VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Steve Knight]

OK, after a couple of coaching sessions, I decided to re-do my commercial reel...give it a listen & give me your thoughts

http://www.fileden.com/files/2010/6/5/2880764/Commercials.mp3

[Tom Test]

Hello Steve,

A few notes off the top of my head:

USA – what? I had to listen twice to get “WKND.” I’d like to hear a stronger opinion/humor on how bad “a really long week” is, and how great “a really long weekend” is.

30,000 Days – I think this is your best clip. But I think it would be even better if you were more intimate – get closer to the mic, speak a little softer – like you are talking to ME. And I’m right next to you.

Airline pilot – sounds quite convincing, but this really is a niche sort of read, and therefore may not help you very much.

Battleground Chess – your voice is getting lost in the production.

Country Stars – too “radio DJ” in delivery.

I never heard your previous demo, so I cannot compare. Overall, in my opinion, your demo isn’t quite competitive. None of the individual aspects (performance, production values, script selection) are bad, they are all just not quite good enough. I say this as a 22 year veteran talent, and also someone who had a nice sideline in the 90s producing demos in the Chicago market (one top agent would only recommend me for demo production to their talent).

You might get some work from this demo, but I don’t think it is strong enough to be a breakthrough for you. Now, my very first demo, made in 1989? Not a single agent was interested in repping me on the basis of it! But 7 years later, I became a full-time talent and have never looked back. I had no acting experience whatsoever when I started. But I took acting lessons, improv lessons, and worked with some really great coaches (such as Marice Tobias). The best thing I did was start up a weekly practice group at an up and coming recording studio. So please don’t let my feedback get you down too much. It takes a LOT of experience, growth, and practice to make it! I hope this helps you.
_________________
Best regards,
Tom Test
"The Voice You Trust"
www.tomtest.com

[Shock]

Nice, I like it! Very strong and I think it does what you want it to do: put that voice on fine display.

Clients are looking for *that particular sound* that they're looking for, and I must respectfully disagree with Tom Test that your voice is getting lost in the Battleground Chess spot - I think the mix is right-on., but I do agree with Tom that the *Airline pilot*, while nice, is rather "niche-y."

Also, thirty years in radio informs me that *The Country Stars* delivery is *not* too radio deejay-y - it is about normal - it is perhaps not *Voice Actor* level, but it would sound fine coming out of any major market radio station production department (I ran one for many years).

Cordially,
~shock
_________________
~Shock
Voice Actor/Narration/Radio
*Who Did That Media*
www.whodidthatmedia.com