We haven't done one of these in a few months so I thought I would ask you about how your work has been coming along.

For those of you who haven't been part of a Who Got the Gig before, it's a community celebration centering around work that has been acquired in recent months, whether it's been through an agent, a voice over marketplace or via your own efforts.

I hope to hear about all kinds of voice over projects you've been working on, been part of, or are looking forward to!

Comment with your news and let us know what's been keeping you busy this summer.

What Sort of Voice Overs Have You Been Recording?

To join the conversation here on the blog simply scroll down and comment below.

If you are reading this in your email, click here to get to the article online where you can read what your colleagues are up to and also leave a comment about what's cooking in your studio if you're moved to do so :)

Looking forward to hearing from you!

To your success,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Steve Cole

As a voice over professional, you may take for granted that people are intrigued by what you do, perhaps even follow your work by hearing alone.

What have you been voicing lately?

Share some of your most recent gigs so that people far and near may find out who they are listening to and check out more of your portfolio!

What Have You Been Voicing Lately?

I'd love to hear what you've been up to in the last month or so. If you want, include ongoing campaigns your voice is part of so that your fans can find you, too!

Share some of your voiceography now!

Just leave a comment below. Fans and prospective clients will be able to find your comment via searching and get to know you a bit better.

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/digitalskillet

Voiceover, in essence, is voice acting!

Acting, while using only your voice to convey the meaning of a performance, is one of the most challenging professions in the arts.

What have you put your heart, soul and voice artistry into this month?

Comment with your gigs!

Looking forward to hearing what kind of voiceover work has gone on during the passed month.

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/berekin

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

Has 2009 been good to you so far?

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

Leave a comment and share your stories!

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

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

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

Thanks for sharing,

Stephanie

Photo by ejbSF via Flickr

What Kind of VOs have you been doing this month?

Before November passes us by, be sure to let me know about the various projects you've been involved in.

Is This Mic On?

I'd love to hear more about what has kept you busy voicing in November.

Whatever you've been up to, know that you can share it here, regardless of where you got the work.

Sometimes people think they can only comment if they got the work at Voices.com but I want to assure you that you may comment if you're sharing stories about work you've received through your agent or by your own methods.

What Kind Of Voice Overs Were In Demand This Month?

Let's hear it! Leave a comment :)

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Rich Legg

You've likely heard a great number of people in show biz say that auditioning is the real job and getting the gig is gravy!

In today's Who Got the Gig, we'll look at the significant role auditions play and how persistence is the key to landing voice over work.

When You're An Actor, Auditioning Is Your Work

What preoccupies you throughout the day?

Generally, it's the pursuit of work through auditioning or promotional activities focused on marketing your voice.

It's easy to get dragged down and think of auditioning as a mindless, repetitive act, but what many voice actors discover is that through auditioning, regardless of if they get the job, they are exercising their minds, their voices and are also presenting their talent in front of clients directly.

Attaining Voice Over Fitness

Compare auditioning to a fitness program.

To achieve the desired results that you've set out for yourself, you need to follow a consistent regiment that includes cardio and lifting weights before you can reap the reward which could be to improve your quality of life, tone your muscles or getting rid of some flab.

Now, translate what I've just said about physical fitness to voice over:

Each time you do an audition, you are conditioning yourself and keeping in shape for your next job.

If you stop auditioning, you cease to challenge yourself and the potential to fall into a lazy, apathetic slump may become a very real consequence of failing to "work out" or continue refining your skills.

What happens when you get lazy?

Your energy levels and endurance for voice over work is affected. Possibly you may find that voice over doesn't come as easily to you as it once did and that realization can be frustrating, indeed.

To illustrate the point, if I stop writing original content for even a day or two, I notice a dramatic difference (generally an abnormal decrease) in the quality or quantity of what I am capable of producing. Sporadic writing doesn't do much for the soul and at least for me, can induce writer's block, something no writer ever wants to get and struggles to release themselves from.

