Good afternoon, fellow New Year-ites! How did the first week of 2012 go? Still saying & writing 2011? Me, too. I usually snap out of it sometime around March.
OK, let’s get some nuggets out of the way before we dive into our 2012 Action Plan…
First off, I’m going to FaffCon 4!!!
This is a voiceover “un-conference” which is attended by only veteran voice talents. My application was approved last week and I am all kinds of pumped up! For those of you who live in the Los Angeles area, give me a shout-out so we can get together.
I will be running another seminar and I wanted to get your input. For those of you who attended my seminar at FaffCon 3, what would you guys like to talk about? Your suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Last Friday I defended my title as winner of last year’s poker tournament. There were about 40 players this year and man, did I stink! At one point I didn’t win a hand for almost two hours. I got bounced early but I immediately jumped into a cash game and rode my $20 buy-in for almost four hours. I had a great time!
OK, let’s talk about our goals for 2012. Last week we talked about Cash Flow. Today I want to cover Technique. Technique is, quite simply, your voice. I like to call it me bread & butter (in my best Bugs Bunny voice). To have good Technique, you need to know how it works, why it works, and how to make it better, or at least, keep it good. Think of it as a muscle that needs to stay strong.
“Finding” your voice is critical. When I say that, I mean figuring out how your voice can sell certain products or services. How your unique voice can tell a story. Are you a Golden Throat or do you sound like a kid? Can you voice sell used cars or can it sell perfume? Once you figure that out, then you can target specific areas of the voiceover industry and increase your chance of landing clients.
Coaching is also critical. A good coach can help you “find” your voice and keep it in shape. It’s not just about breathing and warmup exercises, it’s also about developing styles, reading copy effectively, taking direction, etc.
Strong Technique goals for 2012 can include “finding” your voice, a coach, or some new warmup exercises. Keep that muscle strong!
TIP OF THE WEEK: I like to say this all the time so I will say it again. Nobody thinks they can just pick up a violin and start playing it but every dweeb with a microphone thinks they can be a voice talent. It irks me to no end! Your voice is an instrument. You need to learn the notes before you can play the chords. It takes practice, self-discipline, and years of dedication to become truly proficient in this craft.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Focus on being interested rather than being interesting. Dan Duckworth
STUFF! I want to share a very, very special moment that I was proud to witness. Of course you have seen and heard about the love of my life, my niece Asha. Last week she was adopted by my best friend Carly’s partner Robin. It was a very simple proceeding at the courthouse but it was so touching and so profound that I cried. To know that Asha will be taken care of no matter what happens and is part of a safe, secure, stable, loving home brings me infinite joy. Congratulations to the happy family!!!
From Tom Dheere’s apartment, this is Tom Dheere, GKN News…