We just completed the second week of Harlan Hogan’s month-long STARTING YOUR VOICEOVER BUSINESS: Everything You Need To Know To Turn Your Dream Or Your Sideline Into A Business teleseminar series.
We asked our students to send us their candid reviews. Here they are.
Comments on this entry are closed.
What can I say? Another fantastic seminar! You guys managed to cover everything about the technical side and the demo side that I was wondering about without my needing to ask any questions! I loved all the suggestions – especially those ideas that will allow me to save beaucoups bux on my demos! Getting the work- getting the work – getting the work! I’m getting to work on getting the work!
Can’t wait for tomorrow night and Wednesday night!
Tonights class was very informative. The part regarding demos is about the most helpful thing I have ever heard. As much as I have dabbled in the business I have always struggled with many questions like, how many different types of voices should I include? The answers provided will help me greatly. I am also thrilled about the assignments these have been a ton of fun!
i was almost in mild despair at the second week in which the bulk of the material was “old news” to me.
then i got two gems from harlan about demo assembly and a technical point i need to know more about…which will be a question for tomorrow.
i still hope to hit the motherlode in terms of stuff i don’t already know once you guys get to the branding and marketing.
thank you again.
Again, two hours that are 100% valuable, on-topic, and worth every penny.
Thanks for everything!
There wasn’t a lot of new information this week, but given the subject I didn’t expect there to be. The demo module was more valuable to me that the equipment, mainly because I’ve had my own studio at home since 1986. I’m not a master at this stuff, but I think the basics are pretty well in place after all this time. (I guess we’ll see after Jeffrey evaluates my recording.)
However, updating and refreshing demos is an on-going process and there was a good bit of valuable insight there. I especially appreciated the Eight Common Demo Myths section.
The information felt very comprehensive, but I guess the true test will be when I try to buy the equipment. I’m definitely going to check out his website. Harlan gave lots of specific prices, it would be interesting to hear an estimate of the whole package to set up a home studio from scratch. I appreciate that you continue on until all of the questions are answered, regardless of how long the class runs. It makes me feel like you care about the subject and the teaching, rather than being strictly concerned about the money made per minute. As I hang up my phone or turn off my computer, I really feel like I could turn this into a career. It’s scary to have you week by week take away all of my excuses for not doing this. I’m secretly hoping that Jeffrey Fischer tells me I have an awful voice and should run from this field because otherwise I think I’m going to have a lot of work in front of me this summer and an actual career sprouting by next fall. Right now I just have a job (tending bar), so that implies a major life transformation and you guys are making it seem possible. It’s exciting and horrifying all at once!
I plan on listening to this MP3 at least once a month for motivation and focus. As far as action is concerned, it’s a virtual kick in the pants in the right direction.
I think your analogy of a wheel with spokes emanating from hub illustrating the types of cuts that should be on a specific demo was good. Maybe a better analogy would paint cards with different shades of a specific color. There may be several shades in a family, but they’re all blues, etc.
For me, the computer shopping list was a little long-winded. Of course, I realize that you have to cater to the lowest common denominator, but I personally thought this material could have been covered in 10 min max. It felt like we spent a good 30 minutes on it. I would have liked 10 minutes on the Computer Shopping List, and then maybe more time spent on the Immediate Recording Gear and Recording Space sections.
I really enjoyed and needed the Demo sections. I would have loved to spend more time on this and feel like I still do not know enough to create a good demo. Maybe an even more in-depth description of the 8 elements, etc. I’m hoping that the homework assignment of listening to other people’s work will help illuminate this for me.
The Week One assignment really has helped me target my focus to a short list of genres. I'm looking forward to checking out the competition to discover my similarities and differences as a part of this week's assignment. You covered a lot of ground on tonight's call, great info and so much of it that I'm going to have to re-read my notes tomorrow when my mind is fresh in order to get a better handle on it. I anticipate a very active Q & A session on Tuesday night (and the same on Weds with Steve Cunningham).
This is a great seminar! It’s packed full of all the information needed to start or further someone’s voiceover career. What’s also true is there are so many bonus features I hardly have time for all of them. But that is OK because they are pre-recorded and made available the next day, which means I can listen at my convenience if I’m unable to be on the ‘live’ call. Great job putting this together. It was extordinarially well planned.
