‘Voice Over Blog’

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We all procrastinate. It’s a part of life but there is always something we can do about it. I have enjoyed a fruitful voiceover career. I am looking forward to doing it for the rest of my life but ever since I spoke at Voice 2010 in Los Angeles, I have wanted to pursue public speaking on the side. 2012 is the year where I plan on being more aggressive with that dream. No more excuses. No more, “I’m just too busy to do it this year.” You are NEVER too busy to start something you are passionate about.

I get calls and emails from people all the time who are looking to get into voiceovers. I love these inquiries because I learn something different from each person. It’s exciting to learn what drives them or what made them pick up the phone or write the email in the first place. It’s that first step that takes a lot of courage. The ones who are determined and have a plan are the ones I love working with.

We all need to work together to conquer our fears and start taking action. This isn’t just a blog for voiceover artists. It’s a message for those who have wanted to try photography, music, marketing or whatever! Put your finger on the pulse of what makes you happy and go for it. We’re not getting any younger! A couple of fine clichés there but it’s true! Phrases like, “maybe next year or maybe when I have a little more free time” are killers! When thoughts like this enter your mind, tell whoever is sitting or standing next to you to smack you. Lol!

The fact of the matter is that you will never begin as long as you allow circumstances to dictate your starting point. You must begin at once. Take action and change your life. You cannot succeed if you never start. Learn what steps you need to take to make it happen. You don’t need to launch at light speed. Put together a plan of attack to reach your goals and begin the journey.

“Put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking out the door!” Did I really just quote the Winter Warlock from “Santa Claus in Coming to Town?” You bet I did!

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Out of Focus- Spectacles For The Brain

Listening is such a key to success in the voice over business, whether following labeling instructions from an agent or direction from a client. My good friend and agent, Erik Sheppard will not even listen to an audition if the the talent hasn’t labeled the audition according to his instruction. When we don’t listen, we are creating more work for the other person. Not listening to a client or an agent can be toxic toward your career. People want to work with talent who can follow instructions.

This is also very important when training with a voice-over coach. The coach is there to take you to the next level. Really, this applies to any coaching, schooling, etc. If we don’t listen to their instruction, we are wasting our time and not getting the most of it.

In this crazy world of so many gadgets, multi-tasking, pushing to do more, it can be hard to focus and things we communicate look fuzzy. Especially, if one chooses to only communicate via e-mail. The tone can easily get lost in the message. If you are unsure of what to do, don’t assume what you DO know is good enough. Ask the questions. Pick up the phone and call your agent or client.

A small thing that can make a huge difference in the multi-tasking area is to stay off the Internet and email while on the phone. Many of us are guilty of this. Thinking that looking at that email will just take a second and we can do both. But we can’t. That is when we miss very important information.

So let’s try to bring things back into focus. Take time to listen and don’t be doing two things at once or thinking about the next thing you’re going to say. A clear view so we can communicate more effectively.

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” ~Robert McCloskey

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Surround Yourself With The Extraordinary

When you surround yourself with inspiring and uplifting people, amazing things will happen. It makes such a difference to have people in your life who support & encourage you. It can make the difference of a successful, fulfilling life or having an average, uninspiring life. Life is so short…don’t we all want to feel inspired?!

When you are trying to accomplish your objectives and goals, stay away from cynical glass half empty folks that will only bring you down. Most times, when people discourage you, they are wrestling with demons on their own.

When I took the big step of starting my own voice-over business, I definitely had those people telling me it was too competitive and not to waste my time. While these people might have been trying to support me in their own way – it was very discouraging. I chose to focus on the people that would say to me “you are talented and you should go for it! Every business is competitive and that should never stop you from following your dreams.

Even if you were to fail at least you tried – we learn the most from our failures. I think we always have to keep that in perspective. What is the worst thing that could happen if you did fail – then you move on to the next thing with more knowledge and confidence in knowing that you tried at something instead of always wishing you would. Edison had 10,000 prototypes of the light bulb. What an amazing example of perseverance and not listening to the naysayers.

