Voiceover conferences have been around for almost 15 years (I believe VOICE 2007 was the first one) and just like every other aspect of the voiceover industry, there are widely varying opinions.
I LOVE voiceover conferences! I'm new to the industry and I learn so much there!
I can't afford to go.
I hate crowds.
I'm afraid to talk to people.
Those parasites are preying on newbs by selling their books, booths, mics, coaching sessions, and demo packages.
Ugh, it's the same presenters & content over and over again. I know this stuff already!
In short, many new voice actors love voiceover conferences or are afraid of them and many veterans hate them or feel they're not worth attending anymore.
DISCLAIMER
As a voiceover coach and demo producer, I do speak at conferences and yes a part of my motivation for attending is to market my services. I also go because it's fun, I get to meet great new people & hang out with old friends, and I'm still learning & growing as a voice actor, coach, and human being so I still learn stuff, 25+ conferences later.
TIP OF THE WEEK
If you are new to the voiceover industry, I encourage your to attend the voiceover conferences that are right for you and aren't just a platform for coaches to troll for students. If you have questions about specific conferences, message me and I'll be happy to share my thoughts.
If you are a veteran voice actor, some voiceover conferences may still have value for you.
networking opportunities
exploring new genres
renewal of purpose
I have noticed that regardless of the conference session I'm sitting in on, often I take a page of notes and frequently it's not about the subject at hand. Sometimes the subject gets me thinking about other areas of my voiceover business in a good way.
Also, I may have sat in on a similar session years ago but I wasn't ready to hear it for whatever reason. Maybe it's a genre I wasn't interested in then but I'm interested in now.
I'm also listening to the same content with a different pair of ears. I'm hopefully a wiser person now so I may process the information more effectively.
If you have saved your notes from previous conferences, read them again. It’s fascinating not only what you’ve forgotten, but how notes from a few years ago can hit you now in a completely different way.
NEWS AND NOTES
Thursday, June 10th @8PM ET: The Edge Studio Business and Money webinar "Managing Your Money". This class will give students an understanding of how to best manage the money you make as a voice talent and how to balance that with your personal life. Sign up here!
THIS WEEKEND!!! June 11-13: eVOcation - our virtual conference devoted to the business of voiceover! I will be presenting a webinar about how to build your client list. Sign up here!
Thursday, June 17th @8PM ET: The Edge Studio Marketing 201 webinar "Thriving in a Smaller Market City". In this class, students will see the advantages of living in a smaller voice over market and how to tap into their local resources. Sign up here!
SOLD OUT!!! Saturday, June 19th @5PM ET: The Voice Actors Studio webinar “eLearning Performance Workshop“. Learn about the world of eLearning and get some live coaching, too.
Wednesday, June 23rd @8PM ET: The VO How-To Webinar "Online Casting Sites". In this 90-minute webinar, we will explore the world of online voiceover casting sites, the “Pay-to-Play” business model, and how to use Online Casting Sites effectively. This webinar will be recorded so if you can't make it you will get the video! Sign up here!
HAPPY HAPPYS
Happy Bomb Pop Day and VCR 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 narrating 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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