Voice Reel Tips – Tried and true? Maybe…

[Lila]

Do you think it would be too much to have the multi-voice on the first track, THEN more drawn out pieces on the following tracks of the disc? I figure I could set it up like this:

Track 1 - voice samples - 1:00
Track 2 - scene sample - 1:00 (excerpt from radio play)
Track 3 - narrative sample - 1:00 (audio track from animation)

I think your track listing is a good way of presenting your range and then showing a closer look at your more intense performances.

I think if I was going to do something like that I wouldn't even list the radio play clip as a seperate track I'd just blend it at the end of your vocal samples.
But either way sounds like you got a good plan in the works

I haven't heard of more than one character/animation track on a demo reel but times are changing and it wouldn't hurt.
My suggestion is to put your bestest clips at the begining of the reel, because sometimes they may only listen to the first 30 seconds before moving on. So you gotta catch their attention!

[Lucien]

I've heard of this method before, but until I hear about sufficient requests for it from friends in the business, I'm going to continue to assume that the best way to impress them is a short, well produced, entertaining piece which showcases your talents.

[Batgirl]

You can use what ever music you like since it's not being sold for profit etc. But this could all be different depending on laws and regulations of where you live.

Actually that's not true, a demo reel isn't being sold for profit no, but it is the equivalent of a "Portfolio" which will hopefully earn you money. Though not everyone abides by this, you are supposed to use music purchased from a music library with licesnsing to use it for this purpose, or original compositions, or any music in public domain is always fine.

Now, that doesn't mean no one does it. Because frankly you're sending it to Casting Directors and Agents, and they couldn't really care what music you use in the background. BUT if the record company, or artist, or writer of the song you used behind your voice just HAPPENED tp hear your demo, and just HAPPENED to hear you illegally use their song without having bought a license. You could very well get sued depending on how big of an ass they are.

The same goes for Visual Art portfolios, when my friend was majoring in illustration, they were always warned not to use any copyrighted characters (except occasionally in satire/political cartoons), ESPECIALLY Disney, because Disney would find your portfolio, and they would sue you. And it had happened more than once apparently.

So just because its a demo doesn't mean you're safe from copyright laws. ^^'

[Lila]

BUT if the record company, or artist, or writer of the song you used behind your voice just HAPPENED tp hear your demo, and just HAPPENED to hear you illegally use their song without having bought a license. You could very well get sued depending on how big of an ass they are.

that could happen but I don't think demos are heard by anyone else other than the casting or voice director before getting shelfed.

So just because its a demo doesn't mean you're safe from copyright laws. ^^'

I agree...copyright infringement is hard to escape from just about everything these days

[Shagster Shan]

I agree...copyright infringement is hard to escape from just about everything these days

Oi...there goes using the radio play piece on my demo; the music came from the Metropolis OST (the jazzy nature of the music is what inspired the radio play).

I actually emailed the CD label a while ago about its use before I wanted to post it on the ZeD site (since ZeD says you need permission to avoid liabilities), but they never responded so I dropped the idea.

[Lucien]

I agree...copyright infringement is hard to escape from just about everything these days

Oi...there goes using the radio play piece on my demo; the music came from the Metropolis OST (the jazzy nature of the music is what inspired the radio play).

I actually emailed the CD label a while ago about its use before I wanted to post it on the ZeD site (since ZeD says you need permission to avoid liabilities), but they never responded so I dropped the idea.

What's the chances though of a Japanese record company getting anal of your use of music for your American voice over demo? Barely nothing I'd say.

[Shagster Shan]

Well, these were the guys who released it:
http://www.domo.com/ (based somewhere in LA)

But true, I doubt they'd ever hear it.

[Yoda117]

Lucien,

Check Slashdot.org for information on that comment. Believe it or not, some of the Japanese companies are getting a bit touchy about such things.

It's one of the things I put in my ridiculous folder. If you're doing AVA work, there's nothing to fear, but if you start submitting for equity work, it might come back to bite you.

[Lucien]

I really don't think though that you can get in trouble for using music if it's for a non-profit purpose, like a demo. Unless the people I know in the industry are wrong...

[Yoda117]

Depends...

For my own demo, I use equity copy that I have done before (I used to use the finished clips, but didn't like how they came together). However, right now I know of two professional VAs who were given a CAD order due to the background music being used (which was the "signature" music from another company).

I'm just waiting to see this issue come up on overlawyered.com