Do you see how these principles can be applied to voice acting, too?

That being said, the best way to keep in vocal shape, mentally, physically and artistically, is to audition every business day.

If you're still not convinced, here are 8 reasons why you should audition regularly.

8 Immediate Benefits of Auditioning

Auditioning:

๏ Keeps you in good form
๏ Provides you with a diverse array of copy to experiment with and interpret
๏ Stimulates your mind
๏ Gives you a platform to strut your stuff
๏ Exponentially improves your job prospects
๏ Generates networking opportunities
๏ Is a validation of the need for voice over as a service
๏ Renews your faith that voice over work is out there

How do you feel about auditions? Why do you keep doing them?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/ranplett

It's Time to Celebrate!

It's the very last day of October, and for some of you, you're reading this posting on the 1st of November. My goodness, between the start of autumn and the first brush of snow, how quickly time has flown by...

What was October like in your voice over studio? Any interesting gigs you'd like to talk about?

Leave a comment!

How'd October Shape Up For You?

Just a reminder that all voice over work, including from your own efforts offline, gigs from your agents or jobs you've landed online through the voice over marketplace are welcome.

It's not where they came from that matters to me, it's that you got work :)

Comment to join the conversation!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/ShyMan

One of the benefits of using Twitter (you can find me here) is that you know about something quickly even before other major outlets pick up the news.

Today was no exception as I read a tweet posted by my friend Alison Pitman this morning, a voice over professional in the UK, directing me to a timely blog post she wrote raising a number of very interesting questions that warrant further debate.

Also, a couple of weeks ago I happened to be reading another friend's blog, David Bourgeois from Voice Coaches, and he wrote some commentary that I think you'll find uplifting regarding how you can make strides to push through times of difficulty as an entrepreneur.

How is the economy affecting your voice over business?

Click here to read more on what Alison and David are thinking as well as some commentary from yours truly.

Once finished, I invite you to comment with your thoughts :)

Voiceover Work in the Downturn

By Alison Pitman
The Phone Voice, British Voice Over Artist
Bristol S. Glos. UK

How is the looming recession affecting your voiceover business?

Some voice talents have reported a downturn of 30%, others not so high but some voice talents have been hit even harder. Experienced voiceover artists hope to weather the storm, but where does this leave the novice voice artist, and those just dipping their toe in the voiceover market.

Over the past 6 weeks, I've noticed a slow down in direct voiceover enquiries and online and offline audition opportunities. It may just be a blip or could indicate a more general trend for the coming months and years.

So what does this all mean?

1. Will new wanabee voice talents move quickly out of the VO business as VO jobs become harder and harder to come by? Will this leave more work for the established artists?

2. Will new VO talents who offer their services at lower prices than established talent pick up more and more work as clients cut their voiceover budget?

3. Will clients start using "John from accounts with the nice voice" to record their voicemail messages, telephone greetings rather than a pro voice artist?

4. Will established talent have to drop their rates to secure work?

5. Will potential clients be more alive to the benefits of using a professional Voice to create a professional brand and image for their company?

6. Will voice talents have to re-double their marketing efforts? Will we have to find new markets for our services as traditional voiceover markets retract?

7. Is amateur hour almost over?. Voiceover artists are now going to have to take their business seriously - invest in their marketing, their websites, SEO, analyze whether all or any of the online casting sites are worth the investment, work on promotion and discover their versatility and adaptability.

8. When will it all end - and how many of us will be left standing?

Alison Pitman
Alison Pitman on Voice Over Experts

We Predict Election Winner!

By David Bourgeois
Voice Coaches, President
Creative Voice Development Group
Schenectady, NY USA

I am an American and a small business owner. I don't know about any of you, but I am always impressed with the men and woman who are willing to run for president. Regardless of Obam-inality, or McCain-ism, it is impressive to see individuals who are committed to leading, particularly in these complicated times.

