VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Scott Pollak]

Whereas for so many years, especially as I was oozing into this, my wife's rather healthy salary (plus benefits) not only provided the lion's share of our income, but also the means for me to pursue this (along with her 100% unconditional encouragement and support, God bless her....).

Today, a year after losing her job - and all benefits - I'm lucky enough to be the primary financial provider for the household. Our benefits are still scarce, but thanks to finally almost completely having oozed, I can provide for us. I keep eeping closer and closer to that 6-figure mark each year.

Oozing and eeping. That's the story of my life. I imagine it'll be my epitaph on my tombstone.
_________________
Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

[Ed Fisher]

[Mandy Nelson]

I feel the same way about hubby getting out of his job but for now we need that insurance and his income. I'm taking small steps to help the big things happen. And, like your husbands, he'd still want to be doing something and that works out well because I need someone to edit all of the vo and he's expert at that!!
_________________
006 member of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Mic. Bonded by sound.

Manfillappsoc: The Mandy and Philip mutual appreciation Society. Who's in your network?

Have you seen my mic closet? ~ me to my future husband

[Bob Bergen]

Both.

I was working as a tour guide at Universal Studios for 5 years, from 1982-87. Beginning my 3rd year there I was making more money in VO than I was as a guide. But I was always afraid to quite Universal for a variety of reasons. With every vo gig I had NO idea if that would be my last one. (that fear never goes away) I would also take advantage of the front and back lot and on my days off would watch movies and TV shows being shot, learning the technical ins and outs of industry. Also, by having access to the lot I was able to meet and network with casting directors, who hired me for a variety of things each month.

Five years into the Universal job I was called into the administration office with a complaint that I had 32 sick days that year. I was informed that they couldn't afford to keep me on. I was also assured that if my acting career ever slowed down they'd welcome me back. The last time I considered that was during the commercial strike in 2000. But I ended up not having to.

But being pushed out of Universal was the best thing that ever happened to me. It forced me to focus and be more driven on VO. And, my Universal ID got me on the lot for another several years, so I kept learning and networking well into the 90s.

[Lee Gordon]

[bobsouer]

Jumped. One of my best days ever was the day I walked in and handed my letter of resignation to the VP over our department.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
Source Connect, phone patch, pony express

[Deirdre]

[Scott Pollak]

As a bit of a tangent to all this, in 2001 I was fired from a radio station for supposedly 'rocking the boat' (but as we all know, there are two sides to every story). I was really upset because I enjoyed working there and initially had thought I might spend the rest of my career there.

When I left, my wife and I joined forces doing web design work as I began to dabble on the side in v/o. I wanted to do so well at our freelance web work that "I'd show those people who fired me what a mistake they made" because I'd end up doing SO MUCH BETTER as a web designer.

Well.... that didn't happen. Our web design effort folded in the mid 2000's, BUT, today I CAN say that I'm making twice what I ever made at that radio station doing v/o, and working a lot fewer hours for it. But we're on good terms now (they even asked if I wanted to ever come back.... I don't....) and I don't laud my successes since leaving them. I wish them all the best.
_________________
Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

[Moe Egan]

Pushed-it was a surprise push too, totally unexpected by smelly pirates off the USSClearChannel. I learned how to swim pretty bleeping fast. I gave myself four years to make a living wage, or give up the idea of full time VO forever. I did it in 3. The next year I got divorced - kept my house, my kids and my sanity (well...the latter, most of the time)

And a shout out to Bruce- during the ebb tides of the job, you have NO idea how often your great line "Learn to ride the wave, or watch from the beach" kept me going. I like the waves way better than the beech. No moron middle managers out here.
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

[Fran McClellan]

[Moe Egan]

It's all Bruce's - VO sage that he is- I just loved it and stole it
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~