Vox Daily

Voice Over Succession: The Elephant in the Room

2009-07-09T19:45:17Z

When people in the business of voice over retire or pass away, they leave a role (or a number of roles) behind them that need to be filled, especially those who record character voices, are the voices of a franchise, or are known for a very specific niche voice over.

Today, we're going to take a look at a few examples of people who have either vacated their posts out of choice or who were called away from their work (and this world), discussing the elephant in the room which is:

Who gets the gig when someone else has gone?

An Observation

I've noticed over the years that whenever someone in a prominent voice over role passes away or resigns their post, people tend to wonder who will take their place.

A few people within the last year fit this description, including the late Don LaFontaine, the late Wayne Allwine, and now, the very much alive Casey Kasem who retired just last weekend at the age of 77.

Don LaFontaine

Known for his signature movie trailer voice, Don was literally the voice of the movies for decades. When we lost him last year on Labor Day (September 1, 2008), an enormous void opened up, both on an emotional level and in his line of work. A pioneer in the field, Don LaFontaine wasn't only the voice who delivered infamous lines such as "In a world...", he also was the person who helped to pen those lines in the 1960s when he worked in advertising and production.

People were deeply affected by his passing because Don made himself so accessible to the voice over community, made impressions on those he worked with, and had a talent that was only matched by his generosity.

Soon after he died, quite unexpectedly following a short illness and complications due to a medical procedure, people started talking, quietly, but still talking, about who might take Don's place. We needed the opportunity to grieve his loss and celebrate his life before one could even think about discussing the inevitable.

At the time, it felt disrespectful to address the topic, but all the same, the question was asked.

Wayne Allwine

Although you may not have known his name, you knew him as the charming vocal embodiment of Mickey Mouse. Our community lost Wayne just a couple of months ago from complications of diabetes. His wife, Russi Taylor, is most fittingly the voice of Minnie Mouse. The two met in studio over twenty years ago and it was love at first sight.

Upon news of his death, The New York Times published a feature article about him and his life, focusing in on the fact that the voice of Mickey Mouse had died. What a thing for the world to hear! Mickey Mouse is such a symbolic figure. Wayne was the third person to give voice to Mickey Mouse. The first voice of Mickey was Walt Disney himself and the second voice of Mickey was performed by Jimmy MacDonald.

While people again started to talk about who might be the next Mickey Mouse and where auditions may be held to choose a new voice actor for the role, word was getting around that there was likely someone else waiting in the wings if such a thing should happen, hushing the whispers until the next Mickey Mouse voice talent is made known.

Succession Plans

Something we might be overlooking is the possibility of a succession plan, and I say this because people who are not directly involved with what is going on often have less information at their disposal to draw upon which may help to explain why the question of "who's going to take their place?" is raised following the retirement or passing away of an individual.

In business, government and even the monarchy, there are people designated as heirs and or successors prior to a person's departure should the incumbent not be able to continue. I think we'll find that the same may be true for voice acting.

Take Walt Disney (d. 1966). He chose to stop recording as Mickey Mouse in 1947 and the role was given to Jimmy MacDonald.

Voices of Mickey Mouse (years shown in duration of time as Mickey's voice):

Walt Disney (1928-1947)
Jimmy MacDonald (1947-1977)
Wayne Allwine (1977-2009)

Casey Kasem

As we know, Saturday July 4th, 2009 marked the end of Casey Kasem's broadcast radio career as the host of America's Top Ten. Who will replace Casey Kasem? Does Kasem need a replacement? All kinds of questions are asked at times like these where something is unknown or when we're in a period of transition.

If we look at what has happened before with shows Casey Kasem has retired from, we get a better idea of what may happen now that he has retired. Two of his other shows were passed on to his successor, Ryan Seacrest, so it is quite possible that Seacrest may also inherit America's Top 10.

Do you have anything to add to what you just read?

Do you know anything more about the succession process in general? Maybe you have found yourself in a position where you were named a successor or perhaps you yourself gave over the reins to someone new.

How early is too early to talk about who's going to voice a role next?

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this topic.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/James Steidl

Casey Kasem Retires! A Top 10 List for a Top 10 Man

2009-07-09T01:20:26Z

Did you hear that Casey Kasem has retired from radio?

The voice of America's Top Ten and also Shaggy on Scooby-Doo has left the building!

With his first broadcast counting down the hits on July 4th, 1970 to his surprise retirement announcement live on the show on July 4th, 2009, Kasem has been part of American culture and has legendary status, the last of the great radio kings such as Alan Freed and Wolfman Jack.

