How Not to Be Scammed by Fraud Voice Over Workshops
How Not to Be Scammed by Fraud Voice Over Workshops
By Industry veterans:
Brian “Dj BigBrian” Ligsay and Pocholo “The Voicemaster”Gonzales
Voice acting and voice overs is a fun and enjoyable environment for many. But for the most part, it is considered as a business by those who take it seriously.. Just like any business practice, it is important to make wise decisions in choosing and investing your money on seminars and workshops pertaining to the industry. Unsubstantiated information may do you more harm than good. Here are some indicators of what to look for in false and often misleading voice acting seminars:
1. Number of Attendees. (Check out pictures on voice acting)
- Voice acting involves interaction and reaction from both the instructors and the participants. A good methodology involves one-on-one training and close attention to performances in a group. However, the more the attendees, the poorer the quality of learning. Look for a class that involves mic handling and actual coaching. The rule of the thumb is, any class that involves more than 10 participants is a scam.
2. Reputation (Listen to what people say)
- How many times have they offered their classes? Have they been producing able and active voice talents? Are they a company of good standing in the industry?.. Do some research. A good seminar will immediately tell you their success stories involving their attendees and instructors. It will always tell you who will be handling the seminar.. Who will be teaching who? Otherwise, they could have just gotten anyone (perhaps an entry level producer or an amateur), to teach you subjects not even related to voice acting.
3. Join to Earn (Click here for Industry VO Legends)
- Sounds more like a pyramiding scam than a seminar. Nobody becomes a voice actor overnight, it takes dedication, passion and long days of labor and constant practice to be one. So if somebody is trying to entice you that you can earn big through voice acting if you join them, chances are they just want to earn big from you instead.. A good seminar will focus on teaching you the art of voice acting, the techniques involved in learning the art form. Yes there is monetary gratification in voice overs… you do get paid to have fun.. But go ask any professional voice talent and they will tell you the real side of the entertainment industry.
4. Too much of too less (Available seminars on voice acting)
- If you have been doing voice overs or researching on trying to break into the business, you should be aware by now that voice acting itself is a broad terminology on different acting areas of the art form. Some professional seminars will focus on one aspect of the seminar at a time (like narrations, audio books, commercials, etc..) You cannot combine two unrelated fields of voice acting in one sitting (like dubbing for telenovela and commercials for radio), because each field requires a different set of skills and discipline. Unless the seminar clearly states the details of the workshop, and what happens when, be on the look out for self-proclaimed voice artists who will do more talking than teaching.
5. Location is key (See our studio setup and graduation pics)
- Voice acting seminars should always feature a competent environment to work your skills on. It should mention that the seminar will be held in a proper setup, involving studio microphones and recording sessions. If they are not willing to record your voice for evaluation, then be on alert for money-making individuals. A good seminar will involve you testing and trying your skills on actual recording sessions. Here’s a good formula.. Let’s say you will be asked to read a 5 minute script. In a normal recording setup it will at least take 15 minutes for a good voice actor to finish a 5 minute material. Let alone the editing and the recording preparation involved. So normally, you will spend about 20-30 mins in a studio for a recording session.. 20 in a group you say? Are you willing to wait for 9.5 hours for your turn? Or will they even record you by then?
Whatever your purpose may be in joining a workshop, whether it is for self-improvement or overcoming anxieties behind the microphone, always be sure on who you trust to work with your talent. Professional voice directors will always be there to offer their assistance on your improvement, would have at least 10 years of industry background and experience and has done and produced an extensive lineup of projects here and abroad. Don’t be mislead by “money-for-their-cause” voice acting workshops. Let the professionals help you join their ranks, call CreatiVoices Productions at 7297274 or 9700971 and they will be there to assist you in discovering your potential in the world of voice acting. You can also check out their websites at: creativoices.com and creativoices.net. Email: creativoices@gmail.comor brian@creativoices.com
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