The PERFECT MAN--OR WOMAN to work for

[Julie Williams]

For the September V-ZINE... and as a courtesy to a client who asked my opinion on this, I'm going to write an article on the top 10 things we LOVE about voice seekers.... please post some here...

It'll help the voice seekers see OUR point of view...and also, I will pull from it for the article!

Thanks Everyone.

[Grant Holmes]

Okay, I'll jump in.

CLARITY

I can't believe how many leads that I read and re-read and think, "I have NO IDEA what they mean."

Like, "Below you'll find the script for a 60 video" (The script reads about 1:30 long)

So do they not know how to proofread their own lead?
Do they not know word counts or any way to know if there's too many words to fit into 60 seconds?
Do they have a 60 MINUTE video and this is just a lead in/out?

ETC> 5 bazillion examples of dumb leads I'm sure.

CLARITY would be nice.

[KaraEdwards]

Julie,

Obviously I love it when a voice seeker hires ME for a project, but there are many other things that make us love our seekers (drumming up Harry Potter imagery!).

Details, details, details! I love seeing lots of descriptive details in the audition requests. It helps us know what direction to go in our audition. It is impossible to know what is going on in the mind of a writer and it is our job to get as close as we can. The more details provided...the better! More than just gender and age, I love words like 'attitude', 'hip', 'coporate', 'serious'...etc, etc.

I love when a full budget break-down is provided. Then we can know if it is something we should audition for or not. Less time wasted for us and them! If they are seeking an idea of fees, be sure to provide exactly what they are looking for. For example, I need quotes for a :30 radio commercial, 13 week run, market #60....etc. would be wonderful!

OK...I'll keep thinking, I'm sure there are lots of great suggestions for this topic!

[Colin Campbell]

Seemingly drug induced direction such as (these are real...)

"Dead pan but excited."

"I want you to SOUND depressed but I don't want you to BE depressed."

Describing the music he wanted under...

"Chopin on queludes."

[Lee Gordon]

But what's even worse than those silly directions is no direction at all. I've been in this business for a while as both a copywriter and a voiceover talent so I have a pretty good idea of how a piece of copy ought to sound -- but it's my idea. That's great if I'm reading a piece of my own copy, but when I'm working for someone else I wouldn't mind a little feedback.

There have been times when I would go through an entire session with barely a reaction from the client. Now, I have to assume it's simply because I am such a seasoned professional that I gave him exactly what he wanted, often on the first take. However, any time I have worked with one of these no-reaction guys, I have always left the studio with the nagging feeling that he hated what I did, didn't think there was any way he could coax what he wanted out of me, and just didn't bother trying. I realize that's probably just paranoia on my part. But I'd still rather have a guy tell me something I read sucks than have him just sit there.

[Colin Campbell]

Originally Posted by Lee Gordon

But what's even worse than those silly directions is no direction at all. I've been in this business for a while as both a copywriter and a voiceover talent so I have a pretty good idea of how a piece of copy ought to sound -- but it's my idea. That's great if I'm reading a piece of my own copy, but when I'm working for someone else I wouldn't mind a little feedback.

There have been times when I would go through an entire session with barely a reaction from the client. Now, I have to assume it's simply because I am such a seasoned professional that I gave him exactly what he wanted, often on the first take. However, any time I have worked with one of these no-reaction guys, I have always left the studio with the nagging feeling that he hated what I did, didn't think there was any way he could coax what he wanted out of me, and just didn't bother trying. I realize that's probably just paranoia on my part. But I'd still rather have a guy tell me something I read sucks than have him just sit there.

When I used to produce every day, I'd seen it. I'd have the client and the talent in the studio. The guy'd read it. The client would offer small suggestions and the talent would read it exactly the same. The client would thank him, shake his hand and the talent would leave. Then the client would turn to me and say.. "we're not using that." Of course that was a talent that couldn't take direction. He just kept reading it exactly the same every time.

[Lee Gordon]

That's actually one of the downsides of sites like Voices.com or Voice123. Somebody may turn in a killer audition for a project, get hired, and then and only then might the producer discover that the guy can't take direction. There may have been something in the guy's demo that struck a chord even if it was not exactly the way the producer would have wanted it. The producer later discovers that what he heard in the demo was what he was going to get in the finished product, come hell or high water.

There are plenty of guys with better voices than me but one way I have always managed to stay in business is that I can take direction. My regular clients know this but there really is no way to adequately convey this fact through an e-mailed mp3 file to a total stranger.

[Julie Williams]

OK... so

CLARITY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION..

Personally, I don't like it when they give a lot of direction. I like it when the script is good enough for me to feel my way through it.

Here's what I love in a voice seeker

RESPECT TALENT'S TIME: They DON'T CLOSE IT before they say they will. The reason I don't do a lot of custom auditions is because I've done them and then gone to post--only to find the job is closed.

RESPECT TALENT'S TIME: They DON'T DEMAND CUSTOM audition for a low budget spot. When I cast, I offer copy but request demos and will only ask a custom of talent who are in the finals.

RESPECT TALENT'S TIME: Pay in advance so we don't have to chase down their account's payable dept. I normally do require pia.. not because I don't believe they won't pay, but because I'm a one person office right now and I don't hve time to do collections. It's been my experience that if a client doesn't pay before getting his audio, he'll forget, or it gets lost, and I end up having to track it down.

So.,.. I guess, if I were to sum up what I love about my clients, is they respect my time! And I love it when I wake up to a paypal payment and script in my email. I usually have it done for them by the time they're in the office that day! The repeat business is awesome!

[KaraEdwards]

Good ones Julie! Especially the paying part...I know I spend half my time seeking payment (several of my clients are dealerships...they can be slow with all the red tape).

Another big annoyance is the custom auditions...I wish they would listen to our demos (which we spend so much time and money on!) first, then ask 5-15 people for custom auditions.

That would save time!

[Julie Williams]

Exactly! I agree on the custom auditions!

I always do it that way (offering copy too in case someone wants to do custom...they have option) until narrowed down to the final few. But they often dont' know any better. It's easy to see that from this side of the fence.