Dave Courvoisier's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Pat Fraley’

In 2007, 3 enterprising people took on a risky venture and launched the first open-invitation nationwide VoiceOver conference that anyone can remember.

By most accounts it was a huge success (my first and only meeting with Don LaFontaine).  Since it was in Las Vegas, I had access to the entire conference, in fact, I was its Emcee.

A year later, James Alburger and Penny Abshire – now on their own – launched the second VOICE (Voice Over International Creative Experience) in Los Angeles, and again I was lucky enough to be asked to be the host.

Which brings us to VOICE 2010.

The event has a sterling reputation, but there seems to be some lingering misconceptions, and I’d like to chime in on why they are, indeed, MYTHS.

VOICE  MYTH #1

VOICE is just for newbies.

Huh-uh…it’s for everybody, and you’ll see everybody there.  Everybody will have something to offer, and everybody will have something to gain.

It’s true that newbies may have the most to gain by attending, but then again, newbies in VO will see a steep learning curve in everything they do in this business when starting out.

Since networking is one of the three legs supporting the essence of VOICE, you will have a change to rub shoulders with people at all levels of expertise in voiceovers.  Certainly the instructors and presenters are among the more experienced, and really, you’ll find every other level of accomplishment represented…especially if YOU attend.

Forget sleep.  Go to all the mixers and all the scheduled presentations.  Mingle with people you only knew heretofore online.  It’s all about relationship.

VOICE  MYTH #2

VOICE is just a money-making venture.

Look, I haven’t seen James’ and Penny’s balance sheet, but my guess is their margin of profit is pretty thin.  No one would begrudge them returning SOMETHING on their investment… and when you think about it, THEY are the ones sticking their neck out.

In true American style, they take the risk, they reap the benefits.  They have no assurance that hundreds will register and come the many miles, and pay their dues (especially in THIS economy).  Yet there they are, spending the better part of their waking moments for at least one year, investing their own money, spending untold hours, wooing speakers, creating websites, promoting, promoting, scheduling, coaxing, arranging, calling, meeting, planning, and crossing their fingers.

Which brings us to….

VOICE  MYTH #3

VOICE costs too much.

You’ve got to be kidding!  I’m not going to force you to follow the bouncing ball here, but grab a calculator and do some elementary addition.  Sure, go ahead…add up the basic registration cost, the cost of the Hotel room (gorgeous and at a sizeable discount), travel costs, and meals/entertainment. Depending on how far you come, you may be pushing $1000.

Have you looked at how much it costs to spend an hour with the likes of Nancy Wolfson, Pat Fraley, Richard Horvitz, Peter Rofe, Deb Munro, MJ Lallo and others?  Well, they’re all there, they’re all presenting, and it’s all part of your cost of admission…all under one roof.

But here’s the big pay-off.  All those smart, experienced, talented, and approachable people just…usually….hang around.  And any enterprising passionate Voiceover talent would be crazy not to take advantage of the opportunity.  Again, networking is (to me) the biggest advantage of a hoe-down like this.  A chance to meet face-to-face the movers and shakers…the people with the pull, the aces with the answers, the jokers with the juice (OK, maybe I was trying too hard for alliteration).

HONORABLE MENTION MYTH:  Los Angeles is too far. Of course, that depends on where you are, but logically, and as a matter of practicality, it almost HAS to be in LA or NYC to get the caliber of presenters and talent close-at-hand, to be there.  Yes it’s easy on them, and perhaps hard on YOUR pocketbook, but that’s the business side of things that effects the bottom line of risk for a venture like this.  So, why LA, not NYC?  ‘Cause James and Penny are based in SoCal, have the most connections, and the best arrangements there.

(P.S. for the best answer to this question, ask Andy Boyns, who is determined to travel from Istanbul, Turkey for VOICE).
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I’ve tried to present these arguments even-handedly…but disclaimer:  I am again helping to host this event, and I’m even a presenter this time….so I have a vested interest in all this.  But really, I just bristle when I hear mention of the above 3 myths.

