This post is an article that precedes a very exciting announcement that we'll be making tomorrow on VOX Daily.

I'd like to give you a glimpse into a new service we'll be offering effective Wednesday July 2nd, 2008.

Not entirely letting the cat out of the bag, I can tell you that we are about to reveal a new service offering to buyers and sellers in the voice over industry.

This new service is designed with people in mind who are serious about expanding their territory, getting the word out about their voice and attaining more visibility online like never before.

There will be a fee, and the service will be limited to the first 100 people.

Voices.com has created 10 websites geared toward buyers of voice over services who want to commission application specific voice over recordings.

You can read more about each website below and view screenshots to get an idea of what's coming up.

TV Commercial Voices

TV CommercialVoices.com is a site where producers, videographers, copy writers and advertising agencies can impress their clients in record time with the best possible voice talent selections on the web to record for their television commercial voice over needs.

Radio Commercial Voices

Radio Commercial Voices serves people at radio stations and creative ad agencies who need to hire a voice talent to record for broadcast radio commercials to be aired locally, regionally or nationally. Of course, voice talent listed on this site can also be hired for internet radio. When a client visits this site, they'll be able to find and listen to the voice of their next commercial quickly and easily.

Cartoon Voice Talent

This was a fun site to design! At Cartoon Voice Talent, we welcome people who are involved with the casting of voices, creative directors, agents and talent scouts. This site is ideal for finding unique voice samples for television cartoons, animated films, and animated programming for the web and wireless devices.

Movie Trailer Voice Talent

This site is designed to help individuals such as filmmakers, members of a creative team, or independent producers complete their movie trailer voice over quickly and in style.

Business Voice Talent

Business Voice Talent is suited to helping businesses, whether large, medium or small, connect quickly with a limited variety of the finest voice talent available today in the realm of corporate voice over narration. Whether someone is in need a voice over for a powerpoint presentation, awards ceremony or sales meeting, they will be able to help you find exactly what they're looking for.

Phone Voice Talent

This site is geared toward people who need to find a voice to record and brand their telephone greeting, auto attendant, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), corporate phone tree, on hold marketing, and the ever popular, voicemail. Voice talent are also available to record for ring tones, automated messages, and personalized voice greetings.

Internet Voice Talent

Outsourcing voice over for your Internet needs is fast and exciting when you use Internet Voice Talent. This website is catered to website designers, developers, web masters, creative departments and people who work in advertising and marketing who need to present their clients with something exciting and visionary.

Podcasting Voice Talent

Podcasting is literally for everyone! Serving the independent podcaster, podcasting networks, and those who are offering a corporate podcast to their customers, Podcasting Voice Talent is a superb site that helps people to choose the best voice to represent their podcast, deliver messages and engage their listening audience.

Audio Book Voice Talent

The Audio Book Voice Talent website is created specifically for audio book publishers, authors, and agents who need to find and hire a narrator to breathe life into their written words, whether it be the narration of a beloved classic or a publication hot off the press. In the past, you had to have an "in" with publishers or know somebody who would refer you, however, technology has leveled the playing field a great deal and independent publishing houses routinely search for and hire voice talent online to find that perfect voice to narrate their audio book.

Videogame Voice Talent

This site is designed to help videogame producers, audio directors and casting agencies find the best voices working in the videogame industry today. Whether someone is looking to hire just one voice talent or a whole troupe to complement their cast of characters, Video Game Voice Talent is the best place to can find freelance voice over professionals who record for videogames.

Want to learn more?

To find out more about the new service offering and how you can get listed on these sites, stay tuned for tomorrow's VOX Daily!

Best wishes,

Stephanie, David and the Voices.com Team

I'd like to share something with you that we've just created!

At Voices.com, we've instituted a new guarantee for clients (buyers of voice over services) that is both simple and powerful.

Want to learn more?

Our 24-Hour Guarantee

We guarantee that by posting your voice over job at Voices.com you'll receive responses from qualified voice actors within 24 hours of your job posting being approved. Literally, within 24 hours, you could be smooth sailing down the road to project completion!

Tackle Tight Deadlines

Need to hear some voices and have a tight deadline? What if you could streamline the hiring process to such a degree that everything you needed to do to find a voice was done and over within 24 hours? At Voices.com, we offer more than just a run of the mill solution to you help you meet your goals... our company is proud to present a guarantee that we stand behind 100%.

$100.00 Credit

If you don't receive any responses to your job posting within 24 hours of it being approved by our team, we'll give you a $100 credit to put toward the hiring of a voice talent at Voices.com.

We can confidently give you this guarantee because we have the best freelance voice actors in the world, from all over the world, promoting their services at our voice over marketplace ready to work for you.

Qualifications

To get the fine print out of the way, this is what you need to know in order to qualify for the guarantee:

1. Your job must meet our Job Posting Guidelines (Download 1-Page PDF).
2. The language of the script must be in either English, Spanish, French, German, or Italian.
3. Your job must be posted as a public job posting available to all eligible members of the site, not just one person.

By using our quick and easy outsourcing service, and with the assurance of our guarantee, you'll be getting responses in record time that are within your budget in 24 hours or less.

Now that's service ;)

Do you have a guarantee? I'd love to hear about it!

Add a comment by typing in your thoughts below. If you are reading this in your email, simply click here to get to the VOX Daily site on the Internet to read the article and add your comment.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Though this particular season symbolizes a more gradual pace of life blended with leisure activities it also brings its own special benefits and challenges to those who are self-employed.

How will you be spending your summer?

Fact: Voice over work happens all year round, even in the summer!

Some of you may be adjusting to the kids being home from school and need to reallocate your time accordingly for doing work.

Others may find that instead of having more responsibilities the summer months provide time for rest and relaxation with the opportunity to refocus and develop a strategy to streamline business processes for the busy fall and winter ahead.

Most importantly, summer gives us all an opportunity to regroup, reevaluate and take it easy. Consider giving yourself the gift of a balanced home and work life... your family will thank you for it!

Do you have any objectives you want to achieve over July and August?

I'd love to hear more about what you've been working on as well as how you plan to spend the summer months.

Add your comment below!

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Nadezda Firsova

What happens when you compromise on price?

Quoting lower than what you feel your services are worth ultimately decreases the overall value of your services to both you and your prospective customers.

As I've heard it said by my friend Rodney Saulsberry, beauty is not only in the eye but also in the ear of the beholder.

There is great veracity in that statement which has stood the test of time and still rings true today.

Moments ago, I personally answered an email with regard to this subject. Normally I don't answer questions of that nature off the blog but today I felt called to do so. The reply I sent inspired me to share the same message here today on VOX Daily with you as it is a message that is good to hear again and also one that will be new to some of you when presented in this context.

Selection = Subjectivity

Imagine combing for shells on the beach, purchasing a rare find at a garage sale, or selecting a wedding dress or tuxedo.

You don't just pick anything up, do you? No, you're careful to turn a shell over to spot any cracks, look for that diamond in the rough, or try on an outfit to see how it complements your features. As Joan Baker and Rudy Gaskins would say, It's about selection, not rejection.

Each person will have their own idea of what is the most desirable, best meets their needs and fully represents their image.

By virtue of the fact that everyone is unique, the selection process is incredibly subjective with myriad possibilities, wants, and requirements to fulfill.

You Will Get The Jobs You're Meant to Get

Considering how subjective the selection process is, it's reasonable to say (if not calculable), that you will not get every job you audition for, nor will you be the only business person who can fulfill those needs.

Wise professionals realize that there is a voice for every project and a project for every voice. They know they aren't going to win them all but have faith and conviction that they will win the jobs they are perfect for without having to compromise.

Lowballing is a Proverbial Death Sentence

You could have the perfect voice for a client, but if you're quoting lower than your norm just to get attention to win someone over, you'll then become the person with the perfect voice who charges the least amount of money when you could have been the person with the perfect voice whose services were well priced and well paid for.

If any of you are struggling with this issue I hope that this article may be of some help or inspiration to you.

Are there any comments?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Kais Tolmats

Are you looking for a destination this summer to take your family to?

Consider Valley Forge National Historical Park in Pennsylvania where you'll be swept up in an audio tour narrated by John Grossman!

Learn more about this unique audio tour here at VOX Daily.

VOX: How did you become the voice of Valley Forge National Historical Park?

JOHN GROSSMAN: This is kind of a long story, but I will do my best to minimize it.

I used to drive by the park everyday and occasionally I would tune into their AM radio signal to listen to details about the park.

…”the park is open this time to that time...bicycle rentals,… visit the Welcome center…” Pretty standard stuff when it comes to general announcements. The voice on the recording was decent, however the quality of the recording itself was shameful. I realize there are limitations with AM quality broadcasts, but this was almost unlistenable and therefore of no value to visitors.

I started to write a letter to the Superintendent (CEO) of the park, offering to volunteer my services as Pennsylvania native, history buff and voiceover artist. Basically, stating, your recording is so bad, you need my help! But in a nice way!

My wife after proofreading my letter, said, “You should just redo the recording and send it in.”

