Chris McGinnis’ Post

Even MORE proof of how important your reel and submission videos are. If you’ve not been successful at booking jobs this way, you’ve got two options: 1 - Keep doing the same thing and hoping for a different result 2 - Do what casting directors and creative teams say to do (after all, they’re the ones making the hiring decisions) I’ve put all of these do’s and don’ts together in a downloadable guide for you, along with an outline of what sections your reel needs and in what order they should be in. The guide is called Reels That Seal the Deal and it covers acting, vocal, dance, and choreo reels. 📲 Just go to JimCooney.me/reel-guide to grab a copy!

🌼 You don't know what you don't know...until you do! Agree? Another great session with my NYC commercial voice over acting coach, John McKinney. John was a commercial copywriter and casting director for major brands for years. He's currently casting actors and voice actors for commercials AND, fortunately for me, he's also taking on a few coaching clients. https://lnkd.in/e3NtuJQJ In this clip, we've been working on an Almay script and I've finally gotten it where it needs to be (for the most part-it can ALWAYS be better). Beauty is a subgenre of Commercial voice over (which my voice generally is a perfect fit for), but your voice alone is never enough to book a job in this highly competitive market. You know, I've worked with several commercial coaches over the years, but the thing about John (which we actually laugh together about but that's so so useful/helpful), is that he goes to the "Micro Dust" level—picking apart every nuance, every feeling, every layer of every word, phrase, and line. Why? Because the feeling, the mood, the nuance, the layer upon layer of the concept and script MUST be conveyed for it to all come together the way the client, creative team, and copywriters intended when they wrote it. My goal is not just to be booking work, but to be in the top 10% of commercial voice actors. I used to think I knew well enough what I was doing. After all, I was booking work with some great clients. Clearly, a dose of humility and a reality check was needed. (It's good to be confident, but that needs to be balanced with humility.) Now I realize it's like everything else we do...there's always more to learn. And, You don't know what you don't know... Until you do! 🌼❣️ Want my voice your next project? Contact me for a custom audition and/or rates! #audioproduction #commercial #medicalnarration #corporatenarration #elearning #voiceover

Negotiating for Your Corporate Video Every business owner knows you must spend money to make money. Yet, when it comes to producing a #corporate video, the most frequent objection I hear: “I just don’t have the budget.” I get it! While my crew needs to earn a living, I still network with freelancers to hire the best talent a client’s money can buy. When I ask about day rates, freelance videographers say, “Between $1,500 and $4,000 per day, including my gear.” Around $1,500 is a normal professional rate. Add in a sound engineer, producer, gaffer, animation and post-production, and you’re spending some big bucks. Of course, it's worth it. If you want quality, expect to pay for expertise. What many business owners don’t know, especially in the #nonprofit sector, is that a well-produced corporate #video does not have to break the bank. There’s usually more to my chats with video crews, and it sounds like this, “But if I care about a project and it’s going help someone succeed, I’m willing to adjust my rate.” Talented crew never want to feel under-valued. As a producer, nor do I. But you can negotiate. And a good producer can help to make it work within your budget. Here's a few tips to help you negotiate a fair price you can afford. 1)        Know the scope of your project. What is the video's purpose? What length will resonate with your target audience? How many shoot locations? If on a tight budget, limit to one or two. 2)        Tell the producer exactly what you envision. Then, ask the producer to verbally relay it back to you, so you know you were heard. 3)        Invite the producer to visit the shoot location(s) for taking cell-phone video and pictures. The producer will share them with the production team. 4)        Be upfront! Offer a cost range with a solid cap. When a production team meets to discuss your project and capabilities, they can get creative to figure alternative ways to capture the images you desire within your budget. You’d be amazed at many pros can do for you. 5)        Shop around! You have many production houses to choose from. 6)        Don’t feel intimidated by elitists. I recently visited a production company’s website that boasts they don’t hire recent college graduates. That’s too bad. As a long-time college media professor, most recently at Appalachian State University and Kansas State University, I’ve come across students who do amazing work. When I took on a Columbia College Chicago intern for my #PedalAmerica TV series, we made him our third camera unit after one episode. When watching the show on PBS, nobody could tell the difference between his work and my Emmy-award winning professionals. Remember, nobody knows your #business and capabilities, and your story, better than you. You’ll know when you’ve hired the right producer and crew. They’ll work with you every step of the way! Ira David President, Out-Write Media Executive Producer and Host, Pedal America https://lnkd.in/ga2zSkwZ

According to Motoki et al. (2019), The tone and pitch of your advertisement's voiceover affect targetted customers' perception toward your brand or products. It means that voiceover impacts the effectiveness of commercials. Hence, it is important to hire a professional and experienced voiceover artist who will go beyond telling a story. At It's My Voice, we empower your story with voiceover. Tell us what you need at www.itsmyvoice.com.au. Source: Motoki, K., Saito, T., Nouchi, R., Kawashima, R., & Sugiura, M. (2019). A sweet voice: The influence of cross-modal correspondences between taste and vocal pitch on advertising effectiveness. Multisensory research, 32(4-5), 401-427.

