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Mary Morgan

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VO Atlanta 2018

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So this was my first time at VO Atlanta and much like my favorite VO blogger Paul Strikwerda whom I finally met in person, I freaking loved it!

Good heavens I seriously don’t even know where to start. The people I met, the sessions I attended, the knowledge I absorbed, and the inspiration shared by veterans of voice over is worth every single penny!!!

If you truly want to be part of this profession, then you should know there are serious investments involved. I’ve also met quite a few people who insult VO conventions because they want to get work from attending it. But it’s not about that, even though I met people who have been signed by agents and got work with visiting casting directors almost right after the convention. You attend to build relationships with working professionals and get to know your VO family and friends. They’re the ones who welcome anyone and everyone with open arms whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced talent. Egos are left behind as smiles and support flood the atmosphere.

I even brought some of my homemade macarons to share with guests!

The first day is nerve wracking for all of us, but once we’re all settled in and have our schedules in place people either go to an X-Session (a class of no more than 12 people that involves 3 hours of intense training and microphone time with a working pro, casting director or talent agent), or a breakout session (hearing advice, insights and helpful tips from pros who keep up with what’s current in the industry).

The only real downsides to the convention were not having enough money to buy an X-Session (unfortunately they have an extra fee), and having conflicts when one breakout session started at the same time as another.

There were VO specialists with decades of knowledge and experience giving discussions on video games, animation, audiobooks, automotive spots, radio imaging, narration, commercials, promos, elearning, automated dialogue replacement, and more. Agents and casting directors hosted panels for anyone wanting to ask questions about voice over and how they work with talent. A talent screening was held for anyone who wanted five minutes to audition for an agent or casting director. And last, a small exhibit hall displayed various products or advertised services for voice over actors.

For anyone totally new to voice over, this convention can be a bit stressful for the brain due to the endless amount of information passed around for four days. Even worse, the industry changes constantly and sometimes at the drop of a hat. If you can’t keep up, you may not last long. Time is money and no one likes to have their time wasted.

And as I mentioned before, there are serious investments which are not cheap. This means buying a sound booth (or adapting a space to record in like a closet or basement), or building your own (recording at home is not optional anymore and quality matters more than you may think), purchasing recording software, a proper microphone, an audio interface, subscribing to the latest technology that clients require for communication (Source Connect, Idptl, etc.), training nonstop with coaches who specialize in whatever genre interests you, then having a professional demo made (one per genre, never all on the same file). If you try producing a demo yourself with little or no experience you’ll ruin a first impression and won’t be forgotten for it. Don’t even think about ruling out marketing. No one is going to do it for you unless you pay good money. If you want to be taken seriously you need to find a brand for your voice and advertise your demos on a nice website (html is preferred, not flash). A pay 2 play site is optional (I only recommend Voice123 or Bodalgo and that’s it).

Then there’s the need to devote time to your craft. Many voice over talents have a second job to help pay bills while they’re building their career. With research you can find some good employment opportunities to fall back on that are flexible with VO.

Now don’t let despair override your enthusiasm. There’s room for possibilities if you look for them. And the convention does include some fun activities for those who need to unwind. On the third day there was a 70s theme party where everyone got dressed up and partied till close to dawn. I’m usually not crazy about parties but when surrounded by colleagues and friends I can easily let loose on the dance floor.

Now I’d like to briefly discuss the hotel itself. I’m told locations change now and then regarding the hotel of choice to hold the convention. I shared a room with two others which I highly recommend if you want to save costs. The room was nice and clean, the staff were helpful, but the restaurants were… not too great. Menu items are expensive, which is not unusual, but the service time was ridiculous. Perhaps the hotel was understaffed, or perhaps too many people attending the convention overcrowded the space. Whatever reasons, the hotel restaurant experience was unfavorable. Even worse, not everyone could afford to pay for a $22 breakfast buffet for 4 days straight. Some could not afford the $13 small Caesar salad every night. I knew of other restaurants close to the hotel but most took 15 minutes to walk to without a rental car (which I didn’t have). If you calculate the time to walk there, the unpredictable time it takes to get seated, then wait on your food, order, then eat and walk all the way back to the hotel, it can heavily affect your schedule throughout the day. With luck the convention did include some meals but not for each day which was unfortunate. If the rooms included kitchens I would have gladly cooked meals not just for myself but for friends as well since I love it. This is not to say it was a horrible hotel, far from it. But for anyone who isn’t used to staying hotels, prepare for the inconvenience of slow food service if attending conventions which are also held there.

