Oooooh! Bottom feeder sighting!

Jon Morss · 05-31-2008, 03:37 PM

Maybe there is a trend that is going on here. I just got a Lead a couple of days ago from Voices.com that seemed a bit below the allowed budget threshold. This was for a number of TV spots and possible :60 Radio spots. This is what they listed as the budget for the TV spots:

"We are looking at a budget of appox. $50 per :15 donut fill, and $100 for
any :60 radio spots needed."

Since this was for a car dealership, I'm thinking it is for local spots, but this still seem a bit low with the compensation.

OBTW - I did not respond to this.

Julie Williams · 06-09-2008, 11:45 AM

I know someone who does car spots for about $100 each. He gets about $1800/mo of regular work that doesn't take long to do. Sure, it's low budget... but they are local spots, and if they add another dealership from another market (not unusual at all) it comes to $3600/mo... etc.

So I wouldn't discount it too quickly...if there's repeat work like that. Just depends on how many they have for you.

On quantity discounts, though, I offer them AFTER the repeat work, not before. Until they're regular clients, they pay full unless they book a lot at one time.

voicy1stef · 06-11-2008, 10:10 AM

£1800/mo is nothing to sniff at, is it? Multiple streams of income.....

A little from here, a lot from there....it's all good!

Whitley · 06-11-2008, 02:15 PM

Count me as another v123 "quitter". They offered me the free one month premium subscription (which is about to lapse). I was considering signing, until I started looking at the stats. Julie's point of "bottom feeding". Then, the "cattle call" mentality...100 talents trying out for a $50 read and then I go back and look. No one had won the audition!

And don't get me started on anonymous tags....someone can be jealous of another talent and put something mean on their audition? I don't understand it?

Maybe someone else can shed some light to the newbie?

JoeActor · 06-11-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitley

Count me as another v123 "quitter".
Maybe someone else can shed some light to the newbie?

There's a long, checkered past for v123 issues (beginning with version 2.0 and Smartcast)

Take a read thru this area of the forum for people's opinions:
FEEDBACK & REVIEW FORUMS - REVIEW ONLINE SERVICES at VOICEOVERFORUM.com

You'll also find reviews for other sites there too...

Cheers,
Joe J Thomas
www.JoeActor.com

J. Calvert · 06-11-2008, 06:50 PM

I'm on at voice123, I was excited to get the 30 day free, especialy after I found out how much it would cost to subscribe, ( HINT I wish voices.com would do the same ). I have noticed the bottom end showing up not as much as others have indicated, but I new ahead of time that what you aud. for is what you'll get, that and your branding, I realy think they express that in their information. I've not had to many of the low to no non-profit invites, but I have that option deselected in my preferances. Try larger wholes in your net it reduces the fish sticks and gives you more flounders.

JoeActor · 06-11-2008, 07:41 PM

Hey J,

I wish I could reassure you that Smartcast works, but after nearly a year I still get way too many inappropriate or low-ball leads.

As for the "don't send me low-ball leads" option... that's determined by Voice123 staff because they couldn't implement a simple filtering mechanism. In other words, some of the ones they filter out aren't low-ball, and some they don't filter out are. What we had asked for was much less complex - allow us to set our own acceptable ranges for each project type (ie. no audio books under $1000, or no radio spots under $100). I guess that was just too hard to do (sarcasm!)

You'll also be getting different leads now than in a month... or two.. or whenever. This is due to the mysterious "patent pending" mechanism that is Smartcast. Most of the features (like keyword matching) that were supposed to make Smartcast functional have been disabled over time... because they didn't work. Add to that the strange property that gives you less auditions if you submit too many... or too few. What are the magic numbers? Only Smartcast knows!

Needless to say, there's a long history of issues that you may not be aware of, so the best advice I can give is "Caveat Emptor" (buyer beware)

Renewal Dubious,
Joe J Thomas
www.JoeActor.com

Whitley · 06-11-2008, 08:33 PM

Thanks, Joe. You helped clear up some things.

I noticed I had a bunch of auditions come in at once with v123. Was putting them out as quickly as they were coming in. That happened for a few days. Then, I realized I should have been more selective about what I auditioned for. Because the auditions stopped coming. I know there's some formula to it. I guess with so many people...it kind of reminds me of the Ladders commercial. You know the one? The guy is playing tennis. He's about the serve the ball. Then all of a sudden, all of these people come out of the stands to play. LOL! It's just frustrating. Maybe I'll give v123 a try in 6 months or so. But, right now, I just don't see it working for me.

W

JoeActor · 06-12-2008, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitley

Thanks, Joe. You helped clear up some things.

I noticed I had a bunch of auditions come in at once with v123. Was putting them out as quickly as they were coming in. That happened for a few days. Then, I realized I should have been more selective about what I auditioned for. Because the auditions stopped coming. I know there's some formula to it. I guess with so many people...it kind of reminds me of the Ladders commercial. You know the one? The guy is playing tennis. He's about the serve the ball. Then all of a sudden, all of these people come out of the stands to play. LOL! It's just frustrating. Maybe I'll give v123 a try in 6 months or so. But, right now, I just don't see it working for me.

W

Hi Witley,

Hee hee - love the tennis analogy!

Part of the problem is that Voice123 never told us exactly what the formula for Smartcast is (patent excuses). Most of what we know was through inference by observing how it doles out leads, combined with little snippets of information that leaked out via customer service requests.

I just don't see the situation changing much in six months...

YMMV,
Joe J Thomas
www.JoeActor.com

SueColas · 06-12-2008, 08:09 PM

Hi Witley,
I had the same problem. I was excited to be doing auditions and was using the invitations as a way to get my confidence up and work on being more conversational. Then everything stopped.