Great idea! It is only a 2-3 minute message…

I recorded the message on my car stereo (I have USB port that allows me to use a thumb drive) to record what I want. Very handy! Once I got home, I transcribed the message and re-recorded the message in my home studio.

The next day, I dropped off the recording on a custom printed CD, my business card and my newly revised letter explaining that I am a voice over artist and why I wanted to do this for the park.

I live approximately 15 miles from the park. After dropping it off and driving home, I was in my house, no more than 30 seconds, when the Superintendant of park, called to thank me for my donation. That recording and its quality had been “a thorn in his side” and was thrilled someone had redone it. Moreover, he went to explain that the park just received a generous grant from PECO (local energy company) to redo all of their audio tours, kiosks, multimedia programs, etc. and that they need a new voice for that stuff.. You can guess who got the gig!

This process started over 18 months ago… the first go around was with a different script, production crew, etc. I was simply the main narrator. That completed project never saw the light of day for various reasons.

Some time after that, I was asked if I could deliver a fully produced audio tour based on a new script.

With the help of additional voice talents and an amazing production crew, we did just that within the time specified and under budget.

VOX: Did this project hold special interest for you? Was it of particular importance to you?

JOHN: As a Pennsylvania native, and huge history buff, in particular the Revolutionary War, that area holds great interest to me. My grandfather was a Military historian with contributions to the Smithsonian Institute, Marine Corp museum and many others. In addition to my own enjoyment, I did it for his memory.

VOX: Were you the person who spearheaded the entire project? Why hadn't there been a new audio tour for 26 years?

JOHN: I took over as Executive Producer for the tour working in tandem with the Encampment Store (park book store) and the park.

As for no new tour? I honestly don’t know, but I can suspect it had to do with budgetary constraints.

VOX: Can you tell me a little bit about the audio tour? What kind of information is included?

JOHN: I have attached a recent article from the local newspaper, TimesHerald.com. That should help answer this question.

"Valley Forge National Historical Park has upgraded its old audio tour with a new CD packed with Colonial-era music, rousing sound effects and compelling portrayals of Revolutionary War soldiers who spent the winter at Valley Forge. The 60 minutes of audio production is designed for visitors to take a leisurely drive through Valley Forge, the narrator prompting park visitors to stop and get a history lesson about Muhlenberg Brigade, Washington’s Headquarters, Grande Parade, among many other points of interest tucked into the bucolic landscape."

VOX: Where did you record the voice overs?

JOHN: The full production took place here.

Tom McCaffery’s studio AKA
Real Help Communications, Inc.
(888) REAL HELP
(215) 887-2818 voice
(413) 604-9430 fax
realhelp@realhelp.net
http://www.realhelp.net

VOX: How long did it take to complete the project?

JOHN: 5-6 months. The hardest part, as with most projects, was the last minute details. In particular, the timing of the 60 minute driving tour. I MUST give full credit to Tom McCaffery for making this work out so perfectly. I would like to single out Tom McCaffrey for his relentless drive for excellence on the recording and production side of the tour.

VOX: When people are at Valley Forge National Historical Park, how can they listen to your voice over?

JOHN: I can be heard on the following:

1) Visitor Information (AM radio tour)
2) Various podcasts available on the website and I-tunes
3) Audio Driving Tour (available for purchase in the Encampment Store)
4) More projects to come!

VOX: Was the VO mostly straight narration or did you do some voice acting as well to make the copy come alive using characters?

JOHN: I provided the Main Narration. Some wonderful additional talent was brought in for various parts.

Here is the entire production crew:

Narrator – John Grossman
Tour Direction Narrator – Laurel M. Grossman
George Washington – Dean Malissa
Alexander Hamilton / Old Man – Geoffrey Berwind
Joseph Plumb Martin / Young Man – Tommy McCaffrey

Executive Producer: John Grossman
Produced by Tom McCaffrey and John Grossman
Artistic Consultant - Geoffrey Berwind

Music by John Lionarons
Authentic Sound FX recorded by Marc Steuben

Mixed, Edited & Mastered by Tom McCaffrey, Real Help Communications, Inc., 222 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, PA 19038

VOX: How has the audio tour been received by the visitors to Valley Forge National Historical Park?

JOHN: I drove the completed tour with my family, President’s Day weekend, when it debuted. To support the park, I wanted to buy my own copy even though, I was getting free ones soon enough.

While waiting in line at the Encampment Store, I watched a father/scout leader allow his children/scouts to pick out a few items, while he grabbed for the audio tour conveniently placed by the register. After he purchased his items, I handed him my card and indentified myself as part of the team that produced this NEW audio tour. I asked him to call me or shoot me an email after his tour was done, as I would like his opinion of the production/directions/info, etc.

Attached is the message he left me IMMEDIATELY after finishing his tour. I did edit out his name and phone number for privacy’s sake! For all those involved, this review certainly brought a smile to our collective faces.

This positive review has been pretty much the sentiment of everyone!

VOX: Have you done narration for other national historical parks in the US?

JOHN: In the process of working with two other national parks to produce their tours! But we always have room for more!

Have You Recorded any Audio Tours?

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

This week, Lisa Rice is the featured lecturer on Voice Over Experts and I'd love to share her unique episode with you today on VOX Daily.

The topic Lisa chose to present is something that will help you with day to day business operations when working with your clients.

As Lisa says, there is something extremely satisfying about a job well done.

Links from today's show:

Lisa Rice Productions
Lisa Rice on Voices.com

Your Instructor this week:

Voice Over Talent Lisa Rice

Lisa Rice is an experienced communications professional. She landed her first radio job as a disc jockey at eighteen. Then, an announcer/producer stint with Trans World Radio took her to Guam. After graduating college with a degree in Communications, she began producing, writing, and directing. Her one-on-one interviews have extended from the White House and Capitol Hill to Nashville.

Other experience includes on-camera work, print modeling, sales, marketing, and motivational speaking.

Voice work has been Lisa's passion since she first discovered the thrill of recording - when the red button is on, so is she! Her voice-over work includes customers and organizations from a wide range of business and corporate levels as well as advertising and marketing agencies, radio and television stations, non-profit groups and ministries. While voice work has been a mainstay, her production experience helps meet the expectations that accompany results-oriented, deadline-driven production work - she knows that your time is as valuable as your project.

What do you think of Lisa's episode? Leave a comment with your thoughts!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

P.S. If you want to hear more of these expert podcasts, visit the Voice Over Experts website to listen and subscribe for free through iTunes.

The world of talking toys is big business.

Everywhere you look, there are toys that talk, whether they be stuffed animals, plastic action figurines, dolls, racing cars or otherwise.

You can walk into literally any department store and find an assortment of talking toys that represent an exciting and entertaining aspect of this industry in the realm of character voice acting.

Have you and your voice over business been sharing in those profits?

Talking Toys

Growing up, there were few talking toys that I can remember, some of which include a storytelling Teddy Ruxpin stuffed animal and a talking computer that said "Press the red button... ah ah ah, press the red button... Your score is (some ridiculous number)".

Circling back to the present, as a parent I've discovered that you come across many different kinds of toys, and yes, inevitably, toys that talk and quite a bit more than I remember from back in the day.

Recently, we received a set of toys called "Rescue Heroes" made by Fisher-Price. Being the voice over enthusiast that I am these toys in particular were very impressive.

Not only do the Rescue Heroes toys have incredibly well produced voice overs cast with excellent talent, the people at Fisher-Price have also dedicated a website with interactive games that incorporate the use of voice over in addition to using voice over in the DVDs that are for sale.

You can listen to some of the voice overs for the Rescue Heroes while playing the games.

Are You The Voice of a Talking Toy?

Many of you have performed the voice of a talking toy before and I'd like to give you the opportunity to share which toys you have recorded for.

Who knows, maybe one of your colleagues' voices resides in your toy room!

Let the comments begin,

Stephanie

Patrick Fraley is one of voice overs greatest living legends.

Earlier this year, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 Voiceys, a distinguished honor bestowed upon him with great humility.

During the nomination process for the finalists, those nominated were asked to submit information about how they had given back to their community, how they've impacted those around them and what they have done to invest in the voice actors of tomorrow.

It gives me great pleasure to honor Pat and share more about his work with you through three people he has inspired, affected and championed over the years, presenting to you a greater picture of the voice actor, the man, and the mentor.

Giving Back to the Youth

How Pat Fraley's Influence Emboldened Radio Disney

Submitted by Kara Edwards, Voice Actor

I’d like to take a moment and share a story that took place about 10 years ago. I was somewhere between the age of 19 and 21 (hard to remember now!). I was working at a new radio station called Radio Disney as one of the on-air talent. It was a fun job, a great company, and at such a young age - it hadn’t sunk in with me just how good I had it!

One day, our boss tells us that a man named Pat Fraley would be coming by to teach a class on how to do silly voices. I remember thinking it sounded like fun, but not being able to think of one practical application for this type of skill in my own life.

Within the first few minutes of meeting Pat, I was instantly hooked. He has the most magnetic and magnanimous personality! Plus, his obvious passion for voice over was instantly recognizable. He had a room of 15 DJs sitting on the edge of their seats.

