Etymology is the study of the origin of words. If you love language the way I do, you probably love looking into its history. Delving into the deeper meaning of the things that come out of our mouths is as revealing as it is rewarding.
Take the word competition. To most people it is synonymous with rivalry or a fight to outdo another; a race that can only have one winner and lots of losers. It’s Darwin’s theory in a nutshell.
It wasn’t always understood like that.
The word competition comes from the latin verb competere. Com meaning ‘together’ and petere ‘to strive or seek’. Hundreds of years ago, competition actually meant ‘to strive or come together’ or even ‘to agree’.
Whenever people tell me that the voice-over business is getting more and more competitive, I prefer to think of it in terms of the original meaning of the word.
Ideally, it should be about amicable cooperation and not about bitter confrontation. We shouldn’t be at each others’ throats. Instead, we have to strive together…. but for what exactly?
To me the answer is simple: to further our field and make this a profession we’re proud to be part of. The way to do that is to set and live by the highest standards, both professionally and ethically.
In a world where the lowest (and cheapest) common denominator often seems to win the day, this is not a popular message. Our culture promotes and rewards passive consumption, and it excels in upholding minimum standards. Take a look around you. Everywhere, highly skilled craftsmen have been replaced by robots and cheesy prefab.
Quality calls for experience, dedication, patience and passion. It’s so much easier to be average. Mediocrity can be phoned in. It doesn’t require effort, enthusiasm or attention to detail. It doesn’t ask for sacrifice, continued education or for high-end equipment.
Perhaps I’m prejudiced, but I see no pride in delivering a perfunctory performance or an ordinary product. There’s absolutely no value in that.
Some will say that today’s culture of coasting is a result of people playing it safe. If you ask me, it’s based on laziness, carelessness and fear.
If you never stick your neck out, you won’t get hurt, but you won’t rise above the rest either.
Do you know anyone who has ever reached the top of his or her game by playing it safe?
It’s only good for preventing two things: accidents and unwanted pregnancies.
ADDING VALUE
Two weeks ago, I promised to get back to the topic of adding value in voice-overs. At this point you might expect a top 10 of the best tips on how to increase your worth as a voice-over artist. Any blogger will tell you that readers love numbered lists. But without the right frame of mind, these tips could easily turn into tricks. Tricks are for circus animals and con artists.
When discussing value, we need to talk about your motivation first. So, let me ask you this:
What drives you to be in this business?
Fame? Fun? Fortune? Fulfillment?
I’m sure you can come up with some other f-words.
Please don’t just read on, but take a few moments to really answer the question. But think of it, not so much in terms of what you hope to get out of it, but in terms of what you’re willing to put into it.
You don’t need Dr. Phil to tell you that the more you’re prepared to give, the more you’re likely to get.
Eventually.
Back to the question.
What drives you to be in this business?
Write down five to seven things that immediately come to mind. Don’t censor or analyze them. Just jot them down.
Now, let’s go one level deeper and ask ourselves:
What determines what people are willing to give (and give up), in order to get something that’s valuable to them?
That -of course- depends on what’s important to them, how important it is to them and why. Ultimately, this is determined by their values.
Values are the intangible things we really care about; they are the fundamental principles we live by, and they’re often compressed into abstract words such as honesty, integrity, health, love or liberty. Most of us take these notions for granted and never really think about what drives us deep down inside.
We’re motivated by things that matter to us most.
If I were to use some psycho-babble I’d say: Values provide an upfront motivation and an after-the-fact evaluation of the things we do and the choices we make in any context of our life.
Take the value of being truthful. As with all values, it can mean different things to different people. To my friend Fred it primarily means being truthful to himself. He’s a Democrat and he’d never do a voice-over for a campaign ad for a Republican candidate, no matter how much it would pay. Principles are more important than money.
To my friend Julie, being truthful means being truthful to her art, which she translates to being as convincing as possible when reading copy, whether it’s written by a Democrat, a Republican or a Libertarian.
Julie loves taking on challenging projects, and she has no problem putting her own political persuasions aside. As long as she can sound as if she totally means what she says, she’ll happily take the money. After all, she’s just playing a role. She doesn’t have to vote Republican.
NO RESPECT
Fred and Julie have noticed something else. Every time they felt uncomfortable or uncertain about a job or their performance, it usually had to do with their values.
Julie wasn’t at all happy with the condescending way a director had treated her in one of her last sessions. She made good money but it came at a hefty price. Afterwards she told me: “I’ll never work with that man again, no matter how much he’d pay me.”
Not so long ago, Fred was offered a project that seemed to be made for him, and the client agreed. “Finally, there’s someone who recognizes what I’m capable of,” Fred said to me, right after his audition. But as soon as he saw what the client was willing to offer for his services, he felt offended.
It turned out that for both Julie and Fred, the value of respect was very important. Julie felt disrespected by the rude director, and Fred felt insulted by the rate they offered him.
When core values are violated, people draw the line.
Now, how does all this digging into our psyche relate to adding value in voice-overs? I’ll tell you.
Before considering the additional benefits you think you can offer your clients, you have to value what you bring to the table first (and I don’t necessarily mean in a monetary way).
It works a bit like self-esteem. You will never be able to convince others that you believe in yourself, if that timid voice inside of you doesn’t believe a word of it. At best, you’d be sending mixed signals. Here’s an example.
The worst salespeople are those who don’t believe that their product is worth the asking price. They start apologizing right off the bat, and most of them don’t even realize they’re doing it. They give themselves away by using innocent words like usually or normally, when discussing their rate or price. Here’s what they might say:
“I usually charge….” or “Normally, this would sell for…”
What’s the not so hidden message here, and how would you respond?
How about this: “So, you’d normally charge $350, right? Well, what can you do for me today?”
And so the salesman steps into the hole that he just dug for himself by using one revealing word.
As long as he isn’t convinced of the value of what he has to offer, you can forget about teaching this old dog new tricks.
In the past, colleagues have come up to me and said: “Interesting concept, Paul, but this doesn’t really apply to me. I’m a voice-over actor. Not a sales person.”
To them I say: “Believe it or not, you ARE in sales. It is your job as an independent contractor to negotiate the best terms and the best price for your services.
Secondly, as an actor it is your job to sell your character to me as convincingly as you can. If you don’t believe you can pull that role off, don’t waste your time. I’ll be able to tell within a matter of seconds.”
Your actions and your results start with what you value. It all begins with what’s important to you and why.
People who truly value what they bring to the table state their price with conviction and then shut up. And you know what? These people are more likely to get what they’re asking for. They know that quality knows no shortcuts or compromises.
If you’re committed to furthering the field and make this a profession you’re proud to be part of, I hereby challenge you to raise your standards and increase your value in the year to come.
On my way to Las Vegas, I popped in a Tony Robbins tape from his Personal Power series.
