VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Ed Gambill]

"The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing Our Culture".

I got this from Thom Wilkins a SaVoa Board members. Listen if you will and share your thoughts
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11131872

SaVoa and this BB among others seem to be engaged in an effort to help bring stability to a Free For All.

Given the economy and where it may go, what can VO talent do in unison to keep the bar from being lowered into the mud?
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Esse quam videri "To be rather than to seem"
www.SaVoa.org No. 07000 Member AES

[Philip Banks]

It's the "glass half empty attitude" when the truth is that the glass is half full.

A few years ago a producer who along with his team made around 400 good quality TV commercials per year said.

"The internet and particularly voices with a presence on it who have ISDN have raised the bar. I used to have to put up with voices who were both chronologically and geographically available, now I don't. A quick search and a phone call and I am able to get THE voice for my project as opposed to A near enough voice."

When I was at junior school, I was tall, really tall. When I went on to secondary school which was attended by pupils from ages 11-17, my 4ft 8in didn't appear quite so gigantic. Being forced into the world of the big boys and girls spoilt my I'M A BIG BOY feeling.

Particularly in the Voice Over market, not much has really changed. 20 years ago one had a 95% chance of failing to make a penny. In 2008 that number remains the same. Thanks to the internet the difference is visibility. If you're in Portgordon or Pigsknuckle Arkansas and you suck as a Voice Over now the whole world knows.

You will always find people willing to work for half pay or nothing in order to get a start or in order to make the rent, don't blame the internet for that.

Today I have done sessions for CNN in Atlanta, a company in Germany, one in Italy and another in Denmark. They all paid the rate for the job. Three out of 4 of my clients found me on ............................

[todd ellis]

[TheVoiceOfBob]

Todd,


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Try to imagine a world where there is no such thing as hypothetical situations.

The Voice of Bob

[Philip Banks]

Mention you have 4* clients and it brings out the jealousy in people. Y'all kin buy a whole bunch o' grits n possum innards fer $23.95. Pay him no never mind. Brett will have a suitable photo to illustrate, stand by


*May have over estimated by a factor of 5

[Brett Mason]

............I'm sorry.........I was busy stoking up here......somebody say something?


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Brett

"Dare to be Yourself" - André Gide
Merry Merchants of Voice Over!
Mendicant

[Philip Banks]

Always delivers! Gawd bless yer Guv'.

[bobsouer]

[asnively]

I don't think I'm allowed to laugh this hard so soon!

Giggles aside, Philip you've said it all. You have completely and accurately summed it all up. Well done, my friend. Well done indeed!
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[Dan-O]

I have read quite a bit of the book. The main point made is the problem of sharing of information or, shall we say, the lack of qualified opinion or factual information across the internet. How many posts have been made on this board or other boards (if they exist) from a "talent" who simply is not qualified to answer a question? How many "talent" read those posts, believe them to be factual, head down the wrong path in their career, and pass on those inaccurate opinions to others, because they did not do a background check of the qualifications of the person offering it up?

It's a good thing we have the ability to visit someone's site, listen to their demos and can pretty much tell what kind of weight to apply to that talent's opinion. But, in other arenas of the internet that is not always possible.

In the early days of my radio career, almost 20 years ago, I used to spout off my opinions on how things were and should be. Then one day, my boss said "Shut the F up. You don't know s*** and it's causing me problems with the other jocks."

My lesson from that discussion: Until you have a good bit of professional experience under your belt; keep your mouth shut.

[Ed Gambill]

Yes this thread is on two BBs, different yet similar folks.

Bank, ISDN not only raised the Bar, but it put up some barriers as well. The cost of ISDN separated the wheat from the chaff without ISDN you couldn’t be in the game.

ISDN is still has high as a Possum up a Persimmon tree but now FTP, MP3 and IP is lowering the cost factor enough so most any one can be in the hunt for gigs.

BTW When will you Merchants of Voice formalize your thing so we SaVoa folks can have a yearly softball game and pick nick with you all. After all aren’t we after the same result. Good Food, Good Beer, Good Times and Acceptable Rates.
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Esse quam videri "To be rather than to seem"
www.SaVoa.org No. 07000 Member AES

[BenWils]

I feel like I just ran into a giant tree!! What?

800...over and out.
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Ben


"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."

[Ed Gambill]

Did you get the tag number? Are you OK? you want us to call a Dr. or maybe a Chaplin.
_________________
Esse quam videri "To be rather than to seem"
www.SaVoa.org No. 07000 Member AES

[TheVoiceOfBob]

[Philip Banks]

Not that I'm one to boast, but as you asked .....

Star of India Balti take away, Buckie
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Star Inn, Buckpool
Cullen All Star synchronised chess display team.