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Personal VO Views

Be A Voiceover Problem Solver

September 20, 2023 by Leesha S

Woman Seek to Solve a Problem
Solving A Problem

Are you a problem solver or a problem to work with?  A good voice talent is a problem solver.  Recently, I had an experience that showed the right and wrong way to solve a customer’s dilemma.  If you want to help, learn what is needed and find a way to solve your client’s problem and not create a no-win situation.

Not long ago, I went to a local chain store looking for house candles.  The day’s Weather Reports called for heavy rain and possible widespread power outages.  So, I thought it was an excellent time to get some old-school candles in case the lights went out in my home.  You see, I lost power for seven hours a few weeks ago.  Therefore, preparing for a potential power loss seemed like a good idea.

So, in my efforts to be proactive, I visited a famous store that sold household and grocery items.  Unable to find what I needed on my own, I asked a pinafore-clad employee for help.  The employee returned a puzzled look in response to my question about the location of household candles.  She then made an “educated guess” on where my requested items may be.  My other opinion was to ask a different store worker for help.  So, I asked another employee.  She, too, could not help and admitted the store only carried decorative candles.  But I was looking for utility or white candles, usually unscented.  Either way, my problem went unsolved.

“If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.”
― Isaac Asimov

But then, I started to rethink my problem.  What I really needed was a source of light that did not need an external power source.  Then, ‘Bingo.’ I went to the camping supply section and found small lanterns and lights that use batteries.  I had solved my problem.

Missed Opportunity

After this incident, I thought about the service I received from the store employees.  None of the people I interacted with asked me more questions to understand my problem or provided me with options.  They just wanted to get back to stocking the shelves.  The employees are still probably restocking stocking shelves.

Take Note for Change

For the voice actor, we should never approach a potential client with an indifferent attitude.  When we fail to understand a potential client’s needs or audition specs, we don’t address the problem.  Voice talent do more than “stock virtual shelves.”  We bring words to life through our unique script interpretation and give messages meaning.  It’s a talent’s job not just to provide a product but to solve a problem.

Steps to Being Indispensable

There are many people in and out of the voiceover business daily.  Many become discouraged by the changes threatened by technology.   But, the focus of every voice actor business should be to solve the client’s problem.  Solving problems can be done in four simple steps:

  • Listen or read to understand the problem or request

  • Make sure you know why there is a problem

  • Get or find the right tools, skills, and resources

  • Make sure you present a final solution (product) and if possible, beyond what is needed

And of course, whenever you have a deadline, you want to be early with your project.  If you make it a point to understand the client and uniquely solve the problem, the client usually will seek you out for future help.

To end, always be available to supply a unique experience that will leave your clients impressed and looking to you to solve their VO project problems.  That’s how you #breakalip.

Filed Under: Business Tips, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, voiceover, Voiceover Bussiness Tips Tagged With: bussines skills, compassionate voiceover, voice acting, voiceover

For A Voice Talent, The Best Thing To Say Maybe Nothing At All

April 1, 2023 by Leesha S

Recently I returned from a vacation in Canada. After months of saving and preparation, I was finally at the place I had dreamed of for six months. It was a group trip of about 50 of us skiers and non-skiers. Depending on my mood, I can fall into both groups. During the trip, I received some odd comments from one of the ladies traveling with us. She asked whether I had a roommate because that was my preferred mode of travel and where I was sitting on the plane to our destination. When I asked this lady to take a photo of me overlooking a river in Vancouver, she remarked that she took the picture so that I would not be the center of attention. What? Okay!? I’m thinking it’s my phone/camera, so why shouldn’t I be the center of attention? Instead of stewing about the strange comments I was receiving from this almost total stranger, I refocused on what was most important, enjoying my long-planned vacation. I thought when confronted with harmful or contrary information, the best thing to say may be nothing at all.

Comment, Why?

