Voice Over Educational Newsletters

It's easy to become complacent once work is coming in. You stop shifting your gears and lose business to competitors.

The markets for voice over, and the business itself, are always changing. Even the successful professional needs an ongoing business plan that's up-to-date.

So:

Further develop your performance capabilities, explore new genres and geographic opportunities, understand new technologies and rate structures, and adjust to changes in your own life. (Has your schedule changed as the kids grow older? Do you want to go back to school? Could you work from home? Did they just build a firehouse next door?)

Just like any national brand in the marketplace, you should never stop improving.

Here are 10 items to contemplate:

1) Evaluate the work you've been getting. Should you seek more of the same, or should you expand into other genres?

2) Are you booked solid but some of your clients cost you more time than they're worth, or are impairing your performance? You may want to politely let those clients go, freeing you to acquire better ones.

3) Could you obtain more work from your existing clients? If so:

* Keep them updated on your other recent voice over work.
* Make sure they know the full range of your capabilities.
* Can you add new capabilities that would be valuable to them, such as writing, proofreading or production?
* Ask them to refer you to new clients.

4) What industries are different, but with similar needs? Can you market to them?

5) What industries are similar to those you have been serving? Can you market to them?

6) If you've been traveling to studios, consider ways to work remotely. Whether from home or from a studio, this will enable you to serve a much wider geographic area.

7) To gain similar new clients, evaluate, update and re-implement the successful elements of your previous campaign.

8) If entering a new genre, revisit your Marketing Plan and develop a campaign for your new target.

9) What are successful competitors doing? Evaluate their marketing techniques.

10) Have you kept up with new technologies that will help you work more easily, improve your product, enlarge your capabilities, stay ahead of clients' evolving needs, and/or help you serve your customers better and more efficiently?

There are a myriad of ways a voice over artist can conduct his or her business.
EACH TYPE OFFERS DIFFERENT PERSONAL PROTECTION AND INTRODUCES DIFFERENT TAX CONSIDERATIONS.

This article will help you learn what is right for you and your voice over business.

GENERAL NOTES:
Face it, you're in business. And like any other business, maintaining records is essential. The IRS and state unemployment department agency could randomly audit you, and without proof of records, you could be at a disadvantage. So:

• Store all records systematically, either sequentially or alphabetically
• Pay business expenses with a check or credit card (not cash) so that records of the transaction are generated

IMPORTANT 1099 INFORMATION:

• If you are not incorporated (that is, if you are a Sole Proprietor or are an LLC), and earned $600 or more from a payor, that payor is required to send you a 1099misc form by January 31, 2010.
• If your entity is incorporated, a payor is not required to issue you a form 1099.
• If you should have received a 1099 from a payor, but did not, call that payor.
  Note that payors should also send a copy of 1099 form to the IRS.

Note that each state's tax laws vary, and tax laws change regularly. The above may not hold true in all circumstances. Contact your local tax office for exact rulings.

• IRS tax help-line: 800-829-1040
• IRS tax forms and distribution center: 800-829-3676
• IRS on-line tax order form: www.irs.gov

• a Sole Proprietorship
• a Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• an S Corporation
• Other possibilities include, and are not limited to, partnerships and c corporations. Note that each different business type brings different tax deductions to the table.

The sole proprietorship has the virtue that it is simple to form, and TAXABLE INCOME IS ONLY TAXED ONCE, at the owner's individual tax rate. Gross Income less costs of generating the income and operating expenses for the year are reported on Schedule C (or schedule C-EZ if certain tests are met) of your Form 1040. The resultant net income or loss becomes part of your adjusted gross income.

A word about ordinary and necessary expenses - at the start of your voice over career, the largest expenses you probably will incur is the production of your demo (training, workshops, demo production, etc.) and the marketing of your demo (demo copies, mailers, postage, phone bills, etc). These should be deductible on Schedule C as promotional or marketing/advertising expense. If such costs are incurred before you actually start your trade of business, section 195 of the internal revenue code would permit an immediate deduction of the lesser of the start-up costs or $5000 assuming the start-up costs don't exceed $50,000. any start-up costs not deductible initially are eligible to be amortized over a period not less than 180 months.

Keep records on all expenditures which are directly related to your voice over business; including, but not limited to, training costs, travel costs, marketing costs, telephone charges, etc.

Part of your mortgage/rent can be deducted if your home/office is used ONLY for your business. For example, if the home/office is 10% of your total home's square footage, you may be able to deduct 10% from your mortgage/rent.

Similarly, you can deduct your entire telephone bill if that telephone line is ONLY used for your business. Note that if items such as home/office and telephone lines are hybrid (they are used personally and for business), they may not be deducted.

Some items are not deductible, such as clothing purchased for voice over sessions. Even buying a nice suit to meet new clients is not deductible, because clothing is adaptable to general wear.

You will, in addition to owing income tax, usually be liable for self-employment tax and will generally have to make quarterly estimated tax payments as well. The sole proprietorship is not a separate legal or taxable entity from its owner, does not require a separate transfer of assets and does not limit your personal liability for the debts of the business- your individual assets remain at risk.

An LLC is formed under the applicable state's limited liability company statute. A one owner LLC is generally taxed as a sole proprietorship. Although the tax consequences of a single-member LLC and sole proprietorship are the same, an LLC provides its owner liability protection not available to a sole proprietorship - your assets are not at risk.

An S corporation is a business entity which has the same advantage of limited liability as a shareholder in a regular or C corporation. Unlike an LLC there are restrictions on an S corporation's capital structure and on who may be a member. An S corporation's income, gain, loss and deductions pass through to its shareholders and are reported on individual tax returns. Income is generally taxed at the individual level, but in certain states S corporations are subject to state and/or local jurisdiction taxes as well.

This article is intended to provide general guidelines on matters of interest to voice over artists. It is not intended to be all inclusive. The application and impact of tax laws can be very complex and vary widely from case to case. Readers are encouraged to seek professional advice concerning specific matters before making any decisions. The author and publisher disclaim any responsibility for positions taken by taxpayers in their individual situations. This article was updated February 23, 2010.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: Any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this communication is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any investment plan, transaction or matter.

Business plans are critical in helping you grow and operate your voice over business. Yet many voice over artists forget more than just that. Here are 10 critical business practices that most talent forget. Which of these have you overlooked?

PROBLEM:

It's very easy to become complacent once you have clients coming in. You forget what it took to get there. You're up to speed, even accelerating, so you stop working your gears. BUT EVENTUALLY you start losing ground to competitors.

There's an old saying among our ad agency clients: Just because the train is rolling, don't disconnect the engine.

EXAMPLE:

Suppose you narrate an educational video for a particular client every week. But then suddenly they stop calling you. What happened? The client went with one of your competitors, because they offered to deliver the recording to the client using the latest technology. Unfortunately, you never mentioned to your clients that you provide this technology, so they assumed you couldn't.

SOLUTION:

Test the waters. Feel the air. Know where you are. Learn where your competitors are. And stay in the lead.

Consider a big, profitable hamburger chain -- even with millions of customers coming in every day, they're still testing new products, trying to make things better, working to improve pricing, methods, variety, quality, presentation, decor, service, signage, advertising, even make their logo better.

As a small business owner, you should do the same.

Work the gears continually. Once you get set in your ways, a new generation of voice talent will be grabbing at your clients.

PROBLEM:

As a small business owner, it is too easy to change course in a minute.

EXAMPLE:

Suppose you suddenly think of a new slogan, "Words That Speak Out!" Overnight, you begin a major promotion, you add the slogan to your emails. You put it on your website. Great. You turned on a dime. BUT YOU DID all of this without testing.

You didn't think your new slogan through. It turns out, now people are mistaking you for a copywriter, a poet, calligrapher, sign maker, ad agency, or marketing company. Worse, now you have to correct those mistaken impressions.

SOLUTION:

The big folks find it worthwhile to spend millions of dollars for testing. Shouldn't you spend at least a few days of thought and asking around?

Big companies assess everything they do. And by the time they run focus groups, market tests, statistical analyses, etc., even a small change can take 6 months to implement. The stakes are too high for them to risk everything on an untested whim.

But you can do this in a day or two!

Where your income and image are concerned, how high are the stakes to you?

Think it through.

PROBLEM:

You never find out why some customers keep hiring you, and why some stop!

Over the years, Edge Studio has cast more than 16,000 voice jobs, and of those, the number of people who have asked me how they did, I can count on my hands.

EXAMPLE:

Take, for example, the plumber I recently hired. At the end of the job, he asked "How'd I do?" and gave me reason to think he would use that information to improve his performance and grow his business. That guy definitely gained my respect.

SOLUTION:

Run a survey, but do it correctly: The right way is to determine what kind of information you want, then design the survey to generate that kind of data.

For example, don't ask "Did you like my service?" Rather than embarrass themselves by telling you truly, people will just ignore the survey or give a useless polite answer -- and then won't hire you again. Instead, ask a specific question such as, "What is the one thing I could do differently that you would appreciate?"

A set of testimonials goes a very, very long way: It builds your prospects' confidence. Testimonials say things that may be awkward to say about yourself. And when your prospective client is still in the tire-kicking stage, testimonials speak on your behalf without costing anyone extra time.

Use testimonials on your website, in your mailings, wherever space affords. And even if you don't have a website or some other way to use testimonials now, eventually you will. Then you'll be glad you thought ahead.

As powerful as a testimonial is, a reference is even stronger. Just reserve them for prospects who are otherwise "ready to buy," so the people giving you references won't be overburdened. Whenever possible, forewarn your reference as to who will be contacting them and why, including any particular area of concern.

It's the easiest and fastest way to get the most work with virtually no marketing effort.

Do it at the time of invoicing, assuming the job went well.

Be courteous, be prompt, send a thank-you after your session, dress appropriately, do everything that signals you're a pro.

When asked what you do, don't say, "I'm a voice-over artist," because most people don't know what that means, and the few that do will probably think it means commercials. Instead say, "I help businesses sound better, by providing them with wonderful sound tracks for their voice mail and training videos so they sound more professional." Tailor this "elevator pitch" precisely to your special strengths.

Always keep in mind what a potential client has to go through prior to hiring you. They have to research you and your competitors. They need reason to trust you. And they need to see value in the services you provide. They'll probably want to speak with others who have used you.

To you, the prospect may seem overly cautious, but they have good reason for doing so. And if they haven't done enough homework, covering these bases with them may produce a stronger relationship in the end.

Like most small businesses, the vast majority of voice over talent overlook this. They focus only on their voice, and forget to focus also on their business.

Make it official. The couple hours it takes to write a simple business plan will make a big difference in obtaining the kind of work you want, the money you want, even the lifestyle you want. For example, do you prefer to work form home, or to work from audition houses?

Revisit your business plan every 3 months, read it and revise as necessary, even if things are going great.

Resource Box:

Edge Studio specializes in production of voice recordings and voice over training of new and established voice actors, narrators and other spoken-word performers. Edge Studio facilities have produced or recorded more than 13,000 voice over projects, spanning all genres. Call 212-868-edge for more information.

A voice-actor called and said, "Go to www.MarksVoiceToYou.com."
... So I went to: www.MarcsVoiceToYou.com but nothing came up.
... So I tried: www.MarksVoice2U.com but nothing came up.
... So I gave up.

The level of your voice over success can be partly attributed to your website address (URL).  Sound strange?  Think about it: If a prospective client cannot get to your website, you'll likely lose that client!

Following are 8 common mistakes that, when fixed, will SEND MORE CASTING PROFESSIONALS TO YOUR SITE!  And following that are 6 STEPS TO CHOOSE A URL.

8 MISTAKES WITH YOUR WEBSITE ADDRESS

(1) Ambiguous character mistakes:

Your business card says your website is "www.lOvoice.com".
The problem is that the first two characters appear to spell "ten", when in actuality they are a lowercase "L" and capital "oh".

(2) Alternate Spelling mistakes:

Tell someone your website is "www.VoiceOverForYou.com",
and they may visit "www.VoiceOver4U.com"

Or if your website is "www.JayDoesVoice.com"
people will probably visit "www.JDoesVoice.com"

Or if you're trying to be clever and have "www.KidzTrax.com"
people will probably visit "www.KidsTracks.com"

(3) Memory mistakes:

You want casting agents to remember your URL.

So you get "www.VoiceOverForYou.com",
but they may remember "www.VoiceOversForYou.com" (with an "s" in "Overs").

(4) CAPITAL/lowercase mistakes:

Which is easier to read: "www.christieinthebooth.com"
or "www.ChristieInTheBooth.com"?

(5) Extension mistakes:

If your website ends with ".org", studies indicate that people still go to ".com"
So buy numerous extensions.

(6) Comfort mistakes:

Want a prospective client to know you're a professional?

Then spend the extra $10 for "www.FranksVoice.com"
rather than "www.CableCompany.FreeWebsite.com/FranksVoice".

Likewise, process your email through your website, so it is "Frank@FranksVoice.com"
rather than "FranksVoice@gmail".

(7) Hidden mistakes:

Is there another way to read your website?

For example, "www.genitaliavoices.com" (GenItaliaVoices).
Or "www.voicesexchange.com" (VoicesExchange).
Or "www.penisland.com" (PenIsland)

(8) Similar-sounding character mistakes:

You've heard people clarify letters by saying, "That's F as in Frank".
Well if your website has unclear letters in it, like "www.FMSB.com" be prepared to do the same.

For example,
say, "That's FMSB as in Frank's Microphones Sound Beautiful", otherwise they'll visit "www.SNFP.com".

• STEP 1) Find 10 URLs which are appropriate (as mentioned above) and available (visit a domain seller, such as www.GoDaddy.com, and use their on-line tester).
• STEP 2) Show these 10 URLs to 10 people (who will be candid with you). Ask them to quickly read each URL out loud. Cross out any URLs that 2 or more people mis-read.
• STEP 3) Speak the remaining URLs to another 10 people. Ask them to write out each URL on a piece of paper after you say it. Cross out any URLs that 2 or more people misspell.
• STEP 4) Speak all remaining URLs to another 10 people. Ask them which one(s) they remember. THE URLs THAT MOST PEOPLE REMEMBER SHOULD BE YOUR URL.
• STEP 5) Tell 10 people your new URL and ask them to tell you every way it could be misspelled, changed, misheard, or remembered incorrectly. THEN PURCHASE ANY OR ALL OF THOSE VARIATIONS.
• STEP 6) Lastly, purchase the most common extensions (".com", . "org", and so on) for, at minimum, your real URL and preferably for the variations as well. Remember: website addresses only cost around $10, so if one more client can find you, the extra expense is well worthwhile.

WANT HELP? Call our Ask-A-Coach, buy a private consultation,
take our marketing seminar, and so on...

Do what you can to ensure a marketable, professional URL.

It's simple to quickly grow your voice over business.Here are 8 ways:

-----

BUSINESS PLAN

Spend 1 hour writing a Business Plan. Why? Because you are a business, and you need to run your business like a business, and any good business has a business plan.

Writing a business plan will help you succeed by helping you organize your goals and figuring out the steps you need to take to get there.

To write your business plan, write out your goals and work backwards. For example, you may say, "I want to be a $200/hour voice over artist, getting at least 15 hours of voice over work each week". Then determine the steps to get there. Think about a role model in the industry and determine the steps they may have taken to get there.

Look at sample business plans on-line. Talk to a business-friend. THINK ABOUT THIS from your customer's perspective. Don't run your voice over business blindfolded.

-----

TIME-LINE

Spend 30-minutes creating a Time-Line of career goals. Include marketing goals, customer goals, revenue goals, and so on.

It's important to know that IF you fall behind your time-line, the likelihood of ever catching up is SLIM. So a) add numerous small steps to your Time-Line, rather than adding a few huge steps this way each goal on your Time-Line will feel realistically attainable. And b) assume things will take 50% longer than you think they will, and base your Time-Line on this.

-----

MARKETING

Spend $96 each month getting lots more work!

Hire an intern or a student at a local university, or someone from the local classifieds. Write out the things you SHOULD be doing, and pay them $12/hour to do them. $96/month gets you 2 hours each week. Because you're paying them, you'll be forced to tell them what to do. In other words, you WILL move forward. Let them create marketing lists for you, seal envelopes, and so on.

-----

PRACTICE

Spend 30-minutes every other day practicing. And spend 1-hour each week practicing a new genre.

-----

FOLLOW UP

Spend 15-minutes every other day sending out a follow-up email to someone who you should have followed-up with already. Then spend 15-minutes on the other days marketing to a new prospect.

-----

AUDITION RECORDINGS

Spend about $100 to confirm and/or enhance the quality of your home studio. While obviously crucial for paid jobs and demos, this is also IMPERATIVE for audition recordings, because more and more often, the person who selects the voice often does NOT know how to distinguish between poor studio quality and poor vocal performance.

-----

YOUR DEMO

Spend $200 to improve your demo. You've spent all of this time and effort growing your career don't let your demo be the one thing holding you back from getting more.

Re-record that one segment on your demo that concerns you. Add one segment that showcases a new style. Add one new sounding segment so your demo sounds current.

The fact is, the voice over industry is continually evolving. So if you don't evolve along with it, YOU'LL LOSE CLIENTS.

Voice talent continually ask for our help. They say, "I'm getting less work than I used to." We ask why. They're either not sure, or they guess it's because they've been battling allergies, their clients must have wanted a new voice, there must be more competition, their demo may be getting old, a new agent opened up in town,....... On and on.

There Are 4 Reasons Why Voice Talent Start Losing Work. Read the sections that pertain to you**

story: A while ago, one of our clients hired a student we had just trained to narrate a large series of videos. They loved his voice.

Recently we hired him back to narrate another large project. This time, he no longer sounded good. He lost a good client. I asked if he'd been practicing. He said no.

There are 3 reasons why CONTINUED TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT:

You can fall into bad habits (no one tells you why you lose auditions!) Other voice talent will get better than you (watch out!) Clients always need new styles (new styles for podcasts, self-guided tours,...)

solution: At minimum, work with a coach every other month to ensure you maintain. Preferably, work with a coach every month to become better and offer more clients more styles! Remember: your vocal delivery is your livelihood!

story: A voice talent sent me an audition recording. Their voice was PERFECT. But their home studio quality wasn't. The client did not like them. (Note that some clients CANNOT DIFFERENTIATE between poor home studio recording and poor vocal performance.) After telling the talent this, she replied, "But this used to be fine." Yes, 5 years ago, her quality was considered good for a home studio. Today, however, clients are used to better quality.

Here are a few other examples of not keeping up with technology: Talent ask if they can fed-ex a CD to me. "Huh?" Why can't they FTP it to me? Or oftentimes we hear slight noises in recordings. Why? I guarantee the talent will lose some work. Fall behind in technology, and your clients may leave you behind.

Here are technology items to stay current with: equipment (editing on old software is slower, so you charge more, and bid too high) editing software / file type knowledge (unfamiliar with the new file extensions for flash? this scares clients) delivery methods (still have "fed-ex" on your rate card? you look outdated)

solution: Hire someone to visit your studio once every 6 months for a tune-up. Have them update your software, show you new editing features, check sound quality, and set you up for new file types.

story: At a recent voice over event, I was re-acquainted with a lot of old-timers who told me, "I'm not getting the amount of work I used to get!" Funny, I thought they hadn't marketed to me in years and subsequently I had forgotten about them and how talented they are.

Trust me: there is a reason why major retailers (Honda, Sears, McDonalds,...) continue to promote themselves. If they don't, competitors will eventually take over. IT'S THE SAME THING IN VOICE OVER.

Many old-times got all their work from a few clients and/or agents. But things change. Sometimes suddenly. Are you prepared? Or do you rely on a few select clients (who could suddenly go out of business), and meanwhile you're not prepared to market?

Here are marketing to stay current with:

marketing frequency (do you think single marketing efforts are still enough?) marketing types (do you think business cards are still all you need?) marketing messages (still trying to be a jack of all trades?) marketing quality (perforated edged, matrix printed business cards don't work today)

solution: hire someone who knows voice over marketing to review your business plan (do you even have one? if you want to grow, you should have one). take a workshop at edge or even at a local college.

story: One of our clients got VERY upset with a voice talent who we hired recently. So upset, they chose to replace him with another talent! Obviously we won't hire that talent anymore. But the weird thing is that the voice talent didn't even realize what they did wrong!

Face it: our little industry has grown up. It's now a big, professional industry complete with its set of do's and don't's. And sure, as with anything, as time goes by, there are more and more changes. So for those of you who are beginning your voice over career, you MUST LOOK PROFESSIONAL from the start. And for those of you already immersed in the industry, you MUST CONTINUE looking professional. If you don't, you chance losing clients.

You MUST always stay on top of: appearing professional (the jargon, the sequence of events,...) dealing with corporate types: knowing when to ask which questions the general in's and out's of the industry the ever-changing politics of the industry (unions, agents,....)

solution: Study the industry. Speak with folks who are in it. Read books. DO WHAT YOU CAN to come across business-like. This makes a BIG difference in the amount of work you get. (Or consider Edge Studio's "Talk & Pro 101 Seminar)

After reading many, MANY cover letters - we've seen it all. And then some. The following will make a BIG difference when you market. Call with questions: 212-868-3343.

1. Dear Sir or Madam,

When you receive email addressed to "Dear Sir" or "To whom it may concern", don't you delete it? So do casting directors. Folks, you may think you're SAVING TIME by avoiding the 4 minutes it takes to get a contact's name.... but in actuality, you are WASTING TIME because a large percentage of recipients will probably never open your email to begin with! Look on a website, do a Google search, call the company,.... do what you must to get the recipient's name!!! BEGIN YOUR LETTERS with "Hi Frank," or "Dear Mary",...

2. I know you're busy,

Really? How do you know that? This is no way to begin your email. Instead, I encourage you to begin with something that will catch the attention of the recipient. Perhaps, "Ever need a French voice talent with a home studio?" or "Sure times are tough, so I'm offering voice over at half price!" or "Your company looks terrific - especially the fact that you donate services. I'm willing to donate my voice over services with you."

3. Would you mind if,

One way to show that you LACK confidence is to say, "Would you mind if" or "If you have time" or "Maybe you could" or "I was wondering if". I suggest that you sound confident. For example, "My demo speaks (no pun) for itself" or "Most of my customers become repeat customers" or "They say I take direction really quickly."

4. Here's my demo.

Let me guess. You're a copywriter? No? Okay, a director? No? Then what are you? Here's the scoop: YOU KNOW who you are, but THEY DO NOT! So be clear. Say, "I'm a voice over artist." or "I provide narrations for..." or "Attached is my voice over demo."

5. I do voice overs.

First of all, you don't "do" voice overs. Rather you "Provide commercial and/or narration voice over services" or you "Help businesses increase their bottom line by including free editing with voice over recordings."

6. If you find I'm right for something, I hope you'll call.

That's nice :( How about give me a reason to call. Try "I provide voice over for corporate presentations, training videos, and online tutorials." Or maybe "Quick turn-around, with excellent quality, and a friendly smile :)".

7. Sorry, this time my demo is attached.

Please - take a moment before hitting "send" to avoid this.

8. Typos

Wel nuthing maekes u les profesional then tipos. Enugh sayd.

9. Abb.

What does "abb" mean? Oh, its the abbreviation for "abbreviation". Didn't know that? Not everyone does. In fact, not everyone is as abbreviation-hip as you are. So my suggestion is to avoid them. Remember, your email may get forwarded to business people who live in corporate world, and are used to formal, business-like letters. In other words, no more, "R u in need of VOs? My com demo is attchd. T."

10. I, I, I, I, and I

Here's a typical email we receive: "Hi, I do voice overs. I do commercial and narrations. I have a home studio. I have excellent quality and I was trained by........" Notice that every sentence begins with "I". So here's the important question: when marketing, do you want to intrigue yourself or your potential customer? Assuming the latter, compose your email so that it benefits them. This means no "I"s. Instead write "You"s. For example, instead of, "I do medical voice over." say, "Next time your client needs a medical script narrated, calling me will make you look terrific!"

11. Born in........... then I moved to.......... Next I............ And today I...........

Really, the question is, who cares. Want proof? Do you ever want to read someone else's life story? No? Suggestion: keep it brief. Very brief. Try this, "After extensive training and some solid experience in Montauk, this voice over guy is expanding into your territory!"

12. I had to take my Mom to the hospital

Who cares. Or "It was my daughter's birthday yesterday." Again, who cares! 27 million people were taken to the hospital yesterday. 114 million people had birthdays. Putting personal information like this just makes the recipient feel like they need to remark... but why should they when they don't even know you?. Regardless, if you only have a potential customer's attention for 1 minute, use it to PROMOTE yourself, NOT to chit chat.

13.

Exactly. Nothing tells me nothing about you. I STRONGLY encourage you to NOT send a blank email with a demo attached.

14. I look forward to hearing from you.

Huh? Are you kidding me? The next step is STILL yours. The fact is, you need to get in front of your potential customer four times before they'll remember you. Try this instead, "I'll contact you in a week" or "Next week you'll see another email from me... this one with a special offer."

15. Peace

Unless you know that the recipient will appreciate "peace", or "See ya", or "Later", be professional. On that note, Hasta La Vista Baby. Just kidding. Thanks - we hope this article helps you get more work!

If you need help with your copy, feel welcome to contact us - we offer consultations that help you gain additional work.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Ask our office for a consultation - call 212-868-edge

Resource Box:

Edge Studio specializes in production of voice recordings and voice over training of new and established voice actors, narrators and other spoken-word performers. Edge Studio facilities have produced or recorded more than 13,000 voice over projects, spanning all genres. Call 212-868-edge for more information.

There are a myriad of ways a voice over artist can conduct his or her business.
EACH TYPE OFFERS DIFFERENT PERSONAL PROTECTION AND INTRODUCES DIFFERENT TAX CONSIDERATIONS.

This article will help you learn what is right for you and your voice over business.

GENERAL NOTES:
Face it, you're in business. And like any other business, maintaining records is essential. The IRS and state unemployment department agency could randomly audit you, and without proof of records, you could be at a disadvantage. So:

• Store all records systematically, either sequentially or alphabetically
• Pay business expenses with a check or credit card (not cash) so that records of the transaction are generated

IMPORTANT 1099 INFORMATION:

• If you are not incorporated (that is, if you are a Sole Proprietor or are an LLC), and earned $600 or more from a payor, that payor is required to send you a 1099misc form by January 31, 2010.
• If your entity is incorporated, a payor is not required to issue you a form 1099.
• If you should have received a 1099 from a payor, but did not, call that payor.
  Note that payors should also send a copy of 1099 form to the IRS.

Note that each state's tax laws vary, and tax laws change regularly. The above may not hold true in all circumstances. Contact your local tax office for exact rulings.

• IRS tax help-line: 800-829-1040
• IRS tax forms and distribution center: 800-829-3676
• IRS on-line tax order form: www.irs.gov

• a Sole Proprietorship
• a Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• an S Corporation
• Other possibilities include, and are not limited to, partnerships and c corporations. Note that each different business type brings different tax deductions to the table.

The sole proprietorship has the virtue that it is simple to form, and TAXABLE INCOME IS ONLY TAXED ONCE, at the owner's individual tax rate. Gross Income less costs of generating the income and operating expenses for the year are reported on Schedule C (or schedule C-EZ if certain tests are met) of your Form 1040. The resultant net income or loss becomes part of your adjusted gross income.

A word about ordinary and necessary expenses - at the start of your voice over career, the largest expenses you probably will incur is the production of your demo (training, workshops, demo production, etc.) and the marketing of your demo (demo copies, mailers, postage, phone bills, etc). These should be deductible on Schedule C as promotional or marketing/advertising expense. If such costs are incurred before you actually start your trade of business, section 195 of the internal revenue code would permit an immediate deduction of the lesser of the start-up costs or $5000 assuming the start-up costs don't exceed $50,000. any start-up costs not deductible initially are eligible to be amortized over a period not less than 180 months.

Keep records on all expenditures which are directly related to your voice over business; including, but not limited to, training costs, travel costs, marketing costs, telephone charges, etc.

Part of your mortgage/rent can be deducted if your home/office is used ONLY for your business. For example, if the home/office is 10% of your total home's square footage, you may be able to deduct 10% from your mortgage/rent.

Similarly, you can deduct your entire telephone bill if that telephone line is ONLY used for your business. Note that if items such as home/office and telephone lines are hybrid (they are used personally and for business), they may not be deducted.

Some items are not deductible, such as clothing purchased for voice over sessions. Even buying a nice suit to meet new clients is not deductible, because clothing is adaptable to general wear.

You will, in addition to owing income tax, usually be liable for self-employment tax and will generally have to make quarterly estimated tax payments as well. The sole proprietorship is not a separate legal or taxable entity from its owner, does not require a separate transfer of assets and does not limit your personal liability for the debts of the business- your individual assets remain at risk.

An LLC is formed under the applicable state's limited liability company statute. A one owner LLC is generally taxed as a sole proprietorship. Although the tax consequences of a single-member LLC and sole proprietorship are the same, an LLC provides its owner liability protection not available to a sole proprietorship - your assets are not at risk.

An S corporation is a business entity which has the same advantage of limited liability as a shareholder in a regular or C corporation. Unlike an LLC there are restrictions on an S corporation's capital structure and on who may be a member. An S corporation's income, gain, loss and deductions pass through to its shareholders and are reported on individual tax returns. Income is generally taxed at the individual level, but in certain states S corporations are subject to state and/or local jurisdiction taxes as well.

