FEARLESS 2012

I’d like to take a moment to thank all of you - my VO extended family -  who have so graciously and selflessly supported me in my most recent health challenges.  For those of you who were not aware, I was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer early last November - just a little over 3 months ago.  A lot has happened since then - I had my surgery on January 3 - to jump start my year :) and am currently recovering and in the process of reconstruction, hopefully to be completed by the end of April.  Thankfully and very gratefully, everything was successful, and I am now cancer free.  YAY! :)

Now those of you who know me, know that I am a big fan of "Goal Setting" at the beginning of every year - specifically for my VO business.  Now I will be the first to admit that being diagnosed with cancer in 2011 was absolutely NOT  part of my 2011 VO business plan.  At the time, I was on a roll, business was thankfully REALLY good and I was super busy!  All of a sudden - wham! I felt like I was blindsided - I didn’t have time for cancer!   I mean, who does? But I’d like to talk for just a moment about how, amazingly enough, the many lessons I have been blessed to have learned along the way, have helped me - Not only to grow personally, but also in helping me to grow my VO business.  And it all comes down to a concept and a mantra that I have wholeheartedly decided to embrace for 2012 - Being FEARLESS.  And I hope you will all adopt this too - for your own awesome and amazing 2012.

I’d like to talk briefly about fear.  When I was diagnosed, I found it necessary to do some real soul searching - which I continue to do even to this very day!  I had to address fears that seemed to be attacking me  from all sides - fear of the disease, fear of soooo many unknowns - the terrifying FEAR of a possible stray mutant cell that I am told could be floating around my body!  All sorts of doubts, insecurities.  I could choose to listen to my fears and be a miserable wreck for the rest of my life.  But who can live that way?  Not me!  I had to accept that I had NO CONTROL over the fact that my body had been occupied by this disease - anyone who knows me must realize how hard this was for me - I am a girl who likes to be in control!

But with a lot of help from many angels here by my side- and a lot of them my own VO colleagues (THANK YOU) - I was able to muster up a huge conscious effort to allow that part of my situation to be handled by an ultimate faith in “a higher authority.”  It was all I could do.

And by doing that, I was liberated and empowered in so many OTHER ways!  I realized that I COULD take control of how I dealt with my situation - that was something I could actually DO - and not to let it claim ownership over me - and it may sound cliche - but this disease would NOT dictate my life, or define who I was.  It would not, it simply COULD not, stop me from living the life I imagined, and pursuing my passion.

So you can imagine, how absolutely JOYFUL it is to feel - to have the good fortune to be ALIVE and to truly FEEL that.  The fact that I can step in my booth and have the breath to complete a long narration - the fact that I can stand up - physicate - move my arms - speak from my heart - and that one is key - All of those insecurities about my own performance - Vocally and in my own VO business - how silly and trivial it all seems now.  Really.

Today - I get to stand here before you - my VO family - present and HEALTHY - and do something that I LOVE.  How could I ever not be joyful, be real, be from the heart - be believable -  it’s who I am, and anyone who can’t hear it - well they just aren’t listening.  Isn’t that our goal in this business?  To CONNECT with people on all levels - not with just our voice, but in our business and business relationships?  Isn’t that the ultimate measure of success?

So I ask you all - to join with me in 2012  - and declare yourselves to be FEARLESS.  

• FEARLESS in your pursuit of this career if it’s your passion.  
• FEARLESS in your performance.  
• FEARLESS in your diligence to work hard, study hard, and train hard.  
• FEARLESS to hand out that business card.  
• FEARLESS to make that call to a new client.  
• FEARLESS to GO places and BE A NETWORKER!  (You’ll meet some amazing people - People being the operative word there - we’re all human - it’s not scary - I promise!)   
• FEARLESS in the pursuit of your dream.  

And if I can help you in any way - please let me know - we’re all in this together!

And I think it’s truly -  a great place to be.

Thanks so much for listening.
Love, Light, and Much Success!

