A Check List For Traveling Voice Actors
Like many voice over folks, I have my “traveling voice-over rig.” Besides the Sennheiser 416, MicPort Pro, cables, collapsible booth and all, I have the Source Connect software on the laptop.
Source Connect allows you to connect to another studio that also has the software or to a bridging service that facilitates a hookup to an ISDN equipped studio, all via the Internet tubes.
But here’s the problem. The Internet speed needs to be fast and steady. Firewalls can be an issue. All of which is pretty easy to deal with at home, but when traveling, one is often at the mercy of whatever flavor of Internet connection provided by the hotel, (or the WiFi at Aunt Molly’s.)
George Whittam of El Dorado Recording has a great blog post that provides a check list for the traveling voice actor who uses Source Connect. George provides bridging services between SC and ISDN and knows first hand the problems you can run in to.
Thanks George, for some really useful information.
September 1, 2010
Posted in: ISDN, Studio Gear, Techniques 
No Comments
It’s Gonna Be Goofy
Kevin Delaney emails to say he’s got another video chat lined up for this Sunday night. The featured guest will be legendary voice actor Bill Farmer, the voice of the Disney character Goofy.
You’ll get more details here.
That is all.
August 20, 2010
Posted in: General, Video 2 Comments
A Voiceover Retreat for Men in Las Vegas
We received an email from Stacy Stahl this morning announcing (pun intended) a voice over men only retreat in Las Vegas taught by Marice Tobias. It is set for September 25-26th. Testosterone levels will be off the charts.
Marice is one of the finest voice over coaches in the business today. She has helped my work tremendously. Find details here about the retreat and what to expect.
In this case, what goes on in Las Vegas shouldn’t stay in Vegas. Take it home in your head and in your heart.
August 10, 2010
Posted in: Coaching, Training, Workshops No Comments
Learning Opportunity for Voice Actors
Kevin Delaney is having another video chat tonight, this time with two of the industry’s leading character voice actors, Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal. The pair have also written a book about voice acting and you can score a chapter free by signing up for the chat.
Kevin has details here.
August 8, 2010
Posted in: Uncategorized 2 Comments
A Video Interview About Voice-Over Worth Checking Out
Voice actors Kevin Delaney and Hope Levy have a lively discussion about different types of work available to the voice actor, some we don’t think about very often. You may know Kevin as the Voiceover Ninja and Hope is a busy actress/singer/Mom who is also the brains behind the Voice Actors Network. If you are just starting out, there is some good information in this fun interview.
(Edited to change Kevin’s link and add Hope’s home page link)
July 28, 2010
Posted in: Uncategorized 2 Comments
Better Times Ahead for the Commercial Voice Actor?
A couple of the leading on-line radio trade magazines are quoting a report from SNL Kagan that predicts “bounce-back” growth in ad revenues for the U.S. broadcast industry this year. This can only be good news for the voice actor who’s genre of work includes commercials and promos. From All Access:
SNL KAGAN has some good news for the broadcast industry — in the form of higher ad growth. After years of double-digit declines, the media researcher says radio advertising will rise 6.4% to $17.1 billion this year. This boost follows a drop of 17.7% to $16.0 billion in 2009. Ad revenue from online is expected to add to that total.
And the news just keeps getting better, with SNL KAGAN predicting a future 15% rise to $552 million for radio, and $19.8 billion in advertising within six years.
TV stations were expected to climb 14.3% in 2010 to $19.8 billion — rising from $17.3 billion in 2009.
“The bounce-back in ad revenues, combined with other positive trends, such as growing digital dollars, have reassured investors who have bid radio station stocks up 36% and TV station stocks up 26% year-to-date,” stated Sr. Analyst ROBIN FLYNN.
SNL KAGAN is hosting the 27th Annual TV and Radio Finance Summit JUNE 16th at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in NEW YORK.
My own carefully thought out analysis of the report: “Whoo Hoo!”
June 15, 2010
Posted in: Advertising, General No Comments
Voice Acting and Script Context
The last time I worked on an animation project the director stood just a few feet away from me in the booth. Unusual, I thought. But as we moved from scene to scene he continually filled me in on the setting and the back-story, making sure I understood the context of the lines I was recording.
I had watched him do this with the actor scheduled before me. It occurred to me that he was in the booth to give instant organic feed-back to the acting and to paint the context as vividly as possible without the barrier of glass, microphones and talk-backs.
I also realized that this was a project where the director really did have the big picture, the vision, the entire script knocking around in his brain. He knew where each story line led and how to get the actors on the path so when the pieces , recorded lines, were stitched together in editing the result would be good story-telling.
Sure, it’s always better if you can have the entire cast in the studio at the same time. But very often, for lots of reasons, you just can’t. And if you have to bring the voices in one at a time, this was the way to do it.
There is a great article on Rock, Paper, Shotgun that addresses this issue (and others) as it relates to voice directing and acting for video games. Hat tip to fellow voice talkers David Houston and Bob Souer for the link.
May 25, 2010
Posted in: Auditions, General, Techniques No Comments
How Do Voice Actors Use the InterWeb Tubes?
Peter O’Connell emails to point out an article John Florian has penned on Voice Over Xtra regarding the results of a survey on how voice actors make use of the Internet. The big reveal will occur during a panel discussion at VOICE 2010, a conference taking place June 2-5 in Los Angeles.
I’m guessing the discussion will primarily be about marketing. Everyday use of the Internet by the voice actor as a conduit for receiving scripts, delivering session files whether email or FTP, and auditioning should be a routine part of your day and hold no mystery unless you are a beginner with a capital “B.”
Peter will also be a part of the panel and you can read his post regarding the survey here.
May 13, 2010
Posted in: General, Training, Workshops No Comments
Ancient of Days Directs
Dianne and I were touring the Kennedy Space Center a couple weekends ago and these two stepped in front of us.
It got me to thinking that twins are God’s way of saying “We have the one we need but let’s get one more for safety.”
May 6, 2010
Posted in: General, Techniques No Comments
Darth Vader Voices Your Tom Tom
Driving around with my GPS, I ignore the voice commands often, triggering the “re-calculating” comment from the female voice so many times I half expect her to reach out of the device and give me a good smack upside the head. I wonder if I would ignore Darth Vader’s commands so flippantly. You can get his voice and other Star Wars characters on your Tom Tom GPS and Adage Magazine gives us a tongue-in-cheek look at one of the voice-over sessions. And it sure sounds like James Earl Jones to me. What do you think?
May 4, 2010
Posted in: Advertising, General, Video No Comments
