Ask The Voice Cat

How Do People Get Jingle Singing Work?

2009-02-04T14:31:07Z

Hi, Marc -

Thanks for your blog! Really helpful. I'm not so interested in voice acting work as I am in singing - commercials, jingles, etc. I have a demo, but I'm not sure if the channels are the same for singing jobs as they are for vo acting. Someone told me that it's more word-of-mouth for jingles? Am I better suited to go through on the ad side? I also don't have a SAG card yet... how does that all fit in?

Thanks!
Melissa

Dear Melissa,

Thanks for writing in with your question. Jingle singing is a weird business. There are no auditions, no agents, no instructors. It's definitely word-of-mouth, and very much a who-you-know kind of business. And you've got to be a phenomenal singer, a terrific sight-reader and have the gift of being able to sing multiple styles of contemporary music.

If you have a demo, it better be a killer, or no one will give you the time of day. And the production quality has got to be pristine.

You have to send your demo to music production houses that produce jingles and hope they call you in. Forget ad agencies--they're the ones that hire the music houses for production. The competition's fierce, and you've got to have a lot on the ball to work yourself into the business, even with tremendous talent. And don't worry about SAG or AFTRA membership. If you start working, the union stuff will work itself out.

Good luck!

Sincerely,
Marc Cashman

MARC CASHMAN creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television. Winner of over 150 advertising awards, he also instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, CA, and is now also offering one-on-one coaching via email or phone. He can be contacted at cashcomm@earthlink.net or his website, www.cashmancommercials.com.

Do Big Talent Agents Not Sign Talents they Really Want to Work With?

2008-10-09T11:04:26Z

How does agency repping work when they love you but won't sign?

Find out the Voice Cat's take on this now!

I was wondering if you can help me with a question that no one seemed to be able to help me with.

Marc Cashman: I'll sure try.

My daughters met with Acme Talent late February (2007), they told me that they would like to work with the girls and they asked for copies of their photos but no "contract" were signed between us (I was told that they don't give out contracts and that if we want to work with them, it just goes from there).. I sent them the photos they asked for asap. On April, I called them just to touch base since I haven't heard back from them since our last meeting, using the excuse of sending them an updated copies of my daughters' resumes. During the phone conversation, I was informed that the photos I sent them 2 mos ago didn't work and that they needed another copies, yet they never called me about it.

My question is, is it customary or normal for big talent agents, such as Acme, not to have contracts signed by talents if they really want to work with them?

Marc Cashman: Machelle, every agency works differently, and many agents have a wide latitude to control the terms of representation. If an agency really wants to sign a talent, they'll most likely produce a contract right away. Others like to "see how it goes" for a while, to see if the talent they're considering does well on auditions and books a few jobs. In this case, the situation is more of a freelance position, with the agency not committing anything until they determine if the talent is worth signing.

Second, how do I approach them about the fact that it's been a few months and still they haven't submitted the girls out or if they have, no calls for audtions have been given to my daughters. We signed up with another agent in san diego around the same time (in fact before Acme) and yet this agent have submitted my daughters for auditions almost every week. I feel as if my back is against the wall since I don't want to sound too demanding if I approach them to ask why the girls haven't received any auditions from them, on the other hand, I'm also not sure if they've been sending them out but haven't had any casting directors interested in seeing them.

Marc Cashman: Machelle, at this point I think that a diplomatic summary of this email sent to them should suffice to get a response. Make sure that you state that you were really excited to meet with Acme and are anticipating working with them, but that you were wondering what might be holding things up. I don't think it would be too demanding, considering you've already met with them.You can mention the info that you provided me: "Since we met with you back in february, my daughters have done Intel Print Campaign, a Disney PSA and more." You shouldn't mention, though, that during the audition for the Disney PSA, you saw one of their talents that they submitted for it, and that talent didn't get casted but your daughter did.

I would really appreciate your help as I'm hoping there's another side to this story (as there usually is). Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to your response.

Marc Cashman: Yes, there's always another side to most stories, but in this case you're dealing with the capriciousness of the business and talent sides of show business. Always communicate that you look forward to working with the agent (and agency), and hopefully they'll be able to staighten it all out. I hope this answer helps, and I'd love to know the upshot.

Sincerely,

Marc Cashman

An agency wants to sign my daughter, are the fees they're asking legit?

2008-08-21T15:03:33Z

Q: Hi Marc,

I got a lot of info from your web site but I have a question: the agency that wants to sign my daughter for voice and on-screen wants wants me to pay the following: Are these legitimate fees?

Informational seminar on the talent industry $70
To get her on their talent web site $100 per year

Thanks,

Cindy

A: Cindy, thanks for writing in.

Your situation is becoming quite common now, as more and more talent agencies are trying to underwrite their cost of doing business by charging their "clients" for things over and above the commissions they take.

Not all talent agencies do this--the ones that do tend to be smaller shops.

However, a number of agencies are charging money to talent to place their head shots and demos on their websites, some for a flat fee and others per year. But I've never heard of any agency charging for an informational seminar on the talent industry. That's something I think should be free.

My advice: submit to other agencies and see what kind of response you get from them. And if you do decide to sign with the agency that's offered to represent your daughter, consider looking elsewhere if you aren't happy with them after a year.

