VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Dave Waters]

Overall reaction: huh?

Which seminar, class, book, video, website or whatever convinced YOU to become a VO?

The only person who kept telling me to do this was...me.

Based on a background first in theatre then in broadcast - note the timeline - which led to voiceover work "way back when", I knew what this was all about before jumping in full time some years ago.

Who should be encouraged to pursue a career in VO? Simple. No one. If you have what it takes, you'll get there on your own.
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Dave Waters
www.davewatersvo.com

[Bish]

Scott's points about "no up-selling" are well made, and appeal to my own (sometimes cynical) "follow the money" mantra. My own journey started on the back of familiarity with the technical side (years of playing around with audio production), lots of time developing and presenting training courses, and no fear of talking publicly in corporate situations. Couple this with a bunch of (non-VO) people telling me I should try it, and a journey starts. What Dave said is very true... you make your own decisions based on your own set of unique personal circumstances... I'm not saying that it hasn't actually worked for a few people, but there is something very wrong with any journey that starts with someone saying, "This is easy, anyone can do it, you should try it... give me money and I'll help you."

Which brings us back to the original post, which quotes a so-called "expert" blog from people who actively encourage anyone to "give it a go" and use their paid service as an enabler. Consider the source... follow the money.
_________________
Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[Bob Bergen]

This is a great thread. I am a huge advocate for study. And, not just because I'm a coach. My LA class has a 2-3 year waiting list. The only workshops I promote are the 3-4 weekend seminars I teach around the country per year. I've been both praised and criticized for my frankness and honesty. I qualify every class with, this is just my opinion. And, you should never let one opinion judge your entire acting career. But I approach every student as if they were me. I wanted honest feedback and guidance, presented in a safe environment that allowed me to keep trying. But I never wanted sugar coating. That gets you nowhere. And, I never sugar coat.

A teacher at my very first vo class (I was 14) told me I had no talent and didn't stand a chance to make it in this business. After a good cry, I decided to pursue. And, if after substantial training and trying I didn't make it, at least I tried. To me, regret is far more detrimental than failure. After 4 years of vo classes, a 2 year acting conservatory, and 3 years of improv, I got my first gig (working side by side with the same teacher who told me I had no talent.....and no, I will not reveal their name) and secured my first agent. It then took me another 5 years before I was able to quit my day job and work as a full time actor.

I'm in my 26th year teaching. Never have I told anyone not to pursue vo. Lousy actors get lucky breaks all the time. Who am I to prevent even that??!! What I will do, is guide them the best I can. I might advise they take acting and improv before spending another dime on vo classes, as their lack of acting technique has them spinning thier wheels at the mic. I also urge business and maketing classes. I preach you never pursue the arts on credit. If you cannot afford it, do it when you can. Do what all actors have done and get several day and night jobs. Don't take an acting gig because it's there. Pick and choose. (and yes you can, no matter where you are in your career...this is how we mold careers!!) I see so many actors taking every lil gig just to show the world how much experience they've had. Unless the job was substantial, no one really cares what you've done. The buyers judge you by your audition, not your resume. Top agents care more about an actor with 5 national commercials under their belt than 100 non union spots. We are all in control of what we want out of our career and where we want it to go. But most are either too desperate or untrusting of their talents and take every job. Then, they complain that they cannot take their career to the next level.

What scares me today are the "how to make it" classes and seminars. Boy, I myself have no idea how to make it. Or, how to make money. I do know how to teach technique, business and marketing suggestions and guidance, etc., so you stand a better chance of being in the game. But today is so different from when I started out. People are taking a handful of classes and making demos. Hell, they are posting demos for the world to hear. You post brilliance. Period. This business is very unforgiving. And just because you take it down, doesn't mean it's not been kept or heard by everyone. And you must assume everyone sees and hears everything online. I've seen actors commit career suicide by a single posting. Case in point- and, I myself listen and critique hapily. But I would never post a demo and ask the world to critique ANYWHERE!!!!!!! Sure, it's a nice opportunity. But it's too risky. Back in my day, it would be like taking out an ad in Variety promoting my demo. This I would do if I knew it as brillant. And, I'd use the platform as PR. But never would I put out there something I wasn't sure was great for my career. I get on average about a dozen demos a week emailed for critique. This is a smart move. It's for my ears only.

