November » 2007 » The Voiceover Boblog

The Best Job

Posted November 30, 2007 by Bob

The best job in the world? Voiceover. No question. As exhibit A I present this interesting YouTube video.

And our thanks to the fellow who posted this fine piece, none other than Joe Cipriano.

Category: General, Tools | Comments (2)
Podcasting microphones

Posted by Bob

Donna Papacosta is a veteran podcaster and blogger. Her podcast show #66 offers a chance to compare the sound of several microphones and recording devices that are often used for podcasting.

Category: Blogging, General, Tools | Comments (2)
June Foray speaks

Posted November 29, 2007 by Bob

With my thanks to my friend Joe Rodriguez for posting this link on the VO-BB, here is an interview by Howard Schwartz with the legendary June Foray.

What an amazing talent she is. Thank you, Joe!

Category: General, People | Comments (0)
Thanksgiving is over for the year…

Posted by Bob

And yes, it’s a clichÃ© to say that we should be thankful all year, but it’s true. A grateful heart is a joyful heart. My friend Dave Courvoisier offers some valuable insights about giving thanks that are well worth practicing all year round. Thank you, Dave, for writing such an excellent blog. And for helping me remember that it’s not enough to just be thankful. We need to express that gratitude in tangible ways.

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

Posted November 28, 2007 by Bob

My friend Bobbin Beam has written some excellent thoughts about how to stay hydrated while you’re working in the studio. Good stuff, Bobbin. Thank you.

Category: General | Comments (0)
A Christmas story to remember

Posted November 27, 2007 by Bob

My friend Rowell Gormon is one of the most talented people I know. Also one of the nicest. Most humble. Generous. I think you get the picture. If you ever get a chance to spend some time with Rowell, you’ll really understand what I mean.

He’s also a brilliant story-teller, as he demonstrates again with his latest blog post…a Christmas story you’ll remember for the rest of this season…maybe longer.

Category: General, People | Comments (2)
What’s the lesson here?

Posted by Bob

With my thanks to my friend Liz for posting the link on the VO-BB, here’s a sage bit of career advice for anyone in the voiceover business: Don’t make fun of your clients, especially not publicly.

Update: In Ms. Clarke’s defense, it appears she was misquoted. I’ll update again if I learn of any further developments.

Further update: Ms. Clarke has written a piece in the Guardian with more detail from her point of view.

Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover | Comments (4)
A new Bond rises

Posted November 24, 2007 by Bob

My friend David Houston, a very talented voice actor in Austin, TX has landed the role of James Bond in the new Casino Royale video game. Good for you, David. I’m delighted to see you doing well and wish you much success going forward, in not only this role but many more.

Category: General, People | Comments (2)
It’s OK to say No

Posted November 23, 2007 by Bob

In fact, sometimes you need to say “no” to a prospective client. Samuel Ryan offers these 10 Reasons to Say No on his site Wake Up Later. While this list is aimed as web writers and developers, much of the information is valuable for us in the voiceover world as well.

My thanks to DB Cooper for posting this link on the VO-BB.

Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (2)
Giving Thanks

Posted by Bob

No posts yesterday or today as I’m taking a holiday with my family for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Meanwhile, where ever you are, I hope you are well.

Category: General | Comments (0)
Derailing yourself

Posted November 21, 2007 by Bob

Here is an important moment that took place during the recent workshops I attended in New York City with Marice Tobias. It’s significance to me personally is considerable. Hopefully it will be valuable for you, too.

During the first round of performances I had fully intended to volunteer to go first, if for no other reason that to get my initial time of reading out of the way. However, because of where I was sitting in the room, no one could see when I would start to get up to go into the booth and someone else would end up ahead of me. This turned out to be a very good thing because as I was sitting there, I realized that I was filled with anxiety about wanting to do really well, to impress everyone there with my performance. As the same moment, I realized that I was about to derail myself, because the anxiety I was feeling was preventing me from being able to accomplish what I wanted.

So, I began to listen to the coaching that Marice was giving to each of my fellow students as they worked through their copy. Not with the intention of imitating that coaching, but in order to get a handle on how to internalize and make these coaching points my own. As I did this, I became very calm and peaceful. Then, there was a lull, so I was finally able to volunteer.

