nterview with a Voiceover Guy

by Peter Drew

I was contacted by a new media publication to do an interview about voiceovers. They sent questions for me to answer via email. I sent back my responses to their questions, but realized later that I needed to make a change before I signed off on it, giving the publisher permission to quote me. Rather than make the change, the publisher decided to pull the interview from publication instead of making the change. So, I thought, instead of wasting a perfectly good interview, I’d publish it myself. Here’s that article, intact except for a few changes I decided to make, since I’m now, well, in essence, interviewing myself.

They asked: In the voice over business, is having a regional accent detrimental? Is it better to not have a regional accent?

I answered: Yes. A neutral accent plays pretty much anywhere in the US and foreign countries.

They asked: If you had a regional accent in the beginning, what steps did you take to train yourself to talk in a more conversational way?

I answered: I’m from New Jersey and I had a bit of a “Juh-sey” accent. People think we Jerseyites say “Joi-sey,” but it really is more like “Juh-sey.” Anyway, by listening carefully to people with neutral accents on the radio and TV, and to myself when I played back recordings of my reads, I was able to fairly quickly eliminate the “dozes,” “dems,” and “dats” (as in “those,” “them,” and “that”) that would pop up in my native dialect. I’m a fairly good mimic, so it came quite naturally to me.

I had a female student from Medford, Massachusetts in one of my radio performance classes back when I taught part-time at Emerson College in Boston. She had a very thick “Bah-ston” accent. She was desperate to get rid of it because she wanted to get into radio. I gave her some exercises and she diligently did them by recording them into a cassette machine. I would review her tapes and critique her work. In a matter of a month or two, she’d pretty much gotten rid of her working-class Boston accent and replaced it with a fairly neutral one. After I left Boston to work for a radio station in Hartford, I heard that she had landed a gig at a major market radio station. An interesting side note to her story: Her family was upset that she was trying to change her accent. They accused her of being ashamed of her roots and that she wanted to prove she was better than the folks in her old neighborhood. But she stuck to her guns and got where she wanted to go.

Would this young woman have gotten the major market gig if she still had the accent? She felt not having it was a big plus for her and that it was worth tolerating the backlash from her family. The social implications of her dialect change are quite fascinating. Of course, we’ve seen such a clash of classes before in literature in George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion” and “My Fair Lady,” the musical based on his play.

They asked: What got you into a career in voice-overs?

I answered: It seems a natural progression for a lot of people who work in radio, especially people involved in radio production/creative services. They leave the radio business and go into voiceovers. That’s what I did. Nowadays, a lot of actors—known and unknown—are finding VO is a way to supplement their incomes.

They asked: What do you recommend? Setting up a home studio or using a commercial recording facility?

I answered: The home studio comes after you’ve worked up a business plan; put enough money in the bank to fund the business while it gets up and running; put a quality demo together; gotten together a list of production houses, agencies, TV and radio stations to which you can market your demo; stationery; business cards; etc., etc. Please see my article on setting up your voiceovers business for more details.

Whether starting out part-time, moonlighting, or jumping right in without any other employment, a voice talent will usually begin by trying to get work locally, if there are any production facilities in his/her area. To really make a living or at least enough pocket change to make it worth someone’s while—without a home studio—a talent has to live in a market large enough to support voice talent. New York and LA are the largest media markets and they have the largest pools of actors and voice talents. In LA, there are 6000 people who call themselves voice over talents. Out of those 6000, literally about 75 people get the bulk of the very top commercial and movie trailer work. Why only 75? Because they are really talented, they work quickly, take direction very well, and are known quantities to producers, casting directors, and engineers. This tight lock on the market is one of the main reasons talents have taken to installing home studios. With today’s digital technology, you can talk to the world.

They asked: Do you have a specialty in voice work or do you do several types?

I answered: I’ve built a base of monthly promo-imaging retainer work from TV and radio stations, which has me voicing promos, IDs, and the like for them. They give me a consistent bit of income each month. Another large part of my work is narrations. Across the board, around ninety percent of voiceover work is in “industrials” or long-form narration, e.g. corporate sales presentations, Flash videos on web sites, eLearning courses, video tours of factories, product demos, etc., etc. The remaining ten percent is where the glamour is in the VO business: commercials, promo work, and movie trailers. Of course, most people prefer the glam stuff, so they concentrate on that. I prefer to make a living, so I do a lot of industrials. I also do telephone VO, including messages on hold and IVR prompts, which are the usual, “If you would like the sales department, please press 2” type of things.

I get my fair share of radio and TV spots. I’ve done voice work for video games, including a small part in Madden NFL 06, which is the latest installment of the most popular game series in history, having sold about 35 million copies worldwide. So, that’s pretty cool. I’ve also played a scat singing frog, nervous singing monkey, and a singing mouse, all for the same video game for children.

They asked: What’s a typical day like in the voiceover business?

I answered: There’s really no typical day because everyone in the business is in a different place in his or her career both physically and professionally. The workday of Don LaFontaine, the biggest movie trailer and network TV promo voice, used to be getting up in the morning and hopping in his limo, so he could be chauffeured from studio to studio all day long. Now, he does most everything from his home studio. Meanwhile, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of talents in major cities who run from studio to studio for auditions. If they’re lucky, they might land 1 in 40 gigs. That’s a lot of running around. I work exclusively from my studio. I have clients across the US and in several foreign countries. My studio is not in my home for various reasons, so I actually commute to work like most people. I’m anticipating a change in that situation soon, which will save me thousands in rent when I put my studio in my home.

They asked: Any voiceover a favorite of yours?

I answered: I don’t think I have a favorite, but one that stands out was going to a recording studio and getting paid union scale for mumbling in a Texas accent for a commercial. I was paid for not speaking the English language intelligibly. That was pretty unique.

They asked: Can you recommend any online resources for aspiring voice talents?

I answered: There are voiceover coaches you can locate online who will coach you via the telephone, but be careful. Make sure you research and investigate them before you select one. Get references. Make sure they’re legitimate.

Be sure to check out the voiceovers groups on Yahoo!, Google, and elsewhere on the Web. Most of the experienced talents on these forums are very polite and helpful. Lurk and learn. Post questions. You’ll find the folks on the forums are nice people and quite pleasant with newbies.

