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BECOMING A VOICE PERFORMER: WHAT IS MY FIRST
STEP
BECOMING A VOICE PERFORMER: VOICE DEMOS
WORKSHOPS
WARNING:
CHINOOK ANIMATION & CLAC
BECOMING A VOICE PERFORMER: WHAT IS MY FIRST STEP
Whether you are a veteran
of stage and screen or if you are a new-comer, you will
benefit immensely from voice training workshops. Not only
do you get a chance to develop your craft and learn how to
market yourself, but you also get to network with your
peers. You never know who you will be sitting next to in
one of these workshops. The only shop in town that
specializes in voice performance is Willmott Communication
Services. Dan Willmott (former ACTRA Alberta member, now ACTRA Toronto member) and Paul Boucher
(ACTRA Alberta member) instruct these courses and they both
have extensive knowledge of our local industry and the
global industry. Visit their website at
www.voicespotwcs.com to view their
newsletter and course schedules.
BECOMING A
VOICE PERFORMER: VOICE DEMOS
Please be aware that ACTRA
is not responsible for the quality of services provided by
any of the companies listed on this page, rather we supply
the information conveniently but it is your obligation to
check these companies out independently before you commit to
anything.
The most important tool
that you have to market yourself as a voice performer
is your demo. Your best bet is to cut your demo on a CD; it
is the most supported format on the market. If you have a
style range, make sure that your range is reflected on your
demo. For instance, character voices, narration demos,
commercial demos, jingles, etc. Just make sure that you
have a track list on the CD as well as on the jewel case (we
all know how often jewel cases get misplaced, so make sure
the CD has all of your relevant info on it). There are a
few reputable studios in town that work with ACTRA on a
regular basis that you can contact to record your demo:
GGRP: 308 – 1235 26th Ave
SE Calgary, AB. Call Brad to book your appointment or
for more information at (403) 265 – 9339.
Six Degrees: #305,
822-11 Avenue SW Calgary, AB. Call Janna to book your
appointment or for more information at (403) 290-1115.
The Rainmakers: 224 -
13 Avenue Ave. SW Calgary, AB. Call Glenn to book your
appointment or for more information at (403) 264-7400.
Sync Spot Digital Audio Post: #20,
234 - 5149 Country Hills Blvd NW - Call Frank to book your
appointment (403) 228-2199
Twisted Pair Sound:
#360, 7220 Fisher Street SE Calgary, AB. Call Pat to book
your appointment or for more information at (403) 258-0207.
Once you have your demo, it is important to
get it to the right people for exposure. In Calgary,
voice casting is done by the studios, so send your demo to
all of the above. You can also find a listing of other
production companies in Alberta on the
Alberta Film website.
If you keep your voice
fresh and continue to develop in new ways, you will find
work in voice performance. One way you can do this and cut
your costs is to get together with a group of other voice
performers and rent out a studio for an hour every so
often. Bounce ideas off of each other - your colleagues
will be an invaluable resource to you.
CHINOOK
ANIMATION AND CLAC (CHRISTIAN LABOUR ASSOC. OF CANADA)
Who is CLAC you ask?
It’s an organization known as the
Christian Labour Association of Canada and is not a Union
recognized by The Labour Movement and the Canadian Labour
Congress (CLC) as it is considered to be
employer-dominated.
In Alberta, ACTRA is concerned about the
relationship between Chinook Animation and CLAC. Established in 1999 by
a producer that was signatory to an ACTRA contract in BC, Chinook
Animation certified with CLAC and signed an agreement
offering fees and conditions inferior to ACTRA standards.
ACTRA and EQUITY members are strongly advised not to work
for Chinook Animation or any other Engager who is not
signatory to an ACTRA Agreement. Under the ACTRA National Constitution’s
governance and the ACTRA/ CAEA Reciprocal Agreement, ACTRA members
and CAEA members are prohibited to work for non-signatories
in our own and each other's jurisdictions.
This means that ACTRA members and CAEA members must only
work for Engagers/Producers who are signatory to ACTRA
Agreements and CAEA Agreements. To do otherwise is a violation of the Reciprocal
Agreement and is conduct prejudicial to the welfare of
both organizations and as such will be subject to
discipline.
Some non-signatory producers will try to convince you
otherwise. They will tell you that you have the right to
work wherever and for whoever you choose to, regardless of
union affiliation. In some cases, they may even offer to pay
your legal fees to challenge your union if we discipline you
for contravening our most fundamental work rules and
membership obligations.
The truth is, unions have rights; the right to protect and
defend our jurisdiction for the protection of our members,
and the right to discipline members who participate in
conduct prejudicial and who contravene our work rules. ACTRA
believes that a Labour Board would be particularly
disinterested in any challenges to unions with respect to
these rights and how they may be applied in the case of a
member having been disciplined for working for a
non-signatory producer.
If anyone has any questions or information about the
information presented herein please feel free to contact
ACTRA Alberta at
alberta@actra.ca or (403) 228-3123 or Toll Free 1
(866) 913-3123. You can also find more information about
CLAC at
www.thetruthaboutclac.ca. |