As a voice talent, I read and scroll social media posts on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Often, I just read the comments and don’t lend my two cents. However, if I can comment with something of value and to help the situation, I post and express my thoughts. As a voice talent with a public platform, my comments are not just seen by my followers. So, I try to determine if I can improve the conversation or help solve an issue or problem. If my thoughts lead to negative or not-so-nice stuff, I keep it moving. I don’t need to join an already full choir of those venting about topics like Artificial Intelligence (AI), voiceover industry changes, or the price of home studio equipment. Comments are a good thing, but why?

Nobody likes A Faultfinder

In this life’s journey, we all are exposed to good and bad challenges. Those who show and express an appreciation for their success attract others to them because they have realized that showing off only gets you fake friends. I’m not sure why the lady on my trip was so concerned about my room accommodations or my seat on the plane, but I decided to keep a good attitude and not return the same probing questions. This person knew nothing about me and the journey I’ve taken as a voice-over talent or somebody in general. Seeing someone enjoying a nice trip is not a license to make assumptions about the person’s life or character. Therefore, I decided to take the events in strive and come home safe to my voiceover business.

Keep it Moving

As a voiceover talent, I know we encounter many unsolicited opinions and remarks. Directors who think we need to go back to school, harsh criticism of our new demos, beliefs based upon our appearance, and backlash of our social media posts are just a few examples of blow backs. On the other hand, many directors and voice-over professionals encourage each other, share what they have learned, and are generally a joy to work with and around as top talents.

“Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful.”  Roy T. Bennett

When you encounter folks who may not have good things to say or write, try to look past the harsh responses. Working voice actors have to endure a lot of rejection, so try not to take the rejection personally. Sometimes it’s best to say nothing and count your blessings because you’re in the best profession in the world. You’re a voice actor!  Go ahead, #breakthatlip

Filed Under: Personal, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips Tagged With: bussines skills, compassionate voiceover, voice acting, voiceover

Breaking In or Breaking Through In Voiceovers

February 23, 2023 by Leesha S

Say it Like you Mean ItFebruary is celebrated in America as Black History Month.  As a Black person, I’ve been studying history, including Black American History, for most of my life.  Many of the programs and movies showing on streaming services highlight the lives and journeys of famous Afro-American actors and writers.  Most of the programs also have commentators who tell their stories and how they identify with the famed person of color. These are feel-good stories of sorts.  I thought about how in my family, the children were encouraged to break in and breakthrough.  You see, if my parents or relatives accomplished a goal or some remarkable feat, those coming up behind them were expected to take what others had done to the next level.  Not too much time was spent reflecting on what had been done, but more time was spent thinking of what one could do more significantly than what had already been done.  Voiceovers are a lot like that.  Don’t just break in, breakthrough as a voice talent.

In this changing society, new and improving voice actors should focus on breaking into and breaking through the business.  It’s more than just making money; it’s making one’s own unique space in the voice-over industry.  Becoming an authentic, sought-after talent is breaking through as a voice actor.

 

Reflect On The Past But Aim For The Future

 

Many of us have heard of Don LaFontaine, Mel Blanc, and Jean Vander Pyl.  These voices are only a few of the many talents who have blazed trails in the voice-acting business over the decades.  The names of many famous talents, who broke the voice-acting mold, will never graze our lips in casual conversation.

Voice actors should study the efforts and strides of talents of all races and backgrounds and then use that information to help shape their breakthrough journey.  “Breaking in” stops you at the door.  “Breaking through” leads you up the steps and paths of new challenges for greater success.

Voice talents are expected to do a good job no matter their level of experience.  As a talent, you should always do your best and look for new leads and opportunities for voice work.  Ace a style that you may be perfect for in a particular genre.  See what talents and skills lie within you and find out how you can become the best at being you.

 

Breaking Through Is Hard

 

Don’t let words like “can’t, no, too hard, too old, not talented enough, or don’t know,” hold you back.  Breaking through is about learning what one needs to learn and going for the job or assignment.  What works for one voice talent may not work for another.  So, find what works for you and do the hard work.  Don’t let procrastination or fear rob you of your breakthrough moments.