And it’s important to remember that voiceover is a craft. You can’t master it in a two-day course and expect to land a major national spot campaign. It’s happened, but rarely. Take acting classes at a local college or learning annex. Try to find a coach locally that you can work with one-on-one. Don’t let anyone pull the “I can make you a star” routine on you. Keep a level head.

They asked: For those considering the voice over business, do you have any particular bit of advice?

I answered: Don’t quit your day job until you’re sure you’re ready. Voiceover is a business like any other. If you’re not ready to be your own boss and not ready to invest in yourself and your business, then keep your job and benefits. Oh, and that’s another thing to keep in mind—expenses. Things like health insurance. If you’re married and your spouse has insurance, you’re set. If you’re single, get ready to shell out between $5000 and $12,000 per year for coverage. Not trying to discourage anyone. You just have to be practical. It’s a business. It takes money, planning, and some semblance of discipline to operate, stay solvent, and maybe even make a living at it. But if you take the plunge, it can be a heckuva lot of fun!

A Voiceover by Any Other Name...

A Voiceover by Any Other Name...

by Peter Drew

Everyone probably agrees what an auto mechanic, an insurance salesperson, and a baker do for a living. Sure, each of these people might specialize in a particular aspect of their chosen fields, but at rock bottom they each have a simple name to describe their jobs. And, in general, that's the way it is with most occupations.

Of course, there are exceptions. What do you call someone who reads scripts into a microphone for a living?

For those of us who belong to this particular job fraternity, selecting a job title can be confusing. Let's see, there's voice talent, voice over talent, voice-over talent (to hyphenate or not to hyphenate), voiceover talent, voice artist, (here we go again) voice-over artist, voiceover artist, voice actor, voice over actor, voice-over actor, voiceover actor, narrator. And for those from the UK, the total blending of job and title: voiceover.

Quite the selection, eh? And it goes beyond the job title to the actual job itself. Are you in the field of voice over, voiceover, voice overs, voice-overs, voiceovers, voice artistry, voice acting, narration...?

Personally, I tell people I do voiceovers. When I write to people, I spell it as one word: voiceovers. If I need to give my job a descriptive name, I say I'm a "voice over talent" or just " voice talent."

Now, of course, on some days I'm tempted to call myself any number of things besides titles with the word "voice" in them. It depends on the work load and types of VO I have to do. Things like "professional blabbermouth" and "screaming idiot" come to mind on those days when hard-sell auto dealership spots dominate the day.

Other days, when a truly sublime piece of copy comes my way, I'm tempted to call myself not just a "voice artist," but a "voice artiste." That extra "e" and the pretentious fact that the word must be pronounced "ar-teest" definitely connote my status as a communicator of extraordinary merit.

And when I voice a script for an online interactive application, I just call myself a "Hal"--as in HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Question: "So, Peter, what do you do for a living?" Answer: "Me? Oh, I've been Hal-ing for a number of years now."

So, what's in a name? Well, in the field of blabbermouthery...or (select one)...

a) voice over
b) voice-over
c) voiceover

...it really doesn't matter what you call me--just as long as you call me. Um, preferably with a gig.

The Future of Voiceovers

The Future of Voiceovers

Hold Your Tongue…Possibly Forever

by Peter Drew

“Do we need to cast a voice-over talent for this project?”

That’s a valid question any producer might ask when creating an advertisement, corporate audio-video presentation, video game, etc. Of course, the answer depends on what elements the producer and client feel will best communicate with the audience. For a radio ad, a fully sung jingle with no voice-over could work best. A TV spot or corporate narration might be most effective using scrolling graphic and text, again without an announcer. But very soon producers could be pondering whether their productions need a voice over talent for a more disturbing reason. Vocal utterances produced by air passing through folds of tissue and formed by lips, teeth, and tongue may, simply put, become obsolete. Yes, the “virtual voice talent” may very well become a reality.

Equipping Your Home Voiceover Studio

By Peter Drew

To make a living, voice over talents used to have to physically go to gigs recorded in commercial production facilities. Now, gigs can come to them-in home studios and through the Internet. But for many voice over talents, newbie and old pro alike, outfitting a home studio is technically baffling. So, how do you make that spare bedroom or corner of your studio apartment (no pun intended) into a functional voice over facility, with decent acoustics and the appropriate equipment? Let's take a look at the basics involved in setting up a home voiceover studio.

Selecting your studio space

A studio of any size or recording purpose starts with the space in which it will be located. Isolation from outside sounds is important. If you live in a studio or one-bedroom apartment, then try to locate your "studio" in a corner as far from the door to the hallway and away from windows. Also, a closet can work well as a recording booth. Set up your recording equipment just outside the closet and your microphone inside the closet.

If you live in a two-plus bedroom unit or a single-family home and can dedicate an entire room to your studio, then you'll have more options available for controlling the acoustics of the space. You'll want to make sure the room doesn't sound too "echoey" or "hollow." Treating these problems can be as simple as putting some overstuffed furniture in the room, along with a rug and some drapes over the windows. Have a lot of old clothes sitting in an attic or basement? You can use them to create a recording "booth" around your mic. Fill three or four rolling clothes racks with clothes and then position them on the sides and back of your mic position.

Of course, you can use professional acoustic materials to control sound reflections. You'll find an excellent primer on acoustical treatment-in plain English-at Auralex. Check out these acoustical treatment production companies, too: HSF Acoustics; Silent Source; Vocalbooth; Whisper Room.

Selecting your equipment

Once you have your studio space selected, you'll need to properly equip it in order to deliver pro quality voiceovers to clients. With the latest in digital recording technology and reasonably priced pro microphones, you could spend as little as $1000 for a very basic, yet serviceable, home voiceover studio. That's assuming you have a decent computer sound card and speakers. The list is quite short: $200-$250 for a microphone. $40 for a mic pop filter to prevent "popping" your Ps, Bs, and Ts. $45 for a mic stand. $200-$250 for a USB or Firewire digital recording interface. $65 for shareware recording software. $45 for headphones. $40 for cables. $100 for sundries. Bare bones, but it will work.

