Competitions.
I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with competitions.
I enjoy watching a great soccer game or a tennis match. I’m a fan of the Olympics. The rules of the game are known. There’s a clear finish line. Whoever scores the most points or clocks the fastest time, wins.
When it comes to artistic competitions, things are not so defined. I remember going to an exhibition of prize-winning painters. All artists had entered portraits. The first prize went to a painting that was almost abstract. The second prize (and audience favorite) was a portrait that was Dali-like in its photorealism. Apples and oranges were more alike than these two entries. So, why did the abstract painting win? Because the jury said so.
DARE TO COMPARE
At the heart of every competition is the obscure art of comparing. This motion picture is better than the other. This photo stands out from the rest. This actor outperformed his colleagues. This poem is so much denser than the other poem. The question remains: Based on what, and according to whom?
Most judges of competitions will certainly be looking and listening for technical excellence. But what sets a winner apart from a loser is more than flawless technique. It has to do with artistic mastery; with having an authentic creative voice.
Great art, whether it be music, dance, or any other medium, merely uses technique to give us something splendid that may very well break all the rules. It may even set a new standard. Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” is a great example. Some musicians thought it could not be played. It caused a scandal when it was first performed. Now it’s considered to be one of the masterpieces of modern music.
JURY DUTY
At the time of creation, great innovative art defies definition, and it is often anti-establishment. Here’s the problem: jurors of competitions are usually distinguished members of the establishment. It is their job to use semi-objective criteria, and apply them to very subjective artistic statements. Good luck with that!
Here’s another thing I don’t like about competitions: they turn colleagues into competitors, and divide them into winners and losers. My ideal world is a world where people cooperate instead of compete; a world in which doing your very best is more important than being the best.
Don’t get me wrong, I admire people at the top of their game, but I prefer the artist who selflessly and tirelessly works under the radar to the attention-seeking loudmouth looking for acknowledgment and recognition.
I admire people who are in it for the music. Not for the applause.
A NEW AWARD
All of this was going through my mind when the unknown Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™ (SOVAS™) announced the establishment of the Voice Arts™ Awards. In its own words, this is an open competition honoring and acknowledging:
“voice actors, creative directors, copywriters, casting directors, talent agents, directors, producers, audio engineers, account executives, equipment manufacturers, podcasters, bloggers and others who create and sustain the highest levels of achievement within the voiceover industry.”
The following quote from their website reads like a mission statement:
“The purpose of the Voice Arts™ Awards is to provide international acknowledgement of the extraordinary skill and artistry that goes into the voiceover acting and the associated roles and to hold up a best-in-class standard of achievement to which the voiceover industry can continually aspire.”
That’s quite a mouthful, but voice actors should be able to handle that comfortably.
If you have a few hours to spare, I invite you to browse through seventy(!) pages of awards category descriptions. Each page lists about three to four different awards, such as “NATIONAL TV INTERSTITIAL ELEMENT – FEMALE” and “AUDIO BOOK NARRATION – CHILDREN INFANT TO 5 – MALE.”
Even though it’s mentioned in the “About section” of the Awards, I could not find a category for equipment manufacturers or bloggers. I guess I’m out of luck!
PAY TO PLAY
The competition is open to individuals, companies, and students, as long as the entry is in English, and has first appeared in public between January 1, 2013 and June 15, 2014 (click here for details). The price of a single entry for a company/non-SOVAS™ member is $310. If you’re an independent artist, you pay $210 per entry (there is an early bird discount, but the time for that has passed). SOVAS™ members may enter at a reduced rate.
SOVAS™ membership ranges from $125 per year (Basic Package) to a $5,000 Platinum Package. Five grand may seem a lot, but for that you’ll get a Voice Arts™ Awards statuette named and presented in your honor, and a Special Education Scholarship offered in your name (among other perks).
On a side note, the cost of the competition does not end there. Many competitions require that the nominees/winners attend the awards ceremony. I’d consider the cost of travel, meals, accommodations, and of work lost because you’re attending the event, as part of the expenses. A few of this year’s winners flew in from the United Kingdom.
Some of the Awards were presented during a Gala on November 9th, at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York. Early Bird tickets go for $225 each. The Sumner M. Redstone Theater seats 267. Let’s assume SOVAS™ sells 175 tickets. That alone should bring in almost forty thousand dollars.
