VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

BALKY · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:02 am Post subject: Work for Apple

Hey, guys and girls Smile

Before posting, I was thinking how to approch this, and finally decided to post here! What if? It was like eurica!

I would like to offer Apple my voice for Russian Siri. So far, there is only a female's voice available. The problem is that i do not have recources to make that offer.
So, I was wondering perhaps someone has worked with them and could show me the way Smile

I will be very grateful for any input!

Sincerely,
Pavel
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Best,
Pavel Kuklin
(Russian native vo artist)
*****
Greeting: https://vimeo.com/216249549
Source-Connect: voservices
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/channels/russianvoice
AUDIO: http://audio.russianvoice4u.com

Bish · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:11 am Post subject:

As far as I know, the only known voice of Siri is Susan Bennett... who did all the recording without actually knowing she was doing it for Apple. Unless using celebrities, Apple are usually very strict about what people communicate about working with them. I may (or may not) know someone who may (or may not) have done some stuff for Apple. All I can say is that they have an industrial-strength NDA.

Maybe try and contact the Siri development team... maybe even an old-fashioned letter to Cupertino addressed "For the attention of..." would be a good place to start.
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BALKY · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:47 pm Post subject:

Hi, Peter!

Thanks very much for replying to my perhaps silly post.

I tried to search for siri dev. team, and found a bunch of listings for apple employment. I replied to a couple of jobs and attached my letter instead of resume Smile

Maybe it will do the trick Wink

_________________
Best,
Pavel Kuklin
(Russian native vo artist)
*****
Greeting: https://vimeo.com/216249549
Source-Connect: voservices
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/channels/russianvoice
AUDIO: http://audio.russianvoice4u.com

Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 981

Do you have an agent? If so, that's the best route.

BALKY · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:50 pm Post subject:

Hi Bob!

Unfortunately, no. I wish i had one, but because Russian is not in trend here, no agency really want to deal with me... I've tried several, but silence in return.

Frown

_________________
Best,
Pavel Kuklin
(Russian native vo artist)
*****
Greeting: https://vimeo.com/216249549
Source-Connect: voservices
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/channels/russianvoice
AUDIO: http://audio.russianvoice4u.com

Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 981

BALKY · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 4:39 pm Post subject:

Bob,

Nowadays there are so many companies that want to localize their businesses, and nyc is not an excption. I do not know what stops agencies from wanting to add me. It is not like having me on file costs them money.

As far as adr, i thought it is done say in Moscow by their local actors. Doubt they would need my services here; although, who knows!!! Also, having had technology like source connect, is it really necessary to be in LA physically for adr?!

I would love to get into dubbing Smile

_________________
Best,
Pavel Kuklin
(Russian native vo artist)
*****
Greeting: https://vimeo.com/216249549
Source-Connect: voservices
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/channels/russianvoice
AUDIO: http://audio.russianvoice4u.com

Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 981

ADR for features and TV, like animation, is not something done remotely. ADR is not done via ISDN or Source Connect. It's done in studios with several actors all working together. You absolutely need to live where the work is done. Part of the actors job is to make the buyer's job easier. Being available is the easiest part of this. And there are many more actors out here or willing to be out here than there is work. Bottom line is, for ADR Ya gotta be here.

And it absolutely costs the agent to have talent on their roster. An agent's job is to pitch, sell, and negotiate. This takes a lot of time, which has value, dinner meetings, etc. All of this costs. If they feel they cannot sufficiently service an actor, they will not add them to their talent pool. But a good agent does not just list an actor and keep their fingers crossed.

When it comes to the agent, most actors don't consider what they bring to the table. The agent is the salesman. The actor is the product they are selling. If the buyers aren't buying Russian the agents have nothing to sell. I can understand their apprehension. Actors have to think about the value of their product and what they bring to the table to sell. It certainly is not their voice. It's their history, their relationships with ad execs, casting folk, and buyers. All of this is the stuff the agent has and frankly needs to better service the client.

BALKY · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:27 pm Post subject:

Bob,

Thank you very much for such a full description of what it is Smile

.
Will be hoping something comes up here in new york city. The chances of my relocating to LA equal to zero: too hot, too far, and it is not certain that I will be able to find a job like that there, plus all my relatives are here, and I love new york Smile

with all its weirdness.

Perhaps i could travel to LA iF a job like that comes up Smile

. You never know.
_________________
Best,
Pavel Kuklin
(Russian native vo artist)
*****
Greeting: https://vimeo.com/216249549
Source-Connect: voservices
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/channels/russianvoice
AUDIO: http://audio.russianvoice4u.com

Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 981

NYC has tons of vo work and awesome agents. You are in one of the greatest vo opportunity cities in the world!! Wink

melissa eX · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:46 pm Post subject:

Pavel, have you tried here?

https://www.gala-global.org/company-directory?f[0]=field_company_type%3A221&f[1]=field_products_services%3A223&f[2]=field_target_languages%3A315

I did a search on vendors of services, audio/dubbing and Russian and came up with 81 companies. You can try other searches as well. It could be a place to start.

Also, I would contact people at large text to speech companies like Nuance - or suppliers to Nuance.
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Melissa's right - contact the large text to speech companies. There are some here in Atlanta (and note that Susan Bennett is from Atlanta). I like your work a lot and I think you'd be very attractive to them.
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DenaliDave · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 2:22 pm Post subject:

Well, I tried about a dozen times, and Siri herself is no help. Half the time she didn't get my question right anyway. Mello

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"The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve." - Buddha
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BALKY · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 3:26 pm Post subject:

Bob, I know that NYC is great, and I am in luck that I am here, but I need to learn how to market myself Frown

99% People find me on the web through different vo pools like voice123/voices.com etc.

I would be a lousy sales' person LOL I can't sell anything... and I am quite modest about my knowledge and skills...

Mel, thanks very much for the link. I've never been to that site. Very interesting. I've sent an email to some companies in the list. We'll see what happens Smile

How have you been, btw?

Lance, thank you very much! I know for as long as I live on vimeo that you do like my work! It is really nice to know that there's a friend out there Smile

And lastbut not least, David - Siri is silly thing... it makes me laugh at her/his stupid answers and songs, and crazy poetry LOL But some things it can do really well - I started using apple products a bit over a year and love it a lot.

Thank you all so much for inspiring me to do things! That's probably what I need... get off my butt and just go places and meet people. I spend too much time indoor... I love being home, but should leave my comfort zone more often. It so happens that I leave it only when there's a reason for it - job, gigs, meetings, appointments, a need to buy something, etc... I live quite far from the city by public transit - time/money consuming.

PS Melissa, special hi to you Smile

_________________
Best,
Pavel Kuklin
(Russian native vo artist)
*****
Greeting: https://vimeo.com/216249549
Source-Connect: voservices
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/channels/russianvoice
AUDIO: http://audio.russianvoice4u.com

melissa eX · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 5:36 pm Post subject:

Hey Pavel! I'm in the midst of getting rid of and packing up years of stuff - GAH! But I should be squared away in a couple of months - we should meet up in the city. Downtown's closer for you and there are lots of good places.