Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin James Bond.
Hi Kevin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Sure! My start in producing commercial voiceovers and video content came when I was working at a marketing agency in Downtown Orlando. I was brought in as a technical writer, someone that interprets the technical jargon and procedures for using an app or web service into the kind of language everyday users can understand. Being essentially the only “writer” in the place I started crafting marketing copy, and then eventually scripts for promotional videos, explainer videos, and even the few commercials we produced while I was there.
I got started on the side doing VOs. Fast forward a bit to my next office job where I was doing more of the same but for a larger CDN company in Winter Park. This part is funny. The place was in chaos; they’d just merged with another company and there were duplicates for every role and title running around. Except for the writer, everyone wanted me to create SOMETHING for them: emails, ad copy, knowledge base articles, how-to videos, you name it. I managed it all for a while but quickly came to realize that working in the type of environment produced when a major merger occurs is ever-changing.
Nearly all the content I ever ended up producing was either shelved, scrapped, or requested to be revised due to the merger. My original boss ended up on a new team from me, and I was essential “boss-less.” Or the person that would most be considered my superior lived in Texas. I decided I wasn’t going to be coming into the office for the foreseeable future, stayed home, and over the next month and a half grew my voice over business to just about what it is today.
Today I provide voice-overs and video content for companies all over the world including Adobe, Veeam, Amazon, and local organizations like the Altamonte Parks Department, too! After growing to a certain size, I was able to devote a fair bit of time to filmmaking, writing, and directing my films.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One thing I learned when I was studying audio engineering at Valencia College from the head of the program over there, Raul Valery, was to never undercut yourself. Don’t sell yourself short.
Charge what you believe you’re worth, do the best work you can do each time, and they will come. Followed that advice. Fortunately for me, I had that one “day job” at the time that was subsidizing my venture I decided to launch myself into this career.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I get to use my voice for work. My creative voice and my literal voice. So, that’s exciting for me. The typical workflow on a project is it starts with meeting the client, understanding their business/product, and understanding what it is they want to achieve. Lots of times the client doesn’t know what they want to achieve and I get to help them with that, too. I write a script for the project, hire extra talent, book locations if it’s a film project, hire additional crew, produce the content, and then edit everything together.
Every step of the cycle is exciting. One of the projects I’m most proud of is with a client that provides HR training courses to various work environments. The courses focus on sexual harassment and inclusivity in the workplace. I get to write scripts to illuminate different negative and positive scenarios involving misconduct in the workplace, work with fantastic local actors, shoot shorts, and edit them for final delivery.
Many times friends from around the country will reach out and say, “I saw so-and-so acting in this HR video I was watching today at work! And then I found out that you made them!!” It’s really fun to get those messages. Not to mention, these videos are purchased and used by Disney, Tesla, and other well-known companies.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was really into music. My dad always played the Beatles records, and Zeppelin, and Sex Pistols, and all that stuff for us in the basement on the record player. Was steeped in great rock music. Loved to skateboard, loved writing songs, and play with my bands. Always empathetic to the experience and situations of others.
I think that helped me develop the skills needed later in life to listen to and understand people and their goals. These skills helped me to be able to help people flesh out their visions and bring them to life. Also, when you observe people closely for so long you start to generate an enormous backlog of content to tap into when you want to write a film! I was incredibly shy outside of my family and close friends as a kid/teenager/young adult.
Struggled in college because of that; it was nearly impossible for me to present anything before the class. I’d typically take an F rather than struggle through the process. I made it out with great marks, despite that! Once I got into the field of writing, I found that presenting before large audiences was a breeze. This was great because then I was able to stand before large gatherings and direct large groups to get the jobs done.
Pricing:
- Voiceovers start at about $35/125 words
- There are additional costs incurred for marketing content
- Explainer videos can range from $500-$1,200+
- Short video productions involving actors and special locations can range from $1,200-$3,500+
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vocalmotionpictures.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vocal_motion_pictures/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vocalmotionpictures
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-james-bond/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Cr_Ka0QheYY4BHFkGAp2g
- Other: www.thevolab.com
Image Credits
Paige Zauner Photography
