The Slow Holidays

Hey Everyone,

Holidays are a tough time for a freelance VO artist. The jobs have a tendency to dry up and you may not even be near your studio.

Here are a couple of good ways to get your holiday spirit up and get some momentum for when the jobs come in.

1) Thank every client you have worked with and wish them a happy holiday. 5 or more a day would be great. Maybe pop in an availability schedule for more work or talk about a job you just finished.

2) Do a search for production studios, agents, anything that produces video content and start sending emails expressing interest. I used Boomerang to schedule emails to be sent and then send them at a time where you know people will be in office. Do 5 of those a day, schedule for after the new year and you'll have an email blast that is unprecedented.

3) Get your website started. Ever VO artist should have a website, in the slow times, you'll need a professional place where people can go to inquire about your services. It doesn't have to be amazing, it just hast to be functional.

Between those three things, you may not be making direct money but you will be doing your part to focus on future business.

Use the time you have! And have FUN!

Tips for Non-Union Voice Actors

Hey Everyone,

I'm starting up my video series of Tips for VO actors. Just a few tips to put in your toolbox to use in every audition that will help you sound that much better.

Slating is the first thing the client hears. MAKE USE OF IT!!!

First one, Slating. Check out the video. Like it and subscribe.

Kaotica Eyeball Review

Hi Everyone,


Here's my review of the Kaotica Eyeball. It's a foam ball which you put on your microphone to help soundproof your place.



It really works. But, it's a little steep at $200 and the mic positionment might be a little weird. Check out the video!
Follow @torres_justin

Voice123: Why I DON'T recommend them to New Voices!

For those who are unfamiliar, Voice123 is a pay-to-play service where they send you auditions for jobs.

There are a few REALLY bad things about V123 that all new VO talents need to know.

1) Jobs in V123 don't have to be ACTUAL JOBS!

Voice123 doesn't escrow money, so the jobs can very much not exist. V123, when you get a job, asks you through email whether or not you received the job and you can say yes or no. It doesn't really matter. There could be thousands of jobs where people just posted them and they never happened.

The main difference between this and Voices.com is that Voices requires clients to pay the money for the jobs to Voices once the agreement starts. So, once again Voices has the advantage.

2) The Smartcast feature

Voice123 punishes talent for auditioning too much. If you audition for every job that comes your way, you lose auditions. This is counter productive because they have no clue whether the jobs even become actual paying jobs. In essence, every non-job should be considered a non-audition.

Personally, I haven't had an audition in 8 days with the exception of direct invitations from clients. When I complained, they said that I audition for 600% of the jobs. Don't you want talent to audition for jobs? Isn't that a good thing?

3) $400 price tag

Ugh, $400 now puts them at the most expensively bad Pay-to-play site available. UGH! The worst. There is no possible reason for this increase. I only tolerate it because there have been jobs which I've received through this.

4) Connection to Voicebunny

Voice123 is connected to Voicebunny, one of the cheapest sites when it comes to paying VO talent. It's the worst, and V123 created it. They seem to have really figured out a way to screw over VO artists. If you're new to Vo, Voicebunny is a good proving grounds if you can't afford the voices.com price tag.

In conclusion, Voice123 suddenly had an influx of auditions of the past few months and were really giving out lots of auditions but this month was punishment for my willingness to auditions. Basically, don't get V123 first. Get voices.com!

The Life of A Non Union Voice Artist : Day 3 and 4

Hey All,

Day 3

1) Voices.com Auditions 14 total
2) V123 Auditions 3 total
3) Did one call in job
4) Had to redo a part of a job as well.

Total recording sessions with editing 3.

NOTE: Sometimes a client will request a call in. This is different that ISDN, this is just a phone conference. I constantly tell clients that I have worked with PBS and many large companies where they just listened in through phone. ISDN is not needed. If it's a small job, under $500 then they shouldn't be asking for a service that costs you a hundred a month. If it's over a grand, then yea, at that point, you might as well visit a studio and hire someone to do the call in.

I've done hundreds of non-union vo jobs, I have NEVER had a client love my voice, want to hire me, and then say, "Awww no ISDN? I can't hire you then."

There's this kind of assumed thing that if you buy quality equipment, ISDN, top of the line software, that you are worth more than other vo artists. In essence, it's all about the performance. Unless of course, it's obvious and you hear voices and sirens and cars in the background.

Day 4

1) Voices Auditions 12 total
2) V123 auditions 11 Total
3) One job
4) Edited a redo

Total recording sessions with editing 2.