I'm getting off track here. But I think it all boils down to education is a necessary constant. Study with everyone. Take those little nuggets of wisdom and bank them. Disregard what doesn't work for you. Know specifically what you want out of your career. Seek out those who have the career you want and find out how they got there. And, what they do to stay there. VO is like all aspects of acting. Successful film and theater actors will tell you, they pick the projects that feel right. They hire the right team to guide their career where they want it to go. There are no quick or cheap fixes. Vo can be pursued with little money invested. Most who pursue it fast and cheap see very little return for their very little investment. But the cheap mics and online auditions are there for anyone and everyone. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

I think the masses need to think career. Overal career. Thousands are working in vo. More than ever before. But fewer and fewer have careers. You just have to decide what you want: to work or have a career.

[Scott Pollak]

Things I really, really, really want to post anywhere and everywhere v/o peeps and aspiring v/o peeps may be. And, well, really, pretty much anywhere!:

[Moe Egan]

Thank you for starting this thread Mike. I've been a bit of a prodigal daughter from the board in recent months (or years) - for reasons that parallel this discussion. Pardon the length of this post in advance.

Like Bob- at my first VO training I was told "I had no chance of doing VO full time." In other avenues of my life I would have slunked away with my tail between my legs and given up. Instead, I said "Watch me"- like others have said, I HAD to do it, so I made it happen, mostly out of need and ignorance. I've been a full time VO for 9 years now- my anniversary was actually April 4th. I am also a single mom. Putting one kid through college with another in high school and paying a mortgage - with my voice. I do not have a part time gig, I don't sell Avon, nor do I have a spouse's salary as a safety net.

Most days- I think how lucky I am to be able to do what I do. Raise my family and be Mom first, work from home and build a business that in most respects is a success. But what Noobs don't know, and can't know till they are in the trenches and what is very rarely covered in a VO class is the pure, unadulterated fear that comes with the territory. We live outside of the box. There is so much more room to fly out here...but there is also one hell of a fall. The mental image I have of my life is I am walking a tight rope across the chasm of hell fire and cube farms...it's all good- till the sparkly clouds part (as they do sometimes) and I look down. That's when I start to wonder what the f was I thinking...I have no idea what I'm doing- what if nothing comes in next week- what if I loose my voice- what if my computer crashes- what if, what if...who am I fooling? I don't have a business degree, as far as the tech aspect of the biz, I'm two steps above stupid (to the point I'm embarrassed to ask you guys tech questions because I *should* know this by now) Apparently ALL the shiny happy people on the interwebs know EXACTLY how to create constant magic and happiness and cash flow in the magical land of VO.

Bob- I wanted to reach through the computer screen and kiss you when you wrote:

[heyguido]

Nice to see you again, Moe. Don't be such a stranger.
_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

[Kristin Lennox]

Note to self: buy Fart Sparkle.

And Moe:


_________________
Always look on the bright side of life.

Dee doo. Dee doot doot doo dee doo.

my website

[Deirdre]

[ccpetersen]

Everything Bob and Moe said, plus this: if it ain't fun, why are you doing it? I may not be the best voice in the world some days, and some times I'm great. Some days my mic technique sparkles, occasionally I forget and pop a P.

BUT, every time I do a VO for a project, I HAVE FUN WITH IT! I play with it, I make it mine. I find something in it to enjoy. The acting classes, the improv, the standup, all those things I've studied and continue to study help strengthen the chops that I use -- all make it fun!

I don't see "fun" as a thing that the get-rich-quick crowd sells in their 101 dummies books for VO. They keep saying "rich". That's sad.
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Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

[Yonie]

[Moe Egan]

It was sarcasm Yonie. You ask 100 people on this board how to make a successful VO business, you'll get 100 different answers. There is no quick and easy, cookie cutter, wiz bang answer.
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Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

[Yonie]

Hooray, sarcasm!

[Jen Gosnell]

Moe, I wondered where you went!

Your post is awesome. Welcome back.
_________________
jen@jengosnell.com
https://www.jengosnell.com
Skype: jen.gosnell
971.258.2448

[Bailey]

[Philip Banks]