VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Benjamin Stovall · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:52 pm Post subject:

Philip Banks wrote:

Rick Riley · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 8:14 pm Post subject:

I find it extremely interesting that you can't 'mention' Voice 123 or Voices without it turning into an 'I hate em - I love em' fest. This thread started with news regarding their service outage and has turned into who books, who doesn't book, why they do, don't, should or shouldn't, they don't now but maybe they should try or they're trying now and should probably quit.

And this thread isn't wierd... this is the norm

There's something magical about these sites that they can't just be dropped INTO a conversation, they must BECOME the conversation. Is it just me or does that seem bizarre to anyone else?

News Flash:"A project that began on Voice 123 was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize today". And of course beginning about the third post, it would read, 'Well I was with them for three years and I didn't book anything.' Followed by , 'I used to book all the time, then that SmartCast came in. What a piece of... ' And the beat goes on...

Sorry, I digress. I was actually getting back to the premise of the thread. Wink

With that being said, the site has been back up for a couple of days... and all is back to abnormal.
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ccpetersen · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:07 am Post subject:

Yes, I went over there last night and read some forum discussions and considered again whether or not to join. It does seem that when there's a question about the SmartCast system on the forums over there, the inevitable response is along the lines of "Go watch this two-hour video and then ask your questions." My first thought was, "Two hours?" And, yes, it is likely a good investment of time for someone to investigate what they're paying for... but I also wonder about a system that takes two hours to explain.

No, I haven't watched the video -- probably will do that when I get back from my next performing gig and can spend the proper amount of time thoroughly investigating the services, etc. But honestly, those questions came to mind...

Well that, and Chris's comments about paying for service that limits what you can audition for. It's one thing to list with an agent, say, and then have them remind you that you probably can't audition for little girl voices if you're a guy with a JEJ-style delivery. (Well, I suppose you could). But, it's quite another to devise some mathematical game that sets what you can audition for and have it blindly go into force based on factors that may or may not be explained in that two-hour video.
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ChrisMezzolesta · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:54 am Post subject:

In a best-case scenario, a working pro doesn't have 2 hours to sit and watch a video on how to use a supposedly-simple tool [that one is paying for, once again]. If it takes that kind of time investment every time something that should already be clear is not, and one is treated like an errant kindergartener every time there is a question, perhaps the "better mousetrap" they envisioned is really not. Great point CC on agents - the agent does their thing and we do ours. 123 etc. say they are not involved in the process...but aren't they?, through these systems they have in place? I just can't get my head around it. I got a call from my agent the other day giving me further insight into a situation that arose with a gig, we talked for 45 minutes and I came away with much more understanding...what would 123 have done? Assigned me a genericized webinar to watch? It's changing the parameters of what a pro really is or not. Am I not a pro because I can't get booked on 123?, or am I a pro because I have gotten booked DESPITE of 123? Just don't get it.
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800.356.5519 www.voiceatile.com

ccpetersen · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 11:12 am Post subject:

Chris,

I don't know enough -- and obviously don't have enough experience with -- V123 to be able to make a more informed insight into their system. I just know that when I went there, it looked and felt confusing. And, then to read that perhaps a two-hour video might explain it all...

I run a business here and we try to make our work and products as easy as possible for clients to understand. Ease of understanding usually leads to ease of purchase/adoption of a product. The longest sales video we have anybody watch is three minutes long.

When it comes to making the purchase/making the deal, customers don't want to feel like there's some unseen hand guiding their choice or trying to get advantage of them -- they just want information. And, as admirable as I suspect the intentions were to make the V123 site and casting process fair, it has a feel of unseen hand.

Case in point from my own experience with my own business. We license product to organizations. We also create a product. We've made the pricing for our own product very clear to customers and we do the same with the products from other producers with whom we deal.

But, there are others in the profession in which we work who do not want prices to be published because they say that removes a negotiating tactic. I can understand that, but I also have clients call and say that they felt like they had to lie in order to get a price quote from some of them, or they felt like they were being "dicked with" (their term, not mine) just to get a straight answer on the question , "What does X cost?"

Bottom line is that in my company, we want the customer to know exactly what they're getting for what price, no backroom dickering, etc. etc. And, every client we deal with appreciates that honesty.

So, that's the background against which I work, and against which I measure the offerings from other companies whose services I might want to use. I say this to explain why I may seem allergic to "unseen hands" messing with business opportunities, particularly ones that I'm being asked to pay for.

Perhaps when I can set aside two hours from my already over-busy days, I will sit down and watch the video at V123 and perhaps all will be made clear. I will reserve further judgment until that time.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 12:46 pm Post subject:

Steven Lowell · Joined: 16 Dec 2010 Posts: 13

Hey hey.
I wanted to reply to this. I had watched a bit, and forgot my login from a couple years ago. I mainly wanted to address the statement about people on the site longer.

Basically, Voice123 staff, nor the mathematical formulas and policies, favor long-time users over new users. BUT...Given voice seekers can save talent names in their own personal accounts, talents who have been on the site longer have made more relationships, they may be on more client short-lists. (something clients can build through repeat usage of Voice123).

