For the record:  I’m going to the VOICE 2008 event in August at the (smoke-free) Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.  Not only am I going…but I’ve been selected to be an MC/Introducer for sessions and presenters.

I was honored to be asked by James Alburger and Penny Abshire, and I take their invitation with a great deal of humility and understand it for the responsibility that comes with it.

As these events go, organizers often get caught in a chicken-or-the-egg Catch-22.  People won’t commit to attend until the line-up of presenters is secured.  But getting presenters is a tough sell if they know there won’t be a lot of people attending.

So….I’m attending. (not that it will sway a lot of votes).

Seems as if James and Penny are doing an admirable job of balancing the Catch-22.  They have a lot of good advance publicity, and a wonderful website that’s easy to navigate and packed with information. They’re well-organized, have a helpful staff, connections out the ying-yang, and much good cred from last year.

Their early line-up of presenters is impressive and includes Susan Berkely, Bob Bergen, Deb Munro, Mark Cashman, Mark Graue, Pat Fraley (maybe), Julie Williams, Nancy Wolfson, MJ Lallo, and many others.

I’m told the structure of the event will be much different from last year’s afffair.  The 2008 version will have more break-out sessions which lends itself to a lower teacher-to-student ratio for sure, but will prompt you to have to make a decision sometimes about conflicting classes.

I’ve had many VO-BB’ers ask me about whether I was going…. they constituted a strong core of last year’s sessions.  Well, I am… but with a few misgivings.

First, Frank Frederick will not be a part of this event.  Frank is my mentor, a dear friend, and was a partner in last year’s VOICE. For reasons WAY beyond the scope of this blog, he is not a part of VOICE 2008. Frank was principal in my being chosen as last year’s MC, and for that I’ll always be indebted.  Frank is planning an event of his own, and when it announces.  I’ll be THERE.

Second, VOICE 2008 goes even further from a central location by choosing LA as it’s home for ’08.  That’s understandable.  SoCal is at the center of James’ and Penny’s client and presenter-base, and LA could arguably be called at the top — if not THE top — of the Voice-Acting industry.  Presenters like that, ’cause it means they can sleep in their own beds at the end of the day. But travel to the West Coast may push the budget for many on the voice-over rich East Coast.

Third, There’s been considerable kibitzing about how this is an event for beginners, not serious voice-actors.  I’m not sure that’s true.  Regardless, people need to make their decisions whether to attend for a whole host of reasons, and if the schedule appears a little to light for you there are many other "advanced" events through the year…I hear from a fellow VO-BB’er that Dan O’day is scheduling a session that same weekend as VOICE 2008.

Fourth, Cost is always a factor. As those things go…James and Penny have made this about as affordable as is feasible, I believe. ‘Course there’s the cost of travel and meals and a room.  Again, everyone needs to make the decision whether it’s right for him/her based on a number of priorities.

Fifth,  I’m so far unimpressed with any mention of hardware/software or subscription voice services being in planned attendance in any significant presence.  That may be in the works yet…but it may influence some whether or not to come.

Overall, I believe this event offers a singular opportunity for networking, learning, being exposed to some of the true experts in the field, and a chance to get to know many of the other people who mostly work in voice-over isolation in different parts of the world. 

We ARE a community, and this is a wonderful chance to get-together for some fun, too.

Mark me…a VOICE 2008 Attendee!

CourVO