Being the Managing Director of an agency that looks after around 150 of the UK’s top voice over artists means that I am often asked to advise people about how they can embark on a similar career. One of the primary reasons for setting up Excellent was to provide a better service to artists than I had received when I was just a jobbing v/o. Part of that process is to try to listen to every demo reel that we are sent – regardless of whether we have asked for it or not – and to advise honestly and politely. It’s a policy that was instilled in me after meeting Peter Powell, the founder of one of the UK’s most successful management agencies of the last 25 years – James Grant Group.
As a young thrusting and somewhat precocious presenter, I figured I needed a good agent. In the late 80's I interviewed one of James Grant’s biggest stars - Philip Schofield - for my weekend radio show. Unlike so many agents that I had to deal with to book my celebrity interviews, I found them so helpful that I knew I wanted to be on their books when I made the move to Channel 4 myself in 1987. Having written to him, Peter kindly invited me to his own home, near Barnes in West London, and spent a full afternoon going through my highly over written CV – pointing out where I was going wrong. Sadly, my skills weren’t of the calibre to appeal to Peter and his team for representation, but I never forgot the time that he spent – unnecessarily as he was unlikely to recruit me - offering helpful advice and pointing me in the right direction.
On founding Excellent Talent (www.excellenttalent.com) in the mid 1990’s, I knew that I wanted to operate using a similar philosophy. To be facilitator for our talent – not a gateway through which the privileged can access them – and to offer advice and honest, constructive criticism to anyone who asked for it. Over the years I have lost count of the number of demos I have listened to and the personal letters or emails I have written in response and hours spent helping those even though there was no direct benefit to us. On a few occasions, people we have turned away have fully understood the critique made of their work. They have taken on board what they needed to do and come back again some two or three years later and tried again. In general they cite the fact that it was our initial response and advice that made them return to us after they had gained greater experience. That’s when we know we are doing the right thing.
Recently I received an email from a man called - well it doesn’t really matter what he was called, as he probably would prefer to remain anonymous after what happened. It read as follows:
"Hi, I am looking to take up a hobby that pays in between shifts at work. I am a 30 year old male from Dundee in Scotland and am currently working as a wholetime firefighter working a shift pattern of 4 on/ 4 off. I have no idea if my voice is suitable and have no previous experience in the industry. I do have public speaking experience through my present employment. I am not looking to make a career out of this type of work as I enjoy being a firefighter and do not want to give it up, I am only looking to do work when it fits in with my current hours with the intention of earning a little extra cash doing something that interests me. Could you advise me on what I should do in order to obtain voice over work.
I look forward to your reply."
It’s not an unusual request – but it does contain one of my bugbears. The idea that my profession and that of the 150 others who we represent can be some sort of part time hobby, demeans the professionalism and skill within the industry. It’s a job that suffers from the fact that everyone has a voice and the majority of people can read – and therefore read aloud. This means that some people think that they can simply pick up a script and do a voice over – especially if they have a “nice” voice. I normally reply that although I can play Greensleeves and a bit of the Moonlight Sonata on the piano, I wouldn’t attempt to appear at The Royal Albert Hall and give a virtuoso concert performance. Professional voice overs are that skilful, in comparison to someone who can simply read out loud. I must admit that I feel slightly pompous in taking that stance, but if I have learned anything about this profession from both artist’s and agent’s point of view, it is that there is a reason that so few people make it as professional voice artist – and that is because it’s a remarkably difficult skill. Maybe it was the devil within me - or simply because I was fed up with writing the ususal placatory and polite reply, but I penned an answer, late at night, as follows:
"Dear XXX
All the advice we can provide you with is on our website under the section that’s says “Advice” at www.excellenttalent.com .
Please note that voice over is a career and not a hobby and as with any career you cannot expect to walk into it without taking the time to learn what is required and how the industry works. If you think it is simply about reading aloud then you should do a lot more research.
An agency represents the cream of the crop and does not audition new voices. The artists who come to us for representation are already working and have established a back catalogue of work already.
