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VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!
Established November 10, 2004
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Eric Cheung
Joined: 21 Nov 2013
Posts: 7
Location: Boston, MA
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 Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 8:49 pm Post subject: Animated Demo |
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Hello. I'm new to the boards, so I've been lurking a bit for the past few days, checking out the different forums.
Earlier this year I cut together this demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZKFgxDq1Q0. Since I posted it on YouTube I wanted to give it a visual element, so I did some very crude drawings to do a sort of squiggle-vision style animation. I drew in my sketch book and colored it in marker on both sides of a sheet of paper. I scanned both sides of each sheet and flipped half of them so they'd be oriented properly and then alternated the frames.
Anyway, the demo is made up of a commercial parody I made, some spots I recorded for WGBH radio pledge, some clips from a Star Trek animated fan film series I recorded for (Star Trek: Mariner at http://mariner.gfcmedia.net), and other little things.
The YouTube channel itself has stuff from my stand-up days too.
But how does the demo sound?
Thanks and hello! |
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Bruce
Boardmeister
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7977
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:45 am Post subject: |
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Welcome aboard Eric. Your "demo" is a real mixed bag of good, bad, and ugly. The first spot where you're playing with your voice should be vaporized. The bit for the Hartford job fair was pretty good but it was recorded in a fairly bouncy room which took away from it. That piece was also long. The WGBH stuff was good. The Star Trek stuff, OK I guess, but it seemed out of place.
As I've told many a newcomer here before, you should listen to a lot more demos from working professionals and get a better idea of what kinds of clips go into a demo before you produce another. You'll get a more favorable response from us next time if you show that you understand the business and what it takes to pursue it.
B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005
I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. . |
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Bob Bergen
CM
Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 979
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:25 am Post subject: |
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Hi Eric! What Bruce said. You tagged this as an animated demo, and it's all over the place. Every genre of vo requires it's own demo.
Read through this page from my website regarding demos:
http://bobbergen.com/faq.htm
Spending this much time trying to create a visual on YouTube won't impress nearly as much as a great animation demo. It's all about originality in character. All characters have a voice, but not all voices have character.
Also, today is so different from when I started out 30 years ago, Back in the old days the only people who heard your demo were the ones you mailed it to. By posting online you invite the entire world to hear, judge, and scrutinize. You get one opportunity to make a good impression. Ya gotta make it count.
Compare your demo to those made by some of the top demo producers in da biz:
http://www.demosthatrock.com/portfolio.html
http://www.mmvoiceover.com/
And some of the top working animation actors in the biz:
/audio.jsp?url=http://video.voicebank.net/vb2pub/1592/cabinet/publicaudio/Animation/Men/Baker%20-%20Animation.mp3&title=" target="_blank">http://www.voicebank.net/a /audio.jsp?url=http://video.voicebank.net/vb2pub/1592/cabinet/publicaudio/Animation/Men/Baker%20-%20Animation.mp3&title=
/audio.jsp?url=http://video.voicebank.net/vb2pub/1587/cabinet/publicaudio/09%20-%20Animation%20Men/James%20Arnold%20Taylor%20-%20Animation.mp3&title=" target="_blank">http://www.voicebank.net/a/audio.jsp?url=http://video.voicebank.net/vb2pub/1587/cabinet/publicaudio/09%20-%20Animation%20Men/James%20Arnold%20Taylor%20-%20Animation.mp3&title=
/audio.jsp?url=http://video.voicebank.net/vb2pub/3705/cabinet/publicaudio/Animation/Men/bergen%2C%20bob%20%20%20%20%20animation%2011152013%20.mp3&title=" target="_blank">http://www.voicebank.net/a/audio.jsp?url=http://video.voicebank.net/vb2pub/3705/cabinet/publicaudio/Animation/Men/bergen%2C%20bob%20%20%20%20%20animation%2011152013%20.mp3&title=
(he modestly posts)
Bottom line is, the internet is also a wonderful research tool. There is no reason why anyone interested in pursuing any genre of vo doesn't know what they have to do and whom they have to live up to/be better than to pursue.
Here is every agent from NYC to LA and everywhere in between:
/promoList.do?CLR=-1" target="_blank">http://www.voicebank.net/a/promoList.do?CLR=-1
Animation is done primarily in LA. Surf the top vo agent's pages and listen to their animation clients. Agents such as Atlas, DPN, SBV, CESD, WME, AAA, etc.
