They’re everywhere. Haven’t you noticed?
Take one good look. Let’s start with your online shopping.
Who’s responsible for most reviews on Amazon.com?
Experts? Consumer advocates? Independent test laboratories?
No. Amateurs!
Who just gave your favorite movie two stars on Netflix? The movie critic of the New York Times?
No. Amateurs!
What kind of people put the “reality” in reality TV?
Amateurs!
Where would talent shows like “American Idol,” “The X Factor” and “The Voice” be without…
Amateurs!
Credentials are so yesterday. Experience is optional. If it breathes and has half a brain,
Paul,
Very well said as always, and oh so true.
I, like I’m sure many of us have done, have occasionally poked around the P2P’s to listen to random demos – just to see what the ‘competition’ is doing. While the amount of crap audio is astounding, what’s truly amazing is that some of these people have positively glowing reviews on their profile! I don’t know if the reviews can be attributed to paying gigs being done in pro studios (as opposed to wherever the demos were recorded), or the fact that the bar has been lowered so far that clients are just happy to get an audio file…
While I’d like to believe it’s the former, I have a sinking feeling that it’s the latter.
-Mike
I guess we’re not the only profession with sinking standards…
Your line on “sinking standards” brought this wonderful commercial to mind… http://bit.ly/xZ9o7W
We must have been sinking the same thing, James! Great commercial.
Another “hitting-the-nail-on-the-head” observation, Paul. Well done!
Thank you Lisa. I’m not much of a handyman, but the pen can be mightier than the hammer!
Wow Paul!
Such a great article! My emotions go up and down during reading… (please forgive my english)
It’s really schocking to “hear” from your voice-seeking colleague, I’ve never thought something like that could happen!
But I feel just like you: the story put my mind at ease as well… If the ones he found as pro dealed like that, when they find me, they’ll feel in heaven 🙂
Thanks for sharing such a precious information, Paul!
Cheers!
The hopeless can always give us hope… isn’t that weird? How’s the situation in your neck of the woods, Linda? Is this just an American phenomenon or is it more widespread?
It happens more often with the brazilians seeking voices online. But I am negatively surprised with the low-balling voice-seekers. They think professionals in Brazil EARNS like the ones in China or India, but it’s really the opposite. The voice artists in Brazil are not used to work for low money…
It’s really sad to see what is happening. But also in Brazil, the voice seekers know that YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR…
But I really liked your sentence “I am a voice-over professional, and my added value is always higher than my rate!” I’m going to use it 😉
G-d bless our future in this industry.
G-d bless you, Paul!
Dear Paul,
it is happening all over the World I think. I am based in England and work mainly in French and I have come accross similar scenari as the ones you have described in your piece.
Even before the advent of Internet there were unscruplous, greedy clients trying to pick up French/Italian/Spanish waiters off the street to do the job as cheaply as possible. The one I have in mind got his hands burnt and had to call me in an emergency to make good what had been done. He had his English client and his French distributor in the studio. It was a thrilling experience for me. With my level of adrenalin very high, I walked into the studio, sat behind the microphone and read the 10 minute script to picture in about 12 minutes and walked out. The two clients stood up, and express their pleasure at my read “this is exactly what we wanted!” to which I replied: “Sure,this is what I do for a living!” My client was not pleased because he was made a fool of, but he paid my fee and I felt vindicated. I think we should stand our ground, in the long run it pays to refuse to do jobs that are not paid the proper professional fee. As I read above, clients in the end get what they pay for! Of course everyone has to be given a chance, but without hard work and dedication they are not going to last for very long.
Thanks for sharing this powerful story, Daniel. May many take it to heart!
Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Oh, I’ve seen this one coming for quite a while now.
Frankly, I feel a bit relieved after reading this, Paul.
Let those folks just keep on doing what they do in the unprofessional manner in which they do it. That’s fine with me. Leaving the pros to carry on the high standard the industry expects. I like your term “self-regulating.” I too have seen this happen within other industries of working professionals.
Your colleague sounds pretty frustrated over the state of the industry. I’m glad to see he has looked to SaVoa to obtain professional talent. I just wish SaVoa would become more “visible” than they are. They are in a position to become a strong lobbying force for maintaining high industry standards.
