The Holidays are a great time to meet new people and catch up with folks you only see once or twice a year.
This season I noticed a new trend. I’d be quietly munching on a Christmas cookie, and a relative of a friend of a friend would come up to me with a glass of eggnog in his hand.
“I hear you do voices, right?”
“Well,” I said, “I’m a voice-over, if that’s what you mean.”
“You do books for the blind?” he wanted to know.
“No, not really. I….”
And before I could finish he continued:
“Because everyone’s been telling me that I have a great voice and I should be doing what you’re doing if you know what I mean. No offense, but it can’t be that hard. I bet you make some pretty good money. I said to the wife: “I talk all day long. I might as well get paid for it.”
“I wish someone would pay him to shut up for a moment,” said the wife, who had been listening to the conversation.
No matter where I went in these past few weeks, I’d always run into guys with eggnog, ready to show off their Sean Connery impersonation or some version of a “movie trailer man voice.”
All of them had three things in common:
Paul:
Very well said.
I often wonder if videos like these and books like The Voiceover Entrance Exam actually make people stop and think before leaping.
Ultimately I guess we’ll never know, but at least we can say we tried.
Best always,
– Peter
People are still buying microwave meals based on the picture on the box. They see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear… and wonder why reality leaves a bitter taste.
This recession has added a whole new group of people looking for a new career. We can lead them to the water and that’s as far as it goes.
Peter’s excellent Voice Over Entrance Exam inspired me. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the link:
http://audioconnell.com/clientuploads/pdf/The_Voice_Over_Entrance_Exam_by_Peter_K_OConnell_Copyright_2009.pdf
Paul,
Realistic and Fantastic!!!
Thanks Derek. Sometimes, a little rain on a parade can be refreshing! Hope you’ll have a fantastic New Year.
Paul. Have a wonderful 2011.
Philip
Many thanks Philip. I will ring in the New Year with some Pennsylvania Dutch eggnog and drink to your health!
Paul,
Another wise and priceless post. Will definitely share with others.
~ Lisa
Thanks, Lisa. I had planned a more ambitious video using prezi.com, the “new” PowerPoint. However, my original creation didn’t look good on Camtasia, and I had to go back to a more traditional slide show. Thanks for sharing my 16 misconceptions!
Nice work Paul! Now I have something to send all those people who are constantly asking about getting into Vo ;-))
Happy Hoidays!
Adam B
Hi Adam, in the past I was always fine with folks asking the same questions over and over again. This year it wasn’t as much fun anymore, and that’s why I decided to do this short presentation. Feel free to pass it on (as well as Peter’s Entrance Exam).
Paul,
Wise words, indeed! This is the first year that people have been coming up to me to ask me how to break in, so I feel I’ve made some progress (ha!) From now on, I will simply point them in the direction of this wonderful video, as a primer in the realities of this profession.
Thanks! Lori
Hi Lori, I’ve also noticed an increased interest in what we do as voice-overs. Thanks to this blog, I get emails and invitations to connect on facebook and LinkedIn. I’m happy to share my experience with newbies and this little presentation should save me some time. Thanks for passing it on!
Good Stuff Paul. Thanks for saying what needs to be said.
Warm regards,
Bill
Hi Bill, while preparing this presentation, I went back to all those voice-over conversations I’ve had in the past and thought of my responses. Most people still don’t realize that I’ve been behind the mic since I was seventeen years old (and I’m still learning).
May the New Year bring you joy and inspiration!
Sorry…I am going in another direction completely.
I would like to give you honesty from my end; maybe with a more sympathetic tone, but that is because I remember how I started, who encouraged me, and what I do now. I ask these questions and comment:
1. Did you ever stop and think that maybe these people admire you for the career you work in, and they live vicariously thru you?
2. If you, yourself, admire a certain career, but there are some who do well vs. other people who have been around longer, are you now saying that they should never even consider a pursuit of happiness?
Even before online casting, I heard these types of comments, and now the Internet (just like online casting) gives people a greater opportunity to remind others why they should not do something they want to, or why online casting sites are awful. It is all the same ole’ stale, psycho-bullying rhetoric I heard in casting directors offices, ‘You will never be as good as me, so dont even think of trying’. Perhaps the only thing that ever holds true is that those who give power to negativity, usually can count on negative results. Be thankful none of you ever did this.
