Ever wanted to know more about the casting side of the business from a client perspective?

Today, I'm sharing an interview I did with Jordy Wax of Contrast Films, letting you in on his very first experience at Voices.com, some surprises, and also why he hired the person he did and how you can position yourself as the ideal candidate for the job.

Interview with Jordy Wax of Contrast Films

VOX: Thank you for joining me here on VOX Daily, Jordy! I was excited to hear from my colleague Ben Jackson that you had a wonderful experience at Voices.com recently when you posted a job to hire a voice talent. How did you come to find Voices.com and why did you choose our service?

JORDY WAX: I was referred to voices.com by a friend, and after listening to a few demos, I decided to post a job.

VOX: There are a number of ways to search for talent at the site and I was curious to learn why you chose to post a job. What were the immediate benefits in your opinion that led you to post a casting call?

JW: Since this was a rush job I was posting, I didn't have time to search for talent. I found it easier to have the talent come to me.

VOX: Your project (Job ID 16283) was a safety script for a promotional video that required a straight read with an element of excitement! Did you favour custom demos (recorded samples of your script) over generic samples? Why or why not?

JW: I absolutely favored the custom samples! Hearing my name and my client's name in the sample was a big plus to me. Plus, customized samples helped me visualize the project when I got to hear parts of my script.

VOX: When you were reviewing your submissions did you find that the most favourable responses had anything in common with each other? If so, what was it about these responses that made them most appealing to you?

JW: Again, the submissions that caught my attention were the customized samples. It also caught my attention to hear the talent talk to me about the sample before it was read.

VOX: Was there anything that surprised you when using the site? If so, please elaborate.

JW: The biggest surprise for me was the insanely awesome turnaround time! I posted the job, and within 4 hours of it being approved I had a final product. Whoa.

VOX: You mentioned to Ben on the phone that a number of voice talent emailed you trying to entice you to do business outside of Voices.com in order to avoid paying the SurePay fee and save 10%. In response, you told them that you preferred to pay through our escrow service! Why did you pay the escrow fee and what are the benefits of doing so as a client seeking voice over services online?

JW: I like the idea of the escrow service. It gave me peace of mind knowing there wasn't a risk in paying new talent without getting a product I wanted.

VOX: Drumroll, please.... what in particular made Kyle Wilson stand out? Was there anything he did differently that made you gravitate toward hiring him? In other words, what let you know that Kyle was the right person to hire and to record the voice over?

JW: Kyle stood out because his voice sounded genuine and professional, without the "epic radio" sound. While I love those types of voices, that wasn't what this project called for. Kyle really knocked the sample out of the park, and it was a no-brainer for me to go with him.

VOX: This was your first experience using Voices.com and I'm thrilled that things worked out so beautifully for you. Based upon the service received, would you use Voices.com again and or recommend us to others? Why or why not?

JW: I have another script that will be finalized very shortly, and I will definitely being using voices.com again. The wide variety of professional talent, paired with quick turnaround time, makes for a great service!

About Contrast Films

We love video. Simple as that. So whether you're in need of a music video, corporate video, or event coverage, we've got you covered. We offer production to fit budgets of all sizes.

Learn more about Contrast Films
Follow Contrast Films on Twitter

Success!

Every day, people like Jordy Wax come to Voices.com to achieve their goals and we're thrilled that we can serve them. We're also grateful for our talent who help us to deliver on our promise, ensuring that all who come in search of the perfect voice have their needs met, and more often than not, their expectations exceeded!

Did You Enjoy This Interview?

If you have any comments or thoughts to share, you're invited to join the conversation.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Have you seen this video?

A short time ago, I had the opportunity to chat with Amy Walker, the Seattle, Washington-based actress whose "21 Accents" video caught fire on YouTube and other sites.

Interview with Amy Walker

VOX: Amy, thank you for taking my call today! When did you record the "21 Accents" video?

AMY WALKER: Thank You, Stephanie! I made the video about a year and a half ago.

VOX: There are a number of different accents in your video, and I was wondering why you chose to associate them not with the dialects they represent but with cities of origin. Did you find this to be difficult considering that there can be more than one accent in a given location?

AW: I thought it'd be fun to say I was born here, and then I was born there... keep people guessing. There are as many accents in a city as there are people, so I think of it as: this person could be from this city, rather than that one accent can represent an entire metropolis.

VOX: How did you learn the accents? Did you study them on site in the various places named in the video?

AW: Some of them I've been to: I studied acting and singing at the University of Wollongong in Australia, just south of Sydney. Then I moved to Wellington, NZ. They're all patterned after native speakers, but some I've had to take from films or wherever I could get them.

VOX: Why did you make the video?

AW: Initially, I thought it'd be great to be able to email a link to Casting Directors and say, "By the way, whatever accent the character has, no problem, I can learn it." I wanted it short and catchy. 21 Accents in 2 1/2 minutes had a ring to it.

VOX: But turned viral!

AW: Yeah, Crazy! I didn't even know what that meant at the time. I just woke up one morning to a crammed inbox and a lot of them were from people who'd seen it on Break.com, which I'd never heard of. Some guy posted it there and it got over 400,000 views in 24 hours. Now it's over 3 million on Break. And 2 million on YouTube! Crazy.

VOX: Congrats on the press! What has the response been like to your 21 Accents video?

AW: Tremendous. It comes in waves, but the most gratifying part is when people go from that to my other videos on YouTube. I have songs, monologues, original sketches, some pretty fun random stuff. I've received some really beautiful responses from people who've been inspired or touched by them. And it's great to get work from it, too, and the critical response has been so positive.

VOX: Yes, that's where I saw your video shared again. I had seen it previously but that was a long time ago. When I noticed it again through Facebook, I just knew that I had to look you up and get the inside story!

AW: Fun! I didn't know that it was circulating Facebook.

VOX: With no cuts, you're able to demonstrate your versatility and chameleon capabilities.

AW: Thank you. Yeah, that was the hardest part, the transitions, and doing it all in 1 take. Going from Irish to Scottish or Australian to NZ and back again...

VOX: Which accent would you say was the most difficult for you to master?

AW: The New Zealand accent is hard.

VOX: I agree! It is definitely unique. It's not Australian and isn't one that you'd find completely in line with dialects in the British Isles. Although it sounds at times like a blend of those types of accents, it really does stand alone.

AW: Indeed.

VOX: Have there been any unexpected ways that your video has been of use to people?

AW: Yeah! Especially that teachers have wanted to use it in class, and other videos as well, the Hamlet one. All over the world! Even for ESL in Japan and China, Russia, Canada, colleges and classrooms in NZ, Australia, the US...

VOX: Whereabouts is the video most popular?

AW: I think Google shows the US and the UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, then probably Europe and Japan, then Russia, S. America, S. Africa...

VOX: One of the reasons why I think your video struck a chord is because the theme was so universal. Nearly everyone could relate, whether it was their accent or not, and even if they didn't identify with a particular accent, it got them talking. Any parting words on accents?

AW: We all use different subtleties of accents every day, depending on who we're talking to. We're different with our grandparents than we are with our close friends or with little kids. People want to know what my "real" accent is, or what a person's "really like", but the truth is, we're kaleidoscopic beings. We change constantly. Accents are an aspect of voice, which is an expression of Self, which is always changing and adjusting! It comes from a desire to truly communicate and connect to people as clearly as possible, and when people feel that a person is "like them", they feel understood, comfortable, they connect.

VOX: I heard you are working on a film. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

AW: Absolutely! It's a feature film called Connected, which follows a diverse and disconnected family as they struggle to love each other for who they are, in our new world of instant communication. Everyone in the family has very different ideas about how to use technology to stay in touch. And I agree with all of them! I wrote Connected with the help of my friend Marilee Jolin (Script Advisor).

Hopefully, it'll get people talking and thinking about how the internet and cell phones impact our lives, for better and worse. It's incredible how we're able to connect to people we'll never "meet", from the other side of the world -like we're doing now! But at the same time, it can make us feel more isolated, stuck in our little boxes while the beautiful world flows around us.

The really exciting thing about this film is that it's being funded by dollar donations by 1 million people all over the world at www.ConnectedFilm.com. People are uniting to make a film about Connecting! It's blowing my mind! And we have such a wonderful team working on it.

About Amy Walker

Amy Walker is an artist of many media. An actress/singer/songwriter since the highchair, she has played key roles in more than 70 theatrical shows and films in both global hemispheres, honing her linguistic skills with over 21 accents at the ready.

As a writer, Amy has created screenplays, short stories, and many memorable characters for YouTube and both incarnations of her one-woman show, Amy Walker: Inside Out.

As a teacher and director, she has tapped the truth in myriad actors and their characters in plays, camps, workshops and private coaching.

She is insatiably interested in the unique juice that fuels the human spirit, and dedicates her life to awakening the full potential within herself and others.

To learn more about Amy Walker, go to AmyWalkerOnline.com.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Interpreting words is a task in itself, but what if you had to interpret God's Word?

Hear about professional actor, award-winning filmmaker, and communication coach Jason Hildebrand's experience developing three separate voices for characters from the parable of The Prodigal Son here on VOX Daily.

The Gospel According to Luke

In spring of 2009, I had the opportunity to see an interesting presentation at my church given by Toronto-based performer Jason Hildebrand, a dramatist and actor known for his focus on speaking the Word of God through theatre and cinema.

The play?

The Prodigal Son, a parable told by Jesus, which happens to be a beautiful story about love.

To read the version found in the Bible, go to Luke Chapter 15, verses 11 through 32. I have included a paraphrased version for us below in my own words that I hope you'll find helpful. The Bible is a better source, but I'll try :)

The Prodigal Son

The story begins with a father and his two sons. The eldest son, who is loyal and fastidious, works each day in his father's fields and makes sure that the house is run properly. The younger son is less involved in the operations and feels compelled to leave his father's home.

One day, the younger son asks his father if he would give him his inheritance early so that he could see the world and live what he considers to be the good life. The father, deeply saddened, divides his estate in two and gives his blessing to his younger son along with his inheritance.

The younger son takes all that he has and leaves the safety of his home, journeys to a foreign country, gets involved with the wrong crowd and eventually finds himself broke, friendless, in the midst of a famine, working for a living, and eating worse than the pigs he is employed to look after.

At this moment, the son comes to his senses and realizes that at home, his father's servants are treated far better than how he is being treated. He decides that he must apologize to his father for sinning against him and against heaven, declaring himself unworthy to be his son and to plead that his father would have mercy on him and employ him as one of his servants. Even as a servant in his father's home he would least have proper clothing, food, respect and a roof over his head.

The younger son sets off for home.

While he was away, his father kept watch and hope that his son would return.

One day the father sees his younger son in the distance, comes running to him with outstretched arms, and in tears of joy, embraces him with a kiss.

The father calls for the fatted calf to be slain and a feast prepared in celebration of his son's return. No expense is spared. The father sees that his finest robe is fetched for the younger son and also provides a ring for his finger.

The older son, upon learning of his brother's return and enraged his warm reception, speaks out in disgust and wonders how his father can welcome back such a person who has deserted his family, squandered his inheritance, and done nothing to deserve his father's affections, unlike himself.

His father turns to him and says, "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

* The last paragraph includes a quote taken from "The Message," according to the Gospel of Luke 15:32.

Interview with Jason Hildebrand

Now that you know the story, or have had a chance to review, you'll be fascinated to hear exactly how this parable was crafted into a three act play.

Last week I spoke with Jason Hildebrand and got to learn more about his creative process as well as how his interpretation of the parable came to be.

Jason was asked by a friend to develop a reflection for a denominational prayer retreat with his research based on the Rembrandt painting "The Prodigal Son," and a book by Henri Nouwen entitled, "The Return of the Prodigal Son."

He didn't realize at the time that it would turn into a play with three acts involving three separate characters performed on stage. He also hadn't foreseen that he would tour throughout North America and the UK for almost nine years presenting the monologues!

The book didn't break the story down into individual character roles as they are performed in the play. Jason spent time with the painting, praying through the heart of each character while researching the text. He brought what he had completed to the prayer retreat as requested.

The trailer embedded below is an evolution of what was presented at the prayer retreat:

Jason had never experienced the story of The Prodigal Son for himself and was interested in bringing the parable to live in both a stage version and also a cinematic short.

Hildebrand relates, "Good art comes at you in a different way than a sermon comes to you. When you are watching a play, you are not anticipating a sermon. The play speaks to you. The audience gets to live their lives through the character being portrayed. The audience is a character; the audience has an identity. The audience, although they themselves do not speak, engages with the performer in the dialog and has a part in influencing the performance."

During the performance, Jason is listening to God to hear where he needs go as an actor to emotionally fulfill the needs of the audience.

I asked him what the response has been to his play following performances.

Jason shared, "Although people can be moved by a performance, that doesn't mean that they will be moved to the point of conversion, however, lives has been radically transformed during performances of The Prodigal Trilogy. In order for that to happen, the Holy Spirit needs to move them. This can result in radical life-changing experiences, some people even meeting Father God for the first time when seeing the story unfold."

That's some powerful storytelling!

For an especially meaningful performance based upon scripture, the the actor, God, and the audience must be connected.

Jason likens this to a triangle.

He performs for the audience and keeps his heart open to what God wants him to communicate. God needs to be at the centre of the performance and triangle for the Holy Spirit to move and work its way into the hearts of the audience and the performer.

When I asked Jason about his interpretation and the voices he developed for his characters, I mentioned that it was obvious that an enormous amount of heart went into all three characters, the father in particular.

In the stage version (which I saw), the father has an accent, speaking with such authority, dignity, and breadth. The accent sounded Eastern European but I couldn't place it. During our chat, I asked him about it and he related that the accent was indeed Eastern European. When he was in college he lived with an Eastern European family. On occasion, the mother would speak in Yiddish to her family, and it was in their home that he picked up the accent.

Why an Eastern European accent?

Jason finds that the Eastern European accent has a particularly appropriate weight and humour to it that was suited to a gentle soul such as the father.

Hildebrand confides, "The accent kind of came out of nowhere and I really like how it softens the father, making him more wise. I purposefully tried not to peg the accent to make it easier for a broader audience of people to relate to so I took elements of various Eastern European accents, a hybrid really, and saved this voice for the end. The audience is waiting and itching for someone different to come along and bring grounding to the play. The father, with his accent, had the greatest impact when heard last sharing his different filter of the world."

I thought it was particularly fitting that he chose this particular accent because we live in such a multicultural country. Canada is made up of a mosaic of cultures. Hearing the Eastern European accent, at least for me, evokes a great deal of history, struggle, and faith.

When watching the trailer for his short film, Jason opted to speak without an accent as the father. He shared that the accent didn't come across as well on camera to suspend the viewers' unbelief as it does in person with an audience, which is understandable.

What does still come across is the strength and masculinity of the father.

The image of a strong father resonates like no other. It is this imagery that often strikes a chord with his audiences above all the other characters.

"We live in a society of the fatherless, single moms, feminized Christianity, only singing songs to Jesus, and forgetting that there is also Father God. I have seen a number of women have to take on traditional male roles within the home because the men in their lives have fallen from their responsibilities. The notion of Father and masculinity has been far from us in the past but is coming back."

Jason portrays a strong notion of who Father God is and what makes Him different from other fathers who may have let their children down. He shows them that they can trust in a Father who loves them, who is waiting with his arms wide open to receive his children into his arms.

In addition to The Prodigal Trilogy, Jason also performs a monologue on the Life of David (with 20+ characters with different accents) and Herod the Great. The Prodigal Trilogy and many of his other works are available for purchase on his website.

For more information about Jason Hildebrand, or to get a copy of The Prodigal Trilogy, visit JasonHildebrand.com

Best wishes,

Stephanie

While in Los Angeles, I had the rare opportunity to conduct an interview for our reading audience at VOX Daily in person!

The week before I left, I happened to see a web cast Kevin Delaney produced featuring Alicyn Packard. Once I heard she was one of the voice actresses on the Mr. Men Show, I knew I had to hear more about her story.

Join me in this very off the cuff interview full of fun with Alicyn Packard.

Interview with Alicyn Packard

VOX: Thank you for meeting me here at The W, Alicyn! It's a pleasure to chat with you. As you may know, I'm a big fan of tea and I see that you've just ordered a green tea. Is this a new thing for you, or have you been drinking green tea for a while?

ALICYN PACKARD: Drinking green tea is a habit, it's a relatively new habit but is one that I'm enjoying a lot.

VOX: I heard from Randy Thomas via an article she sent me saying that tea drinkers, because they drink so much of it, (black and especially green teas) live longer because of the properties in the tea that slow down the aging process.

Off mic: Cha-ching!

AP: It helps you to think clearer as opposed to the scattered brain patterns you can get when drinking coffee or too much coffee. It's an artificial stimulant.

VOX: Coffee clutters things up and makes you freeze. I think a lot of people would agree with that! You want it to be a pure acting experience fueled by your own energy.

AP: Sure!

VOX: What is the most challenging role that you've had to create and why?

AP: I would say the Little Miss Whoops has been challenging for the Mr. Men Show. My initial audition was a completely different character, so when they were looking to move into a different direction they got me back into the booth after I had already booked Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Naughty, and so they basically had me run through literally about 25 different voices, try, just see what you've got!

VOX: Oh, torture!

AP: That part was pretty fun though because you got to go through the whole range, they had no idea what they wanted. I tried a Roseanne Barr thing, you know try a little bit of Boston, pulled it back, went d nasal with it. Eventually they said, "That's it! That's the one!" I ended up getting cast as that character. They were playing back the tape, and I thought, "I didn't really remember what I did!" At that point, you've gone through so many voices. They wanted me to bring the pitch down, go d nasal, more monotone, "Don't worry Mr. Bump, I'm a trained professional." That character was one that was organically created in that session.

VOX: Okay, so within the direction they gave you, it's not like it was a planned thing when you walked in, or "We're going to take these elements..." You organically created the character very much in the moment?

AP: She was totally birthed on the spot.

VOX: I love that!

AP: There was a period of time between that audition and later when we actually started recording. Getting back to her definitely took a lot of work, it was challenging. It was something new and I almost had to voice match myself.

VOX: It's a good thing that they recorded it for you so that you could voice match yourself. You had the tracks and could go back, feel out your methodology on that one?

AP: Exactly.

VOX: That is an interesting concept. Often when people do these auditions, and someone casts them much later, they wonder, "What did I sound like?" Fortunately with technology you have that ability to go back and say, "Oh, that's the read!" I used to read those books, in fact my kids have Little Miss / Little Mr books, including Little Miss Sunshine and a number of other ones. Are these shows based upon the books or the characters but in different situations?

AP: They are the characters but they're reinvented.

VOX: Did you read the books growing up?

AP: I had the Mr. Happy book and it came with a little Mr. Happy doll.

VOX: Who are some of your male cohorts on this show? I know there are a lot, so if you could name just a few...

AP: Jeff Stewart is Mr. Tickle and Godfrey, the comedian, is Mr. Stubborn.

VOX: Interesting! What are the ages of voice represented on the show? With so many diverse characters, there must be quite a range?

AP: Yes, there's a range of ages from late 50s down to early 20s. Each voice is distinct and it's great to have really skilled people performing the roles who fit the image of the character they're playing.

VOX: Out of curiosity, how did you come to get the audition in the first place?

AP: It was a Nancy Wolfson casting and I got the audition via a contact at the school I was attending (Emerson College).

VOX: Very cool. How long has the show been on the air? Can you tell me a bit about the program schedule and how long it took you to record?

AP: We're now entering into our second season on the Cartoon Network with 26 episodes per season and two special episodes running 11 minutes. In all there were 52 scripts for season two recorded over a period of a couple months, under the direction of Emmy-winning director Mark Risley. The first show airs on September 8th, 2009.

VOX: Very good! Congratulations on that. Now, I'd like to ask you another question. If you could have a character entirely tailored to you (I know that pieces of you are in each of the little misses), what would that character be like?

AP: I like voicing young kids and little girls. Morphing into a super hero would be great! Everything is so exaggerated in cartoon life. My ideal character would also be in a rock band, you know, going to school by day and a secret rocker by night... acting in cartoons is freeing and it is fun to not be limited by physical elements.

VOX: Kind of sounds like WordGirl, you know, Becky Botsford and Captain Huggy Face. Speaking of secret identities, how do you feel about voice actors having headshots?

AP: I think that nowadays, it's beneficial to be a voice actor and have a headshot. Being an integrated person is an asset. Everything (especially online) is coming together. In the past, people didn't want to be typecast which is why so many people opted not to have headshots done. Today that has changed for many of those people. You are who you are and that's good! As a new media producer, we're lucky to be living in the times we are.

VOX: Thanks, Alicyn. Your perspective on headshots is very interesting. Going back to your creative process, I mentioned before that you are able to find a little bit of "Alicyn" in many of your roles. Have there been any roles where the character was your complete opposite?

AP: Once I had to be the voice of a zombie, a male zombie at that, which was challenging. What I found to help was drawing upon my improv skills. I'd say that men and little boys are the most challenging for a woman to portray. Examples of characters that were opposite to my personality are Connor and Olivia who are shy, nerdy, and introspective. My character(s) speaks with an adenoidal tone, thinking and delivering their lines slowly, just short of a stutter.

VOX: Someone as talented and accomplished as yourself must be studying with great teachers. Who have you studied with to date?

AP: Dolores Diehl, Nancy Wolfson, at Susan Blu's with Cynthia Songé, Richard Horvitz, and M. Jai Lallo, all in California.

VOX: What motivates you to work in voice over?

AP: It's fun! The work is play. The real work is trying to get the jobs. Playing once you've booked the jobs is rewarding.

VOX: You aren't a native of Los Angeles. Given that fact, how has life in LA changed you or enabled you to grow?

AP: I've grown and evolved since moving out here from Massachusetts, certainly. LA has a culture that stimulates growth when you find the right people. I've been affected by people I've met and collaborated with and also have an excellent support system including family and friends. It's great to be able to share creative feelings with your peers. It's also good to keep many irons in the fire.

VOX: Tell me a bit about going to conventions. You were on a panel at Comic Con 2008 on the voice panel last year. Do you get a rush from it?

AP: I love going to cons to learn and meet new people. Dallas Travers, author, writes that everyone has their own set of "people", you know, your people. When I'm at these conventions, I am among my people.

VOX: Just like the event tonight! I look forward to spending more time with you at the mixer and want to thank you on behalf of the Voices.com community for this interview.

AP: You're welcome! My pleasure.

To learn more about Alicyn Packard, visit "Inside Alicyn's Wonderland," a new web series that goes through the looking glass and behind the scenes into the wild and wacky world of animation.

You can also follow Alicyn's Wonderland on Twitter.

Anything you'd like to add? Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

When I last posted about vocal health and remedies to restore the voice, I received an interesting email from Crystal Tips about her experience drinking a rather unpalatable beverage to kick her voice into overdrive during a session where she was down for the count.

Intrigued?

Hear more about this bizarre concoction and how it gave Crystal's voice a boost here at VOX Daily.

VOX: How was it suggested to you that you should have a hornet tea? Was this a normal thing for someone to do where you were or was this out of the ordinary?

CRYSTAL TIPS: Yes, my boss suggested that I drink the hornet tea. My voice was nearly gone. All that was left was a raspy, squeaky voice that kept cracking. It is not common to drink and was a last ditch effort to record my parts before I left for Christmas break since it had to go to air.

VOX: Remind me of your symptoms that prevented you from doing voice over. How were you feeling prior to taking the tea?

CT: I had lost my voice, it wasn't completely gone, but it was rough and raspy, not clear, and kept cracking like a teenage boy. I was unable to do my different voices for the various characters I needed to play. I didn't feel overly sick, my voice was just extremely tired from too much dubbing.

VOX: What did the concoction consist of and how was it made?

CT: The concoction came wrapped in a piece of brown scrap paper. There was the big hornet, some herbs, and something that smelled a little bit like licorice. I don't know what was in it. My boss bought it for me from a Chinese Herbal Medicine Doctor down the street from the studio. We had to crush the hornet and herbs by smashing it in the paper.

VOX: What did it taste like? Did it have a particular smell? How hard was it to drink?

CT: It smelled musty and like dirt with a hint of licorice. And tasted the same! We put it in a tea cup with hot water and I drank it while holding my nose. I didn't swallow the bits. It tasted gross but not rancid. I've had worse.

VOX: What properties did the tea possess that gave you your voice back temporarily? Was that made known to you or is it just assumed that the hornets were the source of the vocal balm?

CT: I don't know what the secret to it was but I'm guessing the hornet had some histamine in it that jump-started my vocal cords. No one told me what it was in the mixture that would make it work. And no one told me the ingredients! It was a mystery.

VOX: Did your voice return at full strength? How long exactly were you able to maintain a consistent vocal delivery because of the tea?

CT: After about 15 minutes my voice came back full strength for about an hour and I was able to deliver and finish all of my lines perfectly. Then just like that, it was gone again.

VOX: Have you had the tea since?

CT: I did have the tea a second time, perhaps a year or two later. I get the feeling it's not something one is supposed to take all the time. Really a last ditch effort. I don't think it harmed me in any way though. It did seem to give me a little buzz. HA HA.

VOX: Would you recommend someone try this as a means to get their voice back for a short period of time?

CT: I would recommend it to anyone who needed it in an emergency situation. Otherwise I use Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, an over- the-counter Chinese Herbal Cough syrup. It works well if you have a cold or have an itchy throat.

Give the bug juice a try if you are near a Chinese herbal medicine doctor and definitely try the Pei Pa Koa. We nicknamed it Paper Cow!

Have You Done Something Similar To Get Your Voice Back?

If you've tried hornet tea or some other irregular measure to quickly regain your voice, I'd love to hear about it!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Tomasz Zachariasz

Did you watch Super Bowl XLIII?

If you're a woman and found that you enjoyed the big game a little bit more than usual, you can attribute some of that joy to the inviting female promo voice behind the Super Bowl XLIII promos on NBC.

Know who to thank?

Ann DeWig!

Get to know Ann a little better and discover more about what it was like to voice NFL Super Bowl promos, making history and fulfilling a dream in the process.

Voices.com Interview with Ann DeWig

VOX: Hi Ann, welcome to VOX Daily! Thank you for chatting with us today. I was wondering... how did you manage to get the one gig for the big game that football fanatics go ga ga over?

ANN DEWIG: I wish I could take this opportunity to tell you how fabulous I am, and how my marketing techniques are the awesomest, and how my twitter and facebook status updates are making me a marketing super-genius... but,... ummm... I'm pretty sure it was dumb luck. The truth is - when NBC was hunting for a woman to voice some sexy NFL promos about Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys - my name was tossed in the hat. They took a chance on me, and I then voiced several promos for Sunday Night football. When they decided to use a female to voice some of the Super Bowl promos - I got that call because I was already "in" - so to speak.

VOX: I heard that sport has always been part of your life. What is it about sports that interests you and how has that interest melded into your job opportunities and creative process?

ANN DEWIG: Growing up, my mom would have sports on the TV all year round. (Go Broncos!) And having two very influential brothers, I grew up a sports loving Tom Boy. I also liked Star Wars, rock music, poker, and Elfquest. I think being 'one of the guys' is just in my bones. I'm crass and weird and might light my farts on fire at a party. I've always gravitated to male dominated marketing. I worked in Rock Radio for a while, and feel like I can hang with the boys. I certainly don't market myself that way - but maybe it oozes from my pours. To be a prominent voice in the sports world would be so rewarding - because it's who I am, and what interests me. But I don't AIM my career in that direction. I'm still a girl. I embrace whatever opportunities are out there for me - whether I'm selling tampons, or voicing billboards for ESPN.

VOX: When you voiced the NBC spots for Super Bowl XLIII, did you get an adrenaline rush? How did it feel to be the powerhouse bridging the gender gap in voice over for sport?

ANN DEWIG: Wow. That's a lot of pressure. (laughing). When my agent called and said I'd be voicing promos for the Super Bowl, I screamed so loud I lost my voice. (Never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the room). I think that getting the call was the most exciting part of the journey - and knowing that I had a job my peers would die for certainly gave me a tingle. But that feeling was fleeting. Like getting the Lego's you asked for at Christmas. You're as high-as-a-kite for a few days, weeks or months, but eventually they are abandoned to the "junk" pile in the back of your closet.

I want to say here that I think there is an illusion about successful voice jobs, and how they can catapult you to new heights in your career. I often hear voice people say: "If I get this job it would open everything up!" But voiceover is a strange career. You never really get the corner office, your name on the door and the feeling of "ahhh, I've finally made it!" Our gigs come and go. Every voice job you get you will lose. So it's important to remember that there is no "one" job that makes or breaks you. Jobs can certainly lead to new jobs and new opportunities, but I think it's important to keep things into perspective. It's ALL my jobs combined that allow me to pay my mortgage and buy my dogs those dingo bones they like. I'm certainly not the first woman to be voicing super prestigious gigs, (usually reserved for males), and I won't be the last. Melissa Disney will always be the first woman to have voiced a trailer, but she also moved on to the next job. The one we didn't hear about.

VOX: What was the feedback like for your work? Did you happen to hear any buzz from people at the station, the public (through Twitter, etc.), or via the voice over community?

ANN DEWIG: I honestly didn't hear much. I like to be low maintenance, and if my producer at NBC says "things are good" - I take the hint and do my job. I just figure if they didn't like what I was doing - they'd find someone else. As far as "buzz" outside of NBC - I didn't notice anything, but I didn't CREATE any kind of buzz either. I was pretty discreet with my marketing. I personally emailed the people I wanted to know, and kept it off of my social-networking sites. I have a lot of strong opinions about marketing (of which we can get into in another interview), so I purposefully didn't make it a huge deal. One of the main reasons for my discretion is that I like to come across that I've done this kind of thing before. I'm a pro. I don't need a parade every time I get a job. It's my job.

VOX: Did NBC meet its objective of getting more women to watch the super bowl than in previous years? How much do you think the voice overs and advertisements had to do with it?

ANN DEWIG: I don't know the stats, but I personally think NBC does a great job of making the Super Bowl more attractive to a much wider audience each year. Pregame shows, halftime shows, guests, Hollywood actors, rock stars and special exclusive interviews. Each year they find new ways to make the Super Bowl a full-blown "holiday". And this year, I was lucky to be a small part of the process. Did the promos help? I sure hope so! But it all starts with their content, then the graphics department, the producers and writers and lawyers, and then I'm added at the end. We'll never know if my voice made a huge difference - but I hope it was fresh and new and helped women to feel like they were invited.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Stephanie

This transcript of the Voice Coaches expert panel will make you feel like you were there, and for those who were there, you get to relive some of the event!

If you've been wondering what the difference is between NYC and LA for voice over, when it's time to redo your demo, what the current trends are, working as a voice actor in an animated film or cartoon, what it takes to get the gig and why it pays to be prepared (and a little nervous), sit back and let the experts deliver the answers to you here at VOX Daily.

Warren Garling: We want to start with David Bourgeois because there is something that came up just in the last little bit this afternoon.

David Bourgeois: Just a quick thing I want to add in, here. I had somebody approach me and suggest I clarify this. Some people seem to have a misunderstanding when it comes to marketing yourself with an MP3 versus marketing yourself with a physical demo, that it's a one or the other thing. It isn't, it's a both thing. When we think about services like Voices.com, the clients on that service who are looking for voice actors expect to be marketed to that way. Stephanie and David have put together a tremendous way to effectively market yourself that way. When we speak about not marketing yourself with an MP3, that's when we're talking about blindly sending somebody out an MP3 who doesn't suspect it. Put something physical in their hands in that case I think.

Warren Garling: Well, if you'll allow me just to add, my last two voice over jobs came from folks that I'd given my CD to 18 months before, and it's because it sat on their shelf and because when they thought, "Oh, now I know what I want to use this guy for", they pulled it off their shelf and there it was, but 18 months, a year and a half! I talked to them maybe once or twice in between, so don't tell me that it doesn't work, it does work, it's out there.

Warren Garling: Let's get started. Evan, in animated movies, are the voices of the characters all voice actors, or movie actors, or both, and how would one get into the animation film business as a voice actor?

Evan Farmer: The short answer would be all of the above. I have to clarify first of all, I don't think to my knowledge I've been in an animation movie yet, so Rodney would probably be a much better person to ask that, but, how do you get into it... My experience getting into my voice acting career started and ended in that genre about ten years ago and back then we didn't have MP3s and digital and all that stuff. I actually left a voice mail (laughing) on somebody's tape cassette answering machine. Back then I called in at a specific time because there wasn't call waiting and I would actually just read when I was in my bathrobe the lines they had given me earlier.

Every job I've had since has been an offshoot of networking, somebody had heard my voice, or another project had sort of led to somebody questioning "Hey is this guy available for this sort of thing? Can he audition?" In my experience it's always been an audition of some sort. Now more often than not, it's an audition based upon someone recommending me who was familiar with my work. I don't know if that really answers the question because I really don't have a lot of experience in the film industry.

Warren Garling: Well, let's move next to Rodney then, and just ask how did that transition for you? How did you find yourself doing animated characters?

Rodney Saulsberry: Someone just asked me that question too, up front. You know, it's another branch. You find out that you can do it, and you audition, and you get lucky, and you get cast. Once you're cast once in something animated, that's part of your credits and so you're trusted to audition for other things. One thing I do want to say is that a lot of times, people think that animation is some funny voice. Bob Bergen is Porky Pig; we've got Porky. We've got some other people who do these voices, but every time I've done some animation, I must tell you that I'm talking pretty much have been talking like I'm talking now, especially the character I was hired for, and contractually, they get two more characters out of me and then I may get into a character voice, but for the most part, it's just who you're hearing. Cartoons have gotten real real these days.

Warren Garling: Very good, thank you. Stephanie, the question is obviously we all have limits on what we can spend up front on our careers. After the initial investment, what makes the most sense? I'll go through a list here and maybe we can put these in order. Books, online coaching, home studio, membership in the chamber, membership at online at sites like Voices.com... I have a feeling I know what you're going to rank first (laughter), but where else do you think it is very important to be spending money?

Stephanie Ciccarelli: Well, that's a good question, because obviously money is part of the whole thing. If you are in business you need to be investing in your business. I would say some of the first places you should be spending your money are in education. You've already been through Voice Coaches, there's still more to learn.

