VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Christopher French]

I would do that, but I've no idea who to call. Banksey, what's your phone number?
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Christopher G. French

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

[Bailey]

I've always seen the testimonials on V123, but never checked them out. I just checked the first 10. Two of them are no longer listed on V123... no big deal. But I listened to all of their demos and read their bios. Very impressive! It surprised me that all 10 have been ingrained in VO for quite some time... lots of exposure. And according to their bios, it appears they don't really need V123 as a major means of income.

Why did I bring all this up?... I'm not really sure now. I didn't read all of the testimonials, but I doubt I would find any of them as average "schmo" VO talents. Most of them appear to be quite established. And I hope that no one takes offense at the word "schmo". I would not want to belittle anyone’s opinion of how good or how bad they are in their quest for VO prominence. If there were a list of "schmo's", I would place my name at the top. That being said, I think that those who are getting work from clients using V123 are damn good! Sure, there are those who will jump at a local car dealer for a $50 spot, but I don't think that is the norm. Unfortunately, V123 does not publish who's working and who's not.

Does any of this make sense?... or am I just having a "rambling" moment?
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"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
VO-BB Member #00044 .gif" alt="W00T" border="0" />
AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo."

[skynet74]

You've made perfect sense. Anyone with a testomonial does seem very good. However I really feel that anyone you see who's posted a testimonial is in the minority. From my perspective most people are not getting work from Voice123. I would even go as far as saying that most return clients probably have built relationships with many of the same Voice talents and just keep using them. It could be a reason why many of us newcomers are not getting the work.

No matter how you look at it, Something just does not seem right with that site. It's not run efficiently. How many hours and hours of time are wasted each day by Voice talent producing Demos that don't even get heard? From the other side, how much time is wasted by potential clients having to sift through 300 responses when they would be perfectly happy with 20 or 25 people to choose from?

Voice123 needs to divide up the work load more evenly and cut all this waste. How many others have wasted a year with the service and have absolutely nothing to show for it? It's a damn shame. There are so many great Voice talents on Voice123. True professionals who have been in the business for years and years. I bet that many of them are not getting much work from the site either.

If there is one thing that I think we will all agreee on, it's the fact that NOBODY is sitting at home making a living exclusively from Voice123. I highly doubt that is happening.

[kitstern]

There are two top voice talents from my area (Pacific NW) at V123, and they are always toward the front (which I was told means they've been chosen for jobs the most often). I don't know them personally, but we're repped by the same agent. Perhaps I'll give one of them a call and see what kind of work they're getting from the site.

Inquiring minds want to know!
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Enjoy life, this is not a rehearsal.

http://www.kitziestern.com/

[mcm]

I actually made a few phone calls today too. Three. Two yielded voice mail and you could have knocked me over with a feather (my weapon of choice) when the guys called me back. The third was live from the beginning. Three humans, all sounding genuinely glad to hear from me. Way too time-consuming and personal if you ask me.

I'm shy and have never liked selling "me" live. But if it's something I'm enthusiastic about like certain of my target niches, that's different - where I really feel I bring something to the table that is unique. Otherwise I'm better off in email where I have studied every word before I click Send.

[Bailey]

[Travis]

Oh... here are a FEW of my voice123 auditions - ones that DIDN'T get a gig:
www.onebigzoo.com/Losers123
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Travis
www.VOTalent.com

[anthonyVO]

[Bailey]

[Travis]

Hi Bailey,

Thanks for the tip on the contact info - Hadn't even thought about it. Someday I'll actually "design" the darned site - it just sort of happens from time to time.

I really doubt that adding music and SFX helps in the audition process - It might even kill a few auditions. But I like to "produce" stuff- It's a lot more fun to complete something before sending it off. And ESPECIALLY at voice123, etc., where the only reward you're likely to get is the enjoyment that comes from producing something. Also, it's a form of "watermarking" my auditions - makes it a lot harder for someone to take my work and use it on their own production.
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Travis
www.VOTalent.com

[Bailey]

[Tom Greenlee]

This is a good point. 1st of all, Travis, I listened to some of your rejects. In my opinion, those auditions are outstanding work! I can't fathom why none of them resulted in a gig. I'm sorry man, that has got to be very frustrating. I too just became a member of V123 about a week ago, I've auditioned about 20 times and I don't even get the thanks but no thanks emails. Anyway, to my point. I have the ability and know how to be fully production capable but lack the necessary music beds and sound effects to be able to start doing it. Can anyone here recommend to me a good set of music beds and sound effects that would be complete enough and professional sounding enough to allow me to start fully producing my auditions? Some set or something, that is complete enough to cover most needs, without being outrageously expensive. Any recommendations would be most welcome. By the way, I just signed up for VO-BB right now, specifically so I could get involved with this thread. Great Site! Everyone seems so willing to help eachother. I think that is awesome. Sorry...didn't mean to write a book here.
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TG2

"Communication without intelligence is noise; Intelligence without communication is irrelevant."