@Mike M… I think it is a sad fact that clients are settling, or just don’t know any better, for low quality work. It’s acceptable now. And trashy work always tarnishes a crafty, creative industry. In the years I spent as a commercial photographer I saw this, and continue to see, the garbage that is passed off as professional photography. I became disillusioned with the business and decided to get out of it. And that all started with the fact that every nut with a digital camera called himself a pro. And even worse, it became acceptable! Never mind that the amateur had no “eye” or sense of design. I was not a world famous photographer. But my clients knew I had a sharp eye and was a good problem solver with some camera style. Now today, sadly, I face the same thing as a voice talent. Only now, the camera has been replaced with a cheap USB mic! With another nut behind it.
I think this trend is in part driven by money, or a lack thereof. At the same time it has become easier to get a start in this business.
But having decent equipment doesn’t mean people know how to use it. This is true in photography, in music, horse riding and in voice-overs. What’s it going to be: Amateur Night at the Apollo or a professional Broadway Show?
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Paul, with this article you continue to hit the nail in the head…but this time, with a nuclear bomb. Thanks so much for writing these great articles! Greetings from Ponce, Puerto Rico. P.S. Your articles has helped me a lot to find out where I am in the professional voiceover spectrum.
You’re very welcome, Pablo! I didn’t realize my blog was so explosive, but I do like to put some bomb shells in there, once in a while. Hopefully, it will give us some ammunition for further discussion.
We’re going to have to start calling you ‘Spot-on Paul.’ You shoot, and never miss.
While I’m relieved I’m not the only one who was concerned about this, I’m not sure what it will take to get these bedbugs out of the sheets. What I do know, however, is that many of the amateurs have been and are being stoked by other amateurs; those who call themselves ‘voice-over coaches’ who are really only interested in selling demo packages. And, before somebody gets PO’d, thinking I’m including all coaches in that statement, let me say I am NOT. Those to whom I refer have little to no real-world experience themselves. They, too, are looking for easy money. And they’re finding it.
When you’ve got someone cooing sweet things (like a potential six-figure income) in your ear, it tends to garner attention. The demo, then, becomes the goal. NOT education. Not skill mastery. “Egad, who has time for that when there are clients willing to throw money at me for reading words from a page into a home studio set-up that costs next to nothing?”
“Gee, I don’t know why professional recording studios spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars (and more) on acoustic treatment alone, and millions more on equipment, when I’m told I can have a home studio for under $2000! These egg cartons on the wall will work as ‘sound-proofing,’ right? And this podcast microphone sounds good enough. I’m ready to be a player. Show me the money!”
The voice-over Pied-Pipers are getting rich convincing the completely uninitiated they’ve got a bright future. A career (essentially) from a gum machine. All I can say is, I’m glad these people are not in the healthcare field.
Please pass the TUMS.
Well-put, Mike. No other profession would allow the level of amateurism we see in our line of work. Eventually, these bed bugs will start to feed on themselves until there’s nothing left. Don’t ask me to shed any tears for them.
Interesting. I’m on those P2P sites and never got a call from your friend. I know quite a few people who work for some very picky clients, who have also been at this for many years and have worked to create quality recording environments and they didn’t hear from your friend.
I also hire people “online”. and I can corroborate the fact that many of them are incapable of producing quality sounding audio, but I can also tell you that for any project I have asked people to audition for via an online casting service, I have had several possible candidates, regardless of the specific nature of the work or the compensation being offered.
Theree are several hundred reasons why I hate what the v.o. world is becoming. Online casting doesn’t seem to hold a candle to the myriad articles that glamourise the profession, nor does it bother me nearly as much as the seemingly thousands of teachers and gurus, who lure their victims with a plump juicy carrot at the end of of a stick.
I was one of the first people to sign up with Interactive Voices (now Voices.com), both as a talent and as a client who cast talent from them. In the earliest days, it worked quite well. I watched though as they changed their focus to that of Voiceover 101. They initially took great pains to try and identify and reach working v.o. talent. That got thrown out the window.
Let’s blame the motivational speakers, the “Do What You love and the Money Will Follow” b.s. artists. It’s simply not true. The internet simply means that there is an ease by which these people can clog the arteries of the v.o. profession and sign up with 237 free listing sites as voice talent, thus meaning they will be vo0ice talent in perpetuity. Long after they have given it up and gone to work at an I Hop, perhaps long after they are dead.
And as far as the online casting services, this seems to be more of a “they came and we built it”, rather than “build it and they will come”. Of course the continuing worsening economy hasn’t hurt any.
Who needs a job? I just spent a weekend in a room with 10- other loseres and now I’m a voice actor.
It’s like a hoard of maggots piling up on a piece of rotting fruit.
I’m sorry you weren’t asked to participate in my friend’s project, J.S., but I can still put in a good word for you…
Perhaps it’s best not to waste any time pondering the demise of a noble profession. Maybe it’s more fruitful to focus on how we can improve our own act each and every day.