Before you do anything else, even before you upgrade for a membership at Voices.com, I strongly suggest that you then invest that money into your studio, because if you don't have a studio at home, you really stand no chance to compete with everyone else who is professionally voice acting on a daily basis, and also it's the only way that you'll get access to those auditions.

So, if you have a home studio, then at least you are positioned to be able to record on the fly, you don't have to check in with a studio to see what their availability is, and you're also saving some money there. Now, I would say lastly, invest in a membership at Voices.com because unless you are ready to go up against people who have been doing this (voice acting) for 25 or 30 years then there really isn't much of a point. If you don't have a studio in your home, you don't have your education, and you don't know how to act, then you're really at a great disadvantage and you won't get anything out of the service and you'll be disappointed. Does that makes sense? Educate, build your home studio, get some experience and then sign up for a membership at a voice over marketplace.

Warren Garling: Very nice, thank you. Dave Goldberg, as a voice over talent with a home recording studio, how much should I concern myself with learning more about or becoming proficient at mixing and editing and adding sound effects, music and that sort of thing?

David Goldberg: That's a great question and it really depends on the type of voice over you are pursuing. So, if you are pursuing, for example, audiobooks, the average unabridged audio book is I think 9.5 hours long. And as Dan spoke earlier from Full Cast Audio, it can take four hours to complete one hour of audio. It takes that long because you have lots of retakes, and you make mouth clicks and pops and you have to go back and start things over again. All that means is that when you go back it, you have 36 hours of recording to clean up, 36 hours of editing. If you are not proficient, it's going to suck. The more proficient you become the more money you make per hour, so again in audiobooks, you are paid by the completed hour of audio. So if you're paid, for example, $100 per completed hour, if it takes you four hours to complete that audio including editing or ten hours, you are at a much better advantage if you can do it in four hours.

With respect to adding music and sound effects: It's a wonderful service if you can be a one-stop-shop for your clients, but adding music and sound effects is very difficult. We've been doing it for 21 years and we're still learning, we really are. Stephanie said, you have to continue learning. I believe that if you offer a service to clients, and you don't do it very well, you'll really hurt your relationship with your client, so go to Voice Coaches. David Bourgeois and Jenny have a wonderful studio and hook up with them, let them do the music and sound effects for you, and maybe do a little markup on the thing, but be a one-stop-shop for your customers. I hope that answers your question, but now I've forgotten what the question was (laughter). See, in voice over you have a script so you don't have to memorize anything so you don't write notes!

Warren Garling: Jenny Marcotte, I really want you to think of me the next time you're looking for a voice. What should I do to make that happen?

Jenny Marcotte: Please keep in touch with me. We were kind of talking about this before where people will go out with their demo and they're sure they are going to do this and I never hear from them. Or, we'll have potential new students call me and say, "How many people are successful in doing this?", but until you tell me and you call me to say, "I've done this job," or "I just got done with this" I won't know and that's actually the best way. I need to know you're still doing it. I think one of the worst things would be to recommend someone and call them up to find out, "Oh, I actually really haven't done this since I made my demo" so it's really important. Please just keep in touch, let me know what you're doing, send me an MP3, send me a quick note, that's the best way.

Warren Garling: Thanks, Jenny. Billy, how much difference is there from East Coast to West Coast re: style, formality, % of use of Internet vs. studio?

Billy Serow: In my world, which is the union world, the voice over business is structured very, very differently between the west coast and the east coast. The east coast is still for the most part a casting director driven business. I was a casting director before I was an agent. I saw with the proliferation of the internet, which in turn made sites and talent agencies building their own in house studios, casting directors are really fighting for their livelihoods because it is easy to get an audition, but casting directors want you to be in their studio to audition for them with the benefit of their direction so they can get some kind of credit from the advertising agency for doing a good job and choosing the right talent.

Budgets for casting sessions for voice overs are small. They are smaller than budgets for on-camera commercials. On the average for an on-camera audition, a casting director might audition 50 people or a hundred people for a role because they have the budget and the time and the day to do those auditions. For voice over auditions, casting directors are usually given a half a day or a quarter of a day to do an audition, even if it is for a major, national campaign. The number of actors who are auditioning for those sessions are maybe 8 to 20 to maybe 25 if it's a very long half day. What's good then in the New York market is that your odds are then 1 in 20 of scoring the job. In LA, partially because of the geographic nightmare that is Los Angeles, there are very few casting directors who actually concentrate on voice overs because they can't make a livelihood on it any more so most of the auditioning is done in an agent's office at an agent's studio.

So if the job goes out in New York with a casting director, if a job goes out to 6 agents, and each agents sends in 3 or 4 people per job, in LA if the job goes out to 20 agents and they're putting on tape 10 to 20 people, well, you can do the math. You're competing against 200 to maybe even 400 voices. If an advertiser is listening to 200 voices, theoretically, chances are they are not listening to 200 voices. Chances are they are listening to the auditions that come in and when they hear someone they like, they go "OK, I'll take that guy". So, the structure of the business between Los Angeles and New York is very, very different and certainly easier to break into in the New York market.

Warren Garling: Would you agree with that, Rodney, or do you want time for rebuttal? (laughter from the audience)

Rodney Saulsberry: No, I definitely agree. Everything Billy said was right. I think it's important to find houses. I'm in LA, and when I have an audition at my agency, which is William Morris, the competition is a lot more because we've got all the William Morris clients plus every other agency in California, in Los Angeles, whereas...

Billy Serow: (off mic) Sometimes also New York.

Rodney Saulsberry: And also New York, Billy's right, however, when I go to a Carroll Casting, which is a big casting agency in Los Angeles, and I've been quite successful there, Carroll has decided on about 8 to 15 guys, so that's it. Elaine Craig Casting... so any time these houses call you, you have a better chance of being successful. Amen to what Billy is saying because everything he is saying is correct.

Warren Garling: Thank you. David Bourgeois, am I always free to use quotes and name of people/brands that I've worked with or do I need permission?

David Bourgeois: I think to a large degree, particularly at the local and regional level, corporate training level, it's assumed by the client that you are going to use some sample of the work on a demo or a quote they gave you or something like that in regard to your marketing material, I do however, and I've run into this professionally... once in a while you will meet resistance and the best course of action is to ask permission to do that. You'll certainly run into situations where you're going to eventually do material that can't be released. A great example, I had a friend do a series of work for the New York State Department of Corrections. Some of it is training for prison guards that can't be released, he can't go putting that on his demo or a lot of prison guards will get beat up, but for the most part, I think absolutely, and I think that it would be unusual for somebody who you work with or have a professional affiliation with to not allow you to do that, so usually, yes.

Warren Garling: All right. Evan, back to animation from a few years back when you did an animated character. What's the difference between doing that kind of a session and a voice over session for what you did on "While You Were Out", which you did in our studios, I'd like to say.

Evan Farmer: That's a great question. One, it's a lot of fun, because there are absolutely no boundaries for a free spirit like myself, it's great, but I learned to enjoy the technical aspects of While You Were Out, and I'll explain the difference. When you go in, and at least the cartoons that I was involved with, we didn't do what's called ADR, I didn't have to match a characters mouth or film when you do ADR, there's a technical aspect to that. I would go in and it was acting as you've heard quite a bit today. It was really all about creating a character using your imagination which is one of the wonderful advantages to voice acting over regular acting in that there's a lack of self-consciousness that you can really grab onto in a studio, in a dark studio with a microphone and it's your imagination that's speaking. I really enjoyed that aspect. I would go in and read lines... usually we would go until both the engineer and I were laughing. That's kind of why I tended to get hired because I'm a goofy kind of guy and I was willing to go there.

I made an allusion to it but my first cartoon voice acting job was for a cartoon called Daria on MTV. I phoned in my audition and I was literally in a bathrobe because I almost missed my audition. I totally forgot the time and everything, and I'm looking at myself in my living room mirror, I'm half dressed, on the phone, just thinking of how ludicrous this was and it loosened me up. That's one of the great things about a home studio as well. It's the same effect. I was safe in my own environment.

Now with the technical side of going in to do voice overs for a show that you're hosting, for example, there's mostly a time requirement and a formula that's alluding me right now, but there is a certain number of seconds per word, so when somebody is writing, a good producer or director who is writing the copy will know that if they have a space they need to fill on the show that they've got 5 seconds, that they can only use a certain number of words. You could always tell, as somebody who has worked on 300 episodes of While You Were Out, for example, 300 episodes where I had to do an hour's worth of voice over narration, you learn very quickly which directors were good at dialing that in, however, I didn't always have the option to change the copy, which would have been a great option so you have to learn to make it work.

The technical side of it mainly came with the experience and the practice and that was being in the studio time and time again. I got to the point where, David (Bourgeois) can testify, we'd go through an hour's worth of voice over and we'd knock it out in about 20 minutes because I'd be dialed into that and he'd say "You've got 3.2 seconds" and I'd hit it at 3.1, and he'd say, "One more time, you've got to add a .1" My brain automatically knew what .1 seconds sounded like and where I needed to get that and still get the inflection. That became a very enjoyable aspect of it to me because it became a sense of accomplishment. I could go in and deliver this great 20 minutes of solid, hit it out of the park work because I had mastered the art of the technique. They are two different beasts altogether, both of them tremendous fun from different perspectives.

Warren Garling: Terrific. Stephanie, we're back to the union again. Does the VO talent have to be a union member for the jobs on Voices.com?

Stephanie Ciccarelli: To answer the question, no, a voice talent doesn't have to be a member of the union. We have non-union talent as well as union talent on the site. There are clients who search for one or the other or they audition both. To some people it doesn't matter and some people are looking for something very specific. But in short, no, it really doesn't matter if you are union or non-union, any voice talent, as long as you are professional and confident in what you can do, and prepared to actually do the work and be ready with your studio and education, training, all the good things that Rodney brought up earlier, then you should be set and you're more than welcome to be listed on Voices.com.

Warren Garling: Very good. Dave Goldberg, what if you are offered a job for an ad promoting a product/person/company that you don't like or support? How could saying 'no' affect my chances at getting work as a voice actor?

David Goldberg: That's an interesting question. I guess I should say that I know a lot of voice talent, a lot of voice actors who have turned down jobs over the years because they just don't believe in the personal product or it could be a politician that you don't support and so forth, so to answer the question how could it negatively affect you?

Certainly, you could lose a relationship with that particular client, and of course as most of you have heard throughout the day, you do one job and you meet the script writer who knows the video editor of another thing and one job can lead to many jobs, and you know, it can have an affect. I think at the same time, if you're working with an agent or a casting agent or a director, producer, copy writer, whoever your direct client is, if you word it in such a way and you stand up for your beliefs, they can possibly come to your aid, and say, "This guy is pretty good. They'll read only what they want to read."

Maybe it makes you look very professional, that you are not so desperate to take on a job that you turn down a job. There are certain things that I personally won't produce, our studio won't produce any commercial for cigarettes, that's our thing. I think it really comes down to what your beliefs are and how important they are, and it probably comes down to how expensive your rent check is and how badly you need to pay your rent check. You have to weigh the pros and cons.

Warren Garling: Good point. Rodney, we get this question quite often from folks and maybe you can help us out a bit. "I'm really concerned about being too nervous when I enter the booth. What can I do to relax?"

Rodney Saulsberry: Well, I think nervous is good, I really do. I said this last year, I was terribly nervous before I came out and spoke with you all today. But if I ever lose that, something would be wrong, and I think that you take that nervous energy, you use that adrenaline to be successful. That's what it does for me, it keeps me on my toes. If you are a basket case and you have a real problem and you never pull it together, I think you're going to have to work on that, I don't know that I can necessarily say how. Taking deep breaths are good I think, just sort of settling yourself. Breathing is real important in voice over and I think it cures nervousness too, at times. But don't fear nervous, embrace it. I think it makes you better, it makes you sharp.

I want to go back to something real briefly about doing work that you don't want to do. I had a person ask me to do a job and they said the money is not that great. OK, that wasn't a problem. Then they sent me the script and I wrote back that I'm not into doing this because I didn't want to be this guy. The guy was the guy who was sexually harassing somebody on the job. And I said in the email, "Don't I have the right as a voice over artist to turn down something I don't want to do?" to which the person wrote back, "Yeah you really do. Well we've got other spots, what if you aren't that guy but the victim or something? Would you be into that?" And I'm like OK, because I'm into the cause, I'm not into sexual harassment on the job, but I did say no to saying the slimy things that this guy was saying and I was respected for it. She wrote back in one email and said, "Why? Is it because of the money?", I said, "The cause, I would do for free. I just don't want to play this character." I thought when they switched and gave me the next character that they were going to say, "Well now you said you would do this for free... would you do it..." but they didn't do that. (laughter)

David Bourgeois: I just want to add to the nervousness question. I agree 100% with Rodney. It can be important to be nervous, it can be an advantage. I would love you all to be nervous, as long as you're nervous about the right thing. Too many voice actors I meet who are new to the field come in to do a professional job, and when I meet them ahead of time, do you know what they are nervous about? They're nervous about getting it right. I need to be nervous about that, I'm the producer, or the client needs to be nervous about that. Getting it right is not part of your job description. You're not going to be determining what right is unless you are self-producing that job through Voices.com.

You've got three things on your plate here, read aloud, take and interpret direction, and very importantly, apply creativity to the material you are reading. You focus on the things you should be nervous about. Develop your reading skill, develop your direction, taking it and your ability to effectively apply direction, and for goodness sake, always with people like me who are producing, I always prefer to have somebody that takes a unique and creative approach to the copy, even if it's 19 miles away from what I'm looking for, I'd rather have that than somebody who comes in flat because at least I know there's somebody who I can work with.

Warren Garling: Great, thank you. Jenny, what are some of the things voice actors you've hired did RIGHT to get invited back to work with you again?

Jenny Marcotte: Did right. Practiced, definitely, came in on time, professional, followed up, thank you. Just what he (David Bourgeois) was saying, you can tell when they were able to take direction, they were creative, they were fun to work with. All of those things definitely help me be able to hire that person back and refer somebody to them.

Warren Garling: Don't forget cookies!

Jenny Marcotte: And the cookies, right, definitely! And cheesecake I think we got too, recently.

Warren Garling: Chocolate chip especially

Jenny Marcotte: Yes, we did. (laughter)

Warren Garling: Let's ask the other side of that and have Jenny answer again. What has someone done wrong when they've come into the studio that in your head you're saying that you you'd never invite this person again or hire this person again?

Jenny Marcotte: How much time do we have? (laughter from the audience) Just on the flip, we recently had this happen. I had a pretty good demo and referred this person. She had not practiced from the time she made that demo. It was an extremely long and painful session I believe, really hard to work with and basically what it does is it then costs us that client, too. People not showing up or thinking it's okay to show up an hour late to a session, having to reschedule... I know it probably sounds ridiculous, but it actually has happened, and it does get mentioned after so please keep those things in mind.

David Goldberg: Let me add a comment to this. I've seen this happen so many times with new talent. You're on your first job and you look at the script and the talent says, (leaning in) "Who wrote this piece of garbage?" (audience laughter) and the client is right there and it's not a good thing to say.

Jenny Marcotte: You can think it all you want.

David Goldberg: Yes, think it, you know... and also, actually, it's kind of a rude story, but I have to tell this and I'll make it fast. We had a woman in the studio once, quick background: there were about 10 producers on this particular job, don't ask why, but the creative director, the script writer, the video editor and so forth, the woman forgot that the microphone was on when she went in the booth and she passed gas (audience laughter), and had no clue, and then all of a sudden 10 people on the other side of the glass are laughing and she had no idea what happened. So remember, the microphone is always on and you don't want to lose a job over silly things.

Warren Garling: Billy, have you noticed a change over the years as to the kind of voices businesses are requesting?

Billy Serow: (leaning in) No. (audience laughter)

Warren Garling: Thank you, next question!

Billy Serow: Ah yes, Rodney touched on this greatly so I'm just going to I'm just going to sound like a broken record. Yes, the operative word "real" and these are the days of the anti-announcer. Every single day, and it's so funny how people say it as if you're supposedly hearing it for the first time. "We're looking for a guy, 40-45, NOT announcery" (audience laughter). Hmm, OK. You take them at their word and then you read the copy and the copy says "Introducing!", something that nobody says in real life, and you're supposed to sound real while saying the word introducing, so yeah, the operative word is "real".

Warren Garling: Stephanie, I notice that you require a minimum $100 fee for any voice work offered through Voices.com. Why can't I charge less?

Stephanie Ciccarelli: Why can you not charge less? Well, the answer is that you need to respect yourself. If you are putting all this work into the audition itself, and your studio, your education, all of these things have culminated to something worthwhile for you in your business, so if you start quoting less than what is suggested and what the client is actually prepared to pay, then you are doing yourself a disservice, your peers a disservice, you're doing the industry a disservice. So please keep in mind that if a client has specified this is my budget, this is the high end, the low end, please meet me somewhere in the middle or do your best to quote, remain within that budget. Also, don't take yourself for granted because your skills, everything you put into yourself, your work, your voice, how they are going to use it... you're worth so much more than undercutting yourself and everyone else who is on the website (applause from panel and audience), so that is why you shouldn't bid less than $100.

Warren Garling: Very nice, absolutely. Dave Goldberg, is there any seasonality to the VO business? Is there a good time of year, bad time of year?

David Goldberg: It depends what you're talking about. We've found at our studios that summers are typically a bit slower, the amount of production work that comes in, meaning for you that it's a fantastic time to market yourselves. Producers have a bit more time on their hands, or their ears, so take advantage of it. And certainly, I guess there are different kinds of commercials that sell more during winter and summer, it depends on the product that's being narrated but, otherwise I'm not familiar with any seasonality.

Warren Garling: OK, thank you. Rodney, how has marketing yourself changed over the years as you've become successful? Do you still have to market yourself just as hard as you did from day one?

Rodney Saulsberry: Yes, you do, and I talked about YouTube. It's just the same. In my book I talk about saturating the market, but it is important to do your research first, you know you don't want to just throw things out there that don't go anywhere. Have a plan, have a group of people that you are going to send something to. If you can, make contact with people at these places that are hired to listen to these demos, and trust me when I tell you that they were hired to do that for a good reason because that's what they are supposed to do. Sometimes they actually do listen, and sometimes you are successful, but you have to take those shots and market yourself. I talked about simplicity.

Someone asked me about pictures on a CD. I think it's a personal thing. If you want to, you can, but when I'm asked my thought about that, I say No. I say that we need to be recognized by our voices and our talent as opposed to someone seeing a picture and deciding something about us and that may make them not hire us for the job. I had a situation recently where I did a cartoon and all of a sudden they said they wanted to see me for a motion cap (motion capture), a mo-cap, they call it, session, and so I had to drive to San Diego and put on this scuba diving type suit and all of these balls on me and this thing on my head. The character that I played, the body and the movements are based on my body, the face is not, it doesn't look like me, but the movements that I'm making... well, you know, I do voice overs! I'm working for 4 or 5 minutes, 30 minutes et cetera, I'm done, they've got me for a day, 8 hours, and all of a sudden I've got rifles in my hand and they're asking me to roll around on the floor and all types of things, and I'm thinking to myself, as

I looked at all these younger people around me, they thought my voice sounded like something (laughing), but now I'm here and I'm not necessarily that same guy. I may not have ever gotten there if they had seen a picture, so let your voice do the work for you and yes marketing is very important, just as it was when I wrote that book in 2004 and talked about saturating the market.

Warren Garling: Thank you Rodney, Mr. Bourgeois, what techniques do you recommend for slowing yourself down when reading text?

David Bourgeois: Well, like Billy said, we have definitely gravitated toward conversational, believable, sincere delivery. One of the most common differences in how people read text and how they speak text is that reading becomes task oriented with the goal being reaching the end. So, everyone has a natural tendency to accelerate their pace when they're reading.

I used to do a little experiment with people where I would have them speak for a couple of minutes off of the top of their head, and this goes way back to when I started training in this field, and we'd bring them back in the control room and play that back a couple of times, write it down word for word, and ask them to go in and read it at the same pace that they felt that they had said it. We never, and I did that with many people, had anybody able to read it in any more than half the time it took them to say a couple of minutes of material. It's very interesting.

So, a great technique to fight this is to use what I would call reset points. Take your pencil and just put little reminder marks in your copy to reset that pace back to a genuine, believable, conversational pace. You always want to be working off of what I would refer to as your conversational average, your average conversational pace. As the excitement level increases in the copy you're reading, you're not just going to speed up, you're going to use more variation in the pace. As your perception of the excitement level in the copy lessens, you don't just slow down, you come back closer to that conversational average. But maintaining that conversational average is difficult, feel free, mark your copy up, put reminders at the beginning of the third or fourth line that says, "Hey, settle down back down and get that energy together again". To the client, to the copy writer, to the person trying to convey that information, the words later in the copy are just as important as the words you started out with.

Rodney Saulsberry: I love that, and I call it scoring the copy. For me, all of this voice over is analogous to music, right, and so I draw lines where I'm going to pause, I draw lines up where I'm going to take a line up at the end, and I think about something that Evan said when he talked about how from doing this over and over again, he began to have an internal clock that just naturally happened, you know, and that's what I'm talking about practicing. The more that you do something, the better you are going to get, and the notation that David is talking about, and what I'm telling about, you're going to do that - I still do that today - but you will find that if you keep doing it, practice is practice, and then pretty soon it's in you and you got it, and you don't even need to mark it as much, but do in the beginning, and if you have to mark late like I still do, mark.

Underline words that you're going to emphasize, if you're going to go down, you're going down, if you're going to go up, it's going up.

I do an exercise where I can have two people, and we can have a paragraph, no let's say a few lines, four or five lines. I will have one person score the copy, come up with an interpretation and then score it. Underline words they are going to emphasize, make a line go up when they are going to go up, make a line go down. I will have that person read that interpretation that they have just scored, or do just what David said, and then the next person will tell us and tell that person where their underscores were, where the lines were going up, where the lines were going down. Do you see what I'm saying? That's how important scoring copy is and that's how obvious it can be if you have written this map that is so right on that somebody can tell you what's on your paper. When we looked at the paper, the next student got it exactly right, because the person read their interpretation just like they scored it.

Evan Farmer: The power of the scoring, and for me it's mostly on-camera stuff, is so evident that when I score an audition for a sitcom audition, for example, and I'll see other actors also doing the same thing in the room, I'll take my sheet into the room and typically I'm off-book by the time I go into read. I'm a big believer in preparedness. It's one way to take the fear out of an audition. Anytime you feel anxiety about something it's usually nature's way of saying, "Hey prepare, prepare for what's coming. Are you prepared?"

Sometimes there are other things like what we've spoken about before, but my copy of that audition sheet to me is such gold, that I wouldn't in a million years let another actor see it, because my interpretation that I have come up with could the the ticket of why I got the job, and I'll give you a quick example of that.

Austin Powers III : Gold Member, anybody see that? Young Number 2 character, Robert Wagner, originally Rob Lowe, I was the high school version.

Now, to give you an idea of what I was up against, when I auditioned for that I was 30 years old, I was playing a high school character, and in film that's not always a leap of faith, but the people they had already cast for characters to play next to me were in high school. But, I went in and I auditioned, and actually it's a longer story and I'll make it shorter, I auditioned for another character, the casting director came in and said, "Hey, that guy looks like Rob Lowe", thought I looked like I could be the part, mind you, I was at the apex of my career, I had a big television show, I had been in the MTV thing where we opened up for Britney Spears, I could go into malls and get my shirt ripped off my back and yet I was in there auditioning for the first audition just like everybody else.

So another example, it never ends, you're never too big, and your marketing never stops, but that's not the point.

I go in there, and I had this line, and I'll never forget it. It didn't end up in the movie, and I'll tell you exactly where it comes, but my character was supposed to explain his existence in the prequel episodes of the movie, and my character, Number 2, I walk up to Young Doctor Evil who is looking at his class standings, his ratings in the class, and he says, (in character) "Hey look everybody, I'm Number One!" and that was the part I originally auditioned for and I clearly didn't get it for that reason you just saw.

Anyway, my character comes up and I walk up in my Robert Wagner / Rob Lowe kind of voice, and I did a lot of preparation, in fact DVDs for me are a great way because I needed to find that voice and I had to find something that kind of had a blend of both of them. So I watched the DVDs and watched Robert Wagner in the special scene selections and Rob Lowe talking at the end of those. That's how I prepared for that movie. So anyway, my character comes in and says (in character), "Hello, I'm Number 2" and so he goes, "Hello, Number 2", and I have to explain to him, and this line is how I got the movie, I explained to him, "No, my name is not Number 2, I'm Number 2 in the class", and then he goes on to say something, he goes, "Well, what's your name?" It was something like Mark Banibischibinibinischwitz, or something ridiculous, you know, some Hollywood... and he says, "Well, I'm sorry to hear that", and then of course this is the part, and my script actually had this little sign I have for a take when an actor kind of takes a moment and acts without saying anything, and I took a deep breath, and he says, "I'm sorry to hear that", and I went (huskily, airy Robe Lowesque), "Tell me about it".

It was this big pause in this scene that had this rhythm and it broke the scene up. So fast forward, I get the part, return that $700 suit I bought at Macy's to audition with (audience laughter), always keep the receipt, and I'm on set with Jay Roach and we're doing the scene, and I notice on the script that the line had been cut out and I was a little upset because I knew that was my moment.

That was actually the very moment I could see on the casting directors faces and the directors faces that I got the part. Sometimes you don't know, but sometimes in an audition you can just get that visceral, boom, I'm in. That was the moment.

So anyway, I walk up and Jay was having a hard time getting this good scene out of me and he couldn't understand why because he didn't realize it had been rewritten 17 times. He's like, "There's something you did in the audition. In fact, Mike Myers..." - this is one of those great moments where you get a glimpse into the decision making process - "In fact, Mike Myers and I watched your audition tape and we both" - and I can't say it - "Beeped ourselves. It was awesome. What did you do?"

I knew because I remembered it was that moment that I'll never forget that I got the part. And I said, "Oh, well it was this line that is no longer in it (the movie)". It was that, and I made that decision on my couch while I was reading through this, and I found an opportunity for me to shine, for me to give a little piece of me that nobody else probably will, and now had somebody seen my sheet, if they could even read my scoring, I don't know if they could have picked that up but that one take is how I did. That's how critical it is from a perspective of on-camera as well, and to this day I never let anybody see my sheet, and I write in code (audience laughter).

Warren Garling: Thank you very much, Evan. Dave Goldberg, it's been a while since I did my first demo. When do you know it's time for a new one?

David Goldberg: If it's been a while, yes. A couple of things to say about this. The most important thing, I think you said it, Jenny. It's so important that if there's a time lapse between when you've made your demo and got your first job that you are able to reproduce the sound on your demo. Does that make sense to everyone? Because we've lost clients over that same reason and it's not good for anyone.

So when is it time to make your new demo?

1. When you have improved.

2. If you have a new specialty that you want to focus on, so for example, you may have a demo that just focuses on general commercial or general narration but perhaps you decide to focus on animation, or audiobook or documentary or educational or sales and presentations and so forth.

3. It's time to produce a new demo when the styles on your existing demo are all out of date. And you don't need to produce an entirely new demo, but if you have a demo that sounds like it was done in 1997, add one or two new spots on your demo, and now hopefully if a casting agents ears are in tune, they'll listen to your demo say, "Well, it sounds like they were working ten, twelve years ago and they are still working today," because you have a new sounding style on your demo, it appears as if you're very experienced, you have been working for twelve years. There's some thoughts.

David Bourgeois: Yeah, I agree completely with what Dave says, and the mindset should be like this, your demo is your resume; your demo is never done throughout your voice over career. You'll continue to add to your demo, tune your demo just based on exactly what Dave said, you know, you develop a new skill, you want to focus on a specialty, particularly in a B market, you've done some recognizable work that you want to include on your demo, but it's a resume - keep it fresh and I 100% agree with Dave on a point he made - you've really got to bring your skill set into the studio with you. Make sense?

Stephanie Ciccarelli: I'd like to add something to this too, and I think David you kind of pointed to it, you can have older material on your demo just make sure it isn't dated like, "1997, come get our Ford whatever it is!" because right away you know that is 10, 12 years old. That, and also keep in mind that you will age too, your voice is going to change. For women, your voice matures when you are 40 years old. It will go through a variety of different stages depending on how old you are when you start your voice over career. You will go from sounding one way to maturing and so forth.

Men, your voices tend to stay around the same area for a while. When you're middle aged, you'll still sound like you're younger, potentially. Your voice will shift as well, obviously it will happen, but as you age, take a look at it. If you listen to your demo and all of a sudden you don't recognize the voice on that demo (audience laughter), it may be time to reconsider because it's just like a headshot. If you get a headshot done and you're passing out this picture of yourself but it doesn't look like you anymore, you're misleading somebody with what you can do.

So, if you keep up with the trends, keep up with the different things in the market, but also make sure that what people are hearing is actually something that you can still do, as you age obviously you can still manipulate your voice to sound younger perhaps, or to sound older, but if you can't maintain that anymore and if your natural speaking voice has shifted into a different register, for men, sometimes tenors will become baritones, so keep that in mind, but specifically for women, you're going to want to look at this more because the female voice ages more dramatically as the years go on, more so than the male voice does, so I just thought I add that in there.

Warren Garling: Thank you Stephanie, and that's going to have to be the last word. Ladies and gentlemen, can I hear a rousing thank you for these folks (audience applause)

Any Comments You'd Like To Share or Add?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

On behalf of everyone on the panel and at the Voice Coaches Expo, thank you for reading and I hope you've enjoyed this conference coverage.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Valerie Loiseleux

Have you ever visited an online medical site?

Many health care related sites are now providing useful, reliable health information directly to patients to help them manage their conditions and make treatment choices through interactive presentations involving voice over.

Learn more about this opportunity for voice over talent and also hear from Shelley Baldiga, the voice of the Information Therapy Conversations presented on the Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare's website.

Information Therapy

While not replacing consultations with medical professionals, these interactive avenues, such as the resources offered by Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare, provide people with access to information that will help them to take better care of themselves to solve age-old problems.

To enrich these presentations, and better engage potential customers, voice over is being used more and more in this field.

How Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare Is Using Voice Over

The Wall Street Journal reports that Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare, a nonprofit health plan in New England, recently began offering on its Web site one of Healthwise's coaching programs called Information Therapy Conversations.

The site, open to the public at harvardpilgrim.org/conversations, guides consumers through issues such as dealing with sleep problems, depression and lower-back pain. Using soothing voice-overs and animations, it asks questions to determine the extent of the problem, suggests the types of doctors or health professionals who might help, and provides information based on the patient's answers.

I had the opportunity to talk with Shelley Baldiga about her experience recording the voice over and have included our interview for you to read.

VOX: How did you get the job narrating these conversations for Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare?

SHELLEY BALDIGA: I actually narrate the conversations for a company called Healthwise, an organization that provides health information and programs for major hospitals and insurers like Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare as well as Internet sites like WebMD. I auditioned with Healthwise for their first conversation back in 2006 and have been voicing for them ever since.

VOX: Thanks for clarifying that detail, Shelley! When taking one of the guided conversations about sleep, I noticed that there are a number of variables presented, which I'm sure translated to a lot of voice over work having to record accounting for each possible scenario in the survey. How many prompts did you record for each conversation?

SB: I believe it's around 350 individual audio files per conversation. The whole recording session is totally fragmented -- from doing partial sentences to single transitional words, like "okay", "great" or "hmmmm." And, as you would expect, each response varies depending on where we are in the conversation. We also have to consider what someone has already told us as we travel down different paths. For example, on the sleep conversation, we ask how long they've had sleep problems, do they need an alarm to wake up, what do they do right before bed, have they been diagnosed with sleep apnea or depression, etc. Then, we refer to that information when giving advice down the line. The producer is constantly reminding me who a particular response applies to. "This is for someone who says he doesn't have sleep apnea but does have anxiety about lack of sleep..." You have to consider those variables when reading the lines.

VOX: How long did this project take for you to complete?

SB: We're more efficient now than with our first conversation. These days, it takes about 4-5 hours to record a single topic, start to finish.

VOX: Have you yourself found these conversations to be useful? Did you learn anything from them when recording?

SB: I've learned a lot! It has helped me to better understand diabetes, which is helpful since my dad was recently diagnosed with type 2. I could tell you all kinds of interesting facts about heart health and the medications for it, when to have surgery for low back pain, things like that. I learn something new every time we record.

VOX: You got to keep your own name for the character you recorded. Was this something that was decided from the start or were you able to make a suggestion that your first name "Shelley" be used?

SB: Healthwise wanted to use my name. I believe their reasoning was "to keep it real." The whole concept is that this should sound like an actual conversation you'd have with your doctor or some other medical professional, not just automated responses from your computer. That's what makes the product so compelling. It really feels personal, like you're talking with someone who wants to help. And I have to think that helps people take away more information, and in a much more fun way.

VOX: As a voice over talent, it is rare to record a script using your own name. Did narrating as "Shelley" make a difference in how you interpreted the script? How did it feel? Were you recording as you or did you develop a new character with specific qualities who happened to bear the same name?

SB: I think narrating as myself has made a difference. I see the character as me... but in a medical role. As long as I remember I'm wearing that hat, there's never any question about how the character will respond. And I find myself focusing a lot more on who I'm speaking to, rather than who my character is supposed to be.

VOX: Your work got some nice coverage in the Wall Street Journal and I was wondering if you had heard additional commentary, perhaps even from users of the site? Have you heard much feedback regarding the conversations?

SB: The feedback has been great! People seem impressed with the fact that they get specific health advice based on their specific symptoms, not just a generic speech. Plus, it's fun and different. When asked about the voice, we hear comments that run from "she sounds like a nice, older lady" to "she sounds hot!" I have to laugh. I guess it depends on who they want the character to be.

VOX: What has been the biggest challenge in a project like this?

SB: For me, it's finding that balance between being too laid back and too preachy. The conversations are interactive and they're supposed to be fun! But we're talking about serious stuff - sometimes life-or-death health conditions. It's a challenge keeping things casual without offending anyone or turning someone away. It helps to remember... just keep it real.

Have you had any experience using or narrating Information Therapy?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Stephanie

What will you be doing for Earth Day?

I'm pleased to welcome back actor, writer and the source of many intellectual musings, Edoardo Ballerini.

Join me now in this discussion about how you can make a difference and how the entertainment industry can help make our world a better place.

