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Mary Morgan

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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.

Demo Critiques: Quality Does Matter

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Above you can see two sets of macaron batches. These are my pictures from when I was practicing and then perfecting my technique. Can you tell which one is bad quality?

If I told someone that I make macarons despite not having sales or proof that I know what I’m doing, and they wanted to buy some from me, what do you think would happen if I took their money and gave them the poor batch?

There’s a reason quality matters. And in voice over, quality demos and quality recording DO matter!!

We all want critiques of demos, especially those of us starting out. The problem is, too many get demos made when they’re not ready. And what’s most heartbreaking is that the talent don’t realize how bad they sound until it’s too late. What do I mean by that? Well, there’s two ways.

First, you make a demo when you’re not ready and then ask for professional voiceover talent to critique you. When results aren’t good, it’s too late to get your $$$$ back.

When reactions aren’t positive your self-esteem drops or your inner diva explodes and you post insults and complaints on social media (which by the way are on the internet forever even if you “think” you deleted it).

Second, you make the demo thinking it’s good enough to get you work or signed with a big agent.

Sadly, you send the demo out and hear nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada. Or, an agent or producer dedicates time out of their busy schedule to tell you that you not only need to get more training but you need to have the demo redone which will more than likely be more expensive than the first demo. If you get angry and respond with an insulting email your name will be put on a blacklist and then passed around as a warning to other agents and producers. Then there’s something else. Believe it or not, some studios have a collection of bad demos that they keep on hand and after hours or on breaks. They play those demos for friends or clients and everyone pokes fun. By the way, I’ve heard some of these demos. I don’t believe in making fun of others. While it’s safe not being there to hear the ridicule, your name gets out there and stays in their memory. Trust me when I say it’s rare to have another opportunity to get your next demo heard, even if it’s better. That’s where you need referrals.

Not long ago I saw two new voice over talent post their demos online seeking “honest” critiques. But as days went by, I noticed hardly anyone posted. I took a listen for myself of both demos, one from a man and one from a woman. Both wanted to be in animation. Alas, the demos were bad. Really bad. One demo had awful recording quality and horrible editing but the voice had potential. The other demo had good quality but the acting was terrible and the voices sounded all the same, no uniqueness whatsoever. I debated whether I should put my 2 cents out there and in the end I decided not to say anything. Why? Well, in the end, my opinion is just an opinion. I’m not a super-established talent. I’m not a powerhouse agent. I’m not a producer or director or casting specialist. Those are the critiques you want. Their opinions are what will shape your potential future in VO.

Another reason why I didn’t want to post my thoughts is that years ago, a talent from another country connected with me on LinkedIn for the purpose of networking (I rarely accept connections with other VO talent on LinkedIn now because of this situation). The talent was excited for the connection and politely asked if I’d critique his demo. I had some time off from a session so I generously spent that time listening to his demo and taking notes as to what I felt worked and what didn’t work. It was an animation or video game demo and it was long, like 2 minutes. After 30 minutes I sent my response to the talent with my honest thoughts based on all the knowledge of what makes demos stand out that I received from some of the biggest agents, producers, etc; in VO. I explained his demo was too long, the voices didn’t sound different, the sound effects were faint and in most cases didn’t even fit with the dialogue. But like on a true positive note I said he had massive potential and that was no lie. I ended the letter by encouraging him to keep training and learning.

Days later he responded saying something on the lines of, “Well, thanks for your email. I don’t get what your saying because I’ve had big agents tell me they want to sign me and celebrities say I’m going to be huge someday. I guess you’re entitled to an opinion, though.”

When I showed the email to a famous voice over friend I was told that this talent was after an ego boost and not an honest critique. That made me mad because I volunteered my time for free thinking my opinion would be taken seriously. Since then, I have very, very strict rules about accepting other VO talent on LinkedIn and I’m EXTREMELY careful about responding to messages from new talent or those seeking to “get in” to voice over.

If that man has received work and agents with his demo, then good for him.

For those who are wanting to enter and succeed in this business you need skills, quality, proof of your abilities, luck, hard work, endless training, luck, networking, a positive attitude, luck, oh — did I mention luck?

