What are Watermarks and Why are Talent Using them in Custom Demos?
- Slight script alterations
- Names changed or mispronounced on purpose
- Music beds and sound effects
- Communicating to you directly in the recording as well as reading the script
- And rarely, submitting lower quality audio files
Although these may seem annoying, even distracting, they are in place for a good reason. While the Internet provides many opportunities for securing work, it has also unfortunately been used as a means of stealing creative products, including voice-over demos. This is particularly true of custom demos of shorter scripts such as telephone voicemail boxes and commercials. People who steal work are only a small margin of Internet users, but over the years, voice talent and other freelance creative professionals have learned the hard way, often by hearing their audition pieces used commercially without being paid for their services. 
Now keep in mind that the use of demo protection techniques does not reflect how talent feel about you as a person or about your job, it’s merely a professional decision. This is a very important distinction. What can you do about this? Don’t judge a talent by their demo recording alone if they took precautions. Take time to consider their voice type, interpretation, quote and proposal. Think of it more like them wearing a hard hat at a construction site or applying sun block while outdoors in the summer. If you need to present the audio submitted by talent to other decision makers, these precautions may make or break whether the talent qualifies to be presented as an option. If this is the case, contact the talent and share your situation with them and ask for another sample without alterations. I hope I have shed some light on why talent may incorporate these watermarks or script alterations into customized versions of your scripts. Does this give you a different perspective? How do you feel about watermarks or script alterations in custom demos of your script? Leave a comment! Best regards, Stephanie
MIDDLE FINGER PO
JARU HERMANO WAS SUPERB!!! yeheessss. i must admit that i have never been the biggest fan of TA productions. but this one, i swear to goddess athena i loooved it!!! jaru hermano did an excellent performance. mejo murang-mura ka nga lang. haha but nevertheless, it was wonderful. i swear i am not saying this just because were friends or whatev, haha but really jaru was great. the play was not dragging and heavy. it was very effective in making the audience feel every scene. i was scared during the creepy parts especially when voice overs would play and like the voice would sound big and low. i laughed during the funny parts and was awww-ing during the emo or touching parts. i liked it. oh!! i loved rin the stage design. it was snakes and ladders. parang the ladders were there together with the wires and stuff to create the “school” feel. haha im not sure. well thats how it looked to me.
|
Get Professional Voice Over Coaching with Terry Daniel! |