VOX: Edoardo, thank you for joining me again on VOX Daily. Welcome :) How have you been?

EDOARDO BALLERINI: I have been well, thank you. Our industry has been shifting quickly, and along with the economic uncertainty, has created some interesting challenges, but it can be a period of re-evaluation and re-positioning. On the voice side of things, I'm putting together a series of audiobooks, as both voice talent and producer, something I wouldn't have imagined even two years ago. Oh, and since we've spoken, I got to do my first animation gig, for "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," which was a blast!

VOX: That's great news, Edoardo! From listening to your Mineralava Musings podcast, I have discovered, among other things, that you are quite interested in the environment and are passionate about how people in the entertainment industry can help to minimize their direct impact on the planet. As Earth Day is now upon us, I thought it would be nice to chat with you a bit about how we can make a difference, too. Before we get too far in, what drives you to be so eco-conscious?

EB: If I had a "moment of zen" about being eco-conscious it was during a hike a few years back. I looked out at this magnificent landscape of hills and earth and along the ridge I saw... power lines. I don't begrudge power lines per se, but it struck me just how insensitive we as a race of people were about the natural environment. Surely, there's a way to supply power without desecrating natural beauty!

My belief is this: there are small things we can all do that, added up, make a huge difference. I can't claim to be perfectly eco-conscious, but there are simple choices we could make, that don't even impact the quality of our lives. Bringing a mug to the coffee shop, using cloth bags at the supermarket, re-using bottles for water instead of buying them new every time, planning a route for errands and doing them all at once, eating less meat. Little things.

But my big passion in this area is in buying used goods whenever possible. From clothing to furniture to equipment, buying used means saving something from the scrap heap, fewer materials used, and virtually no shipping costs since used goods tend to be purchased locally.

VOX: Doing little things to help does make a significant impact. We do a lot of recycling and composting at our house and also use reusable bags when grocery shopping. On another note, you live in Los Angeles for the most part in addition to spending quite a bit of time in New York and London, all large cities deeply involved in the artistic scene. In your opinion, what could Hollywood, and other centers of entertainment, be doing better (or doing more of) to help the environment?

EB: Well, if we as individuals can do the little things, then the studios and networks around the world can do the big things, and I believe they have that responsibility. They can power their buildings through solar panels, keep their money in "green" banks, replace fleets of cars with hybrids and electrics, that kind of thing. But they can also incorporate "green" themes into programming and content. The same way that smoking has all but been eradicated from films, imagine if we were exposed to characters who lived eco-friendly lifestyles. It could help it become the cultural norm and not an "alternative."

VOX: All great points! In which ways can voice actors working from home make a difference? Is there anything in particular that you suggest doing?

EB: Voice actors working from home are already doing a lot by simply not being on the roads, or using courier services to deliver CDs. I recognize that there's a trade-off because computer equipment has a lot of hazardous materials inside, but on balance, it's a great thing to do, not to mention a lot less stressful than getting stuck on a freeway or subway!

VOX: While digital technology has created some eco-friendly solutions, such as the potential of the paperless office, has the technology also in some ways created issues for the environment? Are we using more energy than before, for instance, to power up gear?

EB: Ah, I anticipated your question! Yes, powering up gear requires energy, of course, but it's likely that our computers and mixers will become more energy efficient than our cars. And if you travel to a studio, you're still confronted with using energy once you arrive, so cutting out a step makes sense.

VOX: Buying second-hand or gently used items is a great idea that I know you are also a fan of. What kind of things can be purchased used and how does buying used items such as clothing or recording equipment help to reduce our consumption of natural resources?

EB: Hmmm... I seem to have gotten ahead of your questions. But I can add another something to the idea of buying used. For many years, I think there was a stigma against it because the things you got would be of poor quality, truly the discarded bits of people's lives that nobody would want. But the advent of sites like craigslist and eBay have made it possible to search beyond the local Salvation Army, and there are truly some amazing things out there for sale. So you can get what you want, save money, and do some good all at once.

VOX: Are there any ways that voice talent specifically can contribute to making the world a greener, better place?

EB: What voice actors can do is what anybody else can do. Get educated, make some simple changes to habits, and realize that our resources are, in fact, finite. We have to be smart about how we use them! And because we do use a lot of equipment, it's important that we understand how to discard of it when it comes time to do so.

VOX: Note taken. I'm glad you pointed that out, Edoardo. Sometimes professionals don't see beyond their own little worlds and it's always good to remind ourselves that voice actors, while unique to a degree, are people just like anyone else. That being said, how will you be spending Earth Day?

EB: I'll be spending Earth Day in New York, a city that can often feel devoid of nature. But I just read about an artist who wants people to sprinkle wildflower seeds around town, wherever there's a tree-bed or some patch of earth. I thought that was very clever, so I'll do that.

~~

What Will You Be Doing to Celebrate Earth Day?

If you have anything you'd like to add to this conversation, please comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you! Now, off to plant some wild flowers...

Cheers,

Stephanie

For ten years, Kathleen Herles was the voice of Dora the Explorer, one of the most famous voices on television.

Since graduating from high school and moving on to college, she has retired from her role as Dora and is looking forward to what her future career may bring.

Join me in this conversation with Kathleen Herles as she shares what it was like to provide the voice of a beloved character in a runaway hit and how her experiences both in the studio and out impacted her life growing up Dora.

VOX: Thank you very much for joining us here today, Kathleen! I'm grateful that you're able to share some of your experiences with us. Many people know you best for your work as the original voice of Dora the Explorer. Last September, a new chapter of your career began as you left Dora behind. Was turning the page hard and how have things been going for you since then?

KATHLEEN HERLES: It was definitely sad to leave the show because that's what I grew up with. However, I knew no ties would be broken between all the friends that I made. During this time I had just graduated from high school. I now attend Pace University. I still go on auditions and just hope for the best.

VOX: As you were the first voice of Dora, literally everything about her personality audibly is credited to you and your voice over artistry. How old were you when you were cast to perform her voice and how did you come to get the job?

KH: When I was 4 years old I was attending a modeling school and I went to the MTA convention and was discovered by my manager Shirley Grant. At 7, years old I went to audition for the voice of Dora and the same day I found out that I had gotten the part. That day was one of the best days of my life. I didn't have to change my voice when I started Dora. That was my voice as a child. Creating and being a part of this amazing character is such a great honor.

VOX: How many years did you record Dora's voice for? Did you find it challenging to maintain a certain "voice age" as your own voice was becoming more mature in your teenage years? Why or why not?

KH: I've been the voice of Dora for ten years. As I got older it was definitely a challenge to maintain my 7 year old voice, but it was fairly easy after.

VOX: If you could choose 3 adjectives to describe Dora's voice, what would they be?

KH: Energetic, loving, and passionate.

VOX: Over the years, your voice became synonymous with one of the most captivating, beloved cartoon characters on television for the preschool and primary set, parents and babysitters everywhere. What does this kind of iconic status mean to you, and also, did you realize at the time just how much of an impact you made or is it more apparent now that you've retired from the role?

KH: At first I had no idea this was gonna turn out and be such an impact. As I got older I could understand more of what I was part of. When I would do appearances and meet fans and their moms I couldn't even comprehend the love they had for Dora. Some mothers even started to cry and a lot of those times I realized how much of an impact this show was, and I could not believe it. I was awarded many times for the voice of Dora and being part of it. Knowing that I was a role model for millions of children definitely added pressure but it was cool at the same time.

VOX: Dora speaks both English and Spanish. Being bilingual, this must have been easy for you to do. Are there any words or phrases that were translated on the show for the audience on the series that you count among your most memorable? Why did these particular lines stick out to you?

KH: Being bilingual is another thing Dora and I have in Common. Dora always uses Spanish to encourage kids like Excellente, Fantastico. She always loves to speak Spanish and wants to share it. Bate Bate chocolate is one of my favorite Spanish songs from Dora. Its sticks to me because in the episode Dora and her grandmother make fresh chocolate from cocoa beans and it reminds me of memories I have with my abuelita.

VOX: That's wonderful! I know that song myself and can attest to how memorable it is. Moving along, was it hard to get other voice over gigs growing up because you were the voice of Dora, or in other words, did the fact that you voiced such a high profile character pose any problems working for anyone else?

KH: No it wasn't hard at all. I was in Sesame Street and was part of several commercials and print jobs.

VOX: What is your favorite Dora the Explorer memory?

KH: My favorite Dora the Explorer memory definitely has to be the premiere party and just hanging out with the other voice actors. Growing up with everyone made them my second family. We all still keep in touch and the voice of Backpack is my best friend to this day.

VOX: Have you been able to meet any of your fans over the years and are there any special moments you could share with us? Also, what do your fans mean to you?

KH: Yes I have had the privilege to meet a lot of my fans. It's so overwhelming and amazing when I do. Kids are so cute and so funny and ask the cutest things. One time I made a little cry because he probably had no idea what was going on. It was sad but cute.

VOX: You'll be judging the Best Child Voice Voicey Award this year. Do you have any words of encouragement or tips for the children who were nominated this year?

KH: My advice would be to just have a lot of energy and fun because it shows a lot in your voice when you do and Good Luck! Buena Suerte!

Any Comments?

If you're a fan of Kathleen's work as Dora or enjoyed this interview, be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Were you taken aback when told to "Keep up with all the Grammy action on Facebook and Twitter!"?

If you watched the 51st Annual Grammy awards this year, you heard the voice of Heather Halley, a voice that has received numerous compliments from people inside and outside of the voice over industry.

Heather Halley was kind to answer a number of my questions and connect with me on Facebook. Am I ever excited to share her story with you!

Join me now in this interview with the voice behind the Grammys, Heather Halley.

Voices.com Interview with Heather Halley

VOX: Hi Heather, thank you for joining us today! You just announced at the Grammys... how was that?

HEATHER HALLEY: Being chosen to announce the 51st Grammy Awards was a true honor. I learned so much, and gained a tremendous amount of respect for those behind the scenes.

VOX: From what I heard, the Grammys took a swing in the direction of Social Media, having you announce that fans could keep in the loop through Facebook and Twitter. As an announcer, have you ever encountered that kind of interactivity with your audience before, or do you feel that this was a first where announcing at live award shows is concerned?

HH: No, I have never encountered that kind of interactivity with an audience before using Facebook and Twitter. I could be wrong... but I do believe it was a first with The Grammys. I thought it was wonderful that viewers and fans could follow the Grammys through Facebook and Twitter. It made the show more accessible, and exciting.

VOX: How did the online community contribute to the energy and success of the show? Were you able to engage in the activities taking place to get an indication of how the announcements were being received?

HH: Absolutely. I definitely think that the online community generated a tremendous amount of energy, and success to the show. You bet! No, unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to find out how the announcements were being received. Although, after the show was over, so many people were kind enough to take the time and write to me on my Facebook page or contacted me through my website. It was so awesome! I had folks from all over America, including Northern Ireland and Argentina. How cool is that? They didn't have to, but they took the time to congratulate me. The online Voice Over Community Rocks!

I was actually sitting in a very small office with the Grammys Script Coordinator for 15 hours straight, and not in a full length designer gown, mind you. Thank God the bathroom was right down the hallway. My Script Coordinator, (who was lovely), and others on the Grammy Script team, would stick their heads in, and let me know what the reactions were on Facebook and Twitter.

VOX: You have received praise from people both inside and outside of the voice over community, which is quite a feat. I've been reading the feedback on Twitter and people thought your performance was very different from what they had heard before and I even received emails asking me who announced at the show! Some speculate also that you may have been the youngest person to announce at the Grammys. We won't go there, but your youthful sound was duly noted. How do you think your performance has differed from past Grammy announcers and did you (or those in charge) make any conscious decisions to sound different to build more of a Grammy community?

HH: Thank you so much Stephanie. As I mentioned before, so many folks have sincerely been very kind. I was thrilled that there was such positive feedback. That means a great deal to me.

As for being the youngest person to ever announce The Grammys... sure let's say why not! Thank God for Voice Over right? I am really not too sure about that. That is a very good question. That's one of the many cool things about voiceover. Don't ever think you are too old to start. Follow those dreams.

When I was asked to audition through my agency, CESD. My agent never stressed they were looking for a, "younger" sound. Of course I was excited and nervous. I wanted to do a good job. Thank God my agent just said, "Heather, just be yourself, and hit it out of the ball park kid." Needless to say, I was beyond ecstatic when I was chosen. I think you need to speak to people, not at them. I hate that. They have invited us into their homes, not the other way around.

VOX: We've touched on the show itself; now, I'd like to ask you about how you got the job? Well Heather, how did you become the announcer for the Grammys?

HH: My Promo Agent from CESD submitted my demos to the Grammy folks. He also submitted an award program I had announced for Sir Elton John in Washington, DC, which was also an honor to work on. Then I was asked to actually audition on Grammy copy. I auditioned in my closet/home studio.

VOX: Did you find anything particularly exciting about announcing live at the Grammys? Where were you stationed and what kind of gear did you use?

HH: The entire process was exciting. The script constantly changed, up until the end of the show. I attribute it to performing in live theatre. It is very much a collaborate environment. The energy was amazing. The people I worked with were very good to me. Actually being there for the rehearsal was thrilling.

I was stationed in a very tiny room, with my Script Coordinator. I sat and announced on a Neumann microphone. My script book, that weighs around 10 pounds, (God Bless the people that but that book together... so organized), sat on my stand. I had headphones on, so I was able to hear everyone from the director, AD, lighting, all 26 Stage Managers and so on. That in it self was a learning experience. I also had a 12-inch computer monitor right in front of me, so I could see everything that was going on with the show.

VOX: Were you able to meet any of the performers or presenters? If so, who did you meet?

HH: No, unfortunately I did not get to meet any of the performer or presenters. But, after spending 15 hours with these folks, even through a monitor and headset. I felt like I could go up to say, Stevie Wonder and give him a big ol' hug. I did however meet some of the hardest working people in our industry. It's those folks you don't see. Wow! They were the absolute core of the Grammys.

VOX: In your opinion, what was the single most heartwarming moment of the awards show?

HH: That's a tough one. There were so many moments I got goose bumps during the rehearsal, and the live show. But honestly. It was when my Mom, Kay Halley, text messaged me during the rehearsal, "I love you Honey, you are going to Rock, don't worry." Right after I received that text from my Mom, Jennifer Hudson came on stage to rehearse her number. I just started crying. Then my Script Coordinator began to cry. Whether you are a fan of hers or not, with everything that young woman has been through, by God she got out there and sang her heart out. I called my Ma on commercial break to tell her I loved her.

VOX: That's so sweet! On another note, from what I've heard, many announcers tend to get tired and don't make it to the after party. Were you able to attend any socials after the show or did you retire early?

HH: Everyone was absolutely exhausted. They had been working longer hours than me that week. No, I did not make it to any after parties. I hung out with the crew. I did get to attend a lovely reception for the Director of The Grammy's, Walter Miller. He has been directing the Grammys for over 30 years. We toasted to him regarding his retirement.

You work with people, good people, and we instantly become family, then the curtain falls. It really was bittersweet.

VOX: Given the enthusiastic feedback your announcing has received from the public, I think you may have just set a new standard for live announcing at award shows. How does that make you feel?

HH: That is so cool Stephanie! I hope people really enjoyed the whole show. Hearing that folks thought I added something positive to the show has kept me on cloud nine for the past two weeks. I keep saying... Oscars? Can't we do the Grammys again?

I would love to thank all of my family, friends, and all of the people who did take the time to give me feedback. It has blessed me more than you will ever know. We need to keep on supporting one another in the Voice Over Community. It's people like you Stephanie, and Voices.com that allows us to stay strong. Thank you for taking the time to interview me. You Rock!

Did You Enjoy Heather's Announcing?

Be sure to leave a comment and let her know!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

When you perform a voice over, is there the potential for you to be held responsible for what you're saying even though you aren't the party that is being portrayed in the advertisement or voice over recording?

You bet your bottom dollar, there is!

Hear the perspective of lawyer and voice artist, Rob Sciglimpaglia on VOX Daily as he addresses this interesting and timely issue.

Connected By Association?

Last week, I received an email from one of our customers and readers of the VOX Daily blog asking a question and presenting a potential topic for discussion.

Here's the question:

"I am seeing a rash of law firm ads running on cable regarding Mesothelioma, urging people who have been diagnosed with the disease or exposed to asbestos to contact the firm. Several of these have the announcer state either at the beginning or end that he is 'not an attorney spokesperson'.

Typically, an attorney doing his own commercial will identify himself as an attorney. When and why has it become necessary for an announcer to say he's NOT an attorney? Do we, as hired talent, now have to worry about being held responsible for what we read from a script?"

Rob Sciglimpaglia's Take

The answer to the first part of the question is that the reason for this "disclaimer" that the announcer is not an attorney is necessary for attorneys to comply with Legal Ethics Rules concerning Attorney Advertising. If an attorney does an advertisement, he or she is NOT allowed to do anything that may "mislead" a potential client. And since an attorney must be LICENSED to practice law, one cannot hold themselves out as an attorney/expert to the public. As such, an announcer in a legal ad must make it CLEAR that they are NOT an attorney or other expert providing legal advice so that the potential client is not misled.

This issue is NOT an issue the announcer has to worry about, but it is an issue that the Law Firm has to worry about to comply with Ethical Rules.

As far as the 2nd part of the question about whether voice talent have to worry about being held responsible for what they read in a script, the answer is YES!

Here is an excerpt of an article I wrote that deals with this issue:

Celebrity Impersonating

One area of the industry that voice-over artists should be cognizant of is celebrity impersonating. Celebrity impersonating falls under the auspices of the area of law known as "right of publicity" laws. The right of publicity is the right of an individual to commercially exploit their name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness.

A handful of States have specific laws concerning the "right of publicity" and some other States that do not have a statute follow the common law rules concerning the right of publicity.

"Right of Publicity" laws would allow a celebrity to sue a voice talent who impersonates their voice for commercial purposes. Nevada's statute, however, specifically exempts impersonators from liability for infringement of a celebrity's right of publicity.

Such an exemption does not exist in other State's statutes, however, so a voice-over artist must always be alert when asked to impersonate a celebrity as to how the impersonation will be used. In general, the First Amendment allows certain uses of impersonations, but generally not when those impersonations are meant to generate profits. Such profit making use most certainly can expose both the voice talent, and the producer of the spot to a lawsuit.

This goes for impersonating celebrities who are either alive or deceased, as many Statutes provide a protection to the celebrity for some years after they have died. For instance, in Nevada, the celebrity is protected for fifty (50) years after death, where in Indiana the protection remains for one hundred (100) years. For deceased celebrities, their heirs will be the ones deciding who is able to use their loved one's likeness and who cannot.

Product Endorsements

Another potential snake pit for the voice-over artist is in the area of product endorsements.
Product Liability laws in the United States are generally designed to protect the consumer from dangerous or defective products. These laws are usually couched in terms of "strict liability" rather than "ordinary negligence". This means that anyone involved with the manufacture, sale, or distribution of a product that causes an injury to the end user can not only be sued by the injured party, but will also be held strictly liable without the need for the injured party to prove that the defendants did anything negligent. The simple fact that the product was put into commerce and caused an injury, in many jurisdictions, is enough for the injured party to recover.

In addition, there are a variety of consumer protection laws, unfair trade practice statutes and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations and guidelines designed to protect consumers from being ripped off by false and misleading advertisements.

This raises an interesting question concerning whether a voice-over artist is hired to record a commercial that says something like: "This drug is THE best out there for the prevention and cure of this disease, and I personally guarantee it will work for you" and the drug ends up killing the user, whether the voice-over artist could be held liable for that "guarantee."

If the voice-over artist were a celebrity, then they certainly could be sued under a number of theories, including product liability, but also consumer protection statutes, and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines against false and misleading advertising. One is reminded of the series of lawsuits against Robin Leach back in 1999 where at least a dozen Attorney's General across the country sued him for endorsing vacation packages in both television and radio ads that turned out to be bogus.

Although one must wonder if such lawsuits would be brought against non-celebrity voice talent that are not so "high profile", one of the functions of an Attorney General is to discover collectible assets that could be attached to pay back "victims" of false and misleading ads, or to pay back "victims" of dangerous products, so the possibility certainly exists that such a lawsuit could be brought against a voice-over artist that has some assets.

Wow, there's some food for thought!

My thanks to Rob Sciglimpaglia for lending his ears and expertise to this question.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to continuing the conversation with you. Jump in!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Do you know about the great opportunities that are out there for Spanish voice over talent?

The Hispanic market is booming in the US and the demand for voice overs in Spanish and bilingual voice overs has increased exponentially from even just decades ago.

Silvana Lombardini, Spanish voice over coach, says the future looks bright for Spanish voice actors, their families and the bilingual voices of the future... the time to talk about this is now.

VOX: Thank you for joining us here on VOX Daily, Silvana! From what I hear, you're very passionate about bringing awareness to Spanish voice overs in North America and sharing experiences with all the voice over community. How much would you say that the demand for Spanish voice over has grown in recent years in the US and Canada?

SILVANA LOMBARDINI: Hi everybody and thank you Stephanie for this opportunity to share my experiences with the voice over community. I must say that I'm surprised about the Spanish voice over demand in the US and Canada of the last years.

Latin talents are flourishing all over the world, not only in the voice over market but in all artistic expressions. I believe one of the strongest reasons is that now the children born in families of both North American and Latin American origins are growing up to have a
very nice mixture of cultures and backgrounds so they want and need to bring Spanish language to the same level where English is. Within this group there are also producers and creatives, directors, writers and the audience itself, so the whole market is in the process of needing more Spanish voices.

VOX: How much Spanish voice over work is out there?

SILVANA: I discovered a great demand for Spanish voice over work, which is
done online, for English speaking countries, mostly for the USA, United Kingdom and Canada. Getting jobs online is great for Spanish voices that sometimes don't have many opportunities for voice over work in their own countries.

VOX: Taking a step away from the English market, what's it like in the Spanish
speaking voice over world? Can you share a bit about what goes on and how large that market is?

SILVANA: Now there's a lot of work to do in Argentina, where the market has
evolved in the last years with local productions for both National and International Documentaries and Reality Shows, that demand local voice overs who need to have residence here, because the market is not ready for working online, yet. Many voice actors are taking lessons in Neutral Spanish as to expand their possibilities. At first the voice talents were not actors but for the last three or four years producers started choosing actors instead of voice over professionals so talents had to start training.

The market is large but frequently you have one voice recording a spot in Argentina that airs in three or four countries. We can discuss if this is fair but in fact this is how it works today. The podcast and phone cells contents, in which audio is relevant as well as images are on TV, give more opportunities to voice actors and this is growing very fast.

Mexico and Argentina are the two countries that make the biggest artistic productions, for both the international and domestic markets, with a huge level of consumption.

VOX: If you could estimate, how many dialects of Spanish are there that are
spoken in North, Central and South America, and which of those dialects are most in demand?

SILVANA: I'm sure that there are many more Spanish dialects or accents than
the number of countries in North, Central and South America. Indeed, there are lots of accents in the same country with a slight difference in their musicality or intonation, so it's very difficult to reduce them to a definite number.

That's why Neutral Spanish from Latin America was created; it aims to merge all the Spanish dialects into a single one and is based on a kind of formal Mexican Spanish. Nowadays international producers are asking for Argentinean Spanish. So I can assure that the most demanded accents are Spanish Argentinean and Neutral Spanish.

VOX: You offer voice over coaching services for Spanish speaking talent. Could
you tell me a little bit about how you teach and what your specialties are?

SILVANA: I have created my own system because I teach not only what I have
learned long ago but also what I felt and experienced in my career over the years. As each person is unique, I customize the lessons according to what I hear and see in the first interview.

I specialize in detecting what each talent needs and I work in helping them to achieve their best performance. I know about the fears and doubts a student may have, so my goal is to help them realize and understand what their strengths and challenges are so that they can start working from there on, not allowing their insecurities to stop them from growing or even setting them back.

I train my students with everyday situations, with exercises we can find in any magazine, reading any book or newspaper and I pay special attention to songs because there you can find not only the correct pronunciation but also the popular expressions and - the most important - it is a great way to become fluent when speaking Spanish because the rhythm makes you surf with words over the music.

The training has easy and funny exercises - reading, listening, describing as well as writing - in order to expand the vocabulary by using imagination and every day situations. I never forget that a professional voice needs first to learn about vocal cords, relaxation,
breathing, volume training, diction and comprehension. They'll learn the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing for daily life, how to look after the voice in order to avoid fatigue, prevent injuries and improve productivity, and also to practice expressing themselves in an articulate manner with correct positioning of the voice.

I am very passionate about voice over coaching and my goal is giving my students all the tools they can keep forever and use them at any circumstance.

VOX: Are you able to help Spanish talent who have regional accents adopt a more cosmopolitan accent, and if so, which accent(s) preferred?

SILVANA: I have experience in training Spanish talents to adopt cosmopolitan
accents. A professional Spanish talent nowadays must learn to speak Spanish Argentinean and the Latin American Neutral to be competitive. As said above, these are the accents on demand and I'm sure this will last for a long time.

The cosmopolitan Spanish accent its easier to adopt if you learn it in a global way, not only trying to catch the correct pronunciation but to understand Spanish identity through their music and popular artistic expressions. That will make someone be fluent and quicker to think in a cosmopolitan Spanish way.

VOX: While we're on the subject, how hard is it for a native speaker of Spanish to
neutralize their accent when speaking in English? It must be difficult to adapt, especially if a person is a native speaker of Castilian Spanish. Any thoughts on this?

SILVANA: Well, this is very interesting. I've noticed that native Spanish speakers have more difficulties with pronunciation when they learn English in their adult life and I experienced that the best way to learn and adopt the correct pronunciation and English ways is when you are young, preferably at school or somewhere else, with intensive training and by listening teachers speak in English. However, training always pays off, so adopting an accurate accent is possible with the correct exercises for each kind of difficulty you may encounter. This will improve - as well as in Spanish - if you "rehearse" listening to music and watching films in English.

VOX: How do you perceive the English voice over market? How hard is it for a
Spanish voice to break through?

SILVANA: I celebrate the Internet as an international connection because this
allows Spanish voices to introduce themselves in the English voice over market but so far this is only possible if they can communicate fluently in English. Nowadays being bilingual is mandatory, talents must be bilingual to be competitive in the International Voice Over
Market. We face a Very Big Black Hole.

VOX: There are many people in the market who say that they can speak Spanish
who are not native speakers. How would a customer be able to tell the difference?

SILVANA: I think the difference is notorious for a native Spanish speaker but
may not be for a customer that doesn't know the language very well and yet needs a Spanish voice. In such case it's necessary to have a Spanish consultant that can detect if the pronunciation is correct and accurate. I've noticed that some big companies have their own Spanish Linguistic Committee, which subjects recordings to listening and revisions before airing them. They have tested me in several opportunities and I think this is a great process for them to assure the quality.

VOX: Lastly, I was wondering if there are any associations or groups that Spanish voice over talent can join to keep connected and informed. Are you part of any organizations or unions that serve Spanish talent in particular that you could refer?

SILVANA In Argentina there's a voice over professionals association but it is not
so helpful when it comes to finding jobs or connecting voices with producers. So each voice has to distribute demos anywhere possible (studios, production companies, or elsewhere even remotely related to the market) in the hopes of being "discovered" and eventually hired, if producers remember they have the demo when the opportunity
appears.

Becoming a voice over certified professional is very difficult and hard to achieve in Argentina, but then I feel professionals have an even harder time looking for a job in the marketplace.

The other fact is that there's a law in Argentina that says a voice over professional must be certified to name the brands so not all the voices are allowed to work for this market. This reduces the local possibilities.

So the Argentinean market is very competitive and in addition the voices that work are - in general - the ones producers and marketing executives already know so this derives in fewer opportunities because only a small group is able to work. Typically you can hear a TV producer say "I needed a new voice for a TV show and I didn't know where to find it so I hired the one I already knew!" while out there lots of talents are waiting for a chance.

It is also true that not every voice is talented but there are many voices with expertise. This is the biggest challenge for Spanish voices in their own market. Only a few voices do most of the work, and the media ends up with a narrow range of talents.

This is one of the strongest reasons why I think it is necessary to create a Spanish site to allow voices to audition for different countries.

VOX: Is there anything I left out that you'd like to share with our audience?

SILVANA: Your questions inspired me to think about the Spanish talents' real
challenges more in depth. I think our community is in need of a Spanish Voice Over site, in our own language, and in this way making it available for all the Spanish speaking actors in the whole market.

I would be thrilled to be part of a site like this, where Spanish talents from all over the world could be connected, sharing experiences and learning more in their own language for equal opportunities and much more voices for the producers to contact, hiring who best fits for each piece.

It will also be a great experience for the local voice over talents to get used to auditioning together with different voices.

The market is in constant expansion and the best we can do is to share the knowledge and help professionals to develop their careers not only in their local markets. I hope I can help with this mission because I really think in this way everybody wins.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Silvana and Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Trevor Fisher

For all of our Spanish readers, I'm pleased to present you with our first-ever interview on VOX Daily in your native language!

Silvana Lombardini, based in Argentina, was generous to translate my questions and share her answers in both English and Spanish.

Here you will find the interview completely in Spanish.

Enjoy :)

VOX: Silvana, gracias por unirte a nosotros aquí en VOX Daily! Por lo que escuché sos muy apasionada en compartir experiencias con las voces en español de Norteamerica y con toda la comunidad de voice overs. Cuánto crees que creció la demanda de voces en español en los últimos años en Estados Unidos y Canadá?

SILVANA LOMBARDINI: Hola a todos y gracias Stephanie por esta oportunidad de compartir mis experiencias con la comunidad de voice overs. Debo decir que estoy sorprendida con la demanda de voces en español en el mercado de Estados Unidos y Canada en los últimos años.

Los talentos latinos están floreciendo en todo el mundo, no sólo en el mercado de voces sino en todas las expresiones artísticas. Creo que una de las razones más fuertes para que esto ocurra es que ahora los niños que nacieron en familias de orígenes Norteamericanos y Latinoamericanos crecieron con una muy linda mezcla de culturas y
conocimientos históricos personales entonces ellos quieren y necesitan llevar el idioma español al mismo nivel en que el idioma inglés está. Dentro de este grupo también hay productores y creativos, directores, escritores y el público en si mismo, por eso el
mercado está en camino de necesitar más voces en español.

VOX: Qué cantidad de trabajo para voice overs en español hay en el mercado?

SILVANA: He descubierto una gran demanda para voice overs en español, que se hace online, para países de habla inglesa, mayormente para Estados Unidos, Reino Unido y Canadá. El trabajo online es genial para las voces en español que a veces no
tienen tantas oportunidades en sus propios países.

VOX: Saliendo del mercado de habla inglesa, ¿qué sucede en el mercado de voice
overs en español? ¿puedes compartir un poco sobre lo que pasa en esos países y cuán grande es el mercado?

SILVANA: Ahora hay mucho trabajo para hacer en Argentina ya que el mercado
evolucionó en los últimos años, con producciones locales de Documentales y Reality Shows para el mercado nacional e internacional, y demanda voces locales las cuales deben residir aquí porque aún el mercado no está preparado para trabajar on-line en esta
profesión. Muchos actores de la voz están tomando clases de español neutro para
expandir sus posibilidades. Al comienzo las voces no eran actores pero desde hace tres o cuatro años los productores empezaron a elegir actores en vez de locutores entonces los locutores debieron empezar a entrenar actuación.

Este mercado es enorme pero frecuentemente una voz graba un spot que sale al aire en tres o cuatro países. Podemos discutir si esto es justo o no pero hoy funciona de este modo. Los contenidos para podcast y teléfonos celulares, donde el audio es relavante como la imagen en TV, le dan más oportunidades a los actores de la voz y este mercado está creciendo muy rápidamente. Mexico y Argentina son los dos países que hacen la mayor cantidad de producciones artísticas para el mercado local e internacional con un
gran nivel de consumo.

VOX: Si pudieras estimar, ¿qué cantidad de dialectos en español se hablan en
American del Norte, Ámérica Central y Sud América y cuáles de estos dialectos tienen más demanda?

SILVANA: Estoy segura que hay muchos más dialectos o acentos que países en
América del Norte, América Central y Sud América. Más aún, hay muchos acentos en un mismo país con pequeñas diferencias en la musicalidad o entonación por lo tanto es muy dificil reducirlos a un número exacto.

Es por eso que se creó el español neutro que apunta a unir los dialectos o acentos en uno solo y está basado en una especie de mexicano formal. Actualmente los productores internacionales demandan español argentino. Por esto puedo asegurar que los acentos más demandados son español de Argentina y español Neutro.

VOX: Tu ofrecés servicios de entrenamiento y coaching vocal para voice overs en
español. ¿Podrías contarme un poco acerca de cómo enseñás y en qué te especializás?

SILVANA: He creado mi propio sistema porque enseño no sólo lo que aprendí
hace años sino también lo sentí y experimenté a lo largo de mi carrera en estos años. Cómo cada persona es única, personalizo las clases de acuerdo con lo que escucho y veo en la primera entrevista.

Me especializo en detectar lo que cada talento necesita y trabajo en ayudarlos a alcanzar su mejor performance. Conozco los miedos y dudas que puede tener un alumno por eso mi objetivo es ayudarlos a reconocer y entender cuáles son sus fortalezas y desafíos para que puedan empezar trabajando desde allí en adelante sin dejar que sus inseguridades los detengan o incluso los hagan retroceder.

Entreno a mis alumnos con situaciones cotidianas, con ejercicios que podemos encontrar en cualquier revista, leyendo un libro o el periódico y presto especial atención a las canciones porque allí encontramos no sólo la pronunciación correcta pero también las expresiones populares y - lo más importante - es una gran manera de ser fluído en español porque el ritmo hace surfear con las palabras sobre la música.

El entrenamiento tiene ejercicios fáciles y divertidos - leer, escuchar, describir y también escribir para aumentar el vocabulario usando la imaginación y las situaciones de todos los días. Nunca me olvido que un profesional de la voz necesita aprender primero sobre sus cuerdas vocales, relajación, respiración, volúmen, dición e interpretación. Mis
alumnos aprenden los beneficios de la respiración diafragmática para la vida cotidiana, cómo cuidar la voz para evitar la fatiga, prevenir daños y mejorar la productividad, y también la práctica de expresarse de un modo articulado con una correcta posición de la voz.