Furthermore no agent can tell if you have any vocal skill from meeting you or talking to you on the telephone. The only way we can know if you have what it takes is to listen to your professionally produced demo
Finally - I've been looking for a job that pays money between voice-overs and I've always fancied being a fireman. Rescuing cats from trees, helping old ladies across the road and having girls swoon all over me seems like a great thing to do in my spare time. I'm not looking to make a career out of this work - and only want to do it when it fits in with my current hours, with the intention of earning a little extra cash doing something that interests me. Could you advise me on what I should do in order to obtain part time work as a hobby fireman?
Voice over work is a profession - that involves professionally trained artists. To assume that anyone can do your job is - as you might judge from my reply - somewhat demeaning.
Sincerely
JON BRIGGS"
It was - I now admit - something of a glib reply - but I hoped he would take it with a pinch of salt. An immediate reply was shuttled back within hours. The riposte read:
"Hi, thanks for the late reply, must have taken a while judging by the length of it, must have a lot of time on your hands, business slow?
If you would like to be a part-time fire fighter then contact your local fire service and ask about becoming a retained fire fighter, as with any job in the whole world, a certain degree of training is required but be prepared, you would most certainly have to do a little more than rescue cats from trees. You would have to be willing to put your life on the line at any given moment to rescue complete strangers, entering buildings in +700 degree heat wearing no more than thick clothing and 25-30 minutes worth of oxygen. Retained fire fighters do this job in their spare time or as a hobby that pays.
Something tells me though, that helping others is beneath you as you seem to think that helping old ladies across the road is a job for the fire and rescue service, but surely any decent person would do this? Not sure if you would have the guts for this job anyway.
I only asked for personal advice from you (maybe how you started and what companies look for from voice actors ), the website offers advice on how to be noticed from an agency. I never implied that anyone could do your job, I'm just saying that I would give it a go without forking out a small fortune on a course offered by some run of the mill dodgy website.
I have looked a great deal into the world of voice acting, I have learned a great deal, today I learned something new, that right at the top of the pile there is always at least one pompous prick, well, they say every day's a school day eh?
Don't bother replying to this, I won't be reading any more of your brain farts.
Cheers"
Something told me I had touched a nerve. And I probably shouldn’t have replied – but I found it hard to resist:
"Dear XXX
I write this safe in the knowledge that you won't be reading it.
Since you regard long messages as a sign that someone has time on their hands, I shall keep this brief.
1. I have a vast amount of respect for all emergency service workers. In fact - if it were up to me - they would be the ones with the million quid bonuses not the bankers - it is a profession I know I could not perform - and have nothing but admiration for those that do. However I was making the point that demeaning a profession that which involves dedication and several years of training is a pretty stupid idea. My job is no more of a hobby than yours. Judging from your reaction you didn't like someone suggesting that any more than I did.
2. Don't ask for information gratis from a professional if you don't want to hear their advice. Strangely enough - just because you write to me does not mean that I owe you a reply. I may well be a pompous prick - but at least I took the trouble to write back even if you didn't like what you read.
3. Professional v/o's need to be available whenever the client wants them and are unlikely to work much or at all if they are only free 4 days out of 8. If you had learned "a great deal" about voice acting (as you call it - which incidentally is something entirely different) then you would know this. There is no such thing as a voice over who does it as a hobby - not if they want to work on anything remotely commercial.
4. Get a sense of humour. You'll need it in a profession which rejects you as much as this one does.
As you will see from the lateness of this reply - business is good and the only time I have to reply to people like you is now. But at least I have - which is more than you will get from most agents.
Aren't brain farts normally caused by mental indigestion?
JON BRIGGS"
I hasten to add – that my normal level of politeness went out of the window – but the correspondent's reply made me see red! In fact on publishing it, I don't think either of us comes out of it particularly well and I don’t think my actions were nearly as professional as they should have been, but sometimes you just can’t help yourself. The point I was trying to make, was that when you seek advice, especially when it is of little benefit to the advisor, try not to demean the profession you are enquiring about. In my reply, I was illustrating that fact, by doing exactly that to his highly valued profession. As you might be able to judge - he liked it even less than I did!
Should you wish to write to me for advice – I will do my utmost to maintain a professional demeanour at all times – but if you don’t like my response – don’t give me a hard time, I’m just being honest, oh and it might just end up on here for all to read....
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