This article is intended to provide general guidelines on matters of interest to voice over artists. It is not intended to be all inclusive. The application and impact of tax laws can be very complex and vary widely from case to case. Readers are encouraged to seek professional advice concerning specific matters before making any decisions. The author and publisher disclaim any responsibility for positions taken by taxpayers in their individual situations. This article was updated February 23, 2010.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: Any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this communication is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any investment plan, transaction or matter.

OVERVIEW:

Mumbling... It's a popular form of speech, in fact preferred on certain words, that must be controlled to deliver voice-over copy. In this article, you'll learn when to mumble, where not to mumble, and how to control it.

-----
FORMAL VS INFORMAL:

Every natural conversation has a differently accepted, colloquial way of speaking - and because of it, we sound credible. In other words, depending upon the type of natural conversational, we adjust our colloquial way of speaking - sometimes we speak formally (enunciate words clearly) - and other times we speak informally (mumble).The voice-over artist's job is to determine how formally or informally the script should be pronounced, and then deliver the script accordingly. If any words are over-enunciated or too mumbled, the listener will find the recording unlikable.So pronounce words as they are spoken in genuine conversation, and then tailor the sound to match the formality of the script.

For example, the word "mountain" is pronounced without the "t" in most forms of standard English. Certain speakers, however, pronounce the "t," such as in Midwest and British English. Therefore, both pronunciations of "mountain" are colloquially correct.

So how do you know when, or which way to pronounce it? Well, if you're reading an informal commercial, such as:

"Up here in the mountains, we love Coors Beer." the "t" should not be pronounced.

Yet if reading a formal documentary, such as:

"The Clifford Mountain range stands over 4,700 feet high." then the "t' should be pronounced.

-----
CONTROL:

So now comes the difficult part - controlling your voice. And the most difficult part is finding the 'fine-line' between mumbling and over-articulating...without sounding affected. In other words, when most people concentrate on articulation more clearly than their natural speech, they sound affected, constricted, and too deliberate - and that is a turn-off for producers.It's easy to learn how to do this. To begin, listen carefully to professional voice-overs - take note when they're mumbling (it's difficult to notice, as this sounds natural and therefore doesn't stand out). Also take note when they're articulating clearly...without sounding affected.

Then, do articulation exercises. Practice reading aloud, while simultaneously feeling your mouth form the sounds that you're speaking. In other words, physically feel your mouth make the different sounds of each word. At first, you'll sound affected - but given a little practice, you'll be able to do this reflexively - and then it will sound conversational.

----
PRACTICE:

Begin with formal scripts, such as:

In this AT&T new employee training video, we'll discuss the Technical Service Center, and how advanced technology provides quality service. Our patented, highly sophisticated EXPERT System is an application of artificial intelligence that can diagnose troubles and recommend solutions, based on historical maintenance data. This set of software programs can identify a problem and, whenever possible, remotely clear the alarm. If dispatch of a technician is required, all the information from the EXPERT System is available, so that the right technician with the right training and the right parts is dispatched. The trouble can then be repaired on the first visit, minimizing any disruption to your system.

Then move to difficult tongue twisters:

Which wrist watches are Swiss wrist watches?

In summary, your goal is to be able to read colloquially or formally...on command...without sounding affected.

Good luck. Please call with any additional questions - 888-321-edge

Don't be discouraged if you're not winning auditions that your agent sends you on. Rather ask your agent how many voice actors they send to each audition. If your agency sends 20 talent to each audition, and you've only been on 5 auditions, then odds have it that you will have not won a job yet. Of course, if you've been on more than 20 auditions, then read on, as there are a number of issues that could be at play:

1. You're nervous and making it painfully obvious to everyone! Some jitters are natural, but don't let it show. Do take deep breaths in through the nose, out through the mouth (be discreet about it) and remember to relax and have fun! This is fun, not the end of the world! **For a stress reliever and to help your voice - do breathing exercises: Breathe in through your nose - exhale through your mouth. Practice deep breaths.

2. The agency is testing you. They're sending you on as many auditions as possible (even if they know your voice is not the correct type for the script) to build up your confidence, experience, and / or contacts. If this is the case, consider yourself fortunate, as it means that the agency believes in you (and your voice)!

3. You can not perform as well as your demo sounds (a common problem). In other words, you are misrepresenting yourself. If this is the case, you'll spend your life auditioning...for nothing. This could happen for many reasons: Perhaps you are rusty. Or perhaps you don't "cold read" well. Maybe you are nervous at auditions (this produces a high-pitched, contrived, and un-relaxed voice quality), or lack confidence in your delivery. We can help you with any of these.

4. Maybe you do not read with enough variety. For example, every time you read the script, it sounds the same. Think about making different applications for the script. Be open-minded to doing it different ways. When possible do 2 or 3 takes but say upfront regarding the versions.

5. Don't assume you know the style or tone the script should be read in. There can be many ways any one script can be interpreted. Do ask before you begin "What type of delivery would you like?"

6. Perhaps you do not follow direction well. For example, when the casting professional says, "Do XYZ.", you do not. In fact, we hold a LOT of casting calls – and at least a third of talent who submit auditions have NOT followed our directions. For example, we ask for a slate, but the voice talent does not slate their audition. Or we ask for two takes, but get only one. Sometimes we request a specific file name, but the file we receive is not named the way we requested. Come across looking smart - ask smart questions.

7. Maybe your agency is sending you out on the wrong types of auditions.
This could be to fill up the roster. For example, if the agency's client wants to have 10 voice-over artists audition, but the agency only has 8 voice-over artists who match the desired voice-type, they may send some incorrect voices to the audition.

8. Could you just be unlucky?

9. Do you ask too many questions? Act unprofessionally? Show up late? This will certainly not help win the job. Don't be late. Do be courteous and punctual, perhaps arriving a few minutes early to relax and look over the script. Be sure to thank everyone.

10. Don't be a show-off! Bragging about past work you've done, commenting on the studio equipment, rattling off all your accomplishments or ways that you could read a script are all signs of an insecure beginner. Just keep quiet and let your read speak for itself. Say thanks before and after: "thank you so much for this opportunity"

11. Don't tap the microphone, say "testing 1-2-3", fiddle with the equipment. Let the engineers do what they do best.

12. When the producer cues you to start, don't say "now?" or "anytime?", just focus yourself and begin.

13. Don't ask for feedback - don't ask how you performed.

14. Don't get flustered and apologize profusely if you made a mistake and don't make excuses like, "I'm really tired today" or "I have a cold”. Do stay calm, keep a sense of humor and try again.

15. You are so worried about capturing the style that your client wants, that you don’t infuse your own style. The irony is that clients hire voice-actors because they like their style, and often welcome the voice actor's help in shaping the script and other suggestions.

16. Don't assume you've lost the job just because they dismiss you right away or cut your read short. It may mean just the opposite! Producers know what they're looking for and can usually tell very quickly if you're right or not.

17. Perhaps it just takes you too long to "get it." This industry moves fast, and if you require an hour of hand-holding and producing to read the script correctly, you will not get the job. If you have a question, such as how to pronounce a certain word, ask it up-front rather than midway through the read.

18. Don't be upset if you don't get the job.b It's not necessarily a reflection on your talent but may simply be that your voice wasn't quite right for the material. Do stay positive and keep auditioning!

Okay, let's wrap up: REMEMBER: It is good for you AND your agent if you win the job. So be sure to foster a good working relationship with your agent. Be open with them, discuss any concerns, and work together. You ARE a team.

Yet remember this: sometimes it's not you or your agent... it's the client. They may simply want a different kind of voice, or they may not know what they want until they hear it.

BUT IF the reason you're not landing auditions lies in YOUR court, we're here to help. Edge Studio has private and group audition training (training should NEVER stop. Even Pavarotti didn't stop practicing and taking voice lessons when he landed his first role at the Met!).

This is Edge Studio, take one, audition article, done.

LEGAL HELP FOR VOICE OVER

Along with voice over clients, sometimes comes voice over contracts: Talent Release Forms, Work For Hire Agreements, General Service Agreements, NDAs (Non Disclosure Agreements), and so on.

And while contracts provide safer working relationships with your clients, legalese is not fun to read.

So to make life easier for you, Rob Sciglimpaglia and Edge Studio present The Voice Over Legal Glossary. SEE THE FREE "LEGAL VOICE OVER HELP GLOSSARY" NOW! 

Need personal help? Edge Studio strongly encourages you to contact Rob Sciglimpaglia by clicking here. Half lawyer, half voice talent, the voice talent he helps make more money from their clients than the small fee Rob charges.

It's easy to become complacent once work is coming in. You stop shifting your gears and lose business to competitors.

The markets for voice over, and the business itself, are always changing. Even the successful professional needs an ongoing business plan that's up-to-date.

So:

Further develop your performance capabilities, explore new genres and geographic opportunities, understand new technologies and rate structures, and adjust to changes in your own life. (Has your schedule changed as the kids grow older? Do you want to go back to school? Could you work from home? Did they just build a firehouse next door?)

Just like any national brand in the marketplace, you should never stop improving.

Here are 10 items to contemplate:

1) Evaluate the work you've been getting. Should you seek more of the same, or should you expand into other genres?

2) Are you booked solid but some of your clients cost you more time than they're worth, or are impairing your performance? You may want to politely let those clients go, freeing you to acquire better ones.

3) Could you obtain more work from your existing clients? If so:

* Keep them updated on your other recent voice over work.
* Make sure they know the full range of your capabilities.
* Can you add new capabilities that would be valuable to them, such as writing, proofreading or production?
* Ask them to refer you to new clients.

4) What industries are different, but with similar needs? Can you market to them?

5) What industries are similar to those you have been serving? Can you market to them?

6) If you've been traveling to studios, consider ways to work remotely. Whether from home or from a studio, this will enable you to serve a much wider geographic area.

7) To gain similar new clients, evaluate, update and re-implement the successful elements of your previous campaign.

8) If entering a new genre, revisit your Marketing Plan and develop a campaign for your new target.

9) What are successful competitors doing? Evaluate their marketing techniques.

10) Have you kept up with new technologies that will help you work more easily, improve your product, enlarge your capabilities, stay ahead of clients' evolving needs, and/or help you serve your customers better and more efficiently?

There are a myriad of ways a voice over artist can conduct his or her business.
EACH TYPE OFFERS DIFFERENT PERSONAL PROTECTION AND INTRODUCES DIFFERENT TAX CONSIDERATIONS.

This article will help you learn what is right for you and your voice over business.

GENERAL NOTES:
Face it, you're in business. And like any other business, maintaining records is essential. The IRS and state unemployment department agency could randomly audit you, and without proof of records, you could be at a disadvantage. So:

• Store all records systematically, either sequentially or alphabetically
• Pay business expenses with a check or credit card (not cash) so that records of the transaction are generated

IMPORTANT 1099 INFORMATION:

• If you are not incorporated (that is, if you are a Sole Proprietor or are an LLC), and earned $600 or more from a payor, that payor is required to send you a 1099misc form by January 31, 2010.
• If your entity is incorporated, a payor is not required to issue you a form 1099.
• If you should have received a 1099 from a payor, but did not, call that payor.
  Note that payors should also send a copy of 1099 form to the IRS.

Note that each state's tax laws vary, and tax laws change regularly. The above may not hold true in all circumstances. Contact your local tax office for exact rulings.

• IRS tax help-line: 800-829-1040
• IRS tax forms and distribution center: 800-829-3676
• IRS on-line tax order form: www.irs.gov

• a Sole Proprietorship
• a Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• an S Corporation
• Other possibilities include, and are not limited to, partnerships and c corporations. Note that each different business type brings different tax deductions to the table.

The sole proprietorship has the virtue that it is simple to form, and TAXABLE INCOME IS ONLY TAXED ONCE, at the owner's individual tax rate. Gross Income less costs of generating the income and operating expenses for the year are reported on Schedule C (or schedule C-EZ if certain tests are met) of your Form 1040. The resultant net income or loss becomes part of your adjusted gross income.

A word about ordinary and necessary expenses - at the start of your voice over career, the largest expenses you probably will incur is the production of your demo (training, workshops, demo production, etc.) and the marketing of your demo (demo copies, mailers, postage, phone bills, etc). These should be deductible on Schedule C as promotional or marketing/advertising expense. If such costs are incurred before you actually start your trade of business, section 195 of the internal revenue code would permit an immediate deduction of the lesser of the start-up costs or $5000 assuming the start-up costs don't exceed $50,000. any start-up costs not deductible initially are eligible to be amortized over a period not less than 180 months.

Keep records on all expenditures which are directly related to your voice over business; including, but not limited to, training costs, travel costs, marketing costs, telephone charges, etc.

Part of your mortgage/rent can be deducted if your home/office is used ONLY for your business. For example, if the home/office is 10% of your total home's square footage, you may be able to deduct 10% from your mortgage/rent.

Similarly, you can deduct your entire telephone bill if that telephone line is ONLY used for your business. Note that if items such as home/office and telephone lines are hybrid (they are used personally and for business), they may not be deducted.

Some items are not deductible, such as clothing purchased for voice over sessions. Even buying a nice suit to meet new clients is not deductible, because clothing is adaptable to general wear.

You will, in addition to owing income tax, usually be liable for self-employment tax and will generally have to make quarterly estimated tax payments as well. The sole proprietorship is not a separate legal or taxable entity from its owner, does not require a separate transfer of assets and does not limit your personal liability for the debts of the business- your individual assets remain at risk.

An LLC is formed under the applicable state's limited liability company statute. A one owner LLC is generally taxed as a sole proprietorship. Although the tax consequences of a single-member LLC and sole proprietorship are the same, an LLC provides its owner liability protection not available to a sole proprietorship - your assets are not at risk.

An S corporation is a business entity which has the same advantage of limited liability as a shareholder in a regular or C corporation. Unlike an LLC there are restrictions on an S corporation's capital structure and on who may be a member. An S corporation's income, gain, loss and deductions pass through to its shareholders and are reported on individual tax returns. Income is generally taxed at the individual level, but in certain states S corporations are subject to state and/or local jurisdiction taxes as well.

This article is intended to provide general guidelines on matters of interest to voice over artists. It is not intended to be all inclusive. The application and impact of tax laws can be very complex and vary widely from case to case. Readers are encouraged to seek professional advice concerning specific matters before making any decisions. The author and publisher disclaim any responsibility for positions taken by taxpayers in their individual situations. This article was updated February 23, 2010.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: Any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this communication is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any investment plan, transaction or matter.

Business plans are critical in helping you grow and operate your voice over business. Yet many voice over artists forget more than just that. Here are 10 critical business practices that most talent forget. Which of these have you overlooked?

PROBLEM:

It's very easy to become complacent once you have clients coming in. You forget what it took to get there. You're up to speed, even accelerating, so you stop working your gears. BUT EVENTUALLY you start losing ground to competitors.

There's an old saying among our ad agency clients: Just because the train is rolling, don't disconnect the engine.

EXAMPLE:

Suppose you narrate an educational video for a particular client every week. But then suddenly they stop calling you. What happened? The client went with one of your competitors, because they offered to deliver the recording to the client using the latest technology. Unfortunately, you never mentioned to your clients that you provide this technology, so they assumed you couldn't.

SOLUTION:

Test the waters. Feel the air. Know where you are. Learn where your competitors are. And stay in the lead.

Consider a big, profitable hamburger chain -- even with millions of customers coming in every day, they're still testing new products, trying to make things better, working to improve pricing, methods, variety, quality, presentation, decor, service, signage, advertising, even make their logo better.

As a small business owner, you should do the same.

Work the gears continually. Once you get set in your ways, a new generation of voice talent will be grabbing at your clients.

PROBLEM:

As a small business owner, it is too easy to change course in a minute.

EXAMPLE:

Suppose you suddenly think of a new slogan, "Words That Speak Out!" Overnight, you begin a major promotion, you add the slogan to your emails. You put it on your website. Great. You turned on a dime. BUT YOU DID all of this without testing.

You didn't think your new slogan through. It turns out, now people are mistaking you for a copywriter, a poet, calligrapher, sign maker, ad agency, or marketing company. Worse, now you have to correct those mistaken impressions.

SOLUTION:

The big folks find it worthwhile to spend millions of dollars for testing. Shouldn't you spend at least a few days of thought and asking around?

Big companies assess everything they do. And by the time they run focus groups, market tests, statistical analyses, etc., even a small change can take 6 months to implement. The stakes are too high for them to risk everything on an untested whim.

But you can do this in a day or two!

Where your income and image are concerned, how high are the stakes to you?

Think it through.

PROBLEM:

You never find out why some customers keep hiring you, and why some stop!

Over the years, Edge Studio has cast more than 16,000 voice jobs, and of those, the number of people who have asked me how they did, I can count on my hands.

EXAMPLE:

Take, for example, the plumber I recently hired. At the end of the job, he asked "How'd I do?" and gave me reason to think he would use that information to improve his performance and grow his business. That guy definitely gained my respect.

SOLUTION:

Run a survey, but do it correctly: The right way is to determine what kind of information you want, then design the survey to generate that kind of data.

For example, don't ask "Did you like my service?" Rather than embarrass themselves by telling you truly, people will just ignore the survey or give a useless polite answer -- and then won't hire you again. Instead, ask a specific question such as, "What is the one thing I could do differently that you would appreciate?"

A set of testimonials goes a very, very long way: It builds your prospects' confidence. Testimonials say things that may be awkward to say about yourself. And when your prospective client is still in the tire-kicking stage, testimonials speak on your behalf without costing anyone extra time.

Use testimonials on your website, in your mailings, wherever space affords. And even if you don't have a website or some other way to use testimonials now, eventually you will. Then you'll be glad you thought ahead.

As powerful as a testimonial is, a reference is even stronger. Just reserve them for prospects who are otherwise "ready to buy," so the people giving you references won't be overburdened. Whenever possible, forewarn your reference as to who will be contacting them and why, including any particular area of concern.

It's the easiest and fastest way to get the most work with virtually no marketing effort.

Do it at the time of invoicing, assuming the job went well.

Be courteous, be prompt, send a thank-you after your session, dress appropriately, do everything that signals you're a pro.

When asked what you do, don't say, "I'm a voice-over artist," because most people don't know what that means, and the few that do will probably think it means commercials. Instead say, "I help businesses sound better, by providing them with wonderful sound tracks for their voice mail and training videos so they sound more professional." Tailor this "elevator pitch" precisely to your special strengths.

Always keep in mind what a potential client has to go through prior to hiring you. They have to research you and your competitors. They need reason to trust you. And they need to see value in the services you provide. They'll probably want to speak with others who have used you.

To you, the prospect may seem overly cautious, but they have good reason for doing so. And if they haven't done enough homework, covering these bases with them may produce a stronger relationship in the end.

Like most small businesses, the vast majority of voice over talent overlook this. They focus only on their voice, and forget to focus also on their business.

Make it official. The couple hours it takes to write a simple business plan will make a big difference in obtaining the kind of work you want, the money you want, even the lifestyle you want. For example, do you prefer to work form home, or to work from audition houses?

Revisit your business plan every 3 months, read it and revise as necessary, even if things are going great.

Resource Box:

Edge Studio specializes in production of voice recordings and voice over training of new and established voice actors, narrators and other spoken-word performers. Edge Studio facilities have produced or recorded more than 13,000 voice over projects, spanning all genres. Call 212-868-edge for more information.

It's really cool hearing your voice on the radio.  Does it give you a big head?

I hope so, because as a voice actor, you have a lot of hats to wear!

In today's world, you (an entrepreneur - running your own voice over business) must know a LOT more than just how to read a script well. You MUST ALSO KNOW:

MARKETING: Essential for gaining new customers and maintaining existing ones

ENGINEERING: A must in today's world of home-studio work

BOOKKEEPING & THE BIZ: Need we delve into the importance of appearing professional?

So take a moment and consider your friend the chef who can't even manage his own checkbook. He tells you he's opening a restaurant. Will good food alone make him successful? NO! SO WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM?  You'd tell him that he'd better learn how to wear the hats above.... or he'll be out business.

So back to you, with the great voice:  Please remember that you're a business, and you MUST LEARN how to wear a number of hats.

WHY AM I WRITING THIS?

Because we've seen too many voice over actors who rely ONLY ON THEIR VOICES. So while they sound great, auditioning and hiring them requires TOO MUCH EFFORT.  Subsequently, our clients no longer request that we cast them. 

What do they do wrong?  From wrong information on their invoices to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.  With the NUMBER OF VOICE TALENT WE HIRE, we cast talent based on their BUSINESS-side as much as their PERFORMANCE-side.

No worries, most everything can be learned. Examples:

MARKETING: Ask an advertising or marketing friend for advice. Read a book on marketing. Take an adult-continuing-education class on advertising. (Or, we'd recommend our MARKETING 101 Tele-Seminar!)

ENGINEERING: Intern at a local studio. Get some books and videos on Protools. Experiment recording your friends. Practice editing until you learn how to do it. (Or, we'd recommend our HOME STUDIO 101 Tele-Seminar!)

BOOKKEEPING & THE BIZ: Ask your cousin the accountant. Hire an accountant. Take a bookkeeping course at a local college.  Speak with other voice talent. Read books. Ask question on forums. Do what you can to learn about the business. (Or, we'd recommend our BUSINESS & MONEY 101 Tele-Seminar!)

IN CLOSING:

When you sound great AND act professionally, YOU WILL DO WELL!

And then you have enough money to buy yourself a large pair of headphones for that big head of yours.

See (hear) you soon!

Every voice artist can benefit from being skillful at timing: It reduces the number of takes required, it impresses clients, and you can use it in your marketing (e.g., "Hi, casting professional, if you need voice talent who has killer timing, your search is over!").

HOW TO HIT 10, 30, 60 SECONDS ON THE NOSE

With enough practice, you develop an internal clock that tells you very closely when, say, 30 seconds is up.

Try it. Begin by listening to recorded passages and guessing how long it was. Use a stopwatch to check yourself.  (Reminder: your wristwatch and cellphone probably have a stopwatch function.)

Those long blocks of commercials on TV are suddenly useful to you!  You can also listen to recent recordings submitted at our script library.

Be sure to guess at small phrases first, then longer passages from documentaries and audiobooks, for example.

Next, once you're able to judge pretty well, record yourself, listen back, and see how you did. Gradually increase the length of your passage.  Practice reading from our selection of practice scripts, till you develop that sense of time. Our 3,500+ scripts include various lengths.

Learn to approximate NOT ONLY the entire voice-over performance, but also the space between spoken passages. So if at a recording session your client requests, "Give me an extra second between these two sentences," you can do it.

WAYS TO INCREASE AND DECREASE YOUR TIMING

Suppose your client requests a passage to be 30 seconds in length, but your time is off.  Practice the following solutions, so that you can put them to work for you:

1) Elongate or shorten some of the words.

Read the following at different speeds. Your reading can range between 1.5 seconds and 3 seconds long.

"You know that tired feeling you get?"

2) Adjust the pauses between phrases and sentences.

A 60-second spot may offer a couple dozen logical opportunities to pause. Pausing at all of them may test the listener's interest, but adding just a quarter-second second at half of them adds 3 seconds to your read! Sure, the engineer could add pauses somewhere, but why make work when you can be the judge?

Don't vary the space between words, except in lists. Even slight gaps will sound choppy.

Practice reading the following example with different spacing between the listed items. It can easily range from 7 to 10 seconds.

"Simpson Plumbing Corporation has pipes, fittings, bathroom fixtures, ventilators, tile, tubs, and shower doors."

3) Include or omit dramatic pauses.

This is like the tip above, except that the pause is dramatic, and by that we simply mean that it's noticeable. Practice the following with different amounts of dramatic pause, without significantly varying the speed of the words or other space between phrases. Your read will range between 4.5 and 6.5 seconds.

"Simpson Plumbing Corporation -- where nothing goes down the drain unless you want it to."

IMPORTANT: as you use these methods, don't forget to adhere to the rest of what you know about good voice-over technique.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

As you probably know, the engineer can speed up your performance or slow it down digitally... but doing it too much begins to sound unnatural.  And, more importantly, if you understand the opportunities and limitations that this skill affords you, you can take advantage of them in your performance. So it pays to practice, and always be aware.

It will also help make producers aware that you're truly a pro.

WANT HELP?

Want help honing this skill? Call us at 888-321-Edge or email training@edgestudio.com.

Punctuation is really wonderful. It, uh, punctuates.

Those little marks add meaning in so many possible ways:

• Timing
• Emotion
• Sense of humor
• Phrasing
• Clarification
• Making it easier for the talent to read
• Makings it easier for the listener to hear

But many voice talent and clients overlook punctuation's potential. So today we look at Punctuation: The unspoken hero!

(1) Not all text is written by a professional copywriter. At Edge Studio, we deal with copy from all kinds of thoughtful, highly skilled writers. But we also frequently meet businesspeople who wrote the script themselves. Sometimes their punctuation can be abysmal.

(2) Many professional copywriters forget that someone else has to interpret what that punctuation mark means.

(3) Some clients don't read the script aloud before giving it to you. So they miss errors.

(4) Other clients read the script aloud, but do so the way they hear it, not as it appears on the page. As a result, you receive an obstacle course of confusing phrases, tongue-twisters and breathless prose.

(5) Then there are the voice artists who skip over the punctuation without much reason. Yes, there are times to ignore it, but there are more times to use it to your advantage. Each instance should be a professional-grade choice.

(6) Often the copy comes straight from print. A marketer might try to save money on their tradeshow video by having you read text taken directly from their brochure. As you should know, printed text is seldom written the way we talk. So the punctuation needs to be changed to some degree.

(1) Skip some punctuation

Some punctuation should be skipped. For example, you may not need to pause at the following commas:

• "That's one tough, rugged truck!"
• "For protection against burglary, fire, and natural disaster, trust Allstate."
• "Sale begins February 9, 2010, at 9am!"

And phone numbers -- while they might be written:

• 1-800-555-5555

it is usually better not to pause between the "1" and the "800."

(2) Change some punctuation

Sometimes you have to change punctuation.

As when video accompanies your voice over. Suppose you're working on a documentary about the five highest mountains. The script reads:

• "The world's five highest mountains are Mount Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu."

What you don't see in that sentence (but hopefully the director will tell you) is that the video will pan on each range for about 5 seconds. So you should read each mountain's name it as if there were a period after it (rather than the comma).

If there were visuals for the Allstate example above, that list would be another example.

(3) Add some punctuation

Other times, you need to add punctuation. Example:

• Another reason for adding punctuation is the run-on sentence that allows no place for the listener to think and has no particular point of emphasis and offers no place for you to take a... breath.

Run-ons endanger the quality of any writing (unless you're James Joyce or Wolf Larsen). But in print, at least the reader can go back and re-read. People usually can't re-listen. (Things like audio books excepted, and anyway it's a pain.)

I find that 3 to 5 seconds is the longest somebody can listen without a break in text. (A line of 12-point Times type on the printed page is about four seconds, so there should generally be at least one break within it.)

So give the listener's brain time to process what's coming in, by thinking about the meaning of the copy and phrasing it well.

Be careful not to overdo my advice, you risk becoming choppy. Every pause is not the same.

How long should you pause at each punctuation mark?

• "Guess how much Miller Ford is taking off cars this weekend? 20%!"
• "Guess how much Miller Ford is taking off cars this weekend -- 20%!"
• "Guess how much Miller Ford is taking off cars this weekend . . . 20%!"

Directors may hear each of these markings a different way. So practice: Teach yourself to develop reasons why and how each version would be read differently. For example:

• "Guess how much Miller Ford is taking off cars this weekend? 20%!"

This :30-second radio commercial is word-heavy, and subsequently the director needs it read quickly.

• "Guess how much Miller Ford is taking off cars this weekend -- 20%!"

This radio commercial has a sound effect of a drum roll plays during the break.

• "Guess how much Miller Ford is taking off cars this weekend . . . 20%!"

This TV commercial shows an on-camera actor holding up a sign declaring 5% off. Then she drops it to find another sign behind it declaring 10% off. Then again a 15% off sign. And finally a 20% off sign.

AND NOW, WE PAUSE FOR EMPHASIS...

I can't emphasize this too strongly: It's small punctuation marks that signal the difference between an amateur and the experienced pro.

Punctuation is a matter of making good choices. Well chosen, it become more than a series of breaks. Punctuation becomes the essence of timing, emphasis, and drama.

Hope this helps.

You will flub. Someday, in fact, it will be bad: in front of a high-profile, big-budget, new client, you'll continually trip over the same line. When it happens, you have two choices: a) lose a point or b) score a point.

This article will advise you on 4 ways to SCORE POINTS WITH YOUR CLIENTS WHEN YOU FLUB.

I've worked with the best voice over talent. I've heard them have their worst days. And I've heard them crack jokes about it. We've laughed so hard, in fact, that I looked forward to casting them again.

My favorite lines have been, "I gotta stop drinking before recording sessions", "Sorry 'bout that - they said I'm getting paid by the hour so I'm just dragging this out.", and "You'd think I could do this by now. Heck, I'm a trained professional!"

So to all talent out there- enjoy your work, remember that even the best make mistakes, and laugh it off. BUT if your client is not the laughable type, laugh only to yourself.