In all honesty, this year DOES breed a trend; not because everyone wants to do voice overs…no…
…but because the end of the year always breeds a feeling one must reflect on his/her life and ask, ‘Am I really happy doing what I am doing?’. Working where I do, I see it everyday. Take a look at this live chat today:
“Charlene: Hello
Steven: Hi Charlene
Charlene: Is it possible that I can call your number and sing to you then and there?
Charlene: Steven, are you there?
Steven: Yes, but I dont understand the request
Charlene: Ok thats all i wanted i just want to find out if i can sing
Steven: This site is for voice talent, not vocalists
Charlene: Fine you didnt have to get smart
Charlene: HELLO?!
Charlene: GOSH YOU HAVE bad SERVICE!!”
…and some foul language followed. What can you do? Some find out its work, and c’est ca. I feel bad for her, but hey, what trouble has she caused anyone, seriously?
I can tell you what you should NOT do, in the spirit of breeding positive web karma, which does breed more work online…
You should never make anyone feel stupid for wanting to pursue a career that they admire you for doing. You may think you are eliminating competition, or others from trying, but you are just breeding rebellion.
If I had listened to this same go-away, non-advice back in 1992, I would be in a miserable job right now, which I am not.
I am thankful I am in the voice over industry, and happy to know each of you on here, and know that you get work because you are all amazing at what you do. That doesn’t mean I have to tell people, ‘Sorry, you cannot.’
Many have the dream, but not the drive. I think as people, we have the right to find out for ourselves. No one here is God (even if they can do the voice really well, and get paid for it). And that, you should be thankful for, because people look up to you anyway.
Peace,
Steven
No need to apologize for a dissenting or less sympathetic opinion, Steven. This blog is a platform for discussion and I’ll never ask people to pay lip service to my ideas. Every voice is welcome!
I do realize that different people ask questions for different reasons. Some hope to get free career coaching from me and others ask questions because they think that what I do is glamorous or super easy.
Everyone is entitled to a dream. Dreams usually offer a combination of fantasy, wishful thinking and distorted past and future memories. But as I said in my video, I wanted to give people a wake-up call and have them realize that the microwave meal they’re dreaming of, looks much better on the box than in the box.
I also mentioned that:
a.) people don’t have to agree with me
b.) it’s up to them what they do with the info provided (some might actually feel more strongly about pursuing a voice-over career after watching my slide show)
Is that what you would call “psycho-bullying rhetoric”?
I don’t think that online casting sites are awful. I do believe that some people have unrealistic expectations and that some sites do a better job managing those expectations than others.
There’s also a conflict of interest. Businesses need a constant stream of new customers. That’s why they have to present their product in the best light possible and that’s why success stories are highlighted. Observations such as the ones I made in the video don’t fit into that picture.
I agree with you that “You should never make anyone feel stupid for wanting to pursue a career that they admire you for doing.” That’s exactly why I attempt to educate my readers through this blog and that’s why Peter O’Conell came out with his “Voice Over Entrance Exam” (see earlier comments).
There’s nothing stupid about dreaming dreams and pursuing a passion professionally. It would be stupid however, not to get a good sense of the journey you’re about to embark on, and solely depend on what others want you to believe, especially those sources that have a vested interest in the industry.
What you say is absolutely true: people have a right to find out for themselves if a voice-over career is right for them or not. They deserve to get the complete picture including the good, the bad and the ugly.
I am committed to providing them with yet another piece of the puzzle, and they can count on this blog to be yet another travel guide they can consult on their journey. Ultimately, the proof of the microwave meal is in the eating.
Always entertaining to read, Paul. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by, Tony, and thanks for being one of my regular readers. I’m planning on doubling my readership in the first quarter of 2011, so please spread the news. Have an exciting new year!
Hello Paul
Thank you for taking the time to record this for all to hear.
Good stuff !!
Bob Jordan
You’re very welcome, Bob. The time seemed to be right to bundle these misconceptions together and add a few photo’s. It’s just another way of showing the world that what we do professionally, involves a lot more than what some people might think.