Plug your microphone cable into the digital recording interface, which is a little box that amplifies and processes the signal from the mic. Plug the interface into your computer's sound card. Plug your headphones into the interface. Load the recording/editing software. A couple of adjustments to volume in and out and you're ready to record. Voice the copy. Clean it up with an edit or two. Then convert the voiceover sound file to an .mp3 file, attach it to an email, and send it off to the client via the Internet. To learn more about the equipment listed above, search the web or visit online pro audio dealers. A few good ones are: Full Compass; Sweetwater; B&H Pro Audio; Boynton Pro Audio; BSW.

This simple studio set up is serviceable, but it has its limits. If a client wants to direct you via the phone, then you'll have to either hold the phone to your ear while you record, or get a hands-free headset. You could also buy a gizmo call a phone hybrid that allows you to speak through your mic down the phone line to your client as you listen to the client's direction through your headphones.

Learning more

As with any investment, you'll need to research the equipment you'll need for your studio, and how to install and use it. See if you can locate a voice talent in your area that may let you visit his or her studio. Visit Mix Magazine or EQ Magazine and check their archives for articles on home studios. Local production houses may be willing to make suggestions, but, remember, by setting up your own studio, you're indicating to clients that they can cut out the production house by working directly with you. That may not sit well with some production house owners, because the home voiceover explosion has had a detrimental impact on many commercial recording facilities.

That's a basic home voiceover studio in a nutshell. If you can operate a home stereo and have experience in front of a computer screen, then you can put together and operate a home voiceover studio. With a little practice recording and editing, and some promotion of your home studio, you can quickly recover the cost of your studio and add to begin to add to your bottom line. Happy voicing!

Getting Paid for the Gig

by Peter Drew

You’ve launched your voice-over business. You market your demo. You network. You audition. You get gigs. Now all you have to do is get paid.

Union or Non-Union?

For AFTRA and/or SAG union talent, getting paid in a timely fashion is a benefit of union membership. It’s built into the union contract. Union talents fill out a form at the session and then submit it to a paymaster (someone contracted with the union to handle talent payroll). The paymaster ensures that the talent is paid within a time period specified by the union contract.

Non-union talent and financial core talent doing non-union work are totally responsible for collecting what’s owed to them. Financial core, if you aren’t familiar with the term, refers to less than full union membership. Financial core union members have paid the portion of dues and fees dedicated strictly to collective bargaining, excluding any activity not directly related to collective bargaining. You might call it “union lite.” Financial core members do not have voting rights and cannot hold elective office in the union, but they also do not have to abide by union rules and regulations.

Types of Clients

So, what payment policy should you, the non-union talent, adopt? Just as the Internet has changed the voice-over business by making the home voiceover studio possible, the Internet has changed collection by making it possible to take payment electronically. PayPal is just one of a number of the online options that make requesting immediate payment possible, instead of sending a paper invoice through the postal system and then waiting for a paper check to be sent to you. But before discussing methods of accepting payment, let’s look at the various types of clients out there and the payment policy that may best apply to each one.

Most businesses base their payment policies on assessment of risk. Assessing the risk you take with a client usually is a matter of simple common sense. If an individual contacts you through your web site and asks you to narrate a wedding video or tribute to a deceased relative, then probably it would be wise to request payment up front before delivering the voice over. If the individual balks at paying up front, then you can agree to voice the script, play the voice-over down the phone line to prove you did it, get paid, and then deliver the voiceover.

Working with ad agencies and production houses usually means giving up a little control of payment terms. You can request payment up front, but most ad agencies and production houses expect to be invoiced. You can put “due on receipt” on the invoice, but that is often interpreted as “30 days net.” There are some excellent ad agencies and production houses out there that pay promptly, but very often you will have to wait 30 days or more for payment. Be aware: many smaller ad agencies and production houses have adopted a policy of not paying you until they get paid. In the ad biz, this means you can wait a long time for payment.

(On a personal note, after waiting a year for payment from a small agency for a VO I’d done for a local electronics and appliance retailer, I finally reached an agreement to accept a color television in lieu of cash. A couple of months later, the retailer went out of business, a victim of serious negative cash flow! Did the ad agency ever get paid? Good question.)

Doing voice work directly for mid-sized to large corporations usually means having to bill on a 30-day net basis. This means, in essence, that you end up offering 30 days credit interest-free. The good thing is the risk of not getting paid is usually low. Will some companies push payment out 60 days and even further? Yes, but again you’ll eventually get paid.

Payment Options

So, let’s go through the individual types of clients and your payment options.

For individuals, request immediate payment. As described above, play the completed voiceover down the phone to prove it was done and then ask for payment. Once payment is made, deliver the voice over.

For direct work with larger companies, ad agencies, and production houses, request immediate payment upon receipt of invoice. If they say their policy is 30 days, try for 15. For long-form voiceovers involving many pages and a large talent fee, try requesting 50 percent up front and 50 percent upon delivery of the project. Remember everything is negotiable. You can even barter for part of your fee. Remember how I received a TV in lieu of cash? Of course, keep track of your receivables (what’s owed you). When a client does not pay by the due date, send a statement. Make a polite but firm phone call requesting payment. Be proactive. Most people pay their bills. But for many clients your invoice will not be top of the pile, so to speak.

Payment via the ‘Net

Now, back to collecting via the ‘Net. PayPal is a very popular site for collecting or sending payments. Just visit www.paypal.com and sign up. Clients can pay by credit card or through electronic transfer from a checking account. You’ll receive an email telling you when the transfer of funds has occurred. This makes it perfect for collecting an up front payment. As soon as you receive the email, you can deliver the voiceover. www.worldpay.com and www.verisign.com are two other online payment processors you can check out, too.

Want to take credit cards? You’ll have to open a merchant account in order to accept them. It will cost you a fee to open the account, a monthly fee, a fee for each transaction, and a percentage of each sale. Do an online search for credit card merchant accounts and compare costs and services to get the best deal.

Direct wire transfer is a third electronic payment option. Set up a checking account used exclusively for wire transfers. You supply the client with your checking account number and the banks routing number, and the client transfers funds directly from his account to yours. It works well and can cost virtually nothing depending on the deal on the account you get from your bank. One of my TV imaging clients pays by wire transfer. I email an invoice out of my QuickBooks and usually the next day the money is in my account!

With a payment policy in place, you’ll gain greater control over how and when you get paid. Hey, it might be a really fun business, but it’s no fun not getting paid.

Happy collecting!

Starting Your At-Home Voice-Over Business

by Peter Drew

Thinking of getting into the voiceover business full time, specifically, opening your own in-house voice-over studio? Good for you! It’s a really great way to make a living!