Regardless of how either candidate does, if you are pursuing voice over work professionally... YOU are the winner!

Why?!!

Because instead of sitting back and complaining or worrying about the economy, you are taking an active role in your financial future. Instead of relying solely on your current employer or former employer's pension to afford you a comfortable lifestyle, you are working to control that on your terms.

Far too many people are content to sit on the sidelines when it comes to the things that they want to do in life. This willingness to always be reliant on others is part of the reason that many of us run into financial and lack-of-fulfillment issues to begin with. From the time you make a decision to achieve something, you are putting yourself in a winning position. Regardless of election polls and news reports, you ultimately control a great deal of your life's outcome.

Remember, regardless of whether you think you CAN do something, or think you CAN'T do something... you will probably be right!

Best Regards!

David Bourgeois
David Bourgeois on Voice Over Experts

A Bright Reality and Even Brighter Future for Voice Overs

By Stephanie Ciccarelli
Voices.com, Co-founder
London, ON Canada

Some great news for voice over talents!

Last month, and the month prior, we posted a record number of voice over jobs at Voices.com. Now, the majority of these opportunities are Private Jobs (direct contacts), however, since they are direct job offers, they aren't visible on the main jobs board for all to view.

We anticipate that there will be even more job opportunities posted at Voices.com in the coming weeks and months ahead through partnerships we have developed and the relaunch of the all-new Voices.com.

I think Alison hit a lot of nails on the head for a variety of cases and scenarios. What we must remember though is that every person is unique and their responses will be too.

Many aspiring pros may find that it's time to move on and that will make it easier on the pros to get the work that may otherwise go to someone less qualified.

These are all questions that need to be asked, but I think if a positive mindset is kept during these economic times of hardship, the outcomes will be positive and perhaps even more exciting.

In accordance with David, I also believe that as entrepreneurs you are masters of your own destiny and prospective work. No one can fire you, lay you off or lose confidence in your work except yourself.

Remember that!

If everyone who is in this business as true professionals can step up to the challenges and aim for success and "business as usual", the present economic struggle won't affect their business nearly as much as it could if they allowed themselves to fall into the dangerous conversations and negative reports being disseminated by the media, some politicians and financial institutions.

What Do You Think? Any Comments?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Andrew Dernie

Every day is a new day, and as Little Orphan Annie would say, you can bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun!

What's just around the bend for your voice over business?

What Kind of Voice Over Work Will You Be Doing Next Week?

Looking forward to hearing your plans :)

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/René Mansi

You know how some magazines have a "Who's Doing What" column?

For people in our industry, the weekly "Who Got the Gig" column gives you the opportunity to comment and share about the kind of work you've been voicing, recording, directing or casting!

This posting is open to anyone in the voice over industry, so don't be shy. I'd love to hear from some of you who haven't commented before as well as those of you who have.

What Have You Been Voicing, Recording, Casting or Directing Lately?

Leave a comment and let us know what role you play in the industry as well as what you've been up to :)

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Jacom Stephens

Political VO How-To

Watch as veteran voice talent Kathryn Klvana goes from incredulous to inspirational in seconds while showing you how to interpret copy for political campaign spots.

Does her style jive with yours, or do you record political voice overs differently?

Let me know on this week's Who Got the Gig theme "Political Voice Overs".

What a timely topic! With elections in the United States and in Canada this fall, this video fits in perfectly.

Have You Been Recording any Political Voice Overs This Year?

OR

Any comments on the video in general?

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Welcome to another weekend and joyous celebration of voice over work across the industry and across the globe!

What kind of voice overs have you been recording this week? Share your success stories by leaving a comment.

Now is the time to acknowledge new clients and share news from your studio.

How has your voice been shaping minds, entertainment, and opinions?

Leave a comment and let the conversation begin!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Sent from my iPhone

Wakey Wakey!

Have you obtained any voice over work that you'd like to share this week?

