VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[craigieb]

I know this is a bit off-topic, since most of us are VO folks, but has anyone had any experience or gained any knowledge of FaceFinder.net?

This site came to my attention tonight, and I thought I'd check it out. I'm thinking of doing more with my on-camera stuff, and they look like they've got their stuff together.

Begin the $0.02 tossing.

CB

[Bailey]

CB,

I checked out the FaceFinder site. It looks interesting, but kinda makes me wonder what the "established" talent agencies are thinking? Is this any different than being represented by an agent as a VO artist...versus...signing on with Voice123? The price doesn't seem too high...$39.95 to start and then $17.95 per month. I guess like all things, it really depends what you get for your money, and if the exposure helps to boost your career. If I were 20 years younger, I'd probably give it a try... at least for 6 months to a year. If it doesn't pan out... drop out. I'm still trying to get all my ducks in a row in regards to this VO stuff. I can see lots of directions to go. As a matter of fact... I've only done one actual voice over. All of the other jobs were TV commercials or infomercials. I'd much rather be doing VO at this age... that way I don't have to comb my hair or worry about what I look like. That's my $ .05 worth.
_________________
"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
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AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo."

[lisaloo]

Speaking only from my own experience (and as someone who does both on-camera and VO), I would not (and will not) rush to jump on any more of these web-based "agency-like" bandwagons.

The bottom line - and regardless of your market - is that very few if any of these operations seem to offer much in the way of real opportunity for folks to earn more than they put in.

It's true that many casting directors and bricks/mortar talent agencies are using online services to speed the casting process (and eliminate paper) these days, but it's not like legitimate casting directors, agents or producers are going online and randomly sifting through photos looking for people to call in out of nowhere. The protocol still is what it always was -- in major markets, the producer calls the CD, the CD calls the agent for submissions and the agent schedules the actor for an audition. And from what I hear, in smaller markets where there are few or no agents, the producers audition and cast from a pool they already know -- or get referrals from other producers or actors they know and trust.

HOWEVER, this is not to say that there aren't ways to use the web WITHIN a region or city to help boost opportunities for all the actors in that area. What I think is a GOOD investment is (for example) a group of actors in a region pooling their resources to put up a region-specific site with pics, resumes and contact info and marketing it online and in regional trade mags, etc.

What I think is iffy at best is the notion that an actor will be "discovered" online and asked to drive ten or even two hours to audition for something if they don't already have some relationship to that region or producer/agent/casting director. Or worse yet, the odds that casting people in the major markets will see someone's picture online and call from Hollywood with a pilot audition. (If anybody ever tries to sell you THAT as a possibility, run and do not walk in the opposite direction.) That isn't saying anything against the TALENT, mind you -- it's just that the people with the jobs to offer do not have the time or inclination to browse through an unknown casting website to find new people. And even if they do, they are unlikely to be casting in Chicago (or even in Indy, for that matter) and actually be willing or able to call someone from Maryland or Arizona with an audition for a TV spot.

I could be wayyyyy wrong about all of this, but some of the on-camera folks I have heard from who have done some of these things have had about the same results as most of us on the VO side. The job prospects are either non-existent or too paltry/potentially shady to consider.

And to be honest, I'd be more leery about physically showing up for an audition to meet someone who contacted me via the web than I would sending them an mp3. That may be a bigger concern for women and children than men, but ya never know where the "jobs" are coming from.

Tangent alert:

As many performers with websites will tell you, it's often difficult to separate the genuinely safe people who write and ask for a picture from the potential ax murderers. Believe it or not, the whole autograph hound thing has gone online these days, and collectors and such will search out any actor or actress with a website and a decent resume and ask for an 8x10 on the off chance that you might be famous one day and the pic will have value. That's a little weird on it's own, but then there are the cyber-stalker types and oh, well. That's maybe beside the point.

I just think actors need to be real particular about where they park their face online -- it's got to be legit, it needs to offer you some real opportunity for the investment and it can't put your contact info in harm's way.

If nothing else, I hope everyone who does these things knows to make sure that the only contact info that goes on a publicly viewable resume should be your agent's ONLY (if that's possible), OR your business email address (separate from your personal one, if possible) and if you must, a CELL number and not a home number.

I am stunned by how many people in this day and age still offer up their SS number and (if they have no agent) their home contact information.

End of tangent.

And end of post. That's my $1.25.

If you can afford to, let others be lemmings on this first. Give it six months and then ask three people who have taken the plunge whether it is worth it or not. If it turns out to be legit and profitable, dive in then.

Lisa