Tengo mucha pasión por entrenar y mi meta es darle a mis alumnos todas las herramientas que tendrán para siempre y podrán usarlas en cualquier situación.

VOX: ¿Podrías ayudar a una voz en español con acento regional a adoptar un
acento más cosmopolita, y en ese caso, qué acentos son los preferidos?

SILVANA: Tengo mucha experiencia entrenando talentos en español para adoptar acentos cosmopolitas. Hoy un talento profesional en español debe aprender a hablar en Argentino y en Neutro para ser competente. Como dije antes, estos son los acentos de más demanda y estoy segura que esto continuará por un largo período. El acento español cosmopolita es fácil de adoptar si se aprende de un modo global, sin intentar atrapar la correcta pronunciación sino comprendiendo la identidad del idioma español a través de su música y las expresiones artísticas populares. Eso genera fluidez y velocidad para pensar en la forma cosmopolita de hablar español.

VOX: Ya que estamos en este tema, ¿cuán dificil es para alguien cuya lengua madre es el español neutralizar su acento cuando habla en inglés? Debe ser difícil de adaptar, especialmente si la persona tiene como lengua madre el español castizo. ¿Tenés algún pensamiento acerca de esto?

SILVANA: Bueno, esto es muy interesante. Me he dado cuenta que alguien cuya lengua madre es el español tiene más dificultades en la pronunciación cuando aprenden inglés en su vida adulta y he experimentado que la mejor manera de aprender y adoptar la pronunciación correcta y las expresiones en inglés es cuando somos chicos, preferentemente en la escuela o en algún lugar con entrenamiento intenso, escuchando
hablar en inglés a las maestras. De todos modos el entrenamiento siempre da sus resultados por lo tanto adoptar un buen acento es posible con los ejercicios correctos para cada dificultad. Esto mejorará - igual que al estudiar español - si se "ensaya" escuchando música y mirando películas en inglés.

VOX: ¿Cómo percibís el mercado inglés de voice overs? ¿Cuán difícil es entrar en
ese mercado para una voz en español?

SILVANA: Celebro la existencia de Internet como una forma de conectarse
internacionalmente porque esto permite a las voces en español introducirse en el mercado Inglés pero esto es sólo posible si pueden comunicarse fluídamente en inglés. Actualmente ser bilingúe es necesario, los talentos deben ser bilingües para competir en el mercado internacional de voice overs. En este punto enfrentamos un Gran Agujero Negro en el mercado.

VOX: Hay muchas personas en el mercado que dicen que pueden hablar en español pero no son voces nativas ¿cómo podría un cliente darse cuenta de la diferencia?

SILVANA: Creo que la diferencia es notoria para un alguien cuya lengua madre es el español pero puede no serlo para un cliente que no conoce del todo el idioma y necesita una voz en español. En esos casos es necesario tener un consultor que le ayude a detectar si la pronunciación es correcta y exacta. Hay algunas grandes compañías que tienen su propio Comité Lingüìstico de Español con especialistas que escuchan las grabaciones y las revisan antes de sacarlas al aire. Yo fui testeada en varias oportunidades y creo que este es un buen proceso para que ellos puedan asegurarse la calidad.

VOX: Finalmente, estaba pensando si hay alguna asociación o grupo que reúna a los voice overs en español para mantenerse conectados e informados. ¿Sos parte de alguna organización que sirva particularmente a los talentos en español a la que puedas hacer referencia?

SILVANA: En Argentina hay una Asociación de Locutores (voice overs) pero no es tan útil a la hora de encontrar trabajos y conectar voces con productores. Por esto cada locutor profesional tiene que distribuir demos en cualquier lugar posible (estudios, productoras o cualquier otro lugar que esté remotamente relacionado con la industria) con la esperanza de ser descubierto y eventualmente contratado, si los productores recuerdan que tienen ese demo cuando aparece la oportunidad.

Convertirse en un profesional de la voz certificado/habilitado es algo muy dificil de alcanzar en Argentina pero siento que luego los profesionales tienen por delante un tiempo mucho más duro buscando un trabajo en este mercado.

El otro factor es que en Argentina hay una ley que dice que una voz debe estar habilitada/certificada para poder nombrar las marcas entonces no todas las voces pueden trabajar para este mercado. Esto reduce las posibilidades locales. Por esto el mercado Argentino es muy competitivo y las voces que trabajan son las que los productores o ejecutivos de marketing ya conocen por lo tanto esto deriva en menos oportunidades porque sólo un pequeño grupo está habilitado para trabajar. Típicamente
podemos escuchar a un productor de televisión decir "Necesitaba una voz nueva para un programa pero no sabía dónde encontrar así que contraté a alguien conocido!" mientras que allí afuera hay muchas voces esperando una oportunidad.

Es cierto también que no todas las voces son talentosas pero hay muchas voces muy bien entrenadas y con experiencia. Este es el mayor desafío para las voces en español en su propio mercado. Sólo una pocas voces hacen la mayoría del trabajo y el medio termina con una delgada franja de talentos.

Esta es una de las razones más fuertes por las que creo necesaria la creación de un sitio en español que permita a las voces audicionar para distintos países.

VOX: ¿Hay algo que quede pendiente y que te gustaría compartir con nuestra
audiencia?

SILVANA: Tus preguntas me inspiraron en pensar más profundamente sobre los
verdaderos desafíos que tenemos los talentos en español. Creo que nuestra comunidad necesita un sitio para Spanish Voice Overs (Voces en Español) en nuestro propio idioma que sea accesible para todos los actores de la voz que hablan español en la totalidad del
mercado.

Yo estaría encantada de formar parte de un sitio como este, donde los talentos en español de todo el mundo puedan estar conectados, compartiendo experiencias y aprendiendo más en nuestro propio idioma por igualdad de oportunidades y muchas más voces para ser contactadas por los productores, para que puedan contratar la voz que
combina mejor con cada proyecto. También sería una gran experiencia para las voces locales audicionar con otras voces.

El mercado está en constante expansión y lo mejor que podemos hacer es compartir el conocimiento y ayudar a los profesionales a desarrollar sus carreras no sólo en sus propios mercados. Espero poder ayudar con esta misión porque realmente creo que de esta forma todos ganamos.

Any Comments?

Muchos gracias,

Silvana & Stephanie

If you're one of my friends on Facebook, you may have run across a note I wrote entitled "An Open Letter to Voice Over Demo Producers" where I posed a number of questions that had to do specifically with the norms, best practices and so forth of producing demos for promotional purposes for voice over talent.

I received two, quite detailed responses from two gentlemen who produce voice over demos in the United States, and the answers to some of the questions may surprise you!

First read my questions and then the answers supplied. After that, let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

The Original Letter as posted on Facebook

Greetings:

For those of you who have been following the debates on VOX Daily pertaining to brand name usage in demos, copyright and so forth, you can appreciate why I've written this letter.

I feel as though we have been left with more questions than answers and the purpose of this note is to get answers to those questions, and if at all possible, some closure.

See these links if you haven't been following the debates:

http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/2008/11/3_things_you_may_not_know_about_audition_scripts.html

http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/2008/12/voice_overs_tough_legal_questions_answered.html

Demo producers, these are questions that need to be addressed. Please be honest. If I'm out of line, let me know, but from where I stand these questions are relevant and the information yielded from this discussion would be of great benefit to the people whose demos are being produced in facilities around the world as well as those who are trying to enter the business of voice-over.

I also believe that the answers may prove beneficial to you!

OK, here we go:

1. Why is it (or is it not) acceptable to use brand names of companies a talent did not work for in voice over demos?

2. Do studios and or agencies have (or need to have) express written permission for using scripts from campaigns to brand their clients' voice over demos with?

3. Do studios pay a royalty fee to use these scripts?

4. Why is it assumed by a number of professionals who craft demos that people outside of our industry and its vertical markets are aware that demos are merely samples of what a voice over artist could do and not necessarily who they have worked for when the growing number of people who are hiring talent are not within the entertainment industry and wouldn't know the difference between a demo and the Real McCoy?

5. Do studios consult talent as to their level of recording / editing / mixing capabilities before cutting a demo to determine if the voice talent could replicate the production work on their own? If so, and if the talent is not nearly as capable as their demo makes them out to be (knowing that this is how they will attract business when they work from home), is it wise to produce a demo for them and could the demo itself (unless the talent always records their work at a professional studio) be considered false advertising on behalf of the voice artist?

6. Do some studios create custom copy for their clients when producing their demos? If so, how much of an extra cost is there for that service?

7. How much should it cost on average for a proper demo to be produced? Please provide a breakdown of what the fee includes (i.e. studio time, engineer, director, copy writing, etc.). Obviously some studios can charge more than others simply because of their reputation, location and or added value services, but if you had to draw a line in the sand, what is the least expensive price that could be quoted that would still cover the costs of producing a legitimate voice over demo that is reasonably affordable yet also makes the studio a decent profit for their time and resources?

8. Are there some of you out there who have best practices and guidelines that you follow? If so, share them so that we may learn more about what is the norm and be able to tell the difference between an honorable business and one that is only out for money.

9. What do you feel would make the business of voice over demo production more transparent?

10. Do you feel that there is an opportunity to bring demo production to the next level or are you happy with where your area of the industry is at? If you have a vision for what you hope to see, please share.

Thank you for considering these questions and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Stephanie Ciccarelli
Co-founder of Voices.com

~~

Following that, I received two responses, including one from Juan Carlos Bagnell (SomeAudioGuy) and David Sobolov.

I've posted the questions and answers interview style to keep everything in context. Enjoy.

VOX: Why is it (or is it not) acceptable to use brand names of companies a talent did not work for in voice over demos?

DAVID SOBOLOV: We're producing non-revenue generating examples of our client's voiceover performances. Unless that client's resume falsely lists the spots we record, it's generally understood that the demo is meant to demonstrate the talent of the performer, not act as a resume of which products they've endorsed.

JUAN CARLOS BAGNELL: Well, I feel there's an expectation. People largely communicate through media references. People identify themselves by labels and cars and gadgets. I find as I stray and come up with "dummy" brands, more thought and attention is paid to the fact that the listener doesn't recognize the brand than the quality of the read. In the final edit though, I try to focus on the qualities of the person, rather than brand names, sometimes even working to eliminate as many brand name drops as I can.

VOX: Do studios and or agencies have (or need to have) express written permission for using scripts from campaigns to brand their clients' voice over demos with?

JCB: Yes. Which is why I write my own demo copy for clients.

DS: I suppose, if it got right down to it, the copyright holders of the products or services featured in the demo could send 'cease and desist' letters, but it's highly unlikely they would. The demo gets their name brands out in to the world for free, and the demo itself is not being sold for profit. Not much damage there to litigate.... except the income of the demo producer. All we'd have to do is honor a cease and desist letter for a specific product and eliminate it from future demos. I've never received one.

VOX: Do studios pay a royalty fee to use these scripts?

DS: No. The advertising agencies barely have time to take care of the business sitting on their desks... there's no way they'd devote time and resources to policing the use of their scripts on voice demos.

JCB: Iffy. As this is not an actual product, I would initially argue no, but as money IS being exchanged I also feel credit to the actual writer is in order.

VOX: Why is it assumed by a number of professionals who craft demos that people outside of our industry and its vertical markets are aware that demos are merely samples of what a voice over artist could do and not necessarily who they have worked for when the growing number of people who are hiring talent are not within the entertainment industry and wouldn't know the difference between a demo and the Real McCoy?

JCB: It's not my job to educate advertising "professionals". Even the name of what we're discussing should be indicative of what you're receiving, "Demo" which, I've always held, is short for "demonstration". Also, why would/should a producer care? The voice they're hearing is still the same voice. Are we now saying you shouldn't be allowed to work on things, unless you've already been working on things?

DS: The demos are not intended for use by people outside our industry... they're not meant for a non-industry 'consumer.' If someone outside the industry doesn't understand the nature of what we're trying to achieve, it's not a huge concern. Demos shouldn't be produced as vanity projects or for the general public... they're meant to get the voice performer work. It's like worrying about whether or not someone watching CBS in Iowa thinks all the programs they see on their tv originate in their town... If they ask, you just explain how things works.

VOX: Do studios consult talent as to their level of recording / editing / mixing capabilities before cutting a demo to determine if the voice talent could replicate the production work on their own? If so, and if the talent is not nearly as capable as their demo makes them out to be (knowing that this is how they will attract business when they work from home), is it wise to produce a demo for them and could the demo itself (unless the talent always records their work at a professional studio) be considered false advertising on behalf of the voice artist?

DS: A voice demo that features production values above voice talent is a horrible demo. These are marketing tools for a VOICE, not to showcase how good the production is. And, frankly, if they're looking for work from home they need to invest in decent equipment if they want to have a viable career.

JCB: I only take full demos (a demo produced fully from scratch) from referrals (other demo clients, casting/talent agents, coaches), and if I think our personalities will work well together. If I make someone sound better than they are, or if they plain aren't ready, it's instantly bad advertising for me. I don't consult on technical expertise. If they come to me for a demo, I feel it's because they want me to produce it. I want them to be solely COMPLETELY focused on their performance.

VOX: Do some studios create custom copy for their clients when producing their demos? If so, how much of an extra cost is there for that service?

JCB: Yes and depends. I always write original copy for demo clients. I find it's the only way to really personalize the demo to the performer. My job is to draw out the qualities they want to sell or market, so I consider the writing all "part of the service".

DS: Yes, I do create custom copy for character demos in consultation with the voice artist. There's no extra charge for that service.

VOX: How much should it cost on average for a proper demo to be produced? Please provide a breakdown of what the fee includes (i.e. studio time, engineer, director, copy writing, etc.). Obviously some studios can charge more than others simply because of their reputation, location and or added value services, but if you had to draw a line in the sand, what is the least expensive price that could be quoted that would still cover the costs of producing a legitimate voice over demo that is reasonably affordable yet also makes the studio a decent profit for their time and resources?

DS: My price is $1000 which includes 2 hours of rehearsal (coaching / character prep), 2 hours in the studio, and my private editing and production time. In Los Angeles, I'm right in the middle of the pack price-wise. I'd say, as a general rule, if someone charges you less than $600, they probably aren't devoting enough time to give you a professional demo.

JCB: Again, it depends. I really only discuss rates and cost with clients, though most demos come out to around $1500 if it's totally from scratch.

VOX: Are there some of you out there who have best practices and guidelines that you follow? If so, share them so that we may learn more about what is the norm and be able to tell the difference between an honorable business and one that is only out for money.

JCB: I can't really say. I would hope that I act honorably, LOL. I wouldn't say it's "bad" but if a company is taking all demos clients without discretion, that could be a warning sign. I would also think that if the actor has to do all the leg work (pulling copy, selecting music), or there's little communication about the edits, then you don't really have a demo producer, you have an editor.

DS: If a producer throws you in a studio with no preparation, that sometimes produces a 'fresh' performance... but if they also send you out the door WITH your finished demo... they're ripping you off. It takes time and attention to produce a viable marketing tool... fast and dirty doesn't cut it. I give my performers all the studio time to craft their performances. Editing comes later. Another rule of thumb for me... for commercial demos I use copy that's at least six months old.

VOX: What do you feel would make the business of voice over demo production more transparent?

DS: It's a lot like acting schools and casting director 'showcases' --- there are a lot of people out to rip actors off. Look up the producer on the IMDB... make sure they're a currently working professional and make sure they offer you samples of past demos to listen to. They demo producer should be willing to answer any question you ask.

JCB: I don't really think it should be more transparent. One of the biggest issues I have working with actors right now is they all seem to be "partly educated", doing things because they were told that's how you do things, but without any real consideration as to why they do those things. Demos are a crucial tool for a voice actor, and shouldn't even be considered without a wealth of experience. So many people rush to slap some samples together, and it can really harm their careers. I feel part of that performer's journey is learning the lay of the land from producers, casting, agents, coaches, and other voice actors. These experiences are crucial. The journey of a performer should be measured in decades not weeks.

VOX: Do you feel that there is an opportunity to bring demo production to the next level or are you happy with where your area of the industry is at? If you have a vision for what you hope to see, please share.

DS: My vision is for demos to not be cookie cutter productions. Each one should use fresh copy... a variety of music beds... and let the performer showcase their unique talent rather than be squeezed into a template the producer uses for every performer to do things fast and cheap.

JCB: I'm very happy right now with my demo business. I only work with people I like, I stay pretty busy, and I'm paid well to do it.

~~

Any Comments?

First off, I'd like to thank both David Sobolov and Juan Carlos Bagnell for taking the time to answer my questions and for sharing their views.

Now, it's time to discuss!

Whether you are a demo producer who would like to give their perspective on the questions asked or are someone who has follow up questions about demo production, you are welcome to leave your thoughts as a comment below.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

Image via Chet Yeary II's photostream on Flickr

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

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

As promised in my interview with Matt Cowlrick earlier this month, I have some exciting news from the world of broadcast television that gives you a behind the scenes look at how the Gollum-Off went last week.

Pictured above are Matt Cowlrick with the man of the hour, Andy Serkis.

Watch the segment and hear about Matt's experience on VOX Daily!

VOX: Thank you for coming back on the blog and for sharing your news, Matt. Now that you've been on the Richard and Judy Show, I'm eager to ask those follow up questions :) What was the atmosphere like?

MATT COWLRICK: It was a whole heap of fun! Though there were a bunch of celebrities hanging out on the show, not many people took themselves too seriously. I didn't know what to expect at first, and was beginning to think it was going to be quite formal, as I was picked up in a fancy black car and there were a lot of 'procedures' being carried out at the start of the show. It turned out that it was all laid back once we got in there.

VOX: How many other contestants were there?

MATT COWLRICK: There were two other impressionists. Dougie, who entered Britain's Got Talent with his Gollum impression, and Hilary, who has done work as a Gollum 'look-a-like'! It's always fun to meet other people that are as strange as me.

VOX: Did you just have to walk up and do you impression or was there any preamble?

MATT COWLRICK: We mingled around in the 'stage bar' for most of the show. That is where Andy Serkis and all the other special guests were before they went onstage to speak with Richard and Judy. We hung out there with the comedian Stephen K. Amos, and he was the one who introduced the people in the bar to the camera.

VOX: How long did you spent preparing for this moment?

MATT COWLRICK: I didn't want to think too much about it, as I was already really nervous about making a 'screen appearance'. I figured that if I went in there and just had a good time, it would come across better than if I tried to prepare a perfect impression and rehearsed a whole scene or skit. Once I reached the moment, it ended up being fun!

So I didn't spend the day or evening before stressing too much. Funnily enough, my standard day is probably quite similar to Gollum's (I'm sure my fellow voice actors will agree) - cooped up in a small space, talking to myself.

VOX: Did you get any feedback directly from Andy Serkis?

MATT COWLRICK: I spoke to Andy afterwards and he said the impression was excellent, and that it was a tough one to pick out a winner. Unfortunately he had to dash off pretty quickly, so there wasn't too much time to chat. He enjoyed being on the show, and seemed to be amused by our sound-a-like efforts. He's an extremely approachable guy and a top bloke.

VOX: Have you been recognized on the streets as one of the people on the show?

MATT COWLRICK: Other than a couple of people deliberately going out of their way to avoid me on the street... no, just kidding. No recognition as of yet, and you won't catch me doing an impression to a policeman in order to get out of a speeding fine. I just don't think it would work in my favour.

VOX: Has the show lead to anything new for you prospect wise in your career?

MATT COWLRICK: Being a TV program, there isn't much I can pursue directly as a voiceover artist. However I have made contacts at the studio now, so you never know where that may lead. You need that mentality in this industry, as you never know where the next job is going to come from.

VOX: What was your favourite moment during the show?

MATT COWLRICK: It had to be meeting the man himself! Andy Serkis has been a real inspiration to me, since first seeing him in the first Lord of the Rings movie.

VOX: Do you have a snippet you could share with us?

MATT COWLRICK: I do!

VOX: So Matt, what's next for you?

MATT COWLRICK: I have had contact with two of the agents here in London, and will be meeting with them in the next week. London is a big town, so I'm still exploring around the place and meeting industry contacts that I only know via the internet. Other than that, I am continuing work with the Australian Comedy Network and clients back in Oz. Oh, and taking advantage of all the wonderful culture in London - I'm in paradise!

Thank you to those who followed along with this little event - I really appreciate your support. Now you can laugh acting the goat again, but at least I'm not in a loin cloth this time!

Any Comments for Matt, on the Gollum Impressions or the Show?

Be sure to send us your feedback by leaving a comment!

Cheers from the Aussie Matt in the UK and all of us here in Canada at Voices.com,

Stephanie

Photo courtesy Matt Cowlrick

Do Exports and Voice Overs Mix?

It's a hot market that is growing, says Jack Wilkins, and voice over has become the standard element that brings all aspects of the promotional videos together.

Learn more in this interview with Jack Wilkins of Market World, a client of Voices.com.

VOX: Hi Jack, thanks for joining me.  I have some questions for you about Market World.  You produce movies and corporate videos. Can you tell us a little bit about the kind of work people hire you to do?
 
JACK WILKINS:  Currently, the target interest is an introduction to the products and services as a solution to a business problem.   The resources that a company provides may be very broad or very specific as to the solution they have available for a need for other businesses or for the end consumer.   While there is a growing need for in house corporate training for administration as well as job duties and performance by employees, most video is directed for a specific topic and the resources for providing a solution.  The characteristics of the usual video is less than five minutes.   This is usually more than adequate to illustrate a solution or process.   There will be more movement towards instructions video for employee training as the rapid change in technology and need to keep the product of the company current and fresh.

 
VOX: Working with companies who export their products from the US is an interesting angle.   How common is it for manufacturers to commission videos specifically for products they are exporting?
 
JACK: At this time, this is an expanding market.   This will become more common as resources are enhanced through the diverse voice actors supporting foreign languages.   As I understand it at this time, Voices.com has over 100 language represented.   This is an excellent base to grow this communication product.   It also allows for more specific targeting of products within countries that support those languages.   It is also a great connector to indicate the respect for those people that speak languages other than the major seven languages, thus increasing the appeal for the product or service.   Businesses will have to become very focused in informing specific cultures about their products.   The web video is an ideal way to communicate solutions.

VOX: What kind of challenges do you run into when a client needs videos produced for products to be exported to countries whose official languages are other than English?

JACK: While English is the official international business language by common usage, the main challenge is to qualify the product for export from the USA and making sure the product has had due research that there is a demand for satisfying a need.   For example, some foods may not be acceptable culturally in one country or culture, while highly desired in another.   The voice actor needs to have an understanding of the culture from which the video is created and the receiving culture in which the product is to be used and make sure the understandings are communicated correctly.   When a company such as Voices.com is presenting a voice actor for diverse language, a reference to the understandings and experience between cultures should be expressed for the client to make a decision about the appropriate person for the voiceover script.

 
VOX: Is the target audience for these videos the wholesaler or the consumer?
 
JACK: Because of the complexity of intellectual property rights,  Market World produces for the business consumer.   Also, because of the nature of the product, being specific to a product of a company, would not lend itself to a wholesaler.   However, where the product is more general in nature, such as three or four varieties of sweet potatoes of the Sweet Potato Growers Association, a general film may be produced in bulk for use on their websites.   For simplicity, Market World hosts the video allowing the business to link to it in many different was.   Market World also has an Internet product designed for use in newspapers, such as classified advertisements, to easily link to their specific video that expands on the information provided in the advertisement.

VOX:  Are these videos meant to be promotional pieces or are they more educational with the goal of a soft sell?
 
JACK: Usually in the process of informing, this generates the exposure of the end-user to the potential of solving a problem.    Soft sell is appropriate when the consumer knows that they are on a marketing website.   The video becomes an extension to the online sales catalog and carries with it the necessary links to order the product.

 
VOX: When you are making the video for products being exported, is there anything special that you do regarding exports that you wouldn't do for say a video produced for people in the US?
 
JACK:  The needs of expression are nearly the same.  The area of concern is still related to cultural differences.

 
VOX: We live in a global village, and by virtue of that fact, do business in a global marketplace.  How localized can these videos become to serve their intended audiences?  Do you need to do a lot of research or is it up to your client to prepare the proper scripts and information necessary to produce a video customized to a particular country or region?
 
JACK: They may become very localized, to a particular town, for example, for presenting homes for purchase.   Printed materials, distributed locally with a link, or with the use of other media, such as radio or TV, allow for this distribution.   Specialty websites, such as a community bulletin board, may carry the resource to connect to the information.   Also, publishing on multimedia CD where a vast amounts of information may be listed, including the video, is another way to control geographical limits.   This is important where demographics is important to target specific areas that most likely would need the products.   This is especially true when it is a consumer product for a family.

 
VOX: Do the videos have on-camera actors in them or do you primarily use voice over narration?
 
JACK: The easiest format is voice over narration (as well as lower cost).   This allows pictures and graphics to be presented with the supporting voice.   However, video submitted in a file format (ideal when used with digital cameras as they come with conversion software) to move the video from the camera to a file that can be used in the editor.  Market World uses a built-in hard disk in the camera for rapid transfer.
 

VOX: As part of your service you include voice overs.  What do you look for in a voice talent?
 
JACK:  Individuals that have an adaptability of expression, is most ideal.  Personality is secondary to the extent of generating a feeling of excitement to engage the viewer.   Reading of eBooks “is another story”, except for reflection on characters. 
 

VOX: How involved are your clients in the selection process?
 
JACK: Market World gives some suggestions, but the client is the chooser of the voice actor.   It is presumed that they will have had feedback from others in their business to determine which voice is best for their product or service.   Business administration tend to be male voices, consumer products and services tend to be female, but again, a beauty – cosmetic product from an administrative business-to-business may best fit a female voice.
 
An area for exploration for business is the development of online video for improving the workforce within a business by attracting the best qualified to optimize research and development for the new innovative products and services for the future.   Engineers to engage a solution of energy development and applications is a specific example of a communication focus that specific topic video is able to address.    Thank you for this opportunity to offer some possible solutions with the enhancement of voice actors.

Have you narrated projects like this? Any Comments?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Fontmonster

Just in time for Patriot Day, I have a special interview to share with you featuring voice actor Neil Kaplan, and his mission to bring audio theater to the US troops overseas.

Some of you may know Neil as the voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers : Robots in Disguise (2001) and for his videogame voice acting work including roles in Everquest II, Lord of the Rings II and III, and a number of other character voice acting roles.

Find out more about this unique project and learn how you can help make this dream a reality.

Interview with Neil Kaplan

VOX: Thanks for letting me know about your project Neil. It sounds very exciting! Could you share a little bit with me about how Audio Theater for the Troops came about?

NEIL KAPLAN: Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for having me here. "Audio Theater for the Troops" is a project I came up with back in 2005. The way it came about is odd, but it makes sense so follow me for just a moment:

A) I grew up listening to old time Radio Shows and I STILL love them!

B) I had two cousins in the U.S. Navy for many years. One was stationed on an aircraft carrier. While docked in San Francisco, I went aboard. WOW! Was I blown away. They even had a small TV production facility aboard. Of course, these sailors were at seas for long periods at a time. They needed to edit inbound material and also provide information and entertainment.

C) A good friend from high school was on a nuclear sub. Though I never went on board, I knew that again, these were people spending LONG periods at (or under the) sea.

D) I played a character by the name of Optimus Prime on "Transformers: Robots in Disguise" and as a result became friendly with a fire fighter who had legally changed his name to Optimus Prime! That man went to Iraq to support our troops. To fight fires and to keep men and women safe. That is one VERY brave man. One day while chatting I he to me "You know, you're my hero" to which I responded "I'm a cartoon voice guy... YOU'RE the hero!" ...and I thought to myself, what could I do to thank this brave man and his colleagues.

D.5) I also don't like to fly, so going over on a USO tour was OUT for me. I thought to myself... "I do voice overs, I know people that do voice overs. If I find scripts I can put together something for him to enjoy and let him KNOW we think of them and support them (Regardless of is we support the mission. We support the human beings.)

On the flight back from a convention in Dallas, I met Walter (Chekov) Koenig and Ernie (Zedmore) Hudson. I asked both if they would be willing to volunteer their time to do a project like that. they both said "YES" as have every other actor I have spoken to.

After all, we not have 10 days to go overseas... BUT we all have an hour or two somewhere in our schedule.

With that, I applied to AFTRA for a waiver to allow actors to donate their time. Earlier this year, I got my waiver and my first pilot script and began moving forward.

VOX: You've entered a contest at IdeaBlob.com where you may win $10,000 to help make this dream a reality. How would you invest that money if you win?

NEIL: I have received offers of donated studio time, engineering, scripts, composers and their music, actors... but knowing the amount of time and energy needed to edit the project is TOO much to expect anyone to donate. So, the plan has ALWAYS been to pay the post-production engineer. I am doing this first edit myself... and folks... it is NOT one of my stronger skills.

So, the first thing I would do with the money is complete post production on our two "waiver covered" pilots. Then they would be submitted to the Pentagon for approval.

Once approved, I would need to set up a 501 (c) 3 to become a legal non-profit so that people and companies can start donating money to support our growth and development.

VOX: What kind of audio theater will you be producing? Do you have any audio plays in mind?

NEIL: My idea is to steer away from Old radio style acting, sound effects and music. My desire is to truly create a movie for the ears!

To be honest, THIS is the hardest part. I try not to be TOO politically correct, BUT... We cannot do a story that is political in nature, anti-war, etc. I had a wonderful script submitted to me, but ultimately it was about suicide, and I just could not with a clear conscience move forward with that. I think you understand what I mean.

The best scripts I am finding are in fact un-produced animation and television scripts.

BUT, since this will be an ongoing project we will need HUNDREDS of scripts to provide a vast library of material for these brave young men and women to enjoy on their off hours.

This is a FULL time job for me... and when we get up and running, I'll likely start with a staff of three.

VOX: Your desire to send the troops audio theater is admirable and heartwarming. One can only imagine the horrors and uncertainty they face on a daily basis overseas and any form of quality entertainment would be a welcome addition. How has the US army received this generous offer?

NEIL: I have spoken with a few liaisons but, at this point they want a finished sample of what we plan to do before moving forward. Which makes sense. For clarification these are being done for ALL of our armed forces... and eventually, I would hope that we are the model for similar programs for nations around the world.

VOX: I read that celebrity voices will be donating their time and talent to record. Are you able to share more information with us regarding who is volunteering?

NEIL: Well, let's say this... I am bold enough to ask ANYONE to participate. I have yet to hear "no." After all, since we hope to be a full time production entity, we'll work it into ANYONE'S schedule.

I may be humble and quiet when seeking voice over work, but with this? I am NO wall flower.

I do attend Sci-Fi and Comc Book conventions to sign autographs, and have approached MANY of the far more recognizable folks there. and as I said, its pretty much always been something along the lines of "Yes, and what a GREAT idea. Thank you for doing this."

For the initial pilot I was thrilled to have recognizable faces from TV and film and recognizable voices from animation. Since this was a pilot and may or may not ever make it to the troops, I hesitate to let those names out at this time.

VOX: Are you taking any new voice talent volunteers? Could studios also volunteer their space and assistance to help offset costs to show support for your project?

NEIL: ABSOLUTELY. I'd love to meet new studios and work with new actors I do not yet know. Unfortunately, as a matter of respect for the waivers I have been granted and/or promised I would only use SAG & AFTRA talent.

However, I always need an assistant on recording days and that would be a great way for a talented non-union actor to help and participate.

I should have mentioned that I have met with members of BOTH major slates for SAG and this is truly a non-partisan project! They both have promised that once we get our approval from the Pentagon, they will grant me what ever waiver I need to allow SAG members to volunteer their time.

VOX: When is the earliest you could get started on this?

NEIL: I am in post on our pilots. Winning this award would allow me to fast track this and move forward much, MUCH faster.

VOX: How will the audio theater be made available to the armed forces?

NEIL: I could do it right now on CD. BUT, that creates a LOT of waste that is not necessary.I would have to print THOUSANDS of dscs so that each base had one. Even then, we would get MAYBE 2-4 episodes per disc.

When we get approved by the Pentagon we can move toward being able to actually be on hard drives. And THAT would be best for all concerned. We can fit hundreds of hours of audio theater practically on the head of a pin.

In my opinion I'd rather be slower and greener.

VOX: In the event that you need to find resources for this project by other means, how would you proceed?

NEIL: Out of my own pocket. Until we are approved by the Pentagon and qualify for Non-Profit status. At that time, I'll approach a few targeted corporations for funding.

VOX: What can we do to help you in this effort? Any ideas?

NEIL: Well, to win this award, I need your votes, twice. Once to make the monthly finals (the sooner, the better, by the way) and then once again in the final week of the month. The site is VERY user friendly and easy to register and vote. If you check the box... they won't pester you with e-mail.

ALSO, American Express is running a promotion like this as well.. BUT you must be nominated by an AMEX holder. None of my immediate friends and family are.

SO... if any of your members are, and would like to submit us for the contest... I would be VERY grateful. (I do a GREAT outgoing message on voice mail!)

Thank you Stephanie for letting me get the word out!!!

To Vote For Neil Kaplan's Audio Theater for the Troops, click on the link below:

Audio Theater for the Troops

Best wishes,

Neil and Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Jon Helgason

Do You Watch The Spectacular Spider-Man?

If so, get set for a fun interview with none other than the voice of Spider-Man / Peter Parker, Josh Keaton here on VOX Daily.

VOX: Thank you for joining me on VOX Daily, Josh, it's a pleasure to have you here. How long have you been voice acting for?

JOSH KEATON: I've been voice acting off and on since I was a kid. I had roles in shows like the "Back to the Future" animated series, and "Peter Pan and the Pirates." I briefly stepped back from voice over to focus on other aspects of my career, but have made it a primary focus in the last few years.

VOX: You have your feet in a few different segments of the entertainment industry, including on-camera, music, and now voice over. What did you bring from on-camera and music to your voice acting career that helped you ease into the business?

JOSH: Being a singer helps immensely with voice acting. You get a sense of pitch that helps in voice matching/character creation, as well as a sense of timing that makes ADR and hitting certain copy times a breeze. On camera acting helps as well because improv skills are always an asset, and most animated shows want to convey a "not too cartoony" sense of realism. On camera experience helps with keeping a character portrayal subtle and nuanced, even in animation.

