Online Auditions - how many's too many?

Jon Morss · 03-05-2008, 01:43 AM

JS - I can always back my statements. But, I was trying to offer a voice of encouragement rather than try to trash a person because they are attempting to gain a foothold in the business. Like Roger/Jon, I too have a day job that more then covers my own bills and such and affords me the opportunity to pay for classes and buy gear that I will need when I really get going. Everyone has to start somewhere, and I am sure you had to start at the bottom at one point in your career. That is unless you had some sort of magic elf that zapped you with the great gift of being a VO master. That would be cool. I wonder, if you had to start again in today's VO world if you would be in the same boat as Roger/Jon. The world will never know. One thing for me though, I don't let negative folks like you discourage me from a path I choose. If I did, I would not be where I am at today in the non VO World. VO is just another journey for me and others that choose to follow the insane path. Some get the short path, while others get the long and some just go astray. Its just a matter of how much fun you have along the way. The idea is to have fun and not worry about the money thing. And, if you can't support yourself with VO, then choose another path. There are plenty to pick from.

As far as how many auditions are too many, my answer is there is no limit. I'll keep auditioning as long as I can and until there are no more auditions to send in. If it takes a life time, so be it. I will not stop and I will not put a limit on myself.

roger · 03-05-2008, 07:58 AM

I intend to keep pursuing my VO career for quite a while and I'm only mildly discouraged. Just wanted folks to share experiences. Hope I didn't cause any unrest in the ranks. I admire everyone here.
I appreciate everyone's remarks from all corners. A wise person advised me, long ago, to "get your news from several sources".
Radio and TV has supported me my whole life and continues to, but my true love is VO and I may have waited late in life to start it, but it will happen.
Other peoples experiences are a great learning tool.
Thanks to all for the advice and I hope someday to return the favor.
-roger

jsgilbert · 03-05-2008, 10:56 AM

Connie,
My post was merely in response to Mr. Morss suggesting that what I say be disregarded. Perhaps you missed his post a few above yours. Say what you will about me, but I have never been so brazen as to say to disregard anyone, only that a person should understand that with anything as emotionally charged as voiceover, it's quite easy to lose perspective. I have noticed many former "cheerleaders" on here who no longer are around. In fact, some of their v.o. websites are gone and I can only assume that clearer heads prevailed. I can only hope that their experiences justified whatever suffering may have gone along with whatever they risked to pursue their dream. I notice on another forum that when somebody doesn't post anymore, the assumption is that they're so busy doing v.o. they don't have time to post. Does that really make sense. Isn't it far more likely that they've given up. And THERE is absolutely nothing wrong with that. As I mentioned, everybody has their bottom.

When someone who has been in the industry for 20+ years, sits on advisory boards to game developers and ad clubs and schools and who also hires talent, directs and produces, stops to offer some opinion, even if it's not the "popular opinion", should he not be a little upset when someone with virtually no expereince, involvement in the industry and no real point says to "disregard him".

Maybe it would ring truer if someone who had to claim bankruptcy because they didn't know when to throw in the towel came along and chimed up.

So, I'll just make the popular choice and leave you all to learn and grow from Mr. Morss.

Jon Morss · 03-05-2008, 01:50 PM

JS - Dude, you give up waaaaay to easy. Beside, what do you care about the comments from a noob like me, right?

I have the utmost respect for you as a VO Artist. You have tremendous knowledge and expertise in the field and I would never try discredit you for that.

However, my main concern was that you pretty much discredited all of the VO pros out there that have taken the time out of their busy schedules to share the knowledge and experience they have obtained in the business. Just because someone teaches and asks for compensation does not mean they are doing it for the money. It takes money to host a class and for their time. For me, I would rather learn from someone that has experience and skills in the area of VO that I am interested in rather than just shoot from the hip. When I was going to school to obtain a Masters Degree in Software Engineering, if I knew the instructor was not an experienced pro in the Software business, I would avoid the class. I take the same approach with VO.

One thing though, outside of the occasional teenager, from my understanding everyone on the forum is an adult. In that respect they should be able to decide for themselves what their limits are and whether or not they are getting themselves in hole monetarily. Also, if my advice and suggestions are not in line with what they think is appropriate, then they can discard them. I just have enough faith in folks that they will make the right choice for themselves.

Take care man.

Lizden · 03-05-2008, 01:57 PM

Oh...OK.....I guess I'll chime in to....when I went the online route of Voices & V123 I was auditioning, doing custom demos EVERY DAY....I lost count after about 500 demos with no gigs....but you know what? That was then, this is now. I can now say that I am a full-time WORKING voice talent.

I still do online auditions - am a member of both Voices & V123 (& others), have clients of my own, I do marketing online & "off"...This is my job. This is what I do. I'm in this for the long run, and all those auditions were GREAT practice.

