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Auditions, Invoices, Contracts:
Track It or Regret It!
By David J. Kozlowski, March 16, 2025
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As a voice actor, you are a business, and maintaining proper records is a best practice. It’s crucial to safeguard your career and protect your rights and financial wellbeing. Whether working with agencies or as an independent contractor, having organized, accurate records can make a significant difference to your success and the security of your career.
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Contracts. It’s essential to maintain a contract for each job you take. Contracts outline the key details of a gig, such as payment terms, usage rights, deadlines, and any specific obligations. If you lose the contract and get short-changed, you may be limited when your try to fight for your rights.
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Company Records. If you have formed an LLC, keep your formation documents, operating agreement, meeting minutes, and resolutions together. Failure to maintain such records can have legal implications, and could even result in loss of the limitation of liability an LLC typically affords.
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Tax Considerations. Not keeping detailed financial records—such as receipts for business-related expenses—can lead to poor financial and tax planning. For example, you may miss valuable deductions, affecting your bottom line. Invoices are another vital aspect of record-keeping. Without proper invoices that reflect services rendered and payments received (where appropriate), you may struggle to prove your income during tax season. This can result in underreporting or overreporting your earnings, triggering audits or penalties from taxing authorities.
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Work Considerations. Finally, it’s important to keep track of auditions and submissions. Without this information, it becomes difficult to evaluate your progress or learn from feedback from casting directors and agents. Poor record-keeping could result in missed callbacks or confusion regarding which roles you’ve already auditioned for, leading to unnecessary repetition or missed chances.
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For the reasons listed above and more, consistent and thorough record-keeping is vital for ensuring smooth business operations and protecting your rights. Staying organized is the key to avoiding various pitfalls and protecting both your professional reputation and financial future. ♦♦♦
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Dave Kozlowski is a partner at Morrison Cohen LLP, a prominent Manhattan-based law firm with a national focus on legal services for businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals. You can reach Dave by email or follow him on LinkedIn.
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From the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences
Donate to the James Earl Jones Prize
From the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences
From the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences
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