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Mary Morgan

Voice Acting

Voice Over Life: Building My StudioBricks Booth part 1

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Alright folks, many, many people have been asking for this and it’s finally here: my StudioBricks booth.

Expect quite a few pictures!

You can find another post about why I chose StudioBricks over other sound booth products on my blog.

For this post, I’m discussing the process of putting it together in a two-part series.

Ready?

Warning: I am NOT a sound professional. Everything in this post and the next one are based on lots and lots and LOTS of research as well as input from colleagues and professionals in audio.

Ok, when I ordered my StudioBricks booth I was very careful to choose a triple-wall studio pro. So, to begin, I analyzed the most quiet space in my house or apartment.

Was there lots of traffic outside? Lawnmowers? Planes flying overhead? Those are situations that can’t be controlled, unfortunately, so now and then I’ll just have to wait them out. Thankfully most are distant and occasional; however, it did no good treating my space for recording because of a 60 Hz hum in my walls, which is common in older houses. It interfered heavily with my recordings, and was very difficult to edit. Over time the hum increased and I got tired of seeing my wave files distorted. That led me to the decision to get a sound booth.

While some clients are ok with booths, some are not and have expressed frustration with editing audio from sound booths. I’ve determined that if my space still isn’t good enough for a client then I’ll have to go to a professional studio. So far, I don’t think that’ll be the case.

After choosing my area I had to measure where I’d build the booth and be super precise with what I wanted. The ceiling height is important in this as well when putting the booth together, literally piece by piece. If too low it would be a problem. Thankfully my room has a slanted ceiling which I’ve been told is a good thing. I ordered a 5 x 6 x 7 foot booth in size with the purpose of having a good amount of space to stand, sit, or move. Experts in audio told me NOT to get a booth that was squared, so I went with something more rectangular. When I sought advice from fellow VO talent who also owned a StudioBricks most suggested a triple wall to be safe. As since I can’t predict where I’ll be in the future (new house in the suburbs, new apartment in a busy part of town, etc.) I decided to get the triple wall.

I sent in my order feeling good about my decision and waited 3 months for delivery. Originally it was suggested the time frame would only be 2 months. However, when it came time to ship the goods from Spain, the port dock workers had gone on strike and thus delayed my order for another month.

During a vacation to Lake Tahoe with my boyfriend, I received news that the booth had arrived at my house in a massive crate the size of a van. Here’s a picture to prove it.

I was prepared for this monster of a box and had planned weeks ahead to have the garage cleared out so we could store it in a safe place. After getting home and adjusting back to my routine, it was time to put it together.

My brother and my boyfriend were my helpers in this for the first round (that’s right, I’ll explain later).

My brother determined that my chosen space wasn’t adequate due to the ceiling height. So, we chose a different side where the slanted ceiling went upwards. Boy was that a WISE idea!

Next was the first phase: The floor

I have wooden floors instead of carpet so I had no need for holders. The booth came with adjustable feet to hold the outer frame together. So, we put together the outer layers so as to put the floor boards on top of them. That’s when the excitement came along of how easy it was to place everything together.

The bottom section of the booth was marked with letters and numbers: the A section, the B section, the C section and the D section. We began with putting A1 through A5 on first. There was no need for screws or nails. The pieces fit like giant Legos (but are called bricks) and held together by use of wooden staffs in corners and in between spaces on top so that other pieces could fit on top of them. It took the gentle use of a rubber mallet to ensure the staffs were fitted in place. Then came the B section, which we assembled by repeating the same process for the A section.

After that came the part that everyone owner of a StudioBricks booth warned me about: The dreaded door. Some of my colleagues have glass doors, but I chose to have a wooden door. Whichever one you go with know this: it will be HEAVY! Do NOT handle this piece on your own, mine weighed 175 pounds. It took my brother, my boyfriend, my father and me to get it out of the crate, then carried into the house, to my room, and finally to secure it onto the booth. At that moment, I realized what a blessing it was to live in a one-story house. And if I ever decide to get an apartment, it’ll have to be on the first floor.

