just thought I would suggest it to those who haven't thought about it... try and get some voiceover work - money is excellent when you do get work. I've been doing voiceovers since I arrived in London 12 years ago and I know how hard it is to get an agent when you start but it's like everything else, if you work hard at it you can take off. And beside, you can be on the marketplace even without an agent - I have representatino but am also on www.voicefinder.biz, and like I said in another thread, it's an invaluable source for anyone interested in voiceovers. Good luck!
I've not subscribed to Voicefinder yet - I'm a registered user but haven't forked out the weekly subscription. Today was the first new posting on the Casting Board for a number of months. Now I don't know whether subscribers get more castings directly but to me that doesn't seem like the most thriving of online communities. I wanted to see how busy, or otherwise, the site was before subscribing and that's my only benchmark. Maybe a paid up subscriber can say whether or not it's worth paying for and whether you get more direct contact as a paid up user.
I'm on voicefinder.biz ( page there: http://www.voicefinder.biz/voice/pierre-maubouche ) in fact I also advertise there for casting services project coordination. I've had few gigs from there so can't complain, having said that it's quite difficult when people call you or email you, to know how they've heard of you. From the quotes in the testimonials page it looks like a fair amount of voices have had gigs from there, and I'm sure others haven't, same as with an agent, work isn't garanteed...
I don't get more leads but then again it's not the point - the point is appear in relevant searches and am seen by producers looking for a voice like mine, I am reachable directly, and I have a webpage on a professional industry website which I use as a marketing tool - I think that like in any business, having a proactive attitude pays.
I don't know for voiceovers.co.uk, since I'm not on it. They have 170 voices against much more on voicefinder.biz so less choice for producers hence producers more likely to go to voicefinder, also voicefinder.biz search engine seems 100 times better so as a producer I'd go where I can finetune my casting as much as possible. Besides, voicefinder.biz advertising displays are in many Soho studios so spotted by producers who go there, and I know for a fact that some of the big advertising agencies cast on it. Also, looking at what each website brings to the community, well there are many many help files and two directories on voicefinder.biz - and the frog on voiceovers.co.uk homepage, what is that all about?! So as you might have guessed I prefer voicefinder.biz to voiceovers.co.uk ;-)
Their forum isn't very active (understatment!) but to be frank, I feel that since it's just a way for people to make a living and not a passion for most people, they're much less likely to post than here, well this is how I explain it. That was my tupence worth!
Thanks for your comments. The search engine on VoiceFinder definitely seems a lot more sophisticated - I really don't like the fact that when you click on a profile on VoiceOver's, it appears at the bottom of the screen - it took me a couple of minutes to work out why nothing was appearing before discovering it! Not very user friendly.
One major thing though is that VoiceFinder seems more expensive (in the long term)...
To summarise for others, it looks like:
VoiceOvers.co.uk:
New Talent: £150 1st year
Established: £200 1st year
Subsequent Years: £50pa (£75pa for Established)
VoiceFinder.biz:
New Talent*: £60 1st year
Others: £120 1st year
Subsequent Years: £180pa
Cheers Paul - I think you got it wrong re. voifinder.biz costs - it stays £120/year for as long as you're there, or it's the equivalent of £180/year if you pay monthly by direct debit (£15/month)
It still looks more expensive but I'm a firm believer that you have what you pay for - I refer you to my post number 7 on page 1 of this thread... I'm virutally every day in Soho to record, and voicefinder.biz displays with their postcards and business cards are in many recording studios there, for the producers to take, so I'm happy to be featured there (and to advertise there as well!!)
Met Adrienne just after she recorded her showreel with Crying Out Loud, she was very happy about their services - Adrienne do you want to tell the world about your experience with them?
Yes definitely, had a lovely experience with Crying Out Loud. Marina was very helpful and definitely took a good amount of time choosing texts that suited me, then we worked on them for a bit as well-impressive collection of material as she also compiles monologues for Methuen and has worked as a theatre director...The recording itself was also great, Simon is lovely and very helpful with the "commercial" excerpts where Marina helps with the "drama" side. All in all I felt like I got very focused, individual attention, and high quality service all around- for a bargain price!( would recommend making the most of CastingCallPro's offer of 10 percent off!)And to top it all off, both Marina and Simon are very nice people. So yup, highly recommended.
