Chris Mezzolesta, Darren Altman, CourVO

Monday, December 5, 2011 7am…I wake to the sound of an alarm in a hotel room in New York City.  13 hours later, I’m anchoring a newscast in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Don’t tell me there’s no such thing as a time machine.

And don’t tell me that voiceover people are anything but the most gregarious, social, fun-loving folks in the world.  I have the pictures to prove it, and they’re peppered throughout this blog (and I apologize that I crashed each and every shot!)

I really tried to “work the crowd” in the sense that I wanted to see everybody I wanted to see.  Amazingly, some key people managed to escape  my grasp…maybe by choice. :)  On the other hand, I DID see and talk to many people I admire and respect.

CourVO, Mrs. CourVO (Victoria) Kurt Kelly, Liz de Nesnera

First time encounters included the personable Darren Altman (above), the affable Paul Strikwerda, the witty Billy James, Chuck Davis, and Kurt Kelly.

The doggone laser blue lighting in the place was a camera challenge in some of these pics…but let’s give it up for Erik Sheppard and Lindsay for mounting an incredible event in a wonderful venue.  Lord knows the headaches and expenses they’ve lived with for the last few months to make this happen!

Billy James, CourVO

A thanks to all for making my wife feel so welcome.  I talk and I talk about all these VO people, and it was just time she gets a chance to meet them.  She was charmed.

She was also inquisitive.

Sunday, during our ambitious sight-seeing of NYC, she kept asking me great questions about the event.

Why do people come?

Paul Strikwerda, CourVO

What do they hope to accomplish?

Is it a networking venue?…a marketing opportunity?…a place to meet clients?

She wanted to know…and it really got me to thinking.  Why do VO’s show up at these things?

I know of at least one respected voice actor who left early, frustrated that a perfectly good possible marketing opportunity was wasted by the music, the blue lights, the crowded floor, and a delayed nametag line.

CourVO, Kelley Buttrick

I don’t think Erik and Lindsay made any promises beyond a chance to gather with others of our kind, maybe enjoy some holiday cheer, some camaraderie, and some face-to-face space-sharing for so many of us who mostly interact online.

In short: a meet-up, not a meet/market.

The intimation was and has always been (in my mind, anyway) that this should be a social event, and if perchance you are able to finesse some networked relationships that eventually lead to jobs…then that’s great…but not the purpose.

The fact that so many came in a relaxed atmosphere free of expectations (i.e. work), I think, proves my point.  There was a palpable excitement about rubbing shoulders with so many accomplished professionals.

Michael Schoen, Dan Friedman

Do some show up just to “make the scene“?…to hear and be heard?

Sure.  I think there’s a little of that.  But that’s true of ANY profession.  In my way of looking at it, there’s nothing wrong with attending as a commitment to the community.  To say:  “I want to be a part”.  Some may have more stature, and are able to bestow a greater sense of validation upon others.  Some come to bask in a little of the aura of

CourVO, Bob Hurley

accomplishment.  This, too, is an accepted norm of our business culture.

How many times have you told an up-and-comer…or been told yourself, that to be part of a new career path, you have to immerse yourself in the people, places, and culture of the profession?

So, in my mind, this leaves room under a big umbrella.  Those who knew each other were able to commiserate.  New faces become familiar faces.

Peter O'Connell, Melissa Exelberth, Peter Bishop

Names get associated with persons, relationships grow, and the network becomes more defined.  What’s not to like?

Again, my hat goes off to Erik and Lindsay for their commitment to this event.  How could they NOT be cheerleaders for it?  Erik and Lindsay met at Mixer #1, he proposed at Mixer #2, and now they’re married.

See?  Just socializing, not working, can lead to incredibly fruitful relationships.

My thanks to all who shook my hand, and said nice things.  I hope I left you with a similar feeling of acceptance. I know I did.

CourVO

‘Gotta give it to him, the guy’s a looker, great body, fetching smile, and a bold voice.  Plus, he’s just…a natural, and it comes across in his delivery.  That’s why he’s so sought-after.

There’s a great article on Rowe on Internet Voice Coach. including sound files and a transcript of the interview.  Give it a look, and to see his easy approach to copy, check out Mike on YouTube also.

CourVO

While her natural dialect is British, Maxine excels at North American-speak, on-camera work, and live as a spokesperson.

With all that, should I be surprised that she’s turned out a cracker-jack primer for VoiceOver Marketing?

Click HERE to read her concise, meaty, and helpful guide to strategizing a better VO marketing plan.

