Vox Daily

Natural Listings are very different from Paid Search listings. Find out the differences here.

Hi there,

If you are familiar with searching on Google to find information about the voice-over industry, chances are you've noticed that we have a great web presence and rank #1 for several relevant keywords in the Google search results.

Before we get started, let's look at the difference between Natural Listings and Paid Search Listings.

Natural Listings

A Natural Listing is a search result that appears in Google's search engine organically, that is to say, naturally without having to advertise. When Google indexes a web page because of content relevancy and link popularity, a Natural Listing is often created to acknowledge the source of the content to direct Google's users to the website with the most accurate information related to their search query.

Essentially, if you have a well optimized web page with relevant content targeted toward a specific audience, Google will favor your content over other sites without relevant content. Achieving the goal of being #1 for a keyword or group of keywords is a formidable process and generates a significant amount of free traffic (visitors / potential customers) to a website.

Sites that enjoy these rankings usually:

Include keyword(s) in their domain name
Have numerous sources linking to their web page or site
Feature relevant content on their website
Attract visitors without having to advertise heavily

Paid Search Listings

Paid advertisements are showcased on Google in the form of banner ads (Sponsored Links), usually with 2 ads appearing at the top of the Google web page at the top right hand corner and all subsequent ads are promoted on the left hand side in a column. The order that the ads are placed in is decided in an online real-time auction where advertisers bid for keywords.

Generally...

The higher the bid, the higher the ad placement
Advertising competitively can be quite time consuming
Paid Search advertising is very expensive
Acquires skill and expertise to be successful

Now that we've explored both of these methods, here are a couple of #1 ranked, Natural Listings on Google for you to view. The Natural Listings are indicated by the green arrow for the keywords "voice overs" and "voice talents".

Enjoy,

Stephanie

Greetings,

Even in this virtual world of instant marketing and global opportunities, the professional voice actor still has a lot of knocking on doors and pounding the pavement to do when it comes to ramping up business locally and establishing themself within their own community as the voice of choice.

Here are some ideas that will help with promoting your talents on a smaller, more personalized scale.

You could...

Deliver Demo CDs
Send Post Cards
Circulate Flyers
Write a Newsletter
Cold Call Businesses
Print up Business Cards
Pin Cards on Bulletin Boards

All of the efforts mentioned above provide potential clients with the friendly yet assertive message that you are available to record voice-overs for their company.

To expand upon the newsletter idea, develop a database of your current clients and clients whom you would like to work for. Send them personalized newsletters with updates featuring recently completed voice-over work and let them know that you appreciate their time (tactful reminders that you are interested in working for them don't hurt either!).

The more times that your prospects see your name, the greater likelihood you'll be the person they call when they need a voice-over.

Cheers,

Stephanie

Is it better not to have a photo at all?

Greetings,

Do you have a photo or a graphical image that represents you as a voice actor?

A commonly held belief is that photographs can actually become a hindrance to voice actors because their physiques (outward appearance) and vocal talents are completely separate from one another.

For example, a talent may have a large, booming, and muscular voice perfect for voice-overs related to sports, but they may not have the physical appearance to match.

Is it better to remain visually anonymous, or should there be at least something visual, whether it be a head shot or a logo created specifically to reflect the vocal talents of a professional voice actor?

Curiously awaiting your thoughts...

Stephanie

A must have for any voice actor

Greetings,

In this installment, we'll feature the importance of having a stellar voice acting demo and also how to go about making one.

Nowadays, clients only have a matter of minutes to find a voice that meets their needs. Without a sample of your voice available online as an MP3 file or even a few voice acting sampler CDs on hand for agencies, chances are you'll be overlooked.

If you think that the searching period for clients is tight, consider this: the majority of clients make a decision as to whether they will hire you or not within the first 5-10 seconds of hearing your voice. Your demo is their first impression of you and what you can do for their organization.

What does all of this mean for you?

