The VO scene has gotten crazy in 17 years. Kind of what self-publishing did to itself.
I do a fair bit -- Nothing huge (well, I had a bit during the next to last Parks and Rec episode which was technically a commercial, but part of the episode nonetheless), a lot of gaming stuff, LOTS of local PSA goofiness, used to do a lot of music store and a half-zillion radio spots.
Recently, I did an "audition" (I like to call them that because they do but they're basically cattle-calls for finished product) for a large regional home improvement company.
Didn't think too much about it - until I was watching the commercial. I have a feeling the fix was in. It was terrible. The director's notes said "brash, cocky, working-man tough" and I gave them two different versions, each with their own personality, but both fitting the descriptors. What aired was a boring, unclear, unexciting, emotionless read that sounded unrehearsed and unprepared, obviously by someone will little or no experience.
I'm not suggesting that *I* should've done the spot -- I'm just suggesting that they already knew who was doing it and the cattle-call -- er -- audition -- was a formality for the agents.
WIth the way I feel about mastering "auditions" I'm still surprised I bother with VO auditions. But I do it for "fun" as much as anything else. I get a gig here and there, agent sends audition notices here and there (I don't do many of them). And I do enough for the local municipalities that I'm not "craving" it anyway.
These dudes though...
YouTube