A moment from that day I will never forget was when Pat offered a few of his 4,000 voices for display. Krang from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wild Cat from Tale Spin, Slick from The Littles, the list goes on and on! I was astounded. These were characters I grew up with, shows I watched! In an instant, ‘some guy’ named Pat Fraley became… Mr. Holy-moly-that-man-is-talented Fraley! (Of course, it didn’t hurt that Pat does the single best Jack Nicholson impersonation on the PLANET!)

After hearing Pat’s own incredible talents, there was no way I was going to try it! However, Pat instantly put us all at ease. His simple character break downs and instructions had us all discovering elements to our own voices we never knew were there. Pat was encouraging and dynamic.

With just a few classes, Pat brought a group of radio folks out of their shells. Our imaginations had been inspired, and any one of us could be found roaming the halls at any given time doing ‘silly voices’ and making ‘goofy sounds’.

Pat literally changed the course of my life that day.

I knew that I wanted to be a voice actor after I met Pat - I wanted to take the skills he had shown me and do something exciting with them.

It was because of Pat Fraley that I had the confidence to go on my first audition - which has led to a very successful run in this business.

Pat is an inspiration to everyone in the voice over industry. At last year’s VOICE conference in Las Vegas, I watched as hundreds of people fell in love with Pat Fraley as I had years before. You can see it on every face - Pat makes it possible to do this. He can explain the skills necessary like no one else… and he can do these voices better than any I have ever seen.

The bio on his website says it all… Patrick Fraley has created the voices for over 4,000 characters, placing him among the top ten performers of all time to be cast in animated programs. His is the only character voice curriculum ever to be accredited at the university level. He holds an MFA degree in Acting from Cornell University, and is a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers of America.

Wow. Pat is the only instructor I know that can go from teaching a class on audio books to a class on animation to accents to ADR/looping to… well, you get the picture. His talent range is incredible, and his classes sell out because he is the best at what he does. Check my iPod at any given time, and you will find all of Pat’s instructional MP3s.

Each one of us was affected in some way on that day 10 years ago. 3 of us went on to a full-time career in voice over. One is the current voice of Barney the Dinosaur. Another is making quite an impact as a voice actor in LA. And then there is me. The little girl that was so excited to meet someone who worked with The Smurfs. I’ve done quite well myself, and I owe it all to Pat.

I looked up the definition of the word ‘achievement’ in the dictionary. It said: Something accomplished successfully, especially by means of exertion, skill, practice, or perseverance. Pat has achieved a whole lot in his life…but it’s the achievements he inspires in others that truly define him.

Giving Back to Fellow Voice Actors

Pat Fraley = The Wikipedia of Voice Over?

Submitted by DC Goode, Voice Actor

I have studied with Pat over the last several years. I have been in the business for over 25 years and can say that Pat Fraley is a par excellence teacher, coach, director and of course talent… His IMDb page tells the story better than I can begin to in the talent department.

Anyone who has worked with Pat (whether it be as a student, director, fellow talent, casting person, etc.) can attest to the delight it is to see a master at work and at the same time he has the ability to make you feel like his equal in every way. His ability to think and act inside and outside the box, while mastering the innumerable nuances of character creation and performance is a joy to watch and astonishing to be a part of… even if only a spectator.

At first look, his Mastery of all the skills involved in acting and voice acting will leave most people overwhelmed (and rightfully so).

The man is a library of knowledge, experience, talent and skill. And any one willing to take “one of the books off the shelf in the PF Library” is in for one delightful journey of learning, discovery and real Fun. Maybe we should rename him “The Wikipedia of Voice Over”.

On a personal note, Pat is a consummate gentleman and from the moment you meet him, he has the ability to make you feel like you’ve been friends forever. Or to put it another way, “Pat Fraley has never met a stranger”.

When it comes to his sense of comedy and humor buckle up for the best ride you’ve ever had.

Giving Back to the Community

Sharing Expertise and Building a Legacy

Submitted by Claudia Anderson
Associate Professor, Voice & Speech
DePaul University

I met Pat Fraley in the mid-80s, when he submitted a proposal to present a workshop/presentation at the national conference of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), representing the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA). Not only did he present at that conference, but at several other national conferences for ATHE and VASTA. Each time, he was extremely generous with the participants in his sessions, and all of his work was detailed and accessible to the teachers with whom he was sharing.

I know that as a result of his work at the national conferences, he has been asked to lead workshops at several universities. Sometimes the theatre schools have been able to come up with a little funding to support his travel, but more often he gives his work to us and asks for no compensation. Whenever possible, I have offered an honorarium or small fee, but it has never matched the value of his presentation, and most of the time he has offered his work as a gift. He has taught my students at Northern Illinois University, California Institute of the Arts and The Theatre School at DePaul University. Each time, he brings equipment, materials and a specific lesson plan to address the needs of each student population.

Several of my students have moved to Los Angeles, and sought him out; and when they do so, Pat responds by giving them support, insights and advice. He offers himself as a contact for them each time he leads a workshop.

When I lived in Los Angeles, Pat allowed me to take his Voice Characterization class, which met for eight evenings. He told me that he wanted me to share my perspectives as a Linklater teacher with the class in exchange for the class, but he didn't really ask for anything from me. It was a gift to be able to take his class.

Over the years, Pat has developed excellent teaching materials in the field of voice characterization and the voiceover business, and he has always shared all of his materials with me generously, sending my packages of his latest work. I am grateful that he includes me.

More than any other voice professional, Pat gives back to the community of voice and speech teachers, and inspires the next generation of voice actors.

~~

Full Circle

When I had announced that Pat won the award on the podcast, I knew that I would write a very special article about him, but wasn't sure how to put everything that I could share into words that were as powerful and moving as those that were offered in support of Pat Fraley's nomination as a finalist.

This is why I chose to let the profound words of Kara, DC and Claudia pay tribute to Pat as only they and those he has directly graced could.

On behalf of the voice over industry, I'd like to thank you, and your family, Pat, for your dedication, tireless passion for the art and kind heart that knows no bounds.

Though far from retirement, you certainly deserve the recognition and we all wish to celebrate with you!

A toast to Pat Fraley, a man who has never met a stranger.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Ciccarelli
Co-founder of Voices.com

What kind of voice over work did you do this week?

Anything in particular got you flying high?

Welcome to the weekend!

When you were working hard in your studio this week, what kind of voice overs did you do?

Any news to share?

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures from this week!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Izabela Habur

Over the past several months, US-based (and British born) voice actor Derek Partridge had been traveling and working abroad in Europe on a number of exciting projects, one of which more than piqued my interest.

I've asked him to share his story with you and he was very pleased to do so.

For those of you who are familiar with the late British actor Leslie Howard and the flight that took his life, you'll be amazed to see how this story unfolds and how the Hand of God works in mysterious ways, giving a little boy who was unimportant enough to be taken off a plane for a VIP the opportunity to live to tell the tale of the grave day that ultimately changed the course of his life, and that of Leslie Howard's, forever.

The Mystery of Flight 777

It’s 1943, I was 7 years old, strapped into my seat and excitedly waiting for take-off on flight 777 from Lisbon to Bristol in England. At the last minute, I was bumped so that VIP Leslie Howard (best known for his role as Ashley Wilkes in Gone With The Wind) could have my seat. Three hours later the KLM Dakota DC3, named “Ibis”, was shot down over the Bay of Biscay, by a squadron of 6 Luftwaffe Ju88 fighter-bombers… with the loss of all on board.

Fast forward 65 years

I get an e-mail from Tom Hamilton, a British writer-director, asking if I’m the same Derek Partridge who was removed from the plane and, if so, could he interview me for his documentary “The Mystery of Flight 777”?

After learning that I was a TV presenter and former documentary scriptwriter we then collaborated on his script. In March I flew to London to host and narrate “Leslie Howard: A Quite Remarkable Life” and “The Mystery of Flight 777”.

We filmed at many locations, including sequences at Leslie’s former 5,600 sq ft home at Dorking in Surrey, a few miles from my childhood home at Limpsfield in Surrey, an historically preserved mansion which had been built around 1350. We filmed -- in 85 mph gale force winds -- at the old Bristol airport at Whitchurch where Howard should have landed… and I did. That wind was not only tough on sound but made it difficult for me and the camera to remain upright!

We interviewed his daughter Doodie Stirling, co-star Olivia de Havilland, people who had worked with him, relatives of the other passengers and crew who had lost their lives, as well as scholarly experts who had studied and researched Howard’s life and untimely death.

Probably the most interesting interview was with Ben Rosevink, son of Engbertus Rosevink, the flight engineer on the ill-fated Dakota. He had done an enormous amount of research, had scrapbooks filled with news cuttings and pictures and, most importantly, had spent a week at the home of the German Squadron Commander, Colonel (then Oberleutnant) Herbert Hintze.

As far as I’m concerned, he finally provided irrefutable proof and answers to the 65 year-old mystery of why the plane had been shot down… a mystery which had spawned a plethora of different conspiracy theories, at least 4 books, as well as radio and TV plays and discussions.

