We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dandrell Scott. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dandrell below.
Dandrell, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you signed with an agent or manager? Why or why not?
It’s a funny story, because the agency that currently represents me turned me down in the beginning. The year was 2012, and I was new to the voiceover world. I’d managed to book some non-union commercials. So, I compiled those recordings into a demo reel, and sent it to Stewart Talent. Stewart Talent sent me an email a month later, confirming they weren’t interested. For the next five years, I made my own path. I created and voiced my own cartoon animations. I produced and filmed my own independent movies. I gained several awards and nominations from film festivals. Consequently, my resume and accolades started to bulk up. Fast forward to 2017, I emailed Stewart Talent with that same demo reel and newly minted resume. They called me in for an audition, where I recorded a quick commercial. They unanimously voted me into their client fold and we’ve been rocking since that day! I still bring up that old moment of them declining me. They said, “We made a mistake. But we’re happy you’re here now.” LOL. I encourage all my fellow actors to keep their craft alive. You may submit to a talent agency and get declined. But you gotta keep working on your craft and building up your resume. Sooner or later, they’ll want you! And the ball will be in your court.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a voiceover artist, who stumbled into this career. I never took a VO class or studied voice acting. Yet, my theater and music background allowed me to be here. Now, I’m one of the premiere voice performers in the industry, as I currently work on Wendy’s television, radio, and industrial advertisements. My VO resume also includes McDonald’s, Ford, Toyota, Bayer, Comcast, Miller Lite, Dunkin’, Cox Cable, Nicor Gas, QuikTrip, and Old National Bank. It just goes to show you the power of God! It doesn’t matter if you lack training or connections, God will equip you with everything you need to sustain your blessings!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One lesson I had to unlearn was the following phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” In Los Angeles, there are lots of people who know the entire industry, but it doesn’t mean they’re successful. Therefore, knowing people is not an advantage. The advantage comes from constantly combining your talents with strategy. For instance, I tell novice VO actors to contact local businesses, and work out a commercial deal. Explain to these owners that you can write and record a vocal commercial for a low cost. In turn, the businesses can put that ad on audio streaming platforms, or combine it with video for a local television spot. Eventually, that voiceover actor will see growth in finances and relationships, all due to combining talent with strategy!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
What drives my creative journey is the ambition to conquer other talents! In general, people have more than one skill or ability. But we’re taught to focus on just one attribute. I want to explore every gift that I possess. So, I can look back at my life and say, “I utilized everything God gave me.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dscottgottalent.com
- Instagram: @dscottgottalent
- Twitter: @dscottgottalent