So many people give up too easily due to FEAR. We all get stuck in the spin, forgetting to grab hold of what you want and letting others steer your life…the DAILY ROUTINE. Ugh. Sometimes, the only person that is in the way is yourself. Take a minute and just imagine what you could do if you did get out of your own way. If fear wasn’t stopping you. If you weren’t listening to that little voice in your head as a result of those few naysayers. Listen to your gut and GO FOR IT!

Find your EXTRAORDINARY. Surround yourself with those that support you, can give constructive criticism and help you to move FORWARD.

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If Ted Williams Can Do This, So Can I

I love that people are inspired by this story but remember Ted went to school for broadcasting…he did MAKE an investment in his career…he also worked for radio. It’s a dangerous thought process to think that you will be the next one discovered. It just doesn’t work that way. Ted’s story is unique and it doesn’t happen very often. It’s inspiring but in the same sense, it is sending the wrong message to those who think they can break into voiceovers free of charge.

I must hear the phrase, “My entire life I have been told I have a great voice and that I should do voiceovers”. I hear that line in my sleep. I sing that line in the shower! Scary, I know! You CAN do voiceovers but there is an investment of money and time that goes into educating yourself and getting the proper training. There is no magic pill for success in this industry. We’ve all spent a lot of money getting to where we are now. Whether it’s coaching, workshops, demos or purchasing recording equipment. The voiceover industry is also not a quick fix solution for the unemployed. You won’t get caught up on your bills in just a week by trying to break into voiceovers. It is a process that takes time and patience.

My entire life, I have been told that I should get into voiceovers. “Okay great! What are you going to do about it?” Sometimes I get asked what I can do for these people for free. I always tell them that getting into voiceovers is just like any other business when it comes to starting out. You need to invest in training and education, much like a Doctor or Pilot and there is still no guarantee for success.

The people who understand the steps, do the research and ask a lot of questions are the ones with the right mindset and attitude. Kudos to them. Where I get frustrated is when they haven’t done the proper research or they listen to the advice of so-called experts who are not even voice talents or in the field. Myths can spread like a bad virus so always do your research and then consult with someone who has been in the field of voiceovers for a long time.

The bottom line is that I really enjoy training folks who are serious and truly understand what steps are necessary to have any shot at doing voiceovers, whether part-time or full-time. And the economy? Sure, it isn’t the greatest but we all need to believe in ourselves and our passions. Stop using the down economy as an excuse. Don’t let fear take your dream.

When I decided to do voiceovers full time, I quit my radio sales job to follow my dream and I knew it would take time and a financial investment. I was never expecting a free ride to the moon and you shouldn’t either. If you want something for free, you just got it. Advice from a voiceover pro!

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‘Tis The Season To Take Care Of Your Voice!

The holidays are a time of celebration and cheer, filled with laughter and joy and goodwill to all. Of course, no season of celebration is complete without an endless array of parties with tasty delights of food and an ample selection of beverages to toast friends and family.  One cannot help but partake of at least of few of these moments amid the chaotic scramble of balancing workload to meet deadlines and auditioning for future work.

This is also a fantastic time of the year to trash your voice!  I know … I sound like the Grinch, but unlike the Grinch, I do have heart and I want you to succeed.  As a voice over talent you need to be aware of how to care for your voice and still partake in the celebrations of the season and throughout the year.

Here are some tips to help keep your voice in tip top shape:

Drink lots of water to keep hydrated and to keep your vocal chords moist as winter weather tends to be very dry.

Enjoying sugary sweets, greasy appetizers, dairy and caffeine is fine in moderation, but keep in mind what they do to your voice.  Whenever possible, balance your plate with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates.

Having a few alcoholic beverages at a party may also be fine; however, resist the urge to overindulge, especially if you will be recording in the morning, as alcohol will dry out your vocal chords and the sugar in it will produce excess mucus.

Carbonated beverages also have a drying effect.  Drinking extra water when consuming alcohol or any carbonated beverages will help keep you hydrated, and adding fresh lemon will help to cut mucus.

Cover your neck with a scarf when you go outside and, when it’s super cold, try to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth.  It may sound crazy but it helps to protect your voice.

