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EWABS Episode 161 October 13, 2014 with Randy Thomas

Show LogEpisode 161, October 13, 2014Guest: Randy ThomasGeorge will have highlights from the AES ShowDan’s tip of the week: normalization0:02:03  There they are, on the only live VO webcast in the universe.0:03:37  Thanks to the sponsors, Harlan Hogan at http://voiceoveressentials.com/, Edge Studio http://www.edgestudio.com/, and Voice Over 30 http://www.voiceoverxtra.com/0:03:53  News: EWABS got nominated for a Voice Arts Award.  Neither Dan nor George can go if they win, so they’re looking for a NYC VO person to go.0:04:58  Acon Digital has a new app called the Restoration Suite for getting rid of clicks, clips and a de-noiser, all for $99.  http://acondigital.com/products/restoration-suite/0:05:54  Mackey is announcing a budget line of mixers.  http://www.mackie.com/products/mixers/index.html0:06:57  Source Elements is announced Source Net, their own managed internet connection to replace ISDN for Source-Connect Now users.0:08:56  George shows a video from the AES show.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDdZVnJJMF0.  0:20:36  Break.  HomeStudioMaster.com, plus Sponge Bob.0:22:05  They back.  Dan has a webinar this week on VoiceOverXtra on audio quality for auditions.  Go to http://bit.ly/AuditionAudioWebinar to sign up.0:23:30  Dan’s tip of the week on normalizing.  0:23:56  Tip of the Week: Normalization0:29:42  Discussion follows.  Write to us at ewabshop@gmail.com with questions.0:30:42   Break.  VO Studio Tech.  And a bumper.0:32:49   They’re back with Randy Thomas.0:33:50   Dan asks for her background.  Randy tells the story of being a kid who loved radio who got into radio as a career.  That led to her booking voice-over for the Oscars, being the first woman to do this.0:37:28  Randy describes her recording space and mixing paper and computer screens to read copy.0:38:37  She talks about Entertainment Tonight and how her copy was taller than she is.  0:39:35  Dan asks Randy how she made the transition from broadcasting to voice-over.  Randy does the Emmys, AFI, Oscars, SAG, Tonys.  She kicked the door open for women.  Other women now get the bookings.  0:42:01  Dan asks what they’re looking for in these auditions.  They mostly wanted to know how she’d handle “live” before a huge audience.0:43:09  Dan asks about subtleties of reading live for the Oscars.  Randy comments about how pre-recorded energy isn’t the same as live.0:44:50  George talks about what it’s like in the control room during a live show.0:45:18  Randy tells about a year she did the Oscars when Cuba Gooding Jr. pumped up the whole show with his energy.  She’s been at the Tonys the last 16 years and how that show has won Emmys for a live show.  0:47:17  George asks what she hears in her headphones during the show.  Randy talks about hearing all the show cues from the director.  She gets the live feed in one side, and the other has the director.  Then, once she was cued, she swaps so she can hear herself enunciate.   0:50:00  George talks about his first season doing tech for Eagles football games and how intense it was.0:50:37  Randy adds that it’s a job staying focused and in the zone.0:51:30  What about being on-camera while announcing live?0:52:20  Dan asks what other work Randy does.  She describes her imaging work.0:52:48  George asks Randy to explain “affiliate” work.  Discussion follows about intensity and deadlines.0:54:20  Randy talks about long-form narration and how much work it is.  She likes working in a 15 or 30 second format.  But also likes exploring different forms of VO.0:55:37  Dan talks about Randy’s teaching.  Randy talks about her daughter growing up and that led to her think about what’s next…She’s started doing public speaking and on her first big conference, “The VO Mastery Event,” Nov. 14-16.  http://www.randythomaspresents.com/1:01:10  Edge and EWABS listeners there’s an extra $50 off the conference.  1:02:05  Harlan Hogan time!  