Everybody’s favorite voiceover website Voice Over Xtra run by everybody’s favorite voiceover actor John Florian has just announced they will begin offering a series of educational webinars.¹ Cool.  They are kicking things off with “The Business of Voiceovers: Getting Started and Growing Your Career” offered by the renowned and respected voice coach Bettye Zoller.  The live webinar takes place this November 19th at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific.  It costs less than 40 bucks and if you can’t make the webinar you also receive a free downloadable² recording.  Check it:

Why attend? Discover and review …

* Today’s business model for successful voice actors
* Where the jobs are
* How a newcomer gets started
* How to build a successful career
* The types of voice-over jobs today
* Pitfalls to avoid to make a fair wage as both voice talent & audio engineer
* What to put on your first demo
* Today’s streams of income for voice talents
* How to make yourself known to agents & ad agencies
* Resources for continuing your success
* Much, much more!

Should you attend? YES, if you are …

* A relative newcomer to voice-overs, or
* A working pro who wants to rise above the competition and “work smarter” online and in the “real world”

So there you have it, a great coach working with a great site run by a great guy and you read it here first on a great blog written by an even greater guy. What more could you want? Clickity-click³ over HERE to get the full scoop and to sign up.

1. Spellcheck is not exactly down yet with the term “webinar”
2. It’s not happy with this one either.
3. I think I just broke it.

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Go to the main site for all of the details and be sure to RSVP as soon as possible.  New place, new prizes, same fun and networking.  Come get your drink on….

(Note: previous artwork erroneously stated this was on a Friday.  The event is on Saturday the 5th)

Seriously, how much do you love the poster this year?

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Voiceover do-gooders Diane Havens and Kat Keesling are putting out the call for additional volunteers to help out at HearTheBill.org (previously mentioned here).  The House and the Senate have both rewritten their bills and doubled their lengths so it’s more important than ever to make sure that the information can be heard in an easy and bipartisan manner.

Yeah, whatever.  Check it out: The site has now gotten a million hits (really!) and is getting press all over the place from the left and the right, from Rachel Maddow to Ann Coulter, from the New York Times to Fox Business News.  Isn’t it about time you got a piece of that action for yourself?

One of the benefits of volunteering is the actual exposure and ability to get some big name press.  The Wall Street Journal, Times News, Washington Post, NY Times, The Hill, US News & World Report, Fox Business and NPR as well as top industry press like VoiceTalentProductions, VoiceOverXtra, Voices.com, and individual blogs and sites of talents….

…If the talent helps spread the word locally, the story gets aired locally and usually with a local flavor targeting the talent themselves. Volunteering for HearTheBill doesn’t pay money, but it is indeed a marketing platform for the talent….

…It’s for a great cause to serve the community. The work done is able to be used without restriction in their demo and can be credited on their bio. They have a reason to contact their media outlets when things change…and that opportunity can open up a relationship with the station for business. It’s an instant credibility builder and we work hard to credit our volunteers well….

…All audio includes a byline of the talent linked back to their site and email. As you know, it helps to have links to your site from credible sites with high traffic. And we are credible with a ton of traffic and are relevant to Voice Sites. Even if someone doesn’t volunteer, linking to us helps.

Plus you can get one of these cool banners below to put on your site or blog to spruce up the place and make it seem like you are civic minded:

So go read a few pages and join Chris Mezzolesta, Curt Palmer, Roger Baker, Veronica March, Kitzie Stern and a ton of others who have wisely milked this thing for all it is worth.

Join the Facebook fan page HERE for the latest.

Check out Chris Mezzolesta being interviewed on-camera from his home studio about his involvement HERE.

Check out this great PSA voiced by the great Lee Gordon who has also made his script available so you can voice it yourself and run it in your own hometown:

[See post to listen to audio]

Here’s Curt flirting with the anchorwoman on the local news:

Big ups also to Evan Rapp and Jerry Horwath at Buzz Cutz Audio in Minneapolis who have donated many studio and engineering hours to the cause.  Kudos.