Comment with your memories and farewell wishes for an American radio legend here at VOX Daily!

Journey To The Top

July 4th, 2009 marked radio pioneer Casey Kasem's final countdown after 39 years of devoted service to music fans everywhere.

At the age of 77, you can't blame him for retiring, and now that he's got some free time on his hands, word has it (according to his wife, Jeannie Kasem) that Kasem will be writing his memoirs.

He must have many stories to tell considering the interesting life he has led and all of the opportunities that have come his way.

This not is only the man who taught the world how to count to 40 backwards, he's also the same person who managed to convince the producers of Scooby-Doo to turn Shaggy from his burger eating ways into a vegetarian, just like himself to keep voicing the role!

While I could tell you more about that tale, I think it would be far better to read about it in more detail on the pages of a Casey Kasem memoir.

For now, we'll toast the Top Ten Man with his own Top Ten List!

Top Ten Interesting Facts about Casey Kasem

1. Born Kemal Amen Kasem in Detroit, Michigan into a Lebanese-American household
2. Made his radio debut while in high school
3. Studied radio broadcasting as a student at Wayne State University
4. Became involved with radio dramas with roles on shows like The Lone Ranger
5. Served as an announcer and DJ for the Armed Forces Radio Korea Network in 1952
6. Spent twenty years working his way up to prominence as a radio announcer
7. Created American Top 40 with childhood friend and Hollywood producer Don Bustany
8. Narrated all national promo announcements for shows on NBC television (1977-81)
9. Is the voice of Shaggy on the cartoon Scooby-Doo and its various incarnations
10. Has voiced characters on The Adventures of Batman and Josie and the Pussycats

Do You Have Any Comments You'd Like To Share?

As Casey Kasem would say, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!"

Three cheers to you Mr. Kasem on your retirement,

Stephanie

Voices.com's New Affiliate Program - Take Part!

2009-07-08T02:41:22Z

Are you looking for more ways to make money at Voices.com?

Want another revenue stream that is effortless to maintain yet can still generate sales?

If you answered yes to either of my questions, you are just the sort of person who'd appreciate the Voices.com Affiliate Program.

Are you interested in learning more about how you can now receive commissions for referring business to Voices.com? Read on!

Make More Money With Voices.com

I'm really excited to announce that we've partnered with Commission Junction, the world's leading affiliate marketing service, and launched the Voices.com Affiliate Program!

The Voices.com Affiliate Program rewards people who help to drive business to the site with commissions for products and services that they have helped to sell at Voices.com such as talent memberships, eBooks, and even compensation for job posting referrals.

How Much You Could Earn?

As an affiliate, you will earn a 25% commission for each $29.95 or $39.95 monthly membership subscription and a 25% commission for each $199.00 or $299.00 yearly membership that your referred visitor purchases at Voices.com.

You can also earn a 50% commission for each $47.00 eBook purchase. Voices.com has published five unique eBooks that are extremely popular. Referred job postings pay out $1.00 each.

Benefits Include:

๏ Dedicated affiliate management
๏ 60-day cookies
๏ Keyword Research
๏ Banner, Content, and Text links
๏ Industry Market Research Reports
๏ Audio Content

To learn more and get started as a Voices.com affiliate, go to:

http://www.voices.com/affiliates

For additional information, you can contact Mark Collins, Business Development Manager, toll-free at 1-888-359-3472 ext. 117 or email mark@voices.com to discuss.

To your success!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Justin Horrocks

Winners of the Voices.com Ultimate Success Story

2009-07-06T17:46:47Z

We received so many amazing, breathtaking entries about how people had found success in a variety of ways at Voices.com that it was difficult to choose just three!

The winning entries have been included in this article for you to hear, to discover their secrets of success and to also inspire those who are auditioning each and every day.

The Winners of the Ultimate Voices.com Success Story!

Congratulations are in order for our winners, Paul Strikwerda, Paul Albertson, and Lori Taylor!

I've included their experiences shared as audio reviews of Voices.com for you to hear.

Download Paul Strikwerda's Story »

Paul Strikwerda's Voices.com Review

Two months ago, Paul decided to challenge Voices.com.

Sixty days later, his dollar-a-day membership plan paid off big time. With $2300 in the bank, Paul had earned more than 38 times his investment.

Paul speaks Dutch as his primary language, can perform accent-free Dutch, British English, German, and French.

