Soap-box Derby

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

Hey gang...

Got 2 soap-box issues I'd like to get your opinion on:

1) Recently, I've been seeing leads on v123 that are the same as I've gotten from my Agent... My question is: Why would anyone do this? After all, the agencies will "weed out" a lot of people. Plus, the poster is gonna get another 300+ to listen to from v123. If you can shed any light, please do.

2) Accents. I'm a bit honked over a recent post that states "PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND IF YOU ARE AN AMERICAN WHO 'Can speak in a British accent' " Now, I don't want to take any kippers off someone else's plate, but c'mon! I've landed a number of jobs that require realistic accents, and I'm sure there were native speakers in the mix. Isn't this illegal discrimination? I mean, Equal Opportunity Employers can't ask a number of personal questions, including race. If it was a church spot, they can't require you to be a member... or can they? Where do you stand on this?

Soap-Box... De-Activate!,
Joe J Thomas
www.JoeActor.com

Keith D. Milby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 570

1) Maybe it is your agent that is posting the job.

2) That is a hard one. Maybe the feel their is a difference between an authentic and imitation accent. Just my guess. Discrimination, legally speaking, that would be a stretch I think. (I am not a scum sucking shark, so take that for what it is worth.)

OK, I will apologize. For all of you scum sucking sharks/lawyers out there. I apologize. It's a joke, I am just joking. C'mon can't you see the humor.

Tom Greenlee · **Voice Talent** Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 945

Joe,

1) Maybe your agent belongs to v123 and doesn't know you do too. Maybe your agent is trying to make you feel like they are working for you when maybe they don't get too many actual opportu nities presented to them and they just get leads off of v123 and then present them to you, so it looks like they have a lot of potential work for you....so you don't fire them. lol

Victor Harris · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007, 16:47 (GMT) Post subject:

I have seen postings on this site also listed on several other sites at the same time. (so 300 responses from v123 plus 300 from blahblahblah plus 300 from blahblahblah). Over a thousand auditions for a $50-100 gig? Am I missing something here? Rolling Eyes

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

Hey Tom and Keith,

I don't think my agent's the poster. It may be *some* agent, but mine has sent me 2-4 auditions per week for quite a while. And we're talking high-end jobs (no cheapos in the batch).

I was assuming it was the originator of the job posting on v123 and sending to agencies, but it may be some small-time agent trying to get a leg up... Interesting thought.

Let's up the ante on #2...

Would it matter if I was an African-American who did a killer New England dialect, and the poster said "White People from NE Only"? Not trying to start a battle here, but discrimination works on all races. If my voice sounds British, that should be the only criteria for the job. I have the qualifications to compete - all else is hogwash (IMHO)...

Have at it!,
Joe

Todd Ellis · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007, 16:59 (GMT) Post subject:

VO, and I guess acting in general, is the most discriminatory job on the planet! Can you imagine placing this ad in the newspaper:

Wanted: Computer Sales Rep. must be Hispanic male, 35 - 50 years old

Or how about this one:

Accountant: must be Black Female 18 - 35

Joe - I'll bet you're a pretty good actor - but you probably won't be offered the lead in the "Anna Nicole Smith" made for Lifetime Cable movie.

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

J.S. Gilbert

I am with some top flight talent agents too and ocassionally also see a posting on one of the internet casting services that is also passed on to me by my agent. Since my agent only passes on those opportunities they see me suited for, I must think this occurs across the board with a bit more frequency, although is certainly not prevelant.

Here are a number of things that could be happening

The lead could be something generated as a pitch piece and this person is tossing it out becuase they have the time and energy to listen to everything. They may also be working under a premise that they will be payed a singular production fee and might be looking forthe best combination of talent, service and price to present their client.

Some intern or other person fields a call looking for talent and doesn't have access to a senior member to confer with and so goes online and discovers V123. Afterwards she is told that her company (agency, whatever) has relationships with talent agents.

A paid casting service is sending auditions out to everyone everywhere. There was a lifesavers commercial a few years back that I heard had over 10,000 people audition for 6 on-camera and 2 v.o. parts.

Inidviduals are pressed for time in a talent search and find that tradional agents do not return calls fast enough, so hedge their bets by casting here as well

Individuals are just plain curious to see if the talent here measures up in any way to tradional talent agent rosters, with regards to potentially changing their casting procedures.

Somebody is looking to pull a fast one. (way too many permutations to mention here)

Or, they sent something to cast on V123 and heard some real stinkeroos and said <sigh> this ain't going to work, better call the talent agents.

Or they are past due from a previous job and not sure if the talent agent will release talent until they settle up

Maybe somebody who do0es booking can chime in here and give me a few other good reasons.

In any case, it's a good thing for most of you (and not so much for people like me) when you start seeing auditions duplicated by agents and online services.

That's my thunking on the subject

Cira Larkin - Studio 53 · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 497

Hi, Joe,
I was thinking: It could be simply that the client is requesting a native Brit because they use a certain vernacular that Americans can't quite duplicate, i.e., if the American talent is required to write, or even "tweak" the copy, he/she might not be able to simply because of the variables in the language. Does this make sense? Just a thought.

Cira

Scott Nilsen · **Voice Talent** Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 231

Todd, the problem with your examples there are that no one would bat an eye because they are "minorities" (but really, isn't everybody a minority now?). The example works better if they specified wanting a white male. THEN there's an uproar.

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

Thanks JS - great list of possibles on the dual-postings. Hadn't thought of that many myself. I can see how it would happen, but I hope it's not too frequent!
Joe

Brad Venable · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007, 17:30 (GMT) Post subject:

Cira Larkin - Studio 53 · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 497

OK, having seen the copy.....I retract my original thought!

George Karnes · **Voice Talent** Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 905

Well I have seen leads on here asking for a "black Male". It actually doesn't bother me.

I think it is true that generally speaking a black Males do sound different than white males. This doesn't mean that ALL black males sound like black males or that ALL white males sound like white males.

But I know there would be a hue and cry and some of the scum sucking lawyers involved if V123 let a lead through that asked for a "white male".

Joe-
I think it is possible that the casting agent posts the lead to get low quotes to push down rates through agents. I think I saw J.S. post somewhere that he thought this was all going to the Internet and I think he is right.

Todd Ellis · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007, 18:54 (GMT) Post subject:

To misquote Dwight Yoakam from Slingblade ... "I ain't sayin' it's right or wrong - I'm just sayin' that's the way it is."