Each Tuesday 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 included an open-ended Q&A session.
Last night marked the last session of our final week. During this last week we covered the nitty gritty of business & legal matters, unions, and agents.
Here’s what our students had to say about the week, tonight’s Q&A session, and the class overall.
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Thanks so much for offering Starting Your Voiceover Business. This is a class that I would recommend to anyone of my friends inside and outside radio who want to establish their own voiceover business. I thought that you really broke the parts of the business down into bite size sections that were easy to understand and made them a lot less overwhelming.
Even the “asides” and stream of consciousness comments were full of great information.
I know that the road to this successful business will be tough, but this step by step approach gives us a great roadmap!
WOW is the only way I can sum up tonight as well as all the nights of the past 4 weeks that I have spent listening to your combined wisdom in this industry!
Fantastic advice – especially about unions and corporate signatories! I had been in AFTRA and was hoping to get back in with my voiceover work and this info has given me a whole new optimism about making that possibility happen!
I have also decided that my goal in addition to the 30-60 day report is to qualify both in work and in monetary gain to be able to get in on the Advanced Class, when that happens.
Thanks so much for being so generous with your knowledge – it’s worth five times what I’ve paid up to now and I am definitely going to put everything I’ve learned into action!
i’m going to be feeling very weird next monday…in a panic that i’ve missed my class.
thank you again for patiently answering (and in some cases “re-answering”) our business questions. as i’ve already mentioned, i consider the time and money to be well-spent.
i have new goals for accounting, expanded agent search, business savvy, improved web presence…and at least some idea how to take the first faltering steps in those directions.
it was a particular thrill to have direct conversation with a voice talent whose work i have known and respected (sorry dan, i meant harlan)…and have that person giving me either new information or confirming my experience. i know i would never have the nerve to make direct, unsolicited contact…even though i’ve bought and enjoyed his books.
to both of you: when you get that marketing thing ready, make sure to give me as much advance warning as you can so that i can begin setting money aside for it. that’s where my most dangerous deficiencies live.
again, thank you both so very much for making us feel like friends and colleagues, not mere customers.
Learned so much from the Q & A not only from my questions but also from the questions the other folks in class asked. I actually think I understand the payroll thing now. Thanks for being so patient with me.
Aha moment! “It’s not how you sound but how you make the listener feel.” That helps so much in guiding me in my branding and how I’ll set myself apart. Hey, not only that but also in how I’ll approach copy in the future. I think I’ll print that phrase up and post it in my studio. It also helps because I feel I have such an obnoxious voice that I didn’t think the best way to brand myself would be to say “You’ll be thankful when she shuts up!” or “Dina, the obnoxious choice” or how about “Nasal. It’s the new sultry!” Let’s just say I don’t feel as inadequate any more.
Since you mentioned that you both enjoy marketing so much (and I realize that you’ll be expanding that module the next time you present this class) have you given thought to a voiceover marketing consultation service? I know, I know… only so many hours in the day. It was just a thought.
Thank you for the inspiration and the tools necessary for us to go out there and get ’em! It truly made a big difference to me. I know I’ve said it a million times but its true: I now feel I can move forward. That’s a great feeling!
You two gents have been the greatest. Thank you for giving us something real to sink our teeth into to get us started.
Thank you both, for being that rudder to steer my ship that has been lost at sea so to speak….listing to and fro on the waves of dreams in the VO Industry.You have given us the tools to rebuild our careers as Voice Actors. I can now tear down what crumbly foundation I had to rebuild on a new and more solid foundation you have give us. I know I am looking forward to prove, that what we have been given does work and am looking forward to reporting back. Again I thank you both and our fellow classmates, for making this the BEST VO class available.
Wow. What a class. I will miss you guys! I am so appreciative of both Dan & Harlan, taking the time to share their expertise in this business. I am a newbie, and I had an idea of what this business was prior to this class based on rather limited exposure. I have a totally different perspective now – a much larger world has opened up to me. I have taken several action steps in my business since beginning the course and feel I am on the right track to a successful career thanks to the guidance from this course. I love having the MP3 recordings, and the study guides – and I know I will refer to them when I encounter a situation and think, hmmm, I remember we covered this in the voiceover class! What a wealth of information – a great reference. And – I am looking forward to giving you my 30 to 60 day success report! Thanks again guys!
Before learning of this class, I believed that having a voiceover career meant constantly fighting for table scraps and doing mind numbing amounts of auditions that 95% of the time lead nowhere, with no respect for my time or no idea of another direction to go.
