The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over (43 page)
Read The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over Online
Authors: James Alburger
Today’s voiceover world revolves around the voice actor’s home studio and office. If you are going to be in this business, you will need to dedicate an area of your home for your studio and office. Of course, your office can be put together over a period of time, and you may already have much of it in place. Your home office will, most likely, be run from the same computer that is your home studio.
The purpose of setting up a formal office area is so that you can really keep yourself in a mindset of handling your voiceover work as a business. The recordkeeping and organizational aspects of a business become increasingly important as you begin doing sessions and generating income. If or when you join a union, you will want to keep track of your session work and your union paperwork. There are also certain tax advantages to setting up a formal business and you would be wise to consult a tax advisor or accountant on this matter.
As with any business, it is important for you, as a voice actor, to stay in touch with your clients and prospects. You might want to consider some of these methods for that all-important client communication:
- An answering machine, voicemail box, or service
This is essential for taking calls when you are not otherwise available. Be sure to check for new messages frequently, especially when you get an agent. There are some interesting virtual phone number messaging services available on the Internet for free or for a minimal monthly charge. When you sign up for one of these services, you get a special local phone number and mailbox extension that gives you access to
voicemail, email, and fax—all in one place. This type of service can even “read” your email to you over the phone, and everything is accessible by both phone and over the Internet. An Internet search for “phone messaging service” will reveal many options. - A cell phone
—A cell phone can be one of, if not the, most useful tools you own when you are on the road. It’s become an absolute necessity for staying in touch with clients and your agent. Please remember to turn your phone off when you are in the booth. Better yet, don’t even take it into the booth. Business cards, letterhead and envelopes
—You will be making many contacts as you develop your voice-acting business. As a professional, you should consider each contact as potential work. Your first impression leaves a lasting memory. Even though we live in a largely electronic world, you should consider professionally prepared and printed business cards and stationery as essential ingredients to presenting a professional image.A business card is an absolute necessity as a voice actor. As part of your personal networking, you will want to let everyone you meet know what you do. Your business card is the first and best introduction to you and your talent, followed closely by your demo. Always carry a supply of business cards with you and hand them out every chance you get.
The two most important things on your business card are your name and a telephone number where you can be reached. The most common problem with business cards is that the telephone number is too small to read easily. The second most common problem is too much information on the card.
The purpose of a business card is to be a reminder of who you are and how you can be contacted. Include only the most important information about yourself on your card. If you are using a slogan or
Figure 19-1
:
Business card dimensions with sample layout.logo, those should be on the card as well. Keep the design clean and simple for best results (see
Figure 19-1
).- Thank-you notes
—A frequently overlooked, yet very important, business practice is the thank-you note. A brief note of thanks is often all it takes to leave a good feeling with a producer or client. These little notes can easily be prepared in advance, help generate positive memories of your work, and provide a gentle reminder that you are available. - Newsletters and Postcards
—Some voice performers send out a brief printed newsletter on a regular basis to clients and producers. Newsletters can take the form of anything from a simple postcard to a brief letter (mailed in an envelope or simply folded and stapled). Content usually includes a brief description of recent projects and clients and any other interesting information. Of course, your graphic identity should be a part of the newsletter. The purpose of the newsletter or postcard is to keep your name in front of the talent buyer. Keep your copy short, concise, interesting, and to the point. Too much information will result in the mailing being thrown away without even being read. If you have an email address for your contacts, you might compose a brief update on your activities on a monthly basis. The idea is to keep your name in front of the people who book voiceover talent. - Blogs and social networking websites
—
Blogs
(short for web log) have become a popular, and highly efficient, method for voice actors to communicate with their clients and friends in the voiceover community. Blog subscribers receive almost immediate notification when a new post is added that announces a new client or other news. Even if you don’t have a website, you can set up a blog to start establishing your brand and serve as a resource for your prospects and clients. An Internet search for “blog” will bring up numerous blog sites, most of which are free.
There are literally hundreds of social networking sites. Two of the best known are Twitter and Facebook. These sites are similar to blogs in that you can post news and other information, but they are different in that they are accessible to a much broader viewer base.
Perhaps the best social networking site for voiceover talent, that serves double-duty as one of the best resources for learning the inside “secrets” of the business is
www.voiceoveruniverse.com
. This isn’t an online audition site, a discussion board, or a way to stay in touch with clients. Instead, VOU is a gathering place for voiceover performers around the world, where they can share what they know and learn from some of the best in the business. Membership is free, but is limited to voiceover talent only.
Even if your marketing will primarily be through your website and email, there are several marketing items you will want to consider having professionally designed and printed, including business cards, envelopes, and stationery. For best results, take your layout to an experienced printer. However, if you are on an extremely tight budget and possess the necessary computer skills, you can use a laser printer or high-quality, color ink-jet printer to create some of your own print materials.
Consult with a printing service or paper supply company about paper stock and ink colors. These people are in the business of making printed materials look good and may be able to offer some valuable suggestions. If you do your own printing, choose paper stock that reflects your branding. You can purchase specialized papers and even sheets of preformatted business cards, mailing labels, and CD labels, ready to be loaded into your printer. However, be aware that specialty papers or perforated paper for business cards may present a less-than-professional image.