Remember this is cold and flu season too.  People come from far and near to meet family and friends for the holidays, and each brings a different set of germs, so remember to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.

Finally, social gatherings tend to be loud making it very easy to strain your voice to be heard in conversations.  The only way to repair excess strain is to get plenty of sleep and rest your voice.

Wishing you all the best this holiday season … Cheers!

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Life Is Too Short

Life is too short to let the economy or any other excuse stop you from achieving your goals. The reality is that the economy is going to continue to move through its cycles and plenty of challenges will present themselves in an effort to distract you along the way of reaching your goals.  What you need is a game plan and a strategy for dealing with the challenges.  If you look at successful people you admire, they are not successful because they never had a plan or encountered a challenge, they are successful because they created a plan and kept their eyes on their goals and not on the obstacles.

This is not to diminish the challenges you may be facing.  I am saying this to encourage you.  You are not the only one who has obstacles and the obstacles are not larger than your potential to overcome them.  It may not be easy, but it will be well worth it.

First and foremost, mind your business.  Decide exactly what you want to achieve.  Then make a game plane to work through the obstacles.  Tougher economic times may require some creativity and making smart, calculated financial choices.  It may require you to increase your networking and perhaps think of additional ways to serve your clients and increase your value potential.  You may choose to work on your skills and get some additional training or seek mentorship from other professionals who are doing what you would like to do at the level you aspire to achieve.

Then isolate yourself from unnecessary distractions.  Your time is valuable and you must choose how you leverage it.  The time you allocate to social media, advertising and networking must be purposeful and deliberate.  You may need to increase the time you spend doing auditions or you may need to choose your auditions more carefully.  Be sure to allocate time to yourself and your family too, as tougher times – regardless of the stressors – often distract us from what really matters in the end.

You can choose to make excuses or you can choose to make your voice over business flourish. The decision is yours.

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Risk and Choice

We are bombarded with choices each and every day. Some choices are easy and less impactful than others and some require a bit more backbone and have farther reaching consequences. Regardless, each choice carries with it an inherent risk. For example, if I choose to go out with my friends after work, I risk not getting my after work run in…and you all know what a fitness buff I am! Ha! Every choice has risk. Despite the risk, the choice must be made.

The difference between successful and unsuccessful people boils down to the choices they make. Successful people do what needs to get done to achieve their goals. They do not always like everything they need to do but they realize the risks of not doing what they must to get the results they want. Just look at any successful athlete. The training regimen, the diet, the intense focus are choices supporting the commitment the athlete has made to succeed.

The risk of missing an episode of Entourage while enjoying an adult beverage and some pizza is worth the achievement of their goal. Unsuccessful people want the desired end result but are unwilling to make the choices necessary to achieve it. They want to watch every episode of their favorite show, have the adult beverage and pizza, and still achieve their goal.

Do you want to be a successful voice over talent? Then you have to make a choice and take a few risks. Define what “successful” means to you. Write it down and determine when you want to achieve it. Then determine the necessary steps you will need to take to achieve your goal and commit to doing each of the steps in the right order. The risks you have to take to be successful are not overwhelmingly difficult but they do require a commitment from you.

You will have to get some professional training if you are just starting out and will need to get periodic professional training even as a working voice over talent to keep your skills sharp, learn new techniques and stay abreast of the industry. Professional demos are only possible after you have professional training – not before! No amount of production can or should cover for your voice over abilities. Auditioning is part of the process, as is editing, billing, marketing, etc.

If you want to be successful in this business, there are no short cuts! You can do it but you must be willing to take the risk. Bottom line: You have to put yourself in the game to win. It’s your choice. You are either in the game or on the sidelines. Only those who are in the game can win.

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Voice 2010 Recap

What an incredibly awesome experience!   Those who were there understand the power of attending this phenomenal conference!  For those who were not present this year, I encourage you to attend the next one.

James Alburger and Penny Abshire co-produced this amazing event, bringing together top voice talent and industry experts who generously shared their time and expertise with attendees as presenters, making themselves available mingling throughout the event, and some even offered private coaching sessions!