Tony Robbins is a hugely successful motivational speaker, trainer and writer. If you have a million dollars, he’ll give you his private number and you may call him 365 days a year for a private coaching session.
People either love him or hate him. Those who hate him are usually put off by his hyped up, in your face presentation style. Those who love him are pumped up by his towering presence and contagious enthusiasm, whether it’s on CD, during a live seminar or on TV.
Robbins built his career on the study of success. Following in the footsteps of NLP-creators Bandler and Grinder, he developed a toolbox based on what he called Neuro Associative Conditioning (NAC). It’s a mix of positive attitudes, beliefs and strategies that help people design and live the life they’ve always dreamt of.
MODELING THE MIND
At the basis of NLP and NAC is the process of modeling. I’m not talking about the catwalk in Milan, but about the study of exceptional people: business tycoons, sports icons, therapists, artists etcetera.
The idea is that these people -in order to achieve something extraordinary- have set themselves up for success. They have carefully (and often unconsciously) conditioned themselves to accomplish astonishing things. Modeling is all about uncovering and learning from what goes on behind the scenes: what instructions do these people give their brains and bodies?
Take Steve Jobs, Richard Branson or Oprah Winfrey. None of them seemed to be destined for greatness. Jobs was given up for adoption by a Syrian Muslim. Branson suffers from dyslexia and was academically challenged. Winfrey was born into poverty to a teenage single mother and raised in an inner-city neighborhood.
Look at what they have accomplished!
What is the secret to their success? Is there a recipe? Can it be broken down into bits and pieces and taught to mere mortals such as you and me? Robbins believes it can be done, and one of the key ingredients of this recipe for success can be captured in a single word:
M I N D S E T
You might not be able to choose the cards life has dealt you, but at least you control how you approach and play the game. Your mindset is the filter through which you look at reality and interpret what it means to you and which actions to take.
A mindset is not something you were born with that operates outside of your awareness. A mindset is a choice. You determine whether the glass is half empty or half full. Not your mother or father or teacher or upbringing or education or race or any set of circumstances.
What separates Winfrey, Branson and Jobs from the rest, is a foundation of empowering beliefs.
An empowering belief is the difference between looking at the world in terms of problems or in terms of opportunities.
An empowering belief is the difference between looking at obstacles as roadblocks or as stepping-stones.
An empowering belief is the difference between “I’ll never be able to do it” and “Yes I can!”
WHAT DRIVES YOU
As I was cruising through the dry Nevada desert, Robbins talked about another powerful principle he had modeled. Whether in sports, politics, business or in the entertainment industry, all leaders had this in common: they knew the difference between being interested and being committed.
The interested person is merely exploring options.
The committed person is going for it.
The interested person says: “I’d like to,” “I’m thinking of,” “It would be nice…”
The committed person says: “This is my path,” “This is my passion,” “Nothing can stop me.”
The interested person reactively responds to opportunities.
The committed person pro-actively creates opportunities.
The interested person is not invested in the outcome.
The committed person does whatever it takes to achieve the outcome.
The interested person is conditioned to “trying”.
The committed person is conditioned to “doing”.
The interested person always has reasons.
The committed person has results.
STOP WHINING
When I look at my own voiceover community, I hear a lot of whining and complaining about how hard it is to break into the business and earn a living. Reading between the lines, I notice an undeserved sense of entitlement and lack of respect for what it takes to make it. Sorry folks…
There are no silver platters, silver bullets
or golden shortcuts to the top
It comes down to this: what are YOU willing to DO to build a solid career and live a meaningful life?
Are you merely interested or are you truly committed?
Of course you’re entitled to your hopes, your dreams and aspirations. Don’t let me take them away from you. But it’s up to you to make them a reality.
It’s nice to be ‘interested’ in something and fantasize about your future. I’m all for creative visualization. But without ACTION a dream will always be a dream; something you intend to do… one day. And you know what they say about the road that’s paved with good intentions.
According to Robbins, successful role models know how to turn those intentions into a ‘magnificent obsession’. They channel their energy and focus it like a laser beam. To the rest of the world, it looks like these people are working their butts off, but to them it doesn’t even feel like work. They’re having the best time of their life!
Committed people don’t let things happen. They make things happen.
Committed people don’t complain about something. They do something about it.
Committed people don’t quit. They learn from experience and move on.
Commitment is a solemn agreement you make with yourself to do everything it takes to achieve a goal, and then some.
STARTING OVER
If you’re sick and tired of all the excuses and rationalizations, the if’s, the but’s and the maybe’s… perhaps you are ready to commit yourself and decide that your time has come.
If that’s the case, I have a question for you. Don’t answer it until you have fully considered it.
What’s the one thing you can do today, to show the world (and yourself) that you’re truly, madly and deeply committed?
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” from Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking-Glass”
One sunny day, a fishmonger put up the following sign:
TODAY: FRESH FISH
One of his first customers said to him: “What’s this sign I see? You only have fresh fish today?”
“Of course not,” said the fishmonger. “I have fresh fish every day. You’ve been coming here for the past eight years. You know that.”
“Then why did you write: Today: Fresh Fish? That’s confusing,” said the customer.
So the fishmonger erased the word TODAY.
An hour later another customer questioned him about the sign:
“Why does it say ‘Fresh Fish’? Isn’t your fish always fresh? Or have you been selling me unfresh fish all these years?”
“Of course not,” answered the fishmonger a bit annoyed. “Each day I go to the harbor at the crack of dawn and buy my fish straight from the men who caught it. It can’t get any fresher than that.”
“Then why did you write: Fresh Fish? That’s confusing,” said the customer.
So the fishmonger erased the word FRESH. “I don’t get these people,” he mumbled. “Wasn’t it obvious what I was trying to say?”
ASSUMPTIONS
Our life is filled with unspoken assumptions. The obvious does not need to be stated, does it? If we hold that to be true, we’re forgetting one thing:
What’s obvious to one person might not be obvious to another person.
Language in and of itself is vague, inadequate and ambiguous, and therefore up for interpretation. If you have any doubts about that, talk to theologians or lawyers. In both cases you often need divine intervention to get them to agree on anything, even if they speak the same language.
Polish-American scientist and philosopher Alfred Korzybski (1879–1950) is the developer of what he called “General Semantics”. Simply put, this refers to the study of how you and I react to our environment or an event, and how we derive meaning from it.
Korzybski coined the phrase “The map is not the territory,” meaning that a word is not what it defines (the territory), but merely a symbolic representation of it (the map). That’s why we don’t get wet from the word water. Here’s the problem: if we don’t know what the territory looks like, how on earth can we know what the map refers to?
Take Nike’s famous trademark “Just do it”.
Without knowing anything about it, would you have any idea what these three words stand for? For instance: what is “it”? And if we don’t know what “it” is, how are we supposed to know how to “do” “it”? It could mean a million things, and we’re supposed to “just” do them? Forget it!
