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Pay it Forward: Your Day Will Come

Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voice talent renewal, Voiceover Bussiness Tips

Red Rose Given AwayChristmas season 2019 did not go as I had planned.  I covered my shopping list, made gift purchases, and developed plans for spending time with family and friends.  However, just days before the Christmas holiday (while singing with my church no doubt), I noticed that I was struggling with my breathing.  My breath was so shallow, I suddenly and without warning had no breath to finish the song I was singing.

That day in church was the beginning of my 6-week recovery from pneumonia.  But instead of reflecting on my temporary illness, I fondly remember the unexpected kindness I received from my family and friends during my time of recovery.  I realized how important it is to stay connected to family, friends, and associates because a lot of life catches us off guard. The lesson I observed is if you pay it forward (and back to the person), your day will come.

Embrace the Help

If you’ve helped enough people get what they want or need (loose paraphrase from Zig Ziglar), you can expect something positive in return.  Don’t be too proud to accept help especially when you know you need help and cannot do things for yourself.  Moreover, there’s no shame in letting others know you need help.  By allowing yourself to be on the receiving end of support, you give others an excellent feeling of giving when they can come to your rescue. Accept the help and be sure to return the favor later.

You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”  Zig Ziglar

Be Thankful

When you receive unexpected help or support, make a point to send a thank you card, note, or email letting others know that you are thankful for their kindness.  Kindness is in shrinking supply in our current culture. Something as small as a heartfelt hug or note can go a long way.

Please pay it forward… Again

Voiceactors are not exempt from paying it forward. As a matter of fact, the most successful voice actors are usually very good at giving back.  The act of giving back can include rendering excellent services to clients along with helping and volunteering at community and non-profit causes.

Once you’ve recovered or gotten back on your feet, start again to fill other’s boxes with help, encouragement, and other acts of genuine kindness.

Voice over’s pay it Forward

Please make time to volunteer and give to others regardless of their ability to give back to you.  Also, it’s not too late to send a Valentine’s Day card to clients as a way of expressing kindness.  Life is full of reciprocal opportunities personally and professionally. A blog by the Talented Ladies Club gives some nice thoughts:

We’re often presented with opportunities to do favors for others in life – from
passing on outgrown baby clothes and toys to friends and family (or donating
them to charities), to brilliant schemes like Share the warmth, where you
‘pre-purchase’ a cup of coffee or tea in a cafe, and leave as a credit for someone
in need to use another time.

I challenge you in the last half of Valentine’s week to look for ways to give to others.  That way (hopefully) when your day comes (and it will) your family and friends will rally around you. May your recovery from ‘whatever’ life brings gets you back to doing and being your best.

Break a lip!

 

Perform like the script was written with you in mind

Personal VO Views, Voice over Training, Voice talent renewal

Voice over and film talents encounter all types of situations surrounding the ongoing stream of auditions. Do you ever feel your best is not needed because you are not the best or the first choice for a piece? That’s no excuse. Always give your finest. Even if you’re not the first choice, perform each voice-over script like the role was made just for you.

Did you see Ghostbusters? I watched a documentary the other day on the making of the original 1984 movie version. Of all the talented, big-name artists and performers in the movie, one artist’s journey still stands out for me. Writer/Actor Rick Moranis played “Louis Tully,” a neighbor of “Dana” played by Sigourney Weaver. Moranis was a last-minute fill-in for the Louis part. The role was written with Comedian/Actor John Candy in mind. Some of the film pre-shooting storyboards in the documentary even contained the Tully character with a striking resemblance to Candy.

The narrator noted no other actor was considered because the movie’s producers assumed Candy would take the role. But, once Candy read the script, he turned it down. Needing a quick replacement, one of the producers thought of the much lesser-known Writer/Actor Rick Moranis. Moranis read the script and could not believe his luck. He quickly accepted the role. The role was so laid out for Candy that Moranis had to write most of his lines.

Moranis’ performance had audiences laughing nonstop with his business write-off party and offering the dog demon a Mike Bone (if he could find one).  Now that’s a full-service artist.

A voice actor (which Moranis occasionally works as), must be ready to make any role his or her own. The director will often give some parameters of a script. Some voice seekers even suggest characters to emulate when performing a voice-over script. But, it’s up to the voice actor to develop each script performance with the proper attitude and element of acting to bring the text to life.