Joe is right, it probably won't be changing. It seems the people in charge of V123 are getting more and more crazy instead of really listening to the voice talent to find out what works best.

I will be over at voices.com soon.

Sue

05-31-2008, 03:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
Jon Morss Jon Morss Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Antelope, CA Posts: 350	Maybe there is a trend that is going on here. I just got a Lead a couple of days ago from Voices.com that seemed a bit below the allowed budget threshold. This was for a number of TV spots and possible :60 Radio spots. This is what they listed as the budget for the TV spots: "We are looking at a budget of appox. $50 per :15 donut fill, and $100 for any :60 radio spots needed." Since this was for a car dealership, I'm thinking it is for local spots, but this still seem a bit low with the compensation. OBTW - I did not respond to this. __________________ Jon Morss "You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." -- Zig Ziglar

06-09-2008, 11:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
Julie Williams Administrator Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California Posts: 561	I know someone who does car spots for about $100 each. He gets about $1800/mo of regular work that doesn't take long to do. Sure, it's low budget... but they are local spots, and if they add another dealership from another market (not unusual at all) it comes to $3600/mo... etc. So I wouldn't discount it too quickly...if there's repeat work like that. Just depends on how many they have for you. On quantity discounts, though, I offer them AFTER the repeat work, not before. Until they're regular clients, they pay full unless they book a lot at one time. __________________ POWERED BY CHOCOLATE Julie Williams "Voice-Over Chocolate" julie@voice-overs.com www.voiceoverchocolate.com www.voice-overs.com Currently on National spots for Eyeglass World; Narrations for US Steel, Point of Sale VO for Gutter Grip-- playing soon at a Home Depot near you! Julie will be heard nationally on a tribute to Ruth Bell Graham in December.

06-11-2008, 10:10 AM	#13 (permalink)
voicy1stef User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lovely England Posts: 167	£1800/mo is nothing to sniff at, is it? Multiple streams of income..... A little from here, a lot from there....it's all good! __________________ Acting is Art, Love, Giving & Prosperity Do the thing you love, work diligently and the money will follow //(^.^)\\ www.stefsvoice4u.co.uk http://stefsvoice.wordpress.com

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

06-11-2008, 02:15 PM	#14 (permalink)
Whitley User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northern Mississippi Posts: 20	Count me as another v123 "quitter". They offered me the free one month premium subscription (which is about to lapse). I was considering signing, until I started looking at the stats. Julie's point of "bottom feeding". Then, the "cattle call" mentality...100 talents trying out for a $50 read and then I go back and look. No one had won the audition! And don't get me started on anonymous tags....someone can be jealous of another talent and put something mean on their audition? I don't understand it? Maybe someone else can shed some light to the newbie?

06-11-2008, 06:50 PM	#16 (permalink)
J. Calvert VO ep. Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: OKC, OK. Posts: 10	I'm on at voice123, I was excited to get the 30 day free, especialy after I found out how much it would cost to subscribe, ( HINT I wish voices.com would do the same ). I have noticed the bottom end showing up not as much as others have indicated, but I new ahead of time that what you aud. for is what you'll get, that and your branding, I realy think they express that in their information. I've not had to many of the low to no non-profit invites, but I have that option deselected in my preferances. Try larger wholes in your net it reduces the fish sticks and gives you more flounders.

06-11-2008, 07:41 PM	#17 (permalink)
JoeActor Administrator Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,499	Hey J, I wish I could reassure you that Smartcast works, but after nearly a year I still get way too many inappropriate or low-ball leads. As for the "don't send me low-ball leads" option... that's determined by Voice123 staff because they couldn't implement a simple filtering mechanism. In other words, some of the ones they filter out aren't low-ball, and some they don't filter out are. What we had asked for was much less complex - allow us to set our own acceptable ranges for each project type (ie. no audio books under $1000, or no radio spots under $100). I guess that was just too hard to do (sarcasm!) You'll also be getting different leads now than in a month... or two.. or whenever. This is due to the mysterious "patent pending" mechanism that is Smartcast. Most of the features (like keyword matching) that were supposed to make Smartcast functional have been disabled over time... because they didn't work. Add to that the strange property that gives you less auditions if you submit too many... or too few. What are the magic numbers? Only Smartcast knows! Needless to say, there's a long history of issues that you may not be aware of, so the best advice I can give is "Caveat Emptor" (buyer beware) Renewal Dubious, Joe J Thomas www.JoeActor.com

06-11-2008, 08:33 PM	#18 (permalink)
Whitley User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northern Mississippi Posts: 20	Thanks, Joe. You helped clear up some things. I noticed I had a bunch of auditions come in at once with v123. Was putting them out as quickly as they were coming in. That happened for a few days. Then, I realized I should have been more selective about what I auditioned for. Because the auditions stopped coming. I know there's some formula to it. I guess with so many people...it kind of reminds me of the Ladders commercial. You know the one? The guy is playing tennis. He's about the serve the ball. Then all of a sudden, all of these people come out of the stands to play. LOL! It's just frustrating. Maybe I'll give v123 a try in 6 months or so. But, right now, I just don't see it working for me. W

06-12-2008, 08:09 PM	#20 (permalink)
SueColas Paradise Sound Arts Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Palm Bay, Florida Posts: 88	Hi Witley, I had the same problem. I was excited to be doing auditions and was using the invitations as a way to get my confidence up and work on being more conversational. Then everything stopped. Joe is right, it probably won't be changing. It seems the people in charge of V123 are getting more and more crazy instead of really listening to the voice talent to find out what works best. I will be over at voices.com soon. Sue