I found this week’s topic spot on as I have been wondering for some time what recording gear I need to start my voice over business. I feel like a complete outsider as I have never worked in radio or as a voice actor and I have to say I am a bit overwhelmed at all I need to do to get started. However I have Thomas Fuller to remind me that, “All things are difficult before they are easy.” I was happy to find a shopping list of immediate recording gear as well as what gear I can purchase later as my voice over business grows. As someone who does heavy travel for my current job I am really interested in the Porta-Booth idea and plan on buying or making one this week!
I also enjoyed the Eight Common Demo Myths and the Eight Elements of Every Successful Demo. I am looking forward to the Q and A session tomorrow, especially about what particular brands of gear you might recommend as well as additional insight into demos.
Once again thanks for putting on such a professional teleseminar!
Another fabulous class! I’m exhausted again and exhilarated. The information tonight was overwhelming but just what I needed. Looking forward to tomorrow and starting my assignments. I was excited about this past week’s assignments but didn’t allow myself to put them or me first. This class tonight was the catalyst I needed! I love the direction you are giving us. I love the assignments because they really get me involved. I love listening to other voices and different spots to see what else I can do to be more competitive, and I also love getting to hear what I’m already doing right.
I’ve been recording auditions at home for about two months. I’ve been learning as I go but am now more confident with the equipment I have, what I’ll need in the future, and what I can learn to help advance my business.
I spent $3000 on a demo last year. Long story short, I was new to the area, needed a demo but mostly needed direction. I researched and interviewed everyone who produced demos. This particular group had a lot of what I needed but at a very high cost. I learned a lot in some respects, but as far as the demo, I wasn’t allowed input on the final pieces, didn’t get to hear it or suggest changes when they were mixing it, and had no say on final product. I wish I had had all the information you gave us tonight before doing that demo.
I am very inspired; my interest was peaked at the onset of the week and my expectations were pretty high that I was going to glean some very realistic, hands-on valuable information for a voiceover career! I now can say that my impressions at the end of the week were, Yes I did! And also, boy! I’d really better keep this pace up– actually, speed it up or I could easily fall behind.
Learning the axiom of Do It Now is very important and though one has a sense of this, actually putting things on a calendar is a concrete tool that must be used in order to actually get things done and build momentum.
I feel that my experience this past week from what I learned and the insight I gained, exceeded my expectations in the detailed information presentation. The assignments are doable yet, not easy.. realistic.
The assignments helped a lot to give more insight as to what voicing is out there as to who is getting and doing the work. And though the assignments seemed passive other than making notes, they bill-boarded what styles and ages and types of work the talent are doing and what we have to offer by comparison– what our weaknesses as well as pluses are and where I might fit in.
Now is time to really dig and be proactive and be in control of directing ourselves to the appointed tasks and mental exercise with thoughtfulness, and application because I have a sense that if we do not do this, the wheels are going to come off this race car! I appreciated the creative and thorough approach Harlan and Dan took in both the material and its organization and the telephone-conferencing system actually worked all week too, Oops- I shouldn’t have said that- now the Mercury in retrograde gods will mess up my phone!
I know I have a lot to learn in coordinating all of the information and its implementation – it is an ongoing basis but the getting the work and actively working at it on all levels will be the challenge – I also need to work out a time-management schedule so as not to ‘waste’ or ‘lose’ time — as well as to make sure there’s time for voice practicing in addition to the business related aspects of ‘entrepreneur and manager’.
All in all, I am learning invaluable lessons here – it is hands-on and I like this approach; the material is sound and real – and this course is getting me into the mode of not only how to do a thing, but what and when – and juggling all the balls at once. One or two may slip past my grasp momentarily but I’ll only pick it back up and keep going.
Your seminar continues to fill the blanks in my quest for success in voiceover. You ran a little late for us East Coasters, but I hung in there. Imortant lesson learned: A home studio is a necessity.
Looking forward to tonight's Q&A.