OK. You’ve got the dream. Now let’s see what it takes to make it a reality. First question for you: What do you think is the most important thing you need to launch your business? A great voice? Surprisingly, a great voice isn’t all that important for success. Talent? Well, yeah, you’re gonna need some talent, but talent (in most cases) can always be developed through study and practice. Determination? Sure, but simple determination won’t make you a success.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

So, what’s the most important thing? Get ready. It’s called…a plan. Yup. A plan. Not very “show bizzy,” huh? No, it isn’t, but it’s the most important piece of the business start up puzzle, and it applies to every type of start-up, not just voiceovers. Now, before we talk plans, let’s talk about the second most important thing you’ll need for success—money.

IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE MONEY

A lack of capital, seed money, whatever you call it, is the overwhelming reason most business start-ups fail, including those with a plan. You’ll need enough money to pay for equipment, marketing materials, office expenses, insurance, utilities, etc., etc., while you’re waiting for the checks to come rolling in. Oh, and just to remind you, you’ll need money to live on, too. How much money will you need for the business and living expenses? We’ll get to that shortly, but first, let’s talk about your plan.

A PLAN BY ANY OTHER NAME

Call it a business plan if you like, but that tends to sound a little intimidating and, frankly, overwhelming. Call it your “plan for success,” or “my freedom from oppressive employers plan,” you know, something more self-affirming and inspiring. Whatever you call it, your plan should include the following points…

• The voice-over services you will sell and to whom you will sell them. You probably have, or will have, a particular strength, e.g. characters, promo/imaging for radio and TV, corporate narration, animation characters, hard sell, etc. Accentuating your strength and marketing it to the appropriate clients can lead to more gigs than just a general scattershot approach to all possible clients.
• The revenue needed to stay in business for six months, one year, and beyond. What do you earn now each month? What will you need to maintain your current lifestyle? Whatever the figure, it’s the amount you’ll need in the bank or coming in from a second full or part-time job for at least the first six months in business, if not a full year. Reason? There’s always a delay between the starting date of your voiceover business and when money actually starts coming in.
• The amount of capital (seed money) needed to start up and keep the business afloat. This is operating capital you’ll use exclusively to fund the business for the first six to twelve months. You’ll need enough to keep the business afloat until you break even then start earning money, instead of just paying it out in expenses.
• Short-term goals to get your voice-over business up and running. Typical short term goals include: getting your demo(s) done; selecting, ordering, and installing your studio equipment; deciding where in you home to put your studio; deciding how to make your studio decent acoustically and installing the acoustical treatment; designing a logo and stationery, and ordering them; locating contacts to whom you can send your demo(s); setting up your bookkeeping system (QuickBooks is excellent. www.quickbooks.com); getting health coverage and property insurance to insure your equipment; deciding if you’re going to buy an ISDN unit and installing an ISDN line; ordering marketing materials, like postcards to send to clients.
• Long-term goals, including future revenue goals and funding your retirement. How big is your dream? How well do you want to live in retirement? Determining your long-term goals will guide you to the actions needed to attain them. Consult your accountant. If you don’t have one, be sure to get one.

That’s enough to get you started. There are plenty of books on voice-overs to help you complete your plan. Visit your local bookstore or go on-line.

As you can see, you can start your voice-over business part-time or full-time. With a little planning—and seed money—you’ll be on your way. Have fun!

Going Global with Your Voiceovers Business

Going Global with Your Voiceovers Business

by Peter Drew

Working out of a personal studio located anywhere there is an Internet connection, it’s possible for a voiceover talent to work with producers in the farthest reaches of the planet. Marketing you voice-over services to the world is similar to marketing to your own region, but there are a few differences to keep in mind.
Hey, world. I’m here!

A good place to start your international marketing efforts is a web site. If you don’t have one, put one up. Many web site hosting firms offer simple, template-based designs that make it easy to do. You’ll need to optimize your site, too, for the best shot at high rankings in the major search engines. Do a search for the term “search engine optimization” to locate sites that can show you how to do it. Make sure to put your demos up on the site, both as .mp3 downloads and streaming audio, if possible.

Of course, you can’t just sit and wait for the world to come to you. Search the Web for production houses, talent agencies, and casting houses in countries where you think you might get some work. Contact them to see if they accept demo submissions. If you’re reading this, you’re probably a native speaker of English, which means starting with the English-speaking countries is a natural first step. Remember, though, that other countries still need productions voiced in English because it’s the de facto language of international business and diplomacy. Be sure to market your services in these countries, as well.

Email is the least expensive means of marketing to producers. You probably should not send an .mp3 file of your demo without asking permission first. Many email servers do not accept .mp3 files or the recipient might have a policy of deleting any unsolicited attachments of any kind. If the producer won’t accept an .mp3, direct them to the demos on your web site. Don’t discount sending a CD demo. Putting a hard copy of your demo in someone’s hands is always a good idea and worth the money spent. It’s quite common for producers to go through the demo CDs they have on hand, looking for a particular voice or just to eliminate the weak demos to make room on the shelf for new demos. In doing so, they very often discover usable talent they didn’t realize they even had in their library, maybe you.

Whichever way you eventually send your demo—after first making contact and getting permission—follow up to make sure the contact person received the demo and thank them for accepting and listening to it. Do not ask for feedback on the demo. Producers, talent agents, and casting agents don’t have time to give everyone a free demo critique. Ask for one and you’ll most surely mark yourself as inexperienced.
Time is of the essence

If you live in the United States, then you’re already familiar with accommodating four continental time zones, plus Alaska and Hawaii. Working internationally, you have to get used to dealing with people in countries that are up to 12 hours ahead or behind your time zone, depending on how you look at it. Obviously, working across time zones can prove a challenge in scheduling and delivering your voiceovers. Be sure to bookmark a time zone calculator like this one. Use it to determine the difference in hours between you and your prospective client. Be sure to refer to that time difference on your first contact. It shows you’ve done a little homework to find out where they are in the world.
Money makes the world go ‘round

Another important consideration is making sure you get paid in your own currency, e.g. United States dollars, UK pounds, and euro. Fortunately, there are online currency converters that make this very easy. In the converter, indicate your currency and your client’s currency, let’s say US dollars and UK pounds respectively. Insert the US dollar amount in the box, click the button, and up pops the conversion into your client’s currency. Of course, you can do it the other way around, too.

