Vox Daily

Digital Interactive Gaming Developers DIG Voices.com

2009-11-07T19:22:22Z

London, Ontario is known officially as The Forest City, but in recent years, its reputation has expanded to include digital interactive media and gaming!

This year marked the second Digital Interactive Gaming Conference in our city and I had the opportunity to attend a few events on Tuesday that were absolutely fabulous and telling. Hanging out some of the crème de la crème on the Canadian video game development scene from all across the country.

Find out more about the Canadian gaming industry and how the voice over community is reaching out to game developers.

London's Digital Interactive Gaming Conference

Over 700 people made their way through the doors of the Digital Interactive Gaming Conference in London, ON Canada earlier this week, consisting of students, industry professionals, media personalities, and video game royalty.

During the evening portion of Tuesday's schedule, a lovely dinner was enjoyed along with a brief speech from London mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best and a keynote address from Victor Lucas, co-host of The Electric Playground and Reviews on the Run.

If you follow me on Twitter I was twittering throughout dinner as you may have observed. For those of you interested in hearing what others had to say about DIG on Twitter, check out all of the tweets with the hash tag #dig09.

Game Developers Love a Good Time

Following the dinner there was a special VIP party where more networking occurred. This party gave me an opportunity to meet with game developers in a position to hire voice over talent and to learn more about what they were looking for when casting, hiring, and working with video game voice talent.

Voices.com, for many game developers, is the answer to their voice casting dreams! They love how easy it is to post their requirements and quickly get customized responses from voice over talent who are both interested and capable.

I spoke with companies that included startups, developers for online games on social networks such as Facebook, and larger game development houses who have contracts with big time video game publishers.

Everyone agreed that there is amazing potential for voice over in games and also saw room for more engagement and collaboration between our two communities.

Perhaps next year, we'll be able to be part of the fun! It would be an absolute honour to be the first to bring audio and voice acting into the limelight at DIG London... there is so much to talk about and to share!

For your interest, I've included an informational paragraph below about the Digital Interactive Gaming Conference. Enjoy :)

About DIG London

DIG London is an annual conference and is the information hub for the digital interactive gaming industry in Ontario.

This annual conference connects London Ontario's digital gaming cluster with industry and talent across North America. London is home to world-renowned game development studios, outsourcing studios, and educational institutions. DIG London promotes and supports the continued growth of this dynamic industry.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Voiceworx in Toronto Creates Great Performances With Heart

2009-11-05T17:04:23Z

Founded in 1996, Mike Kirby's Voiceworx has served students of voice over for 13 years, and has introduced Canadian talent to the wonderful world of voice over, including Shakespearean actors who have performed at The Stratford Festival, broadcast professionals, and aspiring voice artists.

Based in Toronto, Canada, Voiceworx focuses on helping people to find the part of themselves that will blossom in the booth. It didn't take long for me to see that the very core of Voiceworx is HEART.

Jessica, Erica, and I had the opportunity to sit in on a couple of Voiceworx sessions at their Weekend Warrior Workshop in October and had an amazing time!

Learn more about this fabulous training company for voice over artists in our own backyard.

What is Voice Over Work?

Mike Kirby relates that it's all about the message and how the voice artist personally feels about the message being said. Voice over work is all about acting.

In addition, the voice must also create the pictures and images using only words... a challenge and a half for most!

Understanding that voice work is very intimate, voice artists face the unique challenge of speaking to an audience of one even though it may be promoted to an audience of millions.

The message will mean something different depending on who your audience is. Once you know who you are speaking to, the interpretation will become clear.

Some of Voiceworx's philosophies are:

1. Each voice artist has a personal vocal signature that is unique to the artist.
2. Voice artists further develop the art of communication to become great storytellers.
3. Your voice is a reflection of who you are, and that voice needs to come from your heart, not your head.

Libby (Elizabeth) Lennie, whose session we were able to stay for in its entirety, was absolutely amazing. Libby shared a number of tips and strategies for voice artists to employ. We stayed for lunch with Mike and Libby and were also able to stay for a portion of animation voice actor Julie Lemieux's workshop on character voices.

The Voiceworx Experience

Something I noticed right away is that students were sent into the booth early into the first workshop session. While spending time on verbal instruction and discussion is significant during a workshop, time in the booth is crucially important when you are training with an instructor

Exercises were both didactic and practical. Some of the reads the students were asked to perform as warm ups before reading the copy were tidbits of educational, testimonial, and anecdotal gems relevant to the voice over industry that taught you a lesson and enriched the workshop experience.

Riding on emotion was also emphasized when rehearsing copy. The simple gesture of placing your hand on your heart to feel its energy grounds you and can positively affect your performance.

By living in the heart of the message, and not working toward a result, your interpretation will be freer and sound less contrived.

Another recurring theme was making the message meaningful to you, the voice artist. You have to be able to make it part of you, to visualize it, and to be fully supportive of what you are saying. If something doesn't mean anything to you personally, how can you compel people to receive your message, trust you, and then act on your recommendations?

Central to voice acting, and the Voiceworx company, is the relationship between the voice artist and their audience, whether the audience is the intended audience or the audience that you as a voice talent feel most comfortable communicating to when delivering your message.

Voiceworx brought out the best in all of the students who participated and you could see potential blooming in the booth. It was both a privilege and a pleasure to be present during the workshops.

About Voiceworx

Mike Kirby's Voiceworx is a training and production facility for performers who wish to pursue a career in commercial voice-over work. With 30 years of acting and commercial voice-over experience, and 12 CLIO Awards for advertising excellence to his credit, Mike Kirby has developed a unique method of work which he and his associates are happy to share with you.

