So, you finally start getting voice over auditions.
Its fun! Its exciting! But now what? How do you follow up? The answer is it depends. Here’s the protocol for different situations….
ON LINE AUDITIONS: do nothing. They will find you if they need you. Make sure your MP3’s are labeled with your name and that you slate your name at the beginning of the audition. Include contact info in the accompanying email. Do not slate in character. Go right into the spot. Producers say they get very annoyed when talent records lots of blah, blah, blah after a slate. It wastes their valuable time and makes you look unprofessional. On line auditions are a numbers game. Just bang them out and forget about it.
LIVE AUDITIONS: CASTING DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION COMPANY: arrive 15-30 minutes early. Leave promptly after the audition. Don’t hang out in the waiting area chatting with other talent. DO NOT CALL to find out how you did or who booked the spot. You’ll sign in and slate your name before takes so they will know how to find you. You can send a brief thank you note or postcard to the person who held the audition. No need to do this if you are seeing them on a regular basis.
LIVE AUDITIONS, YOUR TALENT AGENT’S OFFICE: Follow up calls for general career guidance only. “You’ve observed me auditioning. Any feedback?” Most good agents will share positive feedback from clients and offer helpful suggestions for growing your career. Other than that, you don’t want to know. People’s impressions are totally subjective and have little or no bearing on your success.
SPECIAL AUDITIONS BY REQUEST: Sometimes you’ll be lucky to be called in for a special “by invitation only” audition for just a few talents. After a “boutique” opportunity like this definitely send a nice thank you note if you have the prospects name. If you don’t hear from them after a week or so, its ok to call the person who called you in to say thank you and to ask if they made their selection yet. If they say yes, and it wasn’t you, tell them you enjoyed the experience and ask if they would like you to stay in touch for future opportunities. They’ll always say yes and that will give you the confidence to keep in touch. I have many examples from my own career where today’s no was tomorrow’s yes.
Another tip: Don’t talk about your auditions to friends or family.
Success in voice over is a numbers game
(like any other kind of sales). Just show up on time, do your best and forget about it. You don’t want people nagging you about how you did and then having to say you didn’t get it.
How long before you find out if you got the gig? Most auditions are cast within a few days. If you don’t hear within a week it probably means you didn’t get the job. BUT…that’s not always the case. I have been pleasantly surprised more than once when I booked jobs I auditioned for months prior.
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Susan Berkley is a top voice over artist
and founder of The Great Voice Company,
a company devoted to teaching great voices around the world how to become successful voice over actors.
The Great Voice Company is an international leader in voice over training and in providing top quality voice over recordings in all languages to discerning businesses and marketers. For additional information visit www.greatvoice.com
Copyright 2013, The Great Voice Company. All Rights Reserved. How To Follow Up on Voice Over Auditions.