I can honestly look myself in the mirror now and know that I have purchased the basic supplies (knowledge) to stand up and make a voiceover career happen. I owe that to Harlan, and especially Dan—who changed my life on a phone call and mentioned that he was working on this class and thought I should attend. Harlan—you are a wonderful teacher, a truly gifted performer, and a pillar of our industry. Thank you for deciding to help more people equip themselves to stand up and improve their own lives. I have benefitted greatly from your stories and especially your class.
Dan, as always, thank you for the difference you make. You constantly work to improve everyone’s life that you touch, and I know that you really are doing everything you do because you genuinely want to see everyone you meet become better than when you met them.
I will succeed in taking the next step because this class has shown me which direction to start walking.
Thank you both
My VO career is very much in its infancy, and before The Voiceover Class, I was experiencing quite a bit of frustration because I wasn’t quite sure what my next move should be (didn’t know which steps to take so I wasn’t taking any at all). Uncertainty was holding me back.
Thanks to you two gents, I now have several months’ worth of projects and planning lined up for myself. The list of information you two provided for me is a mile long, and I am excited to delve into it. It’s a big relief to have a defined direction to move in, and I feel much more confident about moving forward with establishing my career. No more frustration – just enthusiasm. So there you have it. The Voice Over Class was a huge value for the cost, and I look forward to giving you very positive feedback on my progress within the next thirty to sixty days.
Thanks to you both!
1. The overview of corporate structures is great, especially if you consider the issues surrounding the performer union signatories. I would like to see a little more explanation of this issue so we understand how the corporation can work with non-union clients, but still be a union performer (or maybe they can’t, I’m still a little confused).
2. As a business owner, I wholeheartedly agree with the business accounting overview on page 5. Very important stuff
3. THANK YOU for doing the research and listing the average non-union rates!! (and the union rates too, though I knew where to find those). This info is VERY helpful for us.
4. I would have like to see more depth about the advantages and disadvantages of union membership/non-membership. I know Harlan is a union man and very pro union, and I appreciate his objectivity. However, I feel this could have been explored more thoroughly so we, in our various situations, can make better decisions about whether to join.
5. Great info on the “when” of agents and exploring their “stables” in order to approach. This was expounded upon during the Q&A. Also good info on how not to approach an agent and look like a rookie.
6. Thank you for the recommendation to read “The War of Art.”
Q & A
1. Thank you for explaining the concept of “conflict” more thoroughly on the Q&A, and then relating it to being union or non-union and having an agent
2. Good info on having an agent for non-union work. I would’ve guessed that agents only represented union work and union performers, so I appreciate the clarification.
This class has been extremely informative. There was a considerably large amount of info, which I do appreciate. For me, I would have preferred if it was stretched out a little longer over time (over a few weeks longer); only because I work better that way.
Thank you so much for your time and information. I had no idea you and Harlan had never provided this course prior! I’m even more satisfied with the fact that I gave you guys a chance, because there are a lot of hack-job “turn key” classes out there. I’m never so quick to hand my money over for any reason. I felt Harlan’s initial write up about the class convinced me that this was not another one of those types of classes.
I will have to listen to the classes over again and study my notes and assignments.
Thanks again!
I couldn’t think fast enough at the end for just ONE thing that helped me most. It’s all been so overwhelmingly wonderful and extremely beneficial.
But I feel terrible about letting you go without having the courage to say, on air, how wonderful this class has been. That’s why I’m a voice over – I like hiding behind the scenes!
I’ve been sending reviews so I think you know how much I appreciate all you’ve given me but really, gents, words can’t express it. Please just know you went above and beyond for us. I couldn’t have asked for a better set of teachers or a better class! I hope to do you proud with what I’ve learned.
Thanks again so much – God bless.
Great course, Harlan & Dan!
Week Four Lecture/Q&A was precisely what I was seeking.
Having recently taken Allison Green's Voice & Speech Class at Mike Lemon Casting in Philadelphia; I was looking for a primer on the voiceover business today.
Lo and behold an e-mail from former voice coach John Burr of Bethesda MD arrived touting "The Voiceover Class" with Harlan Hogan.
Looking at his picture I immediately I wouldn't be dealing with Hulk Hogan.
Class outline piqued my curiosity, answered many questions, allayed some fears.
With some trepidation I took a chance and signed up. I'm glad I did.
This course is a terrific nuts and bolts manual for starting a voice over business.
