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VO2013 ATLANTA
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asnively
Triple G


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think we may have found a Faffer in the rough. Wink
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heyguido
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 12:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pretty perceptive for a noob.... Wink
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Don Brookshire
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Bish
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Joined: 22 Nov 2009
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm going to be very careful here as I do have a penchant for using irony, hyperbole, bathos, litotes and other big words that tend to obfuscate my point. I've even been know to be sarcastic on occasion. This doesn't always work in print (or with Americans).

So embracing the principles of the literal net... let me clearly say that I think there is a definite place for these type of voice conferences. They serve a purpose and will leave many attendees happy and ready to come back for more. Some well-respected working VOs will attend these functions and have a worthwhile takeaway. There is no doubt that they can have an appeal to the newer VO, who will view the panelists as aspirational figures and learn from them. They will also benefit from seeing a comparative selection of products available to them and the shared networking time with peers and vendors.

My criticisms are based on my own ambivalence, and my opinion that the market may be saturated. There has been a strong argument that the market is not saturated, and all that's left is my own "lack of perceived need"... and that, from a business point of view, is irrelevant.

I was trying to find a short, pithy way of describing FaffCon. If a regular conference is like a spectator sport (albeit with elements of audience participation at times), then FaffCon is like a game of Twister... stretching, participatory, full body-contact... and yes, sometimes a little embarrassing in a safe and fun way. FaffCamp should preserve a lot of these elements within the more structured format.

As for Ben... Don and I will hold him down while Faffy grabs his registration fee... that OK Amy? Smile
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Lee Gordon
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ben Amos wrote:

Having attended one Voiceover City event back in November, I can speak with a modicum of knowledge. This was an event that featured an extremely prominent local agent (Jeffrey Umberger), and we'd be reading for him.


This is not meant as anything other than a point of information for those who were not previously aware of it: Jeffrey Umberger was a particpant at the most recent Faffcon.
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heyguido
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You? Sarcastic? Nah.... Rolls Eyes

While FaffCamp may be a little more structured, I am encouraged by the fact that Faffy has built a certain amount of decidedly peer driven and interactive elements into the schedule, as well. Best of both worlds, perhaps?

As for Ben's registration fee, I think he can make up his own mind.... Seems to me he has already. Wink
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Ben Amos
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Joined: 18 Jun 2010
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 5:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lee Gordon wrote:
This is not meant as anything other than a point of information for those who were not previously aware of it: Jeffrey Umberger was a particpant at the most recent Faffcon.


In the interest of disclosure, since that November event, he's become my agent, and I couldn't ask for a better one!
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Philip Banks
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Joined: 20 Jun 2005
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 4:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Voice Over work is fast becoming the new Scientology ... Coming soon VOICE OT VIII ...Take your c'reer to THE level!
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VoiceoverCity



Joined: 16 Dec 2012
Posts: 18
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:43 pm    Post subject: Thanks to all.... Reply with quote

Now that I've had a month to catch my breath following VO2013 ATLANTA, I decided to check back here to see where the conversation ended. There were definitely some new remarks and comments since my last visit and that's a good thing.

One comment noted, rightly, that I am new to voiceover. I don't hide that fact at all. My background is more aligned with public speaking and communications versus voiceover. In the beginning, I used to think that was a bad thing. I'd listen to people saying that you can't teach people something you don't know, or that students shouldn't listen to people unless they were doing something professionally. Well, that may all have some truth to it, but it doesn't apply to me.

My role, as I see it is to seek out the most productive and talented people in the business and make them accessible to anyone interested in learning the trade. If there's something people in my market area aren't getting, I'll work my but off to find it, make it accessible to them, and follow up to see that they got what they were looking for.

When I decided to take on the planning of VO2013 ATLANTA, I was told I should wait 3-4 years before trying such a thing. I didn't listen and from the surveys I've received, people got a lot out of the conference, met a lot of new friends/peers, learned a lot from the presenters, and more.

As I'm sure Amy (Faffy) can tell you, very few people know the amount of time and effort that goes into planning one of these things. It's not for the faint of heart. Even so, I love every minute of it and look forward to doing it again.

