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If China gets to make EVERYTHING…maybe all that’s left for us to do is VoiceOver.

The global marketplace is glowing, and why not?  English is emerging as the language of commerce around the world.  To market a product with a wide audience, at some point, you’re gonna want to put a proper English-speaking voice along with the product/service.

Giving the Brits their due for a piece of the pie, that leaves North America as the source of an authentic English sound.

No one preaches this marketplace more than Bettye Zoller.  She’s been working this angle for years…maybe longer than anyone else.

In preparation for an upcoming Webinar on VoiceOverXtra.com, called “Foreign Job Sources for VO”, Bettye told me: “…for this webinar, I had to do serious research and even get help from foreign sources who gave me more input. It is the hardest research on a topic I’ve done for a long time and I hope as many people as possible will tune in…”

The Webinar is April 5th, the price is modest, and you get a download of the session when you’re done.

Click HERE for more details.

BTW, there’s a preview article of Bettye’s webinar on VoiceOverXtra, HERE.

CourVO

Audio TX is a software alternative to the traditional ISDN box.

With Audio TX, your computer does most of the heavy-lifting that the Telos or Musicam apparatus circuitry would normally do.

Here’s the difference:  It costs significantly less for no noticeable loss in signal quality, but (in my experience anyway) it requires a bit more patience and technical savvy to configure, and there’s some peripherals involved.

Now, the British firm that makes AudioTX is adding  new functionality for encompassing some additional ISDN codecs.  “APTx”

I’ve been using AudioTX reliably for more than a year, and as such, was on their mailing list for the pitch they sent out to users for upgrade to the new add-on.

Below, you’ll see the text of the e-mail.  Personally, I think it’s a bit pricey….almost half the cost of the original TX package.

Half-again as much functionality?  Doubtful.

CourVO
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The country that calls English its second language.  The home of more outsourced American jobs than any other country.  A place that practically worships US popular culture.  Why wouldn’t they want native North American or British-speaking voiceovers?

They do. 

The trick is to find a reputable company that actually pays it’s talent, and is responsive/responsible as a lead-generator.

I wish I could tell you which companies those are.  I have worked with VOICE ARTISTES, and they seem above-board.  But keep in mind, they don’t mess with SAG and AFTRA, and the global market is not up to par with the US market in compensation for jobs…so your rate sheet may not work there.

Below is an email I got yesterday.  Maybe some of you did too.  I CAN NOT vouch for the efficacy of this overture, and have not replied myself…but I reprint it below for anyone who may want to test the waters. 

Please let me know if you find out anything…or not…I’m not asking anyone to give away lucrative job leads, just to be so kind as to let us know if it’s a sham.

Their return address is:  info@cosmicgloballimited.com

CourVO

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A revealing study on the state of affairs with the voice and speech industry shows a very robust market.

Research available from Voices.com.  Apparently you have to call them for the full content.  You’ll find that contact information, along with a synopsis of the article HERE.

Thanks to Podcast-Marketing.com for the tip on this info.

CourVO

Anybody know who first coined that term: “PIEHOLE”? (usually associated with the phrase “Shut your PieHole!”)

Regardless….in this case, PieHole is asking you to open yours….uh, your piehole, that is.

OK, wait-a-minute. PIEHOLE is the name of a company based in Ireland, that among other things, seeks to match voice talent with clients. 

Here’s the unique link, though: PieHole makes the connection through copywriters…not that uncommon in Europe, I understand.

It’s an idea that’s working.  Here’s the operative quote:  “…we stalk and harass advertising agencies to hire our voiceovers…”

PieHole is a fixture in the European ad market…expanding now into the UK and Canada, and – yes – they are seeking North American talent.

I was so intrigued, that I asked the founders – Priscilla Groves and James Kennedy – to offer a few quick answers to some pointed questions.

The result is below.  Click on the pic above to go to their site.

CourVO

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‘Love that word – looms.  Indicating many devices that weave rugs.

But I digress, and who would blame me?…it’s 4am PST, and I still think it’s Sunday.

