Voiceover

Even at the Beginning, It’s Who You Know

When I first got to Barnard, the women’s college at Columbia University, I had a hard time finding my niche socially. This was very unusual for me as I was always a social butterfly and made friends so easily. Still, I did not immediately bond with the other girls on my floor. The kids seemed cliquish. Then, my friend Marissa who I knew from my Sociology class, invited me to her room to see her formal pictures. That changed everything! When I saw Marissa’s photos, I wanted to go to these parties too. Next thing I knew I was at a sorority rush party and before I knew it I was a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega. The girls in AXO were amazing. They were involved in all aspects of life at Columbia, from sports teams to student government to the newspaper. AXO was the network that I needed and I loved all of these women. I don’t know where I would be today, and how I would have made it through my years of college and graduate school at Columbia, without the support system of AXO. I learned through my sorority that knowing the right people is extremely important.

When I first started working as a professional voiceover actress years ago, I had one friend in voiceover, Marie Hoffman. Marie introduced me to Uncle Roy of Antland Productions. If you’re “in the biz,” then you already know that Uncle Roy (not really our Uncle but every one calls him that) wears lot of hats from producer to coach to demo producer to audio engineer at shows and conferences and more. Anyway, every year without fail Uncle Roy has a famous industry wide barbecue that voiceover talents come to not just from all over the country, but from around the world! Folks literally fly in for this event and the first time I was invited I had no idea what I was walking in to. I had heard how close knit the voiceover community was, but until walking into Uncle Roy’s barbecue I never felt it before. Producers, voiceover actors, agents, spouses, website folks were all together schmoozing and getting to know each other. I met people in person that I had taken online classes with and “knew” from facebook. I had so much fun. I also felt that these amazing people were my people and were the voiceover industry. As working creatives, we are only as strong as our network, and as I very much want to succeed, since the beginning of my business I have worked hard to build and maintain a strong network.

The Peeps

When I started in voiceover, my very first coach was the esteemed voiceover talent and one time Jersey girl Anne Ganguzza. Now located in California, in addition to being a tremendous role model for many, Anne runs an amazing group called VO Peeps: https://vopeeps.com/. According to their mission, “VO Peeps is a global meet up group dedicated to providing resources and information about Voiceover, and related media, industries.” Taking classes with fantastic voiceover artists like Scott Brick was an amazing opportunity when I started out in voiceover. Not only did I get to meet established professionals, there were working voiceover actors at all points in their careers in the workouts. Just the existence of VO Peeps seemed to good to believe but it is there for all of us to join and the offerings seem to get better and better.

VO Peeps also sells some products. This may seem like a small thing, but when you are trying to become part of a network, products are actually essential to identifying with that network. From useful cable ties for our voiceover equipment to shirts and vocal remedies, the store on the VO Peeps website is great:)

The Professionals: WoVo

Even though it has now been quite a few years, I still remember the day that I had booked enough work to become a professional level member of World Voices Organization, https://www.world-voices.org/, “a non-profit, member-driven industry association of professional voice talent.” Not only was that credential extremely important to me, it meant so much to become a part of this esteemed group of voiceover actors. I felt that it validated all of my hard work and belonging to this group and this network was very meaningful to me. Over the years I have had the opportunity to mentor several people through the mentor program and I have loved being able to help new talents just starting out in the field.

Another reason that I love being part of WoVo is that I began attending the conferences. Meeting these amazing professional voiceover talents in person and learning from my peers is nothing short of incredible. The tips and tricks that I learned at the conference I use in my daily work, from Twisted Wave tweaks to efficiency habits, their expertise helps profoundly. There is also something so magical about all of these established, working creatives being in one space together. If I thought Uncle Roy’s barbecue was something, that is fun and social. The WoVo conference has that element that we all love and need plus the productivity that we cannot get elsewhere.

Voice Peddler Family Interviews

One of my dear mentors who coached me for a very long time, Fred Frees, started the Voice Peddler Family Interviews. Not only does this provide a facebook group for social interaction between all sorts of industry people, including voiceover actors, agents, and producers alike, but Fred also has a youtube channel where he interviews top talents! His interviews are set up in a unique way and are a joy to watch. The facebook group is also unique because each day has a different theme. For example, there is a share your demo day, a demo critique day, and a day to ask tech questions. I have gotten invaluable advice from this sharing. I love the vibe and good natured banter of Fred’s group. I also am so inspired by the many successful talents that Fred has showcased in his interviews.