Just hearing the words, "Okay, this is silly now. Let me buy you lunch." works for me. Of course I've never accepted a free lunch due to another's mistake, but the gesture lightens the mood and always makes clients smile.

Try it.

There's nothing like a next-day-delivery of cookies to make clients think respectfully of you. Include a card that says, "Geez that session took me a little while to get through. Hopefully these sweets will last longer."

While I've rarely seen our client accept money back, this offer goes a long way toward maintaining your professional aura. This step is best saved for times when you have cost the client significant time. For example, if you read 15 pages of text without hitting record, or if you stumbled on the client name 20 times in a row, that may be a nice time to tell your client that you won't charge them for that time.

Alternatively offer a credit off the next time they hire you.

Either way, you'll have a happy client.

A FINAL NOTE:

I cannot emphasize how critical it is that you ALWAYS remain confident, and do NOT turn sweaty red or become nervous, flustered, or angry when you flub. As stated above, every one flubs. Dealing with it professionally is what separates the experienced from the newcomers. THINK ABOUT THE OUTAKES on comedy TV shows - all the famous actors flub and they all laugh. It shows that they're professionals. Do the same. It keeps everyone in a good mood.

"A voice actor and casting director walk into a bar...."

Jokes are invaluable in our industry. Not to tell anyone else. But rather to tell ourselves. Here's why:

When narrating a script, voice actors sound best when they are physically loose, vocally-free, and natural sounding. But many voice actors have tension in their body when they read; and tension causes a rigid physical stance and vocal tightening which results in a strained, contrived, and less-creative delivery.

Not good.

The fix: Think about a joke! As funny as it sounds, just thinking about a funny joke helps voice actors loosen-up and free-up any tension!

How to do it: Before reading your script, tell a joke and continue from the punch-line right directly into your script. But be careful:

     1) If you're in your home-studio without a client on phone-patch, tell the joke aloud. If you're with a client, tell it to yourself. You see, jokes should NOT typically be told at recording sessions when clients, directors, or agents are present unless they tell a joke first, there is a natural break for you to tell a joke, your joke is very short, funny, appropriate, and you tell it well. Otherwise, best to not tell it!

     2) Unless your script requires the same emotional character as the joke's punchline, you'll need to quickly change your emotion after the punchline and before reading the script.

Time to put this to the test:

First, record these 3 taglines without telling a joke first.

• (sexy) "Ten smooth shades of irresistible colors that makes lips sizzle"

• (hard sell) "Hundreds of cars and trucks at rock bottom prices!"

• (goofy) "Hey kids, watch Mr. Clown magically make his suitcase disappear!"

Now, record them again, this time saying a joke first before each one. After recording, edit out the joke. Notice how "tight" your voice sounds. Notice how unnatural you sound. Notice how unprofessional you sound.

Finally, edit out the joke from your second recording, and then compare the first and second takes back-to-back. You'll likely hear that your second take (the take that had been prefaced with a joke) is looser and more natural. Voila, you sound great!

So anyway- back to the original riddle:

A voice actor and casting director walk into a bar. The casting director points to a word in the script and tells the voice actor to emphasize that word, "Give me a punch!" The bartender overhears and punches the casting director. Stunned and hurt, the casting director repeats, "Really hit it!" The WHACK from the bartender is even harder this time. Now black-n-blue and disfigured, the casting director asks the bartender, "Look at me!...what do you have to say for yourself?" The bartender replies, "You have a face for radio!"

Want more work? Then be prepared!

Nothing in life goes as planned. (You ought to know this by now.) This includes recording sessions. But a little proactive preparation can turn any situation into one your clients applaud you for. Which means more work.

New clients often don't give enough information. Learn about their company by reading their website. Who and where are their customers? What product or service do they sell? Can previous recordings be heard on their website? Knowing these things will help you gauge your vocal delivery and create a very happy client. Plus a little compliment goes a l-o-n-g way ("I like your website"). You'll further win them over and also show that you've done your homework.

Foreign cities, historical figures, scientific jargon,... You think "ugh!". But we see an opportunity to impress your client. Prepare! Request the script early (often the final version is not available, but usually a working version is). Research the pronunciation of new words. To make it easier, many online dictionaries contain narrated pronunciation guides. So learn your words. Write them phonetically in your script. Practice. And make a client very happy!

What was supposed to be 45 seconds of an online tutorial unexpectedly becomes 2 tutorials and a disclaimer for a tradeshow video. Show how experienced and professional you are by saying, "I'm glad to record this. However the estimate I gave was only on the script you had told me about - my rate for the new material is $100." What makes you look so professional? It's broaching this difficult topic comfortably and clearly, and knowing your rate card in your head (see www.edgestudio.com/Voice-Over-Rate-Card.htm).

27 people join the recording session (either at the studio or via phone-patch/ISDN). You think "this sucks". But we think differently. We see an amazing opportunity to demonstrate your skills in front of many new potential customers. Frightened of speaking in front of a large group? Then practice by volunteering to speak at your library, reading to the elderly, to kids, to blind persons. Join and speak at Toastmasters. Once comfortable in front of a group, you will continue to impress more and more clients.

"I have 5 minutes to get this done and uh, emphasize the second word, add just a beat after the fourth word, and the video changes music from mysterious to happy where I put a mark in your script (it's hard to see the mark though - my ink was running low) so change your delivery there as well. Okay, let's go. Rolling?" If you're well trained, no sweat! You can kick ass (uh, larynx) and impress your client no matter how demanding the client. The magic ingredients are to a-l-w-a-y-s remain calm and have control of your voice.

"Uh oh" says the engineer. "No problem!" you say, just as the client was about to become concerned, "I'll be fine." Now you've done it again - impressed another client. Practice reading without headphones. Practice reading sitting on a broken stool with the leg going... Practice being directed over a very poor telephone connection (have a friend direct you through old walkie-talkies to simulate this). Practice and be prepared.

Conclusion: Every job is another opportunity to "win over" another client and INCREASE the amount of work you get. You should prepare. Edge Studio is glad to help.

Smooth jazz. Smooth skin. Smooth vodka. Everyone likes smooth.

This goes for voice over as well - both producers and listeners prefer smooth deliveries over choppy ones. However many talent read choppily... especially less experienced talent.

Following are the most common types and causes of choppiness. If you want to create smooth relationships with casting professionals and producers, read on.

Due to being dramatic and theatrical.

These pauses occur much more often among less experienced talent. Talent feel that dramatic pauses make their delivery sound better, more interesting, and more intriguing. However no matter how good these pauses sounds, the read will generally sound significantly better (smoother) without them.

For example, many talent will pause after the word “Security” in the following sentence, believing that this will add drama. In actuality, most producers do not want drama, and instead prefer a smoother, more natural delivery without the pause. Try reading it both ways.

“Aetna Insurance. Security for a lifetime.”

Due to trying too hard to make the delivery ultra-clear for the listener. Also due to lack of confidence.

Less experienced talent try real hard to make their delivery clear for the listener. In doing so, they separate phrases of the script into little choppy bits. This often occurs unknowingly. Once pointed out, they often recognize how choppy they were and how much better their reads sound when reading smoothly.

For example, most talent will pause in the following sentences (where the slash is). However these sentences will usually sound significantly better (smoother) if read without the pause. Try reading these examples with the pauses. Then try reading the sentences without the pauses. Notice how much better (smoother) they sound the second time. Most producers will prefer it without the pauses:

“Save on men's, women's, and children's fashions / at the one-day super sale!”

“Call 1-800-123-4567 / for more information.”

“PetMeds saves you time and money / on all your family's pet medications.”

“Please contact customer service / on the number on the card.”

“Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 / in Hardin County, Kentucky.”

“What we at Travelers Insurance / have been dedicated to providing for 130 years.”

“The easy-to-follow lessons / and innovative accompanying CD included in your packet...”

Due to “working the words” too hard (forcing words).

This epitome of choppiness happens with aspiring talent, professional talent, and singers. The technical term for this occurrence is a “Glottal Stop.” Getting rid of these nasty little pauses makes a voice over delivery go from unprofessional sounding to professional.

For example, read the following sentence. There is a good chance that you will unintentionally pause before the words “always” and “every.” Now try reading it again, this time without the pauses. Notice how much better (smoother) it sounds:

“J.C.Penny always has every item on sale!”

Due to articulating too carefully, being hesitant, and/or over-thinking when reading.

If you're like most aspiring voice talent, the more you try, the choppier your delivery will be. To repair this, just relax. One of best techniques you can employ to sound smooth is to be relaxed, comfortable, and experienced.

Due to little experience.

Some punctuation marks are necessary for print but should NOT be used for voice over. Dates, locations, and lists are examples.

For example, read the following sentence twice - the first time following all punctuation marks (which are necessary for print) and the second time without pausing. Notice how the second version sounds better (smoother) without the pauses:

“Dr. Gerard created the first blue, dynamic pithi-scope on September 14th, 1953, in Dallas, Texas.

PS: You likely paused after “pithi-scope” when reading the sentence the first time. That pause is unnecessary, and your delivery will sound better (smoother) without it.”

Due to copy-writer's and/or client's inexperience.

Inexperienced copy-writers and clients often do not read the script out loud before giving it to the voice talent, and therefore often give the voice talent a script full of too many punctuation marks.

Also, clients sometimes take copy directly from print sources and assume it will work well for voice over, when in actuality it will not.

In either case, voice talent are often presented with scripts that contain unnecessary punctuation marks. In these instances, ask the producer if they will prefer alternate reads where punctuation marks are disregarded.

For example, read the following script the way it is written - notice how choppy it is. Now read it again, this time eliminating the majority of pauses. You will hear how much better (smoother) it sounds:

“When reading scripts, written by inexperienced script writers, who sometimes use “too many punctuation marks,” like this sentence... the voice talent will sound very, VERY choppy, if they read every single punctuation mark.”

Final thoughts:

- A good rule of thumb is: “pause between phrases, not within them.” This will create a delivery that sounds natural, as most words in genuine conversation connect to each other.

- There is a time and place for everything. For example, certain scripts may sound terrific with many pauses. Sometimes a client may request a delivery style that appears choppy, yet when mixed with the visual seems appropriate.

- The majority of unnecessary and excessive pauses sound better when eliminated, and instead a smooth delivery is used.

- No matter how good dramatic pauses sound, quite often the delivery will sound better without them.

One of the key skills a professional voice-over artist has is an ability to maintain a consistent vocal delivery. This is more difficult than it sounds, and can take years to master. There are several situations where consistency is crucial:

ONE MODIFICATION

a.) When recording, it is common for the producer to request that you re-record a sentence with a modification. It is imperative that when you re-record, the specified modification is the ONLY change...everything else remains the same.

However, many voice over artists tend to increase their volume when asked for more smile. Similarly, they tend to slow down their tempo when requested to decrease their projection. Watch out for these and other mishaps.

To practice, read this sentence multiple times, each time only changing one thing:

"Born with absolute pitch, infallible rhythm, and natural comprehension of harmony, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had come into this world with a complete gift."

ENTHUSIASM AND SPONTANEITY

b.) Often, the voice over artist is requested to read the script multiple times so that the producer has the ability to edit together sections from each recording to create the ultimate version. However, many voice over artists tend to lose their spontaneity and enthusiasm when reading the same script repeatedly. If your sound varies between takes, the recordings will not edit together smoothly. It is essential that your vocal delivery remains consistent with the previously recorded recording.

With ample practice and good concentration, most voice-over artists learn to keep the spontaneity and enthusiasm consistent.

One way to practice is with two audio-recorders. Record yourself on audio-recorder #1 reading the following script 10 times. Then, while listening back to your recording on audio-recorder #1, record each sentence of the script from a various recording onto audio-recorder #2. When completed, listen back to audio-recorder #2 -- all of the sentences should blend smoothly into each other.

"The Zambezi river is 1,700 miles long from its source to its mouth on the shores of the Indian Ocean. It was formed during the volcanic upheavals of the Jurassic period about 150 million years ago, when an old river was split into two. The Zambezi is the fourth-largest river in Africa. It rises in northern Zambia, and flows southwest into Angola before turning back into Zambia and heading south."

This exercise can also be practiced with one audio-recorder:

Record the following commercial once all the way through. Then record yourself re-recording it. Finally, play back both recordings. They should contain exactly the same speed, volume, tone, and pitch. If not, keep practicing.

"In Premiere Magazine, you'll read about the making of movies, shot by shot. Catch the rising stars. See what hot new movies are in the works. Plus much more."

CONSISTENCY OVER TIME

c.) Some recordings are long enough that they are recorded on multiple days, such as audio-books. In these instances, it is essential that your vocal delivery remains consistent from day to day, so that when the recording is edited together, it flows smoothly.

To practice, read one sentence of the following example each day until the entire paragraph is completed. Then play back the entire recording. It should sound smooth and harmonious. If it does not, you are not consistent enough.

Note: It is common for professionals to ask the engineer to play back the last 15 seconds of the previous day's recording prior to recording, so that they can match the delivery style.

"In our next segment we visit individual stadiums, explore tales of the classic teams, legendary stars, and the devotion of the American baseball fan. First stop: Yankee Stadium, home of the team America loves to hate and breeding ground for a host of superstars and legends. Back at the Hall of Fame in the World Series room, we explore the lives of ordinary men with extraordinary skills. And look at how and why Americans have elevated such men to mythic places in our folklore. Chicago, Illinois -- in America's foremost sports city, our first location is Comiskey Park, the oldest standing major league ballpark in America."

Every voice-over artists emphasizes words.

Yet some chose better words.

In our Industry GuideBook (www.edgestudio.com/guidebook.htm), word emphasis is discussed first in “foundation technique” where basic word emphasis is discussed, such as hitting client names. Second in “advanced technique” where you learn to hit words that turn an otherwise plain read into an exciting and/or more appropriate one. Here is some of that text:

A. Hitting PRONOUNS can help enforce a point.

• Fortune Magazine is the source individuals turn to for information that is critical to THEIR success.
• We're sorry, THAT is an invalid entry.
• Hoffman Furniture is throwing its doors wide open for the wildest bargain frenzy YOU'VE ever seen.

B. Hitting ADVERBS and ADJECTIVES can also strengthen a point.

• With new Suave shampoo, you'll add shine and bounce the HEALTHY way.
• Step 1: CAREFULLY insert piece A into slot B. Step2:...
• Breyers DELICIOUS PREMIUM ice cream has an IRRESTIBLE taste.

C. Hitting CONJUNCTIONS can bring extra enthusiasm to the copy.

• With air-conditioning AND power windows, you can't go wrong!
• The company is best known for creating tools that utilize step-AND-scan technology.
• Get a 10% cash rebate OR $500 cash back!

D. Hitting the first word of phrases can “open up” the delivery. Note, a common error that voice-over artists make is rushing the first word of a phrase, instead of valuing it.

• JUST waiting to engage your driving passion for performance.
• IN this video presentation, you'll learn how clear plastic is recycled.

Part of a voice-talent's job is to establish an appropriate delivery. Once mastered, you appear professional, experienced, and polished. This article will discuss how to develop and maintain an appropriate delivery.

To begin, here are errors voice-talent often make during their recording sessions:

• 1. taking too long to develop the appropriate delivery
• 2. not using the appropriate delivery from the beginning of the script
• 3. not maintaining the delivery

After showing up at the recording studio, members of the creative team (producer, copywriter, engineer, and client) work with you to develop the intended delivery. This is based upon factors, such as who will listen to the completed product, what it's purpose is, where it will be played. While you'll have as much time as necessary to develop the correct delivery, it is always best to do it as quickly as possible.

The production team will give you directions like “You need to be softer and more emotional,” or “Give us a bit more smile,” or “Try lowering your pitch.”

The production team may even attempt to demonstrate the required delivery to you. Listen carefully to their voices, try to pick up the subtle nuances they demonstrate. Remember that their voices may not be trained, so use their example only as the framework for your character. Don't simply mimic them.

Sometimes, you'll be requested to use a certain delivery sound that you had included on your demo.

By taking the following steps, an experienced voice-over artist can just about “nail” the delivery on the first take.

A. Conjure up a mental image of the finished recording as if a professional had recorded it. Then mimic it. By creating and mimicking this mental image, development of the delivery should be easier.

To conjure up the mental image, concentrate on two items:

• 1. Audio — Imagine you were the audience, and were listening to a voice-over artist reading the script. What would the voice-over artist sound like? What type of delivery would be used? Would there be music playing in the background? If so, what kind?
• 2. Visual — Compose a visual scene that helps you establish the mood of the copy. What type of characters would you see? What would the visuals look like?

B. Think about the application of the voice-over. For example:

If the voice-over is for a visual (such as a documentary, children's picturebook, etc.), then the delivery should be on the slower side. This is so the viewer has time to take in the visual as well as the audio. But if there is no visual (as with a radio commercial, voice-mail, etc.), the delivery should be faster. This way it will not drag for the listener.

To notice this, watch a television documentary with your eyes closed. The voice-over will appear too slow. However, with your eyes opened, the speed will seem appropriate.

A radio commercial will generally require more variety and energy than a television commercial. This is because the only thing on the radio commercial is the voice, as opposed to a television commercial, which has a visual to help hold the attention of the audience.

C. Recall a situation in which you naturally used the required delivery. For example, if you need to record a funny commercial, think of a funny joke. This mind-set makes it significantly easier to develop a fine-tuned character sound.

D. Create the delivery by using the 4 components of our voice: pitch, tempo, tone, and volume.

E. Manipulate the delivery so that it is neither overdone nor underdone. But beware: there is a very fine line between the two.

Generally, voice-over artists feel that they are employing more character than they actually are. In fact, the producer typically needs to direct the voice-over artist to give more character, so that the desired character level is achieved.

However, then the common tendency of the voice-over artist is to over-compensate and give too much.

If you're unsure of how much character to give, begin with too much, as that will most likely be appropriate. And on the rare occasion when it is too much, you will impress the producer by demonstrating an ability to cover a large range — and that could lead to additional work.

F. Develop a “lead-in” (also known as a “silent warm-up”). A lead-in is a word or phrase that you think prior to reading the script. This acts as a warm-up, and makes it easier to establish the character on the first word.

This is a common technique in the industry, because establishing the appropriate delivery on the first word is difficult. Without employing a lead-in, it is common for the first word to be in the wrong delivery. Producers will not accept this.

Very often, a lead-in may be as short as, “Ya' know,” or “Listen,” or “Okay.”

Practice reading the following sentences. Notice that in the first example, the first word will not be as full of character as it will be on the second example.

Script: I was walking into my bank, and the teller said something about free...

Now add a lead-in: It was amazing, I was walking into my bank, and the teller said ...

When handing you the script, it is common for a producer to specify how long your recording should be. It is then your job to turn on an internal tempo-clock, and ensure that the finished recording is that specified length (or at least close).

This article will discuss ways to control your timing.

The producer will time your reads and let you know if you need to speed up or slow down, and by how much. Learning how to control your speed is essential.

Note: Today's digital recorders give the engineer the ability to automatically adjust your timing by as much as 10%. However, engineers prefer to not rely on digitally timing, as sometimes the sound quality is degraded.

a. Speed up or slow down the speed of the words, by elongating or shortening them. Practice reading the following example at different speeds. Your reading can range between 1.25 seconds long and twice that fast, or 2.5 seconds long.

It's the largest selection anywhere.
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b. Lengthen or shorten the pauses between sentences and paragraphs. Note that when you're forced to read copy so quickly that it sounds rushed, a tiny pause between phrases will help make the read appear significantly less rushed. Practice reading the following example with different spacing between the listed items. It can range between 3.5 seconds and almost double that, 5.5 seconds long.

Johnson Lighting Company has bulbs, fixtures, lamps, shades, candles, and chandeliers.
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c. Add or delete dramatic pauses. Practice reading the following example with different degrees of dramatic pause. Your reading can range between 2.5 and 5 seconds long.

The Johnson Lighting Company, we're light-years beyond our competition.
-----

Split-second timing in commercial recording is a must. Advertisers purchase specific length “blocks” of air-time from television and radio stations, so voice-over producers need to ensure that the spot is exactly the right length of time.

Note that :15, :30, and :60-second commercials are actually 13.6, 28.6, and 58.6 seconds long, respectively.

Most radio commercials require the voice-over artist to read for the entire spot. Conversely, most TV commercials contain only a few lines of copy

OVERVIEW:

Mumbling... It's a popular form of speech, in fact preferred on certain words, that must be controlled to deliver voice-over copy. In this article, you'll learn when to mumble, where not to mumble, and how to control it.

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FORMAL VS INFORMAL:

Every natural conversation has a differently accepted, colloquial way of speaking - and because of it, we sound credible. In other words, depending upon the type of natural conversational, we adjust our colloquial way of speaking - sometimes we speak formally (enunciate words clearly) - and other times we speak informally (mumble).The voice-over artist's job is to determine how formally or informally the script should be pronounced, and then deliver the script accordingly. If any words are over-enunciated or too mumbled, the listener will find the recording unlikable.So pronounce words as they are spoken in genuine conversation, and then tailor the sound to match the formality of the script.

For example, the word "mountain" is pronounced without the "t" in most forms of standard English. Certain speakers, however, pronounce the "t," such as in Midwest and British English. Therefore, both pronunciations of "mountain" are colloquially correct.

So how do you know when, or which way to pronounce it? Well, if you're reading an informal commercial, such as:

"Up here in the mountains, we love Coors Beer." the "t" should not be pronounced.

Yet if reading a formal documentary, such as:

"The Clifford Mountain range stands over 4,700 feet high." then the "t' should be pronounced.

-----
CONTROL:

So now comes the difficult part - controlling your voice. And the most difficult part is finding the 'fine-line' between mumbling and over-articulating...without sounding affected. In other words, when most people concentrate on articulation more clearly than their natural speech, they sound affected, constricted, and too deliberate - and that is a turn-off for producers.It's easy to learn how to do this. To begin, listen carefully to professional voice-overs - take note when they're mumbling (it's difficult to notice, as this sounds natural and therefore doesn't stand out). Also take note when they're articulating clearly...without sounding affected.

Then, do articulation exercises. Practice reading aloud, while simultaneously feeling your mouth form the sounds that you're speaking. In other words, physically feel your mouth make the different sounds of each word. At first, you'll sound affected - but given a little practice, you'll be able to do this reflexively - and then it will sound conversational.

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PRACTICE:

Begin with formal scripts, such as:

In this AT&T new employee training video, we'll discuss the Technical Service Center, and how advanced technology provides quality service. Our patented, highly sophisticated EXPERT System is an application of artificial intelligence that can diagnose troubles and recommend solutions, based on historical maintenance data. This set of software programs can identify a problem and, whenever possible, remotely clear the alarm. If dispatch of a technician is required, all the information from the EXPERT System is available, so that the right technician with the right training and the right parts is dispatched. The trouble can then be repaired on the first visit, minimizing any disruption to your system.

Then move to difficult tongue twisters:

Which wrist watches are Swiss wrist watches?

In summary, your goal is to be able to read colloquially or formally...on command...without sounding affected.

Good luck. Please call with any additional questions - 888-321-edge

As a voice over performer, you're really in two businesses. The first is performing. Your training and experience are at the core of that.

The other is "promoting." At the core of that is your demo.

Almost nobody gets a foothold in the voice over business without having first created a professional-grade demo. And once you're an established professional, you continue to need an up-to-date demonstration of what you can do at the mic.

That's why it's critically important that your demo be of professional quality in every way.

It's a big job creating your voice over demo, and if creating it doesn't seem at least a bit daunting, then you probably don't know everything about it that you should. Once you do, it will feel more manageable if you break it down as follows:

1. Vocal quality and performance:

At Edge Studio, we've heard countless demos that performers produced all by themselves. And their naiveté shows. Virtually none of them are "professional."

Often, the performance is lacking. The talent just doesn't have a producer's "ears," the broad listening experience needed to detect what to us are very obvious mistakes. Sometimes it's because (quite understandably) the performer hasn't learned to hear himself or herself as others do. Sometimes it's because the performer doesn't know what to listen for. Often it's both.

2. Technical proficiency

Even more often, a self-produced demo is technically deficient. Engineering a marketable demo requires serious engineering skill. If you've only begun to learn the intricacies of your recording software, you may not yet have a full sense of all the options, opportunities and pitfalls in this.

Recording your demo segments (and/or collecting them from actual jobs you've done) is just the beginning. Next comes bringing them together in an acoustically consistent manner. And if you're recording tracks from scratch, you'll want to know all about editing, mixing music and SFX, EQing, compressing, etc. You should be using proper studio monitor speakers in a proper listening environment, and/or studio headphones, but we also mean "hearing" in the same sense as "hearing" your performance. Many of these technicalities are subtle and evade detection. Then fixing them requires some experience and subjective judgment.

All are important to get correct.

• Vocal Quality. You need to sound like you, so don't over-enhance your performance by using technical tricks. But don't hamper yourself, either. Listen for hiss, echo or a hollow sound, off-axis mic'ing, insufficient frequency range, and use your software tools to fix any deficiencies as well as possible.

• Editing. Get rid of mouth clicks, breaks, exterior noise, etc., and do it all seamlessly. Fortunately, there is affordable software for this (e.g., Audacity, Garage Band, Protools…). They're not too hard to learn, and their capabilities should be standard equipment in your studio.

• Sound Effects and music. Finding the sounds is relatively easy. Selecting the right tracks and knowing when, where and how to use them is the trick. Listen very carefully to a wide range of professionally produced recordings, such as national TV and radio commercials, documentaries, promos, etc. You'll even hear subtle SFX used to accentuate product names, make transitions, indicate "before/after", etc. A mistake made by many novices is that they use outdated music. Your demo for 2012 shouldn't be featuring synth tracks from the '80s. Another mistake is when the music overpowers the voice -- good producers know technical methods to prevent that. And another important tip: Don't let your choice of music or sound effects drive your choice of what script or voice-over style to record for your demo. It might be a really cool sound, or at your fingertips, but if it's not appropriate to your demo genre and most marketable performance styles, save that sound for some other use.

3. Sequencing and Direction

The order in which the demo segments appear on your demo is critical to its ability to stand up against competition. "Sequencing" includes:
• Choice of passage (which few seconds of each performance to use)
• Pacing (whimsical then serious, or the other way around... and where does the dialog best fit?)
• Transitions
• Timing (just as it does in comedy, timing can make or break a demo segment)
• Most importantly, tailoring the sequence of the demo segments to match the desires of the particular casting professionals you’ll market to.

The point is to present your wares in such a way that the listener doesn't press the Stop button. And to present your most marketable selections. Talent is often too close to the performance, in love with a certain 5 seconds or the brand name, and so on, when another snippet from the same performance would speak much more to the needs of casting professionals.

Overall, it's a matter of Direction. Just as you benefit from having a director give you feedback and inspiration during your performance, you will benefit from having the guidance of someone who is very knowledgeable in the areas of creating and marketing voice over demos. For this reason, many voice over performers enlist the help of an experienced voice over demo producer, even if they themselves are technically capable of engineering it themselves.

It's a lot to learn. As you become more and more experienced in the industry, you'll have learned all the above and more. Meanwhile, these links will help you get up to speed:

• Can I use copyrighted material on my demo?
• What type of demo should I make?
• When should I produce my demo?
• 5 reasons your demo is less marketable

Still, even when you're knowledgeable and skillful enough to produce your own demo, it's a lot to do. The trick is to start now, don't delay, and allow enough time.

And consider this shortcut:
You do the performing. We'll do the demo.

If you would like our help click here.

 Edge receives many, MANY demo submissions from voice talent. Every one is reviewed for our talent library. But 95% of demos received are unusable BECAUSE THEY LACK FOCUS! This article will help you build your voice over career by explaining how to focus your demo.

Read the original article, under "Marketing," in our archives at:

http://www.edgestudio.com/voice-over/career-center/archive-faq

Sadly, results are pretty much the same today -- 19 out of 20 demos we receive don't make the cut. 

The good news, for you, is that by following our guidance, you have an excellent shot at success in this industry.

THE PROBLEM, REVISITED

Most aspiring talent still think that tossing in a bit of everything they've ever uttered (or hope to) increases the chance that something will stick.  Toss that idea out! 

This approach means that, even if the talent's voice and delivery is in the professional ballpark, we know nothing about their game.

·   What is it that makes them special? We might hear something in one of their snippets, but who knows if our educated guess, gleaned from one bit among many, is their true strength?

·   Do they know their strength? If not, an audition or recording session is not the time to train them.

·   Was it a fluke? Can they do it again?

·   Do they really know the genre the snippet is in?

·   Do they even understand the industry?

Along with the doubts this talent's unfocused demo has created, this demo is difficult for us to categorize and it's less likely that our client will review this demo when they need to hire a voice talent to record a specific genre.

THE SOLUTION, MORE THAN EVER

Even more than in 2006, casting professionals are super busy.  They need to focus, which is why you must.

Don't be concerned that you'll be typecast or pigeonholed. Think of it as putting yourself on a handy peg, so when they need what you're best at, you'll be clear in their memory and presentable to their client for the job at hand. Your career can grow from there.

Secure a "position" for your prospect to remember you by. Are you a character actor? A young voice? A corporate and telephony narrator?  Documentary and travelogue narrator? A commercial narrator? Consider your vocal characteristics, your strong subjects, and your market's needs, then present yourself as that kind of narrator.  Focus.