Anne

VO Peeps Feb 2012 Meetup - Our Biggest Yet! :)

Hey Peeps!
Wow!  Our February Meetup was a huge success, and our largest gathering to date! Woo Hoo!  It was so great to see lots of familiar faces, as well as meeting a substantial amount of new members!  Our special guests Penny Abshire and James Alburger rocked the evening with a super informative and entertaining presentation covering everything from VOICE 2012 to voice acting and core voiceover techniques.  A tremendous Thank You to them for so generously sharing their knowledge and expertise with the group.  It was simply invaluable!  You know, I thought I was excited to go to VOICE 2012 before, but after hearing some of the things that James and Penny have in store for us at this year's conference, I am just bursting at the seams with excitement! :) VO Peeps - don't forget to use your exclusive code that you received at the meetup and register now for what is sure to be a Voiceover life changing event!

Also, A big thank you to those of you who attended via our live broadcast on our exclusive Ustream channel.   If you missed us, no worries!  You can always view our archived video of the meetup.

The evening began with lots of great networking and scrumptious food creations by Jerry - as well as delectable selections from our great friend and culinary queen visiting us from back East, Ms. Patty Murphy!   YUM.  A shout out and big welcome to the newest members of the group: Cyndee Maxwell, Michelle Blenker, Gregory Silva, Art Kirsch, Claire Hayter, Debra Lockett, Art O’ Mally, Jason Hoskins, Joe Nagle, Kathleen M Fabry, Theresa Wetherhold, and Richard Nordrum.  So great to meet you all and can't wait to see you at the next one!

The meetup also marked the official launch of our joint effort with the LA/OC chapter of the MCAI for a new Career Education Scholarship Fund established to fun both need-based and merit-based scholarships to qualified members of the voiceover community.  We are so excited to be supporting such a worthwhile cause and encourage you to check out our information page and donate of you can!  You can really make a difference in someone's life!

After the fabulous presentation by Penny and James (Make sure to catch the fun and lively cork - yes you read that correctly -  part of the show!), we wrapped up the evening with awarding some fabulous door prizes, including a personally signed copy of James Alburger's book - "The Art of Voice Acting" and our very own VO Peeps official water bottles and tee shirt!

VO Peeps member Art Kirsch from had this to say:

 ...It was really a terrific group of people, Anne and Jerry are amazing, the presenters smart and entertaining. I was honored to be invited and enjoyed meeting everyone...

Thank you Art - and we certainly think you're pretty amazing too  :) - as are all our esteemed members!  A heartfelt and sincere thank you to all of you for your continued support and friendship.  We couldn't do it without you!

If you are from the Orange County area and are interested in joining our meetups live and in person, please visit our Membership page to apply.  We'd love to have you!

Can't wait until our next meetup!  Until then,
Best Wishes and Much Success,

Anne

Respected VO Workshop Starts Feb 28th, 2012

Actors and VO artists, it’s time to jump start to your career this year! Dates are now locked in for the next Tim & Sylvia Voice-Over Workshop and a few spots are already filled!

Tim Keenan

Tim Keenan, a Voice-Over Director and owner of Creative Media Recording has more than 25 years of spoken word experience.  Co-instructor, Sylvia Aimerito of Audio Girl Productions is a sought-after Voice-Over Actor and KRTH 101FM Personality with more than 20 years as a voice artist.

In this series of workshops, held on Tuesday Evenings from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm for 4 weeks, February 28th thru March 20th, You’ll come away with tips on:

• Improving your auditioning skills
• New voice-over techniques
• Different ways to deliver your best performance
• Microphone technique
• Effective self-promotion
• What clients expect from voice talent
• What makes an effective DEMO TAPE
• Who to contact for V.O. work
• Performing with other voice actors

Sylvia Aimerito  

Tim & Sylvia have been pulling together more sample scripts from actual voiceover sessions as well as industry related articles to share with you. The voiceover business is constantly changing and we plan to update you on the latest trends & techniques for finding voiceover jobs. You’ll walk away with some great resources for your V.O. business.

Join Tim & Sylvia Tuesday evenings, 6:30pm to 9:30pm for FOUR weeks in a row – Starting at the end of February – February 28th - March 20th. Here's the link to the web flier: http://creativemediarecording.com/vo.asp

The spots have been filling up quickly and class size is limited. To lock in your reservation, send a deposit check (minimum deposit is at least $200.00 of the total $375 fee) payable to Creative Media 11105 Knott Ave., Suite G, Cypress, CA 90630. The balance is due at the first class.