Participants had until August 31st 2014 to send in their entries. Entry fees were non-refundable once the entries have been submitted. SOVAS™ rules state:
“In the event that any individual category attracts fewer than 4 entries the organizer reserves the right to withdraw that category from the competition. In this event, the participating companies will receive a credit towards future entry fees. No cash refund will be given.”
and…
“All submissions become the property of SOVAS™ to be used at their discretion, for the production of the ceremony and other uses.”
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Even though I have my doubts about artistic competitions in general, I’m trying to keep an open mind about the Voice Arts™ Awards. Before I would even consider entering any kind of competition, I’d ask a few questions:
- Is the organization running the competition reputable?
- What’s the intention of the competition?
- Does it have the potential and credibility to raise the professional bar?
- Are the criteria by which people are judged fair and clear?
- Are the judges respectable, and are they known experts in their field?
- Does every entry receive a professional evaluation?
- Is the entry fee proportionate to the prize?
- Does the prize give a credit worth having?
The problem with the Voice Arts™ Awards is that for many questions it’s too early to tell, because this is the inaugural year. It’s never been done before, and I believe it’s too easy to pass judgement without giving them a fair chance. There’s a lot we don’t know, so let’s see what we do know.
FINDING ANSWERS
To start with question number one, SOVAS™ is run by five-time Emmy winner Steve Ulrich who is also the executive director of the Sports and Daytime Emmy Awards®. Producer Rudy Gaskins and his wife -voice-over celeb Joan Baker– are both on the board, as is the former head of the Promax/BDA awards program, Stephen McCarthy. Those people have a lot to lose, should these new awards turn out to be a flop. I think they’re smart enough not to let that happen.
Would the voice-over industry benefit from this competition? Would it make the invisibles of so many audio-visual productions visible? Would our profession finally get the respect many feel it deserves?
Do we really need a competition to get recognition?
Some people who know the industry really well, feel we do. It’s not enough to be outstanding. You need to stand out. And if there’s no podium, why not create one? Whether you like competitions or not, it’s a given that winning a prestigious prize has never hurt a career. The question is, will short-term recognition have a long-lasting effect? Could it increase your market value? And who’s paying attention? Are we just throwing a party for ourselves, or will these awards generate publicity outside of the small voice-over bubble?
A MATTER OF MONEY
Let’s talk about the entry fees. Anyone will recognize that organizing these awards takes time and costs money. That money has to come from somewhere. Yet, I don’t think a voice actor’s wealth should be an arbiter of talent. Why, then, must it function as a barrier? Is it legitimate or exploitative? Is it to weed the amateurs out? Here’s the ultimate question:
Is the cost of entering worth the odds?
If you’re a winner, it probably is. But as in any competition, many are invited, and few are chosen. Established artistic competitions often have cash prizes, and may offer scholarships. What does the winner of a Voice Arts™ Award get? No money, but a golden statuette (which you have to pay for yourself), a title, and a temporary platform. Is that enough?
In Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley where I live, the Freddy© Awards are to high school musical theater what the Tony Awards® are to Broadway. Each show is rated by a number of evaluators, and every high school receives extensive feedback on all aspects of the production. This feedback is then used as a teaching tool at the drama departments.
In other words, even if you’re not nominated or a winner, you will be able to read your evaluation, and benefit from it. Wouldn’t it be great if the Voice Arts™ Awards would do the same? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. This is how it’s done:
“In each category, each judge shall rate each entry on three indices. These indices vary by category and are listed below. For each index, judges enter a score from 1.0 to 10.0, where 1.0 is valued as “very poor quality” and 10.0 is valued as “perfection” in the personal standards of the judge.”
CRITICAL VOICES
Answering critics in VoiceOverXtra, Rudy Gaskins is very pragmatic about the entry fee. He encourages voice-overs to look at it from a business point of view. Being nominated for, and/or winning an award is smart marketing, he says. Every business should have a marketing budget. That’s where the entry fee should come from.
He has a point, but aren’t there other ways to market your business that are less risky, and that may have a bigger and more concrete pay-off? You could build a better website. You could invest in a newsletter. You could hire a graphic designer to come up with a logo.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Gaskins also argues that these awards are a way to build community. He writes:
“Awards are a meeting place. They’re a focal point that draws the attention of those most interested and involved in your industry or profession. They’re an opportunity to engage your professional community in discussions of topics and controversies, in reviewing standards or discovering trends. Awards tend to involve leaders and experts. Awards are the place to learn, to network and to enhance professionalism.”
