Jeff Kafer, CourVO, Corey Snow
Blog is back up and running, and seems to be working fine with the new hosting service. Let me know if you see anything malfunctioning, willya?
Load times are noticeably faster, according to the metrics I’m seeing.
Anyway, APAC (Audio Publishers Association Conference) was today at the Jacob Javits center in downtown New York City. The one-day conference is an intense experience of networking, seminars, hallway conversations, and self-introductions. Many of the finest narrators, producers, agents, engineers, coaches, and directors attend…and while it’s fairly light-hearted, everyone is in earnest about the business of audiobooks.
The crowd skews a little older than other voice acting conventions. The feel is a little more eclectic, erudite, and of a theatrical derivation. Pat Fraley and Paul Ruben (top acting coaches) attended, as did many of the Audie-nominees. Most importantly for narrator-hopefuls like myself, the audiobook publisher houses are well-represented and usually the owners or CEO’s of these businesses appear at the conference.
I participated on a panel moderated by the gracious Tavia Gilbert, a well-known and highly-accomplished audiobook narrator. The topic had to do with social media marketing (with manners), and I felt like the lightweight among the other well-heeled panelists: Megan Fitzpatrick (Hachette), Sarah Twombley (Blue State Digital), and Meg Walker (Tandem Literary), That’s me on the right, next to the podium. (photo credit: Tom Dheere).
These one-day intense conferences are a joy and a challenge. I’m not sure stretching them out to two days would be an advantage. Many concurrent events are scheduled during the week to make it seem as though it’s an audiobook extravaganza anyway.
Thursday night is the Audies, a formal affair honoring all the best in the performances and production of audiobooks. Yes, there are mixers and parties as in any other gathering of this sort. But mostly, having everyone in the business of audiobooks in one place at the same time seems to focus a lot of attention on the relationships, and the connections to be made in associating with others who share your passion.
CourVO
