Santa Clarita Magazine readers keep sending in great questions every month asking about the voiceover business. Here’s a letter I got from a voice actor who’s seen his income fall recently due to the economy.
Q: I’ve been a full-time voice actor for a number of years up until recently, and have noticed within the past year how much work has slowed down. Is it just me or has the industry taken a major downturn? And if so, do you have any recommendations for getting work? I’d really appreciate all the help I can get right now. — Bob M., Hollywood, CA
A: Bob, it isn’t just you. The lousy economy has ripple effects, and voiceover is just as affected as any industry. Although you’ll see no dead air on television or hear any silence on radio, a lot of production has slowed down, and advertisers are just re-running spots that were produced a while ago, to save money on new production.
In the meantime, here are a few tips you might use to keep your head above water until the economy turns around:
1. You’re on-call 18/7. Make sure your pager/cell phone is always on and you return calls promptly, if not immediately, if not right away. A missed call can be a missed job.
2. Have a good, updated resume, appropriate cover letters and thank-you letters. Make sure there are no typos or incorrect grammar. Be articulate, to the point and professional.
3. Send out a professionally produced and packaged CD demo. Have an .mp3 version to attach online. Always send out an active link to your email address and website, if you have one.
4. Research, research, research. Maintain and constantly update a database of contacts: producers, directors, casting directors, agents, studio owners, engineers, radio station producers, copywriters, etc.
I’ll share more answers on this topic next month.
Cashman Commercials © 2008
Marc Cashman creates and produces copy and music advertising for radio and television, and was a keynote speaker at VOICE 2008, the international convention of the voice acting industry, in August. Winner of over 150 advertising awards, he also instructs voice acting of all levels through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques in Los Angeles, CA, as well as One-on-One V-O Coaching. He can be contacted at cashcomm@earthlink.net or his website: www.cashmancommercials.com .