More VO talent - Why?

Allen Brown · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006, 15:35 (GMT) Post subject: More VO talent - Why?

I've observed that people who run voice talent pools and also people who teach or consult in our field are often found promoting the growth of people getting into the business.

I'm supportive of activities that help develop our skills and marketing techniques. I am, however, unable to understand how more people getting into an already fiercely competitive business will help me.

Please understand, I'm not looking to prevent newcomers or to lock anyone out.

I know people want to sell their books and consulting businesses, but I have to look out for myself, too. I'm asking, honestly, if someone could please explain why getting more people into this business is beneficial to me financially.

Robert Jadah · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006, 16:44 (GMT) Post subject: voice-over-load

Allen:
Yeah, it's funny. It's like we're supposed to be cheering as the life-raft gets fuller and fuller.
It grows, I think, out of the simple fact that there is relatively little money to be divvied up in a teeming throng. I mean, it ain't Hollywood here.
You see us scrambling for $100 crumbs, mostly because we truly like what we're doing.
So - naturally - some wise people take to making voice-over money from the voice-over people. That makes a bigger, more reliable market.
Obviously, it's not in your or my interest to welcome any more people aboard. We barely have enough food and water as it is.
But they're going to keep coming anyway, so we might as well be nice.
Only we aren't obliged to buy tour maps from them.
Voice On!
Robert Jadah

Allen Brown · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006, 18:08 (GMT) Post subject:

Robert -
Glad to know I'm not alone in seeing how more folks in the biz is not in our best interest. I agree, we might as well be nice, and I always have been. I am, however, adopting the attitude that encouraging people to jump in is going to sink us all. I can understand how it might serve producers, but in my opinion, it's not what working talent wants or needs.

I guess I'm directing these comments to Voice123. We're they're bread and butter. So are the producers. It's the talent, however, who are paying the freight here. A real "Catch 22" case, huh?

I'm rambling, but I suppose what I'd like to see is less "information for those who always wanted to get into the business but didn't know how"...and more nurturing of the talent already aboard.

While I'm a happy Voice123 client, these problems of competition always come up and I often wonder if I'm sleeping with the enemy.

Freddie Molina · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006, 18:55 (GMT) Post subject:

Hello Allen,

I totally understand where you’re coming from, Voice123 is always working to become a resource of information and exposure targeted to voiceover talents and talent seekers. Voice123 works equally on attracting new talents as well as new clients, having a healthy balance on focus.

The information provided to any user of the site is relevant to anything related to the VO industry and more is added everyday, some sections always refer to starting in the business, improvement, etc.

To be honest the amount of people getting in to the business is nothing to worry about, on one part the industry is growing thanks to the Internet and new technologies, in the other hand the industry has natural filtering system, it requires a lot of perseverance and talent from new comers to succeed in the business.

The growth of the industry was expected and necessary, especially now that the information is only one click away and we’ll start seeing so many new things and services.

daumen rauf

Allen Brown · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006, 19:33 (GMT) Post subject:

Hi Freddie,

Maybe it's nothing for YOU to worry about! Hey, I'm just ribbin' you a little. I know you guys want us to be happy. But, look, Voice123 is NOT coming from the same place as we working voice stiffs.

I get a twitch in the wallet everytime I hear someone on the webinars or the newbie forum talk about encouraging more players in this biz.

Hey, I've done it too. I've taken weeks of my life chatting on the phone with wannabes and when I hang up I realize that kid wants MY job..AND I'M HELPING HIM! Eeeek.

I guess we're a just too nice for our own good because it seems that we're all very happy to reveal the "secrets" of our profession. Your most recent webinar said there are no secrets. Well, duh...not now! "Come on backstage kid and I'll show you how we saw the lady in half!"

Personally, I'm drawing the line. Call me mean, paranoid, protectionist, crotchety, whatever. But, there really ARE some secrets about how to succeed in this business. Many of them have not yet been revealed by the "teachers". I know many of those secrets and starting here and now I'm not passing them on. It just makes no sense to train my replacement.

It is each of your paying member's decision to decide if it's logical to support a training site. It's a decision I'll be weighing when renewal time comes up.

Freddie Molina · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006, 22:50 (GMT) Post subject:

Allen,

As I mentioned in my prior message I totally understand where you’re coming from. The new version 2.0 of voice123 is being developed with this in mind, giving more chances to professional talents, having less talents competing for the same job and the jobs being more specific for each talent.

