Why your VO demo isn't working in 2021 - The reason may surprise you!

Is your voiceover demo not working for you? Are you not booking any work from your VO demo? There are several possible reasons for that. In this episode of the Gift of Gab, Gabby gives you a no BS look into why your demo may be falling flat.

Why your VO demo isn't working in 2021 - The reason may surprise you! - 5:04

Hey guys, do you have questions about your voiceover demo? Are you not sure if it's working the way you want it to? Today we're going to discuss that - stick around.

Hey guys, it's Gabby. In today's episode of The Gift of Gab we're gonna talk about your voiceover demo and maybe... why it's not working. Here's the deal. Don't panic. Literally - got my trusty panic button right here, don't panic. Instead of hitting the panic button, I want you to hit the like or subscribe button if you like the stuff I'm putting out.

There are a handful of reasons why your demo might not be working the way you want it to. Number one: did you make it yourself? Unfortunately, that is usually a big, BIG factor in whether or not a demo is gonna get the kind of traction that you're hoping for. Honestly, most people who self-produce demos are just kind of guessing at what the demo should be and should entail, and they don't really know and understand enough about the marketability of a voiceover demo to be able to create a quality product.

Another possibility is that someone else made it, but it was made in a very short period of time, where you had very little preparation - like a four hour workshop, where you literally left with the demo in your hand or it was emailed to you on the spot. There's not a lot of prep, nor a lot of customization that likely went into that process. So that could be why your demo's failing you. Another possibility is that somebody else made the demo but it wasn't fully customized to you. They didn't really take the time to get to know you as a performer and to get to understand not only what makes you marketable and what makes you a sellable commodity in this industry. They didn't really take the time to figure out all of the best processes, script, production, elements, that are going to highlight your skills, and the things that are gonna get you booked.

Another possibility is that your performances are kind of one-dimensional. Maybe everything else about the demo was created well, but if your performances are all 1D, as opposed to 2D or 3D, you're gonna have a really hard time getting booked, and that's usually an indicator that you need a bit more training and you need some coaching. Typically, a one-dimensional actor is going to be somebody who really just... sort of sounds like they're reading from the piece of paper, or really adhering to the script, as opposed to the words being their own, and certainly if there's any physicality to the script, it's probably really, really lacking and not coming through.

Another possibility is the demo is kind of made up of content that really isn't relevant. It's sort of Demo 101 - the things that you put out to act as a sample of the work that you can do have to be relevant to current buyers. It has to be the sort of thing the people who are casting for voice talent actually are seeking in that moment, If the material's not relevant to the buyer then it really won't do you a whole lotta good.

A quick example: I'm a radio imaging actor and I've done radio imaging work for many, many years. Years ago when I was just getting started, because I didn't know any better. I sent my radio imaging demo to commercial buyers, to advertising agencies. Well, of course, it didn't get me anywhere. Wrong demo, wrong audience.

Lastly, make sure your demo isn't dated. A dated demo just shows that you're not really current, you're not really part of the scene now, today, in what's happening - and that's kind of a big deal. So if there are pieces on your demo that are literally dated, there's a year that's mentioned, that's got to go. If your demo has old content, companies that are out of business, stores that no longer exist, same thing. It just kind of tells somebody that you're not really part of the scene in today's day and age.

Remember, as I said before, don't panic. If you need some help with your demo, I'm here. There are a bunch of different ways you can reach out to me: on my website, through the YouTube channel, on social media... take your pick.

Thanks for watching guys, I hope this video is helpful. If you wanna know more about demos, I've got this video on demo don'ts, which can be very helpful, and of course if you're still relatively new and kind of researching the process, I invite you to check out my More VO Less BS video that teaches you all the basics of how to get into voiceover and make a career out of this. Thanks so much!

704-674-8294 / GabrielleNistico.com / gabby@voiceovervixen.com

Gabrielle Nistico, Gabby Nistico, The Voiceover Vixen, The Business First VO Coach, #VoiceoverVixen #VoiceOnFire #BusinessFirstVOCoach Voiceover, Charlotte, North Carolina, Voiceover Demo, Voiceover Coaching Advice, What Not To Do, Working Actors, Los Angeles, New York, Animation Voiceover, How to Be a Better Voice Actor, voiceover coaching, YouTube Channel, Voice Acting Coach, Voice Acting Coach Near Me, Where to find Voice Over Coach, Where to Find Voice Acting Coach, Voiceover Demo Producer, Voiceover Demo