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Hot off the Presses…
What Michael Phelps, Game of Thrones, and ComiCon All Have in Common
Three seemingly disparate media attention-getters. Three readily recognizable cultural icons…and this weekend they did it.
read moreJust Before that…
Voice Over Industry Statistical Analysis Released!
Stunning new data available on the state of the voiceover industry! Includes comparative coefficient analysis.
The Leap
Ever make a life-changing decision? One that is bittersweet, scary, and irreversible? Good. Tell me if you survived.
Outspoken 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.
4 Reasons You Should be Marketing Your VO Business on Instagram
For those who use Social Media as part of their marketing plan, Instagram can no longer be ignored. Here’s why.
Should Bidding Occupy ANY Part of the New VO Reality?
The idea of a global marketplace/economy is turning into a bust. Why, then, is bidding such a big part of the online experience for voice actors? Some considerations within.
SoundCloud in Doubt? Here are Some Worthy Alternatives
Not many online alternatives exist to take the place of an apparently failling SoundCloud. Here is a short list.
Voice Over Education
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...
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...
World Voices #WoVochat
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.
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.
VO Business & Compensation
4 Reasons You Should be Marketing Your VO Business on Instagram
For those who use Social Media as part of their marketing plan, Instagram can no longer be ignored. Here’s why.
Should Bidding Occupy ANY Part of the New VO Reality?
The idea of a global marketplace/economy is turning into a bust. Why, then, is bidding such a big part of the online experience for voice actors? Some considerations within.
Google 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.
Voice Over Education
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...
Go With What You Know
Ask me what got me into being a voice-actor, and I'd tell you "AudioBooks". It seemed like a perfect fit for me. I was interested in it, and pursued it whole-heartedly for about 5 years. I ended up narrating some 40 titles, attended APAC twice, was a beta tester for...
Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
Outspoken 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.
Google 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.
Here 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.
Do 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.
Microphone Hygiene
Your microphone is not just a hunk of metal and wires. It’s delicate, and requires care. Here are a few simple suggestions.
CRM = 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.
Refresh After Fail
Yesterday’s blog “Refresh, Reboot, Refurbish, Renew” needed a little refreshing itself. Here’s why.
Do 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.
Mp3, 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?
Tools, Toys, & Time
A video admonition to not overload yourself with the myriad of tools and digital toys available right now. Tips on how to find the right ones and make them work for you.
Voice Over Events
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...
13 Days…and Counting
OK, I admit it, I'm totally biased about WoVO. Of course I am. I'm a founder and the current president. With over 800 members, World-Voices Organization is now more than just a cozy little group of like-minded souls. It's a movement. A movement about to celebrate...
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Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
PhotoShop for Voice
Has PhotoShop been good for photography? Don't answer that. Either way, does it follow that an analogous device or program would be good for voice-acting? That's the basic question, I guess. The only reason I can think of as to why someone...
read moreTranscribe Your Audio on Video
Hmmm, not sure what happened there, but Tuesday's blog ended up being deleted. I'll chalk it up to new website blues. Regardless, I'm posting it again for those who missed it. Video Transcribing App from Dave Courvoisier on Vimeo. The app is by Apple itself (so...
read morePrepare for PreAmps
Next to the all-important microphone, voice-actors wring their hands over their choice of pre-amp almost as much. I confess to not being worthy of expert advice in these matters. I can tell you I've tried a bunch of 'em, and currently use the Universal Audio Apollo...
read moreSource-Elements at NAB
Robert Marshall is a genius with a Beatles haircut. It works for him...the haircut...AND the brains. I sought out his humble booth at NAB, because I know he's always improving the Source-Elements prodigious product line...and would have news to share. I wasn't...
read more
ipDTL at NAB
The folks at in:Quality did it up right for the big NAB show. Kevin Leach bought a nice big booth in the North Hall with excellent visibility and steady foot traffic. Upon arriving, I was happy to see any number of Vegas-based voice talent manning the booth, handing...
read more
Did You See What I Did There?
I miss a day of blogging, and ****BOOM**** alla sudden I got a new website! Do me a favor? Kick the tires, and let me know if you see any mistakes?...any gitches....anything that doesn't look right? My developer Brett Bumeter of Softduit Media is the man behind all...
read moreMXL DX-2 Mic Review
People read my blog who I don't even know. Usually it's a good thing. Take David G Beneke for instance; an audiobook narrator, and a geek like me when it comes to audio hardware (only his expertise vastly supersedes mine). Beneke sent me an email a few days ago...
read moreSSD = Soul Saving Device
Forget all you thought you knew about time-saving techniques. Scheduling, to-do lists, goal setting, business plans, better keyboards...WHATEVER! None of it compares to an SSD. Solid State Drive or Solid State Disc replaces the hard drive on your computer. For over...
read moreThey Come & They Go
Over the years a good many well-meaning (and not-so-well meaning) enterprises have tried to capitalize on the community of voice actors. Many are still trying. Few are legitimate. voicechasers VoiceOverDirectory voice jockey voice bunny voiceperminute voiceover-jobs...
read moreChoosing the Right DAW
To me, recording and editing with ProTools is like using an F-16 to cross the road. Oh, you'll get there, but it'll cost you in money and time to learn all the gee-gaws. To others, using Adobe Audition harkens back to radio, and ALL the voice-0verists I know never...
read moreFind 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.
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