Wow, Alex just put Talkback in LOCKDOWN at V123

[Colin Campbell]

Julie, I apreciate your sentiments very much. I just want to say that we as a group were attacked as "the problem" and that is why we reacted as we did.

[Julie Williams]

Good point.
And I know that no one on the forum was considered as a customer with viable feedback. I could feel that. I just really feel sorry for Juan and Alex.
\
Don't get me wrong. I do agree with what you said about voice123. That's one of the reasons I started this forum... because I knew it would just be a matter of time before people couldnt' express their opinions about v123 on the v123 forum.

Users of this forum aren't my customers... just a community of VO talent who can help each other by communicating, posting tips, reviews, etc.

I hope I didn't come on too strong in my posting. I find your posts very valuable and wouldn't want you to stop. But I wanted to express my opinion too!

Thanks for hearing me!

[Colin Campbell]

Julie, you are an angel. I was just starting to post messages over there about how we could keep in touch as a group when the inevitable happens and then you started this forum. We are a pretty tight knit group of folks who have helped and supported each other through thick and thin. Many of us have started to "make it" through "that other forum" (Myself included.) We don't want to lose touch with each other and you have provided a place to gather.

I have met some of the finest, most selfless people I've ever met at the Savvy forum and I don't want to let that go.

Thank you for a "safe haven."

[Julie Williams]

:oops: I don't ever recall being referred to as an "angel!"

Soooo.. where is Scott Pollack? He is one who I've known for years...and I expected him to be among the first to jump ship! Yes, I know he's registered here...but I haven't seen him post anything lately!

[Colin Campbell]

Originally Posted by Julie Williams

:oops: I don't ever recall being referred to as an "angel!"

Soooo.. where is Scott Pollack? He is one who I've known for years...and I expected him to be among the first to jump ship! Yes, I know he's registered here...but I haven't seen him post anything lately!

Yes, and Robert Jadah. I was in email contact with Robert today and told him to register and he said he would. I'm looking forward to it. He is a very stable, creative and paternal influence. Always kind, eternally witty in the most sophisticated of ways. A valueable contribution always.

[mirrenlee]

Julie,

I also would like to thank you - again - for all the work you do for the voice-over Industry with everything from your eZine to this forum. I would also like to clarify about Juan. I have nothing personal against him - I did get frustrated with his non answers, but that's obviously a trait over there.

The main point I made, and would like to reiterate, is that Juan does NOT "work" for V123 - he is a co-founder, and as such, I would take that to mean he is also responsible for everything he says and everything that is going on. If you haven't done so, I suggest you visit www.torrenegra.com and see who's an employee and who's a "co-founder". It's interesting how Alex puts himself forward as the "boss" (someone said on the other forum how they were appreciative that the CEO of the company took time out from his busy duties to drop into the forum, but really, he's a "co-founder", too) and the one making all the decisions.

I just think, as with everything else, they should have more clarity about what they do and who does what.

It's not personal - and I understand how frustrated they must be at the way their baby has turned out. But they absolutely refuse to acknowledge that it's not working overall. I think the ratings system is absolutely offensive, and the latest statement from them over there that's been posted by Alexis continues to inflame that particular issue.

However, it's not going to change, and those of us who don't like it will just have to use another site. However, the Forum is something special, and I sure hope people come over here instead. The help, support and encouragement are so wonderful.

So thanks again for providing this.

Mirren

[Colin Campbell]

Amen... Mirren!

[Julie Williams]

Wow, Mirren,
I didn't even know that Juan was co-founder! I knew he was head of marketing. As such, I'd say he did a great job.

Sadly, it seems that we voiced our disappointment to the RIGHT ears, but they turned out to be deaf ears. Oh well.

The good thing is... I now spend more time marketing myself --the time I used to spend auditioning at v123. Cos while I rarely get good leads from them now...when I do, I don't get there first. I've still gotten a handful of jobs from them since the change...but I've gotten so much MORE work on my own.

It would probably be worth the money to renew...but frankly, I don't know that it would be worth the frustration.

Ssssshhhhh.....I've got an idea, though... and I"m going to try it. I won't tell anyone yet. but if it works... I'll share privately. It'll be a few weeks before I'll know.

[mirrenlee]

Yes, I know - the whole who's-in-charge hierarchy seems to be a big secret over there.

Okay, I'll wait to hear about your secret - but I sure wish it would involve starting an online voice casting system! :wink:

I'm not renewing, either, because not only do I think the system is appalling, but I also don't think they get enough work in. I figured out from the Summary they send out, since they show us both what we were suited for as well as what we were not, that they're getting in about 20 jobs in total a day. For about what - close to 4,000 subscribers?! That doesn't seem like worthwhile odds to me. I don't know what the situation is like at "TOS", but I'm going to check out the stats before subscribing. An online casting service sure seems like a good idea for the future of the Industry, but someone has to get it right, for both the Seekers AND the Talent. Otherwise, you're right - it's better to take the time to market ourselves personally.

Mirren

[Lee Gordon]

Originally Posted by Julie Williams

I think that Voice123 spent a fortune on what they hoped to be a great product improvement... which is bombing. I disagree with the premise behind their SmartCast (not all their changes, just Smartcast and the ratings) and how it rewards the fastest--rather than the best. And I feel it "controls" the marketplace. And the price increase accompanying such a drop in service is shocking.

I know this is not necessarily the popular sentiment among the membership here (which thus far seems to consist largely of Voice123 "escapees") but I would say that characterizing Voice123 or SmartCast as "bombing" is highly speculative and by no means based upon any impirical facts but, rather, is an assumption drawn from the strongly negative comments of a small but very vocal group. Voice123 has well over a thousand members and the bulk of the protests are coming from a couple of dozen dissatisfied custimers. I am not in any way suggesting that only those people who are speaking out are the ones who are upset. All I'm saying is that to declare that the service is bombing is a leap I am not yet prepared to take.

I also believe that, no matter how you feel about SmartCast, it no more rewards the fastest over the best than the previous system did. Under the pre-SmartCast system you practically had to be sitting at your computer the moment the notification of a job arrived in your e-mail or risk being stuck so far back in the queue that your audition would never be heard. I don't know that SmartCast is any sort of improvement, but the previous system was definitely first-come-first-served.

I totally agree that a $100 price increase being introduced simultaneously with a major, potentially controversial, change in the process was ill advised.