VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 10:50 am Post subject:

I hear it all the time. Couple of things I've learned:

1) Having someone else slate you is a kind of introduction: "and now presenting...!". It's frivolous and unnecessary, but I've not heard of a single person losing a gig because they didn't slate their own demo or audition.
2) If this is a demo reel, have someone of a different gender slate you so that the client doesn't think you can do that voice. Example, for some reason, Philip Banks does an amazing British accent ( Smile

) so I wouldn't have him slate me lest the client think I can do that accent.
3) Slate OUT of character on character reels. The producer often likes to get a feel for how you really sound.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 10:59 am Post subject:

dukevoice1 · Guest

DB,
When you say demo slate, are you talking about slating a demo that you would use to attract an agent? Or slating a demo that you are being paid to record? Is there another kind of demo?

I'm beginning to feel I have stumbled into a different world of VO than the one where I work. There are many things you guys discuss that I know nothing about and I imagine some of it is maybe in the non-union or fi-core world. I don't know anything about that kind of work. I'm not judging anyone either. -Pat

richgates · Guest

The rule is do whatever works for you. For the auditions I've been getting where a slate is requested, I do it in character. I've heard of many cases where someone books based on their slate. If I'm not mistaken Philip shared one such story, but I could be wrong.

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 11:08 am Post subject:

Here's what I do and your mileage may vary:

My Demo reels are custom slated by our very own Diane Maggipinto. I figure a nice sexy voice like that would be a good intro. Wink

My Auditions for potential gigs are slated by me and usually in character simply because that's how I sound.
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richgates · Guest

Sounds good to me Jeff. Smile

You're hired!

Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 11:14 am Post subject:

Thanks, Rich. I require 50% up front to my paypal account when dealing with unestablished clients.
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Deirdre · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: Demo Slate???

Philip Banks · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject:

I'm Union, British, non-slated, have never met Fiona Core although I'm sure she's charming but am none the less very very important and particularly smug most of the time .... Pass me another residual I'm feeling a little faint.

dukevoice1 · Guest

<<We're talking about the demo you use as an audio sampler to attract work; the one you would submit to an agent, to be sure—but it's also the one that lives on your website, the one you'd have on a CD to send to a production company.>>

Okay I get it. In that regard, in those situations, absolutely nobody uses a slate. Not ever, never, it is considered a major faux-pas. It is a sign of not being in the game. I hope this is helpful to those who have been using slates.

-Pat

Deirdre · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 5:01 pm Post subject:

I hear ya, Pat.

I've never used one, but Pat Fraley is all over slating, and he has a rather huge influence.
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dukevoice1 · Guest

Oh I see, Pat Fraley the Hollywood character/animation guy says do it, so people do it. Interesting. You must have a lot of Hollywood character/animation VOs on this BB? No? Oh well, I dunno, maybe it's stuff like narrations, commercials, promos and imaging that most people do here. If that's the case, I'd suggest dropping the slates if you wanna get big work. Then again, if Pat Fraley says jump, not being a lemming, I gotta ask...WHY?

Deirdre · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 6:32 pm Post subject:

I don't use a slate for my demos.
I DO slate auditions. Not in character, most of the time.

Pat Fraley doesn't seem to be suffering any negative repercussions from his use of a slate on a demo, and in my experience, neither do his students.
In fact, I know that the slate I made for one of Pat's students in LA got the attention of a couple of agents (they mentioned it: Who is THAT?) and he's repped now by Sandie Schnarr. So... it can't be all that bad.

I really do think it's just a preference thing.
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audio'connell · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject:

I know I'm always late to the party but are we talking about for the roof or the kitchen floor?
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Deirdre · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject:

Peter—

Yes.

xo
DB
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