Let’s move away from fishy advertising and “just do” a little experiment. Take this simple sentence:
“We only have a small budget.”
That’s plain English, isn’t it? But what does it really mean? Do we have enough information to know what the writer intended it to mean?
If you say “yes” to the question, please tell me what you think it means and what you are basing it on. If you say “no,” tell me what is missing.
I have a feeling that you’ve seen this sentence before. I will also go as far as to imagine that every day, freelancers like you and me allow these six words to influence the bids they put in, to win a project. Am I right?
In order to truly know what the client means by “We only have a small budget,” a lot of blanks need to be filled in. First of all: who is “we”? Is it a client? And if so, who is this client? Donald Trump? I bet you anything that what “the Donald,” considers to be small, will forever redefine your meaning of the word!
My voiceover agent sometimes sends me five hundred-dollar jobs and apologizes for the “small budget”. To some, five hundred dollars might be a huge step up from the hundred-dollar jobs they’ve been auditioning for, just to break into the business. But considering the fact that this client is a key retailer and that the job involves all major markets and a six-year buyout, five hundred bucks is very low pay.
It’s all relative, relatively speaking.
DEFINING MEANING
By giving you these examples, what did I just do?
I provided you with some context.
The meaning of words is not only determined by what you find in the dictionary. It is defined by the setting and circumstances in which they are used. In fact, dictionary editors define the meaning of words by studying the context in which they appear. They even come up with sentences in which a word is used to illustrate its meaning.
But let’s assume that little or no context is provided. What do we usually do to attempt to understand the words we read or hear?
We start making things up. Believe it or not, there’s a mindreader in all of us! To me, this is where things get really interesting. On what exactly do we base our uninformed guesses?
I remember the first time I drove on an American highway and saw a sign that said RAMP. I must confess that I had no idea what it meant (for first-time readers: I’m originally from The Netherlands).
In an attempt to understand its meaning, my mind started making associations based on my personal frame of reference. In Dutch, the word RAMP means DISASTER! Till this very day, I get uncomfortable whenever I see that sign.
Without a clear context and without the ability to ask any questions, we generally base our understanding on speculation, which in turn is based on our subjective experience. In other words: the way you interpret “we only have a small budget,” will tell us a lot about you and next to nothing about the person who wrote it. This gets us into trouble all the time.
As a service provider it is not supposed to be about us. It’s about what the client wants to see and needs to hear. But clients typically hand out maps and leave it to us to second-guess what their territory is supposed to look or sound like.
They’ll tell you:
“I don’t know how to describe to you what I want, but I know it when I hear it. As long as you try to sound warm but professional…. If you know what I mean.”
No I don’t know what you mean. How could I? We don’t even know each other. Sometimes I don’t even understand my wife, and I think that I know her better than most people.
MISUNDERSTANDING
Now, do you still wonder why you didn’t land that ‘warm and professional’ gig?
Could it be, because you were led by your own assumptions? Did you forget to ask critical questions, or were you unable or not allowed to contact the client and get some context?
Beginners often wonder: “If only I could get some feedback after the fact. That would give me some idea as to why my audition was rejected.”
I think it would be much more helpful to get some perspective before the fact; some sense of direction. Dump the vague and ambiguous verbiage. If you don’t tell us what you want, how are we supposed to give it to you? I know that words are inadequate ways of describing an experience, but can you at least try a little harder?
Meanwhile, we have a new debate in voiceover land. Following last year’s National Voice Over Appreciation Month, my colleague Dave Courvoisier has dedicated this September to “Voice Over Awareness Today”. There’s a logo. There’s a website. And each week there’s a new question. Those who answer it, could win a prize.
I applaud Dave’s ingenuity and creativity, but already questions have been raised about the meaning and purpose of a month devoted to “Voice Over Awareness”.
Dave writes that he wants to “celebrate the business of Voice Overs, and to find some collective wisdom.” (…) VOAToday seeks to elicit simple information easily shared, and makes it available for all to see.”
“I think good VO is probably a lot like good acting: If you’re aware that someone is doing it, then they’re probably not doing it very well. Whether or not acknowledgment comes from a job well done SHOULD be irrelevant – as long as the check clears.”
As you can see, the map is not the territory. I’m sure you’re aware of that by now.
How would you define “Voice Over Awareness” and why would we need it Today?
Isn’t Dave in a way a bit like the fishmonger and his sign? Speaking of which, let’s go back to the story.
TODAY: FRESH FISH
After erasing the first two words, the fishmonger stared at the sign that now read “FISH”.
That should do it, he thought.
No one can argue with that.
He was ready to go inside when a boy walked up to him. He had a ten-dollar bill in his hand.
“Sir, sir…” the boy said, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course,” said the fishmonger. “What can I help you with, young man?”
The boy looked at him with big, hopeful eyes.
“Sir, I just saw your sign and I was wondering: do you sell goldfish?”
The fishmonger made a gesture of utter exasperation.
People are completely clueless, he thought.
Then he took a damp sponge and erased the word FISH.
“I will give you my personal prediction on what will implode first: Blogs containing information that serves no one but the writer, and his/her inner circle without fact-checking.” Steven Lowell
The dust has finally settled.
Give it a few months, and last week’s discussion will rise out of the ashes and begin a new life somewhere else.
Same topic. Different voices, perhaps.
Steven’s remark about self-serving blogs and bloggers did make me think about my vision for Double Dutch. Believe it or not: I have one, and you can find it on the About & Contact page that no one ever reads. I know, because my analytics tell me exactly which pages attract most traffic. Here are the opening words:
DOUBLE DUTCH is a platform and playground for ideas, dialogue and discourse about things personal and professional related but not limited to voice-overs and freelancing.
That covers pretty much everything, doesn’t it? Now, let me also tell you what it is not.
This blog is not some grand podium built to glorify my personal accomplishments or to sell Mr. Strikwerda’s amazing pipes. Why would anyone want to read about that? Not me!
If you’re interested in the technical side of voiceovers, you have to look elsewhere too. Although I’m fascinated with the tools of the trade, I am not a gearhead or audio specialist. I don’t receive free products from companies, take them out of the box, dangle them in front of a camera and post it as a “review”.
It’s true, I did write a series about building my voice-over booth on a budget, but I did not seek or receive any compensation for mentioning products, manufacturers or stores.
This blog is not a source of fair and unbiased industry news either.
In essence, Double Dutch is nothing but a blog revolving around one man and his ideas and experiences, and a bunch of friends who like to chime in, every once in a while. If you’re looking for objective, investigative journalism, you’ve come to the wrong place.
Just like a lot of other stuff you’ll read online or in the papers, my articles are usually a mix of subjective opinion based on personal selection and interpretation of data. If you’d like to fact-check my sources, all you need to do is click on a few links, embedded in the articles.
