Dave Courvoisier's Blog » audioconnell

“Faux-dition” Edition 3

CourVO — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:03:58 +0000

In what has become an annual VO tradition, voice actor Peter O’Connell outdid himself with this year’s “Faux-dition”.

While previous year’s competitions were quite professional, amusing, and competitive…THIS year’s winner will actually come away with some tangible wins.

As always, Peter makes it easy to participate in this year’s unofficial casting call for the TV staple: “The Price is Right”. When you visit Peter O’Connell’s blog at audioconnell.com, you’ll find all the explanations, the script, the music, and plenty of background on this year’s opening round.

Be sure to read down to the part listing the substantial prize package…including a free ticket to FaffCon2, Electric Boogaloo.

This won’t take long, and I understand the early entries are all puff-balls! :) So, you’re probably in like Flint (or is it Flynn?)

I’d write more, but it’s all on Peter’s Blog…and besides…I gotta get going, so I can get in my entry!

CourVO

NVOM Redux

CourVO — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:19:28 +0000

Mentor, friend, VO talent, leprechaun, and marketing genius — Peter O’Connell — has edited together a cool reprise of the month that was: September — National Voice Over Month.

He called me one day from one of his whirlwind on-the-road trips to share, and then he just did it.

Absolutely worth checking out. You can see it below, but please visit Peter’s Blog, VoxMarketising.com to get the whole story and roster.

Thanks, Peter…you make us all look good!

CourVO

O’Connell’s Faux-dition Results Are In

CourVO — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:26:35 +0000

Pandering to the wanna-be’s in us all, ace Voice Actor Peter O’Connell launched the second of his highly-regarded Faux Audition contests many weeks ago. The first was open to anyone who wanted to apply for the job of the announcer of NBC Nightly News (not for real, for fun)

This time ’round Peter opted for Diane Sawyer’s entre’ to the network news anchor club to launch the competition for the man/woman who would be HER opening announcer on ABC’s World News.

96 voice actors apparently obliged. I chickened out.

When all the entries were in, Peter opened up voting, tallied the results, and posted the 11 (one was a tie) winners on his blogsite.

Click HERE to listen….honestly, they’re ALL top-notch.

My congratulations to Ralph Hass for getting the top nod.

CourVO

O’Connell’s Unofficial Casting Call

CourVO — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:49:17 +0000

Peter O’Connell — aside from being a talented Voice actor, a marketing guru, and the author of “The Voice Over Entrance Exam” also has the distinction of conceptualizing a number of unofficial casting calls…in other words, it’s not real, but it’s real fun.

His latest is an invitation to audition for the announcer of the ABC World News. Bill Rice is the most capable voice of that program, but you can dream cantcha?

Give it a whirl. I didn’t, ’cause I don’t believe in TV news programs. ;-}

But I think you should…really!

Click HERE for details.

CourVO

Voices of Advertising

CourVO — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:51:33 +0000

Many thanks to my friend and mentor Peter O’Connell for giving me the heads-up to this site via the VO-BB. (see? all the good stuff comes from there!)

Peter’s original post was a query as to who was behind this site: Voices of Advertising, and the answer came back that it was likely Chuck Brown (at least that’s what a WhoIs search of the website turned up — thanks Doc.).

The site seems to be a re-purposing of other’s posts, blogs, notices, and announcements in the world of VO…and when you get right down to it…I do a lot of that too. We all have different sets of eyes looking around…what does it hurt to disseminate the message a bit further?

My thanks to DB Cooper – Board Czar of the VO-BB — for creating the finest community of voice-actors on the web.

CourVO

The Voice Over Entrance Exam

CourVO — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:39:43 +0000

Boy, am I late with the notice on this one, but that's what happens when I fail to visit the VO-BB for about a week.

Some months ago, one of the smartest marketing guys in VO approached me to proofread a publication he was writing specifically for newbies in Voiceovers. His name is Peter O'Connell, and of course the first thing I wondered is why he was asking me.

It doesn't matter, 'cause Peter is such a good author that I think I found a missing comma somewhere on page 56, but that's all, and even that was up for debate.

OK, so his FREE online publication is called THE VOICE OVER ENTRANCE EXAM…and it's so timely.