And we know who the nuts are. (My quotable quote)
The late start here in the East was a drag for me, but I committed to listening live.
Monday's lectures were more enlightening than most Tuesday Q&A's.
Some questioners really rambled. Suggestion: Insist callers write down questions first.
The Bonus Sessions were a real plus. Worth the extra time expended.
It was a long haul but I did listen to all three hours of Jeffrey Fisher's evaluations.
I gained knowledge about potential competitors for VO work (classmates).
Though my recording was done at a professional recording studio, Jeff's comments influenced my selection of home studio equipment.
Your referrals to books and websites were invaluable (that does mean had value, right?).
In the immortal words of Yogi Berra, "If you come to a fork in the road…pick it up".
Now I will run with it. . . . Hopefully, I won't poke my eye out.
Putting my faith in you both to deliver a realistic look at the world of VO's was the very best investment of my time and money! These last four weeks have given me so many revelations, beyond the voice training technique and sound booth issues I'd been focused on. When Harlan mentioned last night about the elements of my new business being like an upside-down pyramid, something clicked inside of me. If the smallest amount of time is spent as the "performer," why was I spending so much of my time crafting it, to the total exclusion of thinking about the big picture? The "entrepreneur" fledgling spirit in me was pinning too much hope in the P2P sites. I now see how important it is to self-market. Today, I'm shifting my focus to researching and contacting potential clients. My biggest stumbling block was the "management" piece. If I begin to make contacts, how do I keep track of that effectively? The two sessions this week answered those questions. I've already looked up the two software programs discussed, and am enrolled in a teleseminar this afternoon for using ACT!
May I say, it also dawned on me about how you "created" a financial opportunity by hosting this May teleconference. You both stepped out of your daily routines to share what you know with us in such a respectful, candid, and thoughtful way. I want to express my thanks and gratitude for your time and energy. You thought of so many details, not just within the framework of the curriculum, but also by adding extra valuable sessions, to handouts, to mp3's, to making a Facebook group, to live Q&A of the content. You gave me far and away more than I ever gave you! The only final comment I want to share with you is this. Although everyone's story for developing their opportunities is "situational," I now understand the concept that the real work behind VO, is "getting the work." I truly listened and will take action=success! I'll email you in 30-60 days! (I've become very used to doing your "homework," and Dan…I already put my note for getting back in touch with you on my calendar at the end of July!)
I adored the entire four weeks!!
Toward the end of the class, I had asked you both 'what next'…or how can we decompress post class after all the rush of wonderfully well-organized, smooth flow of substantively specific information, consistently faithful MP3's and reminders of each class, well laid-out study guides, thrilling and bonus classes and was poised to extol its virtues when recording suddenly stopped — I'd actually felt rather numb! So naturally, I acted upon your suggestion and went straight to face book to check out the posts! There are some nice posts there!
As with each of the four Question/Answer sessions, last night's class and helped reaffirm or clarified several questions I'd had about getting an agent and throughout the entire evening, I took notes (as is my practice) on all of your answers provided to questions posed by the students. Both of you are very entertaining and this is what also makes it just such a delight to be involved. I am totally aware of the fact that I was a part of something very special during these past four weeks.
This was by far the best voice-over class, best seminar, best all around course in a creative field, period. It simply WAS more than I had anticipated an experience rare and adventurous into deeper look at what makes a successful business in voice-overs tick?! This is saying a lot since I had already anticipated its being a unique and fresh approach to teaching the critical points of the business-end of one's voice-over career!
What was totally refreshing is the crispness of the presentation, topics and details covered; I loved the nicely designed Study Guides too! The follow-up with a subsequent Q & A class dedicated solely to the previous night, was great and the entire class format was consistent and did not deviate or become randomized or lose ground and time retracting steps or jumping ahead on topics that were ahead in the course. Writing reviews after each class also was a tremendous idea – it gave students the chance to reflect and think – 'Now what did I learn and what can I ask next time? '
The hands -on approach despite its being held via telephone – was totally beneficial and the nature and type of assignments really put us though our paces in the research and analysis of genres of voicing, branding, competition and I-net casting sites. The peak in this endeavor was being able to record ourselves and receiving a critique of our sound in handling the mic and our studio set-up and any hardware and/or software problems if any by a super expert in the field, Jeffrey Fisher. A wealth of help and fascinating information was bestowed upon us in those two hours of listening to all the students overseen by Jeffrey's meticulous review with his highly perfected skill and talent for hearing everything and detecting a probable source for an anomalous noise etc.!
