Moving Forward in the Voiceover Business
(For you if: you know voiceover is what you want to do. You need the coaching and the tools to put more money in your pocket.)
Commercial Voiceover Demo Production — $950
The audio calling card of the voiceover business: a commercial voiceover demo, almost exactly one minute long. For me to produce your demo you should:
This price for the commercial demo includes everything: copy edited/written specifically for you, recording with coaching, finished spots with backing tracks edited together, an mp3 copy and a wav/aiff copy sent to your email address. You can use the wav file to burn cds. (Those are silvery round things we used to use to play audio. It's nutty, but some people still ask for this ancient technology.) Demo production includes minor adjustments and tweaks -- reasonable revisions. If you continue in the business, you’ll make other demos, updated with work you’ve done that's been on the air or used by clients. I can put those together for you later, of course; see "Voiceover Demo Compilation," below. (I keep an archive of all demos I produce.) After recording, wait three or four weeks for delivery. Payment: half at the demo recording session, half on completion, payable by check. (Examples of previously produced commercial demos are available upon request.)
If you're interested in a voiceover demo, please send me mp3s of auditions you've done, work you've done in the past and/or pieces you've recorded in your home studio. If I haven't worked with you before, I may ask you to come in for a free get-to-know you coaching session.
Commercial Voiceover Demo Production — $950
The audio calling card of the voiceover business: a commercial voiceover demo, almost exactly one minute long. For me to produce your demo you should:
- Already be a working professional and want to improve upon the demo you already have, or
- Be able to demonstrate (with recordings) that you really know what you're doing, or
- Have worked with me in a Voiceover Exploration session, created a home studio and done the free follow-up coaching, or
- Be recommended by someone I know.
This price for the commercial demo includes everything: copy edited/written specifically for you, recording with coaching, finished spots with backing tracks edited together, an mp3 copy and a wav/aiff copy sent to your email address. You can use the wav file to burn cds. (Those are silvery round things we used to use to play audio. It's nutty, but some people still ask for this ancient technology.) Demo production includes minor adjustments and tweaks -- reasonable revisions. If you continue in the business, you’ll make other demos, updated with work you’ve done that's been on the air or used by clients. I can put those together for you later, of course; see "Voiceover Demo Compilation," below. (I keep an archive of all demos I produce.) After recording, wait three or four weeks for delivery. Payment: half at the demo recording session, half on completion, payable by check. (Examples of previously produced commercial demos are available upon request.)
If you're interested in a voiceover demo, please send me mp3s of auditions you've done, work you've done in the past and/or pieces you've recorded in your home studio. If I haven't worked with you before, I may ask you to come in for a free get-to-know you coaching session.
NEW:
First Home Studio Set-up -- $195 (+$50 if you're more than an hour away)
You've already received instruction from me or others (perhaps you've taken the Voiceover Exploration) and you're ready to dive in to the voiceover business. You need a home recording studio to practice, for auditions and to do jobs you've found. You own a computer, and it's newer than this one. You want to plug everything in and make sure it works. You want to make sure your software's installed right and that you can export mp3s. You want to make sure it doesn't sound like you're recording inside a Quonset hut. I will come to your space and set things up. Here's what you need before I arrive:
You've already received instruction from me or others (perhaps you've taken the Voiceover Exploration) and you're ready to dive in to the voiceover business. You need a home recording studio to practice, for auditions and to do jobs you've found. You own a computer, and it's newer than this one. You want to plug everything in and make sure it works. You want to make sure your software's installed right and that you can export mp3s. You want to make sure it doesn't sound like you're recording inside a Quonset hut. I will come to your space and set things up. Here's what you need before I arrive:
- A good quality microphone
- A mic stand
- A pop filter
- Headphones
- Something for sound conditioning: a blanket, egg crate foam, or other sound deadening material. Some small nails and a hammer to attach that to the wall. Or you can have this in place before I arrive. Or you can set up inside or in front of a closet full of clothes.
- A glass of water (this is SUCH hard work)
Voiceover Consultation — $200
You've taken classes and are trying to make some money. But you're struggling to land work. Your auditions are getting little response and most troubling, you can't determine whether or not you're on the right track.
- OR -
You're a working voiceover professional, but you need ideas and motivation to shake things up.
