Voice Over 123 - Careful What You Ask For

I have a doctor friend in Baltimore who is enamored with the voice over business. He appreciates a great sounding voice for some reason or another. He told me a story about a guy he plays cards with who also happens to have a great voice.

This "other guy" is sitting high up the ladder at a major government institution. A few weeks back, while playing cards on their usual night he told the guys about a web site he had discovered that will feature your talents, and "find you work" in the voice over business. He was encouraged-no pressured by his mates to put up a demo tape and see what would happen.

It was only days before receiving an email from someone looking for "mature male talent". There was a partial script attached for him to read for the audition. To make a long story short, he got the job. And when the complete script arrived he discovered that he was reading for a male erectile dysfunction product. Other wise known now in the trade as "ED".

The rate for the job was $50.00.

Voice Over & Political Affiliation?

Just a few days ago when I was visiting a production house in Washington DC metro, I was asked if I did voice work. I answered "yes, yes I do". Immediately I was then asked "what my politics were". I thought it strange that such a question would be asked of a talking head such as myself, but then thought the person questioning me must produce for a particular party in the DC market. My hunch was right. I was then given the option to choose a party. What?! This made absolutely no sense to me.

OK I get it. But to "get it", and then consider what it is that voice over actors do just doesn't make sense to me. Why would it matter what politics I leaned toward? After all, this is voice over - talking head stuff. I am a no-name actor with no recognizable voice. Could it be that I won't read the script with the right passion for the subject matter because I don't agree with it? Certainly that must be the reason. But to even consider that is disrespectful to the craft itself. And if that were the case, then all of us would also have to know, and be well acquainted with each and every product that we sell. That would mean that I would of had to of have cardinal knowledge of the adult diapers that I just sold on cable. Or, I would of had to of played (and liked) with that super soaker water gun that I just did VO for on Cartoon Network.

Voice over isn't an endorsement. It's an acting job. When Spielberg puts a voice to a movie trailer about an adventure in outer space, the voice over actor didn't actually go there. He or she didn't ride the hover cycle that is featured in 120 frames of the trailer. The voice over actor just knew how to sell a story.

That's what we do. Tell stories.

Zomming The Voice Over

I jumped in the car yesterday to attend to family matters. I flipped on the FM radio to hear a local CBS O&O contemporary hits station that featured the typical B-team weekend announcers. But this female announcer was unique. Her voice squeaked. Much like by dog's squeak toys. But I wanted more. Her voice was so incomparable.

I wondered if anyone at CBS knew what they were doing when they put her on the air. Or if the pay scale had shrunk so much, all they had to choose from were squeak toys and mimes. I suspect the later to be the truth. I am also sure that some people would object strongly to listening to her voice on the air because it just wasn't "what you do". It should be what you do.

The VO business is a Zoomers business. What is Zooming? It is a Seth Godin concept. And it's pretty simple. Keep the same vision & energy that started your business to reinvent your business as it grows. Competent people run businesses that are doomed because competence doesn't embrace change. Find the people who have the option to become competent but choose not to because they want to try something different.

Last month I attended one of those New York VO love-fests. You know, one of those deals where they say they are going to show you all of the inside tricks to the voice over business, but really are only trying to sell a book and some voice coaching classes? When the first 90 minutes of experts speaking of their heavenly accomplishments had ended, they opened up the floor to Q&A. There was a woman who approached the mic to asked about demo reels and what agents look for on those reels. Her voice was truly unique. So different I can not describe it. But before she could finish her question, laughter broke out on the stage from the very people who she was looking to for guidance. She was told to "not quit her day job". Where have I heard that before? I could not believe that this well healed group of VO experts lacked vision. But then I remembered why they were there. To sell a book. That was it.

My point is this. There are no rules in the VO business. Just the rules that are set by the ones who have achieved success. Ignore those. Be a zoomer with a thick skin and keep trying. So many unique voices have achieved success. Hope that your voice IS unique.

Remember, it's not the people in the voice business who hire you. It's the ones with vision who hire you.

AFTRA & Me

I recently joined the ranks of AFTRA. It really is about time I did that. All of these years working with large corporate entites-being forced to sign non-competes that limit the amount of work I could be doing just isn't making sense any more.

This week I attended an AFTRA orientation session. There were eight of us "newbies" in the room. A big packet of official looking documents hit the table (with copies for each of us) and it was daunting. So much information in fact, all I could do was just watch everybody try and dig through their own packets for fear that I might miss something. But it was the individuals in the room that caught my attention most.

Jackie sat next to me. She is somewhere in her 60s and recently moved to the DC area from New York. She had such an unusual dignity about her. There was a quiver to her voice that got you thinking. I wondered how in the world she did voice work without being laughed out of the studio. But after about 10 minutes with her you quickly learned her secret. She was honest and warm and genuine. When she spoke, it was sincere. What I wouldn't give for just 10% of the warmth her voice brought to the table.

Then there was Clifton. It was like he had just stepped out of a Barry Levinson movie. An entertainer and educator all in one. His business card also features a set a lines that point to the word "Professional." I just know that whatever his angle is, it's good. He sat next to the out-of-work "radio guy." Who was the first one to grab a cookie from the plate in the middle of the table. He seemed to be the only weak link in the room. But he knew it, and was doing everything he could to get "professional help" and further his voice career. So much so, that I am guessing he will find rock solid voice work with some real legs to it before I will.

The rest of the new AFTRA members in the room consisted of a 65 year old big band/swing singer, an x-gen whos friends told him he had a great voice, some woman I have seen time and time again but can't figure out where, and a very unstable former TV sports guy who could blow at any minute.

Bottom line is this. There was more talent in that room of eight than I have seen in rooms twice its size in recent years. I think my AFTRA move was the right move. Now on to the big Mid-Atlantic meeting on Monday in Bethesda. If my first go-round was any indication of what I am in for, it should be pretty good.

-Jim