Hear about the great gear Harlan has for VO, including the signature headphones.1:04:00  Randy tells about the sponsors of her conference and specials they’re offering, including audition opportunities and gear giveaways.1:06:50  Q: What job has Randy done that she giggles about?  A: Oscars…and more.1:07:57  Q: Did  you have trouble getting an agent at first?  A: Definitely.  She was a disc jockey.  That all changed when she booked the Oscars.  Today, there are many ways to go.  If you’re not union, you don’t really need an agent.  1:09:12  Q: How do auditions work for live-announce gigs.  A: Different ways.  Any show from a particular city, belongs there.  E.g., Kennedy Center Honors, is done by D.C. area talent.  She originally got the Tonys while living in L.A.  An agent is key, BUT—a few years ago, the MTV awards were cast off an online site.  1:11:22  Q: What’s your favorite chapter in Voice For Hire?  A: Randy explains.1:12:19  Q: Are women better reading live with a voice in their ear?  A: Randy talks about Hooked on Phonics.  1:14:40  Q: Is there one gig that stands out more than others?  A: Randy talks about being in the moment and working for Entertainment Tonight.  1:18:20  Q: How do you prepare for a big live event?  A: Randy shows the book for this year’s Tonys.  She uses essential oils by Young Living Essential Oils, http://living-essential-oils.com/?gclid=COWAy8zCrMECFQqQaQodvGIAqg on her tongue or on her skin to relax her and keep her throat comfortable.  1:23:00  Q: What’s your advice for women moving into promo?  A: She describes the options, especially looking locally at high-end hotels and conferences.  1:26:57  Break.  Voice Over Xtra.  Bumper.1:28:05  Thanks to the sponsors!  1:29:42  EWABS Essentials is at the YouTube Channel.  https://www.youtube.com/user/ewabsshow1:30:20  The EWABS Podcast is on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and from the EWABS website.  http://www.ewabs.net/1:30:50   NarratorHelper.com, a great service for audiobook production.1:31:24   Next week: Audio Masters Roundtable.  Send questions to ewabshop@gmail.com1:32:24  This just in: Chris Heward will be on the show.  He’s a stand-up comedian who is getting into VO.  1:33:04  Thanks to the sponsors for bandwidth.1:33:39  Thanks to the wives and staff.  1:35:00  Sign off from East and West.1:35:41  End of show.

EWABS Episode 160

Published on Oct 6, 2014New York City based voice actor Anthony Mendez shares his tail of success in VO, and takes a HUGE number of questions from the audience. Dan and George answer fan questions from the email bag, and George has a Whittam's World on Shotgun microphones. Plus a bit of VO Tech News to kick off the show...

EWABS Episode 159 September 29, 2014 with Marc Cashman

Episode 159, September 29, 2014
Guest: Marc Cashman and his new book V-Oh!
George answers fan questions
Dan shows his clicker editing
0:01:49  They begin!
0:03:35  If you have questions for George or Dan, write to ewabshop@gmail.com
0:04:20  Q: What’s the best material for a VO floor?  A: Carpeting.  
0:05:16  Dan adds that wooden flooring will absorb sound some, George adds that floor reflection generally go back into your mic.  
0:06:25  Joe Cipriano is looking for better internet connection.  George helped him and found California Internet http://cainternet.net/.  They provide “the last mile” to Joe’s house with microwave.  The downside is you need line of sight from the tower with the signal.  Another vendor: Towerstream (http://www.towerstream.com/)
0:09:06  Satellite is another option, but latency (delay) may be an issue.  Microwave has very low latency.  Satellite can add 2 sec. of latency.  This could be an issue with Skype and ipDTL.
0:10:32  Q: What are your opinions on ipDTL?  A: Dan discusses.  A common question is how do you record at your end?  Dan mentions SoundFlower.  http://soundflower.en.softonic.com/mac.  Others: Audio Hijack https://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/
0:12:40  This will be a year of transition, George predicts.
0:13:20  Q: Resources for newbies.  
0:13:50  George plays the question.  
