J. Michael Collins

The 2016 Midwest Voiceover Conference in Columbus, Ohio was the fourth installment of this staple of the conference calendar, and it was once again a testament to the organizational skill of James Minter and his team who put on a top-class event.

Featuring a lineup of industry luminaries led by keynote speaker Joe Cipriano, this conference continued to cement itself as a worthy annual pilgrimage for those eager to learn about the business and expand their VO knowledge. Rodney Saulsberry offered his mastery of technique to the eager attendees, while Cristina Milizia showed why she is one of character VO’s fastest-rising stars. These were only a few highlights of information-packed weekend renown for an intimate setting that encourages attendees and presenters to mingle and socialize.

This year, I was pleased to bring my panel series to The Midwest Voiceover Conference, as we continue to address the issues that will define our industry’s future. VO Atlanta 2016 was the beginning of these panels, featuring representatives from the major online casting sites on the first day, and an assemblage of experts on the second day drawn from the conference presenter list.

In Atlanta, we began to get clear answers from Voices.com regarding their policies and recent controversies that have revolved around their site. These included increased transparency for Professional Services clients, a commitment not to attempt to convert public jobs to managed ones without the client initiating the conversation, and a commitment to maintaining talent access to client contact information, (and vice versa,) on public jobs not managed by Professional Services. Representative Jennifer Smith also clearly stated that Voices has no intention of offering transparency to talent regarding the spread between talent’s bids and Professional Services’ ultimate rate.

Voice123, (voice123.com) then represented by CEO Margarita Rueda, and bodalgo CEO Armin Hierstetter pledged in Atlanta to continue to offer services without a middleman, and each made changes to their platforms at the request of the community, with Voice123 removing the requirement to list experience, (which created an unnecessary bias against talented newcomers,) and bodalgo becoming the first online casting site to build in an optional time-based cyclical usage model for licensing, thereby creating the possibility of earning residuals through the site, and training buyers to be aware of the paradigm.

Armin and Jennifer joined the Midwest Voiceover Conference panel again in Ohio, with Juanita Casas representing Voice123.

In Columbus, with the core controversies already asked and answered two months earlier, the discussion progressed into a wide-ranging examination of rates and ownership. Most pressing was the need for clarification from Voices.com on the sixth point of their Terms of Service, which reads as follows:

“Upon the earlier of the transfer of the audio file to Voices.com or the Client, the Talent assigns to Voices.com all right, title and interest, absolutely, to the copyright and other intellectual property in or relating to the Talent’s work throughout the world, free of all licences, mortgages, charges or other encumbrances, unless agreed otherwise by the parties in writing. The Talent hereby waives their moral rights in the work. Voices.com and its Client assignees or licensees may use the Talent’s work without restriction from the Talent and without any rights of approval by the Talent. Upon payment by the Client, Voices.com assigns the audio file purchased by the Client to the Client. If the Client’s rights to use the work are limited, the limitations will be specified in writing.”

Over the past few months, this language has caused much anxiety within the voiceover community as speculation ran rampant regarding the implications behind Voices seeming to claim all rights in perpetuity for any work done through the site.

Again speaking on behalf of Voices.com, Jennifer Smith stated that the language is necessary to protect Voices.com in the instances where the site pays talent in advance of receiving funds from the client, (which apparently happens with some frequency,) thereby necessitating that the rights transfer to Voices.com and not to the client, who has not yet paid for them.

Jennifer further stated that Voices.com intends to continue publishing intended usage media and duration on managed jobs, and encouraging buyers to do so on public jobs, and that Voices considers this language binding. Though they will not attempt to police or enforce unauthorized usage, Jennifer encouraged any talent who believe their voice is being used in excess of the published scope of the job to contact the site to discuss how they might pursue their claim.

Moreover, Jennifer indicated that Voices would be open to offering talent who were concerned about protecting their rights additional written assurances if approached, and made it very clear that Voices was not interested in obtaining rights to the work of talent except in cases where Voices has yet to receive payment from the buyer.

