VO School Podcast

Welcome to a special run of VO School episodes, featuring interviews with the presenters at VOcation Cancun 2023! https://www.vocationconference.com/ VOcation is the voiceover industries only conference dedicated entirely to the business of voiceover! Our next event is our most exciting to date! VOcation Cancun - Feb 9th - 12th 2023 We are bringing the greatest minds in the VO biz to the Caribbean to spend 4 days teaching, coaching, networking, and making us all better voice actors and businesses! To find out how to book, visit: https://www.vocationconference.com/ VOcation Cancun takes place at Moon Palace Cancun, an ALL-INCLUSIVE resort rated one of the top resorts in Mexico. All-Inclusive means: - Food, drinks (alcoholic and non), room service, mini bar, hotel facilities and resort-led entertainment are included in the price of your room!

The VO School Podcast will relaunch in July 2022, and…there are changes afoot. Jamie will also be talking with Carin Gilfry about eVOcation 2022, a virtual conference devoted to the business of voiceover, coming this June 10-12. For more information about eVOcation 2022, visit www.vocationconference.com. You can connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/vocationconference, Twitter at www.twitter.com/VOcationNYC, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/vocationnyc. You can find Carin Gilfry at www.caringilfry.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carin.gilfry. CONNECT WITH US VO School Podcast: www.voschoolpodcast.com Twitter at www.twitter.com/voschoolpodcast Instagram at www.instagram.com/voschoolpodcast Facebook at www.facebook.com/VOSchoolPodcast and www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast Jamie Muffett: www.jamiemuffettvo.com Joan Covino: www.joancovino.com Twitter at www.twitter.com/joancovino LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/joan-covino-52264b1 Femmie London: www.femmielondonvo.com LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/femmie-london-voice-actor-8a61a078 Tiffany Vanlandingham: Instagram at www.instagram.com/tiltiffany OUR SPONSORS Special thanks to our sponsors JMC Demos (www.jmcvoiceover.com/demo-production) and Backstage (www.backstage.com). And to our Patreon members, Angus Macleod, Zac Aleman, Chris Lewis, Jim Kennelly, Jeff Friedman, Ken Foster, and Paul Schmidt. For early access to episodes, exciting perks, and to support the show, become a Patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/voschool.

On today's episode of the podcast we are reviewing listener political reads! We are joined by super successful voice talent and owner of Blue Wave Voiceover, Maria Pendolino, and studio owner and engineer Brandon Perry of Sound Nectar Studios. Between them they have recorded thousands of political ads and are gearing up for their biggest political season yet with the 2022 midterm elections. Following the review we become a fly on the wall in-session as Maria records today's scripts with Brandon, and we conclude the episode with the finished products, mixed and mastered by Brandon. Maria Pendolino: https://www.voicebymaria.com/political-democrat/ and Blue Wave link: www.bluewavevoiceover.com Brandon Perry: www.soundnectarstudios.com For more information about the podcast, please visit: https://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @VOSchoolPodcast Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast Voice123 (https://Voice123.com) is the world's first and largest marketplace for professional voice actors, and it has always been our endeavor to craft the future of the voice over industry. Check out our latest content hub for voice actors, The Booth https://voice123.com/thebooth. As a VO School listener, we're giving you $50.00 USD off to access our premium memberships! New sign ups and upgrades only. Visit voice123.com/plans/voschool today to get started. Terms and conditions apply https://voice123.com/thebooth/voice-over-events/voschool-terms-and-conditions/ See the link for more details. Requiring further support? E-mail us at help@voice123.com. Social Media Handles Facebook: https://facebook.com/voice123 Twitter: https://twitter.com/voice123 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voice123 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voice123/

This week on the VO School Podcast we are answering your ‘Questions I'm Too Afraid To Ask!'. Answering them are seven fantastic voiceover experts: Maria Pendolino, Tracy Lindley, Mia Bankston, David Toback, J. Michael Collins, Alissa Zea and Kelly Wilkening. Questions asked include; How honest are coaches? Do agents only work with top earners? Why is there so much vitriol about FiCore? How much money do talent make? Should all talent purchase Source Connect? For more information about the podcast, please visit: https://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @VOSchoolPodcast Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast Voice123 (https://Voice123.com) is the world's first and largest marketplace for professional voice actors, and it has always been our endeavor to craft the future of the voice over industry. Check out our latest content hub for voice actors, The Booth https://voice123.com/thebooth. As a VO School listener, we're giving you $50.00 USD off to access our premium memberships! New sign ups and upgrades only. Visit voice123.com/plans/voschool today to get started. Terms and conditions apply https://voice123.com/thebooth/voice-over-events/voschool-terms-and-conditions/ See the link for more details. Requiring further support? E-mail us at help@voice123.com. Social Media Handles Facebook: https://facebook.com/voice123 Twitter: https://twitter.com/voice123 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voice123 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voice123/

This week on the VO School Podcast we are talking about frustration! Joining us are four fantastic guests: Carin Gilfry, Erikka J, Meryl C Goldsmith, and Marco Cammarota. Carin and Erikka are two fantastic voice actors who have a ton of experience in the industry. They are frank about their journey breaking in and maintaining a career in VO. They discuss their own challenges and how they overcame them. Meryl and Marco are voice actors in the early stages of their career. Both bravely volunteered to share their lived experience of frustration as they find their footing in voiceover. Subjects covered include; finding your voice, growing your brand, investing in your career, social media, comparing yourself to others and much more! For more information about the podcast, please visit: https://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @VOSchoolPodcast Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast Voice123 (https://Voice123.com) is the world's first and largest marketplace for professional voice actors, and it has always been our endeavor to craft the future of the voice over industry. Check out our latest content hub for voice actors, The Booth https://voice123.com/thebooth. As a VO School listener, we're giving you $50.00 USD off to access our premium memberships! New sign ups and upgrades only. Visit voice123.com/plans/voschool today to get started. Terms and conditions apply https://voice123.com/thebooth/voice-over-events/voschool-terms-and-conditions/ See the link for more details. Requiring further support? E-mail us at help@voice123.com. Social Media Handles Facebook: https://facebook.com/voice123 Twitter: https://twitter.com/voice123 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voice123 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voice123/

