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SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer King's Row
Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 1055 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: Voice Talking |
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A neighbour of mine, an older woman, called me today. After a bit of friendly chit chat, she asked me how business was. I told her okay. And then she asked if I could please give her the phone number for voice talking...
I was stumped. I asked for clarification but she kept repeating voice talking and was getting quite worked up about it, like I was holding back. Finally she said - you know, what you do. I said, you mean voiceover. Yes. She wanted the phone number for voiceover. A man at her church has a nice voice and he is retired and he'd like to do it.
She was bowled over to learn there is no company, that it is free lance, that you have to market yourself - and a nice voice quite often isn't enough, that once in the studio, you had to be able to take direction on how to read a line, for instance.
While I did get a kick out of it, it certainly drove home how little people really understand our business. _________________ Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart. |
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mcm Smart Kitteh
Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 2600 Location: w. MA, USA
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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LOL. I wonder if your neighbor is at the extreme end of not understanding.
Can't decide whether I hope so or not.... |
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BenWils The Thirteenth Floor
Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 1324 Location: In a Flyover State
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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I think we as a group of 300+ strong should make a strong push to change it to "voice talking"....it just has a nice ring to it......and we SHOULD just have one phone number to call to become a member or part of this grand bizzness.
"Hello, thank you for calling Voice Talking...would you like to become a member"
That would be great! We would have it so easy when these people ask us to give them info for their "barber that has a nice speaking voice" or their buddy at Wendy's who works the drive-thru but sounds like a DJ....we could just bust out a Voice Talking business card and be on our way. Man, that lady is on to something I tell you!!! I am such a wiseguy. _________________ Ben
"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."
Last edited by BenWils on Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dhouston67 VO-BB Intarwebz Glossary Administrator
Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 1166 Location: Right next door to Sandra Bullock. No, really.
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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I think the "all you need for VO is a nice voice" mentality is the same one that causes people to gasp in shock when we ask for decent wages. Just maybe.
There's a discussion on another VO board which references those instances when corporations have employees perform narrations with no extra pay; some feel it's exploitative, others opine that it's part of the job duties. My $0.02: It's one thing to have radio-station on-air talent knock out a :30 promo here and there, especially certain station promos where their voice needs to sell the event/product/etc; Moving from the on-air mic to the production mic is not an unreasonable leap for someone who's already a broadcaster. It's quite another thing to ask someone who doesn't (necessarily) talk all day for a living, and ask them to narrate an entire presentation.
Ultimately, though, if the impromptu narrator is happy performing this assigned task for no extra pay, then more power to them. Most often, an employer who hires a narrator at a cost of $0.00 has gotten their money's worth. _________________ Great Voice. Great Choice. For Voice Talking and stuff.
http://davidhoustonvoice.com
Do That Voice! - The DHV Blog
Last edited by dhouston67 on Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer King's Row
Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 1055 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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David, I agree. _________________ Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart. |
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Bailey 4 Large
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 4336 Location: Lake San Marcos... north of Connie, northwest of the Best.
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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So Elaine... You did give her Banksey's phone number... Right?
_________________ "Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
VO-BB Member #00044 .gif" alt="W00T" border="0" />
AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo." |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus
Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13016 Location: East Jesus, Maine
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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dhouston67 wrote: | There's a discussion on another VO board which references those instances when corporations have employees perform narrations with no extra pay; |
There's another VO Board?!?
I keed, I keed.
I have had people call me to find out where they "sign up" to do voice overs.
One fellow-- bless his heart-- was "taking the plunge". He decided he was finally "ready to try it". I asked him a few questions about his experience and plans for a demo, etc and he was flabbergasted. He simply thought you put your name on a list somewhere and jobs roll in.
Here-- have some more money. _________________ DBCooperVO.com |
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TC Club 300
Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Iowa City
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:03 pm Post subject: |
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I had a friend recently ask how my "talkover" career was going. |
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dhouston67 VO-BB Intarwebz Glossary Administrator
Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 1166 Location: Right next door to Sandra Bullock. No, really.
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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Holy Twilight Zone, it looks like we've all got one of these stories. An e-mail I received this spring:
Quote: | I have never done this kind of thing before, but have always thought about doing this. I do not have any idea how to get started, but I will follow
instructions and bring a professional do what-it-takes attitude. |
...I can only assume this person wanted to get into voiceovers, though the above certainly leaves itself open to interpretation. My advice to them? Go to VO-BB. _________________ Great Voice. Great Choice. For Voice Talking and stuff.
http://davidhoustonvoice.com
Do That Voice! - The DHV Blog
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asnively Triple G
Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 3204 Location: Los Angeles
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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OMG-- I am wetting myself.
A neighbor of mine has a niece who identifies herself as a voiceover actor (I would use the term "cashier"). About 5 years ago, my neighbor sicked her niece on me.
She brought her demo for me to hear.
It was a homemade cassette containing 20 minutes of Maya Angelou read in slow-mo. Sans any discernable inflection.
I wish there had been a voice talking number to refer her to. I, on the other hand, was trying to remember the one for the suicide prevention hotline.
_________________
federal grants
Last edited by asnively on Sat Feb 21, 2009 1:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus
Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13016 Location: East Jesus, Maine
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:26 am Post subject: |
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Thank goodness I live in Maine, where only a handful of people know what "voice over" even IS. _________________ DBCooperVO.com |
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CWToo Guest
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:18 am Post subject: |
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Deirdre wrote: | Thank goodness I live in Maine, where only a handful of people know what "voice over" even IS. |
When asked what I do for a living, I tell them that I'm a plumber. Everybody knows what a plumber does and they don't ask what the last thing I plumbed was and how did I get into plumbing? |
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Deirdre Czarina Emeritus
Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 13016 Location: East Jesus, Maine
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:29 am Post subject: |
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Yeah-- but what if they ask you to come and fix their sink? _________________ DBCooperVO.com |
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Dan-O The Gates of Troy
Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:39 am Post subject: |
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He'll read a DIY instruction manual out loud to them, charge full VO rate, and they will still feel they got a discount in comparison to a real plumber's fee. |
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bobsouer Frequent Flyer
Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 9882 Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:44 am Post subject: |
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Dan-O wrote: | He'll read a DIY instruction manual out loud to them, charge full VO rate, and they will still feel they got a discount in comparison to a real plumber's fee. |
Dan,
That is TOO funny! Thanks for the laugh this morning. _________________ Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
ISDN, Source Connect, phone patch |
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