One of those really, really bad demos that I heard had static, distortion, poor editing and MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, unnecessary talking such as: “So this is my hero voice which I know is already used in your shows by (famous name), but I can do it better. I truly am the next (famous name) and I have the acting chops to prove it. Here it is: ‘I’m not afraid of you! I have all the power now! Die you hideous monster! Diiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee!!!.” That last part had so much static and distortion due to incredibly poor microphone technique.

Not only that, it was just one poor example on the demo. I had heard of this person by name but didn’t know him personally. The people who played it for me told me quite a few disturbing stories regarding very unpleasant encounters with this individual who is now blacklisted.

Don’t think that the more money you spend the better quality. It’s not about that at all. The quality comes from you first. How well you know the genre you want to market yourself is essential.

Want to work in commercials? Watch them on TV or the ads on YouTube or Hulu.

Want to work in animation or anime? Watch them where you can find them. There’s no excuse not to do so anymore, thanks to the internet and Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.

Want to work in audiobooks? Yes you definitely need to listen to many because with this one the pace, the voice changes per character, the vocal quality and the energy are different with every actor. It’s true that you can listen to lots of celebrities, but you’ve also got amazing talent like Scott Bricks who specializes in audio books, or Pat Fraley, another outstanding talent who is also very, very strong in animation (remember Krang from the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon?).

Now, some other factors to consider depend on the following:

Are you writing your scripts for your selected genre?

Did you hire someone to do it for you?

Or did you choose a producer who included scripts in the demo package?

Do you have enough spots that don’t repeat a style or character voice/archetype that you’ve already included?

Are the spots paced accordingly to fit in the span of 1 minute if not less?

Is the music or sound effects appropriate for each spot?

Are music and sound effects even necessary, or overkill?

Consider those details and many more. If your producer has samples from past clients then listen to them and judge with your ears. Keep in mind that your goal is to catch the interest of the listener in a span of 6-10 seconds.

These days demos should not last more than 60 seconds so you want to be sure whatever material you have is varied and not the same. I can’t tell you how many demos I’ve heard this year alone that sounded all the same when it came to video games and animation. In fact, if video games is really an area you want to approach, here’s an article about the value of video game demos. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/actors-reels-video-games-survey-mark-estdale/

Last and most important: DO NOT get a demo made if you’re not ready. Know what you’re getting into and the competition you’re up against, then make it happen by being you and not copying someone else’s style or read.

I wish you all the best!

Are you a Jack of All Trades?

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Warning, long post today.

I sincerely apologize for having no posts in months. I’ve been terribly busy, dealing with uncomfortable controversies and false accusations and my wedding which was fantastic.

I’ll do my best to post at least every two weeks as best I can. If some posts are similar to past ones I ask that you please forgive me because it’s not easy going back over every post when there’s little time to do so. I’ll try my hardest to share new information as much as I can.

So, how do you define a “Jack of All Trades”?

I’m am by no means anywhere close to that.  I’m a voice over, I’m also a yoga teacher, a black belt in Krav Maga, a macaron chef, and a professional mermaid. Why am I doing all these things? I have reasons for each one that I enjoy discussing. The primary reason is that I have a huge obsession with creativity. If something interests me, I learn everything I can about it and share the results. For example, I became fascinated by macarons after seeing all the limitless inventive flavors and decorative ways to make them. When I mastered making them (in 5 months) people asked if I’d sell them. That’s still a work in progress. I chose to study Krav Maga because it’s a modern martial arts style that was designed for people in the Israeli military and has since been the most effective when in comes to self-defense. I took yoga to help my flexibility in Krav Maga since it helps me to be able to wiggle my way out from underneath an opponent pinning me down. I started sharing what I learned with other students who then asked if I would teach them. But I felt uncomfortable teaching without a certification and now I teach 3-4 times a week. Many people ask about the mermaid profession as it’s quite unusual (I’m always drawn to anything unusual). This started as a hobby because I love fantasy and I always dreamed of being a mermaid. I love the ocean and I love swimming. When I put on a fabric tail it felt more than magical. Much like being on stage, I got to step into another world and feel as though I was truly part of it. I have a pod that I hang out with now and we swim as well as discuss events and job opportunities. It’s an industry that is taking off very fast for a host of reasons. Kids love mermaid entertainers (remember The Little Mermaid?), it’s a fabulous workout, trade shows love having them to attract interest from the public, renaissance fairs love to have them, even haunted house attractions are slowly interested in adding mermaids as a scary attraction (zombie mermaids, vampire mermaids, etc), and one of my favorite reasons is the chance to help children and people understand the importance of ocean conservation and saving marine wildlife.