In another somewhat surprising twist at the Midwest Voiceover Conference, Jennifer stated that Voices was willing to study the idea of creating a usage cycle structure for clients to have as an option on the site, and that formally opening work on the site to residuals could be a possibility in the future.

All three panelists pledged in no uncertain terms that their sites would never impose an enforced rate card, like certain other sites have chosen to do.

Voice123 strongly defended the principle of an unfettered open market for talent and clients alike. While accepting that the sites had a responsibility to protect the interest of their users on both sides of the glass, Voice123 clearly articulated a vision that revolves around being as hands off as possible when it comes to letting buyers and talent find common pricing ground on their own. Juanita did note, however, that Voice123 also considers $100 to be the minimum price of for-profit work on the site, and encouraged talent to report any buyers trying to circumvent this by using the “To be defined,” budget feature.

Armin, bearing freshly printed #rockstar tee shirts, once again impressed with his candor and no-nonsense approach. He revealed that bodalgo is more likely than the other sites to intervene in rate-related matters, regularly restricting buyers from posting work with budgets lower than professionally acceptable. Armin also discussed the continuing evolution of bodalgoCall, an ipDTL-like service that is free to premium subscribers, allowing seamless remote recording without any extra equipment.

All three sites were of a single voice that while they do feel obliged to work to maintain and improve rates for talent over time, the single biggest factor in helping them do so is talent education as to what professional rates are and talent willingness to maintain those rates when quoting for work.

The second panel at Midwest Voiceover Conference, on Saturday, featured Edge Studio CEO David Goldberg, GVAA head Cristina Milizia, star talent Joe Zieja, World Voices executive board member Randye Kaye, and respected blogger, talent, and marketing expert Marc Scott.

This panel featured an intense discussion regarding many of the issues percolating in the community over the past year. The panelists all stated a desire for increased transparency from Voices.com on matters involving compensation. They echoed the sites’ comment on Friday that it is incumbent upon all in the talent community to educate themselves about what constitutes reasonable and professional rates.

As opposed to the Atlanta experts panel, which dismissed any concerns about ultra-lowball sites, this group was more wary of the dangers posed by bargain basement sites like Fiverr, especially in light of the massive investment being made in industry-specific SEO, (search for anything VO related on Google and see where Fiverr comes up in the rankings.)

There was also a rollicking discussion on the role of unions in voiceover, and how effectively they represent the interests of voice actors, with differing opinions on the matter.

Ultimately, everyone agreed that though the surface of our industry may sometimes seem stormy, the seas beneath are as calm and plentiful with work as they have ever been, and that through continued dialogue and engagement we will emerge stronger and wealthier as a profession.

I couldn’t be prouder to count myself among such a loving and generous community, and I am ever grateful for the contributions of everyone who joined my panels in Columbus.

I can’t wait to be back next year!

I was thrilled this past week to land a pretty high-profile national TV spot involving a three-letter network, a major prime-time TV series, and a blockbuster movie release from the mouse ear people. Indeed, I dropped a short post on social media telling everyone where and when to tune in. Not surprisingly, there were some congratulatory posts. Hopefully they won’t replace me between now and the scheduled airing! What caught me a little off guard, however, was the level of excitement and enthusiasm among my friends and colleagues over this booking, which while high profile, is a one-off spot that did not involve a life-changing addition to my bank account. It was a humbling and gratifying expression of goodwill from people I’m proud to call friends, but it seemed a bit much. A good friend in the business explained it thusly; “That’s a unicorn voiceover job.”

Which got me thinking.

You see, this job was, in my mind, by no means the most important addition to my client portfolio last week. That honor went to a far less glamorous company working on a Siri-like process for adding audio to videos car dealers post on automotive resale sites. Not a sexy gig, by any stretch, especially when considering the first job involved creating over two thousand separate one-sentence files. Nevertheless, the first project alone was worth far more than a one-airing national spot, and the likely future work may well lead to a 2016 that exceeds my annual target.

“Why is JMC bragging about all this,” you may ask?

Well, the backstory is a necessary part of a larger theme.