This is the place to toot your own horn, and boy, do I ever want to hear it!

Add a comment to let me know about what you've been up to this week in the wonderful world of voice overs.

Every week we come around the virtual water cooler to discuss voice over jobs that are going on in the industry.

This week, I'm inviting you to share what you've been up to and also to take in the bigger picture of what goes on in voice overs by reading the comments left by your peers about the great variety of jobs that are being done here there and everywhere, all with voice over as the common link.

It's time to shake off the summer and get buzzing. The more people you tell about your success, the more will know about it and help you to tell the world.

What Did You Record?

Add your news by leaving a comment below. If you are reading this in your email, you can simply reply to me and I can add your comments on your behalf.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Raychel Deppe

What is Work?

On this week's edition of Who Got the Gig, we'll discuss why work is integral and how the having it or the lack of it makes such an impact on our lives.

What is your definition of work?

Add a comment to share your thoughts.

What is Work?

Work is meaningful, work is essential, and through our work we use our talents, gifts and strengths to the best of our abilities to serve other people, and through that service, we see a return that sustains us.

What Does Work Do?

Work provides for our families, pays the bills and is a steady reminder that we are needed.

Work is a comfort for those who have it and a yearning for those who don't.

For some, work is a means to an end, but for others, work can be a joyous element of their lives that sets them apart.

Having work or a way to contribute makes us feel like we matter, have a purpose and adds to our human dignity.

This Is Why We Do What We Do

The principal reason why we founded this marketplace and invested in the name Voices.com is because we believe that work is of vital importance and we wanted to create a place where people could find work to support themselves and their families.

We love what we do and I hope that passion comes through in every encounter you have with our company.

This very column was started to celebrate work and achievements in the field, regardless of where you got your voice over work from, and is open to commentary about all jobs attained through Voices.com or by other means.

What is Your Definition of Work?

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/hermi

What kind of VO Work have you been doing?

As we head back into the swing of things, let's do a summer wrap up here and get this party going!

I can't believe we've been doing this column now for 26 weeks!

Thank you all for sharing your gigs and for being a constant encouragement to each other. I love hearing about what you've been doing and want to invite you to comment if you've never done so before.

Of course, if you've commented in the past, you're more than welcome to continue :)

Did You Do Any VO Work You'd Like to Share? Comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Stephen Morris

Are you expanding your territory?

Let me know about what kind of voice over work you've been doing lately!

Join the conversation by adding your comments :)

Who Got the Gig?

I'd love to hear more about what you've been doing this week. Anything exciting you'd like to share with the community?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Bart Wolczyk

What Kind of Voice Over Work Did you Do This Week?

Let us know by commenting and sharing some a story about your most recent set of gigs!

Were You Rockin' the Mic?

Add your comments below and let's get this party going!

Best wishes from Buffalo,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

Citius, Altius, Fortius!

With the Olympic Games starting today in Beijing, I thought it fitting to give this edition of our weekly feature "Who Got the Gig" some citius, altius, and fortius!

What kind of voice overs got you going faster, soaring higher, and voicing stronger?

Share your gigs by leaving a comment and let the games begin!

Taking First Place

It's a great feeling to be recognized as the right person for the job and finishing first has its own rewards.

Did you take the gold this week?

Comment to let me know!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/imagedepotpro

Well, hello August!

To bring some closure to the month of July, I'd like to invite anyone who got work last month to leave a comment here describing the kind of voice overs being recorded in the VO community.

We can celebrate with you if you let us know :)

Anything goes, so if you spotted some hot jobs and reeled them in, be sure to mention your successes here on VOX Daily.

What kind of voice over work did you do so far this summer?

Looking forward to learning more about what you've been up too.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Izabela Habur

This week has been very good from the buzz I've been hearing around the VO world, and let me tell you, I couldn't be more excited to find out what you've all been up to!

I did a little running around myself on Friday, picking up Voicey awards and shipping the first round of them out at Canada Post to a number of winners.

