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CAREER How Might The COVID-19 Coronavirus Affect Your Voice Over Business? March 2, 2020  By J. Michael CollinsVoice Actor, Coach, Producer By
now, unless you live in a cave inside of another cave or in an entirely
different solar system, you have seen and heard plenty about the
COVID-19 coronavirus. The
media, as usual, is playing up the drama for ratings and viewer
numbers, and the world's politicians seem to have their heads
collectively planted in the usual orifice. Right now, many voice actors are asking, "How will this affect me?"
It's
not an easy question to answer, but let's talk facts. THE VIRUS IS COMING First of all, the
toothpaste is out of the tube. Whatever your local officials may tell
you, this virus is coming to your town, and soon. While the tragedy of
those who are losing their lives to COVID-19 should never be minimized,
it's important to realize that this isn't Ebola. It's not a common cold,
either, but it's a very close genetic relative of the common cold that
happens to cause severe illness most often in the elderly or already
infirm. Panic is not warranted. Smart planning is. What does this mean for us as voice actors?
Chances
are this will not have a significant impact on our business. While the
economy is correcting itself at the moment to reflect the temporary
production disruption the virus will cause, the world isn't going to
shut down over something with a mortality rate of 2%. Moreover, from the
perspective of corporations, the economy has been red hot. For a time,
it may cool to a steadier place, but it will not collapse. DEMAND FOR VOICE OVER Demand for
our services is likely to remain the same, and there is likely to be
more demand for talent who have broadcast-quality home studios with
great connectivity, while storefront studios may see a bit of a
temporary downturn. For non-broadcast narrators, COVID-19 will spawn more actual work:
Indeed, Commercial
VOs may see quite a few new opportunities for government-commissioned
PSA work, and for products and services geared towards mitigating the
effects of the virus. LET'S NOT PANIC We
should all be prepared to pay extra attention to our hygiene practices
and general cleanliness, but with conference season about to swing into
full gear, now is not the time to panic and abandon your plans. Inevitably, this virus will find its way to all corners of the Earth. We
have to learn to live with it, and go about our lives. So, when you
come to VO Atlanta or the One Voice Conference or Camp VO, maybe keep
the handshakes and hugs to a minimum. I probably won't be very good at
that because I'm the human equivalent of a golden retriever, but this
year it's probably smart. If you're sick, wear a mask. If you're not,
don't. And we'll all be a little more attentive about using sanitary
wipes on mics and copy stands and headphones. But come, join us, and have fun. Besides, think of all the free coaching you'll get if we wind up in quarantine! Barring
any massive changes to the nature of this disease, the vast majority of
us will be just fine. Business will continue as usual, and life will go
on. Don't let the alarmists get in your head - they have an agenda
based on getting eyeballs on their content. Be smart. Relax, and get
back to work. Editor's Note: Protective Measures from the World Health Organization. --------------------------- ABOUT J. MICHAEL In more than 20 years as a professional voice actor, J. Michael Collins has worked with many of the world's largest companies, brands, sports leagues and organizations - in both the classic agency-based VO world and online casting marketplace, where he has become a leading authority. He is also recognized as an industry-leading voice over coach and award-winning demo producer, and is a multi-time Voice Arts Award nominee and winner as voice actor, demo producer, script writer and casting director. Email: jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com Web: www.jmcvoiceover.com CLICK HERE FOR MORE HELPFUL VOICE-OVER CAREER ARTICLES |
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Now is an excellent time to RESEARCH a voice over career, as your resources abound. Check out the free articles on VoiceOverXtra - especially the FOR NEWCOMERS section here: https://www.voiceoverxtra.com/newcomers.htm. Then get in touch with a credible coach to evaluate your potential and begin online lessons with a variety of coaches. After a while you'll get a feel for acting at the microphone.Of course, becoming successful as a voice actor AND a business person is required. But do start your journey now!