Voice Over Studio

Our Christmas Light Show!

2011-12-17T12:34:00.002-06:00

Had to share this awesome light show that my talented husband created!

Voice Talent Advice # 10 - Voice Over Coach, A Necessity!

2011-11-10T17:26:00.005-06:00

Although one of the Voice Over - How To pages on my web site is titled “How To Read Copy”, it is very basic practice information for you and not in any way meant to be a substitute for working with a Professional Voice Over Coach! When I started working as a voice over talent, there weren’t as many people out there coaching voice over. Many voice over performers began as radio personalities or DJs and started doing voice over for commercials that way. Some, like me, came from an acting background and migrated into the world of voice over. And, yes, people had always told me I had a great voice, too, but then, as now, that is not nearly enough to help you become successful as a working voice over talent!

When I produced my first voice over demo, I found ad copy from magazines and other sources including radio station DJs who shared copy they had at the station. I probably even picked up some from Soundworks - known as Cook Sound back then- where I was producing the demo. Not having a coach, I relied on the expert guidance of the audio engineer who produced the demo to direct me. Later, I always created demos from snippets of spots I had actually recorded for clients. At the time, that was what everyone wanted to hear - actual work you had done.

Today, everyone with any experience in voice over will tell you that it’s best to study with a qualified voice over coach and only create your first demo when you are ready. You can waste a lot of money producing a bad demo which may not help your career and could, in fact, end it before it begins! There’s just too much competition out there. Agents will not want to represent you if you present them with a substandard demo, and producers will not want to hire you directly with it either.

So, how do you find a qualified voice over coach? Word of mouth and referrals from working voice over talent are the best means of locating those coaches who can truly give you what you need to succeed. Then, you need to talk with the coaches, which may require paying for a session in some cases, in order to determine whether personality types mesh and to see what kind of a feeling you get for how this coach works and how they plan to help you reach your goals. This is an important investment in your career. Getting into voice over requires an investment, especially if you intend to build your own home studio as well. (More about that in another blog!)

If you’re still not convinced that you need a voice over coach to give yourself the best shot at succeeding in voice over, please know that after over 25 years as a professional working voice over talent, I studied with coach Nancy Wolfson, of Braintracks Audio in order to stay current and in top form. In addition, I have worked with others in workshops and tele-seminars. You always need to keep learning. In my blog post titled “I’m Not a Voice Over Agent”, I list Nancy’s link as well as links to other reputable voice over coaches I know.

I hope this helps you on your journey into voice over!

Voice Over Advice: Redundancy is a good thing - especially when it comes to your computer!!

2011-07-07T11:52:00.004-05:00

We usually try not to be redundant. But when it comes to our computers and important documents, pictures, and audio files it's a VERY good thing! I was reminded of that last week when my computer became infected with a serious virus even though we have a very formidable firewall. The virus attaches itself to some other benign file which you download and then wreaks havoc on your computer. All of a sudden, it appears that your hard drive is full and a window pops up as if it's from Windows which runs a scan, "detects" many issues with your hard drive, and offers to "fix" it. Even though I knew better than to follow through with this, it was impossible to close the window, and once my computer was shut down, it would not boot up again. It's called Windows XP Repair virus, and more about this particular virus can be found at http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-windows-xp-repair.

While this did put my computer out of commission for a couple of days, we were able to copy all of my files from the hard drive onto another drive before attempting to remove the virus. There was nothing wrong with the hard drive and only minimal files are kept on it. All of my important documents and audio files are stored on my server - which backs up daily to another server. Of course, we had to reload the programs I use, but it did give us the opportunity to do some housecleaning as well.

I have intended for awhile to have another hard drive waiting in the wings to take over in case mine should fail, and this has only emphasized the need to keep a back up with current information ready to go at all times making it even easier and quicker to get up and running in short order.

To further complicate things, I was scheduled to leave town just the day after this happened. Actually, since it's hard for me to leave town knowing I might miss something, it did have the effect of making me feel better about leaving since it was impossible to record on my own anyway. I was still able to record via ISDN before leaving even though I had to read the script from my iPhone! My FAX machine came in handy, too. Where there's a will there's a way to make it happen for dedicated voice over talent!

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have multiple back ups of your hard drive contents and all of your important documents, pictures, and audio files! Keep it all safe, and be prepared.

Melanie Haynes Southern & Texas Voice Over Demo

2011-06-27T15:34:00.003-05:00

An agency just requested a "Southern" demo, so I just put together some spots I've done with a Southern or Texas dialect. One or two of them are on my generic Character Demo, too. Always fun digging through old spots looking for the right thing to use on a demo. It used to be that everyone recommended only making your demo with actual work that you've done, but that doesn't seem to be the trend anymore. Of course, you have much more control when building a demo from scratch.....sometimes, there just isn't time for that, though. It does help to keep a library of your voice over work for times like these - neatly organized in folders on your computer or server. It's not always easy to get copies of the finished spots, but it's sure worth a try!

Melanie Haynes Medical Commercial Voice Over Demo

2011-06-26T12:08:00.004-05:00

I've done quite a few medical commercials in addition to other commercial voice overs. I just created and uploaded a new Medical Commercial demo to You Tube:

What does it mean to be a Successful Voice Over Talent?

2011-06-17T14:24:00.003-05:00

Bill DeWees shares another of his voice over videos on being successful as a voice over talent. Good points and interesting info. I enjoy watching Bill's videos and find that he's no nonsense when it comes to running your voice over business.

I'm Not a Voice Over Talent Agent!

2011-06-02T23:35:00.004-05:00

Almost daily, I receive calls and emails from prospective voice over performers looking for an agent. I'm not a voice over talent agent. I talk about agents in the "How To" pages on my web site and in my blog posts, so I think my voice over talent web site may be picked up by the search engines because of that.

If you are truly interested in pursuing voice over as a career, I'd suggest you read my "How To" pages on my web site and also my blog posts. I hope those pages and my posts will be of some help to you – at least point you in the right direction. I have received many appreciative emails and calls from prospective talent thanking me for the quality and depth of information I have provided free of charge on my web site and blog. I’m happy to help with some basic advice. I do appreciate receiving emails from prospective talent as opposed to phone calls. I spend much of my day recording in my audio booth, and I cannot often take time out of a busy day to go through a step by step process of how to get started in this business. That’s one of the reasons I have provided the information which is accessible at any time on my web site and in my blog posts.

To begin your journey, you need to understand that it's not just about having a great or unusual voice that counts, but what you do with that voice and how you market yourself!

Those of us who work as voice over artists study and work hard continually honing our craft and marketing ourselves just to work and survive in this business. However, there are many talented people who do that and still do not make a living at voice over. Also, realistically, getting started by taking classes, making demos, marketing, building a web site, creating your own voice over studio, etc., requires an outlay of approximately $4,000 - $5,000. All things to be considered......

It is best to work with a voice over coach (in person or via phone!) in order to make sure you are ready to create a demo and start distributing it. The last thing you want to do is create a demo before you are ready. It will not serve you well in trying to get an agent or trying to get work. There are many good voice over coaches out there who are willing to work via telephone if you do not live in their area. Several coaches that I have personal experience with are: Nancy Wolfson, James Alburger & Penny Abshire , Marc Cashman , and Rodney Saulsberry If you contact them, please tell them I referred you. I don’t make any commission for referrals, but I just like them to know that I’m thinking of them!

Do your homework, find a good coach, and dig in! All the best to you in your pursuit of a career in voice over!

Email Newsletters - Good Idea or Bad?

2011-05-17T10:09:00.001-05:00

My first ever voice over email newsletter. Good idea or not? I was never sure.... On the one hand, I like to keep in touch with clients and let them know what I've been doing - hoping to stay front of mind when they are casting. On the other hand, I don't want to be a pest. I don't plan to send updates often, but still, I would never want to clutter anyone's inbox. Of course, they can opt out, but that's just one more step for them to take if they're already annoyed.

Any thoughts on the true effectiveness of emailing newsletters to clients?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-Melanie-Haynes.html?soid=1105531001782&aid=iprO4AaU0j8

How Much Money Can You Make In Voice Overs?

2011-05-10T14:43:00.003-05:00

This video, Anatomy of a "Winning" Week Recording Voice Overs, by Bill DeWees is a down to earth look at a successful, working voice over performer. I've found many of the same things to be true in my voice over business as far as diversity in clientele, staying connected, marketing, and hiring help when you need it!

Voice Over "Salad"

2011-04-18T08:50:00.003-05:00

Interesting and helpful VO news and information posted by Dave Courvoisier in his blog Salmagundi :

Salmagundi "…a hodgepodge or mix of widely disparate things…” usually in relation to a salad presentation, but I was just tired of the word “potpourri”.

You would truly have to be living in a cave to NOT feel the wave of VO information washing over you these days. However, I know there are some social media holdouts among you, so the following is a quick list of links and summaries of some “disparate things” I found on the internet lately that defy categorization other than “VO Salmagundi”.

1) VO friend Matt Cowlrick dropped a link on FB about DAWBox.com. Interesting and simple site revealing what looks like a diagram for a whisper room.

3) Speaking of which, another VO acquaintance, just finished his new recording studio, and he posted a video of it on YouTube: See Darren Altman’s new digs at this YouTube Link.

3) Dan Friedmann of ProComm writes to say: “…Just wanted to announce that SOUNDADVICEVO and SOUNDADVICE – Voiceover have changed to SOUND4VO! He’s referring to his FaceBook page. Dan’s a good one to stay on top of. He’s written a book with great advice about audio production, and he was a big hit at FaffCon 2.

4) Stephen James Smith directs your attention to NOLA by saying: TO non-profits worldwide seeking voice actors pro bono for PSAs: NOLA Voice Talent is here to help. Check out the NOLA Voice Talent Foundation. Maybe you can help.

5) Synthopia is offering a free library of 1,000 free sound files and loops (and there are other free offers on this page). As far as I can tell there are no strings attached to this offer.

6) Click here to listen to WOR’s Valerie Smaldone’s podcast featuring an interview with top Vo Pro Joe Cipriano.

7) Cair0, Egypt-based VO talent Mahmoud Taji posts his Embarrassing Twitter Confessions on VU, which is actually an excellent review of Twitter/Social Media etiquette.

8) A Backstage.com article on whether SAG and AFTRA will finally merge.

9) OK, I think that’s about all I got…Oh!…one final thought: Do you keep a public calendar of your VO appointments so that potential clients can see your availability? That’s a suggestion made to me by the owner of a voice over studio, expressing frustration about scheduling.

Thanks for such a great recap, Dave!

Melanie Haynes

Dan's Two Cents - Worth Much, Much More!

2011-04-16T08:42:00.004-05:00

An excellent article from Dan(Daniel Eduardo) Hurst!

THE BRUTAL TRUTH

Published April 15, 2011

A young man I know that’s trying to break into the voiceover business asked me what advice I might give him.

There are a lot of websites that have lots of information on them about this very topic. There is so much information that needs to be considered when you go into this business, and I don’t need to rehash what so many others have already said so well. Google the subject. You’ll find barrels of info.

However, there are five things that I’ve found extremely important as I’ve grown my voiceover business. I’m not being mean here, I’m just stating the brutal truth.

1. It’s a business, not a hobby.

I’m always amazed at the folks who try to make it in this business who treat it as a hobby, yet expect to deal with people for whom it is a business. I mean, think about it. Why would I trust my project that is part of my full-time business effort to a hobbyist?

If you’re going to make it in this business, invest in it! Get some training. Get some decent equipment and learn how to use it. Work hard at it. Treat it as your job.

Or get out of the road.

2. It’s a small person that carries a big grudge.

Let’s face it. Business is tough. You will run in to a lot of people that will take advantage of you if you give them the chance. And sometimes you will get stung. Learn to be smart, aware, and cautious, but don’t let the stings make you bitter and angry. Nobody wants to do business with people like that.

The people that try to take advantage of you are not going to contribute to your success. Quit taking their phone calls and delete their emails.

3. Always drink upstream from the herd.

I often get asked how I manage to get some of the great voice jobs that come my way. The answer is simple: you find them where they are. Looking for them where everyone else is looking for them is herd mentality. Looking for the little jobs that get through the herd…well, that’s just drinking downstream.

But if you go upstream, where the herd hasn’t been, you’ll find lots of fresh opportunities.

