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question:  Demo - when should I produce it?

answer:

When is it time to produce your demo?

Numerous variables must be carefully considered when determining when to produce your demo. This article will discuss those variables.

Producing your demo too early can result in few jobs.

1. Wait until you are proficient. While a quality producer can make almost anyone sound good using digital recording techniques, you should be marketing your work, not the producer's work. This is because producers hire you based upon your demo, and it is your responsibility to reproduce that sound quality. If you can't, you are misrepresenting yourself.

2. Wait until you can read a script comfortably - without being nervous. A tense, nervous sound will create a shaky delivery.

3. Wait until you can follow the producer's direction reflexively. A staged, contrived delivery will create a mechanical delivery.

Conversely, producing your demo too late can lose you work.

1. Do not wait and wait and wait to produce your demo. Much of your ability comes from practice, and producing your demo is one very intensive practice session.

2. Do not wait because 'life' is crazy. Work often comes from 'being there at the right time', so at least produce your demo (even if you don't plan to market it yet) so you don't lose a job should one come along. By the way, always carry your demo with you, as you never know who you will meet.

3. Do not wait, the voice over industry is growing quickly!

Final considerations.

1. Determine how much work, and the type of work you want. If you only want one particular type of work (for example, if you work at Pitney Bowes, you may only attempt to narrate their in-house training films, you do not need to be as well-rounded, and may require less training.

2. Consider your competition -- what quality demos do they have? If you're marketing in a large city, you probably have more competition. In this case, you should have a few extra training session s prior to producing your demo to ensure you are competitive.

Hope this helps.

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