Something that stuck with me from my conversations with Gerald Griffith, founder of VO Atlanta, during this year’s event, was his comment over breakfast about how the business mentality of talent affected his signup rate for the private X-sessions the conference offers with presenters. “It’s amazing how every year, the performance sessions fill up immediately, and anything involving business struggles to get more than eight or nine people.”

One casting director at VO Atlanta sold out TWO X-sessions. The character workshops? Full. Automotive? Full. Anything with agents? Get there early! However, if it involved numbers, tech, strategy and systems, fuhgeddaboutit. Like a fancy restaurant with a very public rat problem, you could get a seat anytime you like.

Which makes one wonder if the focus of the industry is perhaps a bit too concentrated on that which is shiny and fun, at the expense of growing our businesses in ways that will sustain a livelihood for the long run.

I often get asked why I’m not in LA, where all the high-profile work is. Aside from simple lifestyle tastes and choices, the truth is that I’ve never been all that excited about “Being the voice of X.” A fair number of those gigs have found me over the years, which is a great blessing. Still, my business is built on a foundation of steady mid to low-profile clients who come back over and over again with regular work of the sort that would get about three likes on Facebook, (and those from immediate family only.) It’s why I get more excited about an order for two thousand one-sentence files than I do about a quick, high-profile national spot. Six months from now, I’ll be sending the first of those two another invoice, while Mickey will have moved on to the flavor of the moment.

Unicorn jobs? If one trots by, I’ll hop on and ride it for as long as it will let me. Otherwise, I’ll take methodically growing my business over the thrill of the chase.

VO Atlanta 2016 was the most heavily hyped voiceover conference in recent memory, and it did not disappoint.

With a vast array of presenters, panels, breakout sessions, exclusive X-sessions, a Spanish Day, a Kid’s Day, and hundreds of attendees from across the country and the world, VO Atlanta was a testament to the vision and organizational skill of founder Gerald Griffith and his dedicated team.

In addition to seeing many friends, students, and colleagues, I had the privilege of conducting my usual breakout session on Success in Online Casting, as well as an X-Session delving deeper into how to effectively utilize sites like Voices.com, Voice123.com, and bodalgo.com.

It is always rewarding to get thanks from the attendees for the insight they glean from the information I present, and seeing them book in the future makes it all worthwhile.

This year at VO Atlanta 2016, I was honored to host two groundbreaking panels which allowed the talent community to hear from, and provide feedback to, the leadership of the four leading online casting sites.

On Friday, in the Grand Ballroom, (and streaming live online,) we had an elucidating conversation with decision makers from bodalgo.com, Voice123.com, Voices.com, and RealTime Casting. CEO Armin Hierstetter of bodalgo stole the show with his personality and candor, pulling few punches and repudiating the tactics of bargain basement sites like Fiverr. The word, “rockstar,” was repeatedly used to describe his appearance, and appropriately so.

Margarita Rueda, Voice123’s CEO, exhibited poise and class representing her site, advocating for their simple no-middleman premise, and hopefully putting paid to my recurring nightmare about any takeovers by a bunny!

Jim Kennelly of RealTime Casting painted a picture of a future where voiceover jobs would be cast and completed almost instantly, (hence the company name,) and gave hope to those who would like to see more union work make the transition into the online casting space.

Of course, much of the buzz driving attendance centered around Voices.com, and the controversies that have raged around the site over the past year.

Jennifer Smith, Director of Talent Sales at Voices.com, handled herself with grace and dignity under a series of very challenging questions.

Jennifer clearly and unambiguously stated that Voices.com has addressed the primary source of controversy by adding prominent disclaimer language to written and verbal communications with clients utilizing their Professional Services department, informing them that the quotes they receive represent a mix of talent and service fees.

Jennifer further asserted that clients requesting detailed breakdowns of how fees are distributed between Voices.com/Professional Services and talent will be provided those details clearly and without resistance.

Together, these two promises, if indeed implemented in practice, represent a substantial and laudable move forward towards the transparency the community has demanded.

Citing client confidentiality, Jennifer also stated that talent members of Voices.com would not be provided with the same level of detail. This was disappointing, if not unexpected.