4. Plow around the stump.

There are some things you just shouldn’t do. If you’re not a movie trailer voice, quit jumping in that puddle. If you’re not a fluent reader, quit pretending that you can do long-form narrations and audio books. If you don’t know how to act, quit acting like you’re acting.

In other words, do what you do well. Because if you don’t, you’ll get a reputation for not being very good at what you’re not very good at.

And finally,

5. Your biggest problem watches you from your mirror every morning.

You’re the one that’s going to make the right decisions or wrong decisions about your business every day. Your success or failure isn’t up to anyone else.

You’re business isn’t going to make it or fail because of someone else’s choices. If they don’t choose you to do a job, it’s still up to you to find someone that does want your service.

All you’re doing everyday in this business is selling and delivering a product. Regardless of what some sales gurus have taught, your clients aren’t buying you, they’re buying your product. If your product doesn’t measure up to what the client needs, no matter how much they like you, you’re out of work. That means your product has to be exactly what the client is looking for. And that means you need to focus on your best product, go sell it, and deliver it on time.

So, there’s my advice. And it’s only worth what it accomplishes.

Reprinted with permission here by Melanie Haynes

Melanie Haynes Voiceover Corporate Narration Demo.wmv

2011-04-09T14:07:00.001-05:00

Melanie Haynes Female Voice Talent

Free Marketing Listing on Thumbtack

2011-04-06T18:31:00.002-05:00

Check out my Professional Voice Over Services Listing on Thumbtack! It's free!

Professional Voice Over Talent

Thanks to Randy Kaye for sharing the info!

Zombie Alley - The Story

2011-04-04T08:47:00.003-05:00

Zombie Alley A meteor falls from Outer Space and Momma, (the moo-moo wearing, shotgun toting, brains of the operation) and Earl (her greasy, dead beat mechanic son), find the rock, discover it has highly addictive properties, take it back to their auto shop and make white trash meth out of it, which starts a zombie apocalypse."

This fun Rock and Roll/Horror/Comedy follows a struggling rock band as they wrestle with drugs, sex, rock and roll…and our own unique twist on Zombies and the monster genre, the mutated Momma, Earl, and their “Juicehead” lackeys as they ravage the town and spread the infection in their attempt to build their Evil Auto Empire.

Yes, I play Momma - quite a departure from my normal persona, of course. Should be fun! Just waiting to hear a few more details before filming starts later this month. If all goes as planned, I'll be working on location for this, and I have my remote audio set up ready to go. So, I'll be able to record voice over work practically from the set! Great deal, huh?

Melanie Haynes Voiceover Commercial Demo.wmv

2011-04-03T15:13:00.000-05:00

Cold Calling - Sharing an article from Maxine Dunn

2011-03-31T11:26:00.004-05:00

Here's and excellent article written by Maxine Dunn in her weekly newsletter, The Creative Business Advisor, regarding Cold Calling.

Feature Article
Anatomy of a Successful Cold Call
by Maxine Dunn

First, let's just get clear: What is a "cold call?" A cold call is a telephone call that you make to someone you do not know to ask for information, make a request, or offer a product or service.

For some reason the term "cold call" has received a bum rap as of late. While it's true that your website should be pre-qualifying leads (customers and clients) for you, I firmly believe that reaching out to people by phone should be an integral part of any entrepreneur's marketing strategy.

Some of my biggest-grossing client relationships - clients for whom I've been working steadily for years - started off with a cold call from me.

Even if you're not interested in creating a branch of your marketing strategy that includes calling prospective clients on the phone, there will still be times in your life where you have to pick up the phone and call someone you don't know to ask for information or help. Knowing how to handle yourself in that situation will be an asset to your business and subsequently to your bottom line.

First, I want you to let go of the idea that the purpose of a cold call is to get an appointment. Forget the "sales objective" training modules that lead you through a step-by-step trajectory to "get the sale." People do business with people they know, like, and trust, and your cold call is opening the door and initiating that relationship. My techniques will make your cold-calling experience easy and fun. You'll be amazed at how much better your prospective clients respond as a result of following these guidelines.

1. Adjust your expectations

Make your cold-calling expectations easy-to-meet. If your expectations are to "make a sale" or actually even reach the person you're calling, you may well be disappointed.

Decide that your #1 goal for the call is simply to have a pleasant conversation with whoever you get on the phone. That's it! Even if you just speak to the receptionist for thirty seconds, your sole objective is to make the conversation pleasant and enjoyable. See how much easier the call is already?

2. Be prepared - part A

Know a lot about who you're calling. Research their website. Watch every demo reel. Read every bio. Read reviews. Know their company's history. What products they make. If they use your type of products or services. Their business hours. Their location. Everything.

Being knowledgeable about the person and company you're calling is not only respectful and professional, you'll be able to ask intelligent, spontaneous questions and give informed responses in your conversation.

3. Be prepared - part B

Write out an outline or a brief "script" of what information you'd like to share and what information you're calling to discover. This is not a "pitch" that you read. Having an outline of the important points you'd like to convey will help keep you succinct, on track, and prevent too many of those fumbling-for-words moments you might experience if nerves take over.

4. Be respectful

If you hear phones ringing in the background or get put on hold immediately by a hurried-sounding receptionist, pay attention! If you can tell it's not a good time to call then get off the phone. You can simply say, "I was calling for Bill Russell but it sounds like you're super busy right now. Would it be better if I call back later?"

You will amazed at how showing empathy for the person on the other end of the phone will immediately soften their tone of voice, allow them to relax momentarily, and will very probably get you transferred right away.

5. Be sincere

I want you to talk into the phone as if your best friend is sitting in front of you. I want you to be totally engaged and present. Do not multi-task when you are on the phone. Listen. Care. People can sense when you're just politely listening and waiting for them to finish so you can speak. They can tell when you're reading from a script and not being sincere. Really, really, listen and respond as if you're responding to a friend you care deeply about.

6. Ask for what you want

After following the previous steps, simply ask for what you want. Simple. Clear. No hidden agenda. Direct, short sentences are best. "Would you prefer to receive my CD in the mail or would you like me to email you the link to my site?" "What do you suggest is the best way to submit my article to your office?" People (even big, C-level corporate types) like short, honest, direct questions with no "salesy" agenda.

7. Get off the phone first

This is self-explanatory. Do not be rambling on so long that your prospective client finally has to say, "...well, I really have to get back to work here..." Make certain you end the call first. That way they'll be more likely to take your calls in the future when they know you won't be taking up too much of their time.

8. Stay organized

During or after your conversation, take detailed notes: The name of the person who answered the phone. The date and time of your call. Details that were mentioned in the call. Did they just get back from vacation? Is the office being remodeled? Did they mention they had a project coming up in six weeks that could use your services? Keep extremely detailed records of your call so you can refer back to talking points if you need to. When you get your prospective client on the phone the second time and you remember to ask how his son's soccer game went, they'll practically faint. Rarely do people remember important information. Stand out. Be organized. And pay attention to the smallest details.

9. Follow up

The fortune is in the follow-up. Remember, you are developing a relationship. And be very patient. Sometimes it can take a couple of weeks or five or more phone calls to reach the person you want to talk to. Make sure you factor in marketing time in your business day for your follow-ups. Keep in touch with your prospective clients by mail, e-mail, fax or phone. If you say you're going to call back next Tuesday at 10:00 am, then call back next Tuesday at 10:00 am. Touch base to see if they have received what you sent, have any questions, or would like any additional information. Send a thank-you note with a Starbuck's gift-card to the receptionist who was so helpful on those five different occasions. Keep in touch!

Making phone calls to prospective clients can be fun, exciting, and rewarding - it's all in how you approach it. So remember to:

· change your expectations - make it about having great conversations, not making a sale
· be prepared, Part A - know a lot about who you're calling
· be prepared, Part B - write out an outline or brief script so you can stay on track and not ramble
· soften your approach - be sincere and respectful
· be patient and gently persistent - know that relationship building takes time and be okay with that
· keep highly detailed records - your conversations are gold-mines of information
· follow up, follow up, and then follow up again

I guarantee that if you follow my guidelines you'll discover that not only can cold calls be a wonderful way to introduce yourself to new clients and customers, they are a great way to get you out of your comfort zone while developing a very important entrepreneurial skill-set.

* * * * *

Niko Red Star, Zombie Alley

2011-03-21T22:40:00.001-05:00

New Movie Project - Zombie Alley

2011-03-20T17:00:00.000-05:00

Lazy Voiceover or Just More Efficient?

2011-01-11T16:53:00.002-06:00

Wondering how many of you professional voice over talent with your own studios have found new and creative ways of editing tracks to streamline the process? True audio engineers with lots of experience or even official classes under their belts have picked up lots of tips, tricks, and tidbits over the years. Those of us who started off strictly voicing behind the mic and have now found ourselves engineering our own audio sessions usually learn a lot by trial and error. Many of us probably don't even use all of the power of our audio editing software or even know the extent of its capabilities. I know the last thing I have time or patience for with scripts stacking up and deadlines approaching is to wade through an online manual. Of course, I'm not really a techie at heart. Kudos to those of you who are!! I am impressed by and thankful for all of the technical support I receive from those in my family and circle of friends who do love and understand it all! I'm most comfortable when I can just say tell me or show me how to do this when it comes to anything technical, but I have to say that I've discovered many things in the last 8 years that have made my audio editing much better, smoother, and faster. I can't even believe that it's been 8 years since I've had my own home studio! It makes sense that I should have learned a lot!

Do you find, though, that the more experienced you become with editing, the less you worry about making everything perfect with your read? You don't stop and go back to the beginning of a paragraph or even the beginning of a sentence when you make that rare mistake? :) Do you kind of worry that you'll do the things that work for you when you're engineering yourself when you're working in another studio with a "dedicated" audio engineer? Maybe worry isn't the correct word, but after recording so much on my own, I know that I don't have to go back to the beginning of a sentence or even a phrase to make a clean edit. I will often just pickup with a word or a couple of words knowing that I will be able to make a seamless edit when I finish recording and begin the editing process. However, I don't feel that I should do that if I happen to be recording long form narration in another studio. I feel that the other audio engineer may not appreciate the smaller edits. I think the audio engineer may prefer to just pick up a whole clean sentence or even in some cases, a paragraph. So, I ask - "from the top of the sentence or paragraph or slide"? Sometimes, I just start the sentence over whereas if I were in my own studio and editing myself, I would just pick up with a word or phrase.

For some reason, it just seems easier for me to grab that word that begins with a plosive or to just continue the sentence in the same tone even if I've left a large gap and just close it up later than to start from the beginning of the sentence and read it all again. When I'm in another studio, though, I definitely want to be mindful of the preferences of the audio engineer working there. I want to make his or her life as easy as possible by working the way he or she likes to work even if it's not always the way I would do it on my own. And I find that the best engineers, or at least the kindest, always try to make the talent feel comfortable, too. Communication is key in finding that rhythm and style that allows for a smooth session. Of course, a great deal of that also has to do with whether there is also a producer or director from an agency there and their style as well. A great audio engineer will monitor, mediate, and keep the session running smoothly and "have your back" if you happen to have a troublesome client at the session as well!

Ted's Kraft Mac and Cheese Session

2011-01-07T15:52:00.003-06:00

Here's a video of Ted's Kraft Mac and Cheese session. From dj to natural commercial voice over is often a difficult enough transition , but even with his years out of the biz, it seems he did just fine....

Want To Do Voiceovers?

2011-01-06T10:25:00.003-06:00

Here's a video by Mercedes Rose, voice over performer and actress, which describes the reality of becoming a voice over artist. No hype, no jive, just the real world.

Voices to the Rescue!

2011-01-05T16:10:00.002-06:00

So impressed with the generosity of voice over professionals Randy Thomas and Joe Cipriano in reaching out to Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden voice. Offers are coming to him from everywhere! As I said before, voice over people are the best!

Good Folks offer help to Golden Voiced Homeless Man!

2011-01-05T09:12:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, I posted the video of the homeless man with the golden voice. I just knew offers of help would come! TONS of others re-posted the You Tube video and the magic of the internet worked! Check out the latest! http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/homeless_man_with_golden_radio_voice_91PQ3yMBa58vOf1n4MuToJ

and also this interview: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/05/earlyshow/main7215450.shtml?tag=cbsContent%3BcbsCarousel

Voice over people are the best! They actually care about their own.

