Thoughtful post. Nicely articulated.

As a vendor, I hear what you’re saying. The key to this is… what level of vendor are you? If you are The Voice Of A Brand, well, you’re going to be considered pertinent and essential to the long-term viability of that agency contract, so the checks come quickly. If you are a “one-off”, well, you aren’t an essential part of an agency’s brand relationship (other than for that job). Sadly, a “one night stand” mentality persists – one that, regrettably, has become more pervasive in this slack waved economy.

Agencies will pay their regular production vendors more quickly because they are fairly dependent on those relationships for the long term. There are many voice talents that will work for very little money and who now have the low priced gear to connect anywhere, quickly, efficiently and well…. with questionable quality. This depresses wages. It also makes the industry appear to be filled with desperate wannabes or slacker actors with genetically perfect pipes (completely unfair, I agree, but the perception exists – it isn’t my take). I can’t tell you how many times I disconnect from a patch and hear this refrain, – “Cripes, what a sweet gig – 20 minutes to read 15 seconds of copy and they get paid how much?” I always say – “well, how many gigs have they had this week? – they might be starving”. Some listen. Some don’t.

VO has become a “sweat-shop” of sorts. You might be working in your PJ’s at home, but you’re last in the queue at the bread line.

Wishing you only the best.

-ab