1. Check out the new Porta-Booth

    Posted February 8, 2010 by Bob

    Harlan Hogan has announced the Porta-Booth Pro (r). You can see a preview and place a pre-order at this page on Harlan’s site.

    Category: General, Tools | Comments (2)

  2. If you haven’t started yet, you will soon

    Posted February 7, 2010 by Bob

    My friend Connie Terwilliger reminds us that it’s tax season, and if you’ve been working in the past year, chances are there are a bunch of tax forms that have arrived over the last few weeks. It’s critically important that you keep track of these forms and double-check them to make sure they match your own records. For union work, you’ll be getting a bunch of W-2s and for non-union work a bunch of 1099-MISCs. It’s a very good idea to get an early start on your taxes, whether you have someone do them for you or whether you do them yourself. The sooner you know how things look, the better you’ll be able to prepare to deal with your situation. Good, bad or indifferent.

    Category: General | Comments (0)

  3. Playing the Pro Game with Marice

    Posted February 4, 2010 by Bob

    Marice Tobias announces that she is coming to Chicago the weekend of March 20 and 21, 2010 for two days called 2010: The Pro Game. The following is verbatim from her press release:

    Yes, it’s harder to build, maintain and grow the professional voiceover career than ever before. And yes, more people are competing for the work than ever before. Not exactly news, huh? So what is?

    The Shift.

    The shift is one of the reasons why a lot of solid careers are not as solid as they once were. The shift is the change that began sweeping through the industry last fall. But, here’s the crazy making part. It isn’t totally replacing reads many producers still seek. So how do you know what to bring to the booth?

    And how does this jibe with the emphasis we have placed on The Signature Read since we started focusing on voiceover? This is the challenge of the pro game. More complicated, more competetive and way faster.

    Join us for two days of rapid fire rounds, in depth insights and a sobering, stakes-raising reality check for playing today’s pro game full-out.

    You in?

    Chicago ARU (Audio Recording Unlimited) is the location with just 12 participants. $775 for new clients. $650 for returning. Established talent travel from all over the US, Canada and overseas to attend Tobias Entertainment Group events so please book ASAP to ensure your place.

    Contact Stacey Stahl at Creative Entertainment Management. 503-246-2239.

    Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People | Comments (6)

  4. A relief benefit for Haiti tele-event

    Posted February 3, 2010 by Bob

    February 10, 2010 you have an opportunity to learn from some top audiobook narrators and help the relief efforts in Haiti. Details are at VoiceOverXtra.

    Category: General | Comments (0)

  5. How do you connect a phone patch?

    Posted by Bob

    George Whittam has prepared an excellent post with the scoop on how to connect your phone hybrid/phone patch to your mixer.

    Category: General, Tools | Comments (0)

  6. Seth Godin on the way the voiceover business is changing

    Posted February 2, 2010 by Bob

    Well, to be completely accurate, Seth Godin doesn’t specifically mention the voiceover business in his blog post today, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s writing about it. Because it’s not just book publishing and newspapers that have changed dramatically in the last decade. THe voiceover business has too. Yes, we don’t spend as much time in studios other than our own, but that’s really only a cosmetic change. The really big differences are in where the business comes from and where our voices are used.

    So, are you going to expend your energy in trying to “save” your voiceover business? Or, are you going to adapt and survive, or maybe even thrive?

    Category: Career Advice, General | Comments (4)

  7. A quote for today

    Posted by Bob

    From my friend and manager, Stacey Stahl today:

    The only thing more powerful than walking your talk is 

    walking your walk without having to talk the talk. 

           –  Alan Cohen

    Category: General | Comments (0)

  8. A spotlight on Dan

    Posted by Bob

    My friend Dan Nachtrab is all over the broadcast airwaves these days in this PSA.

    Mighty nice work, Dan.

    Category: General, People | Comments (0)

  9. People skills

    Posted February 1, 2010 by Bob

    My friend Jeff Kafer’s voiceover comic, Voice-overload, really hits a home run today.

    Category: General | Comments (5)

  10. A Jamie Kennedy voice session

    Posted by Bob

    The ultimate hidden camera prank voiceover session, thanks to Jamie Kennedy.

    This is from 2002, but I only ran across it today thanks to my friend and mentor Philip Banks and his VO-BB post.