Sad Voice Over Story - Hoping for a Happy Ending

2011-01-04T11:57:00.002-06:00

Had to share this video with my voice over friends.....

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a follow up with this guy gainfully employed and staying straight!

Voice over people have such heart. I feel like someone who is in a position to will reach out to help.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T16:58:00.003-06:00

I don't make New Year's resolutions per se.... just resolve to do my best daily and keep plugging away! In review, 2010, was a good voice over year for me - busier than ever with many new clients and continuing work for my wonderful regular and returning clients!

I've also heard from a lot of prospective voice over talent who visit my web site and contact me to 1) Find out how to break into the voice over business and/or 2) Want me to be their agent.

As to the first, I always direct everyone to visit my "How To" pages on my web site which contain some basic information for beginning voice over. Many of the things posted there are also found in my blog posts with additional information posted here as the spirit moves me.

As to the second, I am not an agent. I think that the fact that I discuss agents and the business has caused Google to pick up my site and I show up when someone goes looking for voice over agents.

I realize that I am not along in receiving these requests. I'm happy to provide whatever information I can on my web site and in my blog. I'm not always available for extended phone conversations concerning getting started in the business as I spend a lot of time in the booth recording, so I encourage people interested in more information to email me rather than call. Recently, a fellow voice over professional, Paul Strikwerda, created an interesting video geared toward those interested in becoming professional voice over talent. Enjoy....

Afraid to Leave the Studio?

2010-10-26T14:11:00.004-05:00

It’s every voice over performer’s dream to be so busy, you can’t leave the studio, right? Well, yes and no, I suppose. We all want to keep busy with those great high paying gigs! Some jobs fit that category, but of course, many don’t. Still, work is work and it’s a blessing to have it.

During political season, things happened fast! I’ve personally experienced losing several jobs simply because I went out to lunch or to run errands. Although I thought I had the bases covered and everyone would call my cell phone if I wasn’t there to personally answer the studio line, it didn’t always work out like that – for whatever reason. Sometimes, I was just minutes away and could have raced back to turn on the ISDN. Other times, I was booked in another studio here in town. But, hey, some jobs just aren’t meant to be…. I’ve always been of the “don’t miss a job” school of thought, though, and have jumped through hoops to be able to make everything fit into the schedule!

Another situation that arises is for those of us who are On Camera actors, as well. I’ve been so focused on voice over for the past several years, especially since establishing my own studio, and have been keeping busy enough, that I find I do a little mental cringe when an on camera audition comes up. Although I’d love to do more film work, the thought of driving out of town – as is often the case – and missing a day or more in the studio for the audition, let alone if I get the job……causes me concern. Also, on camera auditions and work take so much more preparation. You have to learn lines, rehearse, decide on your wardrobe, what to do with your hair, etc. Am I saying that voice over performers are lazy? Of course not! I’d never say that….. but…. not having to memorize the lines and not having to worry about wardrobe do make things quicker and easier, for sure! That being said, I really would enjoy being on set and acting in a television show or film again, sooner rather than later.

I know there are quite a few voice over performers who have started taking their laptops and mics on the road. I just haven’t hit the road often enough to really dig in and see how it would work for me. Of course, usually, when I’m out for a week, it’s a vacation, and I’ve actually been deliberately leaving work behind to just enjoy and regroup. For day trips for work or auditions, I’ve just tried to keep the pda handy and respond to email requests as best I can.

I’m just not certain that recording on the road could possibly have the same quality as working from my studio. Are people really doing long form narration or e-learning projects on the road? Are they just auditioning, or are they doing commercials, promos, etc.? I know some of the big promo guys, like Joe Cipriano, do take gear on the road and record via Source Connect for national promos!

I guess a laptop and wifi should be on my list. I think I could take my Rode NT 1000 on the road easy enough…..maybe even the Sennheiser 416…..Something to seriously start thinking about. Of course, hard to do much recording while you’re driving 4 hrs each way on the way to and from an audition. But, for a longer stay…..might be worth a try!

Too Much Of A Good Thing?

2010-10-11T12:12:00.001-05:00

Just thinking today that even though this wonderful world of cyberspace and instant connection and comment via discussion groups is great for information gathering and sharing, it can get to be too controlling at times. I had avoided getting involved in all the usual hoopla for a long time. Maybe avoided is not the right term. Just didn’t have or take the time to follow discussions, post comments, or yes, even write in my blog.

Now that I’ve become more connected in a variety of venues, I’ve found that they can turn into nearly “virtual” obsessions which can keep one running back and forth to the computer or otherwise checking online for new posts, comments, etc. Who is being clever, cantankerous, or questioning? What’s everyone talking about?

Nice to check in now and then, but good to be too busy to get caught up in it too much.

Play To Your Strengths

2010-09-21T18:40:00.004-05:00

There’s been a reoccurring theme that’s been playing through my head lately. Actually, it seems that it has been cropping up everywhere I turn from a narration I recently recorded, to a tele-seminar I attended, to other bits and pieces from all types of media. So, it’s finally gotten my attention. It has to do with playing to your strengths - focusing on the things you do really well or just who your are at this point in your life –what could be described in more folksy terms as “dancin’ with the one who brung ya”. In other words, identifying and then nurturing and capitalizing on the particular things that make you unique. In acting and voice over, we often try to be all things to all people – a daunting task and one that is difficult, if not impossible to achieve. A task that will only bring us frustration and often a sense of failure, because we’re just not going to be the right type, style, or size for every job. One size does not fit all. One style does not fit all. One voice type is not all there is….

In the old days, if you didn’t have the deep resonate perfectly articulated voice, you weren’t in the running for the majority of announcer jobs. Now, it’s shifted to the antithesis of that description. There are lots of requests for young and hip. If you’re neither, there’s really no point in wasting your time trying…..That isn’t to say that you actually HAVE to be young and hip. What I mean is if you don’t DO a credible young and hip, leave those auditions to someone else, and focus on who you are, naturally.

Do I mean that an actor or voice talent shouldn’t stretch themselves to go beyond their comfort zone…No. I think we need to try things to see where we can go, but as far as marketing ourselves, our demos, our “brands”……we’ve got to do some serious, objective soul searching to see where we feel the most comfortable. Because, if we feel best doing certain types of roles both on camera and off, then those are probably the ones we’re best suited for and we should do everything we can to hone those so that we’re the best we can be in that type of role, genre, etc.

Some of us might put off going down this road because we think we’ll wait until we can fit another mold better. For example, an actor not getting updated pictures until he/she loses weight, gets a new hair color, hairdo, or transplant(!), but what might we be missing out on by not promoting ourselves as we are at that time? What we are might be perfect for a role we haven’t imagined. We put off working on a new voice over demo thinking we’ll wait until we can make ourselves sound like someone else….. When who we are and what we sound like is perfect for someone casting and producing the perfect job for us.

Contrary to some who claim performers are insecure, as actors and voice over talent, we have to have a lot of self confidence to put ourselves out there. Second guessing ourselves sometimes goes with the territory but when taken to the extreme, can lead to inertia. We need to be OUR best for us and know where WE feel most comfortable and put ourselves out there with confidence and grace knowing that we are unique and perfect for that perfect role.

Keeping it Interesting

2010-09-20T08:26:00.002-05:00

Work is fun. Work is work. Work pays the bills! Really, I enjoy all the voice over work that I'm privileged to do everyday. Along with just being grateful for jobs coming my way, the joy of voice over work often comes from the variety of projects that come my way. It is fun and interesting, and I usually learn something from each and every project. Although I have always done all kinds of voice over work, sometimes, the jobs that come in are heavy in one genre, such as e-learning......for awhile, and then things switch and it maybe something else: corporate narrations, IVR or phone messaging, commercials, promo, imaging, etc.

The past month or so has been especially interesting and varied with all kinds of new and unexpected projects. I recorded a large batch of medical center commercials both for television and radio which were recorded in another studio here in Houston - Audio Bob. This used to be how all my jobs were recorded - driving into town, working in a studio, with an engineer and a producer/director in attendance. It was really fun to work with "real people" again like I used to! The fact that it was such a nice large project was gravy.....

Work that has come directly to me often finds me via my web site. I just never know who will be calling or emailing me with what kind of project. In addition to a slew of large e-learning, commercial, and IVR projects here in my studio, I've had several wonderful and new narration opportunities. I narrated a very well done documentary style production for the American Museum of Natural History in NY, a moving airplane accident case study for AOPA, and several different voices of the women's suffrage movement for a PBS special all via phone patch.

Political commercials are definitely on the upswing, too, as you may have noticed, and I've voiced several in the past week - usually at the last minute - via ISDN. In fact, I missed one, just because I was invited out to lunch!! Note to self, don’t leave the studio during an election year. J

Throw in a variety of smaller market commercials for all kinds of clients, a few radio imaging projects, some regular repeat work for IVR and phone messaging clients and the interest level grows. The variety of clients, producers, and projects open to voice over talent now that we can work from our own studios via the internet is amazing compared to how we used to work... Of course, it all requires more background/non voice over work from us as well. Marketing, bookkeeping, producing, editing, and just generally keeping track of a business all take a lot of time and attention. But that can all be interesting, too. Marketing, alone, is a topic worthy of a great deal of time and attention, and something to be talked about in more detail in another article.

Until we meet again, “Be well and prosper!”

American Museum of Natural History Video Narration

2010-08-20T08:57:00.004-05:00

I was very pleased to view the final production of the video that I narrated for the American Museum of Natural History recently: The Polar Intro for the Race to the End of the Earth. It was such a pleasure to work with the producers, and I'm very proud to be a part of this wonderful project.

I do love to record narrations, and I'm particularly interested in doing more documentary narration. Of course, I always enjoy corporate narrations and recording commercials, e-learning, on hold/IVR and more!

Don't You Just Love it When.....

2010-07-28T16:47:00.004-05:00

Don't you just love it when, as a professional voice talent, you get a narration job and then find out that you have to match the scratch track done by a non-professional? Sometimes, it's not a huge issue, but more often than not, whoever is reading it is speaking way too fast with pauses and inflections that don't come near to the way you would do it - and they are usually not reading in the style that the client wants, either. So, for example, you might need to be soft and mellow - while still reading at double or triple time in order to fit the time limitations of the video.

Often the client will want to send you the video to "match" the scratch track. I don't think they realize how time consuming it is for us to view and time each section. It is important to let them know that it will take you much more time to do that than to just voice it. If at all possible, try to get the client to time those sections for you and send time codes with each line or paragraph of the script - depending on what drives the timing. Otherwise, you will need to increase your fee to take the time to do that for yourself... or just eat it.

In all fairness, sometimes this just can't be helped and clients are very sympathetic and apologetic. Another person narrated the video and then the "powers that be" decide that they want someone different. There may not be time for your client to re-edit the video to your track. They just need to drop it in. If it's been narrated by another professional, your chances are better of it being less painless, but still, we're all individuals with our own timing and style, so it can be a challenge. If you're working in a studio with another engineer, it's easier, but if you're on your own, you get all the extra work to make it right.

A little thing I do to help get the timings right is to play the video while recording the audio track from my computer. Then, it’s easier to isolate the voice in my audio software to time it exactly. That’s half the battle right there – determining exactly what those timings are. Then, in these situations, I record section by section in order to time it perfectly with the scratch track. When it’s all been recorded, I check my sound levels from section to section and normalize the levels. I also need to make sure that it flows naturally from each section to the next and sounds like it was recorded all at once even though I’ve had to chop it up to work. I clean up the air between each section, too, so that I don’t have any little stray noises – breaths or parts of breaths, other noises leading into or out of a section. I really turn the headphones up for that part, because I want to end up with a perfectly clean audio track that the client will be pleased with. Or I want to end up with perfectly clean individual audio files for the client to drop in….and be pleased with.

After all, no matter what the task or what it takes to get there, that’s the name of the game…..keeping the client happy!

New Studio!

2010-07-25T13:33:00.003-05:00

Well, guess it's been quite some time since my last post! The late spring and summer have gotten away from me with graduations, family reunions, work, and continued work on the new studio. The great news is that while I was away attending a family reunion in June, my studio equipment was all moved into the new studio - thanks to my husband and sons. When I returned, I immediately started working in the new audio booth exclusively. The rest of the studio is almost complete with just a few more cosmetic touches needed.