With the door in place it was time to add the sections marked with letter C and how many pieces came with it.

Then, we discovered that there weren’t enough wooden beams to keep the C pieces locked in place. That delayed building the rest of the booth for a week in a half.

The folks at StudioBricks were extremely helpful and rushed not one but two extra wooden beams just in case.

When they arrived my brother and my boyfriend added the final section marked as D which was mainly the top walls and ceiling parts. By this time the worst was out of the way, meaning the leftover pieces weren’t as heavy.

So, depending on your strength, expect most pieces to have dense structure. It’s not recommended whatsoever to put this together on your own.

Once done. It looked MARVELOUS! As you can imagine, I couldn’t wait to get in there to record samples and auditions.

However… something was wrong. And because of this detail, we had to take it apart piece by piece and put the entire thing back together again!!!!!!!!

To find out what was wrong and how we fixed it, stay tuned for part 2!

Voice Over Life: Building My StudioBricks Booth part 2

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Continuing from my last post with Part 2 of putting my StudioBricks booth together. If you haven’t read it yet, I suggest doing so to keep up with what I’m sharing here.

I had put my studio together with the help of my brother, my boyfriend and my Dad. It looked amazing and was quite cozy inside. However, after all the unloading, and putting it together one section at a time (which took maybe 3 hours), there was a problem.

The floor was creaking.

Each time I stepped in or moved my feet around, the wooden boards on the outer floor frame made slight scraping sounds that I knew would interfere with recording and be a pain to edit out. After speaking with the great folks at StudioBricks and my good friend Jerry Pelletier, who was instrumental in helping me understand the fine points of how to assemble it, we realized the floor was uneven. Now, foot holders came with the package and were easy to adjust. Unfortunately, we neglected to measure each area to make sure the sides were even. There was only one solution to treat the problem: Taking it apart piece by piece and starting all over again.

For this round, my boyfriend and two of our friends helped. We started from the ceiling, and took the whole thing apart from top to bottom. Once we got to the floor we spent 30-45 minutes making sure the feet were adjusted accordingly, and that each side was even. Then, we added foam beneath the floor boards. It’s not necessary to use expensive Auralex foam. We used cheap bedding foam from Walmart. We had to apply something heavy for the middle board for a while since it kept trying to pop up. But now it no longer needs pressure to keep it down. We walked on it several times to make sure the creaking was gone. I can occasionally hear a tiny scrape when stepping inside, but it doesn’t stick around. Now I can sit, stand and move without worry that noises will interfere with recordings.

We assembled each section yet again, starting from sections label A1 to A5, then B1 to B5, then C1 and C5 and onward.

Despite how exhausting the process was of putting it together, then taking it apart and building it back up, it was totally worth it!! I love going inside to record now. I don’t hear planes flying overhead, I don’t hear the 60 hz hum in the walls and I don’t hear my PC.

Some tidbits worth sharing about my experience thus far:

-I specifically asked the manufacturers not to include the aeropack fan. They assured me that it’s silent. However, it’s really not. Even still, they sent the fan anyway, free of charge. I don’t use it.

-The subject of airflow in the booth is an important discussion. At the moment, I have nothing filtering air outside in. It’s a process still in the works.

-I didn’t use all the foam that the booth came with, not even the bass traps. In fact, most of that stuff is in my closet. Quite a few people said to use the bass traps on the corners, but because they’re solid foam, I worry that they’ll make me sound boxed in with the foam already built on the walls. So, for the time being I have sound panels positioned around me, which I made with compressed fiberglass boards wrapped in calico cloth from a fabric store. I’d like to have one positioned above my head on the ceiling, as I’m not crazy about the egg shell foam above my head.

-I don’t like the desk that came with booth because when I sit to record and brush against the edge of the table it rattles a bit. It’s left in there for now, until I can find something better. I recommend a wooden table with wobble-proof legs.

-The window is left uncovered for the time being, but if I hear too much reflection when I’m shouting for games or animation, I’ll cover it temporarily with some foam or moving blankets.

-If you get a chair, make sure it too doesn’t rattle when you sit or shift in it.

