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Marketing: How NOT To Get An
Agent … Actual Email Transcript
 
By Roger King
Voice-Over Agent
Performance Network Agency

The following is the actual transcript of a recent exchange between me and an aspiring voice talent.
 
See if you can spot the point at which I decide not to represent him ...
 
To: PN Agency
Received: 12:18 PM
 
Hi, I'm looking for an agent/manager. I've hosted/produced a radio show for a year, and currently help in the production of a daytime show, and am contracted as a promotional model.
 
I'm looking for more work, and a manager and/or agent. I can do voice, commercial, modeling, extra, etc.
 
I am also a music maker, dj, and certified hypnotist.
 
From: Roger King
Sent: 3:08 PM

I would need to hear a voice demo. Thank you. Roger King
 
To: PN Agency
Sent: 6:23 PM
 
I do some singing etc … I can try for my voice for whatever you'd like. I'm a voice artist in that way. Eg. I can do a bad british accent, bad foreign accent, anything really I have a huge voice range.
 
I'll send you some link to some of my song drafts ... skim through them for the vocal parts. This isn't all my vocal materials BUT I
can do an accent regardless my tone can range I can deep voice high voice etc ... all I need is some voice samples and chances are I can mimic it. (9 file links attached)
 
From: Roger King
Sent:  6:32 PM

Thanks for the links but I don't really have the time to go through all that, plus we don't really get calls for vocalists. You would need to have an actual voice demo, about 1:00-1:30 in length.

You can visit our web site - www.pnagency.com - to hear samples of voice demos. Roger King
 
To: Roger King
Sent: 7:55 PM
 
here is voice only - if you'd like others let me know this is very adlib. Link attached (File is 8 minutes long)
 
From: Roger King
Sent: 10:29 PM
 
I've told you twice now that you need to make a proper voice demo and you don't appear to pay any attention to what I say and keep sending stuff that has NOTHING to do with the voice-over industry and is not anything approaching a demo. Roger King
 
To: Roger King
Sent: 11:08 PM
 
Hey Roger, perhaps you can be a little more specific in what you are looking for. If you have a specific request in what you are looking for in the demo let me know but otherwise go to hell because you aren't being very cooperative.


Roger King is the president of Peformance Network (PN) Agency, which provides voice-over talent to the radio, television, film, multi-media and animation industries. In 2004, he launched a sister agency, Ethnic Voice Talent (EVT), and now represents over 100 voice over talents and translators in more than 15 different languages.

PN Agency: www.pnagency.com 
Ethnic Voice Talent: www.ethnicvoicetalent.com 
Email: pnagency@pnagency.com 
Blog: www.voiceovercanada.ca
 
 
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Comments (5)
Monika Burany
4/21/2020 at 9:17 PM
Wow! That takes real "kahoonas" to be sooo billigerent and arrogant. It's like you were in 2 different conversations.

Ha! One of the most important things is to know that a VO artist IS WILLING & ABLE to take direction. Aye yiye yiye. I commend your patience Roger!!! 😖👍 It's incredible how many song artists think that because they are brilliant at their musical craft, they will be just as successful as a VO artist!! Now in my humble opinion ... It can certainly give an edge, because it allows for emotive expression and the ability to convey the subtlest of nuances ehich voice artistry thrives on. But ... That being said.... training in BOTH fields is essential. They are very different beasts!

Anyway... Thanks for putting this out for comments, hopefully someone else seeking representation without a demo has learned from that exchange. :) Have a great day and stay safe and healthy!
Monika Burany
9/1/2019 at 11:04 AM
OH MY GOODNESS!!!

I cannot believe what I just read! (lol) It is shocking to see how someone who claims to be interested in developing a career in voice over, can be so unprofessional, rude and unteachable! He did not listen to anything Roger had said. Roger was more than specific in the criteria and this "artist" completely ignored his requests? Whaaat? lol. One would almost think that this was fiction rather than truth! haha. (at least it shines the light on us legit voice over artists who have genuine passion and experience :) Although in his defense, it did seem like there was a definite lack of knowledge and prowess in the English language. Perhaps that was a contributing factor?

Nope. Either way, it was completely unprofessional and set a very bad tone for the rest of the potential interview, which clearly was never going to happen based on his lack of experience, grace and attitude.

Thanks for posting this, Roger! Hopefully anyone who is serious about VO would NEVER resort to this type of behaviour. But for those who need it, I am sure this will be of help... teaching upcoming voice over artists what NOT to do!

Amen? Amen. ;)
JG Collins
1/21/2016 at 8:42 PM
"Certified hypnotist" was enough for me. "Certified," for sure.
Tim Paige
1/18/2016 at 9:09 PM
Roger, I'd really appreciate it if next time you didn't post my emails to you on your site.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go hypnotize my client during my dj set.
Phoebe Lou Roome
8/18/2010 at 9:42 AM
That exhange between that Voice Talent?? and you was wild....your reply did not put him in his place...Of course, you were the one who was wrong..and he was RIGHT.....he wasted your time...what a fool.....Phoebe
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