It means that you have to grab their attention at the beginning of your demo and wow them throughout to keep the awe you inspired in your intro consistent with their quickly formulated opinion of your skills and voice talents.

It also means that you'll need some good copy to record your demos from. I've mentioned the scripts collection and sample scripts before on this blog as a great resource for recording voice acting demos.

Here's a link to some resources on how to create a great voice acting demo.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Looking for a great book to help you run your voice-over business?

Greetings,

As a part of our featured series on getting started as a voice actor, we are going to delve into the world of literature and how-to and hit the books with you!

One of the easiest and fastest ways to get a handle on the voice acting field and voice industry as a whole is to sit down and read a good book. Aside from either going to the local library or ordering a book or voice-over ebook online, there isn't much legwork! Simplicity at its very best.

In this article, we've featured one of the most comprehensive, self-help voice-over career ebooks on the market that benefits both new voice actors and seasoned voice acting professionals.

The Definitive Guide to Voice-over Success will help you to build your voice acting career from the ground up, including how to brand yourself, how to record voice-overs, be found on the Internet, promote your voice, make money as a voice actor, operate your business, and give you the encouragement you need to get going.

Veteran voice actors will find tips on how to search engine optimize their websites, how to grow an already prosperous business, embrace a new spin on voice-overs, and receive a solid affirmation of their pivotal role in the voice-over world.

It's incredible to think that all of this and more is available to you at your convenience...

You can learn more about this resource, view actual excepts, and read reviews submitted by professional voice actors by clicking on The Definitive Guide to Voice-Over Success.

A great companion to the voice-over guide is the Voice-Over Script Collection. If you'd like to explore this option too, click here for customer reviews and screen shots from this collection of voice-over scripts.

Happy reading,

Stephanie

P.S. If the thought of hauling a load of books from the library, the bookstore, or borrowing from a friend doesn't appeal to you, consider the option to purchase an ebook.

Instant benefits are that you can purchase from the comfort of your own home, download the ebook immediately, and get reading right away without having to drive anywhere - also, the ebook is yours to keep!

Studying one on one has its benefits.

Greetings,

Welcome to our second feature article about getting started as a voice actor. In this article, we're going to tap into the world of voice acting instruction.

On the program today, we have:

Voice Acting Coaches
Voice Acting Seminars and Teleclasses
Voice Actor Support Groups

First, let's get the ball rolling with Voice Acting Coaches

Voice Acting Coaches

If you're wondering what your voice type is, the kind of work you'd be best suited for, and want to explore your vocal range (both artistically and technically), there are a few options available to you.

The first is to make an appointment with a voice acting coach. They will be happy to review your voice and set up a training program for you at their studio. Going with a private coach has its benefits. Who else could give you an opinion on your voice, tailored vocal instruction, specific guidance, and career resources on such a personal level?

A voice acting coach will help you to focus in on your strengths and develop your talents. Sometimes it takes someone else to let you know where you shine as a voice actor and the areas of voice acting that aren't necessarily your forte.

A voice acting teacher will be able to identify your specialty skills, and if you would like, help you to plan and record your voice acting demo. These preliminary efforts will define your voice acting career at present and help you to provide extraordinary voice acting services to your future clients.

As with anything valuable to your development, a voice acting coach will charge fees for their services. When selecting a voice coach, don't let their coaching fee be the sole deciding factor regarding whether you study with them or not. The fees that you pay should also provide you with a comfortable learning environment, a teacher who you can relate to, and the voice acting skills that you want to acquire.

Any good teacher will tell you that practice is an essential cornerstone of a successful voice actor's career. Ask your coach about additional voice training opportunities and voice acting workshops.

If you know of any voice acting teachers or voice acting coaches that you'd like to refer, leave a comment on this post. Mention why you like them and the city that they provide voice acting coaching services in.

Thanks for reading!

Stephanie

P.S. If you're looking for the seminars / teleseminars and voice actor support groups, just click on the links on the table of contents :)

Learning in groups is fun and cost-effective.

Greetings,

In this feature, we'll look at voice acting seminars!