0:14:58  George and Dan answer. (The question came via Speakpipe.  To send in a spoken question, go to http://www.ewabs.net/, scroll down to the SEND QUESTION sideways tab you’ll see.)  First, great audio quality!  But, if you don’t have a budget for training, you may not be able to start a VO business.  Lots of coaches work remotely.  
0:16:23  Start at Episode 1 of EWABS.  Or, google “EWABS coach” and you’ll see every issue of EWABS where a coach was on.
0:17:19  Break.  VO Studio Tech.  Larry Davis bumper.
0:18:45  Dan has a webinar coming up on October 15 on VoiceOverXtra (http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs110/1102478472127/archive/1118561011103.html)
Dan will talk about audio quality for auditions.
0:20:13  Tip of the Week: Using sound codes for audio recording and editing.
0:26:22   George tries out another sound!
0:27:01  Write to Dan if you have a Tip of the Week topic at ewabshop@gmail.com.
0:27:47  Break.  Home Studio Master and Sponge Bob.
0:29:12  They’re back with Marc Cashman.  http://www.cashmancommercials.com/  Dan recalls the last time Marc was on, giving Dan directions for a read.  See Episode 139, April 7, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGfhFMIT_wY
0:29:55 Marc shows his new book, V-Oh!, 35 years in the making.  http://www.amazon.com/V-Oh-Tricks-Techniques-Sustain-Voiceover/dp/0990395804/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1412091907&sr=8-2&keywords=V-Oh!
0:30:40  The book is a compilation of 15 years’ worth of writing, plus 25 percent more.  
0:34:39  Dan asks for an example of a tidbit from the book.  Marc talks about the chapter called “The Sounds of Punctuation.”  Punctuation has sounds!  Marc explains.
0:36:45  We are voice actors and our audience is “blind.”  They can’t see us.  We have to compensate.  Sometimes it comes down to the “sound” of a punctuation mark.
0:37:55 Dan recounts his favorite tip, that the script isn’t in stone.  Marc says you just have to know when it’s appropriate to know where the script IS in stone.  
0:38:50  Audiobooks and plays are in stone.  Legal copy is set.  E-learning modules have to be right to the letter.  
0:39:53  You can change advertising copy, if you’re judicious about it.  Don’t be a VO lemming.  Correct obvious mistakes.  
0:41:08  Q: Is there an audiobook version of the book?  A: That’s his last big project of the year.  
0:42:26  Dan asks how much voice work Marc does himself.  Marc says it varies month to month.  Every day is different.
0:43:42  Dan talks about taking classes.  What is teaching a class like?  
0:44:07  Marc is going on 15 years of teaching.  He recounts how he got into it.  Through substituting for another teacher, he began developing a curriculum and syllabus.  
0:45:45  Now his classes are in a professional, commercial studio with an engineer to record the work and direction.  Classes are on Saturdays and include mid week homework, and other material like scripts and articles.
0:49:00  Commercials are your Bachelor’s degree in VO.  Specific genres like audiobooks and promo are advanced degrees.
0:49:30  The best actors never stop learning, never.
0:50:07  Example: Al Pacino wants to go back to stage acting, to be on the wire without a net.  Marc knows VO actors who are in workout groups that meet regularly to keep honed.  He brings the tough scripts he has trouble with to those groups.
0:52:15  It’s Harlan Hogan’s birthday.  To help EWABS, use the banner ad at www.ewabs.net to reach Voiceover Essentials.  There’s now a lot of video content at Harlan’s site.  See the Digital Media library at http://voiceoveressentials.com/
0:55:06  They’re back with questions for Marc.  Q: Discuss the process of taking eyes off the script.  A:  Marc discusses.  As an aside, he’s developed techniques to help actors with dyslexia.  Marc asks his students to take eyes off the script for cut lines and key phrases.  
0:57:12  Marc describes stage actors learning to “throw” or “lift” lines without reading the script.  Get off the script whenever you can.  The last line is one natural place to do that.  To not sound like you’re reading, don’t read!  
