Thanks for sending in great questions about the voiceover industry. This month’s question is about looking for an agent.
Q: At what point should I look for an agent? –Betty G., Silver Lake, CA
A: When you’ve completed producing your V-O Demo and have a website or landing page set up. If there’s a way for you to complete a second demo—narration—or a third—animation/character—that’d be even better, as that would make you a much more attractive “package” for an agent. This is all under the assumption that you’re ready to make your demo, Betty. I’ve worked with many students who made their demo prematurely, and it turned out that their skills weren’t up to snuff. An agent can hear that a mile away. So make sure that you’re competitive with other demos out there, and train with the best instructors you can find. Plus, make sure that your production values are competitive as well. There’s a huge range of quality in demo production, and many times what you pay is what you get. Good luck, and break a lip!
As usual, I’ll be bringing you more Q&A’s next month.
Marc Cashman creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television, and has twice named as one of the “Best Voices of the Year” by AudioFile Magazine. He’s been a Keynote Speaker and Master Class instructor at the international voiceover conventions VOICE 2008 and 2010 in Los Angeles, and will be reprising these roles at VOICE 2012 in June at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA. Winner of over 150 advertising awards as a producer and casting director, he also teaches voiceover technique at California Institute of the Arts and instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, and through one-on-one coaching worldwide.
Marc can be contacted at cashcomm@earthlink.net or his website, www.cashmancommercials.com. Marc Cashman © 2012