Vox Daily

Locked knees, tight jaw, rigor mortis fingers... Tension manifests itself in a multitude of ways, but oftentimes finding the source of the tension can be an awful pain in the neck!

At one point or another, you've probably felt that your body has physically constricted your ability to perform. Physical stress (or tension) can be felt, but for some, is incredibly difficult to locate and correct.

When it comes to discovering tension, you can usually tell that you have an issue because either something doesn't 'feel right' or the tension is clearly obvious in your posture. Tension can be caused by physical stress and also by mental or emotional stress. Tension can be visible, which is easier to identify and correct, or tension can be hidden, making it harder to pinpoint and problem solve.

Many of you may be familiar with tension manifested similar to rigor mortis, or claw-like, gnarled, stiff fingers. Usually if tension appears there, it is considered visible. For singers, this can be solved by occupying your hands in a different manner, by placing your hand on the piano, for instance.

In my days at UWO, I had tension that ran the gamut, including in my fingers, sometimes in my neck, and, like many of my colleagues, in my shoulders. Mind you, this was nothing in comparison to some of my friends who played instruments, especially the piano and stringed instruments.

I often heard my choir conducter Jennifer Moir mention TMJ disorders (Temporomandibular disorder), a term that refers to problems with the jaw and its functioning. People who have this disorder often suffer from painful joint popping and cracking, a terrible discomfort for anyone who uses their voice professionally. This can also be a great cause of physical and mental tension - more on TMJ (also called TMD) later.

By far, one of the worst places to have tension is in your throat / neck. You get the feeling that every time you open your mouth, you're putting pressure on areas that need to be free. This can lead to hoarseness, Laryngitis and other complications. Ever had the feeling that you were working too hard to be heard? Straining to perform is just terrible, and it often happens when your throat feels rotten already.

In another area related to the formation of speech, tension can also seep into your tongue. The only way to get rid of tension in your tongue is to release it gently with some exercises and yawning. Yawning in general is quite healthy for you and helps to stretch the muscles in your face and aids in deep breathing.

If you study with a voice coach, they will be able to identify your tension areas for you and help you to release the tension.

I was chatting with Bettye Zoller, a voice coach in Dallas, TX, and she had some wonderful tips to share with you about how to release physical tension so that you can get back into the swing of things, enabling you to rehearse and perform comfortably.

Here are some tips from Bettye that are sure to go a long way.

When you're tense, try the following:

Relax the shoulders and neck. If possible, have someone massage your shoulders gently and, as you inhale air deeply through the mouth, ask that person to stand in front of you and hold your shoulders down so that they don't rise up as you inhale air. Now, exhale the air slowly through your mouth, thinking relaxing thoughts as you do. Do this five times.

The yawn-sigh: Drop your jaw and relax the jaw muscles. You may need to gently massage, with the tips of your fingers, the jaw hinge area in front of your ears. I call this the "village idiot pose." Keep the jaw dropped and just let it hang. Now, starting at the upper part of your vocal pitch range, on an "ah" vowel, do a slide downward to lower pitches on that "ah" while the jaw hangs in that loose pose. No tension should be present. Repeat this about five times. By the way, this is also useful for warming up the vocal folds before performing.

When you smile, you release endorphins. You can "fool your brain" into thinking your happy and relaxed by smiling, physically spreading the lips wide--very wide--into a grin. Do this in your car after you park it outside the studio or do it where no one can see you. Spread your lips wide and do this about ten times. You will feel a mood change! Try it!

I'll be publishing Bettye's full article on tension this week. Keep your eye out!

Cheers,

Stephanie

Aire Craft Audio recording studio owner Janis Panizza narrates author Marion Campbell’s novel, “The Dark Twin.”

As a guest artist at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, professional narrator Janis Panizza was given the keys to the recording facilities for a week to record a portion of her most recent audiobook, “The Dark Twin”, authored by Marion Campbell. The novel is comparable to a primitive version of Tristan and Isolde, a Celtic tale of love, spirituality, and tragedy.

Just as the author claims to have caught the story as it flew past her at her ancestral home in Scotland, so did the same spirit seize Janis Panizza with a great desire to record the writings of Marion Campbell. Janis’ experiences in Guadalajara and the street musicians she met along the way strongly influenced her interpretation of the novel and encouraged her to discover inner reserves of strength and artistry, both of which are required to complete a marathon audiobook recording.

When interviewed by the online voice-overs blog VOX Daily and asked about the contribution her narration would make to the world of audiobooks, Janis replied that the fruit of her labor is a new classic that will stand the test of time. Sources have informed Ms. Panizza that the audiobook, while formidable in its own regard, has also surpassed the original, bringing the story to a new plateau.

Janis’ vigor and dedication have set her apart as an independent audiobook producer. Her voice beckons to an age where time stands still, perfectly suited to the Celtic era in which the book takes place.

Those interested in the audiobook may purchase their copy online at Janis’ website. Janis is currently narrating a documentary in Santa Monica, California.

Gary A. Kriebel, based in Burke, Virginia, celebrated his second year in the voiceover industry.

Old Dominion Productions, LLC, Your New Voice from the Old Dominion, celebrated its 2nd Anniversary on July 23rd, 2006. In a very successful 2nd year, voiceover talent and senior partner Gary A. Kriebel was featured in a national TV and related local commercials for Benjamin Moore Stain, several local TV and radio commercials, as well as numerous on-hold messages and a number of corporate videos and short films.

