VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

cyclometh

Some of you have seen this if you and I are connected on Facebook, but I felt it was worthy of being posted here also.

In which I share some thoughts about what being a "professional" means.

http://voxman.net/2013/07/02/do-you-want-to-be-a-professional-act-like-one/
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
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Mike Harrison · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 4:23 pm Post subject:

BAM!

In the most positive sense of the word, of course.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 5:08 pm Post subject:

I wish it was that easy. But just having professionalism doesn't make one a professional. Otherwise, anyone with the right attitude and social graces could be a "pro". And then you've watered down the definition.

I could very easily call myself a professional bricklayer without having a single client, because, ya know, if I did, would totally act professionally. See? Professional bricklayer. How many VO newbies do we see who have never had a gig advertising themselves as "professionals"? Confession: I did the same when I started out.

I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying we bestow the term "professional" a little too easily. Especially on ourselves.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

cyclometh · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 6:49 pm Post subject:

I prefer to let it be defined by how you operate rather than your income, because the former is both something I can verify and has an effect on me, but the latter is meaningless to anyone except the person making the money.

I also very clearly stated I don't think anyone should fake it until they make it, which is what I would say your bricklayer example would be. Misrepresenting your experience or background wouldn't exactly be a "professional" thing to do.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 7:39 pm Post subject:

To be clear, I never mentioned money or income.

But if someone with no experience is misrepresenting themself as professional, then by your admission, the person needs to have reached some level of success in order to NOT be misrepresenting themself. I'm just trying to figure out what the bar is.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

jsgilbert · Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:10 pm Post subject:

I'm have to agree with Jeffrey here. "Professional" simply means a person engaged or qualified in a profession. There are plenty of words we can use to further describe one's proficiencies or lack thereof. And as far as trusting a voice talent with 10 hours of work experience under their belt, it sounds rather "unprofessional" to say "that I would trust implicitly with any job I might send their way, knowing it’s going to be done right."

I watch people every day get into trouble who feel similar.

For some reason I am reminded of this little anecdote:

A guy comes come home one day and finds his wife in bed with his best friend, who happens to be an actor.

He looks at hos wife and says "I might expect this from you" and then turning to his best friend, he says "But you, what are you doing?"

His friend doesn't miss a beat and says, "I have a regional tv spot for Toyota, a callback for Days of Our Lives and a McDonald's commercial audition tomorrow."
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