We're just about to leave the month of January behind, but before we do, I wanted to ask you what you've been doing since the new year began.

Has 2009 been good to you so far?

Before you break out the snacks and dive into some serious Super Bowl festivities (if you're watching the big game, that is), I'd love it if you could take a moment to comment and let me know what sort of voiceovers you've been recording this passed month.

Leave a comment and share your stories!

What Kind of VO Work Have You Been Doing This Year?

Today's post is short and sweet... now the floor is yours.

Looking forward to hearing about the work that's kept you going and how 2009 has been treating your voice over business!

Thanks for sharing,

Stephanie

Photo by ejbSF via Flickr

Landing your first job in voice overs is always the hardest, and once you've been hired, subsequent work is easier to obtain.

But where do people start?

How do you get that first customer to validate your voice over business?

Sometimes it means working more for less.

Bigger Jobs With Smaller Budgets

Earlier today, I received an email from a veteran voice actor who asked if the jobs that were posted at Voices.com with budgets lower than what one might expect for the work required were actually filled and completed.

Before we move ahead too much further, I want to say that if a voice over job opportunity is posted on Voices.com, the client has to agree to pay at least USD$100 for the voice over recording, otherwise they are invited to search and contact talent directly out of respect for your time and our guidelines.

Now that we're clear about the $100 minimum, sometimes there are opportunities approved that meet the minimum requirements financially that are not necessarily proportionate in professional terms for the amount of work expected.

To answer his question, I replied:

The projects that are approved (always agreeing to pay at least $100) do get filled, usually by aspiring voice artists who are in a position to take larger projects on for less pay as a means to build their portfolio.

The people who post those jobs, more often than not charities and church groups, are limited to the budget range they have selected but have agreed and are prepared to pay at least the minimum amount to post at Voices.com.

While I can't provide statistics for this particular query, people who do take those jobs are getting much needed experience and those posting are getting value for the price they are paying, perhaps more or less depending on who might take them up on their offer.

Sometimes professionals will take jobs to promote a cause dear to their hearts and work for less money or even volunteer if the project is brief. If that is the case, we wouldn't be able to track a volunteered voice over as it would not go through SurePay.

What's Your Story?

Everyone started from somewhere and not every job pays the big bucks, especially not the first.

What was your first voice over job? Did the experience leave you satisfied, even if the check was nominal compared to what you can command for the same work today?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/TommL

Have you been wondering who the judges will be for the 3rd Annual Voicey Awards?

Wait no longer!

I am going to reveal six of the nine to you today.

Judges for the 3rd Annual Voicey Awards

This year, I'm pleased to announce that we'll be joined by a number of exceptionally talented individuals.

Here's a little bit about each confirmed judge and their award category, in no particular order:

๏ 7-time Academy Award announcer, voice of Entertainment Tonight and The Insider, and co-author of Voice For Hire, Randy Thomas, will be judging the award category for Best Male Voice.

๏ New York City casting director and author of Acting: Make It Your Business, Paul Russell, will be judging the award category for Best Female Voice.

๏ Abrams Artists Agency NYC Super Agent Billy Serow has stepped up to judge the category of Best New Voice.

๏ Singing voice of Snow White and female movie trailer voice over trailblazer, Melissa Disney, will be judging for this year's Best Teen Voice award.

๏ British voice over coach and talent Gary Terzza is judging the Best Foreign Voice category and is the first-ever Voicey judge from across the pond.

๏ Mitch Joel, president of Canadian marketing agency Twist Image, will be judging Best Personal Branding.

As the days go on, more information will be shared about the Voiceys and other judges as they are confirmed.

If you've entered yourself or nominated a voice actor so far, thank you for being part of this exciting event!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

If you could send a voice over recording into space, what would you send?

Would it be a message of hope? Of love?

Maybe you'd send a personal message or an account of history.

Be sure to leave a comment with your selections and why you chose them.

Space, The Final Frontier

As you may have heard, the late Gene Roddenberry (creator of Star Trek) and his recently deceased wife Majel Roddenberry's ashes will be given a send-off into deep space along with digitized messages from fans.

That got me thinking...

If you could send just a handful of audio or voice over recordings into space to circle the earth and beyond, what would you send and why?

After I did some thinking, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech came to mind.

Another is the 44th President of the United States of America Barack H. Obama's inauguration speech, including the prayers, poetry and music that were heard just one week ago in front of hundreds of thousands and witnessed by millions upon millions more via television sets, computer monitors and radios.

Both messages spoke with confidence and inspired a greater hope for humanity.

Where else in our recent past can you find such phenomenal examples of how people can be filled with courage, grace and live out their faith in the face of adversity with the support of nearly the entire world?

Last but certainly not least, to give context to these live events and monumental moments captured in our time, I would include a narration of the Bible from start to finish.

I count those as some of the most significant and unifying recordings on earth and would send them because they represent the best in us while admitting our failures and how we intend to overcome them with faith in God, hope and love. They also represent our past, present and where we are destined to go.

Now, those are just my picks.

These recordings may already be making their way through space thanks to broadcast technology, however, this post is asking which recordings you'd send personally if given the chance regardless of what may be out there.

What would you send and why?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Rosemarie Gearhart

The voice over industry is growing very quickly, due much in part to affordable and generally more accessible technologies.

Many people who enter this field have already had other careers and find voice over later on when making a change, however, just because this is the most typical route at present doesn't mean that it is the only one.

Discover how you can make voice over your first career fresh out of school.

Getting Started in Voice Overs

Decades ago, if you were to get into the business of voice acting, you either had to be born in a studio, raised behind a microphone, or had a relative in the business (that, or be very, very persistent, not unlike today).

Now, if you have the passion, knowledge, skill and dedication you can get started and begin your own line of work as a voice actor.

To do this, it is wise to make use of all of the resources available to you, and the great news is that the vast majority of them are free and easily found online.

Even if you are in grade school, it's never too early to make preparations and learn more about your chosen career path.

What Can You Do To Start Studying Now?

1. Read Books About Voice Acting and Business in General

While there are a great number of books on the market for sale, you should also be able to find some voice over literature in your local library. Books about audio recording, acting and business are related topics that will serve you well and broaden your understanding of how to become a successful entrepreneur and start your own voice over business.

2. Subscribe to Voice Over Industry Blogs

Blogs are another free resource and one of the beauties of subscribing to a blog is that you get fresh content whenever the author publishes new material. The blog you are reading right now (VOX Daily) updates once per day, while other blogs may update less frequently or even more often. You can receive updates by email and RSS using Google Reader and the like. Being part of an audience also permits you to take part in the conversation and leave comments. This is a good way to introduce yourself and make inroads with others who may be able to help, inspire or mentor you.

3. Listen to Voice Over Industry Podcasts

Podcasts are a valuable resource because not only are you learning about the art of voice acting in the podcast, you are also hearing from someone who is performing a voice over through their podcast. This kind of experience affords you the ability to observe stylistic vocal traits, different types of voices and how each voice, though unique, fits into the global fabric of professional voice over artists.