Old Dominion Productions thanks all of their clients for their support and business this past year. Clients of Old Dominion Productions include Gianettino & Meredith Advertising of Short Hills, New Jersey, Right Brain Media of Los Angeles, California, The Harbour Group of Washington, DC, HoldUSA of Hollywood, Florida, Ocean State Video of Cranston, Rhode Island, and At the Races and Beyond of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Old Dominion Productions is a private company, founded by voiceover talent Gary A. Kriebel, providing voice-overs for narration, radio and television commercials, radio voice imaging, television promos and branding, voice prompts or on hold, and multimedia.

For more information on Old Dominion Productions, visit their website.

Happy belated anniversary!

Cheers,

Stephanie

Same instrument, different way of using it! Learn how to go from singing to speaking.

This morning, I had a meeting with John Nolan from the Don Wright Faculty of Music at UWO for the faculty's alumni publication, Ensemble. We talked about music and Voices.com, but also got into a very interesting discussion about how singers can cross-over to voice acting and performing voice-overs.

Many voice talent start their careers in music, particularly as classically trained singers. During tireless years of training a voice for singing, a bounty of skills are developed including vocal stamina, projection, breathing capabilities, phrasing, tone, inflection, elasticity, rhythm, sight-reading, posture, diction, interpretation, and characterization.

The voice is an instrument, just like a flute, a guitar, or a drum - however, the voice is a very special instrument, for reasons I'll now reveal.

The most dramatic difference between the voice and other instruments from the string, brass, woodwind, and percussion families is that the voice is able to communicate using speech, that is to say, language. Whether it be a vocalise sung on vowels, an oratorio by Handel, a wordy patter song by Gilbert and Sullivan, or a pop medley, language is incorporated into the piece, something which even the most convincing instrumental performance cannot convey.

The written word is at the very core of a song composed for a vocalist just as copy is at the core of a script written for voice-over talent.

The voice is also organic, that is to say, your voice is a living, breathing instrument, able to phonate (utter speech sounds) as well as function melodically like an instrument, relating one pitch to another.

The voice is the most versatile of all instruments and is also the only instrument that is a part of your physical self, making it portable and convenient.

Now, you might be thinking that just because someone has developed their instrument and embodies all of these traits doesn't necessarily mean that they have a great talent for voice-overs. The answers may surprise you.

A singer, in many areas, has several practical advantages that help them transition from a career in music to a career in voice-over. With all of the technical aspects out of the way (regarding vocal technique), all that's left is interpretation of the copy, performance, and a means to record their voice.

Their unique vocal education, vigilant care of their instrument, and 'polished' sound are another set of benefits when getting started. Their voice is already pleasing to the ear, it's just a matter of speaking rather than singing.

That being said, the voice-over talent does not live on Easy Street, and a singer shouldn't expect that making the leap from song to speech will bring automatic success.

As in any career, research and private instruction are necessary to fully grasp the magnitude of the profession as well as to learn what is expected of them in this new arena.

Do I record at home or go to the studio down the street? What do I charge? Should I be in the union or not? Do I need an agent? What's the demand like for jingle singers who can also compose?

The same questions enter the minds of any aspiring talent new to the industry. In that way, singers are on a level playing field with colleagues who left professions in other fields such as science, visual arts, journalism, or law.

Have any of you come from a musical background?

Leave a comment and share how your musical expertise has benefited you in your voice-over career.

Best,

Stephanie

Dita Jansen’s holidays in England and France paid royal dividends in voice-over work.

Midway through her 20-year career as a program director at a national Dutch television station, Dita Jansen was required to narrate features and documentaries. Upon hearing her warm, clear voice, colleagues started lining up, requesting Dita to narrate their projects. As a result, Dita’s voice was heard almost daily on national Dutch television for a number of years. After realizing her talents for voice-over, Dita started pursuing the craft part-time, recording commercials for television and radio stations, telephone system recordings, documentaries, medical narration, and other technical pieces.

It soon became obvious that voice-over talent flowed through her veins. Dita’s ambition to embark fully in the field of voice-over led to her official resignation from the national Dutch television network in 1993. Dita has been recording professionally ever since, providing companies with voice-overs in Dutch, French, German and English, recording on average 25 jobs per month. Dita’s business clients span around the globe, including Dutch, American, and European clientele.

One of Dita’s specialties is recording for telephone systems in four languages, Dutch, French, British English, and German. This is a skill that not many talents possess and is a valued service offering in European countries.

Dita’s charm and pleasant attitude toward her work is apparent in all that she does. She feels that it is a privilege to make a living by using her voice and counts herself among the fortunate.

Dita Jansen has always loved languages, particularly French. Visiting England and France after completing her education helped her to develop her linguistic skills, and the practical foundations gained abroad still serve her today, even more so through the Internet and at Voices.com.

Best,

Stephanie

Do you have questions about Audacity?

When aspiring voice talent enter the business, they usually start with Audacity. Audacity is a free, open source software platform for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.

Audacity, created by Dominic Mazzoni, is easily accessible for download online.

Audacity has grown in popularity, indeed so much that we have a solution regarding the software in our FAQ database and also provide support for Audacity questions.