Discussing currency conversion leads us to setting and/or negotiating a rate that’s acceptable and equitable to both you and your new client. Rates vary from country to country. On the whole, though, expect to receive less compensation when dealing with producers outside the US. How much lower? Major markets in Europe and Canada tend to pay more than comparably sized cities in other parts of the world, but overall the highest rates are still probably found in the US. When you contact a foreign producer, candor is the best policy. Ask for the typical budget in US dollars for different projects, e.g. commercials, narrations, and telephony. Most producers will tell you the truth. You can always contact a competing producer in the same city or region and ask the same question if you think you’re not getting an honest response.

The bottom line to negotiating an equitable rate is your bottom line: the lowest rate for which you’re willing to work. Once you figure that out, then you can determine where to price yourself going in, knowing you’ll have to haggle a little and hopefully end up above that lowest rate you’ve set. Also, be aware that for long-form material—narrations, industrials, books, etc.—producers in many countries prefer to pay by the word or finished minute, which includes providing voice tracks edited clean of any flubs, coughs, excessive silence between tracks, etc. This means you’re not just providing a voiceover, you’re providing some production service, too.

As with any Internet transaction, protect yourself from unscrupulous operators. Ask for credit card payment up front via PayPal or a merchant account. Or, provide a low-resolution or watermarked (1 kHz tones inserted periodically) .mp3 of the voiceover for approval purposes. Once approved, get payment in full, then email or ftp the high-resolution file. Be aware that PayPal does not operate in every country. Investigate a merchant account that will allow you to accept credit cards from virtually anywhere.

You might not get rich serving the international market for voiceovers, but it’s a lot of fun getting to meet folks from other countries and cultures, and pretty cool knowing your voice is being heard in some far off country, a place you may never visit.

Marketing On-Line

Promoting Your Voice-Over Business

by Peter Drew

The Voice-Over Revolution

The Internet is revolutionizing the voice-over business. Today quality remote recording of voiceovers can be done virtually anywhere. With a PC, mic, and Internet connection, almost anyone can set up shop as a voice talent.

A few years ago, a remote session entailed a voice over talent standing in a commercial production house studio, say, in L.A., taking direction over the telephone through a “phone patch” from, say, New York City.

The next innovation in remote recording was the satellite link. It sounds great on either end, but it’s very expensive, so it’s suited only for sessions with the biggest budgets and most expensive talents.

A few years after the satellite link came the more economical ISDN, which stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. ISDN is a digital hookup via the telephone system. Each location is connected to the other through a piece of hardware called a “codec.” An ISDN hookup is preferred by agencies and clients with budgets large enough to accommodate the additional cost of recording an out-of-market voice over artist.

The latest, and, so far, most liberating technology available to voice over talents is the now ubiquitous .mp3 file—the same file type used for swapping songs over the ‘Net. A voice talent anywhere in the world can set up a home studio and be in business. The talent records the voiceover, with direction via phone patch, if desired by the client, into a PC equipped with simple audio editing software. Next an .mp3 file is created and then sent as an email attachment to the agency and/or client. No expensive satellite or ISDN linkups. No commercial production facility. Simply put: no middleman.

Is this a good thing? Not entirely. The home VO studio explosion can be likened to the desktop publishing frenzy of 15 years ago. Just because you have a powerful printing press in a box on your desk doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to produce coherent, well-designed publications. Everyone thought they could buy PageMaker, print some business cards and letterhead, and, voila, an instant living publishing newsletters. Of course, the vast majority of these desktop publishing newbies discovered it takes more than technology to succeed. First and foremost, it takes talent, training, and experience to use the tool, the software, effectively—and most important—profitably.

With that caveat out of the way, and assuming you have the chops to make a go of your home voice-over business, let’s look at how the Internet also has revolutionized promotion of voice over talents.

Drumming up business

Before the home studio, voiceover artists had to go to studios to record. Promotion included distributing your demo on cassette or CD to production houses, ad agencies, talent agents, and casting agents; making phone calls; sending reminder cards with your latest credits; sending thank you gifts to clients at holiday time; and networking with anyone and everyone. Actually, to be successful, you still have to do all of those things, but now you have additional promotional opportunities via the World Wide Web.

So, where to start? First, put up a website. Design it yourself or hire a site designer. www.magicInet.com is a new hosting service specializing in helping voice actors and other performers get their website on-line. What should you put on your website? The most important function of your site is to feature your demos. It also should highlight your credits, contact info, and bio. The best way to learn about voice-over website design is to look at voice talent sites. Do a search for keywords, e.g. voiceovers, voice overs, voice over talent, voice over artists, and any other search terms you can think of and see what other talents have done. If you’re designing your own site, subscribe to a couple of search engine optimization email newsletters, e.g. WebProNews and SiteProNews. They’ll give you lots of helpful design info and help you “optimize” your site, so you get high placement in search engines.

OK. You have your website up and hummin’. Now, be sure to put your website’s address on anything and everything you mail to prospective clients: you demos, stationery, business cards, reminder cards, etc. If you still have reams of stationery left, then just include the website address in the letters you type and print. For all those demos, business cards, and reminder cards still sitting on your shelf, buy some labels, print your website address on them, and stick ‘em on.

Caveat Emptor!

There are plenty of places on the World Wide Web to promote your voice over services, both free and for a fee—BUT BE CAREFUL! Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) is the operative phrase. Here are some free places to place a link to your website:

http://www.voiceartist.com/, http://www.radio411.com/addlink.htm, http://www.starsnsites.com/voice/index.html, http://audioworld.com/

As for paying for to listed with an on-line voice talent site, be sure the site is legitimate. Unfortunately, like so many other things that start off well, a few bad apples begin turning up. Before you pony up any dough, be sure to speak/write to other talent listed on the site to see if the site has actually gotten them any work. Here are a few legitimate fee-based websites:

www.mktmania.com, www.voice123.com, www.gotvoices.com, www.1212.com, www.voicefinder.biz, www.voiceoverselect.com, www.interactivevoices.com, www.commercialvoices.com

In addition to fee-for-inclusion websites, there are fee-for-inclusion CDs, which are distributed to ad agencies, production houses, talent agents, radio and TV stations, etc. Again, CAVEAT EMPTOR! There are scam artists who have discovered that voice-over people can be very eager to promote their services. These scammers offer CD demos that, well, either never get made or sent. They sure take your money, though. So, be careful. Make sure any company you deal with is reputable. Ask for references. If it’s a start-up operation, wait until the first CD is sent out and is in circulation for a while. Then call some of the participants and see if they got any work out of it.