Like film actors, a voice actor must be the talent and determine how best to perform a voice-over role. There is no time when a script is just a straight read. Even when the direction is to take a cue from a character actor, there’s usually room for a specific tone, feel personality, and confidence level in the performance. A voice-over artist is not hired to be a slough reading with a friendly voice. A voice over is engaged to be an actor using the medium of voice.

Always be your best actor

Like Moranis, you may or may not be the person in mind first, but with the proper script analysis infused with your style and creativity, you can rock your best performance.

Let your personality shine through as you listen carefully to the direction and give it your best routine. If possible, listen back to your performance and see if there is anything more you can pull out of the story for a better performance. Once you’ve given the director or producer what they initially asked for, do you see where you can pull more from the role? Who knows, the director may like your take on the script. If not, you can always go back to your first execution.

Get help in developing you

I am a big proponent of acting classes. Voice actors should always look for ways to bring out the creative stylist that lies in the soul.  As children, most of us made up characters, games, and played pretend adventures. That spirit of creativity still lies in our soul; acting and improv training will help bring out your best interpretation no matter how long it’s been since you were a child.

Be ready for that unexpected VO role

Voice acting is such a fun profession, and there will be times when you are chosen for a job because you bring something unique to a script, a believable performance. Take a cue from Moranis, be ready not just to be the voice over, but the best actor for that script.

You know what to do, break that lip!

Fuel your Creativity through Friends

Personal VO Views, Voice talent renewal, voiceover

A couple of days ago, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of voice actor friends.  My elite group of FaffCon friends and I have been virtually meeting very nearly monthly for several years.  (FaffCon was developed by Amy Snively and is one of the first content laden, voice-over events specifically geared to helping voice-over talent become successful through collaboration.)  While time and life have changed us all, we are very happy to still be working voice over talents.  Hearing of my friends’ successes and optimistic hope for the future really uplifted my spirits.  While human relationships can be work, they are the best way to fuel your creativity and hope for the future.

The meeting with my friends reminded me of how important it is to focus on the good things in life. Where I live, the airways are constantly bombarded with negative rhetoric and news.  After hearing hours of negative comments, death reports, and predictions of doom from an irradiated planet, taking time to interact with the right set of friends is just what I needed.

So, what does this have to do with voice acting?  Plenty.  Voice actors by nature and sensitive to the world around them.  I have found that to be an effective voice actor, confidence and optimism are essential. One way to keep and maintain confidence and optimum is to fill your creativity soil with those things that grow your confidence and optimism.

Choose to associate with positive people who like you for the person you are, who encourage you to be yourself, and be the best you can be.”  The Napoleon Hill Foundation

An Ear for the Positive

We all want to be successful, so pay it forward.  Take time to listen as others speak, especially a friend telling of success, and be happy for them.  We all have times of success and failure.  It’s a part of the human experience.  Hanging out with the right friends and business associates can make all the difference in the world. For more on this, see my blog “How I Get my Voice-over Help.”

This week’s meeting (like many) with my FaffCon VO friends felt like a cozy warm hug from a friend that I hadn’t seen in some time.  Of course, not all relationships and interactions are always cozy and warm, co don’t give up on doing the hard work of building healthy relationships.  Through healthy relationships, you become a much better voice actor and person overall as you learn, grow, forgive, appreciate, and do it all over again.  You’ll truly see how building positive relationships can help in the down times and fuel your creativity even in the recording booth.

Now, with all this optimism, it’s time to break a lip.

 

Wind in the Mind Time for a Voice Talent

Personal, Personal VO Views, Voice talent renewal

As a US citizen, I hear daily political and climate news with dire predictions of future calamities and over accentuated, sensationalized headlines. The voice-over industry is not immune to those periods of dire predictions such as automated voices replacing human voices. Can you imagine your automated voice service as the voice of your favorite animation character? Give that a thought for a while. Don’t let bad news or hyperbole knock you off your life’s course. No matter your pursuit, keep yourself fresh and real with “wind-in-the-mind-time” to maintain your best.

Mind Checkup

I’m a big proponent of regular checkups. Our world is full of daily and even hourly distractions disguised as information, which is geared to kick us off our course. The distractions cause us to doubt our worth, importance, appearance, lovability, and marketability. We’re constantly told we need something outside of ourselves to be enough as humans. Forces are out there that cause us to doubt ourselves altogether and our purpose in life.

