Voiceover Audition Success

The real work in voiceover is crafting a flawless audition. I spend a lot of time on my auditions, which, these days are more numerous than ever. While you'll never known for sure what the client has in his/her mind for "the voice", you can certainly improve your chances in landing the voice over gig and try to synch up with the client's vision by preparing each audition carefully. This is not about script breakdown, which is another fundamental aspect of the voice over audition and delivery process. This article is about freeing the vocal instrument to achieve a successful performance.

I've been frequently doing a workout routine each day to improve my voiceover delivery. The routine includes breathing and relaxation techniques, body and neck stretches, yawns, lip and tongue trills, resonance and articulator drills. Of course each day when I wake up, I read the newspaper, and select several stories to read aloud, in order to get my brain to mouth engagement into motion early on way before I head into the booth. Coffee helps me in the wake up process.

1. In any performance situation, the voice actor must have poise and confidence. This is a challenge, especially to the voice actor who auditions alone in the confines of his/her home studio. Remember that confidence grows with every rehearsal and script preparation, whether or not you book the job. I look at each audition as a chance to keep "my chops well-oiled".
2. The successful performer is one who is able to control tension so it will not interfere with performance.
3. Relaxation is paramount! Keep practicing warm-ups. When you are warmed up, thoroughly prepared and relaxed, you'll gain self-confidence.
   
4. Psych yourself up for the audition performance and use breathing exercises, or use some type of physical or vocal release.
   
5. The more experience you gain through recording auditions and listening to and critiquing your playback, the easier it is to lose your apprehension over the process. Think of "owning" the delivery.
   

Whether it is the audition, or a booked session, a successful performer prepares, concentrates intently and executes swiftly with creativity and professional distinction.

The primary tool of the voice actor is the voice that is free of tension and anxiety, and one that is freely expressive. Think of your warm-ups as a massage to your resonators and articulators. A voice that is tuned up and warmed up through regular workouts and vocal exercises that will help you explore your range accurately and creatively. The more you relax, the more natural the delivery and that just might book you the job!

Written by Bobbin
Listen to Bobbin's Demo
www.VoicesOnlineNow.com

Growing Film Industry

Utah film industry leaders are hoping to lure the production of more blockbuster movies to the state by offering a larger tax incentive.

The Governor's Office of Economic Development is set to present a proposal to state lawmakers Wednesday calling for an increase in the state's rebate for motion picture expenditures, from 20 percent to as much as 30 percent.

The larger incentive is intended to make the state more competitive with nearby New Mexico, a longtime rival because it offers similar geography and a 25 percent rebate, among other incentives.

In the past year, New Mexico beat out Utah for productions of the films "Cowboys & Aliens," starring Harrison Ford, and the remake of "True Grit," featuring Jeff Bridges. Those productions have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in New Mexico.

"At 20 percent, we're just not getting the looks that we'd like right now," said Marshall Moore, director of the Utah Film Commission.

Utah is one of a dozen states that currently offers a 20 percent rebate or tax credit. Another 11 states offer a 25 percent incentive, while eight states offer a 30 percent incentive. Several other states offer incentives between 35 percent and 44 percent.


To read the rest of this article visit www.KSL.com
Written by Brock Vergakis, Associated Press Writer

Voice Over Talent on Twitter

The social networking giant, Twitter, continues to mystify some and make money for others. Heck, even the money-makers are mystified. Yet the ones who have tackled the site head-on continue to bring in revenue in their desired fields - and voice-over talent is no exception. Are you on Twitter? Have you signed up and then abandons the account after two "tweets" citing an excuse of something like, "I just don't get it" or "it's a waste of time"?

STOP!

The Internet is an amazing thing, and some voice talents still don't grasp the plethora of knowledge just waiting to be found ... when you ask the right questions. All of the social networking sites are connected. We're only going to talk about Twitter in this article, but by using once you will learn how to use the others!

Spend just one hour on Twitter and you'll begin to see the enormous potential. Don't know what to talk about? Just be yourself! Make jokes, ask questions, and talk about your everyday life -- both personal and business.

As voice talent, we're not always selling our voices - we're selling ourselves, as people. When we're real and interactive, people will respond, and will want to "follow" you in the Twitter world. Even if you don't have a lot of followers, you can still find jobs - again, just use the search engine for the site! If you're searching for VO jobs anywhere else, you already know how to use a search engine. Step outside your comfort zone for one hour and see what happens.

Visit our twitter at : http://www.twitter.com/VoicesOnlineNow

Written by Trish1

Listen to Trish1's demo here

http://www.voicesonlinenow.com/

Voice Over Industry

Great VO Industry Story:

A professional VO walked in the studio and laid down the perfect read in the first take. The client exclaimed, "We paid him $400 for one take?!" To which the producer replied, "That's why you paid him $400.

New Update for Voices Online Now's New Building

Metropolis Integrated Media, a full service media production company, recently began construction on a new facility at 352 South 500 East. This decision to relocate comes after Salt Lake City officials chose the block between 400 and 500 South as the location of the new Public Safety and Emergency Operations center.

While a number of businesses are veing uprooted by this deal, the owner of Metropolis is making lemonade out of the situation. They're using this as an opportunity to expand into a larger, state-of-the art audio and video production center complete with a film and TV sound stage as well as additional recording studios and post production equipment.

The building that Metropolis has occupied for th epast 22 years (445 South 500 East) is around 9,400 square feet which has always been an ample size for their operation. Now that they're moving into a 16,500 square-foot building with 18-foot ceilings, they will be able to move ahead with expansion ideas that were once just "what-if's" because of space limitations.

Read the whole article at http://www.saltlakedigs.com/2010/public-safety-center-means-new-home-for-metropolis/

Voice Overs

"Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning." ~Maya Angelou

Right Personality, Right Voice

Multiple personalities on a stick - that's what I call it! Being a voice over artist is all about bringing in different personalities or as others like to refer to them as - characters to each voice over job you do.

In a recent voice coaching session I went over my usual information regarding creating personalities and came to the realization that readers/voice talent may be very confused as to what type of personality or character to create. Do they mean over the top and cartoony, realistic, stylized? With all these choices how do you know what to do?

My method for creating personalities or characters is adapted through a variety of coaches, but James Alburgers' method; with his crafty character breakdown sheet is one of my favorites. This sheet is an in-depth look into a voice artist's character and can be a life-saver for many reasons; the most important, consistency and continuity.

This worksheet is incredible when creating in-depth stock characters (characters you will draw from several times in your career). Did you know that many professional voice talents only have about 10 solid characters and they manipulate those characters into several variations, making hundreds? This gives them several characters to choose from. If you haven't started creating characters to choose from. If you haven't started creating characters or personalities then this is something you can begin doing now. Learn everything about these characters inside and out so that you can read any script in their personality (notice I don't say VOICE - there is a huge difference between creating character personalities and creating character voices - that's what training is all about - learning the differences)!

Written by Debbie4
Listen to Debbie4's Demo