Ok, bear with me I AM going somewhere with all this. I shared all the above as that’s what has led me on my various career paths. However, have you ever met someone who said “I’ve been in lots of cartoons”, or “You can hear me in lots of video games” or “I taught (famous name here) all he knows and now he’s famous in Disney movies”? We’ve all met someone who claimed to do this and that BUT… do they have proof of their success on an IMDb page? Are they comfortable talking about what led them on these paths? Do they have real testimonials from actual people? When you mention their name around VO communities, what do people say?

One of the first VO talents I got to know claimed to be a genuine “Jack of All Trades” such as producer, engineer, film actor, writer, composer, singer, jingle producer, audio editor and much more. This person also claimed to have trained American Idol top 10 contestants, famous voice over talent who now live and work in LA, and even mega-famous bands like the Dixie Chicks. The problem is, this person (whom I’ll refer to as “he”) had no genuine proof of all these accomplishments except his word on his website. He said he worked in big animation shows and well-known video games but no credits were under his name on IMDb. In fact the only resume was one he posted and not credits listed by actual clients. As I got to know this person, their attitude changed frequently from overly positive and sure of himself in what he knew to moody about the industry and not competent that I had what it takes according to “his” standards. If I questioned how he achieved a certain skill he gave me a vague response such as “It’s just something I picked up” or “I’m a fast learner” when he could have said something akin to “There’s a great Udemy course on recording engineering”, or “I’m self taught based on these books or magazines”, or “I had an internship at Johnson Recording Studio in Dallas”. If the answer sounds elusive and they change the subject right away it means they’re hiding something.

The biggest red flag I witnessed happened during one of the man’s workshops where I was assisting and a student challenged his knowledge of experience in voice over. The teacher lost his temper and ended the class on a sour note with these exact words that I haven’t forgotten, “I don’t know. Now get out of here, goodbye!”. And worst of all, he habitually told people who were just starting in this business that they were ready to get demos made and if they hired him to produce their demo it would be for a fair price compared to other producers. This is a HUGE NO!!! Yet because I was so new to VO I failed to see these red flags waving in my face.

Before noticing these behaviors I had been paying the man for voice lessons and when I look back, his were some of the worst I ever received in my life. All I remember is having a song played for me on piano as I sang and then getting told, “That was so lovely, what do you want to sing next?” A true voice teacher goes back and breaks down the song on where I sound flat or lethargic or breathless or lacking support, etc. Yet in these so-called lessons I got NO real voice training. And this person claimed to have trained the Dixie Chicks? About a month later I said I could no longer afford the lessons and the teacher wasn’t happy about it. I received an email from him claiming that I had abused their time as well as some other choice words. Typically past teachers in music would politely say something like “Ok, I’ll miss you and I wish you the best of luck”. But not this guy. He didn’t take it well at all. Yet another red flag.

When I disconnected from this person that’s when my voice over career TRULY started. To my knowledge the so-called teacher is still out there conducting workshops in voiceover, even selling self-made audio books for potential students or self-published e-books for a price and to this day still misleading countless others who have dreams. I began speaking with a number of professionals from talent agents, to recording engineers, to studio owners and to other VO talent regarding this news. From there I learned that more than a few skills and accomplishments listed on this person’s website were false.  He was a legit VO talent but sticking to old school information that is long gone and no longer relevant, has a history of rude “diva” behavior with talent agents and… was a severe “raging” alcoholic. Their income came from workshops and “demo production”. Any voice over work they did in the 21st century was minimal due to poor choices and inappropriate behavior while drinking. When true voice over professionals from LA or NY came to visit, this guy worked overtime to convince people to take his workshop instead because it was $200 less or such and because he’d spread whatever rumor he came up with to supposedly discredit the out of town teachers.