-If you get a booth of any kind, I recommend going with a rectangular space, not square. If you have doubts, contact home studio professionals like George Whittam, Dan Lenard, or Dan Friedman. If you Google their names, you’ll get great info.

It’s still a process to make it just right, but the booth is finished and I love it!

If you decide to specifically go with a StudioBricks booth consider the following:

-Know the exact size you want, and the space in your apartment or house for it. Measure out how much feet it’ll take and keep in mind the booth will weigh over 2,000 pounds. Be sure your floor can hold that amount of weight!

-Don’t rely on foam alone to fix all your problems acoustically. The booth will need more treatment no matter what. Some complain that the booths are too much of a pain to treat, but others say it’s great. I like mine so far.

-There are single-wall, double-wall and triple-wall booths. Don’t just consider the space you have now, especially if you plan to relocate. It’s more expensive, but I went with a triple wall so as to not worry about potential problems at future locations when I move to. Remember, this is an investment.

-A wooden door or a glass door? I don’t suffer from claustrophobia so I went with a wooden door so that I could mount a panel or foam on it if necessary. A glass door would cause too much reflection and I can’t hang a panel or glue foam on it since the surface would be damaged.

-Do NOT assemble the booth by yourself. Find friends or if need be, hire help.

-MAKE SURE THE FLOOR IS EVEN before assembling the whole thing!!

That’s my journey. So far no one has complained about my recordings. As I said earlier, I’m still going to make tweaks and changes here and there. It’ll never be perfect, but so far it’s helped a lot!

If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask them and I’ll do my best to answer.

Voice Over Knowledge Shared Updated List

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Yes folks! I’m still alive and quite busy these days. Due to the coronavirus I have a bit more time on my hands. I felt it best to update my Voice Over Knowledge Shared list as many things have changed. There are people on the old list I no longer associate with due to paying them for services that they did not deliver and thus have blocked me rather than handle the situation like a mature adult. People are scrambling to get into voice over more than ever before and competition is beyond challenging. You not only need solid acting skills and great demos. You MUST be able to record from your house and the audio needs to broadcast quality. No “ifs” and no “buts”. The biggest companies in the world are learning to record talent remotely and for a while, this is how it’s going to be until a miracle emerges for the human race.

There are numerous Facebook and Linkedin groups you can join as well in order to keep up with the radical changes that are happening at a rapid pace. Seriously. Some groups will not allow talent who are brand new or inexperienced but don’t let that get you down. Join those that are open to talent who are new or established. Everyone starts somewhere. There’s time to learn and get better, however, keep in mind the competition that’s out there.

And… take advantage of online classes and workshops NOW. Countless millions are out of work or struggling to make ends meet during this terrible time. Because of this, lots of wonderful teachers, producers, casting directors, etc have generously reduced the costs of their time and knowledge for the month of April. You don’t meed a super expensive webcam, or expensive audio equipment. Even your iPhone or android, or iPad and so on can be used. The majority of classes are taught through ZOOM which you can download for free and then click on any link sent from a VO coach through email.

Repeating what I posted last year: To be a Voice Over know first that acting is acting. I know of very few people who got into voice over work without being an actor first. Even if you only want to pursue commercials, narrations, or announcements, an acting class will benefit you in tremendous ways whether it be theater, film, or improvisation. You gain an understanding of what it means to be directed, how to use your voice correctly, and enhanced reading skills. If goals are focused towards animation, video games, anime or puppetry, acting classes are MUST. No excuses. Funny voices don’t make a character authentic, acting does. If you live somewhere that doesn’t have ongoing film, theater or improvisation classes to take in person fear not. Thanks to Skype, Zoom, YouTube and many others you can learn from a distance by attending webinars, online programs, group courses or one-on-one training with a reputable coach. Some names mentioned are people I haven’t trained with yet but through colleagues that I trust without any doubt whatsoever, I believe they’re experts worthy of notice. If there’s a name on my list of teachers that isn’t mentioned it’s due to one of two possible reasons: 1. I haven’t heard of the individual yet. 2. I have in fact trained with the individual and what they teach is false.

