VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:37 am Post subject: Random .....

I live in a world of fantasy and magic, a world in which dreams can come true, laughter is compulsory and life really is about making life LESS difficult for others. I am unlikely to change.

23 years ago I discovered the possibility of making a living doing Voice Over work. For me it soon became probable and now, more or less every working day, someone pays me to read out loud. I am not part of a Craft, I do not have a talent, I am not gifted, trained or connected. I told people that I wanted to make a living reading out loud and some of the people I told liked what they heard so gave me a chance. Rinse and repeat.

From the day I decided I wanted to try voice work and every day since I have learned something, those lessons have helped and will continue to help.
Any person who wants to get into this business stands a 95% chance of making nothing at all. If you have made your investment back you have defied the odds, if you are regularly providing a little extra for you or your family, congratulations. If you are making a living from VO work then you are a living, breathing, walking, talking miracle. YOU SHOULD HAVE FAILED! Flopped! CRASHED AND BURNED! Should every other “failed” VO hang his or her head in shame? Not at all! It’s a stupid job, it contributes nothing of any real value to society and there are easier ways to make much more money, if that’s what motivates you.

In descending order make a list of the top investment bankers in the world. Call number 1000 on the list and ask him how much he made last year. He will be a multi-millionaire.

Do the same for VOs. The person who answers the call will probably be auditioning for $100 gigs and not getting them.

Are you making a living? Not a fortune, just a living? Then you are a living, breathing, walking, talking miracle. YOU are an example to me, you are my hero.

Last week you made a living. Do not try to take your career to the next level, simply rinse and repeat, the rest will come in good time.
Carry this thought with you wherever you go. Most VO experts, be it on sound, performance, marketing, social media or the millions of “General Experts” secretly dream of achieving what you have achieved because you did it against all the odds. You are an example to me, you are my hero.

For the rest of you, dreams do come true, fantasy can turn into reality, magic really does exist, the more you laugh the better life becomes and today you are able to make life less difficult for others.

heyguido · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:37 am Post subject:

Huzzah!
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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

BruceG · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 12:11 pm Post subject:

Thanks for this, Phillip. I am striving towards the goal of simply beginning in this business. Your words are always an encouragment and a reminder to NEVER give up when it seems impossible. Laugh

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"What was that? An exhibition? We need emotional content." - Bruce Lee, Enter The Dragon

cyclometh · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:23 pm Post subject:

Philip, thank you for what you've said here. It means a lot to me.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

Mike Harrison · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:47 pm Post subject:

Somebody else's thoughts on success:

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse."

—Walt Disney
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

melissa eX · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:30 pm Post subject:

Moe Egan · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:41 pm Post subject:

Long distance virtual hug Banksey. Kiss

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Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

Donna · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 1:28 pm Post subject:

Philip, thank you from the bottom of my neurotic heart. Absolutely brilliant, you are.
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Donna Postel
donnapostel.com
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Zach Meissner · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 1:46 pm Post subject:

Thank you Philip. Thank you.

Genuine transparency coupled with brazen authenticity and topped off with a generous dash of resplendent candor.

Monk · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 2:04 pm Post subject:

But Philip, you ARE talented. It is a gift, you use it well, and it's not a gift everyone has.

Do good work, and more good work will follow. Your words remind me of an interview I did years back with Sark in San Francisco. Do what you love and the money will follow.

Thank you.
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Company, villainous company, hath been the spoil of me...

www.monksvoice.com

BenC · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 4:44 pm Post subject:

Philip, I'm printing this out and sticking it on the wall next to my desk. God knows we can all use a little extra inspiration sometimes. Thanks for sharing some of yours.
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"Be grateful, be happy, work a little harder."

Chris Ratliff · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:34 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement, Philip. We are so fortunate to be able to do what we love for a living, and make a living doing it! My wife lost her job 2 years ago, only a year after the birth of our daughter. My income from VO was all we had. Luckily, she's just recently gone back to work. I have a great sense of pride that I can provide for my family just by "reading out loud", and I look forward to doing every day!
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Chris Ratliff VO's
www.ChrisRatliffVO.com

"I have nothing more to say at this time. That is all"

bobsouer · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:44 pm Post subject:

Philip,

Thank you for sharing your words with us. They mean a lot to me, and I'm sure to many others also.
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Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

jsgilbert · Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:50 am Post subject:

Thank you Philip. I constantly hear people discuss v.o. as being the "end all/ be all" of their lives. "I know this is what I was meant to do" is screamed by yet one more person in their 40's living off their aging parents benevolence.

Voice over for me is far from what defines who I am. It is something I was also very lucky to be able to defy the odds by being able to make a decent living at. I also came to get paid talking into a microphone 20+ years ago. I am fairly safe though when I say that given all of today's opportunities and ways to express one's creative side in pursuit of making abuck, voice over would be rather low on the list where I a younger man and looking towards a career.

While I am proud of some of the things I have "voiced", I am much prouder of all the things I've done that IMDB, voice chasers and all the others don't track; many of which having nothing to do with voice over.

I won't list the things I've done and get to do that have little or nothing to do with voice over. Use your imaginations.

One story I will relate however, concerns a woman who had attended an introduction to voice over workshop I was involved in about 18 years ago or so (before I came to my senses). I received an email from this woman about 3 years ago.

She says "I was on the internet today and saw your name and had to write to you. I'm sure you don't remember me, but I attended one of your voice workshops, along with my son. .."When you mentioned the long list of jobs that you felt were more sane choices than doing voiceover work, I made some notes..." "Thanks to you, both my son and I learned how to SCUBA dive and attended welding courses" We have both been employed steadily and with excellent pay and benefits and have been able to travel, working for companies like Chevron and Matson." "...Interestingly enough, I've known 6 or 7 people over the years who tried their hands at working as voices one of them spent thousands of dollars on classes and equipment and none of them ever made more than a few hundred dollars" "I just thought you would like to know that while I'm sure you didn't expect this, you have a success story in me."

I think that just about makes me the most successful person ever to attempt to teach a voice over class.
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j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

heyguido · Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:08 am Post subject:

Scuba and welding....

Doh! What was I thinking? Rolls Eyes

For Sale: 1 mic closet..... Wink

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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"