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The world renowned voice talent and coach Bob Bergen, perhaps best known as the voice of Porky Pig, will be teaching what sounds like a pretty unique workshop this December in New York.  Any Yankees interested in training with the top animation coach in the country should jump on the chance now as he apparently wont be back for some time.  You can download all the info in pdf format HERE or just read the Cliffs Notes I have exhaustively prepared for you below.¹

Bob Bergen’s doing his Advanced Animation Voiceover Workshop in NYC Sat. & Sun., Dec. 5th and 6th, 2009.  This will be Bob’s last time teaching in NYC for the next several years, as he’s been extremely busy with his work in LA, and he’s down several out of town workshops for the next few years.

In this workshop, Bob does a mock “audition and casting” of a cartoon the first day where, as in a real situation, you receive the script and audition copy about a week ahead of time.  On the first day (Saturday), you have the chance to audition for up to 15 different characters in the script.  Based on the auditions, Bob casts the show.  The next day (Sunday) is the recording session where you will be in the booth with sometimes 4 or more voice actors, and Bob directs you in the scenes from outside the booth.  You’ll be in and out of the booth as each scene is cast with multiple casts, giving everyone a chance to perform their characters.

Everyone will receive a copy of the final audio within 2 weeks after the class.  This is a HUGELY fun and eye-opening workshop, and very fast-moving, and an opportunity to know what it feels like to be in an actual cartoon series or animated film from beginning to end!!   For the workshop, you’ll need to have either taken Bob’s technique class, or have taken animation voiceover technique with another coach, OR be able to create and sustain original characters — If you have a  background in acting or improv, and feel comfortable to be able to create characters, that’s fine. Deposit with a non-refundable deposit of $150.00 by November 1, and take 10% off the workshop fee.  You can also audit the workshop for $100.00 per day.

So there you have it. I forced Lindsay to take his workshop last time he was here and, aside from some inappropriate touching, she said it was a fantastic experience.² Bob’s appearance may also coincide with the Second Annual New York Voiceover Mixer (details coming soon) so if you were planning on attending that you may want to kill two birds with one stone or whatever it is you kids say nowadays.

He will be missed.

1. Cut and Paste makes me sleepy.
2. She later admitted that she kind of liked the touching.

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Man, we are all over this thing like white on rice.  First off, those of you who are not hip to the whole VOICE thing¹ are invited to please visit the main VOICE 2010 site to get up to speed.  Be sure to click on the “Conference Schedule” tab up top to get a rundown of the goings on and to decide which sessions to sign up for.  In addition to our fabulous hosts James Alburger and Penny Abshire you will find such VTP notables as our friend from the north Deb Munro, French sympathizer Liz de Nesnera, VO coach to the stars Marc Cashman, voiceover lawyer Robert Sciglimpaglia, author Peter Rofe and curmudgeon Terry Daniel.  Plus, the incredible Dave Courvoisier and Bobbin Beam will be there to keep things rolling along smoothly.  Word on the street is that even yours truly will be presenting.² The Voice Talent Productions staff will also be present at the poolside mixer being held on Saturday and will be accepting submission packages and business cards from talent wishing to speak with us at that time.  More information on that and updates on what we may be up to at the conference can be found on the Events page of the VTP site.  Seriously, be there or be square.³

Unfortunately, Sharktopus will be unable to attend.

1. Seriously?
2. Ahem.
3. Daddy-o.

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Manifest Destiny.¹

We are quite excited.

Please click the logo below

1. Look it up.

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Just in case you don’t follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn or Twitter or you don’t come back to this blog daily to check the sidebar like you absolutely should, here are some microblog posts from over the past month or so.  If any of these links are broken now then I hope you have learned your lesson.  It was a great link too man, you should have been there.