In one of my first directed sessions, a comment made by a couple of the producers changed the timbre of the session for me. They remarked about how another voice actor was so easy to work with and took almost no time when being directed. As a talent in my second session, hearing producers sing the praises of another talent was not encouraging.  In fact, the comments made me feel insecure, and the session did not go well for me.  Later, I realized I can’t control comments made by producers, but I could control my behavior.  I learned from this experience.  Now when I’m in a directed session, I remind myself that I am working in my studio and on my time.  I think to myself, “I am enough for THIS job.”  It’s up to me if I want to do this job or not.  Taking control of the session helps me break through and unleash my talent and success.

“Every success is built on the ability to do better than good enough.”
Zig Ziglar

 

No End To Real Breakthrough

 

Many famous people don’t achieve all their dreams and goals.  If you were to interview history makers in entertainment at the end of their careers, many would say they have not achieved the success they wanted.  Still, breakthrough people keep going forth and don’t spend too much time counting their former success.  Part of that is why they are successful.

As a voice talent, it’s your job to become better than your last job.  So, continue your learning and growing with the industry. Keep your chops, knowledge, and equipment ready to keep you competitive.  Yes, acknowledge your success, but don’t stop growing.  Keep moving forward as a voice actor, meeting the challenges, and growing your success.  If you’ve reached your business goals, great.  Now go make new ones.

Learn to review and appreciate the past achievements of others.  But more importantly, learn from the break-in talent and push to make your breakthrough success.

Go ahead and break that lip!  #breakthatlip

Filed Under: Business Renewal, Business Tips, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voice over Training, voiceover Tagged With: bussines skills, compassionate voiceover, voiceover

Speak your Truth as a Voiceactor 

August 24, 2022 by Leesha S

Should your individual opinions affect your choices in voiceover projects? I recently read a blog related to truth, or should I say, statements reported as news in the American news media. The post was about how some people shrewdly use social and news media platforms to develop messages. These messages may contain misleading or belief-based information to sway receivers to a particular point of view. If accepted, the persuasive message may convince receivers that an opinion-based report is a fact.

I wondered how voice actors cope with questionable information they must communicate through scripts and projects. For example, how do you deal with voicing projects where you believe the information is askew? It’s one thing to listen to the news and read social media, but what if you’re voicing a message that is contrary to your values? The wrong answer can affect one’s finances. As a talent, define your standards of truth as a voice of integrity.
Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”   Oscar Wilde

Set The Standards

To run a successful business, you must have standards within that business. Those standards govern what you can and should do to please a customer. So, first, become clear on what you prefer to voice as an actor; the rest is follow through. For example, I know actors specific on the types of reads they record and only voice those types. The actors are not biased in any way; they have simply decided what kinds of projects they will perform.

Times and thinking have changed a lot in the past five or even two years.  Your standards should be top of mind throughout your daily business life.  In Focusing on Your Core Values as a Small Business, Matt Wilson says, “And if you started your company a week ago or 10 years ago, I urge you to spend a bit of time considering just who you want your company to be and make sure that it is living up to your standards.”

Live With The Choices

When a voice actor hangs out the “For Hire” sign, they tell the world they are available for almost any project. But before a voiceactor is ready to work, they must be clear as to the tone of the business. Producers may not just judge you on your demo, but your previous projects and affiliations posted online may also be reviewed. You don’t have to pen a statement of values per se, but if you note on your public profiles the types of projects you enjoy and the work you want to voice, it’s a subtle way of letting others know your choices.

You also show your choices through social media followers, posts, and support. It’s a given today that someone will review your social media pages to see what you’re really about. So, make sure your post and support align with your principles.

Distance yourself from causes and pages that can give a bad and incorrect view of your business and who you are as a voice actor. Sometimes, it’s best not to participate in publicly bashing elected officials or celebrities. While you can have your point of view, making political statements as a voice actor and offending potential future clients may not be suitable for business.