continuedI also so appreciated the generous, valuable and incredibly interesting bonus classes…they were totally unexpected! And they were phenomenal! From the first class, in Dan’s getting us started off on the ‘right track’ with his “Getting Things Done” class (very helpful!) to Steve Cunningham’s expert knowledge with Protools and all things computers — to the marvelous Pam Lontos on “PR: How To Leverage The Power of the Media To Grow Your Fame, Wealth and Success”, who gave us her professional advice on public relations, and how to approach the media with ideas for stories to enable us to get our name out there in a manner that isn’t just ‘tooting our own horn’ but which is beneficial to the readers or audience. Her information was exhilarating and extremely helpful, since we will have to depend upon our skills to market and promote ourselves in many different modes.
I cannot thank you both enough for your hard work and dedication in coming up with such a winning, motivating course in voice-overs, not to mention generous! More than that it certainly has given me more tools, wisdom and savvy, as well as to give me a huge push forward along the journey with preparedness — I wouldn’t have had as much confidence to move forward without the knowledge AND experience I’ve gained from the class. I would NOT have begun to set up a website yet, and it would certainly not be as far along as it is!
I also purchased some recording accessories, e.g. a ‘pop-screen’, a ‘Mighty-Bright’ clamp-light for my copy stand and some Auralex foam for the ceiling of my small recording booth – and also an adaptor for my Sony headphones to plug into the pre-amp! (I wasn’t wearing any headphones when I recorded my four submissions and forgot to make a note of that to Jeffrey, so I can hear any the weird stuff) I was very pleasantly surprised that he had few technical problems with my tracks other than my being too close to the mic on two tracks, whew! AND he even liked the mic I have for my voice, the AKG Perception 220! It was an amazing assignment to be able to participate in doing and I enjoyed the opportunity immensely!!
And all of these wonderful, fast (too fast) four weeks without any real telephone- technical high strangeness to speak of! Your Voice-Over As A Business class has reaffirmed my aspiration to be successful in this field! I am a creative person, I liked being in the animation; I even had a skirmish with doing some character voices at one point and now I am totally dedicated to striving to become a part of another really wonderful group of creative, talented people…Voice-Over People!
Thank you, thank you so much again Dan and Harlan! I hope to see you down the road and I will certainly check back in 30 to 60 days to let you know how I’m doing! It’s my assignment, so I’ll put it on the calendar 😉 so that way I KNOW I’ll have something to show for in the next few months!
They say that the number Five represents ‘change’, ‘celebration’ and ‘adventure’… and in the month of May, this Voice-Over Class was all that! (And more.)
Missed the boat on this one! Wish I would have taken it. Woulda Coulda Shoulda….
I really enjoyed the info from the class. Being in the central time zone was a bit hard for me because of 3 boys at home age 11,8 & 4 but I was able to listen in on most of the classes… I did miss the Monday night May 25th class because of Memorial Day… ya know, you just can't BBQ without a beer on your hand…. However I loved the mp3 downloads so I was able to listen later.
My over all take on the class was that I learned that a lot of the stuff I did at the beginning of my career was actually dead on to what Harlan said to do, at least MOST of the things I did where dead on… a few things I messed up on but I guess I did OK setting up what I'm doing now.
For the past 27 years I've been working at a pretty popular recording studio in St. Louis and I do all right getting the work; but the reason I took the class was that I want to try new things, i.e, getting more agency representation so that I can do more out of town work. I'm really getting used a bit too much in this market (a good problem to have I guess)
So, now with the info I have I feel pretty confident on approaching new possibilities down the road… I'm 57 years old and maybe in 3 to 5 years I can do SOME of my work out of my home. At the moment though I'm really happy working a a studio that has ISDN, needle drop music, sound effects, and all the bells & whistles I need to produce spots for local & regional ad agencies. Hopefully I can get some national exposure with the info I got from you, H2 and the others on the calls.
Hello Dan & Harlan, Just wanted to thank you both for such a fabulous class ! It went above and beyond my expectations ! You covered so much material, answered all of our questions and did it in such an engaging and enjoyable way ! The bonus calls were fantastic, as well ! And then, to have Jeffrey Fisher take the time to analyze our voices and give us his professional recommendations… that was just invaluable, too !! And I can't wait for your input, Dan, regarding my website….there truly was so much offered to the students taking part in this class…what a lucky bunch we were !