Everyone has a website these days so all you have to do is google their names for more info.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON DEMOS: Do not get a demo made until you’ve had enough training to start somewhere. False teachers/producers will try to talk you into letting them produce your demo when you’re far from ready. It’s an expensive mistake that can also damage your first impression to others. People remember bad demos. NEVER forget that. Visit websites for talent agencies such as like Dean Panaro Talent, CAA, VOX Inc., CESD, SBV, AVO, Atlas Talent Agency, Osbrink Agency, Coast to Coast Talent, and A3 Talent Agency. Listen to names who have representation on those sites (including celebrities). Can you do what they do and sound believable?

Teachers I have trained with, most have expertise in more than one genre or market. Google their names for more information about them: Andrea Toyias (video games), Trine Jensen (video games, acting, motion capture), Richard Dorton (video games, acting, motion capture), Sara Jane Sherman (animation), Rick Sellers (toys), Jennifer Trujillo (animation), Everett Oliver (animation), Pat Fraley (audio books, animation), Cliff Zellman (commercials and auto-motive), Carol Monda (audiobooks), David Rosenthal (animation, games, promos, commercials), Anne Ganguzza (corporate narration and e-learning), Cissy Jones (video games), Ginny McSwain (video games), Bob Bergen (animation), Dave Fennoy (video games), Joyce Castellanos (Promos), Mary Lynn Wissner (commercials), Katie Leigh (animation and ADR), Marice Tobias (commercials and narration), Richard Horvitz (animation), MJ Lallo (animation), Bill Holmes (commercials), Marc Cashman (commercials), Lani Minella (video games), John Swasey and Ned Lott (ADR Looping)

Demo Producers I have worked with or I have complete trust in: Trine Jensen, Chuck Duran, Marc Graue Studios, Susan Palyo at Voice Trax West, Rick Sellers, Cliff Zellman, Richard Horvitz, Nancy Wolfson, Roy B. Yokelson, David Rosenthal, Cristina Milizia

Voice Over Guides from Working Professionals in Animation, Video Games and Anime: (great place for beginners)

https://iwanttobeavoiceactor.com
http://www.kylehebert.com/
http://www.crispinfreeman.com/faq.html

Group/Private Training and Workouts for all kinds of Voice Over markets:

https://lonestarvo.com (great for beginners whether you’re in Texas or not)
https://www.thevopros.com/
http://www.globalvoiceacademy.com/ (great place for beginners)
http://www.voicetraxwest.com/classdescriptions/
http://www.fixinthemix.com/Voiceover_VO_Class.htm 

Voice Over Blogs or Web Talk Shows:

http://www.nethervoice.com/nethervoice/
http://www.vobuzzweekly.com/
https://www.vobs.tv/

Help with Marketing and more (I spend the vast majority of my time on Linkedin):

https://www.marcscottcoaching.com/lesson/marketing-for-success/
http://anneganguzza.com/services
http://www.celiasiegel.com/ (has a published book called VoiceOver Achiever that is highly recommended for voice over branding)

Voice Over Communities:

https://twitter.com/courvo/lists/voiceoverists (Also search for a plethora of groups on Linkedin, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.)
https://voiceactingclub.com/

Voice Over Conventions:

http://www.voatlanta.me/
http://www.faffcon.com/ (working professionals only)
http://faffcamp.com/ (those starting out or already seasoned in VO)
http://www.world-voices.org (runs WOVOCON)
http://randythomaspresents.com/
http://www.midatlanticvo.com/
http://www.midwestvoiceoverconference.com/
http://thatsvoiceover.com/

Home Recording Studio Experts:

Dan Lenard – www.homevoiceoverstudio.com/
George Whittam – http://www.vostudiotech.com/
Dan Friedman – http://www.sound4vo.com/

A few examples of Professional Voice Over Websites:

http://voiceoversandvocals.com/
http://bethchaplin.com/VO/
http://www.bernadettesullivan.com/
http://www.nazvoice.com/
http://www.lorialan.com/
http://www.mikematheson.com/
https://dbcoopervo.com/

Miscellaneous Resources:

http://www.voiceoverresourceguide.com/
https://www.audiopub.org/ (for audio book narrators)
https://www.voiceoverxtra.com/

Last but nowhere near the least are Don’ts and Do’s that I’ve compiled based on my own experiences. May you all follow your dreams and find success!