Very nice presentation of recording and demos. I appreciate the thinking that went into the division between the “immediate” and the “later” recording gear shopping lists, which is a very practical way of allowing a home studio to start small and evolve.
The section on demos offered, and I apologize for this, very “sound” advice on their preparation and insight as to what to include on them and why. The items I had not heard about, for example, the unstructured demo model and the One or Two Item Special of The Day were very intriguing.
Love the assignments. Very creative.
It was very nice to have a shopping list for home studio gear. Wish I would've had that when I started out. I just sort of winged it. Would've been much easier to have had this list.
I can't tell you just how valuable the " 8 common demo myths" is. Oh, how I wish I would've known when I was first starting out. Actually, Harlan did save me from this (I am forever grateful!!!) but yes, I am embarrassed to say I fell for #1–and hard! One demo producer had my head spinning so much that I was just about convinced that if I didn't make my demo with her I would be doomed. She pretty much said that I'd never get work in this town if she did not produce my demo. That's where my knight in shining armor (Harlan) swooped in and set me straight. Saved me about $4K. No exaggeration.
The "12 questions to ask a prospective demo producer" is gold. After you read them it seems like it's a no-brainer but I can tell you that when you're in the thick of it you don't think of those questions.
Also, I believe that some of us forget that we are hiring them (the demo producer) and yes, we can leave. It is prudent to have that mindset going in otherwise it's very easy to be taken advantage of.
The platinum portion of module 2 for me is the vocal evaluation and suggestions by an esteemed audio engineer. I have a very nasal, whiny, obnoxious voice (as you can tell, I'm one of the very few who actually dislikes her own voice and was never told "your voice is so good, you should be a VA) so I'm looking forward to his suggestions to help me be the best me I can– at least technically.
Thank you for the bonus call with Ann DeWig. I have been misconstrued through email (not with clients yet thank goodness!) and it really is no fun. Tone and intent can't always be interpreted correctly. I've often wondered why if we have so many time saving conveniences are we more busy than ever? Your situation with Ann illustrated just one way a "time-saver" actually can cost you more time.
Looking forward to tonight's Q & A and the rest of this course!
What a great foundation to build your Studio on and a great compliment to your voice business . Harlan dispelled the many myths of the Killer Demo, and hopefully saved our class much cash on their next demo…..Keep up the good work H2 and Dan!!!
After last night’s call, I am far more enthusiastic about this course and how it will impact my VO career than I was last week. I’m very pleased that we are assigned to record and submit an MP3 file for evaluation. I do feel badly for the folks who do not have recording equipment, because it seems to be somewhat short notice to have to call up and set an appointment with a local radio station to do a recording by Saturday. Certainly if I knew of another fellow VO person here in Fort Worth who was in the class and needed to use my equipment to record, I’d invite ’em over. Perhaps this is an option for folks in metropolitan areas?
I was thrilled, when on the call, it was mentioned that by the end of the four weeks, I’d have a website launched (or at least be very close to launching a website). Now that we’re into week two and most of the housework is out of the way, it seems like the class is much more engaging, and I’m excited to see what lays in store for us.
The bonus calls are fantastic too. I picked up a lot of good information from your call last Wednesday. My Tada list is already set up.
Sorry to report that I am very disappointed with this week’s session. Most, if not all, was covered better and in greater detail in Harlan’s book. I read the first the first edition cover to cover and it was my first guide to home recording. So I guess I was just more advanced than the level presented. Looking forward to week 3!
WEEK 2 was a huge help to me. I am undecided about a home studio. Doing the voicing assignment I reaffirmed the value of using an engineer – a second set of ears and editing skills. I have ready access to a professional recording studio so using it is an option for me.
Assignments are extremely helpful motivating action, and opening doors.
For example, I never cared much for audio books, but for WEEK 1 I selected a book I have wanted to read and now plan to give listening to it a try (“Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”).
WEEK 2’s recording assignment gave me a chance to test the reliability of my recording engineer; he passed, and my ability to e-mail audio; I think I passed.
Plus, my engineer wants me to do some promo work for his studio
Thank you for all the information regarding “Recording and Demos”. Your knowledge on the subjects and putting recording into “layman terms” made it seem much less dauntin