Welcome to My Blog!
The Very Latest…
Acting Like It’s Acting
Do you really need to be able to act to be a voiceover?
Just Before that…
Your Greatest Hurdle on the Road to VO Success
So simple, you won’t believe it, and on this one, I speak from ultimate experience. Read on…
S’all About ME (not!)
We all struggle in our isolation to do what’s right and still pay the bills. The temptation to underbid, accept less for money good work, and to undervalue our worth is strong.
Here are 7 proven reasons it is a hollow misconception.
How COVID-19 Gave New Life to Radio Dramas
Covid – its tendrils reach into all parts of our life and culture….even radio drama. Read on.
A.M. Coffee Podcast
You’ll enjoy this wide-ranging interview touching on a lot of VO topics on Mike Tarnow’s podcast: A.M. Coffee
Yes, There’s WORK Involved. Just Do It!
This stuff is not rocket surgery…but just in case you missed one of the most basic tenets of success, read on.
3 Bedrock Foundations for VO Business Success
…and it’s not rocket science, but read on anyway.
Voice Over Education
The Antidote
Clearly, the topic in yesterday's blog touched a nerve. See: "When Does an Offer Become Offensive"Nearly 800 readers voted with their visit. This is an issue people in our business care about...or they should.That was inconsiderate of me, though, to admonish, but...
When Does an Offer Become Offensive?
There is no VoiceOver University. There's not one single higher learning institution with a curriculum major that results in a VoiceOver Bachelor's Degree...to my knowledge.That's why there's the Nancy Wolfsons and Pat Fraleys and Marice Tobias' of the world. They...
Marking Digital Copy
Three things I had to get used to when I began making the switch-over from TV News Anchorman to voiceover talent:I could do more than one take of any particular copyI could mark-up my scriptsI could gesticulate all I wanted when delivering linesI still struggle with...
Optimizing Your Remote Coaching Session
The email came from Malden, Missouri. Deep in the "bootheel" of the Show-Me state.A budding voice actor had just finished reading my book, and was taking seriously my admonition to get good coaching before going much further down the road to VO success.Not that it's...
P2P SlideShare
Are you familiar with SlideShare? Acquired by LinkedIn not that long ago, SlideShare is an online service that lets you share your presentations. Upload or download in almost any format (Keynote, PowerPoint, etc), and share to almost anywhere. The free service is...
Predatory Coaches and Demo Mills
Yin/Yang Right there are two incendiary terms. They don't always go hand in hand, but they rarely tell a positive story. Oddly enough, not everyone agrees on who is or who is NOT a predatory coach. Nor do some coaches SEE themselves as "predatory"...so there is...
Let’s Get Dialectic
Many voice actors think that you're either gifted with the ability to do dialects or you're not. I suppose it's true that some might grasp the nuances of dialects faster than others. But that's also true of audiobook narration, videogame voice-acting, and promo...
LA is Nice This Time of Year…
....and so is the opportunity to sit in on a worthwhile VO workshop this weekend. Why worthwhile? 'Cause it's being organized by Bill DeWees! For quite some time, now, Bill has been working quietly behind the voice-over scenes as a real force in the business. Just...
Sound Newsletters
My mailbox fills with plenty of stuff everyday. Some of it gets automatically deleted...others get only a cursory look...and a good many are important - deserving more time. Among those in the cursory view category are a number of newsletters that come from audio...
Black Friday VO Special
EVERY ONCE IN A GREAT WHILE...like...almost never, I'll openly endorse -- even sell -- something on this blog I think will have good value to the voice-over community. This is one of those times. Most of you know of Bill DeWees. I write a blog. He video blogs. His...
World Voices #WoVochat
Gold in the VoiceOver Frontier
Seasoned VO pros have just as much responsibility to protect our profession as do the newcomers.
Here’s why.
One Year of WoVO Rates Roundtables!
At first, we weren't sure it would take hold...now, we think maybe it's among the best of our outreach efforts.World-Voices Organization launched the first R.A.D.A.R. Rates Roundtable in July of 2015. We've been trying to keep the pace of producing one hour-long...
July 2016 Rates Roundtable: SAG-AFTRA
One year ago this month, WoVO began sponsoring a series of "R.A.D.A.R. Rates Roundtables". RADAR stands for Rates And Digital Ad Reform...a fancy acryonym warning us to be aware of compsation challenges/changes in the marketplace, especially as it concerns new...
WoVO’s New “Explainer Video”
Sometimes, the things we want to achieve at WoVO seem to move at a glacial pace. Our expedited plans often get waylaid because we'd rather do things well than do them fast (once in a while -- if we're lucky -- we get to do them well AND fast).We also have to keep...