You’ll need to view the finished documentary to learn what I learned! For a 5 minute, preview trailer of “The Mystery of Flight 777”, please visit this link:

The Mystery of Flight 777 Preview on MySpace

Voices.com’s Stephanie Ciccarelli asked me a few questions, including: how great an affect had not being on Flight 777 had on me, and I suppose the tongue-in-cheek answer is being here today to tell the story!! I spoke in my normal Brit voice, which is described as accent-less BBC or Queen’s English, most prevalent in the Southern counties of England where I was brought up and went to school.

Stephanie also asked about my linguistic abilities: a couple of weeks later I was back in London to present the 50th Anniversary video for farm equipment giant, Massey Ferguson International. On a giant stage in a chateau outside Paris were life-size portraits of founders Daniel Massey and Dubliner Harry Ferguson, who died 60 years ago.

The Marketing Director asks the CEO if he would recount to the audience one of the succinct sayings for which Harry Ferguson was renowned. The CEO replies: “Why don’t we ask Harry?” He turns and speaks to the portrait and I step out of the portrait and commence 20 minute presentations to the different audiences in French, German, Italian, Spanish and Irish!

I got this job in unusual circumstances.

I received another e-mail from London producer John Landon, with whom I had worked nearly 30 years ago! He not only remembered me but recalled that I had more than a passing resemblance to Harry Ferguson!

John and I have a shared hobby of clay pigeon, trap shooting (I’m a former member of the British Team). I decided to take advantage of being in Europe, flew to the Perazzi factory in Brescia, Italy, to be fitted for a custom-built, trap gun with gold partridges (what else!) inlaid into the engraved game scenes. This will ensure that—even when I don’t shoot well in competition—I’ll have the best looking gun on the range!

About Derek Partridge

Derek Partridge has a long and distinguished career as a voice-over artist and on-camera presenter, who won the 2007 Voicey Lifetime Achievement Award to add to his two Emmys and two Tellys. You can view and hear his work (including audiobooks) and learn more of his business interests and other activities, during his travels in some 80 countries, at www.derekpartridge.com.

~~

A special thank you to Derek for sharing his story!

All Comments Are Welcome. Add Yours!

Best wishes,

Derek and Stephanie

Did you know that when you audition at Voices.com, you don't need to type in a new proposal message from scratch each and every time?

If you haven't discovered and made use of this feature, Templates is the private storage area of your account that can be used to create and store text templates used for audition purposes.

It's really easy to use! Learn more about Templates and how they can speed up the auditioning process here at VOX Daily.

Templates

As we briefly covered earlier in this article, you can prepare ready-to-use audition proposals called Templates stored privately within your account at Voices.com to be used when replying to job opportunities posted at the site.

To add a note to your Templates, visit My Account and click on the Profile tab and then click on the link called Templates.

Good To Know

๏ The New link in Templates allows you to create a new template
๏ Edit allows you to edit an existing template
๏ Delete allows you to remove an existing template

How Do I Create a Proposal Template?

๏ To create a new template click on New
๏ Give your template a name, ex. "Commercial Audition" template
๏ Once finished click Save and this template will be listed in the template drop down list ready to use when you are auditioning for a job

* You can also create a template from the actual auditioning screen

What Should a Proposal Include?

A proposal should include:

๏ A greeting to the client (by name if possible)
๏ An introduction of yourself
๏ Why you're interested in the project
๏ List a job or client that relates to the type of project you're auditioning for
๏ Your quote or an explanation of your quoting method

Sample Template

Check out this screen shot. I have the full proposal for you to use in text below but wanted you to see these words in action as they would appear on the auditioning screen.

Full Proposal

Dear Client Name,

Thank you for the opportunity to be the voice of your project. I've recorded a custom sample of the script for your consideration.

This project is of great interest to me as I am familiar with your industry. It would be my pleasure to help realize your vision and bring your script to life.

Should you have any questions, feel free to contact me through Voices.com.

Looking forward to working with you,

Voice Actor

Practical Application

This is where things get exciting... you have direct access to your created templates each time you audition.

For those of you who already make use of this feature on a regular basis, you know how well it saves time and effort when auditioning.

At this point, all you need to do is select the template you feel is most suited to the job you are applying for from a drop down box and then customize the proposal as necessary.

Do You Use the Templates Feature? How Has Templates Helped You?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

Want to pick up a new English dialect for your voice over business?

Check out IDEA, which stands for International Dialects of English Archive, featuring audio samples of dialects for theatre and film artists.

International Dialects of English Archive

The International Dialects of English Archive, IDEA, was created in 1997 as a repository of primary source recordings for actors and other artists in the performing arts. Its home is the Department of Theatre and Film at the University Of Kansas, in Lawrence, KS, USA; while associate editors form a global network.

All recordings are in English, are of native speakers, and you will find both English language dialects and English spoken in the accents of other languages. The recordings are downloadable and playable for both PC and Macintosh computers.

Listen to and Research English Dialect Recordings From:

๏ Africa
๏ Asia
๏ Australia-Oceania
๏ Caribbean
๏ Central America
๏ Europe
๏ Middle-East
๏ North America
๏ South America
๏ Special Collections

These are further broken down into regional accents.

Usage

It is free to listen to and download these audio samples for personal use, however, there are certain restrictions on the usage of the files for other purposes as IDEA holds the copyright to the recordings and text files.

Also, stage and film producers take note:

It is fully expected that actors, writers, directors and others will make use of the archive for research in film and stage productions, though it is requested, as a courtesy, that such use of the archive be acknowledged in the play bill of a theatre production, or in the closing credits of a television or feature film as follows:

SPECIAL THANKS TO IDEA (International Dialects of English Archive)

Have you found IDEA to be useful to you?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

I had a chance to catch up with my friend Charlie Bennett to see what was cooking.

Turns out, he's been doing a lot of video game voice acting lately for companies who supply games to Nintendo!

Charlie was kind enough to answer 10 questions for me to share with you here at VOX Daily. Enjoy!

VOX: What videogames are you working on with Nintendo right now?

CHARLIE BENNETT: First of all, the videogames that I have done and are doing are not created by Nintendo but by a great game company who supplies Nintendo. The company is called Cat Daddy Games. I finished the first of three a few months ago. It's called "Carnival Games" for the Nintendo Wii system. I am the voice of the Carnival Barker who introduces all the games and how they play. Just a few weeks ago I completed the main character voice, once again the Carnival Barker for the Carnival Games, this time for the Nintendo DS system which is the handheld version. At the end of this week I expect to start on the next game which is called Carnival Games GOLF which will be for the Wii platform. As you can tell they have more or less franchised the Carnival Barker character to create a theme among several games.

VOX: Good to note! Tell me a little about the characters you have voiced.

CHARLIE: The character voice that I supply is the old fashioned Carnival Barker from the old days of county fairs and carnivals that many of us attended as kids. He's kinda sly and pushy and taunts the customers. You know "hurry hurry hurry, step right up and win a fabulous prize" Of course in real life he would have said anything to get you to spend your money.

VOX: What are sessions like recording for Nintendo? Do you have to go to a recording studio to record or are you able to do the voice over from your own?

CHARLIE: I have my own recording studio at home. Cat Daddy supplies the script and I record each line, listen back, and re-record until I'm personally satisfied with the results. Then I make each line or paragraph into a separate .wav file and send it to them.

VOX: What has been the most interesting aspect of voice acting in videogames for you, Charlie?

CHARLIE: I find the whole process interesting from interpreting the character to trying different inflections, accents etc. and then hearing the whole thing after it's finished, and realizing that I created that character and brought it to life.

VOX: How did you get the gig to work for Nintendo in the first place?

CHARLIE: It was just a simple audition for character voices that I sent in on Voices.com. They called me and asked if I could do a barker voice and also gave me the descriptions for three other minor characters and I ad-libbed something for each and ended up getting the main character!

VOX: If I were to play the games, would I see your name at the end in the credits?

CHARLIE: Yes I have on screen credit at the end of the game and I am also given credit in the booklet that comes with each game inside the box.

VOX: Are there any dream characters you would like to voice?

CHARLIE: Not so much dream characters as dream jobs. I would love to have a role in an animated motion picture or TV show. Especially since reading that the Simpsons voices are now getting $400k an episode! One of the major hurdles in "big" jobs is that they require you to be a member of SAG or AFTRA or both, of which I am not and it's difficult and expensive to join. I have done several character voices for other types of media including a bingo caller on a bingo game in Poland, The voice of a Lion who sounds like Elvis in Europe and I'm even the voice of MTV in Turkey! So there's no one dream character, but plenty of dream opportunities.

VOX: What kind of input do you have with regard to creative direction for your voice over lines?

CHARLIE: As far as Carnival Games and Cat Daddy Games, the guys have been wonderful. They have told me what in general they want and then let me put my own spin on the character. It's been basically my call as to what I think would sound best.

VOX: Is most of the VO gameplay or are there cut scenes as well?

CHARLIE: It's almost all gameplay with some action in between but not a lot.

VOX: Are you a gamer yourself? If so, have you played any of the games you have performed voice over for?

CHARLIE: I hate to admit this but I don't have a system as of yet so I have not played the games I did the voices for. I am planning on getting one in the near future but I don't think I'll ever be a true "gamer".

