People

With thanks to my friend Charlie Glaize for sending me the link in an email this evening, check out the delightful post and photo by Mark Evanier about his experiences directing the voices for a new animated Garfield series.

My friend CC Petersen has some of her very fine writing and voice work featured in a new video available on the MIT (yes, the world famous school) web site.

With thanks to my dear friend Deirdre for posting the link on the VO-BB, here’s a look at some of the people whose voices you probably recognize from various animated television shows and films.

Note: Yes, the caption for the first entry is wrong, at least as I’m typing this.

Rodney Saulsberry has a musical background, something that I’ve learned is highly beneficial for a voiceover talent. Rodney is returning to his roots with a new recording produced by legendary bassist Stanley Clarke. Here’s how to hear a free sample or download his song “Better Than Before“.

Dan O’Day has posted a video documenting a conversation he had with Dick Orkin shortly before this year’s first segment of the International Radio Creative and Production Summit got underway last weekend.

My friend Anthony Mendez is a brilliant voiceover talent. Recently he’s launched a site featuring a rather specialized type of voiceover work.

Sunday evening at VOICE was an optional banquet. I’d say voiceover people dress up real nice, as you can tell from some of the photos posted here previously. But, one of the very best things that happened at the banquet was the presentation of the Community Award to Rick Party, founder of Voiceover Universe.

Rick Party (on right) receives the Community Award during the Sunday evening banquet at VOICE 2008.

Congratulations Rick. You totally deserve the award. And it was ever so nice to shake your hand and chat with you for a few minutes during the conference.

(Update: My thanks to my friend Rowell Gormon to adding a bight of light to the photo of James, Penny and Rick.)

Nancy Wolfson and Dan O’Day spend a few minutes chatting right before her afternoon seminar at the 13th Annual International Radio Creative and Production Summit.

Further update: Dan emails that the video is now released

Come to the Summit next year and find out just how much fun it is for yourself.

Update: Be sure to check Dan’s blog for more information about the video.

My friend Kara Edwards gets a wonderful write-up in the Charlotte Observer newspaper. Good for you, Kara. Such fabulous publicity couldn’t happy to a nicer lady.

Update: Be sure you catch the video featuring Kara that’s an add-on to the newspaper article.

My friend and mentor Philip Banks is featured as the narrator for a couple of video ads for the Utah State Fair. Quite well done and very much worth a few moments of your time, even if you live far from Utah. And thank you for posting the link on the VO-BB.
(UPDATE: Just to clarify, Philip isn’t in Utah, just his voice.)

August 12, 1995 or 5 years and one day after his older brother Eric was born, David was born to Cinda and me, He’s growing like a weed these days, which is perfectly right for a young man who has just become a teenager.

Looking good, David. I’m very proud of you, too.

Michael Minetree emails today to let me know that he’s just published an interview with voiceover great Beau Weaver.
(edited to update link to new Minewurx blog)

August 11, 1990 was a red letter day in the Souer family as my oldest son, Eric, was born. His older sister Karen, his Mom Cinda and I welcomed him with much happiness. Now, he’s grown into quite a remarkable young man.

I’m especially fond of this shot of Eric with Kara Edwards, me and Caryn Clark from the VOICE 2008 banquet, so I’m using again here just above the original post.

You look great son. I’m very proud of you.

After attending the Nancy Wolfson branding session on Saturday morning at VOICE 2008, which included this interesting moment as Nancy used life-sized cardboard images of 3 blond celebrities to reinforce one of her branding points …

I returned to the Dan O’Day Summit in time to catch Pat Fraley‘s excellent session on voiceover and copy interpretation.

One key suggestion from Pat’s session that I know is going to stick with me: Force yourself to read your commercial script through without any acting inflections or choices the first time. This will allow you to understand the entire story without locking in any wrong-heading acting choices.

Among the VO-BB folk I ran in to during the day were Caryn Clark, Kara Edwards, Rachel Rauch and Gregory Best.

At the end of the day on Saturday, several of the VO-BB members and other new friends joined up in the VOICE 2008 hotel lobby for some delightful conversation.

Charles Nove, Eric Souer, Gregory Houser, Melissa Exelberth, and Ron Levine are joined by several friends from VOICE 2008.

Also in our group were VO-BB members Rick Reid and Ben Wilson.

On Sunday, one of the highlights of the day was Joyce Castellano’s session on promo work. What a bright and interesting lady. Kara Edwards was in the session with me and spotted the amazing audiobook narrator Scott Brick sitting just behind us. Naturally we asked Scott if he’d be willing to take a quick photo with us, which he was gracious enough to do.

Sunday at VOICE 2008 concluded with a banquet. Since Kara Edwards and Caryn Clark didn’t have anyone to attend with them, my son Eric and I agreed to escort these very talented ladies.

James and Penny presented a Community Award to Rick Party, founder of the Voiceover Universe site. I regret to say my photo of that presentation didn’t turn out; but it was a really lovely moment and a well deserved award for Rick.

And I’ll conclude by pointing out that at the VOICE 2008 banquet, Kara certainly won the Most Amazing dinner award with her vegetarian bowl.

Nancy Wolfson and Dan O’Day spend a few minutes chatting right before her afternoon seminar at the 13th Annual International Radio Creative and Production Summit. Watch for a further update with video, soon, I hope.

There are many more comments and photos to post about this day, but they’re going to have to wait for just a bit because I’ll have to copy the photos from my camera to my hard drive and I’m too sleep deprived at the moment to make that happen.

That update will include my comments about Dick Orkin’s contributions to this year’s Summit and about sitting in the hot seat during the Critique-A-Spot-A-Thon.

But for the moment, what I’d like to highlight is Nancy Wolfson and her afternoon-long seminar on voiceover. Nancy provided the whole lot of us with an amazing amount of information. Practical. Immediately usable. Beneficial information about how to think about the context of what we’re saying in a television or radio commercial.

Here are Nancy and Dan just before the seminar got underway.

My good friend Ben Wilson is taking part in the Summit this year, so during a break in the afternoon, Ben and I got a quick photo with Nancy.

This was yet another reason why I’ve taken part in 12 straight years of the Dan O’Day Summit. What you learn will make an immediate difference in your professional life.