This week on the VO School Podcast we are reviewing your Video Game Demo's! Joining us this week are two highly experienced voice actors; Tim Friedlander and Carlo Mestroni. Tim Friedlander is a well known voice actor (commercials, video games, promo and documentary narration) and owner of soundBox:LA - an LA voiceover studio that records talent across a wide range of genres, including many video games. Also offering signatory services, audio bridging, remote recording, and demo production. Carlo Mestroni is an extremely experienced voice actor and mo-cap artist based in Montreal. He has performed in many Assassins Creed games as well as Rainbow Six, Maneater, Far Cry, Deus Ex and many others… He is also a voice and mo-cap director, as well as casting. For more information about the podcast, please visit: https://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @VOSchoolPodcast Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast Voice123 (https://Voice123.com) is the world's first and largest marketplace for professional voice actors, and it has always been our endeavor to craft the future of the voice over industry. Check out our latest content hub for voice actors, The Booth https://voice123.com/thebooth. As a VO School listener, we're giving you $50.00 USD off to access our premium memberships! New sign ups and upgrades only. Visit voice123.com/plans/voschool today to get started. Terms and conditions apply https://voice123.com/thebooth/voice-over-events/voschool-terms-and-conditions/ See the link for more details. Requiring further support? E-mail us at help@voice123.com. Social Media Handles Facebook: https://facebook.com/voice123 Twitter: https://twitter.com/voice123 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voice123 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voice123/

This week on the VO School Podcast we are listening in on the Working Pro's panel from eVOcation 2021, sponsored by Voice123. eVocation is a conference devoted to the business of voiceover. This was one of the most popular events from the weekend and is a regular feature at the conference. This superstar panel is comprised of four hugely successful voice talents, who between them cover a wide range of VO genres. Hosting the panel is eVOcation co-chair and successful voice talent in her own right, Carin Gilfry. Find out how this esteemed panel climbed the VO ladder, what their advice for those looking to enter the business is, how to get out of a career slump, how and when to seek out representation, finding your niche, and much more. Christian Lanz is a Mexican-Chilean Voice Actor, Disney Villain, EMMYS Announcer, 6-Time Voice Arts Award Winner, Golden Trailer Nominee, and is known for roles in Elena of Avalor, Coco, Call of Duty, Cyberpunk 2077, Lego DC Batman, American Dad and Spy Kids. Tre Mosely's voice has been heard in promos on Comedy Central, corporate narration for Jeep and Pfizer, on the field at the University of Florida, and on various commercials across the country. He voices promos for Major League Baseball, and voices DJ Tre Mo' in the Superstar KO Mode for Madden 20/21. Tish Hicks is the founder and Master Sensei of the V.O. Dojo. She has been a highly successful L.A. voiceover artist for over 15 years and is as smart, down-to-earth and nurturing as her signature voice. She has been the voice of countless campaigns, including Citibank for six years. Recent clients include Subaru, GTA5, TCM, Pop‑Secret, and Stinky & Dirty. Maria Pendolino is an award-winning professional female voice actor. Maria has been an industry professional for more than fifteen years, Maria's voiceover style is real, conversational, authentic, natural, friendly, relatable and sassy. Trained in musical theatre, film, television and voice, Maria's accolades include winning the 2017 and 2018 Voice Arts Award for Best Voiceover Performance in the e-learning and consumer sales video categories. She was also nominated in the radio imaging category. She is the founder of Millennial Voiceover and Blue Wave Voiceover. Voice123 (https://Voice123.com) is the world's first and largest marketplace for professional voice actors, and it has always been our endeavor to craft the future of the voice over industry. Check out our latest content hub for voice actors, The Booth https://voice123.com/thebooth. As a VO School listener, we're giving you $50.00 USD off to access our premium memberships! New sign ups and upgrades only. Visit voice123.com/plans/voschool today to get started. Terms and conditions apply https://voice123.com/thebooth/voice-over-events/voschool-terms-and-conditions/ See the link for more details. Requiring further support? E-mail us at help@voice123.com. Social Media Handles Facebook: https://facebook.com/voice123 Twitter: https://twitter.com/voice123 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voice123 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voice123/

This weeks episode of the VO School Podcast is all about data. More specifically, a survey conducted by and for voice actors - where they live and work, how much money they make, where do they find work etc... Check out the survey at http://www.VoiceoverSurvey.com Joining me this week on the podcast are voice actors Carin Gilfry, Joey Schaljio, Maria Pendolino and Eric Yang. Carin Gilfry explains more about the survey and the team members who collected and analyzed the data: "Have you ever wondered about the real data of the voiceover industry? How much money are people earning? Where are most people finding work? Does someone have to live in New York or LA to be successful? Does a voice actor need to join the union? Many of us have wondered the same thing. So, a group of independent voice actors got together and decided to put together a survey to find these answers and more. The State of Voiceover in 2021 Survey provides a deep dive into the data of the VO industry. 1244 responses were collected from voice actors all over the world, and the results are pretty astonishing. Carin Gilfry is a well-known voice actor and community leader who spearheaded the survey project. She is also the founder of Voice Actors of NYC and co-chair of the VOcation Conference. Karin Barth is an amazing web designer who is the Director of Operations/Project Manager at Voiceactorwebsites.com. She designed the State of Voiceover in 2021 website. Eric Yang is a voice actor and data analyst. He is the brains behind the data portion of the survey! Maria Pendolino is a voice actor and writer from New York. She is known in the VO community as a master negotiator and has taught classes and conference sessions about knowing your worth and quoting with confidence. Joey Schaljio is a wonderful voice actor and lover of numbers and data! She helped shape the questions on the survey, and was an instrumental part of the team."

