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Posted October 31, 2009 by Bob
Tom Asacker’s insights about branding are published in books, white papers and (my favorite) his blog called a clear eye. A few days ago he made an extremely cogent observation about the straw. A straw is a luxury item.
What I sell (doing voiceovers for people, telling their stories) is also a luxury. My clients don’t have to hire me. After all, just about everyone can read and speak. But, just as drinking a milkshake with a straw is a more pleasant and satisfying experience than drinking the shake directly from the glass, so is hiring me to do your voiceover a more pleasant experience than doing it yourself. Sometimes, it’s even less expensive; in which case it’s not only a luxury, it’s a bargain at the same time.
Category: General | Comments (0)
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Posted October 30, 2009 by Bob
My friend Bruce Miles has just received an award for a web video he wrote and produced for an ad agency in Dover, New Hampshire.
Very nice work, Bruce. Kudos on the award.
Category: General, People | Comments (0)
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Posted by Bob
I attended both VOICE 2007 in Las Vegas and VOICE 2008 in Los Angeles. I enjoyed both a great deal. VOICE 2010 will be the 2nd through the 5th of June, 2010 and will again be in Los Angeles, CA. If you’ve been holding off registering until you knew more about the presenters, then click through on the Conference Schedule and check out the names.
Early-Bird registration savings of $150 ends the 31st of January 2010.
Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover | Comments (7)
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Posted October 29, 2009 by Bob
My friend Dave DeAndrea is the voice of this public service announcement.
Nice work, Dave.
Category: General, People | Comments (2)
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Posted by Bob
My friend Peter O’Connell understands marketing. I always gain something of value when I learn from him, and yesterday’s blog post “Take the time to make it personal” is well worth a couple of minutes of your time. It will be worth even more if you take his suggestions to heart and start doing them.
Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (2)
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Posted by Bob
Some weeks ago my friend Pam Tierney pointed me in the direction of The Simple Dollar, a blog about living more frugally. I’ve enjoyed reading Trent’s articles, but this post from yesterday is so good I just had to share it with you.
Keep repeating, “It’s not about me” and this urge to think of yourself and your job more highly than you should will pass. The essense of our work is to tell the story our client needs to have told. It might be only a few words. It might be hundreds of pages. Whatever the case, it’s their story. They need someone to tell that story for them. That’s where your work opportunities, and mine, come from.
OK, sure, my branding and focus is on storytelling, as you can tell from just looking around here for a few minutes, so of course I’m going to frame the work that way. How else are you going to describe it? Find a way that works for you and think of it that way. Just remember, it’s not about you. It’s about your client and what he or she needs.
Category: General | Comments (4)
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Posted October 28, 2009 by Bob
Ever run into a word in a voiceover script and not know how to pronounce it? With my thanks to my friend Stefania, who posted the link to this site on the VO-BB, here is a site called howjsay.com.
Category: General, Tools | Comments (8)
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Posted October 27, 2009 by Bob
Jude Corbett is a voice actor featured in an article this month in The Brown Daily Herald. My thanks to Steve Spector for posting the link to this article on LinkedIn.
Category: General, People | Comments (0)
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Posted by Bob
Studying voice acting with Marice Tobias is truly a wonderful experience, and if you are a working pro, one that I encourage you to experience. This past weekend I had the thrill and delight of joining 12 extremely talented women and men in Atlanta, GA for a commercial and narration workshop with Marice.
In this case, Marice was our photographer because she prefers to stand behind the camera. The group is from the left Mike Stoudt, me, Peter O’Connell, Jill Perry, Rowell Gormon, Caryn Clark, Alexander Vishnaikoff, Pam Tierney, Melissa Exelberth, Debra Webb, Kara Edwards, Beth Whistler (I haven’t found a site for Beth) and Robert J. Hughes.
In my reflections on this weekend, one thing that really stood out to me about Marice’s coaching is the unrelentingly high standards on the one hand and the exceptionally encouraging tenor to the entire experience. You don’t get to get away with being lazy when you’re studying with Marice, but you will certainly come away with a greater understanding of how to take your performances to a higher level.
By the way, you can read about Peter O’Connell’s perspective on this experience on his blog.
Category: General, People | Comments (0)
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Posted October 26, 2009 by Bob
But it was brand new to me this morning. June Foray’s autobiography is available from BearManor Media.
The above video is on the site, but I just had to share it here, too. My thanks to my friend Cindy Clifford for sending me the link on Facebook.
Category: General, People | Comments (0)
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Posted October 24, 2009 by Bob
With thanks to my friend Dan Nachtrab for emailing me the link, check out this wonderful interview clip on NPR’s web site with Tom Hanks on working in the voice booth.
(edited to fix typo)
Category: General, People | Comments (0)
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Posted October 23, 2009 by Bob
My friend Sam Mowry and several of his talented co-horts in Portland, OR present the conclusion of The Island of Dr. Moreau in a live “radio theatre” presentation.
Sam is the fellow with the white scarf.
Category: General, People | Comments (0)
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Posted by Bob
Seth Godin writes about generosity. Well worth your time and thoughts.
Category: General | Comments (0)
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Posted October 22, 2009 by Bob
Elizabeth Gilbert speaks at TED in early 2009 on genius, creativity and fear.