Our in-house Audacity specialist, Laurynda Vineyard, is inviting you to comment on this blog post, including questions about getting started with Audacity, editing, you name it!

If you have a question about Audacity, please leave a comment on this blog post and we'll answer your question, multimedia style :)

Cheers,

Stephanie

Rick Reid has recently partnered with the #1 voice marketplace, Voices.com.

Giving voice to broadcast television has been a constant throughout Rick’s career, from his high school days anchoring the news for a student-operated television studio at Kearns High School to nationwide commercial voice-over campaigns for Dish Network. Rick’s decision to pursue post-secondary education in the field of television production has led to opportunities most people only dream of.

Writing award winning television promos and commercials for TNN, Starz, and Encore opened many doors for Rick Reid, most notably opportunities to direct several of the most in-demand actors in America, including Martin Sheen, Don LaFontaine, Ben Patrick Johnson, Tony Hoylen, Maggie Roswell and Hal Rayle. Over the past 19 years, Rick has produced approximately 3,000 TV promos, commercials and PSAs for broadcast television.

Rick’s experiences in the field of television have also given him an appreciation for what clients in the business look for when hiring a voice actor. His innate understanding of the expectations of broadcast professionals provides those with whom he works a secure foundation of expertise and efficiency.

Rick’s impressive combination of writing, television production and voice-over talent make him a director’s dream come true. Rick Reid, in addition to his voice acting skills, offers a complete creative package.

Rick often refers to his services as "Voiceovers for the rest of us!" because of his unique instrument, a popular alternative to the stereotypical "announcer" voice.

Thanks for reading!

Stephanie

Diane Burket’s voice resonates well with online customers and audiences at Voices.com.

Starting out as a singer can lead one down the path of voice-over as Diane Burket discovered. A graduate of Furman University in Greenville, SC, Diane’s vocal talents took on another purpose as a professional voice talent, employing bel canto techniques with exceptional sight-reading skills - skills which have won her awards, including a Joey Award for a Sun Tunnel Skylights commercial.

Voice-over has been good to Diane over the years, landing her clients the likes of Apple Computer, Costco, Hewlett-Packard, and VISA. On average, Diane records 4 voice-overs a week, and can boast over 100 commercials and 250 corporate voice-overs to her credit.

Using the Internet as a tool has aided Diane in meeting new clients and working with people regardless of physical location. Many listen to her demos online, able to make a quick casting decision and contact her at their convenience via email. Most recently, Diane has added Voices.com, the voice marketplace to her marketing toolkit to promote her voice-over talents.

Diane’s voice is tantalizing and expressive. A master of diction and inflection, she effortlessly asserts her vocal talents to invigorate copy for commercials and corporate voice-overs.

Diane can land a script in one take. She also records voice-overs from her own professional-grade home studio, giving her clients expert performances and cost savings they won’t find at a production studio.

Thanks for reading!

Stephanie

Ilari Hoevenaars’ voice is a delight for clients in Dutch, English and German at Voices.com

Stemacteur Ilari Hoevenaars, (that’s voice talent in Dutch), was raised by a Finnish mother and a Dutch father, blessing him with polyglot and linguistic dialect capabilities. Having worked on a cruise ship, lived in Germany and flown around the world for six years, Ilari’s passion for languages and adeptness for imitating extended dialects proved advantageous to his career. For example, Ilari can effortlessly mimic a Swede speaking German or a Dutch person speaking French.

Ilari, who first realized his talent for voice-over at the age of twelve, used to recite his own audio plays on a tape recorder for an audience of neighbourhood children, reading for pages at a time without stopping or making a mistake. While traveling through Norway and England as a tour guide, coach passengers told Ilari that they loved hearing his voice over the intercom. When employed by Lufthansa German Airlines, passengers on those flights declared the same sentiment, praising his beautiful voice.

Years of narrating for his peers and reading for the blind prepared Ilari for a position as a newsreader for a radio station in Holland, and ultimately, a career in voice-overs. His disciplined work ethic and natural talents have brought his voice into every home in Holland and even into the ears of the Dutch queen. Since pursuing voice-over professionally (1990), Ilari completes between 20-30 assignments for 300 different organizations each month. His commercial clients consist of companies such as Elvive L’Oréal Paris, Wilkinson and Stimorol, to name a few.

Ilari’s voice, no matter which language you are listening to him in, is incredibly natural, full, and elastic. His ability to speak in three languages enables him to record for multi-language telephone systems, a specialty service by all accounts.

Although Ilari’s voice is heard throughout Holland, his versatility often disguises his vocal identity, ensuring his success as one of Holland’s most popular and active voice talents. Ilari confides that because of his vocal anonymity, an aura of trust resonates from his voice, thus his ongoing triumphs in the Dutch market and abroad.

Best regards,

Stephanie

From the theatre to the microphone, James Hrkach’s voice artistry services are unparalleled.

A new Canadian voice has made itself known nestled between the Ottawa and Madawaska rivers in the beautiful town of Arnprior, Ontario. It is in this picturesque setting that Drift Studio, owned and operated by James Hrkach, provides voice-over and audio production services for clients in the region and abroad.

Recently, James developed a demo for a children’s audio product that he designed at his studio and has applied for a number of grants to help him see the project through to fruition. James has plans to hire other voice artists to record for the project to complement his voice and artistic vision.