Then another blessing. As Roger, our engineer, was adjusting the microphone for me, someone asked Marice a question. I was able to listen to her response on the talk back system. The answer to that question led to a couple more and in all several minutes passed. This really was a blessing, though, because it helped keep my focus off of myself and to just concentrate on the conversation. So, when it was finally my turn to read, I just took a deep breath and read the copy. No nerves. No fear. Just a clean take in which I hit every point that I hoped to and none I didn’t. I realized afterward that I was able to just be in the moment, and thus not derail myself.

I hope that when find yourself filled with anxiety, hoping to really impress someone, that you’ll be able to find a few moments to get your focus off of yourself so that you too will be able to stay in the moment.

Category: General | Comments (4)
The nicest people come to Charlotte

Posted November 20, 2007 by Bob

In the flurry of activity of the last several days, I neglected to mention that another of my friends came through Charlotte last Friday. DC Goode is a tremendously talented voiceover artist from Sacramento, California. He was in North Carolina on business for a few days last week and made a point of letting me know that he would be driving through Charlotte on Friday.

We were able to get together for a very nice visit, though sadly I didn’t think about taking a photo to document things until after he was already in his car and back on the road to complete his business travels. Thank you, DC for going out of your way so we could meet in person.

Category: General, People | Comments (2)
The nicest people come to Charlotte, too

Posted November 19, 2007 by Bob

This evening I had the great delight of visiting once again with my friends Kara Edwards and Peter O’Connell. Peter was on his way through town for business before joining the rest of his family for Thanksgiving a little further South and West of here, so the 3 of us met at Cracker Barrel for dinner and conversation.

Peter had never eaten at a Cracker Barrel before, and I think we’ve made a convert to the cause. Before we left, we made a stop in front of the fireplace for a quick photo with Kara’s camera.

Category: General, People | Comments (12)
Boggling

Posted November 18, 2007 by Bob

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “mind-boggling” at one time or another. This weekend (as I’m typing this I’ve just moments ago walked through the door back in Charlotte after flying home from New York this evening) has given me a new appreciation for this term. For my mind is well and truly boggled.

I think it will likely be weeks before I entirely get my head around all that I’ve learned. I used my Treo 680 and typed notes as fast as my thumbs would allow (and sometimes faster!) at all of the great coaching, ideas and thoughts Marice Tobias shared. A month ago, when I took my previous workshop with Marice on commercials and narration, I thought I understood mind-boggling, but this weekend has topped that experience.

Today was the promo part of the promo/trailer workshop. We worked on several pieces of copy, taking different approaches to each piece. Each of these approaches helped us understand how best to deliver the copy as ourselves. This is so counter-intuitive. After all, who else can I bring into the studio with me? Just me. My natural human tendency is to want to adapt myself to the copy, rather than finding the best way to present the copy as me.

Here’s one other inescapable conclusion I’ve reached regarding all that I learned, there’s no way to really understand how to put into practice what Marice teaches unless you are able to take the workshops with her. The experience is too tightly woven into the fabric of the entire experience.

One last note to this post before I go collapse for a few hours. With us was Stacey Stahl, owner of In Both Ears. What a fantastic experience it was last night at dinner to sit across from Stacey and learn many valuable insights about how voiceover agents like to be treated and (more importantly) don’t like to be treated by voice talent. Eye-opening and more than a little mind-boggling in its own right.

Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (6)
You have to be amazing

Posted November 17, 2007 by Bob

I’ve written before about a life-changing experience I had in Nashville in the early 90s when I attended a workshop with Marice Tobias. This weekend has been another such experience, and no surprise, it’s again involved the amazing Marice Tobias.

I’m in my hotel room in Manhattan as I type this, still trying to get my head around all that I learned today at day one of a Promo/Trailer workshop this weekend at the Sound Hound in West 45th Street. Today’s study was on movie trailers. And the one thing that stood out to me more than anything else was that everyone in the room brought their A game to this thing. Which meant that we all made ourselves better, as we listened to one another, heard the coaching and direction being given by Marice to one another, and encouraged one another. I literally cannot describe what it was like in more detail. I don’t have the words. But, I know that I’m going to go home to Charlotte tomorrow evening a different, a better, voiceover talent that when I came.