Participants can expect top quality in-studio instruction in radio and television commercial voice-over, documentary and corporate video narration, cartoon voice, character multi-voice, and studio protocol, in a state-of-the-art recording studio environment. Class size is kept to a minimum and Performers receive valuable in studio personal instruction behind the microphone. All materials are supplied and personal voice work is recorded to CD for home review, complete with instructor's comments.

All Voiceworx instructors are professional performers, directors and producers who make their living in the performing arts.

Training Opportunities for Voice Talent

If you're looking for voice over training in Toronto, Voiceworx is superb and offers a number of opportunities for coaching, including a book and CD companion for those who want to start their voice over training from the comfort of their own home.

You can learn more about Voiceworx here:

http://www.voiceworx.com

A big thank you to Mike and his team for inviting us and for their hospitality!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Want to be a Spanish Voice Over Artist? Genaro Liriano Tells You How!

2009-11-04T13:45:51Z

There are many professions in our society that require you to be licensed, including teaching in the school system, practicing law, medicine, and even a license to drive a motor vehicle.

But what about a license to do voice overs?

Unheard of, right?

Get this: In many Latin American and South American countries, you have to be licensed to speak on the radio, to do live announcing, and voice over!

Voice over artist Genaro Liriano, formerly of the Dominican Republic, now resides in Canada and is a member of Voices.com. Genaro shared some very interesting information with me that will amaze and perhaps surprise you about the process one goes through to become a licensed voice for hire in Central and South America.

Becoming a Spanish Voice Over Talent in Central and South America

Last weekend at our Voices.com mixer in Toronto I connected with Genaro Liriano and got to hear his story. I'm excited that Genaro is also translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish speaking readers because it is a tale that needs to be heard in both languages.

Genaro Liriano has a license to speak!

Everyone who has their voice aired publicly, whether via broadcast, public address, live announcing, or voice over needs to be an approved speaker of neutral Spanish. What's even more interesting is that each country has their own requirements for licensing to keep the Latin Spanish being heard by the populous distinctly neutral in accent with a standard dialect.

The journey to become a licensed VO in the Dominican Republic is as follows:

1. An individual must complete a 3-year degree in broadcasting. For your reference, there are usually about 2,200 people in a graduating class.

2. These people must then complete a written exam of which 80-90% of them will fail.

3. Those who pass the exam are then given an oral exam with a panel of well known broadcasters, each with different areas of expertise, testing the candidate's ability to read in various styles live. Imagine having Barbara Walters, Larry King, and the late Peter Jennings all in one room testing you, holding your destiny in their hands!

4. If you pass the oral exam, you receive your certificate and a license to work on-air and off-air. This license is granted by the Radio and telecommunication commission of the Dominican Republic.

Suffice to say, becoming a licensed speaker is not easy, and those who do have a license are fortunate to say the least.

Interesting Fact:

If you were to produce an ad campaign that were to air in multiple countries that required the recording to be voiced by a licensed individual, you may need to hire more than one talent for the job. For instance, if you had someone from the Dominican Republic voicing for an ad in the DR, but you were going to air your advertisement in another country, or several countries that also required a licensed speaker, you may need to hire one licensed speaker per country you are airing your commercial in! That could get expensive quickly depending on the reach of the campaign, however, this is how business is done to preserve the language and how it is being heard by the public.

What If People Needed to be Licensed To Do Voice Over in Other Places?

Imagine if you had to be licensed in the US to do voice over, or in Canada, or in other European countries? Perhaps that is already the case in some nations but we just haven't heard about it.

How do you feel about the concept of licensing with regard to announcing on-air and off?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Photo courtesy Genaro Liriano

Quieres ser un artista de doblaje de voz o Locutor? Genaro Liriano le dice como!

2009-11-04T13:43:44Z

En Nuestra sociedad existen varias profesiones que le requieren al profesional que tenga su apropiada licencia para ejercer su oficio, incluyendo enseñando en el sistema educativo, ejerciendo las leyes, medicina, y hasta licencia para poder conducir un vehiculo.

Pero, se imaginan una licencia para hacer doblaje de voz?

Nunca lo habías escuchado, verdad?

Miren esto: En varios países Latino Americanos y Sudamericanos, usted necesita tener una licencia para hablar por la radio, para hace eventos en vivo y para hacer doblaje de voz!

El artista de voz Genaro Liriano, oriundo de la Republica Dominicana, quien ahora reside en Canadá y es miembro de Voices.com. Genaro compartió con migo informaciones acerca del proceso que alguien tiene que seguir para poder tener una licencia y poder ejercer el trabajo de locutor y doblaje de voz en America central y Sudamérica, se encontraran estos detalles muy interesante que talvez les van a sorprender y fascinar.

Convertirse en un talento de Voz Hispano en America Central y en Sudamérica

El pasado fin de semanas en nuestro Voices.com mixer en Toronto, yo me conecte con Genaro Liriano y tuve la oportunidad de escuchar su historia. Estoy contenta porque Genaro también traducirá este artículo al español para nuestra audiencia de habla Hispana porque es una historia que necesita ser escuchada en los dos idiomas.

Genaro Liriano tiene una licencia para Hablar!

Cada quien que tenga su voz al aire publico, ya sea através de una transmisión, discurso en publico, anunciar en vivo o doblaje de voz, necesita estar aprobado de hablar un Español neutro. Lo que es aun más interesante es que cada País tiene sus propios requerimientos de licencia para mantener el Español Latino neutral y sea escuchado por las masas populares libre de acentos.

