VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks

Whilst chatting with another VO the subject got around to the New York VO mixer ...

"You flew in business class, must've cost you a fortune" he said

"No idea, probably" I could've looked at my accounts if he really wanted to know.

"YOU A**HOLE! You don't know how much it cost??? That is when you KNOW you're successful! You're my friend but I still hate you!"

Actually, I'm simply lucky and completely out of touch with reality.

Ok, that was a silly conversation and it was full of laughs and teasing. How do you "know" you're successful?

Yonie · CM Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 906

I thought it was a perpetual chase. A journey with no destination. Wouldn't know if/when I reach that point, because the goal keeps moving ahead. That would be in regards to business success.

Personal success is probably something you can look on and say "Ruddy h***! Oi didit!"

Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 5:01 am Post subject:

Mine was not meant to be a deep philosophical point but I really do embrace your thinking. I was thinking about the completely daft stuff that appears to pre-occupy others.

My favourite silly compliment of the week came from a commercial producer named Luke.

"You're the only voice we connect to (ISDN Sessions) who actually makes our speakers vibrate" High praise INDEED! That'll be me being succesful AND awesome at the same time. Who said men can't do two things at once?

Bailey

Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 9:44 am Post subject:

Which is far more important. Your happiness and the happiness(benefit) of others.

audio'connell · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 1:23 pm Post subject:

I feel pretty successful when my kids still want to hang out with me. Nothing in Voiceover has quite matched that. Mmm, that's probably deeper than you were looking for.
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Rognog · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:42 pm Post subject:

When I catch myself complaining about things that I wished I could have complained about six years ago!
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Deirdre · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 4:08 pm Post subject:

...when I catch myself complaining about things I wish I HAD 6 years ago!

I recognize success in those moments where I realize my heroes are now my colleagues.
Even better when they're my friends.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:35 am Post subject:

The above are all really nice but I was thinking about the silly stuff, when your reaction is "WHAT??"

Contrast illusion with reality.

You know you're successful when Larissa approaches Elisa at VOICE2010 and asks "is that Philip Banks over there?" When the reply is yes. "Would it be ok if I went to say hello?"

Upon meeting me her sense of complete and utter disappointment is measurable on the richter scale.

In other news ...
Tip for successful VOs. There are people out there who simply do not like you. They are by their very nature, envious, bitter, back biting and misanthropic. Refer producers to them.

voicy1stef · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:34 am Post subject:

DB's reasons are cool. Another tiny success moment was when I was in correspondence with a client via email. When we finally had a skype conference he was actually excited to speak to me "in person. Where's my dark celeb glasses! Haha!
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Ed Gambill · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:03 am Post subject:

Friendship benefits. Years ago, on the way to the coast for a pre bid conference, I passed a DOT officer in a unmarked car. I was going about 85 mph.

On hearing that he was with DOT I said “I have a friend that works for DOT-------. He said “He’s my supervisor” I said “Tell him hello for me”. I sat in my van and waited for him to come back with my ticket. When he came back he said “Mr. Gambill you told the truth, have a good day and keep the speed down”.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Afterwards on the same trip I hear a radio ad for a candidate “When it comes to the issues you care about Sue Smith thinks like we do”. I wrote that opening for another candidate, my client. Flattery is nice, could have use a few bucks instead.

The Moral; I have friends in high places and I am a decent writer. Or in the same day stayed out of jail and got ripped off.
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Bish · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:33 am Post subject:

Ed, that's great... a perfect example of how to take the same circumstances and look at them two completely different ways.

One of my own measures is the amount of repeat customers I'm getting. Authors coming back for a second book, the same agencies contacting me for a no-audition gig. These are small things, but whenever I'm having one of my regular crises of confidence, they make me think that I must be doing something right.
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Simon Phillips · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:09 am Post subject:

You know you're successful...

When you see your own name after "sounds like" on audition specs.

When you can say no to any job without a second thought.

When your accountant calls you for financial advice.

None of those apply to me, but I had to smile a little while ago when a client emailed to say thay were delighted I'd agreed to work for them because having somebody famous on-board would really give them a boost.

I also had to email them right back and explain that I'm not even famous in my own street and this was clearly a case of mistaken identity. They charmingly replied that they meant famous "in a different way".

Thinking about it now, I still don't have a clue what that's supposed to mean, but I think I like it better that way.

ballenberg · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject:

I know I'll be successful when:

Philip lets me shine his shoes

Monk · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:17 pm Post subject:

Successfully getting out of bed some days. Last week down with bronchitis, pleh, you can keep it.

For me, it's when a client is happy and doesn't hesitate to tell me, and others, in public!

Then that was a complete success.

Everything else is just stuff. House, cars, motorcycles, airplane project... stuff, crap, junk... Making others happy. Success.
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