On the other hand, what would that leave me to write about?
Oh Paul – yet again you hit the nail on the head. I am not sure whether to be elated by the fact that quality is something that is still valued by your voice seeking friend and a few others or deeply depressed that so many clients (and by default many listeners and viewers) seem happy to settle for second best. In much ‘reality’ television the sound quality is pretty awful, and even on the hallowed BBC, there is more and more dross (not to mention bad grammar, sloppy pronunciation and really really bad scripting – especially in news programmes) so as audiences generally become more and more used to slipping standards it takes a very discerning client to recognise quality.
People who are used to eating junk food all the time, easily forget how delicious and nutritious a good meal can be. Preparing good food is an art and a passion. It takes years of training, first-class ingredients, professional equipment and above all: good taste.
Here’s my creed:
I am a voice-over professional, and my added value is always higher than my rate!
Another great blog, Paul. The only thing I suppose I can add to the responses is that I see WHY some of these things are happening:
– Why Wikipedia over Encyclopedia Britannica? It’s free, in many ways it’s more comprehensive, and is marketed better than Britannica. If I want to check a quick fact, I often go to Wikipedia because it’s always available online, and at no cost. I had to look up a popular country music artist the other day, and for kicks I tried Britannica – but it came up with nothing. Britannica offers some search features for free, but you get a “Better” experience (they claim) by paying for it – but what makes it “better” is anyone’s guess, since Britannica’s website doesn’t tell you.
– Why are amateurs becoming so popular? Because in this age of instant gratification, clients often prefer something quick over something good – and that’s what the amateurs provide, quite well. I see it all the time: I’m requested to write commercial copy that needs to be on the air tomorrow, but we need approval on the copy, then approval on the finished spot, I’ve been given two sentences about the company, and there’s only 4 hours left in the day.
– Why are rates lower? Because amateurs are flooding the market, creating too much supply, and are willing to do things cheaply for a myriad of reasons, which lowers rates and….oh, wait. That was a different blog. 😉
I have to say, though, one of the most frustrating things I see on the P2P sites is when clients post comments like “This audio needs to be clean with no background noise” or “only those with experience should audition” – because these are things that should be already understood by the voice talent! If you have to TELL me to keep the audio clean…what kind of voice talent am I???
It’s almost impossible to compete with free, especially if a client doesn’t care for quality or reliability of information. Based on the comments from voice-seekers, some of them are looking for broadcast quality audio and they can absolutely get it… as long as they’re willing to pay a reasonable price.
You can’t buy a bottle of champagne on a beer budget.
Hi Paul,
thank you for writing–I’ve really enjoyed your blogs (since I just recently found them!
I must admit that I am the guy you are talking about: the amateur.
I began as a recording and touring drummer for pop R&B group TLC (remember them? :~), and only recently decided to switch gears. I’d never done VO before, nor had I ever acted in any plays…if anything, I was playing drums in the band! But I digress…I’m the guy who has have never taken an acting class in my life (but really, really want to); I’ve never had a vocal coach (I would love to find a good one in my area); and I have about as average a voice as can be had with no special qualities such as a rich baritone rumble or a distinct cool-sounding accent. No, I’m just one of a million other guys who thought about jumping into voiceover a couple of years back.
However, if I may, I’d like to inspire any wanna-be’s with my experience thus far–my short 1.5 years in the voice over industry:
(1) I am an accredited member of SaVoa (11027). (2) I got signed to an agency last April (Houghton Talent in ATL). (3) In my first year after deciding to give this career an honest shot, I booked a little over 2 dozen extremely high profile voice jobs including Honda, Ga Lottery, Southeastern Conference, Sportstime Ohio, and a small handful of Atlanta-based concert promos for radio and television. (I’m so sorry to do the “resume thing”, but I want people to know that you really CAN jump right in, be successful, all the while not ruining the game for all the seasoned veterans like you and the others who’ve responded to your post!) One more to to cap it off: in my first year of “going pro” I booked a voice job wherein the 90-minute VO session paid me a buyout rate of twenty-five thousand dollars. (Not making this up.) This is not impossible for others to do–amateur or otherwise. I am certain that many others will see all this as shameless braggadocio–but it isn’t. I just want to use real, verifiable client names and dollar amounts to illustrate the fact that it IS possible to find success if you want it.)