Although James has operated Drift Studio for thirty years, it was in his new partnership with the voice casting web service Voices.com where he found inspiration to dedicate more time to recording voice-overs and pursuing a career as a professional Canadian voice artist.

James’ voice has a clear, Canadian accent, neutral and polished. He also has the ability to create a variety of European and American accents with comedic flair, demonstrating his versatility as a theatrical performer.

James’ performance background spans twenty years and includes experience in the fields of directing, stage acting, and public speaking. A self-taught musician and composer, James is able to offer musical services in addition to voice-over.

Best regards,

Stephanie

If you read Nancy Cartwright's column at AWN (Animation World Magazine), she's invited you to fill out a survey letting her know more about YOU!

Nancy has been writing for the Animation World Magazine for a couple of years now, usually writing about her own experiences in the field with advice freely given editorial style. In her most recent article, dated July 24th, Nancy is inviting her readers to share a bit about themselves.

This comes straight from the typing fingers of Nancy Cartwright:

"If you do me this special favor and send me your name, address and phone number, I promise to send you an autographed 8x10 of Bart Simpson, and an autographed bookmarker if you would like."

If you're a voice actor or a Simpsons fan who reads Nancy's column, you won't want to pass this up.

Click here for the survey questions and Nancy's email address.

Cheers,

Stephanie

Voice of the current UK X-Box campaign in movie theatres and on television, Laurence Fuller aspires to achieve vocal greatness online at Voices.com.

The voice industry has great expectations for Laurence Fuller, a young voice artist who has recently been accepted by the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, a position awarded to Fuller over 3000 other hopefuls. Old Vic is alma mater to some of the finest voices in the world, including internationally renowned actors Patrick Stewart, Peter O’Toole, Daniel Day-Lewis, Brian Blessed and Jeremy Irons.

An up and coming voice artist to look out for, Laurence comes by his talent naturally. His father, the late Peter Fuller, was an esteemed art critic and author, who along with his wife (Laurence’s mother) Stephanie Burns, greatly influenced their son’s appreciation for performance and attention to detail. Laurence gave the introductory speech at this year’s Peter Fuller Memorial Lecture at Tate Britain. Laurence plans to write a script during his schooling at Old Vic about his father and perform the leading role once he has graduated.

The eyes of the voice industry have been watching Laurence’s ascent to vocal stardom. Recently, Laurence’s talents were acquired by the London talent agency Lip Service, representing talent the likes of Hugh Laurie, Neve Campbell, Jamie Theakston and David Baddiel. This past week, Laurence chose to pursue freelance voice work at Voices.com, the voice marketplace, and was received by the company with open arms.

Laurence has a youthful full-bodied sound, foreshadowing greatness to come. His crisp, cordial voice artistry is both engaging and clever and is accessible to both those with an appetite for refinement and the average bloke on the streets of London.

Laurence Fuller’s recent voice work includes voice-overs for X-Box, Fisher Price, and Lip Service. Laurence’s voice work for the X-Box campaign is currently in cinemas, on the Internet, and on TV stations all across the UK. He is the voice of the Fisher Price toy, “Little People Market”. Laurence can perform three distinct English accents, those of Great Britain, RP English (also known as BBC English / top of the scale), and Australia.

Best,

Stephanie

Ladies, want to polish your animation voice-over skills? Well, don't wait a minute longer. Read this post!

Here's a fantastic opportunity for you:

Susan Berkley (GreatVoice.com) is hosting a Women in Animation event at Edge Studios in NYC on July 29-30. Taught by Pat Fraley and Hillary Huber, the event also features an afternoon in the booth with Leslie Zaslower, the casting director for Nickelodeon!

This will be an exclusive, necessarily expensive, boutique style event for only 12 women. As of this morning there is only 1 space left. This is a fantastic opportunity for female voice talent (serious beginner through pro) to develop their own stable of highly marketable character voices.

You'll start working remotely with Pat before the workshop even begins and walk away with all your studio trax on CD.

The first 5 spaces were snapped up by women who had attended the last Women in Animation event in NY (including Susan). They couldn't wait to come back for more!

Truth be known, Susan has never considered herself to be a cartoon-y person. She made her career doing the "straight stuff"-- but now Susan Berkley is ready to come out of the box, expand her range and creativity for commercials, audio publishing, video games and the like.

This is your opportunity to hone your skills, too.

This event is well worth it for anyone who cares about getting the very best coaching for their career. Pat Fraley has done over 4,000 cartoons. He is also Nancy Cartwright's coach (the voice of Bart Simpson). In fact, some big name Hollywood Actors are studying with Pat and Hillary so they can book those lucrative animation gigs.

For further information on this workshop, visit Susan Berkley's website or call her office at 201-541-8595 during east coast business hours.

As I mentioned above, Susan told me that there is only 1 seat left and the event is this weekend.

If you go, have a great time!

Stephanie

If you upgrade your membership on or before July 31st, 2006, we'll get you in Google News! Want to know more?

When you upgrade on or before July 31st, 2006, you'll receive a world-class press release written about you and distributed to the media, getting your name and the news about your services out to the public.

If you've been waiting for an opportunity to be written about, this promotion is for you!

Learn more about this offer by clicking on this link.

Each member who upgrades their membership, whether to Preferred (USD$99 per year) or Premium (USD$199 per year) qualifies for this offer. If you've been thinking about upgrading your membership from Preferred to Premium, you qualify as well.