It starts when planning your voice over business and continues through choosing scripts for your demo.  Focus on the genres and subjects in which you excel.  Leave the other stuff to the other people who do those things better than you.

Then, as you show off your voice, do it in a way that demonstrates various vocal styles, deliveries, and any factors unique to your local voice-over market. Keep it within this intersection:

·   what you do better than others

·   what casting people need

·   what you enjoy (at least, what you will enjoy get paid for!)

FOCUS MEANS SHARP, NOT DULL

While your demo shouldn't range all over the voice-over profession, the presentation does need to hold your listener's interest. So it needs other sorts of variety. Take what's best for you, and demonstrate variety within.

For example...

... if educational voice over is your specialty, include excerpts from:

·   a pre-school "speak and spell" game

·   one high-school computerized test

·   one foreign language learning program (if you speak the language)

·   one corporate training video

·   etc.

... If you specialize in telephony and computerized voice systems, include:

·   a "friendly," conversational phone menu excerpt

·   a phone menu excerpt in a more formal style

·   an on-hold promotional message

·   something from an information or checkout kiosk

·   a recorded subway or bus announcement

If you are truly strong in more than one genre, you may want to consider creating  a separate demo for each. Email prospects only the one(s) relevant to their needs. On your CD, make them separate tracks, identified on the label and CD case. On your website, make them separate links.

In a coming edition of Voice Over Today, we'll reprise our advice on how to find your particular focus. Meanwhile, check the 2006 article or talk with us.

Because focusing the demo is so important, Edge Studio continually emphasizes it when training future voice talent. In fact, we have enhanced our Demo Preparation session, which we offer via telephone or at one of our studios.

WANT WORK?

Your demo is the one thing that connects you with actual voice over jobs. An effective demo is virtually mandatory to start and to grow in this business.

If you take pride in the process of planning, recording and producing your demo, then you can have pride in your demo itself.  Like a resume, it should be carefully thought out, honest and truly representative.

The time to focus on this project is now.

WANT HELP?

Want help with your demo? Call us at 888-321-Edge or email us at training@edgestudio.com.

WHY DO TALENT DO THIS?: Talent mistakenly believe that another voice is more marketable (a deeper one, a more powerful one,...) and/or they want more variety.

SOLUTION: Be yourself.

WHY?: Casting agents hire authentic voices because listeners connect to them more than someone who affects their voice. Plus it's easy to find/hire any type of voice by searching online and emailing a script to wherever the talent resides. There are exceptions, such as talent must affect their voice when narrating cartoons, talking toys, video games, anime,... NOTE for those who dislike their voice: Don't worry about it - just think how cool it is that someone else likes your voice SO much, that they're willing to pay you to read!

WHY DO TALENT DO THIS?: Talent mistakenly believe that more variety equates to more work.

SOLUTION: Do what you do well, and nothing else.

WHY?: Casting agents will not hire you if your performance is mediocre. Therefore it is best to only offer the styles of voice over which you do well. "Better to narrate one style really well than be a mediocre Jack-of-all-trades!" Example: Imagine a restaurant where every item on the menu was amazing... you'd tell everyone about it! Now think if that restaurant had all the same good items, but also had some items that weren't so good. Got it?

WHY DO TALENT DO THIS?: Talent forget that their voice, lifestyle, and technical abilities play a major role in determining which types of voice over they are marketable in.

SOLUTION: Consider the variables mentioned above, and let those guide you into marketable voice over genres.

WHY?: Voice over is a business... not just a voice. So consider what business-model is right (marketable) for you. Examples: If you fidget, don't narrate audiobooks. If you're not good with computers, don't narrate home-studio work. If your voice is powerful, don't narrate yoga instructional videos. If you can't do auditions throughout the workday, then you won't get national commercials and in which case, don't waste space putting them on your demo. So on and so on...

WHY DO TALENT DO THIS?: Talent are too anxious to get work.

SOLUTION: Record a demo when you're ready. Ready means that you can EASILY and COMFORTABLY reproduce the sound of your demo - even when in front of a picky produce, at a new studio, with a difficult script.

WHY?: You won't get work until you're ready to get work... So paying for a demo before you're ready is the same as throwing out your money. It would be better to spend that money on training sessions (with Edge Studio, of course!).

WHY DO TALENT DO THIS?: Talent are too anxious to get work.

SOLUTION: Learn about the voice over industry, determine where you belong in it, and create an efficient game-plan to market BEFORE you market. Learn the jargon, the politics of, the processes,...

WHY?: You'll likely waste your time and money marketing if you don't know how to do it... And even when you get hired, it will be for a one-time job that barely pays off the countless hours you've spent marketing.

When I was but a wee lad, plugging rca cables into my Aiwa stereo, someone told me something about microphones. They said, "Microphones are like camera lenses, you need a few to get different sounds out."

And it's true. Each microphone, like each camera lens, has its benefits and limitations. There is always an ideal choice, depending on the scenario.

Mics are important. You can ally with them and use them to your advantage or you can declare a war on sound and make them your enemy. Either way, you can't be skimpin' on mics. Unless you're one of those Lo-Fi hipsters. We have a few "all purpose" mics here at the studio, but our main mic of choice in the Production Studio is the Neumann TLM103.

Sooooo shiny!

Sure, its not a U-47, but it sounds lovely, and doesn't cost as much as a Honda. If you're playing the home game, this is a good option to explore. If you're thinking, "Why doesn't my USB mic sound like this one?" it's because your usb mic is not broadcast quality. Don't try using it for something "real" and stop paying attention to the dude at the Apple store who told you it was good enough to record your "Movie Trailer Guy" voice on. He doesn't know what he's talking about. USB mics are ONLY suitable for auditions.

A good microphone has quality components, a relatively flat frequency response, and sounds like there is no mic in front of a person. The highs are not overly accentuated, and neither are the lows (that's where a lot of cheap mics fail.)

In a situation where a mic must take a lot of abuse, you don't want something too fragile and expensive. You could sacrifice quality in exchange for something big and flashy (for example every U2 tour since the 80's) but those in the know, know, that you just need the basics. The 103 has no extra polar patterns, no roll offs, no tubes. It just does one job really well. And that, dear reader, is why we use it.

Part 3 of 3: Selecting V.O. Home Studio Speakers
October 7, 2010

September 30, 2010

Everyone thinks carefully about their first pro microphone. But do you really know how you sound?

To ensure you deliver high quality audio to your clients, you also need a listening device -- speakers, or headphones, or both.

In today's article, you will learn whether headphones or speakers or both are right for your home studio. OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, THE FEATURE ARTICLES will teach you how to select headphones and speakers.

IT'S IMPORTANT. DON'T CHEAP OUT!

Whatever you buy, spend as much as your budget allows. Consider this story of someone who didn't:

A voice talent called me, all upset. Her clients reported a low-end rumble in the recordings she sent them. She swore there was not -- listening critically, over and over, even turning the volume way up, she didn't hear it. So she said something must be happening when she emails the files.

That's impossible, so I asked her to email one of the files. I heard a subway in the background! When I asked, she said yes, she lived near one. Her cheap speakers -- which she had chosen to save money -- didn't reproduce low bass frequencies, and were about to cost her those clients.

Luckily, she worked it out with her clients, and today she monitors her work on better speakers.

ALWAYS get a good listening device, so that you can hear what your clients may hear.

SPEAKERS, OR HEADPHONES, OR BOTH?

It's best to have both.  But for now, if you can afford only one, consider:

• Is your workspace noisy when editing? (For instance, loud kids, street noise, etc?) If so, you may need headphones so that you only hear your recording.
• Do you work at night and need to be quiet?  Headphones.
• Can you accurately judge your real voice (that is, your raw voice, not the voice which is processed to sound better through your microphone and recording system)?  Most voice talent cannot and, for that reason, should listen through headphones while recording.  This is especially important for voice-talent who are prone to popping, mouth clicks, sibilance, and so on.
• On the other hand, if clients come to your studio, you'll need speakers.
• If you edit long projects, speakers may be better because headphones can become uncomfortable after awhile.
• Also, if you edit long projects, speakers may be better because "ear fatigue" (that means failing sensitivity to what you're hearing, not earlobe stamina) occurs sooner with headphones, as it does when you crank up the volume on speakers.

In our next two articles, you will learn WHAT YOU SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT HEADPHONES and WHAT YOU SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT SPEAKERS.

WANT HELP?

Want help with your studio design and specifications? Call us at 888-321-Edge, or email training@edgestudio.com.

Do you have a VO home studio?

. . . IF SO, HERE ARE 3 WAYS YOU MAY BE MISLEADING CASTING PROFESSIONALS:

-----

1. Where did you record your demo?

Situation: Edge Studio hires a voice talent to record a script from their home studio.

Problem: The sound quality of the recording that the voice-talent provides is not as good as their demo.

Reason: They recorded their demo at another studio, but never fine-tuned their home studio or practiced editing skills enough to produce the same sound quality.

Solution: Ensure that your home studio produces that same sound quality that is on your demo. Or provide clients with two demos: one from other studios, one from yours.

-----

2. Who directed your demo?

Situation: Edge Studio hires a voice talent to record a script from their home studio.

Problem: The vocal delivery of the recording that the voice-talent provides is not as good as their demo.

Reason: They worked with a director/coach when recording their demo, but never learned how to analyze copy, direct, and produce themselves.

Solution: Learn these skills during your training (something we stress at Edge Studio) and continue to practice with a coach after recording your demo.

-----

3. When did you record your demo? Are you rusty? Has your voice changed?

Situation: Edge Studio hires a voice talent to record a script from their home studio.

Problem: The voice-talent's voice sounds different on the recording than it does on their demo.

Reason: The voice-talent had recorded their demo many years ago, but has not updated it since and/or their voice has changed (due to aging or simply being out of practice).

Solution: Keep your demo up-to-date (as you do with a resume). And keep in practice.

-----

SUMMARY

Your demo should represent what your client will receive. Anything less, you are misrepresenting yourself and will leave your client rightfully unhappy and wanting to hire an alternate voice-talent. CONCERNED you don't sound as good as your demo? Edge Studio has numerous programs to ENSURE YOU DO! Call us- we're glad to take time and explain them to you: 888-321-3343.

Your microphone has one of your studio's most important roles: It is the connection between you and what your clients hear.

So don't just buy a mic that looks cool, is less expensive, or that has a nicer looking carrying case. RATHER BUY ONE THAT MATCHES YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

To help you, we are proud to launch the Voice Over Microphone Selector. Simply use the selection filters to narrow down more than 4-dozen voice-over appropriate mics, to find the right one for you.

Buying a microphone?  Of course it seems smart to ask people what they recommend, since the microphone has one of your studio's most important roles: It is the connection between you and what your clients hear.

BUT ALL TOO OFTEN, people make recommendations without knowing YOUR facts.  Grrrrrrr that's frustrating!

THERE ARE DIFFERENT MICROPHONE MODELS, TYPES, SIZES, AND PRICES FOR A REASON! SO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING BEFORE PURCHASING A MICROPHONE:

a) What kind of voice over do you record?

• Some genres of voice over typically require a microphone that produces a thin, clean, clear, bright sound - such as telephony, talking games, and so on.
• Yet some genres typically require a microphone that produces a full, big sound, such as promos and trailers.
• Do you record many different genres? Then you should have a mic that works across the board.

b) How are the acoustics of your recording booth?

• A reverberant room needs a directional mic.
• A dry room may sound better with an "open" mic.

c) How sound-proofed is your recording booth?

• It's not? Consider a super or hyper directional mic.
• It is? An "open" mic may sound best.

d) What about you?

• Have a big, full voice? Get a mic that captures that low-end. Maybe a tube.
• Have a bright voice? Don't get a tube.

e) Lastly, the question you can NOT answer until you experiment: How does the mic react to your voice?

• Every mic reacts differently to different voices... so try a few. And listen carefully.
• Not sure what to listen for? Ask an engineer who produces that type of voice over.

IN CONCLUSION: Do NOT choose a microphone because it's a good price, because someone suggests it, or because it looks cool.  In fact, sometimes a less expensive microphone may work better for you! 

Want to make more money at voice over? Then get a mic that makes you sound the best! We're glad to help you determine which mic that is.

We hope this helps.

IN THE BEGINNING, there was dirt. Dirt is great for sound. It doesn't make noise and sound doesn't bounce off of it.
THEN MAN CREATED NOISE. That was okay until we created sensitive microphones that pick-up every little noise - even computer fans, distant planes, and shirt ruffling noise.

WORSE, WE BUILT HARD SURFACES, such as walls, corners, and music stands that bounce sound around... especially into sensitive microphones.

THE PROBLEM? Producers and engineers came to expect that voice over recordings were void of noise and bouncing sounds.

THE CHALLENGE? Building a home studio out of dirt is not practical.

FORTUNATELY: With thought and creativity, a quality, suitable, comfortable, and marketable voice over studio can be built for little to no money, almost anywhere you want. To boot, demand for home voice over studios continues to increase.

THIS ARTICLE: From location to claustrophobia, even with loud kids, starched shirts, air conditioner vents, and hard surfaces, this article will list considerations that will help you design and build a competitive home studio.

NAME: The room you record voice over in is interchangeably referred to as a booth, sound booth, sound room, isolated room, iso room, and iso booth.

PURPOSE: Voice over producers and engineers generally expect a recording that contains only your voice: no additional noise, and no echo (known as reverb, which is short for reverberation).

SOUND WAVES: are invisible waves that transmit sound. They pass through the air and carry, what our ears and brains convert to sound. They also pass (vibrate) through adjoining surfaces (wall to wall). Understanding 1.) the frequency and volume of sound waves (see sound proofing below) and 2.) how they travel (see sound absorption) is essential for building a studio.

SOUND PROOFING: Like water, sound waves find their way through just about anything. Imagine your kitchen floor full of water. Now imagine a very small hole in your floor. Eventually all water will pass through. Likewise with sound. A very small opening in your studio will allow too much sound to pass through to the microphone. It is therefore necessary to block all sound from entering your studio.

High frequency (high pitch) sound waves, such as those that carry cymbals, flutes, and the “clarity” portion of human speech, as well as low volume sounds, are very small, and almost any blockage will stop them, such as thin walls, glass windows, and thick blankets.

Conversely, low frequency (low pitch) sound waves, such as bass guitar, drums, and the “resonance” of human speech, as well as loud volume sounds, are very large, and pass through many surfaces. Blocking these from your microphone is challenging.

So to block sound, the rule of thumb is “the more noise you need to block, the thicker your walls must be.” So if your studio is in a home, on a quiet street, without dogs barking and street noise, regular walls may be fine. (Perhaps you'll need to cover windows with a pillow, as glass is very thin and will let noise in.) If you have a medium noise entering your studio, try slightly thicker walls, or multiple thin walls (such as a closet (a room within a room)). If a lot of noise enters your studio, construct walls, ceiling, and floor of multiple layers of sheet rock (wall board), preferably that stagger and include air-pockets between each layer. Also incorporate acoustic door seals (to prevent sound from leaking into the booth from the door edges), rubber bushings attached to the ends of each wall joist (to prevent sound transmission from one surface to the next), and use acoustic sealant (as it remains soft (pliable)) and therefore mitigates sound transmission from one surface to the next.

SOUND ABSORPTION: Sound waves propagate in all directions and bounce off of surfaces...especially hard surfaces. (Recall the big echo caused by a basketball bouncing in an empty auditorium.) This echo must be totally eliminated for voice over recording.

Assuming your studio is sound-proofed, the only sound propagating inside your studio is your voice. The louder your narration, the more echo there will be to stop.

Soft materials such as foam (egg-crate foam), thick blankets, carpeting, acoustic ceiling tiles, and plush furniture are commonly used to eliminate echo. Try to cover every square inch if possible. Be sure to cover your music stand too - a piece of carpet or soft rubber matting on it generally eliminates your voice from echoing off of it.

If you narrate in low volumes, such as audiobooks, documentaries, some national commercials, meditation programs, etc., one or two inches of soft material on all surfaces should suffice.

If you narrate in loud volumes, such as the big booming voice in some commercials, certain promos, certain character voices, etc., you may require three of four inches of soft material on all surfaces.

SHAPE: While most rooms are square, sound booths should be anything but. In fact, the more angles, the better, as each angle helps deflect the sound, eliminating the possibility of “flutter echo” (sound that repeatedly bounces back and forth between two opposing surfaces).

If possible, construct your room with at least one angled wall.

LISTEN: Unless you have trained ears, you may not hear unwanted noise and/or unwanted echo. It is best, therefore, to record a sample and ask a studio to evaluate it. Do this before selling your home studio services to clients. Ask them to confirm that you recording is absolutely quiet and dry.

LOCATION: Your studio can go anywhere, as long as you ensure that it is sound proofed and echo free.

Below ground level (basement) studios are ideal, as windows rarely exist, and walls are usually underground. Walk-in closets are also good, as they rarely have an outside facing wall (architects tend to design homes so that closets do not take up potential window opportunities). Try recording in your car or mini van, as they are built to be quiet inside, and if parked inside your garage, they offer another layer of sound proofing.

If none of these are possible, it's time to build. Expect to pay a contractor between $1,000 and $5,000 depending upon your specifications. Another option is to purchase a pre-built (pre-fabricated) studio (see below).

SIZE: Determine how large your booth must be, and if possible, make it at least 50% larger. (One day you'll thank yourself.) Additionally consider how many people will record simultaneously in the booth (will you record dialogues? Will you record foley sfx (which takes up a lot of room)? Will you need a video/computer monitor to view while recording? Will you want a table for scripts, water, etc.?)). Be sure to account for the microphone and music stands. Will you stand or sit? (Sitting down is common for long recordings, such as audiobook recordings, but takes up more floor space.) Do you have claustrophobia? If so, go with a larger booth. Will you rent out your booth to musicians (who need larger spaces for guitars, keyboards, etc.)? Think about these things before you build.

WINDOWS: Windows are nice. They prevent claustrophobia, allow you to see a producer/engineer outside the booth, and allow you to view a video/computer monitor during the recording (in the event that you must match your voice to a visual while recording). However windows are thin, and therefore they let sound pass through. And windows are a hard surface, and therefore cause echo. Ideally, use a window... just make it small, and have prepared a pillow you can stick over it in the event that you must narrate a loud recording that cause more echo.

DOOR: Use a solid wood core door, or a metal door - and then cover it with a soft material to prevent echo. Incorporate acoustic door seals (or heavy-duty weather stripping) on all four sides.

LIGHTING: Be sure to have a well-lit sound booth, so there is no strain on your eyes. Preferably use a non-glare, non-heat producing light type. Note - most fluorescent lights produce noise, and unless you find one that is supposedly silent, stay away from fluorescent.

A/C: Have a number of electric outlets in your booth - so you can plug in a monitor, a headphone amp, lights, and anything you need.

AIR: Due to their small size and lack of incoming/outgoing air, sound booths become warm and musty after a while. Therefore, ventilation is a welcomed option when recording a long narration. Be sure, however, that the vents do not create any noise. One solution is to bring your central air conditioning into the booth - and run it on fan or A/C. Be sure to coat the inside of the ducts with sound absorptive material, and be sure that the ducts make many 90 degree turns (each 90 degree turn decreases the volume of air movement, from the vent, by half).

WIRES: Remember that wires (video, data, monitor, XLR, telephone, BNC, cable, etc.) should be run through one of your walls before you complete your studio. Using a door-knob drill to drill a hole through the wall, run all types of wires through it (you never know what you will need), and then seal the hole with acoustic caulking.

PRE-FABRICATED: Okay - want the easy way out? Purchase a pre-built (pre-fabricated) sound booth. Many companies sell these (look on-line). Try to purchase a modular one so that you can expand it (should you need to) and/or move it easily. Various quality levels, sizes, and options exist - including built in lights, windows, wire runs, and more. Expect to pay between $2,000 and $8,000 for a voice over quality one.

CONCLUSION: Building or purchasing a sound booth is a one-time event. Enjoy it. When done working, let your kids use it as a play room (allowing you quiet in the rest of your home).

Edge Studio offers private and group consultations on home studios and ProTools. Call 888-321-edge (3343) for details.

Many voice talent don't realize the importance of planning when it comes to their home-studio. Subsequently, they either spend more money and time than necessary, and/or find themselves unable to please their clients.

This article aims at eliminating these misfortunes.

SAVE MONEY AND TIME

Interestingly, the ratio of planning to wasted money and time is, perhaps, one-to-ten. Two examples: First, for every dollar you spend wisely, you will save ten dollars on studio re-builds and unnecessary equipment. And second, for every minute you spend planning, you will save ten minutes down the road with studio re-builds and technical glitches.

Answering the following will help you determine the type of home studio right for your needs, therefore helping you save money and time.

• What sector of voice over is right for you? This should be based upon a.) the sector your voice and delivery are most marketable in (audiobook, documentary, cartoon, corporate, telephony, commercial, promo, etc.), b.) the sector you aspire to work in (you will read better, make more money, and be happier reading scripts that you enjoy), and c.) the type of customers in your marketing area (if cartoons are mostly recorded in NY and LA, perhaps this is not the best sector to pursue if you reside in the Central Plains).
• Do the sectors of voice over you plan on pursuing only record in professional studios? If so, you may have no need for a home-studio.
• Will you use your home-studio to practice, record auditions, or record actual jobs? Lower quality equipment is sufficient for the former, while higher quality equipment is necessary for the latter.
• What is your budget? If you spend your entire budget on your home-studio, you will be left with no money for marketing. This defeats the purpose.
• Is there a chance you will move? If you do, portable sound-booths and equipment will save you lots of money and time.
• Will you rent your studio to other voice over artists (to use for practice, auditions, recording)? If so, be sure to build a home-studio that caters to many studio scenarios... not just the ones you plan on using it for.
• Where will your home-studio be located? A noisy location requires higher quality sound-booths (to eliminate undesired sounds from entering). If your studio will be in a quiet location, spending that much money is unnecessary - in which case, either a lower quality sound-booth or renovating a closet may suffice.
• What type of delivery format will be requested by your customers? MP3, Fed-Ex, ISDN, FTP, etc.?

PLEASE YOUR CLIENTS

How nice would it be to tell your client, “Sure, no problem.” If you plan ahead, you can. Unfortunately, however, many aspiring voice over artists find themselves needing to turn down jobs, as they are not prepared.
So take just one day. Call potential customers - specifically, the type of customer you aspire to market to. Ask why they hire voice over artists with home-studios, and what they request from them.

Use this information to begin determining your home-studio requirements, specifically, what type of recordings you will produce, what quality level will be necessary, and with what means you will be delivering them to your customers.

SUMMARY

Inappropriate equipment, lack of thought, and anxiousness will not help advance your career. Planning will.

Most new businesses begin with a business plan. You should too. Creating a business plan requires planning. Begin by searching on-line for a sample business plan. Yours does not need to be complicated - an abridged version should suffice.

Once written, follow through with your business plan, including it's time-lines, marketing efforts, and income statements.
And finally, whether part-time of full-time, take your voice over career seriously. Put a minute of thought into it...and save ten.

WHAT IS NEXT?

Upcoming issues of Voice Over Today will offer information on designing, building, purchasing, setting-up, and operating a home studio.

More and more voice talent are increasing their incomes using home studios.

. . . Should you?

Voice over home studios are becoming the norm in our industry. In fact, we estimate that over 50% of voice talent have, at minimum, a modest set-up, capable of recording at least an audition MP3. And while it's certainly not necessary to have a home studio to make a living doing voice overs, having one will increase your chance of obtaining more work.

Plus operating a home studio is more feasible then ever. With respect to building a home studio, the barriers of entry have decreased significantly. Prices of studio equipment have dropped by, perhaps, as much as 75%! The space that a home studio takes up has shrunk enough to fit in a small closet! And the learning curve, while still challenging for some, is much less than ever before.

Yet like anything, there are pluses and minuses to operating a home studio. Weighing them and determining if a home studio is right for you is necessary to determine. Therefore we offer the following considerations.

PLUSES:

Home studios allow you to record auditions and jobs from home, in your pajamas, on your own time-clock, with as many takes (attempts) as you want, without anyone listening over your back. Sound good? It can be.

Home studios allow you to obtain work that otherwise you would not be able to obtain.

Home studios can, with certain equipment, be portable enough to take with you - allowing you take your studio with you on vacation (why loose a client if you can spend 15-minutes in your hotel room recording a quick job)?

Home studios allow you to move to a new residence and keep your clients, since everything is done via internet (email and FTP).

NEGATIVES:

If the quality of your studio (equipment and/or vocal delivery) is not up to par with public, professional studios, your clients may stop hiring you.

Are you technically challenged? If operating a VCR is difficult, a studio will be overwhelming. To operate a home studio, you need engineering ability.

Are you ears trained like a producer's? To operate a home studio, you need production ability.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS:

If you discourage easily, a home studio is probably not for you. Proficient, experienced, technically skilled engineers still get stumped, stare at their computer screen, and scratch their heads on a regular basis, unsure how to get their studio working...even when it worked just moments earlier

Therefore do not build a home studio if you are the type of person who easily becomes annoyed, aggravated, upset, and is liable to throw your microphone across the room. (Well, if you have to throw your microphone, hopefully you are at least in your padded sound recording booth.)

In this case, you may be better off making a deal with a local studio, where they give you a discounted rate and in return you bring all you work to them. Yes you will need to pay that studio every time you use them...but you'll also save a lot of money and time building and maintaining your own studio...plus you'll save your sanity.

Final consideration: know your clients. If the type of work you aspire to narrate is generally recorded at public, professional studios, and you will have very little work to record in your own studio, then the time and money needed to build and operate your home studio may not be worthwhile. In this case, make a deal with a local studio.

There is the old joke: the better you are, the bigger your head becomes. Well with voice over home studios, this may be necessary!

In most public, professional recording studio sessions, a producer and engineer help the voice talent produce the desired sound. (In simplest terms, the producer's job is to determine what the sound will be. The engineer's job is to determine how to obtain that sound.)

With a home studio, it is necessary to wear all three hats. (That is why a larger head is necessary.) Therefore unless you are capable of producing and engineering yourself, while simultaneously narrating the script, a home studio may not be appropriate for you.

Three exceptions:

• ENGINEERING: For the most part, once your studio is “set-up” for your voice (whether you set it up or hire a professional to visit your home studio and set it up for you), you should no longer need to focus on engineering during most recording sessions. In this case, you only need to wear two hats: that of the producer and voice talent.
• CERTAIN AUDITIONS: When sending out an audition from your home studio, for a job that, if you win, will be re-recorded at a public, professional studio, the casting professional should listen only to your voice...not your engineering and production skills. This is because you will re-record the script, at their studio, if you win the audition. In this case, you should not need to focus on engineering and production, and instead only wear the hat of voice talent. (Note: It is still necessary to ensure that your recording is clear enough for the casting professional to hear your voice quality.)
• PHONE-PATCH and ISDN: When being produced by phone-patch or ISDN, there will be producer on the other end of the phone producing you. In this case, you only need to focus on your engineering and voice talent skills...as they will handle the production responsibilities.

So how big is your head? If big enough, consider a home studio.

It is the microphone that captures your voice. Therefore understanding it and knowing how to use it to your advantage can greatly enhance your voice-over delivery.

Professional voice talent refer to microphone technique as "working the mic." Following are techniques that should be employed during every recording session.

a. Placement - The placement of the microphone is directly related to sound quality. Engineers therefore precisely place the microphone in a location, relative to your mouth, based upon your voice and the desired sound for the narration.

The microphone generally faces your nose, neck, mouth, or cheeks. Occasionally it is above you, sometimes to the side, and sometimes even placed below your mouth.

Do not assume that the engineer is incompetent if the microphone is not where you expect it should be. Nor should you try to move to where the microphone is. Instead, remain centered with the music stand, and leave the rest up to the engineer.

b. Lateral movements - It is crucial that you remain "on-axis" (in front of the microphone) to ensure a consistent tone. Moving to the either side of the microphone will create drastic tonal changes - making your voice sound muffled, as without treble (clarity). This is known as being "off-axis" from the microphone.

One exception is if a producer desires a muffled sound, as if you're speaking through a door. Then speaking off-axis is perfect.

c. Proximate movements - Moving closer to and farther away from the microphone will create drastic volume (amplitude) changes. It is essential that you remain the same distance from the microphone to ensure a consistent volume.

d. Proximity effect - As you move closer to a directional microphone, the type most engineers use, the fuller, richer, and more bassey (less treble) your voice will be. This is known as "proximity effect."

When a full-bodied, sexy, or deep tone is required, use proximity effect to your advantage - stand about 3 to 4 inches from the mic to achieve this full sound. When a thinner sound is desired, try standing 6 to 8 inches away.

NOTE that when standing close to the microphone, you are more prone to "pop." Popping is when a powerful burst of air from your mouth overloads and distorts the microphone. This mostly occurs on "plosives" (words that begin with "p," "b," and "t.") For these words, either move a few inches further away from the microphone, or lessen the volume of air leaving your mouth.

Follow these techniques, and you will sound better and appear more experienced. We hope these help you and your career.

Microphone etiquette is an attribute engineers welcome. Therefore voice talent who are considerate and respectful of engineer's microphones have a greater chance of being hired again.

