My free ideas…free for the taking!

It seems tat I just can’t stop thinking about how to leverage my time, as well as how to keep my (VO) equipment busy. I have also thought about implementing some video into the mix, as it is closely related to what we do.

Just a few of the ideas that come to mind on a routine bases. Each one of the ideas incorporates voiceover, social media, marketing, and promotion.
I will list the ideas in no specific order.

1. Start a service for car dealerships that would provide them with a 30second showcase video with voiceover. This can be used as a link to the video that they can promote in there current advertising campaign. Logistics: A video camera, upload to YouTube, and send them the link!

2. Provide this same service to sellers in your local market that are advertising in the FREE used car magazines found at quick stops, i.e. 7-11. Just think what the link could do for someone who can use the YouTube link in his or her next advertisement when the car does no sell. Let me ask you a question, if you could see the vehicle in all it’s glory, rather than a 1 inch photo pasted in a magazine, would this save you time in your purchase decision? Every major car company does this on there websites, the 360-degree walk around. In today’s world, People are crunched for time, this get more people to see the vehicle, and when they show up, they are basically ready to shoe the seller the money! Logistics: A video camera, upload to YouTube, and send them the link!

3. Craigslist has a TV/Film/Video section that has video producers in your market that can use your services, or maybe you could team up with them and drum up some work by offering the video with current clients that you can sub-out the video side to your new video friend.

4. Real Estate agents do virtual video tours, but seldom add audio (VO) to the videos. Call Realtors and ask if you could offer a value added VO service to their next project.

You would ask WHY? Someone who is trying to sell a car would want to do this, well they are advertising against thousands of others with the same ad’s in the same publications. Rule number one to win in the sales game is to do what you competition is not doing. The above concepts are directed to people who are advertising, people who are selling, and would love to sell it as fast a possible.

I am on the lookout for someone who would like to team up with me, and produce social media projects. I was working at a television Station back in 1990 that send me as well as another producer to a industry show to see some new equipment. The equipment was a Canon digital SLR with a price tag of $ 38,000.00 dollars, I am looking at one that will do more than the 38k one would, at a price of $ 1,800.00 dollars. I can pay for the camera in a few jobs, I need to find a way to add this to my bag of tricks!

Enjoy you day!

PS. The camera that I talk about is a Canon 7D DSLR, and the video footage can be found at this link:
http://youtu.be/wk7aDWwSv6c
NOTE: This was not shot by me!

Voice Registry Join NOW!

I found a site called the Voice-Registry, and signed up. The site has 2 memberships, Silver, and Platinum, the Silver is FREE and the Platinum is $7 bucks. The best part about the membership is that with the Platinum you can participate in the Weekend Workout. The Weekend Workout is hosted each week by a different VO Mega Talent, Agent, Director, Coach, or someone well connected in the business.

Now to take the pressure off…Each Friday by 6PM the copy is posted on the site, and you have till 11:59PM Sunday to upload the audio for review by the guest host.

This past weekend was the first Workout I participated in, with Bill Ratner featured as the guest host.
He responded with his critique by audio, where most agents and others just respond in written form. Your audition is posted in public with an adjacent critique. Bill’s critique of my audition was more than kind, I could never thank him enough for taking the time to listen and review my audition. Bill also took the time to do the same for about 60 others who participated in this past weekends workout, this is the type of guy who I aspire to become.

Back to the site…it’s part of Voicebank.net, in fact it’s the bridge in between, you will understand this after you have spent time on the Voicebank.net searching agents, or listening to demos of the best voices in the business. The simple thing to do is buy a membership on http://voiceregistry.voicebank.net build you simple page, attend the workouts, and hope that you get that exposure to the people who make the decisions in the business.

In the mean time continue to study, read daily, relish who you are, and perfect that talent that you have!

P.S. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, I ONLY HAVE 8 SUBSCRIBERS, OR LET ME KNOW THAT YOU ARE READING THIS BY POSTING A COMENT!!!

Website Makeover, and That’s Voiceover!

I created a new look for the website, it’s absent of all the trash and un-necessary stuff that I have included on all my websites in the past. I also am in the process of changing the site over to this new site www.WilliamBradyVO.com as I am dropping the “Roberts” (Radio Name) from the Image. The www.brbvo.com website will be re-directed to the new site till it expires in December.

