YouSendIt: This site (www.yousendit.com) provides the ability for you to take your files with you. YouSendIt also lets you access or send files from home or on the road using any mobile device or computer.
Uploading your audio with FTP programs
For larger projects, the file transfer protocol (FTP) is the way to go. With FTP, you can transfer data and program files, in this case an MP3 file, from your personal computer to your web hosting service. Your client can then access the files from the web hosting service. Access is restricted between you and the client. Accessing the service requires a username and password, which the web hosting service provides.
If you’re working for a large client, it may have an internal FTP. You can get web hosting with FTP for as little as $4.99 per month, so it’s quite affordable. Just realize FTP is for the technically inclined and requires a bit of setup, depending on the service you use.
To get started with FTP, you need an FTP program, which communicates to your web hosting company. Dozens of FTP programs are available on the market; many of them are open source, which means they’re free! In no particular order, here are some of our favorites.
Cute FTP: (www.cuteftp.com): Cute FTP claims to be the world’s favorite FTP client. After you connect, you can transfer data between your Windows-based PC and the web server of your choice.
Fetch FTP: This FTP service (http://fetchsoftworks.com) is a Macintosh program that allows you to send files over networks, such as the Internet, using the FTP. You enjoy all the standard features of a modern FTP program with the benefit of an easy-to-use interface.
Captain FTP: Captain FTP (www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/networking_security/captainftpwidget.html) is a powerful, secure, and user-friendly site that allows you to share files to authorized users. It offers simple navigation and several features to make sharing files that much easier. Localized versions are also available in English, German, French, Japanese, and Chinese.
Recording live sessions with ISDN
Integrated Digital Services Network (also known simply as ISDN) is at its core a Digital Service Line (DSL). For a number of decades, voice actors working from home have used an ISDN line to send real-time, two-way studio quality audio to a second studio. ISDN allows for a producer or director to direct the voice actor from afar over the ISDN line as if he were in the studio with the voice actor. Some telecommunications providers offer ISDN lines, and you pay for the time spent on the ISDN line. In order to have an ISDN line, you and the studio both need to have hardware (a little black box) in order to have a successful session in terms of connectivity.
Securing an ISDN line costs between $3,000 and $5,000. Having a line in your studio can be quite expensive, but if you’re regularly booking high paying jobs that require ISDN, the line can pay for itself and then some. However, you may find that most clients don’t require you to use an ISDN, particularly if you’re focusing on business-to-business work, meaning that you’re directly working with the end client. Ad agencies and big studios may demand that you have an ISDN line, but not everyone does, so check with your client before you make the investment.
Because an ISDN line is considerably pricey, along with installation and maintenance services for ISDN, the shift to other digital technologies is inevitable. Alternatives to ISDN lines include AudioTX Communicator and Source-Connect, which we discuss in the next sections. Although these technologies aren’t completely on par with ISDN reliability and quality, they’re certainly gaining ground and becoming more popular as their technologies improve.
ISDN and the Internet eliminate the commute
With today’s technologies available, voice actors have significantly less commuting back and forth between home and recording studios (which also makes for cleaner air and less money spent on gasoline). When ISDN was becoming more widely used in the 1990s, voice actor Beau Weaver and several of his peers wanted to use the new technology and work from home studios.
They asked Don LaFontaine to use his influence and help make the transition from having to be physically present in a recording studio to auditioning and working most of the time from home. If Don told the industry that he wanted to have an ISDN hookup in his home to work, then everyone else would be able to follow suit, and look where the industry is today. (Don is known for being the voice of the movies, having recorded more than 5,000 movie trailers over his 33-year career. Don inspired generations of voice actors, and his legacy is that he was a great artist, mentor, and trailblazer.) Since then, sessions with ISDN have saved clients and talents time, money, and mileage, and have dramatically changed the lifestyles of the working voice actor. With the combination of the fact that nearly all voice actors have personal computers with high-speed Internet access and the decrease in prices for equipment, the home studio boom was triggered and the market expanded. (Refer to Chapter 17 where we discuss some ins and outs of setting up your own home studio.)
AudioTX Communicator
AudioTX Communicator provides broadcast-quality audio over ISDN, IP networks, and the Internet. You can send files such as MP3s and more. This is a software-only ISDN audio code that works with all other ISDN codecs. AudioTX Communicator can send and receive live, professional-quality audio files over any IP network or the Internet.
Source-Connect
Source-Connect enables worldwide real-time audio connections similar to how ISDN bridges studios for the recording of live sessions without the significant cost of investing in ISDN and its usage fees. In fact, flawless recordings with broadcast-quality audio are what make Source-Connect with no ongoing monthly fees the choice for many voice actors. Source-Connect is a plug-in that you add to your recording software and allows you to affordably record, collaborate, or monitor sessions from your professional, home, or portable studio, anywhere in the world. You don’t need any expensive ISDN lines, hardware, subscription, or usage fees to use Source-Connect.
