Comments

• 

  Bill Sleeper June 24, 2010 at 3:40pm

  My 2 cents all,
  
  Voice123:
  
  * The rating system IS factored into the Smartcast system software.
  * The Smartcast system sends out auditions; if not very many people respond, it sends out more, rinse and repeats as necessary. This is why you get jobs that posted earlier in the day or even yesterday.
  * With the free membership, the system sends you every audition under the sun that matches your profile.
  * When you become a paying member, the Smartcast system selects a certain percentage of all talent that match the job. This cuts down on EVERYONE getting EVERY job and thus EVERYONE auditioning, mucking up EVERYTHING.
  * The more voice categories that you list on your profile, the more auditions are sent to your inbox.
  * The more frequently you audition, the fewer jobs Smartcast sends you in the future. Be selective.
  * If I see there are a lot of auditions sent in already for a job, I go to the Voice Seeker Profile link at the bottom of the job page. This tells me the average percentage of total auditions that they open/listen to for each previous job posted. If they seek 100 auditions, and 75 have submitted before me, and the Seeker listens/opens 99% of all auditions submitted, I go ahead and submit my read.
  * I'm on both Voice123 and Voices, because one has an annual fee and one has a monthly subscription, respectively.
  
  I don't really want to do any ROI calculation on this set-up yet, because I think it's better to have SOME sort of access to these jobs/auditions/rehearsals, regardless of my success rate, just in case.
  
  That is clearly defined as Positive Thinking!
  
  Hope this helps everyone!
  -Bill
• 

  Victoria Phelps June 24, 2010 at 11:19am

  that is what I thought, thank you
• 

  Hal Houghton June 24, 2010 at 7:47am

  Good Morning, Victoria.
  
  Based on my experience of both being a paid and non-paid member of Voice 123, there is no way to audition for a job as a non-paid member.
  
  All the best.
  
  Hal
• 

  Victoria Phelps June 24, 2010 at 7:41am

  Good Morning all, it is great reading all your post, Hi Chuck be encouraged, even if you have to encourage yourself. it is easy to get discouraged but you never fail until you quit. So just keep moving forward. Congratulations Randi and I hope for all the best things for you. About Voice 123 I have my own questions, I signed up for them (the free one) just the other day and I have had a couple of auditions come over but then I can’t find where to upload the audition so I thought they were just using that as a tease until you paid. Is that incorrect? Is there is away for the “free” people to audition? Thanks ya all
• 

  Chuck Burke June 24, 2010 at 2:53am

  The most AMAZING thing happened to me tonight. Twas a frustrating evening of editing and proof reading and my PHONE rang! It was WOODY!
  
  He says to me, "What's this I hear about you being discouraged? Why didn't you call me?"..... ( he discerned that from this group)
  
  How cool IS that? Thanks Woody!
• 

  W. Thomas Dunn June 24, 2010 at 1:50am

  Thank you all for your input, it helps put it in perspective. Penny you did tell me that if I had not yet committed to either Voice123 or Voices.com that you thought I should go with Voices.com. I did listen , but I had put so much effort and time into 123 that I decided to go with them afterall.
  
  I did listen to you, butI took the chance - Now, here's a wrinkle on all this that you may get a kick out of. Last week (Thursday) I received an email, out of the blue, from a production company that found me on Voices.com. Now, I only have a picture and demo and have never been active with them (Voices.com). They (the production company) liked my demo and hired me for a TV commercial based strickly on what they heard on my demo! They needed it quick and I turned out fast. There was a little back and forth with some direction and name pronounciation, but they loved it and badda bing! They were very happy and told me that they would most likely want to use me in the future.
  
  Now isn't that a kick in the pants? Do you see the irony?
• 

  Chuck Burke June 24, 2010 at 1:25am

  Very interesting discussion. Very interesting indeed. Perhaps it needs it's own topic. ( Just me thinking out loud, if you can hear it through the clutter of my mind)
• 

  Penny Abshire June 24, 2010 at 12:45am

  You've all covered this well - just one more thought. Even though there have been lots of people already submit auditions - if the job looks tailor made for you, go ahead and audition. Speaking from the talent buyers point of view, I generally start with the auditions that came in last - not first. Or I just jump all over the place while I am listening. Don't assume that because there are a lot of auditions they will never get to you or that you don't have a chance. We Positive Thinkers don't put limits on ourselves - right?
  
  Hugs,
  
  Penny
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  Dawn Harvey June 24, 2010 at 12:37am

  I think you covered it quite well James. I had the same issue with getting the audition notice hours and sometimes days after it had been posted. When I asked them about it, my recollection is that it was along the same lines as what James had said - the whole rating thing. I'm not booking much on that site (not auditioning as much as I should be either due to time constraints) but even still, I seem to be getting earlier notice now. Still, I am thinking of switching to Voices.com when my 123 membership expires but I'm still in the process of figuring that out.
• 

  James Higuchi June 24, 2010 at 12:25am

  Hey Thomas,
  
  Those are all really good questions and unfortunately I have wondered some of the very same questions. My understanding of what projects you are allowed to do on 123 is based on many things. You need to have a good rating on 123 and the more auditions you do and the more you don't land the worse your rating getting. But if you limit you auditions and land most of them the you get a better rating...this is to try to prevent you from abusing the system. Also certain projects are only available if you meet all the technical requirements...ISDN or Phone patch, what kind of studio you might be running...etc. And a few auditions are by direct invitation only so the "voice seeker" asks for you and not "smartcast". Aside from that I have also noticed that there are many projects that I should be able to do but don't get invited, not sure what to say.
  
  In terms of getting the notice late I have seen that as well, I think that it has to do with "smartcast" taking so long to go through it's voicer library, by the time your name comes up the project may have already been offered to those whose name was first. I know how you feel it can be a frustrating site...but as long as the project fits your profile, is still active and you not too high on the list I still do them and I have landed a few here and there.
  
  Anyone else know more about 123???