Compost Productions:Testimonials

"Here's the list of demo producers in the country I recommend: Bill Holmes. That's it. Perhaps it's his formidable training and experience as an actor that makes performance central to his demos. Also, his music/SFX/production is smart. I refer all my students and colleagues to him. I must go in and have him do mine. My last one was done by Thomas Edison."

Pat Fraley, Voice Talent, Teacher

"Bill Holmes does more than just guide his students, he challenges them. Where other schools and instructors leave off, Bill sees as just the beginning. After taking his class, Bill got me an audition with Lisa Dyson at Sight n Sound Casting for an international Mattel/Disney spot (my first audition) and I booked it! Next, Bill produced my demo. Suddenly I found myself signed with a big agency, and more importantly, booking work! I can't say enough about how much I have benefited from working with him."

Lauren Dragan

LaurenDragan.com

Bill,

I cannot thank you enough! You're guidance is the best thing to happen to my career since...EVER! In the months since taking your class and you finished my demo I've hooked up with Abrams Artist Agency and have had more bookings than I would have ever thought possible. I've done spots for the NFL Draft, Wachovia, Black Magic Cleaner and am currently working on a national campain for Ford's new car the FLex. Your unique approach has given me peace in the booth and the practical skill set to get to where I need to. I can't stop singing your praises!

-Ike Amadi

I sent my VO demo out to 20 contacts. I've gotten 4 in-person meetings with VO agents in LA. I now have VO representation: one in LA, one in Chicago, one in Atlanta and one in Texas. My ratios have DEFINITELY flipped. You know what you are doing, Bill. Thank you for the demo that gave me that 600 foot leap up.

-Roy Samuelson
Vowol.com

Thanks to William Holmes I am the current winner for Best Female - Voicey Awards 2008. Together William and I put together a kick ass commercial demo that proves results every time. Not only did he help by choosing just the right scripts but he pushed me outside of myself as he directed me in areas I didn't know were possible. William has an amazing skill at direction, writing and production. It is without hesitation that I recommend William Holmes for your next demo production.

Debbie Munro
Voice Talent/Coach/Producer
www.micnme.com

Alright Master Guru Demo Maker Bill~

Iris Brayden just sent me her demo that you did and all I can say is ….GENIUS!!!! You guys are fucking brilliant!!! I think you soooooo captured her quirky, charactery side perfectly!!!! I lu-uh-uve all the non-planned recorded bits! Made me pee! Just wanted to congratulate you on work well done my friend.

Miss ya and love ya lots~
Shauna markey, shauna, shauna markey

I'm taking you out for margaritas because I just booked my first VO gig-a national commercial for Sketchers! It was so amazing to be in that booth doing what I love and I wanted to let you know I could never have done it without you. Not only did you make an awesome demo for me that got me signed with Ford Models, but your classes have given me the ability to approach any voiceover copy with confidence and ease. Your unique method to teaching voiceover has allowed me to utilize my abilities as an on camera actor and adapt them to the world of voiceover. To top it all off (as if helping me book a huge campaign and getting a great agent weren’t enough) you’re a wonderful, warm and, of course, hilarious person to work with. Thanks for believing in me and helping me to be my best!

Love the demo, love the classes, love you!

Sarah Barton

Bill's coaching and professional guidance has been invaluable! He's helped me to tap into my true potential and natural personal style. His understanding of the voice over business is unparalleled. His advice and encouragement has lead me to some great successes. After studying with Bill for 4 weeks, he helped me to book a commercial on my first audition! Now I'm auditioning regularly and booking lucrative spots. I highly recommend Bill Holmes as a coach!

Lisa Buda

Bill Holmes' voice-over class has been instrumental in teaching me to trust myself in the booth by giving me the confidence and the tools to direct myself effectively...something that every voice actor needs to be able to stand out from the crowd and book the job.I've learned to understand the copy better so that I can direct myself and give the best read possible on the first take...no more stress in the booth...it's really great!

Kim Stanphill

Hey Billy,

I just wanted to tell you that I taped the first 2 spots of my ONSTAR VO and it went great. I am sooo happy I took class with you, got my demo from you - and went on about 100 auditions - because I felt "right at home" in the studio.

This is my first VO TV commercial and according to my agent - I "hit the jackpot". My agent (along with another agency she works with) submitted about 65 people - she said I was in competition with ICM - William Morris etc. etc.

There are 8 spots and they hired 3 of us. Me, a black guy and a white guy. She said I beat out A LOT of women (go figure).

Anyway, the jackpot is...... the spots are all with Celebrities! When they came out to give me my scripts - they said "do you want to be in a commercial with Tiger Woods or Jeff Gordon (Nascar RaceCar Driver).

I ended up doing one with both of them! and there are more to come.

So thank you AGAIN!!! The experience being directed by you - made me know exactly what I was doing and the director commented how fast I was and that they really liked what I did.

Hope to see you soon...

Julie Dolan

Hi Bill!

I wanted to share some good news with you. Last week, I was asked to be a part of the Abrams Artists Agency VO team! Actually, I was also made an offer by The Osbrink Agency, but decided to go with Abrams. Regardless, both agencies mentioned (more than once) how much they LOVED my demo. Abrams called within 30 minutes of hearing it, and Osbrink couldn’t stop saying nice things about it. Both liked the variety, the realism, and the whole kit and caboodle! Also, my friend works for Randi Hiller (a huge Hollywood casting director), and when I played her my commercial track, she really thought they were all from real projects!

So, I thank you. Thank you for making me a sweet demo that I can be proud of…and more importantly…got me representation! I know that what you did on my demo is a big part of why I now have a great agent on my side.

I hope all is well in your world and I wish you continued success with the “Stump the Band”!

Best,

Jason Palmer

Hey guys,

I LOVE MY DEMO!!

Last night I was in the car with Tris, my drummer and told her about the demo and she wanted to hear it.

So I popped it in the CD player and it was playing and she asked when I was gonna press play!!

...she thought we were listening to commercials on the radio and didn't realize it was me.

That's the test right there baby!

Love love love it!

Jules

Dear Bill and Robbie,

Thank you for the wonderful work you did putting together my voiceover demo. I just finished working on a Disney Industrial which they cast me straight off of my demo on Tisherman Agency's Voicebank.net site!

The producer said that my demo stood out from all the others he listened to, particularly because of the theme of "oscillococcinum." This was your brilliant idea when you sneakily recorded the conversation I was having with myself playing with the pronunciation. He loved how it tied all the other clips together and gave it a button at the end.

It was so exciting to get the call from my agent that I booked the job and didn't even have to audition. That's how good my demo is...thanks to you!

I recommend you to any voice-over actor who is serious about making the BEST, FIRST CLASS compilation of their voice-over work. You get what you pay for and mine pays me back in big dividends.

Bill and Robbie rule!

Thank you both,

Ren Hananmi

Hey Bill,

I mp3'd my demo to Vanessa at Tisherman a couple of weeks ago and she replied within an hour! She said I sounded great and we had our meeting today. She told me if I was 75% as good as the demo, they wanted me! I read a couple pieces of copy...I await her call...I'll keep you posted. She asked me who did my demo. When I told her, she grinned and said, "We love Bill!".

Once again, I thank you...

Cheers,

Trish Aquino

Bill,

I wanted to thank you for everything you taught me over the past six weeks - I only wish it had been twelve.

I got a real taste of "what could be" and you really dragged some things out of me that I had no idea were even there. Your combination of tough love and humor made me look forward to each class - even after a full day's work at the office!

I want to see if Robbie can fit me into his next class, and please put my name down on your "demo tape waiting list." I plan to be ready for you when you come back from Chicago...

Thanks again,

Barry Schoenfeld

Dear Bill,

Thanks for the great commercial/animation workshop this past weekend and for pushing me to those uncomfortable places that actors can sometimes avoid... you and Bob (Bergen) were absolutely wonderful and I would welcome the opportunity to do it again.

Warmest Regards,
Cathy Chase

Since this was my first commercial tape I figured I wanted someone who was good and whom I felt comfortable with. Bill Holmes was just that person.
Within two weeks I received a call from ICM (International Creative Management, Inc.). They set up a meeting with me. At the meeting one of the first questions they asked was, "Who made your tape?"
The first week at ICM I booked a radio spot for "CINERGY". The following week I signed a one year contract with ICM and now I am on my way.

I thank Bill & Dave for all their help over at Compost Productions.

Ogie Banks III
Representation ICM, Los Angeles

I went though 3 seperate demo producers (and thousands of dollars) and ended up with a demo that I actually cringed through. Then an angel told me to go to Bill Holmes. Bill managed to take all the material and edit it down to a demo that was shorter, included more material, had a natural rhythm, a sense of humor and made me sound good without re-producing a single element. Now I have a better agent and a huge campaign both of whom keep me very busy. I will never doubt the power of a great producer.

Bill Holmes is a genius and he will save you money and years of your life!

Rebecca Riedy
Representation Abrams Artists

I took the demo to my acting workshop the evening I got it. Our guest speaker that evening was MARY ELLEN LORD from SUTTON, BARTH & VENNARI - Of all the demo's she listened to mine was the only one that got rave reviews, because it was so well produced - When Bill Holmes produces a CD you really get your money's worth!

Sherry Weston
Representation Arlene Thornton & Associates

It's everything I had hoped for. You and Dave are well worth it!

Lee Klinghoffer

I'm so glad I took your commercial voice-over class last August. Being primarily an on-camera actor, I was new to the voice-over industry. In your class, I learned about the advertising aspect of commercial copy. Now I'm more self-sufficient and confident in the sound booth at auditions.

