AFFINITY ARTISTS AGENCY has launched VOICEOVER DIVISION!

Affinity Artists Agency is proud to announce that we have opened our VOICE OVER DIVISION!



The AFFINITY V.O. DIVISION has officially launched and we wanted you to be the first to know!

Affinity has been informally handling VO clients for some time now but we wanted to bring Voice Over out of the shadows of the agency and into the bright limelight. It is time!
Affinity Artists Agency is now using a proprietary Voice Over submission system that is used by every major agency (yes, especially the big 5 agencies who specialize in voiceover work). We have an inside track on every union and non-union voice over job out there (and no, this is not through Actors Access/Breakdown Service

Naturally, we will be selective as to the Voice Over talent that we choose to represent. However, we will certainly listen to the voice-over reels of talent already represented in other Affinity Divisions.
We are a boutique agency so we need to work with VOICE OVER talent who have their own recording studios, home recording studios or access to studios.We're a pretty aggressive crew of 6 agents and so what we lack in voiceover facilities, we more than make up for with tenacity and aggressive action.
We also subscribe to the other services including Breakdown and LA Casting and get a fair number of VO auditions through these systems.

Feel free to let your Voice Over Teachers, Coaches and Acting Friends know about our division. We will be looking at newer as well as seasoned voice over talent. Please have them send messages (along with demos in .mp3 format only) to affinityvo@gmail.com

Special Note: If you want to create and edit your own Voice Over Demos (and you will need to create your own demos to specific orders, as we receive Voice Over scripts every day that talent must record at home--and email us as mp3 formatted document) here is an easy FREE way: download the shareware called AUDACITY. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/  
Remember that EACH distinct vOICE OVER piece must be sent to us as SEPARATE mp3 files (you can send them in the same email of course)
We cannot post your voice montage/mix with multiple commercials/narrations in one audio file. (files sent with all GENRES of voiceover contained in only one .mp3 will be discarded. We cannot use them). Instead use the same FREE software that you would use for recording your Voice-Over auditions.

The following site that will give you the free AUDACITY recording software that also helps you EDIT and SAVE in mp3. It is:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
You can download and use AUDACITY to edit your audio so that each voice or character you do is a separate MP3
Remember to NAME each mp3 with the following elements:

First Name, Last Name, Union Status and Adult or Child as well as Gender, GENRE of Voice over.

Here are some Examples:



Example 1: MaryJones_Union_AdultFemale_Jingle
Example 2: BobJones_Union_AdultMale_Narrator.mp3
Example 3: SamJones_NonUnion_AdultMale_Commercial.mp3
Example 4: TerriJones_NonUnion_AdultMale_Character.mp3
Example 4: JerryJones_NonUnion_YouthFemale_Animation.mp3


Certainly you can put different voices for ONE GENRE in the same individual .mp3 file.
For example, lets say you have 7 different Animation Voices--you can put them all in a single .mp3. But you wouldnt combine a Commercial Voice with a Narrator Voice with a Animation voice. That will make it difficult for our clients to choose you. It means they have to SLOG through all the types of voiceovers they DONT want to hear to get to the ones they DO want to hear. Lets make it easy for clients to choose you!!

When you send your mp3 you must identify in the text of the email, the following:

Whether you are a UNION or NON UNION and WHICH UNIONS you are in.

Remember to NAME your email with the following elements:

First Name, Last Name, Union Status and Adult or Child as well as Gender



Here are all of the VOICEOVER CATEGORIES:


Accents/Dialects
Animation
AudioBooks
Automotive
Award Shows/Live Events
Celebrity
Character
Commercial
Documentary/Narration/Industrial
Foreign Language
IVR/Telephone Prompts
Jingles/SingLegal/Disclaimer
Political
Promo (e.g. coming up next on Disney Playhouse...)
Radio Imaging (e.g. KFOG 104.7, Get your daily fog...)
Spoken Word/Poetry
Standup/Sketch Comedy
Trailer (for movies)
Tv Affiliate (e.g. you are watching Channel 7 news)
Video Games
Voice Match/Impressions
Other


We have a SPECIAL EMAIL ADDRESS at the moment which is affinityvo@gmail.com . Remember to title your email as VOICE OVER ARTIST (your name/your phones)
Please send any edited voiceover demos to this address asap. If you have demos combined you need to edit them using AUDACITY free software http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

INFORMATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEWER TO VOICE OVER WORK:

Several issues are important if you are not already well-versed in Voice-Over.