This week on the VO School Podcast we are reviewing listener submissions. The genre of choice this time is corporate narration, and because this area of voiceover is so broad we are looking at two styles specifically - explainer and technical. Joining us to assess these reads is Christi Bowen. Christi is an exceptional voice talent as well as a voiceover coach, director of Corporate and e-Learning at ACM talent, and associate producer for VO Atlanta. What Christi doesn't know about corporate narration isn't worth knowing! Listen along as we review 18 submissions from VO School Podcast listeners, detailing our thoughts on what works, what turns clients and reps off, and some suggestions on areas to improve. Sadly we didn't get chance to review all of the submissions but if you'd like to listen for yourself, please visit our Facebook Group where we have uploaded the whole submission folder: https://www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast Join the VOcation Voiceover group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vocationconference For more information on Christi, visit: https://www.christibowen.com/ Check us out on social media: @VOSchoolPodcast

In today's episode, Rolf Veldman - CEO of Voice123, joins us to present the findings of their huge AI report. With a mixture of real world testing by putting actual AI voices into the marketplace, interviews and surveys with voice seekers, Voice123 has, over the course of 9 months, compiled a fascinating report on the current state of AI/synthetic voice in voiceover, and where it could be going. To check out the report yourself, visit this link: https://voice123.com/thebooth/the-state-of-ai-voices-report/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=ai-report-21&utm_content=vo-school Rolf Veldman is CEO of Voice123, the world's first and largest online marketplace for professional voice actors. An impassioned storyteller, Rolf considers himself an entrepreneurial historian who loves board games, scuba diving, cycling, and doing his bit to change the world for the better. At Voice123, Rolf spearheads a widely diverse and fully-remote team that has set itself the task of crafting the future of the voiceover industry. For more information on the podcast, visit: https://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @VOSchoolPodcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast http://www.Voice123.com Twitter/Instagram: @Voice123

The VO School podcast is back! Joining us this week is Melanie Zanetti. Melanie is a prolific film, TV, theater actor and educator. Her voiceover role in the animated series ‘Bluey’ has showcased her skills to a huge global audience, as well as standout performances in 2020’s Love and Monsters, and The Bureau of Magical Things (2018). We examine in detail her transition to the world of voiceover, and how it differs from on-camera acting, and we take a deeper dive into the themes she discussed in her recent Backstage Article: “A Year Without Booking Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Melanie Zanetti“ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/melanie-zanetti-bluey-interview-72854/ We talk about coping with rejection, motivation, maintaining and cultivating creativity, the auditioning mindset and more in this candid conversation. For early access to podcast episodes, other exciting perks and to support the podcast, become a Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/voschool For more information on Jamie Muffett, visit: https://www.JamieMuffettVO.com For information about eVOcation 2021 and tickets: https://www.VOcationConference.com

Joining the podcast this week are Sam and Jim from Lotas Productions. Along with myself, we listen to and appraise submissions from brave listeners. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/voschoolpodcast For all other links and further information, visit our website at: https://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com Lotas Productions can be found on Twitter @LotasProdsVOs And LotasProductions on Instagram.

In this VO School Podcast Special we present the Working Pro's Panel from eVOcation2020, featuring voice talents Mara Junot, Mia Bankston and Robb Moreira. For more information visit: https://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com

We are back with August's VO School Podcast episode! We talk home studios, the upcoming eVOcation Conferencea and how VO life in Covid times has changed. Our panel this week is: Maria Pendolino, Carin Gilfry, Joey Schaljo, Robb Moreira and Jamie Muffett. For more information visit: https://www.VOschoolPodcast.com

We're back! And things are a little different this time around. I have gathered 8 (including me) superstar voice actors from across the US to discuss the latest happenings in the VO world. We will dive into specialist subjects, current news, trends and tribulations. For more information on the podcast, including the team, links and social media, please visit: https:://www.VOSchoolPodcast.com

Joining me this week is Kiff Vandenheuvel, an American actor, director and teacher of both improvisational comedy and voiceover. He is the host of the award nominated voiceover podcast, All Over Voiceover with Kiff VH. His film credits include Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Nightcrawler, La La Land, and Behind the Candelabra, as Liberace's (Michael Douglas)'s half-brother, Wayne. He is best known for his work in BioShock Infinite as Zachary Hale Comstock, Skavak in Star Wars: The Old Republic, Walter in Telltale's The Walking Dead and as Cliff Rich on the Netflix series, Richie Rich. I discuss with Kiff the benefits of improv to voice actors, how the fundamental principles can be developed, and the practical applications of these skills when in the booth or the motion capture volume

This week on the VO School we are talking about politics...political ads that is! Here in the US we are heading into possibly one of the biggest political seasons in history. Hundreds of millions of Dollars are spent on television, radio and online advertisements, which makes this is a hugely lucrative area of the voiceover industry for those that fit. So what does the political ad landscape look like? What skills does a talent need to possess to succeed? Who hires talent, and what is the turnaround process for these kinds of projects? We are joined by Sam Ufret and Jim Kennelly from Lotas Productions to discuss this. Lotas are a hub for political ad production on the East coast of the US. They cast and produce hundreds of ads, and are at the cutting edge of the latest trends in politicals. And this week not only are we discussing this genre, Jim and Sam are reviewing listener submissions! This is a fascinating insight into the casting and directorial process from the perspective of the production team.