A thing to note about this week, this was from mon-thursday, so auditions are likely to taper off as the weekend starts.

Look at the numbers of auditions between Voices and V123, now this may change if you are female, older, etc. I only offer the stats. V123 is priced the same as voices but offer far less auditions for me. I use both because I can make my money back on both.

Have a great night everyone.

The Life of A Non Union VO Artist: Day 2

Hey Everyone,

Here's the Tuesday Stats

1) Voices.com Auditions 8 jobs Total= 1 Recording Session
2) V123 5 Jobs total = 1 Recording Session (same session as Voices)
3) Out of Home Travel Audition = Left for Agent's Audition
4) Single Repeat Customer Job = 1 Recording Session (separate from Voices)
5) In Home Agent Audition = 1 Rec Session, (Same as Job)

If you get an agent, (usually if you live in NYC or LA) they will send you out every now and then for auditions. These are usually shots in the dark unless you already won a few jobs or you're just amazing. Unfortunately, these trips into the city take away time from my Non-union work, but the payoff is a larger job.

The stats here, 2 recording sessions, one job.

Tomorrow, I do a call in job that came from voices.

Those are always fun!

Take care everyone.

The Life of A Non Union VO Artist : Stats Day 1

Hey Everyone,

So, here is what I did today. Monday, is my start day, so it's usually a bunch of auditions from the weekend and the new auditions that just came in.

1) 16 Voices.com Auditions, 2 Trips to Record
2) 8 Voice 123 Auditions 1 Trip to Record
3) 2 Outside Client Auditions was on V123 Trip to Record
4) 1 Small Job Recorded was on Second Voices.com Trip

So, overall I had 3 Recording sessions,3 editing sessions.

You want to minimize the amount of back and forth you get to the mic. The only exception is if you see a job that you really think you have a chance at. Then, drop your shit and record asap.

Today was a relatively slow day. But, if you look at the stats, I only made money off 1 job, the rest are around 26 auditions.

Tomorrow, I'll be going to an early audition for my NYC agent, which is usually a shot in the dark.

Oh and I was able to eat, workout for an hour, and do a small amount of grocery shopping.

This is your typical day one.

The Types of VO Files

Here's a tiny tip that most new people don't know.

The three primary files I get asked for are

1) WAV
2) MP3
3) AIFF

Other's do exist but, these are BY far the top three.

For an audition file, especially if you are auditioning directly to a client. You want to use MP3. And a fairly small quality mp3.  We're talking 192kbps. We do this for 2 reasons. It's lower quality so they can't just plug it into a video and still it (though technically they could). Second, you want to have smaller files to upload.

I put all my auditions in an audition folder. I save them all, because you never know when you are going to need them. If they are mp3 files, you can put thousands in there and not hurt your space. So, to conclude, MP3 for auditions only. (unless specified by client, in which case, ask them the EXACT quality they want)

WAV is my go-to for all jobs unless they ask for AIFF or MP3. It's a higher quality file, pretty much lossless and it's not terribly big. AIFF files are huge. I use Wav files, 44,100 Hz, 16 Bit, mono, PCM. It's mono, because you aren't recording with two separate microphones.

Here's a basic rundown on Wav files. If you record for say 20 minutes, it's about 80-100 megabytes. So, it's big enough to be quality and small enough in size to be able to keep around.

Always keep your jobs on your computer. Don't go deleting good work, you never know when a client might need those files.

AIFF is a special type of file. It's lossless, HUGE, and doesn't sound much different than a wav. Sound engineers want these but they usually say WAV is fine. Basically, if someone really wants a AIFF, offer wav, if not then ask what specific aiff rates are they looking for and be prepared to big files.

I don't pretend to be an expert on this, but I have been an VO artist for around 6 years now, and I've never had a single client come back with questions on quality. So, what I know is solely based on experience.

Have a great day everyone.

Justin

Starter Tips for you Audiobook Recorders

Audiobooks are a great way to start out being a non-union voice over artist. You can probably get an ACX deal with an author, it'll be cheap and a little slave labory BUT if you are new, this is the perfect practice to figure out if this is what you want to do and ALSO learning how to edit quicker, learning how to listen to yourself, and learning how to be a voice over artist.

When choosing a project,

1) Realize that if you are editing this yourself, give yourself 5-1 ratio on Finished Hour rates. So if it's $80 an hour, you're probably going to take 5 hours of work to get that $80. I know it sucks. But, if you're just starting out, it's okay. I did a trilogy for $85 an hour but I really wanted to do it and I had it on my list of things to work on. I'm glad I did.