Looking forward to serving you!

Best regards,

Stephanie and the Team

P.S. If you are curious to see samples of talent press releases from past campaigns, you'll find some here.

DreamWorks Animation SKG recently announced their celebrity voice actor cast for the third movie in the Shrek franchise, "Shrek the Third". Discover who has come on board and who kept their roles!

According to the DreamWorks press release, the cast for “Shrek the Third” will be joined by an all-new ensemble of actors and comedians.

Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Justin Timberlake will play the role of Fiona’s rebellious teenage cousin Artie, the inimitable Eric Idle (the “Monty Python” movies and series, “Spamalot” on Broadway) will play Merlin and John Krasinski (TV’s “The Office”) will play Lancelot. Making up a new fighting force of fairy tale princesses are: Cheri Oteri (TV’s “Saturday Night Live”) as Sleeping Beauty, Amy Poehler (the upcoming “Blades of Glory,” “Mean Girls”) as Snow White, Maya Rudolph (“A Prairie Home Companion,” TV’s “Saturday Night Live”) as Rapunzel, and Amy Sedaris (“Strangers with Candy”) as Cinderella. Ian McShane (TV’s “Deadwood”) will play Captain Hook.

Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and Antonio Banderas will reprise their roles in the third film.

Here's the plot synopsis from DreamWorks:

When Shrek married Princess Fiona, becoming the next King and Queen of Far, Far Away wasn’t part of the plan. So when his father-in-law, King Harold, falls ill, it is up to Shrek to find a suitable heir or he will be forced to give up his beloved swamp for the throne. Recruiting Donkey and Puss In Boots for a new quest, Shrek sets out to bring back the rightful heir to the throne, Fiona’s rebellious cousin Artie. Back in Far, Far Away, Fiona’s jilted Prince Charming storms the city with an army of fairy tale villains to seize the throne. But they have a surprise in store because Fiona, together with her mother, Queen Lillian, has drafted her fellow fairy tale heroines to defend their “happily ever afters.” As Shrek, Donkey and Puss work on changing Artie from a royal pain in the you-know-what into a future king, Fiona and her band of princesses must stop Prince Charming to ensure there will be a kingdom left to rule.

“Shrek the Third”, to be released on May 18, 2007, promises to be more than worth lining up for at the box office. All DreamWorks Animation SKG films are meant for a broad movie-going audience.

Cheers,

Stephanie

Have vocal problems and need to find help? The multi-disciplinary voice clinic at London Health Sciences Centre may be just the ticket to diagnose and treat your vocal ailments.

Looking for a solution to your vocal problems?

Whether you are a professional voice user (voice talent, teacher, or musician) or simply concerned about your voice, there are places you can go for help.

The Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Western Ontario (UWO) offers a unique clinic for anyone who would like a vocal diagnosis or is seeking treatment for current vocal ailments.

The clinic opened last September and has been a popular destination, giving Londoners the option to receive treatment (by referral) in town rather than travel long distances to see experts in other cities.

As mentioned on the UWO website, patients will be assessed by a team that includes ear, nose and throat specialist Kevin Fung, Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology; Simon McBride, Adjunct Professor and Director of the Vocal Function Lab, Department of Otolaryngology; Lori Holmes, Guest Lecturer, and Speech-Language Pathologist, School of Communication Sciences & Disorders; and baritone Theodore Baerg, Associate Professor, Co-ordinator of Graduate Vocal Studies, Don Wright Faculty of Music, cross-appointment with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, and internationally renowned singer.

I've mentioned Ted Baerg on the blog before, and can assure you that you and your voice will be in the best and most capable of hands at the Vocal Health Clinic. If you're from London or the surrounding area and are concerned about your voice, ask your doctor for a referral to the clinic.

The clinic is open on Fridays through referral only. During your appointment, you will receive a comprehensive assessment of your vocal health. On average, an appointment lasts two hours, concluding with an individual diagnosis and a care plan that you can take home. A written report, test results, DVD and photograph of your larynx (voice box) is included.

Treatment may include voice therapy, vocal arts/speech training, medications, laryngeal laser microsurgery, massage therapy and physical therapy. The emphasis is on educating people about healthy vocal habits, prevention of voice problems and diagnosis.

If you sense that you are having trouble with your voice or have grown too accustomed to chronic throat irritations, I encourage you to ask your doctor as soon as possible about where you can go for help, whether to the Vocal Health Clinic at the London Health Sciences Centre (Victoria Hospital), or somewhere closer to where you reside.

For more information, download a PDF brochure about the Vocal Health Clinic by visiting this link and clicking on "Specialty Clinics".

Best,

Stephanie

P.S. I found a helpful article related to my post at DairyTruth.com. Click on the link for more information about how you can look after your voice - there's an emphasis on vocal strain and laryngitis treatment.

Remember that iPod nano referral contest this spring? We have a winner!

Armando Talavera received a phone call on Friday last week from Carol with the news that he had won the Apple iPod nano from our spring referral campaign.

Congratulations Armando!

When you win a prize from a Canadian company, you have to answer a skill testing question, usually a mathematical question that includes a function. Armando passed with flying colors, so the iPod nano is now on it's way to his mailing address via courier.

We wanted to take the opportunity now to thank all who participated in referring their colleagues and business associates to InteractiveVoices.com.

