So do you remember when you read my Voiceover demo collateral on NEVER blindly sending out your Voiceover Demos to mass market agency lists? Because you know where they end up... in the trash can or under the delete key. But I'm happy to suggest the proof of pudding that works real well. Getting your national market demos produced at the hand of a great demos producer, with all the collateral and assets ready for your production, that keen third party perspective on what agencies want - and THEN - having that producer, by agency relationship and referral - refer you into an agency...knowing WHICH agencies are building which departments and need new talent. The process is golden when it comes to marketing and packaging up new talent. As a talent, the only way you succeed is with those golden fan club relationships, when casting directors become your fans. Those casting fans refer you into agencies, and you usually pick up more representation.

When a good, respected voiceover demo producer also becomes your ally and gets you ushered into agencies that he or she knows has agency position Voices to fill, you're getting a keen recommendation from a trusted ally of the agency; and usually, new representation agreements can get penned.

This just happened for two of our voiceover clients. Target needs are established at a new agency, or a long term relationship with the agencies, by us for example, as the demos producer. Two voiceover clients get brand new demos, the new demos get ushered by us over to that agency - and now both talent have Southern California representation... and they don't even live here.

Now mind you, it's not the job of the demo producer to put you into that distribution machine.

In the record business, when a producer makes a great song or album, they take an interest in a recording because they have their hand and vested interest in it to get the label placement, perhaps publishing and the sales returns. With a Voiceover Demo, you want a great, crackerjack and respected voiceover demos producer, and then it's up to you to do your marketing plan.

What if you got the best of both worlds? Where your highly regarded Demos producer also has a window to get you placed?  It's a value to think about, but keep in mind that not every demo producer has to or should do that for you. Certainly, if we did it for our clients, it would ONLY be because we really think the productions being done, as demos, were just stupendous and worthy of getting placed on agency house representation sites - and certainly that the talent as a Voiceover talent was a contender; to warrant that any such producer would bother 'risking relationship perspective' and industry perception in doing the demos and then be putting Everyone into agency submissions. That would be impossible to submit everyone who was making a demo into every agency. The outcome? How do you say Used Car Lot? 

We don't. But that's why we only produce 24 total client demos per year, and that we now look for the gem talent that need new demos to be produced, and BANKED... so that when we say we're proud to have done a demo for a Voiceover talent, we'll then usher that talent's demos over to the agency houses, where we've done the work, we'd like to be responsible for the outcome, so our demo work has  real value added, and where we KNOW that there has been a desk shift, changes and new talent positions in new categories of the business, that are open for new talent to step in and fill the voice void. Because it helps US with that agency as well when they say, thanks for finding us a great new talent to put into our inventory.

Yes, we can do that for you, but only for the talent who can qualify that they're ready for these new agency pockets and that we should bother playing that card or chip.

If you want to see how I feel about playing chips, go back to John Florian's Voiceover Xtra, and read the story I wrote about a casting director who mutually unfortunate for both of us, had her boss call down to her to let me keep my scheduled audition time, as a kind favor for me. Risky practice at best to endeavor. Later, when I brought a toy company into that animation firm to do a hoped for production, there was really no deal on the table. That same boss looked at me and said, "you DON'T have anything concrete here, DO you?" That, after his wasting ONE chip, for me.

That was a lesson. So when it comes to broadcast and multimedia production relationships, I learned - when you get them or give them - use chips wisely, and otherwise... DON'T use chips.

So if you are a crackerjack VO talent, ready to do new demos, and you CAN benefit from the agency referral - yes we'll do that. But not for everyone. You show us that you're pro market, need a brand lift and expansion, ready to cover niche markets in new industries and we'll get you parked. Not everyone. Just those of you as talent who are ready to rise to the occasion. Everyone needs new markets, or reworking of their old ones. That's why we're here. If you need new polish on demos and don't need any further marketing, great. I'm really pleased that you're doing so well. If you're ready for the new doorway into new demos though and a positioning into these new markets that are opening up, then we can and will put you there as well.  But only as required, and only by design. 

Again, two of our last voice over demo clients now have representation in Southern California. Still two others, placed with one up in Portland, and one in San Francisco... and none of these talent even live here on the West Coast!

Then of course, I also get really happy when I hear from the Voiceover talent that I've worked with, that not only are they booking, but they're booking big time. 

" Ron - I nailed a national spot for Purina/Mighty Dog. Spot will air on national TV Thanksgiving during the Purina sponsored Dog Show.I think the show will be on ABC. The agency heard my demo. They sent the script for the audition. Did the VO audition. Got a call that I was booked.  1-2-3-4" .

THAT's what I like to hear. Most likely, if you can walk the walk with the tools that we set you up with, than you can do it too.

 

Best wishes,

 

Ron Knight

Advanced Voiceover Coach

Careers Consultant