The deadline that approaches is March 15th…the day business taxes must be filed.

Last-minute late-night toiling over THAT is what is prompting me post THIS blog (a stopgap) instead of the one that’s now coming tomorrow on PIEHOLE…an innovative voiceover talent P2P/agency (?) that operates on a rather unique paradigm.

I managed to secure a revealing interview with one of their “people”, and I guarantee you’ll find plenty of interest.

Thank for your understanding.

CourVO

Doncha just love the irreverent spokesman/mascot for Jack In the Box restaurants? 

Uh-huh, ‘cause it’s a high-profile, lucrative national Radio/TV campaign.  And it’s not the kind of voice that should be created by “the guy down the hall”. 

‘Sad that so many (esp. local advertisers) decide to grab their secretary or the sales guy to voice their spots ‘cause it saves ‘em a few media dollars.

Why I’ve never actually written my own apologetic for hiring a professional voice actor I couldn’t tell ya.  I’ve chewed on the concept, but seemed lacking in the motivation.

That ended when The Lowry Agency asked me to write just that kind of article for a snazzy culinary blog called: CULINARY SCHMOOZE.

Given the probable audience for that blog, I decided to drag out “Jack” as part of my argument.

The resulting article is seen on the Culinary Schmooze website, and is reprinted below.  Let me know what you think.

CourVO

_______________________

Say what you want about Jack In the Box restaurants…you have to admit the company has a professional operation. The food is hot, delivered in an orderly fashion, and comes at a fair price no matter where you happen to find a franchise.

But do you want just “professional” when you’re eating? No. That’s why a chain like Macaroni Grill might be a more quality choice. The ambience is pleasing. Food is prepared with care from a unique menu, and the service is usually charming. Absolutely professional, but with a quality component added.

Still, for a top-of-class experience, something is missing even at Macaroni Grill. That element is refinement. In Las Vegas, for instance, when you visit Ferraro’s new restaurant across from the Hard Rock resort, you’ll see the added attraction of gourmet food from award-winning chefs, a table setting and service second-to-none, even a Sommelier to suggest the perfect wine to go with your choice of entre’.
Professional? Absolutely.
Quality? Unquestionably.
Refined? But of course, Monsieur!

IT’S NOT BRAIN SALAD SURGERY
There are no posted signs to indicate Ferraro’s combines professionalism, quality and refinement. People just know. Enjoy a meal at Ferroro’s and there’s no mistaking the impression that you’ve reached a position near the top of the culinary dining experience.

This is not a put-down of fast-food restaurants. Quite the opposite, because, you see…even Jack In the Box understands that to be successful in the marketplace, their working-class product must nonetheless be portrayed in popular media with professionalism, quality, and refinement.

Make no mistake, the voice behind that silly guy with the white cone-head was chosen through a talent agency audition process that weeded out the un-professional, poor quality candidates with little refinement of their craft.

SPARE ME!
Puh-leez!….how many cheesy late-night, local TV ads have you suffered through, where the spokesman is likely the company’s owner, president, or maybe the secretary. There’s no mistaking the impression that you’ve reached a position near the bottom of the advertising experience. People just know. The unprofessionalism, lack of quality, and absence of refinement portrays no product you would ever buy, visit, consider for purchase, or otherwise patronize.

Viewers, listeners, buyers, and consumers can smell the odor of “cheap” a mile away. It’s a turn-off. No – more than that, it engenders an internal promise never to participate in THAT product.

PUT YOUR VOICE WHERE YOUR MONEY IS
Savvy company owners, presidents, managers, and ad agency executives choose a quality, professional, refined portrayal of their product/service with fancy graphics, good copywriting, enduring images, and the delivery — either on camera, or through voice-over — of a talented, experienced actor.

A voice-actor can bring the worst copy to life….can elicit emotion from the most colorless pictures…and can do it all in 30 seconds. There’s no mistaking the impression that you’ve reached a position near the top of the advertising spectrum. People just know.

