Jonathan’s Voice – Smack Is Whack!

Check out Jonathan Tilley in action as he shows us how to get rid of mouth noise before recording. Jon will be joining the small staff of experts at Voice Over Club and will be producing some training modules for us!

Popularity: 5%

How to Post Audio on Your Facebook Page with AudioBoo

Scott (Scooter) Fortney is back to tell us an easy way to post audio to your Facebook page!

Popularity: 10%

Scooter Fortney’s 5-Year Old Daughter – First Voice-Over Gig

Check this out! Our own Scott (Scooter) Fortney’s 5-year old daughter doing her first voice-over gig. Very cool!

Popularity: 8%

An Epidemic: Mediocrity

How many times have we said the phrase “Ah, it’s good enough” when we knew darn well that is wasn’t? God knows, I have been guilty of that myself.  Mediocrity should be illegal in this country.  A crime punishable by a slap in the face and a kick in the ass!  Okay, I’m kidding.  Sort of.

When I first started out in voiceovers, I didn’t have the same principles that I do now.  I would record a script and send it off.  Always with the old “that should be good enough” phrase dancing in my brain and rushing to move on to the next project.  I realized how unsatisfied I felt working this way – I knew I needed to make a change.  Once I started giving every project my best and full attention, I felt fulfilled.  It actually ended up giving me more time in my day because I wasn’t going back and forth with clients to make changes and edits.

When we settle for mediocrity and don’t do our best – our integrity and creativity starts to get lost. We tend to spread ourselves too thin, so we don’t do anything well.  I can say from experience that this is not a good place to be – for ourselves, our clients or even society.  Whether I am producing a voiceover demo for a student or a commercial for a client, I always take the time to review it.  Listen!  Listen!  Listen!  You are always going to be able to do it better.  Don’t do something once, say that it’s great and pass it on.  Work at it like an artist works on a painting.

The creative industry is filled with talented people with short attention spans, I should know, I am one of them!  Clients used to tell me that I sounded like I was in a hurry or that I was rushing the copy.  Again, this goes back to the frame of mind I was in.  I was not in the mindset of a professional.  I would always try and get each project done as quickly as possible without even thinking about the client.  Shame on you, Terry!  I was settling for mediocrity.

The great Martin Luther King Jr said “Whatever your life’s work is, do it well.  A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead and the unborn could do it no better.”

Find your passion, don’t settle and you will be amazed at what you can do!

Popularity: 2%

If Ted Williams Can Do This, So Can I

I love that people are inspired by this story but remember Ted went to school for broadcasting…he did MAKE an investment in his career…he also worked for radio. It’s a dangerous thought process to think that you will be the next one discovered.  It just doesn’t work that way.  Ted’s story is unique and it doesn’t happen very often.  It’s inspiring but in the same sense, it is sending the wrong message to those who think they can break into voiceovers free of charge.

I must hear the phrase, “My entire life I have been told I have a great voice and that I should do voiceovers”. I hear that line in my sleep.  I sing that line in the shower!  Scary, I know!  You CAN do voiceovers but there is an investment of money and time that goes into educating yourself and getting the proper training. There is no magic pill for success in this industry.  We’ve all spent a lot of money getting to where we are now. Whether it’s coaching, workshops, demos or purchasing recording equipment.  The voiceover industry is also not a quick fix solution for the unemployed.  You won’t get caught up on your bills in just a week by trying to break into voiceovers.  It is a process that takes time and patience.

My entire life, I have been told that I should get into voiceovers. “Okay great! What are you going to do about it?”  Sometimes I get asked what I can do for these people for free.  I always tell them that getting into voiceovers is just like any other business when it comes to starting out.  You need to invest in training and education, much like a Doctor or Pilot and there is still no guarantee for success.

The people who understand the steps, do the research and ask a lot of questions are the ones with the right mindset and attitude.   Kudos to them.  Where I get frustrated is when they haven’t done the proper research or they listen to the advice of so-called experts who are not even voice talents or in the field. Myths can spread like a bad virus so always do your research and then consult with someone who has been in the field of voiceovers for a long time.

The bottom line is that I really enjoy training folks who are serious and truly understand what steps are necessary to have any shot at doing voiceovers, whether part-time or full-time.  And the economy? Sure, it isn’t the greatest but we all need to believe in ourselves and our passions.  Stop using the down economy as an excuse.  Don’t let fear take your dream.