The new version should be out very soon, please check it out before making your decision, you should notice the difference.

Keep me posted on your thoughts.

Allen Brown · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 02:21 (GMT) Post subject:

I'll wait for the magic.

Peggy Day · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 02:33 (GMT) Post subject:

As a newbie to this business I take offense to these comments. Maybe Voice 123 should have cut off any new talent after May, 2005. Everyone has to start somewhere and to imply that we newbies are taking your bread and butter sounds a little bit (sorry boys) WHINY to me! My sister is a semi-successful screenplay writer and she will tell you when she gets down about submitting screenplay after screenplay she reminds herself to just be thankful she gets to be in the dance! So chin up boys the sun will shine tomorrow!! Happy Holidays! Peggy.

Robert Jadah · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 03:37 (GMT) Post subject: VoiceOverLoad

Peggy:
From where I sit, you misread the gist here...
The whining (and you're right; that's what it is) is not about newbies per se, but rather about the continual carnival-barking to get more and more people into the game.
There's a huge difference between voicers stepping on to the dance floor and the voicing community actually going into the streets, corraling them and herding them in.
As I see it, the posts here concern the business feeding off itself: inviting any and all to Come On Down, buy the books, pay for the courses, invest in the premium, and then sit back and count your money.
The debate is simply whether or not it is in our best interest to falsely and widely generate a hopeful buzz.
After all, your sister can fictionalize and write. That makes her pretty unique right away.
Most anybody can talk. But that doesn't mean they can voice-act.
And our leaders shouldn't pretend it does.
That's all we're talking about.
I think.
Welcome to our fragile world.
Robert Jadah

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 04:37 (GMT) Post subject:

Here's my take on it, for whatever it's worth... and I think it applies to ANY type of business, whether it's voiceovers, web design, professional juggling (one of my best friends actually does that for a living!), and so on.

There will ALWAYS be new folks trying to break into the field. Some will have talent, many will not. The cream will rise to the top and the best will prosper, flourish and grow. Those who can't cut the mustard will not only not pose any real threat to the best in the industry, but they will eventually drop out. Along those lines, the 'threat' of new and better talent forces everyone to stay on their toes, continue to strive to be better at what they/we do, and always look for ways we can improve and educate ourselves. As a 'old-fart' radio producer, had I not mastered the art of complex digital audio editing, I would have been out the door years ago. I'm grateful that I was 'forced' into learning new technology that I might otherwise have shied away from.

The influx of talent, be it new or seasoned, helps me to re-evaluate just where I stand in the talent pool. If I can be honest about how I measure up, then I can grow and do better.

There will ALWAYS be competition - in ANY field. Wishing it away doesn't make it go away. So since we're all going to be slugging it out anyway, it's nice that in an environment like V123.com we can do it while supporting each other.

Todd Ellis · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 06:43 (GMT) Post subject:

I'll echo Scott. the cream WILL rise to the top ... or at least somewhere near the middle. There are a lot of industries in this big-ole world that recruit heavily to fill, not only present demand, but to build a future pool as well. I have to face it - I can't voice the part of a 14 year old boy anymore. Somebody has to do it.

As far as training and advice go - if you don't have the dedication and the chops you're going to pick a different path pretty quickly. Darwin is still hard at work.

The issue I have is the non-premium members (or whatever it's called) clogging up the slough. I'm not against an evaluation period - that's just smart, but maybe there should be a time limit.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 13:25 (GMT) Post subject:

Todd, in regards to the non-premium members, they're not getting any of the public leads anyway, and from my experience private leads are few and far between, so the non-paid members probably aren't clogging up the proverbial slough very much.

Freddie Molina · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 14:40 (GMT) Post subject:

Hello again everyone,

Allen Brown · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 16:21 (GMT) Post subject:

Hi all!

I hope everyone knows that, as I stated in my earlier post, that I'm not out to block newcomers. I couldn't even if I wanted to do so. And I agree with what some of you are saying that competition is inevitable, keeps us on our toes, cream will rise to the top, etc. etc. All true.

As someone who's competed in this field for years I certainly know the truth that wishing away your competitor is fruitless.

The point wasn't to discourage competition which would be a futile effort. My point was should we be ENCOURAGING competition? irre

Peggy Day · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006, 21:25 (GMT) Post subject: Re: VoiceOverLoad