Study First---Demo Later (Maybe)

It's always amazing when people contact me about making a demo with me and when I speak with them (phone coaching, telecoaching) or in-person, they are not ready to even consider doing a demo. Their speech is not adequate, they have no vocal expression, their voice has problems such as a raspy sound or speaking in squeaky high pitches all the time or other distracting and unpleasant vocal mannerisms. They have had absolutely no training and want me to make a demo on them? No way. There are certain steps that come BEFORE a demo. Duh. One is to have an 'inkling' of what this business is all about! Would a person start to sell insurance or real estate with no knowledge of that industry whatsoever? One would hope NOT. Would a person who could not write a correct sentence begin to write a play or screenplay? Again, one would hope not. Yet, so many believe voice overs are 'easy money,' 'fun,' 'easy to do,' everyone can do them,' 'everyone who talks can do voice work.' NOT SO!

If you are a person who truly believes you want to get into this field, start learning, studying. Enroll in not one, but six or more workshops with professionals teaching them. Never enroll in a class or workshop that promises you a demo FREE with the class or workshop! Never believe any school or person who promises, "It's easy," "You're perfect for this," "You have a wonderful voice. Enroll with me." "I can make you a success." Don't be a sucker!

Legitimate teachers tell the truth. This is a brutal business. It takes start-up capitol. It's not quick. The in-home recording studio and becoming good at recording techniques is a must in our internet world. It takes marketing and self-promotion. It's a SELLING JOB, basically. It takes constant work getting agents, casting director contacts, clients. The work is on-going and must be continual if you experience continual success.

Those are the facts. Give this blog to a newcomer to read. Convince that person not to make a demo until first they've studied and been coached. That may take years. Just depends...

Sincerely...Bettye Zoller
www.voicesvoices.com

Voiceovers in Europe: My journey

Just returned from Italy and Switzerland working, touring, eating, enjoying. Fabulous but super tiring. Travel is hard, especially today. I hate airplanes. Not pleasant. Ugly. I love trains and that's the great thing about Europe. So easy, so fun, especially first class trains. And you get to see the country. Well, back to the subject...voiceovers I heard. They are similar to the U.S. in the 1960s or 1970s...the females super smiley and syrupy, glossy and super sell. The men, deep baritones at the bottom of their vocal ranges. Some were smarmy, like the old time radio guys. Interesting. But the voices, male and female, were full bodied and rich, not the voices heard too often in North America that my voice therapist friends refer to as "chirpers." Especially the females today in the U.S. really are shallow voiced, chirping, staccato, never smooth or gliding, never full toned. Have you noticed? It's a cultural oddity, this chirping. And it has carried over into voiceovers. Take a listen. You'll see.