To find out more, visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are discussing how, when and why you should leave your day job to pursue voiceover full time. After the hustle, the grind, the constant rejection, the training and eventually the work, comes the point at which when you must decide if voiceover is your primary source of income. This is a treacherous time if not done strategically and can result in financial hardship that impacts not only your bank account but your physical and mental health too. Joining us this week to discuss this is Maria Pendolino, break-out star of the VOcation voiceover conference in NYC she is an experienced voice talent, business Ninja and mentor. She has navigated these waters herself, as well as helping many others to do so. What are the signs pointing you toward a full time career in voiceover? What are the dangers? And what strategies can you employ to mitigate them?

Have you ever wondered who voices the Oscars, the Tony’s or the Emmy’s? Well this weeks guest has voiced all three! That’s in addition to the Kennedy Center Honors, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the AFI Awards, plus many more. Randy Thomas is our special guest on this weeks VO School Podcast, and we are talking about everything live announce! How did Randy get in to this line of work? What skills do you need to book the big gigs, and how do you cope with the pressure when announcing live (and it really is live!) to the world. What is it like on Oscars day? How do you prepare? And how do you know who’s won? We also find out what it was like behind the scenes at the Oscars, the night La La Land was incorrectly called as winner of Best Picture back in 2017. To find out more, visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com

For more information, visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are tackling a challenging subject - race. How does ethnicity play a role within an industry that could (or should) be considered colorblind? Joining us to discuss this are voice actors Tiffany Copland and Mara Junot. They lift the veil on some of the barriers to entry for people of color in the voiceover industry. Mara and Tiffany discuss how the casting process can perpetuate cultural stereotypes, how talent who impersonate other races can exacerbate this problem, how representation (agents and managers) and casting directors can play a role in encouraging authentic casting, and how disparities in the wider culture mean that already marginalized groups have a much harder time breaking through. Mara DuRousseau Junot is an African-American voiceover actress. The former Voice-Over Coach & Telephony Specialist at Edge Studio attended The University of Southwestern Louisiana for Liberal Arts, Vocal Training and Honors English. Junot grew up in Denver, Colorado in the snowy mountains, and later moved to Los Angeles, California. She has done voiceovers for Fortune 500 companies worldwide and can be found in a range of media from video games to animated movies. Junot is known for her "shapeshifting voice". Junot's voice is featured in various well-known brands including, but not limited to, ESPN, Nintendo, Minecraft, McDonald's, Google, Coca-Cola, The Walking Dead, and Target. She became the first female voice actor to narrate E! True Hollywood Story in 2019. The show originally premiered in 1996. She is represented by William Morris Endeavor Tiffany J. Copeland is an actor, voice actor and voiceover career coach. She hosts a SOVAS Voice Arts Award nominated podcast discussing voiceover from the African American perspective titled Black Girl Voiceover World. Her most recent voice over work has been featured during the 2019 NCAA Big East Conference. Her voice credits include: CAT, Louisiana Lottery, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Ohio Lottery.

We’re back with a new season of the VO School Podcast. For our 50th episode we present the agents and Managers panel from New York City’s VOcation Conference. VOcation is a conference devoted entirely to the business of voiceover, co-chaired by VO School host, Jamie Muffett. In this wide ranging discussion we cover what it takes to be signed by an agent and/or manager in 2020 and beyond - how best to get an agents attention, what they are looking for and when to approach them. We also find out how to maintain a healthy relationship with your representation and a few no-no’s that could get you fired. Our panelists this week are Tim Walsh from Atlas Talent, Eileen Schellhorn from DDO and Phil Sutfin from ACM Talent. The panel concludes with an audience Q&A featuring questions about demos, age, accents and genres of voiceover.

For more information, visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast is the second in our two part series on how to find work in voiceover genres. In the last episode we covered commercials, radio imaging, IVR, promo and Spanish language. This week we are looking at corporate narration, E-learning, explainer videos and audiobooks. So how do you get started in corporate narration, E-learning, explainer videos and audiobooks? Who do you reach out to? What kind of training is required? Where do clients go to find voice talent? And where should you focus your time, effort and resources? Helping us to answer these questions and more are two highly respected voiceover industry veterans. Sean Pratt has been an audiobook narrator for 22 years (aka – Lloyd James), recording over 1000+ Audio Books in almost every genre. He narrates for such companies as Blackstone Audiobooks, Tantor Media, Gildan Audio, Harper Collins, Penguin Random House, and Christian Audio. Notable titles include – A Death in the Family by James Agee, Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, Elvis in the Morning by William F. Buckley and Lindberg by A. Scott Berg. With over twenty years as a professional voice actor, J. Michael Collins has worked with some of the biggest companies, brands, sports leagues, and organizations on the planet. In addition to his work in the classic, agency-based world of VO, J. Michael has established himself as a leading authority in the online casting marketplace and has become recognized as an industry leading talent coach and demo producer as well. J. Michael is a 16 time Voice Arts Award winner as a voice actor, demo producer, script writer, and casting director.