The sceptic in me highly doubts that these awards will have that effect. As I said earlier, by nature, competitions are pitting people and productions against one another. Slick award shows like the Emmys and Oscars are nothing but highly staged marketing events where artistic integrity is sacrificed in favor of purchased publicity. Stars show up pretending to have a good time, knowing that they’re contractually obligated to plug their latest project. Thank goodness for the gift bags!
Is that really what the voice-over world needs? Would that give our profession the much desired gravitas? Would increased respect lead to higher rates and higher standards? Would an average client be more inclined to hire an award-winning voice actor, or would he perhaps think that he probably can’t afford such a high-profile professional?
SHOW SOME RESPECT
Gaskins also believes these awards are good for our confidence and self-respect:
“When you enter an award, you are saying to yourself and your constituents that you believe in what you do. Get on the playing field and let the chips fall where they may. People respect those who stand up to be counted. The other choice is to go unnoticed.”
I don’t think it’s that black-and-white: either enter the competition, or go unnoticed. As a professional voice actor I enter competitions every day. I call it “auditioning.” Secondly, happy clients are my credentials, and my readers and students are my accolades. I don’t need a jury to tell me how well I’m doing, or to make me feel good about myself.
Still, what the Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™ is doing takes guts, and I’m willing to give this initiative the benefit of the doubt. On paper, the Voice Arts™ Awards certainly have potential, but the value of this prize has yet to prove itself.
Ultimately, being a successful voice-over is not about winning or losing.
It’s about how well you play the game.
Paul Strikwerda ©nethervoice
PS Read my follow-up story everyone is talking about. It’s called “Paying For Your Prize.”
UPDATE
It appears that those in charge of the awards took some of my 2014 feedback to heart.
The 2017 early bird VAA entry fee for companies who are member of SOVAS™ was $129, and the regular fee was $150 per entry. For non-members it was $150 and $175. Independent artists who are member of SOVAS™ paid $99 and $119. Non-members paid $119 to $129 per entry. In 2014 (the inaugural year) the price of a single entry for a company/non-SOVAS™ member was $310. Independent artists paid $210 per entry.
In 2015, the SOVAS™ J. Michael Collins Academic Scholarship was created to “educate and encourage emerging talent.”
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I’m a huge fan of award shows. And, I’m on the board of governors at The Television Academy. I am beyond thrilled someone had the vision to create a vo awards. Keep in mind gang, that in history with every award show there was skepticism. Any time anything new pops up people raise eyebrows.
I honestly think Voice Arts is a good thing. That said, I wish Voice Arts would do what the Television Academy does. Members of the Television Academy may submit Emmy considerations for free. Now, this is the first year of Voice Arts. I’m sure that Emmys and Oscars have ironed out the kinks since they began. Let Voice Arts do the same thing!!
As usual, Paul, a level headed, reasoned editorial. Despite my life experiences to the contrary I have always believed in the generic goodness of people’ motivations. I have no reason to suspect otherwise here.
Bob also makes some salient points and like you, his credentials are impeccable. We all might feel a lot better if he were on this board, too.
My final criteria when entering new territory with no history or bonafides is: “What have I got to lose?”
The answer seems obvious to me, but it is most certainly an individual one.
I think that you’ve hit on all the points fairly. One could argue many of the points, but again as you say, it’s the first year. Another point is the leadership/management and again, I believe they are smart enough not to fail. Bob makes a lot of good points too. For my part, I hope it is a success- My particular customer base has shown interest as well. Hopefully there will be a category for best adaptation of a foreign video to English, or something along those lines. I think it’s a good thing and wish Rudy and all much success!
You are always so insightful and thorough in your blog posts Paul. Again, a very interesting read here, and you put into print a lot of the same things I’ve been thinking concerning this new VO awards competition. I guess we’ll all see how it goes this inaugural year. As suggested, I have lots of other ways to spend my marketing time and money, that I feel will provide better ROI than competing for a Voiceover award. But I will try to remain open to change and new ideas.
I think the Voice Arts™ Awards could be a good thing for our community if it can find a way to level the playing field with an option for free entries.
Yes, I know, somebody’s got to pay for the expenses of an awards program. But making it a gamble worth hundreds of dollars only ensures that a brilliant new, rising talent with a potentially winning product will be able to afford a crack at it.
