VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Wes · Guest

For a $20 starting bid, you can hire this voiceover service on Ebay :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4828168451&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

The guy has a nice set of pipes.......don't know if I'm impressed with his marketing efforts, or feeling akin to his desperation for work...ANY work Smile

Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:56 pm Post subject:

I she a shlight issue with the shound he is shelling. Shadly even if we were able to sholve that problem hish pipesh would be jusht the shame as a thoushand other announsher shtereotypesh. Shtill, 10 out of 10 for effort. How many jobsh doesh one need at $25 a go to make a living? I think we need to shit and dishcussh that.

Hart · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:00 pm Post subject:

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Frank F · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:11 pm Post subject:

What we won't do for a buck these days. He is not bad, but would I hire him off of ebay? Not likely. Would I pay 20 bucks for having his set of pipes on my radio or TV station for 20 cuts? Most likely. Will he try to gouge more out of you later for imaging or commercial work or narrations or...? Most definately.

The problem with selling yourself cheap is: you have a definate heck of a time trying to get your rates back up to normal.

Frank F

Bailey · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject:

If you check out his website, you'll see that he has "blocked" his HOME page. Seems a bit strange to me...
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Wes · Guest

Couldn't agree more Frank. For the past 2-3 years, I have been receiving an annual check for a :05 end tag for a Kansas City "Home Depot"-type store. I used to voice their entire spots (at a decent rate), then all of a sudden they only used my voice for the tag. The main body of the spots are now voiced by a 'barely-adequate' talent. I just found out that they are paying this poor guy a whopping $25 per spot for a PRODUCED :30 TV audio track.

I know that Kansas City aint exactly a huge metro market (bout 24th in the U.S.), but their justification is that they have about 70 spots a year to offer....thus their 'reduced' talent rate.

Yet another horror story from the VO files.............

SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:36 pm Post subject:

I was able to access his home page:
http://www.bobhollandvoiceovers.com/pages/2/index.htm

He isn't offering anything on ebay that he is not offering on his website.
20 image cuts - $25
:30 vo - $20
:60 vo -$30

Whatever....
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The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart.

Bailey · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject:

dhouston67 · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:12 pm Post subject:

anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

Why do we spend so much time on this board slamming other people's approach to voice-over? (Myself included).

Isn't that the beauty of the internet - the ability to allow every person the opportunity to do what they want, when they want, and possibly even make some money from it? We don't know anything about this guy. Maybe he doesn't want to be a full-time voice-over artist - maybe he's just doing it on the side. Maybe, he feels it will lead to something else.

I'm presently auditioning every week in one of the biggest markets in the country, New York City. I've met casting directors, other actors (both on and off-camera), and agents - I'm doing this full-time now while I continue to train. But it wasn't always like that - it took me three (five if you count the time I was still working a day job) years of trying anything and everything in order to find and learn about the system so that I can plug myself into it. And yes, that included even selling my "product" on eBay just like this guy is doing. Read for yourself.

I've spent thousands of dollars on marketing, training, and - if you include time as money - on networking both on and off line and yet I'm just now starting to get my feet wet. I tried voice123, interactivevoices, email blasts, eBay, making phone calls, speaking to small business owners, meeting publicists, agents, CD's, other actors, mailings, reading books, etc. You learn as you go, but I've stopped looking at what others are doing (even if I think it's "hurting the business," "lowballing," "a waste of time," "no talent," and everything else we've posted here) and started focusing on what the hell am I doing? I've made mistakes, wrong choices, and, at one point, even wanted to give up and go back to working a 9 to 5, but here I am - still grinding away doing voice-overs.

Don't be afraid of others who are taking advantage of the new technologies and don’t put down others who are at least trying. Every time I see a "bottom-feeder", I smile and remember what that was like. Man, those times were rough, but I'm glad I tried everything... yes, even eBay and the $50 V123 jobs.

Love you all - big or small.
-Anthony

marko · Guest

Perhaps it's because he makes it very difficult on professionals such as ourselves, Anthony, to demand the rates that we are accustomed to and deserve.

The guy is a buffoon, in my opinion.

anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 8:50 am Post subject:

I do not object to the person in this thread or the way he chooses to do business. I do agree with Anthony that we would all do lot better if we stopped looking over our shoulders quite so much.

Here's my market - Those individuals or organisations with projects for which the voice of Philip Banks is not only suitable but the voice of choice too. Competition - NONE, not even Don La Fountain-Pen.

Frank F · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 9:39 am Post subject:

Hey, we ALL have competition. That's the name of the game... I just prefer "healthy" competition... that is: someone who's comfortable enough with his/her own rates, has the quality of talent that equals or surpasses mine (in my humble opinion) , and loves the challenge of getting the gig enough he or she will not undercut what I have worked more than 30 years to achieve. That's competition.

KNOWING is more than half the battle... knowing who is out there competing for the job, knowing that each time you audition or get a gig it had better surpass what you did 15 minutes ago, knowing that you can and will do your best on THIS job, knowing that if you do the job right you will get enough money to buy that Starbucks coffee you like so much - tomorrow, knowing you can and will take care of your family, etc.

I did notice that the guy on eBay has not had a bite - - ... er, bid - yet.

Someone asked me early last year how to determine their rates for a particular market, I said in all honesty; answer me this; "...How do you feel you compare to your local markets talent - in percentages, find out what the locals are charging - on average, and multiply that percentage by the amount of the local markets average pay". O.K., it's not scientific - but it works; and it's a great starting point.

For me, there is no competition. I am different, I am unique, I like myself. I also wish to get paid what I need to survive in the cold, cruel, unforgiving world. How about you? Are you worth more than $25.00 a shot? I am... I am worth a LOT more. I also charge accordingly.

If all someone wishes to pay is $25.00 a holler - I can give them a list of some of the better talent in the market and be happy that my "competition" got some work, My competition will remember who sent them the job - and down the road... who knows? They may return the favor.

Frank F

mcm · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 9:57 am Post subject:

Two separate issues here - at least - one is the venue for offering one's services, and I admire the guy for trying eBay, although not as much as I admire Anthony for doing it first.

Second is the low rates. I don't know where this person is, and maybe those are his market's rates. If I were to find fault it would be for not doing his research and charging appropriately, since his local market is not the one he's targeting on eBay.

It's good to know what's out there, and I appreciate it when the people on this board bring News frm the Front back here so those of us who don't get out as much can see The Week in Review. The vo-bb is many things, including a virtual water cooler around which we can stand and grumble. The grumbling has value too - as long as, as Anthony said, it isn't a substitute for gettin' out there. Which I suspect it isn't.