4. Follow What's Going On

Want to keep your finger on the pulse of the voice over industry but don't have the time to search for results? You could setup a series of keyword alerts through Google for keywords such as "voice overs", "voice acting", "voice actors", "voice talent", and so on, receiving alerts to your email box on a daily basis. You can also subscribe to Voice Over Times to receive news related items pertaining specifically to voice overs.

5. Join a Voice Over Community Online

There are a good number of places you can go online to participate in the greater voice over community. You might consider joining a forum, a Facebook group for voice actors, participating on a social network or contributing to a community around a blog or podcast.

6. Download Business and Training Resources

There's no shortage of good stuff out there for people who are interested in starting their own business. Voice acting really is a business and you'll need to treat it as such including all of the fundamental business processes such as accounting, billing, marketing, sales, operations, management and so on. You don't have to be an expert in every area but it does help to understand how each aspect of your business will work. Perhaps in the future you'll be in a position to delegate certain tasks and focus only on what you do best. Until then, you'll need to be prepared to manage everything. Here's a good place to start specific to voice over and here's another good list to reference for business in general.

7. Practice Reading Copy Aloud

Read everything you can find and interpret it in various ways. Finding material or scripts could be as easy as picking up a magazine and narrating an article, reading the back of a cereal box or leafing through your favorite book and focusing in on a particular passage. You can record yourself doing this and then listen afterward to hear your performance. What did you like? What could you do better? How would you have phrased or said something differently if given the chance? There's a lot of room for experimentation and I hope you are reading aloud everyday to keep your skills sharp!

8. Form a Voice Acting Club Among Your Friends

If your friends have also been bitten by the voice acting bug, consider forming a group that meets regularly to talk about voice over and even record your own audio dramas. This would be great fun (and practice) as well as an excellent opportunity to start honing your audio editing skills. Libraries are magnificent sources for this kind of material. You should be able to find theatrical scripts by the dozens if your library is well-stocked.

9. Watch Videos About Voice Acting

There's nothing quite like seeing something, is there? Watch real voice actors in action courtesy of YouTube. We've got a great video blog at Voices.com that features select voice acting videos of all kinds, including Sessions, Interviews, Commercials, and Funny footage. The videos are all family friendly.

10. Nurture an Appreciation For VoiceOver's Role in Society

Voice over is so ubiquitous, that is, voice over is everywhere! You hear voice overs on the radio, television, in video games, in shopping centers, on telephones, at the gas station while pumping gas, when listening to audiobooks, on websites and more. Be sure that you are not idly letting them pass you by but are analyzing the voice overs and taking note of how people around you respond to them. Some of the lowest hanging fruit can be found when listening to television commercials. Listen carefully to any voice over you hear, whether in public or private. Ask yourself "Which voice overs are most effective?", "What makes people stop and listen?" and "Was that voice over believable? Why or why not?"

BONUSES

Bonus Tip #1: Remember to take care of your voice. This will be the means of your livelihood! Don't smoke, keep your voice safe whenever possible (no yelling, screaming, etc.) and respect your instrument. Care of the voice is paramount as is understanding how the vocal mechanism works. Enunciate well and watch your diction!

Bonus Tip #2: Take advantage of what your school has to offer by way of drama classes, debating clubs, musical ensembles and so on. Learn how to act and also how to improvise. This business keeps you on your toes and you need to be ready for just about anything.

Bonus Tip #3: Start looking into voice acting programs at schools or studying with a private voice over coach. Another avenue to think about is volunteering at recording studios or apprenticing.

Bonus Tip #4: Save up for professional audio recording equipment, a computer and envision your future studio. While costs have dropped significantly for equipment, that doesn't mean that you are guaranteed to find bargain prices for quality gear. See this as an investment in your future career that will help you to make money for years to come.

Bonus Tip #5: Don't touch the microphone in a studio session unless the engineer permits you to. Some are more particular than others so best to be on the safe side :)

Any Tips From The Pros?

If you could have started as a voice actor fresh out of high school, what would you have done then with the knowledge you have now?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Jacom Stephens

Who doesn't know this timeless tale by Hans Christian Andersen?

Cher narrated this beautiful children's classic in 1987, part of a series of audio recordings for children on the Windham Hill label.

Learn more about Cher's interpretation of this classic story and the ethereal music that accompanies her velvety voice.

The Ugly Duckling

First published on November 11, 1843, Andersen's The Ugly Duckling weaves a melancholy tale of prejudice, rejection, and cruelty culminating in a singular moment of redemption and belonging as the ugly duckling discovers over time that he is not an unattractive duck after all but a handsome, princely swan.

Cher's Voice Over Performance

Cher's rich contralto voice tells the tale of The Ugly Duckling with dignity and grace. Serving as narrator, and also providing voices of numerous characters, it was clear that each voice was developed and purposeful. I found the older voices she performed to be entertaining and most colorful. You could keenly feel the sorrow of the bewildered water foul. Cher did very well conveying his fellow creatures' bitterness as cold comfort in the midst of unfavorable circumstances.

Cher narrates over some exquisitely beautiful music performed by Celtic harp player and spoken word artist, Patrick Ball, including the following pieces:

1. Sheebeg Sheemore
2. Lullaby
3. The Munster Cloak
4. Ode to Whiskey
5. The Three Ravens
6. Mrs. Judge
7. Down by the Sea
8. Carolan's Ramble to Cashel

Although poignant, there are moments of hope amidst despair, particularly at the end when just as the ugly duckling has lost all will, he is adopted, praised and takes his rightful place, buoyed by a confidently triumphant narrator.

This recording is great for listening to with children during quiet time or just before bed, perhaps even on a car ride to lull littler ones to sleep.

About Cher

Cher, born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, is an American pop singer-songwriter, actor, director and record producer. She has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing what you think!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

~~

Addendum, added on Friday May 15, 2009, re: Benjamin Kurzweil's version:

Shortly after listening to Cher's work, I happened to receive a CD from Danish voice talent Benjamin Kurzweil narrating his literal interpretation from the Danish manuscript of The Ugly Duckling and was able to gain more insight into Andersen's tale.

I found Benjamin Kurzweil's version of The Ugly Duckling very enchanting. Possibly this is because of his accent and also the depth of his voice and how Benjamin chose to colour the words. Another aspect that was evident to me was how well Benjamin had researched this story and how intimately familiar with it he was.

Benjamin Kurzweil's recording of The Ugly Duckling on "Mankind, Kind Man - and Other Short Stories" is available through Apple iTunes.

Here comes trouble!

Pat Fraley and Brad Garrett will be co-presenting awards at the Annies this year, hosted by Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob.

Pat shares his thoughts here in this special edition of VOX Daily.

One of Many Great Reasons To Go to the Annies This Year

Submitted by Pat Fraley

My pal Brad Garrett and I have been tapped to co-present at the Annie Awards in the categories:

Best Voice Acting in an Animated TV Series and Best Acting in an Animated Film.

They are not scripting us. Am I worried? How easy is my job? I just stand next to Brad and laugh.

Brad and I were working together doing cartoon shows 25 years ago. We did about a years worth of "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n Wrestling."

Over the years were worked together on cartoons, to commercials... even sketches live on late night network TV.