So why did I tell this boring story? Well, there’s two reasons. First, I see a growing number of producers looking for talent who can “do it all” such as record voice overs from home, compose music, sing to it, edit, etc. One of my new clients wanted someone who could record in a professional home studio, edit, compose songs with real instruments, sing them and work with other voice talent to help them sing. Why? It saved money, of course. Otherwise they’d have to hire a composer ($500-$2,000 per song), an audio engineer ($150-$300 per hour), multiple voice overs (depending if they use union or non-union, in which case the latter is growing rapidly as the primary choice), possibly singers (if VO talent couldn’t sing, again union or non-union), and then sound engineers to add effects, etc. But, if one person can do it all then it saves TONS of money.

So, if you want to enter the world of voice over, that’s great. However, if you want to stand out among competition who legitimately have all the above skills and many years of experience you need to do so organically. Here’s how: learn, learn, learn more, continue learning more, stay up to date with what happens in VO, network, network, network again and keep networking while still learning more. Yes, it sounds crazy, but you’ve heard me often enough saying how this business isn’t for the faint at heart.

The second reason has to do with the false teacher I mentioned. The internet is your friend. FIND OUT ALL YOU CAN! Look them up on the top sites like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. If you have doubts, look on social media and see if you share connections with the person. Send a private message asking others what their thoughts are, don’t post it to the public. Beware of the narcissistic behavior. By that I mean if you question who this person worked with, what their background is, if they have references or such and they get angry, then don’t bother. I’m more than happy to say I’ve trained with Bob Bergen, Pat Fraley, Debbi Derriberry and a host of others. If you can’t find ANYTHING about the person on the internet, I advise you to move on.

When that time comes for you to seek opportunities with clients be honest with them always and with yourself. If you have no proof of your skills despite claiming otherwise, not only will it backfire, your name will spread around as someone to “watch out for” and not in a positive way. Where I’m based there are at least 3-4 names people mention at events, workshops, parties, and other voice over functions as folks to be wary of due to false claims and diva behavior. To avoid being labeled as such, be genuine about what you can do and learn as much as you can. The best VO talent never stop learning even when they book a lot of work. If you have the drive, nothing can stop you.

Why do I have a Voice Over blog?

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Two weeks ago I was part of a marketing group led by a well-known VO talent. When I was asked what I was doing to get my name out there I mentioned my demos, my website, my rapid growing list of connections on LinkedIn and my blog. The leader of the group stopped me and said that blogging was a huge waste of time and that I needed to abandon it and focus more time on marketing myself. “Blogging won’t help your career. No one cares what you have to say,” She said. That’s ok. Everyone is entitled to an opinion; however, it was the verbal approach that caught me off guard. Her tone was harsh and her criticism malicious. I wanted to explain why I blogged but she quickly moved on to someone else. Some time later I combed through the auditions I had to get done for the day and found myself thinking about my blog. Could this marketing expert be right? Was it worth continuing?

Did people really believe that I had nothing to contribute? I don’t have thousands of followers on Twitter or YouTube. I’m not famous by name or appearance. Why would anyone bothering visiting my website to read my blog?

Then… I got an email from a person telling me that they appreciated the info I was sharing about voice over and they looked forward to new posts. And then two days later I received a message from a young woman who said she found me through one of my recent posts about the #metoo movement and the CNN article about Peter Rofe. She had a story of her own and needed to know where to turn to. Immediately I messaged my friend Heather Costa and asked what email I could use of hers so that the woman who had similar experiences had someone she could talk to. I don’t know if the woman actually used them yet but she reached out nonetheless through what she read in my blog. That’s when it dawned on me. The leader of the marketing group kept saying that “I” needed to do this and “I” needed to stop doing that. It was my responsibility to take my career as seriously as she did. It has to all be about me!

But, the thing is, all my life I was taught that if everything is all about me then that makes me selfish and self-centered, yes? It also makes me think about the clients I’ve worked with and how I related to them on a personal level. It wasn’t just “I’m a voice over and I want to work for you” it was, “Sure I’d love to help in anyway I can, even if I’m not a good fit for the project. I can send you some names of people who are also professional VO talent with their own home studios, or I can help you find a sound designer if you need one”, and my favorite: “Voice over is my greatest passion, but I saw you enjoy cooking which is something I love too. What kind of cuisine do you enjoy? Indian? Italian? I’d love to know from one food lover to another.”

