Do’s and Don’ts of Approaching Indie Devs on Twitter
Dec 24, 2019 0:07:36 GMT -8
brittfinhay likes this
Post by Lady Stardust ★ on Dec 24, 2019 0:07:36 GMT -8
Indie projects are on the rise more than ever, and many independent animators and game developers are taking to places like Twitter to show off their works in progress. Naturally, this can also mean potential work opportunities for voice actors.
Unfortunately, not all up-and-coming actors are known to use the best etiquette when reaching out to market themselves, and quite a few indie devs have publicly complained about the lack of tact shown by actors who continually hit up their DMs in an attempt to force their way into these projects, many of whom may not be looking for voice actors yet (or even at all). I’ve even seen a meme going around that went something like this:
Indie game developer: *breathes*
Voice actors all rushing to their DMs: “Hey if you need a VA I’m here, hit me up—“
DO:
Always be polite and respectful. Never demand work from someone or get indignant if they tell you they’re not looking for anyone right now. “Don’t be entitled or speak to a client as if they owe you work,” says Katy Johnson. Treat the animators, artists and developers you are approaching as fellow human beings, not just “opportunities”. Always thank them for their time regardless of whether or not they end up considering you.
Have a reel and resume handy if needed. A common complaint I’ve seen is that voice actors will solicit work and yet have nothing to show for themselves! Nobody’s going to automatically hand someone a role simply because they say “I’m a voice actor”, and if you don’t have any type of audio samples or work experience then the harsh reality is that you are probably not yet ready to be cold-calling indie devs. Don’t attach these things to an e-mail unless requested, but simply say something like, “If you’re interested in hearing what I can do, here’s a link to my website so you can listen to my reels and check out my past work!” Of course, it’s still wise to send an introductory message or tweet asking first if they’re currently accepting voiceover reels/auditions before bombarding them with all your information.
Focus on how YOU can benefit THEM. When you approach someone by asking for work, it can almost be seen as asking them to do you a favor. Instead, focus on what you can offer and how you would be an asset to their team. “When this is done well, you're not selling a service, you're actually becoming a helping hand. This is how marketing should be,” says Aimee Smith.
Follow their preferred submission protocol. “I apply how they say. Either email, DM or whatever,” says Caitlin Roberts. For example, if a tweet asking for voice actors gives specific instructions to E-MAIL your reels, don’t just drop yours as a public reply to their tweet and assume that’s good enough (they may not even be checking the replies). Similarly, if they offer an application form to join their casting pool for when auditions open, fill it out. Many producers are inundated with demo submissions and don’t have the time to review anyone’s who doesn’t bother to follow directions. Also, if you can, try to do some basic research on how they usually cast. "Despite us always holding casting calls, we are constantly getting DMs from VAs asking for work. Also our Discord occasionally gets VAs that show up, say they're a VA and proceed to do nothing. Simply researching the project would show how we cast," says Jacob Wilson.
Be a real person talking to another real person. "The first thing is to make a genuine connection and reach out to them about their work. Don't try to make it to second base without any ice breaker," says Christian O'Boyle. Don’t send impersonal messages that read like a form letter. Be professional of course, but try to engage with people organically—address them by name if you can, perhaps try opening with what you liked about their project or what inspired you to reach out. “I figure you should always be respectful, introduce yourself, and if it's not clearly stated I don't see what's wrong with asking in a related post if they're holding voice over auditions for the project,” says Adam Brown. Nobody likes canned sales pitches that sound like they were written by a marketing bot.
When marketing on Twitter, make sure your account and bio reflects what you do. Sometimes you can even “passively market” yourself by following and engaging with people whom you are interested in working with. But if your profile doesn’t even list anywhere that you are a voice actor, how are they supposed to know that? Utilize the bio and website fields on your Twitter to promote yourself accordingly and have an easy link to your work. Your header image is another great opportunity to show off your experience by displaying a collage of characters you’ve lent your voice to. And if you’d like, you can even use the “pinned Tweet” space to 1) promote a recent game you worked on, or 2) introduce yourself, post your demo reel and contact info. Don't have a blank profile or one that hasn't been updated since 2013---it gives off the impression that you're not currently active and working.