Nobody has to agree with anything I write. My readers are intelligent enough to understand that it would be foolish to generalize my personal stories and turn them into an overall verdict on the issue at hand.
I don’t consider myself to be an authority or expert. My opinion is one of many, and one quick look at Bob Souer’s blog roll will tell you that I’m certainly not the only blogger in this voiceover town. Of course I’m tickled to see that some people seem to care about what I have to say, but that’s as far as it goes.
I strive to inform, I attempt to entertain and yes… I also like to rock the boat every once in a while. As a voiceover professional, it is my job to be outspoken. I don’t feel comfortable standing on the sidelines.
Unlike Steven Lowell, I am not a paid spokesperson for a company. I don’t pretend to proclaim and promote an objective, universal truth. This is my personal platform and I can be as passionate and opinionated as I want. I represent no one but myself.
So, why do I take a day out of every week to write this blog?
The short answer: Because I feel like it.
The moment it becomes just another chore, I will stop and take up billiards or Bingo.
Here’s another reason: I love to write and I think I have something to say that -at times- is moderately insightful and interesting. At least, that’s what my readers keep on telling me.
As you may know, most of my stories start out as simple Notes to Self. The series about building a voice-over studio is a perfect example.
It took me many months before I was ready to start building my own studio. During that time, I had compiled a wealth of information and I thought it might be useful to share it with you. Now it’s available as a booklet and most of the proceeds go to a very good cause. Sharing is important to me.
Over the years, I have benefited so much from the kindness, knowledge and insights of friends and colleagues. I wouldn’t be where I am today, had it not been for their advice and encouragement. In a way, I am repaying my debt to them by publishing this blog.
Thanks to Double Dutch, I’ve also made countless new friends from all corners of this planet. Many of them won’t publicly comment on my articles, but each and every week they email me with questions and observations.
As far as the future goes, I’m branching out. Most of you already know that I write on all things international for Internet Voice Coach. I also conduct interviews with colleagues across the globe.
Recently, I started recording three-minute vignettes for the International Freelancers Academy on building your business. There’s also a book on the way.
I’m not telling you this to impress you. Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn if you think this is impressive or not. The fact is, I love my work and I love writing about it.
As long as I still have music in me, I will continue to sing my songs.
And if people think it’s just a bunch of blah-blah, they’ll find other blogs to read, and Double Dutch will eventually implode.
You’d think that voice-over pros always have something to talk about, but what happens when someone’s not feeding them any lines?
Would they still have something interesting to say, or would they be less vocal without a mic and a script?
Well, judging by the sheer length of Bob Souer’s blog roll (it’s as long as the Great Wall of China), we can’t seem to shut up.
And if we cannot talk, we must type.
Take me, for instance. You know I can’t stop yammering, and I am sure I’m not alone. Why is that? Is there really that much to blabber and blog about?
Yes, there isn’t!
MOO!
I’ve come to the conclusion that VO-Pros and cows have one thing in common: they are ruminants. Most ruminants have four stomachs.
The first stomach chamber (the “rumen”) is the chamber in which large amounts of food are stored and softened. Once it is processed, it is regurgitated and chewed and digested again in different chambers.
At the end there’s only one thing left: bullsh*t.
What I just have described is the recycling of supposedly “hot voice-over topics” you and I like to ruminate about. Every year, the same issues and trends resurface, and they are milked and milked until there’s nothing left but utter claptrap.
Here is my shortlist of some of the most boring issues of our business:
PC or Mac?
Are Pay-to-Plays worth the money?
ISDN: must or rust?
Do real pros only use ProTools?
Headphones or no headphones?
Do you perform better while sitting, standing up or laying down?
Could a headshot help or hurt your voice-over career?
Steven Lowell.
My mic is better than your mic.
Union or Non-Union?
Should I slate or watermark my demo?
Social Media: indispensable tools or magnificent distraction?
What did Stephanie Ciccarelli have for lunch?
How to succeed in voice-overs without really trying.
What would Don LaFontaine do?
Remedies for dry mouth and sore throat.
Harlan Hogan’s next big Porta-something.
Do egg cartons really help soundproof a room?
Joan Baker in a bikini.
Are celebrities stealing our business?
Is it “voice-over” or “voiceover”?
Why isn’t there an Oscar or an Emmy for Best Narrator?
Why Ted Williams?
What the heck is “neutral English”?
How many “followers” and “friends” does one need in order to be deemed relevant?
Don’t talk to me about reasonable rates. It’s just beer money.
What’s up with Elizabeth Grattan?
When does self-promotion become spamming?
Steven Lowell in a bikini.
MEA CULPA
I will be the first one to admit that I have sinned by writing about some of these topics myself. That’s why I solemnly vow to not behave like a cow. For my own sanity and yours, I will seek out greener pastures and find more exciting things to write about, and I challenge you to do the same.
Rumination might be good for our bovine friends, but “obsessive or abnormal reflection upon an idea or deliberation over a choice” may lead to depression in humans, says Yale University psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, PhD. Rumination may also weaken thinking and problem-solving, and drive away critical social support.
In other words, by chewing over the stories of the past, we might actually un-enlighten and isolate ourselves. That must be the last thing any serious blogger would hope to achieve.
Ruminating is not illuminating.
Having said that, here’s your last chance to list your favorite voice-over non-issue in the comment section below.
Once you get it out of your system, take a vow of abstinence and promise to never write about it again… unless you can’t help yourself.
This is the first part of a story, delicately dedicated to those freelancers that have taken up the competitive sport of “lowballing.”
SNOW EVERYWHERE…and Max was in the thick of it. His client was expecting him within the hour, and he was all dressed up but couldn’t go anywhere.
This was the account he had been grooming for months, and today was D-Day: Deal or No Deal. Snow or no snow. He had to get out of that airport.
“This is the worst snow storm we’ve seen in decades,” said the dispatcher. No cab driver is going to go anywhere today. I’m afraid you’re on your own. Max headed out anyway. Perhaps he could hitch a ride with one of the other passengers that was being picked up by brave friends or family members.
As the snow was coming down, visibility was at a minimum. All flights were canceled until further notice. Just as Max was about to head back inside, a black SUV came out if nowhere and stopped at the pick-up spot. The driver rolled the window down:
“Need a ride?”
“How did you know?” said Max, as he hopped in. “I have to get to my presentation. Are you here to pick somebody up?”
“No one in particular,” said the driver. “But I’d be happy to take you.”
“Well, that’s awfully nice of you,” said Max. “Thank God for Good Samaritans.”
“Dream on,” said the driver. “It’s going to be one hundred dollars. Cash only.”
“You must be joking,” replied Max. “They said a cab would cost me no more than ten.”
“Well, why don’t you get a cab then?” asked the driver. “I’ll go and rescue some other grey suit in a hurry.”
“I’ll offer you 50,” tried Max.”
“Listen,” said the driver. “You look like a smart businessman. You and I, we don’t run charities. We’re both entrepreneurs. We see an opportunity. We jump on it. We take risks. Today I am risking my life and my car just so you can get to your meeting. That must be worth something, don’t you think?
“How about 60?”
“You don’t get it, do you?” said the driver. “My economics teacher taught me: ‘When something is scarce, it becomes more valuable.’ You have a major problem. I am offering you a solution. No one else will. If you want to stay, you’ve got to pay.”
“70?”
“Think of it this way,” sighed the driver. “This meeting you want me to take you to, must be important, right? Otherwise, why bother? Is there a lot of money at stake?”
“You got that right,” answered Max impatiently. “I’ve got one shot to seal the deal.”
“Well,” said the driver, “It’s none of my business, but what’s 100 bucks compared to the money you’ll bring in after that contract is signed?”
“Alright,” said Max as he took out the cash. “I get it. Now, drive!”
While the SUV was battling the elements, Max looked at his chauffeur and said: “I gotta give it to you, man. You know what you’re worth and you’re not afraid to ask for it.
Some ten years ago, when Max started his freelance business, he had had such a hard time putting a price on the service he was providing. To help him focus, his startup coach had asked him a couple of simple questions:
Do you consider yourself to be a pro?
Do you want to run a for-profit business?
Do you want that business to grow?
What are the costs of running that business?
What’s your break-even point?
How much do you want to make?
In the past, Max had always treated his services as a hobby. That’s exactly what it was. There was no plan. No purpose. Just a passion. He spent hours and hours helping people and never worried about what to charge. That is, until he lost his day job, his benefits and his security. Perhaps this was an opportunity to turn his hobby into a real business. That’s when things got serious and complicated.
“Here’s the good news,” smiled his coach. “You’ve got clients, don’t you? I mean, you’ve been helping friends all along. If you want to turn your hobby into a genuine profession, why not start close to home. You obviously offer something people want. You already have a market… Go for it!”
“Here’s the problem,” said Max. “I never really charged my friends anything. Most of them gave me pizza and a six pack. I can already hear them say:
Why would we ever pay you if we can get you for free?”
“Good point,” admitted the coach, and he went on: “My brother is a computer geek and he’s crazy about technology. But if he would do every single friend “a favor,” he’d be fixing broken laptops all day and night and not make any money. Free pizza does not pay the mortgage. Besides, I don’t think he’d make the guys happy who repair computers for a living.
Now, I’m not saying that it’s not okay to help out a friend in need, but as soon as people found out that my brother knew how to fix a computer, everybody wanted to be ‘friends’ with him. He had to draw a clear line between real friends and those who were well below the rank of Facebook buddies. That’s what you have to do too, Max. No more giveaways. From now on, you run a business; not a charity.
One of your jobs as an entrepreneur is to manage your client’s expectations. Let me give you an example. If you take on a project you know you can easily do in two days, tell your client you can get it done in three. Guess who’s going to look good when you hand it in, 48 hours later?
That way you not only create the expectation that you can beat a deadline. You’re also showing your client that she’s a top priority and that you really know your stuff. Meanwhile, you’ve allowed yourself an extra day should anything unexpected come up. Does that make sense?
Pricing is one of the most important tools for managing your client’s expectations, as well as your bottom line. Your price point sends a clear signal to your market:
This is what I am worth.
Like it or not, there is a clear link between perceived quality and price. Otherwise, every wine connoisseur would drink Beaujolais out of a box and Pottery Barn would be out of business.
Remember this: Your fee structure will help you attract the kind of customers you want to be working for, and the type of jobs you are shooting for. At the same time it will weed out the folks that cannot or will not afford you; the ones that are most likely to give you a hard time anyway.
Here’s the deal, though: Your fee must be backed up by experience and expertise on one hand, and by a realistic sense of your value in the market place on the other.
Simply put: Be an expert and do your homework. Don’t just pull a rate out of a hat. That’s lazy and crazy. Find out what the competition is charging. Then ask yourself: “Do I want to charge more, less or the same?”
“I can’t imagine it’s that simple,” said Max.
“It’s not,” answered his coach. “Smart pricing decisions require at least three elements:
Facts about your own cost of doing busines
The client’s evaluation processes
Competitive activity
I know you really care about your work, Max. To you, it’s much more than a way to pay the bills. You’re an artist and somehow, some artists (and clients) believe that there’s a clash between creativity and cash. Doing what you love should be enough of a reward.
I don’t think Andy Warhol or Keith Haring would agree with that. Being creative and being commercial can go hand in hand, and since you’re in business to make money, let me give you a simple formula:
“The customer’s willingness to pay is not determined by the costs of a product but by its performance and resulting value to this customer.”
In other words: when people get a haircut, they conveniently forget that they’re also paying for the rent the salon’s forking over every single month, or for the training the staff receives so they can make every teenage boy look like Justin Bieber.
Clients don’t care about your costs. You should.
That’s why you have to figure out the answer to this question: How low can you afford to go? What is your Price Floor?
A Price Floor is a point below which a product or service should not be sold. In the long term, the price must obviously cover the full costs of a product. Otherwise the seller cannot make a profit and will not survive. Volume never makes up for selling below cost. Ask Dilbert.
Every year, tens of thousands of self-employed people file for bankruptcy because they made one big mistake: they followed a dream and forgot to run the numbers. They are what I like to call ‘under-estimators’. Literally.
Knowingly or unknowingly, they started selling below cost in an effort to drive out the competition or even out of ignorance. Some started giving their work away for free, hoping to get exposure and attract business. Last time I checked, my local baker was handing out free samples but never entire cakes. And between you and me: he doesn’t strike me as a marketing genius.
“Speaking of prices… a friend of mine just bought a brand name watch at a price that was too good to be true,” said Max. “It turned out to be a fake.”
“Were you surprised?” asked the coach.
“Not at all,” said Max. “You get what you pay for.”
“That’s right. In part, price is about perception. That’s probably why your friend wanted to buy that Rolex rip-off in the first place.
Professor Simon puts it this way:
“Price is the economic sacrifice a customer makes to acquire a product or a service. The customer always compares this sacrifice with his perception of the product’s value. (…)
“In essence, a customer buys a product or a service only, if its perceived value -measured in money terms- is greater than the price. If selecting from several alternatives, the customer prefers the one offering the highest net value, i.e. the greatest differential of perceived value over price.”
Go to any tattoo parlor and see for yourself how much pain people are willing to suffer in exchange for the pleasure derived from a name, permanently painted in the perforations of their delicate flesh. Years later, they spend a fortune burning out their ex-hubbie’s initials with a laser beam… turning the man in question into an ex-boyfriend, once removed… But I digress. We were talking about perceived value, weren’t we?