Have You Voiced A Videogame Lately? Add a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

What have you been recording this week?

Let's celebrate! Add your gigs by commenting on this article.

Can you believe that we've been doing Who Got The Gig now for 15 weeks!

It's been a great time, hasn't it? This column has given us a virtual water cooler where you can shoot the breeze about your business triumphs, exciting news and a place of encouragement.

Who Got the Gig?

I'm very much looking forward to hearing about what you and your voice have been up to.

Did you do any voice over work this week? Tell us about it!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/DSGpro

Want to be cast based upon your voice and not your quote?

For those of you feel you should be cast based upon your voice and not because of what you've quoted, I am going to propose something that should help remedy that age old concern and level the playing field as well, ultimately making it easier for clients to quickly pick a voice and for you to be hired without having to quote.

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE COMMENTING

We've received some valuable feedback and were also able to make some clarifications where there were misunderstandings as well as raise the rates from what they were initially when this was posted earlier today.

This feature is not active yet and we are looking for feedback now so that we can make the feature the best and most seamless that it can be.

Any positive feedback is welcome with regard to what you feel the rates should be.

What's up?

Many of you have voiced concerns regarding what you suspect some people may be quoting at online marketplaces and feel that there is likely lowballing going on that gets those voice actors the jobs.

While at Voices.com the vast majority of people quote within the set budget ranges, it is a known fact that there is a degree of underbidding that goes on within the industry as a whole.

After much thought the team at Voices.com is about to implement something new that will put both clients and voice actors in the fast lane while evening the quoting field so to speak by removing the quoting process.

Interesting, but what do you mean and how will this work?

Essentially, we're going to add a new set of categories, similar to the Featured Talent directory, and each category will have reasonably priced packages that clients can "Buy Now!" selecting from a variety of featured voices listed in that category.

Example

Let's talk about the forthcoming radio commercial packages categories.

Clients will be able to buy packages for their radio commercial voice overs. There will be individual packages, all priced appropriately, for small, regional and national markets. These rates are based upon the non-union standard rates sheet for voice overs at Voices.com.

The client reviews the samples that are listed within the radio commercials category and once they hear a voice that suits their commercial, they'll have the ability to "Buy Now!" just like on sites such as eBay.com.

This process, by virtue of set pricing, eliminates the need to quote which in turn eliminates underbidding and dispels the myth of seeking out that "magic number" to quote when auditioning.

If you've read between the lines, you'll also notice that there is no auditioning involved, a perk for those who have no time to audition but certainly do have the time to cut voice tracks and be paid for their work.

What Happens After a Client Clicks "Buy Now!"?

The client will make a deposit using SurePay for the advertised price of the package they are purchasing.

This is where things become slightly different

For those of you who are familiar with the workings of SurePay through auditions, you know that the transaction fee is added on top of the price you quoted (i.e. you quote $100, client pays $110), however, with "Buy Now" prices for packages, the transaction fee would be included in the advertised price so that clients know right off the bat that they are buying a package for X number of dollars and not be surprised by an additional fee at the point of sale.

We've found that although SurePay is very effective and many people use it, clients who buy voice overs, just like any other buyers, are accustomed to sellers covering the marketplace transaction fees.

That is a common practice at marketplaces.

At Guru.com or Elance.com, for instance, the seller charges X fee for a product and the buyer pays that same fee. Any transaction fees are taken out of the sale price, not added on top.

One of the reasons why we opted to have the SurePay transaction fee on top of what you were quoting was because the last thing we wanted to do was have our customers (specifically the voice actors) think we were taking a commission when it was truly a transaction fee.

Anywhere you look, it's always the sellers who cover fees, never the buyers. Why should it be any different at Voices.com?

Sounds great! Where do I sign up?

Premium members of our service will be able to take part in this new exclusive marketing opportunity. The listings will rotate dynamically using the same algorithm as the Featured Talent Directory.

Starting out clients will be able to buy packages for radio spots, television spots and Internet (which includes videos, podcasts, etc.). Telephone voice over packages will also be available.

To be part of this special program, you will need to opt in (agree) to do the voice over work for the set asking price listed for the categories which includes the escrow fee.

(UPDATE - 1:49 p.m. EST June 13, 2008) Please be sure to note that the escrow fee is included in the overall price that the client pays. It is not a commission, it is a transaction fee.

The graphic at the top of this article shows voice talent earnings and then the deposit as the client would see it which includes the transaction fee and simplifies the process immensely when purchasing these packages.

Let us know what you think about this idea by adding a comment.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

* Update - previous example citing eBay removed and replaced with far better examples, Guru and Elance, as those sites do charge membership fees for people to promote their services and apply for jobs as well as have an escrow service that includes the fee such as was described in the posting.

For those of you who are familiar with Marvel's Hulking protagonist Bruce Banner or are looking forward to seeing "The Incredible Hulk", I've got a treat for you!

I had the opportunity to speak with J.D. Hall yesterday afternoon just days before the cinematic premiere of The Incredible Hulk, due out Friday June 13, 2008.

Join me in this interview with J.D. Hall, veteran member of SAG and voice of the groaning, growling, grunting Hulk!

Interview with J.D. Hall, Voice of The Incredible Hulk

VOX: Congratulations on landing the role to voice The Hulk!  It must be exciting to be the vocal force behind one of Marvel's most explosive heroes.  How did you get the gig?

J.D. HALL: I went and auditioned for Ed Norton and some sound editors. They were looking for someone to do the growls, grunts and groans. They saw a lot of people and hired 2 at first to provide a voice for the Hulk and we worked, just the two of us, for 2 sessions. After that, they hired 2 other guys to also do some voice over for the Hulk. We all did our recording sessions individually but were present to hear each other.

VOX: What was your reaction when you first learned that you would be the voice of The Hulk for the movie?

J.D. HALL: I've been doing voice over for a long time. I was happy to get the job and of course, as an actor am always glad to work. It was a really big challenge to do the work, though! We had to create all kinds of sounds for the crew to work with. By the final cut, the editors digitally processed our raw material.

VOX: Grunting, growling and groaning is pretty hard on the vocal folds.  What kind of precautions did you take for your voice during the sessions and how did you take care of your voice in between sessions to keep it in optimum health?

J.D. HALL: I drank a lot tea and tried to protect my voice as much as I could. It's difficult to make those sounds even when you're supporting with your diaphragm. We had tea, throat lozenges and throat sprays, too. At the end of the day, none of those really prevented the sore throats.

VOX: If you don't mind me asking, what kind of tea and remedies were at the studio?

J.D. HALL: I drank Lipton tea with honey and lemon, there was chamomile tea, some of the guys used Ricola throat lozenges, Fisherman's Friend; I had some Halls Mentho-Lyptus. Of course, there was lots of water to drink that helped to keep our throats lubricated.

I grew up on tea and honey when studying in LA. I also use tabasco sauce to help clear mucus. The main thing though is to have good technique. When you're doing vocals and speaking that stuff usually works, but when you're growling, groaning and making unearthly sounds, you have to give it your all and then you've got to let it heal for three to four days.

VOX: Which studio did you record at and how long did it take to do the voice overs?

J.D. HALL: The sessions were in late March through early April 2008 at a Los Angeles recording studio called Wildfire. There were four sessions in total for voice over for The Hulk and I was personally involved in three of those four sessions.

VOX: What was the most challenging aspect of the performance?

J.D. HALL: It was very strenuous on my voice. I've done monsters before but this character was the most intense. I'd work 1 to 2 hours at a time. Always, it was the individual actor working, never as a whole group. I've done voice over for Pirates of the Caribbean, Cutthroat Island ADR (afterward we jokingly called it "Sore Throat Island"). Whenever you're doing ADR for movies that have wars, concerts, sports, and so on, you have a group of 12, 14 or 15 people there with you who are also doing the work so you don't have to push your voice as hard. In this movie (The Incredible Hulk) we were recording in pairs, and when there are just two of you, you can't hold anything back. The challenge as an actor is that you want to give your client what they are looking for without injurying yourself and do your best to deliver on what you were hired for. There's a fine balance.

VOX: You've done voice over for many exciting venues. Can you tell me a little bit about those?

J.D. HALL: I've been credited for voice over work in Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Supremacy and am also the narrator for The Scorpion King. I've voiced and narrated two very important national treasures, The Civil Rights Museum in Memphis and The Hall of Presidents at Disney World Orlando. Also, I have recorded narration for Undercover Brother.

VOX: How did you get into acting? I believe you met your wife Euguenia at a class, right?

J.D. HALL: I'm originally from Baltimore, MD. Yes, I met my then future wife Eugenia Wright at LA City College while studying theater. Before studying theater, I was working in the desert for the space program. I was stationed in the Mohave Desert and was hired to track satellites. That got old, and since I was already out in California, I decided to quit my job and move to LA to study theater. I met Eugenia about 6-7 months later while studying theater at the school.

VOX: Were there any techniques that you used to help you deliver your lines (growls, groans, etc.)?

