VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

COURVO · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:49 pm Post subject: Help with a survey?

Rowell sparked my interest in this question with a comment he made some time ago...a sentiment we've probably all shared when times are lean.

I'd appreciate your checking off one of the options in this survey that comes closest to your sentiment.

Thanks!

CourVO
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todd ellis · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:29 am Post subject:

i think if it's something of note: "landed my 1st national gig" or "I did this super-cool/interesting/funny thing, check it out" - then that is perfectly fine and i enjoy seeing/listening. posting: "did 43 pages of podiatry narration today!- W00T

.gif" alt="W00T" border="0" />" -- not so much.
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Chuck Davis · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:37 am Post subject:

I think it's great when a friend shares exciting news. When I see the FB posts from some folks with the endless "I've got a day-full of blah, blah...". I have a "Philip-ian reaction"....."So What".

BTW - I was guilty of the same sort of posts a ways back. I learned.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:22 am Post subject:

Far too many have the evil stench of "do you realise how important I think I am?" and the short answer is that we do and for the most part we don't care. Such inane self-promotion is not self-promotion at all and whilst it could be argued that it makes the poster feel good I strongly suspect it doesn't; are you really impressed by your own bullsh*t?

"SO WHAT?" really is the key. The story or the back story is what is of interest. The fact that yesterday you did what you claim to be your job is neither here nor there. Having said that with 95% of us earning sod all on a regular basis I am delighted that someone somewhere is making a few dollars but don't keep on...keeping on...keeping on!

Rognog · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:59 am Post subject:

I used to blog & post about every little audition and gig. It got to the point that I didn't even care, much less anyone else! There is a line between self-promotion and being a nudge...
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Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 981

Kinda touched upon this on another thread.

I would say 99% of the time it is indeed bragging. Now, is bragging a bad thing? It depends on what you want out of it. I think most want attention for their ego. So if that makes them feel good, terrific! Their ego is filled. But I do not think that most of the time it feeds their career. Ego won't pay the bills.

That said, I think ego is an essential character trait for success in any business. You have to have a healthy ego to desire to be seen or heard in show business. Without it, you won't put yourself on the line, risking judgement or failure over and over again.

Now, I think odds for success are better if you don't try to please anyone else but yourself at the mic. Most people fail at the mic because they are too concerned to be liked or please others, be it the casting director, producer, agent, etc. You can never truly commit to your choices and your acting if you go in trying to please. The only one in the room you need to please is yourself. Commit to your choices and don't waver. BUT-you then need to be available to direction. That's where the ego gets checked at the door. It's a tricky dance, but those who are good at this balancing act excel.

Back to bragging, and I've posted this before, actors are getting fired left and right for posting auditions and bookings. Unless you sign a NDA you aren't breaking any laws. But you are shooting yourself in the foot. Put yourself in the buyers chair. You just hired an actor for a big ad campaign. Maybe a super bowl spot. You find this actor has posted the booking on facebook. "Just booked a big super bowl spot!" Think the buyer is going to be enthusiastic about hiring you again? This is bragging, not marketing.

My LA agent sent out a letter a while back asking all actors not to post auditions or bookings on social networks as his clients were losing gigs for doing so. Everyone pays for unnecessary bragging.

So, how do you turn this into marketing?? Well, first of all if it's a commercial keep everything to yourself until it airs. If it's a movie or episodic program you may want to let folks know before it airs, but there are better ways to market than posting on your facebook wall. Better to market specifically to those who can make a difference in your career based on what you are marketing. Your friends probably cannot hire you unless they are buyers in da biz. So, market to those who can use our services in the future:
-agents
-producers
-casting directors
-ad execs
-copywriters
etc.

Now, I have used social networks for this. But I select specific people in my network and market directly to them, not to the masses on my wall. OR, I send out an ecard with embedded hyper links of my recent spot or gig. If it's a new promo gig I market to promo buyers. Narration to narration buyers. Etc.

