13280: Channel Your Inner “Superstar Server”

Raw transcript:

I have a very ironic episode of uh the
VO Heroes podcast this time around
because in the world of acting and voice
talent often like the typical uh thing
that we all do for survival jobs while
we’re pursuing our art is we work in the
service industry. Uh you know, waiters,
servers, uh bartenders, uh customer
service reps, salespeople, whatever. And
I want to take that one step further in
this episode and I want you to channel
your inner superstar server. Let me talk
to you about that in a little bit more
detail in this episode of the VO Heroes
podcast.
So, you know that perfect server that
you have or that perfect bartender that
you have at your favorite joint? the one
that not only gives you great service
but isn’t there when you don’t need them
right they’re not hovering over your
table or or uh being obsequious they’re
be anything else I can do for you any
you know like you just don’t feel like
you feel like you can exist with your
meal or your drink and your friends the
people that you’re with
their unnecessary interference but
they’re there the moment you need them
like you look up and it’s as if they’re
like just far enough away that they’re
not invading your space
and they’re ready whenever you need it.
And I think we can learn from that as
talent. And here’s why I say that.
the casting people that we interface
with, whether they’re traditional
casting directors or producers or
directors or even direct to to client
like you’re the talent and you’re direct
to client like on a casting site like
Voice 123 uh or on Actors Access or any
number of different avenues where you
the talent aren’t working through an
agent or a casting. You’re you’re
working directly with your client.
We sometimes tend to want to
overcompensate
in terms of I’m here for you. What else
do you need? What would you like? Hey, I
did this. I know you didn’t ask for it,
but I did it anyway because who knows,
you might need it. You know, it’s a it’s
a gentle, subtle art to know, hey, here
you go. If you like this, great. You
know, and being a little bit calmer
about it and a little less wrapped
around the axle about it. That’s when
you know that you’re working with a pro.
And we can all get better at doing that.
I think that’s a a skill, that level of
appropriate service that that superstar
server always seems to have that we can
do as talent. We don’t need to tell them
why we’re auditioning. We don’t need to
over write in the notes section of an
audition submission. We can do this in a
way that serves their project in a way
that makes sense to them, not just to
us. We don’t we don’t have we, you know,
we have to remember they have a lot of
moving parts with their project in
addition to us as the talent. And so if
we can be a little bit less
graspy of what we’re doing for them and
trying to anticipate every need, just,
you know, this is what I do. If I can
help you, great. People really react
well to that, especially when they’re
under pressure to produce a project,
right? So I want to I want to kind of
open this up as a conversation. I’d love
to hear what you think. Like, have you
ever felt to yourself, “Oh, I shouldn’t
have said that.” you know, like you’re
slating an audition and you go, “Yeah,
so I’m really happy to do this audition
for you because I really like this
project uh subject matter and I’m good
at it and and you know, my dad used to
be a part of this industry and so it
makes me remember I remember my dad.
He’s not with us anymore, but you know,
we we sometimes like lose the limit,
right? We lose the ability to understand
the appropriate level reading the room
as as people often say. What do you
think about that?” Do you ever find
yourself going I shouldn’t have said
that or maybe I should have said more or
who knows? But I’d love to know what
your thoughts are on this. And if you
feel joy when somebody says, “Wow, it’s
so great to work with you. You’re you’re
just like you don’t push, you’re not
you’re not clingy, you’re not needy,
you’re take you take care of me, but you
don’t take care of me in a way that
makes me feel weird.” Like what is that?
What What do you think onvohes.com?
Comments below. Let me know what’s going
on. Same for writers. when you submit
something, you know, and there’s an
opportunity to write a note about your
submission, do you start writing again?
Anyway, let me know in the comments
below. And if you like what you’re
hearing in these episodes, especially
this one, click the like button, hit it
hard, uh, subscribe to the channel, hit
the notification bell, and you’ll find
out when the next episode comes out.
Share this with another actor or writer
or voice talent that could use it. I’d
love it if you did that. I’m David H.
Lawrence, the 17th. I thank you so much
for watching and for listening and I
will see you in the next episode of the
VO Heroes podcast.

(from YouTube)