It took about 7 months to get to this point because my contractor walked the job last December after most of the major construction of the audio booth and new roof and porch of the building were complete. We did shop around for another contractor to finish up, but my husband - fortunately, a jack of all trades - decided he'd just do it himself. Although he had to split his time between work and other major projects, he's plugged away at the studio and done a fantastic job! AND at least we know the work has been done "right the first time" - although we sure wouldn't have minded help from one of our TV favorites - Mike Holmes of Holmes on Homes:)

I'm anxious for everything to be completed so that I can post pictures. There's really not much left to complete, but I'm trying to be patient until everything is perfect......and we're close. Until then, I am at least able to work in the new booth, and I'm loving being able to look out the window of the booth through the large windows of the studio to the outdoors. Such a change from the "cave" of the past 7 years! Don't get me wrong. I was thankful for it, and I did a lot of good work from there, and it was pleasant except for the fact that I had to plug the windows with foam and plywood and create a little enclosed "cave"of a booth with office dividers and comforters to eventually get the acoustics to my standards. With hours spent narrating e-learning tutorials and other long form narration, it could get a bit "other worldly". And it was always a worry with ISDN sessions as to whether the neighbors' yard services would show up at just the wrong time....

Now, I just feel so much freer and it's a joy to be in this space!

New Botox Narration

2010-03-30T16:14:00.000-05:00

What Do You Do On A Slow Voice Over Afternoon?

2010-03-24T17:52:00.003-05:00

Besides taking off to play hooky (which isn't a bad idea once in awhile), you can check on all those voice over web sites you've been listed on forever and update your profile and demos! If you're like me, you may have received leads from some old sites based on old rates. Makes for a sticky situation when the potential client says "but your rates on the site were...." after you quote your normal current rate. Oh, yeah, right, well..... You either have an unhappy client who may go away or you're stuck working for less than you'd really like if they don't like your explanation, and you want to be a "good guy or gal".

Some of the sites don't make it particularly easy to update your profile and demos while others are relatively simple. It's usually just a matter of finding the time or remembering to take care of it when you have some quiet time. There are sites that I'm listed on that I really just forget about until I get the occasional request from a client. I just checked on one that showed clearly printed on my profile that the last time it was updated was 2003! Yikes!

So, along with promising myself that I'm going to set aside some time during at least one day a month to double check all the downloads in my financial software to make sure all the categories are correctly listed (making it easier at tax time), I think I need to schedule regular maintenance on the many listings I have on the internet....or delete some of them. It's not particularly fun to get caught unaware!

Remember to Ask Those Questions!

2010-03-04T00:36:00.003-06:00

Well, I have to say that I've done it again. In the heat of the moment with a busy day, a new client who was in a rush and on a budget, I agreed to "help" them out by providing an ultra quick turnaround of a short narration at a discounted rate no less! All was well, and I was aware of what I was doing. However, after providing a complete audio file - for which the client had paid via Paypal - and after having played the audio via phone for the client for confirmation......that evening I received an email telling me that the audio was too long to match the audio of their already completed video....and could I watch the video and sync my delivery to the original (client) delivery....

Ugh..well, yes, I can, but at the rate I quoted and was paid, it would have been nice to know up front that my audio had to match that timing. I should have known better, and I take responsibility for not asking that question. I knew there was a video and I knew they didn't like the audio that they had created, but due to the busy schedule that day, I didn't snap to press them on the issue of whether they could slide the audio and video to match or if it had to be absolutely timed. I mean I did discuss it to a degree, but I don't think the client even realized what they could or couldn't do. I've run into both situations in the past, and I guess, when it wasn't specified and requested by the client up front that I needed to match the exact timing of their original audio, I just didn't realize it was an issue. BUT, I should have asked and confirmed their situation before the initial recording.

So, being committed to making sure the client was well taken care of, early the next morning, I proceeded to make it work. When the client didn't seem to know whether they could even provide me with the timings of the audio, I plunged in to time them myself and match my read to theirs. To their credit, they did finally provide a script with timings, but by that time, I had already finished as I knew the client had a fast approaching deadline.

Bottom line, even if it's a very busy day and you're running in and out of the studio, it's best to try to remember to ask ALL the questions. Maybe a cheat sheet of questions to ask clients would be useful, especially on those frantic days. I asked all the OTHER questions, but forgot that very important one or at least didn't press it for a definite answer. Of course, on an already busy day, one could always just say no to the gig.....but I always try to find a way to make it work.

Generous To A Fault

2010-02-21T13:35:00.010-06:00

This is a bit of a sticky situation in which some working professional voice over talent may find themselves. Actually, I'm not sure how often this particular thing might happen, as it does seem to me to be a bit extreme, and may be an isolated type of incident, but something to think about nonetheless.

I'm reminded of the Bonnie Raitt song "Women Be Wise" (Don't Advertise Your Man) - originally performed by Sippie Wallace .

As working voice over talent, we want/need to promote our work by listing projects and clients in our resumes and elsewhere. Sometimes, people may ask us who we're working for as well. But I had an interesting and uncomfortable situation arise awhile back that took me aback and made me think about what kind of information we want to put out there.

I like to think of myself as an open and generous person both professionally and personally. So, that may be the only reason this particular incident even made an impression on me and has caused me to think and rethink my response.

I have answered a lot of questions both from beginning and experienced voice over performers, and I've written "How To" pages for my web site as well as publishing many blog posts aimed at helping voice talent. I've sent voice over work to other male and female voice talent when I've had the opportunity. Awhile back, however, a male voice talent who I've met online contacted me on behalf of a female voice talent friend of his. He wondered if I'd be so kind as to forward a note she had written to one of my major clients who uses my services almost exclusively. In the note, addressed to my client, she introduced herself as a voice talent who was interested in working for his company......What? I'd never actually made this business relationship a published fact. I had not promoted my work for this client via any resumes, articles, etc. So, I was, number 1, curious as to how this particular female voice talent would even put us together, and number 2, flabbergasted that she would ask me to put her in touch with my client!

I had an inkling as to the answer of number 1 after doing some research to find out who this unfamiliar female voice talent was in that there was only one connection that I could think of between the male voice talent, this woman, and I, and that particular person had asked me casually in the course of conversation who I was working for. Upon describing to her the situation that followed, she was mortified and apologetic for her role in passing on the information that instigated it.

After thinking more about the request, I responded to the male voice talent - who, I might add, I would have recommended to this client in a heartbeat and who had not asked for an introduction for himself - that I did not feel comfortable being put in this position and also did not feel comfortable forwarding on the female voice talent's message as I did not feel that it was appropriate on any count. Later, I responded directly to the female voice over performer , who I had never met either "virtually" or in person, that I respectfully declined to forward her message to my client for the same reasons. I never heard directly from her at all regarding the situation - initially or after my response - although the male talent said he understood. To be kind, I'll call it a gutsy move on her part to ask through a 3rd party that I simply pass on a message seeking work to my client. It would have been nice to have received an apology from her, but given her actions, I suppose she didn't feel one was called for.

Was I right or was I wrong? I feel that in this business as in life, it is good to be generous and helpful, but we also have to protect our business and look after our own interests as well.

Warning Signs that the Job's Just Not Worth It

2010-02-21T12:42:00.006-06:00

It's so hard for some of us not to pursue every avenue for work that is open to us, and for the most part, that's a good thing. But sometimes, even when potential clients contact us via phone or email after visiting our web site, and our first inclination is to cement the job, we might be better off to remain clear headed and just let the job slip away.

What types of things should alert us to the fact that the job may just not be worth the trouble or worse, might even leave us without proper pay or regretting accepting the job in the first place?

While most potential clients are completely honest and above board and are sincerely looking for a quality recording, there are some things that cause my hackles to go up after 6 years working via the internet.

I find that many of these relate to clients looking for telephone recordings, probably because they are most often least experienced in dealing with professional voice talent. Again, most are wonderful potential clients who appreciate what a professional brings to their business by projecting a totally professional image when customers contact them by phone.

Those clients who can be troublesome are those who are only looking at the bottom line and seem to balk at the rate you quote them for your services. While we can all appreciate budgetary needs, a modest but fair quote should not have to be defended.

So, although there are no doubt other things to watch for - and I'd be happy to hear from you with more - I'll just list a few things that may indicate it is better to let this job slide.

Client:

asks for quote and sounds defensive or stresses need for lower quote

suggests more work to follow if quote is "right"

requests additions of other company names in the script for no additional cost

balks at additional cost for music added to on hold messages

requests recording to be provided " to see what u can do on it" before sending complete script or completing payment process - keeping in mind this person came to you after presumably hearing your demo.

does not respond to explanation that you'd be happy to provide a brief sample to confirm style, etc., once full script is sent.

Note: I always seek that confirmation of style, tempo, quality, etc. prior to recording on my own, anyway. And although I do require payment before sending all complete audio files, I always stipulate that I'll correct any mistakes on my part at no extra charge.

While I've often found it beneficial for me and appreciated by my clients to follow up with them if there is a gap in time between the initial contact and ultimate booking, I've learned that sometimes, it's best to just let those slide that don't feel "comfortable" to begin with. There are too many wonderful clients out there who truly appreciate what we do!

Back to blogging

2010-01-22T17:36:00.003-06:00

Well, time has been marching on, and I haven't been keeping up with my blog. Too busy to blog is good, and I can't complain about the amount of voice over work. I will try to schedule in the time to write more in the coming months.

The new studio is still moving forward after a bit of a glitch before the holidays.....on to new contractors to do the finishing work. The major construction has all been done. I'm really so anxious to work in there, but I have to be patient. Meanwhile, new furniture for the space is piling up around my living room and garage as it arrives.

Also, a newly designed web site is on the way.... I'm being patient about that, too. For now, I have a slightly updated version from what I've used for years. The new one may be totally different . I'm going to be as surprised as anyone!

I also wanted to be sure to write today to pass on to you the 11 nominees for the World News with Diane Sawyer faux-dition which VoxMarketising is conducting. Check it out!

New Commercial Demo!

2009-10-13T17:54:00.006-05:00

I'm excited to announce that my new commercial demo is finished! It's been uploaded to my web site demo page or you can just listen here.

It was produced by voice coach extraordinaire Nancy Wolfson with Rick Santizo engineering at Santisound in LA. I recorded via ISDN from my studio patched to Rick's Source Connect via Dave Immer at Digifon. Ain't technology grand?

Everyone was great to work with. Nancy hand picked copy for me and directed as the culmination of working with me for several months guiding me as she learned my strengths and inherent style. She is absolutely fantastic to work with! Her brand of "tough love" as she calls it is that and more, and it gets results! Her thoughtful, experienced insight into what makes a commercial tick and how to ferret out all the nuances of all types of commercials is amazing. When you hear what she has put together, you are both in awe of her at how she "gets" it and dumbfounded as to how you could have missed it! It's a practical step by step to breaking down and analyzing the copy when you've just been leaving it to "feeling it organically" all these years - and missing more than you ever thought. Tough love aside, Nancy is warm and funny, and truly cares about her students reaching their highest potential. She's not afraid of tackling the daunting task of teaching an old dog new tricks!

New Voice Over Studio equipment

2009-08-30T13:15:00.008-05:00

Just thought I'd finally add a new post. It's been a very busy summer with lots of work, kids home from school, family visits & celebrations, vacation, etc. The new studio project is slowly moving forward due to all the other craziness - I'd hoped to have it done by now! The good news is that the extra time it's taking to secure just the right contractors, designers, etc. has given me extra time to think about exactly how I want things to be done. So, decisions have been made that should help speed up the process once work actually begins.

To top that off, I've already started acquiring some of the new office equipment that will be in the studio - large screen monitors, new computers, ergonomic keyboards, shelving, chairs, etc. So, this weekend, that is being set up in my current studio to at least make it more efficient and comfortable until the renovation is complete and new audio booth is built - and we get to move everything again!

A new commercial voice over demo is in the works, too! I'll be working with Nancy Wolfson on that in early September - very excited about that as well!

What ever happened to ad agencies paying for client demos?

2009-06-03T08:11:00.003-05:00

Gee, I'm sure someone has ranted on this before, but it just struck me again this morning as I viewed an audition that was sent my way via an online voice over site. The "voice seeker" specified, "If you have to place an audio watermark, please make it a small beep or noise, we can't show our client VO with another music bed underneath or wrong words. Thanks for your time! Good luck! "

Ok, we get tons of auditions like these, but obviously, the client intends to pitch his/her idea using at least one of the auditions he/she receives. We can protect ourselves by using a watermark to their specs to keep it from airing (hopefully), but sounds like it will still be used as a client "demo".

