VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Philip Banks]

The Global Market we believe lets us in but the opposite is true. Free enterprise and competition is fine when it allows us arrogant Brits and Americans to do well but we tend not to like it when the boot is on the other foot.

Anyone who is a voice over should put themself in a strong position by ensuring that the product being sold is (in my case) the voice of Philip Banks as opposed to a voice at a price. Anyone can undercut a voice but the voice of Philip Banks can only be bought from one store and at a price Philip Banks determines. Now more than ever you need to be sure of your USP (unique selling proposition). If you don't then the lowest rate for your labour is the lowest rate in the world market and that stands at $1 per day. Still feel like trying to compete on rates?

[brianforrester]

Phil,

At the risk of agreeing with you completely (damn I hate it when that happens!!!) , I think you may have just encapsulated the entire debate and put into perspective where we should focus!! "Stop bitching and get out there and sell YOUR unique talent!"

THANK YOU!


_________________
Brian Forrester Voice Overs
www.brianforrester.com
brian@brianforrester.com
778.668.5715

[PJHawke]

Or, as The Bard once said, "To thine own market be true."

Okay, maybe he didn't say that, but if he'd been in advertising, I bet he would have.

PJ

[Sameer]

If you want to know what's happening in the market, ask the market.
-Japanese Proverb

"A market is the combined behavior of thousands of people responding to information, misinformation and whim."
-Kenneth Chang

[Philip Banks]

"Anyone in the market interesting in punishing me for being good at my job rather than rewarding me move along down the bus please"
Philip Banks
Philosopher/Lap dancer

[Sameer]

Deirdre,
What I meant was ...the day they can speak fluent English......Chinese products filling all markets is another story........

there is a veteran VO talent in Bombay who is always cribbing about low payment /stuff......I told him that few chinese guys have come to town & they are learning "Hindi" & will soon undercut all VO/dubbing jobs !

[Philip Banks]

I can see what Sameer means and there will be an impact on the market where the need is for a (any voice) voice for a production. For those productions where the right voice is important the low ballers have not yet and are unlikley ever to make a real impact. This gets back to my earlier point about what we should be selling. When the day arrives when we are all evenly matched and the only difference is price then we will have to be price competitive. We will never be evenly matched and were we there would always be a newbie willing to work for nothing to get his foot in the door.

[JeffK]

[Apageloman]

At risk of being a pary pooper I thought maybe this insight might be worthwhile, while I agree that the rates suggested by jeff and others are thoroughly ghastly, I do feel it necessary to point out that technology has turned our little cornewr of the business world into a buyers market, thus the potential financial windfalls associated with what we do might be restricted somewhat. this I suppose validates what many in the industry seem to mean in making a case for AFTRA and SAG and the like, personally, I am concerned about the potnetial harmful "sideffects" of being associated with thes organizations so, by admission, there aren't a ton of good available options to fix this problem.

[dhouston67]

[anthonyVO]

[Philip Banks]

Now thanks to technology everyone can be a VO but that doesn't mean everyone will be a VO, should be a VO or will be used as a VO.

Anyone who believes that making a living as a voice over is anything to do with technology has missed the point. Technology merely gets what we do to where it is needed. MSWord has not closed down the publishers, MSMovieMaker has not closed down Hollywood and someone in Beijing with a duvet over there head speaking perfect English into a cheap mic is not going put most pro voices into the poor house.

[Sameer]

Well.....they day a person sitting in Bejing or Ghuangzou.........can speak fluent english....s/he could very well do a "double" of your voice

http://www.voxonic.com/

ofcourse using a chinese double of above

[mcm]

[Sameer]

they are working on that....i will keep you posted

We had a debate on this unit when it was presented at a conference in Berlin... the demos were so excellent.....President of USA giving speech in fluent Arabic.....

Everyone opined he cant speak with so much of emotions...