Groups and forums

There are a lot of voice over related groups and forums on the Web. Go to Yahoo Groups and type in voice over, voiceovers, voice over talent, voice over artist, etc., and you’ll find many groups where you can drop in and learn from others. Participate if you’d like, but remember, anything you post in these chat rooms stays there pretty much for life. If you might regret saying something, then keep your fingers away from the keyboard.

Marketing vs. talent

You may be the greatest voice talent on the planet, but, if no one knows who you are, well, then that’s wasted talent. So, get out there and promote and make your business a success.

Writing Copy for Voiceovers

by Peter Drew

As with any of the performing arts, an effective voiceover begins with a well-crafted script. You don’t have to have many years of writing experience to create copy that is both effective and a pleasure for the voice actor to perform. Here are some ideas to consider before you put your pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

Commericals: Radio and TV

Determine the purpose of the ad, e.g. drive traffic to a store, produce direct response inquiries, announce a grand opening, move end-of-season merchandise, etc.

Determine who your customer is and speak to that person one to one, and, ideally, present one main idea in the copy.

Use A.I.D.A.: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Get the listener’s attention to the ad; get the listener interested in what you’re offering; get the listener to want to take some action on your offer; give the listener a means to act and urge that action.

Narrations (also called “Industrials”)

For a video script, use the story board, if you have one, to guide the development of the script. This will help you time the voice over to the video’s scenes.

For audio only, where no storyboard exists, do a rough outline. This will help you create a basic logical structure before you start writing. The result will be a script that flows much better for the narrator and the intended listener.

All Scripts

Leave room for “verbal white space.” Just as a large block of densely printed copy is intimidating and difficult to read, a voice-over script that’s crammed with copy is difficult to follow and understand. A good rule of thumb for 30-second radio or TV copy is eight lines down (double-spaced), 10 words across the page. For a slower, more intimate read, go with seven lines, 10 words across. The same idea applies for a briskly paced 60-second ad: 16 lines down, 10 words across. For a slower pace, 14 lines, 10 words across. This 60-second guideline is helpful in timing long-form scripts, too. Just count the pages and you have the total number of minutes.

Numbers are words, so be sure to consider them in your word count. A phone number, such as 1-860-291-9476, is eleven words. That’s more than one entire line of copy! Try spelling out numbers as words to get a good handle on the actual length of your copy. For example:

1-860-291-9476,

when typed or written out, is

one-eight-six-oh, two-nine-one, nine-four-seven-six.

You can see how long the line really is when the numbers are spelled out. Then, after you’re ready to print your final draft, convert the words back to numbers.

Write for the ear, not the eye. Construct short, conversational sentences, with natural breaks for taking a breath. This is especially helpful to narrators when they voice technical or medical copy, which contains large, complicated, and difficult-to-pronounce terms.

Read your copy out loud, just as you intend the voice talent to read it, and time it. Then adjust your copy accordingly for timing.

Try to write in the active voice, not passive voice. This is a passive construction: “When writing a script, be sure you’re saying some exciting things, or else you’ll be losing the attention of the listener.” Instead, use the active voice, structured something like this: “When you write a script, say something exciting, or you’ll lose the listener’s attention.” Active voice is more conversational and easier for the ear and mind to follow.

Happy writing!

Finding the Natural Rhythm in Voiceover Copy

by Peter Drew

Breathe in. Breathe out. In. Out.

Thankfully, breathing’s an automatic bodily function. But it’s not so automatic when you’re faced with a piece of copy that needs to be voiced.

Finding the natural rhythm and breath points in a piece of copy are major keys to a natural sounding read. Ideally, you shouldn’t have to parse copy to find its rhythm. If all copy presented for voice over was written for the ear, with attention paid to how people naturally speak, then there would be a lot more one-take recording sessions. Since so much copy for voice-over is not written for the ear, it’s a good idea to have an approach to locating its most natural phrasing and breath points.

In conversation, we speak in “thought groups.” Our brains formulate chunks of speech as we think about what we’re trying to say. Research indicates that vocal tics, e.g. “uh,” “um,” “well,” and other short fillers, are simply that—verbal place holders used to buy time for our minds to generate subsequent thoughts and then articulate them.

You can use this “thought groups” concept to locate the natural phrasing and breath points in a piece of copy. It can be especially helpful with long-form scripts that contain long technical explanations, scripts that simply may have been lifted from a technical document written for the eye…not the ear.

Finding the “thought groups” in a piece of copy that obviously wasn’t written for the ear is not particularly difficult. Just “talk” the copy. In other words, read it in the most conversational manner possible as if it were coming right off the top of your head. Don’t be concerned with perfect diction or being error-free in your read. Very often you’ll find yourself pausing in places absent of punctuation, e.g. commas, dashes, periods, etc. Make a slash in pencil at the point of each natural pause. Then go back through the copy again using those slashes as natural breaks or breath points to see if the slashes are in the right places, regardless of how the copywriter punctuated the copy. Again, many copywriters write for the eye not the ear. You’ll find this technique especially helpful in long-form copy, especially medical or scientific scripts, which very often contain long, complex sentences. Talking the copy can help you find breath points in fast-paced hard sell copy, too.

This conversational approach can also help you overcome a tendency to “announce” a piece of copy. By talking the copy, you can discover a more natural person-to-person feel for what you’re communicating in the words, instead of primarily worrying about how you sound.

Approach copy with an eye and ear toward determining its natural thought groups and you’ll find your voiceovers will be smoother, with better breath control.

ake Your Copy to the Woodshed

by Peter Drew

You've booked your first voiceover session, a 60 second radio ad, at a local production house. You arrive in a positive frame of mind, relaxed, and ready to perform. After exchanging pleasantries with everyone involved with the session, the studio engineer hands you the copy. After reading through the script, determining your approach to the read, and consulting with the session's director(s), you're ready to nail the spot on the first take.

