The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over by James Alburger Read Free Book Online Page B

you want them to produce your demo. Demo fees are usually in addition to the fees you pay for the class, although some will include a demo as part of their overpriced tuition. You may get a demo from these classes, but the quality will likely be poor, and their promises of marketing your demo or sending it out to agents are usually worthless.
    Many legitimate classes will also offer their services to assist with your demo. The difference is that you will not be pressured into buying their services and the demo will not be a condition of taking the class. An honest and reputable voiceover instructor will not encourage you to do a demo until you are ready. When they do assist with your demo, the production quality is generally very high. Regardless of who you hire to produce your demo, be sure to check them out. Get copies of some demos they have done and get a list of former clients who you can call to ask about their experience with the producer. If they are legitimate, the demo producer will be happy to help you. Some will even give you a free consultation.
    Be aware that no workshop coach or demo producer can guarantee your demo will be heard by an agent or talent buyer, or even that you will be accepted for voiceover work. No matter what they tell you, you are the only person who will determine your success in this business. Do not rely on someone else to do it for you.

4
The Business of Voiceover: Getting Paid to Play
    It’s Show-biz, Folks!
    One thing many people seem to either not realize—or simply forget—is that voiceover is part of show business—and the larger part of show business is business! Before making the investment in time, energy, and money for workshops, training, and equipment to become a voice actor, it is important to have an understanding of what this business entails, how it works, and what is expected of you as an independent business owner.
    This chapter will introduce you to the business of voiceover so you will be able to make an educated decision as to whether or not this type of work is right for you. Demos, marketing, auditions, and many other aspects of this business are discussed in detail later in this book.
    Acting for voiceover may be one of the best-kept secrets around. You get to be serious, funny, and sometimes downright silly and your voice may be heard by thousands. Voiceover can be an incredible outlet for your creativity and it can often seem like you get paid to play!
    To be perfectly honest, voice acting can be very challenging at times. The reality is that you are an entrepreneur running your own business and you can expect all the ups and downs that go along with that. Depending on the type of voiceover work you choose to do and the clients you work with, you may be on call 24/7/365. Vacations may be difficult to schedule and there will be moments when you wish you were somewhere else. You will encounter producers and/or directors who do not seem to know what they are doing and who will test your patience. You will be faced with cramming :40 of copy into :30—and the producer will expect it to sound natural and believable. All of this—and more—is just part of working in the world of voiceover. That’s show-biz!
    Fortunately, the uncomfortable moments are relatively rare, and the majority of voiceover work is enjoyable and often downright fun. If youreally enjoy what you do, and become good at it, even challenging sessions can seem like play, although it may appear to be hard work to everyone else. If you approach voiceover work with a positive attitude, a mindset of teamwork, and an eagerness to help your clients achieve their objectives— rather than as just a way to make money, your likelihood of success will be much greater. To a large extent, your level of success as a voice actor will depend on your mental attitude and how you approach your work.
    Many successful voice actors do much more than just perform as voice talent. It is not uncommon to find voice actors