Do auditions translate to jobs?
Posted by jaybeacham on 24 Sep 2013 at 10:53 am | Tagged as: blog
I’m in a group at linkedin.com called Voices.com.
A week ago the group originator started a conversation and it has received much attention from the voice over community.
Here is the question and my responses and maybe one or two others to answer my above question.
How many auditions did you do today?
If you’ve been keeping track of how often you step up to the mic each day, comment and join the conversation.
The voice as an instrument-your source for voice work-actor -singer -voice talent
When I was paying for an audition factory to provide audition opportunities, I regularly did ten + a day.
Now Once a week is rare. Audiobook reads are longer and take more time.
With just as little likelihood of being hired.
The amount of auditions don’t seem to correspond to the times being hired.
The only jobs I’ve gotten are from people who know me outside of the internet. The internet only being used to transport the demos and final work.
In my experience, I would get tons of jobs, if I sat at home and waited and jumped at each thing that came along.
Once a casting lady from Atlanta called me. She liked my voice and 9 other guys’ voices. On a day when I was working at a non voice related job away from home, I got home late to an email about a read, I being her first choice. It was 10:30pm Utah time making it very late in Atlanta. I called the next morning to learn that it had been filled. She’d wanted a 1 hour turn around.
In film it is the same. On a Monday, an email arrived for me to be at a shoot as an extra Tues, & Wens. or Wens. & Thurs. that week in northern Utah, I live in southern Utah and had a pre-scheduled acting gig on Wens. in southern Utah.
This is an instant business. Casting directors never plan ahead. And they want quick turn around times and there is a surplus of voices or actors to choose from, who are are sitting waiting for the call or email.
So the number of auditions one does will never translate into jobs.
Other responses to her question are:
Ralph “Allen”
President, Owner Ralph Allen Media
I think that there are a lot of really special and well qualified and talented people doing voice work. The successful people soon learn how to prospect for clients that use free lance talent.
I guess the need for prospecting is a huge part of this job.
Jeff
Voice-over at wordsofwisdom.biz
I do agree with the above comment. Nowadays, its about how smart you run your business, and how well you prospect, and that is not just voice-acting. If your voice is spot-on, I would suggest a business/marketing course, rather than yet more voice-coaching.
so get your voice out there, and get prospecting!
So the number of auditions one does will never translate into jobs.
That’s my opinion.
Jay Beacham