Like a fine chef, a true voice actor takes pride in his/her work…achieves professionalism by working their way up the ranks…exudes quality through years of practice and training… and proves again and again a sense of refinement from experience. Most have found success in voiceovers by means of a tough evolutionary process known as survival-of-the-hardest working and most talented.

You could pay a lot less, and grab Clancy, the clean-up guy to be the voice of “Jack” the cone-head. Clancy may be able to mop floors, but it actually takes a professional, quality actor to produce a refined sound as sarcastically silly and convincing as the brand spokesman for Jack In the Box.

People just know.

.

At 3:54am PST, I ponder this issue.

How much more of my personal time can I afford to give over to Social Media?

That simple question begets a rash of other questions that belie the complexity of the issue.

• First of all is the question: “Can I afford NOT to give that time, if I want a successful freelance Voiceover business under today’s new internet paradigm?”
• Secondly: “Is it really a burden if I’m having fun?”
• Thirdly: “Is it really a waste of time if it’s bringing me clients?”
• Finally: “If I DO draw a line…WHERE do I draw the line?”

(There are even more caveats, but again, you have to draw the line somewhere.)

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

I’ve been especially pondering this issue on behalf of the upcoming attendees of June’s VOICE2010 conference in LA.  Along with voice-actor Terry Daniel, I’ll be expounding on the ROI of Social Media for VO’s in a morning general session, and I hope to have some darn good answers for people who paid good money to learn something.

‘Trouble is, Social Media is such a moving target these days.  There’s a lot of flailing around in a pushing-the-envelope environment that sees trial-and-error success and failure in weeks, days, sometimes even hours.

Yet, in this new frontier, there are gold mines to be found.  Luckily there are also volumes being written daily…mostly in the blogosphere…to help.

RESOURCES

HERE is an extremely helpful, informative article entitled 10+ TIPS FOR USING TWITTER TO GROW YOUR FREELANCE BUSINESS.

And for those of you brave enough to take on Google’s latest Twitter challenge called BUZZ,  HERE is a primer for getting around, called HOW TO DO EVRYTHING IN GOOGLE BUZZ (INCLUDING TURN IT OFF).

Will you be there in June?  It really will be fun and worthwhile. I hope you try to make it.  See the registration site HERE.

CourVO

A chance mention on Twitter of a new website I found, grew into a full-blown exchange between me and the developer of the site.

The site is CHIRBIT

Briefly, Chirbit: “…enables you to record, upload, listen to and share sound bites easily. Chirbit is simple, useful and fun….”

It’s all true, actually.  Here’s the YouTube video I borrowed from the Chirbit site:

The site struck me as a delightful use of the potential of audio and social networking.  I eventually asked the originator of the site – Ivan Reyes – if he’d mind responding to a few pointed questions about Chirbit, specifically the possibilities for voice-actors.

Click below to see Ivan’s succinct, informative answers.  Pay special attention to the plans he has to apply the usability of Chirbit for voice-actors (answer 3rd from the last paragraph).

Whadya think? Any real-world application to the business of Voice-Over you can think of?

Thanks, Ivan!

CourVO

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Gee, ‘hope I’m not going to get into trouble for spreading this around, but it seems like a pretty good product, and they’re giving away the software.

Sure, you’ve got Adobe Reader installed, but can it do what the Nuance PDF Reader can do?

From their website:

“Nuance PDF Reader enables you to do much more than just view PDF files. You can convert PDF files to Word®, Excel®, and RTF via a hosted web service. Use annotation tools to highlight, cross-out, and underline text for more effective collaboration. Even fill out and save PDF forms. Nuance PDF Reader takes up less disk space, is more secure than Adobe® Reader®, and works with virtually any PDF file.”

I don’t know about you, but that part about converting to Word and Excel sounds mighty handy for some of the VO projects you get from time-to-time….’cause why the heck doesn’t Adobe (or Nuance for that matter) offer a word-counter integrated into the program?

Click on the picture above or HERE to go to the Nuance site for that free download.

CourVO