I mentioned in my previous post how tricky it can be to produce just the right voice over demo.  We have only a minute (maybe two) to demonstrate our skills and range of delivery styles.  And, realistically, it is quite likely that no more than 5 to 10 seconds will get heard before the producer or voice seeker moves on to the next one.  Unless they are “wowed” by the first piece, or at least hear something close to what they already have in mind, they probably won’t bother to listen to the whole thing, even though the exact read they want was the very next thing on the demo (which they didn’t hear, of course).

There is no way to please all the producers all the time.  And I’ve had to realize that I can’t and shouldn’t take it personally.  This business is quite subjective, and just because you weren’t picked for a job doesn’t mean you aren’t good, or really even that you weren’t right for the job. It just means that they heard something that was closer to what they had in their head that day.

So, how do I make my voiceover demo count? As I said in my last post, make the first thing on the demo something you do well, and hopefully it will be enough to get your voice listened to throughout the other samples. It would be an understatement to say that I put a LOT of thought into what to use on my demos and what order to place each piece. On my website, DianesVoice.com, I’ve actually created videos to go with my audio voice over demos. Sometimes having something to watch makes it a little more interesting, and I’m hoping that it keeps people watching (and therefore listening) a little longer. It’s an experiment, but I’m hoping I’m right. : )

I have more voiceover demos in the works now, but a few of them are good for a little while.  I try to re-evaluate them a couple of times each year, and update them as necessary.  These “generic” voice over demos have gotten me quite a number of jobs, however, most producers today would like to have “custom” demos or auditions of their own script instead.  I’ll give my thoughts on producing these custom voiceover demos in future post.

For now…check out my latest video VO demos. For more samples of my work, go to the demos page on my website, or to my YouTube Channel.

Tweet  Follow @DianeBeanVO

OK, the World Wide Web isn’t all work — but it has been lately.  I have done some redesigning of my website and of this blog, too.  I have also been searching for ways to improve my web “presence”.  It’s all about being found by the right people.  That’s why I’ve categorized this entry under “VO Tools”.  The Internet is one of the biggest tools in the business now.  It is so important for a voice talent to be web savvy.

Once again I am blessed to have help in this area.  My website has evolved over the past few years into something I am pretty pleased with, especially considering that I’ve paid practically nothing for it.  Yup, doing it yourself is lots of work, but it is also super rewarding, and a huge savings on my budget right now.  Of course, I can in no way take full credit for this site, since I’m no web programmer.  However, thanks to a good friend who is, I’ve learned a lot (well, enough to get me through the basics anyway).   The site isn’t anything real fancy, but it is functional, and overall I think it represents me pretty well.

Obviously, even the fanciest website is worthless to a voice talent without some well-produced demos to be heard on it.  So…that’s the other thing that has been keeping me busy in recent months.  Please check out my newest demos (each complete with its own video) on my demos page.

VO Demos are such a tricky thing.  You’ve got 60 to 90 seconds to showcase your voice, but realistically, it’s more like 5 to 10 seconds.  Voice seekers and producers are often so busy that 7 seconds might be all they will listen before deciding you aren’t what they want and move on to the next person.  But…I AM what they want, and they would have known that if they had only listened to 30 seconds of my demo, because that’s where I did that style of read.  Hmmm, so what to use first?  What order should all of these pieces fit together?  Well, that’s the tricky part.  Your first piece can’t be the perfect read for every job, so at least make it something you do well.  Even if it isn’t the style a seeker has in mind, if you’ve done it well, it just may get your full demo heard (or at least more than 10 seconds)!

So, I do my best and then hope for the best.  But I never rest (not for long anyway).  Marketing is so important.  There is more competition out there every day, so I need to stay on top of my game.  Keeping my demos updated and fresh is one way.  Befriending the World Wide Web is another.   And then there is the networking…

I’d like to recommend a couple of people in my personal network.  In case you were admiring my way-cool logo, it was created for me by Erin Fike of Erin Fike – Graphic Design.  She came up with so many excellent logos for me to choose from; I had a really hard time deciding.  If your business could benefit from a personalized logo, contact Erin, she’ll fix you up with the perfect image.  : )

I also appreciate the expertise of audio engineer, Jim Mikles.  Jim is the designer of my home studio and has been a consultant on many audio related topics.  In addition, Jim is now offering web programming services, and he has been invaluable to me as I set up my own website.  When you need a top-notch audio engineer, or someone to create a functional website for you, contact Jim at jimmikles@audio-simplified.net.

When you contact Jim or Erin, tell them that I sent you.  I can’t say that it will get you anything, but maybe I’ll get a few brownie points!  ‘Cause you know, it’s all about the networking…

Tweet  Follow @DianeBeanVO