0:58:58  Keep your eyes on the script when the copy is dense.  But for short lines, there’s no need to read them.  Anytime you can get your eyes off the page without losing your place, you’ll sound sincere.
1:00:08  Q: What are you thoughts about ad libbing?  A: Be judicious.  When they say “be conversational,” you can ADD (not change what’s on the page)—enhance rather than change.  You’re not an editor or copywriter, you’re an actor whose job is to bring copy to life.  “You know,” “you see,” and so on, can be added when appropriate and be judicious.  Pick your places.  And make it better.  
1:02:52  Q: Please talk about things to keep in mind when you self direct?  A: Marc talks about working in a vacuum, as we do when we’re in our booths.   
1:04:05  How many takes is too many?  When it starts sounding studied.  Sometimes you won’t know until you listen back during editing.  Other times, you may need to take a break.
1:06:45  Q: Can Marc read a passage from the book?  A: Marc reads from page 162:
1:07:22  A 21st Century Rant.  How to say the year we’re in.  
1:10:07  Q: What is “tough stuff” for you?  A: Marc discusses how really short copy is really hard for him.  
1:11:46  Also, poorly written copy is hard and he refuses to audition for it.  
1:12:42  Marc’s book is at Amazon and his website, cashmancommercials.com.  Coming soon: the ebook on Kindle.  The audiobook is coming.
1:14:18  Break.  VoiceoverXtra.  And several bumpers.
1:15:33  They’re back with announcements.  
1:59:59  George’s mom and Ella are in the studio.  
1:16:51  New sponsor: Narratorhelper.com, which can help audiobook narrators with post production work, proofing, and pre-reading.  Amy Whittam does this.
1:17:55  October 6: Anthony Mendez will be the guest.  
1:18:30  October 13: Randi Thomas will be the guest.  
1:18:55  October 20: Audio Masters Roundtable for personal studio technology.  Send questions to ewabshop@gmail.com.
1:20:07  Thanks to sponsors Edge Studio, VoiceOver Essentials, VoiceOverXtra, VO Peeps, Home Studio Master, and more!
1:20:42  Thanks to wives and families.  
1:21:00  Tune into the podcast!  ewabs.podbean.com
1:21:53  Good bye from the Whittams
1:22:44  End of show.

EWABS Episode 158 September 22, 2014 with John Bailey

Episode 158, September 22, 2014
Guest: Jon Bailey
Whittam’s World on “gain staging”
Dan shows some FaffCon video
0:01:10  Intro audio begins.
0:01:52  They appear, both in George’s studio.  Together we’re worse!  
0:02:40  Dan tells his story about buying a house in So. California and not sleeping for days.
0:05:25  Dan shows FaffCon footage.
0:08:27  They’re back and talk more about FaffCon.
0:10:41  Break.  Home Studio Master video and SpongeBob.
0:12:02  They’re back.  George talks about gain staging.
0:13:06  Dan talks about why do I need a mixer?  Set it, forget it, move on.  You need a mixer when you have multiple sources, not just one mic.  
0:14:43  Whittam’s World, episode 43: Gain Staging.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvBJnVH7ZVM
0:26:23  They’re back.  George recaps.  Keep it simple.  
0:28:07  Break.  VO Studio Tech.  
0:29:34  They’re back with Jon Bailey, from Memphis, Tennessee.  http://www.jonbaileyvo.com/Pages/default.aspx
0:30:50  Dan asks Jon how he got started in VO.  
0:33:30  Dan asks Jon what genres he works in.
0:35:22  Jon talks about doing ADR (Automated dialogue replacement).  He and Dan and George discuss.
0:36:49  Jon much of his work from Memphis.  
0:37:32  Dan asks Jon about his favorite voices.  Jon likes Optimus Prime.  
0:38:30  Jon talks about “reverse engineering” to get to his character voices.
0:40:18  Dan says Jon did “W” a lot at FaffCon.  
0:41:00  George asks Jon about improv has helped his VO work.  