Based on the things I’ve read in the original blog (and most of it’s replies), I should never have found success. But I believe that our minds can create–literally out of thin air–whatever circumstances we want. I believe we simply need to abandon the negative…focus on what we can do rather than what we think we cannot do…and roll along with, not against, whatever happens in our industry. There will forever be changes. Adaptation is the key. Solutions are out there, and we’ll not find them if we’re mad at the world.
Keep your excellent posts coming, Paul! You have a great mind, and an excellent way of delivering extremely valid points (even if I did attempt to counter one of them!)
-Tom
Congratulations on your success, Tom. You are the exception that proves the rule.
I don’t think you would have been accepted at SaVoa if your audio wasn’t up to snuff. You certainly wouldn’t have landed those high-profile jobs.
As shows like “American Idol” suggest, it is possible to make it to the top in only a few episodes. The audience remembers the number one artist of that year, and conveniently forgets that thousands and thousands of hopefuls auditioned for the show.
It’s like that in voice-over land. There are many hopefuls, and only a few of them can make their mark and make a living.
As I said in my post: I’m not going to belittle anyone for trying to break into this business. Quality never goes out of style.
I dunno. I figure, even the most experienced professionals were the underdog amatuers with dreams of professionalism once. Whenever I have had the opportunity to work with someone less experienced than I, I always make a point to try to be kind to them, and remember what it was like when I was the newbee, and even mentor them. I don’t feel threatened by them because I don’t measure myself against anybody else. I am a unique individual with unique talents. There is noone else who can do what I do, the way I do it. They can be just as successful as me, but they can never be me. More power to them, and those that do not have the right stuff for this kind of work will eventually fade away. And no, I don’t really believe that amateurs are stealing jobs from pros (unless they are just better, in which case… who’s really the pro and who’s really the amateur?) Clients whose priority is cheapness are generally going to get what they pay for, and I would rather have a client who values quality and commitment to excellence. Then I know I will be appreciated for my hard work, and rewarded over time with their loyalty. I think that competition between pros and amateurs is just inherent in any business. It’s part of what makes the work more challenging and exciting. Don’t look at it as a threat. Look at it as an adventure!
“I think that competition between pros and amateurs is just inherent in any business.”
I don’t see amateur surgeons competing with pros. Amateur teachers without credentials won’t be hired by any school. An amateur lawyer will never be admitted to the bar. Will amateur architects be allowed to design multi million dollar high-rises?
I have nothing against people trying to turn their hobby into a profession, but I do think that most of them seriously underestimate what it takes and how long it takes, to become a pro. It’s not a microwave meal, but more of a crockpot recipe.
>>>I don’t see amateur surgeons competing with pros….
Actually, Paul, the first time a surgeon cuts into a living person, they are an amateur, a very well-trained amateur, but still an amateur. The same applies to every field of endeavor.
…but perhaps your point is around the very well-trained part. How long should an apprenticeship be?
I’ve got 40+ years into V/O and I’m still trying to get it right. I am an expert recordist of 40+ years, but I’d never hold myself out to be an expert because there are too many holes in my knowledge.
The surgeon who cut open my spine this summer had never performed an operation of the scale of mine – so he was an amateur and he made a few mistakes. It was an emergency. I’m certain there’s an expert somewhere who would say he’s not a pro…
In my book, the proof is always in the product.
I am alive, can walk around, and even danced with my wife on our anniversary. Without my surgeon, I would have died that night.
Was my surgeon a pro?
I think the big problem with the “value proposition”, comes from the fact that much of voice over tends to ignore this for the most part.
There are some individuals who have built up incredible value propositions, mostly this is done organically and often through having a decent body of work.
But more often, any of this value proposition generally doesn’t come across until you have established a working relationship with someone.
So what it comes down to often is the luck of the draw, as it applies to auditioning.
The simple facts are that as a producer/ director, I am pretty certain that I could toss a script out of the window of a high enough building and somebody will send me back an audition that will do the trick.
But beyond that, it comes down to relationships. When somebody has auditioned and is everybody’s 7th or 8th pick, but works for the client or is somebody’s “buddy”, they can quickly become #1.
This rarely works off a value proposition and almost always means an inferior product that requires more work.
If you want to work as a voice talent, go buy an ad agency, work for a game developer, or sleep with the director of marketing for a major cable network.
In other words: if you don’t have a “body of work,” you need to “work your body?”
Great marketing does not sell a bad product. It will only tell the world about it. At the same time, a great product will stay under the radar without adequate promotion and the right connections.
But jumping in the sack with the director of marketing?
Let me sleep on that, okay?
It seems to me your article used a note from Essjay as its premise, Paul.
