Confessions of a VO Geek

Usually I read WIRED magazine from cover to cover as soon as it arrives.

I have copies at least two or three years old that I did NOT have time to read, but I refuse to throw them away.  Their value, of course, is IN the moment, so the old editions are really worthless but for posterity’s sake.

WIRED is available in an online edition too…and most of the printed magazine articles are there as well.

WIRED is where I first heard about Google (1998), and Twitter (2006?).  The publication tries tragically to be hip, and largely succeeds.  I hope it doesn’t die in the current economy.

WIRED’S Editor in Chief is Chris Anderson…maybe you’ve heard of “The Long Tail“.  Yeah, well, he wrote that landmark analysis of today’s marketplace in the pages of WIRED.  He eventually fleshed out his theories in a book.

The Feb 2010 print edition includes a cover story article by Chris Anderson called “The New Industial Revolution”…all about DIY manufacturing (at last check, article not yet available online).

This fascinating read gives several examples of people who have pioneered the outsourced manufacturing of their niche projects mostly by virtue of a combination of ‘arrived’ technology, Chinese production availability, online collaboration, and thriving American entrepreneurism and enterprising spirit.

The more I read, the more I realized the current VO industry is a poster child for this concept (except, maybe the need for China in the equation).  Our product is not so tangible as ethereal.  We’re not inventing new voices (except for the incursion of synthetic voices — a threat? — blog from October, ’09), but we ARE inventing new ways to produce, transmit, engineer, and do business in virtual VO-land.

We are the entrepreneurs using chutzpah, new technologies, gutsy innovation, and collaboration to move VO past old paradigms of unions, agents, and distribution through brick ‘n’ mortar sound studios.

The article shows a community of car enthusiasts building a street-ready car in limited production, and making a profit.  That doesn’t mean Ford and Chevy are shaking in their boots…yet.

Similarly, some of the best-paying VO jobs and the most lucrative voice-acting leads still arrive at our door through legacy pathways.

Thus, we live betwixt and between.  That’s fine.  I’m still considering Union, but I think I can see where things are going…and I’m ‘wired’ to be there and thriving when the rest catch up.

CourVO