WHAT NOT TO DO

– Don’t stop in the middle of a recording. If you mess up during a recording or audition don’t ask the engineer to stop recording and don’t waste time apologizing, just go back to the beginning of a line or paragraph and start again. Engineers can edit out mistakes.

-Don’t offer suggestions to the director unless you are asked

-Don’t let any coach (no matter how reputable) convince you that you’re ready to make demo after 2-3 sessions, especially if you’re a beginner.

-Don’t have a friend make an edit for you unless they have extensive professional experience. It’s very easy to tell if an audio production was produced on cheap software ore a high quality studio. You want the best to make you sound the best.

-Don’t eat dairy products or a super heavy meal before a recording session.

-Don’t spend thousands of dollars on a home studio, ask around for advice on good microphones, recording software, speakers, headphones, etc.

-Don’t show up in person to hand studios, agents, or casting directors your demo. Look at their website for rules on submissions (if there are any), then call to see if the company has a casting department or ask who casts the shows/games. Most casting directors prefer a link to your demo from a website rather than an mp3 as they take up space.

-Don’t tell everyone about a project you’ve recorded on social media unless the client is okay with it. Overzealous anime and video game fans will do almost anything to get the gossip on who voiced what character. Wait until the studio makes a cast announcement online or ask them personally if it’s okay to share news about your latest voice over job.

-DON’T EXAGGERATE ON YOUR RESUME. People in this business do look up people and places that you list and if it’s not legit, word will spread super quickly.

-Don’t call studios, agents or casting directors saying someone referred you if it’s not true. You won’t be hired and more than likely never trusted as second time.

-Don’t strike up a conversation with another VO actor at an audition in person. If there’s a script for you to look over, read it, study the available information. Afterwards, make friends, but be respectful to those auditioning after you.

-Don’t beg for a job. Ask about upcoming auditions or share news of a recent project (without bragging) or a new voice over demo, but don’t e-mail clients specifically asking if they can give you a job.

WHAT TO DO

-Do be on time when recording in a professional studio, fifteen minutes early at best.

-Do let producers, casting directors or your agent know if you’re running late (traffic, accidents, events, etc.)

-Do pay attention to all direction given to you in a session

-Do ask questions if something doesn’t make sense, don’t give the director a hard time pretending you understand if you really don’t

-Do bring your own water. Some studios have some for you but not always.

-Do practice a script if the client sends you a copy to work with. If you can look at your script the day before recording READ it and PRACTICE out loud.

-Do always keep training in some way, take ongoing acting lessons, attend workshops, seminars, watch youtube videos, read articles, listen to other demos

-Do market yourself with business cards, postcards, CDs, websites,

-Do network with others at events (see conventions list) you never know who you might meet

-Do keep up with what’s happening in the industry. So many do not do this.

-Do make friends with other VO talent. Many pass jobs to each other or recommend friends to agents and studios.

-Do keep a positive attitude, it’s a VERY competitive business and everyone goes through ups and downs. Everyone. But if you’re negative, especially around people in the business, people will not want to work with you or recommend you to clients.

-Do take care of your body with vocal warm-ups, physical exercises, and good personal hygiene.

-Do research coaches, classes, to see if they’re legit, ask around forums, get REAL opinions, don’t necessarily rely on online testimonials alone.

-Do listen very carefully to demos. Recognize what sounds real and what sounds fake. A voice actor (even a coach) may say they can sound like a baby, kids, teens, but vocally they’re incapable of sounding authentic. If you can sound like a baby, have it on your demo or be prepared to have a dynamite audition. First impressions really do matter.

-Do take criticism and learn from it.

