intermediate and advanced voice over training together doesn’t work
This is my opinion: as an “advanced”voice talent – I don’t want to train with an “intermediate” voice talent.
If you are an intermediate voice talent, you shouldn’t want to train with me either.
I saw a post from somebody for a future “Intermediate/Advanced” voiceover training session and it simply ticked me off.
I have many friends are various stages of their voice over careers whom I deeply respect and with whom I will gladly spend hours professionally and socially – but I only want to train with those voice over talents who have my experience level.
Here’s my self-fish but I think smart reason why: I am focused on moving forward from where I am to a better performance place when I train. If my instructors have to take two steps back in a group training to help someone catch up, I lose. I lose time, I lose momentum and I lose direction.
I paid my money and I want to get my money’s worth from a professional voice over teacher. Voice over trainers also need to stay focused on one level of talent, not be switching back and forth – their concentration falters and their students lose.
An intermediate voice talent may get some benefit working around advanced voice talents by learning from example but it also may (probably more than “may”) intimidate the hell outta these intermediate voice talents who (like all of us) have our moments of self-doubt. A training session is not the optimal time for such unnecessary self-doubt.
I see traveling teachers do this combination Intermediate and Advanced training all the time during their weekend sessions. I understand it’s a factor of the amount of time available. And that’s an inexcusable response.
“Whoa! O’Connell, you’re pretty full of yourself today, aren’t you?!”
No more than usual, actually, but time is not the real reason: don’t focus on the economics of ensuring a full class for the training day or weekend (training is a business, no shame in that) by mixing the class to benefit the house.
Better I think to focus on the students’ abilities, build THAT class and let the learning flow. Teachers will enhance their reputations and their pocket books at the same time.
And, oh by the way, the voice over students will learn a lot more.
Ain’t dat da point?