It all comes back to what Connie & others have said. You have to LOVE voice over to keep keep at it & YES, evaluate yourself, where you were and where you are going, take constructive critiques from those you respect and keep at it.

BUT if you're only in this "for the money" you're in it for the wrong reason. I don't say that in a "hoighty-toighty" (sp?) way, but in the practical aspect of being able to find something that YOU love to do and the money will follow 'cause you'll be spending all your time & energy on it!

VO is what I do. I spend pretty much all my time figuring out ways to market myself, improve my skills & meet others who are in this field...oh yeah, and recording scripts for clients & making them happy! It's FUN for me! and THAT's the key. If you don't enjoy it - and that includes all the auditions - it may not be what you are meant to do.

This is NOT like any other biz, and I don't think you should be worried at all that you've done 300 custom demos with no apparent results. You ARE getting better, just by virtue of the fact that you've recorded 300 scripts!

My $0.02

Peace!

Liz

connieterwilliger · 03-05-2008, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsgilbert

Connie,
My post was merely in response to Mr. Morss suggesting that what I say be disregarded. Perhaps you missed his post a few above yours.

You are correct JS - I must have skipped over that particular post.

Water under the bridge now I think - and from the private emails I have received, lessons learned!

Due to immediacy of the medium and the vast differences between face-to-face communication and the electronic, it is very easy for people to NOT say what they really mean, or perhaps in fact say what they really DO mean, but forget that the forums are very very public.

Differences of opinion are what makes us human and forces us to grow.

Hugs,

bigbry · 03-05-2008, 03:26 PM

No matter what situation life throws you... No matter how long and treacherous your VO journey may seem...

Remember,

"There is always a light at the end of the VOICE OVER tunnel".

JoeActor · 03-05-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbry

Remember,

"There is always a light at the end of the VOICE OVER tunnel".

um... is that a train?

Gotta say, this has been a lively discussion.

Good points on all sides.

I have hope to make a living at VO, but try to stay grounded in reality.
(JS has been an inspiration in reality checking more times than I can count!)

"You have a great voice",
Joe J Thomas
Joe J. Thomas Acting Portfolio

voicy1stef · 03-08-2008, 09:26 AM

Thanks Liz!

you're a star!

JS is cool too. Keeps things balanced.

Lizden · 03-08-2008, 09:33 AM

NOT, Stef!

But thanks!

Liz

03-05-2008, 01:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
Lizden Bi-lingualVO Talent Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 46	Oh...OK.....I guess I'll chime in to....when I went the online route of Voices & V123 I was auditioning, doing custom demos EVERY DAY....I lost count after about 500 demos with no gigs....but you know what? That was then, this is now. I can now say that I am a full-time WORKING voice talent. I still do online auditions - am a member of both Voices & V123 (& others), have clients of my own, I do marketing online & "off"...This is my job. This is what I do. I'm in this for the long run, and all those auditions were GREAT practice. It all comes back to what Connie & others have said. You have to LOVE voice over to keep keep at it & YES, evaluate yourself, where you were and where you are going, take constructive critiques from those you respect and keep at it. BUT if you're only in this "for the money" you're in it for the wrong reason. I don't say that in a "hoighty-toighty" (sp?) way, but in the practical aspect of being able to find something that YOU love to do and the money will follow 'cause you'll be spending all your time & energy on it! VO is what I do. I spend pretty much all my time figuring out ways to market myself, improve my skills & meet others who are in this field...oh yeah, and recording scripts for clients & making them happy! It's FUN for me! and THAT's the key. If you don't enjoy it - and that includes all the auditions - it may not be what you are meant to do. This is NOT like any other biz, and I don't think you should be worried at all that you've done 300 custom demos with no apparent results. You ARE getting better, just by virtue of the fact that you've recorded 300 scripts! My $0.02 Peace! Liz __________________ Liz de Nesnera Bilingual English/French Voice Talent www.hireliz.com SaVoa #07037 2008 Voicey Awards Finalist!

03-05-2008, 03:26 PM	#17 (permalink)
bigbry User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Saskatoon SK Canada Posts: 135	No matter what situation life throws you... No matter how long and treacherous your VO journey may seem... Remember, "There is always a light at the end of the VOICE OVER tunnel". Last edited by bigbry; 03-16-2008 at 08:07 PM.

03-08-2008, 09:26 AM	#19 (permalink)
voicy1stef User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lovely England Posts: 101	Thanks Liz! you're a star! JS is cool too. Keeps things balanced. __________________ Acting is Art, Love, Giving & Prosperity Do the thing you love and the money will follow //(^.^)\\ www.stefsvoice4u.co.uk www.myspace.com/stefsvoice2 Last edited by voicy1stef; 03-08-2008 at 09:30 AM.

