Application process comments and questions

My last audition was denied for the following reasons and I believe my input may help VBQC in improving the overall process and communication and a hopeful response will allow me to properly submit my next application.

The reason I was given:

1. Your delivery sounds undesirably flat or monotone. Our clients expect natural and engaging reads unless specifically instructed otherwise. For this project, we\'re looking for a voice that sounds natural and conversational.

2. There is a mid-high level of white noise/hiss impacting your recording that is adversely affecting the quality of the deliverable. We believe it could be coming from an excess of gain on your preamplifier and could be further enhanced by the use of compression if any.

My comments and questions:

#1 The instructions I was given were as follows :

Looking for a voice that is

- Natural and conversational

- Friendly, yet professional

- Not sales-like

There is a LOT of room for interpretation in our job, multiple factors are involved. We interpret the best we can based on what we have and apply a personal touch, it's very subjective. If it doesn't work for a client then we get feedback and make adjustments.

However, in the application process for VB there is no opportunity for this. SO, in lieu of any follow up direction or second takes it is important that applicants get clear and non-conflicting instructions to work from with some level of leeway, at the very least.

Perhaps more guidance with regards to the following would be helpful:

- Who are we targetting

- What feelings/result are you trying to invoke? 

For the record, I have 23 years of theater and 2 years of VO experience and I could have provided a 100 different reads for the piece, I would have appreciated at least one direction and a second take rather than waiting for a "reconsideration" opportunity to pop up.

#2 I have read in more than one place that raw files are desired and "no compression" should be used. The file was normalized to -3db with a noise floor of -74db (it almost passes ACX standards without any post processing) . So  I am confused as to why they would reject the recording based on something that I could have very easily fixed with a tiny bit  of processing. Rejecting and application for something so simplly and quickly fixed seems like a waste of everyones time.

Thank yu for listening. I would really love to work with VB but I am seeing a lot of inconsistency in the forums so I am truly hoping to help and also raise my own understanding .

Thank you!

Here is the file for reference.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jMhFoBM9j8-rUWcUIwDFftspFeEFQ6Ie/view?usp=sharing