Always remember the following:

a. Never touch the microphone or the microphone stand. The positioning of the microphone is critical - slight movements can drastically affect the sound quality. So after the engineer places the microphone, do not change it. If the position of the microphone causes a shadow on your script, or is too high or low for your comfort, simply ask the engineer to adjust it.Also, touching the microphone can create a very loud sound in the control room (the engineer's room) if the speakers are turned up. This can damage the speakers and the engineer's ears.

b. Never blow into or tap on the microphone (as characters in movies do during sound-checks). First of all, microphones are very fragile - a slight touch may damage them. Secondly, microphones are very sensitive. They're intended to pick up and amplify sounds coming from a few inches away - and they do this very well. So when the sound is created at the microphone, it will be overly amplified - possibly causing damage to the recording room's speakers and in your headphones (damaging your ears). It is, again, best to not touch the microphone.

c. Never hang the headphones on the microphone stand. First, this can cause feedback. Feedback is an audio loop that produces a high-pitched squealing sound. It occurs when a headphone is too close to a microphone. It is caused by sound leaving the headphones and being picked up by the microphone, amplified by the amplifier, and sent back into the headphones (louder this time due to the amplification), then resonating back into the microphone - thus creating a loop. This loop will eventually destroy the speakers and your hearing.Second, hanging headphones on a microphone stand creates the possibility of the headphones falling off and breaking.

Remember these guidelines, as they will keep your ears, the engineer's ears, and the engineer's speakers much happier. And this, of course, will directly benefit your voice over career.

This article is about preventing and overcoming UNCOMFORTABLE INVOICING SITUATIONS with GOOD CLIENTS, and ultimately keeping those clients happy.

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SITUATION: "...BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU TOLD ME!"

• From your perspective: Your client tells you that your recording will be used for local radio, but months later you hear it playing on regional television.
• From your client's perspective: Why should they have to pay more? Regardless of where the commercial plays it was the same amount of work on your part.
• Action: Let your client know that is standard industry practice to receive larger compensation for recordings with greater coverage. If that doesn't work, try telling them that you had originally given them a discount since their job was small. Then win some points: tell them you're glad to extend the "small job" price to them for the larger job since they didn't know.
• Tip: Always openly discuss the "usage" of your recordings with your client BEFORE you provide them with an estimate. In fact, there are three types of usage to be clear about: A) Where the recording will play (local, regional, national,...). B) The type of media it will play on (radio, website, in-house training video,...). C) How long the recording will play for (1 week, 1 year, in perpetuity,...).

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SITUATION: WHAT'S THAT WORD COUNT?

• From your perspective: You and your client agree to a price based on word count. But at the recording, they present you with a script containing many more words than your estimate was based on.
• From your client's perspective: Your client didn't even know the script was longer. It was the script writer who added more words, and they didn't know that you would be paid "by the word" to record it.
• Action: Before you record, tell your client that the script seems longer than expected, and since your agreement was based on word count, ask if they are okay if you go over the estimate price. Be prepared to tell them by how much. But use your judgment: if the script has only a few more words than you estimated for, it probably is best NOT to say anything.
• Tip: When your estimate is based on word count (which is not always the case), always be clear about "per word" costs, rather than simply providing a total cost.

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SITUATION: OH, WAS THERE MORE?

• From your perspective: You and your client agree to a price to record a commercial. At the studio, however, they present 5 tags for you to record along with the commercial.
• From your client's perspective: The tags are part of the commercial, so they don't understand why you'd charge extra to record them.
• Action: Explain that it is standard industry practice to be paid extra for tags... especially since the recording of each tag allows your client to re-use the commercial without needing you to re-record it.
• Tip: When providing an estimate for a job that could have extra "parts", such as tags, ask if they'll be needed and, if so, include a line-item in your estimate about them. If your client says that they will not be needed, state in your estimate that the cost is for the script only and not for tags. Doing so is the sign of an experienced voice talent.

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SITUATION: TOO LATE

• From your perspective: After trying to impress your client by completing the recording ahead of schedule, your client sends you a revised version of the script.
• From your client's perspective: You went ahead and recorded before they told you to do so, so they have every right to request that you re-record.
• Action: Explain that you made an error. Ask what changes there are and if possible, simply record the changes and insert them into the previous recording (of course, you need to "match" the new recording with the old recording so that they blend together. If you cannot match the recordings, re-record the full script again (and consider the first recording to have been practice).
• Tip: Always have the client write "This is the final script we want you to record." when they email it to you. Doing so prevents you from inadvertently recording the wrong version.

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SITUATION: WHAT'S THAT? YOU'VE GOT MORE?

• From your perspective: After completing a recording, your client presents you with pickups (additions and/or revised passages) and expects you to record them for no extra cost.
• From your client's perspective: They assume you were paid to record the project... even if it came in two pieces.
• Action: Explain that re-recording takes a LOT of time, since you need to open your original recording and "match" your new recording level and vocal delivery to it so that it blends with the original recording.
• Tip: Always discuss (or account for) pickup and revision costs with your client before creating your estimate.

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SITUATION: RAW? EDITED?

• Situation: You provide your client with raw files... but then they say they need edited files, and they don't want to pay more.
• From your client's perspective: Why would they ever want raw files? Obviously they don't have the software to edit the audio. They went to you because you're the pro. Obviously they wanted edited files.
• Action: Explain the difference between raw and edited files, and tell them you're glad to edit the files. But also explain that the cost of editing was not included in the rate you had given them and it will cost extra. Or use telling them that the cost of editing was deducted from the rate you had given them. Then win some points: tell them you're glad to provide editing at no extra cost since they didn't know.
• Tip: Always be super clear with your client before providing the estimate as to what exactly they want from you. Clients do NOT know the difference between raw and edited files. Discuss this with your client.

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SITUATION: ENOUGH ALREADY

• From your perspective: You were brought into the studio to record just a few minutes worth of script. But you waited for hours in their waiting room before they were ready to record.... And they don't want to pay you for that time.
• From your client's perspective: You are paid by the recording, not the time.
• Action: After waiting 20-minutes, politely ask how much longer they expect the wait to be. This shows that your time is valuable but that you're easy-going. If they reply that you have a while yet to wait, ask if they prefer to re-schedule, or if there is a quiet place for you to work. BUT DO NOT discuss extra pay for waiting. Either you had discussed extra pay for waiting, in which case, there is no reason to mention it (in fact, be happy about it since you're getting paid by the hour, or you had NOT discussed extra pay for waiting with your client, in which case you have little right to ask for it now.
• Tip: In addition to your total fee, always include a "time allotment" in your estimate and explain that anything over that time will cost extra. But be careful: you do not want your client to think that you'll try to eat up time (to increase your final fee).

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SITUATION: SQUEEZED OUT

• From your perspective: Your client contacts you directly to schedule a recording, even though they SHOULD go through the middle man (your casting agent, representative,...) that acted as the middle man last time the client used your services.
• From your client's perspective: They should be able to contact you directly. After all, you are the one recording.
• Action: Show your scruples explain the casting process to your client and let them see that you're honest. This is also a TERRIFIC opportunity to impress your casting agent by showing them that you want to include them in the picture.
• Tip: If you work through an agent, always give their contact information to your client not yours. Exception: if you have an agent for commercial work but not for narration work, include yours and your agent's information on your business card and clearly indicate when to call which one.

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IN CLOSING

Please remember that your client does NOT know the inner-workings of our voice over world - just as we don't know their business.

So rather than put clients on the defensive, openly and politely discuss situations with them. EXPLAIN that you want to build a strong relationship.

I leave you with wonderful quotes I've heard clients say to voice talent:

• "You get paid to read?"
• "You get paid more if we use the recording more?"
• "Sorry, my partner never did a voice over session before. I guess he didn't know."
• "Sorry, but you need to talk with the sales & training department, they're syncing it to the video now, but their budget is much tighter than ours."
• "We used the receptionists' friend to record last year's presentation she had a nice voice and didn't mind that we edited the video into a commercial. Sorry this bothered you."
• "$200 to record THAT? I'll just read it myself."
• "Local TV or national TV.... what's the difference to you?"

And my favorite,

• "Thanks for a terrific job. We always bring our work to you, except when we do it in-house to save money. But then we usually end up having you fix it anyway."

So you have been marketing yourself like crazy, sending out auditions left and right and you finally got the response you were looking for... you landed the gig! Now what? How much should you charge? How and where will you record the job? All of these are very important questions talent need to ask themselves prior to starting out.

The first question is one of the most important; how much is your voice worth? There is no definitive answer to this question, as there are a great many factors involved. What type of recording is this? What will the recording be used for? How long will it run? Can you record from home, or do you need to use a studio? How long is the script? All of these questions need answers before you can give a quote.

Generally, a voice over artist's rates can range from $100 to $500 per hour. A more expensive artist tends to signal experience, which often will result in a smoother recording session with a more accurate performance. However, you should not price yourself too high if you are not ready to deliver top quality recordings, as you can and will swiftly price yourself out of many jobs. If you are just getting started in voice over, price yourself between $100 and $200 per hour, and keep the option open to give discounts for the second and third hours of recording if necessary, or to pro-rate any time used over one hour. You may also want to supply a quantity discount to obtain more work and gain experience.

Here is a handy tool that Edge Studio has developed to determine the length of completed audio:

SPEECH COUNT

• Average person reads 3 words per second (range is 2 to 4)
• Average person reads 88 words per half-minute (range is 60 to 120)
• Average person reads 170 words per minute (range is 135 to 215)
• Average person reads 10,320 words per hour (range is 8625 to 12,030)

LINE COUNT (12 point Arial, double-spaced, margin-to-margin)

• Average number of lines per page: 21
• Average number of lines per 30-second spot: 7.5
• Average number of lines per 60-second spot: 15

WORD COUNT (12 point Arial, double-spaced, margin-to-margin)

• Average words per line: 13 (range is 8 to 18)
• Average words per page: 273 (range is 168 to 378)

Now, what if you don't have a home studio to get your recording completed? A studio in Manhattan ranges between $200 and $300 per hour, and you definitely need to consider this when giving a quote for a job. The benefits of using a professional studio can far outweigh the costs. With a top of the line recording facility you are basically guaranteed to have a professional quality recording experience for you and your clients. As a voice talent, you won't have to worry about editing out mouth clicks and pops, working with pickups etc., as a capable engineer is there to do it all for you. Studios will have sound effects and music libraries should your clients require this as well.

Edge Studio is here to help! In our Manhattan studio, we offer Edge students:

• $100 per hour studio time
• $25 per session phone patch fee for remote clients

Use this time to record your job and have your audio edited! Does your client want to be there? Impress them with a state of the art recording facility with top notch equipment and a skilled engineer. You can also use the one hour blocks to record as many auditions as you would like!

If you need our help to impress your clients, we are here for you.

Feel free to contact us!

Edge Studio
New York: 212-868-3343
Toll Free: 888-321-3343
info@edgestudio.com
www.edgestudio.com

. . . Who Are They? And Do I Need to Meet Them?

If you've done any research at all into the voice-over industry, you'll have noticed that a bunch of terms and job titles keep popping up: Talent Agents (aka "Agents" and "Commercial Agents"). Casting Agents. Casting Directors. Voicebank. If you're not clear on whom these people are, things can get confusing. So, what's the difference?

Here's a guide to the strange and mysterious world of casting.

FIRST, A LITTLE TIMELINE OF HOW THINGS HAPPEN
A client decides it's time to create an advertisement.
The client calls an Advertising Agency and asks them to create something. Once that something is approved...
The Advertising Agency either:

a.) hires a Casting Director to find the right voice for their project. The Casting Director calls a few Talent Agents and says "send me your 10 best women who sound like a 30-something warm friendly Mom." Hopefully you are represented by one of those Talent Agents.

b.) hires a Casting Agent to find the right voice for their project, who searches their own library of talent for "30-something warm friendly Moms." Hopefully you are represented by one of those Talent Agents.

c.) searches the library at Voicebank.net to find "30-something warm friendly Moms." Hopefully you are listed in that library.

TALENT AGENTS

Ok, we've all heard of Talent Agents. Perhaps you've even been impressed/astounded/appalled by the antics of Ari Gold on "Entourage" and wondered if that's the type of personality you'd have to deal with if you worked with one. Fortunately, most Talent Agents are quite lovely people who have one thing in mind: getting you into auditions.

A Talent Agent is someone who represents you, the voice talent, and submits you for auditions usually held by Casting Directors. So they spend a lot of time talking you up to Casting Directors and doing everything they can to get you in the Casting Agent's door.

Here's something to keep in mind: a Talent Agent is taking a risk on you. He or she doesn't get paid until you do - they usually take 10% of your talent fee. So they're sending you out on auditions hoping that you will be as good as they think you are (and as good as they're telling Casting Directors you are!).

So what can you do to attract the attention of a Talent Agent? First of all, remember that this relationship goes two ways. They're spending time talking you up... so you can help them by also developing relationships with Casting Directors (more on that later). That will make it easier for them to get you those coveted audition slots. Then, once you're being submitted on auditions, make sure you present yourself as professionally as possible: show up at the audition on time (aka 10 minutes early), be polite to everyone, keep your thoughts about the quality of the script to yourself, and be relaxed and easygoing in the booth. Do the best read you can, then thank everyone and be on your way. No fuss, no drama. Oh, and of course, keep your skill set sharp so that you always sound your best!

Now... how many Talent Agents can you work with? Well, unless one particular Talent Agent has "signed" you (essentially, a contract saying you agree to be represented exclusively by them), you can freelance with as many Talent Agents as you want to. This is a perk. It allows you to get to know the various Talent Agents and talent agencies out there and figure out who you WOULD want to sign with if that ever came up (as one agent put it: "you want to date before you get married, right?").

To sum up: Essentially, Talent Agents are the "gatekeepers" of commercial VO auditions. Yes, you'll see plenty of commercial auditions on the pay-to-play sites... but why not do those and also have access to some of the juicier auditions that Talent Agents can get you into?

CASTING DIRECTORS

Casting Directors have one job to do: find the perfect voice for their clients. They host the auditions. They figure out how many people to bring in and what vocal types are appropriate. They coordinate with agents to get people scheduled. They deal with difficult clients who change their minds. They deal with actors who are late, confused, or in a bad mood. And yet they try to maintain a sense of goodwill as all of this whirls around them. Because here's the deal: every voice talent who enters their audition room could be The Perfect Voice That Will Make Their Client Happy.

Casting Directors primarily schedule voice talent through Talent Agents, but if you are not yet represented by a Talent Agent, keep in mind that they absolutely can - and will - call you in directly. Many Casting Directors teach classes or hold meet-and-greets specifically to look out for great not-yet-represented talent. And remember what I said above about developing relationships with Casting Directors to make things easier on your Talent Agent? You can start this process right away! That way, when you do get to talk with a Talent Agent, you can say, "by the way, here's a list of Casting Directors who already know me." Then watch the Talent Agent's eyes light up with joy.

To sum up: Casting Directors host auditions, and coordinate with agents to bring the right voice talent in.

CASTING AGENTS

Casting Agents are people/companies who combine the role of Talent Agent and Casting Director. They rarely exist in the "major markets" - such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles - and instead are the norm in smaller markets. This means that one office is in charge of both representing talent and hosting auditions.

This is similar to many recording studios (like Edge Studio) who maintain libraries of talent demos and hold auditions. The difference is, however, that Casting Agents do not record productions, as Edge Studio does. Casting Agents and Edge Studio take a more active role in marketing you, the talent.

Some people feel that this simplifies the process, as you only have to build relationships with one office; other people feel that this may consolidate power a bit too much and make it more difficult for new talent to get their first break.

To sum up: Casting Agents will both promote you to clients (and take a percentage of your pay) and provide the space for the audition to happen.

*NOTE: some of the larger talent agencies in New York do bring people directly into their offices to record auditions, but this is less common.

NEW MEDIA

Another powerhouse casting option has emerged over the past few years: Voicebank.net. Voicebank.net is a casting site where clients and advertising agencies from around the country post jobs, request auditions, and find new talent. It's much like the "pay-to-play" sites - like Voice123.com and Voices.com. So what's the difference between Voicebank and the pay-to-plays? You can't purchase a subscription to Voicebank. You can only be listed there by your agent.

Over the past few years Voicebank has become so busy that many agencies are assigning full-time agents to the task of sorting through posted auditions and submitting talent online.

So if you are currently un-represented, how can you get on there? Fortunately they have a sister site, voiceregistry.voicebank.net, that is designed to connect voice talent with Talent Agents. Essentially, if an agent is actively looking for new people to work with, they can browse the Voiceregistry site and "audition" your demo. Sweet! Voiceregistry also holds weekend workshops designed to give you a better sense of what agents might be looking for, and to test whether your audition skills are sharp enough to pass muster at a pro audition. This is a great way for anyone to grab the attention of a Talent Agent, but it is particularly awesome for those of you who do not live in New York or Los Angeles and might otherwise have difficulty getting a meet-and-greet scheduled.

THAT'S THE CAST OF CHARACTERS.

NOW FOR THE BIG QUESTION: DO YOU NEED A TALENT AGENT?

Simple answer: If you want to pursue commercials, a Talent Agent can be tremendously helpful. If you are focusing on narration... possibly not. While agents are involved in some areas of animation and audiobook casting, and occasionally are contacted by advertising agencies to cast promotional videos or industrials, the majority of the narration world does not use Talent Agents or Casting Directors to find the right talent. That's where your personal marketing plans come into effect. So, Narrators: While it's all well and good to sit by the phone and wait for that Talent Agent to call with an audition... it's better to get yourself our there and develop relationships on your own! Happy marketing to all, and to all... a good night.

Situation: Edge Studio hires a voice talent to record a script from their home studio.

Problem: The sound quality of the recording that the voice-talent provides is not as good as their demo.

Reason: They recorded their demo at another studio, but never fine-tuned their home studio or practiced editing skills enough to produce the same sound quality.

Solution: Ensure that your home studio produces that same sound quality that is on your demo. Or provide clients with two demos: one from other studios, one from yours.

Situation: Edge Studio hires a voice talent to record a script from their home studio.

Problem: The vocal delivery of the recording that the voice-talent provides is not as good as their demo.

Reason: They worked with a director/coach when recording their demo, but never learned how to analyze copy, direct, and produce themselves.

Solution: Learn these skills during your training (something we stress at Edge Studio) and continue to practice with a coach after recording your demo.

Situation: Edge Studio hires a voice talent to record a script from their home studio.

Problem: The voice-talent's voice sounds different on the recording than it does on their demo.

Reason: The voice-talent had recorded their demo many years ago, but has not updated it since and/or their voice has changed (due to aging or simply being out of practice).

Solution: Keep your demo up-to-date (as you do with a resume). And keep in practice.

Your demo should represent what your client will receive. Anything less, you are misrepresenting yourself and will leave your client rightfully unhappy and wanting to hire an alternate voice-talent.

you don't sound as good as your demo? Edge Studio has numerous programs to ENSURE YOU DO! Call us- we're glad to take time and explain them to you: 888-321-3343.

We receive many demos every day.  Most say: "Hi, attached is my voice over demo.  Hope to hear from you." But we cannot hire them because:

1. The voice talent didn't tell us that they live near our studio.

• Therefore we don't know if we can hire them to record at our studio.

2. The voice talent didn't tell us that they have a home studio.

• Therefore we don't know if we can hire them to record at their studio.

 
Make sense? 

By the way, do NOT market your demo unless you either reside near your potential customer's studio or you have a home studio, or there is no way you can record for them (and you are wasting your time marketing)!

A computerized fishing rod is excited to hit the water. But instead, the hungry man waddles through the water, endlessly trying to catch a fish in his net. "Why not use the rod?" you ask. "Never learned how." "Hmmm... catch anything?" "No."

It's amazing how many voice talent never learn effective eMarketing. Instead, they do it the "old fashioned way." THERE IS A TIME for the old-fashioned way. But sometimes eMarketing is much more effective.

Wanna catch the big fish?

Then swim with the big fish. Some thoughts on eMarketing:

eMarketing does NOT simply mean emailing an MP3!!

Definition

• Client management, client communication, and marketing accomplished via the Internet

Examples

• Emailing MP3s
• Marketing via websites
• Creating marketing lists using the Internet
• Marketing internationally
• Partnering with other distant talent
• Auditioning via Internet sites, such as Voices.com
• Developing a "niche" that is only effective if marketed online

Pros

• Virtually free - no CDs, envelopes, stamps,...
• Fast - use email
• Green - no plastic or paper waste
• Increased territory - create and market to folks anywhere
• Language benefit - market English to non-English speaking countries
• Branding - brand yourself with a certain style or type of voice over
• Opportunities - work with Internet sites, such as Voices.com
• Marketing - ability to be found on search engines and directories

Cons

• Little or no face-to-face communication. (But then again, this is the industry that says, "You have a face for radio.")
• Nothing tangible to hand someone in real life. (FOR THIS REASON, WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO STILL USE CDs.)

Folks, off-line marketing has some major advantages as well, such as face-to-face time with prospective customers, tangible CD demos, hand-written thank you notes, and so on.

Depending on your branding, your niche(s), and your technical expertise, you must determine the most effective blend of off-line and on-line marketing. What is right for fisherman #1 is NOT necessarily right for fisherman #2. Likewise what is right for you is NOT necessarily right for your peers. Or, as this story ends, your piers.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Call our Ask-A-Coach: Dial 641-594-7078 Mondays 10pm ET, Wed 9:30pm ET, and Fridays 9am
Ask our office for a consultation - call 212-868-edge

Most voice over artists think about themselves when promoting their services.

But to motivate a prospect to hire you, turn it around and promote how you help them.

Here's how and why...

-----

THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE

Wrong: At Edge Studio, 99% of the resumes we receive say, "I am a voice over artist" or "I am a voice actor" or "I speak Spanish" or "I speak medical" and so on.

Right: What needs to be communicated is the benefit you provide. In other words, explain WHAT THE CASTING DIRECTOR WILL GET BY HIRING YOU. For example, how about beginning your resume with this:

"I'm a Corporate narrator who helps large and small businesses sound more professional by enhancing their voicemail, training video soundtracks, and commercials with high-quality narration."

-----

TRAINING VS. EXPERIENCE.

When someone leaves Edge Studio with their new demo, often they ask, "What happens if a client asks what I've done? -- I'm brand new!" We always tell them to be honest. BUT BEING HONEST DOESN'T MEAN SAYING, "I'm brand new."

If you've graduated from our curriculum, you're no longer a beginner. Don't leave the wrong impression. You have more than training. You have experience.

How does this sound:

"I'm glad you asked about my voice over experience:

I've worked with four industry experts who are associated with New York's Edge Studio, privately and in group workshops. I have taken courses to learn the business side of voice over, and vocal training workshops to learn the performance side.

My demo consists of "real takes" (not multiple takes edited together), so it's a true, real-world demonstration of what I provide.

Although the demo contains short clips (the standard practice for demos), I can also provide long-form narration, having practiced this extensively and being in good vocal shape.

I have performed in a number of realistic practice auditions at Edge Studio, have worked in front of large groups, am comfortable at the microphone and work efficiently in the booth.

After establishing my home studio, I took multiple courses on editing and studio operation, and had Edge Studio's chief engineer review and approve my home studio quality.

That's why I'm pleased to have anyone ask how can I help their business sound better."

-----

HOME STUDIO

Speaking of home studios, these days having one is not so distinctive. Just about every voice over artist has one. But it's easy for your studio to grab your prospect's attention, simply by discussing how your studio can help them.

Wrong: Almost every voice over artist lists their equipment on their website. But realize that most prospects haven't a clue what Model XJ6 is.

Right: Tell your prospect how your Model XJ6 can help them. For example:

"A respected audio-engineer helped me choose the high-fidelity XJ6 microphone, as it nicely captures the clarity of my voice, ensuring that your recordings sound clear."

-----

SPECIAL BENEFITS

Look around your home. Look in the mirror. Consider everything you can do. THEN CONSIDER HOW these things can help your prospect... and tell them!

Out of work? Then you offer "Fast turn-around times on voice over projects!"

Your friend is an editor? Then you offer "One-stop shop: editing services available, and can be discounted by 25% when you want both editing and voice over!"

Have extra hard drives sitting around? Then you promote "Backups of all recordings saved for one year!"

Neighbors moved away? Then you promote "Extra sound-proofed studio results in cleaner recordings!"

Want to partner with Edge Studio? Then you promote "Can provide music, sound effects, translation, ISDN, and dubbing. Just ask!"

And so on.

-----

THINK YOUR COVER LETTER IS READY?

Here's an exercise for you: Don't just read your finished cover letter on your computer monitor. Print it out. Pretend you're a casting director. What would attract you to that sheet of paper? What would impress you better than your old cover letter did? Is there information on your cover letter that would make a casting director take extra note of you? Is the information compelling enough to keep you "top of mind" with the casting director?

Does each sentence in your cover letter show how you help your prospect?

Would reading your cover letter motivate your prospect to listen to your demo?

Think how else you could help your prospect and add it to your cover letter.

-----

HOW SHOULD WE END THIS ARTICLE?

Wrong: Edge Studio has marketing consultants on staff.

Right: Learn how to get more voice over clients. Ask one of Edge Studio's marketing consultants to tell you how!

It's simple to quickly grow your voice over business.Here are 8 ways:

-----

BUSINESS PLAN

Spend 1 hour writing a Business Plan. Why? Because you are a business, and you need to run your business like a business, and any good business has a business plan.

Writing a business plan will help you succeed by helping you organize your goals and figuring out the steps you need to take to get there.

To write your business plan, write out your goals and work backwards. For example, you may say, "I want to be a $200/hour voice over artist, getting at least 15 hours of voice over work each week". Then determine the steps to get there. Think about a role model in the industry and determine the steps they may have taken to get there.

Look at sample business plans on-line. Talk to a business-friend. THINK ABOUT THIS from your customer's perspective. Don't run your voice over business blindfolded.

-----

TIME-LINE

Spend 30-minutes creating a Time-Line of career goals. Include marketing goals, customer goals, revenue goals, and so on.

It's important to know that IF you fall behind your time-line, the likelihood of ever catching up is SLIM. So a) add numerous small steps to your Time-Line, rather than adding a few huge steps this way each goal on your Time-Line will feel realistically attainable. And b) assume things will take 50% longer than you think they will, and base your Time-Line on this.

-----

MARKETING

Spend $96 each month getting lots more work!

Hire an intern or a student at a local university, or someone from the local classifieds. Write out the things you SHOULD be doing, and pay them $12/hour to do them. $96/month gets you 2 hours each week. Because you're paying them, you'll be forced to tell them what to do. In other words, you WILL move forward. Let them create marketing lists for you, seal envelopes, and so on.

-----

PRACTICE

Spend 30-minutes every other day practicing. And spend 1-hour each week practicing a new genre.

-----

FOLLOW UP

Spend 15-minutes every other day sending out a follow-up email to someone who you should have followed-up with already. Then spend 15-minutes on the other days marketing to a new prospect.

-----

AUDITION RECORDINGS

Spend about $100 to confirm and/or enhance the quality of your home studio. While obviously crucial for paid jobs and demos, this is also IMPERATIVE for audition recordings, because more and more often, the person who selects the voice often does NOT know how to distinguish between poor studio quality and poor vocal performance.

-----

YOUR DEMO

Spend $200 to improve your demo. You've spent all of this time and effort growing your career don't let your demo be the one thing holding you back from getting more.

Re-record that one segment on your demo that concerns you. Add one segment that showcases a new style. Add one new sounding segment so your demo sounds current.

The fact is, the voice over industry is continually evolving. So if you don't evolve along with it, YOU'LL LOSE CLIENTS.

Voice talent continually ask for our help. They say, "I'm getting less work than I used to." We ask why. They're either not sure, or they guess it's because they've been battling allergies, their clients must have wanted a new voice, there must be more competition, their demo may be getting old, a new agent opened up in town,....... On and on.

There Are 4 Reasons Why Voice Talent Start Losing Work. Read the sections that pertain to you**

story: A while ago, one of our clients hired a student we had just trained to narrate a large series of videos. They loved his voice.

Recently we hired him back to narrate another large project. This time, he no longer sounded good. He lost a good client. I asked if he'd been practicing. He said no.

There are 3 reasons why CONTINUED TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT:

You can fall into bad habits (no one tells you why you lose auditions!) Other voice talent will get better than you (watch out!) Clients always need new styles (new styles for podcasts, self-guided tours,...)

solution: At minimum, work with a coach every other month to ensure you maintain. Preferably, work with a coach every month to become better and offer more clients more styles! Remember: your vocal delivery is your livelihood!

story: A voice talent sent me an audition recording. Their voice was PERFECT. But their home studio quality wasn't. The client did not like them. (Note that some clients CANNOT DIFFERENTIATE between poor home studio recording and poor vocal performance.) After telling the talent this, she replied, "But this used to be fine." Yes, 5 years ago, her quality was considered good for a home studio. Today, however, clients are used to better quality.

Here are a few other examples of not keeping up with technology: Talent ask if they can fed-ex a CD to me. "Huh?" Why can't they FTP it to me? Or oftentimes we hear slight noises in recordings. Why? I guarantee the talent will lose some work. Fall behind in technology, and your clients may leave you behind.