To get started in voiceover: https://www.VOSchoolLaunch.com VOcation Conference: https://www.VOcationConference.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are looking at the process a voice actor goes through when building a character for animation and video games. Helping us to examine this subject is voice director and coach, Everett Oliver. Everett is one of LA’s most respected and sought after voiceover coaches. A former booth director for the AVO talent agency, he’s worked for such high-profile animated series as Men in Black, Jackie Chan Adventures, The Simpsons, and King of the Hill, among many others. What factors go into the character building process? How does the actor stay in-character at all times. How can you use your friends and family in the crafting process, and how does the actor collaborate with the writer and producer when forming new characters in the studio? We also discuss some of the common mistakes actors make, and how to cope when you have to create a new voice on the spot!

for more information visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are doing something a little different. I’ve invited four successful voice talent to share with us how they find work. In part one of a two part series, we cover five areas: telephony/IVR, radio imaging, Spanish language in the US, promo and commercial voiceover. Radio Imaging / Spanish Language Issa Lopez is a bilingual voiceover talent, actress, singer and spokesperson with global, national, regional and local on and off-camera credits. As one of the most in-demand Spanish-English and radio imaging voices in the freelance world, she has been recognized among the TOP BILINGUAL voiceover artists available. Telephony/IVR Liz de Nesnera brings years of experience working at the French Embassy Trade Office, then as a radio station Copywriter/Production Director, and ultimately corporate recording studio Producer/Casting Director up to the mic. She records phone system prompts, medical and technical narrations, eLearning modules, explainer videos, as well as TV and radio commercials – in both English and French. Clients such as La-Z-Boy, Pier 1 Imports and Porsche have hired her for her sound and experience. Promo Rider is an in demand voice by the Promo industry currently being used as the signature voice of Nascar on NBC, CW Network’s hit shows Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl as well as the MLB on FS1 & Fox Sports, Spike TV, the American Heroes Channel, Epix, the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, the San Antonio Spurs NBA team and was the commercial voice of the San Diego Chargers for 7 seasons. Commercial Carin Gilfry is an experienced voice actor who has narrated and produced over 100 audiobooks, and voiced thousands of commercials, instructional videos, IVR systems, documentaries, and video games. She works primarily from her professional home studio in New York City. Her past clients include Duncan Hines, Quaker, Clairol, Zulily.com, Neutrogena, Benjamin Moore, GrubHub, Jakks Pacific Toys, Little Tikes, Play Doh, Luxury Retreats, Audible.com, Quell, and many more.

For more information visit: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com For VO School Launch visit: http://www.voschoollaunch.com For the VOcation Conference visit: http://www.vocationconference.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are discussing the principles of direct marketing! As voice actors we find projects a variety of ways; via agents, online casting, our websites, and networking. Direct marketing is the process of reaching out to clients and production houses, directly! We discover who benefits from this process, who should be reached out to, how a voice actor goes about this, and some tips to ensure that your emails and phone calls are best received. We also analyse what a good response rate is and workshop some tactics if a talents direct marketing efforts aren’t being rewarded. Joining us this week is Tom Dheere, a New York-based voice actor with over 20 years of experience. Tom has narrated thousands of projects for hundreds of clients in over a dozen countries. His experience as a corporate trainer as well as a voice talent makes him uniquely qualified to help both aspiring and veteran voice talents navigate the voiceover industry. Tom specializes in marketing and business consultation as well as eLearning and Explainer Video demo production.

This week on the VO School Podcast we are discussing a taboo subject - money! I’m thrilled to be joined by financial expert, Stefanie O’Connell. We tackle the tricky subject of keeping track of your finances when your income is unpredictable. We discover some of the most common mistakes that people make, what first steps to take to seize control of your finances, and some tips for saving and managing your money. Stefanie herself started in the entertainment business and is fully aware of the unique struggles facing working actors! Stefanie O'Connell AKA the ‘Millennial money expert’ and author of the book, The Broke and Beautiful Life, has helped thousands of people take control of their finances. Her client list includes: Capital One, Charles Schwab, Columbia University and NYU. Stefanie has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Oprah Magazine.Stefanie has lent her expertise to ABC World News, CBSN, Fox & Friends, Fox Business, Bloomberg, Reuters, The Dr. Oz Show and various other print and digital media outlets.

This week on the VO School Podcast we are talking about your voiceover recording environment! The space you record in is the single biggest factor determining the quality of your voiceover recording, so we are devoting an episode to this extremely important subject! What are the qualities of a good studio space? What is the difference between acoustic insulation and treatment? How much do I have to spend on this stuff? And can I record from home if I live above a subway line. We also look at the realities of some of the acoustic products currently on the market, and whether a talent would need to purchase or construct a VO recording booth. Joining me this week are audio engineers and respected audio professionals in the voiceover world, Emmett Andrews and Tim Tippets.

For more information, visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com This weeks VO School Podcast doesn’t contain a lot of VO chat, but we do discuss something that affects all voiceover actors - the future of advertising! In the week that SAG-AFTRA presents it’s new look commercial contract it seems fitting that we discuss modern marketing methods and how this will affect voice actors. The title of this weeks episode is ‘Marketing in the Social Era’, which is lovingly stolen from the website of ‘Truly’ a company who’s goal is to deliver Insights-driven strategies for the digital era. Truly CEO Tara Hunt and COO Carlos Pacheco join me on the podcast! Tara Hunt has over 19 years experience in market research and strategy on both client and agency side. She is an author of one of the first books published internationally on how the social web is changing marketing [The Whuffie Factor: 2009]. She’s been quoted in dozens books and articles, spoken at over 150 conferences, was named one of 2013's Entrepreneurial Women to Watch by Entrepreneur Magazine, and one of the Most Influential Women in Technology in Fast Company. Carlos Pacheco has over 17 years experience in marketing optimization, audience development, and paid media strategy. He spent the first 13 years of his career on the agency side at Cossette and Touché! Media working on national brand campaigns.