Tomorrow is the promo focus. I’ll write more when I can, but if it’s anything like today, I doubt I’ll be able to put those experiences into words either.

Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (6)
You meet the nicest people in New York City, too

Posted November 16, 2007 by Bob

What a wonderful evening I’ve just had in downtown Manhattan at a pub called Molly’s. I’m in New York City on a weekend business trip. A few weeks ago I posted at note on the VO-BB about the fact that I was there and that led to tonight’s get-together with 3 voiceover talents from the area at this pub.

Here are Patrick O’Connor and I. (The photo was taken by Liz de Nesnera after she got to Molly’s.)

Patrick was nice enough to meet me at my hotel and walk me to Molly’s. This meant that I actually found the place and also gave us a chance to chat for a bit on our way there.

A few moments after we arrived and took a position well to the back, right in the way of some of the staff (but they were very nice about everything), Liz joined us. A lady standing near us (I regret to say I didn’t get her name) took a shot of Patrick, Liz and me.

No my ear isn’t on fire. That’s a reflection off of something behind us on the wall. Patrick, Liz and I chatted together for a few minutes while waiting for a table to open up and then Melissa Exelberth also joined us.

Moments later, a table opened up and we all sat together. Melissa and I were on one side of the table, so Liz got out her camera again and took another photo.

We had such a terrific time talking about voiceover work, training, life experiences, different places we’ve lived (Melissa was far and away the winner of exotic places she’s lived) and what we like best about New York and on and on. It was truly a great experience. The time just flew and then we all had to head out our separate ways.

Patrick, Liz and Melissa, thank you for such a truly delightful evening. And Patrick, thanks for picking up the tab!

Category: General, People | Comments (0)
A carnation for my friend Liz

Posted November 15, 2007 by Bob

My friend Liz de Nesnera, who is a very talented voice over artist, is one of the most remarkable, kind, cheerful and generous people I know. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read about why she was recently presented with a pink carnation by the United Way of Morris County, New Jersey.

Category: General, People | Comments (4)
Build-it-yourself voiceover studio

Posted by Bob

Home Recording Connection is a site I stumbled upon this evening. It’s filled with interesting ideas. Some are better than others, but one that I thought especially worthwhile is this article about how to sound proof your garage on a budget, thus turning it into a studio.

In the case of this article, the writer was building out his garage to use as a practice studio for his rock band; but the ideas will work just as well for making a quiet space to put your home voiceover studio. What I especially like is that the article is filled with ideas about how to do this build-out for very little cost.

(edited to fix typo. Thanks Chris Eder for helping me with that one.)

Category: General, Tools | Tags: home built studio, sound booth, voiceover booth, voiceover studio | Comments (2)
Getting your first voiceover role

Posted November 14, 2007 by Bob

In the archive pages of Animation World Magazine I stumbled upon this interesting article tonight that was complied by Heather Kenyon in 1999 about How to Get That First Voice-Over Role. It seems this sort of advice stands the test of time quite well.

Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover | Comments (0)
Rocky and Bullwinkle and Bill and June

Posted November 13, 2007 by Bob

With my thanks to Mark Evanier for posting this on his blog, (and to Bobbin Beam for reminding me where to find this with her post on the VO-BB) here is some classic footage from 1985 or thereabouts of Bill Scott and June Foray, the voices of Bullwinkle and Rocky, respectively.

Category: General, People | Comments (2)
Acting for Advertising teleseminar tomorrow

Posted by Bob

Tomorrow evening, Wednesday, November 14th at 6:00 PM Pacific, (9:00 PM Eastern) you have another opportunity to take part in a teleseminar presented by Nancy Wolfson and Anna Vocino. Each of these teleseminars has been worth far more than the $49 price of admission and this time you can join the call for just $39. Registration details are on the front page of the Break Into Voice Over site.

Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover | Comments (0)
What does the writers’ strike have to do with me?

Posted November 12, 2007 by Bob

I don’t know if you’ve been following the saga of the Writers Guild strike or not. Depending on where you live and what sort of work you do, your interest may be very high or you might not even be aware there’s a strike taking place.