VOX: Congratulations on your successes with the Spider-Man franchise. Right now, you're the voice of Peter Parker / Spider-man in the cartoon "The Spectacular Spider-Man", a first for you where our friendly neighborhood arachnid is concerned. Do you find that Peter Parker and Spider-Man are very different from each other when you're voice acting? If so, how do you prepare for each of those characters and what makes them special?

JOSH: Thanks! As someone who grew up reading the comics this role has been a dream come true. As for vocal preparation, Peter Parker's voice is pretty similar to my own, just a bit younger. Spidey's voice is pretty much the same as Peter's, but with a bit more confidence. As Spidey, he can say and do things that he can't necessarily do as Peter. Also, Peter tends to sometimes overplay his geekiness as a cover for his alter ego.

VOX: As some people may know, in previous projects, you have voiced Peter Parker's best friend, Harry Osborn. Could you please tell us how you came to be involved with the Spidey franchise and the work you've done?

JOSH: Well, the video games were produced by entirely different production companies than the show. What's interesting is that I originally provided the voice for Peter/Spidey in the first Spider Man video game, but they ended up getting approval to use Tobey Maguire's voice. As I had already completed all the recording for the game, rather than waste the audio they recorded, they put in a secret play mode where upon beating the game, the gamer could play the game again with Harry in the Goblin suit. After that, they ended up re-hiring me to voice Harry in the subsequent games. The audition process for the show was completely separate.

VOX: What kind of process did you go through to develop the voice of Spider-Man? Was there much homework to do on this or did the character come naturally to you? Any challenges?

JOSH: There wasn't really any process as it's pretty much my voice, just a bit younger. As for character, I already had a pretty intimate understanding of the character from growing up with the source material. In addition, I was this guy growing up... well aside from the Spider powers. I was a huge dork in high school and couldn't get a date to save my life, but I had this double life as a child actor. Among my acting friends, I was "cool" but at school, I was already pegged as a dork from my younger years and there wasn't much that could be done to shake that in high school.

VOX: Have you received any fan mail for your work on The Spectacular Spider-Man or voice work in the videogames?

JOSH: I have. Aside from the Spidey fans, I've received quite a bit of fan mail from fans of the Metal Gear Solid franchise. I played Ocelot in the third installment of the game.

VOX: When you're recording, do you have a favorite tea or beverage that you rely on?

JOSH: I like the things they always tell you not to drink, like soda and dairy products. Everyone tells me that they're terrible for vocal recording, but... they work great for me! In emergencies, throat coat tea and slippery elm lozenges are life savers.

VOX: Do you have a home recording studio that you can audition or work from? If so, what's in Spider-Man's studio? If not, is this something you are considering?

JOSH: I do have a studio at home to work on both VO and music. I record into a tube condenser mic (Røde K2) with an Avalon preamp and a Distressor for compression. I usually record into ProTools through a DIGI002 but I've been playing with Logic as well. I'm a huge gearhead/techie as well (remember, I'm a dork) so I'm always looking for cool new gear. I just bought a house and one room will be converted to a dedicated studio with a real vocal booth and console so I'm pretty excited about that. As for auditioning, I still love driving over to my agent's office to audition. I like getting to see all of my friends/fellow actors, but it's great to be able to do things from home when driving there isn't possible. I'm also currently in the process of setting up a mobile rig so that I can work while I travel. I'll most likely be using SourceConnect and ProTools with a Sennheiser 416 and a SE Electronics Reflexion filter.

VOX: Are you a member of SAG or AFTRA? If you are when did you join and is there a story you can share about how you made the decision to go union?

JOSH: I'm a member of both. I've actually been a member of both unions since I was very young as a result of the on-camera commercials/projects that I started with.

VOX: Where do you see yourself in five years? Will voice acting be your main gig?

JOSH: In five years I hope to accomplish a lot. I'd like to release an album (much sooner than 5 years), write/produce music for other artists, and continue to pursue on-camera film/tv roles. VO will always be my bread and butter but I definitely don't want to limit myself to VO only.

VOX: Age old question : Do you have to live in Los Angeles to make it as a voice actor in videogames and animation? Why or why not?

JOSH: It depends on what you define as "making it." It's completely possible to work regularly in VO without living in a primary market like LA or even other big cities like Chicago, San Fransisco, and New York. The fact remains, however, that to realize the full potential of a VO career (at this point in time), living in one of the major cities helps quite a bit. It will be interesting to see how the internet and the availability of inexpensive yet professional recording equipment will change this in the future (the very near future).

VOX: If you could meet someone in voice acting whom you haven't met, who would it be? Is there anyone you look up to? If so, what do you admire about them?

JOSH: I've already worked with a ton of fantastic voice actors but there are always ones that just blow me away. Steve Blum's Green Goblin in Spec Spidey is incredible and I would love to be able to manipulate my voice the way he does. James Arnold Taylor and Kevin Michael Richardson (Harry Osborn and Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone, respectively) can do voices that you would never imagine coming out of them. I could go on for a long time talking about people like Peter MacNicol and many of the other actors that I've enjoyed working with but I think it's safe to say that I look up to all of them. They're all incredibly talented.

VOX: Anything coming down the pipeline that we should be watching for in your career?

JOSH: I have a few video games out right now and others on the way. I'm the voice of Ryu Hayabusa in the latest installment of Ninja Gaiden, and will be playing Larry Lovage in the upcoming Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust (that one's not for the kids). I'm also a musician and write/produce/perform music with my brother in law. Our group is called Hallway. Finally, there's lots more Spectacular Spider Man on the way. The first of 4 DVD volumes will be released in September, and the second season will begin airing in March of 2009. Keep checking www.joshkeaton.com, and www.spideytv.com for more details.

Any Spider-Man fans out there? Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

P.S. If you go to SpideyTV.com you can play some fun games, including one where you take pictures of Spider-Man to get on the cover of the Daily Bugle!

The face of the Screen Actors Guild may start to look a little bit different this year.

For tens of thousands of people in the acting and voice acting professions, particularly those who are members of SAG and or AFTRA, this change could make all the difference in the world.

Find out more in my special interview with Edoardo Ballerini, a candidate for the SAG Board of Directors and member of Unite For Strength, a group seeking the merger of SAG and AFTRA.

VOX: Thank you for being here on VOX Daily, Edoardo. For those of us who are unfamiliar with Unite For Strength, could you please tell us a little bit about what it is, who is involved and what your mission is?

EDOARDO BALLERINI: Thank you, Stephanie! Unite for Strength is a group of 31 performers running for the Board of the Screen Actors Guild. We are television stars, journeymen, stunt performers, background players, and voice artists. In short, we represent the full breadth of membership. Our mission is to merge SAG and AFTRA so performers are united at the bargaining table once and for all.

VOX: You're personally running for a position on the SAG Board of Directors. What made you want to run?

EDOARDO: Once I started studying the issues facing actors, and the direction our current leadership has taken us in, I felt an obligation. And, not to be too modest, but I think I'd be good at it. My experiences as an actor, having been everything from a day player to a lead, on television and in film, having done commercials and VO, animation and video games, have given me an understanding of what faces nearly every segment of the acting population.

VOX: If elected, what will you bring to the Board of Directors? Do you have any particular goals in mind?

EDOARDO: Unite for Strength has the primary goal of merging SAG and AFTRA. We believe it is in everybody's best interest, and that all other issues pale in comparison right now. Our employers have been merging nearly every year and we should be, too. On a personal note, I would like to bring civility and common sense to the Board. I would also like to spearhead outreach programs to younger members to get them involved.

VOX: One of your running mates happens to be a fan favorite around here, voice actor Bob Bergen. What's it like in the Unite For Strength camp? Are you the only voice actors represented among the candidates?

EDOARDO: Bob is wonderful! A true gentleman, and a sharp mind. Our slate is remarkably cohesive and supportive of each other. Running for office isn't easy, but the group is dedicated both to the cause of merger and to each other. And many of us do voice work. Let's not overlook Marcia Wallace, the voice of Mrs. Krabappel on The Simpsons!

VOX: Edoardo, there's a lengthy list of names listed on the Unite For Strength site that show support, including notable performers such as Sally Field, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks and our industry's very own, Don LaFontaine. What's it like to have some of the biggest name in show business supporting the cause? Why are they behind you and your colleagues?

EDOARDO: I am heartened not only that we have "big names" behind us, but who those names are. Tom, Sally, Alec and Don are not only stars, but they are respected and respectful individuals. Their support is rooted in remembering just how important a union is to the non-stars, the people who need residuals to live, and a stable Pension & Health plan for their families. It's important to understand that both sides on this election want the same thing - the best deals for performers. What we differ in is how to achieve these deals. Our supporters believe merging SAG and AFTRA will make that happen far faster than warring between the two unions ever could.

VOX: What can people do to get involved? Do you have to be a member of SAG to be part of this or help out?

EDOARDO: You do have to be a Hollywood SAG member to vote, of course, but there are many ways to get involved. I would like to see younger actors, even those not yet a part of SAG or AFTRA, to take an interest in their future unions, or better still... union. What we do now will affect them more than anybody else. Our website - www.uniteforstrength.com - has a lot of information about us, and our group on Facebook is becoming a great networking vehicle for actors. We're even planning a "live" networking event (imagine that!) for our Facebook group in early September. We're over 500 strong and growing!

VOX: You mentioned that voting has already been open for almost a week. When does voting end and how do people vote?

EDOARDO: Ballots were mailed on the 19th, and I just got mine today. (I confess it was thrilling to vote for myself and all my fellow candidates.) Every Hollywood SAG member in good standing will receive a ballot by mail. They are not due back until the 19th of September, but it's always best to vote right away. Otherwise these things tend to get lost or forgotten. As they say in Chicago, "Vote early, vote often."

VOX: What would it mean for the members of SAG should candidates from Unite For Strength win positions on the board? Is there a certain number of seats available or are all the seats on the board of directors open for new directors?

EDOARDO: There are 55 members of the Board, but only 33 open seats this year. It's a bit like the U.S. Senate or House in that not all seats are up each election. However, a quick glance at the numbers shows that if we get all of our 31 candidates in we would be a majority voice and therefore able to present our agenda of merger without delay. I believe we would instantly be stronger and SAG members would be better protected and represented.

VOX: How would a Unite For Strength Board of Directors affect voice actors? Do you have any specific aims to achieve for voice over performers?

EDOARDO: Voice actors may be the most vulnerable performers when it comes to having two unions, and have been for some time. Merger is essential to us in voice work. Because VO work is so deeply split between SAG and AFTRA, two things happen. First, a performer ends up contributing to two separate Pension & Health plans. And second, a producer can shop between the two unions for a less actor-friendly contract. I know of several VO actors who end up qualifying for neither health plan, but would have easily qualified under a merged union. I also know several VO actors who are working more and earning less. That's not right.

VOX: One of Unite For Strength's main objectives is to unite SAG with AFTRA, an idea that has been bandied around for decades, even brought to the fore by past SAG president, Melissa Gilbert, just to be shot down.

EDOARDO: It was hardly "shot down!" It missed by a few hundred votes, despite an aggressive campaign against it! It actually achieved majority support in SAG at 58.8%, just shy of the 60% needed according to the by-laws. Moreover, an independent study was conducted shortly thereafter that revealed that 78% of members supported merger! So why didn't it pass? Simple. Poor turnout. I think we're starting to see the importance of taking an active interest in our unions! We would not be in this mess today if we had merged in 2003. There would still be issues, of course, but we wouldn't be negotiating with our employers with one hand tied behind our backs.

VOX: I see, although defeated, it was actually quite close and there was a significant amount of support for the motion to merge. That's interesting. I have a few more questions for you, if you don't mind.

a) What needs to happen to make a successful merger?

EDOARDO: There is a long history of successful mergers in this country, the most famous being the AFL and the CIO. I won't pretend that you can just snap your fingers and voila! you're merged. There is a great deal of planning and consideration necessary. But what needs to happen is this: people need to understand how necessary it is for their futures. And it is.

VOX: Why wouldn't people want the two unions to merge?

EDOARDO: The general fears are these: one, that the Pension plans would be at risk, and two, that the union would be too diversified to properly serve actors, that is, that the new union would suddenly comprise a whole lot of "non-actors" like broadcasters. To the first point, people should know that all pension plans are Federally protected, down to the last penny. There is no risk of losing a single cent. To the second point, we are already such a diverse group! We are theatrical actors, extras, stunt players, animation voices, industrial performers, commercial actors, promo voices, stand-ins, and so on. The Screen Actors Guild was once comprised of film actors only. That day has long passed. As a final thought, consider this: any union's ultimate weapon is the threat of a strike. You never want it to come to that, but it's always a union's right if approved by its membership. Today, if we were to strike, the producers lose out on scripted shows, but they can fall back on reality programming, game shows, talk shows, sports, the news, the list goes on and on. Imagine if in this strike scenario, all of that were to come to a halt at once! Now that's real incentive for the producers to make a good deal! Honestly, I haven't heard a compelling argument against merger.

VOX: What has prevented merger thus far? Is it only to do with a small percentage of people in power who don't want merger?

As I said, there is majority support - in both unions - for merger, but it fell agonizingly short. My sense is that people were afraid of the unknown. But the tide has turned. It's no secret now what's happening. We're fighting with each other, and we're undercutting each other. We've had a look over the proverbial cliff. And it's a long fall coming unless we unite for strength.

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Edoardo Ballerini is a candidate for the SAG Board of Directors with the Unite For Strength slate.

Beyond a well established on-camera career, Edoardo has also worked extensively behind the mic, voicing for Infiniti, Toyota, Sony PSP Talkman, Tyco, BMW, and on the upcoming animated series "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" for Warner Bros. He also recently completed an audiobook of Machiavelli's "The Prince."
--------------------

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

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

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

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

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

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

Noticed anything different lately when taking a bus ride in London, Ontario Canada?

According to some people I've spoken with, riding the bus in London has never been so exciting, or for that matter, sensationally sonorous.

Who's calling the stops?

Meet London Transit's new voice, Passion Fruit Productions' Liz Raphael Helgesen.

VOX: How many prompts did you need to record for London Transit's voice overs?

LIZ RAPHAEL HELGESEN: We recorded about 1,000 prompts, mostly street names and monuments that define various stops.

VOX: Did you have a favorite prompt when recording? Any street names that stuck out to you as unique?

LIZ: I liked 1st Hussars Museum. While researching its pronunciation, I became fascinated with the museum’s collection of military history. Also interesting is that it is located in the Old Middlesex County Jail, another historic London Landmark.

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

LIZ: We recorded several lists of prompts over a couple of months.

VOX: Where did you record the voice overs?

LIZ: My own recording studios, Passion Fruit Productions in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

VOX: You are a voice on the move, literally, recording VO for mobile technology (T-Mobile to name one), automobile navigation and now public transit. Is there anything you find particularly satisfying about this kind of voice over?

LIZ: In our mobile, time-pressed society, people are constantly rushing around to get where they need to go. I am grateful that my voice can give people all over the world peace of mind and point them in the right direction.

Are you a voice "on the move", too?

Leave a comment and let us know where your voice is heard!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Many of you have seen the Voice Talkers : Living the Dream of a Voice Actor video on YouTube and are loving it!

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, click here.

Now, for those of you who have, here's an awesome interview with three members of the comedy troupe that discusses how Voice Talkers came about.

VOX: Where did the inspiration for "Voice Talkers : Living the Dream of a Voice Actor" come from?

RYAN HUNTER (CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR): I always thought it was hilarious that both Taige and his Dad had these Don LaFontaine-type voices. Just the idea that something like that could be genetic seemed sort of funny and unexpected. It makes sense, but it's not something people usually think about.

VOX: How do the themes "living the dream" and the word "indubitably" shape Voice Talkers?

RYAN: We wanted to use the theme "living the dream" in a way the other finalists might not. So we ended up telling a story about a guy who's been living someone else's dream and wants out. It seems like the contest organizers wanted to force every contestant to use a silly and arbitrary word in their piece, and they picked "indubitably." Hence, we used it as if some advertiser had pointlessly thrown it into their copy for a reason that was itself silly and arbitrary.

VOX: Z100's Dave Foxx is featured prominently in a very Don LaFontaine-like role. How did you secure Dave for the role and what kind of expertise did he bring to the table that helped you make this very niche comedy sketch?

TAIGE JENSEN (Lead Actor/Co-Writer/Editor): It turns out that Dave Foxx is actually biologically related to me. After discovering he was my father, I think he felt obligated to help us out. And we bought dinner (two large pizzas).

Dave was a great asset and was extremely generous with his time and facilities. He even engineered our ADR session at Z100 with the help of his Neumann and expert VO tips. It was awesome to collaborate with him, and I hope we get the chance to do it again.

VOX: How did Voice Talkers challenge the cast? Did anyone have voice acting experience before?

TAIGE: The biggest challenge for me was performing while feeling awful. Luckily the plan was to ADR everything from the beginning, because my voice was shot. Also, it was intimidating knowing that our voices were going to be back to back with an industry legend.

VOX: Who came up with the title "Voice Talkers"? What was it that made Voice Talkers the perfect title?

RYAN: We went through a ton of different titles. I thought the "The Cords That Bind" was pretty smart, although, conversely, I was also gravitating towards "Voice Males," just for the sheer idiocy of it. Likewise, I was attracted to "Voice Talkers" because it sounded so awkward, and yet it somehow seemed to fit. It has a certain misplaced gravitas about it that I liked, and it was also the only name that everyone else liked right away. I learned only recently that "Voice Talker" is an actual term thrown around jokingly in the voice industry. We had no idea.

VOX: When you were shooting this film, you likely had no idea what the response would be from the voice acting community online -- maybe you didn't expect there would be one at all. Now that the video has circulated and comments are funneling in, how has their response affected you?

RYAN: The response has been positive, and we've all been really happy about that. Some voice artists have told us that our piece is not far removed from their actual experience, which is really weird. We've also gotten a really good reaction from the orthodontic community, and that has probably touched me more than anything.

VOX: Do any of the cast members have plans to live the dream of a voice actor?

TAIGE: Like many voice actors, I've been struggling to live that dream for years. (hands out his demo) Call me!

TYLER JACKSON (Producer): I once did a voice-over for a documentary. I had a wonderful time, and was very proud of my work. I was fired - never to voice talk again...?

VOX: This video may very well go down in VO history as a classic, standing among such greats as "5 Men in a Limo" and "The Santa Sessions". You've captured a slice of life that most voice actors can identify with, some going as far as saying that what you've shot is almost as if you turned a camera on in their own homes and hit record. As a producer, how does this make you feel?

TYLER: Whenever people feel like your work has connected to a truth in their lives, you know you're doing something right. Surprisingly, our parents didn't want us to be in a comedy troupe as a career, but my dad doesn't have as much bass in his voice so it was much easier to disobey his wishes.

You may have noticed a theme over the last few days that has to do with videos and voice acting.

Today, I want to share a link to another video with you that features a National Association of Broadcasters interview with Dave Foxx, one of the actors in the cast of "Voice Talkers : Living the Dream of a Voice Actor" that was featured yesterday on VOX Daily.

If you weren't familiar with Dave Foxx before seeing Voice Talkers, you're in for a treat.

"The radio business is a business but you have to have fun or you'll be out of business."

Those words are paraphrased from the video I want to refer you to featuring Dave Foxx. If you are interested in the imaging side of voice over and production for radio, television and podcasts, you won't want to miss this one.

When you get a good ten minutes to yourself, watch this amazing "lecture" on how Dave Foxx, Creative Services Director at Z100 in New York City, has been able to consistently produce top imaging, promos and incorporate jingles for radio airplay for over 20 years in one of the most competitive environments for Top 40 stations in the world.

Thanks to Joe Szymanski for pointing this beauty out to me. To return the favor, I'm sending you to Joe's blog to watch the video and comment on the gem he discovered.

Have fun!

Stephanie

Did you watch the Oscars on Sunday night?

I did but I must confess that it wasn't to see the dresses, red carpet shenanigans or the winners... I watched to hear the announcers.

Read more about announcing at the Oscars featuring the voice of Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, and seven-time Academy Awards announcer, Randy Thomas!

The 80th Annual Academy Awards took place on Sunday night.

By now, that is old news, but what you may not have known is that the announcers on the Oscars were Randy Thomas and Tom Kane, both veterans of announcing at Hollywood's biggest night.

You may recall that last year's Oscar announcers were Gina Tuttle and voice over legend, Don LaFontaine.

Randy Thomas was kind to answer some questions for me about announcing for the Oscars including how she got her start on the program. Randy has announced at the Oscars seven times now and she says of the experience that it is always a thrill and an honor, stating "This job never gets old nor do I take it for granted. It is amazing."

When asked how she first landed the gig of announcing at the Oscars, Randy shared, "I was on the radio as a morning DJ on 94.7 The Wave in Los Angeles when they decided to audition women to be the first ever for the 65th Academy Awards in 1993. That is the year I left radio and became a full time voice-over artist."

Now, that's what I call making history!

Rehearsals for the Oscars take place four days in advance of the show so that there are no surprises and plenty of time to perfect the names of nominees.

Announcing at the Oscars is an honor extended by invitation, and for Randy, the 80th Annual Academy Awards was her 7th showing in 15 years, seven opportunities that she is very grateful for.

Coming up, Randy Thomas will be announcing at the Tony Awards for her eighth year in a row on June 15th at Radio City Music Hall in NYC.

Did you watch the Oscars this year? Any comments?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Curious to know more about AFTRA?

I've been given permission by Paul Horn, President of the New England AFTRA Local, to publish an interview conducted with AFTRA voice actress Denise Dal Vera about her experiences as a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Check it out here!

Interviewer: So Denise, tell us a bit about your career as a union performer and your decision to join the union (AFTRA).

Denise Dal Vera: For me, living in a smaller market (Cincinnati) I do a variety of on-camera as well as voice-over work. I work for small, local companies as well as the big players like Procter and Gamble, General Motors and Boeing, all of it under an AFTRA or SAG contract. I choose to be union because it’s a jungle out there, and employers will always try to pay you less. Without the union to negotiate minimum standards for our work, it pits actor against actor, and we end up in a “race to the bottom” over rates and other working conditions.

Interviewer: What have you gained by becoming involved with the union?

Denise Dal Vera: More than anything else, I’ve gained respect. From my employers, my peers, and actually, myself. I think that being part of something that is bigger than me helps everyone in the business. Plus, as far as personal benefits go, I’m eligible for health insurance, a pension and other benefits that would be difficult or impossible (or very expensive) for me to get as an individual performer.

Interviewer: Denise, as a union member, how do you feel about turning down non-union VO work?

Denise Dal Vera: Well, certainly it’s never fun to turn down work. But I've learned that you can turn work union. You’d be surprised at how many producers have never been asked. When you explain to them that it’s not that difficult to hire union, and that the cost is a very small portion of their budget, they often come around. The important thing to remember is that you’re in control of your own business, but as a union member, you need to be able to walk away when necessary. Solidarity is critical to our strength as a union, and if I can’t get the producer to budge, I simply have to decline that work. It’s for the good of more people than just myself. Of course, that problem goes away if the more talented performers are in the union and insist on a contract.

Take ownership and understand the rates and utilize your local office for help. They can sometimes find ways to work within the contract as well as within the employers budget.

Interviewer: Denise, what advice would you give to someone who might be doing quite well on non union work (perhaps thousands of dollars a month) but who suspects she could be making more and/or not working as hard...?

Denise Dal Vera: The important thing is to look at the total compensation you would make working under a union contract, including health insurance, pension, and so on, and compare it to your non-union rate. While the non-union pay may sound good in a lump sum, it might not even be close to what you can make under the terms of a union contract. Most importantly, in the case of commercials, residuals can make a huge difference. If a spot is going to air for a year, would you rather get paid once, or four times? Plus, keep in mind that you have no protection against your image being used forever without your consent. It’s intellectual property, and you need to keep control of it.

Interviewer: What if the union rates are higher than what I’m charging. How do you tell a client you are now more expensive?

Denise Dal Vera: You need to assess whether you think your talent is competitive with union members who are commanding those higher rates. If you decide to join the union, my advice would be to approach each employer individually—and well ahead of time-- and explain your decision. You may be surprised at how many of them agree to working with you on a union contract. Plus, you need to make the clients aware that you add value to their production every time it runs, and you’re not being paid for your time in the studio, you’re being paid for the use of your likeness. There’s a big difference.

Interviewer: I’m afraid I may lose some of my clients.....

Denise Dal Vera: I understand completely; there’s always that risk. But remember that by joining the union you’ll also gain access to producers who are already signed to the union contract (called “signators”) who work with union talent exclusively. Also, explain to them that the contract is designed to protect them as well, as it sets out specifically what is expected of the performer. If you’re good at what you do, chances are there’ll be greater “upside” potential than downside risk. Don't underestimate the client's loyalty to you or their ability to pay you. If you decide to join once you have the facts, it takes the fear out of such an empowering profession business decision. And as I started out by saying, you’ll gain their respect.

Interview provided courtesy of Paul Horn, President of the New England AFTRA Local.

Any comments?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

The audiobook industry is worth billions of dollars with an ever-increasing number of titles being recorded.

Have you thought about recording your voice for audiobooks or narrating other projects?

Read this interview featuring a voice actress who has used LibriVox to help her do just that.

One of the ways voice acting has hit the mainstream is through the recording of audiobooks. There is an amazing amount of opportunity and this sector of the industry is just bursting at the seams.

For those of you who are interested in becoming narrators for audiobooks, there is a wonderful resource and community that will foster your growth in that area called LibriVox. You might recognize that name because I've mentioned LibriVox before in previous VOX Daily articles.

A little while ago, I was in contact with Jodi Krangle, a vocalist and voice actress who has found LibriVox to be hugely helpful where attaining further demo material is concerned, particularly for narration voice over work.

Having read books on to tape for the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) back in the mid-90's, Jodi finds that this is very close to the work she encountered before.

Since becoming an active member of the LibriVox community, Jodi has also learned more about what kind of narration projects she prefers. Instead of recording full-out audiobook narration, she focuses her attention on projects that are less than an hour to record such as short stories, trailers, and teasers.

LibriVox is a good place to start experimenting and testing your limits. Good to know!

Jodi also shared that narrating pieces through LibriVox is fantastic practice because a of the volume of narration work coming her way specifically in the areas of book trailers or reading snippets of books in to MP3 format as teasers for the authors.

"I find doing projects at LibriVox to be a low pressure way to practice. It's a lot like the auditions at Voices.com in that way although I actually end up with a final product I can *promote* (because I realize promoting auditions for others is a faux pas). Every audition is an opportunity to practice - not only with my voice, but with my home studio equipment."

To learn more about how you can get involved, check out their website at LibriVox.org.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Want to know how the leading voice actor on the "Recently Hired" list at Voices.com gets her gigs?

Discover how you can achieve your goals and be recognized (as well as featured on the Voices.com home page) simply by using SurePay to invoice your clients.

SurePay has been around for about six months now as a payment option for voice over services at Voices.com.

Over the past several months, I've noticed quite a few of the same names popping up on the Recently Hired list, particularly that of Janice Downes, a voice actress who has been hired (as of this minute - Dec. 21, 2007 at 2:07 p.m. EST) exactly 31 times using SurePay to invoice and and accept payment from her clients.

Upon some discussion in the office with Laurynda, we came to the conclusion that there must be a story here! I'm pleased to present you with an interview fresh off the press with Janice Downes who has kindly agreed to share some of her "secret sauce" with the readers of VOX Daily and voice actors everywhere.

Stephanie: What convinced you to try SurePay?

Janice Downes: I started using Sure Pay automatically when clients would select me as their talent. There wasn't really any convincing since it's already set up through Voices.com.

Stephanie: Can you briefly describe your first experience using SurePay?

Janice Downes: The first job that paid using Sure Pay was through an audition I answered. He selected me as the talent, I accepted the invitation, he put the payment in escrow, which opened up the portal for me to submit my audio file through. Once he downloaded and accepted the file, the money was released to me, and that was it.

Stephanie: When you use SurePay, do you usually persuade your clients to use it or do they initiate the process?

Janice Downes: Most of my clients who use Sure Pay do so as part of the audition process, so I don't have to convince them to use it. They initiate it.

Stephanie: How do your clients respond to SurePay?

Janice Downes: Most clients don't even mention it. I've noticed clients who are new to Voices.com usually need a little help with how it works, and often ask what to do next, after they have selected their voice. I'll usually have to walk them through all of the steps the first time. Some "get it" automatically, and others need a little more help, so I sometimes have to send them a reminder e-mail for them to make sure to do the next step to keep the process moving along. After they've used it once, they know what to expect.

Stephanie: Since you've been awarded jobs through SurePay over 30 times in the last six months, I wanted to learn more about why you choose to use SurePay and how it benefits you. Please share some information detailing what you enjoy about SurePay as well as how valuable of a tool it is for you.

Janice Downes: The main reason I like using Sure Pay is that it gives me the opportunity to be rated by my clients and ranked by Voices.com. For me, getting my name & voice out where prospective clients will have the chance to see and hear me first when they come to the site is the most valuable marketing tool I have in this business. When you're competing with ten thousand other amazingly talented people who all do the same thing you do, it's crucial. Any time one of my clients chooses to use Sure Pay, it gives me the opportunity to be back at the top of the "Recently Hired" list on the home page, and ultimately, earn my way to the top of the "Client Favorites". The more jobs you get, the more credible you become to other prospective clients, and in turn the more opportunities you have for future jobs.

Stephanie: Can you tell me a little bit about the jobs you have been awarded through SurePay? Are they mainly jobs you have auditioned for (public jobs) or are they mainly private job leads that only you have received?

Janice Downes: Most of my Sure Pay jobs have been public audition jobs. Honestly, most of my private jobs prefer to be invoiced or pay me directly through PayPal, to avoid the escrow fee. In those cases, I always wish they would use the Sure Pay, but would rather give up my opportunity to be ranked (even though it's VERY valuable to me) than to lose the possibility of earning a long-term client.

Stephanie: Have there been a variety of job types you've performed where billing with SurePay is concerned, or are the types of jobs / applications of the voice over roughly the same?

Janice Downes: Most of my Sure Pay clients have been Telephone System Greetings, Radio & TV Commercials & Imaging, and Corporate Narration. I've had clients use Sure Pay for just about every category, but if I had to say one over the other, I guess those would be at the top.

Stephanie: Do you find the process to be intuitive? Is there anything you would add / remove to make yours or your client's SurePay experience better?

Janice Downes: It was intuitive for me to use the first time, but since I don't see it from the client's end, I can't say how intuitive it is for them. Considering I do get many questions from new clients, I would say they need basic walk through of what to expect in a 1, 2, 3 format.

I think some of them need to have it spelled out that they have to:

1) choose the talent, then I get an invitation to accept. If I accept,
2) they deposit the money into escrow which opens up the portal for me to upload their audio, they get a notification that the audio is there, and not only do they need to
3) download it, they have to
4) click on "I Accept" in order to release the payment to me.

Sometimes clients get stuck somewhere around making the payment and clicking on "I Accept". It would be great if that were more clear upfront so I didn't have to sometimes go back and have to remind them to click on Accept so I can get paid.

Stephanie: Thank you for that suggestion. We're working on it :)

Have you referred using SurePay to your own set of clients outside of Voices.com? Have they found it to be useful when outsourcing for talent for projects requiring different voice types?

Janice Downes: I have suggested it a few times, but most clients would prefer to be invoiced than pay the escrow fee.

Stephanie: Have any of your clients ever had difficulty agreeing to using SurePay because of the escrow fee? If so, how did you overcome that issue?

Janice Downes: Never difficulty, but always an option. Most of my repeat clients do prefer to be invoiced, or pay me directly through PayPal to avoid escrow after our first job using Sure Pay. Since I have to pay a fee to PayPal either way, I would always rather use Sure Pay. It's a lot easier for me to just do it all through Voices.com with Sure Pay, plus it's one more chance to be ranked. But, as valuable as that is for me, it is more valuable for me to keep my clients happy, so I always go with whatever payment option works best for them.

~~

If you'd like, you can learn more about what SurePay can do for you by reading this tutorial.

Best,

Stephanie

Have you heard of Second Life or SL?

If you haven't yet, this interview is one that you're going to love.

Voicedude Reinoir shows you the ropes of voice acting in Second Life in this Voices.com exclusive!

Voicedude Reinoir (known in the voice acting biz as Ari Ross) and I had a chat about his "Second Life" web presence and how SL is treating him so far.

Stephanie: How did you discover Second Life and what inspired you to open up a voice over shop there?

Ari Ross: I had auditioned for and then booked a job voicing a three-part piece for American Express called "Open for Business" (which highlights successes with small business). One of the 3 videos I did can be seen here: http://www.openforum.com/thread.jspa?threadID=300000870

I then was hired to do multiple voices for the Second Life CSI:NY game. I voice one of the main characters -- detective Jared Washington - as well as several ancillary characters. I am happy to say that I have been used in four "episodes" (games) so far.

After doing the first CSI: NY gig I was given a link by the client with which I could download the program and go inworld to see/hear the work…. Since then I have been an SL resident!

Stephanie: Wow! What has the community reaction at Second Life been like to Vox Humana? How long has Vox Humana been open? Do you have a stage name there?

Ari Ross: Well, I'll start with the last question and let you know that I am known in SL as "Voicedude Reinoir." Yup.. there is that extra "i" in Renoir there -- we get to choose our first name but must select from a list of mostly odd and/or fun last names… I guess Reinoir caught my eye -- to tell you the truth, I really thought I would only be inworld for like 15 minutes (to just see the voice work and leave) … little did I know that I'd be becoming a resident, buying land and a house and setting up shop!

I have only had "Vox Humana" open for a couple weeks now and actually had only completed putting up all the voice demos like 48 hours ago (as of this interview)! (One can set up an object to be clicked on and play a sound.)

Suffice it to say, there have only been a handful of residents who have been by the shop but reactions have been basically positive. In fact my shop was brought to the attention of one of the main people at Linden Lab (the company which runs Second Life) and he praised it highly and put it in his daily blog. I also have had a couple people who found it in a search and liked it as well. It's really just the beginning at this point -- ask me again in 2 or 3 months and I'll have a better report to give you.