We used to get paid for client "demos". There are AFTRA and SAG rates in place for client demos and even non-union agents will charge a demo rate (I hope). I still do work for major agencies who pay demo rates for animatics, etc. But out here in cyberspace without an agent to follow up or in the case of non-union projects (which most of these are) without a union to enforce the rates, voice over talent are giving away free client demos on a daily basis. Sure, you can pass on the audition. Sure you can just give them a portion of the spot (which I often do instead of watermarking), but does that just cut you out of the running for the "real" spot right from the start? Probably.

It all boils down to our knowledge of and willingness to accept these types of auditions. I'm sure it's happened ever since talent agents created sound booths in their offices for auditions. What was delivered to the ad agency may not have been the most pristine audio, but it could service for a client demo - and I'm sure many have. The only way you know for sure is when the ad agency books studio time and your time specifically to record a demo. Otherwise, you, as a professional voice over talent, have to try to take care of yourself when sending out air quality audio auditions!

New Audio Studio in the Works!

2009-04-19T15:10:00.004-05:00

Having recently been inspired by Joe Cipriano's wonderful new studio , I'm on the road to a complete audio studio update, myself! This past winter, I was toying with the idea of getting a Whisper Room, but realized it would just be too cramped in my present studio. Joe's space reminded me so much of a space we have that was scheduled for a transformation anyway, that it became clear that it needed to become my new studio. The room has large picture windows and the plan is for a free standing custom built audio booth with at least one large window that will allow me to see outside so I can acutally see the sunshine while recording instead of spending hours in a black hole. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to be spending so much time recording voice overs, but having visual access to the outdoors during the process will be so good for my mental health!

There's a lot of work ahead of us on this project, but it is exciting and will hopefully be completed well before summer is over. I'll keep you posted!

Voice Talent Advice #9 - Editing Breaths

2009-02-28T14:26:00.010-06:00

As voice talent with our own home studios we engineer our own sessions; however, many of us do not consider ourselves to be true audio engineers. We have learned enough and purchased the right equipment to produce a high quality sounding recording, and some of us can even mix in a little music, but personally, I would not really call myself an engineer. I know my audio engineer friends would heartily agree with me.

There are, of course, voice talent out there who have as many years engineering as they do voicing. By that, I mean they have many years of both! What I'm about to share is not for them, but for those of us who have many more years voicing than engineering for ourselves. This seems so simple, but I hadn't really thought of it before. One thing that often bothers us in playback is that a breath may seem too loud or there is some other extraneous noise between words. Although some audio software (Pro Tools, I believe), does allow you to "soften" all the breaths in one fell swoop, others of us using different software have to manually deal with each offending instance.

There are a number of ways we try to do this. The breath can simply be cut, the area can be "silenced", the breath can be normalized to a much lower level, or you can record ambient sound and cut and paste it in place of the breath, noise, or gap between the words. Cutting works if there is enough space to allow for a normal pause between words, but if there is not enough space, the result will be a choppy, disjointed reading that will affect your normal timing. To highlight the offending area and replace it with silence can work, especially if music will be mixed with the voice eventually. However, if music is not going to be added, there might be a noticeable difference between the noise floor of your read and the space between the words. This will sound too abrupt - like a drop out - and draw attention to the fact that editing has been done. It could also possibly highlight the general noise floor of your recording - which, hopefully, isn't the case since you've learned to keep that noise floor low.

Lately, I've found what works best for me in the situation where I don't want to leave the breath at all or there is some other noise is to highlight that area and simply hit record. The space is automatically filled with the ambient noise floor of the entire recording. I'm sure some of you are having a "well duh" reaction, but I can honestly say this just occurred to me recently. It's so much simpler than cutting and pasting ambient sound into that space.

As I said, I'm sure many of you are way beyond this information, but I thought there might be a few other "non-engineers" out there who could benefit from my little "discovery". It's made a world of difference to me.

Bye Bye to TV Ads?

2008-11-14T13:54:00.002-06:00

Are TV ads no longer on retailers' lists? According to Ad Age that's true for some. Well, this is news to me, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Of course, anything that decreases opportunities for voice over talent and on camera talent is not good news. However, maybe more opportunities will appear for commercials that are run exclusively in movie theaters? As a consumer, I'm not sure I enjoy paying good money to go to the movies and then being bombarded by retail ads. (I know, it's a double edged sword, isn't it?)

This is an interesting slant. I have noticed ads in movie theaters for a long time now, but usually they're budget ads for local businesses. Now, national companies are advertising there, too. Hopefully, this will just be an additional area where voice talent and actors will find opportunities to work.

Voice Over Work - Feast or Famine

2008-10-30T16:35:00.005-05:00

In the voice over business, it's often feast or famine. You can be incredibly busy with everyone wanting their projects voiced at the same time and/or studio booking requests for same day, same time, different studios - even different cities! Then, during a lull....nada.

Is there a way to deal with this wild swing? As far as the double bookings or projects that all come in on top of each other, well, you've just got to do the best you can with scheduling. Promise everything, but make sure you can deliver everything - on time. That often means working long days in the studio, including weekends to make sure each client is taken care of with the same professionalism and quality of work. I've just come out of a stretch like this over the past several weeks. I worked both Saturday and Sunday two weekends in a row and every week day from early morning until late night to deliver multiple e-learning courses for multiple clients while still doing ISDN and phone patch sessions for new and established clients. But, as you may well know, in this business, you've got to take the work when it's offered because you never know when that lull will come. Given the economic news we've been getting over the past few weeks, that need has been driven home even harder.

How can you prepare for, avoid, or take advantage of the quieter times? Well, sometimes, it's nice just to take a deep breath and relax a little or catch up on your bookkeeping. Sometimes, it's a good time to schedule all those personal "maintenance" things like medical and dental checkups, hair appointments, even a pedicure! You can catch up on all that marketing that's been waiting for your attention. Mail out those CDs, postcards, or email the clients you haven't heard from in awhile. You can also make sure that you're listed with a variety of voice talent web sites and agents across the country. Invariably, I find when some are quiet, others are crazy busy! In short, use your time wisely every day whether you're booked solid or not, and don't put all of your eggs in one basket! (Wrong holiday, huh?) Well, you know what I mean. No moping, wringing hands, or complaining that your agent or voice talent web site isn't keeping you busy. In today's market, we have to find all the possible avenues of connecting with voice over jobs that we can. And when we think we've maxed out, dig for some more!

Voice Overs in the Dark - or at least without power

2008-09-26T08:07:00.003-05:00

Well, here I am again after another long absence. Hurricane Ike played a big part in this absence, though. Recently, Hurricane Ike ravaged Galveston and the Bolivar peninsula and on up into Houston and beyond. The little town of Bridge City, Tx, where my parents lived for almost 40 years, that had suffered a great deal of wind damage from Hurricane Rita in 2005 was flooded as never in it's history with the storm surge from Ike which reached up to the ceilings in many homes. There are many people who lost everything. The devastation is immense.

In Houston, many are still without power after 14 days. The beautiful pine and oak trees that fill Houston making it lush and green can also come crashing down damaging power lines and creating a huge job for power companies in removing the debris and repairing or replacing the lines and transformers.

Fortunately, we had a generator to run my studio and although I had no internet service, I was still able to work on a limited basis. My ISDN lines were not affected, so with generator power, I was able to participate in ISDN and phone patch sessions. I managed to find a friend whose power and internet service had been restored to carry my flash drive loaded with audio files to for uploading. I'd also download job and audition scripts to take back to my studio for recording, so some work did continue with determination and creativity.

I really appreciate the fact that our power was restored ahead of the projected schedule, and I feel for the folks who are still without. But my heart aches for those who have overwhelming damage to their homes and worse yet, for those who have lost loved ones.

A Great Voice Talent and More - Don LaFontaine

2008-09-04T08:20:00.003-05:00

The voice over world was rocked this week with the passing of Don LaFontaine. He was the larger than life voice of thousands of movie trailers, promos, commercials and more.

It's so interesting and fitting that this man has had such an affect on us all. Although I never met him and certainly never worked with him, his passing has truly moved me as it has so many others. I have found myself thinking of him and his family often over the past several weeks and certainly the past several days.

I think much of this feeling of closeness comes from our online community, comradery, and friendship. Never before in this business have so many of us been able to communicate on a daily basis with mentors, peers, and students. We truly feel a part of the big picture, the whole. We're not just voice over artists in one city, small town, or even out in the countryside working from home - a concept unfathomable in this business just a few years ago! Because of the internet, we've been able to join together in this and many other forums to share our knowledge, joys and sorrows. I'm amazed by it and truly grateful for it every day.

Because we all have such access to our peers as well as those we aspire to emulate, it seems that anything is possible. Our dreams are within reach.

Thank you to Don for his generosity of spirit and candor in sharing his knowledge, experience, and humor. We are grateful for his monolithic talent and soul.

May we all infuse every project we work on completely with our own talent, spirit, and humor in his honor and in ours.

Voice Over Coaching

2008-08-01T09:12:00.002-05:00

Ahhh, summer…… It’s been an incredibly busy one! Can’t believe it’s almost over, and soon it will be back to school for the kids. There are a few outings left and many things to accomplish before then. Sorry to say, I’ve been neglecting my blog, but I do intend to get back to it. Thank you to all of you who have been reading my “Voice Talent Advice” series, the "How To" pages on my web site, and taking the time to comment, thank me, and/or ask questions. If there are any topics you’d like to have me cover, please feel free to let me know!

Some of you have expressed an interest in voice over coaching. I’ve been tempted to start down that path as well, but just haven’t had time in my schedule to commit to that on any type of regular basis. I have been thinking about it, however. I think I’d prefer to start by offering coaching for voice talent via phone. “Teleclass” is a term that’s been used for group voice over training sessions via the phone. At this point, I think I would rather work one on one with students. This is all in the beginning stages…. I haven’t even come up with a rate, yet. I have been referring people to some of the people I know in the business who I know teach a good class. Rodney Saulsberry is a working professional voice over guy who does great classes!

If you would be interested in private coaching sessions via the phone with me, please feel free to comment here and /or email me at: Melanie@melaniehaynes.com

Voice Talent Advice - Overview for Beginners

2008-06-07T16:50:00.000-05:00

Numerous prospective professional voice talent have contacted me asking for advice on how to get into the business. They ask, “What do I need to do?” Wow, talk about your loaded question! And to seriously address it, requires a long winded answer!

I’ve been a working professional voice talent and actress for 25 years. I have taught classes and workshops on becoming a professional voice talent, although my schedule doesn’t often permit it. Since I’m hearing more and more often from aspiring voice over performers, I thought I’d try to cover some basic topics and offer suggestions and hints from my experience. Although voiceover for commercials, on hold messages, and narrations might seem to be an easy to learn process to some, there are many facets involved in actually becoming a working professional voice talent. And, there are continuous changes!

Years ago, a nice well modulated voice was a requirement – not so, today! Listen to TV commercials and radio commercials. Many producers are going for that “quirky”, “different”, or “real person” sound. So, today, I’d say, the more distinctive your voice is maybe the better. I say maybe because if you’ve got a distinctive voice and live in a major market like New York, L.A. or Chicago, you might find enough work for your “quirky” style to make a living. If you’re in a smaller market, there may not be enough call for an unusual sound to keep you going. If you have a pleasing, non-accented sound, you may be more viable for a broader range of productions. The more versatile you are, typically, the more work you will get. But whatever your voice “type”, there are basics that you need know and practice to become a professional voice talent.

Many voice over performers come to freelance work from radio or television programming or news. DJ’s often have a specific style that is required for radio programming. That style can work against them in the commercial or corporate marketplace. They have to work at getting back to a more “normal” way of speaking – a bit more relaxed with more natural inflections and pauses - more “conversational” if you will.

Often, people will want to become a professional voice talent because they have been told they have a nice voice or a good phone voice. That’s all well and good, and in addition to years of acting experience, that’s one of the things that guided me to looking into becoming a professional voice talent. I thought, yeah, that just might be something worth finding out about. Not having been a DJ or in television news, I had not experienced the broadcast arena. Little did I realize at the time, that becoming a professional voice talent would become my bread and butter! But, the most important thing to remember here is, having a nice voice is not all there is to becoming a successful professional voice talent, the number one thing is how you interpret the copy or in other words, your acting ability.