When I decided to do voiceovers full time, I quit my radio sales job to follow my dream and I knew it would take time and a financial investment.  I was never expecting a free ride to the moon and you shouldn’t either. If you want something for free, you just got it.  Advice from a voiceover pro!

Popularity: 3%

How To Watermark Your Recordings

Great stuff from our friend, Mike Elmore!

Popularity: 9%

A Golden Radio Voice

This is truly an inspiration to all of us!

Popularity: 5%

Is 2011 Your Year?

The New Year started off with a bang and is off and running!  How about you?

I understand that you have a lot to do.  Yes, the house needs a cleaning after all of the holiday festivities, you’ve got to get to the gym to get your workout in, the laundry is piling up, you have to get your financials in order for taxes, etc.

What about your New Year’s resolutions?   What about your goal you wanted to achieve this year?

Yes, attending to the house, doing laundry, feeding your family, paying the bills and Uncle Sam is all important; however, just be careful that these everyday circumstances don’t become your procrastination cop out.  You know what I mean. “I’ll … (fill in the blank with your goal) when … (fill in the blank with an excuse, ie., when I get my tax refund, when I lose the weight, etc.).

The fact of the matter is that you will never begin as long as you allow circumstances to dictate your starting point.  You must begin at once. Take action and change your life.

You cannot succeed if you never start.   If you want to be a voice over talent or a doctor or a sales guru, get started today on your path.  Learn what steps you need to take to make it happen.  Put together a plan of attack to reach your goal and begin.  Yes, it really is that simple.

Popularity: 2%

Happy Holidays From Voice Talents Everywhere!

A few of us voice talents decided to collaborate for a holiday greeting. Check it out!

Happy Holidays From Voice Talents Everywhere! by voiceoversbyterrydaniel

Popularity: 2%

Make 2011 Your Year To Shine

Yes, it’s that most wonderful time of the year once again! A magical time full of laughter, joy and holiday cheer. A time overflowing with giddy anticipation, brimming with endless possibilities and New Year’s resolutions.

It all sounded so good until I brought up those New Year’s resolutions. Here’s the deal with those things, you can’t avoid them. Even resolving to not make New Year’s resolutions is still a resolution. The whole point of making them is to create positive changes in our lives. After all, if we continue to do what we have always done, we will continue to get what we’ve always gotten.

Here’s the formula for your New Year’s resolution success:

Step 1: Take inventory. What have you not done yet in your life that you would like to do? What’s on your bucket list? Perhaps you would like to become a voice over talent, or expand your voice over skills to better serve your clients, or specialize in a specific niche. Maybe you’ve always wanted to own your own business, or work from home, or just explore the possibilities of your creativity.

Step 2: Define your “Why”. You have to have a burning desire to accomplish you resolution and internalize your “why” or else even the littlest distraction will prevent you from attaining your goal. Perhaps your “why” is to fulfill a dream you’ve had for years, or to finally unleash your creativity and put to use talents you have that your current job or lifestyle have not fulfilled. Your “why” is personal but it must be powerful enough to pull you through when you would rather not do what it takes to make your goal happen.

Step 3: Determine what it will take. Now that you have your goal and your “why”, figure out what steps you will need to take and write them down. This may take a bit of research on your part. Talk to people who have done what you want to do and have achieved the level of success and notoriety that you aspire to achieve. Do not take advice from people who have not already accomplished what you want to accomplish. Their intentions may be golden, but their advice rarely is.

Step 4: Take action. Do at least one thing each day to move yourself closer to your goal and as you check off each step write “Victory” next to it and move on to the next step. Continue to do this daily and you will have the power of momentum on your side and will achieve success through your persistence and perseverance. If you get stuck along the way, ask for help and advice from the people who have achieved what you want to achieve and keep going.

Step 5: Celebrate! Take the time to celebrate your successes along the way and maintain your focus on accomplishing the next step toward achieving your goal.

Go ahead and make 2011 your year to shine! When 2012 comes along, you will be the one people will be toasting for keeping your resolution and we’ll see you at VOICE 2012!

Happy New Year!

Popularity: 2%

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