Whatever your level of interest, I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to read the open letter from David Lawrence published at Vox Daily today. David has taken a significant risk to express himself. You need to read it all.

My thanks to Bobbin Beam for posting the link that led me to this article today.

Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (4)
Stay focused on your passion

Posted November 10, 2007 by Bob

With thanks to my friend Chris Eder for posting the links on his blog, I read a couple of really thought-provoking posts today on Peter O’Connell’s blog and on a blog new to me called The D-Ring, written by military public relations specialist Steve Field.

I started this blog because I love to write and I wanted to give myself an outlet for writing that would also help me connect with other like-minded souls: other voiceover talent.

I also want to connect with the producers, writers, agents, studio engineers and others who are part of our world of voiceover because they hire or refer us. At the same time, like Peter says in his post, I’m really just writing this for you and me. Because we’re the only 2 people here.

Peter says he is concerned that his posts might be too long. I wonder if you think my posts are too short most of the time? Let me know. Comments are open.

Category: Blogging, General, People | Tags: blogging with passion, niche marketing, voice acting, Voiceover, writing with conviction, writing with passion | Comments (16)
The first 5 seconds

Posted November 9, 2007 by Bob

Thanks to Stu Gray’s blog (and a hat tip to Stephanie Ciccarelli for helping me find this post) I’ve just run across a terrific bit of advice about making connections with people from the RainToday blog.

The key point is this: when you first meet someone, if you don’t start a conversation with him or her in the first few seconds, it’s much harder to do so later.

Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (0)
A microphone for your road kit

Posted by Bob

Lance Blair, Atlanta-based voiceover talent, needs to travel now and then and when he does he also needs to be able to keep his clients happy. As he’s posted on his voiceover blog, he’s found an excellent microphone for his travel kit, the Heil Sound PR40.

Category: General, People, Tools | Comments (0)
Equipment wants, Equipment needs

Posted November 8, 2007 by Bob

I hope you make a regular practice of visiting Kara Edwards voiceover blog. There’s much worth reading there, not only the new things she writes, but in the archives as well. Sometimes whimsical. Sometimes very practical. Always worthwhile.

Her latest post offers some very solid advice about how to manage the purchases of equipment, either first time or upgrading what you already have, for your studio. I’d only add that the same kind of thinking needs to be applied to training, seminars, conferences and demo production. It’s not possible to do everything all at once. If you try, you’ll sink out of sight so fast no one will notice.

I’m going to put Kara’s list suggestion into practice immediately.

Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People | Comments (2)
Deb Munro’s November Newsletter

Posted by Bob

Deb Munro, voiceover talent and coach, active both in the States and in Canada, has released her November newsletter. (link is a PDF file)

Category: General, People | Comments (0)
Digidesign 002 for sale (updated)

Posted November 7, 2007 by Bob

My friend Brian Haymond is selling his older Pro Tools set-up as he’s upgrading his system to a more current model. This is your opportunity to pick up a truly superb system, including the control surface mixer for a truly amazingly low price. (You’ll see what I mean when you click through to his site on the link above.)

Here’s a photo from his blog, so you can see just how clean this system truly is.

Update: Brian has sold this unit on eBay!

Category: Career Advice, General, People, Tools | Comments (0)
One small space for man…

Posted by Bob

My friend Jeffrey Kafer has documented his efforts to go paperless in his voiceover work on his blog. I hope you’ll enjoy reading his story.

Category: General, People, Tools | Comments (0)
Acting for Advertising

Posted by Bob

Voice acting, while it is acting, has a different palette than acting for stage or film. This is one of the key things I learned through my studies with Nancy Wolfson. Now, thanks to the site that Nancy and Anna Vocino have launched jointly called Break Into Voice Over, you can purchase MP3 audio files with much of the key information Nancy teaches in her private lessons, at a fraction of the price of just one of those private lessons.

Looking at the site this evening, I see that there’s a new teleseminar for which you can sign up that will be held on Wednesday, November 14th at 6:00 PM Pacific (9:00 PM Eastern). And the previous teleseminars are all linked for purchase right on the main page. There is a ton of solid, valuable, actionable information there. Highly recommended.

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

Bob Souer

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