About That’s Voiceover a few weeks ago, the event was great, had a chance to meet some Major talent.
This event would be a must attend for any new people who are looking into entering the VO industry. My experience of not being selected as one of the six final finishers was a blessing, as I have taken the steps necessary to increase my chances of winning more auditions in the future. The has put the fire in me to try harder, and invest into the craft. You can buy the best microphones, processors, and equipment to sound great, but if ya don’t have the training you should think about listing all that cool equipment on eBay! This is a thought not to admonish anyone reading this post, it’s just a thought to check myself about the my own process of of marketing my own VO.

The New Studio Project: (click to enlarge)

Enjoy!

Searching for my John Hancock sound!

The Signature voice is what I am looking for, I know it’s inside me somewhere. I have seem to have the same sound for anything VO that I voice. I have 2 people in mind that have talked about this “Signature Voice” who’s services that I would like to retain. Both are at the top of the VO coaching industry. But what is the reason for posting this, I like to think of it as accountability, so I can go back and check off the list of must things to do in the VO business. I will set this as a goal for the Spring of 2012.

On another note, I am jazzed up about the fact that I won the lottery, no really, I was selected as one of the 30 people chosen to audition at the That’s Voiceover “WhisperRoom Audition Spotlight” in Hollywood tomorrow afternoon . Now if I can just be one of the 6 finalists out of the group of 30, Then be the person who books audition. The prizes are listed on the link for this event. Yee-Haw!

http://thatsvoiceover.com/schedule/the-audition-spotlight/

I will report about the event and results upon my return on Friday.

New from Amazon Studios: $5,000 Best Trailer Awards

It’s a shot at $5,000.00 as well as some practice at producing a trailer. The following is the information sheet from the Amazon Studios site (http://studios.amazon.com/) that I am a member of. I find scripts for practice, but I just received an email for the new TRAILER contest and thought I would share it.

From the site:
Every movie should have a great trailer — a few transcendent moments that captivate and inspire an audience. In fact, creating a trailer is practically an art form unto itself, and Amazon Studios is celebrating the art of the movie trailer with new monthly awards: $5,000 for the two Best Trailers on the site, starting in October. You can create a trailer from scratch, using photos, drawings, live action video, whatever you like. And you can download and use — for free — elements that already exist on the Amazon Studios site, including:

The Amazon Studios music and sound effects libraries. The music library even includes 50 tracks specifically intended for trailers and promos.

Dialogue tracks, including Star Tracks created by Jeffrey Tambor, Tricia Helfer, Fred Armisen and Alison Pill.

Test movies, Amazon Studios full-length visual rough drafts. But don’t worry about whether or not the project has a test movie — you can use them to help you create trailers, but you don’t have to.
We’re excited to see what you come up with.

I think we will give it a shot!

Voice Over MiIls – a new trend?

I just received a CD in the mail yesterday from a company that is educating new talent, and telling them that you can start your own voiceover company with a fully equipped studio for “A few hundred dollars”. On the CD, this person who states that they have made more than a Million Dollars as a Voice artist, and is obligated to “Share” the opportunity (3 day workshop) with all the future talent out there at a cost of eleven hundred dollars.

Then I received the final email….”If you have not made a PENNY in this business” you need this other course for $ 395.00 on how to make money in the VO Business. Now don’t get me wrong…I have a coach, I believe in attending seminars, and getting involved in workouts, with real pros. It’s obvious to me that this person is in the business of making money off people who have a dream, but the sad fact is that this company has no real vested interest in the success of the students.

The once the new VO graduates, they are in the same business with people who have spent their life as VO artist, with one big difference…$ 10.00 – $ 25.00 commercials. Sure I understand that the minimum wage is around eight bucks an hour, so if it takes 20 minutes to do a spot, wow…that could add up to $ 75.00 an hour. For me, I like the $ 400.00 to $ 1500.00 an hour, and it entails the same work…the same effort, and the same time. The fact is that $ 75.00 an hour is not good if you are only getting 2-3 hours a week is it? And when it’s time to up your fees, what client on you list is going to believe you are worth more than double or triple your fee?

In the last 24 months I have found an incredible group of people who are willing to share their knowledge with me for no charge at all, I am willing to share what I know with people who ask me about the industry. If you want to learn in today’s world, you can, and it’s as close as your computer.

I spend endless hours on the computer leaning daily from the biggest players in the business. You will find volumes of YouTube videos about everything VO, read VO blogs, visit VO sites and listen, listen, and listen till it hurts. Attend VO web-cast, seminars, and workshops till ya run out of money…LOL!