DON’T:
DON’T be too persistent. This is the #1 "don't" that comes up again and again. You may have been given well-meaning generic advice in the past about “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”, or “you can never follow up too much!” There is absolutely such a thing as following up too much and it CAN AND WILL hurt your chances. If the answer is a flat-out “no”, leave it at that and don’t bother them again. If the answer is “maybe, but not right now”, it is okay to follow up sometime in the future when they are further along in development, but whatever you do, do NOT repeatedly e-mail or message someone asking if they have work for you. Being an annoyance is one of the biggest turnoffs and could even result in them blacklisting you from future consideration. “If they get back to me, great. But I'm not waiting on any one answer. I put myself out there, and I'm already off to the next auditions or potential clients. […] And if you keep pestering any potentially interested parties, you aren't going to endear yourself to anyone,” says Kamran Nikhad.
DON’T use your “low prices” as a selling point. It’s considered highly unprofessional - not to mention tacky - to promote your work by saying that you can do it for cheaper than your peers. Rates can be discussed once a baseline of interest is already established (and many projects will have set hourly or per-line rates anyway), but advertising that you’re willing to work for less than the generally established rates basically communicates to your potential client that your work isn’t good enough to be worth charging the same amount as the other actors they’re hiring. We realize of course that rates can vary between actors based on a number of different things, but again, it’s better to wait to discuss pricing until they’ve already shown interest in having you audition.
DON’T reach out too early in the process. If all they’ve got so far is an idea on paper or a few concept sketches, they’re almost certainly not ready to cast voice actors yet. Voice recording is generally one of the last assets to be incorporated into something like a game. Even if they’re interested, it’s likely that they won’t even remember to reach out to you once they ARE ready. What you can do in the meantime is drop a “like” and a “follow” so you can keep an eye on their progress and reach out once they’re further along.
DON’T message other voice actors you barely know asking them for a client’s contact info or asking them to “get you in” to a game they’re working on. This is quite rude and off-putting and can easily make people uncomfortable. When possible, it’s best to do your own research on how to contact these clients. If all else fails - and you actually have a friendship with the actor in question - you can politely ask them if they have any tips as to what type of submissions the client prefers, but don’t demand an introduction or expect them to do your marketing work for you.
______________________________________________
Unfortunately, not all up-and-coming actors are known to use the best etiquette when reaching out to market themselves, and quite a few indie devs have publicly complained about the lack of tact shown by actors who continually hit up their DMs in an attempt to force their way into these projects, many of whom may not be looking for voice actors yet (or even at all). I’ve even seen a meme going around that went something like this:
Indie game developer: *breathes*
Voice actors all rushing to their DMs: “Hey if you need a VA I’m here, hit me up—“
While it’s generally okay to approach people offering your services, there are right and wrong ways to go about it, so please be mindful of tact, courtesy and professionalism! (Thanks to everyone in our Facebook group who contributed to this discussion.)
DO:
Always be polite and respectful. Never demand work from someone or get indignant if they tell you they’re not looking for anyone right now. “Don’t be entitled or speak to a client as if they owe you work,” says Katy Johnson. Treat the animators, artists and developers you are approaching as fellow human beings, not just “opportunities”. Always thank them for their time regardless of whether or not they end up considering you.
Have a reel and resume handy if needed. A common complaint I’ve seen is that voice actors will solicit work and yet have nothing to show for themselves! Nobody’s going to automatically hand someone a role simply because they say “I’m a voice actor”, and if you don’t have any type of audio samples or work experience then the harsh reality is that you are probably not yet ready to be cold-calling indie devs. Don’t attach these things to an e-mail unless requested, but simply say something like, “If you’re interested in hearing what I can do, here’s a link to my website so you can listen to my reels and check out my past work!” Of course, it’s still wise to send an introductory message or tweet asking first if they’re currently accepting voiceover reels/auditions before bombarding them with all your information.
Focus on how YOU can benefit THEM. When you approach someone by asking for work, it can almost be seen as asking them to do you a favor. Instead, focus on what you can offer and how you would be an asset to their team. “When this is done well, you're not selling a service, you're actually becoming a helping hand. This is how marketing should be,” says Aimee Smith.
