Voiceovers And Auditions

Auditions.

Perhaps single most obsessed-over part of the voiceover industry by new talent. How you think about auditions reveals some insight about how you think about yourself, the voiceover industry, your relationship to it, and your expectations. Allow me to explain…

Last week I went on an in-person audition at a casting director’s office here in Manhattan. I won’t say what the audition was or the casting director in question because, NDA. Anyway, I was asked to do three takes: I could do the first take any way I want and I’ll get direction for the second & third takes. After I did the first take, the casting associate said I did everything should she was going to direct me to do in the subsequent takes. They were thrilled with my read. Yay!

That was last Wednesday and callbacks are scheduled for this Wednesday. I did get the callback (which is AWESOME) but I have no expectations. Why? Remember That Guy…Who was in That Thing?

courtesy of Mane Salt Mane

TIP OF THE WEEK

How do you manage expectations once you’ve completed an audition? I discussed managing expectations in severe detail last year, but let’s expand upon it.

Once I finish an audition, I don’t give a rat’s ass what happens next. Of course, I’d like to book it but I have NO CONTROL over what happens after I lay it down so why worry?

I have seen post after post about new voice talent freaking out about whether they booked an audition or not.

“Should I follow up? Should I ask if the client liked me?”

No, no, no, no, NO.

No.

The last thing that an agent has time for is to coddle your insecure ass. They’ve got enough stuff to do. The last thing that YOU have time for is obsessing over your auditions once you click Send. Auditioning for projects should be 20% of your voiceover business model AT BEST. Once you finish an audition, focus on the other 80% of your business.

Oh, and don’t bother tracking your booking ratio. Why you did or didn’t get cast for a given project may not have anything to do with how “good” a performer you are, just like Wade said.

When you audition, this is what you SHOULD be focusing on:

1. the quality of your recording environment/audio output

2. the quality of your basic performance skills (breath control, mic placement, isms, etc.)

3. finding the author’s truth

I will say that if you’re not booking any auditions yet through a new agent, you can send a brief, unapologetic, non-whiny, non-desperate email asking if they could give a listen to some of your recent auditions and provide some feedback when they have time. Beyond that, let it go, Elsa…

NEWS AND NOTES

Thursday, June 20th @8PM EST: Marketing 201 webinar, ‘Brand Yourself’. In this one-hour webinar, I’ll talk about what branding is and how to build your own brand.

Thursday, July 11th @8:oo PM EST: The “Business and Money 201” Webinar, ‘Cost/Benefit Analysis’. In this one-hour webinar, I’ll talk about determining how and why you generated your voiceover revenue.

Wednesday, July 17th @8:30 PM EST: The Summer Series continues with my webinar ‘Agents, Managers, and the Union’!

Here’s the blurb:

When entering the voiceover industry, most aspirants have the same questions: How do I get an agent? What’s the difference between an agent and a manager? Should I join the union? Tom Dheere will answer these questions and many more in Agents, Managers, and the Unions.

HAPPY HAPPYS

Happy Strudel Day and International Sushi Day!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

courtesy of the Garanimals YouTube channel

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Tom Dheere is a 30-year veteran voice actor specializing in corporate narration and commercials. Known as a "street-smart professor," he blends his theater-based training and guy-next-door performance style with mastery over voice over project management .

When he isn’t in the booth, he provides strategic business consulting at VOStrategist.com and produces the comic book Agent 1.22.