“You’ve mentioned volume, price and cost,” said Max. “How exactly does the market factor into this? Isn’t a certain price ultimately the result of the interaction between supply and demand? That’s not something I have any influence over, do I?”
“Great point,” smiled his coach. “First off…
* * * * *
THE BLACK SUV slowly made its way through the winter weather.
“Care for some hot cocoa?” asked the driver as he pointed at a thermos.
“Yes please!”said Max.
“And help yourself to a muffin too,” said the driver. “This might take a while.”
“Well, you certainly know how to treat your customers,” remarked Max.
The driver smiled. “Always exceed your client’s expectations. That’s my philosophy.”
I have a confession to make. Since June of this year, I’ve been leading a double life. Only a select group of readers has been aware of my secret activities. Today, I decided it was time to reveal my hidden identity and share what you have been missing all these months. So, what’s the deal?
In May, Internet Voice Coach (IVC) founder David Rosenthal asked me to join his team as a regular contributor on ‘all things international’. Since then, I have been publishing an article about the industry every other week, as well as interviews with movers and shakers in different parts of the world.
Because IVC is a subscription site ($99 for a year), I wanted to give non-members a better idea of the kind of things you will find on Internet Voice Coach, such as my interview with actress Claire Dodin. Enjoy!
The French Connection…
When Claire Dodin was about seven years old, her mother built a theater in the attic of their apartment. Claire and her sister started putting on plays for her friends. Claire: “It was such a happy time, and I decided I’d just have to play for the rest of my life!”
Fast-forward a few years, and you’ll find that Claire is as much at home in front of a camera as she is behind a mic. Born and raised in France, this actress, model, singer and voice-over talent moved to the UK before she made Los Angeles her home.
Bi-lingual, multi-talented and exceptionally professional, Claire has done well for herself. Her story is one of dedication, discipline and of following your dreams.
PS Let’s pretend that I’m a client and your agent had 30 seconds to describe Claire Dodin to me. How would your agent “sell” you?
CD I guess he would say that I’m versatile; I can handle pretty much anything, and can do several character voices including children’s voices. He’d probably tell you that I’ve voiced several jobs for Disney and the X-Box 360, and that I usually don’t need a lot of takes to please the clients. That’s why everyone wants to work with me again.
PS Percentagewise, how much of your career is taken up by voice-over work?
CD In the acting business things are always changing and moving. There can be months when all I do is voice-overs, and months when I’m shooting film after film and I don’t have much time for voice-overs. This always makes me sad because I have to pass on really fun jobs. There simply isn’t enough time to do everything. I have to turn down so much work, mainly due to lack of availability.
I would say that on average, voice-overs represent about 70% of my income and maybe 30% of my time. It always makes me laugh that it costs more to get only my voice, than to have me on camera!
Having said that, it can happen that a week goes by and there’s nothing; not one job offer. Then I start thinking that it’s all over and that I will never work again! It’s the nature of being self-employed. Nothing is ever set in stone. No one is ever entirely safe. You’re fashionable one week; the week after you’re not.
That’s why it’s so important that we value ourselves and feel an inner sense of security, and not let our job define who we are. Otherwise it becomes impossible to handle the stress. Luckily, a job always seems to come along when I need it.
PS Speaking of voice-over projects, what are you most proud of and why?
CD There are quite a few jobs I’m very proud of like the French-speaking FisherPrice cuddly bear who says things like “I love you, hug me…”. Just thinking about it makes me smile. It’s the cutest thing ever! Or being on the Statue of Liberty tour in New York and being in the gardens of Versailles in Paris. I just love that my voice is over there! Next I want to be at the Taj Mahal!
But the job I’m the most proud of right now is my Zombiepodcast in which I’m a series regular. It’s called “We’re Alive” and I play Riley. The scripts are fabulous and the production quality amazing. It’s an honor to be part of it.
We have reached over 600,000 downloads with the first season! We’ve won the Gold Ogle Award 2010, the Communicator Award 2010 and we were a finalist for the Parsec Award 2010. The episode submitted for these, is one that is centered around my character, which makes me even happier! The second season has begun, and it’s free to listen to, so catch up with the episodes now!
PS Let’s talk about accent. Some people believe that -in order to make it as a foreign actor in another country- you need to get rid of your accent. Others believe your accent is what sets you apart. Where do you stand?
CD Well, I am not able to put on a convincing British or American accent, so I don’t even try. I believe clients would go for native speakers anyway, so it really doesn’t matter. When I get hired for an English job, they want my accent, because it sets me apart from everyone else. Sometimes they want a stronger French accent, which I can tone up or down. Sometimes, they just want a very clear English accent with a hint of French.
Accents are great, as long as the diction is excellent and people can understand it. That’s where many foreign voices fail: they are not clear enough. I only started booking work in English regularly, after years of working at speaking more clearly. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
PS Does another accent come naturally to you, or do you have to work with a coach to get it right?
CD I do work with a coach for accent reduction when a part requires it, but it is never for voice acting, always for on-camera. In the voice-over world, if they want a British voice, they’ll hire a British voice. Nowadays, it’s so easy to get a native speaker.
Accents do not come naturally to me. It’s very difficult if you were not immersed in foreign sounds as a child. In France, all TV programs and most films are dubbed. I pretty much never heard English sounds before moving to England. It’s different in other countries like Sweden or The Netherlands. That’s why the Swedes and the Dutch are usually much better at accents than French people.
PS Do Europeans have an advantage over Americans when it comes to foreign languages and accents?
CD Being European in America is certainly an advantage because there are fewer of us, and Americans love European accents. If you are an American in America, there are hundreds of other people who sound exactly like you, so it’s harder.
This is where personality is incredibly important, because in reality, there is only one of each of us. And we hear so much that we need to sound like this or this… In truth, what will make you book the job is YOU; your quirkiness, your own little things that most people are trying to get rid of. Keep them (but use the correct techniques)!
Being French in a foreign country has absolutely made my career. I was working as an on-camera actress in the UK, and people found me because they needed a French voice and couldn’t get one.
That’s how I landed my first jobs. Then I thought that maybe I should get an agent, so I sent samples of the jobs I had done. I didn’t have a demo at the time, and pretty much all the agents wanted to sign me and I started booking national jobs straight away. I think I recorded my first demo a couple of years later. I was very lucky. To this day, jobs still come to me. I don’t have to work very hard at getting them. I am in a very fortunate position. There isn’t much competition.
PS You have lived and worked in the UK and now you’re in LA. These days, we’re all connected via the Internet. Does location matter anymore?
CD Unfortunately, location still matters a lot. I’m hoping that clients will get used to ISDN, but today, most major clients want to meet up with the voices at the studio. This means that by moving to LA, I’ve lost most of the work I was getting in London. When I go back there for a week, suddenly I’ve got bookings every day in London studios. They haven’t forgotten me, but they want me there in person.