Visit Paul Strikwerda at Voices.com
Listen to Paul Strikwerda's Voice Over Demos

Download Paul Albertson's Story »

Paul Albertson's Voices.com Review

As the James Bond of Voice Overs, Paul chose Voices.com as his partner in promotion and visibility. Now, his unique brand enjoys world-class exposure in Britain and beyond.

Two secrets of Paul's success are in his recording.

A perfect business pairing, Paul Albertson has leveraged his service offerings and profile at Voices.com to achieve phenomenal results.

Visit Paul Albertson at Voices.com
Listen to Paul Albertson's Voice Over Demos

Download Lori Taylor's Story »

Lori Taylor's Voices.com Review

Lori Taylor has been a voice talent for over 35 years and used to travel several hours to recording studios. Thanks to Voices.com, her voice is now heard throughout the world. No more traveling for hours in the car!

Through her relationship with Voices.com, Lori has been able to jump out of her comfort zone and do some fun character work.

Visit Lori Taylor at Voices.com
Listen to Lori Taylor's Voice Over Demos

Paul Strikwerda, Paul Albertson and Lori Taylor will all receive gift certificates to Sweetwater Sound as part of their prize as well as additional publicity through a major press campaign.

Thank you to everyone who entered this contest! It was truly humbling to hear your stories about learn more about how you had personally found success at Voices.com. What a joy and blessing it was to discover more about what our service means to you.

Our team listened to many of the entries together and were touched by the sincerity of each entry and amazed by each and every story that was sent in.

We're thrilled that many of you feel the same way about working with us as we do about serving you. It's an honor and a privilege to work for and alongside such dedicated voice over professionals.

To read other Voices.com success stories, you are welcome to visit the Voices.com Buzz blog at any time.

As always, if you have a story to share, let us know!

Best wishes,

Stephanie and The Voices.com Team

Bogart-Bacall Syndrome: A Performer's Reward For Speaking Too Low

2009-07-04T13:00:00Z

What happens when you speak lower than your vocal comfort zone for continuous periods of time?

You might adopt that Hollywood sound Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were famous for, but you may get more than just the sound... you might get the syndrome!

Guest blogger James Herron shares his experience from Inside Studio A with Bogart-Bacall Syndrome here on VOX Daily.

Vocal Fatigue: Bogart-Bacall Syndrome

By James Herron

I had been finding that some days by 11 a.m. my voice was beginning to fatigue. If you rely on your voice as your livelihood as I do, this can be particularly troublesome.

I first noticed this issue about a year ago. What was going on? What the heck was causing this to occur? Was it something serious? Was it environmental?

My thoughts ran wild with everything from voice polyps; cancer, food and drink issues. I imagined everything and anything.

Scheduling voice over sessions was also challenging and at times an issue since my voice was at its best in the early morning hours EST. Clients on the "left coast" would often receive a request to record as early as possible. Fortunately, I've had such wonderfully flexible and understanding clientele.

A few weeks ago I began tests through the hospital to determine the cause of my voice fatigue.

Ever had a tiny scope with a camera stuck down your throat through your nose? Yikes! Actually, with a little Novocain I did not feel a thing. It was weird however. A TV monitor was mounted so the Doctor could view the results of the probing camera and as I could. I never thought I would be viewing my throat, and larynx.....now that's a very profound statement! In a strange way it was rather interesting.

The results were conclusive. I was diagnosed with Muscle Tension Dysphonia a voice fatigue disorder caused by muscle tension.

Listen Sweetheart.... I'm in famous company as this is amazingly also called Bogart-Bacall Syndrome.

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall both suffered from a mild vocal disorder that has been named for them, Bogart-Bacall Syndrome. BBS is now the medical term for an ongoing hoarseness that often afflicts actors, singers or TV/radio voice workers who routinely speak in a very low pitch.

Bacall naturally had a high, nasal voice; she trained it to be lower to get her debut part in To Have and Have Not. You can also view the video below to see just how low her voice was for this role:

Apparently, over the years I've been unconsciously "training" my Larynx muscles to find a non-normal flexed and tense position as I used my voice. When I relaxed (got a good night sleep) the muscles returned to normal. The tense flexed position would return to my voice as the day progressed.

Fortunately, this is a very common issue and thankfully one that can be remedied through therapy and rather quickly.

I am working with the "Voice & Swallowing Center" and receiving prescriptive vocal exercises. These include a series of "Hum" exercises I follow daily from a CD. The drill is to make the vocal muscle recall that "normal" zone all the time.