Last to mention was the fourth and final day. The conference founder presented an inspiring speech, then gave out lots of great raffle prizes (one of which I won, was an hour marketing with a highly successful colleague), but what I remember most is something called the Unicorn Award. It’s an award reserved for people in VO who have experienced hardships and loss. More than 20 colleagues who included agents, casting directors, branding experts, marketing professionals, demo producers and so many others donated their services for free to one lucky individual who suffered due to disappointments in health or finances. Remember, it’s a tough industry! The person selected received all kinds of valuable help such as demo productions, agency representation for a whole year, marketing help, branding help, all from multiple, generous sources. That’s the other thing I love about my VO family and community. We can truly come together and support one another.

So, of all the VO conventions I’ve attended thus far, this is one of the best. If VO is your dream career goal and you want to learn all you can, consider attending VO Atlanta at least once. I network daily with other voice over talent as well as producers, directors, etc. Some great projects are in development to help others no matter where they are in voice over. Stay tuned for more posts in the future!

Voice Over and the importance of Marketing, Marketing, Marketing!

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This is a topic that goes on and on and on and on because there’s just too much information and commitment involved. Thus, it’s the reason why every year new books are published on the subject of marketing with hundreds of pages of new data collected.

Few people want to hear about it because it’s a lot of work. Finding names, emails, or phone numbers is one thing, but these days it’s not enough. With the internet you have a plethora of options to help in your quest of building a good client database. This means finding a company by name, and finding who’s the creative director, production director, casting director, audio director or producers in audio production. Then it’s finding a contact number or email for the specific name associated with one of the titles above, and putting together a clever introduction by phone or letter. If you choose the latter DO NOT use “Dear Sir or Madam”. That’s long gone and guarantees your note to the trash before the potential client can bother reading the next sentence. Remember folks, time is money in this industry. And don’t make your letter all about you:

“I’m a voice over. I’m the voice of this brand. I’m known for this and that, but I’ve also done this, this, this, this..”

Things have changed now and the absolute best way to get notice is to show you care about the client as a human being, not a prospective paycheck. Here’s where the research starts.

Let’s say you want to work in commercials; start by googling advertising companies in your area. Don’t search all over the country, start simple, the nearest city (even if its more than 150 miles away). You might start a search like this, for example: “advertising agencies” + Houston

As you can tell from the screenshot, you have some places to start, and that’s just one page. I experimented further by finding a company name: Adhere Creative.

Next, I want to find who’s in charge of creative direction or production. You can try googling such as: Adhere Creative, Creative Director; see what happens. You can also use LinkedIn which is a great way to find direct names to contact. Here’s another snip shot to show what I mean. I type the name of the company, then search under people associated with it. The first that comes up is a name with the profession of Executive Partner/Director of Marketing. Perfect! Alas, here’s where it’ll get tricky.

Here are your options:

Attempt to connect with the name on LinkedIn. Chances are they may not accept but you can try.
Call Adhere Creative and ask what’s the best way to get in touch with the name you’re looking to get in touch with. You might get a phone number, you might get an email, and you’ll more than likely get an answering machine. Either way, prepare how you want to present yourself and be sure to get to the point.
If you find an email address and prefer to use that instead of calling them then pay attention to all the info below before you send an email.

Try to find out what you can about the person you’re emailing. Don’t look at it as stalking, this is research. Let’s go back to the example on LinkedIn.

