60 SECONDS

Hey, there!

There’s a new version of Audacity, the free audio recording and editing software I use and recommend every day.

It’s been out for a few months now (as of this writing), and many people haven’t yet taken the plunge to update to it. You should.

Here’s how to get it for free. Continue Reading →

Hey, there!

My client and student, Tom, wrote me recently. He was wondering about giving an agent a commission, even when you book the job himself.

Great question. Here’s the answer. Continue Reading →

Hey, there!

Recently, in my Burbank VO2GoGo class, we talked about LinkedIn being a different kind of social network, one that is far more professional and career-oriented than other networks.

You can connect with members of the pro VO community there, and on a peer-to-peer, working artist basis, rather than the more casual Twitter and Facebook.

But how do you upload your VO demos there if there’s no option for audio, only PDFs and video links?

It’s actually pretty easy. Here’s how. Continue Reading →

Hey, there!

If you’ve been reading/listening to this newsletter for a while, you’ve heard me talk about how much I discourage actors from practicing, and even using the phrase “accent reduction,” when it comes to both regional American and non-American talent and their accent work.

Read/listen: Don’t Engage In Accent Reduction – Instead, Accent Addition

Almost to a person, they are fairly desperate to find a way to stamp out their native accent and somehow replace it with a General American accent.

Big, big, BIG mistake.

But…not to worry. David Coury, one of my favorite instructors from the Howard Fine Acting Studio, is about to provide you with an awesome set of tools to work with your accents in a constructive, additive way.

I had a chance to speak with him about his new class, and it was fascinating. Continue Reading →

Hey, there!

I got an email recently from my lovely client Deborah, asking a question that, although it’s not specifically about VO, may be one that a lot of actors might love to know the answer to:

Self taping auditions – you can do it with an iPhone, or with a nice Canon EOS Digital Rebel, but the sound is not as good as the picture. Is there a good plug in mic? Can you use the wonderful AT2020 USB Plus? Where does one put the plug? Any thoughts, suggestions, words of wisdom? Maybe a 60 second rant?

Thank you so much for all your great advice and classes and your intelligent, sane approach to life and the business.

All the best,

Deborah

I know it’s a bit off-topic from pure VO, but this question is one I hear a lot (and is one of the reasons I created my on-camera presence class, Camera Ready U), and it’s especially relevant to most of my clients and students, as they also have an on-camera acting life as well.

Here are my suggestions. Continue Reading →

Hey, there!

My posts on identifying and vanquishing our deepest fears really resonated with clients and students.

So much so, that my friend and client Dolly Wyatt asked me to do her a favor.

(Not directly, but I read between the lines of her comment).

She said she wanted to post what I said on the wall as a reminder. And we know how clunky printed web pages look.

So, I created this printable wall hanging for her. And you. Continue Reading →

Hey, there!

More on your deepest fear today.

Last time, we identified it as almost universal.

(If you haven’t yet read that 60 Seconds, this will all make a lot more sense if you go here and read it.)

This time, I want you to face it and kill it.

I can’t wait to help you with it. Continue Reading →