If you would like to view a variety of voice issues and symptoms including Muscle Tension Dysphonia check out The Voice and Swallowing Institute of The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary at http://www.nyee.edu/cfv-larynx-disorders.html

Another important fact I discovered is how essential hydration is to sustain a healthy voice. A minimum of TWO QUARTS of water are recommended per day. So drink baby, drink.

Of course yelling and screaming is not a good thing at all.

I've taken to using a "rapid hand clap" (picture an prim and proper 18th century French Officer) when I cheer for my beloved Boston Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots or President Obama! I also now use simple hand gestures against those challenging the above mentioned.

Okay I look like a dork... but my voice is happy.

My hope is you find this information helpful. I know many of you reading this are professional actors and actresses, singers, teachers, politicians and other blabber mouths.

Inside Studio A...........I'm James Herron

For more information about James Herron or to read his other articles, visit his blog Inside Studio A.

Any Comments?

I'd love to hear from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Vocal Health : Missing Those Good Vibrations? Thyroplasty May Help

2009-07-03T13:14:00Z

When a voice becomes weak, breathy or struggles to perform, there may be something more serious going on with the vocal folds than meets the eye.

I asked a number of questions of Dr. H. Steven Sims, Director of the Chicago Institute For Voice Care, about thyroplasty, a procedure that helps fatten up the vocal folds for people who may be experiencing symptoms mentioned above. Patients who opt to have this procedure done do so because their vocal folds are not vibrating as closely together as they should be.

In this short interview, you'll learn what causes the vocal folds to act this way, what the symptoms are, how a stressed voice may sound, and what a thyroplasty consists of.

Some Context: What Can A Stressed Voice Sound Like?

Before we get into the interview, I wanted to share more about why I wrote this article. I received an email from a friend, Bob Green, a professional voice talent, who is about to undergo a thyroplasty. Bob said it was fine with him that I shared his recordings, the first of which was made with a "normal" voice and the second read was recorded two weeks later with a "stressed" voice. He thought it might be interesting for those who are curious or those who are experiencing similar afflictions.

Listen carefully to the first read when his vocal folds were stronger as compared to the second read where his vocal folds are dramatically weaker and stressed. Note the robust and resonant sound in the first read as contrasted with the second read, demonstrating how his voice has changed.

Click here to listen to Bob Green's Voice Before (Healthy) and After (Stressed)

After Bob has had the procedure, he will check in again and share more about his experience and also how he is doing post-surgery.

Now that you have some context for how a potential candidate for thyroplasty might sound, we'll go on with the interview.

Voices.com Interview with Dr. H. Steven Sims

VOX: Welcome back and thank you for joining us! What exactly happens to the vocal folds to make them become less robust? What are the symptoms of this?

DR. SIMS: Several things can happen. The nerve (called the recurrent laryngel nerve) that tell most of the vocal muscles to move also helps stimulate them to grow and develop. Benign tumors, thyroid lumps, and even an aneurysm in the aorta can compress the nerve and make the muscles weaker. Also, they naturally become less robust as a person ages. There are some viruses that attack nerves and make them weaker too. So, there are lots of different ways through which a person can wind up with weak vocal muscles.

VOX: Can this be prevented?

DR. SIMS: Some of the causes (like having a surgeon injure the nerve during an operation) are preventable. Things like aging are not.

VOX: How would one know that they may be at risk and need to have a procedure done such as Thyroplasty?

DR. SIMS: For most of medicine, history or the background story is the key.

If your voice changed after a bad cold (and I mean didn't really ever get back to normal) you may have contracted a virus that weakened the nerve. If your voice changed after thyroid surgery, lung surgery, heart valve surgery and surgery to put a plate on the spine where they got to the spinal column from the front, then the nerve my have been injured during the surgery. Hopefully, your surgeon let you know this was a possible complication from the beginning.

Pretty much any ear nose and throat specialist can look at the vocal folds and see if they move. However, voice specialists have some unique tools to pick up more subtle findings. Perhaps not everyone needs to see a voice doctor, but if you find you can't project your voice and/or it seems to give out really quickly, then maybe a thyroplasty or some sort of vocal fold augmentation could have potential benefit.

VOX: I've heard thyroplasty referred to as "Fatty Injection Thyroplasty". What happens during a thryoplasty procedure?

DR. SIMS: Thyroplasty is also called a "voice lift". I think people sometimes use this terminology because we use liposuction to harvest fat before injecting it into the vocal folds.

