VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[gswartz]

Well as some of you may remember, I was to have my first VO lesson on Wednesday night. I met with Jean and it went very well. It's obvious she's had plenty of experience with this. But, as we were talking, she was talking about unions and how I should join one as soon as I can. She said that the union wants you to make at least 10K a year which made me think, well, why wouldn't I be making more than 10K if I was doing this full time.? She said that no one does VO full time. The internet has pretty much killed full time VO careers. She used to do 4 spots a week and now she's doing around 4 every month and a half. It really discouraged me to think that all of the time and practicing I'm putting into it will hardly yield anything. Are most of you union or not? Before deciding not to continue with this, I'd like hear what the rest of you think about her comments and what your experience is. Is it really that difficult to make a good income (even side income) doing VO? Thanks.

[JeffK]

This made me think of a quote I came across several years ago:

"Those that can do, do. Those that can't, teach."

This certainly DOESN'T apply for most teachers/instructors but thorough investigation and analysis is a must when looking at any training or educational institution. 4 gigs a month?? I would go somewhere else for training....FAST.

[Rognog]

Hey Geoff!

Congrats on your first VO lesson.

To join or not to join...that is the question! If you ask ten people you'll get twelve different answers. In the ten years I've been pursuing voiceovers I've never been offered a union job nor have I felt the need to join SAG or AFTRA to get more work. I, like many people on this forum, get most of their gigs without an agent or a union. I think the answer is...it depends! It depends on whether you can get enough union gigs to cover the dues (I think they're around $2000?) and pay your bills. For someone who's just starting out (like you) I would wait. You may never need to join.

"No one does VO's full-time" and "the internet has killed full time voiceover careers", huh? I can't say I agree with either of those statements. The internet has actually enhanced my VO career! Now you can market yourself, submit demos, audition, and book without leaving your home. In the past two weeks I've done three VO's for UCLA and one for a teacher in Japan and I live in New Jersey. How could I do that without the internet? On top of that, with the internet now there are many more opportunities to find work through onlne commericals, tutorials, internet radio stations, etc.

To make a good income doing VO's you have to do the same things as any other self-employed person: have a good product, market & network aggressively, take care of your clients, monitor your cash flow, and FOLLOW UP! Some people succeed and some fail. The only way to find out is to do it.
_________________
Tom Dheere - The "H" is Silent, but I'm Not!
www.tomdheere.com

[Deirdre]

Good Lord-- People like this make me cranky.

It DOES bring out the old "those who can't-- teach" adage as Jeff points out.
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DBCooperVO.com

[Dan-O]

OK. She may be a good voice instuctor, but do not listen to anything else she has to say. It sounds like she is living in her glory days and not in the present.

[anthonyVO]

Run, dude! And as fast as you can, please!

EVERY industry has been changed by the internet - yes, those who refuse to market themselves, take advantage of new technologies, and still rely on their agents to get them all of their work have definitely a gloom outlook on v-o's... so some may turn to teaching

-Anthony

EDIT: Just a note - I know a guy right here in NY that made 1,000,000 about two years ago... last year he made "only" 400,000! The horror! He should get another job to supplement his income

[Drew]

Really, like the others said. I rather fashon myself an Internet marketing ho. Or like a former boss used to tell me, "Either you're on my bus or under it."
_________________
www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.

[Deirdre]

Please, Drew-- must you say "Ho"?

How about an Internet Marketing Used Car Salesman?


I kid, I kid.

The internet is our playground. The possibilites are endless if you are willing to network your ass off.

I'm an Internet marketing Ass-worker-offer.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

[gswartz]

Thanks everyone for the replies. One more question. I've read about how since the internet makes it so easy to find talent and because of this, many producers are going with "acceptable" voices, they're nickel and diming talent down to 20-30 for a :30 spot. Is this what most of you experience? Or is that only what you normally get when receiving inquiries from places like voices123, etc? My time is worth more than that. Thanks.

[Drew]

Our time had sure as hell be worth more than a couple of ten spots. There's good and bad regarding playing VO ball on the web. Yes indeedy, virtual casting platforms attract low ball clients looking for the "dollah a hollah" VO. They also attract some purdy good ones, too. Just gotta stick more than your toe in the cyber pool and swim around. Before long you'll hit that "warm spot" in the water and know you're dealing with a pisser client who ain't worth the spit on your mic. And after some time, you recognize 'em before you ever swim in the "warm spot" and you'll know that's a part of the pool from which to stay away.
_________________
www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.

[Hart]

There are sites out there with "bargain bins" that offer to pay you $15 a :30. Take it if you want I suppose. My time and my talent are worth way more than that.
_________________
Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[scooter2]

ya gotta have heart, ya gotta have persistance, ya gotta have passion and ya gotta have enough smarts to stay away from any "instructor" who spends the first session with negatives and warnings.

The v-o business is alive and well and there are many who do it full time and there are many who make big bucks doing so.

There are of course the "others" who just do allright and as in any business there are those who can't make the cut. I believe the individual makes that decsion.

There are those who are cool, cooler, the coldest and then there are them's that are hotter than a pistol.

As for unions, Worry about that after you've gotton your feet wet while using your moist vocal chords.

scooter

And that's my say for this day.

[VO-Guy]

[glittlefield]

[Hart]