Stephanie: I gather that Second Life has it's own brand of currency. Can you tell me a little bit about working with Linden dollars? How easy is it for you to trade that hard-earned Second Life cash into US dollars?

Ari Ross: Linden dollars are actual currency and can be exchanged for USD (Approx. 260 Lindens to one USD as of this writing) but to be honest, I haven't tried exchanging back to dollars yet. I do know that there is a "Lindex" which is the Linden currency exchange where people buy and sell Lindens in the way that folks buy and sell foreign (Real Life) currencies!

I am myself familiar with using USD to get my virtual hands on some L$ for use in SL:-)

One uses PayPal to buy L$ which can be used to by land, furniture, plants/landscaping, clothes (yes, clothes!), pay residents to build you something, etc.

Stephanie: Are you able to deliver your audio through SL as well, or do you basically use Vox Humana as the first point of contact and then do business as usual off the SL site?

Ari Ross: I intend to use it more as a point of first contact than anything else. Indeed, I have done some good work already for Second Life (via the AMEX and CSI: NY jobs) but those jobs were obtained in the real world for SL.

Aside from having fun meeting new people from all over the world and enjoying the amazing artwork in … and that IS Second Life (almost everything you see in SL is created by the residents -- except for the sky, sun, stars, water and ground).

I will attempt to potentially add to my RL (Real Life) client base possibly making first points of contact inworld and then doing the usual drill for the actual voice job -- emails, phone calls, FTP or ISDN, recording, auditioning etc.

As for delivery of audio, you can only upload 10 second clips and only in WAV format; 44,100 16 bit (no MP3s for some reason). You can choose how you want them to convert it - A bit rate of either: 32, 64, 96 or 128 kbps. There are also sometimes long delays, glitches, etc. Alas, it is still a growing technology.

You could if you had to upload an audition or job by doing so in 10 second bits, but that would of course be kinda silly when the usual options are at hand (email, FTP, ISDN etc).

Stephanie: At the time of this interview, I know of very few people who use Second Life and fewer still who market their voice talent on it. How effective is Second Life as a vehicle to promote your voice?

Ari Ross: As I say, it is all very, very new to me so only time will tell…

Stephanie: Did you design your Second Life storefront? I've seen a picture of it, and I must say it looks pretty spiffy!

Ari Ross: That is one cool thing about SL - a frustrated (or not so frustrated) designer can do artistic stuff he or she may not get around to doing in RL; I got the basic building as a shell and designed the voice demo rooms and storefront myself.

Stephanie: How did you acquire the land your store is on? I heard that you have to buy virtual real estate.

Ari Ross: While checking out the CSI:NY "sim" (region/area) I met a resident who showed me around his house in "Krung Thep: Thai Island Paradise." I fell in love with the surrounding area and purchased some land in the neighborhood!

Land is purchased in lot sizes starting at 512 m² [square meters] and in increments of 512 m² such as 1024, 2048, etc). Some people by whole regions and indeed, even a whole "sim" (I am one of dozens of residents with a plot of land on my home sim of "Krung Thep")

Land is not expensive in real world terms if you just get a couple thousand m², but there usually is a monthly "tier" which can add up depending on your lot size. If you buy a whole region ("sim" -- 16 acre -- 65,536 m²) however, it can get quite expensive indeed - I just saw a number of ads for full 16 acre sims going for between $300 and $6500 US dollars(!) Then there are the monthly tier fees on top of that.

The more expensive ones are generally in I think higher traffic areas of "the Grid" (the world) with therefore better business opportunities.

Stephanie: How do you interact with prospective customers on Second Life? Is there a way for you to advertise or talk to customers while on the website?

Ari Ross: There are billboards you can rent to advertise a shop, etc.

As for communicating, there is both IM-ing and more recently, voice chat. I would not be in SL if it wasn't for voice chat as hey, that's what I do! Also because I rather have a free flow of communication rather than waiting for all that typing -- especially if I want to do business.

I have "notecards" (one can read, keep or discard a notecard which is a dropdown text tablet with information on it) in every one of my signs around the shop which lead one to a special website I now have set up for SL promotion (no RL names, numbers, addresses, etc.) www.Slvoiceovers.com

People can also IM me via my profile; which are sent to me as emails when I am not inworld.

Stephanie: Would you say that you're the first voice actor pioneer to stake a claim in Second Life?

Ari Ross: No, there are others so I am not alone. There is one girl who even created a full recording studio with a booth, microphone, etc (!)

Stephanie: If you had any advice to share with other voice actors about how to use the site, what would you say?

Ari Ross: I'd say that if you were so inclined to at least check it out and see what it is, download the program (from secondlife.com) and fly around (yes, we can fly inworld!) and see what's there.

A strong word of advice… SL can be addictive (really) and so the watchword here is indeed discipline. There many, many lands to travel to (BTW you teleport from anywhere on the grid to anywhere else in seconds) and in, people to meet, things to buy and create and so forth so it goes without saying that it can be very easily VERY time consuming.

With strong personal guidelines set? …. It can open up whole new worlds!

I honestly don't know if it will or would end up being a viable promotion tool for my V/O work… but it's kinda cool trying it out and seein' where it might lead…

Ari Ross
www.isdnvoices.com
In SL: Voicedude Reinoir
www.Slvoiceovers.com

~~

Have you had a Second Life experience? Leave a comment!

Photo © Voicedude Reinoir

In the bleak mid-winter flowering into the spring of this passing year, Bob Souer auditioned for a voice over job through Voices.com that was literally of biblical proportions.

In fact, Bob landed the gig and was happy to let both David and I know all about it at the Voice Coaches Marketing Conference in Colonie, NY on a sunny weekend in June.

Join me in my feature interview during the Christmas season with Bob Souer as he shares news about his journey narrating through the all-time #1 best-seller and the greatest story ever told from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation.

Stephanie: It's amazing that you are recording the entire Bible! Could you please specify which version of the Bible it is and the total word count?

Bob Souer: This project is for the world's largest publisher of Bibles, Thomas Nelson. We're using their "New King James" version. Word count is about 774,000.

Stephanie: What has the process been like so far working on such a large and monumental project? Do you do anything special to prepare for your sessions?

Bob Souer: The process has gone amazingly smoothly. I'm in my home studio in Charlotte, NC, connected via either Source Connect or ISDN (most of the sessions have been done with ISDN thus far, but with the new version of Source Connect coming in about a month we're hoping to be able to move to that system more often) to the main production studio in Nashville, TN. I try to get a short nap before I start my session each day. In a typical week, we record for 4 hours each day Monday through Friday for between 5 and 7 hours on Saturday. Sunday is a day off for all of us.

Stephanie: Which stories are your favorites? Any verses in particular that you enjoy reading aloud?

Bob Souer: Reading the Psalms was a great joy. They lend themselves to being read aloud so very well. Also, some of the familiar passages in Isaiah were very interesting to read in the context of the entire book. In fact, the single most striking thing about taking part in this project is getting an opportunity to experience these familiar stories in the whole context. No matter how familiar an individual story or passage is, it takes on a different flavor when read as part of the whole.

Stephanie: Is there an element of voice acting involved (differentiating individuals in the Bible) or is this project more of a straight narration project?

Bob Souer: We're not doing "characters" as we read, but as I mentioned in conversation with my friend Dan Nachtrab the other day, the key for me has been to keep in mind that it's simply telling stories. Even the genealogies are the story of a family, told in a way that sounds strange to our 21st century ears; but still a story.

Stephanie: Which company hired you? Were you given any specific direction from your client as to interpretation?

Bob Souer: The production and editing are all being done at Northstar Studios in Nashville, TN. They have an audio editor and a producer who are overseeing every detail, both of whom are monitoring the script as I read; so very few mistakes slip through. We have pick-up sessions now and then to go back and correct those few places that we didn't catch as we were recording initially.

Stephanie: How will people be able to purchase / access the recordings and will there be a CD series with all the recordings on them? Have you completed the job as of yet or is there a deadline you have set for yourself?

Bob Souer: This project, as I understand it, is being recorded for distribution as a daily podcast so that at the end of a year, you'll have listened to the entire Bible. I believe that's going to take place through the Thomas Nelson website, possibly through iTunes or another distribution site, too but I don't know the specific details.

As an additional note, I'd just like to say that I'm very grateful for Voices.com and for the way you've helped me connect with not only this project but a number of other clients as well. I wish you, David and your entire team much success.

Stephanie: Thank you for talking with me Bob. It's always a pleasure.

Want to be part of the conversation? Add a comment!

©iStockphoto.com/Christine Balderas

Ever been on a PGA, LPGA or Champions Tour?

David Cook has been announcing live at professional golf tournaments for five years, so one of the voices you may have heard on the course was likely his!

Join me for my interview with David Cook here on VOX Daily.

I'm very excited to bring you this interview with David Cook, professional announcer and voice over talent.

If you scroll up a bit to see the picture above, you can see Tiger Woods shaking hands with a gentleman in a red ball cap - that's David Cook.

Now, I'd like to share our interview :)

Stephanie: How did you get the gig as the primary PGA announcer?

David: When the PGA TOUR's Deutsche Bank Championship was lining up its staffing 5 years ago, they learned that I might not be available Tournament Week because I was a semi-finalist for the Boston Red Sox public address announcer's job. Once they heard that someone else was chosen by the Sox, they decided to make me their "tournament voice" on the 1st tee to introduce the players to the thousands of spectators as they teed off. Later they added announcing on the 18th hole.

Stephanie: What is your favorite leg of the PGA tour?

David: Hmmm - that's a tough call because in addition to PGA, I also do some announcing for LPGA Legends Tour and PGA's Champions (formerly Senior) Tour. Each has some special meaning for me as I am a lover of golf history as well.

Stephanie: Are your expenses paid for you?

David: I am compensated in various ways by the different tournaments. At the moment, the events I work are all in Greater Boston so travel expense is a non-issue.

Stephanie: Where do you sit when you announce?

David: I stand most of the time as I have found the need to move around the tee box (or green) to interact with the players plus my voice projects better that way.

Stephanie: Have they given you a special jacket to wear when you are working?

David: Generally a blazer with tournament crest worn over an official Tournament shirt is the "uniform of the day."

Stephanie: Is your announcing affiliated with a particular broadcast station or are you with the PGA?

David: I am an independent contractor (just as the players are!) so at any given event, depending on the coverage, my voice might be carried over NBC or ABC or Golf Channel, XM radio, New England Sports Network, PGA Tour productions etc.

Stephanie: Who have you met while on the tour? Any celebrities, dignitaries or royalty?

David: Pretty much the full gamut from obvious big names such as Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, Kathy Whitworth (winner of 88 LPGA titles!!) and Nancy Lopez. I have also met and introduced Donald Trump and various other media, sports and business leaders who love the game of golf. Arnold has been called The King of Golf but that is as close to "royalty" as I've gotten.

Stephanie: Do you get to hang out in the club house?

David: It varies with each event but there's really not much time to hang around. Bottom line - I have all the access I need to do my job. Tour staff and local Tournament officials are incredibly supportive.

Stephanie: How would you describe announcing for golf?

David: It's a total rush. First of all, I love and respect the game (just wish I played it a bit better) so being that close to the action/players is a thrill. Plus it's an important role and responsibility to get the players to tee off at exactly the right time with the correct scorecard and to pronounce names correctly. Some of the international names can be a bit challenging! And when you have thousands watching and listening, you really want to nail the introductions. The roar of the crowd - as you might imagine - is also pretty unforgettable. I try to "take my vocal efforts to the next level" when introducing our defending champion or someone who has just won a Major Championship such as Padraig Harrington, Zach Johnson, Angel Cabrera and Tiger Woods earlier this year.

Stephanie: How do you use your voice? Is it low, hushed tones at certain instances?

David: Good question. As we hear on TV coverage of golf, the play by play announcers in the tower speak in a low voice so as not to disturb the players concentration while putting, etc. But since I am speaking before players begin their rounds or as they approach the 18th green green, I am free to use all the vocal gusto that seems appropriate. It makes for a welcome change of pace from much of the radio spots and e-learning gigs that I do.

Stephanie: Do you have a favorite player on the tour?

David: Wow - that is such a hard call. With all due respect to the hundreds I have met and introduced - past and present - getting to meet Arnold Palmer is hard to top. He has meant so much to the game of golf and helped bring it into mainstream of sports starting in the 1960s . Of course today, Tiger is considered America's top golf ambassador. The crowd roars that he gets are amazing!

Did you enjoy reading this interview?

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

If you've found our podcasts and bonus material helpful, we'd appreciate you taking a couple minutes to submit a positive review of the shows in iTunes.

Click the link below to go directly to our podcast page in iTunes. Then click on the "Write a Review" link just below the description. We really appreciate it!

Here's a quick recap of the podcasts.

Vox Talk

Voice Over Experts

The most-downloaded educational podcast featuring renowned voice over coaches from US, Canada and abroad. Join us each week for pearls of wisdom and tricks of the trade to improve your voice over career.

Write a review for Voice Over Experts in iTunes »

Thanks in advance :)

Also, if you have a podcast of your own, add a link to it by leaving a comment below and we'll be sure to review it for you.

Stephanie

Is celebrity voice casting for animated films and cartoon series all it's cracked up to be?

MJ Lallo, voice acting coach, gives her .02 on the subject in an interview with Animation World Magazine's Karen Raugust.

Every now and then, the subject of celebrities in voice over and the effectiveness of their performances is explored by the media.

Recently, MJ Lallo, renowned Burbank-based animation voice over coach, was quoted in an article examining just that topic online at Animation World Magazine.

Here's a snippet from the Animation World Magazine article featuring MJ Lallo:

Celebrity casting -- which impacts not only the feature film business, but also TV shows, videogames, direct-to-video productions and even some webisodic series --frustrates everyday voice actors, who believe it not only has dampened their opportunities, but also often has a detrimental effect on the productions themselves. "[Celebrity casting is about] publicity, rather than a fantastic voice," says M J Lallo, a voiceover actor, director, producer and teacher, with a studio and voiceover school in Los Angeles. "You see [the production] and you say, 'that's not an interesting voice, it's just so-and-so's voice.'"

Other voice casting directors interviewed include Cathy Kalmenson, Andrea Romano, Michael Hack, and Ginny McSwain.

The focus of the article isn't just on celebrity voice actors, however, it also sheds light on how one might be able to break into the voice acting for animation world. According to the experts interviewed, despite fierce competition, there are opportunities for talented, fresh-voiced novices to break in. The article is great and I highly recommend going over to the site to read it.

That aside, my question for you is this:

What do you think of celebrity voice casting? What percentage of these celebrities can compare to the rank and file voices (pro animation voice talent) that do this work professionally on a regular basis?

Looking forward to your reply. Please add a comment :)

Happy Labour Day,

Stephanie

Voice Talent Jason McCoy’s elevator speech garnered him the grand prize at Voices.com’s 2007 60 Second Pitch Contest this summer.

Learn more about Jason McCoy and his voice over journey here at VOX Daily.

Nothing in business makes Jason McCoy happier than performing a variety of voice overs. For example, Jason loves reading and voicing everything from audiobooks, to commercials, to IVR scripts; he loves them all, especially since they come with the added bonus of being able to work from the comfort of his own home, yet, allow him to be heard everywhere.

Recently, that passion was publicly rewarded and acknowledged when voice talent Jason McCoy was awarded first place in the Voices.com 60 Second Pitch Contest, wowing the judges with a clear focus, conversational appeal and creative compilation of educational and business prowess.

Jason McCoy credits an interest in radio from a young age as the source of his fascination with voice over. From age 12, he pretended to be on the radio and would even use a computer microphone to record liners he had heard on a local radio station. Jason recalls spending hours upon hours playing music on the computer and editing in his voiced liners to hear how it sounded.

By the age of 17, Jason interned at a radio station to get experience and instantly fell head over heels for the production room, playing around with soundfx, writing liners, and on one fateful day, played them for the Program Director (PD). Within a year, he was made full time Production Director and became responsible for the 7pm-midnight air shift. Two years later, he was promoted to Program Director.

Although his role as Program Director lead him further up the ladder at the station, the creative production work and freedom that he enjoyed earlier eluded him, particularly the opportunity to do voice overs. Not to be discouraged, Jason began building a home studio and sent out demos to what seemed to be every radio station in America.

Jason noted, “I received a lot of rejection, but I was blessed to land 2 or 3 radio station contracts that year, one of which was WXTM-FM in Cleveland. I thought instead of working for one local radio station, I want to be able to work from home for many stations. So after 6+ total years with that station, I left radio and started McCoy Productions to do voice over and production.”

What started as just radio station imaging turned into a cornucopia of opportunity including voice over work such as telephone IVR, trailers, commercials, audiobooks, narration and many more.

Jason McCoy, when asked about what drives him, relates, “Hearing other talent inspires me. When I listen to the radio, I listen more for commercials to get new ideas. I love hearing the TV network voice overs. It's extremely inspiring to hear a great voice and think how can I improve to get closer to that talents level. I often think if I had that same sentence written out would I have delivered it the same way, and if not, which one sounded better? So really it’s the ability to always improve that inspires me. I believe success comes to anyone who is constantly attempting to improve.”

Jason McCoy’s first place win in the Voices.com 60 Second Pitch Contest distinguishes him as a businessman, communicator, and persuasive marketer with more than just a great voice, objectives that are attainable through hard work, perseverance, and professionalism as well as a humble heart.

To listen to his winning pitch and the 60 Second Pitch Award Show, visit:

http://podcasts.voices.com/voxtalk/

About Jason McCoy

Based in Salisbury, Maryland, Jason McCoy of McCoy Productions provides dry and fully produced professional voice over and audio production for radio / TV station imaging, commercials, theatrical trailers, narration, voice on hold, audiobooks, and presentations. McCoy Productions offers immediate turnaround, affordable rates and offers the highest quality of voice over and production. His partial client list includes organizations such as Unwired Nation, Nextit, St. Joseph Health Care System, KZLE-FM, KCDZ-FM, HouseMusic101.com, KBACE, and Gateway Church.

What do you get when you combine crazy fans, Hasbro figurines, The Transformers, and voice actors Daniel Ross, David Kaye and Peter Cullen?

An awesome video segment on GameOne, that's what!

Want to see some Transformers coverage at BotCon 2007?

If you're into Anime, video games or Transformers, you'll love watching GameOne, a news meets entertainment series on all things gaming, tech and hardcore geeky hosted on GameTrailers.com.

Daniel Ross, voice of Starscream in the Transformers video game, was the person to point me in this direction. Several voice actors from the Transformers franchise are interviewed in this segment, including Daniel. "When I landed the part of Starscream, the fan inside of me was rejoicing because I was able to marry my hobby with my career."

Canadian voice actor and Voices.com talent David Kaye (also a self-proclaimed toy geek) is in this video featured commenting on his evolving roles on The Transformers cartoon series starting out as Megatron all the way up to Optimus Prime in the new series, noting that it is harder to be a "good guy" lately than it is to be on the other side of the tracks.

Peter Cullen, Canadian born voice actor, and original voice of Optimus Prime reprising his role in Michael Bay's movie, Transformers, was also in attendance and interviewed.

Peter revealed, "It's an honor to be able to rep so many great, great fans who fought for me and I'm glad to be back, I must say."

The 2007 Anime Expo is also covered in the video, so if you're an Anime fan, be sure to watch more than just the first segment of video.

Catch the video by clicking through this link.

Cheers,

Stephanie

Image source : My.Opera.com

This week brings us part two of three in an interview series with Joe Cipriano.

Listen to Jesse Springer's interviews with this VO great on the VOX Talk Podcast and discover some "behind the scenes" tales about how this project took flight here on the VOX Daily Voice Actor blog.

In an age where social media has brought people together online, Jesse Springer, a native of Seattle pursuing a voice acting career in Los Angeles, has found unique ways to hone his craft as a voice actor and promote his talents while becoming acquainted with the Who's Who of the voice over industry, conducting interviews through audio and video with legends in the field.

Concurrent with his voice acting career, Jesse is also working on a four-year degree in film production at Biola University. Although his summer holidays may be drawing to a close, Jesse Springer is never far from a microphone, or a high profile interview subject.

Joe Cipriano, known to many as the promo voice on FOX among other stations as well as the announcer for the Emmy and Grammy Award Shows, was the honored guest in Jesse's most recent interview series currently being podcast on VOX Talk, the #1 Voice Acting Podcast. Joe Cipriano is also a member of the famous Primetime Voices crew, alongside colleagues Don LaFontaine, George DelHoyo, Dave Fennoy, and Townsend Coleman to name a handful as well as being the sharply dressed spokesperson for Apple's GarageBand podcast and audio recording software.

The interview had been in the works for a couple of months, originally planned as a video segment for the documentary Jesse is shooting about the greats of voice over, including the likes of Ben Patrick Johnson, a voice artist whom Jesse had interviewed in April 2007.

Jesse's calling to share his newfound knowledge and connection to Joe Cipriano with his peers motivated him to get the process going with an audio interview as a precursor to the video interview.

When asked how the interview got off the ground, Jesse related, "I emailed him (Joe) an MP3 with some questions asking if he would send his responses when he had time to record them. He was in Italy at the time, but had said he'd love to get the answers to me when he returned to LA. He MP3'd those to me a couple of days later, I filled in the gaps and smoothed my end of the dialog over, and that was that!"

In between the Ben Patrick Johnson and Joe Cipriano interviews this summer, Jesse was auditioning daily for voice over jobs, marketing his voice talents and meeting with agents, all the while still attending school and making the grade. His chosen program of study develops integral qualities that merrily correlate with Jesse's production and voice over work, including networking, interacting with people in the media and maintaining composure, regardless of the situation or who he meets.

Jesse Springer, when asked about working with Joe Cipriano on the interview series, confided, "Joe's an amazing individual. Besides being a very accomplished voice talent who knows the industry well, he is very community oriented. As a 19-year-old voice actor, I look up to people who offer advice and direction for my voiceover career, and Joe is a fine example of just that."

The three part interview series on VOX Talk is accessible both through the iTunes Podcast Directory by subscription and on the VOX Talk website at Voices.com.

To learn more about Jesse Springer and listen to his voice samples visit:

http://www.jcspringer.com
http://jessespringer.voices.com

To listen to the VOX Talk Podcast, go to:

http://podcasts.voices.com/voxtalk

About Jesse Springer

Jesse Springer, a 19-year old voice actor and native of Seattle, is a rising star in the voice over industry. When Jesse isn't hitting the books at Biola University in the film department, he uses his voice to make a living and carve a niche for himself as one of the foremost voice actors in his age demographic. In his spare time, Jesse contributes to the VOX Talk Podcast at Voices.com, conducts interviews with voiceover artists and works on his highly anticipated documentary featuring great voiceover artists of the current age. Jesse currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Had a cup of Joe yet today?

Jesse Springer, a VOX Talk correspondent, recently interviewed Joe Cipriano, famed promo voice, Apple spokesperson for podcasting with GarageBand, and one of the PrimeTimeVoices.com crew.

Tune in to VOX Talk to listen to part 1 of 3 in an interview series produced by Jesse Springer with the one and only Joe Cipriano!

Familiar with Joe Cipriano?

Joe is heard on television sets in households everywhere with his recognizable style doing primetime voice over promos for Fox, NBC, and CBS among other stations. He's that voice that promotes shows before they come on the air like The Simpsons for instance.

He's also the live announcer for the Grammys and the Emmys.

Jesse Springer, a professional voice talent based in California and member of Voices.com, has created a three-part interview series to air on the VOX Talk podcast with Joe Cipriano - a podcast series not to miss!

I just published the first interview segment on VOX Talk this morning.

To check it out, go to the Voices.com Podcast Center and click on the VOX Talk "podcover" (that's a jargon term for image or CD cover).

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Best,

Stephanie

P.S. If you can't get enough of Joe, also check out Donna Papacosta's interview with Joe Cipriano from December of last year.

The 2007 London Fringe, a festival that features new and upcoming actors, is now in full swing in London, Ontario Canada.

One play in particular, Walking the Labyrinth is a one man show written and performed by Peter Cavell, jam packed with voice overs and well worth attending.

The show is described as follows:

Awakening in an unfamiliar place, the wanderer must find his way through the twisting Labyrinth, and face the beast that waits at the centre. Walking the Labyrinth is a dark, psychological re-imagining of the story of Theseus, combining live and recorded speech, electronic vocal distortion, original music, and 2000-year old poetry.

I attended "Walking the Labyrinth" at The McManus Studio located downtown at The Grand Theatre in London, a stones throw from several local landmarks including Victoria Park, St. Peter's Basilica, and St. Paul's Cathedral.

Synopsis

A brief synopsis of the ancient story is that King Minos of Crete demanded from Athens a yearly tribute of seven youths and seven maidens who were set loose in the Labyrinth, an immense stone maze, to be killed and devoured by the Minotaur. To put an end to the sacrifices, Theseus, son of the King of Athens, volunteered to be part of the tribute. After landing on Crete, he met and fell in love with Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. Ariadne secretly gave Theseus a sword with which to kill the Minotaur and a thread to help him find his way back out of the Labyrinth. He entered the maze, slew the beast, and returned triumphant.

The play starts with heavy breathing and screams with foreign languages being spoken in whispers accompanying the solo actor upon the stage who we soon learn is Theseus of Athens, lost inside the Labyrinth of King Minos.

Performance

The performance was amazing and Peter was able to captivate the audience throughout by using techniques from Greek Theatre, acting as a narrator or interpretor in some cases to communicate the plot from a different point of view to his audience.

There were so many great linguistic qualities in the show as well as technical that I made sure to meet with Peter after the performance to ask him a number of questions about how the show was produced, about the voice overs, sound effects, and use of ancient languages.

As I said, this was a one man show and it was thoroughly accompanied by voice over recordings as well as miked. The disembodied, recorded voice over of Ariadne (Danielle Buonaiuto), both in song and spoken word, spoke to Theseus at times which added a melodic and melancholic air to the production.

The tension in the air was so thick. Themes that ran throughout the character of Theseus and the play itself were anguish and despair which contrasted nicely with Ariadne's hopeful, gentle and somewhat modal intercessions.

Sound Effects

The sound effects used were reminiscent of the stone walls of the Labyrinth; cold, hollow, and wreaked of vermin and infestation. Their hollowness was symbolic of how isolated, desolate and cavernous the Labyrinth of King Minos must have been according to legend and many of the voice overs also took on a life of their own embodying similar traits.

Languages

If you are a language buff, you'll be pleased to know that Peter used not one but five languages in his play to add texture and amplify the other worldly atmosphere of the Labyrinth including Ancient Greek, Ancient Latin and Liturgical Latin, French, and English.

Although Peter honed his musical craft in theory and composition at the University of Western Ontario, the play sprung forth from an opera Peter had written as a Masters student last year at the University of Victoria. He likened the opera and the play to theme and variation.

Recording and Editing Techniques

For recording, Peter employed the Audacity software from his home PC using an SM58 microphone for Ariadne and select voice overs he recorded himself. Two different Shure microphones were used to record with for various voice overs. Peter recorded some of his own voice overs with a headset to keep consistency throughout the live show, wearing the headset on the stage as well.

Audio editing was accomplished by using Adobe Audition. Peter admits that "A liberal application of reverb covers up a lot of nasty stuff (all though you can't use it all the time, obviously)". There also was a lot of EQing going on to emphasize natural vocal qualities. Other effects Peter used included the flange, chorus effect, and a de-hissing tool which he says is fantastic.

The play runs until August 6th at the McManus Studio Theatre.

To learn more about Walking the Labyrinth visit PeterCavell.com.

Image © PeterCavell.com

Now, we enter into waters where it's all about selection and not rejection!

Agents are very selective, but as we've said earlier, there is a voice for every job and a job for every voice.

Does an agency shoe fit for you?

Learn more about voice talent agents, what they do, how to find one, approach one and what happens if you are offered a contract.

Agents. Voice talent agents...

This category of people in the voice over industry as often seen as the individuals who hold the keys to the kingdom, are negotiators of deals, and promoters of talent.

Finding and getting an agent is usually somewhere on a voice actor's To-Do List after making a voice over demo and before joining the union (if joining the union is an objective for them, that is).

Having an agent does simplify some aspects of a voice acting career, however, being contracted by one is not an easy process and many people who are very talented do not have representation for a variety of reasons.

Voice talent agents and agencies who represent voice talents are usually situated in cities known as hotbeds for voice over work like Los Angeles and New York among other high profile cities. While New York City and L.A. may be loaded with opportunities and perceived as well-connected to lucrative voice work, there are other markets to consider where representation by an agent is concerned.

Some agents as noted above prefer to work in major markets. Others may represent talent by state, regionally or even locally, depending on their preference and business goals.

There are agents who specifically represent voice actors and some who have voice actors on their roster of talent which may include actors, models, singers, and other performers.

Now, cracking the nut on how to get a voice over agent.

Many agents prefer to be contacted by mail (yes, mail routed through a post office) and are generally inaccessible by email or phone due to the volume of applications they receive on a daily basis.

Research how agents prefer to be contacted before doing so.

Some appreciate receiving a brief letter asking if you can submit something to them before you send your package. If they are interested in taking on new talent for their roster, they will give you instructions or a go ahead to send your package. Showing courtesy to the agent and their staff makes a big difference when you are trying to establish a relationship.

If you have the go ahead, you can send a package promoting your voice over talent.

Most agents expect to receive a package from you that contains a brief cover letter, resume with references, an updated head shot (head shots are required by some agents and specifically not requested by others) and a CD copy of your voice over demo. Some agents like receiving packages that stand out while others are not terribly concerned with the packaging.

Make sure that your packaging is professional looking though and properly addressed. The person receiving the package may or may not be the agent, so be sure that what you send is a package a secretary or other staff member feels comfortable passing on to the agent. If the package looks tattered, poorly labeled or addressed incorrectly, they may see it as non-professional and throw it out to save their boss some time; at least this is how some may see it.

Assuming that your package makes it to the agent, chances are that a busy agent will only have time to listen to about 5 to 10 seconds of the demo, so it had better be your best material as you won't be in the room to tell them to "skip to track 2". Some are more generous with their time, but these agents are few and far between.

Something to remember is that just because your voice is not what a particular agent or agency may be looking for doesn't mean that no one wants to hire you on. It's all about selection, not rejection.

If the result is a positive reaction from the agent, you might just receive a call and potentially an offer or contractual agreement to be signed with the agency for a period of time.

Now, this is where things become as clear as mud.

Contracts from agents are usually a mixture of legal terminology and a bunch of places to leave your signature. They can be very confusing as the contracts aren't necessarily scribed in layman terms or self-explanatory.

It's critical that you understand what is being required of you when signing with an agent otherwise you could literally be "signing away" some of the freedoms you currently enjoy as a freelance voice actor.

This week, we received a question from one of our voice actor members here at Voices.com about a contract offer received from an agency.

After trying to review it and not having much success confidently deciphering the agency contract, it struck me to seek help from my good friend Nancy Wolfson, a former agent who is now a voice over coach, to give us some perspective regarding contracts and the like. Nancy is the owner of Braintracksaudio.com, and as a former agent, has a wealth of information on her site about what to do in this very situation.

Nancy reveals that although the vast majority of agencies have standard operating policies, there are instances of variation where the agency code is concerned.

Some agencies still abide by rules set in place by traditional agencies decades ago while others have adopted more progressive procedures that have adapted to the new landscape of voice overs today, resulting in "loosey-goosey" spins on the former "standard operating procedures" of voice talent agencies.

Here's some advice taken straight from Braintracksaudio.com courtesy of Nancy Wolfson:

If you’re confused about any legal paperwork, ASK.

If your agent is too busy to entertain your questions (they are probably on the other telephone line trying to round up opportunities for you!), see if there is someone in their accounting department or their legal department who has time to answer your questions.

The typical top market union agency contract agreement is boiler-plated to engage a talent for a 3-year window.

Once signed, this means that an agent can (legally) keep a talent from leaving and taking their talents and earnings to another agency during that 3-year window.

Excepting extreme circumstances that might come into play, the talent can only wangle loose from that agreement if they have not made the minimum amount established by SAG in a 90 day span of time (details on that is available by contacting SAG).

An agent can "drop" a talent any time the agent wants to, even if that talent is under contract.

However, when handed such a contract, there are all kinds of options a talent has the power to make on that contract.

For example, talent can get in there with a red pen and cross off that "3-year" thing and handwrite in "1-year" instead and initial by that change. If the contract says "this talent agrees to work exclusively with us and nobody else," the talent can get in there and "red line" through that and re-write what they want to establish as the operating agreement on that front. The talent needs to tell the agent that they are requesting these special amendments and tweaks, and it is up to the agent to decide if that nullifies the desire to put the talent under contract...

A talent's leverage in this situation rests upon on how much money they are, may be, or might be perceived to be bringing in with them to the agency.

I've always encouraged talent to take a contract home and even run it past an Entertainment Attorney for review with them, as we are all entitled to and responsible for understanding the legal agreements to which we sign our name. And in the ever-growing landscape of the Do-It-Yourself business models, it becomes even more important to understand the legally binding engagements you are creating.

That said, if a talent is very new to the scene and is objectively lucky to be receiving the offer of contractual engagement at all from a proper agency, then they might consider being as gracious and compliant as possible lest they appear more high-maintenance on the front end of a new relationship than their earnings (or absence thereof) would merit.

Back to the "loosey goosey" factor of how things are commonly handled these days: It is not uncommon for an agent to express interest - legitimate and earnest interest - in a talent these days, and still NOT offer that talent a contract.

My advice to that talent? Who Cares. Don't press the agent on this matter. They are "trying before they buy," in a sense, and so long as the talent is getting opportunities from the agent, there's no reason to pester them for a binding agreement.

Sure, it's nice on a personal and emotional level to know that an agent wants you so badly that they want to "marry" you into a contract. But so long as the talent is benefiting from the opportunities that agent has on deck and/or making money, drop the need for proof of their love on a piece of paper - keep on "dating" and making money.

~~

I must say, that's sound advice!

Thank you to Nancy Wolfson for sharing this insider view of the business.

Have any of you found this article useful?

Please add a comment below and share your thoughts.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Can you tell if it's not an Aussie?

Tim Stackpool was kind to share some information on the Australian English dialect as well as some humourous video clips from YouTube.com that demonstrates what happens when a native speaker is not hired for the job!

Learn a whole bunch of interesting facts and watch some funny videos courtesy of Tim Stackpool, Australian voice talent.