Good luck!

Sincerely,
Marc Cashman

Do Watermarks Hinder Auditions?

2008-04-30T15:03:51Z

Q: Hello Marc,

I listened with interest to your podcast on Voices.com regarding auditioning in a home recording studio. Good information since I began doing voice overs 5 years ago after retiring from stage touring. Although Spokane is a small town, there are a number of good studios that do national work. Of the auditions I do in the studio, I get a very high percentage, yet my voices.com auditions are not yielding what I would call a similar percentage! It has been suggested to me that watermarks are "putting off" potential clients. What is your opinion on using watermarks? If watermarks are not used, should I still read the entire 60 or 30 second script?

Many thanks in advance.

—Andrea Bates, Spokane, WA

A: Andrea, thanks for your inquiry—it’s a good question.

For those readers not familiar with watermarks, it’s a SFX used during an audition that renders the actual track unusable to an unscrupulous “producer” who decides to use the submission without paying the talent for their work. Sometimes the watermark is a constant tone under a portion of the read, other times it’s an intermittent tone or noise that’s peppered throughout the read. And it’s understandable that many actors are concerned that their work will be used without permission or remuneration, which makes this a tough question to answer.

Voices.com has suggested using watermarks on their auditions as protection against sleazy “clients” who take advantage of voice actors’ time and talent. While I haven’t heard of any specific instances of this happening, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised that it has. At the same time, I relate to your concern that watermarks might “put off,” as you say, potential clients.

I personally do not use watermarks, as I find them distracting, and feel that the listener will, too. My approach is simply to leave out a bit of copy, or change a phone number or website address. But when I do this, I make specific note of it in my cover letter, explaining that this is my form of protection, particularly if I’ve never worked with the client before. This way my performance isn’t compromised, and the client understands that I didn’t misread their copy by accident or through incompetence.

I’m sure everyone who submits auditions through Voices.com has decided, one way or another, how to handle submissions. And it would be interesting to see the results of a poll of subscribers to see how it all breaks down. You might try submitting your auditions a few different ways and, through your cover letter, ask the client if your watermark did, indeed, put them off. Most will probably not take the time to respond, but a few might, and it may give you some valuable insight into how your auditions are received.

I do have a question, however, about your auditions that you don’t submit through Voices.com. You say that of the auditions you do in the studio, you get a very high percentage, yet your Voices.com auditions are not yielding what you would call a similar percentage. Do you use watermarks on those auditions? Just curious. There’s the possibility that you may have a lot more competition among Voices.com submissions, versus the auditions you compete against in Spokane. Either way, it’s a numbers game, to a large extent, so don’t despair if you’re not booking a lot through Voices.com. Just audition for the jobs you think you’re really right for, and your bookings will pick up.

I hope this answers your question. Please feel write to write again or call with any other questions anytime.

Sincerely,
Marc Cashman

How Do I Interpret Scripts When There's No Direction Whatsoever?

2008-03-17T11:53:30Z

Recently, a Voices.com subscriber wrote in asking about direction.

Q: I’m a working voice actor who auditions a lot of different scripts, and I’m not always sure how to deliver the script when direction is provided. Sometimes they’re really explicit in what they want and other times they make no sense at all. I get a lot of copy where they ask for “conversational,” but the copy is all announce-type stuff. It’s very confusing. Also, how do I interpret the script when there’s no direction whatsoever? Any tips?

—Valerie P., Hollywood, CA

Valerie,

Thanks for this question. I’m sure a lot of voice actors have faced this situation as well.

First, let’s take the scenario where direction is provided.

Sometimes there’ll be a description of the age range, the kind of voice they’re looking (listening) for, a description of the character(s) (which also includes announcers), and any other relevant or pertinent information. There might even be a link to a voice they want you to get “close” to, or they might even want a voice match. Sometimes they’ll give you contradictory direction like, “Depressed, but with a smile,” or “Low-key, but high energy!” or “Youthful, but mature.” This is maddening, but it tells you something right away: they don’t have a clue as to what they want. In fact, here are just a few examples of actual direction from real scripts:

“Chef. Male 25-35, passionate for food, enthusiastic, real, no accent. Should sound handsome.”

“Please don't submit guys who sound fat.”

“Energetic but not too over top. Needs to be exciting yet trusting and believable. Looking for either a woman or a man, preferably with an English accident.”

"These two women are from East Texas and should be in love. With the product. The hospital in which they are having their babies. They should definitely not have a Bronx accent. Or anything like that.”

“Specs: big voice, punchy, non-annoucer [sic] type!! Important sounding voice, plenty of impact, 'listy' (reader of lists), 'sneaker commercial' sounding voice.”

Big voice, punchy non-announcer? Although these directions are not the norm, they are pretty funny, and they occur way more than they should. But you have to read between the lines, so to speak. So what to do? Give them two takes: one the way you think they want it, and one the way you, as an actor, think it should sound. That said, just remember two main things: Be believable and tell a story. Be conversational if the script calls for it, even if the copy isn’t always written that way.