I have used mass social networking to advertise my workshops. But that's a strategic decision. I have a class to fill and I want to get the word out to everyone and anyone. BUT-I don't allow everyone and anyone to take the class. Being that it's an animation workshop I seek students with a certain amount of experience before allowing them to take my class. And especially my advanced class. But I have to get the word out to as many as possible to find the 10-15 people to fill the class. And you never know where you will find them.

Have I been guilty of the occasional bragging on social networks? Hell yeah! Last year when I got an Emmy nomination I spread the word like wildfire! Never in my life did I ever expect to get such an honor and I was elated! Pure bragging, not a bit of marketing there! 100% guilty and proud of it!!

OK-so I'm human! Wink

But my publicist and my manager used it as a marketing tool. They are far better suited and qualified to use it as a marketing tool than I. And there are ways in the future I will as well. Ya stop using it as bragging after ya lose. (to the brilliant Maurice LaMarche who MORE than deserved it!!!)

SO-to sum up: Market is essential for career longevity. It allows the opportunity to take an event and build upon it for more/future events. Bragging just feeds the ego. Know the difference and know how to balance the 2.

And if you happen to need someone to brag to from time to time, pop me an email! I'm always thrilled for each and every accomplishment. I know what a bitch it is just to get an audition from an agent, let alone book a gig. From the bottom of my heart I am thrilled for you and am delighted to give you a digital pat on the back! B

heyguido · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:14 am Post subject:

I'm all for being supportive, but it's the SPECIAL projects I want to hear about.... The left-field copy or production approach, the inventive characterization, and, occasionally the truly brag-worthy client acquisition, like Todd getting "the Google", or Rowell doing an entertaining cartoon voice complete with video. "Six pages of phone menus" with link, I'll pass. Post 'em if it makes you feel good, but I'm not likely to follow the link. No offense, just sayin'.....
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Monk · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:49 am Post subject:

My first national, I posted about it.

My first national on-camera.. posted.

I'm just shocked that people pay me for this much fun! "you mean you can make money doin' this?!?"

It's a dream job for sure. Heck, I even love the eLearning stuff.

(just voiced some animation things this morning.. btw) Wink

It's so much fun being a Yeti.

But the day to day, corporate read or whatnot.. nah. I just want to share victories with people that have helped me get there. First round is on me!
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Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:10 am Post subject:

honestly, i'm sort of indifferent to it. put on your own oxygen mask first ...
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Gregory Best · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:36 am Post subject:

One of the reasons I find social media useless and boring.
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Kristin Lennox · Flight Attendant Joined: 30 Apr 2011 Posts: 858

I'm guilty of bragging on my daughter's vo gigs, I fully admit that. I try to restrain myself and post only the most interesting ones... but are they interesting to anybody else? Who knows. I also get full permission from the client before I post anything, that should go without saying.

As for me? Meh. I think I've posted two or three gigs gotten in the past, ones that were special to me for some reason or another... but I'm UBER-leery of using social sites for self-promotion. I think one needs to walk a fine line between letting people know what one does and over-promotion -- how many of YOUR FB friends have you blocked because every other status is about some super-special they're running for their biz...? It gets tiring, even if all you do is scroll past. I don't want to be that person, so I'm sure I err way on the side of caution...

But I don't mind it in moderation from others. It's human nature to want to spread good news.

Smile

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Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:47 pm Post subject:

todd ellis · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 2:20 pm Post subject:

i will say that the main reason i posted the google gig here was because the LEAD came from here and i wanted to thank doug for posting it. (thankyouthankyouthankyou!)

and, when i think about it, this is almost the only "social media" i invest in. i don't facetube at all.
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ccpetersen · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 2:34 pm Post subject:

Wow. Guilty as charged. I got that surprise gig last week and never thought twice about posting about it in Entre Nous since the point of the post was the fact of the surprise, not the gig itself. I didn't social media-ize it though, I know better than that.

Now I feel dirty for even saying anything here about it, since it could be construed wrongly.

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:06 pm Post subject:

CC - stop that - it wasn't about the gig - it was about the time of the year.
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