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Hot off the Presses…
Before VO, I Was a _____________.
The many ways that blank can be filled-in would astound you. ‘Doesn’t matter…you’re here with experience. Now what?
read moreJust Before that…
The REAL Reel
Who calls them “reels” anymore? That and other myths about voiceover demos — dashed — in this blog.
7 Moments of Truth From the Emmys
The 69th annual Emmy awards aired last night on CBS. Regarded analytically, certain conclusions seem obvious. My 7 takeaways.
Rationalize This
We equivocate. Justify. Reason away inconsistencies as necessary evils.
Stop it.
Yesterday, Dominoes…Today Shuffling Cards
Dominoes was a so-so metaphor. Shuffling cards is much better. See how the VO deck is being dealt in today’s missive.
….and the Dominoes Start to Fall
All the signs are there. Voice actors – today – are living through a seminal moment in our business. At some point you will likely have to make an important decision which position you will take. Here’s why.
5 Strategies for Building Your VO Business WITHOUT Pay-to-Plays
Online subscription services are making us lazy. Marketing your VO business properly means building relationships, and P2P’s are ruining those opportunities. Here are more lasting ways to get and keep clients.
Voice Over Education
No SEO Will Survive THIS Search Method
Just when you think you might be gaining ground in the holy grail of search optimization, along comes a method for finding voice actors from way out in left field.
VO Coaching Conundrums
Apparently, a lot of people want to coach voice acting these days. But why?…and who? When does a voice talent become a voice coach…and where are the rules & regs? A few observations within…
4 Things That Will Make Your VO Clients Love You
Courtesy never goes out of style. Neither does consideration. If this is a relationship business, then here are some tips to curry good relations.
Creative VO Prospecting
Yesterday, I was reading through my Google Alerts, and came across a Craigslist ad placed by a seasoned VO pro. I've re-printed most of it for you to see below the line-break. The ad came complete with a graphic, phone #, website address, a map to his major U-S city...
Clearing Out the Crud
When your speaking apparatus is gunked-up... you can't keep up your VO commitments so well. And Boy Howdy, this is the season for gunking! How many times have I seen anguished posts on social media groups begging anyone for quick-fix solutions that will allow the...
Starting Out
Launching into the world of voice acting is a steep challenge. There are no manuals, but plenty of "opportunities". The opportunities range from legitimate offers of help to outright predation, and everything in between...including the costs involved. As you would...
Qualified to be a VO Coach?
The estimate that only 5% of voice actors are truly supporting themselves and their families with strictly voiceover work is probably close to correct. (remember, 47.93% of all numbers quoted online are made-up). Whatever the number (almost impossible to discern),...
My Monday Night Visitor
What day of the week would you say comes with the highest concentration of VO audition requests? Uh-huh. Monday. Now, let me explain that my prime daypart for recording auditions is midnight to 3am. Lately I've also adding 11am - 1pm after I rise, for doing...
Your Homework Assignment for Tonight
Does anybody watch TV without the DVR running in the background any more? Either way, your homework assignment for tonight is to play back pay a prime-time or prime-time access program and pay special attention to the commercials. Right. The thing that we all...
Lookin’ For a Reason To Come To Vegas?
...like you really needed one, right? Well, September 10th-11th is apparently a very popular VO weekend in Las Vegas. Two coveted voice acting coaches will be here for weekend workshops. #1. Pat Fraley Pat is hands-down one of the top VO coaches...he could do this on...
World Voices #WoVochat
August Rates Roundtable by WoVO® Examines VoiceBank Buyout
A Blue-Ribbon Panel of experts discusses the aftermath of VDC’s purchase of VoiceBank in this latest version of Rates Roundtable.
Find One More
Putting on Voiceover conferences is a lot of effort! Finally emerging from the surplus of work waiting for me after a busy weekend… this message for WoVO members and non-members.
Such a Blur
Didn’t this conference just start? Well, now it’s over…and there’s so much to do!
First Official Day of WoVOCon IV (Sat)
The first official day of WoVOCon IV began Saturday morning. Wow, what day! Incredible information-sharing. See some pics here.
WoVOCon IV Friday
Registration, massages, Master Classes, and lots of smiles. Unofficial Day One of WoVOCon IV
Pre-WoVOCon IV
The eve of WoVOCon IV to pack swag bags, make preparations, and share BBQ with good VO friends.
WoVOCon IV is Here
With WoVCO’s 4th annual conference beginning, my schedule gets pretty hectic. Here’s how to keep up with the goings-on.
WoVO Week
How many things have you nurtured through thick ‘n’ thin for five solid years? WoVO is that kind of “thing”…that kind of committment.
The Tide’s Coming In
Just over 135 World-Voices Organization members will meet in Las Vegas this week. What that means to voice actors everywhere.
Rates Roundtable: Interactive Strike
Voiceover industry experts discuss the ongoing SAG-AFTRA Interactive Strike, the underlying issues, and the progress being made towards resolution.
VO Business & Compensation
Before VO, I Was a _____________.
The many ways that blank can be filled-in would astound you. ‘Doesn’t matter…you’re here with experience. Now what?
5 Strategies for Building Your VO Business WITHOUT Pay-to-Plays
Online subscription services are making us lazy. Marketing your VO business properly means building relationships, and P2P’s are ruining those opportunities. Here are more lasting ways to get and keep clients.
The Most Reliable Place to Find New VO Jobs
Lord knows, the options are endless these days, and the path of least resistance is alluring. How ’bout THIS for an idea?
Voice Over Education
VO Email Marketing
Your email signature bookends your salutation. Both are perfunctory, and yet pertinent.As overlooked as the signature can be...don't you always notice when it's missing?...or minimal...or overdone?The email signature for a voice-actor is part marketing, part...
3 Warnings About Blog Titles With Numbers in Them
Why? Because it’s a manipulative device to get you to read it! That’s the #1 reason. You don’t want to be manipulated do you? Virtually every last blog about and for bloggers mentions this magic formula. I’m sure there’s some psychological reason behind it…so let...
Gold in the VoiceOver Frontier
Philosophical differences are the toughest ones. Just ask the Democrats and Republicans. Both sides are forgetting that the people across the aisle are proud Americans...who see a possible future that's different from the opposing viewpoint. That doesn't make them...
Break the Mold
It's late...or early...whichever. The clock says 3:32am as I write this.We're creatures of habit, tending to keep the same schedules. Mine is a late one. Yes, I do sleep. My sleep hours are just not YOUR sleep hours. Personally, I believe the hours from midnight...
What AGE is Your Voice?
Does a voice HAVE an age? Well, I mean, of course it has the age associated with the cords' owner but can you tell a person's age by their voice? Or vice-versa...does a certain timbre/quality of voice HAVE an age?I go back to the analogy surrounding race. The...
Does Voice Acting Have a “Slow” Season?
Time and again I see online posts asking if anyone else is experiencing downtime. It's almost as if people are trying to reassure themselves that their own reduced workload mirrors the experience of others (the old "misery loves company" thing).There are all sorts of...
The Ultimate Authority
Just when I think I've got a bead on the people who make up this voice over community, I find out I really know nothing.I mean, I've been to umpteen VO conferences, I write a widely-read VO blog, I administer some social media VO forums, I'm the president of...
Are You “Studio Approved”?
World-Voices wrestled with this issue from day one.WoVO is not in the business of making subjective decisions about whether you are a good talent, can give a compelling promotional read, or can kill it on a commercial read.But, there are some objective and measurable...
Studio On Wheels
Most voice actors seem obsessed with obtaining, and having at-the-ready, a mobile recording solution.I get it. I'm a geek too, and I've got several iterations of an "away" recording configuration.But let's face it, you can have a U-87 in your hotel room, and your...
Cracking the “Newbie” Nut
Every day a new voice is born. When they get older people tell them "you should be in radio" (not knowing that radio these days hardly has any live humans to speak of anymore). When that happens often enough, the person with the golden pipes starts to believe they...
Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
The REAL Reel
Who calls them “reels” anymore? That and other myths about voiceover demos — dashed — in this blog.
Yesterday, Dominoes…Today Shuffling Cards
Dominoes was a so-so metaphor. Shuffling cards is much better. See how the VO deck is being dealt in today’s missive.
They Just. Won’t. Die.
Voice Actors need reliable and useful tools to have a successful freelance business. Two entrenched tools are showing surprising resilience.
Don’t Buy Any Video-editing Software – Do This First
You can spend hundreds on fancy programs that do wa-a-a-ay more than you need, OR you can do this — for FREE.
Rockin’ It
Talent Liz Atherton and I were interview subjects on a recent podcast still trying to dissect the effect of VDC’s buyout of VoiceBank. You should listen!
FaceBook Cover VIDEO
Facebook is tweaking and adding features again (aren’t they always?), but this newest one really makes sense. Here’s how to use it.
