SomeAudioGuy Mailbag - How Do I Get an Agent?

I've actually gotten this question a number of times. About time I answered it here on the blog!

Hey Audio Guy
I follow you on twitter @andrewtorresny...and I saw you mention in a post that you worked for Abrams. I gotta ask...if you're a working voice actor like me, with a competitive demo and resume and a union card, how on earth do you get signed by an agency? I feel I'm entrenched in low-paying spots until I do. Can you shed some light on this? And please follow me!
Best,Andrew

Hey Andrew,

The agent game is a tricky one, and I'm afraid my advice probably wont be radically different than what others have written on the subject.

Ask a dozen different voice actors with representation HOW they got their first agent, and you'll probably end up with a dozen different stories. There is no "trick" to getting an agent. There is no "system" to getting an agent. 

First and foremost, agents are people. People with an interest in fulfilling client relationships, and profiting off of packaging a product. As an actor, you need to be able to relate to them as such. Many agents do care about craft, performance, artistry, but mainly as it relates to how they can book talent on jobs.

They are in the business of building business relationships.

Part of the psychology of "the numbers game" in auditioning is making your voice more common and recognizable. By that I mean, the more you audition, the more familiar your voice will be to casting directors and producers. Psychologically they will start to "feel" like they've heard you in commercials or worked with you in the past. That "feeling" of work will start to beget actual work, as producers for the most part like to work with established talent. It's all a part of building a reputation. 

The agent search can be similar. They DON'T want to have to create all of your relationships from scratch. It puts a strain on THEIR relationships if they have to do this for EVERY new talent they sign. They want to have the perception that signing you will please their relationships and ADD to their rolodex. It's about sharing the wealth in a way. 

How do we create that perception? 

You've got to build some relationships to bring them. Classes, workshops, mixers, you need to go meet casting directors, and befriend other voice actors especially those at the agencies you want to be repped by. Referrals are HUGE. Having someone who the agent already respects vouch for you can make the difference between your demo getting a listen or not.

Keep agents, managers, and casting up to date on what you're working on. Emails are good, but often a personalized postcard will get a fraction of a second longer consideration before it's thrown away, than an email which might not even be opened before it's deleted. Again, people in the business relationship business want to be working with people who are ALREADY working. You want to keep people up to date, but you don't want to spam them.  

You have to know EXACTLY what product it is that you want the agent to sell. Your materials need to be top notch. They can't just be competitive for the web in general, they have to be competitive against the top bookers in your niche. You have to know who those people are. Personally, I'm something of a purist. If I listen to a commercial demo and hear character voices or newscaster recordings, I'm not apt to continue listening. If I want to hear animation, radio imaging,  or audiobook narration, I'll look up THOSE specific demos. 

Lastly, on the topic of agents being people (they are actually human, I swear) personality is tremendously important. Just like any other business partnership, you just might not vibe with a particular agent. You could have the potential to make an agent millions, and they still might not sign you if they don't think they'll want to work with you. It's not personal. Nobody wants to be stuck spending a lot of time working with someone if they dont get along.  

Now here's the catch. Those in this business of business relationships, we're REALLY good at spotting a phoney. We're all sorta Holden Caulfield-y that way.  If the only reason you're trying to be my pal, or bumping into me at mixers is for YOUR benefit, I'll not be likely to help you out. In fact I'll probably try to get away from you PDQ. However, those actors that present themselves as solutions to my problems, that they're working to help me out and aren't trying to scam me, I'm more likely to chat up that actor a bit more. If we share similar interests, and can build a genuine relationship, so much the better.

It's a lot of leg work, and a pretty serious time investment, but can reap some great rewards.  

Good luck,  and happy hunting. 

From The Twitters: How Much Money Should I Save For a Home Recording Setup?

I usually get the "what's the least amount of money I can spend to get that pro VO sound" question. The question where basically they want me to validate the purchase of a SnowBall, and they tend to get a bit spiky when I suggest they set a budget instead.

So, when I get the "what should I buy" question framed by asking about setting a proper budget for recording equipment, I like to spend a little time answering that question.

From Twitter user @kirstynjohnson I received the following tweets:

okay, @SomeAudioGuy. trying to get an 'equipment' savings account set up. I figure just starting with a single mic is the best route, aha.(@SomeAudioGuy cont.) so, what would be the best choice for a beginner like myself? I'm not limiting price range, as it's an investment.

OK.
You're asking the right question here. How much SHOULD I save up? Yes. Set a budget. This is a business investment, and no business can succeed if it just throws money around willy-nilly, or if it spends too little on producing its product.