The name associated with Adhere Creative is Matt Lee (I don’t know this person. It’s just an example). I click on his page seeing there’s a summary of who he is, what he’s done, his knowledge and work experience. Browse the whole page, don’t skim. Is he part of any groups on LinkedIn? Yes: Social Media Marketing. Continue down the page and you notice he’s got an impressive resume of who he’s worked with in the past and present. He’s been a PR intern, a Digital Strategist, an Artist Manager, a Marketing Manager and now a Partner. This guy knows what he’s doing and has the background to prove it. What kind of skills have people endorsed him with? He’s a many of many talents! Contact information is usually only visible if you’ve managed to connect with the individual. But you can sometimes find websites, social media pages or birthdays. Lastly, does he care about anything outside advertising? Yes, he cares about arts and culture, children, poverty, and alleviation. Here’s a clue. He’s not just a busy executive, he’s a human being who cares about important causes.

Now, all that was a ton of work but it’ll do you wonders in the long run. When you email this person, you start with your introduction (this is an example only, NOT a template):

Dear Matt Lee,

Greetings (or Hello), my name is (insert your name here). I found your information through google and wanted to get in touch with you because I’m a voice over and I’d like to help with any upcoming projects that need a voice.

I’m stopping there because after that, it’s your job to put together a short paragraph acknowledging the person as a human being. “You have an impressive resume on LinkedIn”, or “I really enjoyed how thorough your summary is on LinkedIn” or “It’s mighty impressive that you’re a Partner at one of the coolest ad agencies in (insert city name)”.

(Continue praising their accomplishments for 2-3 more sentences, then get to the point of why you’re contacting him. What can you offer that would help him on future projects. Do you have a website? Referrals? Demos? A home studio? Don’t ask for a job, explain that you’re interested in being a service to them).

(Then end with how you’d love to discuss more of how you can help them as a Voice Over by including a good email address, or phone number and that look forward to hearing from them.)

Sincerely,
(Your name)

I know what you’re thinking. Good heavens that’s soooooo much work for one person and there are potentially hundreds of thousands of names in this ocean of advertising. Well guess what, that’s just one market. Do you want to work in animation? Audiobooks? Narration? Political ads? Video Games? Automotive? Radio Imaging? Promos? Elearning?

Pick the markets you want to be part of and spend 3-4 hours (or at the very least 1-2) a day finding companies associated with them. Create a LinkedIn page, try making connections there. Don’t treat it like Facebook or Twitter. I’m very, very strict with whom I accept as a connection on LinkedIn because it includes my contact info which is for business only. I only connect with Voice Over talent who share a certain list of names that I trust above all else. The rest are people who work in the markets that I’m interested in. Do you have a Facebook business page? If not, make one. But don’t turn it into a personal page. YouTube? Make a page there too. You never know when you may have a commercial, video game footage, narration clips, animation clips, or other samples to share (remember to get permission first unless the client has already posted on YouTube already). Twitter is an absolute must.

Social media is where it’s at my friends. You can find people easily and they can find you. If you don’t want to be on social media then clients can’t find you and they won’t be interested in hiring you.
I don’t advise posting anything political, judgmental or negative of any kind on your pages. It WILL come back on you. I’ve seen it happen more than enough times and it’s not pretty or pleasant. Look at what’s happened recently to actors like Kevin Spacey. He completed a movie that was scheduled to open in a month and after misbehaving was revealed online he was replaced by another actor who filmed all his scenes in less than 6 weeks. Years ago that would cost too much money and seem impossible. Now it’s not. Don’t jeopardize future opportunities!

Get to know potential clients as people first. Acknowledge and show respect for them and all they’ve done. Make it about them, not all about you. Be open to ideas and discussions. If they’re not interested, be courteous and wish them well.

Make 2018 your best year!

VO Negotiations

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It’s a new year now! This means more info, lots of upgrades to software, new bookings and a plethora of experiences to share, so let’s get started.

As a talent you always have rights. Having a talent agent negotiate on your behalf is terrific, but not everyone has an agent and a growing number of clients prefer to work with talent one-on-one instead since most have home studios to work from.

