Archive for April, 2009

Sometimes, the best weekends are those that I disregard my to-do list and just see what happens. This week was hectic, not bad but just there wasn’t any down time. To recap the highlights: I was flying solo at my full-time production gig (that’s a full story in itself); filed a police report after seeing something odd and finding a woman’s purse thrown out a window of a car that had no intention of stopping; my neighbor’s mom had a medical emergency and I was at home and assisted in the most minor of ways (borrowed my phone) although after seeing the woman about 10 minutes later, I’d wished I was just nosy enough to go outside when her granddaughter first borrowed my phone, I probably would have gotten help there faster than she did by waiting for her sister to arrive. I was so glad to get through the end of Friday and just go home.

So after what I’d consider to be a total weird sh*t week, I needed time to have a kick-back weekend. We joined friends for dinner Friday night. Saturday, although this was on my big to-do list, I hadn’t specifically decided to do it this weekend… we bought my new home studio system, with the Mbox 2 Mini as the foundation (also, perfect as the foundation to my road kit.) I’d been holding out on buying that for nearly 2 years, because I do have a version of Audition hooked up to my gear, but most of the time I’m able to record in my work studio and I’m happy with the sound there. But, I’ve been getting more projects or long-term clients, and with my plans to work on audiobooks I’d rather have it on my own equipment at my fingertips when I need access to it and can work on it. Saturday afternoon I spent tweaking my studio, and while yes it is work it really was an enjoyable project. Andy and I bummed around and played a card game we’re infatuated with, Bohnanza. Today was like a repeat of yesterday. Went back to GC to get an iLok for ProTools, so I can use it on my laptop or the iMac, and tweaked the soundproofing on my studio. Then we reverted to the geeks that we both truly are, and played video games all afternoon, caught up on last week’s episode of The Office, and are ready to call it a day. After the strange week I’ve had, I can really appreciate a day (or 2) like today.

Andy and I just finished catching up on the past few weeks of The Office. I love that show, it’s definitely my sense of humor. I remember not too long ago posing a guessing game about “who’s that voice” as a actor-voiced commercial came on the radio. The question was “the new Blackberry Storm commercials” the answer was John Krasinski, “Jim Halpert” on The Office.

If he doesn’t crossover to movies or have continued success in TV shows once The Office ends, do you think he’ll still be the go-to guy for stuff like this? Probably not, and maybe he’ll just be replaced by whatever new hot show and new lead guy is out. Some VO people are worried that all the good, high-paying voicework is going to celebrities but I disagree. Animation – definitely, and we’ve all seen the shift in getting big names to voice characters… but commercial work? I’m not too concerned.

John Krasinski brings a lot of “Jim” into the booth for the Blackberry spots… but if The Office wasn’t familiar to the crowd they’re pitching to, it’d probably be just another voice guy reading that script. 1 for “them” 1 for “us,” right? Or, if they wanted to go the more common route, the agency could have just cast for someone with the “Jim Halpert attitude, laid back and nearly – yet quietly – shocked at his own excitement over the product’s features.”

Some actors are actually really good at it – think of the Cadillac CTS commercials with Kate Walsh (…”does it return the favor?”) Granted she’s also in front of the camera, but still, nice voicework. Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs (so it’s more documentary style work, but I put him in the actor category) as the narrator of Deadliest Catch (another favorite show of mine) – he’s fantastic, and isn’t bringing his on-camera persona to voice that show!!

But actors-turn-celebrities won’t necessarily get the “character has a dilemma” spots… and what a distraction to picture a high profile person in a goofy spot about plumbing or what’s for dinner or even rattling off the list of specials at a grocery chain. Solid actors could pull it off, but then again we do call it “voice acting” so that shouldn’t be a surprise. I feel very secure with some of the projects I work on that these big names wouldn’t have time for, like voicing imaging for radio stations, narrating a video for incoming freshmen at a college, or providing audio to go with a business presentation… and maybe the ocassional sound-alike spot where I’ll give them my best celebrity impression.

In March, I booked a gig with Coke. I recorded over ISDN at my favorite recording studio in Phoenix, Big U, with Russ, a great producer and very cool guy. I’d done a very similar spot for Coke last year and was happy to work with Fitzgerald+Co’s super-efficient crew again. I believe that this ad is running in the southeast on cable stations, so maybe when I’m back in NC for a wedding at the end of May I’ll happen to catch it at a friend’s house (and suddenly realize that I need a refreshing, ice-cold Coke.)

