The announcer trend has died, it seems. “NO ANNOUNCERS” is written in bold letters in nearly every audition. Instead, every one now asks for a conversational voice over. “We want you to sound like the guy-next-door. Like you’re telling a story to your best friend.”
If you’re still trying to master this trick, here’s a few tips that help might.
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The conversation went something like this…
“Ok. I sent it. Now we’ll just wait to see what happens.”
“Fingers and toes crossed.”
“I just need to relax!”
“Good plan! It’s in God’s hands now. You did your part.”
“Yes but I’m so stressed there isn’t enough herbal tea to fix me.”
Can you guess what the conversation was about?
If you guessed a big audition for a prospective client, you guessed correctly.
We’ve all been there.
There’s something about what we do that is unlike so many other jobs a person could choose to do. Our job, day in and day out, comes with an elevated level, sense and desire of and for approval.
If our efforts are approved, we get the gig.
If our efforts aren’t approved, we don’t get the gig.
To be sure, not getting the gig doesn’t necessarily mean we aren’t good enough. Or our effort wasn’t worthy. It’s just the nature of the business. Only one voice will get the gig, every time.
We just want to be that voice.
Always.
Sometimes, waiting to find out if we are that voice. If we received the clients approval. Well, it’s stressful. As much as we don’t want it to be. As much as we try to pretend it isn’t.
As seasoned a veteran as we may be. We’ve all got those jobs where the watching the sands drip through the hourglass are about enough to push us to the end of our tolerance.
That’s passion.
That’s a good thing.
Passion makes us try harder. Passion makes us better.
When we stop caring at all whether or not we got the gig, in my opinion, that’s when we need to start to worry a little.
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Let me tell you a tale about two different voice actors. Both whom auditioned for the same gig. Neither whom were awarded the project.
Upon receiving an email from the prospective client informing them they had not been awarded the project, voice actor 1 began to stew. “How did I not get this,” they wondered to themselves? “I nailed that audition,” they proclaimed! “Does the client not get what I bring to the table,” they pondered?
In response to the clients email, voice actor 1 drafts a letter. In said letter, they outlined all the various and assorted “qualities” they’d bring to the table if the client would reconsider. The voice actor comments on turnaround time, attempts to negotiate budget, offers to re-submit a new audition.
It’s the sales pitch of all sales pitches. Only, the voice actor is missing the point. The client has already chosen someone else!
The second voice actor handles things a bit differently. After reading the email from the client, voice actor 2 is actually grateful the client even bothered to take the time to inform them of the project status. After all, how many clients actually do that?
Instead of stewing, instead of pitching, voice actor 2 makes the decision to accept what is, knowing they submitted their best audition and offered their best service. “I’m not going to be right for every project,” they remind themselves.
“Thank you for the opportunity to audition for your project, I appreciate it. And thank you, especially, for letting me know the project has been awarded. I wish you great success and look forward to the opportunity to work with you again soon.”
This is a fictitious story. Or is it? But it does have a moral.
When you don’t book the job remember, if you lose graciously you still win! Click to Tweet
Consider this, when it comes time for the client in question to cast another project, who do you suppose they’re going to reach out to first?
Slating is not a practice that I’m into. Unless, of course, the instructions specifically request it. Outside of that, I may include a slate if my audition includes more than one take. In that case a simple, “Marc Scott. Three reads,” is all I’d ever include. Continue reading 7 Deadly Sins Of Slating
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