I will definitely recommend you to other voice-over actors.

Jennifer Aquino
Representation Sandie Schnarr Talent, Los Angeles

I wanted to let you know that thanks to your coaching (and demo tape) a terrific voiceover agent just signed me. What can I say except YOU ROCK!!!

Brian Jacobs
Representation Sandie Schnarr Talent, Los Angeles

Last weekend I took a voiceover workshop with a guy named Bill Holmes.
He was kind of awesome.

What Bill teaches is how to sound like you. It is much harder than you would think (a fact of which I have been painfully aware) but he has now given me the skills. Now all I need to do is practice every day and work my ass off and be great and get better.

It’s interesting, because Bill admits freely that this business of being yourself, sounding totally natural and unaffected, has always been second nature to him. He never had to learn it. And yet he teaches it brilliantly. Somehow he has managed to get inside the heads of people like me, to whom sounding authentic behind the mic is utterly elusive. To me that is amazing. To be able to break down a process that comes so effortlessly is quite a skill.

Roberta Lipp
NYC

Bill --- no wonder they say you are the MASTER......................I would not have believed it could sound that good.

My demo had to be recut --- "right now." Despite your having a full schedule, you gave me a wonderful product that I am extremely proud to send out. I'm looking forward to having you produce my next demo tape (from beginning to end). Many, many thanks!

Maryann Strossner
Los Angeles

I wanted to say once again I thought that your work shop was very valuable, I like the fact that you were very honest with us , and did not sugar coat the industry especially when you said "be yourself ". If you can keep telling yourself to go through life just being yourself, I think in the end you are much better for it and more respected. Thanks again!

Many Thanks,
Rebecca

Taking Bill Holmes' VO workshop series was the best thing I could possibly have done for my career! I really lucked out in finding Bill as soon as I got to LA. His classes changed my entire approach to VO and made me infinitely more marketable on the national commercial front. He taught me to use my voice in a way that sounds natural, real, and infinitely more inviting than the "Announcer" like approach I'd been used to, and it has paid off! Having Bill make my demo was the only logical choice and, though others may offer to make them for less, Bill's work paid for itself two times over within the first two months, and easily 10 times over within the first year. Bill is the best investment any VO hopeful could possibly make. When I first signed with Abrams they were wowed by my demo and wanted to know who made it. When I told them, they said, "Of course!" With his 30 plus years on the LA commercial scene, Bill is also a great source for industry advice. Thanks to Bill I have 3 (yes, 3!) agents nationwide, I book national spots regularly, and I feel confident doing what I love. Plus, I know that if I ever need to get back to basics to work out my voice and polish my craft, Bill's workshops are a great place to go back to for refreshers and camaraderie. In his classes I've gotten to work with and learn from long time VO veterans who know that everybody could use a refresher now and then, and when they do Bill's the man they go to!

Thanks, Bill! You're the Best!
Phoebe Zimmermann

I have worked with several different VO teachers over the last year and a half, and Bill Holmes and Bob Bergen are without a doubt the best I've ever worked with.

Not only do they provide great direction, but because they are working pros themselves, they offer something that very few teachers can - the benefit of their own experience behind the mic! Most VO teachers can direct you with adjustments on where to go with a read, but Bill & Bob can actually tell you how to get there. That alone is incredibly invaluable.

Bill Holmes gives you the tools and the ability to evaluate your own reads on playback, and to begin moving towards developing a sense of self-direction. His no-nonsense straight-forward style is refreshing and hysterical. And, with the sense of humor, irreverence, and creativity that he brings to his work, well let's just say, that I already know who I'm calling once I'm ready to put my demo together.

Thank you,
Steve Nini

Frankly, when I first learned of the workshop, I was reluctant to sign up. I thought it would be too "advanced" for a beginner such as myself. I thought I would be "lost" or hold the group back. My fears soon melted as I began to experience the teaching styles of both Bill Holmes and Bob Bergen, and sense the camaraderie of the other students. Together, these two people bring about 60 years of combined experience into an intimate studio setting for a weekend of learning in a fun and supportive manner. The enthusiasm and consummate talent of Bill and Bob became immediately apparent, and made the workshop that much more enjoyable and informative. Even though I'm not primarily interested in animation, Bob's instruction seemed universally applicable to all actors and students of any genre of voiceover. I'm inspired to continue my journey, now with a little more confidence and armed with the many "pearls" of wisdom cast off by this pair.

Regards
Steve Vogel

Hi Bill,

On the heels of your workshop today here in Las Vegas I wanted to thank you again for 3 1/2 hours of interesting and fun details about this business. Kudos, because not only did I learn a lot, but your way of teaching was extraordinary! Hope you come back to Vegas, soon! Thank you again and good luck on the bets!

Juliane Price