0:42:27   Dan talked about “ad libbing” your auditions.  Jon comments.  He does three takes: the first just like he thinks the client wants, second—goes with gut, third he just improvs and maybe not even what’s in the script.
0:43:34  Jon has a YouTube channel.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGCMI16WgJejAfG60N4Nhyg  He’s gotten work from it.  And he has free tutorials there.  His first manager found him through it.  
0:47:06  Harlan Hogan VO Essentials time.  http://voiceoveressentials.com/.  New: MixerFace, a preamp, coming soon.
0:51:16  “What’s the longest voice match you’ve had to do?”  George asks Jon.  
0:52:34  What do you use in your studio?  Jon describes and lists his gear.  It’s a simple setup.
0:54:05  Dan tries to introduce questions from the chat room.
Q: Do people do voice-match demos?  
0:54:30  Jon answers.
0:55:42  Q Would you do Carl?  A: Jon does two!
0:56:57  Q Do you do Jess Parnell?  A: Yes and more…
0:57:55  Q What do you do to warm up and prepare.  Jon answers.  He’s got a music background that’s key to voice matching.
1:00:05  Dan asks if Jon coaches or teaches.  Jon describes his work.  
1:02:03  Q Do you do Steve Corell?  
1:02:30  Can you come to Nashville to do a class?  Yes!  He also coaches online.
1:03:39  Break.  Voice Over Xtra plus a bumper.
1:05:00  They’re back.  Jon improvs a drop.  
1:05:45  Thanks to the donors.  There’s improv on what it’s like to call Dan’s cell phone only to reach his wife.
1:07:45  Clickers!  A few are left…they’re phasing out.  
1:08:12  Sept. 29 Marc Cashman will be on the show.  He’ll talk about his new book, “V-Oh!”
http://www.amazon.com/V-Oh-Tricks-Techniques-Sustain-Voiceover/dp/0990395804/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410723841&sr=8-1&keywords=marc+cashman
1:08:56  Oct. 6: Anthony Mendez.
1:09:25  Please, please like us on Facebook, follow EWABS on Twitter and on YouTube. Jon does his thing.  YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ewabsshow.   The podcast, http://ewabs.podbean.com/
1:11:33  George talks like the Trailer Guy.  He then tells stories until Jon derails him.  Hilarity ensues.
1:14:20  Thanks to Jon.  On to VO Buzz Weekly!  Check out Jon’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/jon3pnt0
1:15:44  Happy birthday to VO actor June Foray on her 97th birthday.  
1:16:00  Sign off follow by
1:16:12  oops by the Smoothenator.
1:16:21 Previous EWABS clip with June.  She describes how she comes up with a character voices and describes her career.
1:19:20  Dan asks June what she’d like her legacy to be in voice-over.
1:20:37  End of show

EWABS Episode 157 September 15, 2014 Fan Roundtable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aWJmBsJsB8&list=UUbH1aq5ZyQsghyjEWfDgQNQ
Show Log
Episode 157, September 15, 2014
Fan Round Table (audio only)
0:01:40   The show begins after the intro.  George is at Laurie Allen’s home trying to make it all work.
0:03:22  Anthony Gettig has the first topic.  What’s the state of portable studio technology?  George and Dan discuss.
0:04:14  Dan talks about the limitations of on-the-road recording.  
0:05:23  George’s opinion.  
0:06:13  After some sound issues, George continues.
0:07:39  Anthony reports loss of audio to UStream.  Pondering.
0:08:08  The audio returns to the stream.
0:09:09  Video issues.
0:09:50  A participants asks if people are using Zoom for phone patch purposes.  Dan comments on Zoom’s stability.  George doesn’t see it being used much in VO production.
0:12:15  UStream and broadcast issues surface again.
0:13:52   Karyn asks for TwistedWave tips.
0:14:11   Kevin: Buy George’s plug-ins.  Also: iZotope RX4.
0:14:55  Dan says it’s important to thwart mouth noises physically.