The Voiceys are dazzling and I can't wait until each reaches its owner over the course of the summer :)

What did you do in your voice over business this past week?

Let me know by leaving a comment on this article :)

Hallelujah!

Do you ever get the Hallelujah Chorus ringing in your ears when something you've been working at for a long time finally comes full circle?

That's how it felt when shipping awards for me and I sincerely hope you experienced something exciting and fulfilling recently too.

Next to the iPhone, the Voiceys are the most beautiful objects I've laid eyes on in a long time, mainly because I'm brimming with joy and am so proud to be part of this celebratory aspect of our industry. One of the awards due south belongs to Pat Fraley, the Lifetime Achievement Voicey award winner for 2008.

I'll be seeing Pat in a few weeks at his workshop in Buffalo, NY and maybe I'll be seeing you there, too! If you haven't heard about the class, I'm going to talk a bit about it this week on VOX Daily so stay tuned.

Did anything beautiful happen in your business last week?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Blackbeck

Howdy, partners!

Last week, the Calgary Stampede was in full force (July 4-13), and at the event, there was a very special historical moment that involved voice over that I'd like to share with you.

In addition to that, as we do every week, I'd like to ask you about the kind of work you lassoed this past week in the wonderful world of voice overs!

There's a lot going on in the biz and I hope to hear from many of you who've been waiting to holler your successes from the highest hilltops.

Find out more about this special milestone and add your comments to this week's edition of VOX Daily's Who Got the Gig!

Voice Over History Made at the 2008 Calgary Stampede

The 2008 Calgary Stampede GMC Rangeland Derby was an historic chuckwagon event that marked the final time that legendary announcer Joe Carbury voiced his trademark slogan – “And, they’re off.” After a distinguished 45 years as announcer of the Stampede’s chuckwagon races, Carbury rode off into a well-deserved retirement after this year’s Stampede.

Hall of Fame Worthy

Joe Carbury was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Joe started broadcasting sports events in 1948, now 50 years ago, and to that end is one of the most recognized voices in sport in western Canada. The good old hockey game was his first love having broadcast well over 1,000 games from semi-professional to Junior.

The art of Play-by-play was a great passion for Joe, and over his career he performed play-by-play for the Edmonton Eskimos and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Over his career, Joe Carbury announced at boxing matches, curling and a number of amateur sports including high school football.

Joe Carbury broadcast over twenty-five thousand thoroughbred races and his distinctive voice has thrilled people from around the world at the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Chuckwagon races.

All in a Half-Century's Work

I came upon this piece of information because I was driving to a friend's last night and happened to hear an interview featuring Joe Carbury on the CBC. Before he announced at the Calgary Stampede, he started out in radio announcing sports games, and later found himself with a regular gig announcing at the infamous Stampede in Calgary, Alberta for a record 45 years. Talk about longevity!

That Being Shared, What Have You Been Up To?

Looking forward to reading about your successes!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Catherine Lane

What kind of voice over work have you been recording in your studio this week?

In this edition of Who Got the Gig, I want to hear about your victories this past week, particularly if you got work that challenged you but didn't get you down.

Share your stories with the VOX Daily family.

Feeling victorious?

Leave a comment letting me know about what you voiced this week!

Enjoy your weekend,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/chuwy

It's the 4th of July (happy holidays Americans!) and also time for another round of Who Got the Gig.

What have you been voicing lately?

Without further preamble, what kind of voice over work kept you busy this past week?

Comment below if you are already on the blog. If you are reading this message in your email, click through the linked title "Who Got the Gig" at the top of this message to get to the blog in order to join the conversation and have your say.

Looking forward to hearing from you :)

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Igor Balasanov

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

How will you be spending your summer?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Add your comment below!

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Nadezda Firsova

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

Anything in particular got you flying high?

Welcome to the weekend!

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

Any news to share?