Beware of the Generic Voice Over Email

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Funny title for today’s blog post right? Well, there’s a reason for that. Last November, I received an email with the subject line “CASTINGS / BARN TALENT/ SEEKING MGMT REP”. For this post, I used fake names for the agency and the owner’s name, as well as marked them out on the email screenshot as I don’t wish to slander. I sensed this email was blasted to many people all at once and upon reading the note, I was right!

The first sentence as you can see, says: Hope all is well. This email is only being used for submissions of new talent. Then someone who called themselves Barney’s Assistant (not the actual name) wrote a poorly fashioned letter asking if I was seeking representation, talent management, or more opportunities.

Next, there was a super short description of the agency being around for 10 years and working with top casting directors, producers, etc, a request to visit the company website for more information, and an invitation to submit my demos. Oh, they also included the phrase “We are freelancing with talent and understand what that entails.”

Unsolicited emails are nothing new and I get them often. But I decided not to respond to this particular one for quite a few reasons:

As I mentioned above, I could tell the email was blasted out to lots of people. It started with “Hello” instead of “Hello Mary”, or “Hello Ms. Morgan”. It wasn’t directed solely to me.

Barney’s Assistant didn’t give their real name or even explain who Barney was.

Why was I specifically being contacted? Yes, I’m a voice over but there’s no mention of what genres they work most with or where I’d fit best in the agency’s VO department (if they have one): commercials, animation, video games, promos, etc.

Something told me I needed to find out if other colleagues received a similar email. So, I went on social media to visit a few voice-over groups and lo and behold, almost every talent and colleague I knew as well as many, many others had received the EXACT same email! Everyone questioned the legitimacy of the agency and who was Barney’s Assistant? But alas, there were no answers, just memes, and jokes.

A friend and colleague discussed some very interesting points as to why this email backfired the way it did, and I got his permission to share them:

The email was impersonal/generic. They didn’t address their message to anyone in particular and therefore had no idea who they were contacting.

The message felt arrogant, as though the receiver was expected to know who exactly Barney was and expected me to trust that they really know the business.

The proposal seemed fake and much like a scam. With no name from the sender, “Barney” was either acting as his own assistant or he had hired someone inexperienced at writing emails. The note felt like a “jump in the bandwagon while it’s hot” scheme or a “let’s make lots of money together in this new venture” propaganda completely ignorant to the nuances of what a successful voice acting career would entail.

The email was poorly planned with terrible use of phrases, typos, and little to no knowledge of voice-over other than starting up a department for it. If this is how they communicate with voice actors, what does their communication with casting directors, ad agencies, producers, and directors look like?

The sender didn’t do proper research on whom they were emailing. They more than likely found a list of names somewhere and sent their email to anyone with an address.

Instead of curating a roster that fills a need for the agency or their existing talent, they just wanted to add as many names as possible, which means they didn’t value the people they were contacting.

Lastly, the so-called owner of the agency, Barney himself, made a video on Instagram defending the email blast by explaining it was legitimate, how much he wanted to build the VO department at his agency, and finally mentioning that his Instagram page was in fact verified.

What’s more unfortunate is that new and unsuspecting voice-over talent are likely to fall for this gimmick which is why I wanted to blog about it. Always do your research! Legitimate agents/agencies DO NOT mass solicit talent. It’s also been reported by various sources that “Barney” shares jobs on social media that are supposed to be confidential, thus violating NDAs!

All in all, it’s not unusual to hear from an agent interested in representing you. It can be rare for certain due to agents being incredibly busy. Nonetheless, beware of generic emails that don’t address you by your name or mention how they found you.

Do your research, ask questions, and be careful out there!

VO Atlanta 2018

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So this was my first time at VO Atlanta and much like my favorite VO blogger Paul Strikwerda whom I finally met in person, I freaking loved it!

Good heavens I seriously don’t even know where to start. The people I met, the sessions I attended, the knowledge I absorbed, and the inspiration shared by veterans of voice over is worth every single penny!!!