…makes you even better at what you’re not good at…
Hah….you crack me up Paul!
Great show – Have a great New Year.
You’re referring to misconception #3. Glad I could crack you up (and ain’t it the truth…). Thanks for taking a few minutes to watch my slide show, Melissa. May the new year bring you happiness, inspiration and joy!
I think the cold, hard reality is that there is, was, and always will be people that watch TV or movies and listen to the radio and think that what they hear or see is easy, and “hey, I could do that”… people see the results and rewards and accolades, but never the hard work… thats just the way it is.
I think, for those, they normally fall off the wagon after the first bumpy ride. But those that really, truly have a passionate for the spoken work, or song, or whatever, and can’t think of doing anything else with their lives because this is the only thing that makes them feel human and alive, to try to list reasons why they shouldn’t be in the business is kind of silly.
That’s exactly why I wrote:
“16 reasons why you should not become a voice-over professional…YET”.
I never said or wrote that people “shouldn’t be in the business”. One of the reasons I made this presentation was to make those with a passion aware of what it takes to succeed in this highly competitive business.
In my experience, some passionate, talented people will jump into something they feel destined to do, only to discover that talent and passion aren’t cutting it. There’s a difference between a passionate writer and a successful author.
If you think it’s “kind of silly” to take aspiring chefs into the kitchen and show them that it takes a lot more than serving good food in order to have a thriving business, so be it. I’ll gladly be the silly guy in the eccentric hat holding up the mirror!
Ahhhh, Paul! I truly enjoyed your video. Terrific thoughts and imagery!
Great job of collecting all the misconceptions out there and creating an entertaining video message.
I’ve also grown tired of the “tell me how to break in” mentality I’ve gotten from other people. The very fact that they feel the need to “break in” suggests that they really know it’s not an easy path to a new career. They’re just looking for a short cut. Man, I still get calls from friends of friends of relatives who want me to help make them a STAR in the music biz! I haven’t worked in that biz for ten years. My contacts are old. I wouldn’t hook them up anyway. Voice over is TAME compared to music as a career… believe me!
And thanks for letting me know to beware the guy with the eggnog. And I hate eggnog too!
Happy New Year, my friend!
I’ve already retweeted this.
Thanks Rick! Almost everyone I came in contact with as a result of this presentation, shares the eggnog-guy experience. I perfectly understand why people are attracted to what we do. I also understand that people tend to underestimate what it takes to make a living as a voice-over professional. In a way, it is a testament to our collective professionalism that people seem to believe that what we do is easy. It means that we’re doing our job and we’re doing it well. Great performers make things seem effortless, whether it’s in the sports arena, Carnegie Hall on stage at the Grand Ole Opry.
Have a phenomenal New Year, filled with great clients, repeat business and rates reflective of your amazing talent! You better saddle up because 2011 is going to be quite the ride!
“There’s a difference between a passionate writer and a successful author.”
what’s the difference, Paul?
What’s the difference between an enthusiastic home cook and a three star Michelin chef?
there are passionate artists who are broke and barely scraping by…their are successful writers, actors, etc..who love fame and money … and could care less about the craft
If a chef could care less about the craft, he wouldn’t earn three Michelin stars. As I said in my presentation, if you’re trying to get into voice-overs to have people massage your ego, this is the wrong profession. Money is just a means to an end. Fame fades fast. Quality lasts.
Absolutely Terrific Paul! I love “Big egos don’t make amigos”. Have a Great New Year from one ‘Dutchman’ to another.
Hartelijk bedankt, Lance! Ik ben blij dat je m’n blog weet te waarderen. Ik wens je een voorspoedig Nieuw Jaar toe! Many, many thanks, Lance. May the new year bring you many unexpected surprises and continued voice-over success!
Paul, although my Grandfather was from Amsterdam I don’t speak Dutch, but my computer does! Uw blog is fantastisch!
Much appreciated, Lance. Where would we be without computers these days… Lost in translation, I guess. Vrede en alle goeds!
Wow, Paul, nicely said (in more ways than one)! And in a case of “great minds” thinking alike, I made a little movie a couple of months ago along (some of) the same lines: http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7354567/
Happy New Year! (and bizarrely, Google Translate tells me it’s spelled just the same in Dutch–really?)