Myths tend to have their root in loose tongues and fast facts…but honestly, there’s not a shred of truth to any of these.

Click on the above logo today, and reserve your spot.  I swear, you will never regret it!

CourVO

Pat Fraley posted some sobering news on the VO-BB.  Click HERE to read.  Then, do what’s right.

Pat’s one of the good guys of VO…a living legend, really.

Life is so fickle.  So short. 

I just lost a good friend in a plane accident Halloween day.  He leaves 3 daughters, and his High-School-sweetheart wife.

All reason enough to live each day for what it’s worth

CourVO

Pat’s just the best.  You’ll learn things you never thought you’d get.  Heck, Pat will end up saying things he never even planned to reveal…everybody wins!

This event is called:  “EVERYTHING *THEY EXPECT YOU TO KNOW but NOBODY TEACHES”

Click HERE for details…but ‘better jump on this fast…only 12 spots, and they go fast!

CourVO

   The guy making the quips and obtuse voiceover remarks at the Emmys Sunday night was American voice-over artist, author, actor and humorist John Hodgman.

  He was twittering from the booth, too.  Here’s his Twitter profile:  http://www.twitter.com/hodgman.

   You’d immediately recognize him as the PC-guy in the PC vs. Mac commercials of recent months, and as a correspondent on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show.  Oddly enough, he had nothing to say as Jon came to the stage to accept HIS emmy.

The more traditional Voice-acting duties of announcing during the show were handled by Hillary Huber.  Hillary is also known for her prowess narrating Audiobooks, and I was lucky enough to study with her during Pat Fraley’s workshop last year at Buzzy’s Studio. 

Excellent job Hillary!

CourVO

Here’s a blip.tv clip from Voices.com with my favorite voice-actor — Pat Fraley — expostulating on improvisation.

‘Well worth the short time it takes to listen.

CLICK.

CourVO

Automated Dialog Replacement (ADR) is said to be some very lucrative voiceover work if you can get it.

Now “getting it” comes much closer with a workshop being arranged by…who else…master voice talent Pat Fraley.

Click HERE to see the details of a training event with an amazing line-up of people just ready to train you in ADR, then hire you in ADR.

CourVO

‘Came across a righteous article on voice-acting for video games on the BACKSTAGE.COM website. The site bills itself as “The Actors Resource”.  Cool.  We qualify.  VO artists MORE than qualify.

The blog article leans heavily on an interview with Todd Resnick, casting executive of Resnick Interactive Development and founder and CEO of Gamecues Corp.

Click HERE for a link to the Backstage.com blog article.  It’s a quick read well worth the time.

BTW, Todd is also part of an outstanding team of coaches cobbled together by Pat Fraley for an upcoming Demo workshop at Buzzy’s Studio in LA.

Pat does all his coaching sessions with excellence. I’m still thinking about going, but there’s only room for a dozen or so.

Click HERE to see the info on this upcoming workshop.

CourVO

Lately, I keep getting the question: “When do you sleep?”  The answer is: usually between 3am and 10am.  On the East Coast that would be from 6am to 1pm.

So the question really becomes an observation:  “Dave, you seem to be working at all hours.  You must not need much sleep.”

I guess I don’t.  I’ve always had a joy of life, and since VO is my passion, I find I never run out of energy for its demands.

Here are some of the highlights of my day, Thursday, August 6, 2009:

1) 8am –  CT scan, ‘cause recent kidneystones have my urologist doing follow-ups
2) 9:30am - an hour of checking e-mail, Twitter, and online forums
3)10:30 am – some important phone calls
4) 11am – back to bed for 1.5 hours
5) 12:30 – shower, shave, dress
6) 1pm – hour-long conference call with members of the SaVoa Advisory Board
7) 2:30 – arrive at TV station – begin YouTube update, write/proofread scripts, scan more
email, websites, Tweetdeck, and FaceBook, write e-mail, make phone calls
8] 4pm – begin anchoring 3 half-hour newscasts (4, 5, & 6) with half-hour breaks in-between)
9) 7pm – drive home for dinner with friends, cut and send two auditions
10) 9pm – drive back to TV station.  More editing, web-browsing, proofreading scripts, twittering
11) 11pm – anchor last half-hour newscast of the day
12) 12:30am (Fri) – arrive home to begin more VO work
13)  1am – spend an hour on Skype, recording and finishing segments for a new demo
14)  2am – new demo in hand, I package it with other demos, a bio pic, and some forms to
send to a new casting service I’m involved with.
15) 3am – sit down to write a fresh Blog!

