The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over (7 page)
Read The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over Online
Authors: James Alburger
The jobs of talent agents, casting agents, and personal managers are often misunderstood by people not in the business or just starting out. They all have different functions in the world of voiceover.
Talent agents represent performers. Talent agencies are licensed by the state and must include the words “Talent Agent” or “Talent Agency” in any print advertising, along with their address and license number. The talent agent works with advertising agencies, producers, and casting directors to obtain work for the performers they represent.
A talent agent receives a commission of 10% to 25% based on the scale they negotiate for their performer and whether their performer is union or nonunion. For AFTRA/SAG work the commission is above and beyond the performer’s fee (scale plus 10%). In some cases, the commission may be taken out of the talent fee, especially for nonunion freelance work obtained by an agent. For talent agencies to book union talent, they must be franchised by the local AFTRA and SAG unions. Contact the union office in your area for a list of franchised talent agents.
Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world, and there are many unscrupulous agents who will attempt to relieve you of your money. If anyone asks you for money up front to represent you or get you an audition, he or she is operating a scam. Period! The same is true for 1-900 numbers
that charge a fee for information on auditions and casting. Most of the information is available elsewhere, either for free or a minimal charge. The best thing to do is find a reputable agent and stay in touch with him or her. Even if you are freelance and must pay your agent a 25% commission, the advantages of representation may well be worth it.
Do you need a talent agent to do voiceover work? No. Will a talent agent benefit you in your voiceover career? In most cases, yes.
Chapter 20
includes a complete discussion on how to find and work with a talent agent.
A casting agency is hired by an advertiser or production company to cast the talent for a particular project. They may also provide scriptwriting and some producing services, such as directing talent. They may even have a small studio where some of the production is done. Casting agent fees are normally charged directly to the client and are in addition to any fees paid for the talent they cast.
Most voice casting agencies work with talent agents and have a pool of talent that covers all the various character styles they use. Talent from this pool are used for all projects they work on and they will rarely add a new voice to their pool unless there is an opening or special need. The talent in their pool may be represented by several talent agents. Casting agencies may occasionally hold open auditions to cast for their projects but they are generally not a good resource for nonunion voice talent.
A personal manager is hired to manage a performer’s career. The personal manager attempts to get the talent agent to send the performer out on auditions, and encourages the agent to go for a higher talent fee. Managers usually work on a commission of up to 20% of the performer’s fee, which is taken out before payment to the performer and in addition to the agent’s commission. Some managers may work on a retainer. Either way, a manager can be expensive, especially if you are not getting work. Personal managers are fairly rare in the world of voiceover, and the voice actors they work for are generally well-established on-camera performers who will only occasionally do voiceover work.
Advertising agencies work for the companies doing the advertising, coordinating every aspect of an advertising or marketing campaign. They write the scripts, arrange for auditions, arrange for the production, supervise the sessions, handle distribution of completed spots (spot announcement, or commercial) to radio and TV stations, purchase air time, and pay all the fees involved in a project.
Ad agencies are reimbursed by their clients (advertisers) for production costs and talent fees. They book airtime at the station’s posted rate and receive an agency discount (usually about 15%). They bill their client the station rate and get their commission from the station as a discount. If the advertising agency is an AFTRA or SAG signatory, they will also handle the union fees according to their signatory agreement. Since the ad agency books all airtime, they also handle residual payments, passing these fees on to their clients.
Most advertising agencies work through production companies that subcontract everything needed for the production of a project. Sometimes the production company is actually a radio or TV station that handles the production. In some cases a casting agent might be brought in to handle casting, writing, and production. Some larger ad agencies, with in-house facilities, may work directly with talent agents for casting performers.
Ad agencies can be a good source of work. Your agent should know which agencies use voiceover and will send out your demo accordingly. You can also contact ad agencies directly, especially if you are nonunion. As part of your marketing, you can telephone ad agencies and let them know who you are and what you do. You will find many ad agencies work only in print or use only union talent. When you call, ask to speak to the person who books voiceover talent.
The ad agency assigns an account executive (AE) or on-staff agency producer (AP) to handle the account. Sometimes both an AE and AP are involved, but it is usually the AP who knows more about the production than the AE. The AE is more involved with arranging the schedules for airtime purchases. The AP is the person who is generally in charge of selecting talent. The AE is less involved, but often approves the AP’s talent choices.
Either the AE or AP may be present during auditions and one or both is almost always present at the session. If the ad agency is producing the spot, they will want to make sure everything goes as planned. If the spot is being produced by a casting agency, someone from that company may also be at the session. Casting agencies are more common for television on-camera productions than for voiceover, but a casting agency rep may be present at an audition or session if their agency is handling the production. And, of course, advertisers are very likely to be at the audition and session to provide their input.
As their name implies, production companies are where the work of creating the radio commercial, TV spot, industrial video, video game, or other production is done. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the oneman shop to the large studio with hundreds of people on staff. Most production companies have a small staff of 2 to 10 people, many of whom may be freelancers.
Production companies generally work directly for a client, or as a production resource for an ad agency or a corporation’s on-staff producer. Many large corporations have their own in-house production facility.
Although some production companies can be a good source of freelance voiceover work, most work primarily with talent booked through a talent agent by the producer or with talent hired by an ad agency. Learn which production companies do the kind of voiceover work you want to do, and get to know the producers and directors. You can find production companies in your area by checking your phone book under “Recording Services—sound and video,” through an Internet search for “production company your city,” or by contacting your city’s Chamber of Commerce. Many cities have a film bureau that maintains a list of local production companies.
1
Source:
http://www.AFTRA.com
,
http://www.SAG.org
and
http://www.SAGAFTRA.org
2
Source:
http://www.nrtw.org/d/rtwempl.htm
3
U.S. Supreme Court,
NLRB v. General Motors
, 373 U.S. 734, 1963.