Where you're going to run into a problem, the mic is only ONE piece of your chain. How are you going to power that mic? You could spend thousands on a Manley reference mic, but if you haven't considered the rest of your chain, your recordings will sound awful. From the room you're in, to the source you're recording (namely you), to the preamp/compressor/digital interface, to the computer, and then to playback, if you plan for EACH of these pieces of your chain then your recordings will sound MUCH better than if you over-buy on one link.

One of the reasons people start to think mid range mics don't sound as good, or are noisier, or any number of other faults, is that they are only being powered by the preamp built into an interface. Moving to a dedicated preamp can usually mean more recording signal at a lower noise floor. Spending around $500 on a preamp (like a Grace M101 or an FMR Audio RNP8380), and then picking out a mid-range mic like the AKG C214, Rode NT2000, AudioTechnica AT4040, or Shure KSM32 will almost always sound noticeably better than just spending $1000+ on a mic.

If your space is really noisy, you might also want to consider a dynamic mic solution, like from my video review of the Cloudlifter CL1. A Heil PR40, EV RE20, Shure SM7b, or even just a lowly SM58 can sound pretty great when properly driven (which the Cloudlifter will help with in providing clean gain), and will be MUCH more tolerant of less than ideal recording spaces (which is why these types of mics are used in radio).

So, as you may have figured out by now, mic selection alone can start to get a little overwhelming with all of the genuinely good options available to us. If it's me, I think I'd set a budget around $2000 for everything. That gets me a good interface, a nice preamp, great mid range mic, and some cash left over to do some room treatments. The sum total of your chain at that point should be a marked step above entry solutions like USB mics.

As to exactly which mic I would buy, that's as personal a selection as picking out your undergarments. Realistically you should sound fine on ANY of the choices listed above, but if you're really exacting on tailoring your mic selection to the specific qualities of your voice, you might need to spend a little time and cash on booking some studio time to play with a couple different mics, or on hiring someone like me to actually go out to your place with a couple different mics to do a shootout.

Video: Ira Glass on Storytelling

After discussing him so much with Mer of BrainDouche, I thought I'd throw down my fave Ira Glass (This American Life) interview. He has some incredible insights on how to tell stories and engage your audience.
Good lessons for us Voiceover people in here. Check em out.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4

Stop Hearing Loss With Antioxidants?

I wonder if this really helps.
I was always under the assumption that once you lost hearing, it NEVER came back.

Is there anything I can do to prevent my mild deafness from worsening as I age?

ROBERT ANDERSON, M.D., REPLIES: Yes. Researchers believe that as we age, cumulative exposure to everyday noise and occasional incidents of excessively loud noise damage delicate hearing cells to cause mild deafness. Fortunately, the following measures can slow, stabilize, or even reverse this process. Here's what to do:
Wear Ear Protection. Wear headphones or ear plugs whenever you may be exposed to more than 85 decibels of noise, like when you use a lawn mower or a chain saw, or attend a rock concert.
Make (and Take) Antioxidants. Large amounts of superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant, helped prevent noise-related hearing damage in animal experiments. Your body makes superoxide dismutase; to ensure that you produce enough, take 15 to 30 mg of zinc and 15 mg of manganese daily. Taking antioxidant supplements can also reduce the risk of noise-induced deafness, according to studies. Take 25,000 IU of mixed carotenoids, 5,000 to 10,000 IU of vitamin A (do not take more than 5,000 IU if you're pregnant or planning to be), 1 to 2 g of vitamin C, and 400 IU of natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) daily. The vitamin A and C doses are high because your body needs more of them when exposed to stress (like loud noise). Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) may also help stabilize hearing loss. Take 80 to 120 mg of ginkgo daily.
Nix Nutrient Deficiencies. People with age-related hearing impairment have been shown to have 40 percent lower levels of vitamin [B.sub.12] and 30 percent lower levels of folic acid compared to those with normal hearing. To stabilize hearing, take a daily B complex that has at least 400 mcg of [B.sub.12] and 400 mcg of folic acid. Studies have also connected a vitamin D deficiency with chronic hearing loss, so take 400 IU daily.
Cut Out Cow's Milk. Occasionally, I have found that partially deaf patients who completely avoided dairy products and other foods containing whey, like luncheon meats and puddings, returned their hearing to normal. Researchers found high amounts of a protein molecule identical to one in cow's milk in the cochleae (hearing organs) of 89 percent of patients with age-related hearing loss, while people with normal hearing had none, according to a 1994 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

What Is Voiceover? Perspective and Advice From J.S. Gilbert.