There are also several synthetic substances that we use (Cymetra, Radiesse, Juvaderm). The problem with them all is duration, fat and the synthetics substances all get degraded by the body over months (9-12 or so) and have to be repeated. There are products that have been shown to last longer: Teflon--produces granulomas and isn't use much anymore; Bioplastique--no FDA approval, widely used in Europe but unavailable here; and Artefill, which was available in the US until the company went bankrupt.

VOX: That's all very interesting, Steve. Thank you for sharing your expertise and for enlightening us more about thyroplasty.

To learn more about Dr. Sims and his practice, you can find him at ChicagoVoiceDoc.com and also view some of Dr. Sims' YouTube videos here.

Thank you to Dr. Sims for his time and expertise, and also a very warm thank you to Bob Green for sharing his story with us and voice samples.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Dmitry Obukhov

Vocal Health: The Dangers of Whispering For Your Voice

2009-07-02T14:53:16Z

Whispering may seem like a good way to conserve your voice, but in reality, it can be very taxing!

There are many myths out there about what does and does not hurt your voice. Whispering, although many people tend to think it is harmless, does affect the voice in a negative way.

Find out what whispering does to your voice and how you can take care here at VOX Daily.

Whispering Kills Resonance?

I was reading up on an article on the Voice Academy microsite, hosted on the University of Iowa website, that covered vocal fatigue (quite a worthwhile read) and was happy to see a little bit about the affects of whispering on the voice.

The article related, that whispering is essentially talking without vibration of the vocal folds, and if the vocal muscles are fatigued, whispering won't allow them to rest. Also, whispering may have a dehydrating effect.

Just think about it:

Whispering is essentially talking without vibration of the vocal folds... if you don't allow your vocal folds to vibrate, you're constricting your vocal folds and are also not getting any beautiful or resonant sound out of your voice!

If your vocal folds are pulled tight, unable to rub together and remain moist as nature intended, it would make sense that a drying affect might occur.

Another thought just occurred to me as to why some people may think that whispering actually helps lessen strain on the voice.

When you are whispering, the audible volume of your voice is greatly diminished, giving the impression that the voice is not being used as vigorously or strenuously because it is quieter. While it may not be a loud yell or bloodcurdling scream, something that we know (commonsense) immediately abuses the voice, whispering silently stifles the voice unwittingly over time and may contribute to vocal fatigue among other things.

When I published an article about vocal rest several days ago, a comment came in from Priscilla Hamilton, sharing that whispering can be even more of a strain on the vocal folds than speaking. She also suggested that there is a misconception that it is OK to whisper while on vocal rest.

Even though some people may see whispering as a means to speak while on vocal rest, it might be better to just write down what you're trying to say on a notepad instead of straining the vocal folds during a period of rest or recovery.

In the same vein, if you are stuck in bed and also on vocal rest, ringing a bell, clapping your hands, or knocking on the headboard of your bed to get the attention of someone who may be caring for you is another way to prevent having to pipe up unnecessarily when your pipes are out of order.

What have your experiences been with whispering? Do you purposely avoid it?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/David Gilder

Vocal Health: Vocal Cords, Our Precious Gift!

2009-06-30T21:05:00Z

What happens if you take your vocal cords (or vocal folds) for granted?

It's easy to fall into a pattern of voice abuse, and the scariest part is, you may not even realize you are doing it or how vulnerable your vocal cords truly are.

People in broadcast radio should take special note of this article.

Hear a cautionary story from voice talent Dave McCree about one of his friends who suffers from Spasmodic Dysphonia, and how years of overuse transformed a successful broadcasting career into that of a career in journalism, penning the stories instead of reading them.

Take Care of Your Voice From Day One

By Dave McCree

Since 1985 I have been the host of Jim Davidson's nationally syndicated radio program called How To Plan Your Life. The reason I shared this is not to brag, but simply to explain that the reason I am doing it is because Jim Davidson could not continue doing his own program because he abused his vocal cords by overuse.

In addition to giving motivational speeches around the country he was producing his five minute radio programs 3-4 weeks ahead of scheduled air time just to keep ahead. Plus, he was experiencing stress in his personal life, which together spelled disaster to his chords.

Jim never had any formal vocal or broadcast experience to guide him on how much care he should give to his precious cords. Consequently, the price he paid was the complete loss of his vocal chords due to stress. Jim was diagnosed with something called Spasmodic Dysphonia. The chords wrap themselves around each other so all you can do is whisper. Pretty scary, huh?

Fortunately, Little Rock Arkansas has one the nations foremost doctors who specialized in repair of this medical disorder.

