VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[juliaknippen]

So, I've been pursuing a professional VO career for a few months, and all the jobs I've booked so far have been on my own through V123.

I just found out tonight that I booked my first job through my agent. Booking is this Friday afternoon at a studio in Brooklyn. It's a set of 5 commercial TV spots for a major bank. I don't know the details yet as to $$. I'm non-union, so it could be a low-ball buyout, but I'm hoping my agent will do right by me.

I auditioned for the job via a self-recorded home demo. (Agent sends me the breakdown and asks me to email him an MP3 demo). The producer almost had me sold to the client on the basis of that audition, but they wanted to make sure I had "range" so they asked me to re-submit reading all 5 spots with "some variety". Literally no direction other than that.

Apparently my callback submission was unusable. They didn't even let the client hear it. They sold me on the basis of my original audition and my demo. They've communicated to my agent that they want me and are sure they can direct me to what they want for the range of the 5 spots.

I'm trying to go in there as a blank slate but I'm beating myself up that I couldn't give them exactly what they wanted on that self-recorded callback audition. I want to do the best I can on Friday.

If you have any advice or wisdom for me, I could really use it. This is a milestone for me.
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www.juliaknippen.com
Her Voice Will Grow on You

[jsgilbert]

We all have to start somewhere. I guess that they will be sending you to a professional studio to record. Usually the engineer will come in and adjust the microphone, etc. Let him know that this is a unique experience for you; that you normally do all of your work from a home studio. Ask them if they have any tips.

Other than that, get out of your head. I direct talent and I've worked with scores of people where it was their first job. Everybody ter wants you to do well.

a few general things to consider:

Avoid the chit-chat. Often when we get nervous it comes out by being verbose.

When you are given direction, take a moment to let it sink in. Make sure that you heard them and if you feel confused or uncertain ask for clarification.

The easiest way to give "variety" is ti alter the "person" you are speaking to. If, in your mind's eye you are talking to your mother on one script, change it up by talking to your father, best friend, boy friend husband or significant other, etc.

You will probably do a lot of takes. 5 spots could take 2 hours to record. I've probably voiced 4,000 commercials and I often will be asked to do 15 - 20 takes.

Also, don't try and gauge what's goin on outside the booth. The sour look on someone's face may come from not getting their lunch order correctly or perhaps realizing they have to make a change to the copy, or they have gas.

And, you get paid no matter.

It will be fine. In fact it will be better than fine.

And last but not least, breathe.
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j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

[juliaknippen]

Thank you so much, JS. This is just what I needed to hear. I really appreciate your kind thoughtful advice.
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www.juliaknippen.com
Her Voice Will Grow on You

[Dayo]

JS completely nailed it.
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Colin Day - UK Voiceover
www.thurstonday.co.uk

[Lee Gordon]

See what happens when you join the VO-BB?
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Philip Banks]

You'll be fine, enjoy every moment. Congratulations.

[Lisa]

Priceless advice from J.S. He's right on every point.
They obviously heard something in your demo that matched the voice they have in their head. Don't worry about your second audition. Just bring the best "you" to the booth and enjoy the session. Congratulations!
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Lisa

[Bruce]

JS said it very well.

The only tiny thing I'd add to his comment about the people across the glass from you, is that after a take they will often say nothing for a minute or two, or they'll get on their mic and say they'll get back to you and then say nothing for a long time. Don't panic or worry! They're just as likely discussing how the copy may need to be adjusted, or if there are lots of them in there, still haggling over the direction of the whole thing, looking at baby pictures, or as JS said, ordering lunch.

Relax, listen, give them your best, and enjoy that giant sigh of relief once you leave the studio.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[todd ellis]

congrats - enjoy the experience! then buy yourself a nice lunch!
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

[Fran McClellan]

I can't really add anything that hasn't already been said, but wanted to throw in my congrats and break a lip!! You will do great!
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Back into the murky lurk from whence I came
--
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon

[juliaknippen]

[Bish]

We talk of chocolate, coffee, llamas & watercress when people join. Stay here a while (maybe meet some of the inmates in person), and you'll start hearing the word "avalanche" a lot as well.

Congrats on the gig.
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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.

[Scott Pollak]

JS certainly nailed it. I can't add much more other than as a guy who's been doing this for over a decade, I still get slightly nervous when I have to go downtown to a studio for an ISDN session with a client. Heck, I don't even like doing PHONE PATCH! I'm so used to being on my own that I get the jitters whenever a client is actually listening in and 'directing' (?? mis-directing, maybe?)

But the thing is, clients are really cool. Underneath all that corporate structure and garb, they're people just like us and are usually pretty envious of us. The client who listened in on phone patch yesterday actually said as much! And they're looking at you and me as the guys who know what we're doing. They have a sense of humor and they want you to do well.

One other thing I always mention to clients who are directing me, whether via phone patch or ISDN, is that I am almost certainly going to make a handful of mistakes during the read. I might stumble on a word or read something, then realize there's a better way to read it, and that I'll go back to a previous sentence or paragraph and start over. And I tell them, "Don't worry about it, you'll get clean, edited audio without any mistakes" (unless of course they've requested raw, unedited audio). Never once have I had a client NOT understand that.

Have fun with this, because in the end, it IS fun!
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

[Eddie Eagle]

So cool! Congrats. just bring yourself and some apple juice to the gig and have fun!

[Lance Blair]

JS was partially right. The sour face is always from gas. Otherwise, all of that is true.

Congratulations!
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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!