The Red Carpet Reception Wednesday evening was a kaleidoscope of talent from around the world and a fantastic opportunity to network.  Pat Fraley and special guest, Brad Garrett, kicked off the event Thursday morning with a keynote presentation on understanding and delivering comedy in voiceover! Specialized breakout sessions followed by top talents such as: Marc Cashman, Dan Lenard, Deb Munro, Melody Jones, the queen of telephony, Liz de Nesnera, Erik Sheppard, Tim Underwood, technical audio expert and genius George Whittam, and more.

The Expo boasted representation from such popular voice over resources as John Florian and VoiceOverXtra, SAVOA, Source Connect, Performer Track, El Dorado Recording Services, and many of the presenters too.  Outstanding photographer, Ce Ce Canton was available for professional headshots, and technical experts were available for techie questions on the Tech Talk Terrace.  One of the most popular exhibits at the Expo was the Osborne Head and Neck Institute, where talents could actually receive a complimentary general scope of their throat and vocal chords, speak with Dr. Reena Gupta, MD., who is a board-certified fellowship trained Laryngologist about vocal health concerns, and other medical experts including a Pediatric Otolaryngologist and a Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon.

Dave Courvoisier and I kicked off Friday morning with a riveting keynote on building your voiceover business through social media networking. I even did my best David Lee Roth-inspired kick!  You can check out the PowerPoint from our talk on SocialMediaVO.com.  Following our presentation were more breakout sessions from vo experts such as Richard Horvitz, Julie Williams, John Florian, Gabrielle Nistico,  an audio book panel hosted by Hilary Huber, and an uncut, uncensored course from Nancy Wolfson on “The Absolute Best Booking Secret F%#king Ever!” in effectively delivering copy!   MJ Lallo, Bill Homes, Big Louie and the queen of improv, Karly Rothenberg, delivered the final touches of the evening.   More networking fun and fellowship followed at the X-Bar!

Marc Cashman made us laugh until we cried Saturday morning as he shared real life examples of horribly offbeat, crazy, demented directions and copy given to voice talents that he’s collected over the years.  An entourage of exceptional talent ensued with sessions by John Taylor, Beau Weaver, Peter Rofe, Tim Keenan and the awesome Joe Cipriano, who closed out the Saturday sessions with a powerful promo panel!

The Poolside Mixer was a definite hit and the VOICE Banquet was the perfect culmination to VOICE 2010.   John Florian received VOICE Community Award and we were honored with some very special guests who are legends in the voice over industry – June Foray, Bob Bergen, Rob Paulsen, and Maurice LaMarche.

The relationships forged at VOICE 2010 are memorable. An excellent opportunity to connect with other people and be connected to a wonderfully supportive and powerful community, VOICE is an event you won’t want to miss!

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Caring For Your Voice

I talk a lot. It’s how I earn money. No voice, no money. So over the years, I’ve learned quite a bit about vocal health and the importance of caring for my voice. Here are some tips that have served me well:

Warm up your voice and your body before you practice, audition, or record. These warm ups may include humming, tongue twisters, yawning, stretching, singing, jumping up and down, etc. Do what works for you. Your vocal chords are muscles that need to stretch and warm up before a workout just like any other muscle. It’s also important to loosen up your whole body to alleviate strain and stress on the vocal chords from poor posture, tightness in the body, particularly the back, shoulders, neck and jaws.

Hydrate. Vocal chords must remain lubricated to function properly. Forget to lubricate and your vocal performance will suffer. Water is certainly the top choice and room temp is best. Other great choices include herbal teas such as Yogi’s Throat Comfort Tea or Traditional Medicinal’s Throat Coat Tea. Avoid extreme temperatures as cool or cold beverages will tighten the vocal chords, and hot beverages will over relax the vocal chords. Your vocal chords are like rubber bands and vibrate to produce sound. If they get too cold, they lose elasticity and can tear when stretched. If they get too hot, they lose the ability to retain tension and strain to produce sound.