>>>I found about 10 voiceover “professionals” on voices.com and voice123, and from various vo groups
That sort of assertion is not credible at all. I am surprised that you allowed Essjay to write so much of this post for you.
What people do not understand is that V/O has become a profession involving two distinct skill sets: voice acting of some form AND recording technician.
There are additional skills required if the V/O designed their own studio without the help of a professional recording technician. But most V/Os probably took the advice of a music store sales person who may only know about stage equipment.
Trust me when I tell you that, I didn’t hire my recording technician from Internet posts. I did try one highly regarded “Internet Studio Pro.” He failed at the assigned task but sent me a bill anyway – which I paid. I’ll spare you the details.
In the V/O world today it is the blind leading the blind with the blind leaders not recognizing sage wisdom when offered.
I like to draw from many sources, and I thought the Essjay controversy was an good illustration of the point I was trying to make: Without strong gatekeepers and high standards, crap will come out of the floodgates and smell up the place.
Voice-overs wear many hats, not just the one of actor-engineer. We’re the head of marketing, sales, PR, customer service, bookkeeping and so on and so forth. That’s what makes the job of solopreneur interesting as well as challenging.
The important thing is to know one’s limitations and to focus on what one does best. That’s why I have a fantastic bookkeeper, and it’s also the reason why I outsourced the mastering of my latest audio book to a seasoned pro.
I think that you missed my point, or chose to ignore it, Paul.
Hi Steve, I’m not in the habit of brushing over points, but with a lot on my mind I tend to miss a thing here and there.
…and of course, I am one of your argumentative readers.
Point avoidance noted 🙂
Anyone making an argument is more than welcome to express it in a poignant way. I’m just not going to mind read between the lines.
I think there is a huge confusion between amateur and professional. A professional is not an amateur who has succeeded… you don’t start out as an amateur and then automatically ‘graduate’ to become a professional when you book a couple of gigs!
There are amateurs and there are professionals – there is no connection, no bridge, no graduation from one to the other. They are intrinsically different animals. Some professionals are beginners, but that does not make them amateurs – every professional begins somewhere… a junior doctor is not an amateur doctor, just a junior. At some point some amateurs make the switch and become professional but it is not an automatic progression.
I was an amateur actor when I was sixteen – then I decided that this is how I wanted to earn my living… what my career would be and I went to Drama School at eighteen. Then having trained full time for two years studying acting, voice production, breath control, improvisation, microphone and radio technique, movement, dance, stage fighting, historical dance and movement etc. etc. I graduated and registered as self employed with the IR. I worked my 26 weeks as a probationary union member .. I was a beginner sure but I had made the switch and was then, and have continued to be ever since, a professional. I have taken a couple of temp jobs over the years when times have been particularly hard, but for well over 85% of my working life, I have earned my living solely from being self-employed in this business.
There are part time professionals, particularly in these hard times, who are forced to take other work to subsidise their earnings as a professional actor/ voice artist, but that is not the same thing as having a full time job and doing voice acting to earn a bit on the side. Those are the amateurs… however many online casting sites they are registered with and however much ‘VO training workshops, webinars, seminars, courses or classes’ they have forked out on.
Thanks for making the distinction between amateurs and pros even clearer, Helen.
Lawyers need to be admitted to the bar in order to practice law. Teachers need to be officially certified in order to teach. My electrician has to pass many exams before he’s allowed to install a simple switch. The world of voice-over acting doesn’t have such a barrier of entry, and that’s part of the problem.
LinkedIn is supposed to be a professional network, but since most groups have become Open Groups, anyone can join clubs such as the Working Voice Actors Group or Voice Over Professionals. Isn’t it telling that there’s no group for Voice Over Amateurs?
Without gatekeepers, barriers of entry, strict quality control and strong self-regulation, anything goes.
Excellent post, Helen. However, with all of that training, diligence, and even a lifetime of effort there was never a guarantee that you would become a professional. Some people can never bridge the gap.
Methinks we’re getting hung up on semantics. Helen and Steve (among others) make excellent points – but what, exactly, IS an “amateur,” by definition? To paraphrase Random House, an amateur is a person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than for financial or professional benefit; has never competed in an activity for payment; or lacks experience and skill for a particlular activity. Based on this definition, many of the new voice talent to whom Paul refers are, indeed, amateurs; Steve’s doctor, hoever, is certainly not, considering the skill and experience required to accomplish the task he was given. (Glad to know you’re doing well, Steve!)
