Comments

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  Dan Bailey July 14, 2010 at 7:11pm

  I want to thank everyone for all the good advice about building my website. I decided to go with Network Solutions and try building it myself. It's kinda done, but I'd like to get some opinions and suggestions from the group before I make it public. It's at: www.voicebydan.com. I hope you like it. :)
  Thanks again,
  Dan Bailey
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  Dawn Harvey July 9, 2010 at 12:40am

  Thanks Dan!
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  Dan (Daniel Eduardo) Hurst July 8, 2010 at 9:59am

  Hi Dawn!
  
  The easiest way is to contact your local production houses and find out from them. You can also check through the local Chambers and BBB.
  
  One little trick to finding out who's doing what is by getting to know some of the TV shooters in your area. A lot of times they freelance for some of these producers. Also, TV station production directors can be an invaluable source of information. I have 5 clients that TV station production directors recommended me to.
  
  Check with local sports outlets and see who's shooting/producing those events. Those folks are often very much in the know about who's doing what because they are all pretty much freelancers.
  
  And if there is a specific industry you want to target, find out who the locals are using. For example, if you want to pursue the medical industry, check with your local hospital media relations people to see who they're working with...or know. Any local medical associations? Check with them. Doctors, nurses, and related staff all have to do continuing education. Find out where they're doing that, who's doing that, and who they use for their production work.
  
  The bottom line is that some of the healthiest connections you can make as a freelance voice talent is with free lance producers and shooters in your area.
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  Dawn Harvey July 8, 2010 at 1:20am

  Good advice Dan but I was wondering how you find these producers and single operators to hook up with?
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  Dan (Daniel Eduardo) Hurst July 8, 2010 at 12:09am

  Good Lord things have gotten busy at the Hurst Casa De Tacos and Voiceover Emporium!
  
  Sorry I haven't checked in for awhile! But I guess that's good news when you think about it.
  
  End of June and July have always been slow for me.
  
  Well, that seems to have changed this year. And it's included several new clients - mostly referrals. So...life is good.
  
  As soon as I get permission, I'll fill you in on some of the projects I've been working on.
  
  I've said this before many times. If you're trying to get things moving in this business, hook up with a single operator on the production side and help them out. In the last 2 weeks I've had the wonderful privilege of being a part of 3 new major projects that were each developed by single operators like me (only on the production/development side of things).
  
  In the same way that so many of our new voice talents in this business are here because they were victims of downsizing and management changes, the same can be said for the increase in independent producers.
  
  There are scads of them developing their own businesses now. Connect with them. Get to know them. Help them out with their projects. Offer to do free spec work for them to help them out. The payout will be well worth it.
  
  I've been in this voice business 25 years now. And I still make it a point to develop new business with new business owners - especially producers. I do it because it works! Some of my best clients are clients that I "grew with."
  
  Hitch your wagon to them and watch what happens!

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  Ken Maxon June 28, 2010 at 4:57pm

  I like the layout Al. Very nice design, easy navigation. :)
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  Chris Thomas June 28, 2010 at 2:18pm

  Sometimes you never know. Sometimes it is worth taking the risk and seeing how it works for you. If it doesn't work, then you simply have to work out another plan of attack. I know a talent who it didn't work for and he took a stage name to counteract the fact that folks already knew his face with his name.
  It really can be a trial and error type deal (as with any other business). but it doesn't have to be a daunting process.

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  George Washington III June 28, 2010 at 1:45pm

  This is something that happens in all aspects of the arts, I think.
  
  Some years ago, I was in a production of "Cold Sassy Tree," an opera written by Carlisle Floyd. I was the doctor. A patron of the opera sent the office a letter which they shared with me, in which the patron was pleased with the production, but the casting of me as the doctor was not believable, because there "were no Black doctors in Georgia at that time."
  
  Despite the factual inaccuracy of the comment, there is the problem of 1) an inability to suspend disbelief, and 2) not accepting the best person may not look the way you expect them to. It is a sad truth.
  
  I do use my face (this same picture) on my website, and whether it win or loses me work, we'll see.
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  Alexis Serrano June 28, 2010 at 1:07pm

  My Hispanic 18 year old brother was cast as "Young African American Male" for a radio and TV spot and prob. would not have been if they had seen his photo.
  
  In my case my dad markets me as "A Real Teen Voice" we thought it would be better for people to see I am really a teen.
  
  Same for my 8 year old brother we wanted clients to see he really is a kid.
  
  My Dad looks like his voice so he has a photo too.
  I guess it depends on what your marketing approach is.
  
  Alexis
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  Paul Kyriazi June 28, 2010 at 1:01pm

  Al, yes you voice fits very much your photo. But more important is your great web site with those seven different readings for different genre such as mystery where you have music, and one for Irish accent, etc. This is a great help for producers to see if you fit the genre they are producing.
  
  I also like how each demo moves into the next without having to click. And that the total length is shown so I know that it won't be a long time commitment. I wish you much luck with it and your voice career.