VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:16 am Post subject: Vague's List for VOs

Knowledge is power, ignorance is bliss and like the majority of people in the world we prefer to pretend that the latter is the former -It's polite but it isn't helpful to you or your business.

So here's Vague's List for success in VO work in the correct order

1 - Get the best training
2 - Produce a demo
3 - Get a web site
4 - Establish your brand
5 - Market the results of 2,3 and 4
6 - Continue training
7 - Move up a level
8 - Get a major market agent
9 - Write a book on VO
10 - Never admit your ignorance

Don't you just love it? Awesome eh?

To be fair it's a good start but you need to KEEP ASKING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS and do not let go until you get specific qualified answers. In order to do this you must be able to read people carefully and know when to let go, in other words know when they would rather not admit they either don't know the answer or would rather not tell you because ...See opening 6 words of this post.

VO really stands for Vacuous Obfuscation but it is not compulsory and you do not have to put up with it particularly when the proper, detailed answer will mean the difference between paying the mortgage and eating or NOT.

I always tell people that if you ask me a specific question I will give a specific answer unless some weird and wonderful contractual thing prevents me from replying.

You only really need ask 2 questions in our work. How EXACTLY did you do it? How EXACTLY did it work out for you? Watch out for selective deafness people don't appear to be able to hear the word EXACTLY.

Elisa asked me those questions a couple of years ago because she was looking at how her business was evolving.

"Puh! Long answer matey! Probably take about a week" I said.

"Ok, I fly over, is that ok?"

We did have a nice time doing Collie stuff and eating out but it was work and it appears to have worked out just fine..

Oops, sorry, forgot the self-promotion bit. "I'm an awesome voice, send money at once"

audio'connell · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:16 am Post subject:

I like this (as usual) although you used big words that hurt my eyes and made my brain bleed a little (or maybe vice versa...I'm feeling a little dizzy and blurry in either case)

But the point you made regarding asking specific questions is both helpful and challenging.

Sometimes I've asked people these kinds of questions (cause I still very much need to learn...I knows how stupid I is) and they can't seem to put a finger on THE THING that helped them turn the corner, the thing that was their tipping point. These are folks who I believe (maybe to my detriment) are honest in their answer.

It seems to be a myriad of things that gelled together in a special, individual mixture of hard work, talent, timing and luck. To replicate it is near impossible but to imitate it (in some poor way) the only option.

Then there's the Sinatra "My Way" to success, but I'm a lousy singer.

My contribution here was neither enlightening nor helpful which I believe qualifies me as a voice-over expert.
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audioconnell Voice Over Talent
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Deirdre · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:35 am Post subject:

Gosh, I ought to get started on that book I've been meaning to write.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:01 am Post subject:

Mine will be aimed at the Top Pro market so sales of new crayons will soar!

heyguido · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:29 am Post subject:

Ooooooooh...... A crayon book? I'll buy two. Please include lots of pictures of puppies and kittens.
Inoccent

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

ccpetersen · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:29 am Post subject:

Um. I read the list. Checked off lots of the items. But, where's the item for "do the work for clients"? Or did I miss something?
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Yonie · CM Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 906

It's a parenthetical to the hypothetical bullet point: auditioning.

ccpetersen · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:58 pm Post subject:

right above "doing the gig" I guess...
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 5:13 pm Post subject: Re: Vague's List for VOs

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 8:49 am Post subject:

i don't see "use birth control."
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Monk · Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 10:46 am Post subject:

buy condoms or buy diapers..

I'm too busy to write a book. Am I doing something wrong?
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Leslie Humble · Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 3:32 pm Post subject:

Well...what another great Philip motivator/life skills diatribe.

How he practically begs us to expand on his succinct checklist for VO immortality.

I must play. For 1. Get the best training. Could it be, the best training is to simply listen listen, observe, practice on our own? Is this the route Philip took?
To 2 , 3, and 4, I add only, FIRST get some small body of work so you can redo your website and demo, and have a Brand.
A journey to #9 (oh great, now I have the Engine Engine # 9 song in my head)
Write a Book on VO. I only ask: try to have sold 3 or 4 actual VO's before writing the book.

Ah and now the most profound, to me, of the observations. "Never admit your ignorance." Profound because this is for all of life, ANY profession, ANY sales pitch, Any plea to Marry Me, Any question from the corporate office, Any queries on The Law Of Reciprocity, or ANY other musings.

And finally be sure to use a bored, condescending tone when addressing any newbie angst or pathetic need for vindication.
Hope you are all having a great summer:)
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:22 am Post subject:

Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:46 am Post subject:

Most people on an internet advising VOs "How to ..." go by one name.

Next time you think "I'm gonna do that too!" Remember Little Big Horn.

Leslie Humble · Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:51 am Post subject:

Yes of course Lee.
Sadly we are in the only vocation where the brillant time worn axiom,
"It is Better to Remain Silent and be Thought a Fool, Than to Speak and Remove all Doubt", cannot be applied.

Perhaps an option more apropo for beginning Voiceoverists is "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." Come to think of it a lot of careers may have been built on this sandy foundation.

Most, but not all, of my earlier post was somewhat tongue in cheek. I would like to pose this question to members of this august group that are not PAID VO teachers." Not interested in hearing from those whose living it might infringe upon. For those ...hey, it's only a question.
"Is the BEST training for most just listening to Voice Bank, Radio/TV, and the highly successful until your ears BLEED, and then practice practice to get that sound....you know....the way you get to Carnegie Hall? Who here is a success (Philip?) that has not had extensive Acting lessons?
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There are rules to the Universe. Learn them and prosper. www.HumbleVoiceover.com