Avery is considered by many to be the standard for blank, preformatted labels. Its website,
www.avery.com
, has a free version of the Avery label printing software that allows for designing and printing on most of its label paper stock. You can find comparable labels for almost every Avery label design at Label Blank,
www.labelblankcorporation.com
.
If you’re printing your own CD labels, you should know that you can save a lot of money by purchasing a box of 100 sheets of Label Blank or Avery labels, rather than the smaller packages of 25 sheets that you’ll find at most stationary and computer stores.
One of the nice things about voice acting is that your physical appearance is far less important than your ability to act. Your job as a voice actor is to market your talents and skills as a vocal performer. Unless you also intend to market yourself for on-camera work, it is usually not a good idea to include a photo of yourself in your promotion materials.
No matter how good your demo might be, a photograph is going to give the talent buyer a face to go with your voice. You can easily be pigeonholed or stereotyped as a result of a photo on your demo or website. Many agents and producers will associate a face to a name before they associate a voice to a name. Although not intentional, this can be a real disservice for the voice actor. My recommendation if you are just starting in this business is to keep your image clean and simple without photos, and let your voice do the selling. Later on, as your image, branding, and credibility become established you might consider adding a photo to your marketing materials.
Of course, there are exceptions. If you are also marketing your talents as a model, an on-camera performer, or if you do live theater, a photo is a
must. As a multifaceted performer, a photo can actually work to your benefit because it will tend to associate your versatility with your name in the mind of the talent buyer. Of course, you should also build separate websites or have dedicated pages to feature the different types of work you do.
If you use a photo as part of your packaging, hire a professional photographer who understands performance headshots to take the picture and make sure the photo reflects your money-voice personality. Your photo is an important part of your branding and must be of the highest quality. Storefront portrait studios will rarely be able to provide effective marketing photos. Interview photographers recommended by your agent and businesses you work with, but be wary of any agent who requires that you use a specific photographer or service provider.
The era of the audio CD as a distribution medium for voiceover demos is rapidly going the way of the audio cassette. CDs will, however, most likely remain an option for voiceover demos for some time to come. If you choose to create audio CD demos, you’ll want the cover, label, and tray card designs to reflect your professional image and branding. There are several options for labeling and packaging your CD demo. Perhaps the most common form of CD packaging is the familiar plastic jewel case. Alternative packaging options include a clamshell case, basic paper or cardboard sleeve, a slim-line jewel case, and a DVD case.
Since the purpose of your CD demo is to present your performing abilities in a professional manner so talent buyers will hire you, it is important that they be able to locate your demo quickly when they are in search of the perfect voice. For those producers who use audio CD demos, the standard jewel case will provide easy storage and visible access to your demo. The slim-line jewel case has no spine, or edge, labeling, and can disappear when placed on a shelf with other demos. The clamshell case and paper and cardboard sleeves all provide no space for anything other than the CD, and are not recommended. Although a DVD case provides for extra information on the cover and an insert inside, it’s not recommended for voiceover demos because it will not fit on the same shelf with other audio CDs. It can be argued that the larger size of the DVD case will make the demo stand out from the crowd, but the reality is that it will usually be stored someplace away from other CDs and can be easily forgotten.
The standard CD jewel case gives you the best possible presentation of your demo with two areas that can hold labeling. The label for the front clear door is called an
insert.
The label for the back of the jewel case (which has folded portions for the two edge labels) is called a
tray card
. For the “do -it-yourselfer,” there are many computer software programs available that include templates for printing both the insert and tray card as well as the round label for the CD. You can find these programs at most office supply stores and many computer retailers, or download the free Avery label
software from
www.avery.com
. For the most professional results you will probably need to find a graphic designer to do the layout for your CD labels for printing by a full-service print shop.
If you are competent with graphic design software, like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Publisher, you may be able to design your own CD label and packaging. You’ll find lots of resources on the Internet for CD label, insert, and tray card design templates to use with your design software. Search for “CD template.” If you do create your own designs, keep in mind that they must have the appearance of being professionally designed. It’s simply not worth trying to save a few dollars if the final product screams “amateur.”
Your jewel case labels should contain the essential information about your demo: your name, a catchy slogan (if you have one), your logo (if you have one), your agent’s name (if you have one), and a contact phone number (yours or your agent’s). This information should also be included on both the
insert
and
tray card
. The back should also include the CD contents, especially if there is more than one demo on the CD. You might also include a short bio of yourself or perhaps a brief client list for added credibility. A website and email address might be other items to include, depending on how you are marketing your demo. For example, if you are represented by an agent, it would not be a good idea to put your personal website or email info on your demo CD.
Regardless of the outer packaging, the CD itself will need some sort of label. Labeling for the CD comes in two basic forms: a paper label and imprinting on the CD. If you are duplicating your own CDs you will be using paper labels. Some CD duplicators will also use paper labels for short run CD duplication. However, other duplicators will use the more professional-looking process of imprinting your label design directly on the CD. Before placing your duplication order, check around for the best pricing and labeling format.