Making everything about “me” is not why I have a blog, because I don’t want it to be just about me. I have a blog to help readers like you who want to get into voice over. I include situations I’ve been in, articles I’ve read, and current events happening in voice over. I’ve worked with some great coaches I want to recommend, I’m part of quite a few terrific groups and get-togethers that welcome new talent and nurture them. I want to guide you as best I can without charging you an arm and a leg. I don’t call myself expert and I will NEVER call myself better than anyone else. I call myself experienced. There are no guarantees in this business because it’s changing day by day. In short, I blog to share all that I can for anyone who dreams of being a voice over.

Keep in mind, what worked for me may not work for you. Don’t expect to join a marketing group with the idea that it’ll work out exactly for you as it did for the creator of the program. And if he/she doesn’t welcome ideas or even opinions with an open mind (instead of an ego-driven one), then you may have to look elsewhere or just follow your heart. I don’t sugar coat situations, I’m honest and blunt because more than just a few people I’ve known for years are the same way. However, I also believe in encouraging others and providing concepts. Your journey has to be your own just as all life lessons are yours to learn. I can be a guide, but the decisions must be yours to make.

A good friend shared an interesting quote just yesterday which fits pretty well into my blog post:

The difference in dialogue between leaders and bosses:

Bosses: Tell you, “Do it because I don’t feel like doing it myself.”

Leader: Tell you, “Let me show you, or let me help you with this.”

Beware of those who call themselves leaders when they are better off as followers.

I’m by no means accusing the marketing leader to be “bossy.” But there is a difference between having an opinion and then forcefully telling someone to stop doing this or that because “they” believe it’s a waste of time. I’ve received emails from up and coming talent who find value in what I write and what I share. I don’t expect to make money from the few posts on my blog. It’s my way of sharing my knowledge (thus far) and my experience in voice over. It’s also so that I don’t have to rewrite the same answers to questions that I get asked continuously about “how to get in” to voice over. It’s far too much of a common thing these days that I’m hearing from those interested in VO and asking what to do to “get in.” Then I spend a great deal of time crafting a letter with what it’s like today in VO, what’s required of you and how you can’t let excuses get in the way of having a home studio, learning to direct yourself and be your own engineer, and the absolute must-have above all else to get into this profession – demos! Afterwards, I never hear from them again, not even a simple “Ok, thanks for the info. I appreciate it.” Gratitude can go a long way; however, lately most don’t think it’s necessary because they expect it to just be given. So, my blog is the best “free” information I can give.

You will probably be overwhelmed (as too many claim when I send them information about what’s required to work in this industry), but I will never stop saying in every post if I have to, that the entertainment industry is NOT for the faint of heart. The VO community is welcoming, but you’ll come across bullies who will do anything to discourage you because they themselves fear competition (or have psychological problems that they never got over as kids and can only find solace by being trolls–they’re out there in VO, too) and even find a way to step all over you in order to book a job. It’s happened to a lot of people. It’s just how it is.

I do all I can when it comes to staying up-to-date with what’s happening in VO such as technology, workshops, networking, new genres (VR and AR), and if I get to know you really well and trust that you have a home studio, demos and a good amount of training, I’ll keep you on my list of VO talent for when clients ask me to help them find more to add to their project or roster. I’ll try to answer questions as best I can, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll guide toward a source that can.

While some people charge hundreds of dollars for workshops teaching “old school” material (as some of my colleagues put it) and expecting you to follow only what they say instead of learning all that you can on your own, keep in mind, the internet has LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of free info. Take advantage of it!

A VO blog I enjoy reading is on www.nethervoice.com by Paul Strikwerka.

Or, if you prefer a podcast, subscribe to www.voboss.com hosted by Anne Ganguzza and Gabrielle Nistico. Those are just a few. There are more. Find as many as you can, read and listen to them. Learn to be your own boss, ignore those who thrive on ego and let nothing stop you no matter how long it takes.

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!