La trayectoria a seguir para obtener una licencia de locutor es la siguiente:

1. Una persona debe terminar un diplomado de 3 años en Locución. Para su referencia hay aproximadamente 2,200 personas en una graduación.

2. Estas personas tienen que tomar un examen escrito preparado por la comisión nacional de radio y telecomunicación de los cuales un 80 a un 90% no lo pasan.

3. Aquellos quienes pasan el examen escrito son invitados a un panel de Locutores y famosos del País, cada cual representando su área de experiencia, estas personas examinan a los candidatos pidiéndoosle que lean que diferente estilo. Imagínense tener a Bárbara Walters, Larry King y a Peter Jennings, todos en el mismo lugar impartiendo el examen y llevando tu destino en sus manos.

4. Si pasas el examen oral, recibiese un certificado y un Carnet que te acredita como locutor y puedes trabajar on-air y off-air.

Suficiente para decir que para tener una licencia para hablar no es tan fácil y esos que tienen la licencia son afortunados para decir lo mínimo.

Puntos Interesantes:

Si usted fuera a producir una campaña de anuncios que tendrían que ser transmitidos en varios países y la voz tendría que hacerse con una persona con licencia, usted tendría que emplear a más de un talento para hacer este trabajo. Por ejemplo, si usted tiene ha alguien de la Republica Dominicana haciendo la voz para el anuncio en la R.D., pero ha usted le gustaría promocionar su anuncio en otro país o países que también requieren que los locutores tengan sus licencias usted tendría que emplear un locutor por país! Eso podría ser muy costoso dependiendo en tipo de campaña, pero, esto se hace para preservar la lengua y como sea escuchado por el publico.

Que si personas de otros países necesiten tener licencia para hacer doblaje de voz en otros lugares?

Imagínense si usted tendría que tener una licencia para poder hacer doblaje de voz en Estados Unidos, o en Canadá, o en países Europeos? Talvez, ya ese sea el caso en algunas naciones pero nosotros nunca habíamos escuchado acerca de esto.

Como usted se siente acerca del concepto de licencias para poder anuncia on-air y off-air?

Espero escuchar de ustedes.

Saludos,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Alexander Hübert

No More Work Agreements! It's Just Become Even Easier to Book Jobs at Voices.com

2009-11-04T04:58:31Z

Whenever we make changes to the site, we discuss them here on VOX Daily as well as via regular newsletters to our members.

This change in particular simplifies the process for closing the deal on a voice over job!

What's new?

You will no longer have to upload a Work Agreement when negotiating with clients at Voices.com.

At first glance you might wonder how removing one step could have such a significant impact, but believe you me, this slight change will make a world of difference.

Read this post to learn more and to see how seamless the process has become!

1. Audition Submitted

What you see above is the page you land on when you have submitted your audition to a client at Voices.com. This confirms that the client received your audition and that it is in their account for review. At this point, you are poised to receive an offer from a client at Voices.com.

2. Finalizing Business Terms

Just like it sounds, you're finalizing the terms of your business agreement! Make sure that you input your fee and are satisfied with the amount. You'll see your fee, the SurePay fee, and the fee as the client sees it. Clients are fully aware that the total presented to them includes both your professional fee and also the SurePay escrow fee. As mentioned in a recent interview and in various surveys and case studies, clients prefer to complete their projects via Voices.com by taking advantage of our SurePay service which protects both you and your client.

3. Thank You for Finalizing Terms

This page is shown to you when you have completed the step to finalize terms.

4. Payment Terms Accepted

When your client accepts your payment terms, the next step is for the client to make their deposit via Voices.com. Once they have made their deposit you'll be prompted to upload the files.

5. Upload Files

When you upload your files the client is notified by email and directed to listen to them. Once they have listened and are happy with what they hear, the next step is to approve the files.

6. Files Approved

When the files are approved, Voices.com is granted permission to release the funds to the you, the voice talent. Payments are made bi-monthly on the 1st and 15th of each month (should the 1st or 15th fall on a weekend or holiday, your payment will be sent on the following business day). Within your Voices.com account, be sure to specify how you would like to be paid. Voices.com pays you on behalf of your client via PayPal or Check.

Has This Made Things Easier For You?

Whenever we make changes such as this, it is with your best interest at heart. I hope you find this to be an improvement that makes using Voices.com even easier than before :)

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Wallenrock

Client Interview with Jordy Wax of Contrast Films

2009-11-02T14:35:07Z

Ever wanted to know more about the casting side of the business from a client perspective?

Today, I'm sharing an interview I did with Jordy Wax of Contrast Films, letting you in on his very first experience at Voices.com, some surprises, and also why he hired the person he did and how you can position yourself as the ideal candidate for the job.

Interview with Jordy Wax of Contrast Films

VOX: Thank you for joining me here on VOX Daily, Jordy! I was excited to hear from my colleague Ben Jackson that you had a wonderful experience at Voices.com recently when you posted a job to hire a voice talent. How did you come to find Voices.com and why did you choose our service?

JORDY WAX: I was referred to voices.com by a friend, and after listening to a few demos, I decided to post a job.

VOX: There are a number of ways to search for talent at the site and I was curious to learn why you chose to post a job. What were the immediate benefits in your opinion that led you to post a casting call?

JW: Since this was a rush job I was posting, I didn't have time to search for talent. I found it easier to have the talent come to me.

VOX: Your project (Job ID 16283) was a safety script for a promotional video that required a straight read with an element of excitement! Did you favour custom demos (recorded samples of your script) over generic samples? Why or why not?