To learn more about becoming a professional voice talent please read my Voice Talent Advice blogs starting from #1.

Voice Talent Advice #8 - Voice Over Rates – What Should You Charge?

2008-06-02T23:55:00.003-05:00

I was recently asked what rates a beginner should charge for voice over services. This is a rather difficult question as there are many schools of thought. When working via the internet, you can find rates anywhere from $15 - $500, $1,000 and up. Some feel like it’s worth it to work cheap in order to at least bring something in and for the experience. Others feel like you’re selling yourself short or even that there must be something “wrong” if you don’t charge enough! On a personal note, I once bid what I thought was the going rate for a project inadvertently overlooking the rate the client had posted (sometimes they’re higher than normal rates!). I was contacted by the casting person later saying that although the client liked my audition, he was afraid that something must be wrong for me to bid lower than their posted rate! I must say, that was the first and only time I heard that, and generally, we worry that the jobs go to the lowest bidder. What I learned from that, of course, was to thoroughly read all of the information given about the job with particular attention to the rate posted by the client! Even if it’s higher than what would be the norm, you won’t find me bidding a cent lower!

Some of the mass voice talent websites have come up with rates based on surveys of talent listed on their sites. Other voice talents base their rates on AFTRA and SAG scale – or their minimum wages. And even so, if you are also working as the engineer, it’s difficult to list flat rates for work without knowing the length of the script, how long it will take to record and edit the audio, the area where the commercial will air, how long the spot will air, how many phone prompts there are, if music and/or sound effects will need to be added, etc. Your voice over rates have to encompass all aspects of the job.

I wouldn’t presume to tell a performer what to charge for his or her voice over services. The best I can advise is to study the rate ranges posted for jobs found via internet sites. Decide if those rates are enough to justify giving your time and talents. And always, ask to see the complete script, find out all of the details of usage and what editing is required by you before giving a firm bid. You also need to clarify how any pickups and/or client changes will be handled after your final recording has been delivered.

Voice Talent Advice #7 – Working Via the Internet From Your Own Home Studio

2008-05-25T18:50:00.000-05:00

So, you’d like as broad a marketplace as possible? The internet is obviously the place to be. But you need a web site, right? Not necessarily. Many of the larger voice over web sites you may list with will create a web page for you on their site as part of your listing fee. You can post demos, list experience, vocal quality, etc. and have a web page to direct potential clients to. Eventually, you will want your own web site, but…it’s ok to take one step at a time.

If you want to work via the web, you really need your own studio, though. If you have access to a studio free of charge or very cheap, you could go that route, but most internet work demands a speedy turnaround of auditions and often the finished job as well. Also, there’s not usually a lot of budget left for you to pay studio charges. With more and more professional equipment being made to work with home computers, you can set up quite a nice studio without a huge outlay of cash. You definitely want a good microphone with shock mounts, a preamp, processor, a good recording and editing program, and sound proofing.

When I was setting up my studio, I was fortunate enough to make contact with some very helpful people who were willing to share their advice. There are also books available with information on creating your home studio. You’ll find a listing of helpful professional voice talent how to books and books on creating and tweaking your home studio listed on my website.

Good Luck on Becoming a Voice Over Professional!

I hope I’ve given you something to think about and some useful information to help you on your journey.

Voice Talent Advice #6 - Voice Over Agents

2008-05-14T14:58:00.000-05:00

This is basically a reprise of a previous blog with a few additions. I felt it would be easier for those of you who are following my "Voice Talent Advice" segments to have it's title formated the same as the others, and as I mentioned there are a few additions.

A voice talent agent is often necessary for you to work in any given city. Ad agencies and casting directors look to talent agents to provide master demos, recommendations, and voice over auditions for specific projects. Where do you start? How do you find an agent? In addition to asking professional recording studios about local agents, get a list of the AFTRA and SAG franchised voice over talent agents in your area – they are the most reputable as they are bound by agreements to the performers unions. They can't require that you purchase classes or photos from them. They can make lists available to you with the names of photographers and teachers, but they may not provide the services themselves. They are certainly not allowed to require the voice talent or on camera talent that they represent to purchase services such as those in order to be represented. They do not charge you any fees for representation, although many agents do ask you to pay a portion of the expenses incurred for your inclusion on their master demos. Generally, they make money taking a commission on work they get for you.

The biggest agency in town is not necessarily the best place for a newcomer. If the agency handles a large number of working voice over talent, you may not get called for as many auditions. On the other hand, if you go with a smaller voice talent agency with a small voice talent pool, they may not get as many of the calls from the advertising agencies or casting directors. Experiences of other performers you talk to, common sense and your gut feeling will have to prevail. When you interview with an agent, you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you! Do your personalities mesh? Do they seem to be genuinely interested in you? How do they market the talent? Are they energetic and enthusiastic?

If you’re going to seek voice over work via the internet, you’ll probably want to list with several voice talent sites which in many ways act as an online voice talent agent. They generally don't negotiate for you or represent you in the traditional role of a real world agent, but they function as a virtual voice talent agent in that they provide a place to list you and your voice talent services. Of course, they are not franchised agents, but more like listing services, and most of them charge a yearly listing fee. Again, if you can check with other talent to see what their experience has been with listing on a particular site, it might be helpful. But keep in mind, that whether they’re getting work or not does not necessarily mean you will have the same experience. As with a regular voice talent agent, some of it comes down to trial and error. You have to test the water to see what and who works best for you. Some sites charge around $200 for a yearly listing including all the bells and whistles – your own web page with space to upload many demos, and some even allow video! There are other sites that charge far less – but may work out better for you! There are some sites that charge much, much more and may not get you any work at all! Know that these listings, like your real world voice over agent, help you get auditions and find work, but you still have to do as much marketing of yourself as possible. Many agents, like the web sites, basically just list you and your demos, but do not promote you specifically. They’re not out there on a daily basis representing just you to potential clients. They’re representing their “pool” of talent. However, a good agent will, of course, recommend you specifically for projects for which you are well suited. Still, you can’t just sit back and wait for that phone to ring!

Voice Talent Advice #5 - Voice Over Demo

2008-05-10T10:22:00.005-05:00

So, you’ve been practicing the breathing and warm up techniques. You’ve also been practicing reading aloud anything you can get your hands on, including advertising copy in magazines and newspapers or any radio or tv copy you can find. Is it time to make a demo? Only you can truly answer that question. Do you feel confident? Have you been taking classes or at least practicing reading to others?

When you feel you’re ready to try a voice over demo, find a reputable studio with an engineer who produces a lot of commercial and corporate work. This voice over demo will be your major selling tool and you want to get it right. You want it to be as professional as possible. If you want to rough out a voice over demo on your own recording equipment or on paper beforehand to take with you to the session, that’s fine. It might be helpful for both you and the engineer. But don’t do a first time, beginner, homemade voice over demo and start trying to get an agent with it. Some might listen, but they’re going to send you for a professional voice over demo before they start representing you for voice work. If you’re working on your own in the voice over studio without a coach to direct you, be sure you work with a very experienced engineer and someone with whom you have a good rapport. These guys, who have been engineering for many years, have heard it all and can give you valuable guidance, but, you don’t want to be completely intimidated by them either!

As a beginner, you may just want to make one generic voice over demo to start. Try including a variety of styles that you do well and use commercial and corporate narration scripts if you feel your voice would lend itself well to the corporate world. But the first voice over demo you should create is definitely a commercial voice over demo.

After you have some actual work under your belt and have acquired copies of actual spots you’ve done, you may want to create separate specialized voice over demos which will be edited from actual work. Keep the demo SHORT – 1 to 1 ½ minutes or less. Most directors and producers make a decision in the first few seconds – much as we’d all like to think they listen all the way through to hear all that we can do. That’s assuming, of course, that they even take the time to listen at all. Sorry, it’s a tough world. Unless they’re casting something at that very moment or you have been referred by someone they trust, your CD, cute as the label is, probably won’t get heard if you randomly drop it off or mail it. This is why your marketing efforts will be so important - more about that in another post. As for the snap judgments when agents, casting directors or producers do listen to voice over demos, try it yourself. Visit a voice talent web site and just cruise through the voice over demos. At first, you might listen to each demo all the way through. Then, you’ll find yourself, hearing the first few words, and feeling like you’ve got the essence of that particular voice and you’re ready to move on. Imagine you're in a time crunch and have to find the right voice fast! And imagine you have 20 - 200 demos to listen to! You can see why it's actually very unlikely that your whole demo will be listened to by a producer who is very busy. This is why you will want to put your best stuff first on the demo. By the way, listening to other professional voice talent demos is a great way to learn what you’re going for – and what you want to avoid.

Be sure to find out what the studio will charge for your voice over demo. Some studios offer a special rate to talent producing a voice over demo. Others will not. You will have to pay for studio time, editing, effects, music, and duplication. Studio time varies, but can run around $100 + per hour. Some studios offer “demo packages” where they help you select copy, direct you, and then edit the finished product. These are great if you make sure to find a good one and you’ve got the cash to spend. They’ll run you $1,000 and up! You will probably be recording in the studio for about 1 hour and then the editing process, with the addition of sound effects and music, may take another couple of hours or more. This is why you want to be as prepared as possible! If you find a good voice over coach, it would be helpful to have him or her attend the session to help direct you if you’re working at a local studio who doesn’t offer a demo package. You will need to budget some payment for the coach as well. One of the most excruciating things for a performer can be trying to create that perfect voice over demo. It’s hard to be objective and hard to know what to cut. An experienced “ear” can be a tremendous help.

You’ll want a CD or two of the finished demo at minimum. If you have an agent or are seeking an agent, you’ll need to either drop it by or send a copy to them. Most everyone uses CD’s exclusively these days - either that or an MP3 sent via the internet. Many agents and internet listing services request that you mail a CD as they are concerned about opening attachments. You’ll have to either have professional CD labels made or create your own with special software on your computer. But don’t just take a marker and write your name and number on the CD. You may not have the fanciest label, but it should be a professional looking, easy to read label. You can either have many copies of your CD voice over demo made by a studio or web sites that specialize in making copies of CDs or you can burn them yourself as needed from your master if you have the required computer skills and equipment. You probably don’t need a huge quantity of your voice over demo CDs on hand as you may find the need to “tweak” the voice over demo as soon as you actually do some work or to meet the requirements of your new agent.

Next time, more about voice over agents!

Response to Voice Over Advice Segments

2008-05-04T12:16:00.003-05:00

I just had to write today to thank the many voice over talent who have contacted me with their kind words about my blog and web site! It is so good to hear from you that the voice over advice I am offering is helpful to you, and so thoughtful and kind of you to take the time to email me to let me know. I do try to respond to everyone who emails, but I just had to mention it here,too, because it has touched me so.

I'm certainly not the ultimate authority on professional voice talent How To , but I'm happy to share the knowledge that I have acquired over the years as a professional voice over talent. We're all continuously learning more and more about our craft. With the additional technical elements in this day and age of the internet voice over talent and the voice over services we are asked to provide, there's even more to learn and master! I hope my future posts continue offering insights and advice that will prove to be of value to you.

Voice Talent Advice #4 - How To Read Copy

2008-04-16T14:33:00.005-05:00

Here is another installment in my Voice Over for the Beginner series. Sorry it's been awhile, but I plan to continue with these on a more regular basis now.

How to read Copy. First, read through silently or aloud quietly to get the gist of the spot and find any troublesome words. Look up the correct pronunciation if you’re not sure when practicing at home, or ASK the director if you’re in an actual voice over session. Never be afraid to ask questions especially if you’re voicing something highly technical. It’s better to get the correct pronunciation and mark your copy before the session starts, if possible, rather than stumble over technical or tricky pronunciations as you come to them. Take a few moments to look over the copy as soon as it's given to you, and ask questions before you even go into the booth. This is for any type of copy, but particularly voice over narration copy as it's often much longer than a commercial script for voice over. It is more likely to contain technical or industry specific terms as well.

It probably goes without saying, but to be a successful voice over performer, you have to be an excellent reader. You read in phrases, not single words. The smooth flow of the copy is important. You really have to be on “auto pilot”. I find that if I start thinking about a word I just said, I definitely start to stumble. By the way, it’s a good idea to practice just plowing ahead even if you stumble as it will at least give the engineer an idea of the timing of your reading for commercial copy in particular. They’ll stop you if they want to fix it right then.