Why? Because if you're having even marginal success in voice acting, and you've been at it for a while, and your marketing is starting to get out there…then you'll be regularly approached by the throngs of hopefuls who just KNOW that in a few short weeks, they'll be getting sacks of money delivered to their door for the voice work they do. In fact, I just got approached by a local DJ today.

For those people…Peter's work is tailor-made.

Peter's work is visually appealing, well-researched, engaging, imminently readable, true, and for some: hard to swallow. That's because Peter doesn't mince words when mincing would be unkind and unfair.

This is a competitive business with loads of misconceptions…especially on the front end.

Even if you're a seasoned pro in voiceovers, take the time to read this.

NICE WORK, PETER!!!

CourVO

Oughta AudioConnell

CourVO — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:58:48 +0000

Peter O'Connell is….. a guy I've never met. In person.

That fact has not prevented me from forming a healthy respect for him and friendship with him.

There was the time when I was first blogging that Peter called me early in the morning when he noticed my formatting was all messed-up. He didn't have to do that. Nice!

You might remember the arbitrary contest he sponsored for NBC News announcer. 'Golden idea that got lots of buzz.

Peter just gets it (marketing savvy) in a natural way. A way you almost can't teach…but he's willing to try.

"Below the fold" you'll see his latest proposition to transfer HIS know-how into YOUR brain.

Word to the wise: Grab this deal NOW. I think it's the best bargain in VO Coaching today! I'm serious.

CourVO

January 21, 2009

www.voworkshop.com

>
It's January…where's your plan?

Hi !

I
came across a comment from a voice talent friend of mine who noted that
they hadn't heard from any past clients in a while. She surmised:
"Hmmm, I better do some marketing."

Had my Mother not taught me better, I would have said to her "That makes about as much sense as saying ‘Hmmm, I just finished taking the Bar exam, I think I'll start studying for it now.'"

While
I doubt I'm the first one you'll hear make this point, the time for
marketing is yesterday, today and tomorrow. In short, always.

We're
cursed and blessed as voice talents with a fair amount of time in our
work day where we're not voicing something. Oh some will tell you
they're always voicing throughout the day but by and large they're full
of crap.

Like me, your Mother probably raised you better than to point that out to them.

So
you've got the time to do the marketing and you've got a budget in mind
and ain't it just handy that you're pretty much at the start of the
year.

Now what?

How about starting with a plan. A marketing plan. Think of it as a shopping list of sorts.

Sure,
you can get pretty fancy with its design but a marketing plan is NOT
about look and feel but rather it is about giving yourself a tool to
decide WHO you want to get your message, WHEN you want them to get that
message, HOW you're going to get that message to them and WHAT that
message is going to be.

It's
simple in its concept and can be as complex and involved as you're
willing to make it but you have to make a plan and then you have to
live the plan. Otherwise you might as well sign up for the Bar exam.

That's my Voice Over Workshop "Kick In The Pants" for this month.

If
you'd like to visit with me one-on-one to discuss marketing or any
other part of your voice over future, email me and we can set up a
telephone session: 2 hours for $100 on any and all topics you'd like to
cover in the world of voice over.

More info is available at the Voice Over Workshop.

Enjoy the ride!

> Email: peter@audioconnell.com

> Web:www.audioconnell.com

> Blog: www.voxmarketising.com

> Let's Connect: Linked In / Facebook / FriendFeed / Twitter

http://www.audioconnell.com/index.php?cid=2666&src=broadcastemail&optoutall=70&key=e6b27381

Too Much, Too Good

CourVO — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:48:41 +0000

How am I ever going to publish my own original blogs if I keep having to use this space to point to TOP-FLIGHT articles that my colleagues in voice acting are writing?!!!

Of course it would be Peter O'Connell. Again!

Nothin' much slips past this guy. Problem is…he's always right! Jeez, doncha just hate someone who's always right?!!!

I kid. I kid. Peter's observations on our business are spot on. Just read his latest blog, and you'll see what I mean.

CourVO

U. S. of O’Connell

CourVO — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:13:59 +0000

Professional voice actor and president of Audio’connell, Voice Over Talent Peter O’Connell was chosen as the voice of “Uncle Sam” for a recent Tops Friendly Markets radio campaign.

‘Love it when deserving people get good breaks, good jobs, and good cred.

Nice going, Peter.

Read all about it HERE.

Find Peter’s website HERE.

CourVO