Another highlight of Jennifer’s comments was her guarantee that talent who book public and private jobs not managed by Professional Services will continue to receive the full contact information of the client, and vice versa, meaning that the site will continue to be a potential source of long term relationships with clients independent of Voices.com.

While it is unlikely that Jennifer’s answers satisfied all comers, they nevertheless represent a step forward, and I applaud Voices.com for sending her and co-founder Stephanie Ciccarelli to engage with the talent community.

While we must maintain our vigilance at all times as we protect the collective interests of ourselves and our fellow actors, we must also accept that the answers we get won’t always be the answers we want. We cannot ever hesitate to call out shadowy practices, but ultimately, this is a business, for all of us, and so long as the facts are on the table, we are responsible for making our own decisions as professionals and adults.

The dialogue in the community surrounding online casting controversies has too often strayed into the realm of personal attacks and acrimony in recent months, with talent at the throats of their fellows in more cases than I would like to count. This is not the community that we have all come to love.

It is my sincere hope that this weekend’s discussion will represent a first step in re-setting the conversation onto a more positive track, which will allow all of us to prosper and thrive together.

Saturday featured a panel of industry leaders reacting to Friday night’s session, and discussing not just online casting, but the future of the industry as well.

I had the pleasure of hosting Melissa Exelberth, World Voices Vice President Peter Bishop, Edge Studio’s Graeme Spicer, Anne Ganguzza, David Kaplan, and Beau Stephenson as they offered a wide variety of perspectives on the issues of the day.

There was a consensus on the need to push for continued engagement and transparency from the online casting world, strong commentary about the union’s level of commitment to voiceover, and general agreement on the premise that lowball sites don’t pose a threat to professional talent. Ultimately, they demonstrated that talent from all sides of the industry can come together to address the concerns of the community, and do so in a passionate but dignified manner.

It was, in short, a weekend of substance. Few events have addressed the issues that our business is struggling with so comprehensively as VO Atlanta 2016. In addition to my panels, there were discussions featuring agents, casting directors, and other opinion leaders on every topic challenging us today.

Gerald Griffith, Ron and Susan Minatrea, A.J. McKay, Kerri Donovan, Roy Yokelson, and so many others worked tirelessly to make everything come together. They should be proud of the profound success of their efforts.

It’s time again to take a look at some rising stars I have had the pleasure of voiceover coaching to begin the year. I am always amazed by the wellspring of talent out there just waiting to either make their VO dreams come true, or take already existing careers to the next level. These five are a shining example of practice making perfect, and I highly encourage my friends out there on the casting side to give these folks a long look for your next project!

Rick Hoem https://www.facebook.com/VoiceOverPizza/

Rick is one of the most dedicated talent I have ever encountered. Launching his career with a diligence and attention to detail that is a sure path to success, Rick has honed his delivery into a compelling blend of neighborliness and gravitas. Rick has a bright future in the business and can pivot deftly between guy next door authenticity and stately narration. If you are looking for a balanced voice to bring your script to life, Rick is your guy.

Susan Bernard http://www.susanbernardvo.com/

An active and well known member of the voiceover community for many years, Susan Bernard’s passion for her craft is as fiery as the hair on her head. Blessed with a fountain of natural talent, Susan takes direction exceptionally well, and can adapt her very professional sound to any kind of copy. Susan has a wonderful ear for how a script could sound, and is able to bring both stirring humanity and striking calls to action to the table. Whether you need a classic, polished professional voice, or just the girl next door, Susan Bernard has what it takes.

Alan Adelberg http://www.alanadelberg.com/

Alan is among the most singularly gifted folks I have had the pleasure to work with in quite awhile. From our very first session it was very clear why Alan already had a steady stream of bookings. Throughout his coaching program, Alan demonstrated an easy genuineness that would make any casting director salivate, while still being able to imbue reads with authority and seriousness where called for. Very few of my coaching clients have ever made me work as hard as Alan……..because he so frequently nailed his reads on the first take. It was all I could do to keep up! From start to finish, all the way through one of the smoothest demo sessions I have ever directed, Alan Adelberg left no doubt that he will be a force in our industry for years to come.