For more information contact:

 Tim Keenan  714-892-9469
creativemediarecording.com
 Audio for Video Tips: @Soundtrack_Pro
 Tips & Tricks for VO folks @tjkeenan

Upcoming VO Peeps Meetup with Special Guests James Alburger and Penny Abshire!

Happy Wonderful 2012 VO Peeps!  I am so excited to announce our first meetup for the New Year - Get ready and mark your calendars for Feb 18, 2012 at 6:30 pm  - featuring our very special guests James Alburger and Penny Abshire!  Mark those calendars and Register Now - Limited spots are available and these should fill quickly  - We have some GREAT things in store for you!  For our VO Peeps global member attendees - We are streaming with Penny and James LIVE on Feb 18 - Join in on the fun - we'd love to hear from you!

If you’ve done any research at all on voiceover, you’ve undoubtedly come across the names James Alburger and Penny Abshire. You probably also know that James and Penny are considered by many to be among the top voiceover coaches in the US. Their coaching and writing styles, and the fact that they are executive producers of the VoiceOver International Creative Experience - (VOICE), the only International conference for voiceover talent, have made their names among the most recognized in the world of voiceover training.

Let's take a closer look at this dynamic duo and get to know them  a bit better!

James  R. Alburger
As a teacher, James R. Alburger works with people who want to break into voiceover. As a producer, he works with business owners and advertising agencies who use radio advertising, and with other clients who want exceptional sound design and audio production. As a director, James takes an actor’s initial performance to a new level through his understanding of the nuance of interpretation and timing.

For more than 35 years James has worked with voiceover artists as a director, performer and studio engineer in Los Angeles and San Diego. For 25 years, he was a director and audio producer for television station NBC 7/39 in San Diego, receiving eleven Emmy Awards, Omni Intermedia Awards, and Silver Microphone Awards for his work. He is currently an independent audio producer, voice-actor, speaker, author, and teacher. James also works as a director and audio consultant for specialty variety performers, including magicians, illusionists, ice skaters, and professional ballroom dance teams. He has clients in Los Angeles; Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, New York, and other major cities.

In addition to his skills as a teacher, speaker, audio producer and creative sound engineer, James R. Alburger has more than 35 years of performing experience on stage (as a professional magician) and in the recording studio. His extensive knowledge and experience in radio, television, theater, communication, and sound design is brought together in his workshops and seminars to teach the skills needed to break into the business of voiceover and develop a successful voiceover career.

His critically acclaimed book, The Art of Voice-Acting, focuses on the voiceover performer as an actor. The book is the foundation for comprehensive workshop and seminar training in which James R. Alburger teaches his voice-acting techniques with his partner Penny Abshire. James, and Penny also provide a training resource to help business executives and sales/marketing staff more effectively communicate their company's message to their audience.

James has also written one of the most comprehensive books on how to build a home studio, The VoiceActor’s Guide to Professional Home Recording and a pocket book titled How to Get Jobs for the Voices in Your Head designed to give anyone interested in voiceover the information they need to make an intelligent decision as to whether voiceover is something they should pursue.

Penny Abshire

Penny Abshire is a born actor! She is a classically trained concert pianist and has been performing since the age of 7, when she first discovered the world of theater. Penny quickly developed a natural talent for acting and communicating with audiences of all sizes. She was also trained as a dancer and performed professionally for many years. However, as often happens, life moved Penny away from the performing arts into a 26-year career in the world of Estate Law.

To keep her fingers on the pulse of the performing arts, Penny opened what might best be referred to as a “finishing school” where she taught personal communication, presentation, and performing skills to young women. In the mid 1990’s, Penny began her move back to performing when she was personally trained by John Gray as a facilitator of his “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus” seminars. Her unique combination of legal experience, and talents as an actor, coach, and professional speaker developed into a powerful ability to connect with her audiences on an emotional level through the use of both humor and drama.

