Death and taxes. They can’t be avoided, at least not forever. And, in the case of taxes, it only makes sense to deal with them now rather than later.
Thanks to my friends at The Big Fish Voice Company, here are a few links you may find helpful.
http://www.actorstaxprep.com/
Has a great listing of deductible expenses.
http://www.excel-lentsolutions.com/actors.php
Is a great source for Excel spreadsheet programs.
http://www.foolscap-quill.com/aptginfo.html
This is the Actor’s Pocket Tax Guide
Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People, Tools
I’ve written previously, more than once even, about how highly I think of Nancy Wolfson as a voiceover coach. After hearing about Nancy from two of my good friends who live and work in Southern California, my first direct experience with her training was during a teleseminar she conducted with Anna Vocino some time ago. And I’m delighted to let you know that very teleseminar is now available as an audio download for the same price we paid to be part of it in person, the rather modest sum of $49.
Details and order information is available at BreakIntoVoiceOver.com. I think you’ll find this valuable information is worth way more than the price.
Today, while following links that sprang from my server logs, I came across Kristen King’s blog called Inkthinker. Among other treasures, Kristen has compiled an excellent page of links with Tips for Bloggers, which I’ve just added to my blogroll, in the Blog Helps section.
I especially recommend the top two links on that page, first What’s In a Name? and second 10 Ways to Destroy Your Brand; both from Chris Garrett.
Very good stuff.
Bobbin Beam has written some good thoughts on this subject on her voiceover blog. Read. Learn. Apply. Vanquish those mouth noises forever!
This evening I received a very nice email from Doc Phillips, one of the many talented people it’s been my pleasure to meet on the VO-BB.com, letting me know that he’s started a voiceover blog. I’ve added Doc’s blog and main site to my blogroll.
Welcome to the blogosphere, Doc. I’m sure, from reading the articles you’ve posted on your site in the past, that I’m going to enjoy reading your blog too.
Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People, Tools
My friend Jeffrey Kafer is blogging about his experiences using Google adwords and Microsoft AdCenter. The first post in the series is here. The second here. The third here. No doubt more will be added to his voiceover blog in coming days.
Thanks for documenting this experience Jeffrey. I’m interested to see how it turns out.
Well, of course, he does. He is, after all, among the very elite in the voiceover business. And my friend Michael Minetree has an interview with Mr. LaFontaine that he’s published. Nicely done, Michael.
This voiceover blog, which was named The Voiceover Boblog on a whim when my blog father and good friend Steve Knight suggested I do so, has a business purpose. In other words, while there are lots of personal stories and comments from me here, my focus is on blogging about my main professional passion, working in voiceover.
I want to call your attention to a link I’ve just added to my blogroll under the Blogging Helps section. It’s to a superb article from the brilliant minds at Future Now. I highly recommend it to you, especially if you are now or are thinking about blogging with a business purpose.
Bobbin Beam is a lady I’ve added to my voiceover blogroll in the last several weeks. As I was reading through her blog today, I noticed an interesting post that deals with both working on new demos and controlling sound in one’s home studio. Thanks for the good thoughts, Bobbin.
Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People
Something I’ve noticed in posts at the voiceover blogs written by my friends Adam Creighton and Tom Dheere among others is the idea that if you’re working on your voiceover, voice acting or just acting career, and your not booking a lot of work “right now”, don’t sit around moaning about your lack of work, do something. Make your own work.
For example, Tom’s working on film projects (for one of which, Project: T.E.R.R.A., I even got to provide some voiceover bits) and Adam has created this brief, but interesting animation that he’s posted on YouTube.
Adam not only did the stop motion animation, but also wrote the script and provided all 4 voices. Nice work, Adam. And Tom, you’re doing some really interesting stuff too. Good for you. You guys are doing it.
My friend Dave Christi has posted both audio and print versions on his blog of a delightful story with a valuable lesson included. Read. Listen. Or both. It’s well worth a couple of minutes of your time.
Joe Cipriano is part of a new television story on famous voices. He has all the details at his blog.
There’s a lively exchange going on over at Vox Daily regarding the merits and demerits of doing voiceover work under union contacts exclusively. You might want to join the discussion.
I should point out that there’s a lot of confusion about the term “financial core” floating around, some of it in the comment thread of the above post. You’ll find some good, hopefully clear, examination on that issue of you search the archives here and at the VO-BB.
But, my friend Michael Minetree has prepared a list of some of his favorite voices and voiceover talent, and the name at the top of his list is a surprise to us all.
With my thanks to my friend Jeffrey Kafer for posting a note about this article on the VO-BB, here is an article with some valuable information about EQ. I hope you find it helpful.
With my thanks to Darbi over at Everything Acting, check out their latest podcast (Episode 27 if you’re reading this post in the archives) for an interview with Billy Serow, of Abram’s voiceover department.
Career Advice, General, Getting started in Voiceover, People
Stephanie has written some thoughtful comments at the Vox Daily voiceover blog about studying with a voiceover coach. There are several good voiceover coaches. If you’ve been reading here for a few weeks, you know that my first and highest recommendation for a voiceover coach is Nancy Wolfson. She works with folks in Southern California in person and with people like me who live in other parts of the world over the phone.
In the interests of full disclosure, if you decide to study with Nancy and you mention that you are doing so because of what you read here, she’s going to give me a free lesson.
(Update: If you are or know a voiceover coach based in Canada, Stephanie is looking for contact information. Check out her post here.)
(Edited to fix typo)
You’ll find Jeffrey Kafer’s first post on his voiceover blog when you click here. I must say, I think Jeffrey’s first post is a substantially better first post that mine. We’ll done Jeffrey. Much success to you, not only with your blogging, but with your voiceover career.
I’ve added you to my blogroll as well and look forward to reading your posts.
My friend Ralph Hass gets a big congratulations today for his television interview, which has now been uploaded to YouTube.
Good for you, Ralph. And much continued success to you.