VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

paulstefano · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:04 am Post subject: Landed my 1st audiobook gig!

Hello Everybody,

I landed my first audiobook gig through ACX. I know Jeff is going to cringe, but I did this audition before most of the critiques and advice I received here at VO-BB

Having said that I have never misrepresented myself. My profile says I'm new and I asked people to take a chance on me. This author is fairly new to writing, and found my voice from the ACX search pages, and has sent me glowing compliments about the audition. Honestly, at first I thought it was a phishing scam when I got the email, but what can I say, he likes me.

So, any tips would be appreciated. Again, both the author and I are going into this with eyes wide open about expectations and I'm really looking forward to it.

I have created a set up that allows me to nail the ACX submission requirements, so that's a start.
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todd ellis · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:55 am Post subject:

i'll leave it to others more qualified for audio book advice --- i'll just say - congratulations on the gig! take it slow & set reasonable expectation with the client --- all will be well.
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who's/on/1st?

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 11:19 am Post subject:

Congrats. As a seasoned audiobook narrator - albeit with about 1/10th of Jeff's experience! - I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts back here once you've completed this.

Nothing like your first gig, though. I can't honestly tell you what I voiced yesterday, but I sure can remember the first paying gig I ever landed.

May I ask which book you landed? I'm curious as to whether we may have auditioned for the same one.
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

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paulstefano · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 11:46 am Post subject:

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 12:16 pm Post subject:

Excellent. Nope, not one I auditioned for. Have fun with it!
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

paulstefano · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 12:17 pm Post subject:

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

Congrats!

As long as the author gave you plenty of time and breathing room, the other major factor is just making sure you can meet the technical specs of ACX, as far as mastering the audio and having an acceptable noise floor.

If you are not sure about that part, you may want to search the archives.

paulstefano · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 1:19 pm Post subject:

Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

That's correct as far as the author and the first 15 goes, but in most cases authors are not qualified to determine compliance with audio specs, so ACX vets the audio at the very end before they will publish it on their platform(s)

ACX is the final gatekeeper but they don't analyze the audio specs until you have already done all the work.

So you want to make sure you are up to snuff with their specs at the outset.

paulstefano · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 1:34 pm Post subject:

Thanks Elwood. Are you familiar with the Audacity ACX plugin I mentioned? Do you know if it's accurate? I matched up the results with what the ACX website says.

ACX was actually what I first investigated for voice over and did a lot of research before I bought equipment and started recording
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

I am not but if ACX mentions it on their website then you should be okay.

But to be safe I would probably seek out someone (maybe here) who has used it successfully. But it sounds like you have covered your bases.

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:00 pm Post subject:

Best of luck to you.
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http://JeffreyKafer.com
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Bruce · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:50 pm Post subject:

If you have not already done so, review the printed guides and how-to videos at Audible. They have a wealth of pertinent information.

B
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todd ellis · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:57 pm Post subject:

also - if you keep quoting whole posts you will be summarily taken out back an and threatened with a slotted spoon.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

paulstefano · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 3:39 pm Post subject:

Todd, I read the rules but that "entire" post was 15 words long. Really?
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