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Have you ever met my Boss?

 
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:26 am    Post subject: Have you ever met my Boss? Reply with quote

I do Voice Over work, been doing it for about 3 decades. Work is plodding along nicely. My Boss is ordinary in every sense of the word and he leaves me to get on with things. I may do as I please as long as the work gets done, including the dreaded admin.

Money spent on life and fun is always well spent and he doesn't even blink. Money which I propose to spend on the business is expected to give a measurable return, a provable return. Am I able to get him to budge on this one? More chance getting an Ant to move Mount Everest.

This year VOX is being held in London over a two day period, Friday and Saturday. Including flights, hotel, conference and extras the cost to the business comes in at around $1,750. For that he wants to see a return or a good chance of a return. That's fair.

Last year including drinks reception sponsorship, a prize of a weekend for two in Amsterdam incl flights and the cost of attending the event my Boss ponied up around $5,000. Yeah, I know! He did it because there was a reasonable chance of good PR and landing one or two new clients who would, over the coming months and years return that investment many times.

In business we do not confuse serendipity with a marketing/PR investment return. Actually, you probably do, my point is that my Boss doesn't. He knows when a strategy has worked in our favour and when it was " just one of those things" - serendipity.

VOX 2018 - Not happening for me. Because it's not fun or because there isn't anyone there I'd like to see? Not at all. It is a business thing and between me and my Boss we have proved beyond reasonable doubt that it is not a good investment by any stretch of the imagination.
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Darren Altman
Cinquecento


Joined: 17 Oct 2009
Posts: 551
Location: London, UK

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm beginning to think the same way mate. I emailed the organisers a few days ago asking why they expect us to cough up nearly £400 and have given us ZERO information. I won't bore you with their response, but I'm not prepared to spend my hard earned money on a punt.
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Bish
3.5 kHz


Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Posts: 3738
Location: Lost in the cultural wasteland of Long Island

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 5:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm wondering when it's going to break.

I can only speak for the US, for that is where I've been since my VO c'reer started a little over a decade ago. Back then there was (as far as I'm aware) only Voice & Faffcon... two events with totally different approaches... Voice was panel/expert driven with the usual suspects selling shite to newcomers (a simplistic view, I agree)... Faffcon was peer driven with a "let's put the show on in the barn" attitude. My minimal research reveals that the content of these two events was almost irrelevant... VOs we're getting away from their glorious isolation and communing with other... they were social events where VOs could indulge in tax-deductable shenanigans (and there ain't nowt wrong with that!). It was a natural extension of the communities that had started on the interwebs.

Move forward ten years and VO conferences and events have become big business. VO Atlanta has become the 800lb gorilla in the room. Starting with a few hiccups, it's developed into a well-oiled machine catering for 500+ attendees with a range of good quality (paid) presenters providing premium content (if content is what you're interested in). Many people have seen that there's money to be had and conferences are springing up all over the place... even to the point where organizers are having issues with conflicting schedules and competing for the same sponsors. In many ways, with each one costing at least $2K, it's become a buyers market... conferences now need to attract people (rather than just existing)... good presenters are beginning to realize their worth and have, not unrealistically, an expectation of remuneration.

What happens in the US, will happen in the UK. As far as I understand, Vox has always been there as a one-day event... a chance to put on the posh frock and drink heavily. The OneVoice conference started this year and it seems to me that they studied the US model and did a fine job of adapting it for UK sensibilities. They proved that there is a market in the UK for a VO conference... and, of course, that means others will follow.

... until it breaks.
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

VOX - The history.

Shortly after a thing that happened in the UK, commercial radio began. It started with 2 stations in London which went on air around 1974/5 and they were followed by other in major cities around the UK. By the late 1980's there were stations all over the place and the number would continue grow. So was born the "ILR Circuit voice". Early Monday or sometimes late on Sunday these people would leave home and travel the country doing commercial voice over sessions for the "Commprod" depts from north to south, east to west.

Monday AM - Plymouth Sound and then to Devonair in Exeter for an afternoon session. So it continued throughout the week. A dozen scripts here, 2 dozen there at the Equity rate of, now around $25 per script plus an extra £25 per tag change. The good voices were booked a year to 18 months in advance by the bigger stations as they could be sure there was going to a worthwhile session. Speaking to someone a few months ago he told me that in one session his record was 94. People met people, at Christmas gifts were delivered, t'was a wonder. Then came there ISDN.

One by one circuit voices did not change their cars, instead they built a studio, installed ISDN and continued to 30-40 scripts per day in their underwear. There wasn't really a downside except no one saw anyone any more.

A group of VO people in London who shared an ISDN studio decided to find a hotel in the centre of the UK and tell everyone including other voices, producers and copywriters to be there so they could catch up, in some cases put names to faces, eat drink and be merry. Saturday afternoon arrival, Sunday lunch depart after the head started to clear. Beautifully simple.

What went wrong? It became a networking, promotional, telling selling event.

2018, in London, Manchester and Glasgow VO people regularly meet up to catch up, in some cases put names to faces, eat drink and be merry. As is right and proper.
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ConnieTerwilliger
Triple G


Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Posts: 3381
Location: San Diego - serving the world

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first Saturday in December in New York - a party for VO people started by Erik Sheppard when he lived in New York and now continued by Trish B. A good time.
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Lee Gordon
A Zillion


Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6843
Location: West Hartford, CT

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Philip Banks wrote:
and tell everyone including other voices, producers and copywriters to be there so they could catch up, in some cases put names to faces, eat drink and be merry.


This, plus what Connie said. That is also why Faffcon 10 is on my radar. If I happen to learn something that will be beneficial to my career, or am able to convey some information to somebody else that will be useful to theirs, that's a bonus.
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Bruce
Boardmeister


Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7921
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Personally I only want to go to Faffcons as they are the only peer driven (no overt sales) conference. It's meant for all levels of professionals, not just hungry wannabes. While I pick up a few "nuggets" here and there I consider it more of a professional vacation.... a validation for the career path I've chosen, mixing it up with others who have taken the same big risk of relying on one's nebulous performance skills alone.

I like us, the dedicated voiceoverists. We're special people.


B
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I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 12:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A FEW DAYS AGO SOMEONE FROM THE UK WAS IN LA TO TELL VOICE OVER PEOPLE HOW TO BREAK INTO THE UK VOICE OVER MARKET. SOMETHING THIS PERSON HAS SIGNALLY FAILED TO DO.

Yes, I'm shouting!
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melissa eX
MMD


Joined: 20 Oct 2007
Posts: 2781
Location: Lower Manhattan, New Amsterdam, the original NYC

PostPosted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

3 things.
1. What Connie said. The holiday party Trish puts on isn't huge but it's a bunch of us and a bunch of people new to the party having a good time. That's what it's about.

2. Faffcon. Nothing like it and I will miss it after 10. A mastermind session with 100 of your best friends.

3.
Quote:
eat drink and be merry
My favorite VOX story was told to me by someone who was there and stumbled across 2 guys on the floor flailing around. It took a few minutes for my friend to realize what they were doing was fighting, but they were too drunk to actually aim - or remain upright. That's what it's all about, Philip?
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from crime...to the divine(R)
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It WAS, but no longer. In the UK we have the Voiceover Network, Gravy for the brain and VOX. For the most part they are simply people selling Pom Poms to Cheerleaders who will never realise they do not have a football team.

Are they dishonest? No. The organisers are just trying to make a living. From me? No. I see no commercial value in what they offer
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