Follow their preferred submission protocol. “I apply how they say. Either email, DM or whatever,” says Caitlin Roberts. For example, if a tweet asking for voice actors gives specific instructions to E-MAIL your reels, don’t just drop yours as a public reply to their tweet and assume that’s good enough (they may not even be checking the replies). Similarly, if they offer an application form to join their casting pool for when auditions open, fill it out. Many producers are inundated with demo submissions and don’t have the time to review anyone’s who doesn’t bother to follow directions. Also, if you can, try to do some basic research on how they usually cast. "Despite us always holding casting calls, we are constantly getting DMs from VAs asking for work. Also our Discord occasionally gets VAs that show up, say they're a VA and proceed to do nothing. Simply researching the project would show how we cast," says Jacob Wilson.
Be a real person talking to another real person. "The first thing is to make a genuine connection and reach out to them about their work. Don't try to make it to second base without any ice breaker," says Christian O'Boyle. Don’t send impersonal messages that read like a form letter. Be professional of course, but try to engage with people organically—address them by name if you can, perhaps try opening with what you liked about their project or what inspired you to reach out. “I figure you should always be respectful, introduce yourself, and if it's not clearly stated I don't see what's wrong with asking in a related post if they're holding voice over auditions for the project,” says Adam Brown. Nobody likes canned sales pitches that sound like they were written by a marketing bot.
When marketing on Twitter, make sure your account and bio reflects what you do. Sometimes you can even “passively market” yourself by following and engaging with people whom you are interested in working with. But if your profile doesn’t even list anywhere that you are a voice actor, how are they supposed to know that? Utilize the bio and website fields on your Twitter to promote yourself accordingly and have an easy link to your work. Your header image is another great opportunity to show off your experience by displaying a collage of characters you’ve lent your voice to. And if you’d like, you can even use the “pinned Tweet” space to 1) promote a recent game you worked on, or 2) introduce yourself, post your demo reel and contact info. Don't have a blank profile or one that hasn't been updated since 2013---it gives off the impression that you're not currently active and working.
Make sure you can back up your skills. Some beginner-level actors are SO focused on marketing and “how to get jobs” that they overlook what should be their #1 priority: being a solid actor. If you manage to get in front of a popular animator or developer for an audition, but it sounds like you’re recording in a tin can and your skills are nowhere near competitive with the other actors trying out, they may be reluctant to consider you again in the future. Before cold-calling indie producers, you should 1) have some type of basic acting fundamentals in place, and 2) have a decent home recording setup and environment.
Consider referring others when the opportunity arises. Whether or not you believe in karma, if you are generous when you have the chance to open doors for others, people tend to do the same for you. If the client mentions they are looking for additional voice talent and you know someone who would be perfect for one of the roles, it never hurts to ask if you can recommend them. (Of course, be smart about this—-don’t break NDA or forward closed casting materials without permission! But it’s quite common for indie devs who aren’t experienced in working with voice talent yet to not have the kind of connections that you might.) You may also link them to communities like ours where they may expand their outreach to additional talent.
DON’T:
DON’T be too persistent. This is the #1 "don't" that comes up again and again. You may have been given well-meaning generic advice in the past about “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”, or “you can never follow up too much!” There is absolutely such a thing as following up too much and it CAN AND WILL hurt your chances. If the answer is a flat-out “no”, leave it at that and don’t bother them again. If the answer is “maybe, but not right now”, it is okay to follow up sometime in the future when they are further along in development, but whatever you do, do NOT repeatedly e-mail or message someone asking if they have work for you. Being an annoyance is one of the biggest turnoffs and could even result in them blacklisting you from future consideration. “If they get back to me, great. But I'm not waiting on any one answer. I put myself out there, and I'm already off to the next auditions or potential clients. […] And if you keep pestering any potentially interested parties, you aren't going to endear yourself to anyone,” says Kamran Nikhad.