Gen. Alfred. M. Gray, USMC
Former Commandant of the Marine Corps

[Travis]

Thanks guys... Actually, whenever you're involved in an "audition" situation, you need to consider the odds. If there are three-hundred other applicants, that means (all other things being equal, which it never is, of course) you've got to figure about three-hundred auditions before you score one. Add to that that about a third of projects we audition for never end up getting produced, and that many calls on v123 also end up on interactive voices -- well you see where I'm going. -- If the only reason you're on voice123 is to get a gig and make a buck, your time and money would be much better spent elsewhere.

On the other hand, where else can you get a constant supply of not-very-good practice copy - for less than $20.00/month. -Even if you're using magazine ads to practice with, it costs you more than that. Plus, you get the added incentive of the illusion that you might actually score a gig -- something to keep you trying.
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Travis
www.VOTalent.com

[Debbie]

Voice 123 and Interactive Voices ... here's my 2 cents worth (grab a coffee or beverage of your choice if you choose to read this - it's long)

Being one of the small number of Aussies on Voice 123, I can say there's not a lot of call for our accent. I'm lucky to have long established clients which keep me afloat however, the opportunity to be all over the internet is to hard to resist so I use Voice123 and Interactive Voices for that purpose.

I've worked too hard and for too many hours not to appear everywhere I can and if that means I have to pay to appear in some of the moment's more prominent places, well so be it. It's taken me a long time and I still don't know how to do optimisation well, but at the moment my site is showing up as number 1 in Google searches on Australian female voice and Voice advertising AND it's showing up on other web sites for searches like Female Voice, Female Voice Over etc. These other websites happen to be Voice123, Interactive Voices, StarsNSites, MktMania etc.

Owning other domain names which are set to redirect to my main website and linking with as many other voice actors as possible helps my cause too. Whether it's free or not, it's all advertising and that's what keeps businesses in business. Also, advertising for business is claimable on tax.

So, if you're a member of Voice123 or Interactive Voices, go with Travis' idea - use the audition copy for practice. Real practice!

It's all very well to be reading from magazine's or books but when it comes down to it, you're not sending those off to anyone for a possible job so when you are practicing you're doing it with the knowledge that a real person will get to hear it and may even decide to use you for that project. Also, you're doing it within a time-frame so you're gaining other skills such as time management, client communication (considering you have to write to the possible client when you upload your demo) and you're also learning to efficiently critique your own work.

I'm a shocker for spending too much time mulling over my productions with the "could be betters" but can honestly say now that while I'm still very particular with what I send off, it's getting a lot faster and I am limiting myself to only a few "could be betters" each time.

If all the people on the board who currently belong to Voice 123 aren't renewing their memberships that's surely going to mean more auditions for those who remain paid members. It will only take one job to pay for a yearly membership and there's always the chance that the one job you get could become a regular client OR, that they could pass your name on to another client. Remember what they say about 'word of mouth' ... it really is!

We can all be full of contempt for these places we spend our money on but it really isn't that much when you consider how much advertising costs. USE them to your advantage - renew or don't but get the most out of the time you have left AND do other work to promote yourself - get listed in as many free places as you can. Link to other voice actors and get them to link back to you.

About 6 years ago I spent around 14 hours a day, 6 days a week over approximately 3 months on my computer searching for every radio station, production agency, television station, in fact anything to do with media I found it! Then, I emailed every single one of them AND, I didn't do a mass mailing, I found out everything I could about the place I was emailing and names when possible and then I wrote each one a personalised email. It was a long, drawn out effort BUT it gave me valuable internet communication skills and I learnt a ton of stuff to boot! Most of it has all been forgotten I might add. lol

Of about 1,500 emails I sent, I received a 20% positive response rate, which, I've since been told is EXTREMELY good. Today I still have 4 existing clients from that email communication all those years ago.

Voicing IS great, most of us seem to love what we do yet it seems that a lot of people think it's NOT hard work. The voicing isn't, but promotion doesn't happen by itself.

Jeepers, I just saw how long this is ... ok, i'll shut up now.

[Drew]

I selected a Bourbon and soda. And I agree with what you said. I've done okay with V123. I've gleaned several continuing clients who have paid the subscription fee a hundred times over...if not more. Just gotta stay at it and shrug off the BS. After 25 years in TV broadcasting, shrugging off BS is almost second nature to me anyhoo. Still, there are those days...dammit!
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www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.