13228: Is It Easier To Book An Audiobook Job Than Other Acting Gigs?
Hey there, hero!
If you’re a professional, acting can take all kinds of forms.
TV. Film. Stage. Commercials. Digital. VO. Audiobooks. And so much more.
But the rarity of on-camera work is even more pronounced now than it has been in the past.
The numbers are very different in some categories than in others. Like, say, audiobooks.
Lots more opportunity than in any mainstream on-camera work.
But the numbers are, even in audiobooks, nuanced by your engagement and your acting ability and your mad skills in showing that off.
If where you engage your acting skills are at least the same level of engagement you place your technical skills, you’re going to move the needle in your favor.
It’s a reminder and a significant difference.
Do you keep in mind to focus on the acting part as well as the tech and the project management? Does that move the numbers for you? Let me know in the comments below.
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Want to be a better VO talent, actor or author? Here’s how I can help you…
- …become a VO talent (or a more successful one):
- …become an audiobook narrator on ACX (if you’re an actor or VO talent):
- …narrate your own book (if you’re an author):
- …have the most effective pop filter (especially for VO talent):
- …be off-book faster for on-camera auditions and work (memorize your lines):
- …master beautiful audiobook and podcast audio in one drag and drop move on your Mac:
Raw transcript:
Raw transcript:
i just did a session with uh one of my
peers on audiobooks she had me on to
talk about ACX and audiobooks and all
that sort of thing and a question came
up from one of the attendees that I
wanted to answer truthfully and deeply
during the session but didn’t have that
much time to do it and that is how much
more likely is it that we will book an
audio book than we will book an on
camera or television or commercial job
as an actor and I’m going to answer that
question when we come back in this
episode of the VO Heroes podcast
[Music]
so one of the questions I just got asked
in a session that I just did on
audiobooks and ACX and Audible and all
that stuff was how much more likely is
it to get booked on a job for an audio
book than it is for a job in television
in film etc and this was a group of
actors who were uh part of uh my
friend’s tribe because they are on
camera actors and there is a huge
leapover between on camera acting and
audiobooks because of the acting
involved in
audiobooks but the numbers is what I
think she was talking about it is
extraordinarily difficult for most
actors to get a job on television or in
film there’s just that’s just the the
the God’s honest truth right uh and when
you do get those
jobs you are thrilled to death that you
were booked as waitress or hot dog
vendor number two or jury foreman and
you treat those with the same reverence
that you would any other paid job in
acting which is great which is what we
do as actors um but when it comes to
audiobooks there’s a couple of number
things that are going on first of all
the number of roles that are available
for on camera uh that aren’t series
regular roles aren’t top of show
celebrity guest star roles things like
that few and far between and not so much
this past few years because of external
environmental forces the number of
available jobs in audiobooks there’s an
extra zero on the end of it and far
fewer people who are really good at the
work going after those jobs and I’m
talking specifically about
ACX and also with the big five with
other platforms with producers with
production houses etc
but I want to be
careful that that isn’t the simple
answer because the more complex answer
is not only there are more opportunities
and fewer people going after them but
those fewer people are they
engaged have they gotten good training
do they manage if they’re doing work on
ACX or any of the other production
platforms understand how to deal with
the rights holders of those projects do
they know how to take care of them do
they know how to manage the the project
and do the production and do the
technical side of things so the real
answer there is it
depends and what it depends on is your
engagement it depends on have you said
to yourself I don’t really care about
the the technical side of things i don’t
really care about the proofing i’m going
to farm that out i don’t care about the
technical side i’m going to farm that
out listen if you’ve got that much work
that you have to do that that’s great
but understanding that process really
helps i’ve got more than enough work and
I still like doing the production i
still like doing the editing the
recording the mastering the proofing i
love using Positron love engaging with
my rights holder and making sure that
they are served making suggestions about
the audiobook bookification of the
manuscript so that the listener is
satisfied i love being engaged and if
you are
engaged that is not going to do anything
but up your game up your chances of
being booked of having raving lunatic
fans who tell other rights holders about