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures from this week!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Izabela Habur

What have you been recording this week?

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

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

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

Who Got the Gig?

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

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

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/DSGpro

Hello out there you fabulous voice over people!

What have you been recording this week?

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

What's Going on in Your Studio?

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

Comment with your recent Gigs!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Andrzej Burak

Have you been up to anything, like, totally rad, dude?

Share your excellent adventure in this week's edition of Who Got the Gig!

Yes, we have a penchant for the nostalgic era of the early 90s here at VOX Daily today... a special thank you to Bill and Ted for stopping by ;)

Have you had any excellent adventures in voice acting this week?

Leave a comment and let us know all about it!

Cheers,

Stephanie

It's all about strategy!

Did your grey matter help you to secure work this week?

Let us know by leaving a comment on this week's edition of "Who Got the Gig!".

What kind of voice over work have you been recording this week?

No doubt many of you saw fit to get as much work done as possible before the Memorial Day Weekend in the United States.

Whether you did the voice work during the past seven days or got to see your voice overs in action recently, we want to hear from you and celebrate :)

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Chen Fu Soh

Oh Friday, you couldn't have come a moment too soon!

What's been going on in your voice over business this week?

Leave a comment to join the conversation!

Ba ba ba booyah!

Any nice plays in your audio recording studio?

I'd love to hear about the kind of voice over work you recorded this week. Don't be shy... there's nothing wrong with dropping names if you are able.

Have a great long weekend for those celebrating! It's Victoria Day here in Canada on Monday.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Curtis J. Morley

Well folks, it's time to return to our regularly scheduled programming :)

What kind of voice over work have you been doing lately?

Share your news by adding a comment!

What'd you do? Let us know! Reply below.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Anna Bryukhanova

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

Let us know by adding your comments.

What's been going on in your world?

Whether the job was big or small leave a comment to let us know so that we can celebrate with you today.

What did you do this week in VO Land?

LEAVE A COMMENT!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/muharrem öner

Welcome to another Friday and also another vibrant, vivacious edition of Who Got the Gig!

If you're new to this topic, all you need to do to participate is let us know what kind of voice over work you've been up to in the past seven days to join the conversation.

OK, gather 'round the water cooler folks... no pushing now, there's room for everybody!

What kind of work have you been up to?

Whether the job was big, small, has a non-disclosure agreement (chime in but don't say exactly what you did or for who!) or is the beginning of something great, leave a comment to let us know so that we can celebrate with you today.

What did you do this week in VO Land?

LEAVE A COMMENT!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Daniel Rodriguez

Welcome to another wonderful Friday!

Up here in Canada, we're enjoying fantastic weather (24 degrees celsius, oh yeah!) and I'm blogging this from outside thinking about the green green grass of home.

Before you run off for the weekend to plant a garden, do some spring cleaning, take a drive in the country or get the boat out for a pleasure cruise (well, you might be doing that!) , be sure to leave a comment about what you have been up to this week in the wonderful world of voice over.

Ladies and Gents, who got the gig?

I really hope to hear from a lot of you. Spring seems to be kicking opportunities into overdrive and I am eagerly awaiting your comments to learn more about what you've been up to.

Add a comment below!

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Andrew Dernie

It looks like there has been a lot of activity in VO Land lately and you know I'm absolutely ready to hear about it!

What have you been up to this week?

I've heard that the month of April has been good to many VO folk.

What kind of voice acting work did you record this week?

Leave a comment!

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Boris Yankov

TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!

I'm sure you have a lot to share with me today and I can't wait to hear all about what you've been up to this week.

But first, did you go to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this year (2008)? The voice of Mitch Phillips did and was featured in a presentation for Hyundai. Find out more in this short but sweet interview.

Once you're done reading please leave a comment and share some news about the work you've been up to!

Where did your voice take you this week?

VOX: How did you get the gig?