Moving away from her career in law, Penny began to explore other performing options and attended one of James Alburger’s Art of Voice Acting Workshops. It was here that all of her experience and training became focused. Not long afterward, she discovered yet another talent as a creative copy writer – where she truly found her niche! Penny joined Jim at VoiceActing.com as a writer, voice talent, and producer of award-winning radio commercials. She co-teaches The Art of Voice Acting Workshops with James. She is now a gifted director and loves the opportunity to guide others on their performance paths.

Penny is the recipient of the prestigious Omni Intermedia Award for excellence in copy writing, the Communicator Award, and multiple Silver Microphone Awards, among others.  She is also the author the very popular book Demo and Marketing Magic for Voice Actors.

For more information on Penny’s dialog voiceover work with James Alburger, please visit www.thevoiceoverteam.com.

For more information on Penny’s professional speaking and corporate training with James Alburger, please visit www.speakingmagic.com.

If you live in Orange County, CA area and are interested in becoming a member and attending our bi-monthly meetings, please make sure to fill out our membership application. Also, make sure to sign up for our email list to keep up with the latest happenings of the group.

Thank you for your interest and hope to see you all at the meetup!

Best Wishes and Much Success,
Anne

"Be the Ball, Danny"... Creating characters out of thin air....

Hey Peeps!
Today we are featuring special guest blogger and VO Talent, Mark P. Coyle, who provides us with a truly entertaining and in depth look at the creative process of developing character voices. A big Thank You to Mark for sharing such wonderful and valuable insight!

by: Mark P. Coyle

Most of us remember that comedic transcendental scene from the cult comedy classic, "Caddyshack"...in which an exceptionally gifted, albeit eccentric character named "Ty Webb"- (played by a young Chevy Chase) extolls the zen like philosophies of letting go... by imagining and becoming the very thing you are engaged in trying to do....He blindfolds himself and proceeds to successfully sink a series of difficult putts into the intended golf hole, only barely missing just one!

His impressionable, young caddy, Danny Noonan-(played by Micheal O'Keefe") after witnessing this amazing display of uncanny talent, simply mutters..."Amazing"....to which Ty nonchalantly replies "Thank-you very little"....and saunters off the course as unfazed as when he started.

There's a lesson in there-(somewhere) for all of us crazy, character actor, voiceover artists, that are asked to create and come up with voices on demand. How do we do it? What's the technique? What about the technical skills that we need to remember to utilize and call forth when creating behind the microphone?

Answer:

BE THE CHARACTER!

That's right...at the end of the day, we need to remember that our creative imagination is the most organic tool available to tap into....I have always viewed this process of creation, of simply becoming, of being....as a bit of a mystical gift...the God given talent/ability to morph and match a unique character voice to what we are presented to work with, perhaps a drawing or artists rendering of a toothless gorilla....an old beat up jalopy...or an old withered plant. Our job...(or process, if you will) involves taking an intangible and breathing life and soul into it, through a selected, created/adapted vocal... thus making it a TANGIBLE entity. Again...how do we do that?

This process can be highly individualized to be sure, and certainly subjective...the variables being...are you skilled in the art of mimicry...or impressions?  Can you look upon a person, place or thing... and call forth and believably employ a voice or vocal inflection to match your intended subject matter?

While some voice teachers may teach how to create and perform different types of voices and vocal effects by altering the voice-(ie...speaking with a nasal tone...from the top of the head....from deep in the throat, etc.)... I simply harken back to the Zen teachings of ol' Ty...BE THE CHARACTER!

Inhabit what you see in your script...BECOME, with every focused concentration in your being, what you desire this intangible to BECOME. You are... giving birth in a way-(minus the contractions...well...sometimes) for lack of a better term. Who is this character? Where do they come from? How did they get here? Do they like people? What's their sense of style?

When I create, and then immerse myself into an intended character, so strong is the concentration at hand, that if I looked into a mirror, I would physically see what my minds eye had created, matching with what was coming out of my mouth vocally. I expect the transformation to be so complete, that I want to be amazed and thrilled at the lack of any trace of me upon playback...If I'm unrecognizable-(character voice-wise) to my own ears...then I know I have successfully transformed my very being into that character. Check please...