0:15:10  Jack tells about a colleague who moved from the desert to Vancouver, BC, and lost her mouth clicks.  He talks about incorporating iZotope’s DeCrackler into George’s effect stack.
0:15:40  Ann talks about finding all the breaths using the Detect Silence features.  Jack adds using the command to shrink space.
0:16:14  Anthony encourages TwistedWave users to use the keyboard shortcuts feature.
0:17:36  Jack asks Karyn if she has used the ClipFile feature.  
0:18:30  Break
0:19:30  David Bonnel from Albuquerque, calling in from his car, talks about wanting a booth.
0:21:05  Anthony talks about starting with a similar space and using Studio Suit.
0:22:25  Staple guns and shower curtains
0:22:56  Edward shows his studio suit set up.
0:23:40  Karyn showers her shower curtain rings for Studio Suit.
0:24:01  Edward talks about tuning your room, one sheet at a time.  He talks about hanging the sheets on aircraft cable.
0:25:43  Introductions: Kevin Scheuller, Dayton, Ohio; Jack de Golia, Henderson, Nevada; Karyn O’Bryant, Pasadena, Calif.; Anthony Gettig, Ionia, Michigan; David Bonnal, Albuquerque, N.M.; Reen Vogel, Nashville, Tenn.; Ed Waldorph, Mobile, Ala.; Ann Richardson, Pleasanton, Calif.; Dave Smith, Henderson, Nevada; Kiki Baker, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Scott Chambers, Gadsen, Ala.; Bill Russell, Nashville, Tenn.; Sam Fleming,
0:28:37  Break on top of introductions
0:29:30   George announces that Steven is recording the audio.
0:30:00   Bill Russell says hello.
0:30:58  Reen, a “newbie,” has questions about Audacity and courses about technical aspects of recording.
0:31:30  Dan offers his thoughts.
0:31:15  What about general “stuff”?  Discussion is interrupted by pounding sounds.
0:33:42  Ann Richardson suggests Guitar Center.  
0:34:38  George gives another view.
0:35:49  Kiki asks if the consultations cost.  Further discussion about learning opportunities.
0:36:59  Kiki follows up with more questions.  Discussion goes to Edge Studio coaching.
0:43:29  Break
0:44:40  Bill Russell talks from a noisy room as a security guard.  
0:45:40  Anthony likes local MeetUp groups.  He suggests people in Milwaukee and Nashville.
0:48:04  Scott Chambers asks how people feel about https://www.fiverr.com/
0:49:00  Dan begins to commentary.  
0:49:41  Another participant who is on fiverr gives another view.  He used it to jump start connections with clients and then get gigs at better rates.
0:50:54  You can set your own rates from $5 to $50.  Discussion ensues.  They debate having income versus not.  
0:54:11  George talks about moving to L.A. and doing sound jobs for free to start with.  He talks about how complicated it is now to know what’s professional.  
0:56:39  CRM tools?  Anthony uses onepagecrm.com.  There are new ones: Vox Tools, http://voxtools.com/  and Audio Helm.  Other services discussed, including https://www.zoho.com/crm/  
0:59:09  George talks about Hub Spot, http://www.hubspot.com/, a service used by Edge Studios.  They use it to tie social media, contacts database, and sales together.  
0:59:45  Ed talks about Vox Tools which is new and it’s focussed on commercial VO.
1:00:22   Anthony says “customer relations management” or CRM is something you have to take care of.  
1:03:09  One participant talks about what this business really is.
1:04:15  The question of having an agent gets addressed.  
1:06:15  Break
1:06:44  Bill talks about signing for an agent and using Jonathan Tilley’s list development.
1:08:40  Time for parting shots and plugs
1:09:00  Karyn O’Bryant, http://www.karynobryant.com/
1:09:24  Scott Chambers.  He also plugs Jay Holland.
