new demo up for critique..wadya think?

[Marilyn Taylor]

would love to post it but can't figure out how...nothing happens when I press 'manage attachments'...advise?

[spartacus]

Good Afternoon!!

What type of computer are you using????

What should happen is a new window should pop up givingyou options to select the file from your computer. If nothing is happening for you I would first suggest you check to see if popup's are blocked for this site. Dependent on your what internet window you are using, the way to tell could be different.

[Marilyn Taylor]

hello spartacus..I am using a del with window xp...i've unblocked my pop upper and get an error when i hit the manage attachment button..i've never posted an audio file on this site before...

[spartacus]

It's a pleasure Marilyn,

What does your error say? Did you get this error before you unblocked the pop's or after?

Looking forward to hearing it!!

[Marilyn Taylor]

I first tried to post the file and it said 'pop ups blocked' ...I unblocked the pop up button and tried again and it said 'errror on page'...thanks

[spartacus]

Sorry for the 20 questions Marilyn

when you get the error does it come up in a new window or does this current window clear and then re-configures to say "error on page"?

when you unblocked pop's, did you unblock them for just this site or unblock all pop's?

Did you try pressing and holding the 'Ctrl' button while clicking on "manage attachments"?

Do you have any security programs running such as Norton that could be blocking it??

[Marilyn Taylor]

husband just walked in from hunting camp....I'll be back later...much later :)

[Scott Pollak]

husband just walked in from hunting camp....I'll be back later...much later :)

Hunting camp?? Is this where they take little boys to train them how to hunt???



Sorry. Couldn't resist.
;)

[Marilyn Taylor]

ha ha...no it's where little boys go to drink beer, make discusting noises and learn to appreciate their wives...:)

[Marilyn Taylor]

lets see...hold control button...press manage attachments...wait...yippy..it worked..thanks spartacus..your my night in shining armor :)

[John Bigl]

:afro:

always a treat to hear The Voice of the U P ...

doing VO sure beats going to hunting camp and cleaning up after the boys ...

[spartacus]

Always happy to help Marilyn. Guessing was always my favorite subject in school.

and may I add how nice it is you allow your husband to go out hunting from time to time.

Loved the demo, sounded great!! Do you have a website attached to it? I don't see one in your signature.

[Emorgan_Voiceovers]

Very nice demo. Great diversity, great deliveries, great voice!

[Scott Pollak]

Boy, I'm glad you figured out the attachment issue because this was a treat.

Overall I love the demo. There's so much that's SO GOOD about your voice, Marilyn. To me it hits a darned-near perfect balance of maturity and friendliness. You do NOT sound old, but of course you're not a teen, either (and boy can I relate!). You have a smile attached to a 'friendly authority' sound. The 'mom' or 'professional woman' that we all know, trust and love. It all works.

Great demo.

Great sound.

Wonderful clips.

You rock!

[Marilyn Taylor]

Scott, WOW! Thanks for the kind words. I remember the first time I posted something...you tore it to shreds..thanks for doing that! It was honest and helpful...it made me push toward better work. :) .... Really? I rock? Cool...

Spartacus, Thanks again for the help...a website is my next venture...after the holidays...

[Scott Pollak]

I tore a demo of YOURS to shreds??????

Naw.

No way.

Surely you have me confused with some other demonic, insensitive curmudgeon.

(and yes, I know... don't call you Shirley....)

[Marilyn Taylor]

I still have the shredder marks on my soul to prove it...yes...YOU ARE the demonic, insensitive, curmudgeon....... not that there's anything wrong with that...

[jsgilbert]

Marilyn,
This sounds quite a bit better than your earleir effort you posted. You'll forgive me if I hold back on the "incredible, terrfic work", because when I compare it to the pile of demos from women I might actually hire, it' still on the bottom. It snuck into the pile, but still towards the bottom

So here's my 2 cents. I'm hearing you exert energy on enunciating. Your reads are super crisp and on most of these I'd rather them not actually be quite as crisp. The RAchel Ray spot almost sounds like one ofthose parody's of the female reporter in terms of tone and cadence. I then hear it in places again on the Staples piece.

So to make it better:

Loosen up and have more fun with the copy. Be in the moment. Pick a strong emotion and let us hear it somewhere. Pick a very specific person that you are talking to and put that person's face right on the microphone. This will warm up your reads and personalize them.

The State Farm spot came very close to being real for me (95% there), but I really wanted to hear the shift from problem to solution. The overall tone of the read doesn't change much as you go from losing your husband to opening the restaurant. I can hear the smile on the word "kids", but that's pretty much it. I need to hear the happiness when you say State Farm, as though they are your saviours. I would probably open the demo with this spot too.

When you say that was easy, it shoud sound like saying it was easy. The takeaway from their advertising is that Staples = Easy. Overall I think that spot becomes more effective when you say it from the standpoint of being an enthusiastic shopper, perhaps talking to your best frined, almost bragging about how smart you are for shopping Staples.

Which gets me to the big question. Do you treat this like a play? When you say these things do you adapt a relationship to the product or service, suich as work for the company, avid user, etc. Where are you when you're saying this? What came before? What do you think happens afterwards? What is your goal in saying this? Who are yo speaking to? What are you wearing? Morning or night?

Overall great improvement and a rather nice demo. It's probably good enough to get you an agent, depending upon their existing talent pool.

[Marilyn Taylor]

wow...lots to consume there js...really good stuff to think about...I wish you had been there when I was doing it...I guess I have further up the mountain to climb...ONWARD!!
and thanks:)

[jsgilbert]

Well, I personally think that when you've got to the top of the mountain it's tme to go climb a new mountain. 20+ years (with over 400 video game credits and several thousand commercial credits)s in this business has taught me the following:

Very few people who hire talent actually know who I am (or probably care)

If i did a less than stellar job for someone, there's more liklihood of them remembering me than if I did a great job

I still audition for most of my work

I am only as good as my last job

I am constantly working to come up with new stuff, to reinvent myself.

I approach every job knowing full well that they could have hired anyone and that regardless of what I did, there's quite a bit of serendipity going on.

I can improve

Don't set your sights on too low a mountain peak, becuaser this business is very, very competitive, if nothing else.

[Scott Pollak]

Great thoughts there, J.S. I'd like to see these also posted over in the Newbies sections so they'd see and understand this, too. This applies to all of us.

[jsgilbert]

But Scott, then those newbies might think I actually care.

[Diane Havens]

Oh, but we know you do, sweetheart.

[Scott Pollak]

But Scott, then those newbies might think I actually care.

Good point. After all, you DO have an image to maintain.

:cool: