VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks

You’re trying so hard to get your name out there and the word dull is not necessarily an indictment on your voice acting skills – It’s YOU! You’re dull!

Of course I don’t mean you’re dull people. I mean that you’ve become so focused on self-promotion that you’ve forgotten all about content, all about other people and all about life.

On the VO webwaffle page you post something about a job you’ve just voiced, that’s it. You believe the fact you have done something is in itself worth posting and is inherently interesting, it isn’t! You’re dull! There’s no detail, no story, nothing other than “I showed up for work today and some work showed up for me”.

Last year I attended Sue and Ian’s wedding. You don’t know them so that’s of no particular interest to you but what was nice was that I got through the entire event without talking about my work. It was Sue and Ian’s day, not another opportunity to network or get a much needed ego massage. Sue and Ian are friends, have been for years. My VO friends are different. Many are not really friends at all other than due to a random click on a mouse – ADD PHILIP AS YOUR FRIEND. Like good electronic cyber friends they then ignore me other than to regale me with dreary anecdotes about having 5 auditions to get out by 4pm for a pencil company website and ………………and nothing! No interesting part to the story. You see, you’re dull!

You’ve got the social and electronic media thing cooking on gas yet it’s still not quite working for you. Your inbox isn’t as full as it should be with jobs and the phone is not ringing endlessly. It’s not the “nature of the beast” or “the current economic climate” it’s people becoming battle weary. You say nothing of interest, do nothing of interest and write/post/blog/twitter on it ad nauseum – You’re dull! You are the sort of person people emigrate in order to avoid. Even using an electron microscope and a hyperbolic microphone most people could not find their interest in anything you have to say, write about or anything you do. But that’s ok because you only want to promote your career, you’re not looking to engage people you’re looking to get them to hire you. Ask yourself this – Mr Windswept and Interesting or Dave Dullard, both equally capable VOs – Who would you hire? Exactly!

The real downside of constantly self-promoting, apart from the dullness, is that people stop reading, stop listening and stop thinking of you as a viable option when a job crops up. I know you don’t believe me but it’s true and if you want to climb the VO ladder don’t get VO coaching, get interested in other people and become interesting. People should want to spend time with Philip Banks not a VO from Portgordon. Producers and directors should take away more than a good take from a session with you.

I heard someone say that in the world of Voice Over artists it’s difficult to find the characters, there used to be plenty around. No one is suggesting you manufacture a life and soul of the party persona, just give a little of yourself.

Two silly examples for you:-

A Promo Producer who works for one of the US TV networks has a photo of my dog as the screensaver on her office PC.

Cynthia, PA to the Head of Presentation and Progamme Planning at another TV station puts down the telephone.

“You’ve been talking to Philip” says her colleague.

“How do you know?” asks Cynthia.

“You were laughing most of the time!”

There really is more to this than meets the eye. It’s time to take stock. Let’s look at two jobs. Job one is self-promoting dullard, job two is Voice Over. The jobs are mutually exclusive you must choose one.

My VO job is not going quite the way I wanted – Of course it isn’t, that’s not the job you chose, feel like a career change? It’s never too late.

Diane Havens · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:11 pm Post subject:

This is oh-so-true, Philip.

I often wonder what it would be like if doctors or landscapers twittered and facebooked every mundane detail of thier jobs --
"Examined that strange growth on a new patient today, and from his test results, looks like he'll be a repeat client! Love those."
"Applied grub control today; but tomorrow -- it's stump-grinding! Whoohooo!"

I enjoy spending time with people from different walks of life, different backgrounds, that can engage me in an interesting discussion, or make me laugh. Life can be a fascinating journey when you wander off that beaten path.
_________________
Diane

Veni, Vidi, Voci
http://www.dianehavens.com

Deirdre · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:17 pm Post subject:

In a former life, I was a theater producer and director. At casting events, young actors would invariably ask me when they should tackle when they graduated from college with their BFA in theater.

My reply:
"Go get a job at a car wash."

...or words of that sort.
The upshot is, you need a life in order to act well. The best actors I know have also been furniture movers, bartenders, sky-diving instructors, school teachers.

Have a life. You only get one— make it a full one.
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Lizden · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject:

Can I trade my non-VO-life in for an upgrade?
.
.
.
ooops...did I say that out-loud??? Rolls Eyes

_________________
Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com

Deirdre · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:37 pm Post subject:

Ha ha, Liz— yours counts!
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Lizden · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 5:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks Deebz! Laugh

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Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com

KaraEdwards · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:33 pm Post subject:

Oh Diane- that made me laugh! Now I'll spend the evening thinking of every job that could Tweet like that!

I love every word in this thread thus far- Every. Single. Word. Kiss

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Kara Edwards
http://www.karaedwards.com
kara@karaedwards.com

bobsouer · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:27 pm Post subject:

ccpetersen · Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 6:29 am Post subject:

Deebs, so true. Getting a life (as William Shatner once suggested in jest, but not entirely) is SO important.
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dhouston67 · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:00 am Post subject:

"A person who is only a musician is only half a musician."

--- Bruno Walter
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CarynClark · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:23 am Post subject:

I really appreciate this post Philip... I'm very guilty of this in many ways.

And I have to chuckle... b/c I bet if we all knew each others life stories, we'd fall over in shock.

Here's my "excuse." And I say that in jest. You didn't ask for explanation, but I thought it could add some perspective.

I've only been full-time for almost two years. I have a "corporate" background in the stuffy old financial/insurance industry no less, where most people weren't terribly creative or all that personable. Always towing the corporate line, blah blah blah. It was last year I realized, "Wow, I love this new industry I'm in b/c people joke and kid around and no one's judging them or thinking they're a slacker b/c of it.... how cool is that!!!!"... and I started to relax a little more with the people I work with.

RE: the social media part... fact is, I'm really very opinionated about some things in life. Political discussions are a passion for my husband, and mine a bit by default. There's really a bit of politics entwined in so many things that affect our lives (hell, even one of my dog's names is Gipper... LOL), that I choose to keep my mouth shut and my "status updates" mundane. Now, I realize this is a very specific example...

That all said, I too appreciate what you wrote... it hit home.
_________________
Caryn Clark... The Hip Chick Voice!

"A positive mental attitude and having faith in your ability is quite different from being irresponsible and downright stupid." - Dave

Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:47 am Post subject:

Even if someone isn't dull, he can't possibly be interesting 24/7. And yet, there is Twitter.
I guess I'm just an old fart, but I don't quite understand the point of it.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

voicy1stef · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:54 am Post subject:

Philip's right. It's good to be seen by others as people -- not just barking about being a VO all the time. I think it's better for making relationships and more interesting as I learn in-depth things about personalities rather than just seeing other people as walking 'job opportunities'/'voice seekers'. You can hold peeps' attention for a lot longer!

Or sometimes peeps will ask for a demonstration right on the spot--just as a casual question (having nothin remotely to do with hiring)-- but I don't to be like Tippy the tap dancing dog Shocked

on Britain's got Talent and stand on my hind legs and put on a show Sick

-- so i just tell them, oh I've gone all shy, and change the subject to questions about them.

Time and a place for everything. But, I do like looking a peeps' facebook, etc. and see what interesting things they've been up to or take a little glance at their photos, etc.
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Intuit and do it!

British-American voice artist based in England for the past umpteen years. I say, has it really been that long!

http://www.stefsvoice4u.co.uk
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