Voiceovers And Pay-To-Play Websites – GKN Weekly Update 10/17/11

Ever since I became an active member of the voiceover community, I have noticed that there has always been one great, raging debate: pay-to-play websites.

What’s the debate? It’s divided into two camps. One camp feels that using sites like Voices Dot Com and Voice123 is a legitimate, viable way of getting voice work and does so, charging industry-commensurate rates. One camp feels that it undermines the integrity of the voiceover industry by allowing producers to underpay and voice talents to underbid and do $300 jobs for $50 and sometimes even less. BTW there is a third camp. It’s the voice talents & voice seekers who actually do underbid and underpay, thus perpetuating the debate. You never hear from these folks, understandably.

To get to the bottom of this debate, Peter O’Connell is currently conducting an experiment via Voices Dot Com, which you can read about here. Russell Sanders wrote a report on pay-to-play websites, which you can read here. What do I think of pay-to-play websites, you may ask? I think they are like television, alcohol, and fire. It’s not what they are, it’s about how you use them.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Here is my advice on how to get work from pay-to-play websites. It’s very complicated, so bear with me. Ready?

Screen effectively, audition professionally, and bid ethically.

If you can do those three things, you will find success and be a productive member of the voiceover community. If you can’t or won’t do those things, may I suggest telemarketing?

NEWS AND NOTES

Our good friend Doug Turkel suggested that in order to help find your brand, one thing you can do is conduct a Marketing Survey. You contact your clients and ask for a few words describing your sound and the experience of working with you. I was planning on putting that in my quarterly newsletter that I sent out last week (if you didn’t get it you can read it here), but I thought I’d save it for today instead. If you have worked with me in the past, could you take a moment to do that for me? I’d really appreciate it! Feel free to email me, reply to this blog, post it on Facebook, spray-paint it on a water tower, whatever works for you.

BTW if you’re reading this and things look a tad different, that’s because I just had some changes made to my website. Thanks to Jessalynn Coolbaugh for the great work! The website is now more reflective of my logo/tagline. This is the first of many steps I’m taking to further establish my brand. If you go the main page, check out what I wrote, and let me know what you think.

Delicious Orchards is one of many precious childhood memories. I took my mother and the world-famous Asha there over the weekend and it did not fail to delight.

That’s them checking out the tractor and hay bales. It’s in Colts Neck, NJ and the array of amazing baked goods, produce, and confections will blow your mind! Go to www.deliciousorchardsnj.com to learn more.