Voice Acting Seminars and Teleclasses / Teleseminars

A seminar is an open class that is run by a voice acting instructor and attended by voice actors who want to improve particular skills, such as character voice acting, for example. These seminars are often followed by a question and answers period. The environment is often more casual and freespirited than a private lesson and enables you to network with people within your field, perhaps even meet colleagues who will become your friends.

Usually there is a cost for participating in a voice acting seminar to pay for the instructors time and for the cost of the venue. These fees can vary, but expect that in most cases, there will be a fee for the seminar.

Teleseminars, or teleclasses, are taught over the telephone. When attending a teleseminar, all you need to do is dial in to the phone number that your instructor will provide you with, and enter the class number for your specific class. Be sure that you do this on the date and at the time that your class is scheduled for.

There may be special code that you'll need to dial after calling in to be routed to the right teleclass, similar to how you would check the numbers on the door if you're looking for a classroom in a building. Once you're in on the call, the instructor will greet everyone, introduce the program, start teaching, and then have question and answers period. Bear in mind that there may be a fee associated with a teleclass or teleseminar.

If you have attended any seminars for voice acting, I'm inviting you to let us know how the seminar worked out for you and what the golden nuggets were that you gained from the learning experience. How did you find the group learning sessions?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

It's always good to have a circle of friends who understand your career.

Greetings,

Thank you for reading our feature on voice acting support groups. Let's explore this a bit further, shall we :)

Voice Actor Support Groups

You can network with other voice actors to glean information and feedback from each other in person, through Internet chat groups, or by posting on voice acting support forums.

One such group online is VoiceOverTimes, a community of professional and aspiring voice actors that chat with each other about vocal technique, recording equipment, job opportunities, and more. These social networking services are nearly always free!

One of the most fulfilling aspects of joining a peer support group is that you can share experiences with fellow voice actors, learn at your own pace, and if you're in a position to do so, give insight to other voice actors.

Thus endeth the lesson!

A word to the wise... An ambitious voice actor will take advantage of all three voice acting instruction tools: studying privately with a voice acting coach, attending seminars or teleclasses, and playing an active role in a voice actors support forum.

See you tomorrow for our next feature!

Stephanie

A series of blog posts to help you get started in voice-overs.

Greetings,

Has it been your heart's desire to make money with your voice? If so, buckle up and hold on tight - you're about to experience our new series of mini articles that will help you to make your transition into the world of professional voice-overs!

But first... let's identify the biggest misconception about voice-overs...

"I have a great voice, and that means that I can do voice-overs, no problem!"

Needless to say, a great voice is not the only factor that breeds a solid career in voice acting. A voice talent is not just a great voice, but a person with endless ambition, polished talent, and good business sense.

Even our pal over here - let's call him Clyde - even if Clyde is confident that he has what it takes to be a prize winning show horse, the honors might go to another horse with more passion, conditioning, and experience.

The first requirement, although it may seem obvious, is that you should be able to read well out loud. Even the most enthusiastic bookworms have trouble articulating a well-phrased passage when asked to do so out loud.

Imagine if you were at an audition (in person), and asked to read a script that you have never seen before, and the stakes are high - a potential job or role is hanging in the balance, and landing that role is solely dependent on your ability to read on demand... In music, this is called sight-reading, in voice-over, this is called a cold read. Poor Clyde, should he miscalculate a jump (or in your case, misread something in the script), could end up knocking a few rails down and lose the competition!

If you have the grace of time, consider the following when starting out with a script.

You will need to have a feel for the text, study it, know its internal rhythm, and make note of appropriate places to breathe. You'll also need to know how to change the mood of your voice (tone), and how to consistently carry a theme or interpretation for the vocal marathon ahead. This is particularly true with regard to narration and documentary voice-overs.

Rehearsing should be a part of your regiment as a serious voice actor.

On a more personal level, your audience, or more specifically, an individual listener needs to trust you, be comfortable with your voice, and most of all, learn something, be moved by your voice, or even profit from your skills as a professional voice talent.

