One of the first places voice actors often look for auditions is on Pay to Play sites. For a fee, these sites let you audition for jobs from potential clients all over the world. But these sites can have downsides, including unethical business practices. Controversy over these sites has been highlighted at voiceover conferences and throughout social media. In this episode, the BOSSES delve into navigating online casting platforms and cultivating loyal client relationships outside of these sites. We discuss the investment of time and resources needed to be successful and the importance of evolving with the industry to avoid getting left behind. Ever-evolving AI technology challenges us to redefine our roles and strategies, and we tackle this head-on sharing insights into how we can adapt to remain indispensable.
In this episode, we explore pay to plays and what role they might play in a successful voiceover business
Chapter Summaries
(00:00) Voiceover Industry Trends and Future
VO Atlanta's apology from Voices dot com's acting CEO and its potential implications for the voiceover community.
(08:29) Voiceover Career Growth and Challenges
Pay to Plays impact on voice acting careers, including auditioning skills, marketing strategies, adapting to industry changes, and utilizing client information.
(21:37) Discussion on Voiceover Industry Fees
Voice acting platforms charge fees and often offer in-perpetuity contracts, but actors can protect their work with contracts and technology.
Top 10 Takeaways
Quick-share concepts from today’s episode:
1. Industry Apology: A significant event at VO Atlanta was the public apology from Voices dot com CEO Jay O'Connor, addressing past company actions.
2. Platform Impact: Online platforms like Voice123 play a crucial role in a voice actor's career development. They influence auditioning skills, personal branding, and the building of client relationships.
3. Adapting to AI: Voice actors are faced with the challenge of adapting to AI technology, which is impacting the industry. Strategies are needed to stay relevant and competitive.
4. Business Acumen: Voice actors must have strong business knowledge to navigate audition fees, escrow services, and in-perpetuity contracts. This helps in protecting their work's value.
5. Voice Printing Technology: Revolutionary technologies like voice printing could change how voice artists track and control the usage of their audio files, providing more power over their intellectual property.
6. Ethical Considerations: The episode highlights the importance of ethical considerations in voice acting, particularly with regards to audition fees and contractual terms.
7. Survival Strategies: Voice actors share survival strategies to cope with the changing tides of the industry, including maintaining client relationships and personal branding.
8. Controversies Addressed: The discussion confronts controversial industry practices such as "triple dipping" – charging voice actors to audition, taking a percentage of earnings, and possibly locking them in perpetuity contracts.
9. Future of Voice Acting: Insights into the future of voice acting are provided, emphasizing the need for ethical practices and adaptation to industry trends.
10. Education and Resources: The episode promotes continued learning and networking for voice actors, with the sponsor ipdtl mentioned as a resource for enhancing networking capabilities.
Referenced in this Episode
Direct links to things we brought up ++
Recorded on ipDTL - get it here >> Book a free 15-minute consult with Tom at https://www.vostrategist.com/service-page/free-consult
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