There is no VoiceOver University. There’s not one single higher learning institution with a curriculum major that results in a VoiceOver Bachelor’s Degree…to my knowledge.
That’s why there’s the Nancy Wolfsons and Pat Fraleys and Marice Tobias’ of the world. They — and many like them — constitute the College-Level VO Curriculum. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of pop-up “schools” and “learning studios” and shysters, and indiscriminate hucksters, predatory coaches, demo “mills” and VO programs where newbs with stars in their eyes get taken.
When you start out in this business, the dollars are typically tight. You need someone with all the right promises, AND the right dollar figure. Apparently there is no limit to the promises and the dollars unscrupulous “coaches” are willing to make off the backs of innocent believers-in-the-dream.
I’m not going to name names. I’m not even going to name the name of the person who named names. But I can tell you that the following thread of 3 emails did indeed get sent out to a prospective student of a so-called “VO School” making big promises (and hopefully big bucks) from a newbie who really doesn’t understand yet.
EMAIL #1
(friendly and inviting)
EMAIL #2
Call me crazy, but I’m a little surprised you still haven’t taken me up on this:
(name of their can’t-miss, hurry-up-and-pay formula for success!) (link)
If you really want to get started in voice-overs (and I’m guessing you do or you wouldn’t have even visited my site), then this is the ideal first step.
Remember, not only will it get you the information you need to get started, but it will also give you the momentum you desperately need to achieve success as a voice-over artist.
So DO IT NOW before it gets lost in the shuffle of life.
Talk soon,
XXXXX
EMAIL #3
This is it… I’m done talking to you about this:
Register here (link)
For the last few days I’ve been encouraging you to get in while you can, but now time is up. After today, you won’t hear me talking about it any longer.
So this is your last chance.
Get in now, or risk missing out completely:
Take this 2 hour industry overview and voice evaluation. (link)
All the best,
xxxxx
[email protected]
P.S. Remember, not only will it get you insider information, but it will also give you the momentum you desperately need to achieve your dreams of becoming a voice-over artist.
Get off the fence and get started NOW:
(name of their can’t-miss, hurry-up-and-pay formula for success!) (link)
_______________
So there you go…that’s the kind of shenanigans going on out there passing for VO education. Would a reputable coach resort to such language? No. Only the desperate or inept.
Now…I know it’d be easy to say…“Hey!…I got mine! I’ve paid my dues, and I’m on my way!” It would be easy to turn your back on the victims of these kind of empty promises. But you can’t. Every person who ignores this kind of deceit becomes a contributor to the dark side of our business. We’re all sullied and cheapened in the process.
And it doesn’t take much to fight it. For every person who comes to you with noob questions…steer them away from the rotten apples. Give them an honest answer instead of letting them fall prey to a weekend demo session. We all know it’s a marathon to VO success, not a sprint. Some may not want to listen, and maybe they deserve to get burned (once).
I don’t think I’m crazy or Mr. Goody-two-shoes in making this appeal. You might convict me and others of wanting to take the high ground, and lift our profession — Bachelor’s Degree or no — beyond a fledgling field of freelancers fighting for crumbs. We’ve gotta be better than that. (There are organizations fighting for this ideal).
Dave Courvoisier