Here are technology items to stay current with: equipment (editing on old software is slower, so you charge more, and bid too high) editing software / file type knowledge (unfamiliar with the new file extensions for flash? this scares clients) delivery methods (still have "fed-ex" on your rate card? you look outdated)

solution: Hire someone to visit your studio once every 6 months for a tune-up. Have them update your software, show you new editing features, check sound quality, and set you up for new file types.

story: At a recent voice over event, I was re-acquainted with a lot of old-timers who told me, "I'm not getting the amount of work I used to get!" Funny, I thought they hadn't marketed to me in years and subsequently I had forgotten about them and how talented they are.

Trust me: there is a reason why major retailers (Honda, Sears, McDonalds,...) continue to promote themselves. If they don't, competitors will eventually take over. IT'S THE SAME THING IN VOICE OVER.

Many old-times got all their work from a few clients and/or agents. But things change. Sometimes suddenly. Are you prepared? Or do you rely on a few select clients (who could suddenly go out of business), and meanwhile you're not prepared to market?

Here are marketing to stay current with:

marketing frequency (do you think single marketing efforts are still enough?) marketing types (do you think business cards are still all you need?) marketing messages (still trying to be a jack of all trades?) marketing quality (perforated edged, matrix printed business cards don't work today)

solution: hire someone who knows voice over marketing to review your business plan (do you even have one? if you want to grow, you should have one). take a workshop at edge or even at a local college.

story: One of our clients got VERY upset with a voice talent who we hired recently. So upset, they chose to replace him with another talent! Obviously we won't hire that talent anymore. But the weird thing is that the voice talent didn't even realize what they did wrong!

Face it: our little industry has grown up. It's now a big, professional industry complete with its set of do's and don't's. And sure, as with anything, as time goes by, there are more and more changes. So for those of you who are beginning your voice over career, you MUST LOOK PROFESSIONAL from the start. And for those of you already immersed in the industry, you MUST CONTINUE looking professional. If you don't, you chance losing clients.

You MUST always stay on top of: appearing professional (the jargon, the sequence of events,...) dealing with corporate types: knowing when to ask which questions the general in's and out's of the industry the ever-changing politics of the industry (unions, agents,....)

solution: Study the industry. Speak with folks who are in it. Read books. DO WHAT YOU CAN to come across business-like. This makes a BIG difference in the amount of work you get. (Or consider Edge Studio's "Talk & Pro 101 Seminar)

After reading many, MANY cover letters - we've seen it all. And then some. The following will make a BIG difference when you market. Call with questions: 212-868-3343.

1. Dear Sir or Madam,

When you receive email addressed to "Dear Sir" or "To whom it may concern", don't you delete it? So do casting directors. Folks, you may think you're SAVING TIME by avoiding the 4 minutes it takes to get a contact's name.... but in actuality, you are WASTING TIME because a large percentage of recipients will probably never open your email to begin with! Look on a website, do a Google search, call the company,.... do what you must to get the recipient's name!!! BEGIN YOUR LETTERS with "Hi Frank," or "Dear Mary",...

2. I know you're busy,

Really? How do you know that? This is no way to begin your email. Instead, I encourage you to begin with something that will catch the attention of the recipient. Perhaps, "Ever need a French voice talent with a home studio?" or "Sure times are tough, so I'm offering voice over at half price!" or "Your company looks terrific - especially the fact that you donate services. I'm willing to donate my voice over services with you."

3. Would you mind if,

One way to show that you LACK confidence is to say, "Would you mind if" or "If you have time" or "Maybe you could" or "I was wondering if". I suggest that you sound confident. For example, "My demo speaks (no pun) for itself" or "Most of my customers become repeat customers" or "They say I take direction really quickly."

4. Here's my demo.

Let me guess. You're a copywriter? No? Okay, a director? No? Then what are you? Here's the scoop: YOU KNOW who you are, but THEY DO NOT! So be clear. Say, "I'm a voice over artist." or "I provide narrations for..." or "Attached is my voice over demo."

5. I do voice overs.

First of all, you don't "do" voice overs. Rather you "Provide commercial and/or narration voice over services" or you "Help businesses increase their bottom line by including free editing with voice over recordings."

6. If you find I'm right for something, I hope you'll call.

That's nice :( How about give me a reason to call. Try "I provide voice over for corporate presentations, training videos, and online tutorials." Or maybe "Quick turn-around, with excellent quality, and a friendly smile :)".

7. Sorry, this time my demo is attached.

Please - take a moment before hitting "send" to avoid this.

8. Typos

Wel nuthing maekes u les profesional then tipos. Enugh sayd.

9. Abb.

What does "abb" mean? Oh, its the abbreviation for "abbreviation". Didn't know that? Not everyone does. In fact, not everyone is as abbreviation-hip as you are. So my suggestion is to avoid them. Remember, your email may get forwarded to business people who live in corporate world, and are used to formal, business-like letters. In other words, no more, "R u in need of VOs? My com demo is attchd. T."

10. I, I, I, I, and I

Here's a typical email we receive: "Hi, I do voice overs. I do commercial and narrations. I have a home studio. I have excellent quality and I was trained by........" Notice that every sentence begins with "I". So here's the important question: when marketing, do you want to intrigue yourself or your potential customer? Assuming the latter, compose your email so that it benefits them. This means no "I"s. Instead write "You"s. For example, instead of, "I do medical voice over." say, "Next time your client needs a medical script narrated, calling me will make you look terrific!"

11. Born in........... then I moved to.......... Next I............ And today I...........

Really, the question is, who cares. Want proof? Do you ever want to read someone else's life story? No? Suggestion: keep it brief. Very brief. Try this, "After extensive training and some solid experience in Montauk, this voice over guy is expanding into your territory!"

12. I had to take my Mom to the hospital

Who cares. Or "It was my daughter's birthday yesterday." Again, who cares! 27 million people were taken to the hospital yesterday. 114 million people had birthdays. Putting personal information like this just makes the recipient feel like they need to remark... but why should they when they don't even know you?. Regardless, if you only have a potential customer's attention for 1 minute, use it to PROMOTE yourself, NOT to chit chat.

13.

Exactly. Nothing tells me nothing about you. I STRONGLY encourage you to NOT send a blank email with a demo attached.

14. I look forward to hearing from you.

Huh? Are you kidding me? The next step is STILL yours. The fact is, you need to get in front of your potential customer four times before they'll remember you. Try this instead, "I'll contact you in a week" or "Next week you'll see another email from me... this one with a special offer."

15. Peace

Unless you know that the recipient will appreciate "peace", or "See ya", or "Later", be professional. On that note, Hasta La Vista Baby. Just kidding. Thanks - we hope this article helps you get more work!

If you need help with your copy, feel welcome to contact us - we offer consultations that help you gain additional work.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Ask our office for a consultation - call 212-868-edge

Resource Box:

Edge Studio specializes in production of voice recordings and voice over training of new and established voice actors, narrators and other spoken-word performers. Edge Studio facilities have produced or recorded more than 13,000 voice over projects, spanning all genres. Call 212-868-edge for more information.

Who cares what you look like... only your voice is important. Right?

WRONG!!!!!

You see, your "look" IS important, because it represents you: professional voice talent. So your logos, business cards, websites, postcards, flyers, invoices, give-away-mouse-pads... should look professional too.

As stated in last week's article (part 1 of this article), casting agents often choose which demos to listen to (which voice talent to hire) by the look of your marketing materials. So just like you take time formatting your resume and combing your hair before going to the recording studio, take time to ensure a professional "look".

IMPORTANT - we need to define "professional look". This is ANY "look" that appropriately represents you and your vocal delivery.

A "professional look" is important for two reasons:

(1) A professional look graphically HELPS CASTING AGENTS know what you sound like. This is extremely important when they're searching for the right voice... as they scan their CDs, for example, they may see a demo that looks like it may contain the kind of voice they're searching for.

(2) A professional look makes you appear professional. Obviously, casting agents will be MUCH LESS LIKELY to hire you if you look unprofessional.

So today, we'll take a look at the graphics that represent you.

LOGO: Every time Microsoft releases new clip-art, we get umpteen business cards with the same new microphone. Do this, and your branding looks like the next guy's. "Hmmmm" is right.

(Imagine if Burger King, McDonalds, and Wendys all had the same logo. Weird.)

Suggestion: Don't take the easy way out. Your logo represents you - personalize it. More on this below.

FORMATTING: Would you let a child design the lay-out your resume? Unless they're some sort of prodigy, they shouldn't lay-out your marketing materials either.

Formatting is the placement of information. That is, where your name goes, where your contact information goes, and so on.

Formatting is also the lay-out of information. That is, are all the lines aligned correctly? Are the font sizes consistent? Do the bullets match? And so on.

Sloppy formatting usually translates into LESS WORK for you. Professionally and appropriately formatted marketing materials usually translates into MORE WORK.

Here's proof: After we review a voice talent's marketing materials for formatting, they usually get a LOT more work right after implementing our suggestions. What secret formula do we use? Experience. That is, we look at it from the vantage point of a casting professional and know what they would need to see to hire that person.

Suggestion: Formatting matters! Spend time on this. Show it to sharp-eyed friends - request honest feedback.

COLORS & SHAPES: Some marketing materials use bright, vivid colors which grab our attention! Some use cool color palettes that draw us in. Some use circles everywhere which are very catchy. There are unlimited color & shape schemes - and many of them work... BUT SOME DON'T.

We see our fair share of marketing materials where we can't even read the words because the bright orange font color sits on top of a bright red background. Ouch! We see logos which make the person look like a plumber. We see postcards which we think are junk mail because the image looks like a coupon-mailer.

Suggestion: Consider the "message" that your color & shape scheme carry. If they carry the wrong message and/or if they hide your message, try a new color & shape scheme. Show your design to strangers and ask them if they can figure out what you do within 5 seconds.

DEMO LINK: It happens much too often: A voice talent sends me a link to hear their demo on their website, but I can't find their demo on their website.

Folks, the number one reason why casting agents visit your site is to hear your demo.

Suggestion: Put a link to your demo in as obvious a place as possible to ensure that website visitors see it. Better suggestion: put the link on every page of your website.

BUSINESS CARDS: There's nothing like home-printed business cards on cheap paper, pulled apart, with perforations showing. Boy they look professional.

Come on folks... you KNOW that they don't look professional... so why use them?

Suggestion: For a few bucks more, buy better paper, better ink, and a better printer. Or better yet, pay a printing house to print them. NOTE: there are some printing shops which print free business cards (find them through Google) - but some print on lesser quality paper and/or print smaller-than standard size business cards which look less substantial.

PHOTOS: How adorable, that nice kitten sleeping on the puppy. With a photo of that on your CD, I assume your voice is warm-toned and joyful. SO WHEN I NEED A MESSAGE-DRIVEN CORPORATE VOICE, I'll know not to listen to your demo.

No? They're just your pets? You put them on your CD because they bring you good luck?

Get the point?

SUGGESTION: If you choose to have a photo on your demo, MAKE SURE IT MATCHES YOUR VOICE AND DELIVERY. Casting agents do EXACTLY WHAT YOU DO... consciously or unconsciously, they choose vendors based on their image. There are a few exceptions, such as if you provide on-camera work as well.

(Uncomfortably, I'll admit this in public to make the point.): When interning at a voice over studio after college, my first big casting job was a national Revlon TV commercial. The client wanted a sexy female voice. Determined to do a great job, I reviewed a LOT of demos. The woman I chose sounded VERY sexy. But when she arrived at the studio... not so sexy. It OCCURRED to me that had she put her photo on her demo, I would NOT have even reviewed her demo. WRONG OR RIGHT, people stereotype.

Likewise, a friend of mine looks Chinese but is (and sounds) American. I've told him NOT to use a headshot on his marketing materials because when searching for an American voice talent, people will see a Chinese guy and assume his mother tongue is Chinese.

FONT: You want to emphasize certain words in your marketing materials. You make them large. But huge fonts can sometimes work against you (as they tend to look less professional).

Or to the contrary, sometimes you can't fit everything in, so you shrink the font. So much so that no one can read your literature.

Suggestion: Find marketing materials that you like, and compare your font size to theirs.

CONSISTENCY: Red, white, and blue may match. But when each color is separated on a different marketing material, YOU LOSE WORK.

Suggestion: If your "look" is red talking bubbles, then use red talking bubbles on every piece of marketing material... INCLUDING the side (spine) of your CD cases.

Here is why: By using the same marketing message (red bubbles), clients are continually REMINDED OF YOU. If you use different marketing messages, (even green bubbles or red squares), clients will NOT be reminded of you. And studies PROVE that clients need to see you (your name and/or your "look") four or more times before hiring you. So being consistent can really pay off!

Actors know that the camera adds 10 pounds. Poor souls. In voice over, fortunately, we need not worry about our weight. The expression, "You have a face for radio." comes to mind.

But we still have an image - a marketing image. And your CD demos, business cards, websites, postcards, flyers, invoices, give-away-mouse-pads... must look professional because THEY REPRESENT YOU. Face it: wrong or right, how you "sound" is often assumed by how you "look".

So while you actors need to avoid burgers, it's time for us voice over artists to beef up our image.

So today, we'll take a look at the words that represent you. Next week, we'll discuss graphics, logos, fonts, colors, and themes. (NOTE that the way you act is the third "look" of a professional voice over artist, and this topic was covered in a past issue.)

How weird is this: A voice talent emails their demo to me. They sign their name:
Ann "Joanne" Barone

So what should I call them? If I save them under Ann in my files, they better hope I don't look under Joanne when I need to hire them.

Why WHY must people make me remember two names when one is hard enough????

Businesses use one name. Folks, you ARE a business - we suggest using one name.

How weird is this: A voice talent emails their demo to me. They leave their phone number:
422-045-3932
422-589-3856

So which one should I dial? About a third of demos show up with multiple numbers. This is confusing. Businesses use one number. Folks, you ARE a business - we suggest using one number.

Now, some folks provide multiple numbers with a description:
cell 422-045-3932
office 422-589-3856

Actually, I still don't know which one to dial.

If you must have multiple numbers, please clarify (and make it look professional!). For example:
daytime studio: 422-045-3932
evening/weekend/rush jobs: 422-589-3856

I'm reminded of a voice over artist who paid me to evaluate his demo. "I get no work from mailing out my CD!" he said. Before listening to it, I told him why: there was no contact information on it. He blamed his designer. I blamed him. We've seen this quite a few times.

Play devil's advocate: You know what "voice over" is... but do your potential customers? If you're marketing to producers, talent agents, and so on, then yes - they know. In this case, be SURE that every piece of branding says "Voice Over Artist" or "Voice Actor" or "Voice Talent" or so on.

But if your potential customers do NOT know what "voice over" is, then they'll toss your marketing material because they assume they have no use for you! (Would you hold onto the business card of a Ranger Expert?) In this case, define what you do. For example, write, "I provide Spoken Word Narrations for Corporate Training Videos, Telephone Recordings, Tradeshow Exhibits, and Commercials.

While we're at it, let me expand upon the above: Use words that your potential customers will understand. For example, when marketing to a corporation that hires voice over artists to narrate telephony scripts, don't call it "telephony" because they don't know that word. Call it what they call it. Say, "I provide Narration for Telephone Recordings, such as Message-On-Hold, Voice Mail Systems, Voice Recognition Systems, and other Telephone systems.

Once again, a sore topic comes up: naming MP3 demos. The vast majority of demos we receive are named in such a way that YOU LOSE WORK, and make it more difficult for us casting professionals! Grrrrr.... Someone emailed me two demos - like this:
demo A
demo B

Someone else sent:
01 commercial final
01 commercial revised

Someone else sent:
comp B.Johnson

And someone else sent:
D.G.Harding promo
Harding audio
DGHarding - audiobook mp3.mp3

Oy!

Unless someone's demos are written something clear like this:
Barry Johnson - commercial voice over demo
Barry Johnson - promo voice over demo

Downloading them into our files is meaningless.

CONSIDER HOW casting professionals will search through THEIR files for YOUR demo:
They will probably look under your first name, so let your file name begin with "Joe Shmoe".
They will NOT understand abbreviations such as "adbk" for "audiobook".
They will NOT know the difference between "commercial radio" and "commercials".
There is usually NO reason to include word like "revised" or "version 2" in your file name.

All too often, voice-talent's marketing materials provide contradicting information. For example, their business card lists a different email address than their CD demo. Or their CD says "voice over talent" while their resume says "Voice Actor". Or their give-away-pencils says "radio commercials" while their letterhead says, "commercials."

We strongly encourage you to be consistent. Inconsistent messages confuse your potential customers - and that means they're less likely to hire you.

Can you only be hired by your agent? Then only put your agent's contact information on your marketing materials!!!! Why? Because putting your own information as well a) it makes you look like you're willing to work behind your agent's back and b) can tempt casting professionals to call you so that they avoid your agent's "middle man" charge (which, by the way, is justified).

Why do SO many voice talent waste my time? I can NOT predict if you're union or not. Please, tell me, so if I'm hiring union talent, I know who to call and when I'm not, I know who to call.

And please tell me where you reside! 99% of folks who market their demos do NOT say this. So every time one of our clients wants to record at our location, we need to call the talent and ask. This is time-consuming.

Some folks send us invoices like this:
Amount due: $350
Joe Shmoe

Not very helpful. In fact this sort of email causes extra work on our end, and makes us less likely to hire you again. Consider being professional and send this:

INVOICE for Voice Over work
JOB: voice over for Acme Training Video
JOB DATE: June 24, 2009
AMOUNT DUE: $350
Please make check payable to: Joe Shmoe
Please mail check to: Joe Shmoe
Street Address
City, State, Zip

Question? Just ask.
Need revisions? I offer special low rates.

Why do so many voice talent tell me they wish they had more work?

Change that. Why do so many voice talent market the BORING way?

LET'S COMPARE BORING MARKETING and CREATIVE MARKETING:

BORING MARKETING

...is easy: Just email an MP3 and hope.

CREATIVE MARKETING

...is easy
...is more fun
...gets more customers

Ready? Here are 13 ways to MARKET CREATIVELY:

• MAKE A PRESENTATION to a local group of adults such as the YMCA, the PTA,... and talk briefly about what voice over is and the services you provide
• HAVE A LOCAL NEWSPAPER write a story on your voice over business
• DONATE YOUR SERVICES to non-profit groups
• OFFER A FREE VOICE OVER JOB to casting professionals, audio studios, film production companies, on-hold companies,...
• TAKE AN ADULT-ED business course at your local high school and meet all the entrepreneurs in it
• EXHIBIT AT A LOCAL BUSINESS MEETING such as the local Better Business Bureau, Chamber Of Commerce,...
• EXHIBIT AT A LOCAL EVENT such as a tradeshow, lecture, networking event,...
• SPONSOR A LOCAL SPORTS TEAM
• BECOME INVOLVED WITH YOUR LOCAL government - attend town meetings
• JOIN A LOCAL BARTER organization
• TELL MANAGERS OF LOCAL BUSINESSES, such as banks, grocery stores,... about what you provide
• PARTNER WITH A NON-COMPETITIVE VOICE TALENT, such as one who speaks a foreign language, is the other gender, is a different age,... and co-market each other
• WALK INTO THE HR DEPARTMENT of a large business and explain what services your provide

OUR SUGGESTION: Pick any 3 and DO IT! By next week's Voice Over Today, you'll have a new customer!

Or maybe this article should be titled: SHOULD WE STOP GIVING FREE ADVICE?

Either way, sit back, close your eyes for a moment, and imagine this: (I guess, actually, you'll need to open your eyes to read this):

Imagine that 20 people everyday ask you for free help. No worries, each only needs about a half hour. Go a step further: imagine you help them and then... you never hear from them again. Not even a thank you. Weird.

Okay, open your eyes now.

My point: we help that many people every day:

• 10 demos arrive each day with this line in their email, "Here's my demo, please let me know if you like it." We gladly offer comments, but never hear from them again.
• 10 people ask each day, "I want to record a demo - can you help?" We do. We provide answers and advice - whatever information helps them. Yet again we rarely hear back.
• Plus there's the canned DJ at every party who is told, "Oh, that's him - over there... the guy from the studio - go ask him about voice overs!" And so another party is spent discussing voice over (which I do prefer over small talk anyway). As you'd expect, I don't hear back. Did I already say weird?

Now, the point: Folks, you are TOSSING AWAY WORK! Why will a casting professional hire you if close the door of communication??? Once you have a dialogue going, keep it going! Even a "thanks" does the trick.

SO FOR YOU, we offer these MARKETING SUGGESTIONS:

• When sending your demo to a potential customer, be confident and do NOT ask for help! Think we'll hire you if you ask "if we like your demo"? Nope. Asking that question shows that you are new and lack confidence. Have confidence my friends. Seriously, would you ask this question if sending a resume? No? So what's the difference? This IS your resume! Instead tell them how YOU CAN HELP THEM! For example, explain how adding your demo to their library further diversifies their library and allows them to provide better service to their customers.
• When asking for help, follow up with a thank you, and then follow up with an updated demo to show that you listen, you take direction, and you care. This will GREATLY increase the likelihood of being hired.
• And to that guy at the party, let us know how you're doing. Stay in touch with anyone who could hire you. Send a postcard. Send a box of tootsie rolls (these short things go a l-o-n-g way). Send your business cards and CDs. Casting professionals can't hire you if we don't remember you and if we don't have your contact information and demos.

Lastly - a true story. At the grocery the other day, the checkout guy had an incredibly marketable voice. I commented (without saying who I am). He told me how people always comment on his voice and how he's been trying to get his homemade voice over demo to sound better. For 10 minutes, I offered loads of thoughts: better microphone choice, more marketable script selection, more marketable vocal delivery, better marketing tactics,... I hoped for a free sample. He took down a LOT of notes. Oddly, he never said, "Geeez- you certainly know a lot - who are you?" Eventually I left. No sample for me. And a closed door for him. Too bad for both of us.

So stay connected: open all the doors you can, keep them open, and remember that even little things like "thank you" (or a sample) help a lot.

To all those who lost touch with us, "Where you'd go?". To all those that begin dialogue, "Hello! We have production jobs to cast everyday and we'll think of you!".

"One day" you wish, as you stew in self-displeasure. Why? Because as a couch potato, you listen to OTHERS narrating TV commercials wishing it was YOU narrating them.

The economy is slow blah blah blah. Okay, but its an opportune time to DO WHAT YOU CAN TO COME OUT OF A SLOW ECONOMY AS A WINNER!

So we thought we'd provide 7 WAYS TO PREPARE:

Get off your ass and into class. Whoever wrote that (it wasn't me) was smart (it was me). Seriously, do NOT become rusty and do NOT become complacent. Classes keep you motivated and keep you "in tune." And voice over schools (at least ours) focus on long-term objectives so you and your voice will be primed for when your phone starts ringing.

...Low Price Or Free Suggestion:
$37 workshops: www.edgestudio.com/workshop-learn-a-specialty.htm

Think your favorite sports player or musician doesn't practice? Wrong. Think your favorite doctor doesn't read about new techniques? (If so, find a new doctor.) The point is, professionals practice. And so should you. Just 30-minutes a day makes a BIG difference and will ensure you're ready when your phone rings.

...Low Price Or Free Suggestion:
Free 3,500 practice scripts: www.edgestudio.com/scripts.htm
Free Industry Guidebook: www.edgestudio.com/guidebook.htm

Think of your demo as a resume. Resumes are always updated and tweaked. Likewise as you learn new styles and/or strengthen existing ones, update your demo!!! Casting professionals will expect quality demos (as they ALWAYS HAVE) when the busy season begins... so ensure yours remains top-notch.

...Low Price Or Free Suggestion:
Have your demo evalated by one of Edge Studio's professional voice over coaches with our $35 check up, http://www.edgestudio.com/voice-over/checkups

When the economy kicks back into full swing, casting agents will rely on home studio auditions and recordings more than ever to cut costs. So what better time than NOW to learn how to engineer and produce yourself! Engineering and producing comes from practice and professional feedback. (Without professional feedback, you may be going the wrong direction and reinforcing bad habits!) So focus on this imperative skill.

...Low Price Or Free Suggestion:
$79 Home Studio tele-courses (schedule listed here)

It would be a shame if you weren't ready. When things start moving again, you'll get more work faster if you're ready to market. So now, while you have time, prepare lists of potential customers, get your CDs ready for mailing, write template emails, review your rate card, and so on.

...Low Price Or Free Suggestion:
$79 Marketing Forum tele-courses (schedule listed here.)
Free rate card:

When a new client requests an estimate, how long will it take you to create it? And how accurate will it be? Whatever your answer, you can do a lot better by experimenting now. So determine how long you can read without getting a soar throat, determine how many hours you can work a day, which cough drop works best for you, if hot tea with lemon or water with honey soothes your throat better, how long it takes you to save a file, to name a file, to convert a file to MP3, and so on.

...Low Price Or Free Suggestion:
Free rate card:
Free words-to-hours converter:

Seriously, watch (listen) to as much TV as you can - specifically documentaries and commercials. Also listen to radio ads, audiobooks, online tutorials, telephone recorded systems, website presentations, safety videos,... Notice common styles. Notice which narrators seem good, and why. Notice which narrators seem unprofessional, and why. GUARANTEED, this simple exercise will prove valuable because it WILL MAKE YOU BETTER VOICE TALENT. For dessert, skip the commercials and watch Law & Order. I'm sure it's on.

...Low Price Or Free Suggestion:
Free: use your ears

In closing, folks, voice over is your career. Whether part-time or full-time, be ready - because eventually the biz will pick up! And Edge is glad to help. Just ask.

DID YOU NOT SEE THAT OPEN DOOR?

I'm dumbfounded.

Why did only 6 of 150 folks at the voice over conference (that I spoke at this past weekend) hand me their demo? EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE ME, FOLKS - COME ON... SEIZE THE SITUATION!

I thought I'd list some ridiculousness.

NEW FACES

Everyday, I curiously watch talent leave our studio withOUT handing their demos to folks who could lead them to work. Weird.

New faces mean new opportunities, so work your way in and (politely) shove your demo and business card into their hand. And be sure to tell them what service you provide. IF the recipient doesn't know what voice over is, EXPLAIN IT. And if they say they know what it is, EXPLAIN IT ANYWAY because they probably think its screaming style commercials. By the way, when you explain it, avoid the word "do" (As in, "Hi, I do voice overs.") "Do" is a non-descript word. Rather "Hi, I provide the voice behind documentaries, audiobooks, videos, annoying phone systems, commercials, and so on."

When possible, make a connection. For example, "Hi Jill, Jack mentioned that you put together safety videos for your company. I provide narrations for them. Here's my demo..."

NEW LOCATION

On vacation? Terrific! Handing out your demo? NO? Let's try this again:

On vacation? Terrific! Have a great time... great time, that is, building your business. Meet with casting professionals while traveling to have face-to-face time with potential new customers! Have you traveled to another country? Even better - neutral American English voice talent usually get LOTS of work this way. Be prepared with information about your home-studio and email-delivery capabilities. Folks, there is world full of clients! SO BEFORE YOU LEAVE for your trip, set up some appointments with recording studios. You'll be surprised at the relationships you'll make.

CRAPPY VOICE OVER?

Even my wife (who is not in our industry) hears them now: Unprofessional voice overs. She spots them on local radio, local TV, website presentations, in-store announcements, voicemail systems,... And even though she wishes I'd work fewer hours, she tells me about them, knowing that I'll go to work contacting the company to inform them of the benefits of sounding professional and that I can help them. A third of the time, Edge Studio has a new client. Oddly, no one else has ever said anything.

So when you hear that horrid in-store announcement at the grocer, tell the manager, "Hey, I love your store. Been shopping here for years. Good food. But the voice over? Eh, unprofessional. So happens that I'm a pro voice over talent and would love to help out." Then go in for the score, "I find bartering is easy and is a win/win. For example, if you provide 5% off my groceries, for example, I can narrate your in-store announcements, helping your store's image!"

More of a plumber than a cook? No problem. This will work at your local plumbing supply shop too.

GOOD DEED

I think I'm the only one who doesn't hang-up on the local police academy when they ask for donations. But whether or not I donate money, I offer voice over. Usually they respond, "Huh? What's that?" Once explained, Voila!, they often end up recording at Edge Studio. And nearly every time, the script writer has "another job" which is a paying job.

Its not just police cadets. You seen the signs for the local Blood Drive, you hear radio commercials for a PTA convention, your local Goodwill is underfunded, or a local politician running for mayor has used up her funds. Non profit organizations and politicians need voice over for radio commercials, presentation videos, fund-raiser videos, and so on. What don't they have? Money.

Give of your self folks. Provide free services. Write it off (well, don't quote me on that - I'm a producer... and certainly not a tax accountant). WHEN YOU PROVIDE FREE SERVICES, EVERYONE WINS. They get free you. You get new client. You meet video producer. You meet script writer. They hire you. You get paid.

PANICKY?

"Oh, I shouldn't." 10 minutes later, mumbled to self, "Darn, I should have! Grrrrrr..." Voice talent always tell me about opportunities they should have taken. "Well too late" I respond. "Maybe next time you'll go for it!"

Not too out-going? Too bad... go for it. Have PRIDE. Have CONFIDENCE. ENJOY being entrepreneurial. ENJOY VOICING OVER. TRUST in your voice. HAVE your "what am I" pitch down. PRACTICE your pitch in front of candid friends (not your Mom).

