STARTING YOUR OWN VOICEOVER BUSINESS Q&A REVIEWS...AND FAREWELL

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.

VOICEOVER AUDITION TIP FOR RADIO PEOPLE

From Harlan Hogan's Voiceover Career Secrets:

One mistake that a lot of people with a broadcasting background make — I was guilty of this for a long time — is expending great effort to deliver the audition "to time." Unless they are very specific and say we really, really, really have to hear you bring this in in 25 seconds…Don't worry about the time.

As broadcast pros we think, "Oh, it'll be impressive that I bring it in at :30." But they are not timing. They don't care. Take the luxury of time.

Recently I did a spot that I got off an audition and when I read it, I knew it was a minute and a half or longer. They wanted a nice, relaxed reading. When I actually did the job, they had realized on their own, "Oh my God, we have to cut half of this."

Many more voiceover career tips at Voiceover Career Secrets.

A VOICEOVER ARTIST'S DESPERATE PLEA

That's Philip Banks.

VOICEOVER LEGEND PATRICK FRALEY AND DAN O'DAY SHARE PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS

Voice acting superstar and coach Patrick Fraley returns to teach an all-new workshop at this year's International Radio Creative & Production Summit.

In this exclusive video from last year's Summit, Pat and I share some of the secrets that have made us such successful public speakers.

(Turn up the volume. We were sharing "industry secrets" and deliberately spoke in hushed tones to avoid being overheard by "civilians.")

VOICEOVER COACH NANCY WOLFSON MOCKS RADIO PEOPLE

Look, I admit it: Nancy Wolfson is an incredible voiceover coach.

That's why I've invited her to return to conduct another Super Session at this year's International Radio Creative & Production Summit.

But you'd think she'd give us radio folks just a little more respect....

DAVE FOXX & SON: VOICEOVER VIDEO

With Z100's Dave Foxx returning as a guest speaker at this year's International Radio Creative & Production Summit, I thought you might enjoy revisiting this video made by his son, Taige...who portrays Dave's son.

Or, more accurately, Taige portrays "Grover," and Dave portrays Grover's father.

So enjoy the video and then go sign up for the Summit.

RADIO CREATIVE/PRODUCTION SUMMIT 2009: First Info

It looks very much like the International Radio Creative & Production Summit for 2009 will be held August 7 - 8.

In Los Angeles, as always.

Still finalizing the lineup of guest speakers and topics, but here's what we have so far:

COPYWRITING

I probably will do two major presentations — world premieres. I'm pretty sure our Summit "Repeat Offenders" will love them.

One is a complete Case Study of a very successful campaign — from beginning to end. Including the research, client discussions, strategy, execution, and results. I also will show you draft after draft, demonstrating my editing process. ("But how am I supposed to communicate all this in just 30 seconds???")

In the second, I will share with you a revolutionary method of beginning the copywriting process itself. This chance discovery has forever changed the way I approach any new project.

I'm also trying to squeeze in a good friend who's a very famous direct response/ Internet marketing copywriter to talk about....Well, let's see if we can make our schedules work, first.

VOICEOVER

Patrick Fraley will teach something everyone who ever voices copy needs to learn:

"Text Analysis"

Nancy Wolfson returns with another major voiceover directing workshop:

"Acting For Advertising"

Yes, that's a giant ear Nancy is holding. No, she will not force you to talk to it.

PRODUCTION/IMAGING

Still working on that.

PRODUCTION/COPYWRITING

Hoping to have room for our traditional Critique-A-Spot-A-Thon.

FORMAL NETWORKING SESSION

Although the Summit always has presented tremendous networking opportunities, this year I hope to include a scheduled, structured method of ensuring that you meet and talk to as many potential future partners as possible.

If you're interested and want to be notified when all the details are available, please put yourself on the notification list.

VOICEOVER PUPPY MILLS

Harlan Hogan has decided to teach a month-long series of teleseminars devoted to just one topic: Starting Your Own Voiceover Business: Everything You Need To Know To Turn Your
Dream Or Your Sideline Into A Business.

Why?

If you think he needs the money, you're mistaken. He's been pulling down a steady six figures each year for 32 years — as he says, as a talker, not as a teacher.

He's doing it for two reasons:

1. He's seen too many promising careers flame briefly and then disappear because the voice actors concentrated on voiceover jobs or even voiceover careers...but not on building voiceover businesses. If you spend all your time trying to land an audition or win a gig, you're missing the big picture. Harlan is a Big Picture kind of guy.

2. Over the past couple of years he's become really upset over what I have dubbed "Voiceover Puppy Mills": companies that sucker people in to free or inexpensive "workshops" and then follow up with each person who attended: "You have what it takes to make it in voiceovers! You must sign up for our multi-thousand dollar 'master's class' immediately!

I knew there were some fake voiceover gurus out there, posing as successful VO performers, suckering people into "continuity programs" where the naive student pays $X per month — forever — to be part of an inner circle of other would-be voice actors. I'm quite familiar with that business model. Heck, I can tell you who invented it.

But I didn't know about the hucksters who pitch their tents, separate the local yokels from their precious cash, and then move on to the next sucker town.

For a couple of years now, Harlan has forwarded me the various snake oil pitches that have come his way.

Result:

Now I'm angry, too. So when he asked me to assist in putting together a series of teleseminar classes that tell the truth, offer real-world information and tools, and can steer serious voiceover professionals away from "hope careers" and toward voice acting businesses...It was easy to say yes.

Harlan talks about those rip-off artists in much greater detail here.

HOW TO RECORD VOICEOVERS AT HOME OR ON THE ROAD

Earlier today, 701 voiceover people from around the world attended my live teleseminar with Harlan Hogan and Jeffrey P. Fisher, authors of the VOICE ACTOR'S GUIDE TO RECORDING AT HOME OR ON THE ROAD.

This posting is for the uncensored "reviews" of our attendees.

(You didn't hear about the free teleseminar? Join my E-Mail Gang so you don't miss our next event.)

HOW TO RECORD VOICEOVERS AT HOME OR ON THE ROAD

See, when you read this blog sometimes you learn about cool free stuff — like the upcoming teleseminar Harlan Hogan & Jeffrey P. Fisher will be conducting soon.

Ask your question about how to record voiceovers at home or on the road right now. No charge to ask, no charge to register for the teleseminar.

SOME VOICEOVER QUESTIONS WE MIGHT NOT ASK HARLAN

Gaylord Villers is a strategic planner and a friend of Harlan Hogan. When he heard about Harlan's "Should I Start My Own Voiceover Business in 2009?" teleseminar, he offered these starter questions.

• Everyone says I have a really good voice; don’t you think this is a slam-dunk for me?

• Would you mind if I like “rode with you” for a few days to master this business? I might even have some ideas for you. I’d need a place to stay, though.

• My wife is really hot. Should I bring her to auditions? She’d do anything to get me work.

• How do you handle V/O groupies? Is this a big distraction for you?

• I’m semi-retired, and all I’d need is one $500 gig per day. This should be pretty easy to get, right?

• People say I can sound just like William Shatner. Should I promote this talent now or wait until he dies?

• By the way, I can sound just like you, too. Why not let me work in your place on your days off — I’ll cut you in.

• With all the aging baby boomers, I predict there will be a Nursing Home Network (aka Assisted Living Radio) — at the end of your radio dial. Can I help you move into this? Then I can take your jobs that need a younger voice. Let’s get together.