J.D. HALL: Knowing your limits and not pushing. You don't want to do permanent damage to your voice. As I said before, you want to please the client without causing injury to your voice which is a hard compromise to make because you need your voice for other roles that may come up shortly after the job you're presently recording. You have to be wise and know your limits. Most importantly, know when to speak up if you're uncomfortable. Ask the director to tell you what you want and have them say it early on in your experimentation. If they can catch you a couple of seconds in to a growl and it's not the right sound, they can cut you off early and help you to save your energy for the sound they are looking for. Be aware of your voice, limitations and be in communication with people you are working with. I have the experience of having done it before and had worked with those editors before during past voice over jobs so it was comfortable for me as a voice actor.

VOX: You mentioned earlier that Ed Norton was there. Did he help cast or attend any of the sessions?

J.D. HALL: I auditioned for Ed Norton. Ed ran the first session as the director was away at the time. He gave me some direction. Since you only see bits and pieces of the film as a voice actor, you need someone in the sessions who knows what's going on to piece it all together for you and make you feel the story. Ed helped out with a lot. After that, the director took over for the remaining sessions.

VOX: Creating a number of distinctive grunts and a variety of vocal utterances for a character that has limited use of language must have been quite the work out and mental exercise.  Can you tell me about the process you went through to develop the persona and voice for The Hulk?

J.D. HALL: The bigger growls and more combative sounds were the ones I was hired to do. Others had more intimate things. The arc of emotions the Hulk goes through gave us each the opportunity to present one aspect of his personality. We didn't have to match each other.

VOX: Judging by what you've just said, I'm assuming your voice got the biggest workout!

J.D. HALL: The casting for Hulk's voice was emotion-specific. Each actor represented a different part of his personality. The growls for the Hulk were created by using my imagination. We all had our voices processed so you wouldn't be able to necessarily identify my voice as my voice. At the end, everyone was happy and satisfied with how things went. I brought my skills to the table and did my best to make the Hulk sound fierce, frightening, and dangerous. I heard that the team had experimented with the sound of lions roaring, but I don't know if they mixed anything in with our voices.

VOX: Is your voice featured in the videogame?

J.D. HALL: No, not that I know of, and I haven't been paid for any work if it has. My voice will be featured in the Dark Void game which hasn't been released yet. I've also done voice over work in The Bourne Conspiracy recording for enemy soldier voices. I'm given credit for that work, however, I didn't get any credit for my work in The Incredible Hulk or The Scorpion King, a movie I provided the opening narration for.

VOX: Will you be at opening night?

J.D. HALL: No, I won't was not invited. For some reason vo artists are stuck out of the way and kept anonymous.

VOX: One of my friends, Bob Bergen (a voice for Porky Pig and Tweety), told me a similar story about how the voice actors from the movie Space Jam also were not invited to the premiere, even though they played prominent roles in the film with their voices. They had to watch the film down the street from where the real party was.

J.D. HALL: That's pretty rare, usually you (voice actors) don't get to go to anything on opening night. Sometimes if you have a nice director, they'll invite you and a group of family and friends to attend a pre-screening before the premiere. Unless you are Eddie Murphy or Mike Myers in Shrek, you don't get to go to the premiere.

VOX: For someone who plays such an integral role in the success and action of the film, I'm shocked to hear that not only are you not credited but that you, along with your colleagues, were not invited to come. Why do you think that is?

J.D. HALL: I think they like to keep the process secret. There are many stories over the years of people who have created voices behind the scenes who are not acknowledged. The lady who sang for Snow White in the original Disney animated film wasn't allowed to say that she did, for instance. There are lots of stories like that. You get used to it and there are some things you can take credit for. Not many people know this, but if there aren't enough on-camera credited people in the film and the list looks too short, they flesh out the credits by adding the voice actors - if the cast list is long enough, they don't credit the voice actors. If you're looping, there's no credit at all.

Will you be seeing The Incredible Hulk? Be Sure to Listen For J.D.'s voice!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

We're pleased to announce the launch of the Voices.com Developer Program and Web Services API.

Software developers will be able to build more sophisticated applications around Voices.com’s services and content.

We're confident that you'll see a massive increase in activity at Voices.com and you'll also see an increase in work opportunities as well as the diversity of voice over requests.

What's an API?

Wikipedia defines an API (Application Programming Interface) as the source code interface that a web service (Voices.com) provides to support requests made by third-parties.

How It Works

The Voices.com API will let developers write applications that can be used to send data, such a search query or job posting details. People will be able to use their favorite web browser to access Voices.com from another website, such as an advertising network, podcast portal or voice talent agency.

Then, Voices.com will return a search result, or if a job was posted, the client would receive auditions. If a SurePay payment is initiated, the client will receive finished digital audio back into their applications.

The API will allow people to use other websites to remotely log in to their client accounts, search for voice over talent, post jobs, and send payment online without ever having to visit the Voices.com website.

Examples of Successful APIs

Google Search

The Google Search API lets you put Google Search in your web pages with JavaScript. You can embed a simple, dynamic search box and display search results in your own web pages or use the results in innovative, programmatic ways. See the examples here for inspiration.

Google Maps

The Google Maps API lets you embed Google Maps in your own web pages with JavaScript. The API provides a number of utilities for manipulating maps (just like on the http://maps.google.com web page) and adding content to the map through a variety of services, allowing you to create robust maps applications on your website.

Yahoo! Shopping

The Yahoo! Shopping APIs enable you to use Yahoo! comparison shopping data to power your site or application. Using Yahoo! APIs, you can search our database of millions of product offers from thousands of merchants to create applications that provide comparison shopping and product search functionality, as well as display user reviews.

Examples of Applications

Radio Stations

• Radio stations receive a lot of telephone calls for everything from music requests, contest entries and people looking to contribute on talk shows.

The Application: On Hold Advertising Network

Radio stations can now monetize the hold-time by charging advertisers to have their ad inserted into their telephone system. The result? You call the local radio station to enter a contest and you hear a 10 second ad for the contests sponsor. Ads are procured with Voices.com voice talent and updated with each new contest.

Mobile Technology

• There are twice as many mobile phones as personal computers. Each mobile phone is personal, and what better way to personalize your phone than with a customized voicemail greeting.

The Application: iPhone Voicemail Greetings

Technology enthusiasts could built a simply iPhone application that allows people choose from a directory of pre-recorded iPhone voicemail greetings. Alternatively, customers could search for a professional voice over talent to a record personalized greeting for their phone.

News & Media Websites

• Localized news, weather and sports are updated on a daily basis. As the world becomes increasingly more mobile, this content should be accessible from any mobile device.

The application: An Audio News Network

Audio content is recorded, then delivered to people who subscribe to the service, making getting the latest news easy to download to your mobile phone or iPod.

Airlines

• You call the airline to check your flight time and you hear a 10 second ad for 5000 frequent flyer points when you're approved for an American Express credit card.

The application: Airline Audio Updates

Flight schedules, travel tips and other helpful information are delivered to mobile phones. The service is free for travelers, and supported by the 10 second ads which are also procured at Voices.com.

Access, Authentication & Security

Voices.com will have real-time view of who is using our web service - while simultaneously guarding against misuse. We will issue developer security keys and grant privileges only to trusted developers.

Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information is fundamental to the way we conduct business at Voices.com. To us, providing you with the best customer service includes handling your personal information with great care and respect.

Developer Portal

Our success depends on the developer community. That’s why a Developer Portal has been launched with a comprehensive set of developer and community tools. Developers can annotate documentation with comments. A developers’ blog, wiki are moderated and managed by our team.

Developers can sign up for a free Voices.com's API Key now.

What Do You Think of This New Program?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Stephanie and David

If you've seen the movie "Pay It Forward" you know what it means to give back to your community and help build other people up.

Are you paying it forward?

Everyday there are people around the world investing their gifts selflessly to benefit others.

Paying It Forward in a Group

One example in the voice acting community is how generous people are with their time and knowledge when participating in community fora, such as the VO-BB forum (Voice Over Bulletin Board) and the Voice-Overs.com forum.

Every little bit that you give back, even something as simple as a heartfelt compliment, is worth its weight in gold to the person who receives and makes you feel really good, too.

Something else I'd like to talk about is mentorship.

Mentoring

Paying it forward doesn't have to mean that you are engaging a large group. It can also be reaching out to people on an individual basis to guide and shape lives and or careers.

Last year, Bob Bergen, a voice acting instructor and one of Warner Bros. voices for Porky Pig and Tweety Bird, surprised a great number of us in attendance at a conference by offering to mentor someone for life! The lucky recipient of that mentorship was Canadian voice actor Tom Edwards.

Paying It Forward to Our Industry's Future Leaders

From time to time, our company is presented with opportunities to share our knowledge, talents and expertise to help others in the industry.

Yesterday, David gave a lecture at his alma mater the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (OIART) that gave the students a unique perspective on how to start their own audio recording businesses. He speaks annually to OIART classes and gets a real kick out it as do the students.

I try to get out to the schools too, and if you remember, I had the privilege of speaking and observing the broadcasting communications class at Clark Road Secondary School and see the future develop before my eyes. It is an experience unlike any other and being there among those high schoolers made my week.

What Have You Been Doing to Pay it Forward?

Share your stories by adding a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Denise Roup

The team at Voices.com is always raising the bar and we're about to do so again big time.