At present, Source-Connect is compatible with both Macintosh OS X and Windows XP, but it only works with higher-end, multitrack recording programs, such as Pro Tools, Cubase, and Sonar.
Delivering your work to Voices.com
For jobs you’ve received at Voices.com, you need to deliver your audio files through the Voices.com website because your client will expect you to do so. To load your files on the website, follow these steps:
1.Log in to your account.
2.Navigate to the job.
3.Click on the tab called “Files.”
4.On the Files screen, click on the link to “Add New File.”
5.Browse your hard drive for the finished audio file that you exported from your recording software and attach it.
6.Give the file a name and description.
If you have more than one file to upload, you can do so by clicking on “Add another file.”
7.When you’re finished, click the “Upload file” button to send the files to your client.
With Voices.com, you can upload an unlimited number of WAV and MP3 files per job, but each file can’t exceed 250MB each. If for some reason you run into a technical issue, such as the file not uploading, call the toll-free hotline (888-359-3472) or email customer support.
The main benefits of Source-Connect include the following:
It uses the highest quality audio encoding technology.
It only requires a broadband Internet connection.
A restore feature insures flawless recordings regardless of Internet congestion.
It works with ISDN systems
It synchronizes two recording studios for easy overdubbing
Doing What It Takes to Get Approval
Seeking approval from your clients before invoicing them and making sure they’re happy with your work is important. The customer is always right, right? After reviewing the files, your client may ask you to make revisio
ns to the tracks, whether because you incorrectly said something or the client had a change in the copy after the deal was struck.
Sometimes when you seek approval from a client, she may request you make a small revision to the files. A revision is when you make an alteration to an existing recording, whether slight or significant. Alterations may include the pronunciation of specific words, the interpretation of a script, or changes made to update the script over time. These sections identify what it means to make minor and major revisions to the tracks before the client can ultimately approve them. After you get final approval, you want to ask the client for feedback.
If you happen to be using a marketplace website, more than likely you’ll deliver the finished audio through its website. If you’re using Voices.com, our site automatically sends an email to your client to inform her that you have uploaded the files and that they’re ready for her approval. After a client approves the files associated with her job by clicking on the “Approve File” button, she is prompted to release the funds from escrow, and Voices.com is able to pay you for your work. If you’re using a different marketplace website, check with the company to see how it handles seeking approval from clients.
Doing small edits
Many of the revisions you may have to make can be classified as minor revisions. You generally need to make smaller revisions to recordings that that client intends to use for long periods of time, and can be regarded as ongoing updates to the script.
When a client reviews the files, if she notices a word pronounced incorrectly or unclearly, she can ask you to rerecord the voice-over at no charge. You’re responsible for giving the client what she paid for. However, if the recording needs to be recorded again due to a script change, that type of revision is a major revision, which we discuss in the next section.
When you make minor revisions, you may only need to rerecord certain portions of the script and not the entire script as a whole. What you’ll want to do is listen to the original file and try to match what you sounded like then for consistency.
Making major revisions and knowing whether to charge or not
Sometimes your client may request that you make major revisions to the recordings. Major revisions include changes to the script, which can lead to additional charges for your services.
How do you know when to charge for revisions? These few guidelines can help you determine what to do:
You can charge for revisions when the client introduces new copy outside of what was originally presented.
You can charge for revisions if the client wants you to rerecord an entire script.
You don’t charge if you’re responsible for a mispronunciation.
You don’t charge for a revision if something is in your recording that shouldn’t be there (extra words, extraneous noises, and so on).
You don’t charge for a revision if the audio quality you produced was poor.
Most voice actors, when individually assessing situations, know when it’s right to charge for a revision and when it’s better to be gracious and let the word or two be changed without incurring another fee for a minor revision. Go with your gut. If the revision won’t take you long and you have a good working relationship with this client, do what you need to preserve this relationship. On the other hand, don’t let a client take advantage of you.
You want to communicate with your client whether the revision she requests warrants an additional charge or whether the revision is simple that you can do in a short amount of time. Be careful, because you don’t want to give the impression that your time and effort have no value. If you do decide to include minor revisions that result from a client changing the script for free (or your editing the copy to flow better), inform the client in a gracious way that you have done this as a value-added service. The result? The client will be pleased and will notice your work.