2) Make sure you give yourself ENOUGH time. If you have a full time job, it may take a week to do one finished hour. Really give yourself the time. I gave myself a month and a half to get a book done, and I didn't have a job! I found that my brain burns out on reading at about the 45 minute mark. And I maybe have about 2 of those available in the day, then I'm shot for VO work.

3) Explain your situation to the audiobook author. Tell them (especially if it's cheap) that they will have to listen to the files and check your work, if they see a flub, tell you and you'll fix it up. Communicate how new you are AND how excited you are.  Audiobooks aren't really about money, they are about fun and immersion. If you are an audiobook artists, trust me, you love to read.

4) IMPORTANT: If when negotiating, you get a FEEL that the author is going to be picky on accents or the slightest detail, then you may want to reconsider. You need to make it clear that you are not going to REDO a book. You aren't even gonna redo a chapter.  It's up to the author to check your work as you do it. If he's gone for a month and you finish the book, he had better be happy. Auditions for ACX are a few pages, if the author likes it, that's your direction. Do what you did. Redoing a chapter is out of the question, unless it's a technical thing (room noise or you sound intoxicated).


Tomorrow, I will post TIPS on RECORDING audiobooks. So keep an eye out for that.

Take care,
Justin

New Audition Hints and Tips

Here's a few cool things I've picked up. This will be really quick but TRUST ME. Use them.

1) If you are asked for a STRONG character, flex your muscles while you do the VO. Including the slate!

2) If you are having trouble with a particular word or phrase, as you say it, POINT when you hit the word, trust me.

3) If you want a REALLY conversational, we're talking kickstarter or maybe just stream of thought guy, SQUINT or TILT YOUR HEAD, it feels like your trying to find the words.

4) If your in a Conversational VO, don't be afraid of an UH or a hmm, in conversation these things happen.

5) For a CARTOON RANT, try and get through it in one breath.  Or even a regular rant. And make sure to record that breath in after.

There's 5 hints for ya!

Applications You May Need for VO

Hey Everyone,

Here is a rundown of a few applications I use and love.

1) Audacity:

This is a bare bones audio editor, has everything you need to get started. It's a great starter app. You can add plugins and render as well. Best of all, it's FREE, get it if you are starting out.

2) Vegas Video

Vegas Video is my favorite because of the visual. While using a high quality audio production editor for less than $50, you are also learning how to edit video.

I'm biased because I used to edit video and shoot film a long time ago. This app has everything you need. The particularly awesome option is that you can render it out to so many different formats. From wav, to mp3, to aif, there are a lot of uses for those higher quality files.

Also, from a editor's perspective, it's good to see the audiofile as a whole, be able to cut and move things around. There's countless plugins included, plus you mess with the audio through envelopes.

This is a great all around app. I love it and I've used it for years and it's cheap as hell. Plus, you can go off and make movies with it.

3) Open Office

We all may have our own office applications and if you were lucky enough to have one installed in your computer, then awesome. Me? Not so much. Open office is the free version of office for everyone. No ads, no crazy catches. Just free. You'll need an office application to open up scripts, not to mention make invoices.

4) Xara Web Designer (optional)

If you end up making a website, I am a firm believer in this app. It's very simple, you don't have to know anything about programming and the learning curve (though slightly steep) is doable. It also won't cost an arm and a leg.


5) VLC Media Player

When you come upon audio files that may not work on your regular player, try this little guy out. I use it all the time.

There you GO!
All of these are for the most part Free or Dirt cheap. Don't go spending hundreds of dollars on apps. The cheaper ones here are complicated enough that you can delve into it but simple enough that you can just get the job done.

When You Are Not Getting Jobs, What to DO!

Here's a few things that you can do, when your jobs are getting more sparse.

1) Work LinkedIn

If you have a client base, go back to all the jobs you've done and try and connect them to linkedIN. I had a great client that I would have never had if I didn't get in touch with them through linkedin.

2) Make a website

A website will help you gain ground. It's something you will need as more clients find you.

3) Find the videos

If you've done a few jobs, FIND THE VIDs. You'd be surprised how easy it is to find some of those lost gems. Once you do, post them to your website, post them to linked in, show that you are in demand.


Just those three things will help you gain ground in the slow times and it will pay off in the long run. DO IT!

Back to Blogging: To WaterMark or Not

Hey everyone,

I wanted to do a quick little blog about Watermarking. For those of you who don't know, Watermarking is adding a little beep during your audition, rendering the audition unusable but still good enough to hear.

This is your own little security blanket. What do I think?

