ideas Archives - Page 2 of 2

I’ve been away a while. Apologies, apologies and more apologies. But I’ve been VERY busy, which is what I like. And I’ll be glad to share the progress in posts yet to come. Still with me? Bless you!

Believe it or not only a certain amount of people can have the luxury of making voice over a full-time business in a matter of a few short years or even decades. Because of this, I decided to write a blog post about part-time careers or jobs that my colleagues have had while working their way to full-time.

For those who have asked, I have quite a few part-time careers going on, not just to make money but to have back-up opportunities when VO work is slow, or when I need more training, more demos, studio upgrades, etc. Because, let’s face it, we need money to keep VO going in our lives.

It got me thinking about other VO talent and how their journeys led them to where they are. So I asked quite a few talent and here’s what they shared with me:

Yoga Instructor (I’m certified)

Emergency substitute teacher

Educational technology

Nanny/Babysitter/Music Broker

Independent Contractor at Radio Promotions

Social worker/Supervisor/Guidance Counselor/Rare Book Dealer

Baker/Pastry Chef/Cake Decorator (I’m experimenting with this)

Jeweler/Jewelry Designer; Interior (re)Design/Staging; Copy Editing/Writing

Being an extra in movies and on TV shows (I’ve done LOTS)

Real Estate Agent (I know many actors in this field)

Tutor for kids with learning disabilities

Client Relations for a Creative Agency

Freelance Food Stylist

Radio Traffic Reporter

Historical Consultant for a Heritage Organization

Travel Writer for tours and content provider to their websites (something I’m very interested in as a hobby and part-time career)

Assistant at Conventions and Fundraisers

Massage Therapist (I’m considering adding this to my resume)

Photographer

Dog Walker/Pet Sitter

Mystery Shopper

Professional Mermaid (I’m on my way towards this as well)

Or reviewer of free items on apps like Influenstar

Extra for movies (sometimes $58 to $75 per 8 or 12 hour days with meals provided) or commercials filming in town – You don’t necessarily need a talent agent for finding extra work. However, quite a few casting directors I know who book extra work on SAG commercials (which usually pay a little over $300 for 10 hours on set) use talent agents because they trust the professionalism of the actors with that agent. There are people who can make a decent living being professional extras for movies and commercials. But you have to be available for a full day, possibly an overnight shoot or multiple days at a time. Often you’ll be asked a day or two before production and saying “maybe” can cost you future opportunities.

Pretty much the key word to hold to is: freelance. However, also keep in mind that freelance isn’t for the faint of heart. You work every day trying to attract business opportunities which is the absolute same in voice over. Depending on what you want to do, remember that some part-time careers and jobs require certifications, licenses, and expenses for advertising (websites, business cards, attending conventions, etc.).

Yet again, like in Voice Over, in order to succeed, you MUST know your competition. There are always going to be others who are not necessarily better but definitely more experienced. Then ask yourself questions like: What do you do differently than other brands? Why should the client put their trust in you? Will it support you through bills, taxes and family members?

Build your reputation by being a trustworthy source to those who need your talents, and then keep in touch with them with an occasional email asking how they are, and politely offering your services if they ever have a need for them. They might provide you with testimonials for your website or referrals which can lead to greater jobs.

If none of the above interests you in part-time work, then research some more. Google can be your friend if you let it. And yes, it’s easy to be discouraged, we all go through it. But know that life isn’t meant to be comfortable. Comfortable is the death of creativity. Without challenges, we as artists and human beings don’t grow and change to better ourselves and our talents.

I love discovering new hobbies and I encourage others to take leaps into unusual territories, not because I want to discourage you from pursuing voice over, but because whatever you learn outside of voice over might help you in your journey. If you love reading books aloud, maybe volunteer as a reader for https://www.learningally.org/. If you love art make a montage of screenshots and share bits of trivia through narration, then put it on YouTube. Or if you love talking about crafts, make up, recipes, then make instructional videos and put them out there!