I encountered a new client who was GREAT to work with. But at first I was a little wary. Here’s why. She was inexperienced at hiring Voice Over talent and in the beginning wanted me to sign a highly unusual contract. Non-Disclosure Agreements are more than totally normal and even I admit that in the super early stages of my career I didn’t understand them very well. Since then I have matured significantly with quite a few clients able to vouch for my loyalty as well as professionalism. But this situation proved a bit freaky. It occurred to me that anyone new to VO reading my blog would need to know a few things before signing away their freedom.

My new client was a woman who self-published a book for young readers and wanted a narrator. By all means I was excited and honored. However, she said I had to sign an NDA that would include the following:

-Keeping quiet about the project and not sharing info about it on Social Media without permission.

-Committing to a 4-year warranty of re-recording the project in case the author faced legal issues of my voice sounding too much like a famous person (I’ll explain this below.)

-Agreeing to multiple retakes free of charge across a minimum of 90 days.

Now, I had major issues with 2 out of 3 of the rules above. Can you guess which ones?

Again, this person was new to hiring professional VO talent, so it was important to show patience as well as respect when it came to explaining of why I refused to sign the NDA.

First, I don’t know anyone in VO who has EVER signed a warranty of any kind that held them responsible for fixing recording files if their voice sounded like a celebrity. To see how I politely explained why it wasn’t necessary, fair warning; it’s long:

“There are many, many Voice Over talent who are hired to sound like famous people. Some make a great living off it. No voice no matter how alike they sound can be trademarked and no one can be sued. Please view the following from this website: https://secureyourtrademark.com/can-you-trademark/trademark-a-voice/

“If an impersonation misleads the listener to think they are hearing a real celebrity ‘endorsement’ (commercials, political ads) then the real celebrity can take legal action. Theories include appropriation of personality, and passing off to advertise a commercial product like a weight loss product, skincare, or jewelry. So, anything that suggests a celebrity endorsement, and/or derives some commercial advantage for it, should not be done. If the voice is clearly an imitation or parody, and not the actual celebrity, it doesn’t apply to legal worries. Nobody has a right to a specific voice, otherwise many people would have to go mute for their entire lives. Also, impersonators would be banned legally and there are more than enough who make a living doing so in Voice Over, in film, on TV (Saturday Night Live), on stage, or in person at carnivals, fairs or theme parks (Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, etc.). I know hundreds of clients who look for voice overs who can sound like Morgan Freemen, Sigourney Weaver, Scarlett Johansson and others because they can’t afford to pay 6 or 7 figures to hire the celebrities themselves. In some movies voice overs are hired to come in to record a few lines or vocal reactions if the producers can’t arrange for the lead actor to come back for retakes. In animated movies there are some occasions when celebrities don’t want to make exertion noises (screams, sighs, dialogue while running, funny sounds, and so on), because they were unable to make them sound authentic. And don’t forget about characters who sing. Few celebrities can hold a tune in an animated show or movie, so they hire singers who have the same vocal quality to sing for the character instead. Need examples? Look up the singing voices for Aladdin and Jasmine, then look up the voice actors who spoke the dialogue. That’s just one example out of hundreds. Here’s another, remember classic film versions of musicals like The King and I, My Fair Lady, or West Side Story? Believe it or not, the lead actresses in those films didn’t do their own singing for the musical numbers. Producers hired a “Ghost Singer” to perform the songs and the actors lip synced them. I kid you not. Google Marni Nixon and you’ll learn more about this amazing woman who many never knew was the singing voice for a number of leading ladies in musicals and as well as dubbing their voices occasionally on film.

“As long as they don’t say ‘I’m Morgan Freeman and I endorse this movie/message/product’ then they’re safe. There is not copyright or trademark right to a voice.

Having said that, phrases associated with characters, real or fictional, may be legally protected such as ‘Hasta La Vista Baby’ (Arnold Schwarzenegger), or ‘Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!’ (Michael Buffer, wrestling and boxing announcer). But if your dialogue is your own for a product or your story, you’re safe.”

The client read my email, was fully impressed and agreed to remove the warranty part out.

Then, instead of the 90-day agreement to record retakes of lines as needed, I agreed to a specific time frame. The product was scheduled for release near the end of January, so between now and then I offered retakes free of charge but only for a couple of times. If the client goes over the limit of 5-10 (depends of length of project) then I’ll have to charge for my time. Remember it’s not just the voice over, it’s the editing too. I’m not sharing the price I negotiated because that’s a personal matter that’s going to be different for everyone. The factors that weigh in are my experience, my use of equipment, my time, and the use of my voice for a paid product.

It all worked out and the client was very happy.

So ALWAYS ask questions when it comes to contracts and NDAs. Know your rights as a VO talent. Research all you can. Study blogs, visit forums, browse message boards, look at social media pages on voice overs (FB groups, LinkedIn groups, etc.) and ask for advice from other talent you find. If you have more questions, consider this book by attorney/voice artist Robert Sciglimpaglia: https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Over-LEGAL-Robert-Sciglimpaglia-ebook/dp/B00998J7JO

Happy 2018!!

Kindness and Respect, You Need Both

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I know, I know this is nothing new, I’ll admit that. But lately I’m asked by lots clients to help find VO for projects which I’m happy to do. However, it reminds me of certain people whom I keep on a list. These people are either pros, intermediates or even beginners. When I started out, many were helpful and encouraging, yet there were also those who happened to be quite established and turned their noses up at me, sometimes literally upon introduction. When I asked acquaintances why these pros treated me in such a way, they listed a few reasons:

  1. I acted too nice.
  2. I seemed desperate.
  3. I’m talented enough to be a competitive threat to them.

Quite a few people I’ve met don’t like to acknowledge that I have feelings. But it is how it is. Since then, I’m still being polite but not over the top. I don’t try to seem desperate, but I still try to network with those who reject me. I know I can’t please everyone when it comes to friendship because some have high standards and I don’t fit the bill. But most importantly, I refuse to tease or badmouth other talent which I’ve seen not only at recording sessions but at conventions too. Such lack of respect towards anyone no matter where they are in life is a mark on my list of why I don’t plan to contact that person if a client needs me to help with casting.

There was a time when I sought to be part of such a group. By spending time with certain VO talent I began to find myself slipping into the same bad habits they exhibited such as playing demos of people who wanted to be voice overs and making fun of them, even taunting the fact that “they’ll never work here”.  I’ve heard many, MANY bad demos and that’ll never stop. However, I’m someone who knows what it’s like to have a dream, and have others make fun of me even while I’m standing or sitting in front of them for wanting to make it happen (the “others” being industry people like casting directors, producers, directors, etc.), instead of giving me advice on ways to improve. It’s unnecessary and a form of cruelty. Now to be honest, there’s very little time to answer all emails or messages to give advice. That’s understandable. But making fun of someone with dreams is wrong. In the past I would occasionally ask for advice and get a lot, a little, or nothing. FYI: the best advice I’ve gotten isn’t free. I try to be generous on my blog and in person now and then. Sometimes the advice is so simple such as: attend workshops, join groups, practice reading aloud for 20 minutes each day. This is respect and kindness to those who have dreams. I encourage you to chase them and make them happen. I won’t supply names and emails or phone numbers, that’s work that must be done on your own. Making connections is what builds a career!

As you all know, not much in the entertainment industry comes for free.

At conventions I’ve seen some a well-known VO talent try to make extra money by selling a 15-page brochure printed on cheap paper on how to get into voice over, I kid you not. Having glanced at it, I think it’s not even worth a $1. This actor was selling his booklets at $10-$20! Save your money and just Google for VO blogs, or join online groups and find info for free! Not only that, a growing number of both colleagues and friends have said he’s arrogant and extraordinarily egotistical. In front of fans he’s adoring and takes enormous pride in being the center of attention. This can eventually backfire. There’s really no excuse to treat others like they’re beneath you. None whatsoever.