DON’T use your “low prices” as a selling point. It’s considered highly unprofessional - not to mention tacky - to promote your work by saying that you can do it for cheaper than your peers. Rates can be discussed once a baseline of interest is already established (and many projects will have set hourly or per-line rates anyway), but advertising that you’re willing to work for less than the generally established rates basically communicates to your potential client that your work isn’t good enough to be worth charging the same amount as the other actors they’re hiring. We realize of course that rates can vary between actors based on a number of different things, but again, it’s better to wait to discuss pricing until they’ve already shown interest in having you audition.
DON’T reach out too early in the process. If all they’ve got so far is an idea on paper or a few concept sketches, they’re almost certainly not ready to cast voice actors yet. Voice recording is generally one of the last assets to be incorporated into something like a game. Even if they’re interested, it’s likely that they won’t even remember to reach out to you once they ARE ready. What you can do in the meantime is drop a “like” and a “follow” so you can keep an eye on their progress and reach out once they’re further along.
DON’T attempt to force your way into a project once the auditions have closed. We can all agree how frustrating it is to feel you missed out on a desired opportunity because of timing, but they're not going to suddenly change their casting decisions because you came along at the last minute. This goes back to entitlement. “I remember a specific example of a person getting confrontational after a casting call had closed and they demanded they open it for them to audition. That kind of behavior conveys that you are unprofessional to work with and they will not be interested in having you in their project,” says Patrick Mealey. Your best bet in this case is to bookmark the producer’s info so you can reach out to them later on or stay informed of future opportunities.
DON'T advertise yourself in response to specs you obviously don't fit. If the post is specifically looking for background artists, they probably don't need voice actors yet. If they specify that they are casting two female characters, don't reply asking if they have any male characters. If they specify that they are looking to cast a black actor to play a black character, don't respond with "well I'm not black but you can check out my reels here..." When people post looking for something specific, it's because they need something specific. If they needed something else, they would ask for it! If the project looks great but you don't fit the specs, consider following the page to keep an eye out for any potential future castings they have that you DO fit, or consider retweeting the post to signal boost to your actor friends who might be appropriate for the role(s).
DON’T market yourself as a “casting director” if you don’t know the first thing about casting. It’s true that everyone has to start somewhere, and if you’re looking to get into casting, indie games or even creating your own projects can be a great way to get your foot in the door. However, there are unfortunately inexperienced actors out there who will prey on developers who have no clue about where to look for talent and charge them a fee to be a “casting director” which ends up with them just casting themselves and their best friends in all the lead roles. If you’re truly interested in casting, you should - at the very minimum - have a diverse database of actors available to audition, be willing to negotiate for all of your actors to get paid fairly, have great communication skills, have a good (and relatively unbiased) ear as to the best fit for each part...and be willing to collaborate with the client with regards to their choices, too. Casting is an incredibly rewarding job, but it’s hard work in its own right and shouldn’t simply be seen as an avenue to get more roles for yourself and your friends.
DON'T have a dumpster fire of a profile if you're marketing yourself via Twitter. If you're tweeting or DMing prospective clients, it's certainly not unreasonable to expect that they might click on your profile to find out a little more about you. Not everything you post needs to be work-related of course, but if your entire feed consists of off-color jokes, callout posts on past clients you worked with, petty drama with other actors, or angry political rampages...it's not a good look. If you really can't help yourself, consider making a private locked account for close friends so that you can at least keep your professional life separate.
DON’T message other voice actors you barely know asking them for a client’s contact info or asking them to “get you in” to a game they’re working on. This is quite rude and off-putting and can easily make people uncomfortable. When possible, it’s best to do your own research on how to contact these clients. If all else fails - and you actually have a friendship with the actor in question - you can politely ask them if they have any tips as to what type of submissions the client prefers, but don’t demand an introduction or expect them to do your marketing work for you.
______________________________________________
Can you think of any additional "do's & don'ts"? Feel free to drop them in the comments below!
All guides and resources on this forum are provided on a volunteer basis. If you found them helpful, please consider buying me a coffee!
I’m a female voice actor with a High pitched, normal and robotic voice and I can also do British accents! I do murder drones and I could try any other and I can follow scripts! Send me an email if you need me! (Mahatareq09@yahoo.com)