Creating a history/background in your mind...(some write it down) of the character that you're creating, can be helpful to the process...I once auditioned for the part of a talking convenience store shelf to be used for a 7-11 Training film. The angry shelf-(according to the script) kept spitting out cases of cigarettes that the jobber kept  placing upon it. In the development of this particular voice, I  went into a quiet meditative state, and saw this store shelf from fabrication-(its birth if you will)...delivery to his current destination, and infused him with his current dispostion. In his current situation, he felt disrespected, put upon, was "mad as hell...and not going to take it anymore"! What came out of ME representing HIM, (at least vocally) was a "Gilbert Gottfreid" (think :Geico" duck) type screeching voice.  Perfect! The character had its soul... and was complete!

This is a great trick of the trade by the way, when creating character voices, if you are gifted with an ear for impressions or mimicry. I sometimes will loosley base the character voice on a celebrity voice, which is very freeing as far as creative flexibility goes. (If you're auditioning for a spot on impersonation, that becomes another story, and you need to be able to deliver the goods per the casting directors direction).

When we performed the Rocky Stone radio show, nearly half of the characters that I created and voiced were based on celebrity impersonations. The main character, Rocky Stone, who reported on traffic patterns from a Hot Air balloon called Skyhook One, was a nerdish, shy character. Thus, he was infused with a "Woody Allen" type voice. The voice for the  domineering Airfield Base Officer...Col. Braggard, was based on Jack Nicholson. And finally, the Base Therapist, Dr. Psychie ,was based upon famed therapist, Dr, Ruth Westheimer! Again...I simply matched the qualities and nuances of the assorted characters and channeled the appropriate celebrity voices into them! Sometimes, when studying a potential character, you can create a celebrity hybrid if you will....whereby you take the voice of one type celebrity and fuse it with another for  maximum effectiveness. It's a bit like creating a character stir-fry dish!


Let me illustrate this process for you:

I was once called upon to provide the voice of a 1000 year old ancient troll. EXCITING, right? Here is an example of my creative process in creating that particular character voice....

I was provided with a black and white artists rendering of the character. He reminded me of a character from an old Cecil B. Demille film, the way Charlton Heston might dress while playing Moses. (My little artists drawing even had a wooden staff).

I withdrew to that still quiet place where the magic starts to happen...I silently stared into the trolls eyes...he stared back into mine...then I shut my eyes...and focused....I mean REALLY focused...I felt the hard canvas of his old robe upon my tanned, weathered old skin....I felt the desert sand in my eyes, and the scratchy stubble upon my cheeks and chin...until.....I ...BECAME! His voice found ME...and upon playback, he sounded like a cross between an old Walter Brennan and the American Indian actor Chief Dan George! (Think of the Clint Eastwood classic-The Outlaw Josey Wales, for a memory peg...he played Clint's second sidekick in that one).

I had simply taken both actors voices from my ingredients list...combined them in just the right measure...and voila! A New Character voice was born!!

Creating and performing character voices upon request is probably the most fun you can have with your clothes on...getting PAID quite well to do it is the GIANT cherry on top! If you assess your current skill sets, and realize that you possess a booming baritone announcer type voice...congratulations! The Voice-Over world needs your talent!  If you have a profound articulation of medical subject matter, and 12 syllable medical jargon type words flow effortlessly from your lips like honey from a jar...congratulations, for they need your talents as well!

Now...if you've been creating funny little voices since before the age of 10... imitating teachers, then assorted bosses later in life...if you find yourself during the course of a day speaking in different dialects and character voices 80% of the time...if people sometimes beg you to talk to them again in your REAL voice...well then...Congratulations...you just may BE a Character Voice Over Actor! So...Go and Get your Freak on! :)


About the Author:

Mark P. Coyle has been in the Radio-Voice-Over Industry for over 16 years, and spends the majority of his days speaking in OTHER voices...He also wrote, produced and performed the Rocky Stone show on WERA radio. He can be reached at: markpcoyle@gmail.com

JOIN US as Six OC Media Organizations Party Together on Dec 6th!

