Fair journalists know there is no “good” news or “bad” news. There is just NEWS. What makes it good or bad is how it is perceived by each person who receives it.
Same with this pandemic. It’s tragic for those who have lost a loved one, and for Wall Street investors. But it’s a boon to the owners of Zoom.us and news organizations.
Which begs the question; How will voice-actors fare in this equation?
More than a few of us VO freelancers have noted with a wry smile those new converts to the challenges of home studio voice work.
All of the sudden, there’s a booming interest in Source-Connect and ipDTL. How much does it cost? How do I install it? How is it properly used?
A healthy number of LA and NYC-based agents and producers are abruptly in the hunt for home-based voice talent with studio-quality equipment. Hastily-prepared lists of such talent are being shared among those who have relied on their talent coming INTO their studio.
Guess what? Home-based voice actors have been doing this for over a decade, and doing it so well, that now it easily takes the place of the so-called “professional” studio.
Some production studios may never go back to the “old” way of doing things when they realize the ease of workflow, and the caliber of talent with this distance-recording arrangement.
Similarly, I suspect COVID-19 will be the nail-in-the-coffin for print newspapers, many retail stores, business trips, maybe even Washington D.C. power-lobbying.
Not good or bad. Just the result of change.
In the time of COVID-19 , where will your marketing strategy find it's best expression? Click To Tweet
What I hate most about the effect of COVID-19? The fact that you won’t see an image like the one above for a while. This virus intrinsically makes you suspect each person you physically encounter. No handshakes. No hugs. No close proximity. Those cities where this is de rigueur are suffering the most. Like NYC. How can you have 8-million people jostling within 205-thousand acres, and NOT get the spread of disease? There are other factors, of course, but without thinking, we are now even MORE mistrusting of the person next to us.
Some are saying there is new and overflowing opportunity for voice-actors in this time. Others are noticing a distinct and quick downturn in work. Then there’s the question of how quickly current outstanding invoices will be paid. Others worry about appearing inappropriate in marketing to a client base that is also in financial straits.
I’m sure you email inbox has been crowded as mine with well-meaning outreach from corporations of all sizes trying to seem caring and empathetic while they try to sell you something. I noticed two of the Big-3 car companies offering 84-month financing for a new car. SEVEN YEARS? Most of their cars won’t last that long!!!
Still others are offering legitimate discounts, grace with delayed payments, and free offers.
In the time of COVID-19 , where will your marketing strategy find it’s best expression?
CourVO
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