Hi Dale, although your movie proves that text-to-speech software won’t replace any voice-over actor soon, I loved the dialogue and the message. Very cool indeed!
In Dutch we usually say: Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar when we’re wishing each other a happy new year.
Paul,
I agree with almost everything you’ve got going on in this video. I believe that your economy of words here does a better job than my several million word ramblings strewn about the internet.
I see that you too once again have been called “negative”, with no real argument. I suppose that there are those who feel it necessary to label you or me or others as negative, because in their “positive” world, positive can’t exist without negative.
I’m not sure that any part of this can be boiled down to being negative or positive. My deepest suspicions are though that a good many people entering voiceover are not pursuing a calling or even chasing a dream, so much as they are buying into someone else’s reality. It sounds awfully good to be able to wrap up one’s losing a job and subsequent inability to find work by now saying you are pursuing your dream and leaving behind the rat race. The voiceover world’s insistence on focusing it’s attention on the few who apparently have reached some level of success, means that we are then blind to the many others who appeared to be doing what they love, but had little if any money follow.
Thanks for bringing up some interesting phenomena, J.S. As they say in psychology: “Perception is projection”. All of us see the world through our own filters and that’s why I mentioned in my intro that people don’t have to agree with me. There’s a huge difference between facts and opinions, and my readers have a right to disagree with my selection of both for the purpose of this presentation. To me it’s just feedback for which I’m grateful.
Whenever we’re presented with facts and opinions, it’s always wise to look at the source and determine whether or not we wish to trust that source. One of the reasons why people seem to trust this blog has to do with the fact that I am not trying to sell them anything. Most readers can tell the difference between useful information and hyped-up advertising.
Secondly, my regular crowd (or “tribe” to quote Seth Godin), has had a chance to “try on” and test my suggestions to see if my ideas have practical value. In other words: they have taken the time to compare what’s on the box with what’s in the box. The proof of the microwave meal is in the eating!
Third, I do my very best to walk the talk (some days I’m better at it than other days). Readers are allergic to insincerity and they should be. Preaching one thing and doing something else is a sure way to lose readers, clients and friends. Most of my observations are taken out of the freelance life I live every day. My readers recognize the situations I write about, and they respond to what they can relate to.
Your last comment deals with realism and reality. In a recent study on the effects of a placebo, researchers discovered that even those who knew that they were given a sugar pill, experienced symptom relief. In other words: people aren’t blind. They just believe what they want to believe.
Dale,
I actually did a little xtranormal video on v.o. about 3 months before you did. Surprised you missed it. It was up on most of the v.o. sites.
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6861019/
Welcome on board, Bryson. I started my radio career in Holland when I was seventeen and I was hooked from the get-go. I produced my very first show for Dutch youth radio and I didn’t get paid either. Instead, I received on the job training from seasoned pro’s and this was absolutely invaluable. Had you told me at that time that -one day- I’d be living and working in the U.S., I would not have believed you. Yet, here I am…
Thanks to Google, I learned that you recently starred in a production of the Sound of Music. You are a multi-talented man! You’re warmly invited to explore this and other blogs. You’ll find the voice-over community very welcoming and supportive, and if there’s anything I can help you with, you know where and how to reach me!
Have an amazing new year, Bryson!
Hey Bryson,
Welcome to the group! You sound like a very bright, motivated, talented young guy. When I was 16 I never had such a clear vision as you… that’s for sure! There’s a lot to know about this business if you take it seriously enough to make a living at it. Of course, you’ve got a lot of time to develop your skills, learn the business and further your education. Looks like your’e also studying acting. Are you musical as well? You should learn what you can about all aspects of production related to TV, film, animation, theatre, multimedia communications, etc. And I’ll bet you are doing just that!
Good luck! Keep up your research and communication. And of course, your GPA.
Forgive me if I sound like your father. I just don’t often see such interest in a kid your age!
Enjoy your new year of discovery!
I can’t tell you how many people have emailed me in the past few days and all of them have had similar “eggnog experiences”.
My slide show was made to share and not to scare. A good voice will only take you so far… Solid business skills are essential to survive and thrive.
