VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Lizden]

[Bailey]

[Moe Egan]

What a great thread. I'm almost hesitant to add anything because everyone's posts have been so thought provoking (but, heck, someone's got to hold up the low end of the bell curve, so here goes)

I too was pushed into the dolphin pool. I was excited to get canned from my radio gig because I KNEW it was the best time to try for full time VO work (yes Kafer, my husband does work and gets bennies- no stock options though That first year was amazingly hard....slowly learning the ropes and growing the business. I pinched pennies so hard, Lincoln still cries when he sees me....hubby was supportive and I made up for my lost income by saving whereever and however I could (saving those details for my Lifetime movie of the week

Anyway...like you said Ben, all along i'd been working toward VO and never knew it, an acting degree plus radio equals...hm? I now make more money than hubby. By Banksey's definition I'm doing exceptionally well... and then some, and I know it's because I LOVE what I do, and therefor study the craft, work at it daily, spend oodles of time in my studio and when I'm working 99.9% of the time, I'm in a wicked good mood- and my clients pick up on that.

I have the business acumen of a preschooler, the technical prowess of the Rainman and the attention span of a moth....and (i almost am afraid to admit this) I don't to any marketing....no, none. just a few pay to play sites. and I don't have an agent..I'm the voice over equivalent of the bumble bee....this shouldn't be working for me....but it IS. I think because I just love what I do, my clients feel that and they like working with someone who LOVEs what they do (just got an email from a major client because I turned something around quickly today- two words "Olive you".....see...it's catchy!) But...I also treat this as a business. My dad was an executive with Univac...I was a corporate brat - knew how to properly answer a phone by 4 and listened to my dad's business philosophies, trials and errors and success stories for the past four decades....didn't realize till JUST NOW that I attended the Jack Egan business school...hm. I beat every deadline I'm given. Didn't like my take? no problem, nother one coming right up! Mega narration due monday...that's what weekends are for. Sure I love what I do, I'm kind of fun to be around,but I deliver a consistantly excellent product and my clients KNOW they can depend on me...that's important too.

I've also discovered that because I am working for and representing only MYSELF -there is so much more freedom to how I am able to work (Waaaay outside the box)....and because I don't have to answer to da Man or worse, da Middle Man, I'm able to dodge, duck, dive, dip and dodge faster in response to the business. I don't have to splain nothin to nobody (except my accountant

I do just want to say Ben- right on! when you wrote "I think people like me who have had a passion for VO for so long get angry when we see people that are looking at the profession/craft as a get rich quick scheme." I want to kiss that green head of yours! But those folks do fall away when they realize there's work involved. But there's new gold VO diggers to take their place...and the cycle goes on.
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

[BenWils]

Bailey,

I thought I was done posting....you made me come back. LOL.

You're reasoning is correct to me.

And to take it one step further....

Passion + Work Ethic - Talent = Delusional
(this applies to those with very limited talent as well) We see this every and all year on the talent competitions on television when they are choosing from the masses.

Passion - Work Ethic - Talent = A Lazy Delusional Person

Work Ethic - Passion +/- The Talent = A Person That Needs A Different Job

I think there is at least one more variable....Luck. Maybe Timing too (meaning knowing when the times are right for you to make various career moves)

Deep stuff. And who said there was no math in VO?
_________________
Ben


"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."

[Diane Maggipinto]

i subscribe to the pythagorean theorem, ben, with regards to math + vo.

because i like to say hypotenuse and law of cosines.


seriously, good discussion, peeps.
_________________
sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

[TigerMitch]

Like Joe...sadly, I am still working my corporate cubicle job. Excuses (I know...no excuses!)?

Mortgage, my son going to college this fall, my daughter going to college in 2 years, health insurance, etc.

Would I like to be a full-time VO? So much that it hurts. But, not at the sacrifice of my family...that's the way it is.

Mitch

[Jeffrey Kafer]

[Moe Egan]

Families come first -true dat. My first paid VO gig was in 1985. I made the leap to full time VO in 2004. We all have to do what we all have to do for our families, then if and when preparedness, passion and opportunity meet - THAT's when the magic can happen -
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

[louzucaro]

[Jeffrey Kafer]

I do. She's getting a nice pink digital camera that she wants for mother's day.

Plus she gets me, so that's thanks enough.
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Yoda117]

[Philip Banks]

Have any of the corporately trapped done the calculations? I know some people have a knee-jerk response to things and one is "can't go it alone as it would be a financial disaster". How much would you need? How many gigs is that and how would you go about getting them? As there is a high probability of making little or nothing in voice over work I firmly believe wisdom and caution are your friends.

Having one person pay you once a month makes you feel secure. Last month I was paid 17 times by different people and that makes me vulnerable. You're doing well with your company so they gave you a 5% pay raise. My turnover increased by 73.15% because the voice over field is getting more competitive and there are so many lowballers out there. This week I've heard of someone hanging up his mic and walking away from the voice over world, I've also spoken to someone who was approached yesterday by Disney with a very lucrative voice over opportunity.

The real p*sser in this business is that the most important thing, the right flow of work for you and me is beyond our control.

"You did WHAT? Philip, how did you get THAT gig?"

"They phoned and asked me". Yes that response is not only true it's extremely annoying.

Why did they call me? If I knew that the information would be for sale in a sealed envelope for $25,000.

What's nice to read on here is the common theme of family first, career second, as it right and proper.

[Rob Ellis]

A dose of realism is always a must.

The inspirational/motivational "Just Do It" messages have their worth, and their place, and can be very helpful.

But in the end there are no guarantees and anyone who starts on this road needs to remember that during the low points AND the high points.

My goal is to stay engaged with the process and not get too caught up in the end result---at times a lofty goal for sure!

[Jeffrey Kafer]

The one side benefit of this not being my day job is that I don't need to stress about it. I don't need to start worrying if a week goes by without a gig. This isn't to say that I'm not trying really hard or view it only as a hobby. But dry spells aren't a financial hardship. Only an emotional one.
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Moe Egan]

Believe it or not, you kind of get used to riding the wave, like Bruce ala Todd says. Some weeks are blow your mind great (having one of those this week And some weeks it's Ramon Noodles for dinner....


True VO very Zen....and tasty life
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~