The Production Process
The production process is a bit different depending on the type of demo you'd like to do. Scroll down to learn about the unique process I've developed for each type.
Commercial Demo
This is the big one. Even if you just want to focus on animation work, your agent is going to want a commercial demo. Commercials are where the vast majority of the work and money reside. This will consist of 6-8 short segments of commercials. The general effect is that you're flipping channels on a TV and every single channel is you doing the VO for different products.
Step 1: Script Development
For commercial demos, the process starts with an interview. It usually takes about one to two hours and can be done in person, over the phone, or via Discord, Skype, or Zoom. I will ask you about 50 questions that will allow me to learn about you and identify products and services you use and enjoy. These include questions like, “Tell me a fun work anecdote,” and “Do you subscribe to any box services?”
Based on your answers to the interview questions, I will write roughly two minutes of commercial ad copy that showcases your passions, your stories, and even some of your own words. Usually, there will be about nine to twelve different spots. This usually takes about three to five days from the time of your interview.
Once I'm finished, I'll email you a copy of your script. Go over it and get as much feedback as possible from family, friends, agents, inattentive pets, strangers, or really anyone who will listen. We'll make changes if necessary and keep refining it until you are 100% happy with it. Once we've finalized the script, practice it until you are familiar with it and feel confident about it.
Step 2: Record
The next step is to come into the studio and record. This usually takes about two to three hours. I'll set you up on mic in the studio and direct you from the control room. I will provide direction and feedback in order to get a variety of different takes to choose from. We will go over each of the spots or passages as many times as it takes to get them sounding perfect. There's no time limit for this or extra charge if we go past three hours – we will keep working on it with you until it's right.
Step 3: Engineering
This step is easy for you – go home, sit back, relax, and have drink while I do all the technical stuff. I'll edit your demo down, add sound effects, and do a lot of boring, technical stuff to make it sound like the real thing. For commercial, character, and industrial demos, our in-house composer, Jim Cassidy, will create custom music for each of your spots. While we record about two minutes of material, the final result will be about one minute long. All demos have a run time of about one minute, except narration, which is about two minutes long. This process takes about one week.
Step 4: Revisions
Lastly, I'll send you a rough draft of your demo. Get everyone you can to listen to it and provide feedback. I will make whatever changes are necessary based on your feedback to make sure you are totally happy with it. We can re-edit, use different takes, make new music, or even bring you back in to re-record at no additional expense. Once again, I will keep working with you until it's perfect. If, after a few months, you decide you don't like a particular spot or wish you had done something different, I'm happy to make changes for you. It's no problem at all, and I charge no additional fees for this.
The whole production process usually takes about two to three weeks depending on your schedule and the type of demo you're doing.
Character Demo
This is where you can showcase your non-standard commercial VO talents. If you're looking to get into video games, cartoons, anime dubbing, or commercial animation this is the demo you present. It will highlight you range from the evil villain to the wacky sidekick as well as accents.
Step 1: Script Development
For character demos, the process starts with an interview. It usually takes about one to two hours and can be done in person, over the phone, or via Discord, Skype, or Zoom. I will ask you about 50 questions that allow me to identify the different types of character voices that are in your range. These include questions like, “Who is the most annoying person you've ever known?” and “Who is your favorite villain and why?”
Based on your answers to the interview questions, I will write roughly two minutes of character copy that showcases the different types of characters you can feature. Usually, there will be about ten to fourteen different character spots. This usually takes about three to five days from the time of your interview.
Once I'm finished, I'll email you a copy of your script. Go over it and get as much feedback as possible from family, friends, agents, inattentive pets, strangers, or really anyone who will listen. We'll make changes if necessary and keep refining it until you are 100% happy with it. Once we've finalized the script, practice it until you are familiar with it and feel confident about it.
Step 2: Record
The next step is to come into the studio and record. This usually takes about two to three hours. I'll set you up on mic in the studio and direct you from the control room. I will provide direction and feedback in order to get a variety of different takes to choose from. We will go over each of the spots or passages as many times as it takes to get them sounding perfect. There's no time limit for this or extra charge if we go past three hours – we will keep working on it with you until it's right.
Step 3: Engineering
This step is easy for you – go home, sit back, relax, and have drink while I do all the technical stuff. I'll edit your demo down, add sound effects, and do a lot of boring, technical stuff to make it sound like the real thing. For commercial, character, and industrial demos, our in-house composer, Jim Cassidy, will create custom music for each of your spots. While we record about two minutes of material, the final result will be about one minute long. All demos have a run time of about one minute, except narration, which is about two minutes long. This process takes about one week.
Step 4: Revisions
Lastly, I'll send you a rough draft of your demo. Get everyone you can to listen to it and provide feedback. I will make whatever changes are necessary based on your feedback to make sure you are totally happy with it. We can re-edit, use different takes, make new music, or even bring you back in to re-record at no additional expense. Once again, I will keep working with you until it's perfect. If, after a few months, you decide you don't like a particular spot or wish you had done something different, I'm happy to make changes for you. It's no problem at all, and I charge no additional fees for this.
The whole production process usually takes about two to three weeks depending on your schedule and the type of demo you're doing.
Narration Demo
This is generally for audio book narration. If you're looking to get into audio books, which is usually though Amazon's ACX service, you'll want a narration demo.
Step 1: Script Development
The first step for a narration demo is to choose four different books to pull passages from. All four books should be from different genres and by different authors. We want as much variety as possible to show off your range. Don't pick anything famous. Anything well-known will invite comparison, and that's always bad, even if it's done well.
