Karen@KarenCommins.com

Karen Commins

Award Winning

Atlanta Audiobook Share-ratorâ„¢

Marketing

Your voice isn’t right for us

After another summer of sweltering heat and daily smog alerts, I especially enjoyed the weather today here in Atlanta. It’s one of those glorious pre-fall days with postcard-blue skies. I say “pre-fall” because the temperatures are still in the 80s, but the late date on the calendar gives me hope that the crisp air of fall is soon on the way.

I was in the car earlier this afternoon when I heard a radio spot that sounded very familiar. I admit that I always feel a flush of pleasure when I unexpectedly hear my voice on the airwaves. Today, though, it was someone else’s voice presenting copy that I also had prepared in a recent audition. Since I obviously was not selected for that job, I listened closely to discern what the producer might have been thinking during the casting process.

A voice-over actor will audition far more than she will be hired. I don’t think about auditions unless I am selected for the job or have one of those lucky times like today when I hear the voice talent in the produced spot. In those cases, I like to analyze the coloration and stress on words and compare the broadcast spot with the audition that I submitted. One time, I heard a man’s voice on TV reading copy the same copy I had used. It’s easy to understand the differences between my read and a man’s version! It’s not so easy to distinguish between my performance and that of another female.

Today, I thought the reads between my audition and the produced spot were very similar. We were closely matched with our phrasing. She stressed one word that I didn’t stress in my audition. Maybe that stress was her idea, or maybe she did it due to direction. The last line was changed, so I don’t know whether the writer modified it or the talent perhaps ad-libbed it in her audition. In either case, I did think it was a better ending line.

The biggest difference I noticed was one I heard with her very first word — the difference of tonal quality. Her voice was a higher pitch than mine. C’est la vie. Another talent being chosen for that job or any job doesn’t take anything away from me or cause me any negative feelings.

While I audition relentlessly for voice-over roles with the scripts from my agent and on-line casting services, much of my work is obtained through my own marketing efforts. Following an inquiry several months ago, I received an e-mail that stated the following:

We appreciate your interest in [this company].
However, at this time, the creative team did not feel that your voice was a fit for our voicing needs.
 

So what exactly does that kind of letter mean?

It means I need to make more inquiries with other organizations. I also could follow up with this company at a later time as their needs may change. It does not mean that I was rejected in any way.

I don’t accept every project offered to me. I may have a conflict, know the client to be a price-shopper or not feel comfortable with the words that would be coming out of my mouth. Yes, the scripts are all acting, but it’s still me who breathes life into the words and utters the sounds. I don’t want or need any job badly enough to compromise my own integrity.

By the same token, I know that my voice is not right for every project. My age and vocal tone passed the 20-year mark…well, let’s just say that birthday was a while back. The writer often has an idea of the pitch range for the words. The producer may have hired someone with a voice like mine in the past and wants something different. If a true 20-year-old voice is wanted, I won’t be the one who is hired.

It would be oh-so-easy to feel rejected when I don’t win the job. I don’t know why I am not selected for the jobs, but I don’t lose sleep over them. My job is to market my talents and audition to the best of my ability. Negative feelings about my performance or skills will only cause my performance and skills to degrade in reality. I choose to feel that I am selected for those parts and projects that are right for me.

The best explanation that I have heard about the selection versus rejection philosophy is in the Voices.com Voice Over Experts podcast with Joan Baker, in which Joan Baker and her guest Rudy Gaskins discuss the myth of rejection. Baker rightly describes the notion of

rejection as a self-imposed punishment that no actor has to take on!

The changing weather reminds me to be grateful that I can enjoy each new day. With each new day are new opportunities to market myself, audition and perform voice-over jobs. Believe me, those conditions create a forecast for a bright and sunny career!

 

Talk like a pirate

Avast ye maties! I’m sure ye’d be knowin’ that this be a special day! Aaarrggh, it be Talk Like a Pirate Day, like it be every time the September sun rises on the nineteenth day.