Sure, hitting a home run on your first at bat in front of the mic is possible, but by "woodshedding" or marking up your copy first, you establish visual cues that will help you give the director and client your best voice-over performance. Visualing indicating word inflections, words that need additional stress, pauses for pacing and effect, and attitude changes within the copy, creates a framework for a consistent performance, whether you nail the read on the first take or the tenth one.

So, what system of marks should you use to woodshed a piece of copy? Well, whatever works for you. There is, though, a general set of marks used by many voice talents
for this purpose.

For indicating up and down inflections, use an angled arrow: an upward angled arrow over an up-inflected syllable or word, and a downward angled arrow over down-inflected
syllables and words.

Underscore (underline) words that require additional stress. Put more than one underscore under a word or syllable to indicate even greater stress. By the way, putting stress on a word doesn't always mean simply saying that word louder than the other words in the script. You can stress a word by simply raising the pitch of your voice, without necessarily saying that word louder. To really stress a word, combine extra loudness with higher pitch.

Pauses can be used for both pacing and effect, as well as for giving yourself a place to breathe. Use a slash to indicate pauses. For a breathing point, use one small slash.
To indicate a pause for pacing, try one larger slash. A pregnant pause for effect can be indicated by multiple, two or more, slashes.

If you need to indicate a change of attitude, whether subtle or broad, then you can use any visual cue that works for you. A letter in a circle representing the change, e.g. an "H" for happier, or a "C" for calmer, etc. Of course, you can simply write in the word that indicates the change where it happens.

These are just some of the marks you can use to analyze the copy and create visual cues to enhance your performance. Create marks that work for you: circles, squares, highlighting, squiggles, dots, brackets--whatever you think can help you to develop a believable read.

Naturally, woodshedding a piece of copy is easy when it's double or even triple spaced. Unfortunately, you will receive single-spaced copy sometimes and you'll just have to make do. Of course, always make sure to bring a pencil with a good eraser to sessions. Besides using it to mark up copy, you'll also find yourself using that pencil for writing in copy changes from the person(s) directing the spot. The same goes for voice artists who work in their own personal studios. Always keep a few pencils on hand.

Marking up a piece of copy can take a few minutes, but making it a habit can help solidify the direction of a read in your mind as it gives you visual cues for executing the voiceover.
Make some time to practice and develop your woodshedding system. It will pay off each time you step into the booth and get behind the mic.

Directing Voice Overs

Christina & the Animation Demo, Pt. 2

by Peter Drew

Christina’s quest for a decent demo continued. The day after our first emails back and forth, January 20, 2003, she had some more questions:

“I actually was sent another email by the producer yesterday and he said because it is only a preliminary part of the audition process he doesn't want lots of money spent on demos. He says he is looking for a smart bossy teenager who will teach a little red dinosaur about life in modern times, and also a very bossy, astute (what does that mean?) teenage girl that runs a big juice factory. I know I can do that, because I am naturally bossy and impatient and all those things. I have ideas of different styles of my voice I can use but I do not know what exactly to say. The producer said, all the voices are subjective (which means...?) and when they hear it they will know the correct person. If he likes my voice he will then audition me with proper scripts. Can you please help?”

Here’s my advice on making the kind of demo she’s describing:

“It was good of the producer to tell you not to spend money on a demo. I would encourage you to still take the suggestions I gave you in the previous email and go ahead and study and practice, then make a professional demo. Call one of your local production houses and ask if you may visit with them for a few minutes to ask what they like to hear on a demo. Have them show you a couple of the demos they think are produced well and packaged well. What your demo looks like is important, too. It shows you're serious about VO.

As for the demo you need to do for the producer, just go with what he told you. By the way, the word astute means "sharp," "quick," "shrewd." Simply put, you know how to make things happen. The word subjective means how you perceive something, such as music. Say, you love Outkast, but can't stand Limp Bizkit, and your friend loves Limp Bizkit, but hates Outkast. You perceive those two bands one way, your friend another way. So, it comes down to pretty much what you like or what seems to fit. No hard and fast rule.

The producer gave you two different characters and two different scenarios. Create a little script, 15-20 seconds for each girl in each situation. Try asking these questions:

* Who am I?

* Where am I coming from?

* Where am I?

* Who am I with and how do I feel about him/her?

* What do I want from this person?

* What am I doing to get what I want?

* How does the character dress?

* How does the character stand, sit, move, speak, etc.?

* What is the relationship between your character and the other characters?

* What is the character's role or purpose in the script? The girl teaching the dinosaur is a teacher. The second girl is a whiz kid who runs a factory. Think how the questions relate to these jobs.

Each character and situation will lead you to different answers. After you write down your answers, take your natural bossiness and impatience, and combine it with your answers to create a character. When you figure out your character and you're ready to play with it and record, speak the lines to another person, real or imagined, like you're going to get a response back. Underplay your character, instead of "acting." Be more natural. Less is more. Be physical when you do the character. Sure, nobody can really see you if you're a cartoon character, but if you stand like the character you've created in your mind and move your hands, face, and mouth like the character, it will come alive more.

That's just a little of what it takes to develop a character, but I think it's enough to get you started. It looks like a lot of work, but if you've got an imagination, then you could answer those questions in just a couple of minutes, write up a little script, and have it done in about an hour.

Always remember, acting and voice-overs come down to pretending; it's playing. Have fun!

As they say in show biz, break a leg, Christina!”

Will Christina get the part? It would be great if she did, but if she didn’t, she’s gotten great experience in auditioning and producing a demo.

Directing Voice Overs

Christina & the Animation Demo, Pt. 1

by Peter Drew

On January 19, 2004, I received an email from Christina, a 15-year-old living in Melbourne, Australia. Christina asked me:

“I have to put my voice on a demo for a producer who is going to do some TV animated pilots up in Queensland. He has given me the opportunity to do a demo showing different styles. However, I am not sure of what I am meant to say on it. Can you please advise? I have always wanted to get into Voice Over so I am new to this and don't want to lose it. I am also an actress and model and have been given very little work, even though I have an agent. So I thought, I will keep my agent but will look for work myself too.”

When I get emails like this it just makes me stop in amazement at how small the world has gotten because of communication wonders like the Internet and ISDN technology. Must be getting old. Anyway, everybody has their own opinion on auditions and demos, including me. This is how I responded to Christina:

“Glad you're interested in voice-overs, Christina. It's fun, but it's definitely something you need to learn and practice before you make a real demo, which will cost a bit to produce and distribute.