Just the Gals

Every week on Wednesday night I spend an hour with my VO women’s group:) An amazing, talented, brilliant group of professional voiceover actor’s who’s names I will keep to myself! We discuss our work, our strategies, our equipment, and I’ll confess we also discuss our lives a little bit too. I may be more guilty of that that the others! We also refer business to each other when possible. The weeks go by so quickly and my chats with these women are immensely helpful and inspirational. I look forward to our time together and I count on them for their guidance and expertise.

So Many Groups, so Little Time…

With an unlimited amount of options, I spend tons of time on LinkedIn and Facebook every single day. Some people are joiners. That has nothing to do with why I do this. My business depends on building interpersonal relationships and in this era, the way to do it is to participate in these groups, chats, webinars, etc.

Ok, so it’s possible, maybe even probable, that those of us who are successful in voiceover have certain personality characteristics. It would be fair to say that most of us are people people. It might also be fair to say that to succeed in voiceover getting along with others is a must. So, from my sorority days in college, while my parents might have been afraid that I was “too social,” I was actually honing the very skills essential to take off in voiceover!

Like families across America, every February we go all out having our neighbors over to watch the Super Bowl. Perhaps it’s because I’m from Philly, and, well, you know what they say about Philly fans. We have pizza and wings and every snack you can think of. I make tons of hot appetizers and keep them coming through out the game. We have an assortment of beers. I also always make fish and neighbors bring a variety of salads. Every one knows though, that the game is just part of it. The half time show is just part of it. The commercials often leave everyone on the edge of their seats. Some are profoundly touching. Some are hilarious. Some are controversial. We all sit their, huddled together, on the edge of our seats, never bored. The voiceover, the voice under what flashes on the screen, is sure to dazzle on such an epic night. But whether it is Super Bowl Sunday or any given Tuesday, a voiceover actor, and there are a lot of us, is always an actor and never just a voiceover person, and the voiceactor’s ability to assume a role as apposed to just reading a script can make all the difference in those spots that we love.

Voiceover for Character Work

When I started my journey as a professional voiceover actress, I dreamt of playing a Disney princess. Who doesn’t right? After all, if I can sing like the Little Mermaid and sound full of hope one moment and like i’m in the depths of despair the next, clearly I have chosen the right career path. But even when Disney does not immediately come knocking at your door, there are ample opportunities for character work in voiceover where the work itself pre-determines the role that you play. From candy princesses to mermaids in kids’ apps to cat toys, I have voiced them all. Whether in an app, an animation, a video game, or dubbing, when doing character work a voiceover actor does not have to figure out who they are. The script tells us. Other sorts of script analysis are of course required, but at least we know who we are and what our relationship is to the other roles around us.

The Voice in the Commercial

Since the inception of my career commercial work has been my bread and butter and determining your character, or who you are in a commercial, is not always so simple. Sometimes you are actually cast as a specific role, like the voice of the hip mom or the distressed wife, but often you have to read the script and make a choice about who you are playing. Recently, I have been what is often described as “the voice of G-d” in a series of tv commercials for a hospital. These spots needed to sound heartfelt and connected. I’ve also played the casino party girl, and I it was my call to sound like the super fun party girl that anyone would want next to them at the black jack table. That is why we are called voiceover actors, because even in a commercial there is always a role to be played.

The Role of the Narrator

A lot of voiceover work falls under the category of Narration. As a former teacher, I particularly delight in doing eLearning projects. But, whether I am narrating eLearning, industrials, or telephony, I am still playing a role. I am never simply reading a script. I may be Susie in HR. Or I may be Julie, the tech savvy girl sitting next to you at the conference table. Or I may be Emma, the head chef at Whole Foods Market. I always have to know exactly what role I am playing and why I am saying what I’m saying. Often in narration this is not clear from what the client gives me. Instead, this comes from self direction, from a creative choice that I make. Again, this is what makes the difference between being a voiceover actor and someone who just reads into a microphone.

