VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Kevgarlic]

Hi Fellow vo collegues, my name is Kevin, a free-lance audio guy living in southern Illinois, who just this day became an official member.

*A current member of your website, Todd Ellis suggested this website to me.
Thanks Todd.

For the last 16 years I have been working in television, in the operations department of a major Public Television Station, BUT my first
and real passion is radio. Before I came to TV I was a DJ for 14 years and I love doing voice-work - of any kind.

This past spring I graduated with my Masters' Degree in Professional Media production. (*My thesis was a 15-minute
AUDIO documentary about the sounds and stories of the Shawnee National Forest here in southern Illinois. This audio piece was
aired on the local Public radio station)

I currently do vos for the one of the local tv stations and for the local cable company. In addition, I also read newspapers for the local
sight-impaired radio service and work on nature-centered audio documentaries.

Below is my website so you can hear my vo work. Yes, I know that my website is pretty basic, BUT, since I'm a creative vo guy, I'd rather use my energies on creating the best audio that I can.

http://www.boucherproductions.com/

So, this posting is to "introduce" myself to you all and ask you to critique my work so that I may improve in this fascinating field.

Like many of you who are ALREADY doing this full time, one day I hope to make a living FULL-TIME with my voice. (*I'm currently working on several nature-themed audio documentaries)

Regards,

Kev Garlic

[Bruce]

[Fran McClellan]

Welcome to the VO-BB, Kev!!
_________________
Back into the murky lurk from whence I came
--
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon

[todd ellis]

hi kevin - glad you came! you will get the unvarnished truth here - for better or worse, but usually better. check the archives too ... lots in there.
_________________
"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

[Mike Sommer]

Hmm went to website- found no demo - heard no demo.

So lets talk a bout the website.

It might be best to point out that your website is often the first and only contact people have with you. So it needs to make a good first impression.

Since you say you are a creative guy, I'll have to take your word on that because the website does not reflect that.

You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on logos and crazy design, but you do need to make it look like you're professional and have it all together- that you mean business. This is advertising, if you can not sell yourself, how do you expect anyone to believe you can sell them?

So it might be best to put a little more creative though into it.

Remember, presentations is everything.
_________________
The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/

Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

[Scott Pollak]

Guess I'll chime in, too. I went to the website and heard no demos. My first thought, honestly, when I saw the site was "ugggh!".

This is a business. Like any other. You're selling your services to professionals while you are competing against other professionals. If you are not professional in every aspect of your voiceover business, from your sound, to your presentation, to your communication and marketing, billing, follow-up, service, etc, then you'll lose. It really is that simple.

And to top it all off, there may not be a business MORE competitive than this.
_________________
Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

[Kevgarlic]

Wow, I new I'd get some good advice .

**Todd, you were right on when you said the "unvarnished" truth!

Also thanks to Bob for the advice to add some compression to the vos...

So....looks like I WILL be beefing up the website then. No, actually drastically redesigning it is more like it.

And, my gut feeling told me that this IS a very competitive biz, I just needed somebody to remind me that, this is probably THE most competitive.

Well, I'm up for it.

Kevin

[Scott Pollak]

[Chuck Davis]

Welcome Kev. I had the same experience with your site as most. Just the landing page...no audio.

You've got a long way to go....but lots of help and encouragement here in VO-BBland.
_________________
Wicked huge.....in India.
www.chuckdaviscreative.com

[Bailey]

Welcome to the VO-BB Kevin.

I prefer the varnished truth. Then I don't need a box of Kleenex when I read critiques.


_________________
"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
VO-BB Member #00044 .gif" alt="W00T" border="0" />
AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo."

[Kevgarlic]

Thanks so far for all of the input - Specifically Scott, Chuck and Todd.

Here is something else for you guys - and gals - to critique.

This past Spring & Summer the regional NPR-affiliated radio station

aired three of my nature documentaries....just follow the links below...

Comments?? Good, bad ??

Kev Garlic

Links

Link: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wsiu/.jukebox?action=viewPodcast&podcastId=11623

My 3 pieces are the top three on the screen.
(1) Kevin Boucher, Owl Encounter
(2) Sounds & Stories of the Shawnee Forest Part 1
(3) Sounds & Stories of the Shawnee Forest Part 2

[Gregory Best]

See if you can get email address from your webhosting provider under your url - e.g., Kevin@boucherproductions.com it would be much more professional than a yahoo or goolge email address.
_________________
Gregory Best

greg@gregorybest.com

[Kevgarlic]

Hi Greg,

I have recently noticed that some e-mail addresses seem to be almost a copy of their respective websites...good tip, I'll check it out.

Thanks. Kevin

[Yonie]