But which fruit do you pick?
I've been doing voice work for all of
my adult life. The first twenty-five years were in broadcasting and
the next thirty have been peppered with on-camera and voiceover
projects that I did while pursuing a public relations career. Now,
retired from the PR work, I focus my efforts on the voice business.
Training is an important part of this business because we need to try
to stay ahead of the curve and trends. Some fields of work call it
continuing education. In the voiceover business we call it coaching.
It's important to have someone you trust and can work with to help
move your career forward. I feel bad for the young or old entering
this field of work for the first time. There are so many choices. It's like trying to pick the best peach from the tree.
There's Bill, Penny, Chuck, Harlan, Crispin, Tom, Marc, George,
Terry, Bev, Susan, Lau, Tina, Anne, Maria, Marice, Leslie, Linda,
Scott, Barbara, Julie, Sherri, and the list goes on and on and on.
How do they choose? I'm in the same situation and I've been in this
business all my adult life.
I really don't know the answer to the
question I posed. You could ask other successful artists who they
work with. However, there are several factors at work here.
There's cost. Location plays a role. There's cost. Specialty is a
factor. There's cost. The number of experts is a factor. And
finally, there's cost. Hmmmmmmm.
It seems to me there are as many
experts as there are students to learn and the cost to access those
experts could be somewhat prohibitive, unless you have unlimited
resources. It must be a good business to be in if there are so many
experts. I've heard many people say "Those who can, do and those who can't, teach.”
Well, I could never be that harsh. There are many many great
experienced voice coaches. However, there are some that have no
business coaching. Some only coach because it's a cash cow.
So, here are some questions those
coming into this line of work need to ponder, and I DON'T have the
answers:
- How does a person select the right voice coach ( both personalities have to be compatible)?
- Are voice coaches credentialed?
- Is the coach I select interested in me and my career or just watching the clock?
- Will the coach work with me “one on one?”
- If I'm in Pocatello, is it possible for Skype sessions or Google hangouts?
- Does the coach expect me to come to New York, Dallas, Atlanta or Los Angeles for the learning experience?
- Should the trainer be the one to put together my demo or just be an advisor during the process?
- How much should I be willing to invest in this coaching/training?
That last question is one being
bantered about today relating to higher education, also. People are
starting to question the high cost of education and wondering if
there ever is a return on the investment. Student loans amount to
the lion's share of consumer debt today. I'm sure this is also a
factor in the voiceover business. The experts are quick to point out
that success in voiceover is contingent on having a good business
attitude and a routine that supports that. I agree. But, I continue
to wonder about the other factors. So, I toss out one final
question.
Where does one draw the line on the
cost of this continuing education?