Now, if there’s no direction whatsoever, you’ll just need to analyze the script to determine the most appropriate delivery. I’m assuming that you know how to analyze a script, and that you’re asking yourself these questions:

- Who is the audience this copy is trying to reach?
- What’s the main message? What are you selling?
- What are the supporting statements for the main message? What are the key words?
- What’s your role (character)?
- What’s the emotional hook (if any)?
- What type of delivery do you think would be most effective? Strong, hard-sell, happy,
smiling, mellow, soft-sell, fast, slow?
- What’s your character’s attitude? Serious, comfortable, flip, happy, sad, etc.?
- What visual images come to mind as you read the script?

Here again, give them a take the way you think they would want it, and one the way you think it should sound. That’s really all you can do! Make a commitment, take your best shot, and forget about it. I have a friend who called me to howl about the stupid directions he got for an audition.

This voice should be deep. Commanding. Full of intrigue. And tough. It’s a cross between a killer movie trailer voice and a killer tough truck voice. Not too announcery though. Cheesy reads will be prosecuted

Deep, commanding, but not too announcery? Well, he figured out what they thought they wanted, sent it in and forgot about it—until he booked it: a national network Class-A TV V-O. He’s still laughing at that direction—all the way to the bank. Oh, one other thing: if they have specific directions on how to label your sound file (if you’re submitting an mp3, as opposed to a live audition situation), make sure you follow the template they give you—to the letter.

I’ll be sharing more voiceover questions and answers in the coming months. If you have any questions, please write to me at Ask The VoiceCat and I’ll get back to you.

Should Voice Actors Edit Punctuation in Scripts if it Doesn't Make Sense?

2008-02-14T09:14:41Z

A pertinent question from a Voices.com subscriber comes in asking about grammar and punctuation.

Q: I’m a working voice actor who’s read hundreds of scripts, and I’ve noticed that copywriters are very inconsistent and confusing with punctuation. Some scripts have words that are all capitalized. Others have directions inserted in the copy. Some scripts seem to have virtually no punctuation, and others have punctuation marks that make no sense. Then, of course, there is the constant, embarrassing misspellings of words or incorrect grammar. Should I change the grammar in these scripts when I audition, or will that piss off the writer? Should I change the punctuation if it doesn’t make any sense?

—Bobby V., Venice, CA

Bobby,

You’ve hit on one of my pet peeves. Copywriters are notoriously bad spellers and grammarians. But take into account that when you’re reading ad copy, you’re reading “advertising-ese,” where proper grammar has been, to the consternation of English teachers around the world, thrown out the window. This “ad-speak” is full of incomplete sentences, even in print! But also understand that advertising copy is a horse of a different color, and sometimes should be read as poetry—free form, creatively, open to interpretation.

When my students ask me what to do when they encounter bad grammar, I answer: change it, unless it’s written specifically for a character. For instance, a Western or Southern character saying “ain’t” is perfectly acceptable, as are a lot of other grammatical “faux pas,” because they make sense—the writer deliberately wrote it that way. But if the grammatical error is truly an error, a mistake, change it. But make sure you’ve made the correct change. Believe me, your audition won’t get thrown out because you’ve altered the copy slightly. In fact, the writer will probably hear your suggested word change and incorporate it into a revised script.

As far as punctuation is concerned, there are certain marks that should be honored and others that are more fluid. Exclamation marks should always be honored. They’re at the end of a sentence for a reason—they’re not there by mistake. The writer is telling you: “I want excitement on this sentence!” It’s your job to discern how much excitement you need to give it. You also need to honor the question mark. Again, it’s not there by mistake. But there are a hundred different ways to ask a question. Here again, you have to decide what the appropriate way is that you’re going to ask it.

Semi-colons and dashes need to be honored. These are timing marks, and you have to figure out whether they translate into a beat, a mini-beat or a micro-beat. Some writers go so far as to write “Beat” in parentheses, to give you a timing cue. Ellipses are quirky, and copywriters aren’t sure how to use them. Some use them as pauses, others use them as unfinished thoughts or sentences. Still others use them to tie lines together in a dialogue, where one person is finishing the sentence of the other, or interrupting them. Parentheses should be read as asides, slightly sotto voce. Quotation marks should be read with a micro-beat before and after the quoted word, unless it’s an actual quotation. I tell my students to treat quotation marks as they advertised the Playtex Living bra years ago—lift and separate.

The easiest punctuation marks to figure out are the most obvious: those words that are underlined, in bold, capitalized or italicized. That’s the copywriter’s cue to you to emphasize those specific words. Don’t ignore these applications to the copy. If you miss them, the writer or producer will think that you didn’t catch them, and they’ll determine that you’re not a very good reader/actor. Period and commas are more fluid. Sometimes you need to honor periods at the end of declarative sentences, sometimes not, depending on the copy. The same goes for commas. You can use them to separate things, pause at certain places, or not at all. The bottom line: make the copy make sense to you, to your cadence, to help you make the points you’re trying to make. If it means adding or removing a punctuation mark, do it.

I want to add a caveat: Don’t be changing things “whole cloth.” And realize that there are very few places where you can make these changes without getting into trouble. Stage, TV and film scripts are fairly inviolate, unless you’re given permission to change a few things around. Radio is one of the few areas where you can make minor changes and not be given your walking papers. Trust me, when you change a script just slightly to make it better, to make it make sense, you’ll be contributing something that makes you look good and enhances the copy.