Therefore, the awards will not go to the best of our ranks, but to those who can afford to lose. That takes a bit of the shine off the award’s prestige.
As usual Paul, a very insightful article here, mentioning many of the things I’ve been thinking about this particular awards show. As suggested, at least for now, I do have many other places to put my marketing dollars and time to work, that I feel will have a better ROI for me. But I will remain open, and be interested to see how everything pans out for this venture.
I wholeheartedly agree with your point of view regarding the entry rules for this competition. I believe the enormous fee is likely to automatically rule out a lot of good talent. Sure, all are invited, but all cannot afford to attend. I know the money has to come from somewhere. Could the competition be sponsored through advertisers rather than collecting entry fees from entrants? If so, I believe a low to no entry fee has the potential of leveling the playing field and open the competition to a larger pool of talent.
Great article, Paul.
very level headed.
I am wary of anything SOVA related after their weird debacle and battle in trying to form the original voiceover club, um, – “Society”.
And i agree, the fee structure is ridiculous.
Comparing these nascent awards to the emmys, or even the hated and transparently ridiculous golden globes is a stretch, being that the TALENT never had to (EVER!) pony up cash to be nominated NOR to nominate someone.
This should have been sponsored and with the amount of business the Microphone industry alone gets from VO artists, i find it hard to believe that they could not secure Samson, etc to help defer costs and give it actual prestige.
Instead, in NYC, it is being ignored as an amateur backslap as a result.
Thank you all for adding your comments to my story.
Rob, I think you are mistaking the Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™ (SOVAS™) for SaVoa – the Society of Accredited Voice Over Artists which is now defunct. I did not state that the SOVAS™ fee structure is -as you say- “ridiculous.” It’s a very new organization, and I don’t know if the benefits of membership justify the fee. Some may find membership valuable. Others may find it a waste of money. For me it is too early to tell.
I have great respect for Bob Bergen’s talent, and for all he has done (and is doing) for our industry. I just don’t share his enthusiasm for award shows, but you’ve read my blog post, so you already know that.
One of the things that worries me, is the fact that these new awards are supposed to celebrate, elevate and benefit the work of professional voice actors. But, the very first Voice Arts™ Icon Award goes to James Earl Jones, a man who made his mark on the entertainment industry primarily as an on-screen, on-stage actor. Why not select a worthy recipient from our own circles, especially if you wish to make a strong statement?
I agree that things could be and should be done to make the Voice Arts™ Awards more accessible (read “affordable”) to all VO-talent. I’d also like to see cash prizes and scholarships, in addition to giving out titles and a statuettes. That way, the investment many be worth the gamble.
In response to this piece, some award-winning colleagues have stepped forward to talk about the effect winning an award has had on their career. They agree on one thing: it is very limited. A Voice Arts™ statuette may be an attractive paper weight and conversation piece, but getting a cash prize or a scholarship could do much more to promote and propel one’s voice-over career.
Lastly, as a blogger without ties to any vested interests or “famous” people in my industry, I am inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions on many topics. However, I never offer criticism for the sake of being contrary, and I avoid personal attacks. My opinion of these awards is just one of many, and I hope that the organization will take away whatever they may find relevant and useful.
Paul, I can’t help but feel this kind of thing stinks to high heaven of phoniness, pretentiousness and shameless self-congratulations. If I’m being unfair, I’ll apologize. I’m sure there are some who would accuse me of being jealous, because I’m not a local LA or NYC talent and will have a greater chance of Publishers Clearing House coming to my door than being considered for ANY award. So be it. I can’t change anyone’s opinion, just go on about my business of producing high quality auditions and projects and making a bit of money on them. Great article, again, Paul!
Hi Kent, you’re not the only colleague who has responded in a less than positive way to these new awards. My initial reaction in VoiceOverXtra wasn’t so positive either, and I’m still on the fence.
Here’s some info I couldn’t fit into my story. It’s list of the jurors: Dave Fennoy, Janet Wilcox, Lee Minard, Lisa Lane Farmer, Michele Cobb, Nancy Wolfson, Paul Reuben, Scott Brick, Sondra James, Stephen Maccarthy, Trish Scanlon, Vanessa Gilbert, and Zenobia Conkerite.
As you can tell, this is a quality line-up of people who are all putting their reputation on the line for this endeavor. Will it be enough to convince te greatest skeptics of the value of this competition? I’m afraid not.