I don't really use it, for all I know my stuff could be stolen a million times over, but I have a little bit of trust here or there.

Alternatives to Watermarking:
1) Don't do the whole script

Clients sometimes have an extremely long script and your audition is just a sample. In that case, watermarking may just annoy a client, so if you look at the details of how long the script is and if it's obvious this is just a part of the script, then no need to watermark.

2) Slate your name

It's the smallest thing you can do to secure your script. It means the client has to edit a TINY bit. I make it a priority to slate because it gets you into a script better, plus if you end up doing union auditions or bigger commercial auditions, EVERYONE SLATES.

3) Pay attention to the script

Some scripts use ACME or OUR COMPANY inc or some generalized term for the company which implies that they can't use the name for the auditions or that they don't know what the company name is yet. In this case, you can just read it, since it isn't the real thing.

HOW TO WATERMARK!!

Here's how I do it, I use a video editor, (sony vegas video), so I'm able to add an audio track ABOVE the track itself. Visually, it would be one bar over the VO bar.

I do a quick google for a Beep sound, it can be like the sound that bleeps a curse word.

I then add one or two beeps above  (not inside) the track, if you put it onto the track itself it messes with the VO, you want the client to be able to hear what you say under the beep. Two tracks seems to work best.

Bleeping around the company name and maybe a mid sentence once or twice should be good.

REMINDER:

You will have a small percentage of jobs that require this, but better safe than sorry.

Take care,
Justin

How to Organize Your Jobs

Hey Everyone,

Organization is deathly hard if you're starting out in voice over.

Here's a  few rules to live by.

1) Separate your jobs into Folders and NUMBER the folders with at least 3 digits. For example: your first job is File Setup, you may name that folder 001. File Setup

2) As you edit and render files. Find a filing system that works for you. For me, 01. File Setup Take One 01. File Setup Take Two,  IF they give me a rewrite, I save as 02. File Setup Rewrite Take One

3) Create a file in your jobs folder called PAID. As your jobs get finished and payment is received, move the paid jobs into that folder and you may want to change the file name to end with PAID just to make sure you see it. It will be a godsend later.

4) Create an Invoices folder. As you work with jobs that are not voices, you will be making lots of invoices. Start a template and use that for the rest.

5) Create an Auditions folder. Don't get rid of your auditions, keep them around. You never know when an actual client will want the actual auditions. This has happened to me.

6) Figure a System that works for you. This works for me and I honed it a little but if you have a simpler way, DO IT!  It's trial and error and there will be error.

Til Next time, take care!!

Oh here's another gem of a vo I did a while back.

Pay to Play : Everybody has an Opinion

Hey everyone,

This may be a little bit of a negative nancy post but it's coming from the heart and it's coming from a good place.

Pay 2 Play, as people may have read, are just sites like Voice123 or Voices.com where you can get non-union jobs for smaller pay and if you're good enough, you can get a living going.

Some say that this "Cheap" job thing is just killing the VO industry, making people have to bring down their pay significantly and making clients get cheap, practically free VO.

My feelings are this, If you can make a living doing Sag-AFTRA  jobs and making the big buck, then more power to you. If you can't make the money, then it's your own fault. I'm not going to starve for the sake of principle and I don't think any of you should too.

If you're union, then you're in the big time. Do it, make that bank. Kick ass. Me? Those big jobs, even with an agent, are few and almost non-existant. These little guys.... pay rent and keep me auditioning for the big ones.

Now here's the negative. Here's what pisses me off more.

I really hate how easy it is for any remotely successful VO artist to try and make money off other less successful VO artists. That just PISSES ME OFF!

For every person who wants me to not do Voices.com, there is always one person who has a marketing pdf, or a seminar, or a demo productions studio, or a class. They know people think of VO as a get rich quick scheme so they take advantage.

Go into a Linkedin VO group. There's always some guy spouting off his marketing strategy to make thousands off VO. Newsflash, marketing your VO before you get good at it, is just dumb.

For example, I saw a guy post on a group about being unable to make rent and he really wanted help getting some VO work to get food on the table. People on there were quick to put their two cents in that was basically putting this guy down. I'm not saying P2P solves anything, but apparently having a bunch of VO friends doesn't solve anything either. At least P2P and even the crappy sites get you chances at MONEY! Making money, not taking money.

If you spend ANY, mark my words, ANY money on VO, make sure that you FIRST and foremost spend it on a makeshift studio and maybe a pay 2 play site for practice. If you see a class (online or in person) Make sure it is with a legitimate casting director, not an actor or VO actor. If a VO actor is immensely successful and filled to the brim with money,  he or she would happily tell you how they got where they are and who they worked with for FREE.