If you truly want to be part of this profession, then you should know there are serious investments involved. I’ve also met quite a few people who insult VO conventions because they want to get work from attending it. But it’s not about that, even though I met people who have been signed by agents and got work with visiting casting directors almost right after the convention. You attend to build relationships with working professionals and get to know your VO family and friends. They’re the ones who welcome anyone and everyone with open arms whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced talent. Egos are left behind as smiles and support flood the atmosphere.

I even brought some of my homemade macarons to share with guests!

The first day is nerve wracking for all of us, but once we’re all settled in and have our schedules in place people either go to an X-Session (a class of no more than 12 people that involves 3 hours of intense training and microphone time with a working pro, casting director or talent agent), or a breakout session (hearing advice, insights and helpful tips from pros who keep up with what’s current in the industry).

The only real downsides to the convention were not having enough money to buy an X-Session (unfortunately they have an extra fee), and having conflicts when one breakout session started at the same time as another.

There were VO specialists with decades of knowledge and experience giving discussions on video games, animation, audiobooks, automotive spots, radio imaging, narration, commercials, promos, elearning, automated dialogue replacement, and more. Agents and casting directors hosted panels for anyone wanting to ask questions about voice over and how they work with talent. A talent screening was held for anyone who wanted five minutes to audition for an agent or casting director. And last, a small exhibit hall displayed various products or advertised services for voice over actors.

For anyone totally new to voice over, this convention can be a bit stressful for the brain due to the endless amount of information passed around for four days. Even worse, the industry changes constantly and sometimes at the drop of a hat. If you can’t keep up, you may not last long. Time is money and no one likes to have their time wasted.

And as I mentioned before, there are serious investments which are not cheap. This means buying a sound booth (or adapting a space to record in like a closet or basement), or building your own (recording at home is not optional anymore and quality matters more than you may think), purchasing recording software, a proper microphone, an audio interface, subscribing to the latest technology that clients require for communication (Source Connect, Idptl, etc.), training nonstop with coaches who specialize in whatever genre interests you, then having a professional demo made (one per genre, never all on the same file). If you try producing a demo yourself with little or no experience you’ll ruin a first impression and won’t be forgotten for it. Don’t even think about ruling out marketing. No one is going to do it for you unless you pay good money. If you want to be taken seriously you need to find a brand for your voice and advertise your demos on a nice website (html is preferred, not flash). A pay 2 play site is optional (I only recommend Voice123 or Bodalgo and that’s it).

Then there’s the need to devote time to your craft. Many voice over talents have a second job to help pay bills while they’re building their career. With research you can find some good employment opportunities to fall back on that are flexible with VO.

Now don’t let despair override your enthusiasm. There’s room for possibilities if you look for them. And the convention does include some fun activities for those who need to unwind. On the third day there was a 70s theme party where everyone got dressed up and partied till close to dawn. I’m usually not crazy about parties but when surrounded by colleagues and friends I can easily let loose on the dance floor.

Now I’d like to briefly discuss the hotel itself. I’m told locations change now and then regarding the hotel of choice to hold the convention. I shared a room with two others which I highly recommend if you want to save costs. The room was nice and clean, the staff were helpful, but the restaurants were… not too great. Menu items are expensive, which is not unusual, but the service time was ridiculous. Perhaps the hotel was understaffed, or perhaps too many people attending the convention overcrowded the space. Whatever reasons, the hotel restaurant experience was unfavorable. Even worse, not everyone could afford to pay for a $22 breakfast buffet for 4 days straight. Some could not afford the $13 small Caesar salad every night. I knew of other restaurants close to the hotel but most took 15 minutes to walk to without a rental car (which I didn’t have). If you calculate the time to walk there, the unpredictable time it takes to get seated, then wait on your food, order, then eat and walk all the way back to the hotel, it can heavily affect your schedule throughout the day. With luck the convention did include some meals but not for each day which was unfortunate. If the rooms included kitchens I would have gladly cooked meals not just for myself but for friends as well since I love it. This is not to say it was a horrible hotel, far from it. But for anyone who isn’t used to staying hotels, prepare for the inconvenience of slow food service if attending conventions which are also held there.