I’ll be sharing more voiceover questions and answers in the coming months. If you have any questions, please write to me at Ask The VoiceCat and I’ll get back to you.

Sincerely,

Marc

Help! Advice on Pronunciation for Voice Actors

2008-01-08T14:48:36Z

Hope your holidays were happy and healthy. Here’s a recent question from an aspiring voice actor, asking about articulation.

I call this Pro-nunciation.

Q: I’ve been taking voice acting classes for a number of years and am finally starting to get booked for V-O work. Occasionally, though, clients ask me to articulate certain words they say I’m not speaking clearly. They seem to contradict the direction they give me. For instance, when they ask me to be conversational, and I say the word “to,” it comes out sounding like “ta.” When I say the word “for,” it comes out sounding like “fur.” I don’t want to over-articulate, because then I sound “read,” and therefore not conversational. What do I do in these instances? How can I walk that fine line between over-enunciating and under-enunciating? Help!!!

—Janice W., Hollywood, CA

Janice, you’re not alone in this situation.

When we’re conversing, we’re not really thinking much about our pronunciation. And when we’re asked, as actors, to speak conversationally, we tend to fall into the unconscious speech pattern of everyday conversation—at conversational speed, i.e., the pace that we talk most of the time—to friends, relatives, acquaintances, even strangers. The trick in voice acting is to walk that fine line between under and over-articulating.

When we over-articulate, we sound snobby, prissy, stiff—and it’s very off-putting. Someone over-enunciating doesn’t sound like a warm, friendly person. On the other hand, under-articulating makes a person sound stupid, lazy or both. I once saw a wonderful V-O demo cover with the word “Mumbling” inside of a red circle with a slash. So voice actors always need to strive for clarity of speech without under or over-doing it.

To answer your question, there are a few little tricks to keep your articulation clear when you’re behind the microphone.

Remember that many of these words are “bridge” words, meant to tie other words together. The four most common words that we get “lazy” with are to, for, our and your. To sounds, many times, like ta. For ends up sounding like fur. Our tends to sound like are, and your many times sounds like yer.

Now, speaking these words this way sounds perfectly fine in a typical conversation. But when we’re reading, say, a corporate narration, we don’t want to sound like we just fell off the hay wagon. And we don’t want to sound like a snob either.

The trick is to add a letter in front of or at the end of the word to change the pronunciation.

So, for instance, in order to make sure you always pronounce to correctly, insert a w inside it, changing it to two. You’d never pronounce two as ta, would you? For the word for, add an e at the end of the word, changing for to fore. Again, the spelling forces you to pronounce the word differently. The same thing goes for your. Changing it to yore or you’re will give you the pronunciation that’s called for. And finally, saying the word our correctly is simply a matter of placing an h in front of the word, changing it to hour.

I’m sure there are many more examples like this (and please, readers, if you have any more examples, write in to Voices.com and share!), but the trick is to figure out how to enunciate clearly and cleanly, without under or overdoing it. It takes a lot of practice, but that’s why we get paid the big bucks, right?

Good luck out there, Janice, and break a lip!

I’ll share more voiceover questions and answers in the coming months. If you have any questions, please write to me and I’ll get back to you.

Sincerely,

Marc

MARC CASHMAN creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television. Winner of over 150 advertising awards, he also instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, CA, and is now offering One-on-One voice coaching via email or phone. He can be contacted through Voices.com, at cashcomm@earthlink.net or at his website, www.cashmancommercials.com.

I know I can do a better job than some folks on radio and videogames... how do I start?

2007-12-27T14:41:38Z

"I have also been wanting to get into voice over/voice acting. As far back as I can remember, people have been telling me that I had a natural talent for mimicry of others as well as doing a wide variety of accents and character voices. When I hear some of the ones that are used in radio or video games as an example, it makes me cringe, because I know I can do a better job. Help! How do I get into this field? It seems to be about the only real “talent” I have. Most of the local radio stations where I live use current on-air talent and I don’t know what to include in a demo or how to get started. Any advice would be appreciated!"

Don

Don, I hear you!

You're perfectly poised to launch yourself into voice acting, because you've uttered the words, "I know I can do a better job."

How do you get into this field?

Like anyone who wants to learn a craft / skill / art : Classes. Lessons. Practice.

You need to find voice acting instruction near you and learn everything you can. Read everything you can get your hands on (and there sure are a ton of books about voice acting out there!). Listen to the Radio and listen to TV (close your eyes when an ad comes on and really listen). Read all the information on Voices.com to get the big picture of the business you're thinking of diving into; they have wonderful tips for voice actors, no matter what their level of experience.

And, Don, don't even think of doing a demo now. That's putting the cart way before the horse. Study. Practice, practice, practice.

You have to be not just competent, but proficient at voice acting before you can ever produce a great demo. And anyone who tells you that they'll help you put a demo together after six weeks of training is doing you a disservice. I hope this helps, but please write anytime with any further questions.

Good luck!

Marc

Do I have what it takes to do Voiceovers?

2007-12-10T21:05:47Z

Hi Marc,

I'm liking your input into the voice acting industry, along with the many invaluable 'tricks of the trade' in many other articles with Voices.com. I have been a member of Voices.com for the past year or so, performed a number of auditions from my home-based studio - but to no avail.