You wont find me promising them anything other than my best effort to connect them with the most well respected resources in the industry to help them achieve their goals through a balanced approach to the business. In VoiceoverCity, everyone is encouraged to understand how to give their best (P)erformance, understand the (P)rofession, connect and build lasting relationships with (P)eople, and understand how to best utilize the (P)roducts and services available to them. Those are the Four-P's and everyone that comes around VoiceoverCity hears about them often.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. While I can't say that I always agreed with it, I can say that it gave me a moment to evaluate what I've done and am doing to make it the very best I could. Given the event's success, I'd say you helped in your own special way. So, thank you.

Smile
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VoiceoverCity



Joined: 16 Dec 2012
Posts: 18
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

PostPosted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:03 pm    Post subject: Response to Ben Amos concerning VO2013 ATLANTA Reply with quote

Okay, I couldn't resist responding to something Ben shared in his post. (See below)

"Voiceover City's founding makes more of a Don King, boxing promoter relationship to voiceover than a talent/coach/teacher one based in cold, hard experience. My universal rule of being lead is that I'll do anything in the world you ask me to do, so long as you know more than me."

Ben comes back and adds in a later post....

"In the interest of disclosure, since that November event, he's become my agent, and I couldn't ask for a better one!"

So, let me get this right..... The organization that's akin to Don King put together an event presented by a very well know local agent. The attendee (Ben) when on to sign with and says he 'couldn't ask for a better one!"

Judging by that, I would say the organization did EXACTLY what it says it does; "Connects people with resources" I don't hold myself or my organization out as being the expert. That's why I seek out the best in the business and bring them in so that THEY can be the experts in the field in which they work.

As for the comment about $10 dollars to attend a local music store, that's not what the money was for. We normally have Real-Food at our meetings which is where the money goes. In this case, there weren't too many people, so I refunded all their monies and we went out to eat at a local diner.

One last thing, we had people from 27 different states at VO2013 ATLANTA Plus Bermuda with Representatives from CNN, Turner Broadcasting, Tyler Perry Studios, and several local agencies. The favorite question being......"What are the dates for the next one." Go Atlanta!!!



Ben Amos wrote:
Something that I found to be interesting, and I'm sure that the post-mortem statistics will be equally fascinating is the turnout of local (ATL) voice talent. I'm not claiming to have my finger on the pulse of the Atlanta voiceover community, but I'm plugged in enough. I don't claim to have any relevant sample size, but I can attest to the "meh" factor being pretty high among folks that I know that are working professionals, here.

Having attended one Voiceover City event back in November, I can speak with a modicum of knowledge. This was an event that featured an extremely prominent local agent (Jeffrey Umberger), and we'd be reading for him. It stated that it wasn't for beginners. I know for certain that there were two of us in the room who had successfully booked paying work out of about 15 people. If four had demos, I'd be shocked. Everyone else in attendance had been told that they "had a good voice." (If that's not entirely accurate to a person, it's damned near close). To this point, I've been on their email list to check out upcoming dates, but when the next event is a field trip to a local music store, to the tune of $10 just for the privilege? I don't envision that there are other VO City events in my future. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not for me.

When it was first announced, I admit that the presenter lineup certainly caught my attention. (Anybody who knows the A-list names in the business could see that). What stopped me from considering it further, however, was the fact that I'm much better served by taking that $547 and spending it on one-on-one time with Nancy Wolfson or Pat Fraley than I am to experience a veritable Whitman's Sampler of VO Who's Who. Don't get me wrong, there's not a single headliner that hasn't forgotten more than I'll likely ever know about the industry, but I know that my own learning style is such that with where I am in my career, I'll benefit far more from any one instructor's focused attention than a sliver of all of their times in a convention setting. (Besides, Bob Bergen is coming to Atlanta in June, and if I'm prioritizing, that takes the cake).