Last to mention was the fourth and final day. The conference founder presented an inspiring speech, then gave out lots of great raffle prizes (one of which I won, was an hour marketing with a highly successful colleague), but what I remember most is something called the Unicorn Award. It’s an award reserved for people in VO who have experienced hardships and loss. More than 20 colleagues who included agents, casting directors, branding experts, marketing professionals, demo producers and so many others donated their services for free to one lucky individual who suffered due to disappointments in health or finances. Remember, it’s a tough industry! The person selected received all kinds of valuable help such as demo productions, agency representation for a whole year, marketing help, branding help, all from multiple, generous sources. That’s the other thing I love about my VO family and community. We can truly come together and support one another.

So, of all the VO conventions I’ve attended thus far, this is one of the best. If VO is your dream career goal and you want to learn all you can, consider attending VO Atlanta at least once. I network daily with other voice over talent as well as producers, directors, etc. Some great projects are in development to help others no matter where they are in voice over. Stay tuned for more posts in the future!

Warning Signs

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Not everyone approves of the #metoo movement, but the fact is, it’s real and it’s happening. What does this have to do with voice over? A sad fact is that predators also prey on voice over talent. A recent story has come to light about a highly respected coach by the name of Peter Rofé. I’ve been fortunate to work with TRUE coaches who are masters at the craft and helped me get where I am. However, I know that only so many other VO talent can claim the same thing. It really made me angry when I learned a horror story that happened to my friend Heather Costa, an amazingly talented voice. And because I’ve been a victim of sexual harassment twice I my life, I felt compelled to make sure this story was shared everywhere, especially to new potential talent reading my blog.

NEVER do anything that makes you uncomfortable! You’re going to hear that a lot. Think about this: A new, inexperienced voice over talent versus a respected, well-known professional voice over talent and coach. Which side are the top pros in voice over likely to take? The new talent not only risk being humiliated and taunted by top professionals, they risk getting blacklisted or sabotaged like my friend. As a result, so many innocent women have been forced to abandon their dreams of working in voice over.

My friend fought back and is now a super-respected, admired and successful voice over. Not only that, she’s working to make sure this won’t happen to others:

“We know there are more victims out there. The dates we know of go back to 1999. We are working with a detective and a lawyer.” she says. ”

I’m so very, very proud of Heather for being brave and fighting back. But it hurts to learn that lots of other women were forced to walk away from their dreams and that no one came to their defense. We all know this happens everywhere in all professions, at schools, etc. And yes, it doesn’t just happen to women, it happens to men, too.

Rather than continue ranting about the situation as a whole I’m going to list things that a true coach has taught me and warning signs to run not walk from a bad coach/predator.

TRUE COACHES

-kept a respectable distance while directing me.

-the only touching allowed and respected is a handshake or a hug (which I reserve for people I know well after various workshops). Some prefer a fist bump, and some don’t want contact at all for health reasons.

-if a script required a ‘sexy’ read I was given references to voices from characters like Jessica Rabbit as just one example. I was never told to sound like I wanted to $&#^*€> someone’s brains out.

-if I didn’t want to be all alone I was allowed to bring someone with me. I have worked with producers alone when it came to demos, but they NEVER made passes or such. Always ask if you can bring someone with you if you’re uncertain.

BAD COACHES/PREDATORS

-encouraging you to remove clothing for a “convincing” read.

-exposing themselves!

-touching without permission!

-suggesting only sexy reads.

-Saying VO acting is no different from real acting and real actors have to get naked in movies for their art.

-telling you how sexy you look or how your voice turns them on.

-Tells you that if you “aren’t selling sex” you’ll never be a respected voice over talent.

-stays with you in a tiny booth when no one else is in the studio and tries to touch or assault you. Booths are sound proof and your screams won’t be heard.

-turns the lights out when it’s only the two of you.

-gets angry when you don’t follow their directions even when they make you uncomfortable or threatens to “ruin” you.

If you have doubts or uncertainties, ask for opinions on voice over social media groups. Please read this entire article from CNN and if any of this has happened to you, don’t be silent, because you’re not alone.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/08/us/metoo-voice-coach-peter-rofe/index.html

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