JW: I absolutely favored the custom samples! Hearing my name and my client's name in the sample was a big plus to me. Plus, customized samples helped me visualize the project when I got to hear parts of my script.

VOX: When you were reviewing your submissions did you find that the most favourable responses had anything in common with each other? If so, what was it about these responses that made them most appealing to you?

JW: Again, the submissions that caught my attention were the customized samples. It also caught my attention to hear the talent talk to me about the sample before it was read.

VOX: Was there anything that surprised you when using the site? If so, please elaborate.

JW: The biggest surprise for me was the insanely awesome turnaround time! I posted the job, and within 4 hours of it being approved I had a final product. Whoa.

VOX: You mentioned to Ben on the phone that a number of voice talent emailed you trying to entice you to do business outside of Voices.com in order to avoid paying the SurePay fee and save 10%. In response, you told them that you preferred to pay through our escrow service! Why did you pay the escrow fee and what are the benefits of doing so as a client seeking voice over services online?

JW: I like the idea of the escrow service. It gave me peace of mind knowing there wasn't a risk in paying new talent without getting a product I wanted.

VOX: Drumroll, please.... what in particular made Kyle Wilson stand out? Was there anything he did differently that made you gravitate toward hiring him? In other words, what let you know that Kyle was the right person to hire and to record the voice over?

JW: Kyle stood out because his voice sounded genuine and professional, without the "epic radio" sound. While I love those types of voices, that wasn't what this project called for. Kyle really knocked the sample out of the park, and it was a no-brainer for me to go with him.

VOX: This was your first experience using Voices.com and I'm thrilled that things worked out so beautifully for you. Based upon the service received, would you use Voices.com again and or recommend us to others? Why or why not?

JW: I have another script that will be finalized very shortly, and I will definitely being using voices.com again. The wide variety of professional talent, paired with quick turnaround time, makes for a great service!

About Contrast Films

We love video. Simple as that. So whether you're in need of a music video, corporate video, or event coverage, we've got you covered. We offer production to fit budgets of all sizes.

Learn more about Contrast Films
Follow Contrast Films on Twitter

Success!

Every day, people like Jordy Wax come to Voices.com to achieve their goals and we're thrilled that we can serve them. We're also grateful for our talent who help us to deliver on our promise, ensuring that all who come in search of the perfect voice have their needs met, and more often than not, their expectations exceeded!

Did You Enjoy This Interview?

If you have any comments or thoughts to share, you're invited to join the conversation.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

3 Creative Ways to Use Your Voice on Hallowe'en

2009-10-30T15:48:53Z

Can you do funny voices?

How about some character voices with some spook in them?

Today on VOX Daily, I'll give you 3 ideas for how you can use your voice and add some spice to Hallowe'en festivities.

How To Wow Trick-or-Treaters Using the Human Voice

Candy isn't the only reason for Hallowe'en... primarily, it's about playing pretend! Kids get dressed up as their favourite characters and parade about. People hold themed costume parties to celebrate the day. Lastly, an opportunity for the vocally inclined is available to strut your stuff and let your zaniest characters loose on a night where nothing (in good taste as it relates to the trick-or-treating demographic) is too far over the top.

1. Be Your Neighbourhood's Entertainment

Record a short Hallowe'en themed voice over demo and set it on a 5-minute loop. If you're really ambitious and have a heart for production, why not produce a 1-hour session that includes dramatic music beds interspersed with humorous cartoony voices?

Character ideas:

๏ Dracula / The Count
๏ Ghosts (perhaps an impression of Casper the Friendly Ghost for younger participants)
๏ Werewolves
๏ Witches
๏ Chunky Jack-o-lanterns
๏ Fairies or sprites

Have fun thinking about and recreating the voices of inanimate objects, mythical creatures, and seasonal favourites.

If you're not busy, this is a fun and practical project for you that can be used each Hallowe'en going forward... doing this might also result in you becoming the talk of the town for your recordings and become a hot spot / destination for trick-or-treaters near and far.

$ IDEA: You could sell your loop or Hallowe'en track online as a download or on CD potentially resulting in a financial gain for you as well!

2. Get The Kids Involved

Ask kids who come to your door to do the voice of their character. Imagine! You asking a trick-or-treater to do their character's voice may present a great opportunity for them to explore their voice acting skills and also give you the chance to demonstrate your own character voices.

Questions you could ask the kids to get them comfortable enough to do their character voice:

1. What are you dressed up as tonight?
2. What do you think your character sounds like?
3. Can you say "Trick-or-treat" or "Thank you!" sounding like (insert character name here)?

If necessary, you could do a line read and have them mimic you. Their parents could assist in this and may wish to be involved, especially if they've been hoping to exercise their acting skills!

$ IDEA: You never know if a parent accompanying their child going door to door may be a potential customer. If they see you do the voice (and most importantly like and have a need for the voice), it's possible that you could get a booking! Keep some business cards handy just in case someone asks.

3. Make Guest Appearances at Parties

What about the set that enjoys going to Hallowe'en parties instead of handing out candy? You might be one of these people, in fact, you could even be hosting the party.

What if you were to entertain your guests in character for the evening? Not only would it be fun but you could build a whole theme party around your character. If you are co-hosting, perhaps your co-host could also go along with the plan to complement your performance and speak in character for the night, too. This may take some rehearsing and crafting of lines that you might deliver.

$ IDEA: Have you considered being an entertainer at other people's Hallowe'en parties? You could make guest appearances as Dracula for instance, or act similarly to The Count from Sesame Street, dressed and voiced to fit the part.