Subscriptions closer to expiring may receive invites faster than those who just paid, which is a spam guard to avoid having new eager voice talent join, submit hundreds of auditions for a week, and then ask for a refund.

Voice123 has absolutely nothing to do with who gets hired or casting choices, nor do we ever vocalize with clients who would be a better choice.

All the things clients want were created by professional voice talent, who re-invent some better way to get hired each year.

Btw...SmartCast is just a preference building software, common with all websites, where your behavior is recorded and attempted to match up to certain people who want what you do. You can draw a parallel to a dating website.

If youre not getting work on the site, investigate your competition. Just like working offline, they are the same people showing up to your casting call each time. Click 'hear similar voices' on your profile to see.

Oh the video...its 2 hours because I go through everything, and everyone's question. I cover everything. Its worth watching.

Hey no offense if you dont see me talk much here...I like this forum, and I realize me talking on it, and my job, may look indirectly promotional.

I just dont want anyone to think anything unethical takes place here. It doesnt. I work with Michelle and she is a great person. You may have met her before at Voice2012.

graemespicer · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 5:31 pm Post subject:

Hey Steven - I think it was good for you to post and set the record straight. We can't make responsible decisions with misinformation, and I think that much misinformation exists out there regarding p2p sites - yours and others.

Many here love voice123, and a few even make a living based primarily on jobs won from and repeat customers gained on your site.

Others here think you and your ilk are the devil, placed here on Earth to distroy our little industry Inoccent

But it's this discourse that keeps the forum lively. I'm just glad that we now at least have the correct facts to use as ammunition against each other Laugh

Please stay active. Your input would be welcome (at least by this vo-bber).
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ChrisMezzolesta · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 5:45 pm Post subject:

It's enthusing (tho at the same time mystifying) to at least be hearing real stories of not only bookings themselves but client generation and repeat business for actual pros (whom I know personally) via 123. Leaving the bottomfeeders out of the equation, there is certainly enough evidence to suggest it works for some; I just haven't found the combination to the lock. Perhaps forgetting about it as a per-project-audition thing and change the perception to one of it being just one tool in the toolbox (as stated earlier in the thread) - just that if one continues using a tool and that tool is not generating any results, does it make sense to keep using that tool? Perhaps a long-haul SEO scenario would make it worth continuing, driving traffic to the profile...but in the time I spent on the site that did not happen. In reevaluating my business I'm looking at tools and education and whatnot, so who knows, perhaps ignoring SmartCast and using it for a different end might be a way. Tailor my presence to what makes the site work to up the chances?, tried to do that already and nothing...I just dunno. Will keep watching and asking around tho.
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800.356.5519 www.voiceatile.com

Kristin Lennox · Flight Attendant Joined: 30 Apr 2011 Posts: 858

Scott Pollak · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:17 pm Post subject:

I will seldom go onto these forums to brag about this job landed or that one landed unless it's truly pretty cool and awesome (which seldom ever happens to me), but in light of this whole thread and the discussions therein, I have to mention the irony of getting an e-mail about 6 p.m. from an audition I won on V123 today. $600 for 3 short web-only videos (about wrapping Christmas presents). Total running time: about 2:00 per video (so 6 minutes total). "Oh, and is there any possible way we could get that tonight or first thing tomorrow?" U betcha. No problem.

Easy work that basically came to me that pays pretty well. THIS is why I'm a fan of V123.

Obviously, your results may vary. Wink

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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

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Benjamin Stovall · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:59 pm Post subject:

Scott, in that spirit then, I'll share too. The job I got the other day via Voice123 was $500.00 for a 5 second promo. It was literally one sentence.

Cheers!
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"When you're nearing the end of your rope, tie a knot. Keep on hanging. Keep on remembering, that there ain't nobody bad like you." -- The Electrifying Mojo

Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 2:00 am Post subject:

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 5:22 am Post subject:

LOL, Lee. I did exactly what you did; one partial read as Santa, one with a somewhat gravelly older man's voice, and that's what they went with. I figured that once again you and I were competing against each other. In light of my wife's loss of job, this one was welcomed and needed.

BEN: cool! Yeah, while not the norm you can land those types of jobs there from time to time. Years ago I voiced 6 words for Mother's Wax: "World Famous Automotive Designer Chip Foose" and got paid $500 for that, too. And they used my AUDITION. I didn't even have to recut it!
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

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Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:14 pm Post subject:

Meanwhile, this afternoon I got this message on Voices.com from a guy for whom I've done a couple of jobs in the past:
"We've got another script for you to be our animated white out character! However, your "request a quote" button is greyed out on your profile and isn't working for some reason.
Any idea why? There's no need to make a general job posting for everyone to respond to, if we already know it's YOU we want. Wink

"

We both contacted tech support and the issue seems to be the way things display on iPhone, iPad, or in my client's case, Safari. Good thing nobody uses Apple products. Shocked

I suggested to the client that he just contact me directly, but he seems to prefer to run all his jobs through SurePay, so he just made it a Private Invitation to me and we are on our way. Oddly enough, just before he contacted me, I had just submitted four separate auditions for other roles in the same project.
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