What to write about?  In this case, a search of Google Alerts with the keyword “voiceover” leads me to a Bill Pryce Blog, which in turn refers me to a Dan O’Day.com site that further directs me to a Pat Fraley offer of:  a “Quick & Slick VoiceOver Tricks” download.

I’m familiar with this program of Fraley’s and highly recommend it…Pat’s the best!

This is where the bouncing ball comes in.  Normally, you’d just get the Pat Fraley referral, but because it’s 3:44am as I am as I’m writing this, and I’m a bit addle pated, you got the day-dissection along with it!

‘Goin’ to bed now…

CourVO

2:50am.  'Just drove 4 hours back from LA, and here I am blogging.  That's dedication (more like nuts!).

At any rate, I probably couldn't sleep anyway…my head's just jammed with all the great stuff I learned at Pat Fraley's AudioBook workshop this weekend.  Kudos to Hillary Huber, AudioBook Maven 

Extraordinaire, and Pat's full-time partner in the weekend sessions, for putting up with our newbiness.

Today, the master of everything AudioBook — Scott Brick — came and shared, and directed, and answered questions, and graced us with his calm and reassuring presence.

Later in the day, Stefan Rudnicki — perhaps the most highly-regarded all-around self-made audio book entrepreneur (he does narrating, as well as directing, producing, and distributing of audiobooks), came and also lent us much of his wisdom, and also directed each of us in a demo read with a priceless critical ear.

In all, we walk away from the weekend with three high-quality audiobook demos of our own excerpt-choosing for use to further our career.  That…and more tips, tricks, practical working knowledge, inspiration, tools, forumlas, and direction than we're able to absorb in one sitting.  Wow!

 
Pat wouldn't have to do this.  My gosh, the guy's already a legend, but he seems genuinely on fire for the rewards of mentoring and sponsoring others with a leg-up to some of the success he enjoys.  As Pat says:  " Yes –experience is the best teacher…but it's also the SLOWEST teacher."  Thank goodness for guys like him who don't mind sharing some golden nuggets along a shorter path to fulfillment for guys like me.

All THAT….AND I met about a dozen other wonderful, talented hopefuls.  Best of luck to you all!

CourVO

'Here in Los Angeles attending one of Pat Fraley's premiere voice-acting weekend workshops.

 
We're immersed in the world of AudioBooks in every aspect imaginable… dialogue tips 'n' tricks, preparation, philosophy, marketing, invoicing, mic-technique, storytelling, avoiding mouth clicks, finding jobs, and so so much more.

At least three others from this year's VOICE 2008 event showed up…so it was like old friend's week!

Pat's easy, straightforward, sincere, and inspired observations on 
everything audio-book follows his delightful stream-of-consciousness approach…that somehow seems to nonetheless cover everything in total.

Couple that with Hillary Huber's spot-on practical know-how 'n' experience, and Buzzy's Studio's gracious hosting and top-notch equipment…and you have a learning experience that transcends the traditional student/pupil relationship.  What you have are a dozen tired attendees, whose heads are full to capacity tonite…but ready to come back for another day tomorow.

Sunday: Scott Brick joins us…he is to Audiobooks what Marlon Brando is to filmdom — the best there is.

'Enjoyed Saturday's studio sessions immensely — pushing the envelope, trying new things, marveling at the willingness of someone as accomplished as Pat and Hillary to be so thorough in their sharing and guidance.  I'm not worthy! 

No, but I'm a birthday boy, and this is about the best gift I could possibly imagine for someone trying on a new career at 56.

CourVO