Nice work, Maxine!

CourVO

The passions of politics are SO polarized these days that no one can say or do ANYTHING.

Here’s the story.  I take no sides.

”A voice-over actor — best known for telling viewers they can save 15 percent or more on car insurance — says he lost his gig doing Geico commercials after leaving a voicemail with a group that organizes Tea Party events to ask how many of its employees are “mentally retarded.”

Los Angeles actor D.C. Douglas in a press release said he was dropped from the upcoming Geico “Shocking News” campaign after leaving a message with the press shop at FreedomWorks, a Washington-based organization led by former Republican leader Dick Armey that has been at the forefront of the Tea Party movement.” (Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/21/geico-voice-over-actor-fired-after-calling-tea-party-group-mentally-retarded/#ixzz0loTVRVmb)

See  more links here:

http://mystateline.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=155395
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/21/geico-fires-dc-douglas-vo_n_546038.html
http://www.prweb.com/releases/freedomworks/geico/prweb3906104.htm

Even though, he took it down, see DC Douglas’s original blog here:
http://goo.gl/TrOb

My only take:

I subscribe to the notion that there is no such thing as bad PR.  If you want to get noticed, you can do so with positive OR negative press.

The notoriety here goes to Geico, FreedomWorks, DC Douglas, and VoiceOver talent in general.  All are getting unbelievable press over this thing.

CourVO

He’s got with him a sharkfin-shaped, zippered nylon carry-bag, and I KNOW it’s the Harlan Hogan Porta-Booth Pro.  George confirms that, yes, he’d seen Harlan the day before at the convention, and Harlan insisted George take it for a test spin at home in his studio.

Determined to hold my focus for the rest of the half-hour’s newscast, I then gave George the nickel tour of the CBS affiliated station, and we settled into the news conference room where CNN had provided pizza for the news staff (not sure why).  There, I video’d George in an impromptu set-up of the Porta-Booth Pro.

It’s simple, intuitive, and obviously well-designed and made of quality materials.  When assembled, it shows an integrity of construction, and some nice little features that make it a cinch for an on-the-road voice actor.

Watch the video of George below (roughly 4:30), and pay special attention to a nice “insider” tip for your traveling voice talent types.

George Whittam Demos Porta-Booth Pro from Dave Courvoisier on Vimeo.

By the way, George spent the day at NAB talking to various vendors about the possibility of getting their participation in the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab at the SAG Actors Center.  Most, he said, had good interest in being a prt.

George plans to bring the Porta-Booth Pro to VOICE2010 for anyone to take a look.

Lately, some notables in our industry have been making it clear how THEY feel about certain personages who (it would appear) are disingenuous about the way they represent their wares.

Two Examples, one about coaching, the second about clients

___________________________________

#1 BEEF

When respected names like Harlan Hogan and Dan O’Day come on THIS strong, they must certainly feel adamant and assured in their comments

Start HERE to read the criticism…you’ll have to click some links to find the actually beginning of the thread, but it’s all clear when you click the above link to Dan O’Day’s blog.

Go do that, then come back.

OK, whadya think?  Here’s my one comment:  If you’re going to smack someone THAT hard, why not just name names.  I think most of us all know who she is, so just….call her out.  Anything less seems dissumulative given the intensity of the cynicism.

#2 BEEF

Double-Dutch Blogger and International Voice Talent Paul Strikwerda takes a salacious shot at one of his clients…and most would agree, rightly so.

See his diatribe HERE.

How does one see through the subterfuge and read another human being through virtual liaisons to tell if they’re honest or not.  Hmmmm, sounds like the worthy topic of a future blog!

CourVO

Story 1:  The Las Vegas unemployment rate topped 13% last month.  This is a true story, one that appeared as an item on many news products in Las Vegas.  It is accurate, timely, and indicative of the times.  It’s says very little, though, in and of itself.

Story 2:  Jeremy hasn’t been able to find a job in his field as an ironworker for 6 months in Las Vegas.  He’s foreclosing on his mortgage, changing plans to send his daughter to college, and his wife has had to go to work for the first time in their lives.  This is also a true story, accurate, timely and indicative.  Yet, Jeremy’s story and many other individual stories of loss in this recession touches a nerve with anyone who has a heart.  It’s personal.  Many feel Jeremy’s pain.