Breathe. Proper breathing is breathing from your diaphragm and requires proper posture. Stand in front of a mirror, place your hand over your belly and breathe. Notice your posture. Are your neck and shoulders relaxed? Are you breathing from your chest (up and down – not proper) or is your hand moving in and out on your belly as you breathe? Now speak or better yet, sing. Look at your neck. Do you see tension? If so, re-check your posture. Feet should face forward, knees should be soft, hips should be in neutral (stick your butt out, tuck your hips in, and then relax them –that’s neutral!), tummy should be tucked in, shoulders back and down, and the neck should be neutral (same process as the hips). Now try it again. You should see no strain in the neck.

Rest. Like any other muscles, your vocal chords need proper rest to repair and function. Allow breaks for yourself throughout the day and especially after a long day of recording. Refrain from talking as much as possible during those breaks. Additionally, give yourself 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night to rest your voice and body.

Avoid these for at least an hour before recording:
Dairy – produces mucus
Sugar – produces mucus
Caffeine – dehydrates and tightens the vocal chords
Greasy and Fatty Foods – produces mucus and promotes acid reflux
Spicy – promotes acid reflux
Alcohol – dehydrates
Smoking – produces mucus – also horrible for vocal health in general

Mucus happens sometimes. Allergies or illness can be culprits of producing unwanted mucus too. Tips for dealing with mucus include gargling with salt water, adding fresh lemon to your water, drinking more water, and doing a nasal rinse. Coughing is tough on the vocal chords. Avoid coughing by putting your chin to your chest and swallowing. The mucus will usually clear quickly.

Your vocal health is important for so many reasons. Protect your vocal chords and you will reap the rewards of a strong and healthy voice for years to come. As a voice talent, that also means more money!

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Making Mistakes In The Voiceover Business

Mistakes.  We all make them!  Making mistakes is part of learning and growing and while we all hate to make them, the value is in what we learn from them. The best part is we don’t have to make all of the mistakes ourselves, we can learn from the mistakes of others.

I get emails daily from people who want to become voice talents.  They’ve heard all their life what a unique and wonderful voice they have, how special it is and how they are missing their calling of being a professional voice over talent.  With pure exuberance and an unquenchable curiosity they contact me hoping to get the one answer that will make their dreams come true!  Some are more curious than serious and some just want to make it happen so badly their excitement and sense of urgency leads to some really bad mistakes.

Here are some examples of bad mistakes aspiring voice talents tend to make:

• Not Investing In Training
Prior to cutting a demo, a voice talent should invest in high-quality voice over training to work on script analysis, delivery techniques, recording, working with recording software, basically, the skills you will need to actually be a voice talent.  It takes some time to develop these skills and investing time in training and practicing your skills will increase your confidence and help you to accentuate your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses which will prepare you for your demos.

• Homemade Demos And Recording Demos Prematurely
Your demos speak for you and you need to make sure they speak well!  They need to be professionally produced. I do not produce my own demos.  Rather I work with a professional voice over talent, producer, and coach whom I can trust to bring out the best I have to deliver and I have been in the voice over business for over 20 years as a professional voice talent, coach, and producer.  You need to have an experienced professional who can be objective and pull out your best voice.  Demos must be succinct and should accurately reflect your abilities, range, and versatility as a voice over talent. Recording your demos is not the first step!  Training and skill development first, demos second.

• Sending Agents Homemade Demos And Audio Clips
Checking out agencies and getting a feel for what is available as far as representation is good.  What is even more important is putting your best foot forward.  Agents want current professional demos not voice clips, and most will not even speak with you unless you have professionally produced demos to offer them.  They want to be able to give a definitive yes or no based upon your demos.   Lack of professionally produced demos demonstrates a lack of professionalism and as much as agents are representing you, make no mistake about it, you are representing them when they give you the opportunity to audition for a gig, so the more professional you come across, the better your chances for representation.  That said, even some of the best voice talent get turned down periodically by agents because they may have similar voices they are representing too.  My best advice is to invest in proper training and send agents professionally produced demos.

Ambition and excitement are wonderful qualities.  Learning how to harness them and taking the appropriate steps to make good decisions will help you avoid unnecessary mistakes like these.

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