Okay, first I apologize for not posting in a long time. I spent the last two months researching what kind of recording booth I wanted with StudioBricks. This kind of investment takes a long, long time because you want all the details in place: modifications, measurements, additional equipment, weighing the pros and cons, getting every bit of free advice you can gather, and more. This booth is the biggest investment I’ve ever made, everything HAS to be just right. If anyone wants to ask questions or read a possible future blog post about what I did to ensure that Studiobricks was the best decision please comment or message me.

A week after calling the manufacturer, and paying the deposit I got sick.

It’s going to happen. It always does.

As I typed this I was lying in bed with a massive sinus infection. It literally and I DO mean literally happens every year, always in March. Allergy season, eek!
And because I was coughing up junk every 45 minutes while my body adjusted to antibiotics (thank Heavens for after hours clinics!!!), I couldn’t record anything for three days. This meant missing auditions, lots of them. Who doesn’t hate missing auditions? But like I said, getting sick is going to happen. We’re human, not flawless.

While I lay coughing till my throat became numb, I realized this would make a good blog post about what to do when sick. Rest is essential, we all know that, but so is keeping your health in check you’re your mind stimulated. These are ideas, not solutions. I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on TV.

Health
Water, water, water. The doctor is sooooo right. Increase those fluids! No soft drinks, no alcohol (big no!!!), no milk, and no Gatorade, they don’t count. Juice is ok, but try to get natural without added sugars. Or if you have a juicer, raw juice from oranges and lemons.

Avoid dairy products, they make allergies worse. You can google it if you don’t believe me.

Soups are your best friend during those sick days. I know, I know, it’s not enjoyable as pizza or crispy fries or other comfort foods but you need to get well first. And avoid the creamy soups (clam chowder, potato soup, broccoli cheese, etc.). Stick with broths or vegetables. Hot is best for helping to drain the sinuses.

Stay clean
Wash your hands and shower with warm or hot water. I often don’t want to leave my bed but a hot shower does so much. I can breathe in the steam which can clear my nostrils. The hot water also numbs my achy limbs. If you’re sensitive to hot water than try a warm shower, or soak in a warm bath with Epsom salts which you can buy almost anywhere.

Advice from VO talent:
A number of colleagues shared the following info below when it comes to caring for a sore throat. Those that are bold are the ones I tried.

Gargling with hot water and salt. Don’t swallow! (Multiple VO talent swear by this and it worked for me too)
Boil fresh ginger (not powdered) with some tablespoons of honey and drink 4 times a day.
Buy a neti pot and keep it by your bed.
Chloraseptic spray
Throat coat products
Hot tea with lemon and honey
Homemade grapefruit juice

Mix 2 tablespoons of honey, the juice of one lemon and a cup of hot water before better (It helped me a good deal)

Honey and apple cider vinegar
Sage tea

Buy a humidifier (I got one)
Ginseng tea
Fish oil
Turmeric capsules
Garlic capsules

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with water every day (I tried this earlier. Not easy to swallow, but an hour later I felt soooo much better!)

And…. rest, rest, more rest and vocal rest.

When in doubt, ask your doctor!

When you start to feel better but can’t bring yourself to get in your studio to record just yet, what do you do to keep up with VO? Well there’s Twitter, Facebook, Google, Instagram and blogs on every topic from A to Z. But if you want to keep up with VO here are some great blogs and video series to check out:

VO Buzz Weekly (Interviews with top VO talent, top VO agents, top VO producers and much more!) – http://www.vobuzzweekly.com/

Whittam’s World (Awesome info on VO and recording technology)- http://www.edgestudiotechnology.com/whittam-s-world.html

Paul Strikwerda VO Blog (A GREAT source of information)- http://www.nethervoice.com

Global Voice Academy (Classes, workshops, webinars, news) – http://www.globalvoiceacademy.com/

After a few days hopefully you’ll feel better, but take it easy for another day or two. Afterwards, take vitamin C, do some yoga or light exercise, vocal warm-ups and NEVER, NEVER, NEVER stop drinking water.

If you have ideas or thoughts to share regarding what works for you, please do so!

Mary Morgan

What if you get sick or have a sore throat?

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