I love Bob Bergen and his commitment to the world of voice over. He is wonderful representative of the voice over industry at the Television Academy.
I have a lot of respect for Joan and Rudy. On behalf of us independent contractors, who live to breathe life into the words on a page, we hope your awards are everything you are hoping them to be. Break a lip!
Paul – I always admire your judicious viewpoint. Like you, I am on-the-fence about this. However, I’m going to have to quote you to my VO students on this one: “As a professional voice actor I enter competitions every day. I call it “auditioning.” You hit the nail on the head. Well done!
Almost a week after I published this article, 90% of the those who responded via various social media, remain skeptical of the awards. The way I see it, there is a lot of work to do for the Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™. One of the questions that has yet to be answered, has to do with the nature, purpose and management of this organization. Rudy Gaskins is the CEO/president, and his wife Joan Baker is the Executive Producer. According to the SOVAS™ website, it’s purpose is:
“to connect job seekers to the consummate sources of training, education, mentoring and employment opportunities required to create and sustain a successful career in the voiceover industry.”
How does SOVAS™ do this?
By getting members to attend the annual “That’s Voiceover” Career Expo, created by… Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker. SOVAS™ also provides scholarships to “financially underprivileged individuals” who wish to attend… “Thats Voiceover.”
I’d say that there are numerous ways in which aspiring voice artists can learn about the business, and network with colleagues and potential clients. Our industry is filled with great resources. To only point people to events created by Gaskins and Baker, seems -on the surface- rather self-serving. I could do the same thing: create a “Voice Actors Guild In North America,” for the promotion of professionalism in the VO-industry, and offer people a discount… on my own book and coaching sessions.
By the way, SOVAS™ is a non-profit, but don’t be fooled by that label. Non-profit doesn’t mean that the people involved don’t make any money. In 2010, John Seffrin, CEO of the non-profit American Cancer Society, made a base salary of $587,477 on top of nearly $1.5 million in deferred compensation.
Let me add that I do not know Gaskins and Baker personally. Both of them are accomplished individuals in their field, and they are a (VO) power couple with clout and charisma. Time will tell if their initiative will take off, and if it will be taken seriously by colleagues, and those outside of the VO-bubble.
On Monday August 25th, the deadline to enter was extended to August 31 for work that was created to be available between January 1, 2013 and June 15, 2014.
According to VoiceOverXtra, The gala will also feature a commemorative tribute to Robin Williams and a presentation of the Voice Arts™ Icon Award for Lifetime Achievement to actor/voice talent icon James Earl Jones.
As I pointed out earlier, even though these awards were created to celebrate, elevate and benefit the work of professional voice actors, Robin Williams and James Earl Jones primarily made their mark as on-camera actors. If SOVAS™ really wishes to make a strong statement in favor of the unseen, anonymous voice actor, why not honor one or two of the many brilliant voice-overs who do their work off-screen?
We’re an audiobook publisher and were pleased to pay to submit and attend to promote our talented narrators. We had a blast at this high end, red carpet awards night!
James
Hi James, I’m sure the red carpet event was a blast. I’ve seen the pictures. What surprises me is this: So far, no one has really addressed my questions about this award, and shared with me why they believe winning a prize offers good ROI.
Here’s what I want to know:
Will short-term recognition have a long-lasting effect? Could it increase one’s market value? And who’s paying attention? Are we just throwing a party for ourselves, or will these awards generate publicity outside of the small voice-over bubble?
I still agree with Paul on this awards show. It’s like buying influence into a very small fishbowl. There’s probably a set amount charged to all attendees but, if someone makes a sizable “donation”, under the table, have they just bought themselves an award? As Paul inferred, how much influence does this awards show have, overall, in the entertainment industry? And, lastly, can this awards show ever match up with the Oscars and their overall influence with an actor’s career? I think these, and a lot of other questions, need to be answered. Thanks for the forum, Paul.
Hey Paul! I think the answer to your question is, possibly! In time, probably!!
Everything you’ve pointed out, as well as your question about ROI, was questioned when The SAG Awards began 20 years ago. Heck, the same issues were brought up when The Emmys began in the late 40s. Many in Hollywood thought that awarding people from that little window display of the furniture box in the living room was a joke compared to The Academy Awards, where you have that big screen and REAL actors!!
It’s all relative and nothing new.
