Every month we’ll be featuring someone within the world of ‘In Store’ Media, be it a client, supplier or industry bod, we aim to bring you closer to what we do, and essentially... how we do it.
This month sees us visit Guy Harris, Presenter at Real Radio and Voiceover, who you’ve probably heard without even knowing somewhere around the world.
Guy has worked with us at Imagesound for just over a year, but I’ve known Guy for around 7 years from my time in radio in various forms.
Pulling into a sleepy cull-de-sac in the outskirts of Wakefield I ring the doorbell, and am greeted by Guy, a 6ft something self confessed skater boy in sweat pants and jumper, he’s on the phone taking a call from another Producer.
‘Oh Dave! It’s you’ he says with a double take, still on the phone. ‘I’ll speak to you later yeah’ says Guy and hangs up the phone.
‘It’s a good job you came when you did, I’ve had a busy morning but there’s not much on this afternoon yet, do you fancy a coffee?’
We walk through to the impressive extension where Guy spends most of his time in his studio and voice booth.
I take a drink off my coffee and ask Guy how he got started as a Voiceover? ‘Well I’ve always done silly voices, characters and impressions since I was young, whilst I was working as the Breakfast Show Presenter on 2-TEN FM in Reading, I’d keep getting asked by people if I could voice this and that, and the phone would start to ring more and more, so I decided to try and make some money out of it, and so far it seems to be working out’ he chuckles.
‘It must be exciting not knowing who’s going to call next?’ ‘Yeah I mean I do a lot of Local Radio advertising, that really is my ‘bread and butter’ if you like, so it’s really important that I have a good working relationship with those Producers, I’ve always worked on the proviso that I want to get any work I get done asap, I understand how much pressure Producers are under with deadlines etc so yeah, Local Radio is where most of my work comes from, I mean it’s great when the phone rings and it’s an Agency in Dubai that want me to voice an iPhone 5 TV ad but those types of jobs don’t come out of thin air, I’ve worked hard to get those jobs’.
‘How do you mean?’ ‘When I’m not voicing and the phone’s not ringing, which does happen every now and then, I’m going through emails and past work just to remind people I’m still here, and then there’s prospecting, you’ve got to keep your ear to the ground for new things, and new businesses that might need your services. It’s no good complaining that the phone isn’t ringing and not doing anything about it.’
‘So would you encourage young or aspiring voices to try and make it in the Voiceover industry?’ ‘With the way technology is now it’s pretty easy to set up and call yourself a ‘Voiceover’ so you have to stay on top of your game, as with any industry it’s probably 70% sales and marketing and 30% actually doing the work but that’s what makes it so interesting, working with new people on new projects across the world especially in emerging markets like the Middle East.’
‘Wow the Middle East?’ ‘Yeah I do nearly a job a day for clients over there and visit when I can, I absolutely love it out there, the dream is to get a place out there and work there over the winter months in the UK, we can all dream... right?’
‘You’ve worked with some of the biggest brands around but what work are you particularly proud of?’ ‘Honestly, I enjoy all my work. I guess I was blown away to do something for Strictly Come Dancing’s ‘Movie Week’, the iPhone 5 TV ads in the U.A.E. was obviously huge for me and working with ITV on THIS Morning, Loose Women and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway’
‘So what are the future plans for Voiceover Guy?’ ‘Well, to keep doing what I’m doing. It’s a dream job and I know how lucky I am to do what I do but one day I’d love to put my voice to an animated move, Pixar would be incredible and a real dream, that and the pad in Dubai of course’.
The phone rings, ‘Hello, Guy Harris’ he answers...
I pack up my camera and head for the car, every time I meet Guy he strikes me as one of the most humble ‘Guys’ (sorry)I know, and the dream of voicing an animated movie is certainly within his grasp I’m sure.
At Imagesound we’re committed to providing, creative and engaging content for the brands we work with. We script, produce and schedule advertising, all from Imagesound HQ, to our clients across the globe.
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