I think we work so well together is that I don't compete with him. He is genuinely the greatest comedic man I've ever worked with.

Karl Malden, in reference to his many collaborations with Marlon Brando, once said, "You can't compete with genius, but it's nice to come up it."

Best,

Pat Fraley

~~

If you are interested in attending the Annie Awards, here are the details:

Date: Friday January 30, 2009
Location: UCLA's Royce Hall
340 Royce Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Champagne Reception: 6 p.m.
Award Ceremony: 8 p.m.

Post-award party following the ceremony, black tie optional, hosted by Tom Kenny

General Admission: $25

Discount VIP tickets are available to members of the ASIFA-Hollywood, The Animation Guild, Visual Effects Society, and Women in Animation for $150.

Non-member VIP ticket: $250

To order tickets and for further information, go to annieawards.org

Cheers,

Stephanie

P.S. Interesting Fact: The Annie Awards were founded by legendary voice over actress, June Foray.

If you are in the UK and are a fan of The History Channel, you may have already started watching the latest series to air (started last night on Wednesday January 21, 2009), Dinosaur Secrets, featuring the wonderful narration and vocal talents of Mike Cooper.

Are you a fan of the program? You're in for a treat!

I'm pleased to present an interview with Mike Cooper and dig a little deeper into the prehistoric world of Dinosaur Secrets.

VOX: Congratulations on narrating Dinosaur Secrets for The History Channel in the UK!  How did you come to get the gig?

MIKE COOPER: Thanks Stephanie! It was a speculative contact, to be honest. I contacted History early last year, and managed to get auditioned when they were looking for new voices back in the summer. A few weeks later I got a call out of the blue offering me the chance to narrate the series, which - as you'll know - is the greatest feeling!

VOX:  How much work was involved and did you need to record outside of your home studio?

MIKE: The recordings were all done to picture at The History Channel's production centre in West London, over a period of about three months. In a four-hour session we'd typically cover two programmes, though sometimes not both Dinosaur Secrets, if something else came up which was more urgent. Hence a couple of weeks back I was delighted to find myself voicing a gripping special on "Operation Valkyrie", ahead of the UK premiere of the Tom Cruise film. I'd get the scripts the previous night, which would give me the chance to look through them and flag up anything potentially problematic.

VOX: Which episode was your favourite to narrate and why?

MIKE The last in the series, which follows the countdown to, and aftermath of, the asteroid hitting Earth. This was what finally brought the epoch of the dinosaurs to an end once and for all. It was fascinating! I hadn't realised that there'd actually been two extinction-levels events during the dinosaur era, only the second of which was massive enough to finish them off forever. It was quite sober and thought-provoking for me, that a disaster beyond our control could do exactly the same thing to our own civilisation - and we've been here a fraction of the time they were...

VOX:  Since you're not a palaeontologist, were there any terms that gave you difficulty initially?  If so, which ones?

MIKE: It can be hard to tell which syllables to stress when you meet names like "majungatholus" for the first time. Luckily the sync sound already on the tape, of the palaeontologists themselves speaking, helped to clear up any confusion. Make the most of the available resources, I say!

VOX:  What were three things you thought of before recording to get into the right mindset?

MIKE: I think the general rules applied, really: thinking about the audience for a start. I imagined them to be a mixture of enthusiastic kids and fascinated adults, perhaps watching together, and needing someone to help tell the incredible story. Second, therefore, was who I was myself in the piece. There are times where we switch from past tense to present to tell the immediate story, rather than the backstory, and I gave that slightly more of a whisper. If anything I was aiming for something akin to David Attenborough - but he's a legend, so I don't pretend I even came close. Working really close to the mic on those segments, keeping those great natural history programmes in mind, and not letting myself get too carried away with the amazing CGI and thumping soundtrack was probably the third thing, in fact.

VOX:  Have you narrated for The History Channel or for similar projects before? If so, what other programs are you the voice of?

MIKE: This was the first project I'd done for History, but I voiced National Geographic Channel's UK version of "Fishzilla: Snakehead Invasion" last year, as well as the "Inside Tut's Treasure Tour" special, ahead of the Tutankhamen Exhibition opening here in London. I'm also the voice of some Biography Channel programmes, including Hell's Angels and Jamie Lee Curtis, and History's special on "Operation Valkyrie", as I mentioned. Documentary narration is something I'm keen to do more of in 2009.

VOX:  What was the most enjoyable aspect of this job in particular?

MIKE: Working with a nice bunch of people who really appreciate what you do. And as so many of us work in our closets and spare rooms most of the time (me included), it's always nice to turn up at a studio where there's a skilled sound engineer and a producer. That face-to-face contact gets missed so much these days, and I feel it's important when you're doing a big project. You can be more spontaneous, and I think that when you're in the same room and can see the other people then you can offer more to the production - like ad libs, suggestions for making it even better, and so on. It's harder, though not impossible, to do that down the line, and you need to pay much more attention to the vibe in order for the rapport to be as good.

VOX:  What was the most interesting part of recording Dinosaur Secrets?  What is your biggest takeaway?

MIKE: The most interesting part for me was what I learned from the material. I had no idea how dinosaurs managed to get so huge, for example, and I'm the kind of guy that loves to store that kind of stuff away and trot out to unsuspecting victims who get stuck with me in the kitchen at parties... My biggest takeaway was undoubtedly being given a whole series to narrate. When someone you've not worked with before has the confidence in you to throw you a job like that, it's an enormous confidence boost, don't you think?

VOX: Certainly! I'd say that's a huge confidence booster. On another note, are there DVDs available for purchase yet, and if so, where can they be bought?

MIKE: There is a boxed set on Amazon called "Dinosaur Secrets Revealed", but that's from 2005 and I'm pretty sure it's not the same thing. Our programme went out in the US under the title "Jurassic Fight Club", and that was there to buy when I looked online. I'm not sure when or if the UK version will come out on DVD, but I'll let you know if I hear anything! The US version has an American voiceover and there are some changes to the scripting for the UK audience.

VOX:  Did you watch the debut episode last night?