ONE PERSON, ONE STORY
There are over 2,000 foster children in Clark County, NV…the county where Las Vegas is located.  You can report that tragic fact, but it’s almost impossible to get your head around it.  That’s why every week, I choose one child or one sibling set, and profile their unique personality, face, and needs on the Wednesday’s Child program.  THAT connects with people who hear the story.  Not 2,000.

You put focus on a story that deserves attention by profiling ONE who is affected, and forcing each single viewer to FEEL that one person’s pain.

All GOOD stories are personal.

GOODBYE TRADITIONAL MEDIA, HELLO NEW MEDIA
You could say that the whole approach of Newspapers, Radio and TV in the first place (one-to-many distribution) is like Story #1.  The only thing that saves it are the personalities involved, who are trained to perform as if they are speaking one-on-one to their friend.  That, and the fact that each radio player, TV set, and newspaper is yours and yours alone to own, hold, hear, and see.  That makes it also seem personal.

But the days of one-to-many stories are waning and will continue to diminish.

This is why Social Media: Twitter, FaceBook, YouTube, and yes, even email are booming.  It’s a one-to-one paradigm.  It’s personal.  It’s a good story BECAUSE it’s personal.

Sure, you can send a message to your 17,000 Twitter followers in a shotgun approach, but when this follower or that follower responds individually, there’s a tug on your conscience to respond.  It’s personal.

PEOPLE ARE SMART (and fed up)
Billboards, TV ads, classified ads, $1-million SuperBowl ads, and magazines are suffering. People tune out mass ads, they unfollow obvious Twitter spam, and dodge marketing scams.  People are smarter.  They see through it.

This is why the new gestalt surrounding successful Twitter connections is based on a good story that’s personal.  You don’t even get to first base until you’re sincere, genuine, personal.

And forget Twitter for a second.  FaceBook is even more wildly popular than Twitter if you believe growth estimates.  Why?  FaceBook is a picture, and a profile, and favorite movies, and your birthday, and photos, and music and books…and on and on and on about who YOU are.  It’s personal, and it’s a good story BECAUSE it’s personal.

THE VALUE FOR VOICE ACTORS
Is all this good?  Yeah.  I think so.  It’s a direct result of cultural change following technological advancement (just like TV was a radical change for its time).  That brought masses of people into a common experience.  But it wasn’t really personal.

Now, like never before, you have a chance to get personal.  All the avenues are there.  Social Media is creating opportunities like never before to make a personal connection with someone who is in a position to make something happen for your career.

Not getting enough work as a voice actor?  Seeking an agent?  Needing more connections to juicy jobs, leads, and studios?  Get personal. MAKE it personal.

When you think about the jobs you ARE getting, or HAVE gotten, there was a personal connection somewhere along the line.

All good stories are personal. 

Yours is. 

Use it.

CourVO

Check it out.  Taj has proven himself over time to be an enterprising, savvy, and over-all stand-up guy in our business, who strives for what’s right.

Thanks for letting us know about the changes, Taj!

Click HERE or on his new logo above to go to the revamped page.

CourVO

More food than I can possibly eat.

CourVO

So here’s a short checklist of things you may want to consider for your voice-acting business before New Year’s rolls around:

1-Get out all those invoices to delinquent accounts with maybe a few strong words about how you’ve been patient enough, thankyou.

2-While you’re at it, be sure to pay-off OTHER freelancers (SEO gurus, writers, graphic artists, etc.) the money you owe THEM.

3-Download all of 2009’s financial records from your bank into your accounting software.

4-Revisit whatever 2009 New Year’s resolution list you had, and try to squeeze-in at least one more undone item.

4-Back-up your hard drive’s documents, sound-files, and pictures…in short, any personally-generated files that you can’t just reinstall from the original disks. (You should be doing this every week, actually)

6-Now that you’ve got almost a year’s worth of data behind you, run a Google Analytics check on the traffic to your website or blog.  It’s a treasure-trove.

7-Fire off an email-or-two to your favorite client, thanking them for their steadfastness and help in 2009, and reminding them you stand ready to help them with their projects for 2010.

8-Plan now for whatever coaching, conferences, or business seminars you need to attend in other cities or states.  (Seriously consider VOICE2010…it’ll be the best!)

9-Pay any State dues, fees, or what-have-you to keep your business license up-to-date.

10-Start thinking about a serious 2010 News Year’s Resolution list for your business.  Be honest.  Aim high.  Write down anything that comes to mind.

BONUS ITEM: Pick at least one person – a mentor or supporter – who made a difference in being there for you when you were in a valley of VO, and tell them how much you cherish their friendship and ask them what you can do for them.

CourVO