VOXing
The premier voice-over conference for voice actors in Britain happens this month. It's called VOX.The organizers have been in touch about spreading the word, and I promised them to post the Q & A they participated in when I had questions about the event. You can...
Rates Roundtable: eLearning
When the big national TV spots are not hittin' like they should...or even as a VO career mainstay; eLearning projects pay the bills.People don't talk about it all that much, but eLearning -- or Elearning, E-Learning (whatever) -- often constitutes steady work, with...
Categorizing Voice Over Demos – Genre/Category/Specialty
how to categorize VO demos…. This was one of the most challenging ideas to come out of the World Voices (WOVO) conversation … how to categorize VO demos…or how to describe that. Genre’s? Specialties?
VoiceZam & Voiceover.biz: Webinar Today!
No other challenge to our 4-yr-old industry trade association has garnered as much attention as VoiceOver.biz -- WoVO's online directory for pro talent.There have been fits and starts for sure, and at times the learning curve was steep. But we've found a comfortable...
VoiceOver.biz Questions Answered
Boy oh boy, did WoVO ever prove the old adage that you can't please all the people all the time!Almost two years ago, now, we launched an idea to let our members list their profiles and demos in an online directory that we hoped would get noticed by audio producers. ...
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...
VO Business & Compensation
Your Voiceover Auditioning Primer
No question about it…auditioning is a crapshoot. Here’s how to improve your odds.
The Ultimate Guide to DAWs
So many DAW’s…so little time! But there are common practices to match the brand DAW you prefer, that can boost your workflow. That, and a list of some great resources on this topic.
65+ Ideas for Updating Your Voiceover Branding
When’s the last time you updated your information….EVERYWHERE? A short list to get you going.
Voice Over Education
15+ Dialects Sites
English is the only language I speak. Sure, I'm jealous of my VO friends who speak two or more languages...they're more marketable...but I still feel like I'm learning English! So how hard can it be to learn a few dialects (in English), and still be able to broaden...
“You know, I used to be a….”
Never. Never have I run across a voice-actor who began life as a voice-actor. Everyone came to the profession from somewhere else. A good many began in broadcasting...especially radio. Some from (ahem) TV, or production, or audio engineering... but seriously... do...
My Battle With “It”
It's a darn shame, doncha think? So tell me...what does the "it" refer to in the sentence above? It's crazy isn't it? (same question) "IT" has become the most overused, misunderstood, misused "crutch" word in the English language. Lately, I've been going back through...
5 Ways VO’s Can Use Evernote: Part 2
Seriously, I'm having trouble keeping the list to just 10 tips (Monday and today). If you haven't read it yet, check out Monday's blog with Part 1, 5 Ways VO's Can Use Evernote. There are some helpful links to get you started. Honestly, I don't think even the...
Can I Clear My Throat, or Not?
Every 6 months I see my ENT Physician. He clears the wax out of my ears, looks up my nose, mumbles something to his assistant, then sticks a camera scope down into my throat. It's mildly irritating, but THIS is why I mostly come every six months. He says: "Say...
Teck-Neeks
Sorry for the horrid misspelling. Did it bring you this far? Good...then read on. Today's article is a guest blog provided by Amanda Clarke of GlocMedia- a UK digital marketing agency. They work closely with goLocalise, London's leading voice-over agency --...
Short Messages for Busy People
Attention spans are beyond short. These days they're miniscule. The teenage generation of today doesn't even use email. According to the Pew Research Center, only 6% of teens exchange email daily. They reserve email for "official" communications. Most are happier...
The “Remote” Challenge
While in Ft. Worth, TX for my daughter's college graduation, (see yesterday's blog) I got the call we all love/hate to get: a voice over job, and they needed it yesterday. Since we all seem so overwhelmingly infatuated with creative solutions for recording on the...
Constant Contact Alt?
What do you use for sending out newsletters, tracking email lists, and handling CRM? There are plenty of products that offer simple-to-full-spectrum features in this online space. And that full spectrum includes the price they charge for it. Am I wrong in thinking...
The Key to Choosing KeyWords
There's that term again: Keywords. Everybody throws it around like it's OBVIOUS what they are, or should be. Delve into online websites, marketing your VO services, and you'll see that keywords pop up in many of the SEO and SEM strategies that used to be so...
Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
A Bounty of Choices
Mmmmm, the latest mobile recording devices
“…the best of the best of the best…”
A classic line from one of my fave movies.
Can you guess what flick?
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.
Dissecting the Compilation Demo
Aren’t ALL demos, by dint of necessity, compilations?