For example, think about someone who is listening to a training CD. In this case, you would be their instructor, and therefore, an enormous responsibility rests with you to ensure that your student receives a comprehensive tutorial, the direct result of an effective voice-over. Your ability to enuciate properly and project your voice makes all the difference (a really good recording studio setup and some engineering know-how is the finishing touch!).

Now that we've got our engines running, here's a royalty-free sample script for you to analyze and try out. This one is from the Voice-Over Script Collection by InteractiveVoices:

Getting that big promotion must feel good. Why not celebrate moving up by moving to Summerset Hills? The neighborhoods of Summerset Hills are now entering into their third phase of building! Choose from dozens of single-family homes on pie shaped lots tucked away on Lilies Fair Court, perfect for young families and parents who want a safe and secluded street on which to raise their kids. With homes selling quickly, you’d better act now so that you can move into your dream home before the first snowfall! Open houses are being held every Saturday and Sunday from 12 until 4. To learn more about the Summerset community, visit our website online or call 555-3125. Summerset Hills: move in today and stay for a lifetime.

If you are looking for more commercial scripts similar to this or for some royalty-free telephone, imaging, and narration scripts, click here for more info on how to get your very own set of over 50 voice-over scripts for $9.95!

Best,

Stephanie

P.S. Royalty-free means that you can use our scripts and record them without legal consequence - all of the company names are fictitious (do not exist/are not real), and you can change them at your leisure to create a customized script all your own.

Articles and Insights you won't find anywhere else!

Greetings,

Are you getting your daily dose of voice-over buzz?

The InteractiveVoices Blog is both entertaining and relevant to the working voice-over professional. We cover all aspects of the industry and feature how voice-overs relate to voice actors, clients who need voices, and the general public at large.

You'll discover exclusive secrets, promotions, and tips that we only post on our blog, and even have the opportunity to comment on topics that interest you.

Since you're already here and are currently reading this post, you are either a faithful reader of our blog or a new reader - either way, we're glad that you've picked the InteractiveVoices Blog to satisfy your cravings for all things voice-over.

As we have mentioned before, please feel free to comment on postings that are published at InteractiveVoices. We've had some excellent comments on our Kiefer Sutherland post, animated mascot post, and political voice-overs article. Also, in spirit of the Torino Olympic Games, find out what makes voice talents Olympic athletes!

If you enjoy this blog, you likely know someone else that would too. Did you know that you can email them a link to the blog straight from this page?

All you need to do is click on the little envelope icon at the bottom of each post to send your friends and colleagues the articles that you find at our voice-overs blog.

Best wishes and Happy Reading,

The InteractiveVoices Team

P.S. This blog is open to relatives and supporters of voice talents too!

Let your voice talent friend or family member in on the best toolkit for voice-over success - The InteractiveVoices Blog and the InteractiveVoices web service.

P.P.S. Add our blog to MY Google or My Yahoo! ~ subscribe to our XML feed (blog site) to be notified immediately of any new postings.

Helena Bonham-Carter is in both of these voice acting films. Which will win out at the Oscars?

Greetings,

The Oscars are just around the corner, and the Best Animated Film nominations include Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride", "Wallace and Gromit - Curse of the Were-Rabbit" and "Howl's Moving Castle".

Of particular interest are "Corpse Bride" and "Wallace and Gromit - Curse of the Were-Rabbit". Did you know that the lovely Helena Bonham Carter's voice acting skills are featured prominently in both of these Oscar nominated, full-length animated films?

In Corpse Bride, Helena gives voice to Emily, also known as the Corpse Bride. Helena shares the microphone with co-stars Johnny Depp (Victor), and Emily Watson (Victoria) in this morbid tale of true love conquering all.

In Wallace and Gromit, Helena is Lady Tottington, a buck-toothed heroine who vows to rid the town of a were-rabbit before the annual vegetable growing competition. Partnering with Helena in this animated film is fellow voice actor Ralph Fiennes, playing the role of the snobby Victor Quartermaine, who also aspires to marry Lady Tottington.