As all things VO, it's a case of "Your Mileage May Vary." It's up to everyone to know themselves well enough to identify where they are in their journey. I do find the bulk of Voiceover City's clientele to be what seems a disproportionate number of folks "exploring" the business. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, and we were all there at some point. Had this event happened a few years ago, when I was beginning my formal training, I would've been foaming at the mouth to attend, but I question my readiness to have been able to handle the enriched uranium-level of knowledge that Nancy Wolfson has to offer when my own skull was capable of a single candlelight at best. For me to attended as a newbie would be squirrel hunting with an elephant gun. Total overkill for where I was in my career.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this is an industry lynchpin in the making. I do find it interesting that no one has mentioned that Gerald has no experience in the voiceover industry, which is certainly not a prerequisite, but I've never known it to hurt. (Even most coaches that aren't talent were agents, CDs, etc). Voiceover City's founding makes more of a Don King, boxing promoter relationship to voiceover than a talent/coach/teacher one based in cold, hard experience. My universal rule of being lead is that I'll do anything in the world you ask me to do, so long as you know more than me.
Wizard Explode Explode Explode Inoccent
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Gerald Griffith
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Ben Amos
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Joined: 18 Jun 2010
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know you're not taking credit for my signing with an agent just because you reserved a conference room... That clearly cannot be what I read.
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VoiceoverCity



Joined: 16 Dec 2012
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Location: Atlanta, Georgia

PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your work, talent, and effort got you signed with an agent.

My point was that you shouldn't cast a shadow on my efforts to connect people with resources that help them further their efforts while at the same time benefiting from the very type of connection I strive to make.

In the end, your signing with an agent is on you. Congrats. I just wished you had spent your time sharing how you came into meeting this wonderful agent through an organization that works hard to make those kinds of connections possible.

Ben Amos wrote:
I know you're not taking credit for my signing with an agent just because you reserved a conference room... That clearly cannot be what I read.

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Ben Amos
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, you don't get to take credit for that, either. He's been on my radar since he launched UA, after leaving People Store. I was told by a screen actor friend from high school (People Store) to look him up as soon as I had my demos. I had already been working with Jeffrey on a provisional basis before the event at GPB. We'd missed each other at two separate private parties, previously. I didn't actually sign with him for another four months afterward. The VOC event was the first opportunity I'd had to meet him in person.

My issue with the purpose of the organization is the apparent cart-horse inversion that runs the risk of postponing/endangering/derailing someone's VO career by getting them too well-connected, too quickly. You can think it ridiculous, but this is a pitfall that seasoned talent are aware of that someone from outside the industry wouldn't be. Getting in front of an agent before you're ready can cause immeasurable harm to your career. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. At the event in November, over half of the people who walked up to the mic to have Jeffrey direct them had never even been to a single coaching session. If there were THREE people in the room who were in a position to be trying to get in front of an agent with a chance at signing, I'd be shocked. While the event was advertised as being for working VO talent, it's my opinion that it was patently dishonest to take the money of the attendees who were in the exploratory phase of their VO "career." Do some follow-up later, if you're still doing this, and find out how many "VO Citizens" actually go on to get professional coaching, and how fewer than those book paying work, much less are able to earn representation.

Look, the universal rule of entrepreneurship is find a need, and meet it. I get that. The opportunities for VO training in Atlanta beyond demo production and basic coaching are sorely lacking in comparison to NYC and LA. There is some danger in trying to be everything to everyone in Atlanta voiceover, however. The mix & match of attempting to cater simultaneously to working pros and folks that have been told they have a good voice isn't possible. There's nothing wrong with trying focus on the folks that are looking to get started. That's certainly the lion's share of your clientele. Just understand that if you choose that path, you're assuming a degree of responsibility for their development. Putting a room full of people that have stars in their eyes in front of one of the top agents in town that have never stood behind a mic before is flat-out irresponsible - I don't care how well-intentioned it is, or how sincere your desire to make sure folks are "connected."
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todd ellis
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i just read through this whole thread (yes, i'm waiting for something to render) and
Quote:
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

is the most profound & wholly true statement in it.

someone asked me to produce a demo for them just last week. they were told they had a nice voice ... and they do ... like 10 bazillion other people. she is NOT ready to send a demo to anyone. she is NOT ready to ask a client for work.

Quote:
Getting in front of an agent before you're ready can cause immeasurable harm to your career.


also true.
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Lee Gordon
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Joined: 25 Jul 2008
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.


Well, you do, but it has to be with somebody else.
Rolls Eyes
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Diane Maggipinto
Spreading Snark Worldwide


Joined: 03 Mar 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lee Gordon wrote:
Quote:
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.


Well, you do, but it has to be with somebody else.
Rolls Eyes


i'm just replying with other posts in quotes because it seems this page calls for it.
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