The feeling of being ‘offended’ is a warning indicator that is showing you where to look within yourself for unresolved issues.” — Bryant McGill

When I feel a little off base and unsure about everything, I do a self-check-in to refocus. During my wind-in-the-mind-time, I cut off the television, movies, radio, and even Social Media to silence the voices and sounds coming into my world. During my distraction-less time, I listen to what’s going on inside of me. My breath, heartbeat, and general temperament are my focus. It amazes me at how upset I can become after watching a controversial movie or hearing the news. Stepping back and taking time to re-center my mind, thoughts, and being helps me get back to the fabulous person I know I am.

Getting Better with wind-in-the-mind-time

Many of my friends, regardless of their profession, seem to face similar challenges. We grow as talents, business leaders, and professionals, but the human side appears to need the most refreshing and needs it most often. It would be nice to focus our mind on something like losing weight or making 1,000 cold calls and do it. But that’s not the way people work, and that’s fine.

The task of redirecting and refocusing from the old to the new can be exciting and fun. Almost every day, we are exposed to new technologies and processes built to make our world better. We also learn more about the human psyche and how to find inner peace. Voice actors have a leg up on most folks because we operate from our emotional center to vocally communicate written texts. But I also believe those in the acting profession know the cutting edge of deep emotions and feelings and their effects if not kept in check.

So, what of it? The purpose of wind-in-the-mind-time is to refresh your thinking. I use the time to review my world and the changes I become aware of to see if there is something out there that can make my business and life flow a little better. Likewise, this is the time I use to decide on what things I’m exposed to that no longer need my time attention or curiosity.

Is it time for your wind-in-the-mind-time? What have you heard, what do you do, what’s new, what’s essential, what can go, or stay? A little time in the mind can get you back on track and find inner peace.

“The key to happiness is really progress and growth and constantly working on yourself and developing something.” — Lewis Howes

I’m refocusing some of my efforts this summer to improve what I provide to my voice-over clients. You too should take some wind-in-the-mind-time. No matter your business, embrace the positive and focus on a great future as you prepare to break that lip.

(Image by Gerd Altmann and Pixabay)

A Little Sabbatical, A Little Rest

Personal, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voice talent renewal

My blog page is taking a little sabbatical. Your reading my blogs is an honor. I hope you have found my suggestions and advice helpful to your personal and professional life. I expect to resume blogging on voiceover related subjects in July, so I suggest a few of my earlier writings as food for thought for your June 2019.

Set it and Forget it? Not In Voiceovers

Talent spiced with training and marketing can make for excellent voiceover success. But unlike cooking a meal in a slow cooker, a voiceover talent must check and recheck their business to make sure it’s developing correctly and meeting success goals.

Kindness: Shared, Remembered, and Returned

Speaker and author Bob Burg once said, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust.” Do people trust you? Do people like you (and do you care)? Are you genuinely kind to others? Don’t underestimate the power of kindness.

Get Ready for your On-the-mark Voiceover Elevator Speech

You’ve checked your business progress and treat others kindly. Now, let’s wrap up the month by making sure your “elevator speech” is on point. Your voiceover speech doesn’t have to be a canned response. It should be something tailored to each situation and include all the essential facts about what you do. Preparation is vital. Take time to narrow down the main points you want to communicate with others in about one minute.

Thanks again for all your support. All my best thoughts as you give your best performance and break a lip.

How I get my Voice-over Help

Personal, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voice talent renewal, voiceover

"Oha, a little help please?"Those of us who are self-employed know all too well what it’s like to struggle with optimism. We often face days when the world seems to be working for everyone but us. Voiceover talents must contend with not just the regular struggles of maintaining a business but can also suffer struggles from personal rejections like lost voiceover jobs. I’ve found that depending on the day of the week, finding the will to keep forging on toward one’s heartfelt goals may take several or many methods of encouragement. Life is too short, so make a point to find and use what will keep you motivated toward your best life.

Keep Your Encouragers Close

I keep handy Podcast files of encouraging speakers and programs. On my days when my voiceover business is not going as I think it should, I listen to motivational speakers like Willie Jolley and programs like the Voice Over Body Shop.  Alternating between encouraging and teaching podcasts renews my mind and spirit. Learning something new helps me feel energized and ready to apply new methods in my voiceover performances and business practices. Listening to my favorite shows always bring a smile to my face.