Workshop Review: Ned Lott’s Singing in Character Class

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How many ladies have ever dreamed of being Disney princesses, or leading ladies in an animated musical? How about guys? Ever wanted to be a Disney prince or singing sidekick? Well, first, please understand that taking this workshop won’t guarantee you anything, but it will help educate you into what’s involved when singing as a character, any character, really! You don’t even have to sound like a famous pop star or opera singer or a Tony award-winning performer. However, you do need to be able to carry a tune which for some people is easier said than done. Reading music is a HUGE plus as well or having some familiarity with it. But in a couple of cases having a good ear is enough.

Ned Lott has worked with the best in the business on films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King and even more award-winning movies, shows and games. So by taking his workshop, you’re in the greatest care. I’ve also worked with Ned one-on-one in person and via Skype, and I’ll be learning from him more and more.

The only homework before the class is finding a song of your choice from an animated film, TV show or musical, and being prepared to sing it from beginning to end with karaoke music.

DAY ONE

All of us were a bit nervous of course since not everyone had the ability to sing with proper vocal care or experience, but Ned encouraged us to give it our best shot, directing with guided patience and allowing more than one opportunity to sing as part of a chorus. Some of the fun included singing some difficult yet fun music pieces from a little known anime film by Studio Ghibli. The hard part was not having any music to follow on paper, just the lyrics. As a result we had to listen to the short songs played in the movie multiple times to memorize the rhythm, the key they were sung in, and even matching our voices with lip flips. There were occasions when only the guys sung together, then only the girls sung together and finally all of us sung together.

DAY TWO

With so many students the class had to be divided up. I joined 7 others attending on the second day, while the rest would attend on the third day. First we were each assigned one 15-second song from a learning game for kids.  One after the other, Ned sent us into the studio to sing individually into the microphone. Like the day before, we only received lyric sheets to look at and no music notation. This meant hearing the original song over and over, singing with it a few times and then singing only with the music track and no vocal.

After that it was time for us to sing our chosen solos that we picked a week before the workshop. Ned provided superb direction during this process and allowed several opportunities to sing the whole song using his suggestions for staying in character.

A few highlights were hearing a young man sing as Miss Piggy, another good singer performing as Kermit the Frog, and a lovely lady sounding five years old and holding a high note for more than a minute!

You also learn how and why some songs weren’t always sung by the voice actor who spoke the dialogue in various film/Tv programs. A great example is Jeremy Irons who voices one of my favorite villains, Scar from The Lion King. Irons only sang a few lines from the song “Be Prepared”, but the majority was sung by a super-talented voice actor named Jim Cummings. Jim also created Ed’s hyena laughter an is known for voicing more than 500 projects in film, Tv and games: http://m.imdb.com/name/nm0191906/filmotype/actor?ref_=m_nmfm_1

Ned also explained how difficult it can be to not only find a voice actor who can sing, but also cast voice actors in other countries who can sound identical to the original vocalists. An example is the song “How Far I’ll go” from Disney’s Moana sung in 24 different languages by various singers from other countries.

DAY THREE

Ned asked all of us to show up as a group for one more hour near the end of the workshop so that we could all partake in the last exercise. We took two songs from Disney’s Moana and divided the lyrics line by line. So the guys were  paired as a group, then the girls. All the guys stood next to each other by the microphones and sung one solo line at a time, then the girls.  At the end we heard both songs with each line being sung by different person.

All in all, it’s a workshop experience you won’t find anywhere else. I’ve taken more than plenty commercial, animation, audiobook, promo, and video game voice over workshops and Ned Lott’s is the only one so far dedicated to singing in character.

There’s no need to sound as perfect as Jodie Benson (Ariel in The Little Mermaid), or Idina Menzel (Elsa from Frozen), or necessarily mimicking other voice actors and vocalists from famous projects. It helps a lot to be able to mimic them, but it’s really about having fun, discovering your artistic abilities in voice over as well as music, making the song YOUR performance and not like the original, and finding whether it’s something you feel comfortable exploring as a performer. If it isn’t, no worries! Again, it’s not for everyone and that’s ok. Keep in mind, at least, that the more unique talents you have, the more likely you’ll stand out from others.

At the beginning of the workshop, I fantasized about being a Disney princess, but I left deciding that I’d rather be a Disney villain!

©2024 Mary Morgan // Voice Over Site by Voice Actor Websites

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