It’s easy to forget that the late and great Don LaFontaine was the head of Kaleidoscope Films Ltd. and vice-president of Paramount before he started his own company. He had phenomenal pipes as well as years of experience as a recording engineer and in the advertising industry.
Not only was he a true artist, he was also a good entrepreneur.
Paul,
Very, very well said as always. I hope you don’t mind, but I think I’m going to share this via my FB page in hope it dissuades some of the ‘eggnog crowd’… 🙂
Have a Happy New Year and here’s to an extremely prosperous 2011!
Thanks,
-Mike
Share it, by all means! The only type of information worth something, is information that is shared. Perhaps some of the eggnog crowd will chicken out of becoming a voice-over talent.
On the other hand all of us know that we’re a very welcoming crowd and that we’re ready to reach out to those who are willing to learn.
Thanks for being a loyal Double Dutch fan, Mike. May the New Year bring you interesting scripts, appreciative clients and ample financial compensation.
Brilliant as always, Paul! (Happy new year!)
Have a wonderful and exciting 2011, Amy. Thanks for your sweet comment. Things like that keep me going!
Hi Paul,
Nicely done and quite entertaining. #15 cracked me up! I will definitely share this with others.
Happy New Year! Wishing you the best for 2011.
– sylvie
You don’t happen to have experience trying to work with a couple of kids in the house, do you?? 😉
Hats off to all the working mothers and fathers who get up in the middle of the night to have some quiet time to record.
Je vous souhaite une bonne nouvelle année!
Thanks for sharing my slide show, Sylvie.
Faaaaaantastic stuff!
Years ago I had a part time job at a place that had a company newsletter and they did an article about my vo & acting. At the time I had some national beer spots running on radio that were mentioned in the article.
A girl came up all excited and wanted to know how she could do voice-over too. I told her there was a class about how to get in going on right now and to get a coach and to produce a demo and how much it would cost. Eventually she would want to join AFTRA & SAG and it would be this much and you needed to practice and market.
She wrinkled her nose and said:”Isn’t there a place I can go and JUST DO IT!?!”
I replied:”If there was, don’t you think I’d be there now?”
I’ll share this link with my agent and this was the first time I found you through Voice Chasers. Can’t wait to read and hear more of your stuff Paul!
With Cheese,
Steve
PS I think the VISA spots are actually done by a guy named Larry out of LA and not Mr. Freeman.
Hi Steve, welcome to Double Dutch! I see that we have at least two things in common: a voice-over career and a love for cheese. Thanks for sharing your anecdote. Things haven’t changed much, have they?
For those interested in voice chasers, here’s the link:
http://voicechasers.com/
Last year, a political campaign ad used a voice-actor impersonating Morgan Freeman. I do believe that Mr. Freeman is the voice of Visa. If you’re not sure, check the links below:
http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/the-ten-most-distinctive-celebrity-commercial-voiceovers.php
http://great-ads.blogspot.com/2008/08/visa-2008-olympics-commercials-with.html
Paul,
It pained me to watch your video…only because I was guilty of speaking most of your eggnog statements. I came into VO and radio as a creative outlet to a stressful day job. I worked weekends and early mornings on radio for very little money and delighted in it. Most of my voice work now is for podcast (read: free) and I do it to be part of the larger community of listeners and creators of art. Would I like to make money doing this..sure! Will I be able to quit my stressful day job…not a chance.
I take your message to heart and agree with the points you made in the video…I’m still going to talk into a mic, if only for fun.
Hopefully your message will dissuade EVERYONE else so I’ll float to the top.
Enjoy your blog, carry on.
Mike
p.s. Confession time…Yes, I belong to Voices.com … and yes I join the cattle calls and truth be told, I haven’t landed a single gig through them yet.
Thanks for your response, Mike.
Some people believe that the truth hurts. However, it was not my intention to hurt anyone. My intention was to inform people about the realities of the business and NOT to encourage or discourage anyone. Mankind was born with free will and it is not within my powers to make anyone do anything anyway.
Please regard my video as a prescription for shortsightedness. When admiring a beautiful sculpture, it’s only human to overlook how much training, hard work and long hours it must have taken, to liberate that shape out of hard rock. All we see (and care about) is the end result.