Category: General | Comments (0)
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Posted by Bob
Nancy Wolfson shares her insider’s view (in addition to being a top VO coach, she used to be an agent) in a teleseminar she’s just announced.
She’s promised to answer at least three dozen questions collected from voiceover people worldwide.
Check out the list of questions here.
Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover | Comments (0)
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Posted by Bob
My friend Dan Nachtrab is the voice of the spot for Wagner Power Painters.
Mighty nice work, Dan!
Category: General, People | Comments (9)
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Posted October 21, 2009 by Bob
With my thanks to James Alburger and Penny Abshire and their VoiceActing Academy blog for posting the link to this video.
Category: General, People | Comments (2)
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Posted October 20, 2009 by Bob
My friend and mentor Philip Banks offers guidance on how to take direction.
Hilarious, Philip!
Category: General, People | Comments (7)
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Posted by Bob
My friend Anthony Mendez is the voice for the Law Abiding Citizen Hispanic TV spot. Superb work, Anthony!
Category: General, People | Comments (0)
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Posted October 19, 2009 by Bob
My friend Terry Daniel provides some tips for your auditions.
This video was originally posted on Voice Over Club.
Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People | Comments (8)
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Posted by Bob
From my friend and manager, Stacey Stahl, in my email this morning:
Sometimes it does not matter so much what you choose, but that you do choose.
– Alan Cohen
Category: General | Comments (0)
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Posted October 18, 2009 by Bob
My friend Jeffrey Kafer isn’t just a find voice actor, he’s turned out to be quite talented as a web comic artist. Check out his web comic called Voice-overload.
Category: General, People | Comments (2)
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Posted October 17, 2009 by Bob
Here is the schedule of Marice Tobias for the remainder of 2009, just arrived in my inbox.
NEW YORK
November 7 & 8: Promo/Trailer & Commercial Intensive with a limited number of spots open. Private sessions with Marice can be scheduled 11/05-11/09.
LONDON PROMAX/UK
Vinopolos
Guest Speaker: November 12 on the subject: “Directing Voiceover Talent”
Special One-Day Intensive “THE EXCELLENT VOICE COMPANY” also in London on November 14. Private sessions with Marice can be scheduled 11/13, 15-17.
PARIS
November 18-22. Private sessions only.
NEW YORK
November 22-25. Private sessions with Marice can be scheduled 11/23 & 11/24
SOUTH FLORIDA
November 25-30th. Private sessions with Marice can be scheduled 11/27-29
Please call ASAP to book as these events and times fill up quickly.
Contact & Info:
Stacey Stahl: CEM Management 503.246.2239
stacey@creativeentertainmentmanagement.com
First time attendees: 775. Returning: 650.
Full payment reserves your spot. Industry referral required.
Paypal: tobiasent@tobiasent.com
or by mail: TEG, PO Box 15396, Beverly Hills, CA 90209
Seminar Hours: 10-5 Sat/Sun.
Group Dinners Friday, Saturday or Sunday depending on city.
Category: Career Advice, General, People | Comments (2)
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Posted October 16, 2009 by Bob
Even though he doesn’t use the words voiceover or for that matter voice over a single time, Seth Godin writes with great insight about the voiceover business on his blog today.
Category: General | Comments (0)
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Posted by Bob
One of my favorite recurring projects is narrating and producing the podcasts for the Embassy of Austria’s Office of Science and Technology called “bridges.” The current edition is Volume 23, which has just gone live. The podcast for each article is included when you click on the article title, or you can visit the podcast section to hear all of the articles in one place. Or even subscribe if you like what you hear.
Category: General | Comments (4)
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Posted October 15, 2009 by Bob
Rory Sutherland offers some pointed and highly amusing insights into the value of advertising in this talk from TED.
Category: General | Comments (3)
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Posted by Bob
From my friend and manager, Stacey Stahl, comes a quote this morning in my email:
Do at the beginning of day what would make your day worthwhile if you did nothing else.
— Alan Cohen
Category: General | Comments (0)
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Posted October 14, 2009 by Bob
My friend Dave DeAndrea is featured on the current VoiceOver Experts podcast, talking about The Necessity of Social Networking.
Category: General, Tools | Comments (0)
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Posted October 13, 2009 by Bob
My friend Janet Ault emailed me with a link to this very good article on vocal health. Well worth a few minutes of your time.
Category: General | Comments (0)
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Posted by Bob
Nancy Wolfson and Anna Vocino will hold their next teleseminar, Acting for Advertising Part 9, tomorrow, or to be specific, Wednesday, October 14, 2009, starting at 6:00 PM Pacific/9:00 PM Eastern.
So what’s in store?
- If Only…Know Your Buried Promise
How to ferret out the insidious & possibly unsupportable Sneaky Ad Strategy Subtext.
Learn where they bury it and how to tease it properly.
Miss it, and you miss a paycheck.
Managers: What are they, and what do they do? Why are people paying
so much for them? Do I need a manager for voiceover?
Be careful what you Twitter!
How to adjust rates “in this economy.” Should you be lowering yours?
The one piece of equipment that will keep you from losing jobs.
Give your job to a friend if you’re not available.
What to do when you are sick.
- And as always, a Killer Q & A!
Registration is simple. Click here to visit Break Into Voice Over. All the details you need are right there on the page.
Category: Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover | Comments (0)
