Add H&M to the Places Where You Can Hear Me Call Someone to Help You!

 So I checked my email yesterday and found 102 new Call Box announcements for H&M. Again, I have to thank my nearly 20-year client I wrote about recently for this work.

The work isn’t hard, but it has to be done very differently than most VO work.

For example…the announcement you hear is “Customer Assistance to Register 1.” And then you have the same announcement for all 26 registers at the store. That means consistency in the way those words are delivered. The inflections need to be the same – only the register number changes. The intensity and energy need to be the same. And not only the same for that batch of announcements, but for the new ones that come along.

One time I was recording at a client’s facility (before the home studio really became defacto) and they wanted me to record the […]

2019-05-22T20:54:30+00:00May 22nd, 2019|Categories: Announcements, Recording|
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The VO Adds Drama

It is always a pleasure to work on a project with a well written script. The words seem to flow easier. The story comes to life easier. When you add great production values to the mix, the results are captivating.

A few years ago I was the narrator for Northern Light Productions documentary about cyber warfare. They wanted drama. I think they got it! This is the opening sequence from this documentary that now lives in the International Spy Museum in Washington DC.

2018-02-24T22:17:59+00:00February 24th, 2018|Categories: Acting, Recording|Tags: , , , |
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Updated Live Audio Recording Options to ISDN Information

Audio Recording Chart UpdateJust a quick post to give you the updated version of the Live Audio Recording Options chart that I created last month. Did some research into the COMREX solution someone referenced in a post to Facebook.

It is one of the more expensive options for both the studio and the talent side of the glass, but does offer a lot of options.

The more I delve into this, the more it looks like the cost of differentiating yourself as a voice talent may remain much the same. We will probably have to have several options ready to go depending on our client’s needs/desires. At the moment, I have ipDTL, Source-Connect (original), ISDN (for as long as it makes sense), Bodalgo Call and now ConnectionOpen.

Some of these are free options that will be acceptable […]

2018-02-06T06:48:03+00:00August 10th, 2016|Categories: Announcements, Business, Recording, Technology|Tags: , , , , , , , |
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I Have 3 Lawn Mowers and 5 Mics

Scattered in the storage area behind the garage are three (yes, I said 3) lawn mowers. Two gas mowers and an electric mower. None of them work. Well, one can be coaxed into mowing, if you know the secret sequence of events that involves lots of starter fluid sprayed in the spark plug socket and the carburetor in just the right order. Only one person knows how to do that.

I should probably get rid of all three of them and get one that works right the first time you yank on the starter.

I have two weed whackers. One is gas powered and I don’t think that one works. The battery operated whacker works, but not for very long on a charge. That one I got on Craig’s List.

I had a couple of loppers to cut the branches off the fig tree every year in August when the figs have turned […]

2018-02-06T06:48:08+00:00December 1st, 2013|Categories: Business, Marketing, Musings, Negotiating, Recording, Technology|
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What did I say?

I just saw a blog post from my virtual voiceover friend and prolific blogger, Derek Chappell that made me laugh out loud. Just what kinds of situations do REAL working voiceover talent face as they go about the business of recording a script?

He posted three videos produced by voice actor, Paul J. Kinney, a San Francisco based talent. These are not only extremely well produced pieces, but each is a true reflection of what actually happens in directed voiceover sessions. These clips happen to be in a studio environment where the producer is just on the other side of the glass, but the same thing happens during phone patch sessions and ISDN sessions.

OK, they may be slightly exaggerated. But, I too am “guilty” as charged.


GUILTY

STANDING BY

2018-02-06T06:48:14+00:00July 11th, 2013|Categories: Business, Recording|Tags: , , , |
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Interrup…what the h#%@! was that? Distrac…oooh, look at that!

Today, I am not talking about being distracted by amusing kitty videos on Facebook, although I did see at least one funny video that distracted me so far today.

And I’m not talking about the constant flow of email that comes in that – of course – needs to be handled immediately (even if it DOESN’T).

Nor am I talking about being interrupted by the dog scratching at the door, or the cat sliding across some papers which are now all over the floor and need to be picked up before the dog actually gets in to trample them with dirty paws.

And I am not talking about the frequent helicopter flyovers – both routine (the gas’em up path is over my house) and not-so-routine (the circling helo’s looking for whatever mischief is being sparked by semi-high density housing and a bad economy).

No today it is interruptions of major proportions – but an […]

2013-03-21T14:19:50+00:00March 21st, 2013|Categories: Business, Musings, Recording|
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Does This Mic Make Me Sound Fat?

There is no one size fits all when it comes to microphones. No one price range that will guarantee that a mic will sound wonderful with your voice. It all “depends.” It depends on your own particular physical characteristics. It depends on the room that you are recording in.

But it is always SUCH a huge topic of discussion with passionate opinions on what mics are BEST. It gets as bad as the PC vs. MAC debate.

But it is still interesting to listen to the differences (or lack thereof) between the various mics and their price points – and that is why I am forwarding these links.

Poke around on the net and you can probably find more mic shootouts. I am pretty sure there was another comprehensive blind shootout, but I must not be using the right key words. If you know of others, please post a comment and the link.

2012-07-25T09:48:38+00:00July 25th, 2012|Categories: Recording, Technology|Tags: , , , , |
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Check the Mute Buttons!

So, I had a phone patch session recently with a new client. It was a no audition job through one of my agents. Love those. But instead of ISDN, it was a phone patch project using my Gentner.

The client called into my system and he could hear me fine, but to me he sounded like he was calling me from Mars – a tinny little voice way in the background.

My eyes crossed as I tried to figure out what the problem might be. I checked the sketch the engineer left me the last time he was here. But with the client on the line, my stress level was such that I was not going to figure it out. We agreed on a short break to see if I could reach him my engineer. If I couldn’t figure it out, we would use a work around, which is not my preferred way […]

2018-02-06T06:48:17+00:00April 6th, 2012|Categories: Recording|Tags: , , , , |
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VO – Just Part of the Total Package

Any video production is a team effort and there are times when all of the elements work so well together, you need to show it off.

I did the VO for this spot produced by the Arthur Agency for New Life Weight Loss Center at Herrin Hospital in Ohio. I give it a thumbs up on creative and execution!

2018-02-06T06:48:20+00:00October 5th, 2011|Categories: Announcements, Recording|Tags: , , , , |
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The Opportunity Generator

I sure hope the gas line installation is going along on schedule and that the construction crews will be done soon (relative term). Right now the steady drone of a power generator is preventing any recording from taking place. I was able to sneak in a couple of auditions this morning. And one very short prompt for a regular customer who had forgotten to include it with his usual weekly order. My agent called with a re-work on a project from June that needs to be recorded tomorrow AM, so I am hoping to get a jump on it early and be finished before they even start work.

The good news is that  this “down” time is not really down time. Simply an opportunity to do some other things! I do have backup recording plan if I should actually need to record something at the same time the crew is working, […]

2018-02-06T06:48:20+00:00September 12th, 2011|Categories: Musings, Recording|
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