Oral Dilemmas
Did you ever sell your soul to the devil? Have you had serious doubts about taking on a certain project? Did you dare to say “No” to a fantastic deal, because you refused to compromise your integrity? Is that one particular campaign you worked on years ago, still haunting you?
DRAWING THE LINE
Doing voice-overs (or any freelance project for that matter) is not always a trouble-free ride into Shangri-La-la-land. Seriously, you could end up in a minefield of moral mazes, challenging the core of your identity. Let’s be more specific.
Say, you’ve had a rough couple of months. All of a sudden, the phone stopped ringing; you’ve been fighting and fishing for projects and had no bites. Is it you or is it the economy? The mortgage payment is coming up soon and you really need a new computer. Things aren’t looking good.
Then -out of the blue- you get an offer. Not just an offer. It’s a very, very lucrative, long-term contract to be the voice of… a cigarette brand. All your troubles could go up in smokes! All you have to do is sign on the dotted line. There’s only one tiny problem: your chain-smoking dad died from lung cancer, and you’ve always been a fervent non-smoker. What would you do?
Scenario number two. You’ve made it big and things are getting better and better. Your commercials can be heard in every single state, promoting that superstore with rock-bottom prices. It’s gotten to the point that, when you open your mouth, people immediately call out the name of that store. Annoying, but also flattering, in a bizarre way.
Then a terrible story hits the news: your chain is selling products that are put together by orphans who are working as malnourished slaves in some faraway land, seven days a week without any pay. All of a sudden, your voice is being associated with child labor and abuse.
So, do you cut your ties and your losses, or do you ride out the storm, knowing that this too will pass? After all, who else is going to pay for your glorious bathroom renovation?
MONEY OR MORALS
For some people in the business these situations pose no problem. They are proponents of the pragmatic approach. A job is a job. Money is money and the rest is irrelevant.
On the other side of the spectrum we have the folks who will never ever do a burger ad because they won’t touch a slab of meat with a ten foot pole. Where do you stand?
The ‘pragmatists’ will tell you to leave politics and principles at the studio door. Who cares if you don’t believe in a particular product? You’re an actor. It is your job to pretend. And if your conscience gets in the way of faking it, you have no business being in this business.
The ‘principalists’ will tell you the opposite. It would be disingenuous for a vegetarian to sing the praises of a local steakhouse. Could you do it? No matter how much you’d beef up your voice, how could you convincingly read what you feel’s not right? Well, maybe you can, but you won’t.
As someone once said: Just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to. But where to draw the line?
HIDDEN POTENTIAL
There’s one other complicating factor voice-over actors have to face: we are the masters of the disembodied vocal chords. We disappear into obscure whisper rooms. We cherish our anonymity. Some members of this tribe vehemently refuse to put a headshot on a demo for fear of ruining the magic and mystery of the faceless voice.
Being able to hide also opens up the road to Temptation Island. The anonymous can get away with pretty much anything. Movie stars have to think twice about the endorsements they say yes to. What if you’re selling a lipstick that was tested on sweet little innocent bunnies? Your anti-animal cruelty fans might start boycotting your movies, and that could be the beginning of the end of your career.
Voice-over job seekers are essentially hiders. But does having a low profile mean that it’s okay to throw ethics overboard, and do as we please without ever thinking about the consequences?
Could we possibly support a campaign against global warming on Monday, and promote that hideous gas-guzzler on Tuesday?
Is it okay to do a PSA for the NRA on Wednesday, and speak out on behalf of Mothers for Gun Control on Thursday?
Of course I just pulled these examples out of my hat, but I’d like to know what dilemmas you have had to struggle with.
When you’re bidding for a job, do you take the time to research the company to make sure it’s 100% kosher before you lend them your voice (or your pen)? Has your agent ever pushed you to do a gig you didn’t feel comfortable doing? Have you ever paid the price for refusing to compromise?
Time for me to sign off. I was just asked to do a commercial for a cruise liner, and even thinking about a ship stuffed with people stuffing themselves makes me seasick.
Get me out of these troubled waters, please!
Paul Strikwerda © 2009
PS Have you done a job for BP, lately?