A few months ago, I was in touch with Tim Stackpool, a voice talent living in Australia, chatting about what makes the Australian English dialect different from other accented English dialects.

This is what he shared with me:

The Australian Accent.

As with most countries in the world, there is no single form of the Australian Accent. In basic terms, academics who study language recognize three main types of the Aussie accent, being Broad, General and Cultivated.

An example of the broad accent would be that spoken by the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. The population that live in rural Australian often speak with an extreme version of this Broad accent, characterized by very little opening of the mouth when speaking.

This is colloquially described as “not letting the flies in”.

Movie star Paul Hogan could originally be described at having a broad accent, although his exposure to other international accents has now turned his regular speaking voice towards being General. Due to the obvious characterization of the Broad accent, it is the one most likely to be mimicked by non-Australian actors attempting the accent. It’s derived from cockney English, transported to Australia with convicts from the late 1700’s, but little of the cockney twang remains today.

The General Accent is the most easy to understand, but can be the most difficult to master.

Of all non-Australian actors, those from New Zealand and surprisingly South Africa appear to master this accent the best. Spoken mainly in cities (with variations across the country) it often includes affectations from other countries, due to the high level of cultural assimilation in Australian cities. Of the variation between capital cities, most surround the emphasis on syllables and vowels. For example, the town ”Newcastle” could be pronounced either as “New-Carrs-ell” or “New-Cass-ell” depending on the speaker’s native town. The General accent is also commonly used by TV and radio journalists.

The Cultured accent can easily be mistaken for an educated British accent.

Most Australian’s can achieve this accent by ‘rounding the vowels’ and concentrating on speaking ‘properly’. It’s the native voice of actors such as Geoffrey Rush and Sam Neill, although it is an acquired accent for Sam as he originally hails from New Zealand. Many Australian actors find work in the UK using this accent to play native British speakers. This Aussie author has been mistaken for a Brit in the UK itself when using this accent.

It’s difficult to phonetically describe or teach the Australian accent without one-on-one tuition and exercises.

The teacher needs to identify the underlying accent of the non-speaker and then tailor a phonetic guide specifically for the student. This is not required in all cases of course, as some actors do have a ‘knack’ for accents. Listening, repetition, recording and listening again is another way of mastering the accent. This is the next best thing to immersion, which would require the actor to live among the native speakers for a longer period of time.

Speakers from North America usually nail the Aussie accent after taking the journey via a New Zealand accent. The New Zealand accent is similar, but with some significant vowel alterations, which an Australian can spot a mile off.

As a brief example, a New Zealander would say “thes” instead of “this” and “eccent” instead of “accent”.

Generally, only Australians will identify a phony Australian accent. Non-Australian speakers can usually be convinced of the accent, unless they have spent some time Down Under. Your best Steve Irwin impersonation might work in most territories around the world, but for any Australian or New Zealand market work, a native speaker is a must.

A recent popular TV campaign in Australia for orange juice made a point of this.

Ronn Moss from the Bold and the Beautiful is seen in the commercial dressed as a traditional Aussie horseman, touting the worst Australian accent ever.

The tag on the commercial says “You can tell when it’s not Aussie”. You can see the commercial here and learn more about what Ronn Moss thinks of his accent here.

Here are the two videos if you'd prefer to watch them here on VOX Daily:

You Can Tell When It's Not an Aussie

David Tench Show

Of course, using the Internet, a native Australian voice has never been easier to source. Many Australian voice-artists do significant International work at 24 hours notice from their own home studio.

Now, that ‘fair-dinkum’ Aussie voice for your kangaroo steak restaurant commercial is now dead-simple to source, mate.

Tim Stackpool
TimStackpool.com

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Der Sprecher, also known as Christian Büsen about his mother tongue, German.

Curious to know more?

Gain an interesting perspective on what makes working in voice over different in Deutscheland in comparison to North America and other European countries at VOX Daily.

Stephanie: What role on the world stage does German play in the world of voice over? Is your language in demand in places other than where you are from?

Christian: What an interesting question. I had to consult Wikipedia to discover that German is spoken in Namibia for example. German is one of 3 languages in Belgium, is spoken in Switzerland, Austria, parts of France, Luxembourg, Italy, and in Germany :-)

There are German speaking minorities in many countries - partly because of emigration during World War II. There are about 100 Million native speakers worldwide. The German language plays a big role in the world of voice over, as Germany is an export nation and has economic relationships with many countries.

Stephanie: What makes the German language special?

Christian: Some people say, German sounds a bit harsh. It can, as there are more hard consonants compared to Italian or French. But the variety (about 300.000 to 500.000 words) and the rhythm, supported by these consonants of the language are unique. The culture of German language is immense, and many famous writers are to be found in Germany. If you listen to a poem written by Rainer Maria Rilke, you will find it sounds like music.

Stephanie: What is the North American market like for your language or dialect. Have you found much success with North American clients? What kind of jobs are you most hired for by North American companies?

Christian: I work a lot for North American clients. When starting my business, I never thought that it could become that much. I first did my marketing in Germany only and was quite astonished what happened when I submitted in international voiceover marketplaces. Most of the jobs are corporate videos for companies who act worldwide. Seldom a radio play where English with German accent is required e.g. is among the jobs.

Stephanie: When you invoice a client who is not from your native land, what currency do you quote in?

Christian: Sometimes in EURO, sometimes in USD. I always use the Yahoo! Currency Converter. As North Americans mostly pay with PayPal via credit card, I have to pay 4 percent of each transaction.

Stephanie: Do you enjoy greater success marketing your voice online or offline to clients? What are the major differences where your efforts are concerned?

Christian: Definitely online. In the beginning I sent CDs to the customers, now this is done even in Germany by internet. My homepage http://www.dersprecher.com is the source for clients from Germany, the talent databases are important for International business. But I also like to go to a studio and work together with other people.

This is the disadvantage of all the online business:

You may have a nice email conversation with you clients, but you have never met and talked about your children or grandma or pet while drinking a cup of coffee during a break. There are too many clients that I don't even get to talk with on the phone and have no impression of their voice, look, behaviour or who they really are. On the other hand it is exciting for me to work with people from other cultures and I try to imagine how their working situations are.

Stephanie: How would you describe your experience finding work online?

Christian: I couldn't do my work without it. I don't have any agent (except myself :-) ) and really enjoy doing all the promotional work by myself. Some people help with SEO questions. A few weeks ago I started an English version of my website because of the growing International demand. I don't really have to knock on doors anymore. My online presence works by itself and I have many returning clients. New German clients find my website due to a good ranking in Search engines (that was hard and tedious work) while International clients find my site by Google (German voice talent) or via marketplaces.

Stephanie: Do you have the ability to speak more than one language? If so, is this a great advantage for you?

Christian: Well, some English, which is absolutely essential for all International communication. Once I worked for a studio in Bombay, and this guy phoned me a lot and talked about details of the project. The English accent was hard for me, in fact I didn't understand a word and he didn't understand me either. But it was fun and somehow the project was finished with flying colours.

Stephanie: Are you ever asked to mimic styles of English recordings by International clients?

Christian: Yes, I often get a link to the American recording as a reference.

This is funny: The VO style in France or USA is very different. The German audience is more used to understatement and the foreign VO style would be rated as overdone by the German listener if I were to copy the style. I always talk to the client about that and try to find a balance between the original and my recording. By the way, I always upload a linear voice recording and one with a multiband compression to my server, so the client can choose what he likes more.

Stephanie: How does the voice over business differ in Germany when compared to North America from the perspective of a voice talent?

Christian: The VO market in USA is much bigger. So many books about making money with your voice... we don't have that in Germany. Talking to and cooperating with International voice talents is something I enjoy very much. By the way, the only male German native speaker I work together with from time to time is based in the States.

Stephanie: That's very interesting! While we're on the subject, what is the difference between a native speaker of your language and someone who is a descendant of a native speaker living abroad?

Christian: I can't really judge about this. I am sure the dialect will change with the time. I only moved from Northern to South Germany and when speaking privately, the melody of sentences became different (and some words also). I can only say, that even in Germany the dialects are very different. If you bring two Germans together from different areas who speak a dialect only (which may happen in the countryside) they won't be able to communicate.

One example: "It is all because of the boy" in standard German would be "Das ist alles wegen dem Jungen" and in the Swabian dialect it is: Des isch ois wäggn däm kloa and "Dat is wengdem Lütten" where I was born. As you can see, they are totally different words.

Stephanie: How do you market yourself to North Americans? What do you have to give them as a native speaker of your language that no one else can?

Christian: Longer formats as corporate videos, educational texts or audio books are the field where I feel comfortable. Many of the texts have a commercial character, but I very rarely do radio commercials. To stress the right words for me is the base for understanding the text. If I don´t get the context, I ask the client. Also I can offer an absolutely dialect free German, as I studied speech communication at the State University of Performing Arts Stuttgart, where we were trained well in phonetics. Often I get translations that are very bad. In this case I talk to the client to find a better solution. This makes me aware of the fact that German is a very sensitive language. One word, which might not even be wrong, can change the whole meaning. The projects where I am in good contact with the client to get the best solution are also much more satisfying for me as a voice talent.

Learn more about Christian Büsen by visiting his websites:

Christian Büsen German Native Voice
Christian Büsen

Does globalisation play a role in the spread of languages?

Both Doris Lauerwald and Armin Hierstetter of Germany can see the connection.

From the land of Neumann microphones and Black Forest Cake, learn about the impact globalisation is having on this glottal and very distinct Germanic language of German.

Germany, known for The Brothers Grimm, storybook castles, chocolate, Bach, Beethoven and the Boys, and the Rhine is one of our focal points this week as we learn more about the languages spoken in the global marketplace and the native speakers who give companies a voice through various applications using audio.

When chatting with German voice talents Doris Lauerwald and Armin Hierstetter this week, I learned a great deal about just how global the voice over marketplace is and how profound a recording can be to help bridge relationships and strengthen ties between nations and corporations.

Doris remarked, "I think in terms of globalisation every language plays it's own special role. Germany, for example, is well known for different products, and as we're being interviewed on a blog that reflects the voice business: Who doesn't know Neumann Microphones? ;-)"

Along the vein of International relations, Armin offered, "Surprisingly, I get about as many job offers from outside Germany as from German based companies. It's mainly foreign businesses that need presentations for potential partners and clients in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and International Enterprises that have training videos, for example, that they produce for their staff all over the world, including Germany, of course. Recently, I recorded a documentary for the Ministry of a state in India that wanted to strengthen their efforts with a German speaking country."

When it comes to learning the German language, it is a tad more difficult to learn than a Romance language, as is the case with most Germanic languages. English falls into this category too, so you can imagine what it must be like for people coming from other backgrounds to have to learn how to speak a language that we very much take for granted.

Aside from others recognizing that German is a language that one needs to work at, Armin suggested, that even the German say it is difficult. In fact, there is a saying that goes like this:

"Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache" which means that German is a pretty difficult language. Perhaps that's why there are fewer operas written in German than in Italian, French and Spanish!

The linguistic barrier presented is by far the language's biggest weakness, Armin admits.

There are less people speaking German compared to English and therefore there is less need for German voice overs. One benefit though, and I'm sure he was smiling as he wrote this, is that there's not as much competition. Armin confides, "Just look at the numbers of German voice over talents on Voices.com compared to German websites."

Upon asking the question of how North America treats German voice over talent, Doris identified globalisation as key to the success of voice actors from Germany in the global marketplace.

She answered, "Yes, and again I've to mention globalisation and companies spreading into foreign markets. Many companies are acting and recruiting on an International base, and e-learning projects, for example, are produced in many languages. These provide International voice talents with a lot of work, especially on websites likes Voices.com, as you've found a way to bring talents and talent seekers together - thinking globally and acting locally."

Armin, concurring, shared that the bulk of the work for International voice over talents is in business presentations targeted at potential new clients in North America and of course training videos. Sometimes, there are English commercials that allow for an International accent which Armin quotes for from time to time. As German and English are very close to each other in both root and form, it's definitely a benefit for a German voice over talent to be able to do voice overs in English as well.

That being said, like most native speakers of a language, Doris Lauerwald confirms that there's a large difference in the pronunciation of words and how they are interpreted.

"I sometimes hear productions with non-native German voice talents, and from my experiences with German clients and customers I can say, that nobody is willing to listen to a non-native speaker for too long when it comes to serious business presentations or e-learning. It is strenuous to hear the talent 'trying to sound native' to native German ears. Sorry to say, but I think we all should do what we are educated for. I think it might be strenuous to American talents to read my English scripts after a while ;-) That's why don't sell myself as a native American talent either."

Armin concurs, referring to those born of native speakers abroad, "Compared to a native speaker and a non native speaker, the descendant would probably end up somewhere in the middle. Some jobs actually ask for an audible colour of that kind but it's fairly rare. A few weeks ago I was asked to do some quotes for a US documentary about Martin Luther where I had to do the voice over in English but with a German accent. So far, this was a one timer."

The US Dollar is again a favorite for quoting International clients followed thereafter by the Euro for European clients as is to be expected.

While invoicing is one thing, marketing is quite a bird of another feather, whether online or offline.

Doris relates that as an actress and voice talent who started her career as a child, living in the "media-city Unterföhring", a city where many of Germany's largest television stations are located, she has gathered a substantial amount of offline clients over the years, however, the Internet and its possibilities have always fascinated her and Doris sees using the Internet as a good way to gain more contacts and make impressions on the International market.

Armin shared, "In my case clearly online is the winner. That's because I mainly use portals like Voices.com for this purpose. Also, with the demand of quick turn around, it's the most efficient way."

To elaborate, most of Armin's jobs come through portals like Voices.com.

The interesting thing in Armin's opinion is that to the best of his knowledge, there are no voice over portals like Voices.com in Germany with a focus on German voice over talents. He acknowledges that there are many studios that have their own talents of choice who are listed free of charge, but he feels these appeal to top shelf clients coming through agencies, producers and so on. The good thing about portals like Voices.com and others of this kind is that these attract a wider range of voice seekers.

Both Armin and Doris have the ability to speak languages in addition to German.

Doris is able to record in English with a slight accent. In Germany, she is the corporate voice of several different telecommunication providers who regularly hire Doris to record for their on-hold and phone greetings, IVR and advertising in native German and English with a slight accent. She has also done some Spanish language courses, able to speak very basic Spanish.

Armin's English skills are pretty much above average and from time to time he does quote for jobs where the client allows for non-native speakers. But then, Armin shares, there are many talents out there with an International accent, so there are fewer jobs where he hits the "jackpot".

When it comes to a little something extra for hiring her specifically, Doris is quick to volunteer her experience and passion as something that differentiates her from other German voice actresses. She loves giving a special note on every project and aims to be authentic in what she is doing. A self-professed "studio nerd", Doris loves delivering pristine sound. Her professional recording studio consists of a soundproof sound booth, Neumann U87 microphone among other state-of-the-art technologies.

"I receive positive feedback about my recording quality from around the globe very often - and I love to work with talents that provide high quality recordings myself when I'm hiring them as a producer."

Last but not least, Doris' clients appreciate her versatility. Many clients love to get the whole "package" and need Doris' voiceover services as well as her audio production services, even songwriting skills, session singing and royalty-free music - they love getting the package from one person.

Armin says, aside from his voice that makes him unique, it's his "Singing and composition makes me stand out a bit. Well, at least that's what I thought ... ;) But hey, I just started about two years ago. There is still plenty to learn."

To discover more about Doris Lauerwald and Armin Hierstetter, visit their websites:

Doris Lauerwald
Doris Lauerwald

Armin Hierstetter

Mother Russia... Opulence... Rasputin...

What do you think of when you hear a Russian accent or the Russian language?

Find out more about this beautiful language in our interview with Natasha Votyakova, native Russian voice talent.

When you think of Russia, images are evoked of caviar, furs, books by Tolstoy, Faberge Eggs, tennis player Anna Kournikova, the Romanov Dynasty, and Doctor Zhivago.

While chatting with Russian voice talent Natasha Votyakova, Natasha pointed out not only is Russian culture and history a part of mainstream knowledge, the Russian language is also very widely spread across the world.

According to Natasha, who happens to speak both Russian and Ukrainian, there are Russian and Ukrainian diasporas in Canada, the US, Israel, and Australia to name just four. This further implies that the Russian language is quite popular with International clients from those countries as well as other nations.

In particular, Natasha has found that the numerous jobs she has voiced for North American clients vary quite a bit, including voice work for telephone IVRs, broadcast television and radio commercials, to corporate presentations and educational recordings.

Again, the US Dollar comes out as the currency of choice when billing clients outside of Russia. I wonder if this is the case with all freelance artists globally?

Natasha also shared that her efforts to find work online are amplified by her presence at Voices.com and manages her own network of contacts around the world.

By using a neutral accent, Natasha is able to provide clear voice overs that can be used anywhere in the world where Russian or Ukrainian is required. There is a vast difference between native speakers and those who pick the language up in other ways, noted mostly in the heaviness of the accent.

To learn more about Natasha Votyakova, visit her website:

Natasha Votyakova

If you are seeing patterns here, you're not alone!

So far, nearly every voice talent featured on the blog this week has agreed upon these five things:

1. Always bill in US Dollars when working with clients outside of your homeland
2. Having a neutral accent is far better than a regional dialect to be hired more universally
3. It is very important for clients to hire native speakers for jobs in foreign languages
4. Marketing efforts are rewarded more so online than through offline efforts
5. The majority of International voice talents do not have US talent agency representation

Next up, we have a feature on German voice talents, so stay glued (or subscribed) to VOX Daily!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

What's the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin?

As a talent represented by an agency, Liow Shi Suen has a different story to tell than many we've heard this week.

Learn about how Liow Shi Suen acquires Cantonese voice over work and the role her agent plays securing it.

In our previous article, we talked about the prevalent role of Mandarin Chinese in business and the booming Chinese economy.

To take a look at the other side of the coin, I've invited Liow Shi Suen, a Cantonese voice talent, to share her thoughts and feelings regarding her native dialect Cantonese, a derivative of Canton.

Stephanie: What role on the world stage does the language you speak play in the world of voice over? Is your language in demand in places other than where you are from?

Liow Shi Suen: I am master of one language and one dialect. English having become the lingua franca of the universe, the call for Cantonese in the global market is small. There is however “quite a large” population of Cantonese speakers, ranging from Guangzhou (formerly Canton) through Malaysia, Singapore and in Chinatowns throughout the world. The Chinese would prefer to speak their own dialect wherever they are.

Some say Cantonese is a ‘money dialect’ , because in Asia or I should say in any part of the world, as long as there are Chinese, most of them love to watch Hong Kong TV programmes. Therefore Cantonese, a lively dialect, still comes out with many new terms for the entertainment and business worlds, which even influences the Mandarin vocabulary, not to mention the dialect also affects people’s daily life. Mandarin, however, plays a main role as there are at least 1.3 billion of people feel comfortable in listening to it.

Stephanie: What makes the Cantonese unique?

Liow Shi Suen: As with all language ours is particular to our native land, our upbringing and ancestry. For a Cantonese speaker, there is no way to get our thoughts across better than in the language of our race.

Stephanie: What is the North American market like for your language or dialect? Have you found much success with North American clients? What kind of jobs are you most hired for by North American companies?

Liow Shi Suen: I operate in the S.E.Asian market, as such have little to do with North America. Should I be asked to do a recoding for a client there, I will go to my agent Speakeasy Singapore, who will make all the necessary arrangements for the recording.

Stephanie: When you invoice a client who is not from your native land, what currency do you quote in?

Liow Shi Suen: Usually the currency of their country, depending on the exchange rate and the strength of their unit.

Stephanie: Do you enjoy greater success marketing your voice online or offline to clients? What are the major differences where your efforts are concerned?

Liow Shi Suen: Marketing my voice is in the hands of my agent, who market me both online and offline. Online seems to bring more enquiries than actual work. The agency gets better success from direct contact.

Stephanie: How would you describe your experience finding work online?

Liow Shi Suen: Irregular would best describe it, Cantonese as mentioned not being in great demand here.

Stephanie: Do you have the ability to speak more than one language? If so, is this a great advantage for you?

Liow Shi Suen: I speak Mandarin and Cantonese, which obviously doubles my chances.

Stephanie: Do you have a North American agent? If so, how much work do you receive through their efforts?

Liow Shi Suen: I have no agent in North America. Should one contact me here, I would be happy to deal with them.

Stephanie: What is the difference between a native speaker of your language and someone who is a descendant of a native speaker living abroad?

Liow Shi Suen: Their accent would be the primary difference. Being a native speaker living in my homeland I am in constant contact with the language, use it on a daily basis and remain fluent. Someone living abroad cannot help but absorb some of the tonal characteristics of the land in which they reside.

Stephanie: Well noted. Sometimes when people move or pass their mother tongue onto their children after they have emigrated, it may not be exactly the same or in tune with what is going on where they originally came from dialect wise. How important is it that a native speaker is hired for a job as opposed to someone who grew up in a bilingual home in North America speaking a mixture English and your native language?

Liow Shi Suen: One would think it should be very important, but if someone’s voice is selected, one hopes it will pass through the appropriate vetting prior to being selected. If a native is living in a bilingual home it by no means indicates inability to speak the language correctly. Constant use of the language is very important. Likewise, a North American for instance, speaking Cantonese would most of the time be identified as not being Cantonese. This being due to physiognomy as well as tonality.

Stephanie: How do you market yourself to North Americans? What do you have to give them as a native speaker of your language that no one else can?

Liow Shi Suen: As mentioned I have no actual marketing in North America. And as a native speaker, I give native delivery .i.e. no reason for client concern.

To learn more about Liow Shi Suen, visit her website:

Liow Shi Suen Cantonese Voice Talent

Which language is about to make a major impact on how business is done?

If you've been hiding under a rock and have just emerged, it's Chinese!

找到中国声音演员, 播音员, 解说员在 Voices.com

(Updated with Wuzhi Lu interview on January 22, 2009)

China Rising is the name of a documentary released within the last couple of years, indicating that China, in both trade and voice, is becoming a super power on the world stage, a power that will have the attention of the entire world thrust upon them as they host the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

China, while an economic power, is also a linguistic power with millions of people around the world learning how to speak Mandarin and Cantonese in order to keep up with the fast paced growth being experienced overseas and in International trade.

Mandarin is quickly becoming the language of business and any businessperson who learns how to speak it is at an advantage to be certain.

As the role of the Chinese language, spoken by billions, becomes more prominent cross the ocean and more Chinese citizens emigrate to North America, the need for Chinese language skills and Chinese voice over will increase significantly.

Here's an interview with Wuzhi Lu, a native speaker of Mandarin.

VOX: Thanks for joining me here, Wuzhi. I was wondering, where were you born and is your language (dialect) in demand in places other than where you are from?

WUZHI LU: Hi Stephanie, it is nice to be here. I was born in Harbin, China, and I am a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese.  Mandarin Chinese is the number one language in the world in terms of the number of people who are native speakers. Chinese is in high demand by companies worldwide who are eager to break into the China/Chinese market as well as market to immigrants and/or Chinese speakers born outside Asia. There are over 1.3 billion potential consumers in China alone. I regularly record projects for clients in six out of the seven continents, so I would say, yes, it is very much in demand.

VOX: What makes your dialect of Chinese unique? Can you speak in more than one dialect fluently?

WUZHI: For voiceovers, there are two main dialects of Chinese a typical client would need, Mandarin and Cantonese.  By far, Mandarin is spoken by more people and is used to target China, Taiwan, Singapore, and some other parts of S.E. Asia as well as all overseas Mandarin markets.

What makes my Mandarin unique is that I am "1A certified" which is the highest level of accent-free Mandarin possible. I am an award-winning National TV broadcaster and in order to be hired for National TV, an accent-free certification is required. Accent-free Mandarin ensures that all words are pronounced properly and that all Mandarin speakers understand it. Accent-free Mandarin only comes from professional training. All National TV and radio stations in China, Taiwan, Singapore and other Mandarin speaking countries will only use certified accent-free Mandarin speakers. I am purely accent-free and do not speak any other dialects. Speaking in dialects/accents will affect the level of quality in accent-free Mandarin.

VOX: What is the North American market like for your language or dialect? Have you found much success with North American clients? What kind of jobs are you most hired for by North American companies?

WUZHI: Chinese is in great demand in North America and I have been fortunate to have a long and fruitful career with here and abroad. I have been hired for all types of projects from TV and radio commercials and corporate videos to phone systems, feature films, cartoon characters and much more. Two highlights of my voice career were recording in the world-renowned Carnegie Hall and also having my voice featured in a TV spot on one of the big screens in Times Square in NYC.

VOX: When you invoice a client who is not from your native land, what currency do you quote in?

WUZHI: The currencies I typically quote and invoice in are US dollars and Euros.  It will depend on the client, project and if one is weak at the time of quoting.

VOX: Do you enjoy greater success marketing your voice online or offline to clients? What are the major differences where your efforts are concerned?
 
WUZHI: I have found great success in both online and offline marketing.  I have the advantage of being based in both the U.S. and China. This means I can easily travel to major markets on the East Coast like Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC and am willing to travel to not-so-close recording locations. In addition, I record in a broadcast quality studio in both countries for clients that do not require on-site recordings.

Major differences between the two marketing strategies are the cost of marketing, number of people the marketing can reach and the speed in which responses and bookings are received.

VOX: How would you describe your experience finding work online?

WUZHI: I have had good experience finding work online. It is easy to connect with clients from any country in the world. Voice recording and audio and video production is my full-time career now and bookings from online are one key to my success.

VOX: Do you have a North American agent? If so, how much work do you receive through their efforts?

WUZHI: A North American agent is one of my avenues of booking jobs, but word of mouth and repeat clients are by far my greatest blessings.

VOX: What is the difference between a native speaker of your language and someone who is a descendant of a native speaker living abroad?

WUZHI: As with most languages, a descendant of a native speaker living abroad often is not immersed in the language enough to become truly a native speaker. Also, once people leave their native country, the languages often change and morph into a dialect mixed with languages of the people in the new place. Like English, the language is always evolving and new words and phrases are added all the time. I split my time between the US and China, because I feel it is crucial to spend time immersed in China to keep up my high degree of accent-free Mandarin as well as keep up with the evolving language. This better serves my clients.

VOX: How important is it that a native speaker is hired for a job as opposed to someone who grew up in a bilingual home in North America speaking a mixture of English and your native language?

WUZHI: For many years, companies in North America and around the world have been in a race to grab the Chinese market, so Chinese is a highly sought after language.  Often companies will hire untrained and accented native speakers and even non-native speakers, in hopes of distributing their company information.  To the native Chinese, such a company is judged as unprofessional and lacking awareness and cultural sensitivity.

For Chinese native speakers from Asia it is easy to tell if a person was born overseas or has lived overseas for sometime with little or no visits back home. It is also easy to tell where someone is born by the 'accent' they speak. From what I am told this is similar in many languages.  In addition to their 'funny accent' and mispronunciations or incorrect use of words, overseas Chinese often cannot keep up with the changing words and lingo that develops quite rapidly these days.

VOX: How do you market yourself to North Americans? What do you have to give them as a native speaker of your language that no one else can?

WUZHI: I feel the best way to market myself is to educate the clients. Recording with a fluent Chinese speaker is not enough. To give a company the best professional image possible, it is crucial to record with a trained accent-free Mandarin voice person. For voiceovers, you do not want a voice person's 'dialect or accent' to get in the way of the message.

What I can also give to my clients is 17 years of experience in voiceovers, broadcasting and translation. Most recently, it was a great honor to provide services during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing. I also hold degrees in both broadcasting and journalism.

~~

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Ever wondered who that voice on the Air Canada Jazz flights in French is?

Why, it's French Canadian native speaker André Clermont of Quebec of course!

Learn more about André Clermont, professional voice over talent specializing in both Canadian English and Québécois French.

Stephanie: What role on the world stage does the language you speak play in the world of voice over? Is your language in demand in places other than where you are from?

André: French is the 11th language in the world and is spoken in more than 60 countries by 79,572,000 native speakers according to The Summer Institute for Linguistics (SIL) Ethnologue Survey (1999). Also, the International Organization of Francophonie has 51 member states and governments. Of these, 28 countries have French as an official language. French is the only language other than English spoken on five continents. French and English are the only two global languages.

French, along with English, is the official working language of:

• The United Nations
• UNESCO
• NATO
• Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
• The International Labor Bureau
• The International Olympic Committee
• The 31-member Council of Europe
• The European Community
• The Universal Postal Union
• The International Red Cross
• Union of International Associations (UIA)

French is the dominant working language at:

• The European Court of Justice
• The European Tribunal of First Instance
• The European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg
• The Press Room at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium

With these figures, it is easy to realize the potential of speaking this language!

Stephanie: What makes French a special language?

André: French has always been associated with love, culture, arts, fashion and bien sûr! haute-cuisine. It is always a sign of refined and educated tastes.

Stephanie: Do clients look favorably upon your language skills here in North America?

André: Actually, I have not really invested time or efforts in my quest to get contracts YET! But again, French is in demand in any big company such as Coca-Cola, IBM, any airline etc. I will keep you posted with my results.

Stephanie: How do you market your voice?

André: Well I was able to get my first contract with Air Canada Jazz and I was not even online with Voices.com. It was through a “talent show” within the company where we had to perform a series of interviews over the phone. From there with Voices.com, I am sure that it will be easier to get contracts.

Stephanie: Do you have the ability to speak more than one language? If so, is this a great advantage for you?

André: I do speak English as most people do. I do not really think that it is an advantage unless someone is looking for a French speaking man with an accent. But we never know!

Stephanie: What is the difference between a native speaker of your language and someone who is a descendant of a native speaker living abroad?

André: Living in Quebec City, I usually speak more like a Québécois with my friends and relatives. However, I can adapt my level of language to accommodate any French speaking individual. In fact, when working, I speak the international French, like the one seen on TV like Radio-Canada. So It all depends! There is a wide variety of accents in any language. The English spoken in New York is not the same as in Texas or England. The same applies to French. So depending on what "color" the client is looking for, one cannot say that a native speaker is better than another person with a different accent.

Stephanie: What do you have to give them as a native speaker of your language that no one else can?

André: The fact that my voice has already been playing on Air Canada Jazz planes operating more than 800 flights a day and carrying 800 million passengers a year is a GREAT business card and demo! Also, I would have to say that my accent, being international, could be used anywhere from AT&T to American Airlines! The fact that it is neither French from France nor Québécois makes it best of both worlds or should I say all worlds! I really have this clear kind of French pronunciation which makes it easier for people to hear and understand each word.

To learn more about André Clermont, visit his website:

André Clermont French Voice Talent

As we continue our lingual tour around the world and learn about some of the Romance languages, French would be the obvious choice to detail next, non?

But of course, ou, mais naturellement!

Joignez-nous comme nous entendons des acteurs de voix, annonceurs, voix de bas de page de film, narrateurs, et beaucoup plus français chez VOX quotidien, votre source pour des nouvelles temporaires de voix.

When you think of the French or French as a language, images of elegance, couture, Amelie and Ratatouille (!) may pop into your head.

French is not only the language of love, it's also a very useful and universal language that has found its way into many lands, whether through conquest or substantial settling by French immigrants and émigré to the New World as is the case with speakers in North America representing French Canadians, Acadians, and Cajuns.

The American state of Louisiana was originally named by the explorer La Salle for Louis XIV, the Sun King himself, after all.

Today, we're privileged to share some interesting facts about the French language with you courtesy of French voice over talent Liz de Nesnera of the US and Andre Clermont, featured in the article following this one, of Canada.

When speaking with Liz de Nesnera about the role of French in the voice over marketplace, I was amazed by the sheer number of countries that have adopted the French language as their primary or secondary national language.

Liz revealed that besides being spoke in France and Canada, French is also spoken in Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Monaco, as well as many African countries including Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal with many others to numerous to name here. She concluded that given the number of French speakers world-wide, the opportunities for Voice-Over are growing abundantly.

Liz, although a native French speaker, was born and raised in New York City to European parents. At the de Nesnera home, European French was spoken to preserve their heritage and she was not allowed to speak English in her home. The linguistic life of Liz was nurtured further academically through her attendance at a French high school called the Lycée Français de New York in New York City, Fordham University in the Bronx and the Institut d'Etude Politiques de Paris in Paris, France.

Unique aspects that Liz pointed out about French are that it's a beautiful language that is still spoken around the world and is also evolving.

Liz remarked "Whenever I go back to France, I'm amazed at how the language has grown and changed. Words are created and change meaning much faster it seems in French than in many other languages. It's this fluidity that I think makes it wonderful!"

As we had mentioned before in our Spanish articles, there are a few languages that round out the top spoken languages in the US. French happens to be one of them.

Liz said that French is becoming the "third language" after English and Spanish and that she has seen a definite increase in the amount of jobs requesting French as the language of choice, including more complex options for corporate telephony (IVR or Message on Hold) or narrations geared toward French speakers.

French has always been a major market as far as voice over goes with Canada being an officially bilingual country, speaking both English and French. Liz has personally witnessed an increase in the number of bilingual jobs, asking for both English and French for any given project.

Bearing that in mind, Canada has proved to be a boon for Liz's particular language skill sets. As a speaker of a "neutral" form of French, that is to say that she has no discernible accent in either English of French, Canadian companies have hired Liz to record bi-lingual English/French jobs for them. It gives the companies a continuity in their "sound" to have the same voice in both English and French without having to compromise and not have native speakers in one of those recordings.

Recently for an American client, Liz voiced an English job for a French company that had French words peppered throughout, and the client was really pleased that she could pronounce the French words correctly while voicing the English narration without an accent. The result? The client was particularly pleased with how smoothly everything flowed.

As mentioned earlier, Liz was born an American to European parents who moved to the US from France. I asked Liz how important it was that a speaker be native, what it means to be a native speaker, her own upbringing in mind as an example.

"The first thing is that you have to look at is HOW the person was taught the language from a young age. As a personal example, even though I was brought up in the US, I was not ALLOWED to speak English at home. French was my first language, and it was the family language. Once you walked in the door of our house, French was what you spoke.

