Demos on your profile

Rosy Medlin · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007, 01:37 (GMT) Post subject: Demos on your profile

I have heard two types of demos: fully produced snippets of work you've done, and dry snippets of work you've done. I liked the dry versions, as I feel it allows the client to really hear your voice without any distraction. On my page I have one of each. My English demo is produced and my Spanish demo is dry.

What do you think? Do you think the dry demos are unprofessional? Or is it just a new way some folks are doing their demos and is okay?

Amy Snively · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007, 04:05 (GMT) Post subject:

Right or wrong, I usually assume that dry demos on one's website = new to the business/inexperienced. JMHO.

Rosy Medlin · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007, 06:26 (GMT) Post subject:

Gotcha Amy. That's why I was surprised to hear some dry demos at Sunspots Productions' web site. That was the first place I heard vo demos like that.

Ed Gambill · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007, 18:35 (GMT) Post subject:

Rosy, I respectfully disagree that produced demos automatically means professional or experenced. It just means it has production elements on it.

Consider these things regarding demos.

If I’m going to post a demo that shows my past work, it will almost always have production elements in the back ground. The one thing I’ve notice is that a great many demos on Voice 123 are too heavy on music or EFXs and that mask the true quality of the voice, then that maybe good.

If I know my pipes are top tier then I’m selling my voice quality. I want to know that a qualified producer or casting agent is listening, not some dud wanting a phone message cheap.

Did you think the demos that you heard, the dry ones that is, did they demonstrate a level of sound quality that you found pleasing and if you were buying would you consider them. Sun Spot has been around a long time long before voice 123, I don’t believe that they would waist their time loading a dry read into their system if it was less than professional.

When I listen to a potential VO talent, I only want to hear them read the copy in dry form. If they sell me dry I know that what ever music or EFXs I select won’t overpower the read. Every time I’ve auditioned for a commercial, the read was dry with no music or effects.

So far on this site I have had one nibble, but I not been her long. I don’t ever take the time to produce a demo for three reasons. I want my voice to be selected by a professional (note the word professional) who has the experience and ears to discern between voices, and secondly by producing with a music bed I make an assumption about the music that may be or already has been selected. And lastly time being of the essence and the nature of the cattle call this site was, he who waits gets the gate.

The problem this site has demonstrated is, it does not have the ability to generate a goodly supply of leads from qualified producers. Mostly it a barging basement kind of place, please understand thought that I like barging basements, they serve a function. Maybe thats where I need to be looking for gigs.

Now having consider all that you have to decide how you want to present youself to the client.

Good Luck

Kara Edwards · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007, 20:58 (GMT) Post subject:

If I hear a commercial demo that has dry voice, I often thinks it's a beginner VA. I think commercial demos should be produced. However, narration demos are almost always dry...so it really depends on what type of demo it is. For instance, a dry radio imaging demo probably wouldn't work...but I've heard dry character demos that were just fine.

It depends on how compelling it is...ask several people to lisen to it. If they are bored in the first 10 seconds, then it may be time to add some different elements.

Frank Frederick · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 142

Humbly, I present another side of this issue. When working with those folks who need a demo; I always suggest at least one clean, dry, voice-only element in the demo.

The key is to have fun with the audio you produce, and make each element of the demo be able to stand on it's own as a quality presentation of what you do for a living.

In some cases the dry voice has much more power and emotion than a fully produced spot. If I were targeting PBS with my style, then my demo would be dry voice. If I were targeting Imaging for a Hip-hop radio station - my demo would be fully produced with production elements which are designed to attract a particular audience.

Your voice is your Brand. IF - and I re-iterate - IF your brand is designed for a market which uses dry voice - the demo should reflect your brand image.

Toodles

Frank Frederick
"The Voice" tm

Amy Snively · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007, 21:46 (GMT) Post subject:

I agree that there should be some voice without music on a demo here and there. But more often than not, the dry voice demos I hear are unproduced, of atrocious sound quality, and sound very unprofessional.

But if you're looking for truth in advertising, certainly having one of these demos is a good idea if you want voice seekers to know that your studio makes you sound like you're sitting in a metal wastepaper basket with a USB mic and a laptop!

Rosy Medlin · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007, 02:06 (GMT) Post subject:

Yeah, Amy, I've heard some of those myself. I don't know how someone could put that out there. I've got me a really studio, albeit in my closet, so I won't have that problem.

Thanks for your insights, everyone.

Caryn Clark · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007, 03:27 (GMT) Post subject:

Hi there!

I'm a talent on SunSpots, and, if I recall correctly, they produce the demo that they put on their site for you. I should go back and listen to be sure of this, but can't at the moment.

So, that said, if it's dry, I think they did it.

Smile

Caryn

scott feighner · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 227

Amy Snively · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007, 18:14 (GMT) Post subject:

No-- but there are people on V123 who think that a raw recording of them reading any random book, apparently in their bathtub, with big gaspy breaths and mouthsmacks is an audio book demo.

Bob Bair · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007, 20:16 (GMT) Post subject:

Amy,

Oh, so you have heard my narration demos, eh? Wink

I also believe the demos should be produced in some way. Commercial demos should sound like commercials, narration/presentation demos should sound like ...

Imagine an imaging demo dry.

Sell it. Sell yourself.

Amy Snively · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007, 20:22 (GMT) Post subject:

I agree with Bob. Applause

Gregory Houser · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007, 20:36 (GMT) Post subject:

Pretty much with the rest of the crew.

That said, there's a difference between a demo that's been produced and one that's over-produced. There's a talent in my market who sounds great... provided you've spent a few hours editing and fixing his takes.

Needless to say, he doesn't do a ton of repeat business with most places. Sounds great, but it takes too long to do so due to bad technique, etc.

while you can have too little, it's just as easy to have too much processing in your demo. If it's not you, then it's not your demo... so why are you hocking it on the marketplace?

Just my $0.02 though Smile

Debbie Deutsch · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007, 03:37 (GMT) Post subject:

[quote="Robert (Bob) Bair"]Amy,

Oh, so you have heard my narration demos, eh? Wink

chuckle, chuckle Wink