1:09:46  Sam with http://www.ivoicetoday.com/
1:10:01  Bill Russell: http://www.billrussellvoiceactor.com/
1:10:26  Kevin Scheuller  http://www.stellarvoice.com/
1:10:53  Ed Waldorf, www.ed-vo.com/
1:11:20  Ann Richardson, http://www.annmrichardson.com/
1:12:24  Dave Smith, website coming soon.
1:12:46  Kiki.  She’s on Facebook and Twitter.  
1:13:48  Reen.  http://www.reenvogel.com/
1:14:16  David Bonnel.  
1:14:50  Steve Gonzalez. http://www.stevengonzalesvo.com/
1:15:37  Steve
1:15:50  Anthony Gettig, http://www.gettig.net/
1:17:00  Carey
1:18:27  Group sign off followed by lots of noises.
1:29:10  End of show.

EWABS Episode 156 September 8, 2014 VOICE 2014 Special

Show Log
Episode 156, September 8, 2014
Clips from Voice2014
0:01:52   They begin.  
0:03:00   Dan outlines the show to come.
0:03:45  The Red Carpet Reception, the first night.
0:05:46  Dan with Diane Merritt and Jen Davis.  
0:06:43  Dan with Julie Williams on VO ethics.
0:07:36  Bill Holmes and Dan.
0:07:59  Fred Melamed and Dan.
0:10:19  Dan with Beau Bridgland from the U.K.
0:11:15  Dan with Ed Asner.
0:11:55  End of this clip.
0:12:20  Dan tells an elevator story about Ed Asner and Pat Fraley.
0:14:09  Break.
0:15:30  They’re back.  
0:16:36  The live EWABS show at Voice2014.
0:19:26  Scott Brick joins the show.  He talks about his role at the conference and about current work.
0:27:20  Scott leaves, and Dan tells an embarrassing story.  
0:28:45  Larry Davis comes on stage.  He’s here to learn self direction and tells about his current work, including Morgan Freeman ADR.  He’s also does Madden game voicing and gives some examples.
0:33:35  Larry does Morgan Freeman.
0:34:12  Break.  
0:35:53  They’re back with a live audience!  Dan walks into the audience.
0:37:02  Esther has a question—name change when Dan moves to the west coast.  
0:37:46  A VO actor has a yeti, what can she do to step it up?  Dan talks about keeping it simple.  
0:39:10  George asks what problems she’s trying to solve?  GAS—Gear Acquisition Syndrome: don’t succumb.
0:40:03  Steve asks about ISDN and SourceConnect.  George says its inevitable.  Dan thinks it will be dominoes.  
0:41:42  Denise Chamberlain thanks Dan for helping with her microphone.  She asks about the difference between a condenser and dynamic microphone.  Dynamic mics are designed to be spoken to very close, a live performance and broadcast mic.  Condenser mic hears more like the human ear.  She thought an RE-20 dynamic mic would work for audiobook work, but it’s not working out.  George comments.  
0:45:22  Susan Bernard: when will EWABS cover ventilation?  Dan addresses it.  George talks about using a cooler and block of ice.  
0:46:45  Susan thanks George and Dan for EWABS.
0:48:10  Dan says the real trick is not to panic.
0:48:42  Gerald asks about mics and boards.  Dan replies.  With a mono, single track voice, you don’t need a mixer.  You don’t buy expensive equipment to get work, you work to get better equipment.  George joins the discussion.
0:53:18  Walter Olsen: have you guys tested the Kaotica Eyeball.  Dan gives his opinion.   George discusses his testing of the Eyeball.  
0:55:43  Dan introduces another guest, Rodney Saulsberry, who talks about the session he’s about to lead.  He works a lot for Telemundo.  Dan asks him what he likes about Voice2014.
0:59:04  Break  
1:00:16  They’re back.   
1:01:06  Voice Over Essentials’ Porta Booths.  
1:04:45  Ella says hello.
1:05:00  George shows a few photos of Ella at Voice 2014.
1:05:48  The Garden Party (with music by Ricky Nelson).
1:06:20  Curt Byk, who helps organize the event.  
1:07:10  Dan meets Rebecca Davis.  And she does a promo!
