New to VO - looking for comments and advice

Michael DePauw · **Voice Talent** Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 7

Hello all -

I've been starting to get my feet wet in the world of VO - interested primarily as a moonlighting gig as opposed to a full career. I've been a member here for a few months and have submitted some auditions and have had a few voice lessons (with more to come) - more as a learning process than anything serious.

I have finally taken the step of making a demo, so I'd like to know what people's first impressions are. I know it is in need of work, but I'd like to see some comments from more experienced people. Please be brutal - in a nice way.

Secondly, what is involved with a phone patch? Is it expensive/complicated to hook up?

Thanks for your replies,
Mike

Robert Jadah · **Voice Talent** Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 2627

Welcome to The Show, Michael. It's a good place. But we do bring out the paddles when we must:

I mean, you can call it a demo if you want to, but calling a pebble a pearl don't make it so. Putting that out there will scream, "I don't know what I'm doing!", but in upper case.

Firstly, every single bit sounds exactly the same. There ain't much oomph anywhere; nothing to make a listener say, "Holy Hot Lips; this guy can bring it!"
They're reads. They must be much, much more.
And the production - with the annoying fade-outs - is just small-time stuff.
Plus, you need some music and enhancement.

The voice is pleasant enough, Michael. You may, though, have noticed 39,412 other voicers with pleasant voices.

You've got to get beyond that...way, way, way beyond that.
Again (sigh), listen to demos at voicebank.com, or the bigfishvoicecompany.com, or to your own V123 competitors on their site pages.
Take your time.

Get some decent, varied clips together. Find a producer - even right here on these boards.

Then start again.

Voice On!

Jon Robbins · **Voice Talent** Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 267

"...and have submitted some auditions and have had a few voice lessons (with more to come) - more as a learning process than anything serious. Please be brutal - in a nice way."

First Michael welcome to the stage and a tough audience...but that's as it should be. Right? You will find many willing to offer up their knowledge and opinion, hopefully they will be honest like Robert...I had to laugh out loud at the comment, "Please be brutal-in a nice way"

The first thing I would say is to never present yourself as a "moonlighter" or someone who is not taking this craft as serious (see your quote above). It is a very competitive landscape. Voice work is art, it is difficult, it takes patience and you must possess an asbestos hide. Shocked

I would echo the comments that Robert made. You are simply reading. You may want to experiment with the Mic a little to find optimum placement for your voice. Check out those links that Robert offered up. Seek out some local acting classes as well if you have not already, volunteer to read to kids at your Library or for the blind, great practice if audiobook narration is something you wish to pursue---I noticed it was the first thing out of the chute on your demo. Here is another link resource http://www.voiceoverresourceguide.com/ Keep at it.

What kind of rig do you have?
Who are you studying with? Which workshops, Classes etc.?

Good Luck!

Michael DePauw · **Voice Talent** Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 7

Thank you Jon and Robert for your comments! They were exactly what I was looking for and am not surprised by anything that you wrote.

I have changed my demo posted above and would appreciate some new comments on "Take 2". Music has not been added yet, but I have tried to take all the other suggestions to heart.

I am most interested in:
- Do the clips show enough contrast?
- Are these less of a "read"?

Thank you so much!

Mike

Amy Snively · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 1028

I only have a sec-- just want to let you know that you shouldn't mix genres in a demo. Each demo should be specific, about :60, and should have 7-10 quick cuts. You could end up with several demos:

Commercial
Promo
Animation
Narration (TV documentary style)

That's pretty much the big four that agents will look for from you. In addition, you may wish to have specialty demos for any other niche for which you're suited, like:

Radio imaging (sweepers, liners)
Audiobooks
Narration (Industrial)
IVR, MOH, kiosk prompts
E-learning, interactive

General character demo-- could be mixed with animation, could be part of an interactive, computer gaming demo

Amanda Geyer · **Voice Talent** Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Posts: 245

Silly question but, what's the difference between "commercial" and "promo," as it pertains to demos?

Would a commercial demo be for plugging soap, beer, fruit-bars and cars, while a promo demo would be for concerts, book release events, auto body repair, car sale events, etc...?

Basically "commercial"="product" and "promo"="event or service"?

Amy Snively · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 1028

Amanda-- go to my V123 site and listen to the commercial and promo demos and you see what the difference is. Very Happy

Ed Gambill · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jun 2007 Posts: 585

Amanda

Years go I worked in radio and I learned a little about Commercial Advertising and Promotional Advertising. I worked for a small station in the Greensboro, Winston-Salem-High Point market as both a radio time sales agent and on air announcer.

Here is what I learned about these two types of advertising;

Commercial Advertising (spots) are sold to clients for the exclusive us by them to advertise their goods and services. There are at least three broad catagories of commercials;

Institutional, with the goal of making the listener feel good about the Advertisers Company, goods or services.

Soft Sell, just the fact and maybe some pricing or FAB (Features, Advantage and Benefits)

Hard Sell, Like Elvis said in the song “It now or never” in this case the price won’t wait

Promotional Advertising (Promos) are spot length advertisement produced by the station (radio or TV) to entice listeners/viewer to stay tuned for a program, to tune in at a later date for a program and to let folk know of special guest or featured stories.

On television and movies there is another type of Promo that voice actors won’t be involved with, that is Product Placement, A Krispy Kreme doughnut box in the shot may be good for a few hundred dozen that day, and as a stock holder in KK its good for me too. (Shameless Plug or Promo)