Think Thanks

Todd Ellis · Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007, 01:03 (GMT) Post subject:

The 9 year olds - or the ball players? Both?

George Karnes · Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007, 03:28 (GMT) Post subject:

Todd-
What is the dirty newspaper obsession? Are you in the dirty newspaper business? I thought you were a donut hustler.

I know I am a hack, but I am less than a hack today than I was last week. I do have a lot of people telling me I have a "voice" for VO work. I have been hearing it for twenty five years.

As one of the hacks, I want to say I think everyone was a hack at one time. You have to start somewhere. I am starting as a hack. I don't plan to finish as one.

This is a hard business, but I already know there are some of you scratching out a living. But just think, as radio dies and everything goes to the internet where each person in the world can essentially have there own custom station to listen too, who is going to voice all that custom individual content? I think there will be plenty of work even for hacks like me.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007, 02:37 (GMT) Post subject:

Robert,

Regarding the whole topic that started this thread...

Remember when I said this in an earlier post on this thread?:

"The kudos will come guys, and usually when we earn them. Let's focus on landing the jobs, blowing the client away, and then not only hearing them say "You rock!!!" but along with that, saying "Here's some more work for you!".

Now, below you'll find an e-mail I received today from the latest job I got thru V123 here. THIS is what we live for and once we land that client and get responses like this... it's what makes it all worthwhile:

"Hiya Scott,

It’s all excellent! Smile

The client wants to take one more listen before she gives final content approval, but I think she will love it. Go ahead and send me the invoice so I’ll have it ready to process...I’ll let you know if she wants any changes (they would be to the mix, if anything, not the voicing).

I’ll DEFINITELY keep you in mind for future work...In fact, I expect this on-hold message will come back to us for updates now and then. I am so glad to have a good source for this kind of thing – you were a great find!

Brian"

Robert Jadah · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007, 02:45 (GMT) Post subject: Tinker Thanks

Scott:
Exactly! Nothing wrong with the Warm And Fuzzies, huh?
We get a half-dozen of those a year, and they're really, really appreciated. It's nice to be saluted as a pro.
So what's so all-fired screwy about finding a way to thank those graceful posters who are civilized enough to also thank the near-misses?
Sort of like:
"Thank you, Robert. That was pretty darn good. While you'll never be a Scott Pollak, we will keep you in mind next time we almost want perfection."
See? That's better than absolute silence.
In fact, didn't my lady love say something similar just last night?
It's nice. Isn't it?

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007, 02:51 (GMT) Post subject:

You're a mess, Robert! That's why I love ya, bro!

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007, 03:01 (GMT) Post subject:

So here's one of those great replies we all hope to get, Robert. Just got this in my inbox:

"Scott, I really liked your demo. We got over 225 replies. We ranked your voice in the top 5, however your quoted price was slightly on the high side. I'm sure you're worth your price, but unfortunately our budget doesn't match your quote. Some others that we rated in our top 5 were between $75-$125. If you can do this job in this price range, and reply back quickly, we’ll likely give you this work. Keep in mind, there will be 20-30 more similar readings that we'll need over the next 8-12 months, that will all be awarded to the same person (unless your voice box goes bad!!)."

Amy Snively · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007, 03:11 (GMT) Post subject:

So, what are you going to do Scott?

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007, 03:25 (GMT) Post subject:

Funny, Amy.... that seems to be the question people are asking. I'll do it for the high end of the scale ($125) IF it means regular work from these folks. I went to a link they sent me to look at the script and it's not too bad. I Honestly don't even remember what I quoted them, but I'd guess it would be in the $250 range. I'll try to find the lead and see what I quoted.

Colin Campbell · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007, 03:57 (GMT) Post subject:

Gotta watch that "promise of steady work" though. It never seems to happen and I feel it is a technique they use to get your price down. I've been promised in my life "more work" for a concession probably 100 times and NOT ONCE has it ever come true. Just my two cents.

I think they want you, but are screwing with you on rate.

An old joke....

A man walks into a bar.... he meets a lady... he says to her... "would you sleep with me for a million dollars?" She says "of course." He then says "would you sleep with me for $5?" The woman then says... "what kind of a woman do you think I am?" He says... "we've already established what kind of a woman you are, now we are just haggling over price!"

Amy Snively · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007, 04:02 (GMT) Post subject:

The thing is, we're not talking about the difference between $2400 and $1200. We're talking about a company haggling over about $125.

And I'd wager that the person doing the haggling has easily that amount in his wallet this very minute!

It's hard for me to be sympathetic to a business entity that can't cough up another $100-$125 to improve the quality of their messaging. It's not a lot of money. I wonder if they haggle just for sport.

George Karnes · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007, 04:15 (GMT) Post subject:

So Scott,
I think you should tell him that he is an idiot and that you have a larynx not a voice box.

Hey take the money..regular business is always the goal.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007, 03:36 (GMT) Post subject:

So, um, remember THESE folks who were desperate to hear back from me right away and to see if I'd work in their budget?:

"Scott, I really liked your demo. We got over 225 replies. We ranked your voice in the top 5, however your quoted price was slightly on the high side. I'm sure you're worth your price, but unfortunately our budget doesn't match your quote. Some others that we rated in our top 5 were between $75-$125. If you can do this job in this price range, and reply back quickly, we’ll likely give you this work. Keep in mind, there will be 20-30 more similar readings that we'll need over the next 8-12 months, that will all be awarded to the same person (unless your voice box goes bad!!)."

Well, I'll give ya three guesses as to whether I ever heard back from THEM again after responding.

And your first two guesses don't count!

Gotta love this business, eh?
Wink

Robert Jadah · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007, 03:42 (GMT) Post subject:

So he used your OK to drive somebody else down:
"We've got this real pro who'll do it for $125, but if you take $100 you'll get some great exposure and work down the road..."
The slug.
No, that's too kind.
The slug's belly.
Be nice if the site could alert us to those ne'er-do-well fly-by-nighters.
Vice On!

George Karnes · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007, 03:50 (GMT) Post subject:

That is what I was saying in another post. We should be able to rate them and they rate us, like on eBay. It would ad some balance. Then you could decide based on thier feedback if you wanted to take 3 hours to put together a demo for them.

Robert Jadah · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007, 04:09 (GMT) Post subject: Dem slugs of the Day

Yeah, it would be nice.
So would an evening with Angelina Jolie be nice.
Ain't gonna happen, mostly because she's too busy with the kids.
But if Voice123 obliged the posters to divulge their identities and come clean on their shenanigans, they'd go elsewhere.
The solution is for us to mention offenders here.
And - for the simple pleasure of acknowledgement - for V123 to attempt some small sort of feedback system.
Methinks.