Voiceover Actor vs. Voiceover Talent

So why are some people in my field called voice actors, some called voiceover actors, some called voice talents, and some called voiceover talents? Put simply it’s a matter of personal preference. They all mean the same thing and imply the very same career. Some people would say that they are a voice talent because they also do on-camera work and public speaking or live announce. Well that’s great! But some people prefer that title and they do not do either. So, any professional who assumes one of these titles, is implying that they spend their days acting, pouring their creative juices, heart, and soul into your script to bring it alive and make it sound its best. In the words of Marc Hammill, “You’re able to make broad choices that you would never make if you were on camera.”

Oh- That Kind of Day

In a business that’s feast or famine, what happens during a dry patch?

You must be thinking, is she always like that? Is that girl always so —-ing bubbly? Well, as a matter of fact no. Some days, much like the rest of the world, I want to binge watch “Downton Abby,” eat chocolate, and kvetch to anyone who will listen. So if, on top of actually being normal and being effected by the world around me, my voiceover business hits a slow patch in an industry that is know to be feast or famine, my glass begins to look half empty, how does my perspective shift and how do I get back on track?

Did you see HER post??

Sometimes being on Facebook and Instagram can be fantastic because you feel part of a wonderful community. Other times, when other voiceover talents are posting about their bookings and their new clients when you are in a slump, which does happen to the best of us, it can be quite isolating. While of course we are excited for our friends when they book work, and it is nice to think that we book the work that we are meant to book, if you aren’t booking and you go on Facebook and hear about everyone else’s bookings, it can exacerbate the glass half empty scenario.

Another issue with social media is that it can potentially be quite distracting. While I am always drawn in because I love the sense of community and feeling a part of something bigger than I am, we can easily be pulled of course and fall down an unintended rabbit hole. Sometimes I hear about other projects or new demos that friends are doing and before I know it I have spend hours researching something and then missed multiple auditions. While I certainly enjoy my time on social media, I might be in need of some sort of timer with a loud alarm!

I thought I had it figured out…

Sometimes there is a rhythm to professional voiceover work. Sometimes just when you actually expect your work to be quiet and you leave your studio you end up with a flood of bookings. Yes, of course this is a good problem to have, but it also points to how unpredictable our industry is.

One way to try to stay on top of work and even out this feast or famine is to use a CRM to keep track of work and correspondence with clients and prospects. I obsessively love voice overview, a CRM created for professional voiceover talents. I know a lot of other people use Nimble. When things look particularly bleak, taking the time to reach out to clients by using the reminders I have set helps to make me feel hopeful and does often bring in work.

This March I attended VO Atlanta, the biggest voiceover conference of the year, for the first time. When of the general sessions that I attended was given by Rachel Naylor. She said something that blew my mind a little bit. Rachel said, when your doing well, it’s your fault. But, when you have these down times, that’s your fault too. She said that we need to stop making excuses about the forces that we can’t control and figure out a way around them. Every single “glass half empty day” I have, Rachel’s voice echoes in my mind.

I have spent a lot of time since March thinking about what I do well and what I can do better. On good days I am optimistic. On glass half empty days, I wonder how to stay on top of an industry that is both volatile and involves so much hustle. The hustle I can bank on because that comes from me. The rest I do worry about.

What comes into the booth

I used to have an amazing spin instructor who would started each class by saying that all of the stress of the week had to stay outside of the class and we were not to carry it with us on our bikes. I feel the same way about my recording studio. No matter what is going on in my life, no matter what my perspective on the world is, and no matter how I am feeling about my voiceover career, all of that must stay outside of the booth. The mic, afterall, pics up everything. Instead, I mark my scripts, assume the characters, and get to work. As a professional voiceover talent. my job in large part is to audition, so what chance do I have if I bring all of my worries into the booth?

In the end, I think it is normal to have some days that are glass half empty. But, in the final analysis, I think only an optimist could actually pursue voiceover. There is so much rejection in our daily life. We spend ours and days going after work. the audition is the job, and, well- you know about actors and auditions? So in truth, a person who is truly glass half empty, could not have my job. So lucky me:) I’m super happy to be pursuing my dreams.

They Day We Met

It all began last June 2017, one scorching hot day in Las Vegas. I stepped off a flight from San Diego, it was over 120 degrees in Vegas, and before going to the WOVO conference (professional organization of voiceover talent), I had to go record three commercials that I had booked at Adrenaline Studios. I have never spent much time off the strip and despite the oppressive heat I was really excited to see some more of Las Vegas.