Your continued support is much appreciated!

Cheers,

Stephanie and the Voices.com Team

Business cards open up endless possibilities and connect YOU with other people... if you let them.

What is a business card?

A business card isn't just a piece of paper.

A business card is an identification card, representing you, your brand, and most vitally, is a portable networking tool that bears your contact information and credibility as an operating business.

Carrying business cards at all times is very important because you never know when you'll run into someone who wants to work with you. Whether it's a potential client, a colleague, or a reporter, you should always have a handful of cards on your person wherever you go.

Now that we've covered why business cards are significant, it's time for a little housekeeping :)

For best results, include the following on your business card:

- Company name
- Your name or stage name
- Your corporate mailing address
- Work Telephone number
- Fax Number (if applicable)
- Email Address
- Website (for example, your website at Voices.com)

Some professionals opt to have a logo or photograph of themselves on the card. Let's delve into this gray area for a while...

A photograph on a business card is a visual reminder of who you are. Many real estate agents have their photos on their cards, chiefly because most of their business is conducted in person and they are leveraging their physical image to help sell their services to you.

As this isn't the case for the majority of voice work, you may think that it would not generate the same effect. When all is said and done, the product you sell is your voice, not your appearance. That factor alone could prove the clincher for not including a photograph of yourself on your business card or website.

However, consider this: the Internet can often be 'faceless' and 'surreal', especially when conducting business. If you sent your clients hard copies of your business card in the mail with your photo or likeness, they would be able to put a face to the voice, so to speak, and think of you more as a professional than as someone they worked with "on the 'net".

Of all the business cards I have ever received, the only ones with photographs have been of musicians, real estate agents, and other artistic types. This suggests that most freelance professionals consider their company as an extension of themselves, branding promotional materials with their photo or likeness.

When comparing the cards of freelance professionals with corporate business cards, particularly those of web companies, I found that the business cards of employees stationed at larger companies focus on selling the company website instead of placing the emphasis on the point of contact.

Are we losing our identities as individuals and becoming 'websites' instead of business people?

It doesn't take the absence of a photo to lose your identity, but it does take the absence of personality and vitality.

The Internet makes it too easy to sit back and let work "just come to you".

How do you turn into a website?

This can be achieved by relying on email as your primary (or sole) source of communications with customers, building impersonal web pages and content that doesn't set you apart, and using 'form' emails instead of providing your email address. Although forms may prevent spam to a degree, they may also be preventing opportunities from reaching your inbox.

That being said, if it's hard to contact you, I mean the real you, it's quite possible that you're currently just another website and not a business person after all. That's a scary thought, especially when the goal is to make contacts and grow your business.

This is when we have to start thinking critically about how business is done, especially online, and how we can humanize the experience, with or without a photograph.

One way to start is by getting out and meeting people, in other words, networking.

Joining a local business club is a good first step to help you build bridges and have face time with other professionals from diverse industries. Your library or phone book is the place to start looking for these groups. The likelihood of people outside of our industry knowing a voice talent personally is slim, and you might just be the only link they have to a great voice-over for their company. Not only that, but social interaction is healthy for everyone :)

Another way is to include more than just bare bones information on your website. For clients who find you there first, it is truly the first impression of who you are as a person as much as it is of your voice.

Try adding a blog to your website where you can talk about your services candidly. Some good examples of voice talent blogs can be found at Bob Souer's blog, Karen Commins' blog, Ron Harper's blog, and at Dave Christi's blog. The language that you use when communicating to people online needs to be transparent and genuine, and you can see from these blogs that they are nothing but.

Networking is paramount to growing your business and making new contacts, whether online, over the phone or in person. You never know when someone in your network will refer you to one of their colleagues or hire you for work. When you develop a rapport with a variety of business people, opportunities that benefit you may abound from unexpected sources, even through a blog posting.

Does your business card connect people with YOU or just another website?

Cheers,

Stephanie

P.S. If you're interested in making your business card unique, check out this Business Card Best Practices post by Robert Scoble.

Like the grapevine that needs to be pruned in order to yield a fruitful harvest, we've been exploring a few under utilized features that, well, simply put - need to go.

It's been said that 99% of computer owners have a copy of Microsoft Word for word processing, but out of those millions, maybe even billions of people, most people use less than 10% of what Word can actually do.

This is known as "software bloat". And, we want to avoid it like the plague.

So what's our plan? We're asking you what needs to go.

If you see something on the list that you love, or just find useful, please let us know before it goes to the chopping block. OK, let's get started.

1. Drop the 'Studio'. Combine the file uploading with the 'Profile'. Is anyone creating separate folders to manage your audio, video, text and images? If not, we could drastically simplify things by having files uploaded in the same areas as your profile.

2. Remove the 'Share Files' feature that is currently in the studio. Have you have sent a file using this feature? It's pretty handy, but may need to go. On the other hand, it may just need to be improved.

3. Status - something that we thought would relay communication between those clients that posted the job and you, the talents that are about to audition, or have already auditioned has turned into a point of confusion and frustration.

4. Language field - If you are only speaking one language ( i.e. English ), you shouldn't need to see English beside each job posting. If you speak multiple languages, you'll still see the job as it's been selected in your Profile.