• Craig Crumpton interviews character voiceover legend Jim Cummings: http://ping.fm/yDKCu
  
• VO talent Dave DeAndrea interviews “Porky Pig” voice Bob Bergen (video): http://ping.fm/N5zvf
  
• Gene Simmons, voiceover artist?: http://ping.fm/wnzKy
  
• “…An Attack On Celebrity Voice Talent”: http://ping.fm/3X0u4
• Are video voiceover demos the future?: http://ping.fm/TesPh
  
• Hey VO talent, check out what the amazing Pat Fraley has coming up! (nice site too!): http://ping.fm/csHlU
  
• Free voiceover advice from renowned coach Peter Rofe (audio): http://ping.fm/heUfT
  
• “Obi-Wan Speaks,” a conversation with VO talent James Arnold Taylor: http://ping.fm/PA6cY
  
• “How to Perfect an Elevator Pitch About Yourself” (good stuff from Harvard Business): http://ping.fm/fvlfI
  
• Check out this fantastic PSA voiced by the gifted VO Talent Bobbin Beam: http://ping.fm/4dC1j
  
• New voiceover book: http://ping.fm/NC2T9 , http://ping.fm/6BI8h
  
• Check out some of our VO colleagues and friends from down under: http://ping.fm/gsjfK
  
• “Family Guy” VO video: http://ping.fm/zUYHK and “The Cleveland Show” VO video: http://ping.fm/3U6bd
  
• Receive 20 percent off the Mikey Ipod microphone: http://ping.fm/ieM94 and enter discount code 0709. (Thanks to Julie Williams)
  
• Pick up a stylish “Voice Work” hat, promote the VO industry and support The Children’s Health Fund: http://ping.fm/MVNVt
  
• “Professional Voice Talent Get All Political At HearTheBill.org”: http://ping.fm/JPpCM
  
• “Quick and Slick Voiceover Tricks” from Pat Fraley. (free audio sample): http://ping.fm/tbuEU
  
• “Straight Shootin’ with the Big Gun - How to get more voice work!” (video): http://ping.fm/46NCy
  
• “In The Booth: Anxious & Worried? Flip It With An ‘Ode To Success’” (VO article by coach Danielle Quisenberry): http://ping.fm/B3uXw
  
• “10 Ways to Advance Your Career” (acting article from Backstage): http://ping.fm/fEv1g
  
• “Voiceover Talent Lend A Hand With Microloans”: http://tinyurl.com/m4w6xd
  
• “Casting Director Andrea Romano Gives Voice to Superheroes” (cool VO article): http://ping.fm/qXonz
• Quite an innovative way to cast for voiceover talent. Check this out: http://ping.fm/dOjMw
  
• “Confessions of a Video Game Voice Actor”:http://ping.fm/74BKz Bonus Japanese fun!: http://ping.fm/t0qfC
  
• “My Life as Richard Burton’s Voice Coach” (be sure to at least read the end): http://ping.fm/uk1JA
  
• “Book of Business: A Novel of the Law.” A new audiobook narrated by the incredible Diane Havens!: http://ping.fm/B26gD
  
• Japanese voiceover video. Pika, Pika!: http://ping.fm/5xGAR
  
• Joanna Lumley (Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous) does an absolutely fabulous job on this VO: http://ping.fm/MwmMH
  
• VO thought for the day: The cable guy just left, barely spoke English but when he noticed my mic he said, “Like Don LaFontaine?”
  
• “Behind each of those cloying toy voices, a person” (fun VO article): http://ping.fm/JHTYv
  
• The last on-camera appearance by the late, great Don LaFontaine (with video): http://ping.fm/Q2FxE
  
• For just 10 grand per day you can get Hanna Montana to VO your next project: http://ping.fm/aUEUr
  
• Fun VO videos! “Full Metal Racket”: http://ping.fm/KCSld and “Your New Voiceover Agent and You”: http://ping.fm/7qv8x
  
• VO talent and blogger extraordinaire Bob Souer launched a great new look on his site. Check it out here: http://bobsouer.com/
  
• The famous “Thundercats” VO outtakes (with outrageously NSFW language): http://ping.fm/aYwuM
  
• “The 50 Greatest Trailers Of All Time”: http://ping.fm/HPvqy
  
• The best commercial VO ever? It very well could be: http://ping.fm/VHBD8
  
• Gentlemen, I present the sexiest voiceover related video ever: http://ping.fm/QrmxB
  
• Check out the new promo demo from the lovely and very talented Kara Edwards: http://ping.fm/AQGww
• A classic “Today Show” segment featuring VO talent. Man, I really miss The Don sometimes: http://ping.fm/KjEsN

Honestly, you should pay closer attention sometimes.

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