Last week I wrote a post called, “Creating The Voice Over Resume…Is There a Right Way and a Wrong Way?” Thanks everyone for weighing on this! Seems that the consensus is neither! You mostly felt that the voice over resume is unnecessary as our real calling card is of course, the ubiquitous and all important VO demo. Besides how often does a producer care about what you’ve done before? They’re more focused on the task at hand; their project. Although I have to say that background can come up. In my podcast interview with audio book narrator, Scott Brick, he makes the point that the publishers often want a narrator with a track record before they take a chance with their literary project. But then, what do they want? To HEAR what you’ve done before which brings us back to the need for an actual printed resume.

-Tracy Pattin

Here’s what you said:

“I haven’t been asked for a resume since some time in the 90s (and only rarely even back then) so I don’t even both keeping one up-to-date any more.” Bob Souer

“I have one but it is very rare that anyone asks to see it. The last time was for a radio drama and the casting folks ran the audition as though it was for on-camera roles.

I don’t know if it was because they were thinking “real actors” have resumes, or if they just remember being taught in college that’s how you run an audition.

In my experience, for voice-over, good demos and audition.” Bill Pryce

“I’ve never once been asked for any printed (or on-screen) documents. Every producer, agent, CD, director, person hiring, etc asked for a VO Demo. This is your 1 minute resume and it should be up to date and be a great example of what you are able to do with your voice. If they’re looking for a voice, they want to hear it not read it. Rather, you need to have a selection of VO Demo’s – Commercial, Promo, Audiobook, eLearning, Phone Messaging, etc depending on the job requirements.” James Clamp

“I’m somewhere between Bob and your resume examples. I have a voice over resume but its in PDF form in my media center http://www.audioconnell.com/media). The “why” of it was that I saw a few others had resumes and figured I’d slap one together. The “dumb” of it is I think I’ve forgotten more spots over all these years than I remembered (and oh yes, some were truly forgettable, but that’s another blog post).

After a while the resume writing experience started to feel a bit like a name-dropping exercise so I tried to feature different kinds of work rather than all big stuff because the “sacks of cash” are under a variety of rocks, not just the big ones…and if prospects think you’re too high profile, you could miss out on some really good gigs. I don’t want people making the decision for me (“Oh Peter wouldn’t want this $3,500 job, he’s too big for it!”) Note to prospects – while I have minimum fees, the only place I’m big “is in mah bel-lee!” Peter O’Connell

Here is a differing opinion:

“I’m weighing in a little late to this discussion because just this week, I was asked for both a demo reel and a resume for an upcoming animated series. I can definitely understand the desire for a resume. With the prolification of folks who will cut you a demo for a $1000 regardless of your experience, it’s important for producers to know which candidates have actual experience. Anyone can have a demo put together with the right amount of money. But unless, they’re outright lying, they can’t buy the experience a resume details.”

Jeffrey Kafer