VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Deirdre · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:24 am Post subject: DB's VO Website "Rules"

DB's VO Website "Rules":

Don't use a plain mic graphic. It's an old-and-busted notion. Hackneyed. Cliché. Anyone can use a pic of a mic. If you really want to use a microphone, invent something. Mike Rhys's fab Union Jack-with-U87 is one of the best artistic statements I've ever seen.

Do not use a picture of yourself unless you are either
A) going for on-camera work, or
B) so famous already that people WANT to see what you look like.
Otherwise, you're blowing all their perceptions away and establishing prejudice before they even hear you.

Don't use embedded sound. It's abrasive and is an instant turn-off unless your demo is such a flat-out slam-dunk you've got listeners hooked in the first 3 seconds.
Most of the time—even when they're coming to your site because they KNOW you're voice talent— people are NOT expecting to hear sound unless they click a button somewhere, so sound that plays as soon as the site loads is nearly always startling.

Use one typeface. Your website should not be a carnival handbill.
Notable exceptions are excellently-chosen Sans-Serif for Headlines/Serif for Body Text combos, but they are rare, rare, rare.
- - - - -
I say these things with the full knowlege that some of my best pals on this board, some of the people I admire most, break some or all of the "rules"-- some of these folks are so astonishingly good they'd be great on a cassette demo, so they can do whatever they damned well please.

And finally: Digustibus non est disputandum.
These are only guides. You'll end up doing what you want, anyway. You'll discover sooner or later what works and what doesn't.
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Frank F · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:09 am Post subject:

asnively · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 12:55 pm Post subject:

I would like to especially speak out against embedded sound. Many a time I've had:

a sleeping baby in my lap
a sleeping kitten in my lap
a sleeping hubby in the next room
a sleepy head on my own neck

and made the innocent mistake of merely visiting a website.

Not turning on my stereo.
Not leaning hard against a car horn.
Not boiling tea water in my train kettle or any other thing that would intuitively result in an audio experience.

Cue embedded sound.

I immediately curse and click away Never. To. Return.
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DaveChristi · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:36 pm Post subject:

Well let's see...
Yep... in the first 30 seconds on my website, I've broken 2 out of 4 rules. Well, damn.
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Dave "Christi" Felton
The Character Voice Actor

MelissaVoicer · Guest

Wholeheartedly agree with embedded sound. I have the picture up because I do do some on cam work, although I think after this last baby, that picture is definitely false advertising (eh hem) Gasp

I get a lot of people who call and say they remembered me from my "purple website." Smile

Whatever works. Designed it myself so I got what I paid for! Wink

I want an embedded player! I hate that it "surfs you off my page" to open the demos.

Mike · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:07 pm Post subject:

asnively · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:43 pm Post subject:

Ooo. That's slick, Mike!
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MelissaVoicer · Guest

That is the coolest thing, and exactly what I was looking for, thanks! And cheap too! Now I have to find time to figure it out!

Sound Advice · Guest

"Embedded" is the wrong word. You can have embedded sound without having it autoplay on your site.

For example, see the files on this site:
http://www.danieltatar.com/index_files/Page411.htm

These files are embedded in that you don't have to "surf away from the site" to listen to them. But they also don't play until you click play.

To do this, use the following HTML:
<embed src="http://www.yoursite.com/yourdemo.mp3" autostart="false" loop="false" width="285" height="45"> </embed>

OR:

When you click the links to your demos, have them open in smaller Javascript windows, as on this site:

http://www.colleenarcher.com/

I agree with all these suggestions! No headshots on a VO site, and no boring pictures of microphones.

davediamondprovo · Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:04 am Post subject:

richgates · Guest

I do as well. It's pretty customizable.

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:59 am Post subject:

But what about those users who have firefox without the flash plugin?
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richgates · Guest

You list your demos under the player so they can just click on them. Wink

glittlefield · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:00 pm Post subject:

I actually have a query for the VO Website Rules:

Which is preferred for biographical / informational copy on a website: First person or third person? ("I" vs. "He/She")

Second, I found a nice FREE Flash MP3 player. I think it's cute.

Thankies
G
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Greg Littlefield
VO-BB Member #59

Deirdre · Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:35 am Post subject:

The problem with biographical info is that it can be clunky on a website. I think bio stuff should be limited to work that pertains directly to your VO work; sometimes the best bet is to let a resume do all the talking—there are usually no pronouns to worry about.

Professional info— info about your services—is probably best described with no pronouns or with limited third-person pronouns. Writing about oneself in the first person is likely to induce "I" strain in the reader if you're not careful.
If the website is obviously just your own, using "we" can be dishonest and silly—please! do you really have a staff?
I think a good example of "missing first person" and third-person usage is Connie Terwilliger's front page.
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