5. Login counter. We all have enough numbers to see, memorize and analyze. The login counter serves little purpose.

6. BBBOnline, Privacy Guarantee, VISA / Mastercard and PayPal icons from the bottom of pages where you are already logged in. Do these symbols help build trust? Do you want them at the bottom of your personal website ( http://you.voices.com ) ?

7. 'Notes' from your personal website. This field is an opportunity for your to add any additional notes, comments or persuasive messages. Is this field necessary or does it just take up space?

8. Site Map - Have you ever used the Site Map? If so, let us know what was useful or what needs to be removed for easier manageability.

9. Rename 'Webstore' to 'PayPal Button'.

10. Too many links to helpful resources? Can we combine some of them to make using our website easier?

Best regards,

David

As the imminent launch of Voices.com approaches, we thought we'd share the top 10 feature requests received in recent months. What's good, what's terrible? Let us know.

* These features are listed in the logical order of activities when using Voices.com, not by most important.

Here's Your Top 10 List of Voices.com Features

1. Profile: A single check box will let you show or hide your online communication options, including Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, AOL Messenger and Google Talk. You will also be able to list specific skills on your 'Profile' in addition to voice-over.

Your account information will be separate in your 'Profile'. Account information includes your registration date, renewal date, phone number and billing address.

2. Your 'Preferences' will govern email notifications and viewable jobs. For example, if are an English speaking male talent, you’ll never see jobs for the ladies or languages that don’t match your 'Profile'.

3. Helpful suggestions and ideas will be included in a pop up window for clients so that they can better communicate what they are looking for. This may include ideas such as: Have you considered the attitude that you are looking for? Age range? The type of voice, whether deep, or light?

4. Email notifications will include full details so that you can make an instant decision regarding whether or not you are suited for the job, saving you time and energy.

5. Only jobs that meet your 'Preferences' will be visible to you on the jobs board, i.e. no male jobs showing up for a female talent, etc.

6. You soon will have the option to 'Select All' and delete jobs you are not interested in quickly. There will also be an option to undo deleted jobs.

7. You will have a review page to confirm that the proper demo is associated with the audition and that a quote / proposal with all necessary information is present before submitting an audition.

Responses can be previewed giving you the option to ‘Edit’ or 'Submit’ your audition. Preview, edit, then send when everything looks and sounds good. The 'Submit' button will be more obvious. If you are in the middle of auditioning, the 'Reply' button will not be visible.

8. 'Next Job' and 'Back' tools will appear on the confirmation page once an audition has been submitted simplifying the navigation and letting you move on to your next audition quickly. At the same time, jobs that you have auditioned for will be automatically moved to the 'Answered Jobs' folder.

9. You'll be pleased to know that when a job hits its deadline it is 'Closed' and moved to the 'Deleted Jobs' folder.

10. Feedback: Rating and Review. A rating will be different from a review. You will be able to moderate the reviews but not the ratings. You will be able to 'Accept' or 'Deny' reviews.

We are currently working on a list of over 150 features for Voices.com. If you have any suggestions, now is the time to let us know what is most important to you!

Cheers,

David and the Voices.com Team

P.S. Here's the new talent web page design!

Dan Lenard, a professional voice talent, records a monthly feature called Looking Outside the Box - listen to this months feature from the heart of Israel.

Dan Lenard, a pro voice talent and member of Voices.com has sent us periodic updates from Israel while on vacation with his family.

Dan's commentary is intellectual, thorough and insightful.

Here's a link to Dan's commentary on the WBFO 88.7 Buffalo website. This recording is a podcast from WBFO. Dan is featured monthly on the podcast!

If you are a featured presenter on a podcast, leave a comment and share where we can listen to your work.

Best regards,

Stephanie

Bell Globemedia's success in passing its C$1.7 billion purchase of CHUM Limited leaves many uprooted and 281 people unemployed.

On the CBC evening news last night, a story of mammoth proportions broke, announcing that CHUM Limited was going to become a part of the Bell Globemedia corporation, a company that has CTV in their portfolio among other communications assets.

The fear is that local news will be lost in the shuffle as well as 281 jobs, breaking apart news teams, production departments, you name it.

What the laid off employees may not know is that they have another option to consider to find work in their chosen profession: Signing up at Voices.com.

Starting from scratch doesn't have to be difficult as the tools to market their talents and services are all conveniently located at Voices.com. Building a website is as easy as copying and pasting a resume and there is ample storage for on-air talent to showcase their voice-over and on-camera work.

Clients seeking the services of talent can make contact by emailing them through the Voices.com website or by posting a job. It's really that simple.

If you have a colleague who has been affected by this media merger and has lost their job as a result, direct them to Voices.com where they can start their new careers in freelance voice-over and production.

It could be one of the best things you can do to help them get back on their feet, both personally and professionally.

Sincerely,

Stephanie, David, Carol, Laurynda and Todd

Where do you find your royalty-free music and sound effects?

While we're on the subject, I thought we'd bring in some feedback from VoiceOverTimes and past posts on VOX Daily about where to find royalty-free music.

Brian Haymond (Brian in Charlotte) finds royalty-free music and sound effects online at www.Sound-Ideas.com and www.DigitalJuice.com, two resources for music and effects. Brian also has some elements from GarageBand that make for excellent watermarks in his custom demos.

Ron Harper suggested that there are many buy-out music libraries on the Internet.