1.vocal coaching and, perhaps, attending some vocal acting workshops
2. Reliable equipment and recording
3. Knowing your own strengths. The key is choosing the right specialization for your particular voice and acting talent Use a training facility that can evaluate your voice talent.

They should help you understand in which genres your voice is most marketable.



A good voice over class will allow you time to study your strongest genres, train you on those genres and help you build a marketing plan for those genres. (see end of this email for VoiceOver Teachers.

AVOID:
A demo that is full of the commercial demo, with an announcer style delivery.

BUSTING SOME VOICEOVER MYTH

Contrary to popular belief, commercial and narration scripts are read the same way. The assumption that commercials are fast and narrations are slow is incorrect.
Some commercials are fast (car dealerships) and some are slow (financial industries, jewelry ads).
Some narrations need acting and some don't…. some commercials need acting and some don't.
Some narrations are fast (travelogues, children stories) and some are slow (training films, telephone automation systems).
Some commercials sell (retail sales) while others inform (public service announcements, etc)
Some narrations sell (infomercial, trade-show exhibits, etc) while others inform (how-to-videos, self-help, etc).

Outside of promos and local/broadcast style commercials, chances are good that most producers prefer a natural style.
Most voice over delivery needs a natural style. Stage acting (where you are told to project) could be detrimental.
Most voice overs, other than promos and hard-sell style commercials, use a natural and conversational style voice over. The announcer style voice is being used less and less.

Microphone and Recording Space Choice:



What kind of voice over do you record?

Some types, like telephony need mics that produce a clean, clear, bright output.

Promos need a big, full, sometimes fat sound.

If you want to do it all, get a mic that works across the board.



How are the acoustics of your recording booth?

A reverberant room needs a directional mic.

A dry room may sound better with an "open" mic.

How sound-proofed is your recording booth?

It's not? Then consider a directional mic – or even a super or hyper cardiod.

It is? An "open" mic may sound best.



What about your voice?

Have a big, full voice? Get a mic that captures that low-end. Maybe a tube.

Have a thin voice? Don't get a tube.



Lastly, How does the mic react to your voice?

Every mic reacts differently to different voices… so try a few. And listen carefully.

Not sure what to listen for? Ask someone who engineers the kind of voice over that you narrate.



Then get a mic that makes you sound the best! Remember, since we are not audio engineers, this is the extent of our knowledge of mics and home recording. For more advice see audio engineers or go to Guitar Center for guidance.


Guitar Center will have good information on the type of Microphone and other items you will need to create an effective home studio Space.


Closets make good sound absorbent Audio spaces!

LIST OF VOICE-OVER and ACTING TEACHERS.

To train for character or animation work, think about taking improv and comedic classes.

About 1/5th of the way down on this Backstage West Readers Poll you'll find a list of the Voice-Over Teachers voted best (after the favorite Voiceover Workshop one thats listed first)



Feel free to email me at affinityvo@gmail.com if you have other suggestions on best Voiceover teachers and what makes them the best!
http://www.backstage.com/bso/news-and-features-spotlights/readers-choice-los-angeles-1003973376.story

While we're at it, we thought we'd send our developmental talent a list of most acting teachers/coaches/schools in LA


Here's a list from Backstage West of all of the acting schools listed alphabetically
http://www.backstage.com/bso/news-and-features-features/los-angeles-acting-schools-and-coaches-1004015648.story



AND FOR FUN...


Heres a list of IMDB rated best Voiceovers in Movies:

1. Sunset Blvd. (1950)

2 American History X (1998)

3 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

4 L.A. Confidential (1997)

5 Blade Runner (1982)

6 Annie Hall (1977)

7 The Big Lebowski (1998)

8 Network (1976)

9 Casino (1995)

10 Magnolia (1999)