FREE

This email reaches 9,300 voice talent. Guess how many take advantage of our free offers. Less than 100. Weird.

So let's see: you want voice over work, but you don't take advantage of free offers to gain more work? Did I say weird? Thought so. SCROLL TO THE TOP OF THIS EMAIL AND READ THROUGH OUR SIX FREE RESOURCES.

Conclusion: Please get up and close your door before you continue reading this. Closed? Good. Now go open it. Think that was wasteful? NO! Now you can mentally replay that every time a door is open. DO NOT CLOSE THE DOOR.. because it is closing the door that is wasteful.

Imagine: Your friend wants to open a store selling "whatever." Confused, you ask how they'll advertise. "To anyone I guess" they say. More confused?

I'm CONFUSED everyday by new voice talent who are "Jacks of all trades" and market "wherever" to "anyone". Silly, really- they send out so many demos, they never have time to market correctly.

Back to the above example: What would you tell your friend? Write a business plan? Don't be a Jack of all trades? Don't put a tiny advertisement in every magazine- but rather put a nice advertisement in a relevant magazine?

YOU WILL GET MORE WORK IF YOU FOCUS ON ONE OR TWO GENRES...THAT MAKE SENSE FOR YOU.

Three examples:

• An articulate man came to us because everyone complemented his voice. We asked what his passion was. "Art history." So we suggested narrating self-guided tours of art museums. WHY? Museums are full of international visitors who need the voice of the tour to be articulate and who can also pronounce the name of 17th century artists. He called 3 museums. Now he narrates numerous museum exhibits.
• The narrator we recorded for a 6th grade math textbook was terrific! Her story is inspiring: She enjoyed math so much that during "after schools hours", she went to the library to read more math books. Upon retiring, she figured she'd spend all day at the library. But as a suggestion, she called ONE company that publishes educational videos and audiobooks. NOW she is a regular narrator for them. In her words, "I'm doing exactly what I'd be doing anyway, but now I'm getting paid for it."
• A guy with a cool voice wanted us to help him become a voice talent. "What do you like?" we asked. "Guitar amps." "What's your favorite guitar amp company?" The company he mentioned puts out about 50 videos a year (tradeshow videos, product online tutorials, and so on). Now he's THE VOICE of this company. How? We transcribed one of the company's videos, had him record it on his demo, and put it first on his demo. Then he called the company and said, "Hi. Not for nothing, but I'm a voice talent, a guitar amp fanatic, and I love your amps. I'd like to discuss working with you. The first segment on my demo is relevant." Of course, after listening, they hired him right away as the voice of the company.

I usually write in the positive. But because SO MANY talent are SO UNPROFESSIONAL, telling this story from our perspective (which is all too often negative), will help you become a better talent.

We have casted and hired, we estimate, just over 7,000 talent. Some we will NEVER hire back. Following are things that we, unfortunately, say EVERY DAY aloud in our office which explain why:

• John mailed us his demo CD, but that's weird - there's no contact information anywhere on it. Funny, we couldn't hire him even if we wanted to.

• Mary emailed her MP3s to us with the file name "commercial demo" - well that sucks, if our clients want to hear her demo later, we'll need to remember to look under "c" for "commercial demo"." (An hour later) "Look Marty emailed his MP3 to us with the file name "commercial demo", just like Mary did, but when I saved it, it over-wrote Mary's demo.

  (Folks, I have been preaching this for years!!!! Your Demos SHOULD be named, "Mary Smith - commercial voice over demo"... NOT "commercial demo" or "demo A" and "demo B" or "John demo" (well, this last one is okay if you are certain you are the only John in the voice over industry)...

• Oh, don't call Charles, he takes too long to get back to us about his availability. Hire Frank instead, he always gets back to us right away.
• Kim always needs to re-schedule - don't even bother calling her about this job.
• We called Jane to let her know we wanted to hire for that job, but someone else answered her phone and said, "Jane's not available - call back after 6." So lets call the next talent on the list, since our office closes at 5pm today.
• Lisa didn't send the audition when she says she would... and now WE look bad in front of OUR client. Let's not cast her anymore.

• James wore WAY too much cologne to his recording session today. Mark, the talent for the next session, is highly allergic and can't record now because of the residual scent in the booth. Let's not bring James in again.
• Jill showed up for a session without telling us about her nasty head cold that affected the sound of her voice. Now there's no time to replace her, and Jill can't produce the sound that got her cast in the first place. Grrrrr...
• Ed committed the cardinal voice over sin - he touched the mic and tried to adjust it himself! He could have avoided an engineer meltdown by just asking Sam to do it for him.
• Bob is a great talent, but he just wouldn't stop talking. The session ended up going way over and the client was concerned about paying for extra time.
• Why wouldn't Vicki stop mentioning her credits! The client doesn't want to hire her again.
• I know Larry had questions when reviewing the script, but he didn't ask them. Then, in the midst of the recording, he had to stop abruptly because he didn't know how to pronounce a word. I wish he'd just ask up front like the pros do. BUT worse, Lauren asked how to pronounce some words, but she didn't write them out phonetically in her script, so when she got to the word, she mispronounced it anyway. AND EVEN WORSE, we gave a tough script to a voice talent the other day and asked him to prepare for it (as there was difficult jargon). But he was totally unprepared. I don't think we'll be hiring any of these guys again...
• Bruce walked in late for a session today with his Starbucks coffee in one hand and blackberry in the other. The client commented that clearly his coffee break was more important that being on time for this job.
• Natalie forgot to put on headphones, didn't stand on axis, didn't know how to turn pages... now the client thinks that we hire non-professional talent... plus we won't hire her ever again.
• When Billy made a mistake, he spent the next 2 minutes of recording time apologizing profusely and looking frustrated. Worse, he didn't know what it meant when the engineer asked him to do a pick-up.
• Dan really had it in his head that the copy should be narrated his way. He didn't seem to care to realize that it should be read the way the client wants it. Now the client doesn't want us to hire him again!
• Alison asked the client, "Who wrote this copy anyway? There are a ton of mistakes..." she had the humbling experience of having the client reply "I did. Now the client doesn't want us to hire her again!

• Amy did a fantastic job in her last session, but never invoiced us! When Morgan finally did get the invoice, all sorts of information was missing. Morgan spent a good part of her day exchanging emails with Amy until we finally had the necessary information to pay her for the work she did! Maybe we'll hire Lanette next time.
• During discussions about an upcoming job, Laura never asked what the job was about... she just agreed to do it. After the recording, when the casting agent said, "Send us a bill for the $175" she was upset and said that she needed more money. WELL SHE SHOULD HAVE ASKED UP FRONT WHAT THE RATE WAS LIKE PROS DO! Let's not bring her back in again.

In summary: YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO REPRESENTS YOUR BUSINESS. Think about it - you go to a restaurant with poor service, and you don't go back. Well think about this - we hire you, and you give poor service, we don't hire you back.

Want to look ultra professional? Call us at 212-868-3343 - we offer an entire seminar on looking and acting professional, called "INDUSTRY KNOW-HOW 101: Look More Professional And Get Hired More Often!".

Let us know your success stories!

Waste. As a casting agent and director of voice over studios in three cities, I see lots of waste.

EXAMPLE: I need to cast a job and my client says, "Give me some new voices to consider."
So I put out a casting call: "Casting a sci-fi audiobook. Need mid-age narrator. Email demo."

Minutes later demos begin arriving. Here we see WASTED MARKETING:

• "Here's my demo - it's of commercials, will this do?" (uh, no)
• "Here's my demo - you got it before, remember? (yep. wanna know why I deleted it?)
• "Here's my demo - I had my friend record it for me" (that's reassuring)

Then I request auditions. Here we see WASTED HOME STUDIO auditions:

• "Here's my audition - forgive the quality, I'm still learning the equipment." (how helpful)
• "Here's my audition - you didn't need a slate, did you?" (no, of course not silly)
• "Here's my audition - sorry it's a CD, I couldn't get that darned MP3 part to work!" (nice)

Eventually we hire a narrator. Here we see a lack of INDUSTRY KNOW-HOW:

• Wasted pre-recording session
• "I'm not sure how much to charge... what do you suggest?" (you serious?)
• "I should charge by the completed hour? What's that?" (I repeat, you serious?)
• "A talent release? For what?" (okay, have you done this before?)
• Wasted recording session
• "Of course I've uh, uh, read to picture before." (how convincing)
• "Sorry, maybe it's a senior moment - remind me what proximity means." (uh oh)
• Wasted post-recording session
• "What goes on my invoice?" (oh boy)
• "Do I get residuals?" (please take Edge Studio's seminar if you want to be hired again)

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

Not as busy as you'd like to be. Sure, blame the economy. While you're at it, blame businesses for having budgets too small to hire voice over talent. But that's okay! Capitalize on their lack of funds...

We divulge 4 tactics for staying “tuned-up” and setting yourself up for money when the economy jumps!

1) Nearly every non-profit needs voice over work recorded; fundraiser presentations, commercials, telephony,... But, something else nearly every non-profit has is no cash.

So offer your expertise gratis - you'll find yourself in a very, VERY beneficial relationship.

Sure you work for free - now - but you build your resume, expand your experience, and you'll likely be paid when spin-off work comes as a result (other departments within the non-profit organization call you, casting professionals and copy writers who consult for other organizations call you,etc...).

2) Here's a way to get in with the big boy agencies; offer to record rough tracks - gratis. (Rough tracks are “placeholder” recordings that are often recorded before the musicians, sfx editors, and visual production teams complete their work. Once completed, the “real” voice over is recorded.)

Rough track recordings usually do not fetch the same pay-rate, since they're not used for the public, but in your case, it's still very worthwhile. For the production team, free rough tracks means savings. For you, free rough tracks lets you showcase your expertise, make connections, and get spin-off work.

3) Casting agents may not like unsolicited demos, but they're surely to like free voice over offers. Call it a “new client incentive”, or whatever. But offering a free recording is certain to turn heads, impress ears, and get a foot in the door. You'll have an opportunity to showcase your experience, and gain future work, as well as spin off work.

4) Consider barter. Tell your local pet store that you'll record their telephony system in exchange for products. It's a win-win; good for them, good for you.

Or, watch a local TV station and contact a local company runs advertisements (like a plumbing service, for example, or an eye doctor). Offer to record their next commercial for them in exchange for services.

Note: When you approach the service company, be sure to point out the vast differences between your voice narrating their commercial and the local DJ's. (Besides sounding like a DJ, the DJ is the same voice used on many commercials, and as such his/her voice doesn't stand out.)

Better yet, contact a local company whose owner or employee records their own commercial or voice mail messages. Barter with them. There are most likely a hundred reasons why you will do a better job than they did.

Let's summarize: Less money exchanging hands in the economy does NOT mean less work for you. So get out there, speak out there, build some relationships, and make the system work for you!

Within seconds, we usually spot a rookie. Does it concern us? Yes. Why? Because many are not trained properly... and when they're not, we don't know if they'll appear professional in front of our clients. (For this reason, we generally hire talent that we, Edge Studio, have trained when possible.)

Granted, every voice over artist has to begin somewhere.... but it CAN be done so that producers don't realize you're a beginner.

So with that said, following is a list of “don'ts” that scream “rookie.”

1.) “Sorry - I'm just getting over a cold... I may sound a little hoarse.”

While professional talent get sick just as much as rookies, they either cancel their session prior to the recording (if their voice really is unusable), or they know how to “cover up” the sound of a sore throat. Therefore, they rarely say that.

Rookies, perhaps 90% of the time, apologize BEFORE even reading their first word into the microphone! Besides being tired of hearing this, Casting Agents may hear this as a lack of confidence.

So, every time you're sick, try different remedies to learn what works best for your voice. For example, cough drops may soothe a sore throat, but may also make your mouth clammy, resulting in ‘slurpy’ sounds (not good). Hot tea with lemon, cold medicine, extra sleep, no sleep... experiment and learn what works best for you.

2.) “Should I start now?”

This statement clearly signals a neophyte. When told to “set levels,” or “give me a read,” you should start reading. Hesitating and/or being unsure when to read is like waiving a flag in the air that says, “I have never done a voice over before.”

Here's an analogy: You tell a painter to begin painting your house, yet even though you're paying them by the hour, they don't begin, and instead ask, “When should I begin?” Got it?

3.) “Testing 1, 2, 3. Testing testing 1, 2, 3...”

When the engineer is setting recording levels, read the actual script (take the opportunity to practice), and use the same vocal delivery you will when recording. If you don't, your recording levels will likely be incorrect, and the engineer will need to start again. This does not make for a happy engineer.

4.) “Is that enough?”

When setting levels, keep reading until the engineer tells you that levels are set! If you have a short script, read it over and over again.

5.) “That wasn't good, let me try again.”

Let the producer do their job. You do yours. Enough said?

6.) “Oh Jeeez, I'm so sorry... I'll try harder!”

Trust us. Even the best professionals out there make mistakes... sometimes many mistakes repeatedly. It happens to everyone. But while rookies begin to sweat and apologize profusely, professionals make self-deprecating jokes, such as, “You'd think I'd know how to do this by now.” Always remain cool, collective, confident, comfortable, and credible.

7.) “_____.”

That's right. Don't say nothing. Instead, thank everyone involved with the project, such as the casting agent, producer, engineer, studio manager.

8.) “Oh sorry, I don't have one on me... can I send it to you later?”

Could you imagine a clown without his/her nose? Likewise, you should never be without your demo.

9.) “_____.”

That's right. Don't ask nothing. Instead, ask questions. Every professional does... why shouldn't you?

Why wait until you're in the midst of the recording to say, “Oh yeah, I meant to ask you how you want this word pronounced.”

Don't begin your read without asking a) to whom you are reading and b) what the intent of the script is.

And don't accept a job without asking how much the pay is.

You will NOT appear unprofessional if you ask questions. Asking appropriate questions will help you appear experienced.

10.) “Blublulbulbu!”

Do not make weird mouth noises after making a mistake. Not sure what this means? Well if you're a rookie, there's a 90% chance you do this (albeit probably subconsciously.) The odd mouth noise referred to generally consists of the tongue slapping around the mouth while saying “bluh.” It is done, perhaps, to “clear out the mouth” and get ready for take two.

When professionals make mistakes repeatedly, they don't do this. Instead, they say, “Yikes... I've got to stop drinking before sessions.”

11.) “You mean the paragraph that starts with, ‘For an amazing deal on a superb car, visit Shoreline Honda.’?”

When a producer asks you to read a certain section of the script, for example, “Please re-read the fourth sentence.” There is probably no reason to question which section they mean. However, if you are unsure and want clarification, tell them the first word or two of the sentence you believe they mean... instead of reading the entire sentence to them.

12.) (Whispered to yourself) “Holy Crap!... they're going to fire me!”

After recording a script, yet before you leave the sound-proofed booth, the production team will often discuss your read. Sometimes these discussions become intense. For example, while the engineer prefers take three, the client prefers take two, and so on.

During this time, many beginners become nervous, thinking they are about to be fired - while in actuality, the production team could like all your reads, and are debating which their favorite is.

Professionals know this, and do not become concerned.

13.) (Whispered to yourself) “Holy Crap!... they hate my instincts!”

Home decorators often paint swatches of colors on multiple walls, to determine which looks the best. Likewise, producer often request numerous different ways to read the same script. Don't assume that the producer didn't like how they read the script the first time.

Professionals know this, and do not become concerned.

14.) “It's hot in here.”

The sound-proofed booth should NOT double as your sauna. With that said, there are a few reasons you may be hot while recording in one. One is simply that the booth doesn't have circulation and/or cooling. That is not fun, nor your fault. However, in many instances, talent boil-over because they either work too hard and/or are nervous.

Producers do not like sweat dripping onto their engineers.

Stay calm. And, VERY important, when not recording, always keep the door to the sound-booth open.

15.) “Wow, you can hear that?”

Yes, microphones pick up everything. Professionals remove loud jewelry, watches, and coins from pockets before recording. They don't wear heavily starched shirts that make noise. And they don't slide their script up and down the music-stand while recording.

Be quiet.

There are plenty of voice over jobs out there. Really. At Edge, we cast, produce, and record thousands of them every year.

Not surprisingly, Edge receives many, MANY demo submissions from voice talent looking for work. Every one is reviewed and considered for our talent library.

But guess what. Upwards of 95% of demos received are unusable BECAUSE THEY LACK FOCUS!

This article will help you build your voice over career by explaining how to focus your demo.

THE PROBLEM

The majority of demos we receive contain a mishmash of script excerpts on them - anything that the aspiring voice talent believes adds variety. Think about it: If retail stores simply stocked their shelves with a mishmash of stuff, consumers would have a difficult time finding what they need. Likewise, casting professionals often have a difficult time finding the voice talent their clients' requests.

THE FIX

When producing your demo, carefully consider the excerpts you demonstrate on it. Show off your voice, of course, but do it in a way that shows off the styles that your voice, your vocal delivery, and your local market are most appropriate for.

Don't worry about including one of every type of voice over style on your demo and having as much variety as possible. In other words, don't try to be the “other guy,” because the “other guy” does it better than you can.

(Because we know how important focus is, Edge Studio continually emphasizes this when training future voice talent. We even have a special Demo Preparation session prior to producing each demo. Via telephone or at one of our studios, our goal is to ensure that each demo produced here is marketable enough that our own clients (which range from Disney to the U.S.Army) will hire the new voice talent.)

CONSIDER WHEN PRODUCING YOUR DEMO

a.) Your local market. Which sectors of the voice over industry are casting professionals in your area looking for? Which sectors pay well? Which sectors are growing? What sectors create on-going work with long-term client relationships? Consider these things BEFORE producing your demo, so that local casting professionals have a need for you... and so that you can maintain long-term clients, with solid income.

b.) Your delivery. Being a “Jack of all trades” is generally not the most effective way to increase your workload. What is effective is only demonstrating vocal styles that come naturally and easily for you - even if that means you only demonstrate one style. This is because casting professionals generally hire voice talent who naturally have the delivery they require. Therefore cluttering up your demo with artificial dialects and accents, as well as any delivery that is a stretch for you, rarely gets you work. (Remember: you can try to sound like someone else, but someone else out there does it more believably.) So do what you do well, not what others do well. Therefore skip the announcer style car spot and focus on documentaries if that is what your natural voice delivery is more fitting for.

c.) Your passion. Hate commercials? Then don't record them. Someone who likes them will enjoy it more and will therefore sound better. Pursue your aspirations.

d.) Your terminology. Don't have a medical background? Then do not put medical narration excerpts on your demo. This is because casting professionals will hear a medical excerpt on your demo (the one you spent months memorizing and consulting dictionaries to be able to pronounce), and will hire you to narrate medical narrations. If you cannot read medical scripts “cold,” then do not demonstrate them on your demo.

e.) Your contacts. Work in a large corporation? Then leverage your contacts. Offer your voice over services to the HR department and suggest that you record the “welcome to our company video,” “job fair video,” and so on. Talk to communications and record the telephony systems (menu-prompt, information on hold, voice mail, etc.). Talk to marketing and advertising to record commercials, trade-show exhibit videos, and promotional material. Go down the hall to the training department to record training videos. Speak with the web department to narrate flash presentations, on-line tutorials, “welcome to our home-page” narrations, and so on. All in all, look for work where you already have contacts.

f.) Your personality. Fidgety? Audiobook recordings are not for you - you'll never be able to sit still long enough. Consider short recordings. Always consider the best type of work for YOU.

g.) Your creativity. Can you read a line ten different ways? If so, you're ready for cartoons, talking toys, and other types of voice over that require creativity. If you tend to speak somewhat repetitively, consider on-line tutorials, documentaries, etc - as these narrations usually require less dynamics.

h.) Your listener. Want to keep their interest? Well listen carefully... don't just use one of every type of script. Instead take the style(s) that work best for you, and demonstrate variety within those styles. For example, if educational voice over is best for you, show one excerpt of a pre-school “speak and spell” game, one high-school computerized test, one foreign language learning program, one adult continuing education program, etc.

WANT WORK?

One of the few things standing between you and it is your demo. So take pride in your demo. Liken your demo to you a resume - something that everyone meticulously sculpts, and do the same. Carefully consider all the points listed above.

Create a demo that has focus and GETS YOU WORK.

WANT HELP?

Want help with your demo? Call us at 888-321-edge.

We all find reasons to procrastinate. And practice is very easy to put off. Here are 6 practical ways to get over the stumbling blocks that may keep you from practicing every day.

(1) "I can't find a quiet place to practice."

Who cares! For practice, background noise is okay. (It's just not okay for auditions and real jobs.) So if it's too loud where you live, practice in a room at a local community center, ask your health club if you can use their sales office, work in a classroom after school has let out . . . even practice VO in the shower instead of singing!

At Edge Studio, people have told us they practice in their car or minivan (quiet, sound absorbent, comfortable). Some in their closets. One guy even told us, "I stand in my bedroom and speak into my wife's pants, as that prevents echo."

Does practicing with others around make you feel self-conscious? It shouldn't. You're a professional, doing what a professional does. Others respect that, even if they don't fully understand. And if you're still self-conscious, consider the guy with the pants.

Want help? Call our free "Ask a Coach" hotline for ideas with your situation: Dial 641-594-7078 Mondays 10pm-10:30pmET, Wednesdays 3pm-3:30pmET, Fridays 10am-10:30amET.

(2) "I'm new at this and not sure how or what to practice."

Practice at least 15 minutes a day, every day, reading not just the kind of VO material you specialize in, but also other copy to prevent monotony and help break you out of bad habits. Even read your junk mail -- there's a steady supply, it's a daily cue, and if you can make it sound real, you're doing well.

Very important: record yourself and listen back with a critical ear. (For practice, almost any mic and recorder will do.) But if your recorder's not handy, get your daily practice in anyway.

Needs practice scripts? You'll find more than 3,500 scripts and more at EdgeStudio.com.

(3) "I'm not a beginner anymore. I don't need to practice."

Granted, Mel Torme and Elvis didn't sing in the shower or hum to pass the time (so it's said). But they sang virtually every day, no doubt. A-Rod didn't hit all those homers without ongoing practice, either.

You, too, should perform every day.

Obviously, an actual gig is not the time to warm up, flex your pipes, and spot ruts and bad habits you may have developed. Every pro, no matter how experienced, benefits by keeping in shape and improving or broadening their capabilities. Regardless of your experience level, you need to practice.

Edge Studio offers working pros a variety of advanced courses, workshops and clinics to help expand your range, deal with restrictive issues (anything from an accent to mouth clicks), and keep your performance fresh.

(4) "I don't have time to practice."

Oh? How do you find time to perform? Make practice time a routine part of your business day, because that's what your VO career is -- a business. Time of day doesn't matter, but you might take a cue from novelists and other creative writers. Many of them get up relatively early and write for an hour before the day "really" begins. Or they write from 9 till noon then call it a day. The good news is, your practice doesn't need to require three hours, not even one hour. Even a few minutes a day can have a dramatic effect if you're consistent.

If you need to fit your training into a busy schedule, remember our tele-classes. They let you learn over the phone, at various times and days.

(5) "I'm just not the consistent, regimented type."

That's not unusual. Okay, practice when you can. But don't put it off.

Here's a trick -- you undoubtedly have several "what should I do next" moments in your day. Make VO practice your standard answer. Then, just do it. Finding some sort of "trigger" is the way to overcome procrastination, lethargy, or laziness. Like physical exercise, once you get in the good habit of practicing daily, you'll find it much, much easier to remember it and do it. And you'll enjoy it more.

(6) "Sorry, there always seems something more interesting or more important to do."

Ain't it the truth. It might be a day job, kids, unforeseen circumstances, anything. But it's either a daily occurrence that you can schedule around, or a temporary situation you will come back from.

If fitting practice into your schedule is still difficult, make a list. Write your schedule down.

Think of yourself as a business. Running a business involves certain responsibilities, not all of them fun. The good news? Voice-over practice is a LOT more fun than many of the professional responsibilities most other people have!

And if you ever doubt its importance, listen to some of your old practice recordings. I guarantee, if you've applied yourself in regular daily practice, you'll sound better today.

Have you found a practice technique that might help others? Email us at info@EdgeStudio.com, or phone us at 212-868-EDGE to let us know.

There is an old saying; "Practice makes perfect." But this saying is nonesense, because reaching "perfect" suggests that there's no more room for improvement. However you should NEVER stop improving and instead should KEEP PRACTICING!

And to help, here are 8 practice techniques that will help you enhance your voice over delivery!

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First, PRACTICE NOTES:

• Practicing incorrectly can do more harm than good - so read the following carefully!
   
• When new to voice over, do not record more than 30 seconds worth of copy without listening back. If you are reading incorrectly, and you read for long durations, the incorrect delivery will become reinforced.
   
• Do NOT ask friends and family "how you sound." Their ears are not trained. They will miss things and you will reinforce bad habits. INSTEAD ask us.

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Next, PRACTICE METHODS:

• Begin by listening to TV.  Rather than watching TV, close your eyes and pay attention to just the voice over on documentaries and national commercials. (Tune out local commercials which sometimes are recorded by business-owners and other less-experienced talent.) Extract the music and sound effects. Notice how the voice over is less energetic than you originally thought. Then gauge how much energy the visuals, music, and sound effects added, so that you do NOT overdo it when recording. In other words, if a script needs an energy level of 7, perhaps reading at a 5 is sufficient since music, sound effects, and visuals will add more energy.
   
• Next, practice the art of using your natural voice in front of the microphone. Simply record your own natural conversation (while speaking with someone). Then transcribe it and re-record yourself reading the transcription. Listen back to both recordings - they should sound identical. If they don't, you have more practicing to do.
   
• Record, play-back, and critique your practice sessions. (Note: do not critique your performance during recording, as it is tough to concentrate on both simultaneously.) If you do not review your recordings, you're liable to miss your mistakes, and therefore reinforce bad habits.
   
• Practice reading long scripts ("duration training") such as audio books, narrations, biographies, documentaries, and so on. After recording 5 or more minutes, quickly listen back to the beginning, middle, and end. Listen for consistency. If you were consistent, try a longer recording.
   
• Read to groups of people, as this will prepare you for reading in front of directors, engineers, clients, scriptwriters, and so on. Libraries, schools, radio stations, and care organizations offer reading for the blind, reading for children, and reading for the aged.
   
• Mimic professional voice talent. This will increase your ability to mimic directors when they suggest how they want you to deliver the copy during a recording session. To do this, record a professional voice over, transcribe it, and then mimic it back into your recorder. Then listen back to both recordings to ensure they sound the same. NOTE: Do NOT try to imitate the voice-type of the professional (in other words, use your natural voice) - rather mimic the speed, energy level, emphasis, word flow, and comfort of the professional.
   
• Practice with as many styles of voice over as possible, so that you can increase the amount of services you offer your customers. For example, during one practice session, work with children's scripts, and during another session, work with audiobooks. Go to http://www.edgestudio.com/voice-over/practice-scripts and find many categories of scripts to work with.
   
• Practice with as many characters as possible, as this will increase your ability to take direction as well as get you thinking outside the box. Listen to characters on cartoons, animated movies, talking toys, videogames, and so on. Record them, transcribe them, record them yourself, and then listen back to hear if you're as "vocally free" as they are. Go to http://www.edgestudio.com/voice-over/practice-scripts and find categories of scripts such as "kid's", "animation", and so on to work with.
   
• If you haven't gotten it by now, we STRONGLY encourage practicing. With us, by yourself, with a small group of other talent.

WANT HELP? WE HAVE MANY PRACTICE PROGRAMS - JUST ASK 888-321-edge.

Well kids, we made it through another year. The rapture has not happened (yet) and by all accounts we've got at least a little time before the Mayans welcome the birth of the 5th sun. Time to relax and reflect on all things audio. Go ahead and treat yourselves to a vocally soothing chai. It's time to settle in fireside for "Steve's Annual Voice Over Report."

This year in the voice recording industry was an interesting one. We learned many things, some of which I cannot repeat here, some of which I can. Eh, why not? It's always darkest before the dawn.

The Gremlins of 2011 aka Watch Out and Be Wary of the Following:

1. Any file sent to you titled with a nonsensical string of numbers (such as RAF2000032.WAV) This likely means it was either recorded with a USB Mic or a compact flash recorder. Neither of which are kosher to use for a professional, broadcast quality voice over.

2. USB Mics. Let's make 2012 the year of throwing out your USB mic and using something professional for your home studio recordings, mmmkay? First impressions are everything. If someone gets your audio for the first time, and it sounds terrible, they will not forget that. Would you show up to a first date in sweatpants? That's basically what you're doing when you try to pass off your USB mic as a TLM 103.

3. A project that seems extraordinarily complex or lacks details. Ask all the questions, even if they're overly simple. Every question can potentially avoid a problem and show you what type of professional situation you are dealing with. Even if the fault lies with your client...the problem will often reflect back on you. Stop being a slacker. Ask about the file type. Ask about the script. If something is being done incorrectly, switch it up. Brush up on the fine art of Project Management. It will save your sanity.