4
U.S. Supreme Court,
Communications Workers vs. Beck
, 487 U.S. 735, 1988.
Using Your Instrument
As a voice actor, the tool of your trade—the instrument for your performance—is your voice. Just as any other craftsperson must know how to care for the tools of his or her trade, before you can begin to learn the craft of performing for voiceover, it is vital that you first learn how to properly use, and care for, the most important tool you have… your voice! So, with that in mind, this chapter includes some essential information about how your voice works, how to deal with common vocal problems, simple warm-up exercises, and tips for keeping your voice healthy. You’ll also find some resources for further research if you feel that necessary. If you’ve never thought much about your voice, you’ll probably find most of the exercises and tips helpful, some merely interesting, and a few perhaps totally weird.
All voice actors are not created equal! Sorry, but that’s just the way it is. The world of voiceover is one of diverse talent, abilities, and sounds. Some people seem to master voiceover quickly and easily while others struggle for years to “break in.” You must begin with some basic talent. You simply have to have it—talent cannot be taught. If you didn’t have at least some level of talent, chances are you wouldn’t be reading this book, so I’ll assume that isn’t an issue. Once you’ve discovered your basic talent, the next step is to build upon it and nurture it as you develop performing and business skills.
Learning the craft and business of voiceover is much like learning how to play a musical instrument. Some people are more adept at learning piano, while others choose to study flute, some will play string instruments, and still others have the ability to play a variety of instruments. Some dedicated musicians become virtuosos while others never advance their level of skill beyond the beginner stage. The simple truth is that some people simply have more talent for learning what it takes to play their chosen instrument. If
you’ve ever taken lessons to learn how to play guitar, piano, violin, oboe, or some other musical instrument, you have a good idea of what to expect as you begin your study of voiceover. If you have the basic talent, and you’re willing to dedicate yourself to mastering the necessary skills, there’s a very good chance that you’ll find your place in the voiceover orchestra.
In the context of an orchestra, each voice actor has a seat—and not everyone can be section leader. Each section of an orchestra consists of several musicians seated according to their skill level and expertise. A musical composition is broken down into several parts for each section. For example the first violin part may be played by several musicians and will usually carry the melody and be technically demanding. The second violin part, also played by several musicians, will be less demanding, but still critical to the overall composition. The third and successive parts are progressively less demanding, but all are essential parts of the whole. The violinist seated to the conductor’s left is also known as the Concertmaster and is second in command after the orchestra conductor. This individual has earned their position through constant study and a demonstration of a high level of expertise with their instrument.
Do you know where you sit in the voiceover orchestra? Do you know which part you play? Do you know your level of expertise at playing your instrument? Do you even know what instrument you play?
If you’re reading this book to learn what voiceover is all about and how to get started, your answers to the above questions are most likely all “no.” And that’s OK. By the time you finish this book you should be in a much better position to answer these questions with a resounding “yes.”
At this point you should be aware that your instrument is your voice. But there’s more to it! Just as every musician in an orchestra plays an instrument, every voice actor uses their voice. In an orchestra some instruments have a deep, resonant, low tone (string bass, cello, bassoon, and tuba), while other instruments have a high, clear tone (piccolo, flute, trumpet, and percussion bells). Other instruments have a raspy, edgy tone (violin, clarinet, and saxophone), or a percussive, harsh attack (piano, harpsichord, percussion). Even within sections of the orchestra there are a variety of instruments that are of the same basic design, yet exhibit a uniquely different tone:
- Brass: trombone, trumpet, French horn, tuba
- String: violin, viola, cello, upright bass, guitar, piano
- Wind: flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone
- Percussion: xylophone, tympani, drums, cymbals, bells
Voice actors are no different than the instruments in an orchestra. As you study this craft you’ll begin to discover things about your instrument. Do you have a smooth, mellow, clear tone like a trumpet? Do you have a voice that is high pitched, or as a friend of ours says: “baritone challenged,” like a piccolo? Or perhaps you will discover that your voice is deep and resonant with limited range, like a bassoon.
Your determination of the tonality and texture of your voice is a very important discovery because it will ultimately guide you through your study of this craft. If you have a voice with deep “golden tones” you’ll find it a challenge to perform a script written for a high pitched, fast-talking character voice. By the same token, if your vocal tone resides in the midrange, you may find it difficult to work at either extreme without sounding artificial and unreal. All music uses the same written notes, just like all voiceover copy uses the same words. Although you might hear a tuba solo, you’ll never hear a tuba trying to sound like a flute.
There is still one instrument I haven’t mentioned yet, and you may discover that this is where you fit in the voiceover orchestra. That instrument is the digital MIDI keyboard. Press a button on this keyboard and you have a string section. Press a different button and you’re playing a piano. Press yet another button and it’s now a trumpet. The possibilities are endless.
Many voice actors specialize in mastering the skills for performing within the primary range and tone of their voice. They become the best violin, trumpet, or bassoon they can be, with an ability to convey the subtlest nuance through their performance.
Most voice actors who work in animation or video games fall in the digital keyboard category. Through their years of study, they have mastered the ability to create a wide range of very real and believable voices on demand.
What instrument do you play? Are you a highly proficient first violinist capable of playing complex melodies at ease? Or are you a third trombone, able to get all the notes right, but still learning how to master the nuance of your instrument? Maybe, just maybe, you’re a digital keyboard with the ability to create radically diverse voices with different tonalities and textures, all of which sound completely authentic. The only way you’ll know is to discover your unique talent, study performing techniques, and experiment to learn what works best for you.
The beauty of both music and voiceover is that the performance is not dependent on what’s on the paper. The performance is the end result of how the performer plays their instrument.