MIKE: Erm, would you believe not?! A friend got some stupidly cheap tickets for a West End show, which would have been lunacy to pass up. So at 9 o'clock last night I was actually watching act two of "La Cage aux Folles"! Fortunately it was waiting for me on my Sky+ PVR box when I got back, and I'm hoping to make it a regular date on Wednesday nights for the rest of its run. I only wish we had the High Def box - it must look amazing!

~~~

Be sure to catch "Dinosaur Secrets", airing Wednesdays at 9 right now on the History Channel in the UK. History is on Sky Channel 529 and Virgin Channel 234, with the HD version on Sky 545.

How To Show Support

To support Mike and his work, be sure to watch the show on television and also join the Dinosaur Secrets Facebook group online.

Listen to some of the program narration here.

Also, you're more than welcome to leave a comment here :)

Best wishes,

Stephanie

For the 3rd Annual Voicey Awards, we decided to kick it up a notch on a number of fronts, with particular regard to the nomination process, including what is being judged and how it is presented for consideration.

Curious?

Learn more here.

Award Nomination Criteria Changes for 2009

Over several years, we have learned a number of things about how to orchestrate an awards show and have applied many suggestions received from industry personalities and people who have served as judges in the past.

The 3rd Annual Voiceys are seeing some interesting additions to the nomination process, including:

1. Body of Work required with submission for all categories
2. Best Personal Branding now has a mail-in component to evaluate promotional materials
3. Lifetime Achievement now requires nominees to submit 3 letters of reference
4. Age restriction lifted from Best New Voice category

Let's go over these now individually.

1. Body of Work

Instead of listening to numerous demos, judges will be evaluating actual bodies of work from particular projects (1 body of work per person being nominated), similar to how actors nominated for Oscars are nominated for a specific role, not for their demo reel(s).

A body of work would provide substantial material for review on its own so nominate your best work, and if it is very long submit a shorter version, 5 minutes at most, as your body of work.

To qualify, entrants (it may be best and or easiest in this case to self-nominate given the body of work requirement) must include a URL (link) to where their body of work is hosted online when completing the nomination form.

Public Relations Kits for Best Personal Branding

In the past, online presences were judged for this award, but as we know, a website is only one component of your overall branding strategy.

Branding is about more than just websites or logos... it's about how you present yourself professionally to others which includes items such as your business cards, stationary, promotional items (pens, fridge magnets, postcards, gadgets, trinkets), and intellectual branding properties, for example, your company name, slogan, mission statement and more.

Your brand should be ingrained in everything you do so it makes sense to have a public relations package submitted for consideration. Someone suggested to do this after last year's awards and we think it's a brilliant idea.

Lifetime Achievement 3 Letters of Reference

In 2008, we were fortunate to have Bettye Zoller judge this prestigious category, and I credit the idea for having an essay of sorts submitted with the nomination forms to Bettye. When we implemented this, I was amazed to read the letters and how wonderful they were, as was she when judging the category.

Each person was asked to describe how they had given back to the youth, their students, and peers in the voice over community.

When receiving the essays, there was one finalist who had asked 3 people to submit on their behalf, which included a letter of reference from a youth, a letter from a student, and a letter from a peer.

This is where the idea to include 3 letters of reference came from.

Best New Voice Age Restriction Lifted

In light of many requests last year, we removed the age restriction from the Best New Voice category which originally was only open to voice talent ages twenty to thirty. This limit was lifted in the midst of nominations last year. Any voice actor ages twenty and up may enter this category.

Judges To Be Announced Shortly

I am more than excited to reveal who the judges will be for the 3rd Annual Voicey Awards. You'll find out more about this soon.

You Can Now Follow the Voicey Awards on Twitter

If you're on Twitter, you can follow all the Voicey action here:

http://www.twitter.com/voiceyawards

Any Questions?

If you have a question about what you've read or about the Voiceys in general, you can visit the Voiceys website for more information or leave a comment.

If you have any suggestions you are welcome to share those as well. While I can't promise that all suggestions will be implemented, I can guarantee that all will be considered.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Perry Kroll

Voice actor Melissa Disney is featured in a commercial that could make it all the way to the Super Bowl, but she needs your help.

Starring in "The Chase", Melissa and her cast mates are finalists in Doritos' contest to select their official Super Bowl XLIII commercial.

Vote now before January 25th, 2009 to help clinch 1st place and some major air time for one of voice over's leading ladies (and, one might say, Dorito lover), Melissa Disney.

Meow!

Voice over talent and actress, Melissa Disney, also known for her work as the singing voice of Snow White and for her movie trailer voice over work for the film Gone in Sixty Seconds, is part of a team that has created an advertisement for Doritos, making into the TOP 5 in their Super Bowl competition.

To show your support, the voice over community is encouraged to view the commercial and vote for "The Chase".

http://www.VoteForTheCat.com

Disney relates that you can vote once per day and be entered into a drawing to win tickets to Super Bowl XLIII.

Sounds good, doesn't it?

Voting ends on January 25th, 2009.

Remember... vote for the cat!

Take care,

Stephanie

Great news...

Nominations for the Voicey Awards are now open!

The Voiceys are the only awards that honor voice actors exclusively for their work in the voice over industry.

Now in its 3rd year, the Voicey Awards are ready to accept nominations from voice actors around the world, and if you've been waiting all year for this, the time is now!

To learn more about the awards and also about how you can get involved, go to the:

Official Voicey Awards Website

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Have you watched this documentary?

Today we'll explore the voice over performance of presenter Alanis Morissette, Canadian musician and concerned environmentalist.

Global Warming : The Signs and the Science

Hosted and narrated by singer Alanis Morissette, Global Warming : The Signs and the Science (2005), takes viewers across America to meet people from every walk of life who share stories uncovering the reality of climate change. Meet fascinating scientists who work at the edge of climate change and hear about their latest findings, both unsettling and indisputable, proving that global warming is clearly about much more than "just the heat".

Alanis Morissette's Voice Over Performance

As a professional singer, Alanis Morissette has a pleasing voice and knows how to phrase, intone and amiably deliver some of the most critical information about our earth and how we can clean up the air we breathe, among other things. Alanis' empowering voice is persuasive, authoritative and engaging. Her voice makes you want to make a difference.

About Alanis Morissette

A dozen years after the breakthrough debut of Jagged Little Pill, an album which earned four Grammys, sold 30 million records and spawned a dedicated worldwide fan base, Alanis Morissette remains not only an enduringly popular artist, but one whose success stems from a fierce commitment to authenticity and, to an equal extent, vulnerability.

Have you watched Global Warming : The Signs and the Science?

If you'd like to learn more about this product, you can visit the PBS web page for Global Warming: The Signs and the Science. This documentary is available on PBS Home Video.

Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Weren't born in a studio nor raised behind a mic?

I've got some great news for you!

Today, you're going to discover how your unique life experiences and prior occupations can infuse a wealth of knowledge and value into your voice over business.

Sound good?

Find out how your background, including degrees and experiences from completely unrelated disciplines, can help you in your voice over career, right now at VOX Daily.

Education Matters, No Matter How Diverse or Unrelated

When I was reviewing a profile on our site, I noticed that although the gentleman had a lovely selection of demos and had filled out nearly every field, his education field was incomplete.

Considering his finesse and obvious desire to really make a go at Voices.com, it surprised me to find nothing listed as to what his education was which brings me to my point:

Even if you started out in an unrelated field, it would be better to list that information than to leave it blank.

Why's Your Past Education Important and How Can it Help?

Someone could be looking for a voice artist with your particular background. I've seen it happen before with many people.

One gentleman in particular had a background in Art History and curated exhibits at museums, also dealing with antiques. If someone were to search for a voice artist who was already familiar with names of the great painters, how to pronounce them and so forth, they'd likely hire that voice actor over someone else given their expertise in that area of study.

Similarly, you may come from a medical background and be happy as a clam pronouncing difficult terminology from the world of medicine, pharmaceuticals, or science. When a word has more than 4 syllables or is in Latin, someone with your background could rock the project and give the client full value, never mind save time having to learn correct pronunciations and frustration when revision after revision is requested.

Closely related to the above is the practice of Law. There are some very interesting words and jargon in this discipline that would be Greek to people who weren't lawyers or judges. Think about it!

Lastly, maybe you came from a skilled trade and your area of expertise is quite defined, making you a great catch for technical narrations and presentations within a particular industry.

Being knowledgeable about industry jargon is an invaluable asset and could very well make or break getting a gig.

I could go on and on about how you can make any career or field of study serve you as a voice actor, but we've got to stop somewhere, at least for today.

How Has Education Helped Your Voice Over Career?

Looking forward to your comments!

Best,

Stephanie

P.S. If you've got some work to do on your profile, click here to log in and update your Education field so that people can find you (and your special skills) in the search results :)

©iStockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

Do you have questions about AFTRA's new agreement with Audible.com?

Learn more about this agreement by reading this article.

If you still have questions or are unsure of something, be sure to leave a comment and I'll ask AFTRA during my interview with them to get you the answers you're seeking.

What's Going On?

AFTRA has just announced (January 14, 2009) their new agreement with audible.com, one of the Internet's largest online distributors of audiobooks. This initial agreement is effective through June 30, 2010.

The agreement, which is the first agreement between AFTRA and Audible.com was reviewed and unanimously approved in November by AFTRA's Administrative Committee.

What's Meant to Be Achieved By This?

AFTRA and Audible's agreement establishes minimum rates and employer contributions to the AFTRA Health & Retirement Plans for AFTRA members working on audiobooks produced by Audible.com.

How Will This Affect AFTRA Talent?

If you're an AFTRA member working on an audiobook produced by Audible.com, you will be provided with even more opportunities to earn solid wages and accrue union health care and pension benefits.

"This agreement with Audible.com will provide AFTRA members with even more opportunities to earn solid wages and accrue union health care and pension benefits," said Richard Ferrone, AFTRA New York member and Chair of the AFTRA National Audiobooks Caucus.

What Will This Agreement Do For Audible?

CEO and founder of Audible, Donald Katz, relates, "Quality work by talented performers is key to the literate listening experience audible.com was founded to advance... This new association will allow Audible's listeners around the world to hear the voices of AFTRA's tremendous pool of gifted actors and audiobook narrators."

AFTRA's Recent Negotiations Track Record

In the past year, AFTRA members have successfully negotiated a number of important contracts, including the Sound Recordings Code, Network TV Code, Primetime Exhibit A of the Network Code, Non-Broadcast/Industrial Code, CBS/ABC Network Staff News and the AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement.

Questions? Comment and I'll ask AFTRA for you.

Please keep the questions to this agreement in particular if you want an answer in the near term.

If you have other questions unrelated to this agreement about AFTRA, you can email me personally at stephanie@voices.com and I'll file them away for a future series of interviews with AFTRA.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Anna Bryukhanova

Erik Sheppard is trying to get a consensus on how our industry's name is spelled.

That's right, is it voice-over, voiceover or voice over?

Do you have a preference?

Find out what some of my fellow bloggers think as well as our take on the spelling here at Voices.com.

Is There A Definitive Spelling?

Erik Sheppard has asked a number of us to pose a question to our audiences, which is, how do you spell out the acronym for VO?

Is it:

a) Voice Over
b) Voice-over
c) Voiceover

Dave Courvoisier and Bob Souer have both chimed in with their thoughts.

Is There Really a Debate Here?

Perhaps what truly matters in this case is not what our community thinks and practices but what the people who search for it are thinking and which variation they adopt when conducting a search online.

One of the only reasons why you'd want to limit yourself to one way of spelling the term is to save yourself time and effort doing search engine optimization, however, it is wiser to optimize for any variation of the word if your purpose is to attract attention from the masses who clearly have their own perception of how the word, or like terms, are made manifest.

What Do You Think?

You may not have cared, wondered at all or even known about this quandary before today, but in the name of free speech, I'm going to ask you what you believe to be the proper way to spell the name of our industry.

Usually I'm one for having consensus, but given that so many people search for different things, it would be extremely difficult to educate the world and enforce a uniform spelling.

That doesn't mean that it can't be tried, though!

Some people have variations for the acronym itself while others still are even calling it Voice Acting and any number of its variations, as Dan Nachtrab pointed out, in addition to voice over, voice-over or voiceover...

Leave a comment with how you spell voice over and let the games begin!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

What happens if you don't believe in your own voice?

Will anyone else?

Find out what a couple of industry professionals have said about this here on VOX Daily.

What Happens If You Don't Believe In Your Own Voice?

Moments ago, I received a contribution to the VOX Talk podcast from a mystery announcer (you'll have to wait until the show comes out!) that poses these questions:

1. Are there other voice talents who don't believe in their own voices while at the mic?
2. Could the fact that I have doubts mean that others will not believe what I'm saying?

I replied that yes, there are people who do not feel comfortable in front of the mic in the early stages of their career, and also, if you don't believe in yourself, it will certainly be harder to convince anyone else to do so.

Devote Yourself to the Service of the Words

One of the greatest voice over talents and my friend, the late Don LaFontaine, once said:

"If you are going to be successful, you have to have veracity and honesty - if you can fake that, you've got it made. Your heart needs to be fully behind what you read. Devote yourself to the service of words and you're halfway there."

When asked what the other half was, he would simply say, "Wait until I die". With his passing in 2008, you can now take his advice in full and run with it.

The bit about faking it was said slightly as a joke, and as you see when you read on, Don encourages you to put your heart completely in the service of the words to be convincing and truly authentic.

Sometimes it's hard to take the first step on your own and guidance is appreciated if not a necessity. If you haven't read Rodney Saulsberry's Step Up to the Mic, I strongly recommend that you do. Rodney's words will lift you up and help you to recognize your potential as a voice over artist, even if you've been around the block and have a healthy client list.

Once you believe in yourself, you've got to become empowered and self-motivated. For a quick dose of advice in this direction, be sure to listen to Nancy Wolfson's podcast on Voice Over Experts called "I Am Enough".

While you're inspired, here are 5 more excellent podcasts that will help you to navigate these waters as you prepare to believe in yourself, find your voice and get work:

Marc Cashman's Finding the Music in Copy
Cynthia Songé's Debating the Signature Voice
Gary Terzza's 5 Tips for Getting Voice Over Work
Pat Fraley's The Almighty Playback
Joan Baker and Rudy Gaskin's The Myth of Rejection

Those are just 5 out of 75 podcasts available to you for free through the Voice Over Experts podcast series that at Voices.com. Listen to Voice Over Experts and VOX Talk (58 episodes thus far) in our podcasting center.