I think doing ALL of this will better demonstrate what is needed from your demo/marketing.
Hope this helps!
B |
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Eric Cheung
Joined: 21 Nov 2013
Posts: 7
Location: Boston, MA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:40 am Post subject: |
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Thanks!
I should have been more clear. The demo was animated, but it was supposed to be a more general demo. |
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Bob Bergen
CM
Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 979
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| Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Eric Cheung wrote: | Thanks!
I should have been more clear. The demo was animated, but it was supposed to be a more general demo. |
But again, there really isn't a general demo. Commercial, promo, narration, audio books, games, trailer, etc. All require their own demos. You don't want to combine genres. In the old days you did. One reel to reel demo about 3-5 minutes, with a taste of everything. Today you need to market each demo/genre separately. The commercial demo is probably the most important as commercials are the day to day. And again, having a visual on YouTube isn't as impressive as an exceptional audio demo. Just don't do a demo until you are absolutely ready!  |
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Eric Cheung
Joined: 21 Nov 2013
Posts: 7
Location: Boston, MA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 6:52 am Post subject: |
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| At this point I probably can cut together a commercial demo as I've recorded several more WGBH spots since then. Would it be weird to have a demo feature stuff exclusively from one station or would it be evidence that I can establish a relationship with a client for work that makes it to the air? |
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Bob Bergen
CM
Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 979
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| Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 9:23 am Post subject: |
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| Eric Cheung wrote: | | At this point I probably can cut together a commercial demo as I've recorded several more WGBH spots since then. Would it be weird to have a demo feature stuff exclusively from one station or would it be evidence that I can establish a relationship with a client for work that makes it to the air? |
Hey buddy! It's not important that a demo consist of real work. It's essential that the demo be really good. Often when we do commercials, especially national TV spots, they aren't produced in our favor. It's pretty common to redo a spot for the sake of the demo. But most of the top vo actors have demos consisting of spots made just for the demo. The important thing is to make sure you have a demo producer who is brilliant and knows today's advertising trends. If you are shopping agents go to their websites and get an idea of what they expect from talent.
As for WGBH, are these commercials or promos??? If the latter, this would be a promo demo. And you don't ever want a demo consisting of product just from one source or entity.
I'm also not a fan of self produced demos. You need an objective ear, and as I said someone who knows the business of the business. Someone who knows today's advertising trends and what agents need from talent.
I think the most important thing to understand is that those whose careers are moving, your competition who are working and seeing great results, are going the extra mile. They are working harder and willing to do more than everyone else. Now, it really just depends what you want out of your career. But you get out of it what you put into it. Too often than not I hear from actors complaining they feel they are spinning their career wheels and don't know why. Then after a little investigating I find out they really haven't done a fraction of what they need to do to move their career forward. From acting and improv study, to great demos, to a killer website, to daily savvy marketing, they invest more into complaining than really being as proactive, productive, and career driven as they should.
So, back to your demo. No one in this business needs another voice. They need you. Your heart, your cadence, your personality and style, married together with today's advertising trends in a brilliant one minute commercial demo. |
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Eric Cheung
Joined: 21 Nov 2013
Posts: 7
Location: Boston, MA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you! I did send the demo to people, including my teacher earlier this year, but this is much more constructive feedback.
The spots that I've recorded for radio pledge at WGBH have mostly been spots for sustainer memberships (in which people can pledge to donate an amount automatically every month), and for other things like events, like WGBH's annual Beer Fest, Brian O'Donovan's St. Patrick's Day and Christmas Celtic Sojourn live events. So they're for things that are station specific, but not imaging.
I'll cut together something new. |
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Oddio
Contributor II
Joined: 11 Jul 2010
Posts: 54
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:06 am Post subject: |
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EVERY thing Bob said! And then some!
My added 3 cents (cost of inflation) would be that while your drawings are clever, to me they offered more of a distraction to your voices. Perhaps it was the strobing effect, or just the fact that my brain was trying to comprehend what was going on. "Was this a TV spot? What is this for?" So the whole time I was trying to piece the puzzle together my mind was being diverted away from the purpose of your "demo"...to hear your voiceover work.
Further, I'm not sure how effective You Tube is for a marketing tool. I could be wrong, but I think a voice demo should be just that...voice only. Build yourself a website and load your genre specific demos there.
Master Bergen's advice is spot on! Put some coins aside for professional coaching and a demo that kicks butt. You're on your way!
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Scott Burns
scott@bookscottburns.com
www.bookscottburns.com |
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