Another lass and I were discussing this auspicious occasion yesterday, and we wondered why you never see any female pirates in the movies. She advised me that peg legs throw of your balance when you’re wearing stiletto heels. I added that stilettos wouldn’t be very safe when walking on wooden planks. Also, women tend to pursue more hygienic habits and environments than men. Of course, there’s that whole “women considered property through the ages” thing…but I digress.

I have a theory that one reason that the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were so incredibly successful — besides the action-filled storylines, brilliant acting, magnificent scenery, compelling musical score and dentistry appropriate to the time period — is because of the perfect casting. Geoffrey Rush not only looked the part of the pirate, but you have to agree that his pirate talk made ye shiver in yer timbers! Johnny Depp, meanwhile, belied the pirate stereotype and spoke in a completely unexpected manner.

I think a lot of men enjoy creating pirate voices that sound like Geoffrey Rush. If the man is a voice-over actor, he might be tempted to put that pirate voice on his commercial demo. It’s the same for women imitating Margaret Hamilton as the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. We all want to show our range, and some part of us likes to play the villain.

It may be fun to talk like a pirate or a witch, but don’t put those voices on your commercial demo if you want to get booked.First of all, do you ever hear pirates and witches when you listen to TV and radio commercials? The only time witches and pirates seem to invade the airwaves is around Halloween. I wince to admit that my first commercial demo way back when included a witch voice that probably sounded very much like Hamilton. The copy was from a furniture chain’s ad that ran at — you guessed it — Halloween. I later learned that pirate and witch voices are overdone on demos to the point of being trite.

About this time last year, Mary Lynn Wissner of Voices Voicecasting critiqued demos for 19 members of Susan Berkley’s Inner Circle coaching program. I learned much from hearing her comments to other talent. She said you should have a separate animation track only if you can do a lot of voices and can nail the voices perfectly.

Listed below are 7 of Mary Lynn’s tips from that critique session for creating your commercial demo:

  • Get a great director for the commercials demo. Narration demos are easier to produce on your own.
  • Make sure the first spot is your voice, and it jumps out. If the first spot doesn’t grab her attention, she would delete the file. She can hear right away whether you can act, if a voice is interesting or the read is compelling.
  • People get bored within 10 seconds, so a trained ear gets the voice print in 10 seconds.
  • The demo should be no longer than 60 seconds.
  • The 5 foundations of commercial voice-over direction are Warm/Friendly, Wry/Dry, Cosmetic, Authoritative and Real Person.
  • Make the segments short and have variety between each spot so that the voice quality sounds different. Her frequent comment was that the demo contained too much of the same sounding voice.
  • If you’re trying to obtain work in a particular niche, only send the demo appropriate for that niche. In other words, don’t send the commercial demo to the audiobook publishers and training departments.

I do have facility with character voices. I can talk like a pirate or just about anything else you can imagine. I have learned to let those character voices come out to play when it’s time for an audiobook.

In fact, my commercial demo contained a few character voices. Mary Lynn liked a couple of them but then said they sounded like people she knows in Los Angeles. If you use real copy on your demo (which may be another topic for another day), be careful that you don’t use something that people in the business will know is voiced by someone else. She repeated that comment to another group member who had used the “Mastercard…priceless” copy on his demo.

You will notice that I currently am not promoting my commercial demo. I switched to my current coach Nancy Wolfson in large part because I knew that my commercial demo was overdue for an overhaul. With her keen ear and branding expertise, Nancy listened to my demo. Like the barmaid said to the drunken pirate, Nancy said my demo was not serving me. I made that demo walk the plank, and I won’t raise the flag for it until a new one comes aboard.

Two of Nancy’s observations about my last commercial demo may help you:

  • She said my authentic voice was hidden for almost 40 seconds. Busy casting directors won’t listen that long to hear your money voice.
  • Just because you were paid for a spot doesn’t mean it has any place on your commercial demo. Outdated styles of copy and/or production issues like improper volume or musical choices can easily send your demo to Davy Jones’ Locker.

Me hearties, I be supposin’ that this be enough talk about demos and marketing for one day. In the words of me favorite pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow: Now bring on that horizon.

