VO Trends

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

While doing some on line reading, I found this 3 year old article about trends in VO. I thought it still rang quite true. Except that it doesn't take into account all the home studio work being done.

Think anything stated here has changed since then? Comments?

http://www.slate.com/id/2115865/

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008, 15:16 (GMT) Post subject:

Yeah, I feel that's a good summary. If he just noticed it 3 years ago, though, he was a little late. Laughing

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

Good point -- however, I really didn't pay close attention to VOs before I started getting into it. I noticed the broad trends, but now I am learning every day exactly what the market has to offer and to whom they are offering it.

I don't fault the guy, though -- he's not a voicer himself. Most of us have no idea of the changes in lots of professions. Education changed dramatically over the years I was in it, more than most would suspect. Those of you who have been doing this a long while have lived it, so you'd know best.

Michael J. Schoen · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 198

DH,
I have been in the game for a while -- and it seems as though whatever I was doing -- they wanted the opposite.
When I was young, they wanted mature. When I became older they wanted young-sounding.
When I became old school they wanted hip.
I kid, of course -- but the business is constantly changing.
I am also in the radio business and guess what. It's constantly changing too!

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008, 18:11 (GMT) Post subject: hit the nail on the head

I'd say that this article did hit the proverbial nail on the head. At least with regards to the top portions of commercial work and animation.

The one thing that this article doesn't speak about at all, that seems to be part and parcel of today's voiceover culture is the inclusion of almost all things radio and tv, falling under the same banner of voiceover. With regards to the "big voices", they are still alive and well providing promos and dj'ing for the thousands of radio stations, cable stations, extra terrestrial broadcasts, podcasts, and probably the voices in more than a few homeless guys heads.

It's amazing to see how much of this work is being produced without SAG or AFTRA contracts and the rates are pretty pale in comparison to what the unions would ask for the same work.

Of course there's still a lot of "dollar a hollar" work being done by big voices for crummy local radio spots that are written by individuals who normally answer phones or go get clients capuccino, but that as they say is another story...

Allen Brown · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008, 19:06 (GMT) Post subject:

Another story about celebrity voice actors. Excellent! The longer the press, the general public and beginners define the market by Hollywood standards, the longer will be the grazing in the pragmatic pasture. I like it here and the less competition, the better.

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

This article also seems to be aimed at VO for commercial work -- do you think the same applies for industrial, web, documentary, audio book, etc? Any other trends to spot specific to those?