One question I receive frequently from aspiring voiceover talent is whether or not being early to submit an audition makes a substantial difference to your chances of booking a job. This is an idea that seems to be shrouded in mystery for many in the business, and unnecessarily so. Let’s be very clear: The answer is yes.
I wear many hats in this business. My primary function is as a talent, of course, but in addition to my work behind the mic, and my coaching and demo production services, I also often find myself in the role of casting director or project manager for my regular clients. This means that I am often in the position of listening to auditions and either choosing talent directly for the end client, or collaborating in the selection process. As such, I would like to provide some insight into how that process works, and why early submission is important in all segments of this business, including agency work, online casting, and even live auditioning.
There are two primary ways I solicit auditions:
1.) From my personal roster of talent whom I have worked with before or coached, and;
2.) Utilizing online casting platforms.
When hiring directly from my talent pool, I generally listen to the submissions as they come in, (or a few at a time depending on what I am working on.) Usually, I’ll hear something I like within the first few reads, and that person will assume the top spot on my shortlist. Others will be added to the shortlist as they come in, however the first read becomes the benchmark, and now I need to hear something better, not just as good, to elevate someone new into the lead for the job. Competing against high quality talent, this can be a high bar. The first person I like is not certain to book, but they have a big advantage.
This works the same way when I am simply submitting auditions from my roster to an end client. The first person they hear that they feel is a good fit will have a large advantage on the field.
Fortunately, most casting professionals will take the time to listen to all or most auditions submitted before the deadline. So, you will be heard in most cases. That being said, the earlier you submit, the better your chances will be, assuming you have a competitive read.
This applies doubly to online casting sites like Voices.com, where not every person casting has played that role before, and where tastes are highly subjective. While most clients still review most auditions from online casting, they are far more likely than an industry professional to hire the first one they like. Furthermore, anyone reviewing auditions is subject to a bit of mental numbness once we get past fifty or so reads, so the longer you wait the more you have to stand out to get a listener’s attention.
Here’s a real life case in point: I recently had the honor of presenting two days of material on success in online casting at The Midwest Voiceover Conference in Columbus, Ohio, along with my good friends and co-panelists Bev Standing and David Kaplan. On the second day, I provided the attendees an opportunity to audition for male & female roles for a training narration client of mine. With many of my VO students in attendance, I recused myself from the judging process, and put the decision in the hands of four other well-known members of the VO community. Around 40 men and 30 women auditioned for the parts, and guess what happened? The first male to read booked the job, having set such a high standard that no one eclipsed him, though a few were good enough that had they been first, they may in fact have been chosen. The first female to read finished second, only because of an outstanding performance by someone who lined up in the middle. In both cases, the first quality read held a long lead, and in one case booked the job.
The question of early submission is not specific to online casting, agency work, production company rosters, or live auditions. It is simply universal. The old adage is mostly true; The early bird may not always get the worm, but it will take a much stronger bird to wrestle it away.