A few similarities between Helena's roles in Corpse Bride and Wallace and Gromit are:

- Both of Helena's co-stars voice characters named Victor (Victor Quartermaine and Victor Van Dort)
- Both of these films have British connections
- Helena was able to keep her British accent for both characters

Helena has always been choosey with her roles, and it has proven advantageous for her over the years.

The question is: which of these films will the academy give the nod to? Will endearing celebrity voice acting be a decisive factor, or will it come down to sheer animation and respective plot lines?

Which of these films do you think should take home the honors, and why? Leave a comment and let the debate begin!

Have a fantastic weekend,

Stephanie

P.S. If you are interested in the 3rd nominated animated film, click here to learn more about Howl's Moving Castle. This film has been trumpeted by Disney and has already received several high-profile reviews.

The twosome is 'getting along famously' and enjoying wedded bliss. Meet Colin and Debra!

Greetings,

Whose Line is it Anyway, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Getting Along Famously, Blackfly... Who else could we be referring to other than Canadian comedic powerhouse Colin Mochrie?

Best known to the world for his on-camera television roles, Colin Mochrie also has an alter ego behind the microphone named "Two" in a cartoon series called "Seven Little Monsters", based upon Maurice Sendak's popular children's book "Where the Wild Things Are". Two has a reputation for being a bit of a know-it-all and a busy-body, clad with a prominent nose to match!

On a romantic note, Colin is married to Debra McGrath, an equally talented Canadian actress well known to the public, starring in shows such as "Wind at My Back" and several other films. Deb has proven herself as a voice actress alongside hubby Colin in two popular cartoon series, "Seven Little Monsters" and "George and Martha" - literally a match made in heaven!

"George & Martha", another children's cartoon series, is based on a book series by James Marshall. The series follows a hippo couple and their nature loving friends. Colin voiced 2 characters, the first being a male hyena, a hyena who has a wife, mind you (voiced by Debra McGrath)! He also provides the voice of a crocodile.

Most recently, Colin and Debra embarked on a vintage 60s television production called "Getting Along Famously", a show airing on the CBC that pairs the two as television variety co-hosts, revealing their complex life on-camera and off as characters Kip Delaney and Ruby Kendall - comparable to a Liz Taylor / Richard Burton couple, always fighting and making up while living their lives in the glare of the media.

Husband and wife teams are something to celebrate! If you team up with your husband or wife on projects using your talents, whether it be voice-over, podcasting, music, or on-camera, let us know by leaving a comment and promote your partnership endeavours.

Do you know of any other successful husband & wife teams in the biz? Let us know about them and leave a comment for everyone to read - I can think of a few even now :)

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Mascots are great... Ever been one?

Greetings,

If you've been watching the Olympics on CBC up here in Canada, you've probably met Frank and Gordon, Bell Canada's newest patriotic mascots who are promoting their services during the Torino Olympic Games.

Frank and Gordon, two computer generated beavers, are paired with two voice actors, Norm MacDonald and Ken Campbell. Norm MacDonald, a comedian and actor, is a Canadian by birth, born in Québec City, Québec, Canada. Ken Campbell is an American actor.

Aside from the voice actors themselves, the beavers do stand on their own quite well. This may go back to the whole debate about celebrity voice-overs and how effective they are if you don't recognize the identity of the voice actor.

I for one couldn't place Norm, although I knew that his voice was familiar. Upon finding out who voiced Frank, it immediately became obvious to me (the light went on!) and I thought that Norm was a good fit as Frank. Another member of our team couldn't place Norm's name either, but did recall however that the voice actor in question somewhat physically resembled our nation's beloved Rick Mercer, another Canadian comedian and television star (he's also all about Canadian mascots re: Rick Mercer Report).

Any thoughts that you have about animated or computer generated (CG) mascots are welcome - perhaps we could even start another thread from your comments!