Receiving feedback
Getting a testimonial, feedback, or a review after a job well done is important. After your client approves your work, you want to gather feedback. You can then keep track of what others are saying about your work and share on your website or marketing materials. When you post them on your website, other prospective clients can see them, which can help build trust and establish a rapport with them. Check out Chapter 9, where we explain how to get testimonials and feedback and how you can use them to your advantage.
Part VI
The Part of Tens
In this part . . .
Every For Dummies book has this part, chockfull of fun and quick tidbits. Here we include a chapter on ten reasons you should regularly audition (and pointers to help make those auditions worthwhile) and a chapter on ten ways to get ready for voice-acting jobs. Even if you don’t have a voice-acting business, these tips and insight can help you prepare for what lies ahead — whatever way you choose to do voice acting.
Chapter 22
Ten Reasons You Should Regularly Audition
In This Chapter
Keeping you fit as a voice actor
Focusing on getting work
Eyeing industry trends
Many voice actors believe that auditioning is their real job, and getting the gig is gravy. What most people don’t tell you is that auditioning also helps you to keep your voice in shape, your skills sharp, and your name (and voice) out there for prospective customers to see.
Auditioning is the chief means for professional voice actors to acquire work. Even though some of the work out there may come to you without having to audition, those opportunities to work are few and far between. Having a wide variety of venues through which to promote your voice and submit auditions is very important. Whether you audition in the marketplace (and online), at agencies, or by some other means, auditioning, and auditioning regularly, is the lifeblood of your voice acting business.
The best way to keep in vocal shape — mentally, physically, and artistically — is to audition every business day. Getting behind the mic, reading copy in your car, or even practicing silly voices around the house can do a tremendous service to you and your voice acting career. If you’re still not convinced, here are ten reasons why you should audition regularly.
Keeps You in Good Form
Each time you audition, you’re conditioning yourself and keeping in shape for your next job. If you stop auditioning, you cease to challenge yourself and the potential to fall into a lazy, apathetic slump may become a very real consequence of failing to “work out” or continue refining your skills.
Just as your body needs to get up and exercise to keep in good shape, you, as a voice actor, need to continuously engage with the written word and interpret direction. Auditioning regularly helps you remain consistent in your ability to read well and work with copy. For example, if you haven’t read for a while, you may stumble a bit when reading aloud.
Lifting words off the printed page can also help you with eye coordination. Each opportunity presents you with a fresh piece of copy crafted for voice actors to read and engages you intellectually as well as physically with regard to voice production.
Provides You with a Diverse Array of Copy to Experiment with and Interpret
You may already be picking up everything that comes across your path and reading it aloud. If you don’t, the copy you receive with each audition serves as a way to get your voice-over vitamins as it were. You need to experiment with a lot of different scripts. Some scripts may require you to be an announcer, while others have you play different roles, such as narrator, spokesperson, or even instructor. Each role, as we discuss in Chapter 4, requires something special from you as a voice actor, so make sure you read for many different roles throughout the course of your day.
Stimulates Your Voice and Mind
When you audition, the words on your script don’t just leap out of your mouth; y
ou must deliver them with purpose and conviction. When you do, you get to explore different parts of your voice you never knew were there and engage different parts of your brain.
Auditioning is no time to go on auto-pilot or to default into reading mode. Let each piece of copy take you on a trip to a faraway place, introduce you to people you’ve never met, and show you things about yourself that you didn’t yet know.
Gives You a Platform to Strut Your Stuff
Auditioning gives you an opportunity to be bold with your choices and stand out from the crowd. When you audition, remember that you have been asked to submit a response based upon either an online profile, your demo, or, if you are fortunate enough, your reputation. In an audition, the floor is yours both virtually and literally to show your skills and abilities. Give it all you have.
Exponentially Improves Your Job Prospects
When you audition, prospective clients (and possibly potential agents) see your name and hear your voice. They have a chance, albeit brief, to get to know you. Even if potential clients don’t hire you for a particular job, they may keep you in mind for something more suitable to your voice and specific talents. So you always want to do your best in auditioning because you never know who is listening.
Generates Networking Opportunities
Auditioning affords you face time of sorts with people in a position to work with you. As a result, you can develop new friendships and make new business contacts. You can meet anyone from the casting director to an agent to a recording engineer and voice director. You never know who is waiting in the wings. When auditioning online, you can connect with people in other ways. The bottom line, though, is that it takes showing up (either in person or in the virtual world) to meet people, so show up!
Introduces You to New Areas of Interest
Random pieces of copy that come your way can introduce you to topics or concepts you may find particularly useful to you at some time in your voice acting career. When you audition regularly, you’re bound to encounter a plethora of content and pick up some interesting facts along the way. Most voice actors, by virtue of their profession, tend to collect tidbits of information. These tidbits make for good small talk at networking events or parties.
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