Thanks Matt. I’ve got another 8 months before I’m back in the game, but I’m making progress every day 🙂
This goes well beyond amateur or professional. It’s what happens to any sort of profession when there is no certification. You wouldn’t have a person operate on you because they felt they were ready or simply because somebody might have said to them, “you have nice hands, have you ever thought of being a surgeon?”
But more importantly, nobody gives a rats ass. Creative pursuits are rarely ever anything that requires passing some sort of challenge.
We rarely tend to see a voice over recording as being a component of anything that represents “life or death”, regardless of how important or critical the AE wants you to think that it is.
Beyond that, as a director, it often seemed that the expectation was that I should be able to get a monkey to “say it right” for 30 seconds.
This doesn’t describe the whole world of voice over, far from it. But it does reflect a growing trend that is represented by the actions and behaviors of talent and client alike.
I used to love visiting with the teller at my bank, but ATM’s have made things so much more convenient, that the value I now give to speaking to a teller is very low. Thus, while we now see many, many more banks and ATM’s, we actually have far fewer bank tellers. One can only assume that they are all trying to make a go of it in v.o.
Another thing about doctors, lawyers and many other professions is that the individuals tasked with teaching these people have been vetted and vetted again. Any shmuck with a slight ability to create a website can positon themselves as a teacher, guru or other v.o. expert. This is how we get a mass conciousness that has no problem perpetuating one of the biggest lies in voice over: “It take 5 years to make it”
A voice teacher can have 30,000 failures, but only needs one success to be considered.
Oh Steve… therein lies the rub!
I am quite often driven to despair over the quality of many of the VOs currently on radio and television! Of course there are professionals who are very very good, some who are not so good and some who are frankly dreadful – but no one said that being a professional was a sign of excellence!
It is all very subjective too…. My favourite voice artist and your favourite voice artist may not be the same person; though I suspect we will often agree – especially about the frankly dreadful, who are generally weeded out by default to eventually fall by the wayside and move into something else – let’s not go down the route of discussing the spectre of all those VO coaches, some of whom undoubtedly belonged to the ‘frankly dreadful’ category!
As the amount of work available to each individual decreases, either because clients are ‘making do’, ‘cutting back’ going for the ‘cheapest option’ or have gone down the ‘celebrity route’ hiring a ‘professional something else’ to voice their commercial; it is harder and harder for the voice artist (or any other performer / artist) to recognise and play to their strengths. It is virtually impossible to be equally good at everything…. the first rate audiobook narrator may not be very good at say, snappy hard sell commercials; but because of the scarcity of work,there is a terrible temptation to compete in areas that are not your natural playing field. In my opinion, one of the signs of a true professional is self knowledge and the ability to be honest with yourself.
The cocky amateur may think he can do anything, the professional knows he can’t – being choosy about the jobs you go for will in the end enhance your reputation – and ensure that your quality remains high – even though you can’t please all of the people all of the time!
What a great article!
You define amateur as someone who doesn’t do voice overs full time, but there are exceptions. Sometimes people work at audio and voice work a couple or three years and then become full timers. Yes I too am concerned about the thousands worldwide glutting the voice market today. But I believe water finds its own level. Excellence triumphs. No, my students cannot begin to know what I know after 34 years as a voice, audio producer, audio engineer, jingle and copywriter, creative director of several major advertising firms, studio singer, sales rep! But everyone has to start somewhere. I think the hardest part is the audio engineering and home studio. People simply cannot “jump into” that expecting to be good at it. While it’s true that business owners can announce their own spots (even if badly), or the owner can have his secretary or his son or daughter do the voice overs for his TV spots, those people cannot audio engineer those spots. They seek professional help for that. So that alone is going to separate “the wheat from the chaff.” Eventually, people throw in the towel or else they survive and go on to have careers. It’s the same with dance lessons, modeling, singing lessons, piano lessons, art lessons. Only the strong survive.
I used to be a believer. The cream rose to the top.
But as J.S. says, we are now “a society that very much prefers cheap and fast over good”.
In the voiceover industry, the aspiring talent could choose to proceed slowly, study, learn, practice. Learn how to produce a perfect audio file.
But how about personal integrity? Doesn’t principle play a role anymore?
If the voice-talent-in-progress doesn’t have integrity at the start, and that attitude remains unchanged, we’ll see ongoing lowballing, pandering, embellishment and the like.
The newbie sets out to be the King of The Voiceover World. More power to you.
But that takes courage to be rejected.
Who likes rejection? Much easier to undervalue yourself and make other dubious concessions in order to get that job so you can feel good about yourself.
