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Lost Gems... The GREAT Audition. The Job. And then...
the client or director who botched your Buy!
November 2009
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Showing Extra Value - when Demo categories are just not enough.
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Dear Voiceover Talent:
We've all been there. You have too. Your agent calls or emails saying "Here's an audition for XYZ client." You rev up your delivery and theater of the mind to hit the style and branding right on >bazinga!< and deliver the best audition audio you could ever drive from the depths of your ad media creative audio soul and acting pipes. The audition actually DOES the Job. It GETS you the GIG! YAY!
Then... on session... the client or director directs you down, left, under, up and through to put you somewhere that they think is g-g-ggreat, better, and right on... in a world where opinions and politics take the takes, somewhere... dissolving, diluting and deluded away from what the very wonderful genius delivery you'd delivered in the first place... the one that GOT you the job as they said - YEP! THAT'S IT! And then, when they got you, they turned you into... .... pudding plop.
How often has this happened when you have a take from an audition, something you were really proud of, that somehow never makes it to a final media buy on the actual production; So you're actually left thinking "Hey! That would've been a GREAT credit, and would've been a great showcase piece for my demo. Now... I dunno if I really wanna put that actual media on my demo, when the one I did that GOT me the job, was SO much better... That's a conflict.
Where can all of this "scrap" .. the studio basement tapes, as we call them in the recording industry.. ever go? When some of these "Lost Gems" are actually much better than what the client or director takes from you on site?
Let's not get the intent nor meaning of this writing wrong. We're not here to shoot or demean clients nor directors. But this is a business of doing work for hire, and getting paid based upon client's happiness with their media. That does not always mean that every client or their director has the top of mind imaging background, the theatrical story roots, the production background, the demographic style and branding vernacular, or just plain experience that always, or from job to job necessarily gets them a media bite worthy of "national attention" or style.
But that work that you did on the audition when they heard what you could do... is certainly reflective of the style, panache, finesse and just subliminal mind impression delivery that shows many a good buyer that you know what you're doing with some of the best deliveries that can be interpreted and construed for the best brands.
Hence.. it's your choice. If you keep it locked away on a hard drive.. you have a LOST GEM.
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Demo Categories / Adding value to your "Legacy Heritage"
Our world of Voiceover has gotten very crowded. You can visit countless web sites marketing voiceover talent, and one can see the demo field has niched itself into tight consolidation categories of shorter lengths, in the highly defined industry targets: Commercials, Narration, E-Learning, Audio Book, Characters and Animation, Multimedia, Medical, Video Games, Telephony.. etc etc. With attention spans decreasing, and producers hearing a bite in a heartbeat, demos now at the national agency standard of just :60 seconds each, will soon come down to :30; and as I've been prone to joke, some day will be just one word each.
Some talent do however, have another category which places like a by-line of experience and recording artistry. The category is called Other, sometimes Miscellaneous, Studio Out Takes.. and what we like to emblazon across a talent as "The Lost Gems".
Lost Gems Demos do not flow hither-thither and helter-skelter all over the categories, but in their own right, can tightly show a back story and "ancillary" publishing column to a buyer, client or fan's "experience" with the artist. It shows what a talent does if given the iconic opportunity to open up and out, to brand the brands, show the shows that make that talent the potential powerhouse, icon and brand name player in their own right... which makes the listener, producer or client say - THAT person has been in the studio for a LONG time. I get their story, and I WANT SOME OF THAT.
If you play your cards right, without ever leading off to the discussion of what placed where, your LOST GEMS Demo can do more for you, then all of the 'right on the money' stylized Commercial Demos stacked back to back in a listening review. How many Wendy's or Wachovia, Burger King or Blue Bonnet, Hardee's or Honda's does it take to fill 978 Commercial Demos? Your LOST GEMS Demo, when someone is spinning through your site, can be more fun and intriguing, than a pocket full of bloopers and out takes. Most important, it allows you the opportunity to show what you do with the Freedom, Hemi-Engine and the Wings... when they ask.. "Okay. Who IS you, and What can YOU do?" This does not always fall into the standard industrialized category, and even if it does, your Lost Gems ought to be woven into the appropriate Demos for your updated showcase demo marketing and outreach efforts.
The best part? You already have your takes, that you know were the Lost Gems... the Smokers. You just don't have the time, resources or the third party production perspective to weave those best Lost Gems into a Killer Demo that can break you out of the box for next year.
But now... you do.
Since we don't have to record your VO tracks for the Lost Gem takes that you already have..
those best of your audition takes that got you where you needed to go but never got used...
we can save time and costs on weaving together your next Killer Demo:
the Lost Gems.
All you have to do is send them to us. We'll review them for the best editorial, positioning, story compilation and production, and give them back to you as your new Lost Gems Demo.
A far better use for them, than just sitting on your hard drive.
Your Lost Gems Demo will include our full post production with newest music for 2010, new sound effects, new compilation with full audio production value for back story, showcase and ad media style. When you get back your new Lost Gems Demo, you can hang it on your site - and for the first time, have a permanent proud display of best work that no one's ever heard of.. to shingle up for the world, and not just keep at home on ice.
The Lost Gems Demo will be produced to give you a whole new tool for 2010... at a far more reasonable cost than you'd expect; and at a turnaround time that can have a new demo for you in 10 working days or less!
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| Lost Gems Demos - In and Out of the Oven in 10 working days or less! |
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Check out our new relaunch of the studio website. We're just one week away from the new site launch, which will feature a "put your files in here" and "take it out of the oven over here" upload and download feature.
Your Lost Gems Demo needs to have:
* Your best 'Lost Gem' takes sent over to us
* We'll deliver back in 10 working days or less
* a remarkable 50% OFF our regular single demo rates.
Normal Demo Price: $1,600
Lost Gems Demo:
Just $795.00
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New News! Ron Knight, who has produced and tweaked literally hundreds of voiceover careers is regularly asked, "You positioned me. Why don't you rep me, or form an agency?" Mr. Knight has always found it a conflict of interest to be a producer, a voiceover coach, as well then as "an agency"... but that may change as KMI is now in dialogue to open and launch a whole division in a new office, in a whole new market... with a whole new slate of positions open for represented talent. If you do not have representation in this particular remarkable entertainment metro market media area, within this very specific category, you might do well to prep a submission.
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But not yet. We may well be taking submissions soon, but please.. NOT until a green light, the formal announcement, and we open the doors. The new office locale is not in the same metro market as the current KMI studios. You'll find a "Submission Link" on the new site for voiceover and announcing / emcee talent, as soon as we advise that it's up.
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50% off your new Lost Gems Demo for 2010. 10 Days Turnaround time. Your best takes from your best reads that never saw the light of day. We'll put them to work for you. Also, if you're stuck, feel free to call or email to ask about our upcoming 1/2 Day event, "The Shift" Where is Your Business?" We think it's going to be a great 1/2 day of your time, which will help you start pointing back in the right direction, given these amazing and very interesting times.
Sincerely,
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Save 50%
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Off your new Lost Gems Demo, when ordered by December 8th, 2009. Fixed Rate just $795.00 includes full review of submitted audio takes, editorial choice, cuts, production post, music and sfx, mastering, audio disc and digital WAVs and studio Mp3s delivery.
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Offer Expires: December 8th 2009 |
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