Have You Found These Ideas Useful?

Let me know if you are going to do any of the ideas above. If you have already been doing these types of activities over the years, I'd love to hear more about your experiences!

Happy Hallowe'en,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Sean Locke

Humility and Voice Acting

2009-10-29T19:49:50Z

When people are voice acting, their names are not generally associated with the voice over or the product they are selling.

The one exception that I can think of is in the world of character voice acting where there may be credits included at the end of a cartoon, film, or in a video game.

Bearing that in mind, how does this affect the voice acting profession?

Share your thoughts on the topic here at VOX Daily!

Voices Heard, Faces (and Names) Unseen

Voice over is very much behind the scenes work. You are at home or in a studio and rarely (if ever) get to see your audience or be seen by them.

What motivates people to do voice over at this point?

Is it recognition?

Voice over has to be one of the most humble occupations in the sense that recognition is not what is really what's driving the individual voice artist to do their job.

Based upon what I know of voice over professionals, recognition for themselves is probably the least motivating factor... these people would rather be part of a greater whole and pin their motivation upon effectively conveying and spreading a message.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that the audience comprehends the message and acts upon it in a positive way.

Remember when we discussed ego in voice acting? This is very much the essence of humility: a modest view of one's own importance.

What Do You Think?

Is humility a hallmark of voice acting?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Peter Brutsch

Sunday Muse Teaches You How To Do Cartoon Voices, Too!

2009-10-28T19:05:37Z

Looking for a great present for a child with a flair for the dramatic?

Want to know the ins and outs of voice acting for kids?

Voice actress and teacher Sunday Muse's new book "You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!" is an absolute must for the aspiring voice actor in your home that educates using accessible terms that children can understand.

The book also has a special section for parents that prepares them for the business side of what their children will encounter, including a Q&A with 3 top tier voice over agents.

If there was ever a getting started in voice overs guide for kids, this is it!

Want to learn more? Enjoy this review of Sunday's book!

Free Yourself... Do Cartoon Voices!

Have you ever tried to do a cartoon voice?

Sunday Muse relates that doing cartoon voices offers the opportunity to play with all those silly little voices that live inside each one of us (you know they are in there!), emphasizing that the most important thing is to have fun!

Much like how caricatures are exaggerated representations of people depicted in drawings, Sunday reveals that each of us is capable of becoming a cartoon through self-expansion coupled with bigger facial expressions and body movements, noting that your cartoon is an exaggerated version of you.

When you make a face, your voice has a tendency to change. You can build a whole repertory of characters based upon emotion. The images, faces, fonts, and colours used in this book are perfect for youngsters and clearly communicate the energy needed to do this kind of voice over work with children of all ages, even those who may have limited attention spans.

"You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!" is full of practical instruction that can be taught to the youngest child and takes make belief up a notch to a higher level of focused creativity.

Sunday loves being able to pass along all the tools that took her years to learn, and in this book, she shares tips freely in conjunction with appearances throughout the pages by 6 great kids dubbed "The Cartoon Gang," including Shemar, Juliana, Mark, Andrea, Liam, and Zoe.

"You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!" includes:

Chapter 1 - Wake Up the Ol' Voicebox!
Chapter 2 - How to make YOUR voice a CARTOON Voice
Chapter 3 - Choose a "Cartoony" Character
Chapter 4 - Create your own story or script
Chapter 5 - Play with some scripts
Chapter 6 - Think like a professional
Chapter 7 - Put To Use What You Have Learned
Chapter 8 - What Parents Want to Know About the Industry

A Must For Your Library

Sunday stresses 3 main pointers throughout the book that are easy to remember and implement for your child. Truth be told, they are great grounders for talent of any age! You don't have to be a child to benefit from Sunday's insight or learn from her. She teaches teens as well and also instructs adults if interested.

Near the beginning of the book, Sunday explains the difference between "normal talking" and "cartoon talking," introducing children to character development through a series of questions designed to use their imaginations to create a unique voice.

An accompanying CD, complete with a personal introduction from Sunday Muse, demonstrates various techniques and examples that are best used when following along with the book. I also recommend that you use the book as an ongoing reference for warm ups and rehearsal.

When your child works through a character, guided by Sunday's outline, you'll be amazed by the transformation that occurs!

The information included in the book is excellent for immersing your child into the world of cartoon voice acting.

By following Sunday's instructions, they'll get to know more about their voice, exercise their talent, and discover their own personal reservoir of untapped creativity, experiencing fully what it is like to be a cartoon voice actor.

Sunday is the voice of Cheer Bear from the Care Bears, Baby Binky on Rolie Polie Olie, Freddi in Time Warp Trio, Pepper in Jane and the Dragon, Gibby from The Wumblers, Lara in Willa's Wildlife, and George's puppet Wally from Arthur and many more voices you might recognize from popular cartoon shows and movies.

Her students have gone on to book roles in major cartoons such as "Family Guy" on FOX, "Arthur," "Babar," "Busytown," and "Super Why" on PBS.

How Can You Get Your Copy?

Visit Sunday's website at this link to order your copy of "You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!":

http://sundaymuse.com/book.htm

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

When Opportunity Knocks

2009-10-28T03:41:23Z

Have you received opportunities only to turn them down because you're not giving yourself enough credit?

Many people find it difficult to identify the value or beauty in within themselves that others can plainly see.

Opportunity can come knocking when you least expect it... opportunities also present themselves to you for a reason.

Are you seizing the day? If not, let this VOX Daily article convince you otherwise!

Are You Ready? Opportunity May Be Knocking!

I've run into a number of people over the years who fail to realize their own uniqueness.

When I am interested in a story or a tidbit pertaining to someone's career, I tend to ask them for an interview in order to learn more about that specific aspect of their life so that I may share their story with others and acknowledge their success.

On occasion, a person I've requested an interview with will decline the opportunity or downplay their achievement because they feel that:

๏ Their story isn't important enough
๏ Their achievement is small in comparison to the accomplishments of others
๏ Their career hasn't yet hit the perceived height deserving of media coverage

Some people, creative people in particular, can be so hard on themselves! Receiving compliments can be difficult for artists too, because by nature, we are our own worst critics.

Perhaps you or someone you know has even turned down job opportunities because they felt undeserving!

Takeaways

If there is anything you can take from what I'm sharing today, I hope it is this:

When opportunity comes knocking, answer it with a joyful heart! The person asking you values who you are, is interested in what you do, and wants to let others know about your achievements. If you doubt yourself or your talent, you may have lost your chance to touch countless others and receive recognition where recognition is due.

If a blogger, journalist, casting director, or a customer can see something special in you, let them shine light upon your talent.

Regardless of how insignificant you may think an achievement is, it is worth celebrating!

When Opportunity Knocks, Do You Answer?

I'd love to hear about your experiences! Has opportunity knocked at your door and how you did you respond to its invitation?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Ekaterina Monakhova

Interview with "21 Accents" Star, Amy Walker

2009-10-27T01:54:13Z

Have you seen this video?

A short time ago, I had the opportunity to chat with Amy Walker, the Seattle, Washington-based actress whose "21 Accents" video caught fire on YouTube and other sites.

Interview with Amy Walker

VOX: Amy, thank you for taking my call today! When did you record the "21 Accents" video?

AMY WALKER: Thank You, Stephanie! I made the video about a year and a half ago.

VOX: There are a number of different accents in your video, and I was wondering why you chose to associate them not with the dialects they represent but with cities of origin. Did you find this to be difficult considering that there can be more than one accent in a given location?

AW: I thought it'd be fun to say I was born here, and then I was born there... keep people guessing. There are as many accents in a city as there are people, so I think of it as: this person could be from this city, rather than that one accent can represent an entire metropolis.

VOX: How did you learn the accents? Did you study them on site in the various places named in the video?

AW: Some of them I've been to: I studied acting and singing at the University of Wollongong in Australia, just south of Sydney. Then I moved to Wellington, NZ. They're all patterned after native speakers, but some I've had to take from films or wherever I could get them.

VOX: Why did you make the video?

AW: Initially, I thought it'd be great to be able to email a link to Casting Directors and say, "By the way, whatever accent the character has, no problem, I can learn it." I wanted it short and catchy. 21 Accents in 2 1/2 minutes had a ring to it.

VOX: But turned viral!

AW: Yeah, Crazy! I didn't even know what that meant at the time. I just woke up one morning to a crammed inbox and a lot of them were from people who'd seen it on Break.com, which I'd never heard of. Some guy posted it there and it got over 400,000 views in 24 hours. Now it's over 3 million on Break. And 2 million on YouTube! Crazy.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

VOX: Congrats on the press! What has the response been like to your 21 Accents video?

AW: Tremendous. It comes in waves, but the most gratifying part is when people go from that to my other videos on YouTube. I have songs, monologues, original sketches, some pretty fun random stuff. I've received some really beautiful responses from people who've been inspired or touched by them. And it's great to get work from it, too, and the critical response has been so positive.

VOX: Yes, that's where I saw your video shared again. I had seen it previously but that was a long time ago. When I noticed it again through Facebook, I just knew that I had to look you up and get the inside story!

AW: Fun! I didn't know that it was circulating Facebook.

VOX: With no cuts, you're able to demonstrate your versatility and chameleon capabilities.

AW: Thank you. Yeah, that was the hardest part, the transitions, and doing it all in 1 take. Going from Irish to Scottish or Australian to NZ and back again...

VOX: Which accent would you say was the most difficult for you to master?

AW: The New Zealand accent is hard.

VOX: I agree! It is definitely unique. It's not Australian and isn't one that you'd find completely in line with dialects in the British Isles. Although it sounds at times like a blend of those types of accents, it really does stand alone.

AW: Indeed.

VOX: Have there been any unexpected ways that your video has been of use to people?

AW: Yeah! Especially that teachers have wanted to use it in class, and other videos as well, the Hamlet one. All over the world! Even for ESL in Japan and China, Russia, Canada, colleges and classrooms in NZ, Australia, the US...

VOX: Whereabouts is the video most popular?

AW: I think Google shows the US and the UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, then probably Europe and Japan, then Russia, S. America, S. Africa...

VOX: One of the reasons why I think your video struck a chord is because the theme was so universal. Nearly everyone could relate, whether it was their accent or not, and even if they didn't identify with a particular accent, it got them talking. Any parting words on accents?

AW: We all use different subtleties of accents every day, depending on who we're talking to. We're different with our grandparents than we are with our close friends or with little kids. People want to know what my "real" accent is, or what a person's "really like", but the truth is, we're kaleidoscopic beings. We change constantly. Accents are an aspect of voice, which is an expression of Self, which is always changing and adjusting! It comes from a desire to truly communicate and connect to people as clearly as possible, and when people feel that a person is "like them", they feel understood, comfortable, they connect.