 

No one can promote my business better than me

Over the past several years, I have checked with several local colleges — especially those with pro audio curriculums — to see if I could take a course in audio engineering as a non-degree student. I have a Masters degree in computer information systems, so I’m really don’t want to spend a lot of time and money to pursue another degree! I therefore was quite excited to discover a 4-week course in Pro Tools offered this month by the Art Institute of Atlanta.

This class couldn’t occur at a better time for me. I recently switched my voice-over studio configuration from a PC with Cool Edit software to a Macbook Pro with Pro Tools LE. Earlier this year, I hired a recording engineer to help me streamline my processes. After I bought this computer, he gave me a crash course in using Pro Tools, but I have much to learn about the program.

The first class was held this past Saturday. I am the only voice talent in the group. Most of the students are singer/songwriters, which is understandable when you consider that Atlanta is a thriving music city and home to a Grammy chapter and numerous Grammy winners.

One of my fellow students said he was in a band that had been signed by a minor label. He was wearing the t-shirt for a very famous band. I asked him why he wasn’t wearing a shirt to promote his own band. His answer surprised me.

He told me that it’s an unwritten rule that you don’t wear the shirt to promote your own band.

I told him when you get to be my age (not that I’m that old!), you don’t worry about so-called rules that are based on what other people think about you. I continued, saying that t-shirts are great advertising as you become a walking billboard. People who don’t read anything else will read the words on a t-shirt. I have t-shirts promoting my voice-over business. I usually make a point to wear one when I’m walking some place with a lot of people, like through the Atlanta airport!

As we had this discussion, I was holding a pen imprinted with my name, logo and phone number. My business cards were in my purse, ready to hand out at a moment’s notice. Before leaving home, I thought about wearing my digital ID badge to the class but decided against it since I did not expect a large group. I wasn’t taking enough stuff to warrant use of my imprinted duffle bag.

Marketing books and advisors will tell you that it takes an average of 5-7 contacts with a prospect before they recognize your name and business. Living in the information age means that we are all bombarded with messages from every corner. Creativity and persistence are required in order to get your message across to your intended audience.

Effective branding occurs in part because the prospect receives the same message and graphics in a variety of formats. Part of your branding efforts illustrate characteristics that distinguish you from competitors. Since people make purchasing/hiring decisions based on emotions, you can highlight certain attributes to enhance your brand and appeal to your target market. Terrific voice talent and super nice guy Bob Souer alerted me to an excellent article from Grokdotcom that illustrates this point.

I vividly remember the design of my classmate’s t-shirt. The name of the band is emblazoned in my mind. However, I couldn’t tell you the name of my classmate’s band. He said it once, and like anyone else, I have other things to think about and remember.

Any person in business — particularly in a creative industry like voice-over — should not be afraid to promote themselves. If other people make negative remarks about my efforts, I consider the source. Is the speaker someone I know and respect? Has that person built a business, particularly one in voice-over? Does that person actively promote themselves, or do they sit and wait for somebody else to do the job for them?

In the end, one of the best parts about owning my business is that I only have to please ME!

No one can promote me and my business better than me.

I have reaped the rewards from being a non-conformist with my promotion and publicity efforts.

Speaking of self-promotion, I am excited to announce that I was selected as a finalist in the Voices.com 60-Second Pitch contest! I posted

      my recording
on my web site.. Like commercials in different media, you will note the consistency of message between the words I say when meeting someone and those appearing on the home page of my web site.

I created the pitch using my PC, but I am now creating my recordings on my Mac. Pro Tools is a challenge to learn, but it’s yet another distinguishing trait that I can use in my branding. It is the industry standard software for a reason, and using it means that I will have the capability to transfer session files with my clients. I’m looking forward to gaining in proficiency over the next several weeks while I’m in the class.

By the way, I have already planned my wardrobe for the class this Saturday. Can you guess what I’ll wear? 🙂

 

The 60-second elevator speech contest

I frequently state in my blog that voice-over is a business, yet people write things to me that indicate that they either are ignoring or don’t know about the business aspects of being a voice-over talent. Just last week, someone sent me an e-mail stating that

I believe I have a talent and I would love the freedom and independence that your job provides.
You could do lots of things if you wanted to be free and independent. However, most of those things require some actual work to make them happen. Becoming a voice-over talent is no different. It requires you to continuously work at improving your abilities and gaining publicity for your business.