If there is a school, ask them before you get tuition to them, HOW DO YOU GET INTO THEIR TALENT POOL. Is it only teachers? I've been surprised to get that answer a LOT. If you spend a year with a school and graduate, they aren't gonna bank on you. That says a lot.

Don't waste your money, get that studio up and running. Figure out what needs to get done to get you going. Put down that money to study with the best. Do contests, free auditions, audition for ACX, even voicebunny. All of those things are practice and you may win something out of it.  Just be careful and be thankful.

If anyone ever needs advice on anything. I will offer my best advice. Free of charge, no strings attached, just honesty. If I was getting paid, I would feel bad if people didn't do well afterwards. Since I'm not, I feel like i can be really honest with people. Which I think is a good thing.

Great Things To Do When Work Slows

This is for the VO artist who has been getting jobs and suddenly finds that lull.

This usually happens during the holidays or who knows when.

Here are some fun marketing tips on things to do.

1) Make a Linkedin Account

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindtorres

Everyone should have one of these. The great thing about a linked in is that it is relatively harmless, everyone uses it and if you worked with someone, it isn't intruding to send a connection.

2) Find old videos

As a form of promotion, search out all those old videos that are floating around the internet with your voice on it. Sometimes it takes a while but if you find something, it's pretty awesome. Link that.

3) Make a facebook page for you as a Voice Artist. Here's mine.

Justin D. Torres

4) POST THOSE VIDEOS UP!!!

Notice my facebook page and how it's just video after video. You can do the same thing with linked in. You can post a video from every job you worked on. Suddenly, it's an interactive fun zone full of your voice being brought to life.


5) Reconnect with old clients

This is a tricky one. I would say after 6 months, try and send a message thanking them for the work. Sometimes you can be cool and ask for the video as an excuse. The key is to tell them how much you enjoyed working with them and if they need someone again, just email you. The key is to be on the radar. You may not get jobs straight away but you are putting yourself out there.

Two of these steps take a minute. The rest could take hours but this is investing time into your career. DO IT!!!

Here's an old video of mine.

The Importance of being Efficient

As you enter the freelance world, everything will be bright, fun, and freedom will be abundant. Your hours will be short and your smiles will be bigger. But, at some point, just like everyone, you'll get used to it and you'll get lazy.

I have this tendency to wake up later and later and do less and less. 

I was listening to a class by Brian Tracy about time efficiency and after all the overwhelmingly great ideas he said, "If there is one thing you should take from this, it's this one point. Ask yourself, "Am I using my time efficiently?". 

He went on to state facts that very little of us use time efficiently. Majority of the things we do in a day, they aren't really efficient things. We aren't thinking about long term. We're procrastinating or doing somethings that just don't need to be done.

So, if you're a freelancer and feeling the lull. Here's my suggestion.

1) Wake up earlyish. Earlier than you normally wake up is early, it's all relative.

If you're body thinks it's early, it will wake up. USE THAT WILLPOWER. If you have to snooze, do it twice. But, GET UP!

2) Plan out your day in increments. 10 minutes or LESS

Audition for an hour, eat for a half an hour, contact production studios for 15 minutes. If you know you only have a specific amount of time, you'll work ONLY on it.

3) Do Something physical. 

I have crossfit scheduled because I literally can't will myself to do this. Go for a run. Do a motivational audiobook while you run. It can be 30 minutes, maybe even 15. This will clear out your system to make you ready for VO. A groggy VO is not going to get the job.

4) Start Your Day.

Try and stick to the plan as much as possible. If you push your ass and get things done quickly, reward yourself. Do something fun. An efficient 3 hours in a day is more than an inefficient 3 days. You'd be surprised how much time people waste.

5) HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE

This doesn't mean beat yourself up. It's kind of a mind thing. Make it feel good to get stuff done. You are investing in yourself. This is the one thing that will pay off dividends.

6) REALLY think about what you want.  And be willing to change things.

Some people want to delve into work and make money. Great! Some people really want to meet someone. GREAT! Some people want to connect with family more. AWESOME! You can want all those things and schedule them in. Schedule 20 minutes of a call with a family member. Schedule 20 minutes of online dating research or online messaging. Challenge yourself to go out and meet people.

We get into a sticky situation when we do one thing to get another. Do something that you know will directly affect what you want.

I know this kind of felt like a motivational thing, rather than a voice over thing. But, efficiency is what makes successful people successful. SO DO IT!!