I was extremely thankful that Dustin Ebaugh and Dave Courvoissier had made arrangements for WoVo members to record at Adrenaline. Since I had just been at an eLearning Guild conference in San Diego, and I knew I had access to a professional studio in Vegas, I had decided to leave my travel rig at home. When I got there I was greeted by the engineer I was going to work with, Brandon Perry. I also immediately saw other WoVo folks who had had bookings, including Liz DeNesnera and Brad Venable. I was delighted to be a part of the professional community. Brandon took me to the studio to get started. And there, there is where it happened.

First I noticed the Neumann mic. It was not the TLM 103 that I have at home, but they assured me I would sound great and my clients would be happy. Then I saw the Avalon 737. I asked Brandon about it and he showed me how it worked. I asked him if he thought I could handle this preamp on my own and he said absolutely. If you are not familiar with this equipment, your mic goes into the preamp and your preamp goes into an interface which converts the analog signal to a digital one that your computer can read, and then the interface plugs into your computer. The Avalon is a high voltage preamp and it has a very sensitive gain and an amazing filter.

In that moment I set my sites on the Avalon. I had not read anything about it yet, but I knew I was going to begin saving for one. That night I started researching the Avalon and I was pleased to learn that the M5, a smaller version of the one I had seen, existed and would suit my needs perfectly.

So, Why Does Our Equipment Matter?

You might be thinking, is this more than just a pretty box? There are lots of preamps, what’s the big deal. Well, a LOT goes into a successful voiceover career. There are plenty of talented folks and a lot of people with lovely voices. Our job is about so much more than the voice. We must have good technique and constantly be working on our craft. But more than that, we are only as god as we sound and that is entirely dependent on our studio quality!

A lot goes in to setting up a studio. I worked with two different engineers to set up mine. I worked with “Uncle” Roy Yokelson from Antland Productions and George Whittam, and then as I can afford to I have made substantial upgrades so that my equipment is what is expected for network jobs. Put simply, you will never book the high end campaigns if you do not have the good equipment behind you. On a philosophical level, you are not willing to invest in yourself and your studio, the folks who cast you will not have confidence that you are the right choice for their projects.

Next, the more your learn about gear as you advance in your career, you simply cannot bear the thought of not owning it and working with it. Our ears are trained to hear the nuances in our voice and our work. Once we hear it one way, we want to be able to provide that to our clients every single day. It isn’t as simple as saying that there is one right microphone or one right pre-amp, but it is as simple as saying that once you learn to do something better you want to do it that way from that moment on.

The Joy of the M5

The day that my Avalon M5 finally came home, I must admit I was both excited and nervous about hooking it up. My first delight was that I could actually assemble the equipment without incident. Immediately I was pleased with the sound! I had two big eLearning projects and was so excited that I could test it out on those jobs.

I also posted with glee on Facebook. To my surprise, so many highly esteemed voiceover talents posted about how much they love their Avalon M5s! Randy Thomas remarked about how great she sounds on it. Jack Daniel talked about how happy his big network clients are with his Avalon sound. Carson Beck and Tim Tippets engaged in a long thread about the signal chain and the sound. Christian Lanz shared a photo and apparently owns two so that he even has one with him when he is on the road! I have to say, I completely understand why and the only thing better than having one Avalon M5, would be for me to do well enough to have a place at the Jersey shore to put the next one in! A girl can dream….

Professional Voiceover Actress, Mom, Chef, What Day is it?

In my previous life as a History teacher, one of my student’s mom’s wrote a book called I Don’t Know How She Does It. This is the story of the modern women, trying to balance it all: work, home life, friends- and do it all well. That’s the thing for me, I’ve blogged before about being a perfectionist, and there is not an on/off switch for that either. When that book came out, I was a newly wed with a young husband and a puppy. I myself had boundless energy. Now, as a full time professional voiceover talent, a working mom, a wife- I now find myself trying to do it all. Momtrepreneur seems to some it all up. I am so proud of both the family that I have built and of the business that I have built, but how can one be both so proud and so tired at once? Work. Kids. Cooking. Laundry. So many countless tasks. Every. Single. Day. The words that come to mind: coffee, please?