Come on in. We'll look at your mic technique, record a lot of copy, listen to your reads and see what's going on. Through our one-on-one work together, you'll identify bad habits, make sure you're selling your voice properly in terms of its sound and appeal in the current marketplace and talk about what you're doing wrong and what you're doing right. We'll make sure you know about things you can do with your voice that you didn't know you could do. You'll learn styles that are popular on radio and television right now and how to deliver them. You'll leave knowing that you have the technique and the talent to move forward confidently and put more money in your pocket.
Those who take the Voiceover Consultation receive the same extra benefit that's part of the Voiceover Exploration: coaching on three sets of files recorded in your home studio. Are you uncertain about your sound or whether you're doing things right or wrong? Get the opinion of an experienced pro and know for sure.
You've taken classes and are trying to make some money. But you're struggling to land work. Your auditions are getting little response and most troubling, you can't determine whether or not you're on the right track.
- OR -
You're a working voiceover professional, but you need ideas and motivation to shake things up.
Come on in. We'll look at your mic technique, record a lot of copy, listen to your reads and see what's going on. Through our one-on-one work together, you'll identify bad habits, make sure you're selling your voice properly in terms of its sound and appeal in the current marketplace and talk about what you're doing wrong and what you're doing right. We'll make sure you know about things you can do with your voice that you didn't know you could do. You'll learn styles that are popular on radio and television right now and how to deliver them. You'll leave knowing that you have the technique and the talent to move forward confidently and put more money in your pocket.
Those who take the Voiceover Consultation receive the same extra benefit that's part of the Voiceover Exploration: coaching on three sets of files recorded in your home studio. Are you uncertain about your sound or whether you're doing things right or wrong? Get the opinion of an experienced pro and know for sure.
Narration Voiceover Demo Production — $850 or less
The narration end of the business is where a lot of beginners can best make inroads, because this is an area where it's easiest to market. Those people who say "you have a really nice voice:" do they own companies? Are they local businesses? Do they have telephone answering machines that sound like they were voiced by someone with a grade school education? They're part of your target audience for marketing and getting work. Are you interested in narrating for web sites, PowerPoint presentations, corporate training videos, museum kiosks or anywhere the human voice can be used in the business world? Then you should have a narration demo. Depending on your voice type, this may include technical or medical copy, multi-media scripts and other non-commercial material. (We find all that for you.) If you bring in finished vocal tracks or work you've done previously, the price goes down.
[Other] Voiceover Demo Production — $???
Yes, of course there are many other kinds of demos out there. Character, Multimedia, Promo (different types), Narration (different types), and odd specialties, for example, like Automotive ("BUY NOW BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH!"). We discuss what you need and what you would be suited for and discuss a price.
Voiceover Demo Compilation — $650 or less
You've booked some great jobs, and you want to add them to what you already have or put them together to make a new demo. If you're making a completely new demo using old spots, I'll charge the full price shown here. If you're just adding a spot or two into an existing demo, it'll cost less, possibly much less. Or perhaps you want to liven things up with a fully-produced spot. Talk to me and I'll cut you a deal.
The narration end of the business is where a lot of beginners can best make inroads, because this is an area where it's easiest to market. Those people who say "you have a really nice voice:" do they own companies? Are they local businesses? Do they have telephone answering machines that sound like they were voiced by someone with a grade school education? They're part of your target audience for marketing and getting work. Are you interested in narrating for web sites, PowerPoint presentations, corporate training videos, museum kiosks or anywhere the human voice can be used in the business world? Then you should have a narration demo. Depending on your voice type, this may include technical or medical copy, multi-media scripts and other non-commercial material. (We find all that for you.) If you bring in finished vocal tracks or work you've done previously, the price goes down.
[Other] Voiceover Demo Production — $???
Yes, of course there are many other kinds of demos out there. Character, Multimedia, Promo (different types), Narration (different types), and odd specialties, for example, like Automotive ("BUY NOW BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH!"). We discuss what you need and what you would be suited for and discuss a price.
Voiceover Demo Compilation — $650 or less
You've booked some great jobs, and you want to add them to what you already have or put them together to make a new demo. If you're making a completely new demo using old spots, I'll charge the full price shown here. If you're just adding a spot or two into an existing demo, it'll cost less, possibly much less. Or perhaps you want to liven things up with a fully-produced spot. Talk to me and I'll cut you a deal.