Do You Believe In Your Own Voice?

If so, I'd love it if you could share how you came to believe in yourself. If not, you're welcome to include your thoughts as a comment and find encouragement through the experiences of others.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Claus Mikosch

Are you a fan of Pixar's movie Cars?

Do you love NASCAR?

Let's take King for a test drive and see how Richard Petty does behind the mic.

Pixar Cars Shake 'N Go™ King

I confess, I was living under a rock and hadn't seen Cars until the Christmas holidays this past year (2008). After watching the movie, I decided to get King for my son because not only had he asked Santa Claus for a blue car, the film was still fresh in his mind and I happened to grow up watching televised broadcasts of races nearly every Sunday with my dad while visiting with my grandparents. Needless to say, I was more than familiar with his hero, Richard Petty, and had a special appreciation for this particular product.

Released in 2006, the Mattel Shake & Go "Cars" Racers puts the control of speed and power into kids hands, suitable for children ages 3 years and up. Mattel says that kids can act out their favorite scenes for the movie "Cars" with the 4 stylish and collectible vehicles in this assortment including the characters Doc (voiced by the late Paul Newman), Mater (voiced by Larry The Cable Guy), King, and McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson). All the cars have their own specific engine sounds and phrases that will be activated as kids SHAKE the cars to rev them up and then watch them GO!

An aside: The car can be turned off by flicking a switch for times when it is not in use. Kicking the car by accident, putting the toy away and accidentally shaking it, or trying to sneak it into your house to wrap up for your kids can also trigger engine sounds so be careful if it's meant to be a surprise!

Richard Petty Voice Over Performance

Richard Petty did very well in the movie (as did his wife, Lynda), and the Mattel Shake 'N Go King featuring Petty's voice was very authentic and will bring back memories for some and inspire others as this racing giant delivers sound encouragement through his voice. Petty recorded two lines that are triggered by shaking the car and releasing it. The voice over happens once the wheels are securely on the ground, just before the car takes off.

Petty says "You're one gutsy racer", and "You've got a lot of talent, kid!" as the car revs and prepares to zoom down your hallway.

About Richard Petty

Richard Petty, The King (b. 1937), #43, is the best-loved race car driver of the 20th century. Petty Enterprises relates, among other things, that Richard Petty achieved 200 Career NASCAR Winston Cup victories, is a 7-time Winston Cup Champion, 7 Daytona 500 victories, had 27 victories in one season (1967), and was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1997. For more information visit Richard Petty's Wikipedia listing or go to PettyEnterprises.com.

What Do You Think of the Shake 'N Go King toy?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

Do you need some musical motivation to get your voice over career rockin'?

Rodney Saulsberry has generously donated a copy of his latest album "Better Than Before", full of inspirational messages and upbeat music to get you going.

Want a chance to win?

Comment on this article and read on for more details.

Better Than Before

One of the most sought after voiceover artists in the world, Rodney Saulsberry, has returned to his musical roots with the release of his new album, "Better Than Before". This smooth and exciting CD is designed to uplift listeners and keep them in a positive frame of mind.

The voice of many commercial products including Twix Candy Bars, Zatarain's Cajun Foods and Toyota Camry to name a few, Rodney Saulsberry mentors through song, drawing on messages from his two bestselling books, You Can Bank on Your Voice and Step Up to the Mic.

Rodney shared, "I recorded this CD for the voiceover community and all individuals who seek success. These seven motivational and inspirational songs were designed to help us navigate these tough times, as we pursue our VO careers with a positive attitude, and a confident frame of mind."

Comment Now For a Chance to Win Rodney's Motivational Music CD

How do you enter the contest? Just comment on this blog posting and let me know that you'd like to win!

Each week, there will be something different, so be sure to subscribe to VOX Daily to get the Saturday Giveaway notices as well as other voice acting articles throughout the week.

VOX Daily giveaways may include prizes such as:

๏ Voice Acting Books
๏ DVDs
๏ Coaching Sessions
๏ Recording Equipment
๏ Gift certificates
๏ Workshop / Conference Passes
๏ Unique Promotional Opportunities

When is the Winner Chosen?

Winners are drawn randomly from the comments left on the blog and announced the following Saturday. Those who win are notified by email to confirm their shipping address. On the following Saturday, the winner is announced and another opportunity to win a Saturday Giveaway presents itself.

I'd like to say congratulations to our most recent contest winner Dave Almond, who will be receiving one of Julie Williams digital audio players featuring 5 hours of content entitled "How To Make Money in Voice-Overs Even If you Don't Live in N.Y. or L.A." in the mail soon.

Comment Now for an Opportunity to Win!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Did you watch the People's Choice Awards earlier this week?

If you did, I hope you were listening carefully!

Hillary Huber announced at the event and has shared her experience with us here at VOX Daily.

The day before Hillary narrated the awards show, I interviewed her on Voice Over Times about announcing at The People's Choice Awards.

Today, I'm pleased to present you a glimpse into Hillary's experience, complete with pictures from the event and another chat.

VOX: What was it like announcing at the People's Choice Awards?

HILLARY HUBER: Narrating the People's Choice Awards was an exhilarating experience. It's fun to be part of such a huge production.

VOX: Can you paint a picture of what the atmosphere was like?

HH: It's a pretty crazy atmosphere. Hundreds and hundreds of people are involved from the catering and design crews, to grips and tech people, the production company, script folks, P.A.'s, ushers etc. etc. etc. Everyone has a job, and every job is important. It's amazing just how many pieces make up the puzzle. I don't know how they do it.

VOX: What was your most memorable moment?

HH: Well, I always like it when things go a bit awry. I like to see how people react and adjust. Kate Hudson was supposed to present the first award but she was stuck in traffic. We didn't find out until about 10 minutes before show time. I was impressed with how coolly the director and producer dealt with the situation. I would have panicked. There were a couple of other moments but I don't want to reveal TOO many dirty ropes and oily pulleys!

VOX: How would you describe being the voice of the awards show?

HH: It's pretty heady and exciting to think that you are responsible for moving things along and introducing all of those people. To know that your voice is not only being projected into the huge theatre but live on national television is sort of cool. I guess it's the threat of error that makes it so exciting.

VOX: What are 3 aspects that you feel define professional announcing at an event such as this?

HH: It's imperative to realize that you are just a cog in the wheel. Do your job and stay out of people's way. There is a lot of activity and a lot of stress and the last thing they want is a needy announcer whining that there are no green M&M's in their trailer. Second, stay focused. There is quite a bit of down time. Make sure you are where you should be, on time, ready to rock. Even during the show, there are big breaks between announcements and it's easy to get distracted and potentially miss a cue. Sometimes you have a P.A. to help you navigate the script, but sometimes it's just you. And finally, stay calm. It's just a show. Everyone makes mistakes, and if you make one, you have to move on and get through the rest of the show without allowing that to destroy your confidence. The audience will hear it!

VOX: Do you have any advice for those trying to get their foot in the door announcing at live events?

HH: Gosh I wish I did. This one kind of found me, and once that door was open, more shows crept their way in. We audition for them once in a blue moon at my agency. There are specific production companies that do live shows, and it might behoove talent to research some of them and see what they say... there are all kinds of live events - inaugurations, fashion shows, TV shows, conventions etc. Maybe they're not all as sexy as a big star studded Hollywood award show but hey, work is work!

VOX: How was the gala reception? Did you get to meet Ellen DeGeneres as you had hoped?

HH: I actually skipped the party and came home, EXHAUSTED. Pathetic, huh?