Fortunately, Jim regained full use of his cords after six months of therapy. However, he was afraid to overuse his cords again so he hired me to produce and host his syndicated radio program.

My good friend, Jim Davidson, is now a successful nationally syndicated newspaper columnist using many of his 3,000 radio scripts for use in his column. His radio program is still aired on several stations with yours truly, Dave McCree as host.

From my broadcasting and recording experience [since 1966], I have found that nothing ministers and speeds healing to a sore throat and chords better than gargling with warm water and salt several better times a day after meals and before going to bed. Obviously, rest must be exercised. I also have been successful incorporating additional prayer during those times of stress.

Sincerely,

Dave McCree

Has Spasmodic Dysphonia Affected Your Life?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and also any comments you may have for Dave.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Adam Gregor

Vocal Health : Why Rest Is Sometimes The Best Medicine

2009-06-29T17:55:58Z

Ever find that your voice just isn't up for the challenge? Are you exhausted vocally or unable to speak without pain?

As a person who uses their voice every day as part of their profession or occupation, it's easy to get run down and suffer from periodic or sporadic vocal inconveniences such as laryngitis, bronchitis and the like.

What happens when your voice is not able to emulate what's on your demo because of a temporary health issue?

Many voice actors and singers face that reality every now and then. Find out how resting your voice may be the ticket to getting back to your regular self.

Vocal Rest

When I was a student at university in the music faculty, vocal rest was second to none for protecting your voice and or encouraging healing for a voice in peril. If you were sick, you simply didn't sing and knew not to push it. This notion also extends to any stressful vocal behaviours such as yelling, coughing hard, forceful throat clearing, crying, talking on the phone, or screaming.

Sometimes, vocal rest can mean not uttering a word.

Instead of taxing the vocal apparatus even further or irritating the vocal folds unnecessarily, it is advised to take two and wait out an illness before trying to replicate what you are able to do when you're healthy.

The same goes for voice actors and professionals who rely upon their voice to make a living. There is something to be said for prudence, and when it comes to your health, you can't be too careful... don't be afraid to go to your doctor to get checked out if you are concerned.

Resting The Voice is Also Good For Other Recovery Schedules

Vocal rest is not just prescribed for those with the common cold or overuse of the voice, but also as part of other recovery programs such as heart surgery, for instance.

Just recently, a young Canadian soprano and fan favourite, Measha Brueggergosman, was hospitalized for emergency heart surgery after suffering a tear in her aorta. The procedure went well and she is now taking time off to recover. Part of her getting healthy regime includes not singing for one month, presumably so as not to place strain on her heart.

When you speak or sing, more than just your vocal apparatus is involved. You've got all sorts of muscles working together in your chest, particularly breathing mechanisms and diaphragmatic support, that when used during a time of recovery, can hinder the process greatly, even possibly cause undue painful.

Have You Ever Needed Time for Vocal Rest?

I'm interested to learn if you make it a regular practice to take vocal rest when necessary and what you do to pass the time productively while not voicing.

Looking forward to hearing your stories,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/geotrac

Selling Homes Online with Voice Over Narration in Virtual Tours

2009-06-26T17:55:33Z

How can a remote destination shown through a virtual tour evoke feelings of warmth, comfort and desire?

Whenever you list something for sale on the Internet, you have to humanize the experience for potential buyers to make what you are selling seem more accessible, meaningful and attractive.

Find out how voice over can add that lovin' feeling and also how voice talent can make selling homes online even easier.

Could Your Voice Move Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars?

The bigger the purchase, the more personable and authentic the sales approach needs to be.

How do you do that online?

Using voice over when showing a property online, for example, adds another dimension to how a prospective buyer identifies with what could be their future home.

Some real estate agencies are already doing this as well as builders. I wouldn't be surprised if there are enterprising homeowners who are selling their home privately and have added voice over narration to their promotional site.

What a great opportunity for you!

Voice talent Ari Ross is a great example of someone who has come to discover how interesting and lucrative this market can be, securing his place in the real estate voice over niche for some time now. Ari has found a way to present his services to real estate brokers and brokerages, catering to their individual needs with custom voice over recordings to help sell properties online.

Real Estate is a universal market. At some point, or at multiple times in our lives, we all will need to move house and find a way to attract potential buyers. Either we will do this for ourselves or enlist the services of other people to help us.

This is where voice over comes in.

What Do Real Estate Agents, Brokers and Home Sellers Need Recorded?

