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jessicawachsman
Joined: 24 Dec 2008
Posts: 3
Location: New York
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 Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 10:49 am Post subject: Voices.com posting insisting on non watermarked auditions |
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Does anyone take issue with the recent posting on voices.com where the client says:
"NO GENERIC SAMPLES - Just CUSTOM FULL reads with NO watermarks. As we will use the winning VO direct for the add. There will be no need to re-record the VO after. Winner will receive payment within 1-5 working days. Please state your bid on the VO."
(The job, which is a radio spot rate is $500-$750)
I brought this to voices.com's attention, and told them that NO ONE should be allowed to have a posting demanding that voice talent post non watermarked auditions.
Voices.com responded that I have the option to respond or not respond to the audition, blah blah blah.
Voices.com "watches out" for the voice talent by making sure that the voice seeker has at least $100 to spend on the voice talent, but they have no problem if the voice talent are forced to post nonwatermarked auditions, in order to be considered for a job? Even the most honest person in the world would be tempted to use a nonwatermarked demo for broadcast!
I'm REALLY put off by this. 
Voices.com told me that I'm the only one who complained. If you're with me, please let me know, and also please let voices.com know!! |
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ccpetersen
With a Side of Awesome
Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 3708
Location: In Coherent
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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So, tell me again who Voices.com is actually working for?
Let's see if I've got this right: at some level you PAY as a voice talent to belong to Voices.com (to get the "good" service, I assume). So, doesn't them make you THEIR client? Shouldn't they be serving YOU and YOUR needs? And yet, it would appear that the talent is made to pay, but the seekers can have their way free? At the expense of the talent...
How does this work again? And why would anybody PAY to be messed with like this?
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Hasser
Contributore Level V
Joined: 16 Dec 2005
Posts: 182
Location: Kelowna, BC Canada
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 1:31 pm Post subject: Re: Voices.com posting insisting on non watermarked audition |
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| jessicawachsman wrote: | I'm REALLY put off by this.
Voices.com told me that I'm the only one who complained. If you're with me, please let me know, and also please let voices.com know!! |
You are definitely NOT the only person who complained Jessica. I did right away when the job was posted
and received a reply back early this morning from Laurynda Pasma, Product Development Manager. Apparently,
this client has posted many times in the past and Voices.com has never received a non payment complaint.
I will email her in a moment and suggest she follow up on this with the client to ensure a voice talent was indeed selected - and paid.
Enquiring minds want to know 
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"Shaken, not stirred. Spoken, not slurred."
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Deirdre
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Joined: 10 Nov 2004
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Location: Camp Cooper
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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Man, that is dangerous road.
It's practically begging to get your work stolen. And how would you ever know, if it's out of your market?
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Moe Egan
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Zactly.
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Drew
King's Row
Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 1118
Location: Tumbleweed Junction, The Republic of North Texas
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| ccpetersen wrote: | So, tell me again who Voices.com is actually working for?
Let's see if I've got this right: at some level you PAY as a voice talent to belong to Voices.com (to get the "good" service, I assume). So, doesn't them make you THEIR client? Shouldn't they be serving YOU and YOUR needs? And yet, it would appear that the talent is made to pay, but the seekers can have their way free? At the expense of the talent...
How does this work again? And why would anybody PAY to be messed with like this? |
Now, stop that! You're making too much sense.
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David Swinehart
Contributor III
Joined: 11 Feb 2009
Posts: 90
Location: Kansas City, MO
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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Definitely not alone... I saw the same posting and went racing for the "delete" button. Deirdre's right on - responding to the job was just asking for trouble.
Too bad you're getting the canned non-response from voices.com. Kindly remind them who's paying their bills - it ain't the job posters. 
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David Swinehart
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Jeffrey Kafer
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Joined: 09 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, producers and talent are both their clients. They have to keep producers happy or there won't be any work for the clients. Balance.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com |
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Deirdre
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Joined: 10 Nov 2004
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Location: Camp Cooper
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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Balance in this case would be for this client to pay all the respondents for the audio, and the ones who aren't chosen can return the money.
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todd ellis
A Zillion
Joined: 02 Jan 2007
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Location: little egypt
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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cooper shoots ... she SCORES!!!!
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Drew
King's Row
Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 1118
Location: Tumbleweed Junction, The Republic of North Texas
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Deirdre wrote: | | Balance in this case would be for this client to pay all the respondents for the audio, and the ones who aren't chosen can return the money. |
I tend to agree. It's tantamount to approaching a skunk and saying, "Here, kitty, kitty." Kinda stinks. And who's gonna pay for all that tomato juice?
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Tom Test
DC
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Posts: 629
Location: Chicago, IL
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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Personally, I deleted this listing straight away. I do think producers have the right to ask for no watermarking - it must be annoying to listen to. But they do so knowing that some talent won't accept that proposition.
What sent up a red flag for me was the insistence that the auditioners read the FULL script. Now I can see asking for no watermarking - to reduce the annoyance factor - talent can still protect themselves by deleting a line, or slightly altering the copy (e.g., not reading a phone number). But no watermarking AND a full script read just leaves me too vulnerable, hence the immediate deletion.
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Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4931
Location: Location, Location!
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Deirdre wrote: | | Balance in this case would be for this client to pay all the respondents for the audio, and the ones who aren't chosen can return the money. |
I wasn't justifying this producers position, I was refuting the general argument of "We are the ones who pay, so we're the only client".
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com |
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David Swinehart
Contributor III
Joined: 11 Feb 2009
Posts: 90
Location: Kansas City, MO
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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| JeffreyKafer wrote: | | I wasn't justifying this producers position, I was refuting the general argument of "We are the ones who pay, so we're the only client". |
Jeff - You're right. I get that the "online marketplaces" have to cater to both - the talents that pay the bills and the producers who provide the marketplace. I think I just get tired of paying talent getting the brush-off when they raise a legitimate concern. The frustration is really just about poor service.
I suppose if it were the other way around, there might be some producer ranting on another BBS about how voices.com wouldn't let him post his project the way he wanted...
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David Swinehart
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Kinetic Sound Labs |
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ccpetersen
With a Side of Awesome
Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 3708
Location: In Coherent
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| Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| JeffreyKafer wrote: | | Actually, producers and talent are both their clients. They have to keep producers happy or there won't be any work for the clients. Balance. |
Then maybe producers need to have some skin in the game in order to balance the playing field. If they were paying for some service at the site, maybe it would make some sense. I still think that if somebody takes MY money to render ME a service, that those who don't pay for the service shouldn't somehow end up with a better position. It just feels like talent is being asked to pay to be treated like crap.
I'm also a producer (although I don't use Voices.com or any other P2P site), but when I use an agent's services, I don't expect them to hose over their client (who is surrendering some percentage of the fee to pay the agent) to make ME happy. I expect professional services from all involved. I know, I'm weird that way.
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