Heather Foster http://www.heatherfostervoice.com/

Heather’s infectious personality is one of the biggest reasons she has already put together a great VO business, So often as a coach, I have to push my talent to smile……not Heather! She brightened the booth from word one, and complements her enthusiasm with a highly marketable sound blending energy and smokiness in a well-rounded package. Heather can do the conversational thing with the best of them, and has an impactful way of injecting a subtle hint of warmth and depth at precisely the right moment. Moreover, under direction she is an absolute sponge, soaking up feedback and never needing to be given the same direction twice. All of this adds up to one thing: A true pro.

Erin Gullage

A Boston girl with big goals and a no-nonsense attitude, it has been a joy watching Erin begin the processing of becoming a professional voice actor. Erin surprised me early on with her natural grasp of copy and intuitive understanding of what works and what doesn’t. A fast learner with a distinct and matter of fact voice, Erin has evolved over a short period into a marketable voice actor ready to embark upon a new career. With a website and demos coming soon, keep an eye, (or an ear,) on Erin Gullage, who you will be hearing in the very near future!

This March at VO Atlanta (voatlanta.me), I am honored and thoroughly excited to have the opportunity to help continue the conversation regarding online casting and the future of the voiceover industry with two first-of-their-kind panels that will allow the voices of the talent community to be heard.

On Friday, March 4th, for the very first time, the management and senior leadership of the major online casting sites will assemble in the same room, on the same stage, at the same time, to hear and respond to the questions and feedback of the voiceover community. Acting as host and moderator, I will be joined by the CEOs of Voice123.com and bodalgo.com, along with a senior representative from Voices.com, among others, for an open and frank conversation about the pros and cons of each site, their business philosophies, and feedback from the community. This discussion will be followed by an open Q&A session with the audience during which each site representative has agreed to field several questions from attendees. This is your chance to get the answers you have been looking for directly from the sites themselves in a candid and unprecedented setting.

On Saturday, March 5th, we have assembled a panel of industry leaders to discuss the ethics of online casting, and the future of the voiceover business in general.
I will again act as moderator as we discuss what online casting sites need to do to satisfy community expectations, and what tomorrow’s voiceover landscape will look like. This group of industry opinion leaders will offer insights that will help you set the table for how the next ten years of your career might unfold, as our industry continues forward on an ever-shifting path.

For those interested in understanding the mechanics of success in online casting, I am pleased to have with me two remarkable talent offering their own individual presentations. David Kaplan will demonstrate his prolific auditioning technique and how he adapts it while on the road, and Beau Stephenson will discuss how he used online casting as a stepping stone to the classic LA union/agency career that so many dream of. I will also be back with my presentation on Success in Online Casting, adapted from my one-on-one course.

Most important, however, is the opportunity this event will provide to carry forward the discussion that has exploded onto the scene regarding industry practices. The dam has broken. The voice of the community has been heard. It is clamoring loudly and clearly for a seat at the table, and a fair, equitable and thriving marketplace where we can offer our talent to those who have a need for it.

I, for one, believe that it is entirely possible for the interests of the talent base to coexist in harmony with those of corporations who profit by creating marketplaces and aggregating job opportunities. The willingness of the representatives each site is sending to participate in this forum is laudable, and it is a hopeful sign that they believe the same. I am looking forward to seeing all of you this March as we continue to move the needle forward towards a day when voice actors and online casting sites are partners equally sharing the many blessings of our industry.

Christmas is always a magic time for me and a season to be thankful. The memories never fail to conjure warmth, peace, and the love of family and friends. It is a time to reflect on a year gone by, and to dream of the blessings of the year to come. It is also an opportunity to reflect upon all the things and people you are grateful for and let them know how you feel.

My list is too large to enumerate, and no accounting can ever cover all those who have contributed to a rewarding and fulfilling 2015. Here, at least, is a partial attempt.