Primarily, you'll find that voice over is needed for:

๏ Virtual tours
๏ Website listings
๏ Sales presentations
๏ Broadcast commercials

Consider how you might be able to grow your business to include these kinds of service offerings to people who promote or sell real estate. You may find that voice over is also needed for similar reasons by builders, interior decorators, and staging companies.

Have You Done Any Voice Over Work for Real Estate?

Looking forward to your reply,

Stephanie

Joan Baker Seminar "Secrets of Voice-Over Success" in NYC!

2009-06-25T16:10:20Z

A woman of many talents, one of Joan Baker's chief skills is bringing people together for a good cause to mingle, learn, become empowered and celebrate their gifts.

I got word about an upcoming event in New York City that I thought would be of interest to you and am passing along some details. If you decide to go, let me know by commenting on the blog!

Secrets of Voice-Over Success

Joan Baker's book, Secrets of Voice-Over Success, first published in 2005, features essays written by a number of professional voice over artists, including a contribution from the late Don LaFontaine, illustrating how they got to where they are in their careers with the purpose of inspiring others and sharing personal, meaningful experiences.

Joan's father suffered from Alzheimer's. When the disease robbed him of his voice and his life, Joan was compelled to gather a collection of stories from her colleagues to share how the human voice can triumph, donating 100% of the book's royalties to the Alzheimer's Association in his memory.

Secrets of Voice-Over Success Gala Event

On Wednesday July 29th, 2009 at 7 p.m. in New York City, Joan Baker will be co-hosting a special event with announcer Alan Kalter (Late Show with David Letterman) promoting the re-release of her book "Secrets of Voice-Over Success", demonstrating how one can create a career in voice-over acting, through the journeys of those who have already succeeded.

Other special guests on hand include Jim Dale, award-winning narrator of the Harry Potter audiobook series, Richard Thomas (voice of Mercedes Benz), Joe Cipriano (voice of Deal or No Deal), Valerie Smaldone (voice of Broadway on Broadway), and Rodd Houston, the voice of Verizon Wireless and the NFL.

The discussion includes:

๏ Basic steps to breaking in
๏ How to cultivate your talent
๏ Creating a demo reel
๏ How to work with agents
๏ Auditioning technique
๏ Self promotion and networking

You can attend this exciting event for the mere cost of $49.95, a bargain in my books considering the networking opportunities and access to some of the most experienced and in-demand voices in the industry.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit:

Secrets of Voice-Over Success Event Information / Tickets

Alternatively, you can call Push Creative (Joan Baker's and Rudy Gaskins' company) and order your tickets over the phone by dialing 212-269-0700.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Can Social Networking Get You Voice Over Jobs?

2009-06-25T02:02:21Z

Have you been taking advantage of all some free social networking tools to promote your business and make new connections with prospective customers?

In his debut podcast on Voice Over Experts, Terry Daniel shares insight particular to Twitter and Facebook, detailing how you can generate untold revenue through some good old fashioned networking.

Having gained 15 clients through his social networking efforts this year alone, and as he says, 15 customers he wouldn't have had otherwise, I can assure you that Terry's advice is more than worth listening to, indeed so much that I've decided to share his podcast episode with you in today's VOX Daily.

Getting Voice Over Work Through Social Networking

As mentioned earlier, I'd like to share Terry Daniel's lesson "Getting Voice Over Work Through Social Networking". You'll learn how services like Twitter and Facebook help to extend your brand and connect you with prospective clients. Terry points out that it's not just for teenagers anymore, advocating that social networking is very important for business... and the best part of all, it's free!

I hope you enjoy this podcast and drink in the numerous tips on how you can promote your voice while providing valuable insight and being authentic.

Download Podcast Episode 91 »

To learn more about Terry Daniel, follow these links:

Terry Daniel
Terry Daniel's Voices.com Website
Terry Daniel on Voice Over Experts

You can subscribe to Voice Over Experts for free and get caught up on all 91 episodes (to date) this summer. Each week a new one is released, so if you found Terry's podcast to be valuable, you'll thoroughly enjoy the series.

Feel free to comment with your thoughts!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

How Low Will You Go?

2009-06-23T17:07:10Z

When work is harder to come by, have you found yourself lowering your rates to remain competitive, or have you been sticking to your guns to ensure that the bar doesn't drop?

How do you cope with the "out of work blues" when you hit a dry spell?

Robin Rowan presents us with her thoughts on this issue and would love to hear what you have to say!

How Low Will You Go?