VOX: I heard you are working on a film. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

AW: Absolutely! It's a feature film called Connected, which follows a diverse and disconnected family as they struggle to love each other for who they are, in our new world of instant communication. Everyone in the family has very different ideas about how to use technology to stay in touch. And I agree with all of them! I wrote Connected with the help of my friend Marilee Jolin (Script Advisor).

Hopefully, it'll get people talking and thinking about how the internet and cell phones impact our lives, for better and worse. It's incredible how we're able to connect to people we'll never "meet", from the other side of the world -like we're doing now! But at the same time, it can make us feel more isolated, stuck in our little boxes while the beautiful world flows around us.

The really exciting thing about this film is that it's being funded by dollar donations by 1 million people all over the world at www.ConnectedFilm.com. People are uniting to make a film about Connecting! It's blowing my mind! And we have such a wonderful team working on it.

About Amy Walker

Amy Walker is an artist of many media. An actress/singer/songwriter since the highchair, she has played key roles in more than 70 theatrical shows and films in both global hemispheres, honing her linguistic skills with over 21 accents at the ready.

As a writer, Amy has created screenplays, short stories, and many memorable characters for YouTube and both incarnations of her one-woman show, Amy Walker: Inside Out.

As a teacher and director, she has tapped the truth in myriad actors and their characters in plays, camps, workshops and private coaching.

She is insatiably interested in the unique juice that fuels the human spirit, and dedicates her life to awakening the full potential within herself and others.

To learn more about Amy Walker, go to AmyWalkerOnline.com.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Does Font Choice Influence Artistic Interpretation?

2009-10-24T03:11:53Z

Do you experiment with fonts when you read scripts?

Does changing up the font alter your interpretation?

Perhaps you have a favorite font and even change the font that your scripts are sent in!

Whatever you do, I'd love to hear about it! Share your font preference here at VOX Daily.

Helvetica

You may have heard about a documentary about a font called Helvetica. During the film you are shown how it is used, by whom, and are given an amazing glimpse into its universal use and practical appeal (which is extensive to say the least).

Needless to say, Helvetica is a font that you've likely come in contact with in a voice over script. Perhaps you've been reading text set in nice legible fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman, or others.

Fonts Speak Volumes

The font you choose may very well flavor your reads, influencing them in some way, whether you realize it or not.

Fonts are designed to have their own traits and personalities.

It's amazing how a curve, a slant, or a font's weight can affect how you interpret what is being communicated on the page and also therefore shape your scoring of the copy.

The sheer number of fonts available (and their derivatives) is overwhelming! I found a really great resource that goes over the basic characteristics of fonts that may be useful to you if you're trying to find a perfect fit for reading scripts in or simply wish to better understand fonts in general.

Here's a link to a PDF of Maarten Gelderman's "Fonts: A Short Introduction to Font Characteristics."

That being said...

Pen to Paper

Maybe you're on the opposite side of the font camp and prefer to write out shorter scripts by hand to put more of "you" into the read.

Writing the script out could make the read more believable because it is in your own writing and therefore more familiar. The notation has your pen strokes, pauses, punctuation marks, and because you wrote it out, is now physically part of you.

Which Font Do You Use?

Do fonts affect how you read?

Which font do you prefer to read scripts in and do you change the font to help you create a different read?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

How To Keep One's Ego Out of Acting

2009-10-22T19:20:59Z

The human ego is a very fragile thing, but when it comes to business, it's your ego or your lunch!

Perhaps it's not so much about the bruising of your ego but approaching each situation and client you encounter with a positive attitude.

How can you remain composed and flexible during an audition or a recording session?

Is the customer really always right?

The answer may happily surprise you!

Read this helpful article about what you can do and why it helps here at VOX Daily.

Voice Over is a Business!

Something that I think can't be said enough is that voice over is a business.

That being said, voice over happens to fall into the realm of the creative, which can at times, complicate matters... if you let it!

Is The Customer Always Right?

The person doing the hiring or directing is your customer, and in many circles, the adage of "The Customer is Always Right" applies.

This could go one of two ways:

1) The client appears to be insatiable and requests more takes
2) The client likes your work even though you think you could have done better or that someone else was better qualified

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the same goes for what someone thinks is a perfect take or casting in voice over.

Think A Couple of Retakes is Bad? You Haven't Seen Anything Yet!

In big league VO, it isn't uncommon for a director to request a minimum of 20 takes to get the perfect delivery, so it would make sense that other clients may have the expectation that two or three takes may just be scraping the surface of your talent and ability to take direction.

Although interpreting feedback during a session as criticism may be a natural response, it isn't the healthiest thing, and one has to remember that the director is only trying to communicate their vision through your voice by doing business with you.

You're not inside their head and they aren't in yours... it may take a while (and a substantial number of takes) to embody what the client really wants.

Leaving Egos At The Door Is Easy

If you're able to separate your feelings from the work, any feedback you receive will come as creative direction or a way of trying the same thing a different way, not as a personal insult.

Make sense?

Remember, if the client likes it, don't offer to do more or question their logic!

If the client needs to take a little while to realize their vision through your voice, enjoy the ride. Make it a game if you have to and use each take as an opportunity to freely explore parts of your voice you may not have known before.

I think you'll agree, it's more enjoyable (and perhaps less labor-intensive) than most jobs out there!

How Do You Keep Your Ego Out of Voice Acting?

I'd love to hear your tips or insight :)

Best wishes,

Stephanie

DB Cooper's "The Big Grunt: finding, trapping and taming exertion sounds"

2009-10-21T19:58:00Z

Have you been wondering how to make convincing exertion sounds for video games and character voice acting?