Voice Integrity

You are the most intuitive as a voiceactor when you participate in projects you can agree with or believe in the message. Don’t take any job because money is slow. Your voice recording could be heard indefinitely, and you may become the talent that supports a particular position. In addition, if you believe in what you’re saying or selling, your read will go much better because you can connect with the message and why it’s important to others. Moreover, if you want to connect with a message, know what you want the listeners to feel, and that will come through in your voice.

I’m not saying you have to love aftershave cream or hard tack screws, but if the message is one you can believe in, such as the importance of aftershave cream and hard tack screws, you can voice the script with meaning and conviction.

Know What Fits For You

I know from experience that sometimes we get asked to do projects that don’t align our values even though the position is popular in the media. Going against the social media influencers or the messages in the news may seem like walking into a windstorm headfirst. But you cannot compromise yourself and still be an effective, emotive voiceactor.

Seek projects that you can proudly stand behind and would not be embarrassed if your parents or children recognized your voice. It may seem hard, and that’s because it is. You may have to walk away from some big-dollar jobs, but in the end, you’ll have done what’s right for your future.

Speak your truth at a voiceactor, and you’ll never have to lie about who you are or how you feel. Your feeling matter as a voice actor. Now, do what you do best as you #breakthatlip

Filed Under: Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voice over Training, Voiceover Bussiness Tips Tagged With: bussines skills, compassionate voiceover, voice acting, voiceover

It’s About Worth Not Cost

August 10, 2022 by Leesha S

Person Looking to trust and know their worth
Know your worth and trust your view.

We want our business to be successful.  And voiceactors wish to be appreciated as talents and exemplary business people.  As such, voice actors must be careful not to take it too personally when people try to use our emotions during negotiations.  No matter your profession, knowing your worth will help you set fair  business practices that will eventually grow your company and grow your self-satisfaction.

Recently, my brother brought a great revelation to my attention.  I shared with him a story of how I was trying to get a job with an organization I greatly admired.  As such, the producer offered me a rate for a project that was significantly lower than my normal rate for similar projects.  Since I believed in the organization’s overall message, I decided to take the offered rate.  But then, the producer returned to me with additional requirements and directions without offering additional funds for my extra work.  So, I tried to develop the best re-audition I could for my go-ahead to start the job per all the specifications.  Later, I mentally waited for hours and then days for what I hoped would be the final approval to begin the work.

When I shared this story with my brother, I assumed he wouldn’t understand my predicament because, after all, he’s not a voiceover talent.  But, almost cutting me off in telling my story, my brother nicely scolded me pointing out that I was not being truthful the producer.  It started with the me dropping  my voiceover rates and then accepting other musts.  For a moment, I stopped and thought, was I so concerned about working for the organization that I had compromised myself as a businessperson?  Then, as my brother pointed out, being a voice talent doesn’t mean you don’t need to eat.  I had forgotten my worth. Ouch!

Well, I came to my senses and thought, I have an intelligent brother.  But also, accepting low rates from potential clients does not serve me as a voice actor or businessperson.

Negotiation is Everything

M.J., a famous female Black American voice talent, told me years ago that negotiation is everything.  M.J. pointed out it’s okay to ask for what your business needs to provide the best projects for clients.  However, accepting low-ball rates only sets you up for a continuous cycle of lower prices that, in most cases, can hurt your business and keep you from growing your voiceover career.
Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Be Reasonable

While working with the client, I think I should have let them know the rate and requirements were outside of my business tenants.  That way, the client could have moved on and searched for another voiceactor.  Sometimes, it’s better to cut one’s losses and move on.

Moreover, being too reasonable can translate into being seen by others as of a low quality or not very talented.  If one only accepts low rates, a potential client may think a voiceover actor is cheap and must not be any good.  As a voice talent, I invest in my training, studio upgrades, and the like to continue providing my clients with the best products.  Without charging reasonable rates, my business cannot grow, nor can I grow as a talent.  The quality of what I provide would suffer, and my business could go under.

