VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Lee Gordon]

On my previous audiobook -- which is to say my first ever audiobook -- I read along until I screwed up, stopped the recording, moved the cursor back to where I wanted to pick up (obviously my software does not have true punch-in capability), generated a loud click (still don't have a clicker so I just snapped my fingers), hit record and proceeded until my next screw-up. And so it went until I finished the chapter. Then I went back to each of my click marks and tightened up the recording.

Today, while working on my second audiobook, I tried a different approach. Every time I had to stop the recording, I went back and tightened up the previous screw-up, then made my click sound and moved along until I screwed up again, went back and edited that previous stoppage and continued. So, by the time I finished reading, I had only one more edit to make and the chapter was in the can.

This may be old news to the veteran self-editors among us, but it was a revelation to me.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Jason Huggins]

Yer doin a hybrid approach it seems. I think most people either never stop the recording and just mark errors with a marker or click, or do full on punch and roll (requiring no further editing to remove errors). How long did that take per finished hour?

[Bruce]

My only problem with punch and roll editing is in fiction where I find it a little hard to keep the flow of the action or conversation consistent or appropriate if I keep stopping every so often and going back. I have to go back and listen to every word I read anyway, so I don't mind rolling through 2 or 3 takes till I get it right or get the emphasis I want, then edit.

To each their own, eh?

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Jeffrey Kafer]

you're mostly there, Lee. Punch, roll, pass off to someone cheaper to listen.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Scott Pollak]

The way I do it is definitely more time-consuming, but I think it's important - for me, at least - to do it this way.

I just read thru, leave any mistakes in, then go back and edit everything. Yes, it takes a LOT longer, but first of all, I discover a LOT of things by doing this that I might otherwise miss, and they're all critical.

First, I often discover where I juxtaposed words or simply said the wrong thing. Next, I occasionally hear something where I want to go back and re-read a sentence or two for better inflection or meaning.

Finally, I occasionally find digital dropouts or glitches that I'd otherwise NEVER have known were there, necessitating a pickup line.

Yeah, it's a pain in the butt, but it's how I gotta do it.

LEE: get thyself to a Petsmart. The clickers are about 59 cents each.
_________________
Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

[Lee Gordon]

Scott, I agree that is an important function in the process but I have convinced the producer of this book to allow me to hire someone to perform it for me. Even if I have to pay for the service out of my own fee, I think it will be worth it to have a different set of eyes and ears other than my own to catch what I may have missed.

And the pet store is definitely on my ToDo list.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Karen Souer]

My clients have also told me that handing the book off to someone else for proofing or editing also makes them feel good. "Whew I don't have to do this part!"
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Any project, any size, I can help.
karensouer.com
voiceoverassistant.com/blog/

[Lance Blair]

Horrible! Yet another reason why I'd rather do ten corporate narrations than one audiobook.
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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[Jeffrey Kafer]

I guarantee you, Lance, the satisfaction of completing a book and seeing it up on Audible, knowing that people are listening to it because they WANT to, makes it all worth it.

[Jen Gosnell]

Jeff, are you subtly implying that you didn't REALLY, REALLY WANT TO listen to all those corporate policy trainings back in the day?

...I might have just hurt myself laughing at the thought of that. Heh.
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jen@jengosnell.com
https://www.jengosnell.com
Skype: jen.gosnell
971.258.2448

[Jeffrey Kafer]

Nope. nothing subtle about it at all.
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[whalewtchr]

Everyone has their own preference to recording audiobooks. Some do it for fun, some do it for money, some do it for both. If you do it for money then a good idea is to aspire to a 2 to 1 ratio and as Kafer indicated, complete two finished hours per day. Punch and roll enables most narrators to get there, it won't be perfect and the proofers you hire will assist so you can go back and pick-up. As an editor/narrator I used to seek perfection, I would go back and listen to everything instead of just correcting what the proofer flagged...personally I got tired of working for 8 bucks an hour. As I said, everyone has their own preference.

Once you master and become comfortable with a punch in recording technique you will be amazed at the time savings and might never go back to dog clickers again, just one opinion of course.
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jonahcummings

[Lance Blair]

I get plenty of satisfaction from my corporate/training/educational work, but I understand what you're saying Jeff.
_________________
Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[Jason Huggins]

If only the pay was better. It's hard to want to do audio books (though still this point they do pay the bills) when almost any other form of VO pays double or more. But alas, I will continue to narrate. It is very satisfying though!

[Scott Pollak]

I, personally, have a love/hate relationship with doing audiobooks. I've done about 15 of them now and am really slowing down on doing them.

Going the 'traditional' route of ACX has quickly worn thin, what with the low pay, the reduction of the stipend and so on.

But I also get audiobooks from my agents and recently directly from a motivational writer who found me via the web. He and I worked out a modest arrangement that pays a bit less than I'd like, but he is sending me a ton of work that's easy to do, he is 100% appreciative of everything I send him (no QC other than on my part) and he pays THE NEXT DAY. This, I love! Also, his deadline is: "When you can get it done". I also had a lawyer's office contact me to voice a short (4 hour) audiobook regarding liability in an auto accident. I set my own rate for that, so it was worthwhile.

When my agent lands me an audiobook gig, it's been mainly for reading a historical tome for a corporation and my rate for those has been $500 pfh. Obviously I LOVE those.

And one more thing that occasionally figures into the equation is the fact that I'm a voracious reader. So if I can get paid to read a good book, even if the pay is meager, sometimes it's worth it since I'd probably read the book for nothing more than pure enjoyment anyway.

So.... like I said: Love/Hate. I almost NEVER audition on ACX anymore.
_________________
Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com