I think that, just like regular people, voiceover artists have a conscience too.
Even the people new to the vo business. And even the perpetrators of all kinds of Crimes Against Voiceover Professionals.
So, to the perps of eroding standards, I suggest following the advice of that inner voice. Listen to the “good” voice.
It’s nice to value oneself highly, but in a marketplace, particularly one that is not only as competitive as voice over, but also has been transmogrified to the extent that v.o. has, we must consider the greater factor in determining value is in the hands of the buyer.
All indicators, whether fully expressed or simply festering under the surface also seem to negate the statement that Bettye makes about “excellence triumphing”. We are a society that very much prefers cheap and fast over good. The purchasing of cheap, poorly made goods in this country is the de facto standard.
It would seem that crap and not cream has a better chance of rising to the top. Perhaps it has a great deal to do with our inate desire to want to believe a good lie over a bad truth.
We pride ourselves on our ability to lower the bar. This is highly evidenced by reality tv, consumer created content, or our lower productivity despite increased technology and hours worked.
Let us take the travel consultant industry. At one point, travel agents were very well compensated and enjoyed immense priveledge, afforded great courtesies with regards to free travel, free lodging and all manner of perk and benefit. By anone’s definiton, Travel Agents are currently on the endangered species list.
So when you consider that voice over was never intended to be a way for mass amounts of peope to earn an income, and at best was one more way of creating “some” income for the aspiring actors, etc. And when you consider that prior to this economic upheaval, the average voice talent in SAG/ AFTRA made well less than $5,000 per year, it would be reasonable to believe that the large numbers of people flocking to do v.o. are not only unwarranted, but unwanted. With so many hours being lost to the simple art of marketing (for talent) and so many hirers of talent having to wade through the deluge of wanabe voice talen, we must consider that this time could and should be spent on better things.
The result is that many $400 jobs now have hundreds of people auditioning. An incredible audition does nobody any good if it’s never listened to. As an agency creative, I’ve been on the other side and it’s like being in a resataurant with a confusing and immense menu. What do we order? Well it certainly isn’t everything. So the first question one must wonder is if their agencies reel is even being listened to. It’s unrealistic to think that an ad agency hiring a couple of talent for a $400 per person radio spot will listen to the auditions from 10 agents, or even 6. Perhaps maybe only 2. And it simply gets worse from there.
The profession has chosen to op ed the truth out of this racket for a long time. Teachers may churn through 10,000 students who eventually find their way back to meanigful employ (not at voice over), but only need 1 or 2 to even give an outward appearance of having done well in order to lead the next batch of lemmings off the cliff.
Then again, every time you buy a lottery ticket, you alledgedly have as much chance as anyone else of winning millions. Buy why is it they don’t show the bulk of lottery players, as they look down at their losing tickets in despair. It would be nice to read an article that really dealt with the truth, instead of “Mr. Ted Williams” stories that just want to make a further mockery out of voice over.
Trust me, but the talk at this year’s Holiday parties among my friends who have been making well over $100,000 in voice over for years isn’t going to be about how good things are.
Very insightful. About voice-seekers being overwhelmed, that few demos get listened-to, auditioning. Especially how voiceover had been a niche for a few good men and women. And thanks for mentioning the Ted Williams fiasco.
I’ve noticed a trend about auditioning recently in the blog articles and comments by established voice pros. They generally say that auditioning is just not worth it. I tend to agree and have cut way back on auditions. If one has a track record, one should have a standard demo on hand that matches the desires of the voice seeker. But putting faith in the client’s ability to make the connection? That’s risky these days.
I’m so glad we’re getting to the core of the issue: What does it mean to be a Pro?
Whether we talk about professional musicians, athletes or architects, we talk about trained people who do what they do full-time and for a living. We’re talking about a life, dedicated to the pursuit of perfecting a profession.
Let’s not kid ourselves here. If we really want to create a career, that’s the only way to do it. You can’t do something every once in a while and claim to be fully committed. This business is too tough to be mastered while pursuing other interests.
Majestic trees don’t grow overnight. Not even in a few years. People easily overlook how much time it takes to get ready to join the ranks of the pros.
It’s not always a matter of talent either. The best musicians don’t necessarily get the big bucks. It’s the best marketed musicians who can do very well.
I’ll be very blunt.
No one is entitled to the title of Voice Over Pro. It has to be earned, each and every day.
That’s not an easy message in this time of entitlement and instant gratification, but it needs to be heard and reinforced!