The Sprites of 2011 aka Stuff That Made the Year Sparkle:

1. Talented Talent. When a terrific VO talent comes in and tears up the booth (in a good way, not like Motley Crue circa 1989 in a hotel room after a show) it's a great experience for all. Talent can make or break a project. We love the fantastic folks who add value to our studio.

2. Dropbox.com is an amazing and valuable service. (Bonus: It's free for up to 2 GB of storage.) When your server goes down, enemy bombs are dropping, and the world is generally punching your data in the face, this is often a very helpful solution to get your files to your client without missing a beat.

3. Pop Filters. Lets all thank an omnipresent yet non denominational being for these things. Life would not exist without them.

And Lastly, Some Fun, Untested Trends We've Seen:
Overall this year, most of the work seems to be corporate related. So if you're planning on occupying Wall Street, you probably won't be occupying the VO booth. Everyone gets into the industry to be the Movie Trailer Guy, but the reality is very different. There is plenty of work out there, it just might not be in the areas people imagined to begin with.

We've learned a lot this year about the differences between male and female talent, the birds and bees of voiceover, if you will. Now we'll preface this paragraph by saying that there are certainly exceptions, but these are trends we noticed this year. Many people come to the VO world after or during other careers, and here's something interesting we have also learned. Women who come from high powered corporate backgrounds, whether it be finance or non profit or whatever, do extremely well in the booth! They're very professional, prepare, and do a fantastic job. Men who come from a somewhat high powered corporate background sometimes have the opposite effect; they tend to not take direction. And the higher up they were, the worse they do in the booth. I'm not making any of that up. Could we do a gender specific study and probably get some sort of grant? I'll bet we could! And I would use that grant money to get a deep fryer for the studio.

Gender roles aside, if I can again state one all encompassing theme of the year for talent, it is this
Don't be a jerk to the people who hire you. And come prepared.

You know how the Movie Phone Guy got to be that guy? Yes, it was a large amount of talent. But many well known voice actors are a pleasure to work with. They're efficient. They practice. They show up on time. They come in prepared. There's a great podcast called "WTF With Marc Maron" and in it he talks to many actors and comedians. In one episode with Amy Poehler, they discuss auditioning for a Cohen Brothers film. The point they make is that some actors (or musicians or voiceover talent or whatever) have this fear of preparing too much, showing that they care a little bit more than they should, and therefore look too eager. While this is certainly a concern, they go on to discuss that the GREATER concern is not preparing enough, showing up and doing a poor job, looking like you don't even care. And I have seen that several times this year. You have to care just a little. Not so much that it ruins the spontaneity of your read, but enough that you don't look like an amateur.

One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from Keith Richards. Slash, guitar player for Guns N Roses, once said it on Politically Incorrect way back when. Someone was talking about the rock and roll myth of being a reckless drug addict, and he said "You know, Keith Richards never showed up late. He said to me one time "Man, I slept in a chandelier last night, and I'm still here on time!" You probably slept in a nice place, so get here on time for your session, OK?

We've seen an increasing amount of animation work, which we all enjoy doing -- not just in LA, but in NYC, too. Lets hope more of that shows up in the coming year. Also if you get booked on one of these animation projects, you're going to need to remove your serious hat, and put on your ridiculous hat. We can't be having any more uptight people in the booth for fun projects. That's just the rules, please deal with them. Have you seen that Elmo documentary? Look at the dude who does his voice! Look how much fun he has! So for our closing theme of the year, it is this - Have fun in the booth! If you're not enjoying it, neither am I, and I spend a lot more time here than you, so why not make the experience as pleasant as possible? Eh? Eh?

That's all I have for now. We've shared many experiences over this past year. We've laughed, we've cried, we've been victims of heavy handed political correctness, and we've wondered in amazement how people continue to assault their ears with the horrible sounds of U2. But dear reader, these things have only made us stronger.

Well not all of us. Some have left the audio industry altogether for a simpler life of deep sea-giant squid wrangling/covert international spy work.

Written by Lead Engineer Steve Weiss

Here in the world of voice over, we sometimes notice unique trends. Today, I'd like to share with you some actual and 100% true observations I have seen, from the other side of the glass...namely, the difference between men and women and their approach to voice over.

I'm about to get all "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Somewhere Else" on you right here, so listen carefully, before it shoots to the top of Oprah's book club, and we go all NY Times Paywall on this blog. Are you ready? It's about to get real.

Men want to talk, women want to listen.

Now, obviously this is a glaring generalization and this theory excludes the old pro's who are the best in the game; they operate in a class all their own. (We work with a variety of talent, through out a wide range of skill levels. This mainly concerns those folks on the way up up up.) This distinction in skill level is of utmost importance when directing a session.

The old pros, of either gender, will immediately take the direction and metabolize it into gold. Most female talent tend to take the direction, consider it for a bit, then reflect that in the performance. Male talent... like to repeat the direction back to you, take no pause, and go right into whatever they were going to do anyway.

Take that to the therapists couch and smoke it.

Now granted, I am 100% D-U-D-E, so don't confuse this with sexism. It's merely a completely generic sociological voice-over study, conducted over many years of audio production of all sorts. For example, this happens equally when consulting on a home studio build. Females will take notes, run ideas by you, and ask your opinion before they make a purchase. Males tend to tell you what they have done in preparation, tell you what their future plans are, and then in the last minute, ask you to agree or disagree with their intentions or the thousands of dollars of non-refundable equipment they've already bought. (Your declarations may or may not then provoke an argument.)

I've kept records, its true. We can even make a pie chart. Or maybe we should just ask Cathy to make us all a pie and we can sit around with coffee/tea/caffeinated beverage of choice and debate this topic further. She concocted a delicioso Pecan-Apple magic pie for the Production Department last week. It was glorious.

My point is, if you happen to be a guy in the booth, maybe take a page from the neighboring planet, and listen a little more. Consider what the director or engineer is telling you. Give it a moment of contemplation and then voice that interpretation.your limits is one of the most important voice over skills you can possess.

Knowing your limits is one of the most important voice over skills you can possess.

Of course, your professional goal is to land as many jobs as you can do well. But every voice over artist should understand their limitations. Otherwise, you will lose clients in a most embarrassing fashion. When you can't do the job well, it doesn't just embarrass you, it also embarrasses everyone involved -- the producer, the casting agent, the person who recommended you, the client, everyone.

Having been burned once, casting people will avoid you. And word gets around.

For example: If a client asks for Canadian French and you send an audition in of Parisian French, you might slip though and get passed along by the casting agent (who may or may not catch the difference). Then, when the client catches the error, it will make the casting agent look bad. That casting agent will not use you again.

(Worse, sometimes the mismatch won't be caught until much later in the process, and everybody looks bad!)
Let your golden rule be, "Give clients what they need." When you audition for something that is not appropriate for you, you are not doing that.

How do you determine if you are appropriate for a job or not? Think about these three things:
1. Your voice
2. Your business
3. Your studio
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YOUR VOICE:

Do you have the voice the client needs? And just as important, will you have it when they need it? Can you maintain this voice for as long as they need it? For example, if a script involves hours of recording and you don't have the vocal stamina, you should decline. Or, if they need a deep-voiced goldenthroat and you sound like that only in the early morning, the job is not for you. Politely turn it down.

Is the requested voice a stretch for you? For example, do they want a young mom, and you sound more like a husky-voiced middle-aged vamp? Or do they want an authentic Russian accent and yours is only passable, or some nebulous, stereotypical, comic Boris or Natasha? There are plenty of native speakers available. If other people can audition or submit demos without stretching, then this is not the right audition for you.

The last thing you want, short of total embarrassment, is for prospective clients to think you're always trying too hard, or that you're always chasing after scraps. You do want them to think of you as a consummate professional, always able to perform as promised and maybe even add something extra. Whatever your voice quality, voice-over skills, or personal interests, there are voice over jobs where you can deliver that.

Clients appreciate it when a voice talent is honest with them and tells them when a project is not a good match.

For example, if you have a regular client who uses you to record non-specialized text, but one day needs someone to do a job full of medical jargon, don't take that assignment if you are not comfortable with medical jargon. You will be tempted, but don't do it. Your client will respect your professional judgment.

It's not always an easy call, because the margins aren't always clear. For example, there are scripts that use words like "aspirin" and "NSAIDs," and then there are scripts that require you to roll phrases like "Methylprednisolone is a form of prednisone, itself an adrenal corticosteroid, a powerful steroid." off your tongue repeatedly.

Listen to pros who specialize in that genre and see how you measure up.

If you're not sure, audition yourself beforehand. Ask the client for a script, and rehearse before submitting an audition. Record yourself reading the script (or a similar script). Listen back to it carefully. And dispassionately.

If time permits, have someone critique your work -- try Edge Studio's Feedback Forum (you get free feedback!), or ask a friend, go to a voiceover social networking group, or ask a qualified coach.

Sometimes a prospective client will have more faith in your marginal ability than you do. (This sometimes happens especially with regular client who knows and likes your stuff.) If so, be flattered, but candid about your reservation, and suggest a Plan B. Say you'll call some other pros. Then recommend one of those specialists, and ask your client to keep you in mind for other jobs in the future. The client will appreciate your professional judgment, honesty and extra effort.

The extra effort can even bring you a bit of income. When you farm out work to others, you might be able to arrange a finder's fee from the talent you send the work to. In any case, you will at least have earned goodwill.

But your voice and performance capabilities are not the only factors to consider when deciding if a job is right for you. Your business and technical capabilities are also important.

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YOUR BUSINESS:

Is your turnaround time fast enough? If the client has a specific deadline that you cannot accommodate, don't take that job. Or, be realistic with the client and let them know how long it will take you. Tell them cordially and confidently. If you know you will need additional time, and the job is on the line, you might offer them a discount. For example, a 20% discount if the client shifts their deadline back a day. But, most importantly, don't leave your client hanging. (As they may have said in the Old West, "hanging is not just an inconvenience.")

This is very important with prospective clients, but extremely important with an existing client. You have only so many of them.

Scheduling is just one business consideration. Whatever the client's needs, don't take the job if you can't meet them comfortably.

Note the word "comfortably." It helps if you're a go-getter, but you're going to ease up if you don't enjoy it. And you won't be in business long if you lose money on every job. So be sure you will be able to do the job efficiently and make money on it.

For example, if a client will pay you $100 per completed hour to narrate an audiobook, but recording that hour takes you 6 hours (prep-time reading the book, mic time, and post production), you are making only $16.66 per hour. Audiobooks are an interesting genre. But, in any genre, be sure you know exactly what it entails, so you don't bite off more than you can chew.

Another example: If a client needs unusual services, such as copywriting or multiple voices, be up-front with the client. Let them know what you can and cannot do well, and tell them you would be happy to find other performers and/or service providers to satisfy fully meet their needs.

On the other hand, if you are able to provide extra services, they can be a rewarding source of extra income.
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YOUR STUDIO

Accept a job only if you can handle its technical requirements. For example, if it requires precision editing or audio processing that you are not good at, decline. Or hire someone to do what you cannot. Same with music, sound effects, etc.

Don't accept a job if your studio is not up to par. For example if your studio is not completely soundproof to professional standards, don't accept the job. If your computer or microphone doesn't have the required audio quality, don't accept the job. If the client wants to use phone patch or ISDN and you don't have it, don't take the job, unless you tell the client your situation beforehand.

Whenever possible, suggest an alternative -- maybe use a professional studio and build it into your rate. Or determine how you can improve your skills and/or facilities, and let your client know when the upgrade is operational.

In short, think in terms of your career, not just your wallet. See things from your client's perspective, not just yours. And focus on anticipating and satisfying your clients needs. When an assignment will exceed your limits, be honest with your client at the outset, letting them know why you cannot accept job.

Ultimately, more jobs -- and more appropriate jobs -- will come your way.

So before you audition for a voice over job, audition the job.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHICH GENRE IS MOST PROFITABLE FOR YOU?

Here are 7 other ways to identify your most profitable genres.

1.) Local market.

Although voice-over can be performed remotely nowadays, that's a big pond. Don't neglect opportunities in your own locale. Which sectors of the voice over industry predominate in your geographic area? What are hirers looking for?

Pursuing cartoon voices makes sense in L.A. and N.Y. Not so much in Topeka. Is your city known for landmark tourism or museums? Consider focusing on museum tours. Are you in a high-tech corridor? If you have a technical bent yourself, your focus might be how-to videos, sales presentations and other corporate narration.

Naturally, while you should be right for your geography, the geography should also be right for you. Which sectors pay well? Which sectors are growing? Which sectors involve ongoing work and long-term client relationships?

2.) Delivery.

Few producers need "a thousand" voices. And even fewer artists truly have them. What producers usually need is one right voice, with a natural delivery in the style they are seeking, a delivery they know they can depend on.

So demonstrate only vocal styles that come naturally and easily for you -- even if it's only one. Skip the artificial dialects and accents. Other people were born with them, or have studied and practiced for years, sounding far more authentic than you.

Also skip the announcer-style car spot. Every local DJ can do that. Casting agents seek the unique.

3.) Passion.

Hate commercials? Then don't record them. Someone who enjoys doing them will sound better. Pursue your aspirations.

You might be surprised at what you might find rewarding. For example, if you like kids, you don't necessarily need to have a gaggle of your own to be good at recording children's books. On the other hand, if you take after W.C. Fields ... maybe not.

4.) Terminology and expertise.

As much as you should pursue your aspirations, it's also important to know your limitations.

If you don't have a scientific background, don't put scientific narration excerpts on your demo. The best that could happen is you get a scientific narration job for which you are not well qualified for, and you do a mediocre job, or the casting professional learns you can't read scientific scripts "cold" as you waste time during the session. Would you expect a second call?

The worst that could happen is that they (or you) make that discovery with their client watching, or a mispronunciation of some common scientific terminology slips through! Your career is pretty much ended with that person.

Remember -- your demo must be trustworthy, representative of your actual abilities. Within those abilities, however, make yourself shine!

5.) Personality.

Fidgety? Audiobook recordings are not for you -- you'll never sit still long enough. Consider short recordings. Do you hate to get serious when the occasion demands? Industrial narration might not be your thing. Always consider the best type of work for YOU.

6.) Creativity.

Different genres require different kinds of creativity. Can you read a line ten different ways? If so, you're geared for cartoons, talking toys, and other types of voice over that require "overt" creativity. If you tend to speak somewhat repetitively, consider on-line tutorials, telephony, etc. These narrations usually require less dynamic presentation, yet involve challenges all their own.

7.) Personal contacts.

If you work in a large corporation, network your contacts before producing your demo. Learn what various departments need. You can hardly find a more specific focus than in this situation.

In fact, you may not even need a demo to land an opportunity.

·   Offer your services to the HR department, by suggesting you record the "welcome to our company" video, "job fair" video, and such.

·   Talk to The Communications department and record the telephony systems (menu-prompt, information on hold, voice mail, etc.).

·   Talk to the Marketing department to record commercials, tradeshow exhibit videos, and promotional material.

·   See the Training department about training videos.

·   Speak with the Web/IT department to narrate Flash presentations, online tutorials, "welcome to our home-page" narrations, and so on.

One warning: If you need to make a demo specifically for work at your company, consider that. But when it comes to your demo for the world at large, keep your personal focus. Put your company work on your demo ONLY if that work fits within the focus you've chosen.

Real-world stuff is as authentic as it gets. Which is why when Edge Studio produces a demo, we use our resources, insight and expertise to emulate real-world work authentically.

But never include a performance simply because it was produced, or just because you got paid for it.  Include it if it is quality and fits your demo.

WANT MORE, BETTER PAYING JOBS?

Consider the above factors BEFORE producing your demo.

They'll help make you unique, memorable and invaluable to the proper casting professionals. Your other marketing tools and personal salesmanship play a major role in that. But focusing your demo is where it all begins

WANT HELP?

Want help with your demo? Call us at 888-321-Edge, or email training@edgestudio.com.

An outsider would think it's easy: (1) One of our (more than 1,000) production clients calls. (2) They send us their script and we suggest an appropriate voice talent. (3) We have our client approve that voice talent. And then (4), we hire that voice talent.

Simple, you think? Wrong. Let's suppose we suggest Bob the Talent. But. . .

1. We call, email, or visit Bob's website, but don't get through.

PROBLEM: Bob forgot to update us when he moved or got a new cell phone. We're often in a hurry when we cast -- so rather than spend more time searching for talent #1, we just jump to talent #2.

FIX: Email everyone with changes to your contact information! Request a confirmation or read-receipt. Didn't receive the confirmation? Email again. And please don't send the unfortunately all too common, "Hi, I've updated my email. Please change it to the address that I'm emailing from now. Thanks." Don't make potential clients work -- include your name, and both your old email address and your new one for easy reference!

2. We send our client to Bob's website to approve his demo, but they can't hear it.

PROBLEM: It's not clear that the user needs to click from Bob's "home page" to his "about me page" to his "audio sample page" to hear his demo. To boot, calling them "audio samples" or "recorded excerpts" or anything other than "demos" makes it even more challenging for Bob's potential customers to find them.

FIX: Since clients usually go to your site only to hear your demos, make them the first thing they find. In other words, put your demos at the top of your home page. Not possible? Then put them just one click away from your homepage. And call that link "demos."

3. We can't find Bob's demo among our computer files.

PROBLEM: Bob, along with about 99% of other voice talent's demos that we receive, names his demo with a generic name, such as "demo", "com demo", "final demo mix", or "Roberts demo".

FIX: Think about it -- if you wanted to find Bob's demo, what would you look under? "Robert"? No. "Demo"? No. "Final mix demo"? No. "Bob"? Yes. Name your demo file with your first and last name, then the genre of demo it is, and then "voice over" (rather than engineering, directing, editing, copywriting,...). For example, "Bob_Smith_Commercial_Voice_Over_Demo.mp3".

4. We email Bob but never reach him.

PROBLEM: Bob uses an email blocker, which requires someone sending Bob an email for the first-time to reply to a confirmation email (to verify that they're not spamming Bob). But because many people don't like completing auto-replies, it also prevents Bob from getting hired.

FIX: Accept all emails and, if you use a spam filter, regularly review your blocked emails to check for possible clients. Then, going forward, add good email addresses to your "approved senders" list.

5. We call Bob but cannot get through.

PROBLEM: Bob uses a phone blocker, which requires first time callers to confirm who they are. Many people find this annoying and hang up. You've probably heard them: "The person you are dialing requests that you speak your name and reason for calling. After we contact this individual, they will chose to answer your call or not." A close second is a blocked-caller-ID blocker. If the caller's phone service does not transmit their phone number, they have to hang up, press *82 (if they know that) and redial. How many prospects will do that?

FIX: Make it as simple as possible for potential clients to reach you. Don't use phone blockers.

6. We call Bob but choose not to leave a message.

PROBLEM: Someone else answers Bob's phone (someone unprofessional and/or someone who does not take a professional message). Or Bob has an unprofessional/goofy voice mail (which is a turn-off). Or Bob uses the generic voice mail that came with his phone and it's therefore impossible to know if you are reaching Bob's voice mail.

FIX: This industry is about your voice. The first thing your client hears should be your professional voice, saying your name (Hi, this is Bob the Talent. Please...etc.). If someone else must answer your call, make sure they are professional, take a clear, complete message, read it back to the caller, and deliver it to you promptly.

A producer's day is hectic enough without having to work just hire you. Be smart -- make it a no-brainer for them.

It's easy to become complacent once work is coming in. You stop shifting your gears and lose business to competitors.

The markets for voice over, and the business itself, are always changing. Even the successful professional needs an ongoing business plan that's up-to-date.

So:

Further develop your performance capabilities, explore new genres and geographic opportunities, understand new technologies and rate structures, and adjust to changes in your own life. (Has your schedule changed as the kids grow older? Do you want to go back to school? Could you work from home? Did they just build a firehouse next door?)

Just like any national brand in the marketplace, you should never stop improving.

Here are 10 items to contemplate:

1) Evaluate the work you've been getting. Should you seek more of the same, or should you expand into other genres?

2) Are you booked solid but some of your clients cost you more time than they're worth, or are impairing your performance? You may want to politely let those clients go, freeing you to acquire better ones.

3) Could you obtain more work from your existing clients? If so: Keep them updated on your other recent voice over work. Make sure they know the full range of your capabilities. Can you add new capabilities that would be valuable to them, such as writing, proofreading or production? Ask them to refer you to new clients.

4) What industries are different, but with similar needs? Can you market to them? 5) What industries are similar to those you have been serving? Can you market to them?

6) If you've been traveling to studios, consider ways to work remotely. Whether from home or from a studio, this will enable you to serve a much wider geographic area.

7) To gain similar new clients, evaluate, update and re-implement the successful elements of your previous campaign.

8) If entering a new genre, revisit your Marketing Plan and develop a campaign for your new target.

9) What are successful competitors doing? Evaluate their marketing techniques.

10) Have you kept up with new technologies that will help you work more easily, improve your product, enlarge your capabilities, stay ahead of clients' evolving needs, and/or help you serve your customers better and more efficiently?

While its roots go back to the early days of radio (early 1900s), voice over has only been a main-stream profession since the 1980s, and it's only been a common household name since approximately the year 2000.

During its short life, there have been many transitions. Yet not everyone who speaks about voice over is up-to-date. Therefore many people speak about the voice over industry “the way it was” as opposed to “the way it really is.”

Here are some major changes:

VOCAL STYLE: has gone from dominantly announcer style to natural style.

details: In the early days of voice over, microphones were not as sophisticated as they are today, and did not pick up high frequencies, such as low volumes and female voices. Therefore male voices — especially deep, strong ones — were preferred.

This strong announcer style delivery was also appropriate because groups of people would gather around a single radio to listen to a radio program together. Therefore, from the voice over artist's perspective, a stronger tone was appropriate since he was projecting to a large group of people.

Then between the 1960s and 1980s, three things changed that caused the voice over producer to typically request a conversational vocal delivery. First, as technology advanced, microphones were developed that could pick up natural voices. Second, more people listened to radio and television programs by themselves, making a natural, more intimate delivery preferred. In other words, the public generally prefers to be ‘spoken to', as opposed to ‘announced at'. Third, narration work became more and more popular, and since this was not “selling,” a natural style vocal delivery was used.

TYPE OF WORK: has gone from dominantly commercial work to narration work.

details: Originally, radio commercials were the brunt of the work. Then came along television commercials. Then came along a new type of voice over: narration. This style included educational and informational narrations. While the number of voice over commercials continue to increase every year, narrations now total approximately 92% of the industry.

RECORDING MEDIUM: has gone from analog recording to digital recording.

details: Practically every engineering function has changed with the advent of digital technology. Productions are now completed significantly faster while simultaneously significantly more precise. With digital editing, voice talent can simply re-record a sentence, phrase, or even single word when they make a mistake, and the engineer can digitally ‘edit' it into the recording in place of the mistake. (This eliminates the necessity to re-record an entire passage.) Clients can request that engineers give them options, as engineers can easily offer multiple versions of a production, each with different music, sound effects, and/or mix. Recording studios are now inexpensive, portable, and higher in quality. Yet by far, most engineers will confirm that the greatest benefit of digital technology is the ‘undo' button.

GENDER: has gone from dominantly male work to almost half female work.

details: As mentioned above, since early microphones did not pick up high frequencies, female voices were not used much. Plus since the feminist movement had not occurred in the early days of voice over, female voices were not used much.

As microphone technology advanced, and as women began doing more professions that were considered “male work,” women began narrating more voice over work.

Today, women perform almost half of the voice-over work. Female voices are considered to be more believable than male voices. Male voices are considered more authoritative than female voices.

Most people hate those annoying "Press 1 for sales, press 2 for a representative" automated telephone recordings.

Most workers are annoyed by having to watch those boring "Welcome to our company videos", "Safety videos", and "Sexual harassment in the workplace videos" at work.

And most shoppers are annoyed by talking ATMs, talking self-checkout registers at your grocers, and talking merchandise displays.

How ANNOYING people say!

No NO!NO!!! Tell them it's NOT annoying. Rather it's FANTASTIC! This is all work for voice over artists!

Remind people that even though they may find the above annoying, they STILL love MOST voice over, such as documentaries, travelogues, exercise videos, cartoons, and audiobooks.

So from now on:

And now, I think I'll go call my bank to hear their message... because I produced it!

• When you hear a voice over, smile!
• Point it out to your friends!
• When people complain about annoying voice overs, take them out to lunch with the paycheck you earned for narrating them.

While its roots go back to the early days of radio (early 1900s), voice over has only been a main-stream profession since the 1980s, and it's only been a common household name since approximately the year 2000.

During its short life, there have been many transitions. Yet not everyone who speaks about voice over is up-to-date. Therefore many people speak about the voice over industry “the way it was” as opposed to “the way it really is.”

Here are some major changes:

details: In the early days of voice over, microphones were not as sophisticated as they are today, and did not pick up high frequencies, such as low volumes and female voices. Therefore male voices

In the early days of radio, broadcast microphones were not as sophisticated as they are today. In fact, the early microphones could not pick up high frequencies, such as female voices, so male voices - especially deep, strong ones - were used for broadcasting. The public became used to hearing this type of voice dominate radio airwaves and, later, television.

As technology advanced, microphones were developed that could pick up higher frequencies. However, the public had become so used to hearing male voices dominate the airwaves that female voices were still not used. It was not until the feminist movement in the 1960s that female voices started appearing on the airwaves. Today, women perform approximately almost half of voice-over work.

Female voices are considered to be more believable than male voices.

Male voices are considered more authoritative than female voices.

The choice is that of the producer's desires.

For listening mediums such as television, biographies, educational videos, documentaries, and corporate films, male voices are more popular. However for multi-media and telephony listening applications, such as web-based training, educational software, telephone information systems, etc, female voices are the better choice, as their higher-pitched vocal characteristics are more audible through computer and telephone speakers.

A voice-actor called and said, "Go to www.MarksVoiceToYou.com."

So I went to: www.MarcsVoiceToYou.com but nothing came up.

So I tried: www.MarksVoice2U.com but nothing came up.

So I gave up.

The level of your voice over success can be partly attributed to your website address (URL). Sound strange? Think about it: If a prospective client cannot get to your website, you'll likely lose that client.

Following are 8 common mistakes that, when fixed, will SEND MORE CASTING PROFESSIONALS TO YOUR SITE! Following that are 6 STEPS TO CHOOSE A URL.

(1) Ambiguous character mistakes:

Your business card says your website is "www.lOvoice.com".
The problem is that the first two characters appear to spell "ten", when in actuality they are a lowercase "L" and capital "oh".

(2) Alternate Spelling mistakes:

Tell someone your website is "www.VoiceOverForYou.com",
and they may visit "www.VoiceOver4U.com"

Or if your website is "www.JayDoesVoice.com"
people will probably visit "www.JDoesVoice.com"

Or if you're trying to be clever and have "www.KidzTrax.com"
people will probably visit "www.KidsTracks.com"

(3) Memory mistakes:

You want casting agents to remember your URL.

So you get "www.VoiceOverForYou.com",
but they may remember "www.VoiceOversForYou.com" (with an "s" in "Overs").

(4) CAPITAL/lowercase mistakes:

Which is easier to read: "www.christieinthebooth.com"
or "www.ChristieInTheBooth.com"?

(5) Extension mistakes:

If your website ends with ".org", studies indicate that people still go to ".com"
So buy numerous extensions.

(6) Comfort mistakes:

Want a prospective client to know you're a professional?

Then spend the extra $10 for "www.FranksVoice.com"
rather than "www.CableCompany.FreeWebsite.com/FranksVoice".

Likewise, process your email through your website, so it is "Frank@FranksVoice.com"
rather than "FranksVoice@gmail".

(7) Hidden mistakes:

Is there another way to read your website?

For example, "www.genitaliavoices.com" (GenItaliaVoices)
or "www.voicesexchange.com" (VoicesExchange).

(8) Similar-sounding character mistakes:

You've heard people clarify letters by saying, "That's F as in Frank".
Well if your website has unclear letters in it, like "www.FMSB.com" be prepared to do the same.

For example,
say, "That's FMSB as in Frank's Microphones Sound Beautiful", otherwise they'll visit "www.SNFP.com".

• STEP 1) Find 10 URLs which are appropriate (as mentioned above) and available (visit a domain seller, such as www.GoDaddy.com, and use their on-line tester).
• STEP 2) Show these 10 URLs to 10 people (who will be candid with you). Ask them to quickly read each URL out loud. Cross out any URLs that 2 or more people mis-read.
• STEP 3) Speak the remaining URLs to another 10 people. Ask them to write out each URL on a piece of paper after you say it. Cross out any URLs that 2 or more people misspell.
• STEP 4) Speak all remaining URLs to another 10 people. Ask them which one(s) they remember. THE URLs THAT MOST PEOPLE REMEMBER SHOULD BE YOUR URL.
• STEP 5) Tell 10 people your new URL and ask them to tell you every way it could be misspelled, changed, misheard, or remembered incorrectly. THEN PURCHASE ANY OR ALL OF THOSE VARIATIONS.
• STEP 6) Lastly, purchase the most common extensions (".com", . "org", and so on) for, at minimum, your real URL and preferably for the variations as well. Remember: website addresses only cost around $10, so if one more client can find you, the extra expense is well worthwhile.

WANT HELP? Call our Ask-A-Coach, buy a private consultation,
take our marketing seminar, and so on...

Do what you can to ensure a marketable, professional URL.