VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Frank F · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 6:51 pm Post subject:

This thread is has me glancing askance.

Why all the hubub?

My first thought is the talent knows this "lead" is a scam. Why participate? When my "gut" tells me something is wrong - I listen and avoid that something.

As the song "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers states so eloquently: "You have to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run".

These lyrics apply to all parts of this "lead" and the process - Voices.com, the producers, and the talent.

Toodles

Frank F
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Gregory Best · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject:

Jeff, I have to disagree. We ARE thr paying customers not the producers. The P2P sites should be listening to us and protecting our interests more as I hope would an agent. This is the beef if haave with the P2P model as it has developed. I wish there was a good altenative other than my own marketing. Come to think of it that is not such a bad alternative after all.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:56 pm Post subject:

Lee Gordon · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 2:00 am Post subject:

I wonder if there's somebody in Dublin who could keep an ear out for some of these "suspicious" commercials and aircheck them so we might discover if this client is indeed absconding with demos and not paying for them.

Besides the other red flags previously mentioned is the fact that these guys generally offer budgets that seem overly generous compared to comparable projects.

And why would they want to use, as a finished product, an mp3 that has been intentionally degraded to 96k?
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Gregory Best · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 3:44 am Post subject:

Jeff, that is why I don't like the current version of the P2P concept. There are producers that don't belong as wells as quite a few talents. I think we need a service that is more an online version of a brick and mortar agency than a P2P. That virtual agency would limit its roster to qualifed talent and could charge fees to both sides upon booking. My pie in the sky idea.
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Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

Maybe the "seeker" in this posting just wants to speed up the process.
Radio can be very last minute and they might be in a time crunch.

Rather than pick the read they like, contact the talent, have it done in it's entirety, maybe have a re-read....they just pick the audition that's right and go with it.

Seems reasonble, as long as they pay.

The fee is not bad. Audition or not. it's your choice.
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bobsouer · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 5:52 am Post subject:

Bruce · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 6:42 am Post subject:

Funny story...I had an ad agency contact me off another VO-BBer's web link (thank you again) and asked me to read one of a series of spots for client approval. To "mark" it I put this funky, somewhat incongruous, little piece of jazz music under the last third. They liked my read AND they liked the music so now the music runs under all the ads!

And on the original topic, for some business unseen and unknown to demand, "Trust me. I won't screw you!" in this day and age is sheer madness and arrogance. And shame on Voices for the lousy response.

B
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Michael Schoen · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 4:42 pm Post subject:

Honestly... this isn't so odious. I saw the lead and decided it wasn't for me.
But the point is there's a boat load of traffic on Voices --- of all varieties all budgets all styles.
That's what we paying customers want isn't it?
One crappy one doesn't reflect on all the others.
39,000 word audiobook for $ 250? That's why they have a delete button.
Why would they SPECIFY no watermarks? Yeah it doesn't pass the smell test...why not let it go.
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jessicawachsman · Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 3 Location: New York

Thanks for all your input. A lot of you have made me feel redeemed. I'm still reeling at the fact that they've posted it, and at their lame response. I usually find the people at voices.com quite nice but I'm appalled that they're OK with this.

I did not end up auditioning for the job, because it didn't sit right to me, but at the same time, I think that if the client/posting IS legitimate, then I've ignored a good opportunity to book a well-paying gig! And that pisses me off.

And by the way, voices.com posts on many of their postings "Note from Voices.com: It is recommended that you protect all your audition work by watermarking the submission or only recording a portion of the script provided by the client. This will render your audition file useless for anything other than reviewing your voice. Not sure what watermarking is? Please visit our FAQ section for more information."

Now, what kind of logic is that?? They recommend watermarking auditions, and then are more than happy to post an audition request demanding non-watermarked auditions??!! And yes, it is the VOICE TALENTS who pay voices.com. It is FREE for the voice seekers to post a job.

Hmmm. I thought I was kind of calming down. Now I've got myself all riled up again. Grrrrrrr.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 2:59 am Post subject:

Voices.com doesn't post that "We recommend you watermark your demo" message on all their leads, only on certain ones. Whenever I see it, I interpret is as their way of saying, "We think there's a good chance this client is going to try to rip you off." Interestingly, I don't recall seeing that admonition on anything posted by the nghtclub guys from Dublin.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 5:20 am Post subject:

Having seen the above post I contacted Sergeant Maureen Stewart of the Buckie Police.

"Feel m'loon a'dinna ken fit like yer spickin' aboot an' nae body's carin ony who. Ya soond awfy fine, are ye mirrit?"

""Yes" I replied

"Aw bugger!" she then put the phone down.

Worth thinking about isn't it?

Diane Havens · Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 5:39 am Post subject:

Once upon a time, P2P sites needed voice talent to start up their businesses. They were benevolent, anxious to please mostly, if not entirely, because they needed us. That's just business. They are, after all, a profit-making enterprise. Fast forward to today, (and my, it was fast, wasn't it?) for every one of us that may leave in discontent, there are 5 starry-eyed newcomers to take our places. It's the clients now that are hard to come by. The beast must be fed.

I have never had a problem with Voices.com. I like and respect Stephanie and David, but then -- I don't audition much on the site, and so have little about which to become frustrated. Other sites, I have left, because the stress involved in navigating their, let's call them "eccentricities", seemed to zap my inner resources more than they enriched my monetary ones. Though I never lost a cent in money on any site, I have lost my appetitie quite a few times on some.

Each of us must decide how much time and effort we want to expend in dealing with these sorts of issues. I have done what's best for myself. I have only two paid subscriptions to P2P sites. I use them when something strikes me as an outstanding opportunity (not often) -- and I concentrate my efforts in other arenas.

I am one happy, relaxed lady -- more working, less fretting.
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voicy1stef · Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 10:19 am Post subject:

I'm with DB & Mo -- delete... and move on.... those kind of write ups pop up all over the internet sites.
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Bailey · Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 2:35 pm Post subject:

A "no watermark" request from a client through a P2P site, is definitely the tail wagging the dog.
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