Visit https://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School podcast we review listener commercial reads! Members of our official Facebook Group were invited to submit two versions of the same television commercial script, taking into consideration the specs and direction notes. Joining us to examine the reads are Jim Kennelly and Sam Ufret of Lotas Productions. Lotas is one of the premier voiceover production studios in the city, and has been at the center of the voiceover industry in NYC for the past 30+ years. We break down each submission and analyze how closely they interpret the specs and direction, the characteristics of their delivery, their studio sound and the occasional esoteric qualities of each read. This is an illuminating look behind the scenes of the casting process!

This week on the VO School Podcast we are talking about Motion Capture… or is it performance capture? Or maybe facial capture? It is in fact all three, and we learn what each one is, how they work, what you need to know to work in them and how an actor can forge a career in this mysterious corner of the video game industry. Joining me to discuss this is Carlo Mestroni, voice actor and voice & performance capture director extraordinaire from Montreal, Canada. Find out about Tee-Poses, facial ROM’s, eye lines, constellations and volumes. We also talk about a typical working day, the unique challenges present in motion capture and what to expect in your first mo-cap session.

To help support the podcast, visit: https://www.patreon.com/voschool This weeks episode of the VO School podcast is very special indeed! It features an interview with an animation legend, Emmy Award winner, Nancy Cartwright - voice of Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders as well as Rufus in Kim Possible, Mindy in Animaniacs and Gloria in Richie Rich. Nancy has achieved that rare feat of becoming a household name as a voice actor, thanks to her immense talent, determination and the wild success of her voice work on The Simpsons. We find out how she got started, how a Simpsons episode is brought to life, her tips for newcomers to the industry and some off-the-cuff vocal gymnastics! We also discuss an upcoming episode of the Simpsons that was written by Nancy, and take a peek inside the writers room.

For more information about the podcast, please visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com

This week on the VO school Podcast we are talking about freelancing! We are joined by two fantastic voice talents: Trish Basanyi and Peter Bishop. For more information on the podcast, please visit: https://voschoolpodcast.com

For More information about the podcast, visit: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com We are back with a new season of the VO School Podcast and the first episode is devoted to a subject that I get asked about the most - Animation! Many people are attracted to the voiceover industry to work in this specific genre, and so this week we take a deep dive into one of the more glamorous corners of VO. The center of animation is most definitely Los Angeles, so I tasked animation voice actor Jay Preston with the goal of booking and interviewing three in-demand animation voice actors, and he most certainly delivered! Tara Platt is a voice actress and producer who has been in the industry for over 25 years. Her IMDB page is ludicrously long, featuring such projects as Spider-Man, Ducktales, Far Cry, Final Fantasy, World of Warcraft, Diablo 3, GTA, Star Wars.... Yuri Lowenthal is Spider-Man… Oh you want more? He started voicing projects in the early 90’s and has a long and illustrious career on and off camera, producing and screenwriting. Some of Yuri’s more notable projects include: Spider-Man, Batman, Prince of Persia, Fallout, Call Of Duty, World of Warcraft, DuckTales, Spy Kids, Star Wars, Avengers Assemble, Transformers… Keythe Farley is a voice talent, writer and producer who began his acting career in the early 90’s. He is also a respected coach and mentor. His credits include: Mass Effect 2, Fallout 4, God of War, Final Fantasy, Adventure Time, Rugrats, The Wild Thornberry’s, Red Dead Redemption… This weeks guest host, Jay Preston is an accomplished voice actor. He is also the founder of ‘A VO Community Hub for your VO Career’, and www.VoWeeklyWorkout.com a weekly voiceover practice group with the industry's top professionals.

A new season of the VO School starts January 23rd!!!! Also, note new music. To attend Jamie's 'How To Make Your VO Recordings Sound Great' in NYC on Jan 13th, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tackling-tech-how-to-make-your-recordings-sound-great-tickets-53472278023?fbclid=IwAR350d_oOOCkD436G97Do5Toff_vaa6wpd3AbmAO2TJJsVnkt59XvotwOZI For more information, visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com

In lieu of a new episode this week, please indulge me this rant on 'Misinformation' - the dangers and prevalence of it in our industry. For more information about the podcast, please visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com If you find this podcast useful, please consider becoming a Patron, at: https://www.patreon.com/voschool

Help us to continue making this podcast by becoming a Patreon member here: https://www.patreon.com/voschool This week's episode of the podcast is part 2 of our live panel - Audience Q&A. Recorded at the end of September, in collaboration with 'Voice Actors of NYC', the VO School Podcast hosted a live panel event at Opera America in New York City. The event was entitled 'The Future of Voiceover'. Our panel fielded questions about demos, the importance of technology (and wrapping your head around it), how to find a specific voiceover coach, medical narration, how not to end up on the ‘do not hire’ pile, and much more! Leading the discussion was Carin Gilfry of Voice Actors of NYC and Jamie Muffett, host of the VO School Podcast. Our fantastic panelists were: Lisa Biggs: voice talent, casting director and business maven. Jim Kennelly: veteran of the voiceover industry in New York City, and owner/producer/CD of Lotas Productions. And David Goldberg: CEO of Edge Studios, a voiceover centric company that began in the late 80's and produces, casts and teaches voiceover in all genres.