If you read or post on ANY of the VO forums round the web, then you've probably bumped into J.S. Gilbert. Very direct, sometimes a little harsh, always honest, and very helpful.

I just caught this post of his over at Voiceover Universe, and had to republish it here. I've been asked many times about how to get into VO, but I don't know that I've seen a better answer written out than what JS delivers here.

Enjoy!

What is Voiceover?

Einstein said that "everything about us has changed except for the way that we think." It was a statement regarding the way man would wage warfare after the advent of the nuclear bomb, but I think it is a very appropriate statement for almost anyone in business today.

And voiceover is business. Unless of course you are a hobbyist voiceover, something I don't quite understand, but...

When I got into voiceover many years ago, the term seemed much more limiting than it seems today. While there were many people who would be considered voiceovers, the term didn't necessarily apply to those who were on air personalities, DJ's and some other categories.

Today, the range of work that appears to fall under the general umbrella of voiceover is staggering. The unique differences required for someone looking to do voices for cartoons are different than voices for video games and extremely different than the requirements for voice mail.

In another section of this forum I was giving advice to someone who mentioned they wanted to get into voiceover and while some of ti was applicable, his response was that he wanted to attend broadcasting school, which suggested to me that while it's great to have this huge community representing individuals of all different backgrounds and training, that indeed the term voiceover can be confusing.

Some individuals strive to get work in many different arenas; voice mail, corporate narration, commercial, games, cartoons, audio books. And many teachers will also have you believe that you need to take every class in the world to succeed.

The truth is that most voiceovers, while they may work in a number of areas, tend to have a "money voice" that clearly gives them an edge in one or two particular areas.

Audio Books and Voice mail/ on hold can have very different requirements than performing for a 30 or 60 second commercial. Having deep and resonant pipes and crisp speech that cuts across the airwaves can support someone in being a DJ, but may not suit work in some other areas.

Additionally the way we work has changed. Imagine coming into an industry where a home recording setup would run $100,000 or more. And it wasn't computer based, but based on tape. editing required taking a razor blade and literally cutting out the bad parts and splicing the tape back together. That's a lot how things were 30 years ago. In those days, the ability to record a radio commercial in 57 or 58 seconds perfectly in a single pass on the first or second try was a prized skill and this alone, combined with a strong set of pipes might allow someone to earn a pretty good income. Nowadays we can process sound to very small degrees. We can add an ess to a word that was pronounced in the singular. We can make someone sound deeper or pitch them up in tone. We can purchase home recording equipment for hundreds of dollars.

Some people elect never to have an agent represent them, while others have representation in every state they can get. Some of us go to a studio and work and others work from home. Others do a combination of both. The ISDN line has changed everything.

The one thing that is still true is that there are a lot more people who want to work in voiceover than there is available work. Like many creative pursuits, most people who attempt to make a living at v.o. will not be able to. And like many creative pursuits, those with the best heads for business seem to prevail.

I don't tend to agree with those who seem to think that if you do what you love the money will follow. I have seen too many people who appeared to love doing v.o. go off after several years to their old careers or scamper to try and develop some new skills set that will make them employable.

My recommendation is to learn as much about this business as possible. Look at where you might have the best chances for succeeding. Be cautious when it comes to spending money, especially on supposed industry gurus. Buying books is good - you can get them used and relatively cheap on Amazon and sell them there when you are done and the investment is minimal. I'd suggest getting every book on voiceover, improv and acting you can get your hands on. Visit the audio forums and v.o. forums and try to get a sense for who's who.

It's great to get your demo critiqued, but often the person doing the critiquing doesn't have the skills or background to give a true assesment. Many others will be overly "kind" because they think they're doing you a favor. This is a business where it pays to be thick skinned. Many more no's will come your way than yes's. And often you are left completely in the dark; did my audition stink or was I perhaps their second or third choice.

You do not have to be able to do a hundred different voices. If you can do one voice really ,really well, it trumps doing 100 voices with mediocrity. Learn to emote and act and how to interpret copy and I always suggest improv training. It's relatively inexpensive as far as acting classes go and it's a lot of fun once you get over the hump and give yourself permission to be silly.

Make some sort of realistic plan with goals and make sure you have a way of keeping from going into debt or being a burden on loved ones and friends. Realize that the part where you are in front of the mic is really a relatively small part of being a voiceover .

If I can offer any assistance, feel free to contact me. I am happy to help, if I have the time and I do not charge. There are also a bunch of very talented and knowledgeable voiceovers out there who freely give of their time and experience. But don't take anybody's word as gospel. My experiences are uniquely mine as yours will be yours. We are all different and you need to take all of what you discover and learn and make your own plan of action that serves you.