As voice-over professionals are chipping away at a script, it is their job to make people forget what it takes to make it sound seamless and effortless. Exactly because many narrators are so good at it, they create the impression that it is as easy as it sounds.
Here’s a secret that is true in almost any context: once a person has become unconsciously competent at what they do, it actually is easy!
For more on levels of learning, you might be interested in reading:
https://www.nethervoice.com/nethervoice/2010/07/15/yin-yang-freelancing/
Hi Paul,
I loved the video!
I think that it reads very much to the generation-“I want it now!”
So many people don’t realize that like anything, be it learning an instrument, how to play Golf, or in this case, becoming proficient in Voice over enough that one is able to make a living at it, requires one to travel that “learning curve,” which involves a lot of study, practice, training, more study, more practice and training, to go from not really knowing anything, to knowing some, to becoming OK, to good, and so on, certainly not overnight! As you have stated elsewhere on your site, great talent makes what they do appear easy, but what we don’t see, is the many hours, and years of training, sweat, and study that came before. No one comes out of the womb and drives a car.
Paul, I love your blogs, and your great sincerity!
Cheers,
Mark
Hi Mark, I’m glad you enjoyed my video. Thank you so much for your very kind words!
I’ve always liked the expression “It takes many years to become an overnight success”. That’s certainly true in voice-overs. Having one of the most resonant voices in the universe is no guarantee that you’ll do well in this business. It doesn’t hurt to have nice pipes, but there’s so much more to that.
Bob Souer, a wonderfully wise, talented and in-demand voice, spent over twenty years working as a media director for Billy Graham, before he finally decided to become his own boss. I’ve been a freelancer all my life, working for various networks in different countries. Only a few years ago, I took the plunge and started doing voice-over full-time.
These days, people put food in the microwave and expect results within minutes. A career as a voice-over is much more like a crock pot recipe. It takes time to produce a decent meal, but in the end, it’s much more nutritious and it will hopefully sustain you a lot longer. Bon apetit!
I love this video. I spent a few years in radio, did a lot of commercial spots in the time I spent with my career. It was fun, I enjoyed it very much. I made the decision to leave my job to pursue something else I found I had a deep passion for and besides radio is a downsizing industry. Upon leaving I already had a small studio because at home to work out bits and ideas and got the idea to pursue v/o work. I answered ads on Craigslist, I did we’ll enough but the hours scouring the Internet left me with more confusion than answers in regards to moving forward in this industry. During those months that I sat on severance from my last radio job I searched, studies and kept up with my craft through podcasting and other projects. I had many people come to me asking for training in v/o work. I would laugh near to the point of tears. There was still much for me to learn being a late 20 something, I had hardly even understood how I gotten to where I had been in my career much less being in a position to help someone else! I heard it so many times “I can do characters”. “I do accents”. “I have a great voice”. “I’m good at reading”. I would have to hold my breath and bite my tongue often as I could feel the anger intensifying with each sentence.
At one point I took a non radio friend with me to an audition, one with a great voice but no training, we both auditioned. Who got the job? I ended up freelancing for them for about a year or so but after a few weeks I asked to move to editing since it paid so much more than the reads. My ego wanted to keep being a “reader” but my pocket book needed some help.
I’ve run across a few friends interested in pursuing v/o work and since they’re friends I often indulged them with a demo session, that’s when they realize its much harder than it looks. I do believe this with a grat personality, work ethic, and yes, a nice voice can be successful in the industry it’s key to work at it. It’s also extremely overwhelming. I’m happy to do the small pieces I do, generally phone work for friends who have businesses for very small pay, which doesn’t matter since I’m in a different career all together now, but I miss those days when I believed it would be easy too.
I remember my radio mentor being turned down froma local talent agency and that’s the moment I realized this industry is too competitive to me and stopped pursuing,
I did run across your article looking for so,e information for a friend of mine looking to do audio narration. I will pass this along,
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Crystal. I’m so glad you recognize that being a VO is much harder than it looks. If done well, listeners will have no idea of what’s involved because it will all sound completely natural and spontaneous. One can compare a voice artist to a professional musician. It takes years to master an instrument, go on stage and play in a way that makes people think: “I could do that! It seems so easy.”