VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[kitstern]

I know that a lot of us on the board are fans of Harlan Hogan's books. I just got back from a seminar he gave in Seattle, and it was great. He gave us lots of information on the VO business old and new, marketing ideas, and equipment demos. It was also very fine to sit down and talk with other VO artists about how they operate their business. I came away with a lot of great ideas. If you have the opportunity to take Harlan's seminar do it, IMHO it was money well spent.

I just bought a Blue Snowball USB mic (shown at the seminar) for use with my laptop when traveling. I'll let you know how I like it.
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Enjoy life, this is not a rehearsal.

http://www.kitziestern.com/

[COURVO]

Great referral. Thanks!

Has anybody ever used Nancy Wolfson at www.braintracksaudio.com for coaching or consulting?

Dave C.
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Dave Courvoisier - Las Vegas, NV
http://www.CourVO.com
CourVO@CourVO.com
Courvo's "Voice Acting in Vegas" Blog: http://www.CourVO.biz
on your phone at courvo.mobi
702.610.6288
"I'm not a news anchor, but I play one on TV."

[Philip Banks]

I went to bed last night thinking about this thread and others like it and realised that there are more voice coaches/seminars per head of population in the USA than in the UK and probably anywhere else in the world. Having said that I have spotted one common denominator. The top 100 voices in the UK don't do seminars or coaching and nor do their opposite numbers in the USA, it would also appear to be the case that none of them, or indeed very few have been delegates or students. If we are willing to learn from the TOP PRO'S is there a lesson to learned here?

There is no intention on my part to de-value any training anyone has received I am merely asking questions based on the evidence. The problems with getting real answers to the questions are that we work in a "smoke and mirrors" business. "Regularly heard by 120,000,000 TV viewers" or "Experienced promo voice" which person would you prefer to coach you? Same person, different spin. "The voice of Thomas Cook Travel agent" or "On-hold voice"? Same job, but who wants to be coached by an answering machine voice? For those who have paid good money for coaching are they really going to admit that there has been no significant impact on their careers? Highly unlikely. "But it was great for networking with other voices". Good, how much extra work did you get? The person selling the seminar or coaching is doing it for business reasons, buyers should do the same.

Are people looking for the magic formula for success? I've stated here, on other places, in emails and in conversations with other voice overs the two keys that unlocked the door to me making a living and I am honestly able to say they are universally ignored. No implication here that you should pay attention to anything I say, I'm fumbling around like everyone else.

[anthonyVO]

I think there is something to gain from almost all seminars, lectures, or classes given by a professional voice-over actor - someone who makes a living solely from this craft. I know two people that have attended his seminar. One says it's an interesting story on HH's career - and the other really gained some marketing techniques that have helped him.

The problem is that many times, like Banksey says, people are looking for that magic formula. If he does return to New York, I will probably attend. I find it very interesting when others share their experiences about this business. I don't attend with the idea of it helping me propell my career forward though.

In the end, voiceover-wise (ooh! new word) I have benefited more from books on small business and spirituality, and from my Scene Study and Improv classes than any voice-over class or seminar I've attended. Also, a publicist I met while in music, was the person that got me my first TV show voice-over gig... she promotes musical artists and concerts - not voice-over - so there you go.

I do, however, intend to attend this seminar.

-Anthony

[ballenberg]

Hi guys--

I've been setting up seminars for Harlan--We've done New York and Seattle (as Kitzie mentioned), and previously he did San Francisco, where's he returning and LA is also on tap.

If I can get enough folks interested in any one market, we'd be happy to bring Harlan in for the weekend. In fact, I'm currently looking for a paid local coordinator in Houston, Atlanta and would be open to any other markets where we can get at least 14-15 talent together for the day. The seminars are held on a weekend, usually Saturday, last all day and cost $275.

I've pasted the course outline below.

Please send me a note if you're interested in either attending, coordinating, or both.

Thanks


[size=18]The Long Haul
With Harlan Hogan

A one-day workshop for working Voice-Overs

Introduction and course outline
9:00 – 9:15

Defining the Voice Actor — a new paradigm.
Discovering voice venues — the work of getting the work.
Auditions — the new reality.
Relentless & Ruthless Promotion, PR and Publicity.
The care and “getting” of Agents — local and virtual.
World wide you — harnessing the power of the Internet.
Your demo — going beyond the hackneyed.
Building your home studio — convenience and a profit center.


What is we do — do?
9:15 – 10:00

US Government job description — “Actor.”
Discovering the core competencies:
Talent
Technique
Personality
Sales and presentation skills
Finding the why in what we do

The class is divided into small groups to discuss, debate and then present their findings to further refine the VO job description.

The “Elevator Exercise”



Group Presentations:
10:00 – 11:00

Define the VO Career
A. Performance
B. Promotion
C. Business/management
D. Finding & keeping customers
E. Creating job opportunities

The class debates and finalizes a business model statement i.e.,

“The Voice-Over Actor operates a business that supplies voice and voice- related services and products.”

Group discussion continues to:

Brainstorm new venues for voice work.
Brainstorm new ways to get traditional work.


