VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

SteVO · Last edited by SteVO on Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:35 pm; edited 1 time in total

In between honing my skills Ninja

I have visited numerous websites and listened to numerous demos. All demos I have heard are very very polished and fully produced. Lots of clips of successful jobs I assume. Along with that are some very very nice websites. Gasp

As a highly unpolished and websiteless beginner my inquiry revolves around the process of the chicken and the egg. Does one need a polished produced demo to land jobs at the beginning. What I mean is "I ain't got no fully produced stuff yet" Wink

I'm talking about music and sound effects and dialog. Dry voice demos won't cut it, right? The clients will want proof I actually KNOW what I'm doing yet I have no "real" material to prove anything. Then there is this haunting possibilty I could be over thinking everything and should shut up and be happy I have a voice at all. Sarcastic

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"I'm thinking...and it hurts"

brianforrester · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:22 pm Post subject:

Well, you have identified a real and possible challenge and you are correct that most clients will consider an unproduced demo to be somewhat amateur and it will likely cause difficulties in landing paying clients.

One thing to consider about voice over is that it is first and foremost a business... many make it a hobby, treat it as such and reap their due reward.

With any business, in order to be uccessful you need a few things (omongst others I won't go into):

1. A product
2. A product that people want to buy
3. A Business plan
4. Start-up capital
5. An ability to market to your potential client base

I will a assume that you have 1 and 2 taken care of and that you have enough practice and mic time so that your dry reads are of sufficient performance quality that they are ready to be produced.

Do you have a business plan? Let's assume you...

It would be foolish to think that you can set a strong foundation for your business without the financial capital to get it off of the ground. If you do not have the technical skills to produce your own demos (and many will argue that even if you do... you shouldn't!), you might consider investing in having one professionally produced. There are many, many companies and individuals who can fully produce a demo for you. Some are great, some are good and some are more than willing to take your money. Don't expect a demo produer to be prepared or able to coach you to a successful demo, they will likely only work with what you give them.

Depending on where you live, there are probably some local studios that would be able to offer this service for you. Pricing ranges dramatically and so will the quality of the finished product But, if you have the determination and focus to make this a business, paying someone to produce a demo for you, would be a good and useful use of your startup capital.

A professionally designed (or at least looking) website is another important first step in marketing... again, my comments from above are true.

I guess my underlying point is that approaching voice over as a business and conducting yourself and your affairs as such, will set you apart from many.

Happy Voicing!
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Brian Forrester Voice Overs
www.brianforrester.com
brian@brianforrester.com
778.668.5715

SteVO · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:34 pm Post subject:

Brian...this is the type of advice I expected to hear. The business aspect you point out is well taken. My plans are not elaborate at all but a nicely produced demo to help me get started is something I have my eye (and wallet) on and the website can be dealt with easily. Like you said...I could produce my own demo but I'm not an expert at that type of production. Best left to the pros. BTW I really like your work. Smile

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"I'm thinking...and it hurts"

Frank F · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:41 pm Post subject:

As Brian wrote: "One thing to consider about voice over is that it is first and foremost a business...". In the industry (VoiceOver) you are Chief Cook and bottle washer too. Which means you are an independent contractor and every part of running a business fall in your hands - and upon your head.

As for the "Chicken and the egg" you will need to translate that to "customers and marketing". You will not get customers until you have a product (skill, demos, website for contact information, etc.), and you cannot market your products until you have an idea of where and how your product will fit in with the customers needs.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Since you say you are or have been a DJ, your air-check or DJ demo is a good place to start. It does not have to be polished - it just has to be good.

A website is as good a tool as you make it. Too much flash and splash and you may turn off some prospective customers. Not enough detail or information and you lose even more contacts. A simple one page website with a demo and some contact information can speak volumes - if you market your skills and services on the site.

How do you market your website? Ahhh, another question of which you will need to determine the outcome.

Until you have a demo - of some sorts - you are stuck in a Catch 22 position, you cannot go forward or backward.

Good luck developing your product.

Frank F
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Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com

SteVO · Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:20 pm Post subject:

There you go making sense again. Wink

This is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I taking my time, getting information and honing a newer skill. The DJ aircheck may have some things I can use. I'll have to listen to some of it again...if I can stomach it... Sick

_________________
"I'm thinking...and it hurts"