MITCH: I had worked with Gary Rivera and Ed Bernard at CDG LA (Creativdesign Group Inc) in the past on other Hyundai presentations including mall kiosks and other related stuff. CDG reached out to me to voice the presentation at the Detroit Auto Show for the debut of the new Hyundai Genesis. I was more than happy to work with them on it - besides the car looks really sharp!

VOX: Have you worked for Hyundai before?

MITCH: Not directly for Hyundai, but for CDG.

VOX: Was the voice over specifically for that video or is the company using the voice over in broadcast commercials and other applications such as Internet too?

MITCH: The video was a special project targeted for the auto show debut of Hyundai's newest car. I would guess that the main theme: "At Hyundai, we build cars for people who deserve more" will carry over into other media in the overall marketing of the Genesis. It's really a radical approach, marketing luxury at a much more affordable price.

VOX: Did you record the voice over before seeing the footage or were you able to see what you were narrating during the recording process?

MITCH: No footage was provided. Just a script and some really good direction as to the mood, pacing and emphasis on all the important features. All done via phone patch and mp3 with a few tweaks and revisions. I was lucky in the sense that we were able to find the right vibe for me and the read pretty fast, so the session was completed in a rather compact amount of time.

VOX: Did you record the voice over from your own studio? If not, where did you do the recording?

MITCH: Yes - I record 99.9% …. OK, to be totally honest, 100% of my voice tracks from my home studio facility. I've been tracking commercials, broadcast imaging, and everything in between, for almost 20 years from my own studios. Before the age of MP3 in fact. Makes me feel old.

VOX: Were you able to get to the auto show? If so, did you witness your own voice over?

MITCH: Unfortunately no. They do not let me out of here. Please help.

Gotta love Mitch's sense of humor ;)

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

Leave a comment below and let's get this party started!

Best wishes and happy weekend,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/narvikk

What have you been up to this week?

I spotted a few of you updating your MySpace and Facebook feeds with recently won voice over jobs and hope to hear from you here and spread the good news!

What have you been up to this week? Read this interview first and then comment with your news.

Hey Doodlebops!

Earlier this week, I happened to read an update in one of our voice talent member's, Scott "Scooter" Fortney's MySpace feed that said he had just accepted the role of Bus Driver Bob in a new audiobook series about the Doodlebops.

I am quite familiar with the show and immediately asked if I could feature Scott Fortney here on this week's edition of Who Got the Gig. He agreed and I have this interview to share with you.

VOX: How did you get the job? Was it through an audition, direct contact via search, etc?

SCOOTER: I found the job in my Voices.com leads. The Velocite Group and one of their affiliated companies, Toybox Innovations, posted a job for several characters for their newest children’s read-along book. They were looking for voices for all of the Doodlebops, as well as Jazz and Bus Driver Bob.

VOX: Did you need to do a voice match or custom demo or did they hire you based upon one of your demos?

SCOOTER: Velocite was looking for voices close to Moe, Rooney and Deedee (the Doodlebops); however, they asked that voices for the other characters suit the images in the PDF version of the book which they attached to the job. I always make a point to view or listen to any attached files, because that effort will be obvious in a custom demo. When I looked through the PDF, I felt most comfortable auditioning for the role of Bus Driver Bob, so I created a custom demo with several takes. Never knowing for sure just what the client is looking for, it’s wise to give them several choices. Velocite liked the first take, and Bus Driver Bob was off and running –er, driving.

VOX: Was it hard to do or did the voice just come out of you?

SCOOTER: When I sit down to do a new character voice, I have a general idea of what I think it should sound like. In most cases, I just start reading with “that voice in my head,” and, yes, it does just kind of flow out of me. Before I go “live,” I usually spend some time talking in that voice (drives my wife and kids crazy). The trick is to recreate that voice when you’re chosen several days or even weeks later. To do this, I open the audio file that won the job and hit the loop playback button; after several minutes or much longer, the voice comes back to you. Then, of course, you hear it in your head when you're trying to get to sleep at night. Seek help if your characters enter your dreams and interact with each other!