I thought I'd add:
What do I do now?
I've got a reel, I'm on voicefinder- how do I go about promoting myself? Do I need to start sending my cd to every studio in soho? ;)
I've had one days work from voicefinder, and I'd like to know how I move on from here...baby steps, eh?
Sally, I honestly don't think that it'll help to go to studios - although it can't hurt. It's a tough one - an agent I know used to say, don't rely on voiceovers to make a living - and he was a VO agent! Thing is, you might have 4 gigs in one day, and then nothing for a week, and that's when you're really established... You might do nothing for a while, and then land a generic TV commercial which will land you 20 grand - it's just this kind of business! Now, there are things you can do to promote yourself, you're doing one of them right here, being proactive that is! Also, having a business card is better than leaving your details on a torn piece of paper. And a good dose of patience helps too, believe me!
I've been an actor long enough to know about patience!
I have other forms of income, which I can cancel at very short notice, should I need to, which is nice.
Any advice where to get decent business cards? I know voice finder makes them, but I'd rather not have their branding, one reason is for individuality, but also it may point my employers to the competition!
Pierre,
I just wanted to say a big thank you for spending so much time helping out us new to voice over work..
I'm gonna follow your tips and see where they go.. Nothing ventured as they say..
Be Lucky
TM...
You are welcome Taylor, no sweat - if anyone has any queries re. voiceovers I'll do my best to help!
Sally I'm not sure where to get good business cards, sorry! Re. giving a branded card might push your client to the competition: it might, but chances of that are quite remote - my experience tells me that if clients use you once and like what you do, your attitude, etc, they won't go and bother looking for someone else. And if they want to look for someone else they will anyway, either on voicefinder.biz, voiceovers.co.uk, or through VO agents. On the plus side, the way I think is that when I give my card with the branding of a recognised professional and established organisation, my client likens me by association to the professionalism of this organisation... Might be a lot of drivel but that beats me writing my details on a torn piece of paper any time ;-)
I'd recommend bernard shaw- he's really great, and doesn't charge by the hour...
Mine's actually made up of past work, and I have an audio editing package on my computer, so I've spliced them all together...
Philly, I'd recommend you to read post Reply #7 (on page one of this thread). Your choice on demo company should'nt be based primarely on cost but on what you'll walk away with - it's an investment. Make absolutely sure that the demo you're given to do isn't the same as the material given to other actors - some demo companies do that and that's a NO-NO... casting directors are BORED of listening to Bombay Sapphire ad thousands of times!!! When you enquire to demo companies, ask them EXACTLY what is provided for how much, if the material given to you is exclusive to you and specifically suited to your voice/age range/accent/type etc., also ask to be given a 1mn30s mp3 cutdown version for internet use. Brake a leg!
I saw Cring Out Loud at work recently, and must say I was mighty impressed by the producing skills of Marina and Simon - and as Adrienne said they're very nice people, too, which is always a bonus! For your info their website is www.cryingoutloud.co.uk
Are you guys keeping busy on the voiceover front? Adrienne where did you go with your demo? Sally, have you got gigs since you went back on the voice horse? It's been absolutely manic for me recently, hope the same goes for you guys!
Well aren't you a lucky sausage!
It's growing for me- I'm currently on tenterhooks waiting for the final decision on a 20 hour project. EEEEEP.
I joined voiceovers but haven't had anything yet- I think it's partly as I'm in the aspiring section and because my demo doesn't show enough of the things that come up in their search engine. Tomorrow I'm recording a new demo with a local studio I work with- results shortly!
Voicefinder is still pretty good- they've asked me to be their "look who's talking" which is ace!
Still umming and ahhing about who to send my stuff to. It's not quite as simple as acting, where there's lots of castings on the net etc...
Still weighing up the pros and cons of getting a voice agent (having enough trouble getting an acting one!)
Hope everyone's storming along...
Sally
I don't know about anyone else, but I'd be reluctant to use a company that does a package-one of these showreel-only companies. I'd rather write the scripts myself (I'm a writer, too) and produce them in a studio that I know the equipment and engineer. To give you an idea, there's a studio very near me that charges £30 per hour. They're high quality, give me an individual project and don't squeeze me for money.
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