6 Steps to a Perfect VO Demo

Hey, there!

I get calls every day from people wanting to produce their VO demos with me.

Here’s the conversation you want to have with me, or any other demo producer, to get the best results.

Making a demo with me is a breeze. It’s fun, it’s fast and it’s inexpensive ($999 for each demo we create together, unless you’re one of my Pros, in which case it’s only $799). And if you’re ready to make that demo, you can start right away.

My goal is to demystify and simplify the process of making a commercial voice demo (or any other category of demo), and to make the whole experience a satisfying investment of your time and money. I love watching clients walk away from sessions happy and excited, knowing that they can start getting auditions and work immediately after putting their demos together.

Here’s what to expect from my process.

Step 1: Ya gotta want it, and be ready for it.

Ask yourself (and you may have already enthusiastically asked and answered these questions – if so, great):

– Do you really want a career in VO?
– Do you have the equipment you need to respond to audition requests?
– Most importantly, do you have the storytelling/acting talent you need for VO?
– Can you do the voice work necessary to create a world-class, competitive and enticing VO demo?

Answering these questions with resounding “Yes”es is a prerequisite. It’s not about having a great voice (that helps, but it’s not the most important thing) – it’s about being committed to the art and commerce of commercial voice acting, and having the talent to compete with the rest of the pros in the field.

(Not to worry. I’m really good at letting people know that they aren’t ready – and also telling them why, along with advice on what to do to fix what’s needed to be fixed. I won’t Frankenstein together a demo for someone who isn’t ready to compete – you have to be able to reproduce and even better what’s in your demo to be able to book work. I won’t just take your money, like some other studios around the country will. I just won’t do it. I will work with you to make you better, because that’s what will bring you success.)

Step 2: Have a conversation with David

Start with a brief consultation with me. There’s no charge just to have a chat. Call me – my number’s at the end of this material.

I’ll actually answer the phone.

You’ll talk about where you are in your voice career (a beginner needing their first demo? A veteran needing a fresh demo? An actor looking to sidegrade into voice work?), and you’ll have all the time in the world to explore any questions you might have about the process, and the world of voice over in general.

While we’re chatting, I’ll be listening for your natural voice, your style and category, and start thinking about the kind of copy that would fit you like a glove. That copy will be waiting for you when you come for your VO2GoGo session.

Step 3: Make an appointment

After you’ve had your conversation, make an appointment with me. You can click on an appointment link over on the sidebar there, or you can do so while you’re on the phone with me.

Then, you don’t have anything to worry about doing until your demo session.

You won’t be going over the copy, or picking out stuff you think would be great, or writing to your signature core, or participating in any rehearsals – I do all that copy work for you, picking just the right copy and adjusting it to your brand, and I’ll direct you on the day until you give me what I want.

Just like in the real world.

Step 4: Produce your VO2GoGo demo

It’s a big day. Treat it with respect.

The day of the session, try not to drink or eat anything creamy or that might coat your throat and change your voice. Try also to avoid sodas, coffees and non-herbal teas as they act as diuretics and tend to dry you out. Water’s good. Clear soups and juices are great too. Just take care of yourself and be well hydrated when you show up at my studio.

When you start your session, you’ll go over your copy, you’ll rehearse, you’ll lay down the raw voice tracks with my direction and adjustments. We’ll work on each cut until we get it perfect.

Then you’ll watch as your demo is crafted before your very ears: sweetened with music and sound effects where appropriate, edited to show your best work up front, balanced to show range and performance, even tweaked to sound like each piece of your demo was recorded in a unique individual studio.

Once your demo is finished, you’ll receive a high-quality MP3 file, emailed to you right from the session, ready for upload to any and all sites or delivery to casting and representation.

Step 5: Feel the focus

Once your demo is complete, I don’t stop there – I send it to a top LA voice casting director for peer review – anything that CD notes that could be improved, and you agree with, we’ll do in a follow up session. For free.

One further word about revisions: I do a lot of things to make your demo appealing to one particular party: casting directors. If you play this demo for your mom, dad, friends, agent, manager or whoever other than casting directors, great, but their feedback doesn’t count. Any revisions you want to make based on their comments will be made under extreme protest, and will cost $175 per revision. Just making sure you’re informed on that.

Step 6: Enjoy ongoing support

Once you’re a VO2GoGo client, you’re a VO2GoGo client for life. And unless you’re doing studio work, or you need a full blown coaching session, short simple questions and answers over the phone or via email are free.

And if you’d like to schedule your consult/session now, call me (my number’s on the send me some email.

Hope this helps.

David

Responses

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  1. I feel really good about my demo. It is a quick and fun process, even for someone like me who gets very self concious. 🙂

  2. Having a well-produced demo is one of the most important things in the VO business. I had a number of demos made from other producers in the past and they all had one thing in common — that manufactured, cookie cutter sound!
    What sets David apart from the rest, besides his affordable price and tremendously fast turn around time, is that all of the clips you record with him sound unique. Each spot sounds like an actual commercial you recorded for a job.
    My agent loved the quality and even asked who produced it to refer his other talent there!

    Thanks again, David for producing such a great, high quality demo for me. You made the process relaxing and enjoyable. I urge anyone reading this unsolicited reply to listen to David’s student demos to hear the difference for yourself. Anyone would be lucky to work with him

  3. I can not thank you enough. I worked so hard on 15 page IVR project, one day I cryed, look for answers, pull my hear (not really) but I was about until another VO send me this great tool. Thanks!

  4. David

    When v123 indicates the audition is for a student/ nonprofit are we to assume it is for $0. If so, why does the audition ask for an amount to be entered?

  5. David,
    I did get this scam through Voice 123. In our discourse, they offered me the gig and they gave me the name of a legit local place to record and the same runaround with the money. I didn’t send anything, but instead, I called the studio to make sure the booking was for the day we set up, and lo and behold, the people there had no idea what I was talking about. I then tried to call back my “contact person” who was setting this up and there was a fax machine beep on the other end. I immediately contacted Voice 123 and told them what had happened. You know what they say…if it sounds togaed to be true, it probably is. Thanks for the reminder!
    Shirley