Backstage, an entertainment industry magazine and casting site, just acquired the online casting site Voice123.
DISCLOSURE (and fun to share) I have subscribed to Backstage over the years, auditioned for projects on it, and have been featured in an article.
TIP OF THE WEEK
What does Backstage buying Voice123 mean for the voiceover industry in general and online casting sites in particular?
Will Voice123 and all of the other platforms that Backstage has & will acquire turn into one big site that a Silicon Valley powerhouse will eventually absorb like JMC theorized? Maybe.
Will Backstage use Voice123's massive database of audio files and get into the AI game? That would potentially take away work from thousands of actors (which I assume goes against their mission) so I doubt it but I can't speak for whomever may acquire Voice123 or Backstage in the future. FYI here is a Voice123 article about their take on AI.
But what does that mean for us voice actors? Should we join Backstage and/or Voice123? Quit them?
I do think that Backstage will market to their massive database of stage, film, and TV actors so even more people may flock to the voiceover industry. This may continue the trend of more competition and lower rates so keep that in mind. It's not something you can control but it is something you can be proactive about.
Keep training, keep learning, keep growing. Understand the new reality of the voiceover industry and what may lie just beyond the horizon. Harness the power of Direct Marketing while it's still viable.
You need to determine which course of action aligns with your business model and your value system. The reality of the voiceover industry continues to evolve. You have to evolve with it or risk being left behind!
NEWS AND NOTES
Wednesday, September 15th @8PM ET: The VO How-To webinar: "Explainers Explained". What is an Explainer Video? How do you narrate one? Where do you get the work? These and many other questions will be answered in this online workshop! If you can't attend the night of the event, the webinar will be recorded so you can watch the video at your convenience.
Thursday, September 16th @8PM ET: The Edge Studio Business and Money 201 webinar "Cost/Benefit Analysis". This class will give students an understanding of how to analyze their voice over business, figure out where their voiceover work came from, and how to read metrics.
Sunday, September 19th @12PM ET: The VoiceBox Business & Marketing Seminar. I will be one of four speakers/panelists talking about all things voiceover business & marketing. Click here to check out this online event.
Saturday, September 25th @8PM ET: The Voice Actor Studio webinar "Set Goals and Build a Business Plan". Now is the perfect time to create your voiceover business plan and set your goals for the next week, month, quarter, and year. In this online workshop, I will walk you through how to determine what success can look like for you and how to make it happen.
Thursday, September 30th @8PM ET: The Edge Studio Marketing 201 webinar "The Sales Funnel". In this class, students will explore the concept of the “Sales Funnel,” and how it can yield more paying clients in the long run if used properly.
HAPPY HAPPYS
Happy Chocolate Milkshake Day and Fortune Cookie Day!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 20 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.
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