Before we make our next round of updates and improvements we thought it would be prudent to ask you for some feedback through a survey.

There is only one question:

What can we do to improve our service that would really knock your socks off?

To take the one question survey and share your thoughts (dream big!) click here or on the banner below.

Best wishes,

Stephanie, David, Carol, Laurynda, Erica and Lin

©iStockphoto.com/Chris Bernard

Have you ever found yourself voicing the role of your dreams?

Mark Silverman shares his story about how growing up Disney prepared him to became the voice of Disney's attraction "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror".

Have you found yourself in a similar position?

Impressions and The Twilight Zone

When I was a kid I developed a nice talent for sounding like other people. I did impressions of all my teachers.

All I did as a kid was go to Disneyland and watch Twilight Zone on television. I started doing an impression of Rod Serling.

When I became an adult, I heard Disney was looking for a Rod Serling voice for an upcoming attraction for Disneyworld based on The Twilight Zone.

The Disney Audition

I went in to audition and they really liked me. I was asked back and I auditioned again and finally Disney chose me.

The ride is called The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and it is now in three Disney parks! My voice is heard by thousands of people every day.

Mark Silverman

~~

It's great to hear about stories that "come full circle". Good on you, Mark!

Have you fulfilled a dream voice over job? If not yet, what's your dream voice acting role?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Since when is it appropriate to alter content created by another person on the Internet anonymously?

To put it mildly, there have been a lot of issues over the last year or so at voice123, and recent shenanigans have given cause to write about it.

What's the deal?

Voice123 has released a new feature to their users that allows voice actors to anonymously "tag" (that means to add keywords to) the demos of other voice actors. These tags will then show up on the profiles of talent whose demos are reviewed and tagged.

Where did this idea come from anyway?

Nearly two years ago, Voices.com introduced the option to tag YOUR OWN demos by adding a few descriptive words to help give prospective clients an idea of what they would be listening to before they click the play button.

How is "anonymous tagging" being embraced by voice123 customers?

The uproar, now 5 pages long in the voiceoversavvy forum, is demonstrative of their customers' disgust and feelings of bewilderment. People are left completely vulnerable to any kind of abuse from other talent who are essentially their competitors.

It doesn't stop there

Voice123 has decided to make a contest out of it. Whoever tags the most demos could be one of five people who win an annual subscription to their service.

If a voice actor's demos are tagged inappropriately they will not be able to immediately delete the tags. Those unwanted tags could sit there for months and tarnish reputable talent for no reason other than the fact that they were placed there in order to win a $295 membership to a site that continues to decline.

Why does voice123 want you to tag demos?

Simply put, they want their customers to do their search engine optimization for them. Do you know how long it would take for them to build up that extra content? If people who do this for a living describe other people's demos using appropriate keywords they are effectively doing all of the work for voice123, potentially at the expense and violation of their fellow colleagues.

One member of the forum clearly pointed out that this is merely a search engine optimization strategy:

"What I think they're trying to do is to use the meta tags to better associate V123 with those terms in a type of referrer URL spam (though it's not actually spam since it's their own site). Now going through all of the talent's sites to add tags which can be used to boost V123's ratings in the search engines would be incredibly time consuming... but if the talent were able to tag on their own, it'd made things much easier and faster, now wouldn't it?"

Predictions

Having a system where people can tag anonymously will only result in hurt feelings and give power to people whose comments cannot be accounted for. On the Internet, accountability is huge and this new feature at voice123 shows disregard for established ethics that are observed by communities online.

Is the incentive of potentially winning a voice123 membership worth it?

At the end of the day, the people who are customers at said service will be the judge of what is worthwhile and what isn't for their careers.

Any comments?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Hello out there you fabulous voice over people!

What have you been recording this week?

Before you head for the hills or hit the beach this red-hot weekend (it's a tempting thought, isn't it?), do a little show and tell at VOX Daily :)

What's Going on in Your Studio?

I'd love to hear about the projects you've been working on. The life of a voice actor is anything but dull so I know you've got something to say :)

Comment with your recent Gigs!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Andrzej Burak

Do you know how to properly look after your voice?

Guest blogger Gary Terzza provides some excellent tips on how to preserve your voice and reasons not to take it for granted.

Your Voice

We use it every day and yet the voice is one of the most neglected parts of our anatomy. Just think about how you use yours: chatting on the telephone, shouting at the kids, clearing your throat - the vocal cords endure a punishing schedule.

Of course if you use your voice professionally the demands are even greater; so how can you make sure you are giving this powerful, but delicate organ the care and attention it deserves?

Take Precautions To Protect Your Voice

Don’t misuse, or abuse the larynx. Never smoke and keep away from smoky atmospheres. Keep shouting to a minimum. If you have a cold that’s affecting the voice box, try and avoid talking.

Dry dusty conditions, even air-conditioning, can dry out the voice significantly, so always take regular sips of water.

Try to reduce your caffeine intake as this can dry out the larynx and cause hoarseness. Equally watch your alcohol consumption as this not only has a physiological impact on your voice box, but reduces your inhibitions, making you more liable to raise your voice.

Are you a singer or voice professional? Take heed!

If you use your voice for singing, voice-overs or telephone sales make sure you do some warm up exercises. Gentle humming at a low level can help develop resonance, clear the airways and give those cords a soothing work-out, but be careful you don’t strain.

Large meals can alter the tonal quality of your voice (ask any singer, or voice-over artist) and this is especially true of spicy foods and dairy products.

For women, hormonal changes such as the menopause, pregnancy or menstruation can have a marked effect on the voice, as can stressful situations such as divorce or bereavement. The voice is the articulator of emotion, so tension or depression might show in your voice, sometimes in quite unexpected ways.

Worried About Your Vocal Health?

If you are ever worried about your voice, seek medical advice straight away.

Enjoy your voice and use it as a creative tool, or as an instrument to bring pleasure and fulfillment, but always treat it with great care and respect.

About Author

Gary Terzza is a professional voiceover and coach with a client list that includes Channel 4, Channel five, VH-1 and the BBC. He also runs a voice-over master class Association in Central London and Hertfordshire.

Any comments?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Gary and Stephanie

The age of the agency is crumbling and the rise of the marketplace has begun.

In our present day the reality of freelance work comes with new and exciting opportunities. Those who are part of this paradigm shift will reap what they sow.

What will you be harvesting?

Wild, Wild West

The moniker "Wild West" has been applied quite liberally over the past year to the voice over industry as immense growing pains continue to expand the girth of the industry and refine the definition of what it means to be a successful voice actor and how success as a freelance professional is to be achieved.

Although attainable, success depends greatly upon how voice actors adapt to the changes presented in the industry, both technology and business wise.

The old ways are passing and those who are not on the bandwagon need to realize that attitudes of former eras are also becoming a hindrance to survival in today's voice acting profession.

Case Study

Meet Gloria (fake name but a very real situation), an agency represented voice actor and member of both SAG and AFTRA, who hasn't procured work online through the voice over marketplace in well over a year.

Gloria is becoming discouraged and has no idea why no one is hiring her via her own efforts.

There are two fundamental reasons why Gloria isn't getting work through her auditions, those reasons being:

1. Gloria is of the mindset that she is entitled to work because of her caliber of talent
2. Gloria doesn't know how to run her business online and faces basic business challenges

Does that sound like anyone you know?

What Can Gloria Do?

For all the Glorias out there (or for those of you who aspire to join the ranks of professional voice actors) you can overcome these obstacles by reading and listening to everything about the industry that you can get your hands on, taking advantage of free resources and connecting with a voice acting teacher or business coach.

Freelance work is independent work. If someone can't work independently and market themselves effectively perhaps the freelance voice acting profession is not for them.

Back To Gloria and Her Problems

Gloria not only has trouble getting work on her own, she also isn't having much luck with her agent, notwithstanding her talent.

Does it make sense for Gloria to continue on this way or does she need to make some changes?

Survival Depends Greatly on How People Adapt to Change

How many people out there are in this predicament?

Will those people make it in the new reality of voice acting without their agents?

I say will they make it without their agents because the harsh reality for many of these agencies is that they are fighting tooth and nail with their own clients to acquire work that they are bidding more for than their own roster of talent is willing to do from their home studios.

Most of a union franchised agent's time these days is spent saying "no" to leads that are below scale and hustling for their clients by trying to convince people to pay a premium for their agency services on top of the standard union fees when the voice over is all the client really wants.

This isn't just affecting small agencies.

The big boys and girls are feeling it too, and more and more of them are seriously considering the possibility, nay reality, of representing non-union talent in addition to their union talent to make ends meet.

What Does This Mean for Agency Repped Talent?

As we've heard before and have understood for decades, it's in the best interest of an agent to get work for clients who they know stand a better chance of getting the gig, because that's how they make their money.

If we were to connect the dots and put the pieces of the puzzle together, it becomes obvious that fewer talent will be represented (or at least promoted) by agents, and those who are will be among the minority and are probably the people who are most in demand already.

Should you not be getting any work from your agent now it's time to start looking at alternatives that you can control.

The Writing is on the Wall

There's issues. This industry is facing big issues.