Did you watch the People's Choice Awards? Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Photos courtesy of Hillary Huber

If you've ever smoked, do smoke or have quit, you know what cigarette smoking can do to your voice.

I had the privilege of attending and covering the Midwest Voice Conference and also the great pleasure of meeting and recently interviewing Dr. H. Steven Sims, a board certified Otolaryngologist and graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine. This interview poses questions about voice care and how cigarette smoking affects the voice.

Dr. Sims' personal experiences and education are employed to address the problems of performing artists and other voice professionals at The Chicago Institute for Voice Care, and is dedicated to increasing the awareness of the unique issues faced by performing artists and providing comprehensive care.

VOX: How does the speaking voice change when a person has been smoking for a period of time?

Dr. H. Steven Sims: I would be indulging in shameless hyperbole if I suggested that every person who ever smoked ruined their voice. Sarah Vaughan is still revered and envied because she did little to protect her voice, but was still able to sing.

That said, the vocal clarity of her youth went away and never really came back (Aretha Franklin had the same result). Typically, smoking creates chronic swelling (edema) on the vocal fold and not only does the voice become less clear, it becomes harder to vibrate the vocal folds and higher frequencies, so the pitch becomes lower as well. Even one cigarette slows down the movement of mucus across the vocal folds and makes a person more likely to have trouble with phlegm for a few days (not just the time while someone is smoking, but afterwards).

VOX: Does it "feel" any different when smokers talk? If so, what feels different, and do they need to compensate for anything to achieve a desired performance?

DR. SIMS: From what patients tell me, it typically feels like it takes more effort and they need to clear their throats more often. I don't think it necessarily hurts to talk or anything like that, but the reality is that cancer risk goes up so that if a smoker does begin feeling pain, the suspicion of cancer, and need to rule it out, are more acute than in a non-smoker. Also, many people feel a chronic "tickle" in the thoat.

VOX: What kind of challenges (due to cigarette smoking) are present in a voice over / singing career that are not present for non-smokers?

DR. SIMS: Back to my first answer. The vocal folds are more likely to be changed structurally. So, range will often be decreased, endurance will often be shortened, and clarity will often be eroded. Also, the chronically irritated throat is harder to work with. It's harder to do voice-over work with a chronic tickle. It's like playing with an instrument that is out of tune and needs to be constantly tuned during rehearsals and performances.

VOX: Have you ever had to scope vocal folds to assess damage for a voice performer that has needed to be repaired through rehabilitation or surgery? I've observed this procedure and am interested to know if this is a common procedure for voice artists who smoke or suspect nodes.

DR. SIMS: Sorry to refer to myself, but I'm going back to the second answer on this one. I think it is important for any person who relies on the integrity of their voice for livelihood to be scoped if there is vocal trouble. However, for the voice-over artists who smokes, it's more critical to rule out cancer. So, I have absolutely seen professionals who have experienced voice changes. Some have been diagnosed with cancer and some have had benign changes from smoking. I use laser surgery as well as delicate instruments under the microscope to repair damage as well as to remove cancers.

VOX: Could you please describe nodes for us? How do people get them and how would they know if they have them?

DR. SIMS: In crude terms, nodes or vocal nodules are like callouses. They are the product of repetitive injury and the vocal mucosa responds by thickening. As such, people get them by overusing/misusing/abusing their voices. Teachers and pastors are highly vulnerable. Typically, the first sign is a change in the quality or purity of the voice and loss of higher notes/upper register.

VOX: What can smokers do once they've quit to implement a voice recovery plan / schedule? To give us some perspective, please detail what a usual day be like for someone post-operation during recovery for vocal surgery.

DR. SIMS: These are actually very different. After vocal fold surgery (phonosurgery) patient are on strict voice rest for a week. This means no talking, no singing, no whispering, no sound, basically. After someone quits smoking, the physical changes to the vocal folds can take months to resolve. In both cases, however, I do recommend working with a speech pathologist to help the patient adjust to the changing structure of the vocal folds.

VOX: Are there any special warmups or rehabilitation practices for the voice, breathing, and or vocal mechanisms that you recommend?

DR. SIMS: This actually ties back into my sixth answer, there is a very long list of exercises and the discipline of speech pathology-voice rehab focuses on this. I can ask my speech pathologist what she uses most often, but I think they tailor each program to the individual. Basic things like breathing and word conservation (not rambling on and on until you run out of breath during a sentence) is always helpful.

VOX: How important is it that a former smoker's family takes an active, supportive role in their recovery?

DR. SIMS: Quitting smoking (like breaking any bad habit) is VERY difficult to do alone. The support of family and friends is essential. Ecclesiates 4:9-10 is really critical here. When we fall down, we need someone to help us get back up and two (or more) are really better than one when you go into battle!

VOX: In your opinion, what is the demand for the "smoker voice" or "whiskey voice" in today's society and in the commercial advertising world? Was it once in demand and the era has passed?

DR. SIMS: I think there is still a mythical belief that the husky voice is sexy. However, we've realized the outcome now. Jack Klugman's voice isn't so sexy now. In general, we are more aware of the extremely deleterious effects of smoking and this trumps the idea that a smoker's voice is sexy. Also, the demand has decreased as society's desire to support bad habits like smoking has decreased.

VOX: Can you give any examples of people who have quit smoking to save their careers? How did they quit, manage get through the first stages of being a non-smoker, and be smoke-free to this day?

DR. SIMS: I can't really give the example per se, but Barack Obama is easily the most recognized person struggling with kicking this habit. It is unclear if he's really "quit" but, he's trying because it just plain looks bad for the leader of the free world to be an open smoker. I think quitting is just so individual. I have patients who just decided they didn't want to do it anymore, quit and have bee smoke-free for decades now. Others constantly struggle and are vulnerable to relapses at really anytime. There's also the correlation between mental illness, addictive personality traits and cigarette smoking, so for some people the struggle is even greater. Mostly now, I think jazz and blues people are the ones who think a smokey voice is a good one.

VOX: Are there distinct differences between how people may have sounded as a smoker in the past as compared to how they would sound as dedicated non-smokers in their present? I'd like to use Don LaFontaine as an example here. He smoked earlier in his career and up until his death, had been smoke-free for nearly 20 years. As a voice doctor, how would you describe the difference in vocal quality, performance and or ability in a person such as Don LaFontaine who chose to stop smoking and enjoyed 20+ smoke-free years? Would his voice have changed at all?

DR. SIMS: This one's hard because we're comparing reality to speculation. It's possible that his voice wouldn't have deteriorated, but if one looks at Bette Davis, you can see how frail she appeared and how unpleasant her voice sounded in interviews she gave near the time of her death. I do think he's a good example of how clear the voice can become after a smoking history if the patients quits. Also, lung capacity is improved which improves endurance and the risk of heart disease is reduced which also just makes the person more likely to be able to perform longer.

VOX: What is the best thing a former smoker can do once they've quit to take charge of their voice in a healthy manner?

DR. SIMS: The best thing is quitting. However, it's great to look at diet and exercise to help undo the effects of a bad habit. Vitamins A, C, and E do help with reversing cancer risks. Also vegetable that have color, yellow, orange, green, and red tend to carry nutrients that one's body would love to have after being exposed to smoke (or, in general for that matter). Drinking plenty of water is always good and 20 minutes daily exercise helps condition one's body. I really tend to think of professional voice users and vocal athletes and approach health as an overall level of fitness.

