Passion

My friend Peter O'Connell had a great post over on his blog. It had to do with doing things with passion.

He refers to a couple of guys collecting money for the Salvation army, and these guys are totally into it. They are leaving their fear of embarrassment behind and just going for it.

Anybody in the voice over world will hear the question, "How did you get into voice over work" or the variation, "I've always wanted to get into voice over work" And I tell people it's simple, you need to get out there, learn to read copy, create a killer demo reel and market yourself to people that hire talent. That's usually enough to put them off the idea.

Voice work is about tenacity. You're not going to find work in the paper, it's not on Monster.com or anything like that. It's out there, and there is a lot of it, but you have to get a boat, fix your net and go fishing yourself.

The passion of your work has to be in everything you do to get you there. A good microphone. A good room to record in. Editing skills and the ability to interpret copy, (not EASY with some copy!) then there is the whole marketing end of things.

It's a business much like any other, but different in that you are selling you. Most everyone has a voice, but what is it about your voice that makes people want to hire you. The one thing that VO work isn't, is that it isn't a "job". This isn't the 9-5 kind of world. It can be a career for sure! But it sure ain't sitting behind the counter at the local HomeDepot waiting to mix paint.

Passion. Believe in yourself, dig in to the game. Learn the ropes, polish your craft. Just as there is a difference between a "Guitar Player" and a "Guitarist" or a carpenter and a craftsman, it's the same in the VO world.

At this stage of the game, I'm a little fish in a little pond. And I get steady work. (couple of national commercials, lots of eLearning..) I'm learning, improving and learning more from those around me. Check out Peter's Blog, and Bob's over on the left and absorb as much as you can and never stop.

You can succeed in voice work and acting, if you have the passion.

Another quick note about Mike Joly...

So the microphone developed a weird sound. A random hiss. I emailed Mike Joly and he paid to have it sent back to him. He tested it, checked it over, didn't find any issues. Sent it back to me on his nickle. It was ok for a day then started hissing again. I emailed Mike again. Here's what he did. He sent me another microphone. He wanted me to be happy. I was floored. The first microphone I bought off of Ebay, so it could of had issues. Since I didn't know the history, I was prepared to just eat it and buy another microphone new and have him mod it. I am very VERY happy with the sound of the mic and the gigs that it has landed me. In fact I bought another. So now I have a matched set for recording piano as well as my voice work. Mike Joly is my hero.

My Joly mic

Ok, first off. I don't have kids, the car is paid for, and I needed a decent microphone to add to the mic closet.

I was surfing the web one night and found Michael Joly over at OktavaMod.com, and I listened to his sound samples.

A quick search of Ebay and I found a used Rode NT1a for a song and had it shipped to Michael.

I've had it now for about a month and have been using it daily for various scripts and I have to say... I freakin' love it. It's everything the stock NT1a isn't. Lush and full, clear and warm. My new clients in California have been gushing about how great my stuff is. (it's embarrassing and bordering on flirtatious!)

I'm the first to admit, I like gear. I read the Sweetwater catalog cover to cover and check out musican's friends stupid deal of the day every morning, (I'll let you know about the MXL V900 in a few weeks) but my new Joly modded mic is amazing and I can't think of any reason to spend more. It's paid for itself already with landed auditions. (I'm the new national voice of the hawk for Identity Hawk)

So ya, I'm hooked. I'm going to go tell Michael right now that I'm a huge fan and I'm spreading the word of his outstanding work.

Monk

Do good work, get more work...

Work comes from all sorts of places. My ex-brother-in-law, hell of a nice guy, asked me for some character voice work for a friend of his last year. It was spec work, gratus. No problem. Who knows right?

This year, that guy calls me, would I be willing to do some scripts for him for an educational sight? Yup, and this time with pay.

Would he have called me or found me on Voice123? or some other way by chance? Maybe, but he's out in San Diego, why would he be looking for a guy in New York?

You never know where that next gig will come from or where it would lead. Do you really think that the people who voiced the Simpsons were expecting the gig to last this long?

Do good work, get more work. Repeat.

Thumbtack post

I never stop looking for ways to get my name out there!

Voice over Artist

Microphone contest

Recordinghacks.com is having a monthly microphone giveaway. They wanted me to add the mention to the blog, so I figured, "Why not!"

Hey, if ya don't enter and play, yah can't win.

Plus there's great information about a microphone that you've been wanting to add to your closet.

So go look.

Good behavior and it's rewards

So I was stuck in the studio waiting for client approval for a Smith and Wesson trade show VO that I had done. The clients were gathering to discuss the text, the tempo, etc.

I waited 3.5 hours. Spinning my wheels, trapped.

I looked up the AFTRA rates for studio time, 112.oo per half hour! WOW. So I wrote up an invoice for half that, then thought about it, and charged $40.oo per hour to sit.

The studio was grateful, the client was happy.

The studio was so happy with how I handled it, they handed off my demo to a new client. The new client, Pittsfield Co-op Bank like me. I'm now their guy.


Be a nice person, treat people well, and you get paid back in kind. Go figure!

Totally off topic

Ok, most of this has been about my career and stuff. (by the way, in rehearsal for Fantasticks as El Gallo.. )

Some of you may know that my old dog Henry died a few weeks ago. Cancer got to his kidneys and that was that. He was a great soul and I'm sure I'll meet him again.

We have a new pup. Bumbles. He's a Staffordshire Terrier. Full on meatball of a dog. And smarter than some people I know. (no offense)(you may not not know who you are)

He's a rescue from the Columbia Green Animal Rescue, and he's an absolute snuggle bunny.

Here's the reason for the post. If you're in need of a pet. Rescue one. Seriously. You will not find a better friend.

Welcome Bumbles to the fray. (recording session on Monday, rehearsal on Sunday, VO gig coming up on Tuesday...) Back to our normal broadcasting.

Actually P.S. Caught up with an old friend J.R. worked with him at WSBS in Great Barrington... He will either drag me back into radio, or I'll drag him up onto the stage. (they sometime pay just the same...)