VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Philip Banks]

On my desk, just under my PC screen I have a small Vanity mirror. Is it so I can look to see how handsome I am? No. It’s probably got a proper name. It folds shut, has one side that magnifies and the other is normal size. When the eyelash drops into your eye, such things are very useful. How much will you give me for it? If you enjoy looking at yourself its acey-pacey-brill!

I invested in something else too. It’s a money machine. Used wisely it spits out money on a regular basis. Looks awful, but when I learned how to operate it correctly I was delighted with the results. How much will you give me for it? If you want a regular income, it’s just the thing.

Do you know how many Voice Over people use their vanity mirrors yet keep the details of Money Machines safely filed away? Most of ‘em.

“If I merely remain completely pre-occupied with being able to hear myself on anything, anywhere then somehow my career as a Voice Over will take off.” How would you respond to that if said to you? How did you respond as you read it?

No one would encourage you to be a Total Bread-Head but you do need to see things as they are; worth it, worthy, worthwhile or worthless.

Worth it – It’s a voice job, it takes time and you get paid money. If you are professional Voice Over, that’s what you do.

Worthy – No pay but there is a greater good. Go into a Children’s Hospital and read a child a story. You do it because you are a human being and you should do things for other people.

Worthwhile – No pay yet but an investment in your future. Before deciding to do such things, count the financial cost and weigh it against the potential reward. Particularly where auditions are concerned, every time you do one send yourself an invoice for your minimum session fee. When an audition results in a job put the fee payable against the audition invoices and every quarter check the balance. If the Auditions account is persistently in the red you must do something about it. Try this. Every month send me $600. Something may happen as a result, probably not. I may send you a couple of hundred every so often, may be not. Want my bank details?

Worthless – You compile a list. If I write anything I’ll get hate mail. As a general rule there are the things you do to massage your ego or they are your version of Linus’ blanket.

“Philip, if you do this for us we can’t pay you but you will get a credit on the end titles of the program”.

“If you let me do this program I can’t let you give me an end credit but in lieu of that you can make a donation to my Pay the Mortgage fund of $500”.

If you’re not sure if you have a Vanity Mirror or a Money machine in full working order, this is what you do. Go to the bank and ask to be fully funded for one year for your Voice Over business. If the bank offers to stump up the money without your house as security you’ve got the machine. Should the Bank Manager blow holes in your presentation and send you away empty handed …… Look in the mirror, wink and say “Hey! You’re lookin’ good kid!” Then go and get a job.

[paddyo]

i love the breakdown of this.

Paddyo

[dhouston67]

A couple of years ago I voiced a few characters in a pair of animated Star Wars fanfilms. Going strictly by PB's list --- which is a valuable reference --- it doesn't really fall into any of the first three categories, yet I can't quite classify it as "worthless".

For one thing, it was good fun. For another, it allowed me to hear my work in a finished production; I've come to find the value there was not in the sheer joy of hearing myself, but rather that I could have done better.

Even the "worthless" gigs can have value down the road. The key, of course, is keep them at an absolute minimum.
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Great Voice. Great Choice. For Voice Talking and stuff.
http://davidhoustonvoice.com
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[ccpetersen]

About those animated gigs, I decided to help a couple of students out with a project they're doing and so I'm voicing two characters in their film school animation. It's great fun and giving me a chance to step outside the usual "documentary" box... yeah, I wouldn't do it for free all the time, but I know the kids and like the project, so there you go.

In the main though, Philip hits the nails on the head. Good going!
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Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

[voicy1stef]

Well done Phillip! We musn't get carried away with 'exchange in kind' projects. I'll remember your tip about auditions as well.

I already see myself cutting down on responding to auditions when there are other projects of greater value at hand (some are paid, while some are not, but are fun and will make excellent demos on my website.)

I'm always learning from you guys. Thanks for keeping me on the right path, instead of zig zagging all over the place!
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Intuit and do it!

British-American voice artist based in England for the past umpteen years. I say, has it really been that long!

http://www.stefsvoice4u.co.uk
Podcast: Positive Affirmations and Audio Stories, on iTunes, Spotify etc.