Taking jobs for less money

By Robin Rowan

I spent two weeks in February looking for a job. I am a full time voiceover talent, and this was the longest stretch without a job in eight years. It was scary. Finally, one of my regular clients came through with a hefty job, but everyone hits panic phase occasionally.

You immediately start questioning your talents, your rates, your abilities, and finally, your decision to get into this crazy business and think that maybe it's time to get out. Okay, so I never got that far, because I simply cannot imagine doing anything else.

What do you do when your regular clients are nowhere to be found? Most of us (maybe all of us) subscribe to one or more web sites for job leads. How can you be selective when you just need work? What's the lowest you'll take? $200? $100? Any amount??? Sometimes I feel as if clients on these sites are taking advantage of our desperation. Are you biting?

I remember one job lead recently where the posting stated that they were already on their third voiceover talent and still couldn't find anyone who was competent. Read on a little farther and you'll see that the job, which was something like 6 1/2 HOURS of finished work, was paying $1000. Do they not understand WHY they couldn't find a competent voice talent for that kind of money?

When no work is coming in, do we sacrifice everything we've worked so hard to get? Maybe. Because if you were a top-level executive and got laid off and spent a few months looking for a job, you just might accept that construction job paying $12 an hour to have something coming in. So it is with voice work. If I didn't take that $200 job, I'd be sitting here with my business principles intact and not working. I always use the example of being a newbie on one of the voiceover sites and finally auditioning for a job that paid what I considered to be chump change. I got the job, and the client turned out to be CitiMortgage, CitiBank's real estate arm. The price for the job was the rate per minute, which suddenly looked a whole lot better. That was 2005, and I've been happily doing all of their online training since.

So how do you cope with the "I got no work" blues?

All the best to all of us who have the best jobs in the world!

Robin Rowan has been a full-time voiceover talent since 2001, self-employed as a writer and voiceover talent for 20 years and in the voiceover industry for more than 30 years.

Franchises and Conventions Give Voice Actors Exposure in Community

2009-06-22T18:01:00Z

It's amazing how many different "worlds" voice actors can be part of when there is a successful franchise in place.

Have you ever gone to an Anime convention or any other convention where they celebrated characters you have voiced?

I'd love to hear all about it so leave a comment!

Conventions Open Up a Whole New World to Voice Actors

If you have voiced a character for an Anime series, been part of a celebrated series or are a fan of franchises such as Transformers, Star Trek, or Star Wars, chances are you have attended a convention and have unique memories of the experience.

Being involved with these cons opens up an entirely different world and following for voice actors. Not only are there fans and a community of people rallying around the show, there's a whole culture, identity, and may even be a legacy and language associated with it!

One aspect of conventions for fans that is almost as exciting as being among their peers is listening to a voice actor panel talk about their roles. I have footage on the Voices.com video blog introducing the English Naruto voice cast, and believe me, there are many, many more like it on the Internet. Such is the popularity of the voice talent panel.

A little while ago, I published an article about Anime cons and Jon Morss commented with his experience attending conventions. I've linked back to it for you in the previous sentence so be sure to check it out.

What Have Your Experiences Been at Conventions?

I'd love to know hear about your stories about going to conventions, whether as a fan or voice actor and special guest. How does going to such events adds value to your life and career?

Looking forward to your reply!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Photo from Botcon courtesy Daniel Ross

When Is It Time To Record a New Voice Over Demo? 10 Indicators!

2009-06-19T19:52:33Z

How do you know it's time to revamp your voice over demos?

There are a number of indicators, some that jump right out at you, and others that are so subtle that it may take another set of ears to discover them.

If it's time for you to do a self-analysis of your demos, or you feel that your demos may soon be on the way out, better take a good look at this list!

So when is it time to make your new demo?

Long story short, you should consider making a new demo when:

1. You have improved
2. Have a new specialty you want to focus on
3. When the styles on your demo are out of date
4. If the music on your demo is out of date
5. If your demo mentions years or specific dates
6. When the demo doesn't feel fresh
7. When you are embarrassed of your demo
8. Straight reads on your demo aren't an accurate representation of your current voice age
9. If your voice has shifted registers
10. If you don't recognize the voice on your own demo

Of course, if you need a second set of ears you could look into a demo reviewing service, or take a look at even more advice right here on this blog to learn more about how demos are critiqued before moving ahead.

Do you have anything to add to this list?

If you find that you have different indicators or have a set schedule for when you update or have new demos produced, I invite you to comment with your thoughts.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie