Dear Bonnie,
I met with a non-SAG Los Angeles agency who is interested in repping me for voiceovers. I have no experience in VOs. This agency, from all I have heard, does not have a bad rep, but I have not heard good. I have heard little of anything. They offered to help me make my VO demo and put it on their agency VO demo for a total of $600. Is this a scam like “Faces, Int – put your pic in a catalog for no one to see for $1000” or does a VO demo cost about that much normally?
Please help! I did hear some of their clients’ VOs on their agency CD and they sounded really good. Is this the normal cost a VO demo would be, or is it just a pay-to-play?
Thanks,
– Becky
Dear Becky,
Thanks for writing. I have found with most LA agents that you *will* hear something about them if you ask around enough. You mentioned the name of the agency (which I won’t reprint, don’t worry) and I *have* heard not so great things about them… so, for what it’s worth, proceed with caution.
Getting onto an agency’s “house reel” should not come at any charge to you. They want you on their sample demo because your voice could get them a commission. Of course, I make these statements with the assumption that you are already shopping around a VO tape (even a homemade one).
A VO demo of your OWN should cost a few hundred dollars at the most, and this amount would usually include studio time alone with a producer who knows how to get your best range in the fewest takes. A VO demo of $200-$300 is one you could get locally, including printing of the jewel case, labels, etc. Individual duplication varies, based on how many units you want. In this case, I would say that if their VO demo sounds good — really really good — you should say that you would like to be included on it, and you will be working with your VO coach to produce a reel from which the agency can sample material for their reel. If they have a problem with that or still assert that a charge would be included, run and run fast. Agencies ONLY make money when their clients make money. Period.
Now, as for VO coaches, I have several I could recommend. The basic deal is, you sign up for a certain number of sessions and, included in the course fee is your “graduation” reel, of sorts, produced by the coach or the coach’s producers. Of course, more important than my recommendation is whether you click with the coach. You could call around, try to do some auditing, listen to samples of their students’ work, etc. The reason I think a coach would benefit you (and VO work pays very, very well) is that it’s a small front-end investment for what could be a long career.
You mentioned not having much VO experience. I think that you could get experience by doing non-paying VO work on student films (many of them are filmed non-sync, which means they need VOs in post), doing non-commercial promo work (like in-house productions ANYWHERE you know someone who could get you “in”), and — of course — by taking classes. My experience came from radio. I worked as a DJ at a college radio station for seven years (undergrad and through my master’s program). It was amazing discipline, and it is the only reason I had even a (self-produced) VO tape to shop around when I moved out here.
I hope this info helps. Please let me know if you want any specific contact information or recommendations. For now, just keep your intuition turned way up with that agency and keep doing good work!
Take care!
– Bon
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Dear Bonnie,
Thanks for the GREAT info and advice!!!! I definitely do not want to get scammed or taken by an agency… I would appreciate any VO coach recommendations, etc. I have singing and acting experience and training, but little VO. Thanks for the tips, you probably saved me some hassle. The agency was indeed asking $350 for anyone WITH his or her own demo to be included on the CD, and $600 for anyone without a demo to be on the CD, the $600 including an in-house producer making the demo for the client and including it on the house CD.
-Becky
Hi again Becky,
I’m glad the advice helped. Yeah, if they’re charging people who already have produced reels just to be included on their in-house reel… that’s a big scam right there. Run and run fast. Good job keeping your intuition tuned in!
A dear friend of mine swears by Nancy Wolfson as a great VO coach and reel producer. Other reputable coaches who produce reels are Terry Berland, Susan Blu, Aliso Creek, and Kalmenson & Kalmenson. What I would suggest, really, is for you to post on The Bone-Yard, Wolfesden, Actorsite, et. al., that you are looking for a VO coach who does classes that result in a reel. You will get so much first-hand advice there, for sure! Also, ask your current and previous acting and vocal coaches for recommendations.
I recommend before you do anything that you check out a couple of great books: The Art of Voice Acting – The Craft and Business of Performing for Voiceover, There’s Money Where Your Mouth Is – An Insider’s Guide to a Career in Voiceovers, Making Money in Voiceovers – Winning Strategies to a Successful Career in TV Commercials Radio and Animation, Word of Mouth – A Guide to Commercial Voiceover Excellence.
You can go to Samuel French and flip through any of those, just to see what you might want to buy. Some of the tips you’ll get just by browsing will help a great deal, I’m sure. Hope this gets you started.
Oh, one more thing… Back Stage West will come out with a spotlight issue 6/20/02 all about voiceovers. How’s that for good timing?
Take care, and keep doing good work!
– Bon