Speaking of independence, yesterday (4 July) was our Independence Day here in the United States. Since the day is one of the major US holidays, many people decided to declare their independence from work all week. As a business owner, though, I always feel the need to do something each day to further my goals, even when those days fall on weekends, holidays and vacation.

I’m not saying I spend hours working on those off-days, but I usually do something, however small and insignificant it might be. Sometimes I may read a chapter in a marketing book. I might write down people to contact on the next business day. I often will do a quick audition or send an e-mail response to someone. I write entries for my blog. I may write or record a podcast script. (I’m perfecting ideas for 2 different types of shows and am deciding how to present them.)

Yesterday was no different. While it was a holiday, I took an action that wasn’t even on my mind at the beginning of the day. I wrote a 60-second pitch.

What is a 60-second pitch? Why did I write mine yesterday? The answer to both questions is at the Voices.com web site. As usual, Stephanie Ciccarelli has done a brilliant job of explaining the concept of the 60-second pitch — also known as your “elevator speech” — and why it’s needed by every voice talent.

Furthermore, starting tomorrow, Voices.com is sponsoring a contest for the best 60-second pitch among voice talent! The contest is open to all voice talent. After reading about the prizes, I am eager to win! I wrote my pitch yesterday and will record it today or tomorrow after refining it.

By the way, to further emphasize the point about voice-over being a business, I also encourage you to read Stephanie’s excellent and detailed blog entries relating to the business, especially about a business plan and business cards.

So you see, even in a slow week you can do something that will pay big dividends in your voice-over career later on. Even if you don’t win the contest, you will have a succinct speech ready to describe your voice-over business when you are next in a networking situation.


 

Words and pictures from APAC and BookExpo

We’re finally replacing the windows in the kitchen so that all the windows in the house will be triple-pane. With the installer banging on the side of my house right now, it seems like a good time to post my pictures and news from my recent trip to New York for the Audio Publishers Association conference and BookExpo.

The Doubletree Guest Suites Time Square is my favorite hotel in New York. I was pleased to get a BookExpo rate and thrilled with my incredible view of Times Square from the 16th floor.

My view of Times Square

On my free day in the Big Apple (Wed., 30 May), I walked around and boosted the local economy as much as possible. Since Drew was unable to make the trip with me, I bought some presents for him. I first stopped at the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue.

The big APPLE in the Big Apple

I bought a Remote Radio for Drew to use with his iPod. He is delighted that he now can listen to FM radio while riding his motorcycle. I’m sure that Apple Store will be packed tomorrow with the first sale date of the iPhone. I’m going to get one….but not tomorrow!

Love was in the air in New York, but it was also on the ground. Somewhere on my walk, I came upon a sculpture of the Love logo associated with the 1970 film Love Story. In a web search, I learned that the sculpture was created by Robert Indiana and located on the corner of 6th Avenue and 55th Street in Manhattan. Just like I give a different read when voicing scripts, I look for the unusual shot when taking pictures.

Love in New York

The Audio Publishers Association conference was held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on Thursday, 31 May. I like to attend sessions aimed at both audiobook publishers and their narrators, especially since I am planning to start my own audiobook production company. This year, I went to the sessions on alternatives to CDs, technology and a narrators’ panel.

I appreciated hearing from Audio Publishers Association, a literary agent at Inkwell Management. Alexis said it has become increasingly important for agents to retain the rights due to the proliferation of digital downloads. She also said it “makes sense” for authors to have sound bites prepared for podcasts, YouTube, etc. (If any authors or publishers need professional voice talent to assist with these types of endeavors, call me!) Alexis was also kind to speak with me personally following the session and answer some questions about the rights process.

If you’re wondering whether digital downloads have killed the interest in CDs, know that books on CD are still viable. Theresa Thompson is a buyer for Barnes & Noble, who stated that her audiobook business in the stores is still strong. Her expectation is turn inventory, so she doesn’t want to create proprietary titles.