It’s the same in France, I know several people who would hire me regularly, but they want me in the studio in Paris. I imagine that it is the same for Los Angeles and New York.
Of course there are many jobs we can do remotely, but they rarely are high end. I once did a six months national radio campaign for the UK, and the client was happy to do it via ISDN for each recording. This was an exception, and I think it was because it was for radio. In the UK, most radio ads are recorded via ISDN. But for TV, you have to be in the room with them. I did record the Versailles job at my LA studio though, so sometimes it can happen if they really want you.
PS How do you get work, these days?
CD The reality of the business is that most voice-over talents audition every day. I’m in a very different position. The vast majority of the work I do, comes from direct offers via my agents, or directly from existing clients or new clients through referral/reputation.
It may sound strange to American voice talents, but I did not audition for any of the national commercials I did, video games, TV documentaries, high profile jobs… That’s the way they do it in Europe: we get hired based on our demo or based on a recommendation from our agent or producers/sound engineers. I did however audition for the Fisher Price toys I voiced, but they paid me for the audition and then hired me. I also auditioned for the Versailles job, but they had specifically asked for me.
I think that the system works differently in America. Even established talents have to audition. That being said, I have many American clients that don’t ask me to audition either. I’m glad it works this way because I usually don’t have time to audition. When happen to I have spare time, I will record some open auditions, but this rarely leads to work (funny, no?). That’s the problem with open auditions: they don’t want You; they want A voice, and usually the cheapest one.
PS Do clients, agents, producers and directors have different expectations based on where they’re located? Do you approach an audition differently based on the country and culture?
CD Actually, everyone wants the best product at the best price as fast as possible pretty much everywhere. What may be different is the style of the voice-overs. For example, I find that promos and documentaries on US TV tend to have a “sensational” factor. In the UK they tend to be more casual/matter of fact. In France there’s also a distinctive sound for news or documentaries. The voice talent simply needs to adapt to the style of the country, but also to the medium and the client. Each job is different, which is part of the fun. For an audition, I try to find out as much as I can about the client and the target audience. That way, I can make a best guess as to what style is appropriate for the script.
PS This is a highly competitive business. Apart from talent and experience, what do you think is absolutely essential, in order to have an international voice-over career?
CDObviously, to have an international voice career it is essential to speak English, so you can communicate with clients anywhere (pretty much everyone will speak some English). Apart from that, you just need the same qualities that will make you a successful national talent, as well as a good marketing plan so people abroad know who you are.
The internet is an excellent medium, but it’s not essential. I know voice talents who have booked major international campaigns through their local agent. By local, I mean: one of the top agents in one of the top cities. It still seems difficult to book high profile work without one of these agents, and you can usually only sign with one of them if you live in one of the major cities. That would be Los Angeles or New York for America; London for the UK and Paris for France.
Of course there are rare exceptions. There are a few very successful voice talents who do not live in the major cities, but they used to live there at one point. They moved away, and kept their agents and clients thanks to an ISDN-line. I only know of one person who has always lived far away and who is hugely successful.
This will hopefully change in the future, as home studios are becoming as good as studios in the big cities. I think it will still take a while before major clients accept not meeting a voice talent in person. This is why Don LaFontaine had a limo, so he could quickly go from studio to studio to record several jobs a day. It would have been so much easier to have him in one studio and the other studios would connect via ISDN, but it didn’t work that way and he had to drive from place to place.
I wish things were different, but nowadays, the best jobs are still recorded in major studios in major cities.
PS What’s most overlooked by up and coming international talent?
CD Something that foreign voices often overlook is to have an English version of their website. I was once looking for an Italian voice, and all I could find were websites in Italian, which I don’t speak. Had they had an English version, I would have contacted them. But I couldn’t work out if they had a home studio etcetera.
Also, they should indicate their location on the website. I was looking to book voices to come to a London studio, and I didn’t know where they lived. I nearly booked a voice once; I was ready to pay for a ticket to Paris, when he told me he lived in a small town in France and it wasn’t possible to get to where he needed to be, fast enough.
Another voice that I thought was in London, turned out to have moved to Paris. So, keep the info on your website up to date. Location is a big one, not just for outside studio bookings, but so we know your time zone in case we want an ISDN booking or we need you for a rush job.
PS What do you tell people who think that voice-over work is easy money, and that basically anyone with a good voice could do this?
CD Ah, ah! It’s a tough question, I could probably write a book about it! Voice-over acting is an art and the voice is the tool. You might have a fabulous canvas, great paints and a brush, but how easy is it to paint something that will sell for a few hundreds or thousands of dollars and be exhibited in a museum? Hmmm… But if you work hard, learn skills and have talent, maybe you’ll make a living as a painter. Same thing for voice-overs. And a few gifted ones will make it to the top.
PS What technology can you not live without, and how has it helped you book clients?
CD The only technology I really need, is my computer for my emails and my phone so I can take bookings. That’s all. But, with my home studio I can record more jobs and make a better living. Some voice talents earn a lot more than I do, and don’t have one, so it’s not essential. However, other voice talents only work from home.
PS You work for clients on different continents in different time zones. On one hand you need to be accessible but on the other hand you can’t be available 24/7. How do you handle that?
CD Ah, ah! Another tough one! I don’t handle it; it’s a bit of a problem. I get called in the middle of the night (when I forget to switch the phone off), I wake up at 5am for an ISDN session and I sometimes record till midnight! I need to be better at saying “no” to clients and regulate my hours. But I’m weak when people are nice and need a favor. I try to schedule ISDN sessions with Europe starting at 8am, LA time. That’s the end of the day for them. It usually works.
PS How much did you map out your career? Did you follow a strict plan or is it more spontaneous, “go with the flow”?
CDAt first I just went with the flow: voice-overs came to me not once, not twice but many times. This is when I realized that I should pursue it. Somehow, people knew I had a gift for it, even before I knew it. Then I started buying equipment to record from home. When my agent asked me to, I upgraded my equipment. When clients asked me to, I got the ISDN. I guess I always go with the flow. I don’t force things, they just happen when they need to, but I’ve got my ears open and I’m listening to the signs that tell me in which direction I need to go to.
That said, when I do something, I don’t do it halfheartedly. When I made the decision to work from my home studio, I practiced a lot to learn how to use the equipment. I listened to other voices and took advice from many people. I took classes etcetera. It took me a long time before I was able to make a quality recording.
When I upgraded to ISDN, I asked an engineer to come and install it for me, and install my sound booth so the sound would be good enough. I also bought a Neumann microphone. What’s the point of connecting to another studio if your own sound isn’t as good?
So basically, every time the decision to go to the next step was made following the flow, but once the decision was made it was thought out and I followed a careful plan.
