Think Like a Producer Series:"Landing Voice-Over Actor Opportunities Overseas"An Interview with Ed Victor, Voice-Over Actor Extraordinaire - Part 2A continuation from Part 1, "Voiceover Advice from an Advertising Executive,” voice-Over Actor Debbie Grattan and International Voiceover Artist Ed Victor discuss how he has landed great paying voiceover jobs in other countries.
DebbieG VO Pro: You mentioned that you do trailer work outside of the country. Are you promoting American television shows on foreign stations? Voice-Over Actor, Ed Victor: I do promos for CNBC in Asia, promos for sports (mostly cricket and soccer matches) in Dubai, and I do promo work for a sports channel in Singapore. I also auditioned for (but didn’t get) the new voice for the biography and history channel in Asia. The promos I was reading were for "Pawn Stars" and "Ice Road Truckers" in Europe. DebbieG VO Pro: So these cable shows have a completely different life overseas?! Voice-Over Actor, Ed Victor: Absolutely. There are divisions of HBO, Showtime, and A&E all over the world. Another weird niche I stumbled upon is doing movie trailer work for the English-speaking Latino market. Somebody in Miami found me. DebbieG VO Pro: Do you feel like you have tapped into something that other voice-over actors don’t know exists? Voice-Over Actor, Ed Victor: Yes and no. It’s mind-boggling how many people do voice work, who think they can do it because they have a computer and a microphone, but it’s not that easy. I have several agents overseas. There is a whole market over there, but you have to be patient to break into it. Start with low paying jobs, and eventually you will get to the point where you keep increasing your rates. That’s how it works. DebbieG VO Pro:You also manage a voiceover group on LinkedIn? Voice-Over Actor, Ed Victor: I was bored one day, so I threw a logo up online and started talking about voice-over acting. All of a sudden, I have a following. I started with eight members. Today, we are up to 3,645 members. DebbieG VO Pro: What have you learned from the online dialogue? Voice-Over Actor, Ed Victor: Voice-over actors depend on this group as a lifeline because we do not go to the studio anymore. People like to throw ideas or job opportunities out there. They started asking advice about gear, and now they’re selling gear. It has taken on a life of its own. The other thing the group does is bring reality to the many people who want to be voice-over actors, who think they can do it. DebbieG VO Pro: Do you think at some point there will be a shift in all the people running into this business? Voice-Over Actor, Ed Victor: I would hope that the cream continues to rise to the top. If you have a great reputation and you do things properly, opportunities will present themselves. I think those opportunities are more in line with the veterans of the business. The people that believe the pay-to-play sites are going to make them a million dollars… it’s just not going to happen. In part 3 of this interview (coming soon), Voice-Over Actors Ed Victor and Debbie Grattan talk about narration, home studios and marketing yourself as a voiceover talent. Be sure to also read Part 1 of this interview in which Ed Victor gives some voiceover business advise from his perspective as a former advertising executive. -- Debbie Grattan is a professional Voice-Over Actor who has been a working voice talent for over 20 years. She's a seasoned VO Pro and works for many production companies and recording studios around the United States and abroad. Check out her female voice over actor demos, voice-over actor bio & resume and recording studio specs for more information. © 2001 - 2012 Debbie Grattan. All Rights Reserved.
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