03-08-2008, 09:33 AM	#20 (permalink)
Lizden Bi-lingualVO Talent Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 46	NOT, Stef! But thanks! Liz __________________ Liz de Nesnera Bilingual English/French Voice Talent www.hireliz.com SaVoa #07037 2008 Voicey Awards Finalist!

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03-05-2008, 01:43 AM	#11 (permalink)
Jon Morss Jon Morss Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Antelope, CA Posts: 308	JS - I can always back my statements. But, I was trying to offer a voice of encouragement rather than try to trash a person because they are attempting to gain a foothold in the business. Like Roger/Jon, I too have a day job that more then covers my own bills and such and affords me the opportunity to pay for classes and buy gear that I will need when I really get going. Everyone has to start somewhere, and I am sure you had to start at the bottom at one point in your career. That is unless you had some sort of magic elf that zapped you with the great gift of being a VO master. That would be cool. I wonder, if you had to start again in today's VO world if you would be in the same boat as Roger/Jon. The world will never know. One thing for me though, I don't let negative folks like you discourage me from a path I choose. If I did, I would not be where I am at today in the non VO World. VO is just another journey for me and others that choose to follow the insane path. Some get the short path, while others get the long and some just go astray. Its just a matter of how much fun you have along the way. The idea is to have fun and not worry about the money thing. And, if you can't support yourself with VO, then choose another path. There are plenty to pick from. As far as how many auditions are too many, my answer is there is no limit. I'll keep auditioning as long as I can and until there are no more auditions to send in. If it takes a life time, so be it. I will not stop and I will not put a limit on myself.

03-05-2008, 07:58 AM	#12 (permalink)
roger User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Central Kentucky (Bluegrass region) Posts: 36	I intend to keep pursuing my VO career for quite a while and I'm only mildly discouraged. Just wanted folks to share experiences. Hope I didn't cause any unrest in the ranks. I admire everyone here. I appreciate everyone's remarks from all corners. A wise person advised me, long ago, to "get your news from several sources". Radio and TV has supported me my whole life and continues to, but my true love is VO and I may have waited late in life to start it, but it will happen. Other peoples experiences are a great learning tool. Thanks to all for the advice and I hope someday to return the favor. -roger

03-05-2008, 10:56 AM	#13 (permalink)
jsgilbert jsgilbert Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 148	Connie, My post was merely in response to Mr. Morss suggesting that what I say be disregarded. Perhaps you missed his post a few above yours. Say what you will about me, but I have never been so brazen as to say to disregard anyone, only that a person should understand that with anything as emotionally charged as voiceover, it's quite easy to lose perspective. I have noticed many former "cheerleaders" on here who no longer are around. In fact, some of their v.o. websites are gone and I can only assume that clearer heads prevailed. I can only hope that their experiences justified whatever suffering may have gone along with whatever they risked to pursue their dream. I notice on another forum that when somebody doesn't post anymore, the assumption is that they're so busy doing v.o. they don't have time to post. Does that really make sense. Isn't it far more likely that they've given up. And THERE is absolutely nothing wrong with that. As I mentioned, everybody has their bottom. When someone who has been in the industry for 20+ years, sits on advisory boards to game developers and ad clubs and schools and who also hires talent, directs and produces, stops to offer some opinion, even if it's not the "popular opinion", should he not be a little upset when someone with virtually no expereince, involvement in the industry and no real point says to "disregard him". Maybe it would ring truer if someone who had to claim bankruptcy because they didn't know when to throw in the towel came along and chimed up. So, I'll just make the popular choice and leave you all to learn and grow from Mr. Morss.

03-05-2008, 01:50 PM	#14 (permalink)
Jon Morss Jon Morss Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Antelope, CA Posts: 308	JS - Dude, you give up waaaaay to easy. Beside, what do you care about the comments from a noob like me, right? I have the utmost respect for you as a VO Artist. You have tremendous knowledge and expertise in the field and I would never try discredit you for that. However, my main concern was that you pretty much discredited all of the VO pros out there that have taken the time out of their busy schedules to share the knowledge and experience they have obtained in the business. Just because someone teaches and asks for compensation does not mean they are doing it for the money. It takes money to host a class and for their time. For me, I would rather learn from someone that has experience and skills in the area of VO that I am interested in rather than just shoot from the hip. When I was going to school to obtain a Masters Degree in Software Engineering, if I knew the instructor was not an experienced pro in the Software business, I would avoid the class. I take the same approach with VO. One thing though, outside of the occasional teenager, from my understanding everyone on the forum is an adult. In that respect they should be able to decide for themselves what their limits are and whether or not they are getting themselves in hole monetarily. Also, if my advice and suggestions are not in line with what they think is appropriate, then they can discard them. I just have enough faith in folks that they will make the right choice for themselves. Take care man.