Being disciplined is absolutely essential if you work from home. It’s too easy to do something else if you don’t have a boss checking up on you, making sure that you are putting the hours in. You have to do it for yourself and be very organized. For me, one of the hardest things is to keep track of the jobs recorded, the invoices sent, the invoices paid/unpaid etc… I find the admin part the hardest.
When I get really busy, I forget to reply to emails that aren’t essential, like companies asking me to fill out forms and send demos for future jobs. Sometimes I struggle to find the time to send invoices. That’s not a good thing. Staying on top of the paperwork is not easy. I’m dreaming of the day I’ll be able to employ an assistant to do these things for me!
PS What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you in this business, and how has it helped you?
CD The best advice I was ever given, as far as performance is concerned, was:
“It’s not about you. It’s about the person you are talking to”.
This changed everything. I stopped watching and listening to myself. I stopped getting nervous and I became so much better.
The best business advice I was ever given, was to set up a website. I had no idea how important it was, until I did it, and it boosted my career immensely.
PS Many thanks Claire, and bonne chance!
TASTE TEST
As I said in the intro, this is just one of the many interviews, videos and articles you’ll find on Internet Voice Coach. IVC is not just a site for beginning or experienced voice actors. If you’re using your voice for a living and you want to learn how to use it effectively, you should check it out.
You’ll find a line-up of voice talent, producers, agents, casting directors and other industry experts, sharing their insights with humor and enthusiasm. Members receive personalized feedback and audio sample evaluations. And -last but not least- if you’ve been enjoying this Double Dutch blog, you’ll find much more of me on IVC!
Some of you won’t like what I am about to reveal, but it needs to be said.
Yes, I will be the Debbie Downer of the voice-over community and the rain on your parade. If you’re a seasoned vo-pro, my message should come as no surprise. But I realize that blogs like these are also read by aspiring voice-over artists, and it’s about time that they should know the truth (or at least my version of it). Even if it hurts.
PERSISTENT MYTHSTAKES
In times of recession, desperate people cling to desperate things. For many, a new career as a voice-over artist seems to be the next best thing. Let me tell you point blank that it’s not. Far from it. Yet, every day, hundreds of hopefuls plunge into the pool of voice-over talent without even knowing how to swim. Why? Because they’re holding on to ideas that have no basis in reality.
Take your pick and allow me to burst your bubble:
# 1. “I LOVE YOUR VOICE”
Tons of people have told you that you have a great voice. “You’d do so much better than that woman announcing the Tony Awards,” they said. And you’ve heard it so many times that you start believing it yourself. Could this be a new career; the golden key to fame and fortune?
Without realizing it, you just made mistake number one. Thinking that having a good voice is all it takes, is like saying that, in order to be a successful actor, all you need are great looks. As far as I can tell, only Tom Cruise pulled that one off.
Owning a Steinway doesn’t automatically make you a great pianist. Having a Viking range in your kitchen doesn’t make you a phenomenal chef. Having a good set of vocal chords definitely helps, but it’s a very small piece of a big puzzle. Knowing how to use that voice is a different matter!
#2. IMPRESSIONISM
Friends have said that you do a mean Morgan Freeman impression. In fact, they like it so much that you’re asked to perform your little trick at parties and high school reunions. It got you thinking: “Mr. Freeman must make lots of money reading a few words off a page. If he can do it, why can’t I? The world loves impersonators, right?”
Wake up, pal: we already have one Morgan Freeman. We do not need a clone. Your impression might be dead-on, but if you’re hoping to ride on the back of his success, you’ll always be someone you’re not. Making money impersonating a celebrity could get you in all kinds of legal trouble too. More importantly, you’re betraying yourself by forsaking what makes you truly unique: your very own sound.
#3. RADIO GA-GA
You read the news for a local station. The latest membership drive didn’t go so well, and all of a sudden you’re as relevant as yesterday’s paper. What’s worse: you’re out the door. Thank goodness for your radio training. You can always become a voice-over artist, right? After all, it’s basically the same thing.
Next, you join one of those voice-over casting sites, and you record your first audition: a paragraph from a book about bachelor cardiac surgeons, voluptuous nurses and broken hearts.
Luckily, your membership came with a free voice evaluation and your coach gave your first demo…. a firm thumbs down. What hurt you the most was that the fact that she said that you sounded “like a news reader”. Wasn’t that supposed to be a good thing?
#4. EASY MONEY
Even though your financial advisor warned you not to do it, you decide to tap into your nest egg and spend part of your IRA on a decent home studio and premium memberships of voices.com, voice123.com and voplanet.com. If you’re gonna do something, you might as well do it right! These sites will no doubt open the door to big companies offering big bucks to have you do a 20 second commercial or a 2-minute narration. Just wait and see… A few auditions a day will make the recession fade away!
I guess no one ever told you that almost 40% of professional voice-overs makes less than $25,000 per year, even after having been in the business for 10-25 years. Over one quarter of those surveyed make less than $10,000 per year. (Source: VoiceOver Insider magazine). If that’s not living large…. I don’t know what is!
Veteran voice actor Ed Victor shared that over the past four weeks, he had submitted 50 auditions on Pay 2 Play sites. The net result: zero jobs. Mind you: Ed is known as “The Big Gun” of the business. In my opinion, he is the cream of the crop. But even if your last name happens to be Victor, it doesn’t automatically make you a winner.
#5. OVERNIGHT SUCCESS
Would you ever pick up a violin and after a few weeks of practice and no lessons, record your first CD? Of course not.
No one would walk into a sports store and get the best tennis gear money can buy, and expect to be playing Wimbledon the week after.
Now explain to me why some wannabe voice-actors dig deep into their pockets and invest in top of the line equipment without any formal training or experience, expecting instant return on investment?
It takes great skill and practice to breathe life into a text, as well as technical expertise. It’s very similar to mastering a musical instrument. It usually takes many years to become an overnight success. And as we’ve seen, even respected talents find that the pickings are becoming increasingly slim. So, if you’re still thinking of pursuing a voice-over career, think again…. and then some more.
In a way, it’s like that picture on the box of your microwave dinner. It makes you hungry, but the meal usually doesn’t taste half as good as it looks. What’s even worse: it doesn’t have enough nutritional value to sustain you! Yet, millions are falling for it…. and are left hungry and feeling ripped-off.
YOUR TURN
Well, there’s your reality check. I told you this wasn’t going to be pretty. Feel free to disagree with me. Did I mention in my last blog that everything is perception? That’s why I’m really interested in your assessment of the voice-over business. Is it a goldmine or a minefield?
What advice would you give to a newbie? Have you seen talented people fail? What went wrong? Have you made it against all odds? If so, what’s been the secret of your success? What voice-over myths would you like to bust?
Etymology is the study of the origin of words. If you love language the way I do, you probably love looking into its history. Delving into the deeper meaning of the things that come out of our mouths is as revealing as it is rewarding.
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