Out of curiosity, has anyone voiced a character for commercial purposes?

Stephanie

P.S. Checkout Frank and Gordon's website here.

Step by step guide to converting to MP3 with Apple iTunes

Greetings,

Converting files to MP3 from a CD is not terribly difficult, but it helps to have a step by step guide.

At InteractiveVoices, we developed a short tutorial on how to do this quickly and easily using your own computer. Here's some rudimentary info about MP3s and a guide to help you to create an MP3 file from an existing audio file.

*** This information is particularly helpful to voice talents that only have a CD recording of their voice-over demos and need to upload their audio to the Internet at InteractiveVoices.com ***

Converting Audio into the MP3 Format

The universal standard audio file for delivery on the Internet is called MPEG-3 or more commonly known as MP3. You should make your voice-over demo available in MP3 format for easy distribution to clients via email or for convenient download on your webpage.

The MP3 file should be encoded at the bit rate of between 128kbps (standard) to 160kbps (medium) to 320kbps (highest) for optimum quality yet maintaining a relatively small file size for delivery over the Internet.

We recommend that you use Quicktime Pro or Apple iTunes for creating digital audio and multimedia files.

If you are using Apple iTunes, follow these steps:

1. Import the CD into your iTunes player
2. Create a playlist for your recording(s)
3. Drag your recording(s) into the Playlist to keep it/them organized
4. Select the recording that you would like to convert to MP3
5. Click on "Advanced" in your iTunes menu bar
6. Select "Convert Selection to MP3"
7. Wait a couple seconds, and voila, an MP3 has been created!
8. Drag your audio to your desktop and name the MP3 file appropriately, i.e. jane_doe_commercials.mp3
9. Login to your InteractiveVoices account and click on your "Studio" tab
10. Upload your demo and give it a name, i.e. "Commercial Demo" to ensure success in one step :)

To see an example of what properly uploaded audio looks like, click here.

MP3 File Equation

When trying to estimate how large a file your voice-over demo will be in MP3 format, consider this equation.

• 1 minute of stereo digital audio, encoded at 128kbps = 1MB MP3 file

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Peep and the Big Wide World

Greetings,

For those of you who have spent years reading bed time stories to your children, you're in good company with Joan Cusack. She owes her storytelling talents to 6 years of reading childrens' literature to her little darlings.

Joan Cusack, a Hollywood actress, has found another niche within the business, providing voice-over narration for a popular childrens' series called "Peep and the Big Wide World", a program principally funded by the National Science Foundation.

In addition to her work on Peep, Joan provided the voice of the character Jessie in Toy Story 2 and also voiced a character in Chicken Little, quickly making her a hit at both the box office and with her two children, Dylan and Miles.

Most of Joan's inspiration as a voice actor comes from making a difference in the lives of the audiences she reaches, for example, she chooses to align herself with educational and morally sound animated programming.

As a parent and a voice actor, she is driven by the possibilities that spring forth from her role as a storyteller, nurturing the innate curiosity of children, helping them develop important skills for lifelong learning.

Have any of you had the great opportunity of narrating for a preschool series? If so, leave a comment and promote the show that you worked on.

Looking forward to hearing all about it!

Stephanie

Investor turned voice actor?

Greetings,

Most people know Warren Buffett as the most prosperous and savvy investor in the world, but how many people know Warren Buffett, the voice actor?

As the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren knows his fair share about finances and the stock market. Little did we know that his own voice-over star is on it's way up with DIC Entertainment.

Warren will provide candid voice-overs for a new direct-to-video animated childrens' series called "The Secret Millionaire's Club," offering up lessons on money and financing to kids.

After pondering this for a moment, one might wonder why Warren Buffett was selected to record for this new venture.