Now, just let me know when you two are coming over for a cocktail !!! But, seriously, I really am going to miss you guys and the exciting dialogue among everyone on the calls. I look forward to checking out the Facebook page regularly….thanks for setting that up, as well !
Until next time, take care and thanks again for such a wonderful learning experience !! Now, I just need to take action !!! As Harlan says…"The work of voiceover work is getting the work !"
I think I could have bought other things, but I think the class overall was worth he money. I have always been one of those folks who can do almost anything,when I put my mind to it, although Motivation is sometimes lacking. That, I think is the most valuable tool looking back, I now know how to go about putting the knowledge into action. The last class was what I had been looking for the most, I think. The how to start, when to access legal and financial advice, and when to worry about it. Obviously now is not the time for worry, it is the time for action. I won’t be able to jump in right away,however. I have some other legal commitments that I must dispose of first. I will however continue to outfit my studio, enlist the help of friends and colleagues to establish the groundwork of a business model. When I’m ready all of the pieces will be in place. I would like to thank both Harlan and Dan for their honest and sincere effort over the past month. Everyone must be instructed at some point in their life, in my case it seems to be an ongoing thing, but no one was born with all of the knowledge that is necessary to be successful. Thanks again for the push in the right direction. I hope to keep in touch through the face book page and perhaps maybe meet in person one day.
Wish I could have taken it. I am transitioning to a new station meaning a move and upheaval for the next several months. Have always been interested. Dan, see if Harlan would be open to it again in around 6 or 7 months. I am definately interested.
What a great opportunity to learn at the feet of Harlan and Dan! While I’ve been doing production and some voiceovers for years, implementing just a few of the things I’ve learned will totally kick my career to a whole other level — maybe several levels!
I’ve already secured new domain names and begun work on a voiceover site, am working on improving (simplifying, actually) my mic chain, and soon will improve my billing system! I’ve been entirely self- taught thus far, so learning what I’ve been doing right has been just as helpful as finding all the ways I can improve my business!
Thanks for the Voiceover Class!
First let me just say this, I think you guys are so wonderful to give us your time and knowledge, and anything worth having is worth paying for and I’m telling you that this whole experience was so worth it!
Each and every class this month was awesome and the best things I’ve gotten out of the overall set is how to move forward and what to expect and something even better: ‘what is expected of me’ in so many aspects of the business. Sometimes when I don’t know what to do, I become distracted and start doing so many different things it takes me a long time, if ever, to get back to where I should be. These classes have allowed me to set a path/plan that I can refer to when I get sidetracked, so I’m back on track right away.
The bonus classes were absolutely the best. Those alone were well worth the money we paid. The “How to get things done” was exactly what I needed. I was so happy to get the Pro Tools Information and again, it was so timely it was like you knew I was fumbling with my brand new studio tools. The PR class was also a good one, it really opened my eyes about how to get your name out there. Thanks Dan for all your hard work and effort on these.
I was so happy when you announced this class as I’d been scouring the web for months and found only a few places that have any real serious information. The compilation of the information in these classes has allowed me to get a plan together. I feel confident as I move forward with my plan that I know where I want to be going and I’ve learned a lot about how to get there. The audio evaluation was priceless, it covered exactly what I’d been wondering since I set up my studio. Mostly, how was the sound in my “closet” and did I have the right mic for my voice? Thank you Jeffery, for answering those very questions.
I’m so ready to have more information from you guys on marketing which is my “how to get there”, sign me up for the advanced class! I am also very interested in the mentoring site and I’m looking forward to more information on this.
Thanks guys and I’ll see you all on FaceBook.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
One sometimes thinks of the great couples of yore namely:
Robin and Maid Marian
Martin and Lewis
Mickey and Minnie
Abbott and Costello
Comdon and Green
Kander and Ebb
Lucy and Desi
Based on their recent teleclass series, Starting Your Voiceover Business, a superbly deft combination of comedy and instruction, for aspiring and working voiceover artists, Harlan Hogan and Dan O’Day will shortly be elected to the Famous Couples Hall of Fame.