Once you have your books picked out, you'll need to identify the four passages you'll read. We need about one minute of material from each book. Choose at least one of each of the following types of passages:
Exposition: This is straight, non-dialogue exposition. It's often found at the beginning of the book, or at the start of a chapter.
Example: It was the 3rd of April, and the moon was going to crash into the Earth in four days. Joe Protagonist sat up in bed and groaned loudly. This was going to be a bad day.
Dialogue: This is a passage with back-and-forth dialogue between two characters. It doesn't have to be all dialogue, just as long as the bulk of it is part of a conversation.
Example: Joe walked into the coffee shop where an overly cheerful barista stood behind the counter. “Good morning! What can I get started for you?” Joe replied, “Did you know the moon is going to crash into the Earth in four days?” The barista's smile never faltered, “Oh, really? I hadn't heard about that! That reminds me...would you like to try our new Blue Moon Blonde Roast?”
Action: For this type of passage, you'll probably be looking towards the end of the book near the climax. Things are suddenly happening at a more rapid pace and there's more urgency to the read.
Example: Then, it finally happened. The moon smashed into the Earth, causing a massive shock wave. Joe ran as fast as he could to the safety of his garden shed. Surely the near-indestructible plywood would protect him from the impending Armageddon. Just as he reached for the door handle, the shock wave crashed into the shed and it burst into a thousand tiny wooden fragments. Joe dropped to his knees, shook his fists at the sky, and cried, “No! My favorite gardening gloves were in there!”
Once you've identified your passages, type them up and email them to me. I'll review them and let you know if they'll work for your demo.
Step 2: Record
The next step is to come into the studio and record. This usually takes about two to three hours. I'll set you up on mic in the studio and direct you from the control room. I will provide direction and feedback in order to get a variety of different takes to choose from. We will go over each of the spots or passages as many times as it takes to get them sounding perfect. There's no time limit for this or extra charge if we go past three hours – we will keep working on it with you until it's right.
Step 3: Engineering
This step is easy for you – go home, sit back, relax, and have drink while I do all the technical stuff. I'll edit your demo down, add sound effects, and do a lot of boring, technical stuff to make it sound like the real thing. For commercial, character, and industrial demos, our in-house composer, Jim Cassidy, will create custom music for each of your spots. While we record about two minutes of material, the final result will be about one minute long. All demos have a run time of about one minute, except narration, which is about two minutes long. This process takes about one week.
Step 4: Revisions
Lastly, I'll send you a rough draft of your demo. Get everyone you can to listen to it and provide feedback. I will make whatever changes are necessary based on your feedback to make sure you are totally happy with it. We can re-edit, use different takes, make new music, or even bring you back in to re-record at no additional expense. Once again, I will keep working with you until it's perfect. If, after a few months, you decide you don't like a particular spot or wish you had done something different, I'm happy to make changes for you. It's no problem at all, and I charge no additional fees for this.
The whole production process usually takes about two to three weeks depending on your schedule and the type of demo you're doing.
Industrial Demo
If you're unfamiliar with industrial narration it's basically what you see in technical or explainer videos. Such as an instructional video, training film, or history of a company video. This is not the most exciting thing in the world, but there is a lot of this type of work available.
Step 1: Script Development
The first step for this demo is to choose two different subjects to talk about. Each passage should be about one minute long.
For the first passage, find an instruction or assembly manual for anything you'd be interested in talking about.
Example: After unpacking the widget, carefully remove it from it's titanium casing. Next, align the bolt labeled A with the side of mounting bracket labeled Y and weld it to the side of your refrigerator. Note, be careful not to set your house or hands on fire.
For the second passage, write up a walk-through of a place or process you're interested in talking about. This could be anything from a tour of your office to cooking instructions. I am happy to help you with writing this passage if needed.
Example: Here we are on the main factory floor. Master craftsman Wally Widgetson has been working at Widget Co. since it's founding in 1970. Wally has won numerous awards for his innovative widget design.
Once you've identified your passages, type them up and email them to me. I'll review them and let you know if they'll work for your demo.
Step 2: Record
The next step is to come into the studio and record. This usually takes about two to three hours. I'll set you up on mic in the studio and direct you from the control room. I will provide direction and feedback in order to get a variety of different takes to choose from. We will go over each of the spots or passages as many times as it takes to get them sounding perfect. There's no time limit for this or extra charge if we go past three hours – we will keep working on it with you until it's right.
Step 3: Engineering
This step is easy for you – go home, sit back, relax, and have drink while I do all the technical stuff. I'll edit your demo down, add sound effects, and do a lot of boring, technical stuff to make it sound like the real thing. For commercial, character, and industrial demos, our in-house composer, Jim Cassidy, will create custom music for each of your spots. While we record about two minutes of material, the final result will be about one minute long. All demos have a run time of about one minute, except narration, which is about two minutes long. This process takes about one week.
Step 4: Revisions
Lastly, I'll send you a rough draft of your demo. Get everyone you can to listen to it and provide feedback. I will make whatever changes are necessary based on your feedback to make sure you are totally happy with it. We can re-edit, use different takes, make new music, or even bring you back in to re-record at no additional expense. Once again, I will keep working with you until it's perfect. If, after a few months, you decide you don't like a particular spot or wish you had done something different, I'm happy to make changes for you. It's no problem at all, and I charge no additional fees for this.
The whole production process usually takes about two to three weeks depending on your schedule and the type of demo you're doing.