Cattle Call Voiceover Sites

“Cattle Call” websites are so named due to the process whereby a potential voice seeker chooses from a large pool of candidates. For the client, it can be a mind-numbing experience... having to wade through countless, absolutely hideous demos to find a legitimate one. Many of our clientele have shared this experience~ they have vowed to never use those sites again, for their time is far too valuable to waste on an endless chorus line of the unqualified.

For the Professional Voice Talent, they can also amount to a vast waste of time. Due to a complete lack of any qualifying standards, most "talent" sites offer a virtual cornucopia of inexperienced individuals. Take a stroll through some of these sites and you'll find some remarkable profiles. In an effort to impress a talent seeker, they'll cite such silly “qualifiers” as 'the old ladies at church think I have a nice voice'.... to 'I worked at a restaurant and called out orders on the microphone'. One of our favorites, however, is a guy who claims '25 years of experience' because he's been making sounds with his mouth since he was a baby... then, for his demos he includes a 911 call he recorded on the job. Yep- a 911 operator for hire! While I value 911 operators and their valuable contribution to public safety, they do not automatically come to mind when thinking "voiceover talent".

There are a LOT of these types... and as long as they pay the membership fees, these websites will be happy to send them job leads for which they are not qualified. Therefore, the field becomes crowded with substandard offerings from individuals desperate to be hired. Which presents another problem: Extremely low bids. A bargain-shopping client may settle for a lower quality voiceover... if they're only having to pay a few bucks for it.

So...sorry to say, it's not a pretty picture. The "talent pool" lacks credibility due a dilution caused by hordes of the unqualified... potential clients lose patience.... and rate quotes vary divergently, from $10 to $1000 for a given project. Ultimately, everyone loses...everyone, that is, except the voiceover website. Their paid subscribers guarantee continued financial success. For their part, these sites would likely argue that it's a small price to pay... to be lent a facade of credibility, the veneer of legitimacy... with a potential for lucrative work.

Another concern for the Professional Voice Talent is that of having their work stolen. This occurs more than you might imagine, so it is wise to never provide a high quality, finished product UNTIL payment arrangements have been finalized. If they demand an un-watermarked, perfect and completed recording for a demo, most likey they are thieves. Past incidents such as this have led to our dissociation with certain sites (see story to the right). ======>>>>>

While we do maintain a presence on various talent sites across the web, it is important to emphasize that we do not pay subscriptions. Occasionally we are contacted by clients who have combed through these sites and found us. So, by all means, sign up for a free account... but we would caution against membership fees.

Happy shopping for your next voice and/or audio production, may you choose well.

We withdrew from this site following some very poor experiences. We took exception to what amounted to the theft of services, for which the website offered no support. No thanks!