It always feels so weird to start off these posts, because almost everyone on the platform knows that it's going to read as a #sales type of post, but what am I to do? Everyone is doing it. 😅 C'mon, let's not be silly about this. You work on projects that require #voice talent, and you already know the whole rigmarole from talent who can turn it around fast, do it for low cost, and make it sound like it came from a hundred thousand dollar studio, right? There aren't many selling points when it comes to #voiceactors and trying to offer a unique value to their service, but if #testimonials from past clients could say anything about how the process was to work with me, I'm more than certain that you'd find your experience to be fantastic. Take it from Max Watson from the City of Rock Hill, SC... “C.J. is exactly what you should expect in a voice artist and much more. From his exceptional customer service and attention to detail to his lightning fast completion and follow up, C.J. really delivers ... not to mention, a great voice! I’m very thankful to have C.J.’s talents as a part of our productions.” Let's work together on your next big #video, #eLearning, #explainer, or #corporate project, and you'll be as happy as Max was. 😄 #videoproduction #instructionaldesign #marketingagency #brandvideo #elearningdeveloper #creativedirector #advertisingagency ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 🎙 Looking for a trusting voiceover artist to Elevate Your Brand and Leave an Impression? 🎙 Feel free to send over a DM or check out my featured work on my profile.

The Risks of Voicing Your Own Commercials: A Cautionary Perspective Crafting a compelling commercial is vital for brand recognition, but voicing it yourself can pose challenges. Here's why: 1. Lack of Professionalism: Unless you're trained in voice acting or broadcasting, your delivery may lack polish, risking credibility. 2. Limited Vocal Range: Professional voice actors can adapt to different tones and characters, while you might be confined by your vocal abilities, resulting in monotony. 3. Biased Perspective: Over-investment in your brand can make your enthusiasm seem insincere, and you might overlook weaknesses, lacking objectivity. 4. Time and Resources: Creating a professional-quality commercial demands scriptwriting, sound engineering, and editing, consuming valuable resources and time. 5. Missed Opportunities: By voicing your own commercials, you might miss collaborating with professionals who bring fresh ideas and access to better production facilities. In conclusion, while voicing your own commercials might seem appealing, it's crucial to consider the risks. Investing in professional voice talent and production services can enhance brand perception and drive better results. Remember, professionalism and effectiveness should always be top priorities in advertising.

200 applications. 0 agent responses. 0 jobs. That was the first 8 years of my voice acting journey. Despite having a 'nice voice' and being a classically trained actor, I just assumed it was never meant to be. Today, it's quite different: - I've voiced campaigns for BMW, Google & Warner Bros. - Nominated best male VO x 6 years consecutively. - I have 500,000 followers across social. - With over 100 satisfied clients. But surprise!  It's not been easy. 😅 My biggest lesson? To control the controllables. And not sweat the rest. There's no 'right way' to voice act. There's no 'right way' to market. There's no 'right way' to work. The quickest way of finding out what 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 work for you, is to dive straight in and learn first hand. I've found my own balance that seems to be working okay and I share my insights freely. But I never landed on the solution first time: I lost money. I wasted time. I broke promises to myself. That's just the reality of running a business. All the truly successful people you see on your feed? They've got good at making mistakes fast and often. It's tough out there. But if you ask me about my 'why'... I've got a slave driving cat to feed 🤷♂️ You need no other explanation. ----------------------------- 🎙 Need an assured, relatable voiceover? 🎙 Connect, DM me or check out my website link. 🎙 Schedule a virtual coffee about VO: https://lnkd.in/edi8UpkY 🔹 Check out my monthly newsletter 'Lend Me Your Ears', covering performance and voice: https://lnkd.in/eV3eu_V5 🔹

People love to do it themselves. Some things, that is. But there are certain things that really should be left to a professional, including voiceover. I had some fun and created a spec ad focusing on the pitfalls of not hiring a professional voice talent. Enjoy! #voiceover #advertising

You know it's a good day when you're editing clips for our Talent Acquisition Team! Well done Kriss Ford for providing the footage and of course the voiceover (a couple of takes and he smashed it) 🎙 If you want to support and develop a successful recruitment team speak to Josefine Pope today 📧 #contentmarketing #digitalmarkteting #video #videomarketing #influencermarketing 😂

Beyond the voice. What you get from me beside me speaking out loud... 1️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 Checking your script is grammatically correct and fits the allotted time. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 Ensuring your script flows naturally and communicates succinctly. 3️⃣ 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 Ensuring the tone of voice creates the right relationship with your audience. 4️⃣ 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 Giving your message a rounded characterisation so that it feels like HUMAN communication. 5️⃣ 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 Want to ensure the voice will fit with the music and footage you might be using on the fly?  No voice exists in isolation, so I take that as part of my responsibility when necessary. Yes - most of these details 𝘚𝘏𝘖𝘜𝘓𝘋 be covered by other members of a creative team. But 𝘚𝘏𝘖𝘜𝘓𝘋 doesn't always happen. So it's best to be prepared. When you hire a voice actor, you want someone who has a vested interest in making the recording as good as possible, not just a clock watcher. That doesn't mean I'll vomit feedback at you that you never asked for. But if I see a potential hiccup, I'll highlight it and get it addressed. Not just wait for my bit to be over. What one thing do you do to go beyond in your work? #voiceover #voiceactor #mediaproduction #corporatevideo ------------------ 🎙 Need an assured, relatable voiceover? 🎙 Connect, DM me or check out my website link. 🎙 Schedule a virtual coffee about VO? https://lnkd.in/edi8UpkY 🔹 Check out my newsletter 'Lend Me Your Ears', covering acting/voice/media every week: https://lnkd.in/eV3eu_V5 🔹