Listen to: Blooper’s Soap


The New Paradigm:
11:00 – 12:00

The virtual audition — Voice Bank and beyond — how’s that really work?
Global Competition — global opportunities.
Internet & computer skills — how and why you must develop them
A home & portable studios — required recording
Using strategic planning to get, keep & expand the work you do for clients.
Technology and new voice venues — from GPS to VOIP.
Performance vs. manufacturing — a different view from inside the VO booth.
The business of business administration.
Choosing ‘Tactics’ the individual steps that funnel into your strategic action plan.
The dangers of commoditization — avoiding the “Sound Effect” trap.
The Holy Grail of strategic selling — The Ed Herlihy approach.


Lunch
12:00 – 1:00


Ruthless & Relentless Self- Promotion
1:00 – 2:00

Advertising — A to Z.
Advertising Specialties — AKA; Trash & Trinkets.
Public Relations — guerrilla and professional.
Sales calls — live & virtual.
Account “gifts” — how much, when and whether.
No & low cost advertising — articles, post cards, books, e-mails — focused follow-up.


Demos’ – Yours’ — your agents’.
2:00 – 2:30

An endangered species? — the individually distributed voice demo.
‘Killer Demos’ — Overproduced tributes to the audio engineers art.
Why ad agency producers with tight time lines, little manpower and too many talent choices use celebrities, trusted agents and convenient “non pro’s.”
Ding Dong the Demos dead — or is it?

All about Agents
2:30 – 3:00

Agents get ‘em, love ‘em, hate ‘em — a necessary “evil”?
The new breed or virtual agents, how to snag one or more, how to keep them.
Reality check — who is the best agent of all?

The class is divided into small groups to discuss, debate and define an agent and present their findings, i.e.,

“The voice agent is a promotional partner…
A filter or clearinghouse…
A negotiator... salesperson…talent developer…taxi dispatcher…”



Listen to: Help Desk



Computer Savvy or die
3:00 – 3:30

How to develop and expand your computer-skill-set.
Internet created markets — personal messages, web sites, on-holds, audio books.
Your cyber assistant — from “E-Invoices” to mailing lists.
Organizers that actually get you organized.
Harnessing the advantages of E-Commerce & E-bay.
Your cyberspace — personal websites, virtual demos and creating an instant voice delivery system.






Listen to: Orson Wells – Findus Foods


Setting up and using your Home Studio
3:30 – 4:00

MP3 — FTP — XLR — Oh My! Learning the lingo.
All the gear you’ll need — all the stuff you won’t.
How your home studio saves time, creates revenue, improves your auditions and control over sessions — the Tell Draper story.
Pre-assembling your demos – the power of, “What If?”


Hands-on computer editing demonstration/experience
4:00 – 4:30

A chance to change history — Mr. Clinton’s “I did not have sex with that woman” becomes, “…I did”!


Review & wrap-up
4:30 – 5:00

Major ideas discussed and taught:

Do Hustle — Don’t be a hustler
Think, plan, work — for the long-haul.
Build a business — with repeat customers and new products/services
Treat old customers as well as your new ones.
Invest in promotion and PR but don’t forget the low/no cost personal touch.
Talk to your customers and “Ed Herlihy” an account whenever possible.
Sales strategy always “funnels down” into tactics….


[/size]

[Philip Banks]

I particularly enjoy the timeline -

0900-0915 Brain surgery (advanced)
0915-0930 Ending world poverty
0930-0935 Voice over performance skills
0935-0936 How to get more clients than you'll ever need
0936-1000 Optimum length of cable for a cheap Chinese mic
1000-1001 The value of virtual agents
1001-0955 Is time travel possible?

[Apageloman]

My your just a barrell of Joy and light this morning Bank!


LOL

[Jeff McNeal]

I don't know about the the U.K., but I know of at least one Top 100 VO talent (more like Top 10, in all candor) who regularly conducts one on one workshops on both coasts. I've taken a couple from him. And even though I paid, I considered his time and counsel a real gift.

Harlan Hogan's seminar sounds like a good way to spend some time.

[Glenn Moore]

Did Harlan happen to say if the seminar was recorded for purchase? I like audio seminars much better than reading books...which I never seem to get around to doing.

Glenn Moore

[ballenberg]

Glenn--it's not recorded at this time and I don't think there are plans to do so--

[nick reed]

[Christopher French]

What about bringing Harlan Hogan to Detroit? I'd certainly do what I could to be there!
_________________
Christopher G. French

"The only limitations we truly have are the ones we place on ourselves." -Attributed to Donald Trump

[Rick Gordon]

Just for you H2 fans......I had a little chat with him recently.

http://www.commercialvoices.com/Interviews.php
Hope you enjoy........will be adding more later.

Cheers,
Rick Gordon
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Voice Artists
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[Spacegypsy]

Cheers Rick, that was interesting!

[COURVO]

Rick,

'Finally got around to listening to the interview with Harlan Hogan. Nice! Easy and informative.

Can you tell me -- who is the "Jeff" he mentions producing the DVD with?

Grats,

Dave C.
_________________
Dave Courvoisier - Las Vegas, NV
http://www.CourVO.com
CourVO@CourVO.com
Courvo's "Voice Acting in Vegas" Blog: http://www.CourVO.biz
on your phone at courvo.mobi
702.610.6288
"I'm not a news anchor, but I play one on TV."