Berkshire Hathaway just happens to be located in Omaha, Nebraska - conveniently, the same city where DIC Entertainment produces voice-overs for many of its kids' TV shows and direct to video DVDs. Sources say that a theatre for children and other facilities are also located in Omaha. The connection between DIC and Buffett leaves us asking 'why not' :)

Further research revealed that Warren Buffett as a cartoon host was an idea that sprang from previous DIC work for Berkshire Hathaway and Buffett. DIC produces animated spoofs, featuring Buffett, which open Berkshire Hathaway's shareholder meetings.

Do you know of any other prominent business people that have performed as voice actors for educational purposes? If so, please leave a comment and share your insight.

Cordially,

Stephanie

Looking for a voice talent to record?

Greetings,

If you're under the wire trying to find a voice-over talent for Valentines Day, you're not the only one.

Voice talents at InteractiveVoices are prepared to record your script and can do so within a matter of hours. Looming deadlines, loom no more! All you need is a plan and the right voice talent to bring your copy to life.

You might be interested in commercial voice-overs, but, have you thought about presenting a recording to a loved one as a gift on St. Valentine's Day? Perhaps, a heart fluttering rendition of "She Walks in Beauty, Like the Night" by Lord Byron (penned in 1814) - it's a public domain work, meaning that you can use it without having to pay royalties or a licensing fee.

Here's another idea... if you have a great voice (or a splendid way with words), why don't you record it yourself for your sweetheart? Most computers come with recording software and a modest internal microphone. Other recording methods might include a portable recording device, your stereo, or even by leaving a voicemail.

Since Valentines Day is only a week away, I thought it would be clever and helpful if this gem of a poem was published for you to discover, just in time.

