VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Wes]

It took only a few minutes today for 95 'talents' to reply that they had an interest regarding this Voice123 posting:

The Creative Services Department at (tv station) is looking for additional voice talent for our commercials. We are looking for a male and female voice. Looking for a young, hip, energetic voice. Also able to change up their voice for various commercials (commical, fast-paced). We mainly do :30 second spots and need a dry voice. We email the script and the voice over person emails their finished product back to us (mp3 or wav file). Non-union. We are looking for someone who can dry voice up to 15 commercials for $50 a month. The number of commercials voiced varies from month to month. We are a small size market so our fees must stay low in accordance with our budget.


Hmmmmmm...less than $5 per :30 TV voiceover.....it's enough to get me to start practicing
"Hi, welcome to Wal-Mart"

I've had to attempt to make a living with my voice (not my brains thank God)...
maybe I should've paid attention in school!!!

Oh well, guess I could be diggin ditches everyday..........

[mcm]

OMG. I think that is the limit. Any lower and yer subterranean.

Ugh.

[DaveHines]

Screw Wal-Mart...If that's all I'm gonna make, I want to be one of those people who takes drive-through orders from a remote location for Taco Bell. I think I have the gear to make that happen too. Hmmmmmmmm.......

[dmgood]

The sad part is... as of this posting... 174 people had already responded to it!!

[Drew]

That's pretty pathetic. Five bucks for a thirty. Those 174 souls could earn more taking remote orders for Taco Hell.

Excuse me a moment......


Two soft tacos, a Mexican Pizza, and a large Pepsi. Got it. Hot sauce or mild? Okay. Your total comes to $5.69. Please pull up to the window.


Okay I'm back...What were we talking about?
_________________
www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.

[Mike]

[brianforrester]

Let's be realistic about the expectations and the lifespan of a system like V123456789.... Any fool willing to work for that kinda chump change is going to suck!!! I'm sorry, but if they have half a brain, a bit of talent and some kind of knowledge about V/O they'll quickly realize that they're being taken advantage of and.... hopefully.... wisen up. If not, they'll quit because they'll be working 20-hours a day in front of their "logitech pc mic" pumping out crap for barely enough money to pay for dinner!

On the other hand, the "client" paying the chump change is going to eventually realize that the quality of talent willing to work for that kind of pittance (never mind the turnover in "talent" as they fall off of the face of v/o earth because they can't get rich quick) is less than even a broadcaster using 2 tin cans and piece of string would put on the air, they'll eventually either start paying more or stop using V123456789.

I've given this a lot of thought recently, and I think that there has been a kind of knee jerk reaction to the whole "quick, simple, record and send" model of "online marketing". I would argue that the current big players in the "v/o marketing business" (please recognize that I use the term very very loosely!!) will soon see their market share and business volume fall off dramatically, to businesses employing a more representative business model that promotes appropriate conduct by both the clients and the talent, while maintaining a higher standard of v/o product.

This may not happen in the next year or two, but for those of us in this for the long haul, we'll see how quickly these fly by night talents/prostitutes and busness/pimps fall by the wayside. I can't stress enough the time factor... they've only been around for less than 2-years to my knowledge, and I don't expect them vaporize over night, I figure 3 - 5 years.

In the meant time patience is key, and in this day of faster/smaller/cheaper/better, we've all but lost that realization. Stick it out, don't look for the quick answer that doesn't exist and you'll win in the long run! If we keep doing what we do, with integrity and an understanding of how what we do reflects on the voice over business as a whole, we'll last in the business and prosper where others fall flat on their butts!

For now, and I'll be very honest... I paid the fee about 10-months ago and I definately won't renew, but as long as I can keep my free posting with a demo and link to my website, I'll do it. It's a great way to increase profile, and the jobs that I've gotten through people originally seeing my posting and contacting me directly through my own website has been quite signigicant! I will no longer support it monetarily, but I'll use it's free services to their fullest extent to increase my online visibility!!!

Thump....... that's me jumping down from my soap box! I'm done on this one for now!!

Looking forward to reading your posts. Please feel free to rip me apart if you don't like what you've read (I don't think I even need to write that part, I know you will, and I welcome it with open fingers).

Cheers for now everybody.
_________________
Brian Forrester Voice Overs
www.brianforrester.com
brian@brianforrester.com
778.668.5715

[ReyAnthony]

[Spacegypsy]

When I saw that V123 posting I thought it HAD to be a mistake, shoorly they meant $500, not $50?

V123 should NOT allow that kind of ad to go through.

[SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer]

Actually they asked me to fill out a survey and I told them, again, that their business model needs to be changed. I know I'm not the only one who has suggested this to them - but obviously they don't really care.
_________________
Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart.

[allensco]

I'll agree with Kevin. I will not be renewing my membership either. I have gotten ONE bite from V123 and not one single piece of work. The work I do get comes from personal contacts as well. I started voicing the new Rusty Faulk Outdoors programs this week and it should last for the next month or so. V123 should NOT allow "clients" to post jobs for such ridiculously low pay. It demeans them and insults us! At least Interactive Voices starts at $100 and goes up.

My 2 cents...

[PJHawke]

[Dan-O]

-----

[Charlie Channel]

I will add one comment and caveat about your decision to not renew with v123. I share this not out of embarrassment, but reality. When and if you don't renew ... BEWARE of receiving a notification that a potential client wants to use you.

As a few of you may be aware, I declared I'd not renew with voice123. However, about two weeks after I ignored everything that came to my e-mail box, I got one of those: "It is suggested you answer" because a potential client wants you. And, of course, the solicitation by the potential client is REAL rewarding. I click and, of course, since I'm not Platnum, I can't see who the contact is.

Upon renewal and reply, the potential declared they were seeking other talent. ''

Suggestion: Let 'em find you if you don't renew. Put info like, contact me directly ... tele or website, etc. on your profile with a note about that being the best way to contact you.

Personal contacts? I believe, at this point, that it's more effective, more rewarding (better ROI) and less stressful/frustrating way to marketing and sales.

CC

[kgenus]

Hey, what other service can you pay to send practice scripts right to your doorstep?

The true problem with V123 is that they don't feel the effects of what they're doing. They should force individuals to select a maximum of (10) voices for script auditions. They should collect the money BEFORE the audition is sent. They should require a minimum payment of $250. They should keep $50 of any job to line their pockets, improve the service, pay for aids victims or whatever else I've seen at the bottom of their site in small print. The bottom line is that the talent should pay a marginal fee but the cost to run the service should come from those submitting scripts. There's just no corporate responsibility at all with Voice123.
_________________
Genus