I am not sure that I agree with you about professionals having to be full time Paul. I know a lot of professional actors who are full time actors only for some of the time… in an industry where more than 80% of Equity members are unemployed at any one time, those who don’t earn enough to keep themselves during the lean times, will be forced to find other ways of generating income between acting jobs, but that doesn’t mean they are not professional. Especially at the beginning of a career – unless one is lucky enough to land a dream job with a pay packet of several $0000s (or has very wealthy parents) one is generally forced to be a part-time professional – often working as a casual / freelance / agency worker, so that one can take time off for classes, auditions etc., and is ready to drop everything when the next acting job comes along.
However, that is a very different situation from the person who has a full time job / career as, say a banker, shop assistant, secretary, whatever – who joins a theatre group, rehearses after work and plays in an amateur productions – or someone who has a home studio and records VOs in their spare time.
It’s definitively not a 9 to 5 job, that’s for sure.
By full-time I don’t necessarily mean working all the time as in “working on stage” or “behind the mic”.
Part of our job is trying to get work. Part of it is doing the work. A lot of colleagues spend way more time finding work than they do recording in their studio.
I also know people who have a part-time job that pays the bills, who still manage to put in 40 hours to pursue their professional career.
Some professionals do so well that they can afford not to work all day all the time.
Wouldn’t that be lovely…
@ JS: “You have nice hands, have you ever thought of being a surgeon?”
That’s the quote of the week!
That lead-in causes me to roll this clip of George’s hands on “Seinfeld”:
http://youtu.be/PZxX3-rJoNI
For the record, Jason Alexander is not an amateur voiceover artist:)
Quite a resume here:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004517
Hope you enjoyed “The Alexander Infestation.”
I certainly enjoyed your post and all the dialogue it generated Paul.
I thought Paul and those of us who enjoy his insights on knowing your worth and rates etc. might find this both amusing and sad. This is real, and I guarantee there will be people applying for it.
Need Dutch Voice Talent
Fixed-Price – Est. Budget: $15.00 – Posted 1:13pm (about an hour ago)
Job Description
I have a script ready for voice-over in Dutch. Make sure that you have all professional equipment.The script is around 90 second long.
Only apply if you have the ablility to do this task professionally and have a previous sample to show us to gauge the quality of audio equipment and as well as your voice quality.
Skills Required:
voice-talent, voice-over, dutch
Employer Activity on this Job:
Last Viewed :
about an hour ago
Applicants:
0
Interviewing:
0
That is rather sad and unfortunately not uncommon. I really hope the get what they pay for. One. Hundred. Percent.
Wow Paul, as Clint Eastwood would say you’ve “Made My Day”. I agree with everyone’s postings on this and my .02 cents would only be a re-hash of what has been discussed. I also think SAVOA should be more visible, Audio quality should be at the top of everyone’s list!
Do you have any weapons training? Because you never seem to miss!
I believe in rolling up my sleeve… in other words: in the right to bare arms!
and show off your ‘Guns’!
From the engineering side… for me the line is crossed when the engineer or editor is doing patch work just to create something somewhat cohesive or acceptable. An edit desk shouldn’t look like a ransom note. With some people it is a huge challenge and with others, something can be pieced together to make a production very good. But whether the final product is very good or is simply acceptable to the client (this is where subjectivity rears its ugly head), if the engineer/editor is working harder than they should have to or much harder than the voice actor… it doesn’t make the voiceoverist a voice “talent”. It makes the engineer/editor a “talent”. Perhaps after each job is complete a neutral party could determine who gets which paycheck? That might level the playing field.
Your comment reminds me of what one of our colleagues told me. In his audio engineering days, he was hired to make compilations of bad takes sound good and turn them into acceptable demos. Well, at the end of the day one cannot photoshop lack of talent. If the quality of a demo cannot be reproduced on the job, it’s game over. End of story.
Dan’s comment brought back a memory from my radio days when we had to record one local politician who couldn’t string two sentences together without an “and” and “uh” and “Um” etc. Easily an hour in the prod studio for a :60 second spot just to make him sound respectable. I agree, if the quality of a demo can’t be reproduced on a real job, it’s game over. By the way, the guy lost.
Paul you are so right, and yes we have the same problems in Australia. I stopped doing things from home because I just got sick of people wanting jobs done for stupid money. I’ve even had clients tell me how much they will pay me, and it’s no where near the official Equity rates. if you want a professional job gets professionals, if you’re not prepared to pay, be it on your own head.
Yes, this is a global problem, whether you’re on top of the world or down under. Bargain prices will attract bargain shoppers. Compete on quality. Never on price. It’s a losing battle.