For practice, try reading copy giving each sentence different inflections, emphasizing different words each time and with different attitudes. It will help to train your ear and your voice. As you practice, try the copy faster, slower, warmer, put a smile on your face, pretend you’re sharing a secret with a friend, etc. Read it to someone, record it on any type of recording device you might have around. Play it back. Be honest about how it sounds. Try it again – and again.

Once you feel you have a good feel for the copy – try another script. Work with several varied types of scripts each requiring a different vocal quality or attitude. This practice can go on over a period of days, weeks, or months. As a professional, I find I’m constantly learning new things - new ways of interpreting, new ways to use my voice, and certainly, new technical skills!

Voice Over News - Back in the Country

2008-03-30T16:36:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm back in the US and hit the ground running last Monday. Sorry the blog has been neglected the past few weeks, but I enjoyed my tour of England and Scotland tremendously!

I didn't think much about the voice over business on the trip except to enjoy all the different accents and colloquialisms and to vow NEVER to attempt any type of British accent for any British clients! There are so many different variations even within the city of London itself, it's hard to imagine where one would begin unless directed to a specific part of London, or other specific dialect. Really fun to hear and learn about, though! That being said, there are some very good English actors who are doing very convincing American dialects on some of my favorite television shows right now.

I'll be getting back to my "How To" blogs for voice over beginners soon. Just trying to catch up with my clients and business this past week. It's often so hard for us to take the time away when we're self employed as voice over talent, but getting totally away is so very, very enjoyable and beneficial to our lives in so many other ways!

Voice Talent Advice #3 - Voice Over Warm Up

2008-03-02T12:36:00.003-06:00

Hi there. I thought it was time to add another installment to my series on Voice Over Advice. Last time, I talked about breathing - something seemingly so simple but so important to our voice over work! I hope you've been practicing the techniques of deep breathing from the diaphragm to support your voice and all you do with it.

Today, let's talk about articulation. Even in this time of "real" people and "conversational" delivery in voice over, you have to be able to articulate to be understood. It seems that especially in these kinds of delivery you have to have the articulators warmed up and ready to work in order to give that relaxed delivery and yet, be clear. So, take that deep breath and begin some articulation exercises before you begin reading that copy. Really, you can do any tongue twisters or vocal exercises that use all the muscles of your face, tongue, lips, etc. Rodney Saulsberry has a whole list of clever tongue twisters that he has created. You can also use the old standbys: She Sells Sea Shells..., Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers..., Peter Piper Picked a Peck... etc. Humming to get the sound up in your "mask" and buzzing your lips to get things moving help as well.

I picked up a series of sounds for warm up in college that I don't know who to give credit to. They sound funny, but they do help to get the articulators ready to work. You can find them in the How To section of my website under Preparing for Voice Over.

So, don't skip the warm up. Do it at home before you record an audition or a job. You can do them in the car on the way to a voice over session at another audio studio. But just do them. You'll be glad you did!

Voice Over Websites - What would you change?

2008-02-27T08:32:00.005-06:00

Recently, I've received email from voice over talent regarding their performance on the largest voice over talent websites. The voice talent have been both experienced and unexperienced. In answering their concerns and questions I began thinking about the features that would make the ideal voice over website. I'm just talking about the mass listing websites for voice over talent rather than an individual's website for now. Those of us listed on one or more of these sites probably have a list of pros and cons, and I've just been musing about what would make a site really work for the professional voice talent out there. I've had many voice over friends who have tried some of these sites and finally given up because they don't get any work. Keep in mind, these are top notch working professionals! Are the websites running off the pros by trying to even the playing field too much in favor of the beginners? Are beginners lost in the shuffle because they can't compete with the pros?

Who is actually getting the jobs posted on these voice talent websites? Would it be helpful for the sites to post the winning audition, remarks/proposal, and bid? Now, THAT would be interesting! Maybe they could do that without actually listing the talent's name if that is a concern. It would just be really interesting and useful to see how the winning audition, remarks/proposal, and bid compared with what you sent, wouldn't it? You could listen to the winning audition and hear if you just really weren't right for the job - by the way, a great reason for these sites to require the clients to get really specific about what they're looking for rather than just "female middle age" or worse yet, "both" and not even an age range let alone any real description of voice tone and style! You could compare the technical quality of your audition to see if you're up to par, too. You could see the kinds of things written in the remarks or proposal sections of the audition response to see if it really makes any difference what you say. And the bid? Need I say more? Is the lowest bid getting the job? Are people bidding under the bid range the client is posting? Are you overbidding or are you underbidding! No kidding, that can sometimes be a factor!

Wouldn't it be interesting if the mass listing websites for voice talent would actually give this useful information? If listing the talent's name would be a problem, then leave that out. Or the talent listed on the site could agree to allow their winning audition, proposal, and/or bid to be posted. The audition is already won, and it could give some recognition to the winner! There are actually some sites who do this.

Let me know what you think.

Melanie

Voice Talent Advice #2 - Breathing for Voice Over

2008-02-22T15:57:00.005-06:00

Before we discuss how to read copy or a script, you need to learn how to get your voice and articulators warmed up. First, breathe! Practice breathing from your diaphragm - that spot between your chest and abdomen just above your waist. To check yourself, you can lie on your back on the floor, and place the palm of your hand on your middle. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Your chest should not raise, nor should your shoulders tense, but your midsection should expand pushing your hand up. If you have a voice over buddy, you can stand and have her or him stand facing you and place their hands around your sides just above your waist. When you breathe in, expanding your diaphragm, their hands will be pushed apart– your shoulders should not move and your chest shouldn’t move much either. When you blow the air out, their hands will come closer together. Now, you’ve got the idea.

When you’re working as voice talent – all your breath should come from here. The diaphragm is what supports you. In my old cheer leading days, I could cheer all night and not have any problems with my voice the next day because I was not yelling from the throat, but pushing the air from the diaphragm. Now, as a mom in the stands, I have to be careful because I get too caught up in the action and just scream! If you don't support from the diaphragm, you’re going to pinch and squeeze your vocal chords and you will sound pinched and squeezed – and you’ll run out of air and be gasping through the spot.

Practice taking in deep breaths and then releasing them slowly while voicing “Ah” until you run out of air. When you’re actually voicing a script you will need to take short, but deep breaths to keep the copy moving while keeping the sound supported. Warm up by doing this deep breathing exercise, and as a bonus, it's a great relaxation exercise, too!

Next time, I'll talk about articulation exercises.

Voice Talent Advice #1 For the Beginner

2008-02-16T16:43:00.007-06:00

This is a voice talent "how to" for those of you out there who are interested in becoming a professional voice over performer. I frequently get emails or calls from prospective professional voice over performers. Some of them have had a little training or experience and others are only thinking about it. Occasionally, even someone who is working and has representation will contact me about certain areas of the business.

Since there is so much to cover and there are so many different aspects of this business of voice over, I'll just try covering one or two things in each post under this heading.

Today, I'm addressing the beginner. I've tried to gather my thoughts in order to address some of the basics of the voice over business, and to at least help point people in the right direction. I haven't written a book (yet), and I haven't had much time to teach classes or workshops although I have taught a few. I've just been a working professional voice over performer and actress for the past 25 years. Although I've read a few books and taken a few classes, most of my advice comes from years of recording in the studios and working and talking with many audio engineers, producers, directors and other voice over talent. This is an organic process.

What has brought you to the voice over business? Some of you have been told you have a nice voice or you sound great on the phone. Wonderful! That, in addition to years of acting experience, is part of what got me moving into the voice over arena, and it's turned out to be my bread and butter. However, having a nice voice (or these days a quirky or interesting voice) is definitely not all there is to becoming a successful professional voice over talent. The number one thing in voice over is the way you interpret the copy or in other words, your acting ability.

Your understanding of what is important in the script, what needs to be emphasized, finessed, or romanced and your ability to bring that to life will propel you toward your goal. So read every piece of advertising you can get your hands on whether it's actual commercial or narration copy or advertising out of a magazine or newspaper. Read it out loud, make it interesting, give it meaning. Read it with different attitudes: excited, happy, seductively, or even flat and bored - but not boring! Listen to commercials on TV (don't fast forward through them!) and radio. Hear what other people are doing out there. Pick and choose what you think works best and might work for you, too.

Next time, I'll discuss your instrument - your voice and how to work with it properly.

Until then - read on!

New Voice Over Booking Check List

2008-02-08T00:12:00.001-06:00

Seems I needed a reminder to check my own checklist when it comes to new voice over bookings - even for returning clients! Just wasted some time yesterday searching for music samples for a client to go with a brief voice sample of his new script. I'd worked with him before and assumed (I know, I know) that he'd want to go in the same direction as previously, and in my defense, he hadn't mentioned otherwise. So, back to basics. I will try to always use my list of questions regarding type of recording and voice over style! Some lessons we just have to learn over and over, don't we? It may have something to do with too much multitasking, too...

You know, the more I think of it, it seems that email, although very convenient, can exacerbate the problem of getting a clear communication. In theory, having it in writing would seem to give you a more concrete idea of what your client is after, but many people write such cryptic emails that it's awfully hard to read between the lines. Also, there's often such urgency, that we sometimes tend to jump off the starting line before all the details are in place.

Clarifying whether the narration is for a web site, sales meeting, DVD, in house, etc. and whether the client wants the voice over talent to read more seriously, upbeat, commercially, or dramatically is, obviously, very important even when you THINK you know what they're going for! Asking the client to listen to your voice over demos again and pick the cut that is closest to what they're envisioning is also extremely helpful - as long as you remember to do it! There are some clients who know exactly what they want and can describe it to you in great detail - bless them! (for the most part) There are others who don't know what they want until they've heard you try everything else, and still others who know what they want, but just neglect to share it with you - leaving you to use your mind reading skills! We have to keep our wits about us and keep investigating until we unearth that magic word or sample or link that gives us both that ah ha moment. Then, it's bliss! So, in addition to the titles of voice talent, engineer, booking agent, marketing manager, file clerk, and bookkeeper we need to add detective!

Voice Over News

2008-02-03T16:50:00.001-06:00

Wow! Things have really been popping lately! So much has been happening that I haven't had time to blog. If I can't find time to chat......well you know things are busy in the voice over business. Seems like most of the voice talent and voice over producers I've been talking to lately are experiencing the same thing - both female voice talent and male voice talent. Good news for all of us! Hope you've been busy, too!

Along with ISDN commercial voice over sessions, there have been more web narrations and long form e-learning narrations with some on camera work tossed in, as well. I've been traveling to other studios more than usual for narration and commercial work, too. While I certainly enjoy working from my own voice over studio, it is such a treat to just be the voice talent and leave the engineering and editing to someone else!

I'm still continuing on my quest for getting new voice over promotional materials designed. It's taking longer than I anticipated, but it will all work out well in the end and I had to get the new design "just right". We agonize over this stuff, don't we? I've also learned a few new helpful tips for EQing finished voice files from a generous engineer/producer. Still tweaking and getting used to the new Sennheiser MKH 416 mic, which is so sensitive that it required some tweaking of my mic preamp and mixer settings along with increased soundproofing and isolation. It's all been well worth the trouble, though, and the new mic is sounding great both via ISDN with no processing, and when I'm recording, engineering and editing my own voice over files. It's a constant learning process, isn't it?

Oh, still working on that new promo demo, too. Just had to put it on hold over the past few weeks. I hope to get into the studio to work with a super producer on that within the next week or so. By then, I should have the new CD labels and postcards, so perfect timing after all!

Professional Voice Talent Behavior

2008-01-13T11:00:00.001-06:00

This is a note about professionalism. As a professional female voice talent for many years who strives to conduct my business in the most professional way possible, I'm always surprised to hear about talent who miss the mark in their professionalism. I worked with a producer the other day who shared a tidbit with me about his experience with an online agent/professional voice talent web site. He was pretty steamed because after he had selected a gen Y talent and actually booked the session, he was then informed that the voice over talent was not available. So, he made a second selection and the same thing happened again. When he questioned the agency as to why they didn't know their talent was unavailable, their excuse was that "well, you know, he's only 20 and didn't let us know......" It made the online agent look pretty incompetent because they didn't know their talent was unavailable (twice!) And I'm sure they turned around and got on the cases of both voice over talents who were unavailable without bothering to let the agent know of their status!

