Getting started in Voiceover

Voice123.com is presenting their first Saturday Webinar today, with Nancy Wolfson and Anna Vocino. They’re about to get underway and I’ll do my best to present the information discussed in this webinar as we go along. Together Nancy and Anna have a business called Break Into Voice Over.

The webinar is titled The Power of YOU, Inc. …Work Your Brand to Get More Work. (All time references are Eastern US time.)

1:12 PM – A few technical difficulties have led to a bit of a late start. But, we’re now under way. Nancy begins with a bit of background on her approach to training, specifically her concentration on helping each talent discover their own unique brand.

1:15 PM – What is Break Into Voice Over? Using our skills and connections to help your career. Demystify the VO business. Why creative people must act like business people. Increase opportunities to make money at voiceover work. What you need to know about branding.

1:18 PM – Four must haves of our VO Business Plan – 1. Education 2. Inventory. 3. Marketing 4. Means of Distribution. If this seems kind of strange, a business focused, goal oriented way of looking at things rather than talking about acting technique. If we concentrate on performance skills rather than understanding the styles that are actually selling, we can end up with lots of skill, but not work.

1:20 PM – Your demo needs to be “so you.” It has to accurately reflect who you really are. Commercial demos need to be first, and only after we’re starting to book significant work should be branch out into secondary and other demos like animation, character, trailers, etc.

1:22 PM – Consistent graphical content, avoiding corny and over used images like microphones and mouths, that reflects who you really are needs to be everywhere. Web site. CD cover. Business cards. Etc.

1:25 PM – It’s important to focus on the first four points (at time reference 1:18 PM above) and do them in order. Train. A Great Demo. Consistent, accurate marketing. Professional quality home studio, high speed Internet service, web site and other tools.

1:28 PM – One major key to branding your voice is to be narrowly focused, especially at first. Like a hot knife through butter, we need to cut through the clutter to “you” as distinct from anyone else on the voiceover landscape. There isn’t a single “sound” that is the accepted voiceover sound anymore. Because everyone and her cousin can now seek work in voiceover.

1:30 PM – Even if you’re talented enough to do all kinds of things, there’s already others who can do each of those things better than you. Everyone is a unique fusion of experiences, genetics and relationships; and if we can present ourselves as that unique “me”. Being versatile isn’t a distinctive position.
1:34 PM – With national, well known brands, the distinctives of the content (e.g.: Heinz and Hunts catsup actually have different formulas for the amount of vinegar and sugar) are demonstrated in the way the packages are designed.

1:36 PM – So, our graphics need to reflect who we really are and who we actually sound. Thus highlighting our distinctive difference from anyone else in the voiceover business.

1:38 PM – The graphics, demo and presentation do have to match, otherwise we’re undermining ourselves in the process. But, by having everything lined up and consistent, we multiply the power of what we’re doing.

1:40 PM – What do we use to Brand? You and your experiences. Your likes and dislikes. Your demographics including age, place where you grew up, etc. Key questions like “how would your Mom describe you?”, etc.

1:44 PM – Branding Blackjack: What is your “up” card and what is your “down” card? (e.g.: Brad Garrett is such a funny, goofy guy for someone with such a big, deep voice.) Question to examine, how is who I am distinctive from how I look?

1:49 PM – Check out the pairs of voices at this link, which is what we’re comparing and contrasting right now. In each case, the pairs are similar enough they wouldn’t likely be listed on the same agents’ rosters, but distinctive branding sets them apart.

1:53 PM – Good branding makes it easier to book work because it helps agents and clients understand who you are and what you can do. Branding also makes the point to those who make advertising that you understand how advertising and marketing works.

1:57 PM – Places to go and things to do. Register your domain name now! You can listen to lots of examples of other great demos at voicebank.net and Nancy’s site. Also check out the FAQ section while you’re there on Nancy’s site.