Issues with union vs non-union. Issues with union vs. financial core. Issues with union vs union, even.

Sadder still, there are talent who are afraid to take work that they need to survive because they feel threatened by either their union or their agent.

This was even the case four years ago. I know because I had a phone conversation with a talent who had just landed a national radio commercial gig for a behemoth US company through their agent. That person was worried about potential backlash and lost opportunities from their agent should they get work at our site and not give them a commission for work that the agent didn't even get them.

Talk about intimidation! That boggled my mind four years ago and it makes less sense now than it did then.

The new reality is that many people who have representation need to find work on their own because dollars don't stretch as far as they used to and there are bills to pay.

Where Do We Go From Here?

If you feel like you need a change make a clear decision about how you want to succeed in the voice over industry.

There are many options nowadays as you have likely noticed, including for those who are qualified, teaching and consulting. Some people are going into other streams such as demo production, for example.

The last position you want to find yourself in is one that will become obsolete.

Some agents have admitted that they are among a dying breed. A number of agents are also using their foresight and listing their talent at Voices.com to generate more leads and opportunities for their clients to contribute to their bottom line.

When's the last time somebody became a voice over agent? True, there are some newer agencies out there, but most of those people took experiences they had working for other agents and decided to give it a go on their own with their acquired knowledge.

There are also former agents who are now making a living consulting and teaching. They have insider knowledge that you can't find anywhere else and are able to give a unique twist and education to their students.

These people, for whatever reason, decided that they needed to change paths and are leveraging their years of agency expertise and applying it to other areas of the industry.

Freelance Voice Acting Is Ripe with Opportunity

One thing about freelance voice over is that it's liberating and that there is no shortage of work for those who look for it. Another thing all must remember is that voice acting is a business and needs to be treated that way.

Our audience at VOX Daily is predominantly made up of voice actors so this change in the wind is to your benefit.

Those who are dedicated and have the talent and skill will make it. As always, the cream rises to the top, and those who find this profession isn't right for them will weed themselves out.

What Do You think about the Changes Going on in the Voice Over Industry?

Please add your thoughts below to join in the conversation.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/John Pitcher

Although the 2008 Audies have already happened (May 30, 2008), I didn't want to miss the opportunity to shine the spotlight on a member of our community whose work was nominated for an Audie this year.

I'm pleased to present an interview with voice actress Vanessa Hart.

VOX: Congratulations on your nomination! What's the title of the audio book you narrated and which category were you nominated in?

VANESSA HART: Thank you Stephanie. The book is called "Growing Up Ethnic in America" and is produced by Audible.com It was nominated in the category of Short Stories/Collections, along with 4 others.

VOX: Can you tell me a little bit about the audio book?

VANESSA: The book is a collection of short stories with various authors. Some famous, such as E.L. Doctorow, Toni Morrison and Amy Tan. From AudioFile ". . .they illustrate the conflict between tradition and contemporary American culture". I narrated two stories, "Red Velvet Dress" by Naomi Shihab Nye and "Drowning" by Mary Bucci Bush. These required several American Southern dialects, as well as Italian and Arabic words and accents.

VOX: Who is the audio book publisher?

VANESSA: This was a collaboration between Penguin and Audible.com

VOX: How did you get the gig?

VANESSA: Stefan Rudnicki was the producer/engineer and he had someone drop out at the last minute - and luckily he took a chance on an unknown - me. He is amazing and I learned so much from him.

VOX: What was your favorite part about recording the audio book?

VANESSA: Prep is my favorite part. Choosing voices, layers of narration, story arcs and the like.

VOX: How many different voices did you need to develop for the audio book? Were there many characters?

VANESSA: Oh gosh Stephanie - dozens of characters with different voices plus the all important narrator and author voices.

VOX: Where did you record the voice over?

VANESSA: This was recorded at Stefan's studio in the Studio City, CA - just a few minutes from my studio in Burbank.

VOX: How long did it take you? How many words in total?

VANESSA: I was in the studio for under 2 hours. Words in total? I have no idea.

VOX: Where can we find the audio book?

VANESSA: Audible.com

VOX: Did you attend the Audies in Los Angeles?

VANESSA: I did not attend the ceremony but did attend APAC and the Master Class associated with it. I was also one of the narrators chosen from the Master Class to present at the conference. Presenting before a panel that included such masters as: Scott Brick, Arte Johnson, John Rubinstein, Grover Gardner, Gabrielle de Cuir and the aforementioned Stefan Rudnicki - was . . . well petrifying. But also thrilling and an amazing opportunity.

Have you narrated an audio book? Let us know what you've done! Leave a comment.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

The Internet Movie Database (known to those who visit lovingly as the IMDb), is a website that lists the resume list of actors as well as tracks casts and crews.

Essentially, it's a catalog of up-to-date information on who is starring in what. Many actors maintain their own IMDb presence and add roles to keep their resume current. People in the media refer to it all the time when discussing films and link back to IMBb as an authority on the subject of who's starring in what.

Voices.com Viewed as Authority for Voice Acting Roles

Interestingly enough, bloggers, including those in the press, have started referencing Voices.com as a source of information about voice acting roles and who voices them just as they refer to IMDb for on-camera actors and their roles in film.

Do you see the opportunity?

Musicians have discographies and actors have filmographies...

What do voice actors have?

Voiceography

Voice actors have voiceographies, and although that fact isn't advertised as such (we've been calling it your resume and experience to date), it's rather important. Listing all of the jobs you have been a voice for on your website at Voices.com not only adds to your profile but is greatly to your advantage in the search engines.

People are always looking for the voice of this and that.

According to our research, I can confidently say that there are hundreds of searches each day through Google made by people who want to know who the person is that recorded a given commercial or voice acting role.

One of the most popular searches is for the voice of the Nasonex Bee, Antonio Banderas.

Some of those people aren't just searching for fun either... they're searching because they want to hire that same voice to record for their project!

If you've voiced something high profile or a national campaign, be sure to add it to your website at Voices.com for clients to find, heck, even if it's something low key, add it to your website.

Maintaining Your Voices.com Profile

Completing your Profile means that you fill every field out. Once you've done that, the work doesn't stop there (that is, unless you want stale content on your page), you can keep updating your work experience, studio gear, etc. as often as you need to.

The more you add, the greater probability that you'll be found and hired based upon work you have already done, potentially even bypassing the need to audition because the client already identifies with what you can do and has envisioned working with your voice.

After all, you might be just the person they never knew they were looking for.

Best,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Susaro

Does a particular brand of word processor make people better writers? Can amateur videographers make a killer music video with a simple camera phone?

Probably not.

In short, it's not what you have, it's what you bring to the table as a professional that truly makes the difference.

Case in Point

Today, I'm making a point and am writing my article (the one you're presently reading) in a word processor called TextEdit, one of the most basic, no frills processors around. Generally I write directly in Movable Type for VOX Daily, but I think you'll notice right away that my skill to communicate and hopefully entertain has not been hindered by the fact that I'm using an inferior platform to get my point across.

Once this article has been finished and edited, I'll copy and paste it into my usual platform, and add pictures and links just as I would any other article. If I hadn't told you that I was going through this process, you likely wouldn't have noticed.

3 Good Examples

Pat Fraley, a voice over coach Hollywood, might record a podcast from his bunkhouse in Studio City and you wouldn't in the least bit suspect that he is recording anywhere other than a state of the art audio recording facility. Why is that? Because Pat is a master at what he does with his voice and editing skills regardless of the tools at his disposal.

Earlier on, I made a reference to video being shot on camera phones.

Mike Hodgkinson, a highly skilled music videographer shot an absolutely spectacular, premium-grade video for Rob Dickinson's 'Oceans' using a Nokia N93 camera phone to capture the footage. He had a boom which he attached the phone to while filming and even captured underwater footage. Typically these kinds of projects can cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars to produce when all is said and done.

Another mainstream example is the cinematographic phenomenon that was The Blair Witch Project. Made for under $22,000, the film has grossed over $248 million since January of 2008 (Source: Wikipedia).

Note that all of the people mentioned working with lower tech or minimal budgets were absolute professionals.

They used what they had and were able to make blockbusters from basic materials.

Can Talent Be Faked?

It came to my attention recently that there was some peculiar advice given out by someone working at a competing website suggesting that people consider recording in their vehicles to cut down on background noise.

The quality control manager, at said site, suggested the following as a measure to cut down on noise in audio recordings:

"Recording while sitting in a car. You would be surprised how well it works. (Just make sure your local neighborhood watch is aware of what you are doing. ha! )"

There are a number of reasons not to record in a car (ambient and external noises such as keys jingling, other cars, people, birds, extreme weather, wind etc.), but those factors aside, recording in a car will not make an unskilled individual in the realm of audio engineering and editing a professional audio engineer and producer because the inside of their car is insulated thus functioning as a rudimentary sound booth.

That's like saying if you gave me, an untrained / unskilled painter the finest brushes, oil paints and a canvas that I could be the next Michelangelo or Rembrandt. While the passion may be there along with the right materials, mark my words, the skill is not!

Comments anyone?

Best wishes,

Stephanie