For more information, please visit: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week's episode of the podcast is something a little different. At the end of September, in collaboration with 'Voice Actors of NYC', the VO School Podcast hosted a live panel event at Opera America in New York City. The event was entitled 'The Future of Voiceover'. This is part 1 of that event – our main discussion portion. The next episode will feature our Q&A discussion, featuring a diverse range of questions from the audience. Leading the discussion was Carin Gilfry of Voice Actors of NYC and Jamie Muffett, host of the VO School Podcast. Our fantastic panelists were: Lisa Biggs: voice talent, casting director and business maven. Jim Kennelly: veteran of the voiceover industry in New York City, and owner/producer/CD of Lotas Productions. And David Goldberg: CEO of Edge Studios, a voiceover centric company that began in the late 80's and produces, casts and teaches voiceover in all genres. In this episode we cover the current state of the industry, how we see genres evolving, and how casting will continue to evlolve over time. We also discuss the impact technology will have on production and marketing, rates, and the many reasons to be optimistic about voiceover moving forward!

For more information, please visit: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are discussing the mysterious and much sought after job that is - movie trailer announcer! Movie trailers are often peoples first association with voiceover, but it is an area of the industry that is shrouded in mystery. This week we are joined by two prolific announcers as they lift the lid on the craft and business of voicing movie campaigns. What skills and innate qualities does a voice actor need to possess to succeed? How does one break into this genre? Why is it such a male dominated corner of the industry? And is that likely to change any time soon? Answering these questions and many more are our guests Gabriel Kunda and Glenn Steinbaum. Gabe and Glenn have voiced a huge amount of campaigns. Recent highlights for Glenn include: 'The House with a Clock in its Walls', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Mid 90's' and the new Wreck it Ralph movie, 'Ralph Breaks the Internet'. Gabriel's recent projects include: 'A Star Is Born', 'Mile 22', 'Oceans 8' and Black Klansman'. IN A WORLD WHERE ONLY ONE PODCAST IS EXPOSING THE TRUTH, ONLY ONE....actually never mind, the 'In a World' read isn't a thing anymore, as you'll soon find out!

Visit: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com Becoming a member of the actors union (SAG-AFTRA) is a goal for many voice actors, but why is that? On this weeks VO School Podcast we are discussing why a voice talent would choose to join the union, the barriers to entry and some of the peculiar idiosyncrasies that voice actors face by going down this path. What does a voice actor gain when they join the union? And what do they give up? How does this affect already established non-union business relationships? And how can you turn a non union project to a union one? SAG-AFTRA doesn’t cover every genre of voiceover, so we find out which ones it does, and which areas a union actor can work without a union contract. We also cover many of the confusing terms and rules governing union membership, as well as the eligibility requirements. Joining us this week are three guests at very different stages of their union/non journey. Melissa Exelberth is a successful NYC based voice talent. 2018 marks her 20th year of union membership. Carin Gilfry is also a very busy NYC based voice actor who recently became Fi-Core (find out what that means in the episode!). And Dan Lenard is an LA based talent with decades of voiceover experience who is now looking to join the union.

Visit https://www.voschoolpodcast.com for more information. This week on the VO School Podcast we are talking about the voiceover genres of E-Learning, Corporate Narration and Industrials. These genres are all non-broadcast and considered less sexy than other kinds of voiceover. Because of this they aren't talked about to the same extent as commercials, animation, video games and promo's etc... However, this kind of work can be extremely lucrative and offer a more reliable income stream compared to other, more glamorous kinds of VO work. We find out exactly what these genres are and how they differ from each other, the benefits and drawbacks, as well as the skills and temperament a voice talent needs to succeed. We also discuss tactics for breaking in, and how to optimize your processes when clients come calling. Joining us this week are Christi Bowen and J. Michael Collins. Between them they have decades of experience in non-broadcast narration, and they generously share much of what they have learned with us.

For more information: https://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are discussing studio connectivity. While this may not be the sexiest subject, it is an aspect of voiceover that needs to be understood in order to compete as a voice actor in 2018 and beyond. What is ‘studio connectivity’? This is the technology that allows you to connect your home studio (however modest) to the world. This enables you to be directed live in much the same way as a talent visiting a recording studio, but from the comfort of your own home! This can be a complicated subject and is often misunderstood, so allow us to strip everything back to the basics as we discuss the history of this technology, where we are today and where we think this tech is going in the next five to ten years. If acronyms such as ISDN, IPDTL, SPID, SIP, VOIP or PRI hold little meaning for you, this episode is for you! Joining us this week are Kevin Leach, founding director of In:Quality, makers of the popular ipDTL studio connection service. Kevin is also an engineer with decades of experience in radio for the BBC. Tim Friedlander is a voice talent and owner of SoundboxLA a recording studio in Los Angeles that specializes in recording voice talent.

We are back! And for our first episode of the new season we are tackling a very popular voiceover genre - video games! How does a voice actor make their way into this genre? Do they need to have gaming experience to be successful? What skills are needed to compete? And where does one go to acquire them? We also discuss some of the challenges that voice actors face and how these were highlighted recently with a prolonged strike by the actors union SAG/AFTRA. Working in the video game genre is both challenging and rewarding, and offers an opportunity for talent to become recognized for their work (a rarity for voice actors!). Joining us this week are three extremely successful video game voice talents, covering the union AAA and indie worlds, as well as gaining perspectives from both sides of ‘the pond’. Dave Fennoy has been an industry heavyweight for over 20 years and has voiced major roles in games such as The Walking Dead, World of Warcraft, Lego, Final Fantasy, Star Wars, Batman, Transformers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fallout 4, Minecraft, Infinity Blade, Grand Theft Auto, Assasin’s Creed, Metal Gear Solid, Mass Effect and many, many others! He is also an in-demand voiceover coach and travels the world teaching and speaking about the craft. Amelia Tyler is a prolific voice actor and motion capture artist from the UK. She has voiced in games such as Divinity Original Sin II, The Spectrum Retreat, Elite Dangerous: Horizons. She’s also voiced multiple characters in Star Wars Battlefront II, Forgotton Anne and Frostpunk, plus mocapped for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. This year she’ll be appearing in The Occupation and several characters in titles including We Happy Few, Du Lac and Fey: Dance of Death, and The Bard's Tale IV. Jay Britton is also from the UK, he is a Voice Arts Award winning voice actor and motion capture artist and has appeared in over fifty titles and 285+ roles. You will have heard him in Divinity: Original Sin II, Elite Dangerous: Horizons, Total War: Warhammer II, Planet Coaster, The Turing Test, Augmented Empire among many others!