2:02 PM – Nancy and Anna are interviewing agents, casting directors, animation directors, and producers for a series of MP3 recordings that will be available at Break Into Voice Over in the near future.

2:06 PM – First question was about catching the eye of those who cast. Graphics have to be first quality or we will communicate that we’re small time, even if we’re not.

2:08 PM – Second question. What are the first 5 things to do for someone new? Look above at the list of the first 4 things. Plus, we have to Available, Affable, and Able. (Clarifying this last point, you have to be able to deliver once you’re in the studio!)

2:11 PM – Third question was about versatility for those already with an agent. Narrow branding is still vital, because it helps the agent get you work.

2:15 PM – Everyone’s situation is unique, which is why Nancy recommends studying privately with her to focus on branding, so that the branding efforts can concentrate on what is unique about you.

2:19 PM – How much does it cost? The answers are in the Break Into Voice Over web site in the MP3 teleseminar for sale there, but bottom line, about $5000.00 if starting from scratch.

Thanks to Nancy, Anna and Voice123.com for an excellent webinar!
(Update: All typos and grammar errors are mine and will be corrected as soon as I can get to them.)

If you’ve been reading this blog over the last several weeks, you know that I think very highly of Nancy Wolfson. Indeed, I’m currently studying with her.

I’ve previously mentioned that there is a Voice123.com sponsored webinar with Nancy taking place tomorrow at 1:00 PM Eastern (10:00 AM Pacific). You may still be able to register by clicking here. This webinar is free, as have all of Voice123.com’s webinars.

And on Monday, you have a chance to dig deeper, if you’re willing to invest $49.00, in a teleseminar called Acting for Advertising. You will gain more than $49.00 worth of insight. The class will begin at 9:00 PM Eastern (6:00 PM Pacific) on Monday. Go to BreakIntoVoiceover.com to register.

Update: As you’ll see if you read the comments below, Voices.com is sponsoring the teleseminar on Monday evening. Kudos to them for helping us gain more insights into this business of voiceover. I’ve signed up for both of these opportunities. I hope you have, too.

Nancy Wolfson and Anna Vocino are going to host a free Webinar through Voice123.com on Saturday, May 5, 2007. The focus will be on how to work your brand to get more voiceover work. Sign up to be one of the 1000 who get to listen in and watch live by clicking here.

You can get more information about Nancy and Anna and their teleseminars, here.

My friend Mary McKitrick doesn’t write a post to her blog every day, but when she does post what she writes is always worth reading. Her comments about What You Want Versus What You Need As a Student of Voiceover is a superb example of wisdom and thoughtfulness.

There may be reasons someone would want to attend a large conference like VOICE other than those Mary has dealt with in her post, but whatever those reasons are, they need to be based on both thought and feelings. At least, if you want to be sure that your voiceover business (you do realize it’s a business, right?) shows a consistent profit.

Good words, Mary. Thank you for writing. Even more, thank you for making me think.

DB Cooper, voiceover talent and hostess of the VO-BB.com, gave a brilliant presentation at the VOICE 2007 conference on doing voiceover work for video games.

Stephanie, over at Vox Daily, has done a superb job of summarizing Deirdre’s presentation. This completes my series of posts about the presentations at VOICE 2007. I’ll have more stories to share with you in the coming days. And, I’m indebted to Stephanie and her team for their great work documenting all that happened in Las Vegas. But, let me close this post with these thoughts.

The experience of VOICE 2007 was amazing on at least 2 levels. On the one hand, we had a chance to learn from, meet and interact with some of the very top people in our voiceover profession. Rodney Saulsberry. Bob Bergen. MJ Lallo. Frank Frederick. James Alburger and Penny Abshire. Connie Terwilliger. Deb Monroe. Pat Fraley. Don LaFontaine. Just to name a few.