Hey VO Peeps!  :) Dig out that reindeer sweater or snowflake muffer and wear it on December  6th—when you join fellow media pros, their spouses, sig O’s and friends for the annual year-end Holiday Party! There’ll be hearty food, great door prizes as well as a gift exchange and of course, a festive atmosphere in which to meet new friends and renew acquaintances .

This year the OC VO Peeps is sharing hosting duties with PVN, the Professional Videographers Network. Joining us will be members of the Media Alliance of Orange County, The LA/OC chapter of the MCA-i, OC Digital Arts and the OC Screen Writers Association. You’ll also likely run into a few errant members of the OC Multi Media Association and possibly, just possibly, a few stragglers from the Professional Communication Exchange.

Besides a lot of charming people we’ll have doorprizes and—if you choose to bring a gift (max value $15) —a fun gift exchange! (or is it a RE-gift exchange?)

 Our location is the legendary Fullerton trattoria,  Angelo’s & Vinci’s. They’re known for good food and good times. Dinner is included in the price per person and there will be a cash bar for adult beverages.

We expect a good size crowd so make plans now and go on line to RSVP and pay. Price is $22 per person and you must pre-pay!

If you are a member of PVN, please RSVP to their website and get a member discount! The rest of us media mavens must RSVP and pay $22 per person at the MCAI Meetup site: http://www.newmedia.meetup.com/82/

The event is $22 per person if you prepay online at http://www.newmedia.meetup.com/82/
PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE SOON SO WE CAN GET AN ACCURATE COUNT FOR FOOD!

EVENT: Annual Six Media Org Holiday Party & Dinner
DATE: Tuesday December 6th, 2011
TIME:  Event starts at 6:30 PM with socializing and cocktails followed by dinner, door prizes and gift exchange. Laughs throughout.

LOCATION: Angelo’s & Vinci’s Restaurant, 6:30 PM
550 N. Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92832-1516
Phone: 714-879-4022
http://www.angelosandvincis.com/

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Angelo’s & Vinci’s is in downtown Fullerton—halfway between  the 5 and 57 Freeways north of the 91 and just N. of Chapman Avenue.  From either the 5 or the 57 take 91 and exit at Harbor Blvd and head north bout 1 mile.

Can't wait to see you there!

Best Wishes and Much Success,

Anne

VO Peeps October Meetup - An International Experience!

With guest speaker Natalie Cooper!

It's hard to believe another meetup has come and gone already!  Our VO Peeps October Meetup was a wonderful event filled with amazing networking, great friends, and an abundance of laughter and fun!  An extra special thank you to our International guest presenter  Natalie Cooper, (who traveled all the way from the UK), for her delightfully entertaining and insightful presentation!  Having Natalie on hand to share her experiences as a voiceover talent, talk about the business, and answer questions was extremely informational and educational for our members. It's no surprise to us that her incredibly charming and warm personality are a contributing factor to her amazing voiceover success!

Many thanks go out to those who attended and who also helped us to celebrate honorary Peep and chef extraordinaire Jerry Ganguzza's Birthday! Many thanks Jerry, for sharing your special day with us!

Happy Birthday Jerry!

A warm welcome and shout out to our newest members, Kathy Johnson, Andrew Swingler, Blake Gould, and Brian Kelly.  So nice to meet you! :)

Also, A big thank you to those of you who attended via our live broadcast on our exclusive Ustream channel.   If you missed us, no worries!  You can always view our archived video of the meetup.

An engaged audience

The evening lasted till well past the midnight hour, with many people staying to enjoy the wonderful company and great food.

VO Peep member Eila Ulyett had this to say:

"Thank you Natalie for a very interesting and fun evening on Friday. It was great to hear how you got started in the business and what you're up to now. Just wish you could be at our meetings on a regular basis!"  

If you are from the Orange County area and are interested in joining our meetups live and in person, please visit our Membership page to apply.  We'd love to have you!

A heartfelt and sincere thank you to of all our members for your continued support and friendship.  We couldn't do it without you!  Can't wait until our next meetup!

Best Wishes and Much Success,

Anne