Pronounceology Proud
Adam Verner did it, and it looks great!
Give it a try?
Gmail Users Only
The sheer amount of Gmail add-ons can make your head spin.
Here are the cream of the crop.
3 Incontestabe Facts About Choosing Mics
…three facts that have nothing to do with polarity, capsules, or name-brands.
Will CourVO Make it on COVOCO?
The greater questions might be: Will Courvo WANT to make it on COVOCO?
A Browser Just for Us!
…and isn’t it really about time?
Get the download links here.
Voice Over Events
VO Atlanta Rates Roundtable Panel
'Two big VO conferences in two months. 'Gotta remember to pace myself. :)But, look... these gatherings are golden if you go in with an agenda, a promise to yourself to talk to targeted contacts, and to take lots of notes/pictures.At the Voiceover Atlanta event in...
Oh, You’re Gonna Wanna Check This Out!
The folks over at the GVAA have been busy. You know, the Global Voice Acting Academy. Founder Cristina Milizia, and her amazing team of coaches and contributors grew tired of searching through the morass of confusing online resources for VO rates. What they DID find...
III was Thrilling
As I write this, the only business yet to handle from WoVOCon III is April's board meeting.People began arriving Wednesday, and some won't leave until the end of the week (the Nat'l Assoc of Broadcasters -NAB - convention is in town).At nearly 150 attendees plus...
These Two Sessions Will Make WoVOCon a Game-Changer of a VO Conference
...and I really hate picking out any ONE or TWO things, 'cause it's ALLLL gonna be just off-the-charts wonderful.From Marc Scott's session on CRM's, and Graeme Spicer's stance as a social media contrarian...to Joe Loesch's Master Class... and the mic shootout or...
Countdown…
...to the WoVOCon weekend.In a couple of days, members of our growing organization will be arriving.Their pilgrimage to the 3rd annual meeting in Las Vegas is testimony to the desire for VO community. After all, VO Atlanta happened a scant 6 weeks ago. That...
How far….
....would you travel to go to a voiceover conference?Well...Sean Daeley traveled 6827.6 miles. That's how far it is from Nagasaki, Japan to Atlanta, Georgia, USA.Like me, Sean is a "hybrid" voice actor who does something else to help pay the bills (for now). Only......
Atlanta Attitude
The lady who sits down across the lunch table from me was blond, bubbly, and about my age. We're both at the catered lunch provided by VO Atlanta on a Saturday. "I'm Barbara," she says. "I've been working as a nurse most of my life, but I think there's a future for...
VO Atlanta, Day 1
No sleep last night. Greeted with hailstones at the Atlanta airport. But... a glorious reunion with old friends, and the wonderful introduction to new friends at the first day of VO Atlanta. In the interest of my sanity (I'm on a panel tomorrow), I'm leaving you...
In One Week…
...will I see you in Atlanta?The 2016 Voice Over Atlanta conference will be its 4th year, but it will be my first visit. VOA is an extension of its founder and executive: Gerald Griffith, and his company: VoiceoverCity.Friends who went last year raved about the...
Yes, We Mean “World”
In April, World-Voices Organization will celebrate 4 years of existence during its third annual Conference. We know we're USA-born, but our intent has always been to embrace all countries, all cultures, any language. The voiceover community may be varied, but we all...
Listen to my Commercial demoVoice Over Niches
5 Ways to Appropriately Give Demo Feedback
Lord knows it's hard enough to be honest with YOURSELF about your demos. It's even harder to be candid, yet diplomatic with your peers when they ask you for an opinion about THEIR demo. And yet, the call eventually comes...that email with an attachment. Someone...
Your Greatest Hurdle on the Road to VO Success
So simple, you won’t believe it, and on this one, I speak from ultimate experience. Read on…
S’all About ME (not!)
We all struggle in our isolation to do what’s right and still pay the bills. The temptation to underbid, accept less for money good work, and to undervalue our worth is strong.
Here are 7 proven reasons it is a hollow misconception.
Voice Over Hardware & Software tools
2 “L’s” and an “S” + 1
LinkedIn x 2 and SoundCloud.
Some stellar web resources.
Wouldn’t YOU Share?
Maybe it’s the “news guy” in me. I just hafta tell people when I see important stuff.
Like in today’s blog.
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.
Freebie Friday
Everybody seems to have turned against Facebook lately. Yet, Instagram is the new social media darling. WTF?...FB owns Instagram...and they keep trying to mess it up! For now, though, everybody thinks IG is the new holy grail of online marketing. Hey, even Peter...
Persistence is Your Friend
Cheerleading was never my strength. And yet…
Tales From the Trail
Relationship and History.