We can all make mistakes and slip up from time to time, but it's so important to stop and think of each and every agent online or in person who represents you and have the business courtesy to let them know when you unavailable. When your agent doesn't know, not only does it make them look bad, but your future bookings may suffer as well. That producer will probably not ask for the voice over services of those two unavailable talents again, and he may not even work with that agent in the future! So, everyone is burned. Professionalism often equates to common courtesy - something that is often lacking in many business situations today. Customer service, knowledgeable response, or even just a response of some type is appreciated on both producers' and professional voice overs' sides of the fence!

On that note, how many times have you emailed an audition or even a voice file for a job to a producer and not received a confirmation that the producer received it? As a professional voice talent, I usually send another email double checking to make sure the file was received - especially in the case of a job. With the way things can get lost in cyberspace, I don't take for granted that I'll receive a bounce back message or an email looking for the spot. Follow up and customer service are as important as being there and being available for the job in the first place!

Happy New Year! Voice Over Goals for 2008

2008-01-08T16:44:00.001-06:00

Well, here we are at the beginning of a brand new year. No resolutions, here. Been there, done that! Or didn't do that as the case may be.... But, it is a great time to take stock of where we are and what we want to accomplish in voice over this year.

Upgrading equipment is always a good goal. I got an early start this year with the new Sennheiser mic. I intended to get it sometime this year, but Santa surprised me with it! (I must have been a very good girl.) Anyway, I'm enjoying using it for voice over sessions and getting used to it's idiosyncrasies. It is very directional and very sensitive. It is also very precise, clean, clear, and crisp - and very lightweight! Had to make some modifications to my microphone arm to get it to hold the Sennheiser in position. I like working with the spring loaded microphone arms to easily adjust the mic and move it out of my way when I need to.

Another of my goals is to continue connecting with voice over agents in other parts of the country. I have added some new agents, and I will continue that endeavor throughout the year. I'll also be doing some very large mailings very soon to voice over casting directors and ad agencies. I'm just waiting on some new graphics for updated postcards and CD labels. The time it's taking for the tweaking is making me a little crazy now that the holiday madness is over, but we'll get there eventually. I'm really getting excited about all the updates, new voice over contacts, and the bigger, better voice over jobs they will bring! Cheers to all of us!

Professional Microphone for Voice Over

2007-12-26T18:48:00.001-06:00

Just had to say that Santa was very good to me! He brought me a beautiful new Sennheiser MKH416 - P48 3U microphone! It's the state of the art microphone for film and national tv voice over. I'm anxious to work with it in my voice over studio on my next project. It's all hooked up and ready to go! I know everyone has their favorite microphone and it may or may not be this one, but since it is the industry standard I have been anxious to add it to my studio. So far, I think it sounds great!

If you have any opinions, advice or observations about this mic, please let me know.

Voice Over Classes - How to Choose

2007-12-17T17:48:00.001-06:00

Should you take voice over classes? If you are a beginner, absolutely! Who should you take those classes from? The possibilities have certainly been expanded via the internet! Whoever you choose, make sure it's someone who has a great deal of working experience. As with any type of class, there may be those who want to teach, and could possibly do a relatively good job, but they don't have the actual working experience to back it up. Someone who has done voice over work for years or who has directed or cast voice talent will have more to offer than someone who has not. A full voice talent resume is certainly a plus! So much of acting and voice over performance is organic, and the more sessions you have actually worked, the more knowledge, tips, tricks of the trade, and professionalism you acquire. Does that make everyone who works a lot a great teacher? Of course not. Check resumes, but check around, too. Ask other voice talent if they have studied with a particular teacher and if they would recommend that teacher. Don't forget to check with local agents, too. They often know a great deal more about a particular voice talent or teacher than anyone else.

What if you're a seasoned pro? Do you need classes? Well, if you find the right teacher , it definitely couldn't hurt! Even though you may have been working for many years, there may be certain categories of voice over that you never seem to book, you feel you need help being more comfortable with different types of reads, you need to get out of a voice over rut - doing what you've done for years without challenging yourself - etc. I recently took 2 courses from Rodney Saulsberry: Promo and Trailers Teleclass and Commercial Intensive voice over teleclass. I can't tell you how long it's been since I took a voice over class! Since I stay very busy and often can't attend classes that I must travel to, these were so convenient because they were handled over the phone one evening a week. And Rodney is a generous, knowledgeable teacher who holds nothing back. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, validated my abilities and learned some new things along the way. I'll be implementing new ideas and leads and breaking new ground in 2008!

Matching Voice Over Revisions

2007-12-12T08:17:00.001-06:00

We've all had to go back days, weeks, or months later to make revisions to previous voice over work to accommodate client changes or tweaks. What does it take to make those revisions blend seamlessly with the previous read style and recording quality? Well, technically, it's best to be in the same studio with the same mic at the same settings. For those of us doing it from our home voice over studio, those settings are important, too. Wondering if there are any voice over artists with their own studios out there who actually keep good notes as to these settings on each recording job? That would probably be ideal. However, many of us probably work with the same basic settings most of the time. Then, it becomes a matter of proximity to the mic, levels, and ultimately vocal style. A good ear is definitely a requirement!

I find that I usually try to edit in only the amount of voice over that is absolutely necessary to make the change needed. First, I listen carefully to the previous read as many times as necessary to get the style, tempo, and voice. By voice, I mean whether it's full voice, softer, stronger, higher, lower, etc. The attitude of the voice over delivery is very important and would refer to the style as well. Then, I read a portion of the script that includes the changes several times to recreate the same style, pitch, tempo, etc. When I get one that I feel is closest, I'll edit the change into the original using only as much as I need to blend for sound and style and make a clean edit - after a pause, breath, or at a plosive works best. T's, D's, B's, P's generally edit well providing you're matching all the voice over details mentioned previously. After making the edit, I listen carefully through my headphones and then through the monitors in the room as well, and when I'm satisfied that the match is seamless, it's done.

A note about revisions to files to which you have edited music for your clients. Always, remember to save a dry master of the original voice over. Note the title of the music you used as well or even save a copy of the music in the file folder for this client and project for easy reference. Then, if revisions are necessary, you can edit the new voice over to the original dry read and mix again with the music. Keeping well labeled, easily accessible audio files makes life so much easier. If only I could keep up with my paper filing as meticulously as I try to keep my audio files!

For those of us who work in other studios and via ISDN, the process of matching a previous voice over read is the same but without the worry of the technical side of things. Although we have an engineer who is working on the technical aspects of the actual recording of the voice over match from his end, we still have the responsibility of using our highly trained ear, acting ability, and professionalism in matching our previous voice over read as closely as possible. It's always so gratifying to hear an audio engineer say, "you're matching your previous read perfectly and making my job so much easier!".

As Voice Talent - Do you need an agent?

2007-12-10T22:13:00.001-06:00

A voice talent agent is often necessary for you to work in any given city. Ad agencies and casting directors look to talent agents to provide master demos, recommendations, and voice over auditions for specific projects. Where do you start? Talk to several AFTRA and SAG franchised voice over talent agents – they are the most reputable as they are bound by agreements to the performers unions. They can't require that you purchase classes or photos from them. They can make lists available to you with the names of photographers and teachers, but they may not provide the services themselves. They are certainly not allowed to require the voice talent or on camera talent that they represent to purchase services such as those in order to be represented. They do not charge you any fees for representation, although many agents do ask you to pay a portion of the expenses incurred for your inclusion on their master demos.

The Biggest agency in town is not necessarily the best place for a newcomer. If the agency handles a large number of working voice talent, you may not get called for as many auditions. On the other hand, if you go with a smaller voice talent agency with a small voice talent pool, they may not get as many of the calls from the advertising agencies or casting directors. Experiences of other performers you talk to, common sense and your gut feeling will have to prevail. When you interview with an agent, you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you!

If you’re going to seek voice over work via the internet, you’ll probably want to list with several voice talent sites which in many ways act as an online voice talent agent. They generally don't negotiate for you or represent you in the traditional role of a real world agent, but they function as a virtual voice talent agent in that they provide a place to list you and your voice talent services. Of course, they are not franchised agents, more like listing services, and most of them charge a yearly listing fee. Again, if you can check with other talent to see what their experience has been with listing on a particular site, it might be helpful. But keep in mind, that whether they’re getting work or not does not necessarily mean you will have the same experience. As with a regular voice talent agent, some of it comes down to trial and error. You have to test the water to see what and who works best for you. Some sites charge around $200 for a yearly listing including all the bells and whistles – your own web page with space to upload many demos, and some even allow video! There are other sites that charge far less – but may work out better for you! There are some sites that charge much, much more and may not get you any work at all! Know that these listings, like your real world voice over agent, help you get auditions and find work, but you still have to do as much marketing of yourself as possible. Many agents, like the web sites, basically just list you and your demos, but do not promote you specifically. They’re not out there on a daily basis representing just you to potential clients. They’re representing their “pool” of talent. However, a good agent will, of course, recommend you specifically for projects for which you are well suited. Still, you can’t just sit back and wait for that phone to ring!

Voice Over Today

2007-12-05T20:22:00.001-06:00

Things used to be simple in the voice over business. You had an agent in the city in which you lived, you got a call, you showed up at the studio, voiced the commercial or narration, and you went on your way. Your agent sent the invoice and followed up on the payment and finally, sent you a check. Of course, you probably did some marketing to ad agencies in your city. Maybe you even sent out a few demos. Maybe you did a lot of work, maybe you didn't.

Today, to stay competitive, a voice over artist needs have a presence on the web, which often means you are your own negotiator, engineer, web designer, bookkeeper, and promoter in addition to being voice talent. You need discipline to stay on top of all the management duties you have. You need to continue to learn and grow in the technical aspects of recording and editing in addition to keeping current with voice over trends - and run an organized business. You need to stay focused on a daily basis in order to stay in top form. What do you do if you aren't booked with wall to wall sessions for the day? Play hooky? Or do you dig into that filing that's been backing up? How about touching base with clients you haven't heard from in awhile? Take care of those pesky "housekeeping" chores in your studio/office that always get put on the back burner - make those calls, take care of business so that you can put that mound of papers into the next mound - the to be filed stack? Ah, yes. It's a glamorous business we're in!

Real Person vs Announcer Voice Talent

2007-12-03T09:03:00.001-06:00

Today, it seems the most popular voice over style requested is the "Real Person" read. To those of us who have been working as professional voice talent for many years, this presents some interesting challenges and opportunities. If we want to keep working and continuing to improve and expand our business, we have to keep up with the current trends in the marketplace. Although, our professional announcing abilities and golden tones are what propelled our careers in the beginning, we may find that we really have to work to give up the very things that used to make our style desirable! Of course, we don't want to totally lose those abilities, either, because they are still called for on occasion. We want to provide the best and most versatile voice over services possible.

The dilemma for me comes when receiving an audition that doesn't specifically state whether the client is looking for a "real person" read or more of a traditional straight announcer read. Which way do I go? Fortunately, I have the ability to do both, but therein lies the problem - which to choose? You might say, do one reading of each. Good advice, however, some auditions state that we may only give ONE reading. Without proper direction given, as is so often the case, the client may be cutting him or herself off from receiving some of the best auditions possible from some of the most experienced talent. The copy itself may sometimes give us the clues, but in my experience, that may not always be the case.

Will the "real person" read continue to be the most sought after in the advertising marketplace or will the pendulum swing back to requiring some sort of well modulated, pleasing, professional sound?

Welcome to Melanie's Voice Over Studio

2007-12-01T14:28:00.001-06:00

Welcome to my new voice over blog! This is a new area for me, but I look forward to sharing voice over information and experiences with you. I look forward to hearing from you, too! First, a bit about my background. I've been a working professional voice over performer and actress for 25 years. I live in Texas and up until about 5 years ago, that's where I did most of my work. I've been fortunate to have been able to keep busy in this market all these years.

I created my own digital home studio about 5 years ago. It was the best move of my voice over career! It has put me in touch with so many more potential clients and other fine voice over artists as well. These days, I stay busy with recording and uploading files daily. I also have ISDN and have begun doing more "live" sessions, too. It is a constant learning curve and I've continued to update my studio and marketing materials continuously. Since I can edit my own demos, I'm constantly tweaking my demos for different prospective clients and agents and adding new material as soon as I have a copy of the finished product. Although I still love working in other professional audio studios in my area, having my own studio has opened up so many more avenues of employment for me!