That’s part of why I’m writing this post. Be careful how you behave with people anytime, anywhere. You never know if that person may become someone highly respected in the entertainment industry and remembers how you treated them.  I haven’t forgotten the names or the faces of those who tossed me aside or laughed at my face or badmouthed my name to others because of insecurity, because I’m not famous or elite in their eyes or because I wouldn’t do what they wanted (sharing phone numbers or emails of clients). One person went so far as to complain about me on social media when I refused something he wanted of me. Almost a year later I put a notice out to the VO community last week for a casting opportunity and this person has the nerve to ask me to submit their information. Would I really waste my client’s time submitting a talent who has zero respect for others? Think about it. This person gets angry when things don’t go his way. Suddenly he assumes it’s still okay to ask for more. Their attitude doesn’t just reflect badly on them, but badly on me too if I submit them. I’ve worked too darn hard to develop an honest, hardworking reputation, and one recommendation could jeopardize everything I’ve spent years creating. See?

An individual moved from his home state to another because he wanted to be an anime star. Yet unfortunately, he didn’t want to acknowledge the rules involved with submissions. He created a demo on his own that was poorly made. I don’t know if the person had any acting training at all or even a good resume. Instead of sending his materials by mail and moving on, he showed up in person (A BIG NO! A lot of production companies don’t like unsolicited requests in person) multiple times and was forced to leave. It got so bad that security locks were placed on the doors to keep out unwanted guests. Over time the individual developed a MASSIVE negative attitude.

I get it. Rejection sucks. It’s awful, and it hurts. But on one fateful day at a convention his attitude got the best of them. During a panel he questioned some VO talent on why he wasn’t being called to do any work with the company. Others in the room listened as the panelists explained that it all comes down to luck, hard work, talent and luck. Instead of saying thank you and leaving it be, the individual pressed further that he deserved to be part of the company. The last piece of ignored advice was to be patient and always keep a good attitude. Alas, after the panel, the person assaulted one of the VO guests. He is not only blacklisted from the anime company for life, he is blacklisted from conventions for the entire state. I have no idea what became of him. But the situation is very sad because it could have been avoided. I was still in the early learning phase of my VO journey when I learned about this person. I’ve since used it as a reminder and an example of what a bad attitude will lead to. Some tell me I’m crazy to feel sorry for him, but the fact is I have no idea what his life was like before all this. Was he bullied as a kid? Does he have undiagnosed disabilities? At the same time, if I came across this individual face to face, I’d avoid him like the plague. Apparently, he has a record of behaving inappropriately at many conventions, thus succeeding at only one thing: becoming infamous. And now when his name comes up in conversations in person and even online, it’s with disdain.

Keep this phrase in mind when pursuing any dream in life: Fame can last 15 minutes, but infamy lasts much longer.

You never know who you might meet in the world and where they might end up later in life. Would you rather people remember you as someone creative and supportive, or egotistical and stubborn

Reasons why Voice Over can be hard work

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Please forgive me for such a long delay. October is my busiest month, not just for voice over but for my other careers. I am a severe workaholic, but I’ll my best to keep up with posting every 1-2 weeks.

So for today’s post, as always, please read but keep an open mind. The information here is based on my own experiences and that of some of my colleagues and friends. I don’t speak for everyone. And don’t let what I have to say discourage you from your VO journey. My only goal here is to share knowledge.

“I’m a Voice Over and I feel like I haven’t worked a day in my life.” When I first started in VO, a teacher actually said those words at the beginning of the workshop. Looking back, I would have started laughing out loud if I knew then what I know now.

To my knowledge this person is still using that phrase as she/he continues teaching waaaaayyyy more than actually performing VO. It also doesn’t help that more than too many have little to nothing good to say about the person as a talent.

Why won’t I say their name? I keep it confidential on this blog because it’s really unprofessional and quite tacky to denounce a person so publicly. It’s also slander, which is wrong. You’re going to encounter lots of people like that, though. If you do, here are signs to watch out for:

  1. A demo is guaranteed after the workshop: The majority of those working in VO frown at this, especially if you’re just starting out. It’s not recommended these days. However, I’ve seen posts now and then that pop up where a demo is offered as credit for attending a workshop. But before considering, you must do your research on the producer. Listen to audio samples if any are available. Ask opinions of fellow VO talent.
  2. They coached “big name” talent but have nothing to show for it. I knew a woman who liked to boast on her website that she coached American Idol finalists, the Dixie Chicks and others, yet she had no proof. She also claimed to be a jack-of-all-trades, yet again, where’s the proof?
  3. They put down other VO talent and producers openly then insist only they know the business while trying to sell marketing materials. Or, they say, “I normally charge this much, but for you I’ll only charge this.” If it’s too good to be true, trust me, it is. Ask questions, lots of them. If the so-called coach/demo producer gets impatient or frustrated or gives shady answers, those are major red flags. Don’t ignore them!

Voice Over isn’t easy. When you find your niche it becomes more comfortable because you develop skill and confidence. But there are still jobs that require hours of using your voice, or taking direction from others. If the latter takes too long, it won’t look good on you. Directors don’t want to hire someone who doesn’t instantly take direction. Never ever forget, time is money. You’ll be reading this a great deal in my blog because it’s brutal honesty.

People who to this day still go around teaching the idea that as a VO they feel like they’ve never worked a day in their life is a false teacher. Beware of them!

VO is wonderful and yes it’s great fun, but there is in fact work involved that quite a few people don’t realize.

Please bear with me. The list is examples of what I’ve seen and experienced. Not everyone will say the same.

Here’s why VO can be hard work:

  1. If doing video game work you might be screaming for hours which means you’ll be hoarse for days or possibly weeks.
  2. If doing animation you might be required to voice 3, 4, or 5 different characters that MUST NOT sound the same.
  3. You could be in a small booth for 3-4 hours at a time.
  4. If reading audiobooks you must have a good flow with the words, understand where and when to take breaths and make the characters stand out without sounding cartoonish (unless it’s a kids book)
  5. Recording a commercial? Do you know the product? The intended audience? The right words that make the meaning of the copy standout to listeners? How to sound natural and believable instead of like an announcer?
  6. If doing an elearning project can you sound engaged with the copy given to you without sounding bored out of your mind?
  7. Can you build a good space to record at home with? Do you have a website to showcase your demos?
  8. You’re reading a commercial that involves an energetic pace. Can you record a number of variations while keeping the energy high for multiple takes?
  9. Do you understand recording software? Audio gear? Working on both PC and Mac?
  10. Do you understand microphone technique? Editing? Adjusting the gain on your audio interface?
  11. Are you prepared to dedicate time to marketing EVERYDAY? Are you prepared to keep up with all the current events in VO?

I could keep going, seriously I could. But I’d probably wear you out. Here’s the point. VO is something you do out of passion, without expecting guarantees. If a teacher brags about living the good life because they barely have to do anything except talk into a microphone then they’re scam artists. Chances are they make more money convincing others to take their VO workshops and then telling them they’re ready to have demos made after one lesson.

Do your homework. If you find a name look up everything you can find. They’re experts at animation or video games do they have an IMDb page? If they’re known for commercials do they have a website with demos? If they’re experts at audiobooks are they listed as narrators on Audible.com? Are they on LinkedIn? Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? YouTube? Do they share connections with well known VO people?

Research and research some more! Be careful out there!

Embrace the Art of Learning Voice Over

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Patience is a virtue often underrated due to a fast-paced society we live in. People want to be famous right now so that others will grovel at their feet and pay money to see them at a convention. They want to be rich so that they never have to get a 9 to 5 job or splurge on ridiculous luxuries. The list goes on of course.

However, if everything happened quickly, how would you handle the consequences of what comes after?

Quite a few celebrities are dealing with harsh realities nowadays of getting heavily in debt due to their overspending and poor decision making. Some have turned to taking roles in B, C and D movies just to make money. Audiences used to glorify their names in movies, and now they taunt them on the internet and in Cards Against Humanity. At the same time, if the celebrity is happy to perform in poorly received films, then so be it. Let them use the sources that work to pay their debts.