First of all, this was a high class series of great monetary value, important in these times. Harlan Hogan provided the meat and potatoes of the curriculum, carefully explaining a whole range of marketing and business practices with the skill of an experienced VO performer, adman and accountant. Dan O’Day was no slouch either and provided motivational thoughts, insightful questions and at times some humor. They both alternated as straight men and provided numerous hours of instruction, question and answer feedback and bonus sessions with industry experts totaling, by my count, at least 25 hours for the total cost of $495, or less than $20 per hour, a rare bargain. Second, they utilized advanced teleclass and downloading technology, where astonishingly, they were able to control class outbursts, silly questions, self aggrandizement and the general wasting of time, often unavoidable with this venue of instruction. Third and most important, their instruction was relevant, valuable, practical and doable as long as students were willing to get up off their chairs and take action, even if in small steps. Fourth, in addition to the foregoing, Dan O’Day established a face book page for student’s continuing and future questions and advice. The Duo even managed to have their friend and colleague, Jeffrey P. Fisher, review for voice quality and recording technique, over three hours worth of audio submitted by students. This exemplary team (mostly Dan) will complete their comprehensive services by finishing a web site review (shortly?) for those who already had one and answered three questions. I’d say kudos and “props” to these two for meticulous planning, having fun with their material and some dumb luck!
Finally finished listening to all the class MP3’s. WOW. I have never raised my hand and contributed, haven’t always been present for all the phone calls…wasn’t sure I should fork out the $$$, but I am so glad I did! Jeffrey….loved hearing everyone’s submissions and your comments…I learn so much! I booked a gig (without an agent) after the first week (maybe the second) simply from Harlan’s sentence about (how to delivery copy)….Got the very next gig I submitted to….Thanks! Dan…great facilitating and focusing the dialogue. Also, NEVER even thought of auditioning microphones..WHO KNEW???
I want to thank you both for the time involved in hosting the class and the many hours you must have spent preparing and creating the “Starting Your Voiceover Business” course.
Certainly many of us have procrastinated in doing the “work of voiceover work”, namely contacting people and putting it all out there. Now that we know a lot more than we did four weeks ago, our confidence is improved and we’ll begin setting the voiceover world on fire!
During the class I personally discovered that I definitely need to brush up and play around more with the technical aspect of recording. I don’t think any of us can get away with remaining unfamliar with our home studio equipment. Since much of the work is no longer done at a proper recording studio, we all need to become more tech savvy to obtain projects and to do more work with an increased number of clients.
It was very helpful to have the recording critiqued, just as it will be helpful to find out how our websites stack up to our competition. I gained excellent tips during the class and the experience and knowledge you both bring to the table (in a humorous and irreverent way) will be extremely valuable as we build our businesses.
The weekly worksheets were detailed and full of information which can be retained and used along our voiceover journey. This is my second business and it is a division of my first company, so much of my company accounting and legal aspects are already in place, however, during the last session I picked up two accounting ideas that I will begin using immediately. Anyone just starting out surely will have their business run much more smoothly because of the information they received in module 4.
Your willingness to begin the Facebook group, to be available to the students and to continue to create future courses shows your dedication to the business. We are very fortunate to have found you and I’m sure each of us also wants to make you proud. We’ll look forward to giving you some good news about our progress in a few weeks.
What’s left to say? Only a great big Thank you!
Though I spent the entire time ‘listening’ and not asking questions, I was very much a part of the program and eagerly look forward to the possibilities of my own ‘real’ voiceover business. I admit that I’m still a little scared but know that I could do the work once I can get past my personal fears.
The class was very practical and useful in that you didn’t ‘glamorize’ or try to hype us for our precious money. Many other voiceover sites, etc. seem to make lots of promises and require lots of money to get started but my reluctance emerged when I analyzed the cost of producing a brief single (1-3 min) demo. Why are the costs so outrageous? As a point of reference, I just recorded my first 11-song CD with a band of seven musicians from Nashville. We did all of the recording there in Nashville in a private studio in April 09. We should have a finished product by the end of June and will have spent about $10,000.00 for the entire project (my travel/lodging, musicians, bgv’s, engineer, studio time, mixing, mastering, graphic design, press of 1000).
What a great class this has been. It is probably the best $500 I have spent on voiceover ever. And here is why I say that.
1) You broke it down into four 4-week segments with each week keying in on vital aspects of the business of voiceover.
2) Every week you added Q&A after the class to help us with our own areas we might be curious about. You also gave us bonus calls…enough said.
3) You showed us with a workbook what an action plan might look like and gave us nuts and bolts examples each week of actions we can take to start and build our business.
4) It is very obvious you both have the experience and know how to show beginning, intermediate, and expert VO actors how to ramp up our business with a hands on approach to making a plan, getting started, and following through.
Thank you Harlan and Dan for a REAL class on how to start and grow my business. By the way, I booked a narration gig for a large public utilities company here in the inland empire right after class 4. This was a result of "the work of voiceover work is getting the work."