So if a child was brought up speaking that language correctly, and did NOT, as you said, "speak a mixture of English and the native language" then that language can remain pure. If the person maintained connections with the "mother-land" (I have close family in France), if the child was taught to read and write in that language (I attended French speaking schools) and maintained a cultural connection, then I believe that in terms of VO, the person taught to speak the language outside of their "Native" land can provide just as correct a read as a "mother-land-based" talent.

By the way, the official speech-pathology definition of a "native" language is the language that you spoke at home as a child. As opposed to the "primary" language that you speak on a daily basis now. Yes, the tone may be a bit different, but depending on the market, that tone or lack there of, may be just what the client is looking for."

To go a bit further with the topic of native speaking, in the US there is "Broadcast English." It's a neutral form of the American English dialect. Anyone who wants to be a voice talent on the US market, must be able to voice in that particular style. Whether they are from California, Texas, North Carolina, Maine or New York, the US market prefers Broadcast English.

THAT SAID: If a client is looking for a very specific dialect, that's fine, too. A Texas accent might work for a local radio commercial running in Dallas, but it's not desired by the majority of the market.

Liz relates that the same goes for French. "The accent in Paris is not the same as the accent in Marseilles or Quebec or Brussels, Geneva or Algiers. However, having an almost "generic" accent that can allow the client's message to be understood by everyone is, in essence, what we in Voice-Over are here to provide."

When quoting for projects Liz quotes in US Dollars and usually asks for payment via PayPal. As a courtesy, Liz will usually provide an estimate as to what the cost will be in the currency of the country her client resides in.

A handy tool Liz uses is the online Universal Currency Converter which gives them a good idea of the cost. Of course, currencies fluctuate with the markets, so if you are using this as a gauge, be sure to check in daily.

When I asked Liz about her marketing efforts online and off, she has found both methods to bring her success. When marketing offline, the majority of her work comes through referrals via word of mouth. Personal recommendations come from studios, engineers, and even other voice over talent with whom she has worked.

Liz is also a member of several associations: the local Rotary Club in Pompton Lakes, MCA-I and attends networking events whenever she can.

While the "personal touch" works for Liz, she admits to being an Internet Junkie as well, always looking for more voice over opportunities.

The difference between online and offline marketing?

Liz says that you can spot differences in the way that prospective customers are approached. Making a personal connection in important to Liz which bodes well for either form of marketing, stating that both methods can work but you need to find what works best for your personality.

"Marketing is an aspect to this business that many newer voice talents are afraid of... get over it! You need to look at marketing as making connections. Talking to anyone and telling them that you're a voice talent? THAT'S marketing!" Liz commented.

In addition to networking in person and referrals, Liz markets herself through Voices.com, her own website HireLiz.com, and via daily Internet research.

Her bilingual world, while useful professionally as a voice over talent, is also fulfilling and applicable regarding other aspects of Liz's personal life, providing her with another outlook on the world and a wider lens to see through. Consumption of the French news via satellite gives Liz an additional perspective on global affairs and communicating with relatives who live in France is first nature to her. Liz is "eternally grateful" that her parents passed on their native language to her.

Liz de Nesnera offers "Voice Tracks Voiced Right" in English & French!

To learn more about Liz, visit her websites:

Liz de Nesnera
HireLiz.com

As part of this worldly voices week, I'm pleased to present you with this interview I conducted with Jorge Velasco, a Spanish male voice actor based in Bogotá, Colombia.

Meet Jorge Velasco, one of the Spanish voices in your neighborhood at Voices.com!

Stephanie: What role on the world stage does the language you speak play in the world of voice over? Is your language in demand in places other than where you are from?

Jorge: Spanish is the second most spoken language in a number countries and is the official language in more than 20 countries. I understand that the US is the 4th most populated country regarding people of Hispanic heritage with a population of 35 million Hispanics, and by 2010, the US will place 2nd for the highest Hispanic population… so there is a great demand!

Stephanie: What makes the language you speak unique?

Jorge: Spanish is unique mostly because it’s the official language in countries from different continents, but also because the Spanish language has a great variety of accents and dialects. For example, there is European Spanish and Latin American Spanish as well as accents like Argentinean, Mexican, Venezuelan, Chilean, and Cuban or neutral Spanish like the Spanish spoken in Colombia for example.

Stephanie: What is the difference between a native speaker of your language and someone who is a descendant of a native speaker living abroad?

Sometimes when people move or pass their mother tongue onto their children after they have emigrated, it may not be exactly the same or in tune with what is going on where they originally came from dialect wise. How important is it that a native speaker is hired for a job as opposed to someone who grew up in a bilingual home in North America speaking a mixture English and your native language?

Jorge: Even though I’m a US citizen, I have lived most of my life in Colombia (South America), so I consider myself a native Spanish voice talent. I have produced voice over work for North and South America. I’m also a producer and sometimes I hire other Spanish talents. Because of my experience I can conclude that a native Spanish voice talent has a cleaner and neutral Spanish accent, which makes it easier to help the client express their original English idea in a more “Latino” way. We must remember that it’s not only about translation; it’s about sending the message in a way that makes the listener feel that they are being communicated to by someone from the same culture.

Stephanie: How do you market yourself to North Americans? What do you have to give them as a native speaker of your language that no one else can?

Jorge: I think of myself not as a Spanish voice talent, but as a company with an integral service that works practically the same way like it was in North America. The rest is up to your demos. If you are talented, your demos will show it no matter where you are or what language you speak!

Stephanie: What is the North American market like for your language or dialect. Have you found much success with North American clients? What kind of jobs are you most hired for by North American companies?

Jorge: North America’s Hispanic market is huge, and as I said before, it’s growing fast. When I spend enough time looking for jobs with North American clients, I am rewarded. I usually get hired for corporate videos, PBX prompts, e-learning courses, documentaries, and on occasion for local or regional radio / TV spots.

Stephanie: When you invoice a client who is not from your native land, what currency do you quote in?

Jorge: Always in US dollars and via PayPal. However, I give my clients the option to pay by Moneybookers (by the way, it is cheaper than PayPal) or by ACH transfer to my US bank account.

Stephanie: Do you enjoy greater success marketing your voice online or offline to clients? What are the major differences where your efforts are concerned?

Jorge: I know that I must promote my voice offline too because that’s how I get most of my jobs, but I feel that there are more available tools to do it online rather than offline. You just have to learn how to use them. When you promote your services offline, you must knock on several doors before getting jobs. When you do it online, you wear yourself out less by knocking on “virtual doors”, and even better: You can create your own “online doors” so others will come and knock to hire you!

Stephanie: How would you describe your experience finding work online?

Jorge: It’s been a good experience! In fact some colleagues asked me to help them marketing their voices. However, I always tell them that if they sit down and wait for lots of jobs relying solely on their website, they will lose time and money. You have to work hard at online marketing so when you haven't any time to answer leads (like it happens to me sometimes), you can follow up with private leads and quote requests by email. I promote my services through voice over marketplaces, lead services, voice banks, and my own website (which I’m redesigning right now), JorgeVelasco.com or http://www.spanishvoiceovertalent.com. I have some skills in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), which I try to apply constantly on my websites. By the way, my site at Voices.com, SpanishVoice.Voices.com gives me good search engine exposure.

Stephanie: Do you have the ability to speak more than one language? If so, is this a great advantage for you?

Jorge: I do speak English with a very slight Hispanic accent. This has helped me to work on several bilingual projects, and sometimes, I provide the client with the additional benefit of English to Spanish translation… more $ :o) If a Spanish Voice Over Talent wants to break into North America’s Hispanic market and be in touch with producers or voice seekers, speaking and writing English will be a must, at least at an intermediate level.

Stephanie: Do you have a North American agent?

Jorge: No, I don’t have a North American Agent right now. If I want to compete with Spanish Voice Talents from North America, I must do it almost as if I live there. That’s why I'll soon have my own ISDN line and Source-Connect offerings. Following that I will look for an agent in the US. That being said, I am accept offers ;)

To learn more about Jorge Velasco, visit his websites:

Jorge Velasco
Jorge Velasco Website

Welcome to the Voices.com Voices of the World Week on VOX Daily!

In today's article, we're featuring anunciadores españoles, agentes de la voz, narradores, talento comercial de la voz, y voces de la historieta; las mejores voces del mundo que hablan Español!

In other words, we'll discover more about the Spanish language, how Spanish voice talent fare in North American markets, the differences between European Spanish (Castilian or Castellano) and Latin American Spanish and much more!

Ensámblenos como damos la bienvenida a nuestros amigos españoles en el diario de la VOZ!

It's no secret that the Spanish market is booming in the United States, particularly the Hispanic market.

After several generations of people from Latin America and South America establishing roots as American citizens in the southern states and the west coast of the US predominantly, the time has come for society to recognize the rich contributions, cultural and otherwise, that our Spanish speaking brothers and sisters have introduced to North Americans, including the beautiful Romance language of Spanish.

To give you a brief history on the two principal dialects of Spanish where we are concerned, the European Spanish comes from Spain and exhibits a different pronunciation altogether from the more familiar Latin American Spanish of soft C's that sound like S's we have come to know through songs like Feliz Navidad and the like.

The Spanish spoken here in North America is by most accounts the most universally spoken because of its effortless glides and genteel delivery not to mention the exposure it has enjoyed in the Americas. This is the gentle Spanish of Dora the Explorer, Sesame Street, soap operas from Mexico, and the crooning of singers such as Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.

When I asked Simone Fojgiel, a native Spanish speaker and voice talent member at Voices.com, about the role that Spanish plays on the world stage in the world of voice over, she revealed the following:

"Just consider that Spanish is spoken by almost 400 million people natively. It is the fourth most spoken language by total number of speakers, including native and non-native Spanish speakers, which in total is approximately 500 million. The expansion of Spanish is frankly impressive. It is also the second most widely spoken language in the US. Not to mention its beauty and richness! I believe that since globalization has gained more power in our daily life, Spanish is playing a major role in every field you can imagine, spread by the mass and alternative media every single day.

I believe that Spanish is nowadays one of the 3 leading languages in the field of voice over, from a global perspective. Particularly, recent studies in the United States say that the number of Spanish-dominant and bilingual Hispanics in America will increase by 45% over the next 20 years. Considering these amazing numbers, plus the fact that there are more Hispanics living in the US than the entire population of Canada, which is 32.5 million, brings an excellent projection to our profession in America. In fact, I think it's an outstanding, unstoppable phenomenon.

The demand for Spanish talents is increasing everyday especially in the US, but also in other markets like Europe and Asia, although with other specifications. For instance, in Europe companies look for Castilian (Castellano) accented talents, because the influence that comes from Spain is real in their market. In America, in most of the cases, Latin American. Mexican or Neutral Spanish are the most requested accents for obvious reasons."

As Simone says, Spanish is a very complex language to learn because of various vocabulary, grammatical, syntax and semantic rules and conjugations. It has a word for every feeling. From my own experience, all you need to do is watch a Spanish opera or program on television to see the practically endless flow of passion that emanates from each word with purpose and gusto.

Simone also shared that although the language is beautiful and looks effortless, Spanish has a two-gender system and about fifty conjugated forms per verb, revealing "I don't blame those who postpone taking Spanish courses every year!!!"

Another interesting fact is that although there are two main Spanish dialect distinctions, even Latin American Spanish has its own stream of sub-dialects. You can find obvious differences between certain accents, for instance Cuban compared to Argentinian/Uruguayan. They both are Spanish, but the accent and even the way verbs are conjugated is absolutely different.

Case in point is the difference between a native speaker of a Spanish dialect and the lingual abilities of someone who is a descendant of a native speaker living abroad.

As we know and some of you may have witnessed personally, when people move to other regions or pass their mother tongue onto their children after they have emigrated, the purity of the dialect may not be exactly the same or in tune with what is going on where they originally came from.

In Simone's opinion, there are major differences in a native speakers' facility and that of someone who has been taught out of context or has adopted a mixed version of English and Spanish, often referred to as Spanglish (remember that Adam Sandler / Téa Leoni movie?).

Simone also insists that companies should be aware that fact when they plan to work with a Spanish Voice Talent.

She can think of dozens of examples that feature several companies who trust in Spanish speaking employees to translate the original script from English. It is perceived that having an employee with a Spanish heritage doing the legwork of translation will save some money or simplify the process. What an employer doesn't realize is that by relying on a non-native speaker to produce a respectable translation into the language specified is a big mistake, one that could potentially risk their reputation as well as waste resources.

"Someone who was born in the US and has parents who were born in Latin America, or who came to this country at an early age and was born in South America, isn't likely to speak a 100% pure Spanish, or use the right conjugation of verbs. There will be a lack of richness in vocabulary, too. And "Spanglish" will be evident in the way many words (i.e. technical) will be translated. I don't know how other talents manage themselves when a script that's full of grammatical errors comes to their hands. Do they tell the company what's happening? I do, and show my concern. Companies who hire Spanish voice talents need to be very, very aware of these situations. American people trust in others, because in this country your word represents your honour. But they need to know that not everyone has the same ethics. So I suggest them to work with a well educated Translator and Voice Talent, in order to get the results they expect. No matter the target you want to reach within the Hispanic Community. Spanish voice talents should be native, and translators too. Always."

As a native speaker of Spanish, Simone is able to market herself as a professional in the field of Spanish voice over with over 16 years of experience in the media as a native Spanish Voice Talent, Audio Imaging Producer, Creative Copywriter and Translator/Proofreader.

When promoting her talent to North Americans, she makes sure to promote her fast turnaround service as she is working full-time as a voice talent and is exclusively dedicated to this job all day long. It is possible to get a script translated and recorded in minutes, she says.

Simone likens herself to small agency where you can either design a radio campaign, do the copy, translate it, have the voice recorded and then have the entire spot produced with the highest standards for a reasonable price, studio fees included - a process that wouldn't take longer than 3 hours!

Her impressive client list is also a fabulous marketing tool when introducing herself to new clients as references of her work.

Some of these clients include: Microsoft, IBM, Home Depot, McDonald's, Siemens, Liz Claiborne, Donna Karan, Cingular, Verizon, Sylvan, Allstate, Alltel, L'Oréal, Wella, Visa, Mastercard, Comcast, Frito Lay, Phillip Morris, Ballantine’s, Gillette, Maybelline, Firestone, Arizona Amber Alerts, The South Florida 511 Traffic and Transit Information Service (SEFL), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and so on.

Simone's resume coupled with acclaimed versatility is what makes her a very competitive professional in the market. Her versatility is the defining talent that she likes to show to the world and to herself each day.

Simone Fojgiel, a native of Uruguay (a country whose population is barely 3 million), moved to the US from South America to pursue more opportunities as a Spanish voice talent and is proud of being a native Spanish speaker who works as a voice over professional in the North American market.

When asked about her success in the North American marketplace and Uruguay, Simone shared the following:

"The economical situation in Uruguay has aggravated in the past 10 years, and in 2002 we faced the worst financial crisis in our history. This affected, of course, the entire media business. I worked for 13 years at Oceano FM, one of the most important local FM's as a DJ, Music Programmer, Creative Copywriter and Main Female Corporate Voice. Besides, I worked for advertising agencies as a Voice Talent, but due to the crisis budgets were driven lower and lower. Therefore, these companies booked talents who were desperate for money, or were dishonest with other colleagues affiliated to the same union, impeding others to compete openly.

I even founded the only official union of voice talents in Uruguay and, perceiving this situation, I decided to quit my membership. I also quit at the station after realizing that I was stuck in the same place for a long time, and that I had a whole new world ready to conquer. That's how I decided to study Neutral Spanish and Audio Techniques, and built my home studio. That happened 3 years ago.

Today, ninety percent of my clientele is located in Canada and the United States, and most of my voice over work is related to Training Videos for big companies like Home Depot, DVD Tutorials for Microsoft, E-Learning projects for IBM, FedEx, online video presentations for medical and technological products as well. Another important area of my voicework has to do with IVR systems and On Hold Messaging. I'm both the Spanish Voice Talent and the English/Spanish Translator for many corporations who developed a particular market with phone surveys, for example. Some of these companies are Phillip Morris, Liz Claiborne, Sylvan, Comcast, Arby's, McDonald's, Alltel, and Carmax."

It would seem that the US Dollar is the currency of the world!

Upon asking which currency voice actors bill in when a customer is not from their land of origin, the resounding answer nearly always includes the US Dollar as one of the currencies if not the only currency.

While America may be the currency of choice, the world is truly a voice actor's oyster when it comes to the freedoms promoting your talent online presents. Simone has found the much of her success is related to her online marketing efforts as opposed to more traditional methods offline.

The first order of business was to build a home recording studio and create a professional website. She considers her website to be an "indispensable tool" for introducing herself as a voice actor and to display her talents for prospective clients.

Another aspect of Simone's online promotion is Google and on several voice banks. In fact, Voices.com was the first place where Simone decided to promote her voice over services.

"When I first began to sell my services online, I also contacted hundreds of companies by e-mail, creating a nice mailing format and producing a general demo so they could appreciate my experience and quality of service. Fortunately, I had a lot of luck because many of those companies are still my clients, and I work for them on a weekly basis. Uruguay is a country where your talent is envied or underestimated, no matter what your profession. All these factors get automatically projected in the way others treat you. I mention this because when you send your resume or even your demo and if they disregard you for that specific job, they don't keep your info for a possible contact in the future. This doesn't happen here (in North America) at all. After one or two years, I've been contacted by many people who kept my audio demo and brief resume in their files, and even worked for them in amazing projects. For someone who comes from Uruguay, that is almost a miracle. Promoting yourself online is the best and cheapest tool you can use, only if you know how to."

Simone Fojgiel's experience finding work online has afforded her many freedoms, particularly working from her home in the US.

She officially moved to the States a year ago and has since lived in Milwaukee, WI. Speaking of her home state, Simone intimated:

"As you can imagine, the probability of finding voice over work in Spanish here and in person is null compared to markets like Florida, California or NYC. So at this particular stage I exclusively depend on finding work online. Many companies have found me through my website, or lead services... and I found hundreds of them online, too! My experience was exciting from the very beginning. By that time I was living in Montevideo and working from home, and couldn't believe that my clients, who were on the other side of the world, paid for my work at the time agreed, no matter our distance. When you come from a narrow minded culture like mine, and you clearly know you want to cross that gap no matter what, Internet, your talent and beliefs get you to the right place and time to move on. At least, that's what happened to me."

Not just a speaker of Spanish and English, Simone is trilingual, adding Hebrew to the mix of languages offered to her clients. She recognizes that her polyglot capabilities are an advantage because she is able to accommodate projects with certain accents and meet the expectations of her clients.

At present, Simone does not have an agent in North America, but she is definitely open to a conversation on the subject with someone who can promote her voice and Spanish language services in the major US markets of Spanish voice over in California, NYC and Miami.

To learn more about Simone Fojgiel, visit her websites:

Simone Fojgiel Spanish Voice Actor

Simone Fojgiel - Una Voz Español

Best,

Stephanie

Bob Souer is one busy voice talent and family man, a family man who also involves his entire family in his voice over business!

How does Bob do it and what are the rewards?

Find out in this interview with Bob Souer on VOX Daily.

Stephanie: How many members of your family are involved with your business?

Bob: My wife Cinda and I have four children, one girl (Karen) followed by three boys (in order of age: Eric, David and Brian). At one time or another, everyone except our youngest, Brian, has helped in some of the money-making activities of our business. And I've had Brian in my studio a few times. He's looking forward to a time when he gets to help, too.

Stephanie: Do any of your children exhibit an interest in becoming voice talent?

Bob: All of our children have expressed some interest at various times in the past. At present, our oldest son, Eric, is working with me this summer. He and I are working together on a large audiobook project in which he is helping with some of the initial audio editing. Also, Eric recently had the opportunity to book his first paying voiceover job, for a radio station in Oregon. The production manager there (Dave Christi) needed a male teen voice for one of his commercials and posted a request on the VO-BB. There were a few responses, but thankfully mine was first and I was delighted with the work Eric did.

In fact, if you'd like to hear our father and son recording session (with me off mic, directing and reading the other part), you'll find an mp3 of the session here:

Bob and Eric Souer Recording Session

Also, our daughter, Karen, has done several voiceovers for me in years past. In fact, one that both she and Cinda worked on was a national radio commercial for Thomas Nelson Publishers. You can hear a piece of that (with all of us sounding a whole lot) younger here:

Karen, Cinda and Bob Souer

Stephanie: What kind of an impact has working from your home recording studio had on your family? Has it made things more convenient as a parent?

Bob: I suppose this is something of a mixed blessing. On the one hand, I'm able to make recordings (including many of them just for fun or for school projects and so forth) that most Dad's couldn't do; but on the other hand there are plenty of times when I would dearly love to be able to be out in the yard throwing the ball around with my boys, but I have to get something done because there's a deadline looming.

Stephanie: You've mentioned that you are training your oldest son Eric right now and that he helps you a lot in the studio. Does Eric have aspirations to start his own studio in the future?

Bob: At this point with Eric still in high school (he'll be a senior next year) it's still way too early to carve anything into stone, but a big part of the reason that he's working with me this summer is to help him decide if he would like to join me in my business before or perhaps during and after he attends college. If that is the direction he goes, I'll eventually change the name of my company from Bob Souer Productions to just Souer Productions. (I've already registered that URL, just in case.)

Stephanie: Bob, how important is it to you that your family, particularly your wife, support you in your career as a professional voice talent? Can you give any examples where they have been key to your success?

Bob: Cinda has been a great support to me. The single greatest role that she plays is serving as my script watchdog when I'm doing long-form recording projects like audiobooks and podcasts. Inevitably, I make mistakes while reading and over the last number of years we've become an amazing team where she'll only need to say one or two words to help me see what I missed, or read wrong, or whatever. It saves so much time not having to do pick-ups on those mistakes later. Cinda and Eric both help me also with a daily radio program we produce for a church in Pittsburgh, PA. The program is called The Journey. The church has a page devoted to the program on their site (http://www.biblechapel.org/radioministry.htm). Between them, Cinda and Eric listen back to each program and provide notes on each sermon that the church uses to help listeners identify which specific broadcast they heard when they call or write in about the program.

Stephanie: Have you ever recorded a family recording session where everyone was involved with the recording?

Bob: The commercial segment above with Karen, Cinda and me is the one example I can think of with three of us working together. The commercial that Eric did for the station in Oregon has both of our voices, because I'm the announcer for all of that client's spots. You can hear the whole produced commercial here.

The other thing that comes to mind, though it's not a voiceover project as such is that years ago I used to offer cassette duplication services as part of my business. We would get these large jobs and after all of the tapes were dubbed, we'd create an assembly line on the kitchen table with tapes, labels, cassette jewel boxes and cartons for the finished product. Then Cinda and I and our kids would all pitch in together to get everything ready for shipment.

Stephanie: What is your favorite voice over project that you have worked on with a member or members of your family?

Bob: A few years ago, Cinda and I (and a good friend who lives in Pittsburgh, Darren Eliker) recorded an audio drama for a wonderful story called How Silently, How Silently; a beautiful story for Christmas written by the late author Joseph Bayly. We ran the audio on the radio station where I worked there (WORD-FM) and then arranged with the publishing company some years later to broadcast that recording nationally after I went to work for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association on a program called Decision Today.

Stephanie: How do your kids explain what you do for your job as a professional voice over talent?

Bob: I don't think it comes up in conversation all that much, honestly.

Stephanie: If you could work on any audio project with your family, what would it be?

Bob: I can't think of a specific audio project, though my wife is a very gifted actress and with my other children showing some promise in that regard, I think it might be fun to eventually work on some audiobook recordings where we all take part in creating some of the voices. But, the thing I would love most is for all of us to work together as part of a growing business that could continue to provide not only for Cinda and me, but for my children in years to come as well.

Stephanie: What brings you the most joy when working with your children at the studio?

Bob: There are very few things I love more than encouraging those with talent to develop and grow. And the greatest joy of all is helping my kids see that they too have special talents and abilities and to encourage them to pursue those things they love to do with great passion.

Thank you to Bob for taking part in Family Week!

If you would like to leave a comment, please do so :)

Best,

Stephanie

To kick off our Family Week here at VOX Daily, I'd like to start with this gem of a story that features husband and wife collaboration.

Recently, Bobbin Beam and her husband Pete completed the building of Bobbin's home recording booth.

To learn more about the process of building a booth in your own home and find about how Bobbin and Pete successfully completed the booth on their own, read this interview with the one and only, voice actress Bobbin Beam!

Stephanie: What inspired you and your husband to build the booth in your home?

Bobbin: My studio is located in the family office, which means that nobody but me could be there while recording. I preferred everybody out of the house while working. No TVs, no music blasting, no doors closing, no highly energetic 16 year old singing, playing piano, guitar, etc. You get the idea. I also had practically zero desk space, as my equipment took up most of it.

There were other issues, too:

There are airplanes, helicopters, the occasional loud Harleys that roar down the street, the trash truck pick ups on Mondays, next door neighbors mowing lawns, AC and Heater vents, even computer fans create relentless acoustic intrusions into my sensitive mic. All of these noises intruded upon many "takes", slowed the recording process and I felt it was time to step up to the plate and have a sound booth. I looked at several pre-made ones on the Internet, and then Pete found do it yourself sound booth plans for the DAWBOOTH. We ran the costing numbers and it was a no brainer. The DAWBOX could also be disassembled to be moved, if needed. Pete was willing to help. Without his support and "heavy-lifting", it couldn't have happened.

I also now have not only a nice isolation booth, but I now have my separate computer desk, located next to the booth and my original work station back, where I can also edit if I so desire. What I find myself doing a lot is recording in the booth and doing longer edits from my external work station, when I want. It can get a bit closed in - hanging inside the booth for too long a time. This works very well for me.

Stephanie: How did you divvy up the construction? Were you both responsible for gathering the materials and also assembling the booth?

Bobbin: My husband (of 33 years), Pete really did most of the materials purchasing, hauling, fabrication, and foam and carpet installation. I'd caulk, paint, and helped lift and move the pieces from the garage into the office. I also assisted with logistics such as placement of shelving, lighting, wall holes, vent fan, and I handled purchasing my needed mic boom, extension headphone, computer monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse, and assorted USB cables. And a bar stool, of course, for those longer narrations.

Stephanie: How many hours in total did you two spend together working on the booth?

Bobbin: About 28 hours, including trips to Home Depot, Guitar Center, and Fry's Electronics.

Stephanie: What are the dimensions of your booth? Is that a standard size for a home recording studio booth?

Bobbin: Dimensions are 4' x 4' x 86". Some booths I looked at are definitely larger, but this size seemed the best fit for me, and for the space in our family office.

Stephanie: Is building a booth a trying experience similar to how painting or putting wallpaper up is or was it more of a bonding experience?

Bobbin: It wasn't drudgery like wallpaper. It was exciting to put it together from scratch, and it was going to help my business. Definitely a bonding, supportive experience.

Stephanie: I know you have this on your blog, but could you please share the cost breakdown for your booth?

Bobbin: Materials cost $1,113.00 USD. The custom extras including a Mic upgrade was not included in this cost.

Stephanie: Did you do anything special with the decor of the booth to make it more like "home"?

Bobbin: I added some family photos.

Stephanie: What role does Pete play in your career?

Bobbin: My husband has always been supportive of my career. He's been my business partner, and for the last 33 years we're a unit, from my radio career days to my ad agency, to our sign and graphic design business, and throughout it all- to my freelance on camera and voice over talent work.

Stephanie: What is your favorite memory from building the booth with your husband?

Bobbin: Moving day for sure. That was the day it all became real. After about 6 hours of hauling the component parts in from the garage, assembling, fine tuning adjustments, wiring it and setting it up, then turning everything on... and it WORKED! It was immensely exciting and satisfying.

Stephanie: Is there any advice you would like to give to people who want to build their own booth?

Bobbin: Yes, If you end up using DAWBOX 2.0, make sure you contact Justin and obtain the corrected materials list.

Stephanie: Thanks for being a part of the Family Week on VOX Daily Bobbin!

New link to their 4x4x7, 4x6x7, and 6x6x7 plans for the DAWBOOTH courtesy of Justin Lynch, CEO of DAWBOX.

~~

Check out some pictures of Bobbin and Pete's project!

Old Studio set up "Before"

Wood in and on the wagon

Construction in progress

Setting up shop in the office - exterior

Finished interior

Final interior

Ever wondered about the technical side of voice over recording?

Discover answers to questions you may have never thought of here in this interview with Robert (Bob) Breen from the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology, Inc.

Earlier this month, David Ciccarelli, CEO of Voices.com, returned to his alma mater OIART as a guest lecturer to the graduating class of 2006-2007.

Upon his return, he was excited to share a new trend with me concerning new audio engineering grads purposefully starting up their own businesses out of their homes instead of pursuing work at larger, more established recording facilities.

In order to find out more information, I went straight to Bob Breen, Career Development and Industry Relations Chair at OIART and member of the Audio Engineering Society, Toronto Chapter, and asked him some follow up questions to learn of his perspective regarding this new trend.

Stephanie: How many graduates in North America (if you have the stats) and or at OIART specifically have aspirations to start their own recording studios?

Bob: Well, I don't have specific stats, but anecdotally I would say 40-50% of our graduates. I've likely guessed on the low side.

Stephanie: What is at the root of this trend? For instance, is it a lifestyle decision, business decision, etc.?

Bob: I'm not sure that it's lifestyle necessarily for my students... I think lifestyle is a consideration that becomes more important later in life. I'm not sure it's a business decision either! I remember being 15 years old - in the 1980's (gasp!) - and reading that Paul McCartney of the Beatles recorded his first solo album at home in 1970, and Pete Townshend of the Who had a home studio from the mid sixties onwards, where he recorded demos of all the Who hits playing all the instruments himself! From that moment forward it was a purely romantic notion for me.

The difference between now and then is, the technology to outfit even a B-Range professional studio in the 80's would cost a few hundred thousand dollars. A top notch studio would cost a couple million! Not out of range for a Beatle or a member of the Who, but the rest of us could forget about it. Nowadays, if my teenaged second cousin got the urge, they could buy a decent semi-pro recording package for a minimum of $300 that could run on the family computer. Everyone knows this, but it's still remarkable.

Statistically, 50% of all homes have at least one amateur musician... so you can see how it would be profitable for any gear company to cater specifically to this market. Much of the gear is pro quality, and even some of the classic high end equipment of yesteryear is available - for the first time ever - from local music stores. You know they're responding to demand.

So to answer your question, I think the root of the trend in aspiring students is mostly that they can.

For working professionals, who perhaps used to hire big studios, the reasons are indeed lifestyle and business. I've seen lots of both. Some people prefer to work at home, but I know plenty of composers and musicians who have simply figured out, "wait a minute, I can save money on my studio budget working at home - there's no time pressure, and I can actually bill the company for studio time and the gear will pay for itself. I'll save the company money and I'll make a few extra bucks myself. Wow!"

This financial model has become so prevalent that I've even seen people who don't want to work at home, or record themselves, having to do it to compete. Maybe they just want to play acoustic guitar without knowing how to get a great sound - but they have to learn how to do it anyway. The downside of any home business is you never leave work. The upside is you get to see your kids grow up and hopefully create your ideal environment. For most it's a dream come true.

Stephanie: How much does an engineer invest financially on average when outfitting their professional recording studio?

Bob: Depends on what you want to do.

A typical "voices.com" client probably has a good computer, one good mic, one good preamp, a set of converters, headphones, speakers, high speed Internet, and hopefully a quiet room! You could go top drawer on all those items for about $15,000. You could allocate the same money differently and record bands decently. If you have a less than ideal recording space, that's a whole other issue. A couple thousand dollars and a few hours on eBay can get anyone going nowadays.

What frequently develops, however, is "gear lust". There's always another piece of equipment that will improve your setup. Your computer is now out of date, time to upgrade.... etc etc... At that point it's a bottomless pit - albeit an incredibly enjoyable one that likely slows down the aging process and keeps you a teenager at heart!

Stephanie: What are the "must have" pieces of equipment / software? Do engineers usually purchase a variety of microphones to accommodate all instruments and voice types?

Bob: Well, the industry standard audio software is Digidesign Pro Tools. There are other programs like Nuendo, Logic, Performer, Samplitude, etc. but you can get in to Pro Tools on some level for a few hundred dollars. It's arguably the easiest and friendliest software to operate. The "bang for the buck" in quality is actually far better if you choose your components carefully and use something other than Pro Tools, but nonetheless it's the industry standard. They're the Microsoft of audio.

Preamps, specifically microphone amplifiers which bring the tiny signal from a microphone up to a level that is recordable, have a huge effect on the sound quality and you can't get by without them. Favourites include Neve, API, Presonus, Focusrite, Mackie, Behringer... those are all over the quality range. Neves are my preference on that list - but they're also outrageously expensive! Some computer interfaces, like the Digidesign M-Box, have preamps built right in and they're perfectly adequate.

Engineers do indeed select mics to complement instruments and voices. They usually like large "condenser" mics for low frequency instruments and voices, and small "condenser" mics for percussion and acoustic instruments. A condenser is a very detailed and sensitive powered microphone. They will use "dynamic" mics for loud instruments in particular, like electric guitars, tom toms and snare drums. "Ribbon" microphones, which are a very old design, are nice for brassy instruments. They're very smooth sounding.

Most "voices.com" clients probably already own a large condenser. Quality, tone and price vary of course. The subtleties are numerous - some mics work better on women than men and vice versa - but I never met a mic I didn't like.

I suppose I'd be remiss if I didn't mention here I have a nice little home business selling and servicing studio condenser and ribbon mics; " www.canadianaudiodistributors.com". Indeed, much of my current knowledge of home studios and the people who work in them comes from talking to my customers!

Stephanie: Are recording engineers who decide to strike out on their own aware of the opportunity to record voice over talent specifically? Is this an appealing area of audio production for them?

Bob: They are. I find, as our students progress, they discover a lot of audio jobs they hadn't imagined when they walked in the door. They think about the gear and technicalities at first, but not the people so much - and voice over people can be some amazing and memorable personalities! They discover that a quality voice recording isn't as simple as throwing up a mic in front of someone's face. How do you deal with sibilance? Low end pops and thumps? Dynamic consistency? Acoustic issues? The appeal grows as a full picture develops.

As a result, we have graduates recording voice overs for commercials, television shows, films, video games, and audio books - not to mention setting studios up for voice over talent to record themselves!

Stephanie: David mentioned that there were a number of engineers who were interested in exploring their own voice as voice