As for the animation gigs, here's what I would do: if you know the basic story lines and the types of characters the producer's looking for, then play around with a cassette recorder, creating characters. If the shows are aimed at kids, then take a kids book and go wild with the dialogue in it. Get goofy, serious, ironic, sarcastic, sweet, bubbly, naive, etc. Change your voice: high, low, rough, sibilant, nasally. Let go of your inhibitions and play.

Then listen back and choose four to six that you do really well. Give those voices names. Write down each name and next to it the qualities of the voice and the basic personality of the character. That way you'll be able to look at your list and remember how to do the voices. Find 10-15 seconds of good dialogue for each character and then rehearse each character.

Next, if you have a friend or your parents know someone with access to professional recording equipment, have that person record your characters and edit them together. Put them on two cassettes and two CDs. Give one CD and one cassette to the producer. Keep the other two as masters. You may be able to use them in the future.

If you can't get your demo done professionally, or you simply don't have time because the producer needs your demo in a hurry, then just record your characters right to your cassette recorder. Start the recorder, do a voice, then immediately press "pause". When you're ready to do the next voice, release "pause" and start your next character immediately. The idea is to get the individual voices as close together as possible, so there's not a lot of dead air between them and the demo keeps moving forward.

Do some searches on the web for forums and articles on animation and acting for animation. There are lots out there.

If you're serious about voice-over, start with a couple of books. Get The Art of Voice Acting by James R. Alburger. This book contains all the info you need to start investigating voice-overs. It comes with a CD that contains VO demos, resources, more books, and info on voice actors.

Another book that may be helpful is Word of Mouth by Blu and Mullins. It's got a lot of great tips on how to employ the basics of the famous Method used by actors. I’ve used this book in the voice-overs course I’ve taught over the years. Both books are available via Amazon.com.

If you don't have a cassette recorder, then go to your local electronics store and pick one up for $30-$40, along with some 60-90 minute cassettes. Then, just start reading and practicing as the book(s) instruct. Make a little demo and play it for some of the people in your life who can be a little more objective (not an automatically supportive sweetheart, or close friend or relative, maybe the animation producer!) and see what the reaction is. In fact, send me an .mp3 or cassette if you'd like and I'll critique it for you.

If you feel you're ready to proceed, then check out local continuing education programs for voice-over, improv, and acting classes. Be very careful of the commercial "voice-over workshops," which promise to teach you VO in a few short sessions, then make a demo and duplicate CDs or cassettes for you. In the U.S. they charge anywhere from $500 to $2000 and you end up with a mediocre demo, not much instruction, and highly inflated expectations. Voice-over is a craft. It takes time to learn. You wouldn't take two or three lessons in shoe making, then claim you were an expert shoemaker. I certainly wouldn't buy a pair of shoes from you! They'd probably last one day in a rain storm.

I'm sure there are reputable teachers and coaches in most urban areas in Australia, including Melbourne. Call local production houses and universities to locate one.

Don't go into this with the goal of making lots of money, Christina. Go into it because you love to perform and play. It really is about playing. Yes! Become an expert at playing and having fun! It's pretty much like anything: love it, do it well, and then the money will come.

And just a note about agents: if you're not getting much work or he/she is not too helpful or available to you, then you can always shop for another one. Also, no performer ever relies just on his/her agent. You need to market yourself constantly. Make sure you've got current headshots, resume, business cards, and a portfolio of your work. Always be ready to hand out your business card. Contact every local theater company, TV production company, TV and radio station, etc. Be courteous and professional and doors will eventually start to open.

Have fun, Christina and best of luck. Maybe one day I can say that I helped the next Nicole Kidman, Christina, get her big start!”

I pressed “send” and thought about a kid on the other side of the world, enjoying summertime (while I freeze in the northeast US), trying to break into show biz. The world may be a little loony right now, but folks still gotta dream, right?

Don’t Be. Do

by Peter Drew

Directing a voice-over talent you’ve hired to read a spot for, say, dog food is pretty much the same as directing a great actor in a scene in a major film production. Well, almost the same. Go with me here.

It’s all about action. The end result of the performers’ action in both situations is a reaction from the audience. A successful performance in the dog food commercial gets the listener to buy the product. The well-acted movie gets the viewer to buy into the world it creates. Independent filmmaker, Steve Pak, writes: “…the goal is to tell a story dramatically rather than didactically, which means characters do things rather than explain things.”

To get listeners to buy your product or service, you need to get the voice actor to actually do something with the copy, not think about what they’re doing with the copy. Mr. Pak observes: “The challenge for directors is to stop talking about results and start talking about process.” In other words, it’s what happens during the journey, not just arriving at the destination, that’s most important to the story.

Mr. Pak’s key to talking about process is the use of action verbs, not adjectives. How does this work with a piece of commercial copy? Let’s take our example of dog food. We’ll call our brand “Stinkalicious.” It’s a wet, canned food. Now, Stinkalicious’s unique selling proposition is that it only stinks to dogs! Yes, when you open a can of new, genetically altered Stinkalicious dog food, only your dog can smell the disgusting aromas that always appeal best to dogs. It’s these non-aromatic aromas that cause Rover to come a runnin’.

Next, let’s say your research into the most effective copy approach leads you to a discovery: people don’t find stinky things humorous. Surprisingly, the best choice is straight copy, delivered with an authoritative demeanor, written to convey the sense of relief from stinkiness the purchaser feels every time he or she opens a can of Stinkalicious.

Now here’s where action verbs come into your direction to the voice talent. Instead of saying to the actor, “When you get to the line about relief from stinkiness…be happy that people will be relieved,” say, “When you get to that line, convince, Jane, the listener, to really agree with you.” By using action verbs instead of adjectives, the voice actor doesn’t have to think, "Now I'm supposed to be getting happy." Instead, the talent can concentrate completely on actually convincing the listener of the happiness to be found with stink-free Stinkalicious. That’s motivation and that’s what the talent needs to make a piece of copy come alive and be persuasive.

In the words of Steve Pak, “Action verbs lead to specific action through which actors discover and experience emotions -- resulting in compelling performances.” Not just in feature films, but voiceovers, too.