Giving your expertise, I was wondering if you could have a listen/look at my webpage and tell me what you think. i.e. do you think I have the potential to pursue a part-time career in voice acting?

As you will see, I am particularly interested in animation.

Thanks very much Marc - Happy holidays!

Blair Wilson

Blair, thank you for your kind words.

With Voices.com, you've signed up with the best auditioning service for home studio-based talent.

Given that, there's a lot of competition out there, including a lot of professional voice actors. If you listen to a number of the top talent (Voices.com has a list of the top 10-100), you'll hear one trait they all have in common: the ability to sound real and believable. I'm not talking about announce copy that's supposed to sound somewhat announcer-y. I'm talking about commercial copy that's written to be performed in a conversational manner.

You have a warm, friendly voiceprint--it's very listenable. But it's not particularly conversational. Virtually all the demos on your site sound like a caricature of an announcer. I'm sure that that's not how you talk to your friends, family or people on the phone. It sounds like when you get behind the mic, you're putting on an announcer hat. Throw out the announcer! (I've got a blog with that title on Voices.com) Be yourself! Relax a bit. Sit on a stool. Be an armchair storyteller (if you have kids, you know what I mean).

Do I think you have the potential to pursue a part-time career in voice acting?

Yes.

But it's going to take some practice to get to the point where you sound like the words you're reading are coming right off the top of your head and out of your mouth as if you just thought of it. Making copy conversational is a skill, but unless you have dyslexia, it's a skill that can be mastered. Feel free to email back with any questions.

Sincerely,

Marc

P.S. Regarding the number of auditions you've submitted: it's a numbers game. And most clients pick the voiceprint--the sound of the voice--first. Talent is a secondary priority. Keep putting it out there.

Auditioning In Your Home Studio, Part II

2007-11-16T14:03:42Z

Read Part II of Auditioning In Your Home Studio!

Stay Hydrated

Have water in the booth at all times and drink in between takes. Stay hydrated. It truly helps to cut down on mouth noise. I even recommend a nasal rinse before you get behind the microphone, which helps abate adenoidal deliveries.

Encoding Files

Record your auditions at 128 kbps (or 96 kbps if it’s a particularly long audition) Mono. You don’t need a stereo file for an audition, and you want to try to limit the size of the file you’re emailing. If the file is really big, arrange to upload it (YouSendIt.com will allow you to upload 100 MGS free!) instead of trying to attach it to an email. You’ll know if the file’s too big when it bounces back with a “cannot be delivered” message.

How Many Takes?

If the script is a :60, submit one solid take. If it’s a :30, submit two. If it’s a :10 or :15, submit three. If it’s an animation audition, decide on your character’s voice and commit to it.

Settings

If you’re using an audition service, you should know that there are a lot of voice actors out there with great equipment in their home studios, with a great sound. Check, double check and triple check your recording settings before submitting your audition.

Make sure your recording is like Goldilocks: Not too soft, not too loud (no distortion), but just right.

Send some of your sound files to people you know in the business who can give you feedback (no pun intended) and constructive criticism about the sound you’re getting out of your microphone.

Bottom line:

If your audition sounds like crap, forget about being considered for any job, because most clients can’t “make the leap.” If that’s the case, get your recording system tweaked before you send out any more “funky-sounding” auditions.

Make sure you’re recording in a dead-sounding space, where the sound isn’t bouncing off hardwood floors or high ceilings. You can do a lot to dampen the sound around your mike. Many times, if you have some basic soundproofing, your auditions will sound great, and can be used as a final track. Remember that you’re competing with professionals who’ve been in the business a long time, so your sound needs to be competitive.

Demos

If a job asks you to submit a specific demo, i.e., Commercial, Narration, Audiobook, whatever, make sure your demos or the demos you’ve posted on the audition service sites are competitive. If you want templates, go to my website to hear some of the demos I’ve produced for my students. If your demo isn’t competitive, you better think twice about submitting yourself for a job, because a lot of other demos out there are going to make yours sound amateurish, and that’s the last thing you want!

Listen Objectively

Listen to your playback objectively. Do you believe the person you’re hearing? Be honest. If not, record it again. And again, if necessary. If you capture a convincing performance, send it on. If not, pass on it. It means you’re just not “getting it.” Don’t worry, though. There’ll be plenty of others down the road.

Auditioning For Agents

For auditions going to agents, a cover letter isn’t necessary. But you should always attach one to every audition that goes directly to a client. It should not only have all the necessary information, like your name, phone number and email address, it should clearly state what you’re auditioning for, the reasons why you’d be a great candidate for the job, and where they might be able to listen to other example of your voice work.

If they want you to submit a quote for your services, be as explicit as possible given the job description, and address any ancillary costs involved, such as studio costs, phone-patch or ISDN charges, etc.

Details, Details, Details!

There are myriad factors that determine who is hired for a voice acting job—voiceprint, acting ability, rate quote, turnaround time, studio equipment, availability. But your first impression—how well you sound, how well you follow directions (slating, acting, labeling files, etc.), can help a potential client decide quickly whether they’re dealing with a pro or an amateur. Performance is important, but always pay attention to the details of the presentation.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Marc

Auditioning In Your Home Studio

2007-11-02T13:03:20Z

V-O auditioning and its protocols are changing, now that home studios are becoming ubiquitous.

If you’ve put together a home studio, or are planning to soon, you’ll most likely want to subscribe to some of the audition services now online (Voices.com is the top-rated one), and you’ll be submitting auditions with your software via email.

Get some tips in part one of this two part series.

When you go to a casting company or your agent, you usually have two to three takes and then you’re done.

In your home studio, you can do as many takes as you want until you feel you’ve “nailed” it. But there’s no one to direct you—this is a totally self-directed exercise, with no feedback.

Doing this myself for the past few years has given me valuable insight into the process of auditioning and submitting.

So here are a few things to keep in mind and a number of things to do to prepare you, both physically and emotionally, for this process:

Warm Up

Warm up your voice before you record. Do whatever vocalization exercises you need to do before you enter the booth—just like you would for a live audition.

Rehearse

As with any audition, go over any directions, mark, rehearse and time your copy before you record. Rehearse your copy standing up and speaking at the volume you’ll be speaking in the booth. If the spot requires a lot of energy, read standing up, and don’t forget to use your hands and arms to help you with emphasis and projection. But if the spot asks for a relaxed, laid-back read, consider sitting on a stool.

Auditioning Copy

If a job asks for an audition, audition the copy provided. If you don’t have time to audition, don’t send your commercial demo. You won’t be considered. Clients have a very difficult time making the leap from your demo to their copy.

Recording Multiple Auditions

If you have a number of different auditions to record, first record the ones that are on the low end of your vocal scale, i.e., the deepest ones. Your voice is most resonant first thing in the morning, because you haven’t been talking for 6-8 hours. Proceed to the scripts in a higher key, then finally to any scripts that require a louder sound, or, say, a textured voice or gritty character.

Vocal Direction

If a job gives you a description or direction, follow it. Read any directions carefully, and give the client at least one take the way they want it. Then record a second take the way you think it should be. If you don’t match the casting specs, don’t embarrass yourself or waste your or the client’s time by attempting to cast yourself in a role that’s obviously not even close to what they’re looking for. For instance, if they ask for a young, 20-ish voice, don’t audition if you’re 60+. Be objective enough about your voice to pass on an audition that’s not right for you.

Labeling Files

If a client asks you to label a file in a specific way, follow the instructions to the letter. Be especially cognizant of details like upper and lower case, spacing, underscoring, hyphens, etc. If there are no labeling instructions, ask your agent if there’s any particular way they’d like the file labeled.

If not, label your files generically: YourName-Product.mp3 or the reverse: Product-YourName.mp3.

Every casting director has his or her own way of managing file names, and if you don’t pay close attention to the template they give you, you can rest assured your audition won’t be considered. If the template shows a dash, use a dash, not an underscore. If the template shows all caps or upper and lower case lettering, follow the template!

The reasoning is simple:

If you can’t follow labeling directions, you won’t be able to follow real ones in a session!

If the client gives you a file labeling template like JDoe-Annc.mp3,with your information, don’t be an idiot and label it “JDoe-Annc.mp3.” I work with agents all over the country, and they can’t believe that they constantly get submissions labeled with the template they gave their talent instead of the talent’s actual name!

Slating Your Name

Lastly, if a client asks you to slate your name at the top, just slate your name! Slate it clearly, and follow any slating instructions carefully—some ask for a slate before the audition, some after. And you don’t need to give your life story. Keep the slate short and sweet, and get right to it. Don’t give your phone number, don’t give the client’s name, don’t give a pitch! As long as your name is labeled correctly on the file, that’s enough information!

Pronunciation

If you haven’t been given the proper pronunciation of the product or service, try looking it up online to see (or hear) how the name is pronounced, or call them if you can locate them. If you still don’t know, take your best guess.

Stay tuned for part two!

Sincerely,

Marc

Getting Started in Voice Acting

2007-08-21T08:51:50Z

I recently received two inquiries that were similar, so I’m going to answer them together.

My name is Yolanda and I would love to do voice-overs. I have read that this is a tough business to get into, but if there is anything you can tell me or any words of wisdom, they are welcome. I have been told that I have a great speaking voice but I know that more than this is needed. So if there is any help you can offer me I am listening.

—Yours Truly,
Yolanda L.

I recently came across one of your blogs discussing voiceovers, and would love some advice on how to jump into this industry (on a part-time/freelance basis). I really love public speaking, and know that I have a great voice. I was an on-air personality while in college, I'm frequently asked to speak at/host various events, and in my current position I spend just about every day speaking to high school students. I'm extremely interested in doing commercial voiceovers, but unfortunately I don't live in the NY or LA market. Please help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Natrina C.

Yolanda and Natrina,

You couldn’t have picked a better time to try your hand at voice acting. Notice, though, that I said voice acting, not voice over (voice over is a term that began in the 1950’s, referring to the off-camera voice speaking over the music on a TV spot).

One of the key components of success in this business is the ability to act. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t make a decent living doing non-acting voice work, like some announcement, legal tags, some corporate copy, and the like; it just means that if you can’t act your opportunities are much more limited.

Before you consider getting into voice acting, however, there are some physical and mental factors that can hinder, hamper or severely impede your ability to achieve success.

I query all of my potential students with these points, so you need to be honest with yourself when assessing your overall health.

1. You’ll be reading out loud, so good eyesight is imperative.
2. You’ll be taking direction, therefore good hearing is critical.
3. Since you need good breath control, asthma, emphysema or a collapsed lung could be a big problem.
4. You also need excellent articulation, so any form of a lisp, stutter or stammer, as well as a pierced tongue or lip ring could make things difficult.
5. Claustrophobia would be another problem, as virtually all voice acting is done in an enclosed, soundproof booth.
6. The most critical problem confronting any would-be voice actor is any form of dyslexia. If you’re constantly tumbling over words as you read out loud, voice acting is definitely not for you.

Now, some of these conditions can be overcome—but they can create hurdles that are difficult, if not sometimes impossible to deal with.

That said, there have never been more opportunities for voice work than the present. Voices.com is a great site to be involved with, as they’ve been connecting clients with talent, generating thousands of jobs and creating part-time and full-time work for voice actors. But you must understand that there’s a lot of competition out there. Not just a lot of people, but a lot of very talented people who’ve been at this for a long time.

So how do you break into the V-O business? Slowly, just like anything else. You take voice-acting classes to understand what’s required of voice actors these days. You take acting classes, particularly improvisation classes, to hone your acting skills (remember, it’s voice acting, not voice over). Read as many books as possible about what it takes to be successful in this fun but anonymous field. If you get positive feedback from your instructors and you really have a flair and passion for this line of work, you’ll eventually put together a voice-acting demo that shows off your signature voice and versatility.

You both state that you have “great voices,” but you have to understand that having a great voice is meaningless unless you’re either a) a great actor, or b) you can lift the words off the page effortlessly. Remember, James Earl Jones has a beautiful voice—he actually has a stuttering problem that he overcame—but he wouldn’t be nearly as successful if he weren’t a great actor.

You can gather a ton of knowledge of this industry by reading all the articles and listening to all the V-O demos and podcasts that Voices.com has accumulated over the years. I wish you both a lot of luck, which, we all know, is when hard work and perseverance meet timing and opportunity.

Sincerely,

Marc

What Should Go on a Voice Over Demo?

2007-07-09T21:27:12Z

Hi Marc,

Do you have any suggestions what kind of material should go on a voice over demo? Thanks for your help!!!!

Ella

Ella,

There are many things to consider and remember before plunging into the project that will be your 3-D calling card, help you find an agent, introduce you to casting directors and producers, and help get you work providing you have achieved proficiency in voice acting.

Here are a few tips to insure a successful outcome for your V-O demo:

DO:

- Find an affordable digital studio (with a good SFX and music library) with an engineer and/or director/producer who has a good reputation for creating and directing voice-over talent and demos.

- Make sure to record enough material to cover between one and a half and two minutes in length. Pick material that shows your range, is nationally-branded, and is current and commercial, i.e., categories that are on the air all the time, like department stores, automotive, banking, etc. Make sure you have commercial elements on your commercial demo not promos, trailers, narrations or anything else that could be construed as anything other than a commercial. Use :15 to :20 segments, no longer with a few :05s and :10s thrown in to break it up.

- Try to schedule at least two different sessions for recording, if you can afford it, and consider doing them at different studios. The theory behind this is that your performances will vary, giving you a slightly different sound. If thats not possible budget-wise, have the engineer put varied amounts of equalization (EQ) on your segments. This will make it sound like you've recorded different spots at different studios.

- Make sure that your demo shows off your signature voice or your money voice, so listeners can get a reference as to what you really sound like. Your demo should showcase various shades of you, not different character voices. Save those for your animation demo.

- Select Radio or TV copy that shows some range, and pick copy for products and services that match your age, i.e., young people shouldn't be doing products and services for much older people and vice versa. Don't string together a bunch of tag linesit doesn't showcase your acting abilities. It's much easier to sell something you believe in than something you don't. And don't use copy from magazines that copy was written for print, not broadcast.

- Make sure you have duplicate scripts for the engineer and producer/director.

- Prepare. Pre-production is key. Have your spot excerpts/scripts rehearsed and timed out. Have an idea of what music you'd like behind specific pieces, and have a list of SFX (sound effect) you'd like to try. Make sure you get a good nights rest, have something to eat (avoid dairy, carbonated drinks, spicy, greasy or salty foods, liquor and cigarettes) about two hours before the session, and bring plenty of water. It'll be one of the most exhausting sessions youll ever experience!

- If you can afford it, get an experienced V-O demo director/producer to help you. Its very difficult to be objective about something as subjective as the sound of your own voice, or the believability of your own
performance.

- Sequence. Sequencing is crucial. If segments are similar, break them up with ones that are different (e.g., voice alone, voice with music, voice with SFX, dialogue, etc.). They should include reads that are
up-tempo/retail, sexy/romantic, serious, straight, character, anything humorous, etc.

- Allow sound effects and music to add variety.

- Start and end with your strongest material.

- Keep your edits crisp and hard, your fades short. Try splicing non-sequiturs together as they add levity and interest. For example, one audio snippet might say, I love my mom. Another might say, Thats why I fill her up with the best quality gasoline. Put together, they sound funny.

- Limit your demo to 1:30-1:45. Agents don't like them any longer.

- Print your cell phone or home number somewhere on your demo so producers and casting directors can get in touch with you immediately. If you have an agent, make sure you print their name and number as well.

- If you're in L.A. or New York City, get the Voice-Over Resource Guide to find a list of demo producers to help you with your new demo, CD duplication companies for when your demo master CD is complete, and
graphics companies to help you design and package your demo. Ask your teachers and other people in the business for their recommendations, and then shop around if you wish. Don't go crazy, 50 CDs to start with is fine. Burn any new ones after that, especially if you add more categories and/or update the one(s) you have.

DON'T:

- Make a demo until you've developed all the necessary skills to enter and successfully complete a voice-over session. Your demo shouldn't exceed your abilities. Whatever types of reads you put on your demo you should be able to perform flawlessly at a session. Unless you're emotionally prepared to walk into a studio with the confidence to read and deliver a piece of copy to five people in the control room and another five people phone-patched in from another city and not be really nervous, you're not
ready. I know of too many instances where actors were booked off their demo, but couldn't perform anywhere near that quality in the actual session.

To reiterate: don't do a demo until you're really ready.

- Do impressions on your commercial demo. Most advertisers that want a celebrity voice book the celebrity. But if you're really good at impressions, put them in a separate category on your demo.

- Make a homemade demo. It sounds cheap and amateurish, and no one will hire you based on that sound. If you want to make a rough demo for your ears only, in order to hear the flow of the segments, fine.

- Record a dialogue with a person whos the same sex, e.g., if you're a woman, perform your dialogue segment with a man, and vice versa, and make sure you have the lions share of dialogue. The only exception to this rule is if you perform the segment with a young child or an exceptionally older-sounding person.

- Write your own copy unless you can write better than professional copywriters. A good demo producer will have many samples of some of the latest copy for you to pick from and work with. Ad agencies will sometimes give you older scripts from their files, as well as Radio and TV stations, and if you have any friend whos signed with a V-O talent agency, ask them to grab a stack of old scripts from the office for you.

- Try to perform copy thats way outside your range. For instance, don't try to mimic a deep, intoning announcer if you don't have the pipes or resonance. You just won't sound convincing or be competitive.

- Try to fake older if you have a young sound. Conversely, if you have a mature sound, don't try to sound like a kid. You just wont sound believable unless you're going for an animated character.

- Spend your life savings on your demo. If you can't afford to do it right, wait until you've saved up enough money. Also, it's not always necessary to print your CD in four-color. As long as its neat and
professional, black and white is fine until you can spring for something more exotic.

- Send out your CD in an ultra-thin case or envelope. They have no spines! Your CD is invisible to anyone who's storing them. Make sure your name is as big as it can be, and stands out against the background.

Some last words. There's an old expression I'm sure you've heard before:

Do it right, or don't do it at all. Remember, you usually only get one chance to make an impression in this business, so make sure your demo is the best it can be!

Sincerely,

Marc

Are Voice Acting Training CDs Good For You?

2007-06-22T11:51:03Z

Hi Voice Cat,

Are voice acting training CDs good or are they scams?

Shaunte M.

Y'know, Shaunte, I really don't know.

I would imagine that they're kinda like medication:

Works for some people, not for others. I think that when you're learning a skill, and training and practicing, you'd want and need feedback to tell you if you're on the right track. And a CD can't do that for you. In a voice-acting class, you'd have immediate feedback in the form of constructive criticism, one-on-one, from your instructor.

If a CD comes with a book you're interested in, well, consider it the icing on the cake. If it's solely a package of CDs, I'd ask around to hear if anyone felt that they got their money's worth. You might want to post this question on Voices.com to see if anyone else has had a good (or bad) experience with instructional CDs.

And let me know what the upshot is.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Marc

What Does A Voice Over Career Hold For Me?

2007-06-05T17:59:39Z

Hello Marc,

I am writing from Toronto Canada and I'm looking to break into the business of voice acting. I have a media background but no voice acting experience. My strong side is cartoon voices. I am currently looking at some voice acting schools in the Toronto area.

Do you have any advice in what to expect in terms of a career?

Thank You,

Marco

Wow Marco,

That's a question for a crystal ball, and I sure wish I had one. But I can tell you that there's no easy way to become a professional voice actor.

It takes training, practice, money, practice, dedication, practice, determination, practice and... did I mention practice?

Remember, voice acting, though it's an anonymous part of show business, is still show business. Therefore, it goes without saying, that the competition is fierce. You say your strong side is cartoon voices, but you have no voiceover experience. You need to know that the actors (and I do mean
actors) who are working in this field are consummate at improvisation.

They have scores of different characters in their voice bag of tricks. They're able to mix, match, meld and augment these voices instantly, upon a director's request. If this is the route you'd like to pursue, you should seek out a voice acting course that specializes in animation.

But since you don't have any real acting background, I suggest getting a solid foundation first in commercial voice acting, then branch out into a specialty field once you have confidence in your acting.

Sincerely,

Marc