In addition, we got to spend a week sharing time, conversation and relationships with over 200 people who are just like us, voiceover freaks. After spending years living and working in small padded rooms, modified closets and basements, converted bedrooms and the like; to be able to be with so many people who understand, well, that was nothing short of amazing. I’ll let you know about VOICE 2008 as soon as I know. And I hope you’ll be there, too. I’ll do everything I can to be there, where and when ever “there” is.

Philip Banks has backed up the bus and unloaded another batch of gems from his fertile brain over at the VO-BB.com. You’ll find the thread he started here. Meanwhile, for your elucidation…

1 – Sit still you’re not an 8 year old! Decide now – Voice over or fidget!
2 – Conducting your read will only help if the copy writer was inspired by Henry Mancini and this version is not for radio but is the full orchestral version.
3 – Close mic is not a technique, the engineer put a pop shield in front of it to encourage you to keep your distance – Take the hint.
4 – When traveling to an audition advise the bus driver and your journey will be free.
5 – There’s money to be made from that movie trailer voice as Don la Fontaine has a vacancy for a pool boy.
6 – If it says 30 seconds at the top of the script and you take longer than 30 seconds to read it, remind the agency creative that although the weather is great in LA a sundial is not the best way to time a piece of copy.
7 – Mouth noise can be avoided by not saying anything.
8 – Most successful Voice Actors have both essential elements, a voice and acting ability. A good “pre” replaces neither.
9 – ISDN is a thing of the past, so is making a living. If you need the second then the first is probably a good idea.
10 – The best voice over agent in the world is easy to spot as he commutes to work on a Unicorn.
11- Most copy interpretation is about “mood” and repeat business results from you staying in a good one.
12 – In a session, the director’s jokes are always funny and your anecdotes are for too long.
13 – When someone asks your price for a job ensure he wants “your price” and is not hoping you are able to guess how much he is prepared to pay.
14 – If you think as a Voice talent that you’ve arrived, then bear in mind that to have arrived you must have reached the end of the road.
15 – Before every low budget session eat a bar of chocolate, drink a cup of coffee and smoke a cigarette.
15 ½ – To make $250,000 Per Anum as a Voi.

The Psychology of Voiceover was the presentation given by James Alburger and Penny Abshire at VOICE 2007. Stephanie has done an excellent job of summarizing their presentation over at Vox Daily.

And so does my friend Brian Haymond. He uses an interesting, and quite powerful metaphor in his blog post about Relationships. Take a few minutes to read. I think you’re be glad you did. You’ll be even more glad if you put his suggestions into practice.

My thanks to Peter O’Connell for pointing out this article today about VOICE 2007 at Backstage.com. Very nice.

It’s been an amazing 2 days so far. We began on Tuesday evening with an opportunity to meet and greet one another. While I’m naturally a rather shy and introverted person, I actually really enjoyed these 3 hours. It was truly a joy to meeting, in person, so many of the friends I’ve made through the Internet, in particular through the VO-BB.com. And to make a number of new friends as well.

If you haven’t been involved in voiceover work for very long, you may not have realized this yet, but unlike most other kinds of performance work; voiceover is filled with tremendously nice, helpful people. So, it’s a sheer joy to meet and talk with so many nice human beings in one place. There are about 200 voiceover talents, ranging from “not even hardly started” to “working professionals,” gathered here in Las Vegas. And it has been one amazing time, with so much to learn it feels like I’m trying to drink from a fire hose. I think a lot of us feel this way. But, it’s still a wonderful feeling.

I’ll add further updates to this and one or two more posts about this conference in the next couple of days. But, please believe me, you are not going to want to miss this event next year. Discussions are under way about where to hold it, so there’s a good chance it won’t be in Las Vegas next time. But, where ever it is, you need to be there. I know I will.

VOICE2007 is nothing short of amazing. Hopefully I’ll have some photos and plenty of stories to tell in the next few days, but for right now I must get some sleep! You should be here. And I sure hope you’ll plan to make the trip next year. And this has only been the first day!