How do you make yourself sound like you're injured, in peril, or decidedly indisposed?

Find out in this neat article submitted by DB Cooper about her experience presenting at the Game Developers Conference Austin 2009.

The Big Grunt

By DB Cooper

The Austin Game Developers Conference happens in September -- a mighty fine time to be in Austin. I was a speaker at this year's conference, with a little program called "The Big Grunt: finding, trapping and taming exertion sounds."

I had initially proposed as a presentation an hour-long voice lesson for audio directors, the kind of thing I teach people when starting a new class for voice acting. The idea with this was to demonstrate to the guys on the other side of the glass the process we use when we wrap our voices around words on paper. Instead of taking my whole program, they suggested that I be part of a new program called "Audio Shorts": 4 people with 15 minutes each to present a single idea and take questions.

With the 15-minute constraint, I narrowed the focus considerably and decided to focus on exertion sounds.

This is how I described it:

You've got the lines, now you need the ooffs, the augghs, the hi-yahs. The barks and character sets can be the most trying parts of a voice session. You need a big variety of sounds, but there isn't always an easy way to get your actor to give you 5 distinctly different grunts.

When you know how these sounds are made, it's easier to get what you need from your actor.

And Here is What's Called the "Takeaway":

In this interactive program, attendees will learn and practice the bio-mechanics of producing typically necessary exertion sounds as well as the diaphragmatic support needed to prevent vocal burn-out from shouting and screaming.

* * * * *

One thing I did as I prepared for this program was take a poll among Video Game dialog and audio directors. The one consistent item on the directors' wish lists was a way to overcome the challenge of getting great exertion sounds. The punch and hit sounds, the screaming and dying are always recorded at the end of a VO session. This is so the actor's voice is stressed to its max only after all the other lines have been recorded. However, a session can be 4 hours long, and the director runs the risk of encountering an actor's creative exhaustion. There are only so many ways of saying "ugh!" or "auggh" and as anyone who has played games knows there are a LOT of violent sounds in a game. My hope with this program was to give the directors a "bag of tricks" to get what they need -- when they need it.

When it was time for my part of the Audio Shorts program, I got everyone in the hall onto their feet. We did some vocal work to identify the diaphragm, and we ran through a short list of tricks that can help an actor discover parts of their grunt-and-scream palette, including:

Violent Vowels

We experimented with all the short and some long sounds to express anger or surprise.

The Blood-curdling Barf

Some folks know this is my favorite "awareness" trick. When you really scream, you use the same muscles that are used when you throw up. I had my pal Kara Edwards demonstrate.

Pinch-ended Punches

Closing off a yell at the beginning or end gives a different effect from a plain open-vowel shout.

Heimlich Hitting

This is one of Pat Fraley's tricks. Do the Heimlich Maneuver on yourself-- you can get a great expulsion of sound along with a distinct jerk that really sounds like a solid hit.

This was an energetic program to present, and getting the audio guys involved in vocalizing was fun for everyone! The Power Point slides I used can be found at my website here. Here's a link to also view the handout from The Big Grunt.

I'm hoping to present the full hour's lesson in San Francisco in the spring of 2010.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you!

DB Cooper

About DB Cooper

DB Cooper creates character voices and sound effects for animation, video games and other electronic entertainment, and she provides the voice for corporate video, web presentations, and television & commercials worldwide via ISDN and the internet. DB is a staff announcer for CBS Radio Boston, and is a games voice casting and dialog consultant.

Recent work includes:

BIOSHOCK 2: Big Kate, additional voices. 2K Marin

TREASURE WORLD, Nintendo DS: vocalizations for The Wish Finder. Aspyr.

BUMBLE TALES, PC game: voices for Adriana Hitballova, Ella Mae, Shelly the Telly, Flauna Freud, and the cats and dogs. Tandem Games.

Inspired By What You Read?

Add a comment sharing your thoughts with DB to join the conversation!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

The Only Constant is Change

2009-10-20T15:55:51Z

Lost a gig?

Today I'd like to talk about what happens when someone doesn't renew a contract to use your voice.

It is not a subject that we touch on much but is an important reality nonetheless.

Hear some sage advice from Ann DeWig on the realities of moving on here at VOX Daily.

Jobs Come and Go

Voice over goes in cycles. Just as every good things must come to an end, contracts for voice over jobs also end, and this includes even the biggest ticket jobs.

Each one of your jobs makes your career. While some may be more memorable or prestigious, a working voice actor knows that every little bit adds to your bottom line. You'll win some and lose some! The important thing is to keep going and to keep winning.

Prominent female voice over talent Ann DeWig knows this firsthand, and encourages talent to look beyond their past bookings.

Ann says, "I think there is an illusion about successful voice jobs, and how they can catapult you to new heights in your career. I often hear voice people say: 'If I get this job it would open everything up!' But voiceover is a strange career. You never really get the corner office, your name on the door and the feeling of 'ahhh, I've finally made it!' Our gigs come and go. Every voice job you get you will lose. So it's important to remember that there is no 'one' job that makes or breaks you. Jobs can certainly lead to new jobs and new opportunities, but I think it's important to keep things into perspective. It's ALL my jobs combined that allow me to pay my mortgage and buy my dogs those dingo bones they like. I'm certainly not the first woman to be voicing super prestigious gigs, (usually reserved for males), and I won't be the last. Melissa Disney will always be the first woman to have voiced a trailer, but she also moved on to the next job. The one we didn't hear about."

Can You Relate to What Ann Shared?

Add your thoughts as a comment and let the conversation continue!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie