Welcome to My Blog!
Hot off the Presses…
Is Summer Voice-Acting’s “Slow” Season?
Hardly….but the rumors persist that certain times are slower than others. T or F?
read moreJust Before that…
Polly Want a Crack at VO?
One of the world’s biggest-ever companies is making voice-syth technology available to the masses.
Gear Drooling
A decidedly geeky affliction that hits whenever drool-worthy gear is revealed.
Short ‘n’ Sweet
A blog for you TL:DR people.
The Pause…’Cause It’s Important!
The short, but infinite space between actions where choices are made.
Our Challenge
The very people we petition for eLearning jobs advocate against hiring us.
PayPal @ 50¢ per Transaction?
Yes, apparently it’s true, but there are some caveats.
Voice Over Education
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...
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
Seasoned VO pros have just as much responsibility to protect our profession as do the newcomers.
Here’s why.
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...
World Voices #WoVochat
Muffett/Griffith/Courvoisier on VO Conferences
VO conferences are kinda like VO Coaches. Everybody is counseled to get at least one new one a year. True? Maybe, but is it right? A quick guide from some people who’ve been there.
WoVO Rates Roundtable: What Should You Expect to Pay for VO Coaching or Demo Production
A Blue-Ribbon Panel examines the ins and outs of demo production and VO coaching…offering a spectrum of what you should reasonably expect to pay.
New WoVO Rates Roundtable: Rates for Demos and Coaching
Instead of discussing the rates voice actors should charge for their work, we’re examining what we should EXPECT to reasonably be charged for coaching and demo production.
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.
VO Business & Compensation
Just one more…
Thanks for hanging with me these last couple of weeks for my jaunt around the country... And special thanks to those who responded to yesterday's question about Cracker Barrel. Our family lovingly calls it "Country Bucket" (preserving the CB initials). Wednesday,...
Harder Than it Looks
In the middle of Kansas... At a roadside restaurant, customers will find one of these mindless puzzles offered as a means to wile away the time waiting for their food... Name the restaurant chain....
Leaf Skeleton
... the framework of a Sassafras tree leaf is all that remains after a precision attack by Japanese Beetles. ... Heading back across America's Heartland tomorrow....
Voice Over Education
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...
Too Many Coaches, Not Enough Mentors
The estimate that only 5% of voice actors are truly supporting themselves and their families with strictly voiceover work is probably correct. (remember, 47.93% of all numbers quoted online are made-up).Whatever the number (almost impossible to discern), it's...
A Defense of the “First Take”
The main point of this blog is not going to sit well with many...least of all the accomplished voice coaches I've worked with. So, consider this point of view more as an idea I'm floating out there as an alternative. It's a counter-argument to the other end of the...
Don’t Buy New Recording Equipment. Do This Instead.
Dan Lenard made me a believer.He makes a strong case that very few audio engineers are equipped to adequately give technical advice for today's home-based freelance voice-actors.The proliferation and the challenges of today's individualized recording booths are a...
Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
Resources, Resources!
Ebb and flow. Some days the VO world seems to be quiet, but over the weekend it was decidedly not!
Make it Easy on Yourself
One of the all-time great VO collaborations, and I’m not talking about an audition.
See how two minds = one great idea.
Pronounceology
Voice Actors who see a need in our business, and fill it with a great idea.
Here’s a perfect example.
5 Reasons Why You Should NOT Produce Your Own Demos
Yeah…don’t even think it.
Here’s why.
DIY Websites: The Lowdown
How important is a website to your business?
Crucial.
So do you really wanna do it yourself?
Cattle Call Marketplace
Clients meet voice-actors, and everyone’s happy, right?
Wrong.
You can do better.
The New Norm in Security
You value your sound files, right? And all your docs, pics, programs, and financial data too?
Then you can’t afford NOT to do this.
The Mighty MIc
…our unofficial mascot. Our sword. Most of us wish we could afford yet ANOTHER one. Yes? Here are some ideas.
Persistence PayOff: ConnectionOpen
Weaker souls may have caved…but not the forces behind this distance-connection technology.
Hear the latest on this exciting platform.
Freelancer Security
We ARE the IT department for our freelance businesses. But is that a strong suit for you?
Here are some fundamentals to consider.
Voice Over Events
WoVO Rates Roundtable: What Should You Expect to Pay for VO Coaching or Demo Production
A Blue-Ribbon Panel examines the ins and outs of demo production and VO coaching…offering a spectrum of what you should reasonably expect to pay.
New WoVO Rates Roundtable: Rates for Demos and Coaching
Instead of discussing the rates voice actors should charge for their work, we’re examining what we should EXPECT to reasonably be charged for coaching and demo production.
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.
Listen to my Commercial demoVoice Over Niches
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Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
Year-End URL’s
On the cusp of 2018, here are a few online resources I’ve been hanging on to for just this ocassion.
read moreGoogle Searches Demystified
Understand a few simple syntax constructions in your google search,
and you can open up a world of opportunity.
Get Paid!
With a new year looming…your top priority should be getting jobs, and that means getting paid.
Here’s a list of the best ways to do that with the least cost.
MailKing May Be Just Your Kinda Software
There’s Gmail, and then there’s programs like Constant Contact and MailChimp. Why not put them together? MailKing does.
read moreCRM: Can’t Reach Me
The never-ending search for a CRM (customer relationship manager) is…well…never-ending. Maybe this will bring it to an end for you.
read moreAutomated Voice Acting?
They’ll never stop trying. The innovators, scientists, and geeks who think there’s a digital answer to nearly every human function. Now, this.
read moreAddendum to “Bluff & Bluster”
Apparently, yesterday’s blog struck a nerve. It did with the author of VoiceCastingBank too. She has this extra message she wanted me to pass along.
read moreBluff & Bluster
In this case, I hated being right. Check out today’s blog to find out why a cease and desist order is bad for the voice-acting community, but oh-so-predictable considering the source.
read moreTwo Rare & Quirky, But Useful Tools
Sometimes the strangest missing link in a work flow can bring the whole project to a screeching halt. Here are a couple of quick, free tools that may help.
read moreVoiceCastingBank Launches Today. Will VDC Launch a Lawsuit?
Scurrying to fill the void left by VoiceBank, a new service is launching an alternative. But can London, Ontario sit on its hands and watch? Not likely.
read more
Voiceover Town Hall
Coming this week: an open discussion of the state of the voiceover industry, from those who “get it”.
Is Radio Dead? ‘Better Hope Not!
AM & FM remain one of the mainstays of voiceover opportunity.
The “R” Word
Without it, you can forget about successfully navigating life (not to mention your VO business).