What I can Count On

As a working mom, the consistency of my daily routine helps. Both as a mom and as a voice over actress, there are certain aspects of my day to day life that I can count on. From our morning breakfast and lunch packing routine with my twins to our after school routine and sports, knowing what to expect at a given time of the day is extremely helpful. As I work from home, I am typically the parent to get my children to school and to their activities in the evening. I also cherish that being a solopreneur gives me the opportunity to attend school events like science fairs and poetry readings. My kids seem to be growing up so fast and I cherish every single moment.

Another blessing that I can count on as a working mom is the support of my children. The twins are truly amazing. They have always had chores like making their beds and putting away their laundry. As they have gotten bigger, they have taken on even more around the house. From unloading the dishwasher to walking the dog, they are innately helpful and they do a lot of little things. Those little things all add up. I think I am most proud that the kids are innately helpful and seem to have a sense that we are all in this together. The truth is each and every contribution from them makes a profound difference in the way our family functions and I am quite grateful.

Lastly, my husband makes the balance between work and home life bearable. For years I was with the kids full time and asked little of Harlan besides taking out the trash. When I went back to work as a professional voiceover talent, everything changed. Harlan started helping in every way. From taking care of dinner on nights that I am still working to driving the kids when I am tied up in the studio, Harlan not only stepped up, he did so as if he had nothing else going on. My husband is an attorney and commutes to New York City every day, so it is not exactly like he leads a life of leisure. When I have had to travel for work Harlan takes over completely and runs the show. Knowing that he has my back means everything.

The Challenges

While some parts of my life as a working mom have fallen into place, there are some big challenges to be sure! First, work often comes in at odd hours as I often wok with video production companies and advertising agencies both across the country and internationally. For example, just last week I was in my room watching tv with the twins as we often do before bed. I love spending time with them at night and talking about our day. At 9:15 I got a call from a new client in California who I had auditioned for earlier that day. At the snap of a finger I needed to leave my kids, the coziness was totally interrupted, and off I went to go record a new sizzle reel. I was thrilled to book the work, but leaving my kids tugged at my heart.

This often happens when I try to take a vacation too. As a voiceover talent, I always travel with my travel rig. Sometimes work comes in when we are out having quality time. Whether the work is for a well-etablished client or a new client it doesn’t much matter, keeping clients happy is a top priority. The problem is, turning off the AC, hi-jacking all the pillows to build my pillow fort, and silencing my family who I have just dragged back to the room is often not appreciated. The exception to this is when it’s a super cool job and they are impressed by the client! Then they are totally fine and seem to mind a little bit less.

Even though I love my voiceover work, and people who talk about sprawl clearly have friends in my industry, being a mom is not actually something I want to turn off or escape from, ever. So, if there is something at the school or if my kids are sick, when it comes down to it, that comes first. Always. And once that choice has been made, everything else falls into place. It is not always so neat or easy, but it does.

What keeps me going

Setting a good example for me kids means a lot to me. Even before I started my studio and began pursuing voiceover, I tried hard to make good choices throughout the day every day. I only get to do this once and I don’t want to screw them up.

Even though I often feel that I am being pulled in a million directions, the truth is that kids are expensive and I want to be able to live a certain life with them. The difference between a hobby and a job is that I am rather aggressively pursuing an income day in and day out. I have a great passion for what I do, and this passion fuels the work, but I do it to earn a living.

I also chose voiceover quite intentionally because of the proximity it gives me. I can be in the booth and the twins can be just outside. Emma can be doing arts and crafts and Jack might be playing foos ball or video games. Or they might be upstairs doing homework. The point is, I am near by and there for them when they need me. I don’t have FOMO of my family and I don’t have the exhaustion of a commute because the studio that I built is right at home. This enables me to better savor my time with the kids. What else can a momtrepreneur ask for?

Laughing at myself

With all the hats I wear, a healthy sense of humor helps a lot. I couldn’t do my job as a professional voice talent if I couldn’t laugh at myself, and I think it is fair to say the same for motherhood too. Late last night, sometime between 2 am and 5:30, I went to the bathroom, as many of us post c-section moms need to do. Last night, however, I glanced in the mirror. My hair made flock of seagulls look tame. My pjs were a mess. Even though I had been sleeping I looked exhausted and drained. It made me think if a silly statue/sculpture my mom had on her night table when I was growing up. My dad had gotten it for her and it had a beleaguered mom with the caption, “Insanity is inherited, you get it from your kids.”