Hang Out with Like Minds

Having friends in business is great but, I’ve found that good intentions don’t make for success. A friend of mine gives me the impression that because I am self-employed, she thinks my voiceover business is a leisure pursuit. This same friend is preparing to retire in a couple of years from her full-time government job and open her own design company. In casual conversation, my friend talks about how she’s developing new designs for the many areas her business will cover. However, knowing my friend as I do, she has always liked to discuss what she wants to do or will do, but she often doesn’t make good on her commitments. Perhaps, she is not the best potential business associate I need to help me press through the hard days.

Once you figure out what your passion is, surround yourself with like-minded people who can help you grow.” Jessica St. Clair

Shadowing or associating with successful, like-minded voiceover talents and successful business owners helps me feel like I too can be a winner. It’s wise to partner with supportive professionals and those who have heard the saying, “Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet them on your way down.”

Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet them on your way down.”  Wilson Mizner

Change up your Schedule

I sometimes take time for home improvements and other small tasks to change up my regular routine and accomplish small goals. Something as little as cleaning a room or finishing a letter can give me a feeling of accomplishment. As such, I feel more optimistic when I return to my marketing efforts and voiceover projects.

Never put off Leisure Time

Over the years, I’ve learned that leisure time, especially with friends, is one of the most encouraging things I can do for my voiceover business. Listening to other thoughts and learning how others feel about the world around them gives me a sense of the human environment. Interacting with others in a leisure setting not only pickups up my spirit, but I feel renewed when I return to the recording booth.

Another benefit of hanging with friends is I may pick up ideas for new voice characters. Have you ever come across someone who speech or voice is out of the ordinary? Often, I study such voice characterizations to use them in future projects. Spending time with others can breathe new life into my list of characters and perhaps lead to more voiceover jobs in the future.

That’s a snapshot into how I keep it moving.  Now, go and develop your encouragement sources, because I guarantee the day or week will come when you will want to just throw up your hands. So, before you wave it all off, give yourself another chance to break a lip.

Don’t Beware January and June, Renew!

Voice talent renewal

In the voiceover world, they say, “Beware January and June.” So, if your June is not what your other colleagues may be experiencing business-wise, you need to come up with ways to regroup. Regrouping should lead to more jobs, better auditions, and more revenue doing what you love. Unconventional methods of regrouping can lead to better creativity and a renewed focus for business success.

Regrouping does not have to be boring. The more exceptional your activities, the better. Use this slow time for decisive actions that can keep you going through the slump and emerge as a powerful voiceover talent. Below are some ideas on how to regroup to keep you going and working your daily voiceover business tasks:

When it comes to renewing, think out of the box. Voiceovers should not be arduous, although sometimes it can feel that way. There is no downer as marketing for work and not getting the results you want and need. So use these times to change your thinking and regroup your world.

Need more? Trent Hamm’s “The Frugal Introvert: Fifty Ways to Have Fun By Yourself on the Cheap,” gives ideas for having the fun solo.

Now go out there and be like other folks for a while. Come out of your vocal booth and use this (unplanned) little break in June for a mini-renew time. It will refresh your spirit more than you can imagine.

Have fun!

Motivate Your Life

Voice talent renewal

I like the enthusiasm and excitement generated when I hear the rags to riches stories of motivational speakers. The rousing narratives spark hope and a belief in one’s possible future success. Still, with all the motivational streaming videos, books, podcasts, conventions, audiobooks, and the like, the listener is still left with the real work, and that is to DO the job. Become your motivator while reaching your life goals every day.

Get ready to work…hard. Listening to motivational speakers will not change your behavior. You are responsible for your actions. No one will do your marketing or other voiceover (VO) related work. There’s no magic fairy to pay for your demo, find you scripts, work your business, or improve your life. You must actively choose and take the actions that can lead to reaching all your goals personally and professionally.

Determine who you are right now. Take time to silence the world around you and think about who you are and what you want. You may want to free flow your thoughts into a file on your phone or another device. Remember this is for you, so get it out.

Evaluate your voiceover career. Make a new file and record thoughts in a tone as speaking to your best friend. You should be your best friend. You don’t need another critic (we all have them in life). Be caring and honest with your thoughts. If you don’t like your career, business choice, or something else, that’s fine. Note what you want for your life. Don’t forget to include fun goals too.

Motivate you to maximize your life.  Now is the time to develop your plan. Using your recordings, take the time to review your “truth” and develop a plan to reach your voice-over goals. Review who you are now and what changes and practices you will need to reach your goals.  For help in developing your voiceover career, see “How To Find Voice Over Work” by Gravy for the Brain. Make sure you cover the essentials to grow your business.

Get support and accountability.  Support and accountability are the essential points of your new or revised life plan. You can always let yourself off the hook for not working toward your daily goals, but your partner should not. Moreover, look for accountability partners that you can trust and who are undergoing the same process. Motivational messages can also help fuel your daily actions toward success.

Celebrate the paths to your VO goals.  Celebrate the steps, victories, and lessons along the tracks to your goals. If you apply these steps, you will reach many of your realistic goals. Your overall goal is to have a fulfilling life. No matter what you achieve in life when it’s over, it’s over. Use each day to seek your goals; be thankful for and celebrate your progress.

Reaching for your goals every day may or may not lead to great riches, but you will be at peace with yourself as you live your best life breaking a lip!

 

Getting to Know the Stranger Who is You

Voice over Training, Voice talent renewal

One of the things that still intrigues me is the stranger inside. You may think, “How can one be a stranger to one’s self?” I’ll give you an example. Have you ever encountered an unexpected event or emergency and you reacted in a way that you didn’t expect? Your behavior was not a surprise to your subconscious just to your conscious mind. As a voice talent, you need to get to know the personalities lurking in your subconscious and put them to work in your voiceover (VO) performances.

We all have the ability to win Audie Awards and other VO accolades. I say that because I think the best actors know themselves so well, that can shape their emotions, experiences, likes, dislikes, dark thoughts, and positive thoughts into effective acting. Getting to know all these things and more about you is also your key to effective voice acting.

I recently listened to a podcast interview of a famous African-American female VO talent. She mentioned that she was shy and had to always work through her shyness to pursue her VO goals. Since I also personally know the lady, I believe she is not overly shy, just reserved and quiet when meeting new people. Around her VO colleagues, she seems friendly, upbeat, and encouraging. My point is she has learned to use parts of her personality to be what she needs to be at the right time and place. The proof is in her VO success.

If you want to find out more about your personality, the Internet has a plethora of personality test tools to help you along the way. Also, the Johari Window is an excellent tool to get to know you on a deeper level. The site Businessballs.com defines the Johari Window model as “… a simple and useful tool for illustrating and improving self-awareness, and mutual understanding between individuals within a group.”

Don’t restrict yourself; get to know you and the way you think. Then shape all of the aspects of thoughts and traits into an effective voiceover actor. Find your profound, authentic, personal sides and use these sides of your subconscious and conscious mind to cut your spirit free as your best VO talent.

Your Strong 2017 Voice-over Finish

VO Business Tips, Voice talent renewal

The summer has been a little slow for many in the voiceover business.  Recent changes in the industry have taken many voice talent a back and have caused concern for many small business owners.  You may be wondering about your next step?  With more than half of 2017 in our rear-view mirror, (along with the historical total US Eclipse), it’s time to up your game.  Below are some ideas on how to finish 2017 strong (and in the black).

Review your Position, Now

Are you meeting your financial goals? Are you maintaining your weekly work schedule?  Have you scheduled what you need to keep your business on track to perform like a business and not a hobby?  Honestly look at where you are and what is needed to reach your 2017 VO business goals.

Seek Outside Advice

Reach out to others in the VO business like a different coach or social media manager. Let someone you don’t usually work with give you his or her opinion on your demos, social media presence, and website.  Advice from new sources may point out areas and items you may not have considered before and lead to a some needed action.

Review your Social Media Strategy

Social media is still a critical area for any business.  The VO industry is not an exception.  More and more websites display voice acting jobs from eLearning to gaming.  You want to remain fresh, relevant, and ready.  Make sure your platforms are working for and not against your VO business success.   Gravy for the Brain’s blog on Social Media for Voiceovers lists ideas on improving VO social media presence.

Evolve and Reset

Changes occur. Don’t let discouragement steal your future success.  Voice-over Xtra blogger and Voiceover talent manager Celia Siegel’s comments on recent VO industry changes can be applied to your business. Reset and prepare to face the rest of 2017 with optimism and to reach your success goals.  It’s your time to make and finish strong.