    Category: General, People | Comments (2)

  11. No such thing as a stupid question

    Posted by Bob

    My friend and mentor Philip Banks has posted a new, well written, bit of solid thinking on Voiceover Universe. If you can’t see it there, you certainly can on the VO-BB. Well worth a few minutes of your time.

    Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People | Comments (2)

  12. The early bird discount for VOICE 2010 ends tonight

    Posted January 31, 2010 by Bob

    The early bird discount for VOICE 2010 ends at midnight, tonight, the 31st of January 2010. If you’re planning to go, you’ll save a $100 off the registration price if you sign up in the remaining hours today.

    Category: General, Getting started in Voiceover | Comments (0)

  13. Press for Mandy

    Posted by Bob

    My friend Mandy Nelson is featured in this article in the Worcester Business Journal.

    Category: General, People | Comments (0)

  14. Everything you need to do voiceover and one thing you don’t

    Posted January 30, 2010 by Bob

    Blaire Hardman emails with a link to this video, a well done presentation on what you need to do voiceovers.

    Category: General, People | Comments (3)

  15. Voice actors, the 72 hours ends tonight

    Posted January 29, 2010 by Bob

    Dan O’Day has released an absolutely briliant MP3 file containing 2 hours and 48 minutes of solid gold about voice acting for advertising from Nancy Wolfson. And if you order during Dan’s 72-Hour special, you’ll be invited to submit your own follow-up question and then receive a free bonus recording of Nancy’s answers to the Top 5 questions asked. Click here and place your order before 11:59 PM Eastern, Friday, January 29, 2010. That would be tonight at one minute to Midnight, Eastern.

    Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (0)

  16. What would the perfect online casting site look like?

    Posted January 28, 2010 by Bob

    My friend Mahmoud Taji asks that question on his voiceover blog today. I hope you’ll take part in the discussion.

    Category: General | Comments (0)

  17. More talk about Haiti

    Posted January 27, 2010 by Bob

    My friend Pablo Hernandez has released a shorter version of the video for Haiti, today.

    Category: General | Comments (0)

  18. Paging Dr. Fraley

    Posted by Bob

    Friday, February 19th, 2010 will be a fun night of voiceover training with Pat Fraley. Two hours of:

    • interpreting copy for dialogue and single voice
    • honing comedic skills
    • creating evocative performances.

    Pat explains more about this teleseminar in this audio clip:

    Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

    You can register as one of the live participants or just to obvserve at this link. This event is sponsored by VoiceOverXtra.

    Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People | Comments (1)

  19. Would you buy Andy a cup of coffee?

    Posted by Bob

    My friend Andy Boyns has written a web page about his hopes and plans to travel to VOICE2010 this June. If you watched the Haiti video I posted a couple of days ago you heard Andy’s voice right next to mine in the opening minutes. He’s a good guy. Take a couple of minutes to read his page and help him out if you can.

    Category: General, People | Comments (0)

  20. A podcast for those just starting, from the inside

    Posted by Bob

    My friend Roger Tremaine has prepared a podcast on his experiences with starting his voiceover business over the last few years. Roger shares with great candor and I think you’ll find these 4 minutes and 17 seconds well worth your time.

    Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

    Thank you, Roger.

    Category: General, Getting started in Voiceover, People | Comments (0)

  21. Demo World with Pat Fraley

    Posted January 26, 2010 by Bob

    Take a long hard look at your demos with Pat Fraley. Next month. In LA. Details on Pat’s site.

    Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (0)

  22. Animation teleseminar with Richard Horvitz and Nancy Wolfson tomorrow

    Posted by Bob

    Nancy Wolfson and Anna Vocino have been doing a superb series of teleseminars for the last 3 years and I’ve been there for every one of them. Each has been worth way more than the price of admission. Now comes an opportunity to dig into the topic of voiceover for animation with not only Nancy and Anna, but also the amazingly talented Richard Horvitz.

    One look at his website and you’ll see why Richard is the guy who can give you the no-BS inside Animation scoop. He’s going to answer as many questions as he can in 90 minutes, with a promise to do a Part II in the not so distant future.

    Exactly and only the Animation Voice Over info that YOU WANT TO KNOW.

    Beware: some unpopular realities (better ya know now).
    Behold: lots of encouraging truths!

    Some of the great questions all ready submitted:

    I do a lot of funny voices, shouldn’t I be doing animation??

    Are there really only 10 people who do every animation job out there? I’m really good, so how can I break in??

