With thanks to my friend David Houston for pointing out this video on his voiceover blog, check out the excellent video interview with Rodney Saulsberry.
I think we’re going to learn a lot from Rodney at VOICE 2007.
People
A hearty congratulations to my friend Jeffrey (updated)
Jeffrey Kafer is a fellow voiceover talent to whom I can now refer as a fellow professional voiceover talent. He just posted on the VO-BB that he’s landed his first paying voiceover job. Good for you, Jeffrey. May there be many more!
Update: Obviously, Jeffrey has seen this post. To which I can only say, if you’ve been paid Jeffrey, you’re a pro in my books. May you find a bright future ahead as you pursue your dream.
A silver lining to a cancellation (updated, again)
I noted the other day that Joe Cipriano had posted on his blog about an upcoming appearance that was supposed to be in the Today Show this morning (March 22, 2007). It was bumped off the show. But the silver lining is that the cancellation prompted Joe to write another post for his blog.
Thanks for the laughs in that wonderful post, Joe. And I sure hope Today reschedules your piece sometime soon. (Long before you’re out to pasture DJing in Pacoima!)
Update: Joe emails this evening to say “So, have the heard the one about me appearing on the Today Show?” 🙂
“Today Show – 9:00am to 9:30am tomorrow, Friday. Just set tivo and place your bets.” 🙂
I believe that would be Eastern and Pacific, adjust as needed for other time zones.
Further Update: Joe gives us a link to a fabulous, extended version of the segment. Great fun.
Even if you don’t like lists…
…here is one you should read and think about. My friend Steve Rae has written the 10 Most Important Service Phrases. All of us involved in voiceover work need to know these phrases and how to use them. For that matter, all of us involved in any kind of service business.
Here’s a learning opportunity for you
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.
Welcoming Doc Phillips to the voiceover blogosphere
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.
You might want to follow along
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.
Don LaFontaine speaks
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.
Blogging with a business purpose
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.
Demos and Sound Control
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.
Make your own
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.
A delightful story
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.
Don’t miss Joe’s upcoming appearance
Joe Cipriano is part of a new television story on famous voices. He has all the details at his blog.
Study with a good coach (updated)
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)
Welcoming Jeffrey Kafer to the voiceover blogosphere
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.
Kudos to Ralph
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.
Coo-coo voiceovers
With thanks to my friend Mary McKitrick for posting a link at the VO-BB, and to Jerry Beck at the Cartoon Brew blog, enjoy this classic animated television commercials for Cocoa Puffs cereal.
As Jerry points out in his blog post, the voice work was by the great Chuck McCann.
What can’t you do?
With thanks to my friend and mentor Philip Banks for posting about this on the VO-BB, watch this video and then come back here and tell me what you cannot do.
A pleasant surprise that keeps getting better
I’ve written here more than once about Nancy Wolfson, with whom I am currently studying to improve my voiceover work. The biggest pleasant surprise with Nancy was her enthusiastic and positive reaction to my main demo, which we listened to in my first session with her a couple of weeks ago.
As a result of writing about that experience here, I answered several questions from Rich Gates, and he booked time with Nancy to study with her as well. In fact, his first session with her was earlier this week. So, a second pleasant surprise was to discover that when someone books private voiceover lessons with Nancy on the basis of the recommendation of one of her current students (in this story, I’m playing the part of the current student) she gives a free lesson to the current student after the new student’s first lesson.
She made this point quite clear during our session today that my next lesson will be free because of how I helped Rich decide to study with her. Once again, I’m stunned and almost speechless. And not just because of this fresh act of generosity from Nancy; but also by the superb lessons we covered during our session today.
The thing I like best about studying with Nancy Wolfson is the very practical, step-by-step way she breaks down the process of understanding commercial copy (for instance) and how to win auditions and thus, work. So, should just anyone study with Nancy? Well, I think anyone would gain significant benefits to his or her voiceover career from studying with her; but the people who are going to gain the most are those who are doing OK, maybe making some part-time money; but not really breaking through to the next level of excellence.
So, click on Nancy Wolfson’s name. The link will take you to her site. If you’re ready for a splash of honest, straight, clear teaching; sign up for private lessons. If you want, tell her you’re doing this because you read about her on my blog. When you do, I’ll get another free lesson. Or, if you’d rather, don’t tell her and I won’t. Either way, you’ll benefit tremendously. And that’s the point of this post. (edited to correct typo)
Pig races, worm poop and voiceovers?
One of the most interesting places to read about voiceover work these days is the blog of Kara Edwards. You’ll find she has the most interesting sort of mind, finding and illustrating connections in all sorts of off-the-beaten-path places.
I linked earlier to a post she did about pig races, but today I direct your attention to the benefits you can find for your voiceover career by studying up on worm poop. Way to go, Kara. You are an endless source of delight, insight and encouragement!