how good you are references referrals
engagement is the key the numbers are in
your favor compared to on camera but
engagement is the key and you often
don’t have the ability to be
engaged other than you know being nice
on set being helpful not being
obsequious
uh not being difficult um you know there
there’s more opportunity in the world of
audiobooks to exhibit your engagement
and it’s also the engagement in
gathering knowledge and experience and
uh knowhow when it comes to producing
that book for performance for production
for the technical side of things for
marketing for showing up for your rights
holder when their book comes out and
maybe doing events with them there’s all
these opportunities that’s where the
difference really lies that’s the sweet
spot so the answer is yes it depends and
it depends on your engagement
what do you think about all this are you
engaged do you just want to read the
book and move on to the next one is that
where you are is that what you know is
that what works for you or are you
really like just roots deep into the
notion of serving your rights holder
serving your publisher serving your
production tell me in the comments below
if you’re on vherooes.com great if
you’re not get over to
vherooes.com go below this uh this uh
podcast episode and leave your comment
there start the discussion it’s sane
it’s calm it’s
respectful you can also hit the like
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and you can be told when the next
episode comes out you can even share
this with uh an actor or a voice talent
who needs to hear this whole notion of
engagement i’d love for you to do 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
[Music]
(from YouTube)
I am currently working on a young adult fantasy book with an RH that found me on ACX.
I am having the time of my life. We are working closely together to create the first audiobook for her (she has 17 books published in this series) I find I have great joy creating all the different characters and voices. As my own director, I am very demanding. It is a perfect opportunity to dig into characters, find what makes each one tick, what they are fighting for, etc. I have always loved rehearsals as the most creative part of the process. I never thought I could do multiple characters at one time, let alone accents. Being a part of VO Heroes, having the courage to try all the things I always pushed to the back burner, makes all the difference in my work and my life now. Thank you, David for opening the door so I could find me again.
I am totally engaged in the process.
Wow, great answer!
I do radio shows as a volunteer at our local radio station, KTRT 97.5 in Winthrop, WA. Each show has as its center a story, part of a serialized novel, etc. My dream is to progress from the volunteer state (which I totally love doing) on to being able to do it and be paid. As a child, I was hellbent on being an actor. It hasn’t turned out that way, yet. The appeal of volunteer work is that I, I alone, decide what I’m going to read. I read voraciously, but very few stories make it to my show. There needs to be some wicked irony, or driving suspense, maybe some wistfulness, or travel to a fascinating era. Yes, I’ve attended workshops, gone through the audiobook adventures program etc. I’m not saying they haven’t been worthwhile, on the contrary. I learned about various types of microphones, how to create a sound booth when space is limited, the difference between presenting vs. connecting with the material. What I lack is that reach-out skills that’s so important. I probably suffer from the “imposter” and all the other nonproductive symptoms that hold you back. To whom do you write–the executive director, the senior producer, the production manager, the… Yeah, any other titles to consider? Not sure I qualify as a voiceover hero, but thanks for the good episodes.
Here’s my 2¢
Acting is a unique business—I feel more responsibility falls upon an actor than does any other worker in any other business. This is partly because an actor is an independent entrepreneur, but mostly because they are sole proprietors. When the subject of employment possibilities arises, there is much to compare with other jobs but much that doesn’t.
David I agree with everything you said, it is good, solid advice for all actors to keep front of mind. I would like to add one other variable to the equation—compensation. While it is a rare thing for a screen or stage actor to find out at job’s end they will be paid nothing—it’s not so much with audiobook Production/Narration.
Having produced dozens of audiobooks, one or two that cost me and two or three that haven’t paid my Starbuck’s bill, I know of what I speak.
So it’s incumbent for me to advise nascent narrators, while you are solving David’s deft equations, to understand that talent alone will not bend them to your most heartfelt desires. Become an accomplished ACX Master Classman or a VOHero and turn what can be daunting odds in your favor.
It takes a lot of talent to do all those character voices, and a lot of engagement for the reasons you mentioned.