VOX: Were you familiar with the character before you auditioned? Did you audition for Bus Driver Bob specifically?

SCOOTER: No, I wasn’t familiar with Bob, but I was a little familiar with the Doodlebops; at least knowing something about the show gave me a clue as to how to approach the job.

VOX: When are the audio books going to be available on the market? Will they be sold through Audible or will they be released on CDs in stores?

SCOOTER: It’s still early in the game, as far as my relationship with the client, but from what I understand the CDs will be in stores worldwide; they also sell them on the Toybox Innovations website at www.toyboxinnovations.com.

VOX: What have you found to be the most interesting / satisfying aspect of this job?

SCOOTER: Most importantly, I love doing character voices, especially for children; so just the thought that I’ll be helping to entertain and teach children is the most valuable part of this job. I’ve been doing character voices and impressions since I was a little boy, so these sorts of jobs are a great pleasure for me. An added bonus: I have a 2-year old little girl for whom I can’t wait to play these audio books!

VOX: Is there anything else that you'd like to share, Scooter?

SCOOTER: Relating to this particular project, no, I don’t think so. However, I would like take this opportunity to tell you that while I have been with Voices.com, I have tried one other voice over site. That site made me really appreciate Voices.com. Without mentioning the site, I will tell you that I was bothered by their practice of discouraging voice actors from auditioning for “too many” jobs! To me, that makes no sense. I can honestly tell you that about half of the jobs I have won were jobs that I thought I might not “fit.” I tried anyway! That’s because I believe in the notion that you have to go to bat thinking positively every time. I used to have a sign in my office that you may recognize: “Babe Ruth struck out 1330 times, but he also hit 714 homeruns.” I added two words to that: “Keep swinging.”

~~

That's excellent advice... keep swinging!

If you have something you'd like to add please leave a comment!

Best wishes and happy weekend,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Joe_Potato

What did you do this week in the wonderful world of voice over?

Find out what this guy was up to and why he looks so darn happy here at VOX Daily.

Welcome to the third Friday of Who Got the Gig!

I heard from a very proud, blessed and ecstatic teacher, Pat Fraley, that one of his students, Chris Fries, had landed some work recording a voice match for Hollywood actor Thomas Hayden Church, a line to be featured in an upcoming movie trailer!

Congratulations Chris :)

Pretty exciting stuff, isn't it?

In your downtime this weekend, or between holiday activities if you're celebrating, let us know what kind of voice over work you've been up to or anything that you are looking forward to next week.

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

P.S. Voice Over Instructors... do not be afraid to toot some horns! Let us know about the voice over work your students are up to -- that's how I found out about Chris Fries and his Thomas Hayden Church voice match -- get your students featured on the next "Who Got the Gig".

Image © Chris Fries

Ah, Friday at last...

We know what you were up to last week...

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

Leave a comment and join the party!

It's the weekend and the second run of Who Got the Gig!

Before you head into next week, be sure to let us know what kind of work you've been up -- we'd love to help you celebrate life's little triumphs along the way.

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

Leave a comment here with your news!

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Oktay Ortakcioglu

What have you been up to this week?

Share your voice over work stories and find out what your fellow voice actors have been recording in this first "Who Got The Gig" feature.

Voice Over Work

In this big wide world there are thousands of voice over jobs being done each and every day.

Once a week, you have the opportunity to chime in and let the voice over community know about what's been going on in your business.

What Has Kept You Busy?

Maybe you've been doing some commercials, started on a hefty narration project or landed the voice of a character in a new animated series or videogame.

Perhaps you recorded for a medium or application that was new to you, worked with another voice actor on a project, or were challenged vocally and reached heights you didn't know were possible.

Let Us Know!

We'd love to hear about any tidbits and celebrate these victories with you.

So, who got the gig?

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Valerie Loiseleux