Last week I started a 6-week commitment to be stronger, healthier, fitter and hopefully better equipped to outrun coyotes, if the situation arises again. It’s mostly weight lifting in order to build muscle, cardio happens on my own time outside of the fitness center. My third session in this plan was a max lifting day… however much the trainer felt I should lift and could lift 10-12 times, and he motivated me to hit 15 reps on all these heavier weights. These are sloooooow reps, taking about 15 seconds to do one. By rep 12, it burns oh man does it burn, but I’m very goal-oriented and when the trainer is telling me that I’m then on 13, I have to keep going. 14, and there’s no turning back, I have to do 15 because that’s the absolute best anyone can possibly do (not allowed to lift more, they’re not actually trying to kill me.) At the end of my workout, I was beaten, but very happy and proud of my work. I felt like since I’m paying to go through these workouts and there is an attainable goal in mind in this 6-week plan, that I’m doing a disservice to myself if I don’t push as hard as I can or get a bit uncomfortable on my last few reps. When it comes down to it, after 15, I’m done, and I won’t have a chance to do any more for a few days, there’s no redos once I move on to the next weights or machine.

So I guess you saw where this was going in terms of voiceovers. Granted, I don’t plan on bringing every blog update back around to be some lesson learned about VO work, but this one kinda relates. I had a VO session this week with a repeat client. It features 3 characters: the cool straight-shooter guy, the partying girl-crazy friend, and the chick that hangs out with the guys. So, in general, this role is a great fit for me. But it’s the recording sessions that test me to dig a little deeper. The 3 of us have a great time in the booth, and the client/agency LOVES that we adlib, we entertain them between takes, and basically stay in character even when not rolling. It’s a lot of fun for everyone involved. So where am I pushing myself beyond what’s regularly comfortable to bring 110% and get the client their money’s worth? I never stopped trying something different. On every take, I tried a different approach to part of my script. One line in particular could have been a throwaway, but I used it to give my character a little more depth and separate her from the guys, that she had other motivations and maybe was too cool to hang out with them after all. Immediately the guys adlibbed in a dismissive “whatever” and kept rolling with the script, so we had a lovely change of pace, some extra depth and humor and still made it for time on the spot. I wouldn’t assume that my character is any more important than someone else’s or mine should be more complex than someone else’s, but another option isn’t a bad scenario. What it comes down to is that it wouldn’t do me or them any good to suggest it once we’ve already wrapped. So I keep reinterpretting the script, the relationships, the motivations and the feelings (of course, within the context of the actual purpose of the spot!) and see what I can get. Even when I’m pushing and my idea could fail, I’m giving all that I’ve got while I’m there.

January 1st is a natural fresh start for a lot of people, but I’ve found for setting goals, it feels a bit heavy handed and there’s this added sense of “everybody else is doing it right now” pressure that doesn’t help me be realistic about what will stick for me. I’ve seen a lot of blogs that advocate for making your goals public, in terms of “101 in 1001″… that’s 101 goals completed in 1001 days. I need a timeline that’s a bit more tangible and easily measurable for me, so in the same spirit, I present my “36 in 365:”

1. post to my blog at least once a week
2. record and donate an audiobook
3. edit new commercial and animation demos
4. re-record my audiobook demo
5. adjust the inputs in my home and work studios for optimal sound
6. stick to a realistic workout routine that fits my lifestyle (ongoing, check in every 2 months)
7. volunteer my time once a month
8. hike Camelback (summit), Squaw Peak (summit), Lookout Mountain (summit), South Mountain (National trail), Cave Creek (Go John trail), Estrella Mountain (Rainbow Valley trail), White Tank Mountains (Goat Camp, Ford Canyon to Mesquite Loop, or Mesquite Canyon to Willow Springs trail) http://www.visitphoenix.com/visitor/index.cfm?action=trails
9. donate blood
10. get back to Raleigh for at least 5 days
11. renew my passport
12. use my passport
13. plant a garden on the back patio with native plants
14. get more agent representation
15. learn how to use Photojunction
16. reconfigure the layout of my home studio for ease of use
17. improve my technical photography skills
18. organize business and tax paperwork
19. study with a voiceover pro
20. beat GH 80’s (Electric Eye + encore song), GH3 (Battle for your Soul level) and Rock Band 1 (Green Grass and High Tides) on expert guitar
21. give handmade gifts
22. research composting and determine whether it’s something we can do (and if so, start doing it!)
23. find a local farmers’ co-op
24. get together with other recent newlyweds and hang out/drink beer in our wedding dresses
25. babysit for friends to give them a night off
26. use our National Parks Pass twice to go somewhere besides the Grand Canyon
27. cook dinner for friends once a month
28. create parents’ albums with our wedding photos using Photojunction
29. learn a new craft or take an old hobby up a notch
30. spend more time with Andy and our kitties
31. get allergy tested
32. sign on 2 more radio stations for imaging (voice and/or production)
33. mail letters/photos to out of town friends
34. finish painting throughout the house
35. help someone else put together a voice demo
36. participate in (or be entered and training for) a triathlon or duathlon

So, I’ve got a list, and a deadline. You’ll hear from me within the next week, since that is goal #1.