    Do I still need an agent? An animation demo? Improv comedy or acting classes? An interesting voice???

    How do I get cast in the next Pixar film when celebrities take all the roles?

    Seriously, how much money is there in animation?

    This animation thing seems like a tough nut to crack, so tell me the action steps I can take NOW to get my animation career going!

    This teleseminar taking place at 6:00 PM Pacific / 9:00 PM Eastern tomorrow, Wednesday, January 27, 2010. Sign up now at Nancy and Anna’s site.

    Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People | Comments (0)

  23. A video for Haiti

    Posted by Bob

    My friend Pablo Hernandez started an ad-hoc group of voice actors to help raise awareness and funds for the tragedy in Haiti.

    Thank you Pablo.

    Category: General | Comments (4)

  24. Voice actors, for 72 hours only

    Posted by Bob

    Dan O’Day has released an absolutely briliant MP3 file containing 2 hours and 48 minutes of solid gold about voice acting for advertising from Nancy Wolfson. And if you order during Dan’s 72-Hour special, you’ll be invited to submit your own follow-up question and then receive a free bonus recording of Nancy’s answers to the Top 5 questions asked. Click here and place your order before 11:59 PM Eastern, Friday, January 29, 2010.

    Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (3)

  25. An offer from Dan O’Day is coming

    Posted January 25, 2010 by Bob

    Sometime early tomorrow you’ll have an opportunity to order something from Dan O’Day that will be a tremendous boost to your voiceover business. Once Dan tells me what’s what, I’ll tell you.

    Category: Career Advice, General | Comments (0)

  26. How much to build a voiceover studio?

    Posted by Bob

    David Brower offers some thoughts about the cost of building your own voiceover studio on his blog.

    Category: General, Tools | Comments (0)

  27. A weekend to remember in LA

    Posted January 24, 2010 by Bob

    I’ve spent this past weekend with some truly wonderfully talented people “playing full out” to use the term Marice Tobias uses and learning how to raise my voiceover work to the next level.

    I always have at least one “aha” moment during these weekends of study and play with Marice. This weekend was no exception. More about that in a moment. First, though, here’s the group, or almost all of us.

    From the left, Sheldon Smith, Peter Cutler (our engineer), Karen Hutton, me, Bill Lloyd, Scott Fischer, Sadie Medley, Marty Wall, Thompson Howell, Robyn Moler, and Steve Lawrence. Missing from the photo are Marice Tobias (she’s behind the camera) and Alex Vishniakoff, who was … uh … indisposed while we were shooting this quick photo during an afternoon break on Sunday.

    This was a unique weekend because this time we dealt with all of the major areas of voiceover work (trailer, promo, commercial and narration) and how to keep a given genre from “leaking” into another as we switch from one to another through the day … just like we have to do in our real work.

    It was also unique because the group got to hear everyone’s performances. Usually Marice will have us do at least a couple of reads in isolation from everyone else, but this time we were all in the studio for every performance. It was really enlightening to hear how we all were true to our own personalities even though we were hearing one another reading (some of the time) the exact same piece of copy.

    My own “aha” moment came on Saturday when for the first time I began to grasp just how important it is to have a personal connection with the copy in order to deliver an emotionally honest performance. I think this one insight is going to have a significant influence on my work, especially as I incorporate this insight into my performances in the coming weeks and month.

    Category: General, People | Comments (11)

  28. Coffee Dates

    Posted by Bob

    My friend Kristine Oller is a genius. About organization. About career. About building relationships. Here is a video with just one of her superb ideas.

    “If you have $5 and an hour to devote to your career each week.” What a great idea! There are tons more great ideas on Kristine’s site. Check all of them out. You’ll be glad you did.

    Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (6)

  29. The faux-dition doesn’t count, but your votes do

    Posted January 22, 2010 by Bob

    My friend Peter O’Connell has been doing a fake audition for the last three years as a way to add a bit of amusement to the end of the year and the start of the next. This year’s finalists have been announced on Peter’s blog and that means you can now vote on your three favorites.

    Category: General | Comments (2)

  30. Debbe shines

    Posted by Bob

    My friend Debbe Hirata has such a lucious voice. Exhibit A is this video.

    Seattle University 7D Shoot from Terence Brown on Vimeo.

    See what I mean? There are many other exhibits. No doubt you’ll find some of them on your own, before long.

    Category: General, People | Comments (1)

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