Listening is such a key to success in the voice over business, whether following labeling instructions from an agent or direction from a client. My good friend and agent, Erik Sheppard will not even listen to an audition if the the talent hasn’t labeled the audition according to his instruction. When we don’t listen, we are creating more work for the other person. Not listening to a client or an agent can be toxic toward your career. People want to work with talent who can follow instructions.
This is also very important when training with a voice-over coach. The coach is there to take you to the next level. Really, this applies to any coaching, schooling, etc. If we don’t listen to their instruction, we are wasting our time and not getting the most of it.
In this crazy world of so many gadgets, multi-tasking, pushing to do more, it can be hard to focus and things we communicate look fuzzy. Especially, if one chooses to only communicate via e-mail. The tone can easily get lost in the message. If you are unsure of what to do, don’t assume what you DO know is good enough. Ask the questions. Pick up the phone and call your agent or client.
A small thing that can make a huge difference in the multi-tasking area is to stay off the Internet and email while on the phone. Many of us are guilty of this. Thinking that looking at that email will just take a second and we can do both. But we can’t. That is when we miss very important information.
So let’s try to bring things back into focus. Take time to listen and don’t be doing two things at once or thinking about the next thing you’re going to say. A clear view so we can communicate more effectively.
“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” ~Robert McCloskey
So true! We who teach certainly know this, Terry, as we all say “Amen!” And when students pay us coaches for instruction and don’t listen…well how out of touch is that? So often, I follow up with a former student, concerned about their progress or career moves, only to find out they have done practically nothing I’ve suggested. Many times, it’s that they ‘forgot’ or ‘didn’t understand.’ I often use the teaching method of “three.” It’s often called ‘the rule of three’ and I learned this in education courses in my post-graduate work: Say something to students three times. Repeat yourself. It often takes three times for people to hear clearly or understand.” Try it not only in your classes but in life! And hey…try to start listening better everybody, me included!!!!! I always tell my students I probably learn more from them than they learn from me!
Terry,
You speak the words of ‘gold’ … no matter how many times one hears & reads “follow instructions”…it’s never enough! As humans we learn through repetition. Thank you for putting it out there again!
Great article, Terry. Your guidance related to focus is applicable across the professional board! As a relatively new voiceover actor, I’ve actually experienced too much focus in coaching sessions… There have been instances in which I’ve become so myopic about nailing one piece of direction that my coach has to repeat another a couple of times. It’s a rare occurrence but quite embarrassing nonetheless. I’ve learned that the key to that scenario is trusting myself to take direction and run with it.
The wisdom cited in these written words is a key component to the essence of life. It is valuable in every business arrangement that we enter. The main reason that we fail in life is that we fail to keep appointments and agreements. If we don’t hear or understand them, then we certainly can’t keep them.
So true, and it works both ways. I can’t count the number of times I’ve responded to audition requests and have said, “here is the link to my demos. Please click to listen.” (assuming of course, they haven’t specifically requested a sample be sent), and received an email in response saying something along the lines of, “thank you for your email. Do you have a demo I could listen to?”
Just curious, what does Erik Sheppard say about someone who sends something labelled incorrectly, but then sends it in again, labelled properly? I had a backwards moment where I labelled my file with the right info, but in the wrong order and I realized it exactly at the moment I hit “send.” I bill myself as being very accurate, and I felt too much of a moron to send it again, labelled correctly.
So true anyone who cant take direction needs to move on. If they dont listen then change their ways.
Hi Terry,
Excellent advice, however as a new person coming into this profession, it would certainly help if better instructions were provided.
With auditions I have been involved with, the instructions many times are not really clear and all right for those of you who are the long time pro’s, you know exactly what to do, but for those of us who are new and just starting out, it is not that clear.
This means, from what you have shared, most likely all or many of my auditions have been booted out the door because of following the instructions. What if you are following them to the best of your ability again based on what you believe your suppose to do and it is still wrong. This then says according to what you are sharing and it is good I really appreciate and like it, that my audition will never be heard and what if, what if I am that right voice they were looking for, it says to me I will never have the chance or know because I was removed immediately.
I have asked several times for help exactly with a better explanation of instructions that are given and have not received answers because we are not to contact the individuals requesting auditions, just send them in.
Please if you have anything thing on this subject that you could actually display or show, examples of an audition and exactly what you are suppose to place in what I often times see as the description of what ou are suppose to put on the site you are providing your audition for can be Name the MP3: Joy_FirstLastname.mp3.
So just exactly how am I suppose to fill this out. Do I put Joy_JohnDoe_.mp3, or do I put Joy JohnDoe.mp3, The other concern, what if what the commercial say if that is what this is you are auditioning for, doesn’t really have a correct selection of choices already in a pre-selected choice exactly what it is. There might be four or five choices, but what if none of them really seem to suit that choice for commercial nor do any of the many other types again in the drop down list to select from fit the choice. Are you going to eliminate yourself again because you didn’t select the correct Commercial choice. I sort of think so after reading your article.
I believe all who are striving to do things right in Voice Over work always want to do it correctly but if the instructions are really not clear then how can you comply.
Thanks, Love these lessons, they are really helpful
Noel
I not sure how many time I need to read this blog. It’s importance is seriously noteworthy to me and I am sure to many others.
Low level listening skills are as poisonous to a career as snake venom is to humans. And as for me, I’m not willing to get bit any more.
Thanks for the reminder.
Andy
some very good thoughts
Wow! How true it is. Ever try having an important conversation in a crowd? “What did you say?!?!”