave’s coming from.
More Joe!
If you enjoyed reading my interview with Joe Cipriano a few weeks ago, you should check out the podcast interview with Joe done by Donna Papacosta. (Joe is such a great guy.)
And my thanks to Stephanie of Voices.com for pointing out this podcast interview on Vox Daily. (And in the comments section here as well.)
Several voices
Over at the Voicemarketer.com blog, Ryan has been interviewing up a storm, as it were. He has features just in the last few days with Chuck Buell, Lisa Lupari, Bob Michaels, and my friend Peter O’Connell.
Check them all out. And nice work, Ryan.
Interview 6, Philip Banks
The sixth interview in my on-going series with people I think you need to meet is with Philip Banks, a very talented gentleman as you can hear from his demos.
A big part of the reason I wanted to include Philip among my interview guests is because of the many valuable and insightful contributions he’s made to the Voiceover Bulletin Board, several of which I’ve highlighted previously on this blog. (Just search my blog archives on the word “Banks” to find them.)
My first question for Philip: You’ve been working in the voiceover field for well over a decade now. What did you do before? And what turned your attention in the direction of working as a voiceover talent?
Philip: I left Oxford University with a double first in Law and Economics and went to work in investment management. My last job was Investment Director for a Swiss Bank. In 1989 a good friend was changing jobs and she explained to me how the new commercial radio station for which she was going to work made its money and how radio commercials were produced. Purely for my own amusement I hired a recording studio and put together an audio montage of commercials, imaging, character voices and anything else that dropped into my mind. Phase II was to mail copies of this to anyone and everyone. I did my first paid Voice Over session on my 30th birthday and it’s been downhill every since. Went full-time pro in May 1992.
Follow-up question: So, was this interest in voiceover something that had been in the back of your mind from the time you were little or only developed as an adult?
Philip: I was born to do this. As the midwife slapped me on the behind a few seconds after my birth I growled “In a world where medicine and violence merge ….” Not much has changed since then except women now slap my face.
My second question for Philip: Since you’ve started your voiceover career, what turn of events has been the most surprising to you?
Philip: ISDN and working from home most of the time. Didn’t expect it, certainly would never have predicted [being] the voice of 3 major TV networks doing the biz from a “wee huttie” in Portgordon, Scotland. It does make me laugh when people say to me without a hint of irony, “It’s easy for you. I don’t have your local market!”
My third question: Have some things about working in voiceovers turned out about the way you expected? If so, what?
Philip: With apologies to anyone reading this who is just starting. Yes, the increasing flight to quality in the last few years. Talk to any producer or director and they will tell you that they are always looking for new voices but most of those who claim to be voiceovers are not able to do the job. The net result of this flood of new talent is that many who do the hiring are now getting a list together of the voices they need and then slamming the door shut.
My fourth question: Was there a specific experience that represented the turning point for you? That is, when you knew for sure things were going to work out well?
Philip: I went to a TV station to voice some promotions, my first time ever in such a place. VT rolled and the sound engineer took some level.
“Ah!” said Sian the producer, “you’ve done this before!”
My fifth question: How do you handle rejection?
Philip: I don’t, I’m not being rejected. Think of the number of productions in the world requiring a voice over, I don’t get MOST of them. Around 75% of the world’s population live off of less than $1 per day, so as a failure and a reject I do quite well.
My sixth question: Have you ever been cast for a voiceover job that you wondered whether you could pull it off?
Philip: Singing – Two hour session from hell. It worked, just.
My seventh question: Are there things you need to avoid in order to be successful?
Philip: Idol worship is one. If you catch yourself bowing at the altar of (INSERT THE VOICE OVER NAME HERE) then re-think where you are going. Having a degree of respect for other artists is good as long as that respect extends to everyone, especially yourself. When working, take doing well what you do seriously, but do not take yourself too seriously.
My eighth question: How do you define success?
Philip: Not being able to tell the difference between work time and play time. A couple of years ago I had a session booked for Best Buys at 7pm UK time. While we were all settling down the sound engineer in New York commented on his commute to work and the poor weather. One of the ad agency people who was somewhere else in the USA on a phone patch made a similar remark. I said that because I had about 30 minutes to kill before the session I’d been sat on the beach drinking tea – feel free to swear at me. They did!!
My ninth question: For the individual who has had some modest success (e.g.: a decent part-time income) from voiceover work, can you suggest some guidelines for deciding whether to take the leap to full-time voiceover work?
Philip: If you lost your full-time job tomorrow what would you do? If the answer is anything other than, “Well I’d give doing voice over work fulltime a try” then don’t jump. Including business expenses write down exactly how much you need to generate in fee income per year. Divide the number by 46 to give you a 46 week working year (6 weeks with no work). Divide the 46 by three to give a daily amount. OK, that’s what you need to earn 3 days per week, 46 weeks per year. Look at what you’ve done so far in your career and see how much your average session earns you and how many people you had to contact in order to get each session. Early in your career you have to play the numbers game, they’ll look something like this.
Average session = $100
Daily target 3 sessions at $100 = $300
Weekly target $300 per day 3 days per week = $900
Annual target $900 per week 46 weeks per year = $41,400
How many people did you have to contact to get 1 session?
You need to multiply that figure by 414 to find out where you start.
Is there an easy way? Yes, see above for details.
My thanks to Philip Banks for taking time from his schedule to answer these questions. As you can see, his advice is practical and direct. In other words, the very best sort. While I don’t idolize Philip (see his answer to my seventh question above) I do have the utmost respect for both his talent and his business acumen. You can find his website here.
Good advice no matter how old
With thanks to my friend Mary McKitrick, who posted this link on the Voiceover Bulletin Board, check out this interview with acting coach Larry Moss. Very good insights that stand up well 6 years after the interview was conducted.
And speaking of Mary, congratulations are in order. While her accomplishment isn’t directly connected to voiceover work, I have no doubt that the discipline and control she’s been learning in her classes are valuable for her work behind the microphone. Good for you, Mary. May you find much success in all parts of your life.
(edited to correct typo)