The technology panel was extremely interesting and informative. Where the iPod connector is proprietary to Apple, David McLaughlin at Microsoft told us that his group is working to define a standard, universal connector that would connect a variety of devices, including MP3 players, to cars.
Some of the discussion also centered around getting younger people interested in audiobooks. Dave Carnoy, an executive editor at C/Net and all-around gadget guy, said he thinks that the market for audiobooks is with an older crowd. He commented that young people don’t read any more and wouldn’t listen to a book. Carnoy said that the price of audiobooks seemed too high to him. He pointed out that the consumer thinks someone is just reading the thing and that audiobook creation wouldn’t be difficult or costly, especially since so many people create podcasts. Carnoy said that an audiobook is potentially a single-use application, where music is used many times.
After networking with publishers at lunch, I exchanged a few words and a hug with my friend, narrator Barbara Rosenblat. I somehow missed connecting with my friend and teacher Hillary Huber at both APAC and at BookExpo. My friend and teacher Alan Sklar was signing audiobooks at BookExpo, but I didn’t get to see him, either.

In the afternoon, I attended the narrators’ panel moderated by Grammy-award winning audiobook producer Paul Ruben. The topic under discussion was Maximizing Your Search for Employment. Panel members were (left to right in picture below):

Eric Conger, Narrator
Jacob Bronstein, Executive Producer, Audio and Digital Media, Random House Audio
Dennis Kao, Producer, Hachette Audio
Sue Mackewich, Executive Producer, Audio Publishers Association.

Richard Ferrone

APA Narrator Panel: Audiobook 202

The casting process varied with each person. Ruben does read reviews and remembers them when casting audiobooks. Bronstein said he typically contacts talent agents or has a relationship with narrators. He emphasized that he wants someone who can take direction. Kao said it’s helpful to know the producers and mentioned that opportunities exist to perform wrap-arounds (intro/outro), podcasts and in digital downloads.

Some other observations from this panel included:
  • Bronstein said self-help/self-development titles continue to be strong. His best sellers are fiction, self-help and business.
  • Conger noted that publishers are reading you when you shake their hand. He also stressed that narrators often go too fast in the performance. Allow yourself to be surprised by the words.
  • Ruben echoed the point about speed, saying that you miss the interpretation by going too fast.
  • Mackewich reminded the audience that people who aren’t even born yet will listen to the recording.
  • While Bronstein has never worked with a talent from the talent’s home studio, Kao said he might employ a talent with a home studio. Conger said he wouldn’t do a book longer than 3 hours from his studio. However, narrator Simon Vance was in the audience and stated that he had performed long books from his home studio.
  • Conger said that the narrator is not the star in non-fiction; the material is the star. Ruben added that you need to be emotionally connected to the author’s point of view in non-fiction as the author is the enthusiastic star. Narrator and audience member Richard Ferrone commented that the narrator is still the storyteller in non-fiction. Finally, Ruben said that if a narrator is reading to him, the narrator is emotionally disconnected to the work.
  • Mackewich suggested that narrators gently follow up in order to approach her. She said you could send postcards and e-mails about your work, as well as get an audiobook agent in New York.

The place to be on Friday, 1 June

Friday, 1 June, was spent at BookExpo, which is the biggest convention for the publishing world. I was told that over 30,000 people were in attendance this year. I walked in the building behind Elvis, and I later saw Captain Jack Sparrow heading toward the exhibit hall. I wished I could have taken their pictures, but you’ll have to be happy with this view of the concourse

Nowhere to sit at BookExpo

I only had the one day at BookExpo due to a somewhat inflexible airline schedule on a Skymiles ticket. Audio publishers exhibited at BookExpo, but I also talked to targeted print publishers about creating audiobooks, commercials and podcasts for them. I researched my prospects as much as possible ahead of time so that I could go straight to the booths I wanted to visit.

I left both APAC and BookExpo with a stack of contacts and great potential to work with a number of new clients. I have mailed postcards and notecards as follow-ups, and I’m already looking forward to both events next year in Los Angeles!

I was unable to attend BookExpo last year and was delighted to discover that many of the educational sessions were recorded and provided to listeners as podcasts. Through listening to those podcasts, I learned valuable information that I could apply in my voice-over business. Podcasts from this year’s BookExpo are now available.