A Season to be Thankful for The Voiceover Community

To all of you, my colleagues and friends, thank you for being the kind, supporting, and genuinely decent people you are. I cannot think of another profession where those competing for work are so genuinely supportive of one another. It never fails to take my breath away when I see how helpful, warm-hearted, and deeply good voiceover people are. It is a privilege to belong to this community, and I am grateful to all of you.

Those Who Make My Job Easier

Jenn Henry, Michelle Falzon, Steve Black, Tony Mack, I’m looking at you. Thank you for being there when I need you, always reliable, and always delivering quality…..I’m honored to have you as colleagues and friends.

My Coaching and Demo Clients

I wish I had more time to coach. I love teaching this business to new talent, and working with established pros to increase their bookings. To all of you who have put your trust in my coaching and demo production services in the last year, you mean so much more to me than you can possibly know. I eat, sleep, and breathe your success, and I feel every up and down in your career as acutely as I feel my own. You break up days spent in the solitude of the studio, and your progress always re-ignites my passion for the business. Many of you have become good friends and fierce competitors. It sounds contrary to common sense, but few things bring me more joy than seeing you book a job for which I’ve also auditioned. Thank you all for your brilliance, diligence, and your incredible talent. You are each one a blessing.

A Season to be Thankful for The Conference Organizers

Gerald Griffith, James Minter, Randy Thomas, and all the others out there…….what a service you are providing to our community. In 2015 I had the privilege and pleasure of presenting at VO Atlanta, The Midwest Voiceover Conference, and The VO Mastery Event. These gatherings, and the others out there like them, offer so very much to new and seasoned talent alike. I have personally watched people build careers from the information learned and contacts made at these events. Moreover, the chance to commune with people who live and breathe the lives we all share allows us to build friendships and professional relationships that will be with us throughout our careers. I’m looking forward to doing it all again in 2016, and adding WoVO Con to my list next April! To those of you who make these events happen, your hard work does not go unnoticed, and you have my deepest appreciation for all you contribute.

The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences

This young organization, of which I am proudly a member, has brought style, flash, and substance to the voiceover industry in a manner the industry has never enjoyed before. Under the capable leadership of Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker, SOVAS has created the Voice Arts Awards; an unprecedented celebration of the hard work we all do every day. It was a joy to attend this year’s gala in Hollywood, featuring industry leaders from every side of the business and luminaries like William Shatner and Malcolm Jamal-Warner. The chance to spend time with so many of my most talented colleagues was a wonderful gift, and the excitement of everyone who won brought home what a value this event is to our business.

The World Voices Organization

This year saw WoVO begin to come into its own with growing membership numbers and more involvement in the greater community. As a non-union talent, we need an organization to stand up for the value of the hard work we do, and to educate new and experienced talent alike about how to preserve our worth. I’m a proud WoVO member, and look forward to watching the group continue to expand its presence under the strong guidance of its President, Dave Courvoisier.

My Agents

To those who represent me, thank you for another year of your hard work, and our shared returns. Thank you also for the work that you do to preserve rates and standards within our industry, in spite of unprecedented pressure. Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like an agency audition, and each one of you is instrumental in my success.

Online Casting Sites

Despite the continuing controversy in this business segment, there is no disputing its ever-growing relevance to how we do our jobs. This year saw the big two continue to present well over a hundred opportunities daily to their membership bases between public jobs, private jobs, different genders, and different languages. There is nowhere else where talent can go to access such an abundance of work, and while commercial rates continue to be generally less than desirable, this year saw in stark relief what I have been long predicting: The increase of quality narration jobs across online casting platforms, often at rates well higher than union scale. We also saw quality smaller sites begin to stake out a larger footprint for the first time, offering more and more options to the talent base. I’m thankful for these sites, and I’m grateful for the people who work for them and support their members.

A Season to be Thankful for My Clients

To all of my clients……thank you for putting your faith in my ability to bring your scripts to life. You put the food on my table, and allow me to live a life that still feels like a dream sometimes. I am honored to have your business.

My Wife, Anna

Perhaps not VO related, (yet,) but without you, I would be nothing. Thank you for your love, your support, and your tolerance. You are my whole world.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and a very Happy New Year to all. Thank you for all the blessings.

-J. Michael