VOX: Should people insure their voices? If so, how important to do you think it is for a voice actor or singer to insure their voice, and do you know of any cases where the insurance has actually come in handy?

DR. SIMS: I think the concept of insuring a body part is the product of a creative publicist. To explain, I think a performing artist who gets disability insurance is wise. I have disability insurance because if lost the use of my surgical skills, I'd still need to live, but one could state that I insured my hands. It's not accurate, but also not untrue. I think that's what many people are talking about when they say they "insured" their voice. That said, I do think disability insurance is a good idea IF loss of voice would mean TOTAL loss of income. It's important for people to remember that if you insure your voice, you have to pay a premium for that.

VOX: If someone would like to contact you, how would you prefer they do that?

DR. SIMS: www.ChicagoVoiceDoc.com or voicecare@uic.edu . They can also call 312-996-6555.

Click on the following link for more information about the upcoming Midwest Voice Conference in Chicago.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Do you go for a pot of Joe or are you more inclined to sip on a cup of tea?

While it's no secret what I prefer (I'm on the tea side), I think it would be extremely interesting to take an informal poll through comments on this posting to discover what the majority of voice actors prefer.

Curious?

Find out what your colleagues are drinking and why at VOX Daily.

Java Jive or Tea for Two?

Singing the praises of tea isn't nearly as difficult as extolling the virtues of coffee when it comes to outlining overall health and the vocal benefits therein.

However, many voice actors do drink coffee, and in fact, prefer it over tea!

It's time to find out which of these contenders holds the most market share among voice over professionals.

Which do you drink? Tea or Coffee?

Comment and let me know which of these two beverages you drink regularly and how your drink of choice benefits you throughout the day.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

P.S. If you drink something else regularly, you are also welcome to comment, but the focus is on which you prefer, coffee or tea.

©iStockphoto.com/Mark Pierce

Have you ever been part of a team, choir, or musical ensemble?

Members of teams, regardless of activity, work together, rely upon each other and are united to achieve a common goal.

Sound familiar?

Take a peek through the lens of team work and see how it relates to governing bodies.

What Makes For A Good Team?

Being in harmony with your team mates while collectively maintaining accountability in the midst of striving to reach a common goal (or goals) is extremely important, if not critical, when building and fortifying a foundation for success.

The reflection above could be applied to organizations, institutions and even unions, which leads me to my question:

What Do You Expect From a Union or Guild?

Share what your expectations of a governing body serving voice over professionals would be by leaving a comment on this article.

Looking forward to hearing your ideas,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Eduard Härkönen

Do you remember the Curious George book series?

I fondly recall the stories written by Margret and H.A. Rey from my childhood and am pleased to share a review of this book and CD favorite narrated by Don Wescott in 2005.

Welcome to the first product review featuring voice over on VOX Daily! I hope you enjoy this new column and I look forward to hearing what you think.

One of my children received an audiobook for Christmas, and as I mentioned before, one of the first things I did upon his opening it was to check who the narrator was.

Don Wescott, a voice over professional based in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, USA, was the narrator of this wonderful product.

Now, it's time for the review!

Read-Along Fun With Curious George

Published and produced by Houghton Mifflin (August 1, 2005), this read-along book and CD faithfully narrates the first adventures of Curious George, written over 60 years ago, bringing to life the tale of a monkey plucked and ferried from his jungle home all the way across the ocean to experience urban life among humans, living like more of a child than a house pet with the Man in the Yellow Hat.

Geared for children ages 3 - 8, the read-along book / CD included music, sound effects and voice over narration, offering two tracks to choose from, one with page-turn signals for younger readers and the other without for more experienced readers.

The product is perfect for use and enjoyment during story time at home, in the car on road trips, and as an engaging tool in the classroom. Other stories are available on CD and also cassette. CD stories include Curious George's First Day of School, Curious George Goes to a Movie, and Curious George Feeds the Animals.

Don Wescott Voice Over Performance Review

The voice over was warm, used a variety of vocal range and color, and was a clear hit with pint-sized audiences, captivating their imaginations for the entire run which lasted 13 minutes and 4 seconds, quite a feat. Don Wescott's use of inflection combined with his storytelling technique was masterful and entertaining.

Narrator Biography

Don Wescott graduated from Boston University in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcasting. In addition to a successful career in broadcast radio and advertising through the sixties and early seventies, Don Wescott was the main promotional voice for PBS and narrated programs for Odyssey, American Experience, The Many Worlds of Nature, and more than 70 NOVA series shows between 1973 and 1996.

Visit Don Wescott's website for a more extensive biography.

What Do You Think of Read-Along Fun with Curious George?

You're welcome to share your thoughts about the product or narrator here by adding a comment below.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

Curious George Product image via bibliomom.com

Did you know that you can sell products in the Voices.com Store?

If you've been looking for another way to advertise your voice for free, this has got to be one of the best ways to do so... listing your products in the Voices.com Store allows you to wow and engage potential customers right at the point of sale!

Want to know more?

Read this step by step guide and learn how to create an attractive voice over product that promotes your services to prospects through the Voices.com Store.

The Opportunity

Did you know that you can sell products in the Voices.com Store as well as in your own store located within your Profile?

Added with the relaunching of the site in November of 2008, the Voices.com Store makes it easier than ever before to be hired based upon work you've already done and gives you the power to control pricing, write your own ad copy and product descriptions as well as provide audio snippets to serve as product samples.

For more information about this innovation and how the entire process works, you can check out this article written for our membership about the Voices.com Store in October 2008.

Moving right along...

What Are Products?

A product is any kind of voice over that you count among your services, for example, :60 radio commercials, or voice mail greetings, movie trailer voice overs, and so on.

When you create a product it will show up immediately in the Recently Added list.

Products are presented individually to the buyers as ready-to-order and are purchasable immediately online at your Voices.com store, facilitated by SurePay, the voice over industry's trusted escrow service.

What Do You Need To Do To Create a Product?

1. Log in to your Voices.com account
2. Select "Products" within your Profile tab
3. Click on the green button to "+ Add Product"

When Creating Products, Be Sure to Include the Following:

๏ Product Title:
A 1-line field for the title or name of the product.

๏ Product Tags:
Select keywords (adjectives) used to describe the product.

๏ Product Language:
The language that the recording will be done in.

๏ Product Category:
Radio, television, business and so on.

๏ Product Demo:
A sample MP3 file used to help demonstrate what will be delivered following purchase.

๏ Product Description:
A large text area used to describe the product, service description, deliverables and other technical or relevant information.

๏ Product Price:
USD price of the product sold.

You can view a good example of a product description in your account while creating your products if you'd like some guidance.

What's Been Working So Far?

From what we've observed:

๏ Products listed in the $100 - $500 range do best
๏ Well detailed products are more useful and attractive to prospective customers
๏ Short voice samples that accurately match product descriptions are necessary

Do you have products in mind that you'd like to sell?

Log in to your account now and start selling!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Need some good news?

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Happy New Year!

Best wishes,

Stephanie