Of course, there is always the library at Voices which is free to access as well as use. I'm not certain about the other sites, but you can find some good pieces and sound effects here as well.

If you know of any other resources, leave a comment!

Cheers,

Stephanie

P.S. What do you charge your clients for adding royalty-free music? Include your answer with your comment :)

After much debate, the new rates sheet is ready! Click to download your copy now.

Wow! What a response to the post on revising the Standard Rates Sheet.

First, we would like to thank all of you who commented and shared your opinions and insights on the matter.

Our team reviewed all of the comments and suggestions, bringing the rates up just slightly lower than the current union rates - these rates are for finished dry voice only.

The revised rates reflect the sentiment that the fees charged for voice-over services are relative to talent and experience, whether a talent be union or non-union.

All talent reserve the right to charge their own rates, and these are merely a guideline. For example, some talent may charge higher than the stated rates.

Although these rates may not apply to amateur talent (we know that you have to start somewhere), they should be regarded as something to aspire to when you become a professional voice talent.

Download your PDF copy of the Voices.com Standard Rates Sheet here.

Download the Word version here.

Cheers,

Stephanie, David, Laurynda, Carol and Todd

P.S. Before you comment, please read all of the comments below. From the feedback received thus far, we changed the industrial and animation rates. Thank you to those whose comments helped revise the document this afternoon.

Why custom demos are more attractive - for different reasons than you may think!

In an audition situation, talent who submit custom demos are usually rewarded with extra attention and regard from the client receiving the auditions.

While this may seem obvious, the psychology behind the submission and reception of custom demos is highly overlooked.

On the voice talent side of the equation, the goal is to present the client with something that best reflects the project requirements while demonstrating his or her vocal abilities in a practical manner. Recording the custom demo also gives a talent the option to include that significant tidbit of information in their written proposal, catching the eye of the client and raising interest levels in their submission.

That being said, when clients receive custom demos, they usually give them more weight than a stock demo submission, especially if they are presenting the demos to their own clientele.

From the clients point of view, a talent who submits a custom demo is more keen to work for their company. Considering their interest level and the time they invested to record a custom demo, the client may also perceive the talent as more qualified to work for them.

Though custom demos are regarded as more relevant, did you know that sometimes clients truly NEED custom demos?

Trying to conceptualize what a final product will sound or look like without a custom sample to reference from is extremely difficult. I can relate to that. For example, recently I helped pick out paint colors for our home. Being better with words than visuals, my ability to select a complementary color palette without seeing the paint on the wall was next to impossible. Abstract thinking is not my specialty.

This method could also be called the "I'll know it when I see it / hear it" method. Many of us are like that. You need to see the real thing, not merely a projection or thumbnail of the real thing.

The same goes for those among us who cannot 'picture' what their voice-over will sound like from a generic demo. While people have an understanding of the kind of music they like to listen to, they may not be as sensitive to the nuances of a spoken word demo that is not familiar to them or does not relate to their identity as an organization.

Have any of you experienced that?

Custom demos take time, but if recorded with the right motivations and precautions, they more than serve their purpose. You are giving the client something greater than just a sample of your voice reading copy... you are giving them a taste of precisely what their voice-over will be like, and with that very important ingredient comes peace of mind.

Best,

Stephanie

5 straight goals in the penalty shots lead Italy to a sweet victory!

Wow!

What a game that was. John Helm and Gary Stevens expertly covered the world cup this year.

Viva Italia!

Ciao,

Stephanie

Help solve the mystery of the Bell Canada 519 prefix voice!

Not too long ago, London and the surrounding area moved to dialing 10 digits instead of 7 digits to make a local call.

Whenever a caller forgets to dial the 519 prefix for a local call, a womans voice politely reminds the caller that they need to hang up and dial the number again using the area code 519 before the local number.

Do you know who this person is?

I did some detective work this afternoon and my search led me to Lori Kaufman, an Ontario based talent who has also worked for Bell Canada. I emailed Lori to see if she was the voice in question, and she replied that she was not.

Though it is not her voice on that specific recording, even Lori's friends and family have mistook that voice for her on several occasions.

If you know who it is or if you are indeed that person, leave a comment on the blog!

Cheers,

Stephanie

One of the enigmas in the voice over industry is quoting for long form narration and audio books. Let's figure this one out together!

Quoting for audio book recordings can be a tricky business.

There are so many factors to consider when embarking on an audio book recording, including the length (total word count), complexity of the book, artistic direction, consistency, and technical requirements.

After those formalities are accounted for, then follows the herculean task of bringing the audio book through all of its ups and downs to a graceful completion, including extra time spent editing, mastering, etc.

From what we've heard, the average word costs a client somewhere between .01 and .05 (basically, anywhere between a penny to a nickel USD / Canadian).

Obviously, if certain words are irregular, of foreign origin, or of a technical nature, they will be more expensive per word than regular words like 'tree', 'love', 'apple', or 'shopping'.

Examples of irregular or specialty words could be 'ubiquitous', 'lieutenant', or 'behemoth'.

Foreign words could be 'connoisseur', 'gnocchi', or 'rooibos'.

Technical or medical words could be 'tetracycline', 'idiopathic pericarditis', or 'Lymantria dispar'.

The voice talents' professional responsibilities set aside, the greatest, or, one could say most gargantuan challenge lies in educating people about how much it costs to record an audio book.

Some clients honestly have no idea regar