Believe it or not, that $5000 figure came from a student who recently approached Halfyard Studios for some voice coaching and a new demo, as the $5000 demo the talent paid for was animation. I had a listen and could not believe my ears when it was over three minutes long! I asked the talent where the money went! Answer: 1 in-person coaching session with the 'renowned voice coach' and a series of 8-10 Skype sessions, a headshot, and a three and a half minute demo that was far from engaging!
There were some good performances on the original demo, but many were far too long, had poorly written scripts, and characters that were far too similar or lacked any real depth. It was like they said "Ok give me any and all characters you can". Then they recorded them and slapped them on a quick and thoughtless demo.
Beware of actors and people with a big 'name' in the business who promise success based on who they are, as often they will simply want your money and need to fill seats. There are some very good coaches out there, just do your research!
Halfyard Studios ended up remixing the demo, adding a new segment and whittled it down to just a few seconds over a minute.
I am not mentioning the talent or coaches name as this is not about pointing fingers. Its about value and honesty.
If you need a voice-over demo, contact us and ask about the 'pay as you go demo'. We understand actors are on a budget and need to watch funds. The 'HALFYARD METHOD' of coaching and producing demos has a proven track record with many students booking jobs as a direct result of working with, and recording the auditions at Halfyard Studios. Listen to some of our demos and give us a call or send us an email if your interested in getting a pro sounding demo that won't cost two months rent!