As I said before, let’s allow this award show to organically grow and evolve. Just like The Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, and every other award show has over the past 75 plus years. Each award show is always changing and trying to improve on itself from previous years. I really think honoring the world of VO is long over due. I commend the producers of this for diving in. Let’s see how it goes!
Thank you so much for chiming in. I have a few things to say, which deserve a bit more space than this comment section will allow. That’s why I’ll devote my next blog post to a response.
Paul, when I had the questions you have I called and talked to the organizer: Rudy Gaskins for over an hour and asked him my questions directly. I’m in the audiobook world, so the Audies Awards will have their 20th anniversary this year. We had a nomination for an Audie last year which helped the sales of the book and it had mass media attention, industry recognition, and the narrator started getting more work, better projects and better rates because of the recognition, and that was just a nomination.
So I suggest you call, also some of your facts are incorrect: the cost of the gala was only $150, or $75 for all nominees which applied to publishers. Your price mentioned was for the education event the next day.
You also need to consider the Oscars, Emmys, golden globes which all had to start somewhere. Same with the Audies.
They didn’t seem to have many sponsors this year because the open bar was very sparse, but it was an amazing first year.
Also, note that as the publisher, we submitted the work and paid for the submissions. It does seem tough for individuals to do.
James, thank you for chiming in. I noticed that you have a blog, but I couldn’t find anything pointing to an Audie nomination. I’d love to find out more about the book you’re referring to.
All the information in the article you commented on was/is in the public domain, so there was no need to contact Mr. Gaskins. Simply follow the links in my story, and you’ll see for yourself. The price listed for the Early Bird tickets to the gala came from OvationTix, the company that was used to process ticket sales to this event. Perhaps industry insiders and sponsors were offered cheaper tickets. Fact is, my blog is very well read in the VO industry, and no one from the organization asked me to correct any facts. They have yet to comment on any blog post about the VAA.
You said that “some” of my facts were incorrect, but you mentioned just one: the ticket price for the gala. What other facts are not correct?
You may also have seen that I have written a response to all the comments that have been coming in after my two articles about these Awards. Click here if you’d like to read it.
Many commentators have compared the VAA to events like the Oscars and Emmys. I think that’s unhelpful. As Mike Madden pointed out:
We live in an increasingly visual world where people take great interest in celebrities from television and the movies. I don’t see audio book narrators and other voice-overs ever equalling the fame some of the movies and television stars “enjoy.” Most people don’t even know who Don Lafontaine is or Mel Blanc, unless they’re industry insiders.
The fact that this award “had to start somewhere” does not address many of the issues I put forward in my story. Most importantly, it does not address the following: Increased recognition can never be an aim in and of itself. What purpose should it ultimately serve? How exactly is it going to transform our industry for the better? So far it has divided our community, and I don’t think that’s positive at all.
Paul, whenever I need to find a base-point, I refer to you. Although I receive assignments on a consistent basis, I am new to the VO industry. I thank you for bringing this new VO award to my attention. Reading about it and seeing the result of this new VO award is interesting. And, you help put my feelings about this award in perspective. The way I view my position as a VO artist is that I am a “behind the scenes” professional. My paycheck is all the credit I need to feel rewarded for a job done well. If people keep calling me, I must be doing something right. Art, in any form is a subjective matter. It’s just someone’s opinion. I do not need a trophy (one more thing to dust) to tell me I am good at what I do.
So here’s the bottom line. Awards and award shows just aren’t for everyone. Many an actor has passed on accepting Oscars. Oprah took herself out of The Emmy running after a point.
I didn’t compare these vo awards to the Oscars. I compared em to all award shows, including The Oscars.
I totally get it if being recognized for your vo work doesn’t float your boat. I think this is a cultural thing. I cannot think of a discipline in show business that doesn’t honor excellence. So, it just seems organic that vo have recognition as well.
We live in a time where we have a generation of working vo actors whose norm is working anonymously from their home studios. Just a hunch that this cultural difference might be a part of why many don’t relate to the idea of honoring vo excellence.
So, I say if this ain’t your thing, it’s all good! There are many out there happy and appreciative to embrace the existence and growth of these awards. Trust me, there are just as many in the industry critical of The Oscars, Tonys, etc. Well, until they get a nomination. 😉
Don’t look for fair or perfection when it comes to honoring excellence. In the history of show business, it’s never been either and it never will. And a nomination/win doesn’t have to enhance your career. But it is a hellova lotta fun!!!! B