Lazy Voiceover or Just More Efficient?

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

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?

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!

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!

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

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!

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....