Visit us at: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are talking technology. Specifically, DAW’s (Digital Audio Workstations). These are the software applications that voice talent use to record and edit their voice and there are many options to choose from and many things to consider when making that choice. What is a DAW? What types of DAW are there? Which DAW sounds the best? And how can a DAW speed up your workflow and allow you to get more work done? Joining me this week are audio engineers and respected pro audio professionals in the voiceover world, Emmett Andrews and Tim Tippets. Even if (or perhaps especially if) you aren’t technologically minded, this is an important episode for anyone looking to voice from home, as your DAW is one of the most important tools you have in your own studio.

Visit us at http://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are taking a deep dive into the murky waters of rejection and failure. Every actor has to deal with rejection, at all stages of their career, indeed it is a crucial part of the job, so how do you learn to befriend it? We take a look at the many ways actors face rejection and learn that rather than viewing it as a negative aspect of this career, we discuss ways to use it as motivation, an opportunity to learn and a way to build confidence. So what steps can you take to cope with constant rejection or negative feedback? How can you reframe failure as a positive experience? How do you deal with negative people or influences? And when is enough enough? Joining me this week are three voice talents who all have a great perspective on failure and rejection and have fought their own battles with rejection and failure on their own voiceover journey. Listen below to my interview with Kathleen Gonzales, Jason Lenere White and Tim Friedlander.

Visit http://www.voschoolpodcast.com This week on the VO School Podcast we are exploring the commercial voiceover genre. Commercial voiceover is one of the most sought after genres of voiceover, it can also be one of the most lucrative. So how do you break into this part of the industry? We discuss the skills you need to have and/or learn to not only break in, but continue to work in this ever changing industry. We also find out the importance (or not) of training, what the work is like day to day, how you adapt to shifts in style, what is popular in commercials right now and where the commercial world will be in five years time. Alison Freed is a Los Angeles based voice actor. Her clients include: Netflix, AT&T, Disney, Dunkin Donuts, CNN, Buick, Whole Foods, eBay, Twitter and M&M’s. Roger Leopardi is a 16 year veteran of the industry. He is based in LA and Florida. His clients include: AARP, Sprint, Taco Bell, Go Daddy, Toyota, Geico, McDonald’s, Disney, Nickelodeon and Michael Kors.

Connect with us: http://www.voschoolpodcast.com Let’s be honest, Linkedin is confusing. Are you absolutely sure you’re using it correctly? Are you getting the most out of it? I know that I wasn’t. This is why I was extremely excited to speak with Tracy Lindley - voice talent and Linkedin guru! After her now infamous talk at VO Atlanta 2018, I had to get Tracy on the VO School Podcast to help us to optimize our Linkedin profiles, and give us strategies for reaching out to producers, colleagues and potential clients. We find out how vital Linkedin is to Tracy’s voiceover career. How she uses it to connect with clients. How to optimize your profile for success. How to build ‘touchpoints’ with your dream clients, and maintain relationships. Linkedin etiquette. Profile tweaks to helps you stand out and project your unique personality, and how much time you need to devote to Linkedin each week. We also find out how certain behaviour can harm your chances of connecting on this social platform.

The tables were turned on me this week on the VO School Podcast as students from Syracuse University pitched their questions about voiceover to me, in a Q&A covering a wide range of topics. Tina Perkins teaches voiceover at S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and she invited me to talk to her students about my experience in the industry and my thoughts on where it is going next. We run the gamut, covering subjects such as characterisation, accents and accent reduction, getting high profile commercial contracts, production value, finding your niche, audition technique, how to read conversationally, reimagining characters and career ending mistakes! Many thanks to the students of Newhouse and course leader Tina Perkins for facilitating this Q&A.

This week’s VO School Podcast is the first episode in a new series that we are calling ‘Ask Jim’! Jim Kennelly is a studio owner, producer and legend of the voiceover industry in New York City. What Jim doesn’t know about voiceover isn’t worth knowing, so we are presenting all manner of listener questions to him this week. We find out such things as; how to give yourself a competitive advantage, how important is your marketing? How is emerging technology changing the game for voice talent? How much should you charge? And what should a newbies very first steps be? If you would like to submit your own question/s for a future episode of ‘Ask Jim’ please email the VO School Podcast at voschoolpodcast@gmail.com.

In this special episode of the VO School Podcast we are talking about sexual assault and how the #MeToo movement has shone a light on a New York based voiceover coach who has been accused of assaulting many women over the course of nearly 20 years. Join our round-table discussion with 5 brave women who talk frankly and passionately about their experience, what they are doing now, and tell-tale signs to look out for. As you can imagine due to the nature of the discussion, this episode contains strong language and graphic descriptions of sexual assault.

We are on a break this week but this is an extra episode announcing our new Patreon community! To find out more visit http://www.patron.com/voschool