Stephanie

~~~~

SHE walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meets in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress
Or softly lightens o'er her face,
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek and o'er that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,—
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.

P.S. If you would like to find additional poetry to record that is also in the public domain, just Google poets like John Keats, Lord Byron, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Percy B. Shelley, and Robert (Robbie) Burns. I'm sure you'll find the right candidate for the job.

Or... you could write your own!

An exclusive resource, brought to you by InteractiveVoices.

Salutations on this first Friday of February!

Have you ever wondered if there is a formula for voice-over success?

The InteractiveVoices team has created a document for professional voice-over talents to assess their current track records online, offering new suggestions that you can implement that will help to trigger responses from clients when applying for and achieving a steady stream of voice-over work.

How do you get a copy of this exclusive resource? It's easy! If you are already a voice talent member of the InteractiveVoices web service, you can download it from your My Account area.

If you're new to our web service, sign-up for one of our Voice Talent memberships - the Guest account is free and will still give you access to this invaluable career changing catalyst.

To sign-up, just visit this link.

Looking forward to starting a relationship with you and your voice-over business!

Sincerely,

The InteractiveVoices Team

How is InteractiveVoices like the IOC?

Hi there,

Now it's time to examine why InteractiveVoices and the IOC are related.

Both InteractiveVoices and the IOC are neutral organizations that oversee activities related to their areas of affiliation. The IOC is the international governing body serving the athletes who are competing in the Olympics and countries hosting the Olympic Games. InteractiveVoices is the trusted neutral party serving voice actors at the InteractiveVoices.com website and clients who are seeking voice acting services.

Both organizations successfully provide opportunities for world-class talent to prove themselves and go for the gold. Whether it be on the ski hill or from behind the microphone, potentially life changing career plateaus can be reached via the Olympic Games and InteractiveVoices.com. If an athlete wants to be recognized as the best in the world, they need to compete in the Olympic Games for their sport. If a voice actor wants to be affiliated with the #1 voice-over marketplace, they need to have a Profile at InteractiveVoices.com.

The IOC and their national counterparts, (for example, the Canadian Olympic Committee amongst other national Olympic committees), are responsible for consolidating the world's best athletes from every country that has athletes eligible to compete. Similarly, InteractiveVoices has consolidated the finest freelance voice actor database in the world, including voice actors from North America, Central and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, Oceania, and more. These talent are able to meet the voice-over needs of international clients.

Last but not least, both InteractiveVoices and the IOC (and their national counterparts) nurture talents and make sure that career development tools are in place for training, networking, and overall improvement. Both organizations also promote public awareness and set high standards for present and future generations of talent to embrace as they embark on a career either as an Olympic athlete or a voice actor.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Six more weeks of winter or six weeks 'til spring?

Happy Grounghog Day!

This morning, in Wiarton, ON Canada's own Wiarton Willie proclaimed that there would be only 6 weeks until Spring. With all of the flowers peeping up and unheard of mild weather up in Canada (minus the East Coast!), it's no surprise that our friend declared an Ode to Spring.

Punxsutawney Phil in Punxsutawney, PA USA however, saw his shadow and announced 6 more weeks of Winter...

Who do you want to believe?! How does this affect you?

Either six more weeks left of winter colds, or six weeks until the spring allergy season attacks! Remember that post I made yesterday about the similarities, particularly healthwise, between Olympic athletes and voice talents?

Just remember to look after yourself, and regardless of what the ground hogs found discrepancies with, you'll be in good form :)

Stephanie

When it comes right down to it, you should all get medals!

Greetings,

It's almost time for the Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. Have you ever wondered what the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) slogan "Citius, Altius, Fortius" means? When literally translating from Latin, the motto means Faster, Higher, Stronger.

What's the connection between the Olympic motto and InteractiveVoices? We believe that our service and voice-over talents perform with the same ardour, intensity, and agility as the athletes that compete at the Olympic Games.

Let me let you in on a secret... voice talents are vocal athletes. So, if that's the case, what defines athletics and what are athletes?

Athletics are games or sports that result in a victory of some sort. An athletic person is physically strong, fit and active; a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise.

If you look closely, you'll see a simple correlation between both the team at InteractiveVoices and our voice talent at the voice-over marketplace, and the Olympic athletes and their governing body, the IOC.

First, let's start with the voice talents and Olympic athletes themselves. Voice talents up first.

Do these professionals not work hard every day to maintain their vocal health, improve their lung capacities, and push themselves to their artistic limits? Each talent is responsible for their physical well being and know that it directly affects their performance. This includes the foods they eat, the bad habits they avoid, right down to their choice of herbal remedies, Echinacea, Ginger Root and Zinc among their favourites. Everything that they put into their bodies, including the amount of sleep they get and the exercises that they routinely perform, affects their voice-overs. Oh yes, warming up their voices and plenty of H20 ~ more than enough to make even the Water Boy proud!

Similarly, athletes adhere to the same code of ethics with regard to their well being. Rest, warming up (stretching), exercise, healthy eating, lifestyle... it's all relevant to their success as well. Although the olympic athlete does quite a bit more of the extensive physical exercise and sporting aspect, the voice talent is not far behind.

Vocal marathons are run everyday - no lactic acid thankfully, but vocal folds can fall victim to several unexpected ailments, hence the voice talent's vigilance regarding their health and personal habits. The overuse of a voice, coming into contact with someone who has a cold, eating or drinking certain foods and beverages, inhaling second-hand smoke, or exposure to the elements can all play a role in breaking down the talent's immune system or wreaking havoc with the tender vocal folds (these used to be called vocal cords, but that didn't really make sense ~ believe me).

Voice talents wake up everyday with the goal of being the best that they can be, just like Olympic athletes. Their craft is nurtured through workshops, private coaching sessions, and by connecting with their colleagues. Athletes attend clinics, are coached, and also train with each other.

Athletes compete against each other in friendly competition as do voice talents. Even though the auditioning process seems highly competitive, these same talents often exchange website links with each other in order to promote their services to a larger audience, some even endorsing talents that have different skills other than their own to help their clients find what they are looking for.

Lastly, the athlete and voice talent are both driven and focus on their skills perpetually. They eat, sleep, and breathe what they do and are passionate advocates of their art in their homes and on the world stage.

I'll post tomorrow about InteractiveVoices and the IOC - subscribe to our blog feed to get the up-to-the-minute releases!

Best,

Stephanie