It’s about Business

My story reminds me that while I enjoy voiceacting, I must run my business like a business. Compromising the fundamental canons of my company does not help my current or future clients.  This incident reminded me of how important it is to work with budgets to help my clients, including negotiating the best rates and benefits for all involved.  Keeping these basic tenets will lead to developing successful projects and relationships.

Self-Satisfaction from Self-Respect

Walking away from a job that is not a good fit is not giving up.  On the contrary, the act of walking away is affirming one’s standards and best practices. We feel the most validated and affirmed when we stand our ground, trust ourselves, and our standards.  Acts of courage feed into our spirit and are a setup for even better projects and successes in the future.

Now, go and break that lip!

Filed Under: Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voice over Training

Gracefully Maturing as a Voice Actor

May 27, 2022 by Leesha S

Man with microphoneSince the late 60s, our society has idolized youthfulness by discarding the old and driving to the new. While such thinking grabs Media headlines and Social Media likes, meeting daily challenges in business and life can be more complicated. I’ve recently celebrated a birthday and still like what I see in the mirror. However, as a voice talent, learning to continue to like what you see in the mirror as you age and your performance as an actor can be a constantly moving target. So, looking back on my life, I’d like to share what I think can help you mature gracefully as a voice actor and continue to perform at your best for as long as you like.

Know why you do what you do

Regularly review your voiceover goals. Your goals will focus your motivation and methods for the following. If you don’t know why you’re in the business, you won’t last long in the business.

It’s okay to lose…sometimes

As voice actors, we do a ton of auditions. But, for most of us, we lose more auditions than we book. No one wants to lose a good-paying voice job. Yet, if you’re sending out quality auditions on time, you will sometimes not get the job you thought you were the best fit. So, remember to pat yourself on the back for doing your best for the audition/client and move on to the next opportunity.

You can’t do everything

Sometimes, we get overwhelmed by the business of voice acting. Make sure you’re not wearing too many hats. Social media, website management, marketing, and more can be done using software or hiring help. Even if you have been doing everything yourself, you may find some tasks can become a heavier lift as you age or as your personal life requires more attention. Look into what needs to be farmed out to keep you from losing your love for the business.

Practice, get coached, practice

We know things change, and things change twice as fast in voiceacting. While the fear of the Artificial Intelligence takeover in all voiceovers may be subsiding, that does not mean read styles stop evolving. Continue collaborating with a good coach and also record yourself and make sure your sound is current and marketable within your genre.

Check your speed and articulation

As we age, we tend to slow down. Others can hear the speed change in our delivery before we may notice the difference ourselves. Continue to practice your regular articulation exercises to keep your diction on point. Moreover, listen to your auditions to make sure you’re not speaking too slowly or losing momentum in long-form narrations. With a little review, you can keep your voiceover game up to speed.

Keep up with the changes in the industry

As we accumulate years in business, we may get slack in keeping up with changes in the voiceover industry. Moreover, changes in technology, payment methods, communication, and the like directly affect the voiceacting industry. So, make a point to set aside time each week to engage with forms, webinars, online sessions, and blogs to keep an eye on industry changes.

There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” Sophia Loren

Know your changing voice/style of delivery

You may have been good at sounding like a teenager a couple of years ago, but today you may not be so good at that. Or your auditions for commercials may not be getting you the jobs. No worries, it may be time to add the middle-aged or senior voice to your repartee or change your voiceover niche. Be open to your coach’s recommendation about your sound and other voiceover genres that you may have become vocally qualified.

As we age, it’s important to take safe care of our voice.  In the article, “Does Your Voice Get Deeper as You Age?,” WebMD Editorial Contributors provide some useful tips to prevent or slow vocal issues and significant vocal changes.

Have Fun in business and life

While we all love getting those big-ticket voiceover jobs, make sure you are still having fun working your business and enjoying your life. Each of us has finite time on this Earth. We should never work to live. Whatever your beliefs about the afterlife, if you’re reading this, your last day of life will come.

With age, you can get better, so keep making those revisions and breaking that lip!

Filed Under: Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, voiceover, Voiceover Bussiness Tips

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