Threefer Thursday
Ya know, there’s just SO MUCH STUFF flying around the internet these days, you might’ve missed these three big announcements!
No, Not Georgia Tech…George THE Tech
Audio issues? Questions? Concerns? This man should be your knee-jerk first response team. Don’t settle for less.
Fool Me Once…
Some CEO’s should really not attempt their own PR…especially if they’ve already been burned once. Nonetheless, here’s the painful video evidence.
Thank You Gabby!
A simple website with a plain and powerful message. Not everyone will agree with it, but I do, and maybe you should too?
Voice Over Events
August Rates Roundtable by WoVO® Examines VoiceBank Buyout
A Blue-Ribbon Panel of experts discusses the aftermath of VDC’s purchase of VoiceBank in this latest version of Rates Roundtable.
Such a Blur
Didn’t this conference just start? Well, now it’s over…and there’s so much to do!
First Official Day of WoVOCon IV (Sat)
The first official day of WoVOCon IV began Saturday morning. Wow, what day! Incredible information-sharing. See some pics here.
WoVOCon IV Friday
Registration, massages, Master Classes, and lots of smiles. Unofficial Day One of WoVOCon IV
Pre-WoVOCon IV
The eve of WoVOCon IV to pack swag bags, make preparations, and share BBQ with good VO friends.
WoVOCon IV is Here
With WoVCO’s 4th annual conference beginning, my schedule gets pretty hectic. Here’s how to keep up with the goings-on.
WoVO Week
How many things have you nurtured through thick ‘n’ thin for five solid years? WoVO is that kind of “thing”…that kind of committment.
Rates Roundtable: Interactive Strike
Voiceover industry experts discuss the ongoing SAG-AFTRA Interactive Strike, the underlying issues, and the progress being made towards resolution.
Rates Roundtable is Back!
Video Game voice-actors and SAG-AFTRA negotiators discuss the Interactive Strike. A Gold-Ribbon panel of experts talk about progress being made in SAG’s longest-ever strike.
…Just Days
Not to beat a dead horse... but to beat the deadline and attend one of the best VO conferences of the year, you're down to a matter of days and hours. WoVOCon IV in fabulous Las Vegas Nevada happens the last week of June, and we need to know...
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Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
CourVO’s Zoho Memo
An online suite of applications with complimentary mobile apps, and all at a kickin’ price. Zoho’s new offering might just be what you’re looking for.
read moreOutspoken Spot On
Online casting sites might be here to stay, but that doesn’t mean we should participate in the abuse certain P2P’s bring on our business.
read moreGoogle Primer – Free Lessons for Small Businesses
Google’s “Primer” app is handy because it’s on your phone, and worth considering because it’s…well…it’s Google.
read moreHere Fido!
All manner of online identity theft is possible and happening with greater frequency. Even 2-factor-authentication — while good — is fallible. That’s why you may want to invest in a USB gizmo that ups the security.
read moreDo This Instead of Buying a New Mic
Today’s freelance voice actor working in a home studio needs to understand their unique recording environment, and match a good mic to it (not the other way around). There’s help, and here’s how.
read moreMicrophone Hygiene
Your microphone is not just a hunk of metal and wires. It’s delicate, and requires care. Here are a few simple suggestions.
read moreCRM = Can’t Really Manage?
Everybody THINKS they should be using a CRM – a customer relationship manager. Trouble is, which one? Here’s a great list.
read moreRefresh After Fail
Yesterday’s blog “Refresh, Reboot, Refurbish, Renew” needed a little refreshing itself. Here’s why.
read moreDo You Know Craig?
Is Craigslist a viable means to find voice-over jobs?…or to post your services to get jobs? Not just any jobs…GOOD-PAYING VO jobs. Seeking your responses to my query.
read moreMp3, Like ISDN, Far From Gone
The German foundation that owns the rights to the mp3 audio file format announced it’s ending licensing. Does that mean this ubiquitous format is dead?
read more5 Strategies for Building Your VO Business WITHOUT Pay-to-Plays
Online subscription services are making us lazy. Marketing your VO business properly means building relationships, and P2P’s are ruining those opportunities. Here are more lasting ways to get and keep clients.
August Rates Roundtable by WoVO® Examines VoiceBank Buyout
A Blue-Ribbon Panel of experts discusses the aftermath of VDC’s purchase of VoiceBank in this latest version of Rates Roundtable.
Find One More
Putting on Voiceover conferences is a lot of effort! Finally emerging from the surplus of work waiting for me after a busy weekend… this message for WoVO members and non-members.