Bad is bad, but this is ridiculous!

Dave Cash · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Posts: 15

I'd like to know if anyone else who reads these forums has ever payed to join a "voiceover" website and never gotten a gig from it.

I've never claimed to be, nor thought I was a "big" VO artist in the league of the Don LaFontaine, Mark Elliot or even John Leader but I know I wasn't as bad as it appears now. Crying or Very sad

You see, I posted a few months back asking for a critique of my demo and I got feed back from a couple helpful folks here. I took their advice and incorporated into what I already had.

Four months later still no responses to my auditions. I have however gotten invitations and ended up getting paid gigs from those. So what is the deal?

This probably sounds silly (and no one would tell me even if it was true) but do only certain vo talents get preferential treatment over others?

Honest opinions, listen to one or two of my demos. If I really suck, tell me so. It won't hurt my feelings. Better to know the truth than have people filling me full of sunshine just to get my money.

I'm not looking to get rich or become a big national VO star, just wanting honest feedback.

If you want, PM me or leave anonymous feedback at my website.

Scott Pollak

Jenna Sharpe · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 28

As Scott says, it is a numbers game and the Smartcast system is effectively giving some preferential treatment over others but not always due to talent or popularity.

Sounds like you are having a crisis of confidence. If you have got paid work and invitations that is a great achievement and more than a lot of people get. Smile

You certainly don't "suck" but I felt you weren't always connecting with the material you read. for example you don't always enunciate or highlight key words in your commercials e.g product names or descriptive adjectives. Sounds like you are concentrating on 'sounding like a voiceover' at the expense of selling the product. You already have a naturally good sound, even without any training, so maybe focus more on making us want to buy the product or service by bringing the copy to life and showing us the real "warm" Dave. Smile

You mention in your profile you can do lots of different accents and characters, perhaps you could add some of those to the voice compilation to break the reads up a bit? Better still, have a seperate character reel.

Best of luck to you.

Dave Cash · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Posts: 15

Thanks for the responses. You know, maybe I just don't "get it"! Confused

The general opinion is get a voice coach. First as a struggling person in today's lovely economy (like I'm the only one?) I just can't afford to have someone tell me what I already know but seem to have trouble implementing it.

By this I mean I had a spot to cut at my (ahem) radio job. It was for an IBS clinic. I gave it a fairly warm read. The production director came to me the next day and said people complained about the lack of enthusiasm in my read. Lack of enthusiasm? Um, We're talking about someone with irritable bowel syndrome! How the heck does someone get excited about something like this? I'm telling you, if I had IBS and heard someone talking in a upbeat smily tone I'd wanna strangle the guy reading it. Thus the phrase, Maybe I just don't get it. Confused

I have done reads with the right inflection on the right words, but apparently I have a whole different view on what the consumer (something I have many years experience at) actually wants.

Let me just run this by you;
Hey its the weekend and all you can think of is a thick...juicy...steak
grilled to perfection and a baked potato with all the extras

Then Rudy's Steakhouse exit 42 just past Craggy Rock is just the place for you.

Now apart from scaling back the energy, the underlined words/phrases are what "I" would emphasize. Am I right?

Is this what people mean by putting feeling into it?

Lee Gordon · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 1362

Just my opinion, but unless people will miss a turn if they go too far past Craggy Rock, or the place is incredibly hard to find, I would not emphasize "just past" but I would emphasize the next "just" (in "just the place").

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008, 02:13 (GMT) Post subject:

Dave, it's not about where you put inflections...if it were that easy, well...you know.

If economics make Scott's advice seem daunting (he's right on, by the way...but don't tell him I said so. His head is largish already Laughing

) maybe at least look for an improv group or a low cost beginning acting/script interp class through a local community college, your city's community center programs, or a non-profit arts organization.

The point is to connect to the copy (no matter how inane and overstuffed the spot), know who you're talking to, and tell the individual listening (for that's how you should think of it) the story he or she has been waiting to hear. Does that sound schmaltzy enough fer ya?

There's announcing (and that has its place) and there's voice acting. If you can do the latter and do it well, that will expand your marketability.

Best of luck.

Sid Whatley · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008, 02:50 (GMT) Post subject:

When I first joined Voice123 so I would have a website and hopefully expand my range and products, I was extremely excited. Every lead that came thru I thought "This is perfect for me....I'm gonna land a ton of work here!!!". Wrong Tonto. I had no idea I was competing against 1000's of others who were much better for 99% of the leads.
It took me 6mos to lay back and start auditioning for just the very few types of reads I'm decent at. Sure, it pays for itself a few times over from one-shot reads but I've landed several on-going accounts that come around every month. I have been humbled beyond recognition.

Sid Whatley · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008, 02:54 (GMT) Post subject:

Also, what Scott P. said.

Caryn Clark · **Voice Talent** Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 940

With all due respect, even the top voice talent I know still receive coaching. Yes, they can afford it... true.

My point is, though, that it's not just as easy as 1-2-3... you need to invest in your career in vo. Again, all due respect, but honestly, if you knew everything you think you need to know, you wouldn't have started this thread.

Dave Cash · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Posts: 15

Robert Jadah · **Voice Talent** Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 2590

Ah, Dave...not to worry; you'll be fine.
Methinks your one small problem (aside from some nifty tailoring needed on your demos) is right there at the top of your web page:
Radio Personality/Voiceover Artist.

With eight of ten job leads currently stressing NO RADIO/ANNOUNCER READS PLEASE, your approach is somewhat akin to advertising:
Petty Thief/Security Guard

The two are largely exclusive, and it is a burden to you to expect the one to give you an edge on the other.
It may also be instructive to accept the downside of having that accursed 'guy next door' sound: basically, that you sound much like everyone else.
That's a lot of competition.
It'll take some acting experience, baby. Marketing (sigh). Hustle (double sigh). And a lot of luck.
As to the sites, I won zero jobs here after the birth of SmartCast.
Though I don't pay to play any more, there's beer in the fridge, the mortgage is paid, and the five kiddies are dressed and fed.
There's much life away from the scrabble of V123.

Voice On!

Erik Sheppard · **Voice Talent** Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1252

Dave Cash · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Posts: 15

Marilyn Taylor · **Voice Talent** Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 367

Dave, I've read this thread as if it were my own autobiography:) I started V123 about one and a half years ago having come from a News/Announcer background.
I quickly learned that style won't cut it here. I just want to offer you some encouragement....Don't give up:)
What I did was spend my first year figuring out all the technical stuff I needed to know to create a quality recording. There are so many talented and generous people on this forum.
This year I'm investing in coaching. It is expensive but it's amazing...every time I spend a dollar I get at least two back. You will be amazed how quickly you can turn an 'announcement' into a 'believable' read with someone making specific adjustments as you go. Don't hesitate doing this.
The other thing that may help you is listen listen listen and practice practice practice. Sometimes when I hear a commercial I like on TV, I right away repeat it in the same way I heard it...listen for how certain words are said- not necessarily stressed- but said so you can feel, taste or touch them...try it but don't do this at Best Buy, trust me:)
Also listen to others' demos... lots of them! And don't stop posting on this thread or better yet post your auditions in the 'leads and reads' section. You will get honest feedback though it may be hard to hear it is always helpful. The kind people on this thread (they know who they are) have been incredible to me and instrumental in my 'hanging in there'. I've gotten several jobs so far this year through V123 and with some study and support you will too. Don't give up Exclamation

Lee Gordon · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 1362