Everyone needs training, yes…even me, people tell me how I have the perfect voice for radio, this is not a complement, it’s resulted in not auditioning for jobs that say “NO Announcers” and today about 80% will indicate that. So my objective is to sound like the guy next door telling you how the lawn mower he just bought made is life more simple. Do you remember that show (Home Improvement) with Tim Allan, Wilson the guy next door would talk though the fence, he is the ultimate communicator…you would listen because he had a warmth and friendly delivery that would make people listen.

Well, enough for now…if you need help, or don’t mind listening to me babble out a few answers, feel free to contact me. I don’t charge a dime for a little time!!!

That’s Voiceover! – Los Angeles

Info From the website: http://thatsvoiceover.com/

Looks like a “Must Attend” event for me!

THAT’S VOICEOVER! is an exciting, interactive, behind-the-scenes career event where the top talents in the voiceover industry reveal the practical steps to establishing and sustaining a career in this highly rewarding and intriguing field. Through targeted Q&A, audience participation and audition scenarios, a finely tuned and comprehensive picture is conveyed for anyone desiring to become a voiceover actor or to work in one of the supporting careers (producers, writers, directors, agents) that make up the broader industry.

And continuing this year, the only competition of its kind: Push Creative Presents The AUDITION Spotlight – A chance for attendees to WIN an actual voiceover job with CBS KLAS, Las Vegas. Click for details.
Created by award-winning producers Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker and hosted by Gary Owens, Voiceover legend and Hollywood Walk of Fame Honoree, and Joan Baker, author of Secrets of Voiceover Success, THAT’S VOICEOVER! has been an evolving national success, engaging a whole new audience of voice actors and entertainment professionals seeking insight into a heretofore anonymous industry, cloaked in secrecy and accessible to only industry insiders. Attendees range from hopefuls looking to break in to seasoned voice actors seeking to refresh and invigorate long-standing careers. Doctors, lawyers, school teachers, house wives, you name them: the interest in mastering the art of voiceover is taking off like a rocket. THAT’S VOICEOVER is your ticket to get on board.

Hors D’oeuvres

THAT’S VOICEOVER! naturally attracts a large number of entertainment professionals: voice actors seeking to enhance their opportunities, film and stage actors wanting to expand their capabilities, but it also attracts the behind-the-scenes support people (creative directors, talent agents/managers, advertising executives, acting teachers, casting agents, TV and radio producers) all of whom are interested in learning, networking and contributing to the conversation.

Open Bar

THAT’S VOICEOVER! is the new name given to a series of entertainment/educational events that Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker have evolved over several years, crisscrossing the country at museums, universities and various other public forums. Joan Baker, Rudy Gaskins and the consummate professional insiders they bring to the stage have elevated the scope and quality of the discourse on what it takes to break into the voiceover industry and how to do it at the highest levels of achievement.

Proceeds from THAT’S VOICEOVER! benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.

100% of royalties from the sale of Secrets of Voice-Over Success are donated to the Alzheimer’s Association.

My attempt at a Movie Trailer.

My attempt at a movie trailer that I did on Sony Vegas Video, I did it twice and selected what I thought was the best take. I think I could have done a better job if I was not so wrapped up in trying to nail it right on. I must admit it was hard to such a major project as Titanic.

The link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T_AhXWizqg&feature=player_embedded

Enjoy

2 Years – New Demo!

After looking at the counter on my website today, I noticed that I have had the same Demo on the site since I started it back in July of 2009. A fresh new Demo…will it really make a difference, who knows.

After listening to the Demo, I think I can hear a difference in my sound…older, more natural, and still have room for improvement. Speaking of improvement I just notified my coach about the area that I really want to work on developing, it’s time to put things into motion.

Check out the demos and tell me if you can hear improvement.

Thx! Bill

P.S. The direct link to the demo page is http://www.brbvo.com/demos.html

Voices that Motivate!

I get so motivated by listening to demos, or watching YouTube videos of voiceover actors, and voice talent. I spend an hour or more each day reading VO blogs, watching videos, or listening to demos. I listen or watch in the studio to get the full effect of the sound from the video or demo.

I have about 6 pros in the business that I favor, and one of those people is a guy who you are exposed to everyday. This link is old…but still applies to what is done today in the business. I like the part when he comes out of the character to comment about the chair.

Ashton Smith Interview – Link