Back to us, though; what’s wrong with learning? Here’s what people have shared with me so far.

It’s expensive. Think of college. A great number of people are still paying off their college tuition. Some say college is worth it, others say it isn’t. For actors, it depends on what you want out of your life. Not everyone who went to Julliard made it big. I’ve even met a few who flat out told me it wasn’t worth it. But what I found myself asking was, what did they want out of it? An immediate job in a Broadway play? An invite to audition to for Steven Spielberg? Or an education at one of the finest performing institutes in the world?

Time. Some of us are late bloomers. Including myself. Who cares? I may not make it as a romantic leading lady in a Hollywood film like Jennifer Lawrence, but I don’t care because it’s not something I want. I’d rather be a highly respected performer like Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, or Helen Mirren. They’ve been working steadily for years and age hasn’t stopped them. As I’ve grown in my career I’ve discovered that my interest in performing is also awakening my interest in being creative elsewhere: writing, producing, maybe directing, maybe even game design. These days rather than realize that the clock is ticking as an actor and a VO, I’m looking to expand my horizons. How do I do this? NETWORKING! I’m getting to know all kinds of people in other areas of entertainment like music composers, game designers, coders, writers, producers, directors, and on and on. I don’t look at who is more likely to get my foot in the door, but more of what can I learn from their experience. If I die before accomplishing any of my dreams, I can at least look back and know that I tried and hopefully inspire other generations to do the same. Morgan Freeman is a great example. He’s been acting since he was a child, but believe it or not, he didn’t get full recognition until he was in his 40s-50s. He didn’t stop learning and didn’t stop believing in himself.

 It’s hard work, all of it. Wouldn’t it be great to have a mother, father, aunt, uncle, cousin, brother or sister or grandparent working in this industry? They could open doors in a heartbeat. A lot of times they do. But even that can backfire. One actress I know of has a terrific fan base, has close to one hundred thousand followers on Twitter and worked on incredible projects. Yet her ticket in was through her brother because of how established he was in the industry. This actress has earned her place with respect due to proven talen; at the same time, it’s not surprising to see quite a few trolls on the internet blasting the fact that she got in through nepotism. But folks, that’s life. It’s not going to change, ever! Get over it! You can spend hours on the internet griping about a situation you can’t control or move on and work on YOUR potential success, if you want it. If it takes a long time, then embrace the journey. Acknowledge how far you’ve come. In the end people will admire you for it and look up to you instead of bashing your name on forums for getting in through nepotism. Read books, take Udemy courses, watch tutorials on YouTube, attend workshops, listen to podcasts, audition for plays, be an extra in movies, TV and film, get to know ALL kinds of people, even production assistants! Take criticism with a grain of salt and move forward with the promise of continuing to learn. You might surprise yourself with results.

Now, I’m blunt in my posts nowadays because this business is blunt. It’s unfair, it’s ruthless, it’s not for the faint of heart, it’s tough to break into, but also, not impossible. It depends on you. If you don’t make it on Hollywood, make it happen in hometown. YouTube is all the rage now. Even celebrities have YouTube pages just to keep up with what’s current in the world. Make a short film, sing a cover version of a well-known song, open your mind and be creative with your skills.

At the same time, expect criticism and trolls because they’re everywhere and not going away. If some people give you genuine, helpful advice, take it! If others put you down, shrug your shoulders and move on.

***This post was written last Friday which also was the day I received some devastating news in the VO community. A “Pay To Play” site known as Voices dot com bought Voicebank. I don’t want to go into the subject too much but if you need to read more about this and why it’s bad news then start by visiting these sites:

http://www.nethervoice.com/2017/08/09/a-deal-with-the-devil/

https://tomdheere.com/voiceovers-voice-bank-and-voices-dot-com-the-not-silent-blog-81517/

http://www.bryansaint.com/voices-com-reviews-major-update/

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