Now that I’ve given you a look at my trip to New York, I think I’ll go take a look at my new kitchen windows.

 

No such thing as a free lunch or demo critique

In the United States, tax day this year is 17 April. The normal deadline of 15 April falls on a Saturday, and Monday 16 April is a holiday in the District of Columbia. You therefore have a 2-day extension to file your return.

I don’t pretend to be an accountant, nor can I recall providing the voice for one. I would never offer advice about income tax except to say that you can claim a refund this year of a telephone excise tax. I leave my tax return in the hands of my very capable CPA.

I was thinking about my CPA today because I wouldn’t ask him his professional opinion of my tax situation without expecting to compensate him for his time. I wouldn’t think a lawyer would help me with a legal scenario if I didn’t pay that person. I created my first web site but paid professional software engineers to develop the current site. When I take my car for service, I expect that I will be charged for any diagnostic work by the technicians. In any professional situation that I can think about, I would think that I needed to compensate the person who is spending their time to provide me with the value of their experience and education.

However, I have observed that people who hope to enter the voice-over profession don’t seem to have the same thought process. I have received countless requests from newcomers who ask me to evaluate their demo and/or give them personal guidance about their career. I give all of them the same answer: No.

My stance on this subject and, indeed, in writing this post, may seem a bit harsh, especially when compared with my other writing and my overall helpful and encouraging attitude. I’m grateful for my experience and training in voice-over, and I have shared information on my web site and blog. Anything that I would say to a new talent about a demo would be only my opinion. Another voice-over actor could hear the same demo and give conflicting advice. Inevitably, the talent would want to incorporate some suggestions and would expect the person giving the suggestions to review the changes. I tell the aspiring voice talent that they really need to work with a reputable voice-over coach who could help them craft and tune a demo so that it is the very best presentation of their skills and abilities.

One thought that I have never shared with aspiring talent is this:

If I personally assisted everyone who asked for my help,
I would never have time to do any work of my own.

I’m running a business. While I feel that part of my mission on earth is to help people in pursuing their passion for voice-over and living their dream lives, all the good feelings in the world don’t pay my mortgage. Among all the people who have asked for demo critiques over the years, I remember only 1 person who offered to pay me for my time and knowledge.

Newcomers to the voice-over industry seem to have the notion that voice-over is not a business. They call me and send me e-mails whenever it is convenient for them, including the person who called at 10pm one Saturday night and the person who awakened me in Paris at 4am. Both just wanted to ask how to get started in voice-over. Since I love working in voice-over and have provided so much helpful information on my web site and this blog, almost everyone who has contacted me seems to expect me to provide personal instruction simply for the joy of being helpful.

These people do not realize that more is involved with a voice-over career than just talking. In the time that it would take to listen to a demo and write comments back to someone who expects my free advice, I could do any number of things that would move my business forward, such as research or contact prospects, write a blog entry, practice recording, learn something new about my software, or submit an audition.

A cardinal rule of marketing is to remember your audience and answer the question “What’s in it for me?” Those who have approached me with requests for demo critiques and advice about their careers have not addressed that question. Until such time as I start coaching people on a individual basis for a fee, I will hold to my policy of turning down requests for demo critiques and personal advice on voice-over careers. I hope that readers of my blog find useful advice and much-needed encouragement in my entries.

If you want a free opinion of your demo, some of the voice talent on www.vo-bb.com will evaluate your demo in one of the forums. Be patient if you post a demo or marketing materials there as the voice talent are professionals who must first take care of their own business. Read and abide by the critique forum rules. While it isn’t a rule, I would also suggest that you express your thanks to anyone who responds to you. Finally, I think that if you’re asking for professional advice, you should be willing and prepared to provide compensation for the assistance that you receive.

Since I started this post by writing about taxes, just remember that you have to work in order to gain income. Much of your work in a voice-over career is going to be in managing the business aspects of the job, which starts with your good demo. I recommend that you consult only a few trusted advisors in whom you have confidence; otherwise, you can get too much input and spend too much time perfecting your demo and not enough time marketing it.