J.S. Gilbert on Voiceover Universe

***UPDATE 8/20/08***
HEAR J.S. GILBERT SPEAK!!!
There's a great five minute interview with J.S. over at Voiceover Experts, where he discusses problem solving and business.

Picking a fight with Tekzilla - Home Recording Gear Edition

This isn't like serious grudge match or anything, just wanted to throw out some thoughts, and get some feed back.

Before I jump in, I'm a HUGE fan of Patrick Norton's and Tekzilla. I'm still boycotting Monster Cables pretty much from his say so.


Now, TIME FOR UMBRAGE!


On episode 40 of Tekzilla, a viewer wrote in asking about setting up a decent dorm room recording/podcasting setup. His budget was about $1100.

Here's the episode (segment starts at the 9 minute mark):

To recap, their advice was to buy the following:
-Skype (free)
-Shure SM58 ($100)
-Pop Screen or Sock ($5 - $30)
-M-Audio Fast Track (Veronica's fave? at $130)
-Audacity (free)
-Headphones (Patrick usually recommends sub $50)
-Audio Hijack Pro (to record skype, about $35)
Total = $345 (at the high end)

My problem isn't with their advice. The SM58 is classic, and I love Audacity, can't say I like the Fast Track, but on the whole it's all pretty good...


For some one with a $400 budget, not an $1100 budget.


Some moderate stepping up to, say a Fast Track Pro and an M-Audio Nova, or even an AKG Perception 220 would be a huge improvement in sound, for not a lot more cash. It would also allow him to route audio (like a Skype interview) without needing an additional piece of software to record interviews. Total, an increase of maybe $100, or still roughly half of what his total budget is.

So what would you do?
You're starting from scratch, and you have $1100.
What do YOU buy?

VoiceReg!stry's Tracy Pattin interviews Bob Souer on Blogging! Go Listen!

Hey all, just a quick note and link.
Bob Souer is the most gracious blogger I've ever worked with, and he's taken it upon himself to be THE voice over blog aggregator extordinare. His blog roll alone is an incredible resource, and I know my blog hits have increased just from being on it.

Tracy Pattin at Voice Reg!stry takes ten minutes to interview him on his history and successes with blogging. Bob is an old school "web-logger" so he brings a lot to the table. If you don't know what I mean by that last sentence, or you have ANY interest what-so-ever in starting up your own blog, I would HIGHLY recommend checking this out.

CHECK OUT the INTERVIEW HERE!

And check out Bob's blog here!
some audio guy someaudioguy voice over voice acting blogging interview bob souer career voicebank voiceregistry

Ask Engadget - Best Earbuds?

I really like the "Ask Engadget" posts. They open the comments to the community to try and get advice on a particular topic. This one is all about music earbuds, and is right up my alley.

First off if you're still rocking the white buds that came with your ipod, STOP IT! The headphones that come with most MP3 players are REALLY BAD FOR YOU!

I'm talking about the really-cheapy-hard-plastic-rest-just-on-the-outside-of-your-ear-phones. The problem with these earbuds is they don't create a very good seal around your ear. That means a LOT of sound from the outside world can leak in. The more outside sound that leaks in, the louder you have to play music to rise above the extra noise. The louder you have to play music, the faster your ears get tired.
Some experts even believe that hearing loss starts after an hour of listening on buds, so the problem will compound as you have to keep jacking the volume as your ears tire and wear out.

So how do we fix this issue? We reduce the noise around you!

Recently there have been huge advances in consumer noise reduction technologies, and you can pick between Active and Passive reduction.


Active reduction headphones have a microphone built into them that "listens" to the world around you, and then "removes" the noises you don't want to hear.

Passive reduction is just that, passive. It works by creating a better seal around your ear to physically stop sounds from entering your ear. Either way, there's less competition for your ears, less crap for your ears to filter, and you can turn down the volume while having a better listening experience.

Both active and passive have their pros and cons. Active needs power, and that means a battery bulge somewhere. Active also wont block single noises, just constant noises (airplane engines, traffic noise). This can actually be good as you should be able to carry a conversation with little effort, or you should be able to hear an alert if your walking around (like a horn honk from a car about to run you over).
Passive on the other hand blocks EVERYTHING. It's a hard adjustment for some, as the world around you will sound like you're underwater.

Personally I actually prefer Passive, just because of the battery issue, and I like the thicker bass that usually comes with having your ear closed up, though some people find it muddy. Right now I'm rocking a pair of Sennheiser CX300's, which were a great buy at $45.

Using the following links, shop for Music or Headphones on Amazon, and you'll be supporting this site at no cost to you!