1:09:32  Scott Boyer at the Garden Party and a mustache duality.  Baritone test pattern.
1:10:24  Joe Loesch and they order a beer.  The bartender recommends a rum and Coke with ice cream for George.
1:12:56  Break.  VoiceOverXtra.
1:13:26  They’re back.  The final package.
1:13:52  Dean Panaro, Abrams Talent Agent, is presented with a problem to discuss at a Voice2014 session.  
1:16:48  Terrace Talk vendor area.  Diana Birdsall, winner of the EWABS demo derby.  She describes working with Chuck Duran to make the demos.  
1:19:33 Jonathan Tilley, who is based in Germany.  He talks about how he came to live in Germany and his League of List Builders program.  http://leagueoflistbuilders.com/
1:21:55  The hypnotist.  
1:23:17  Gibberish
1:23:52  Vendor visits: http://voxtees.biz/.  Erica Garcia describes her business of providing VO accessories.
1:25:27  They’re back.  
1:26:17  Next week: Fan Roundtable.  Twenty-five can participate.  Write to ewabshop@gmail.com to ask to join the show.
1:28:08  Donors thanked.  
1:29:20  Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @EWABS_show, and like the YouTube episodes.  Check out the demo derby in Episode 151 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmaRYhThdpg
1:30:00  There’s a podcast, so check that out.
1:30:25  Thanks to the staff.  And sponsors: VoiceOverXtra, VoiceOver Essentials, and Edge Studio.
1:31:20  Thanks to wives and Edge Studio who is providing the bandwidth.
1:32:00  Voice2014 ALS Bucket Challenge.
1:34:22  End of show.

EWABS Episode 155 August 25, 2014 Social Media Roundtable

Show Log
Episode 155, August 25, 2014
Social Media Roundtable
0:01:49  They begin, both in the West.
0:02:36  Thanks to the sponsors, Harlan Hogan, VoiceOverXtra, and Edge Studios.  
0:02:58  A new Edge Studio “mini site” will be unveiled at Voice2014.
0:03:20 Tonight’s show is all about social media.
0:03:56  John Lano in Minneapolis.
0:04:13  Trish Basanyi from New Jersey
0:04:40  Lisa Rice in Virginia
0:05:21  Jerry Reed from Update New York
0:06:03  Derek Chappell, Ottawa, Kansas
0:06:51 Dan asks Derek what he does on social media.  He says “persistence” is key.  External: clients; Internal: VO biz.  He tries to be out there both ways to get business and keep up with trends.  
0:08:05  For externals: 1) prospect for clients, 2) research clients, 3) share client’s online stuff.  Internal: share everybody’s stuff, paying it forward.
0:09:34  Dan asks Trish to comment.  
0:10:00  Trish says she has 17,000 followers on Twitter.  She’s also on TweetDeck.  It’s an app for Twitter to improve the interface.  TweetDeck breaks the Twitter information into columns.  
0:12:52  Dan asks Lisa what works for her.  She didn’t like Facebook.  She did social media originally for business.  She loves Twitter because it’s a challenge to get your message into 140 characters.  She has learned a lot from her VO contacts.  For externals, she feels Twitter & Pinterest help with search engines.  
0:16:00  Lisa uses her blog to show other sides of her personality and highlight her work.  Her ranking: 1) Twitter, 2) Pinterest, 3) LinkedIn.
0:17:17  Lisa describes Pinterest.  Pinterest allows you to create “bulletin boards” you “pin” articles to.  It helps her organize what before were bookmarks.
0:19:42  Dan asks John what he does.  He loves Twitter, too.  It’s a giant conversation and you can see everything and jump in.  In general, he sees social media as a giant party with different rooms, each with different rules and norms.  
0:21:41  Dan asks Jerry what he does.  He likes Twitter the best, but uses them all.  With LinkedIn, people don’t disappear.  He uses Twitter to call attention to what he does.  He’s a photographer and uses them to promote himself indirectly.
0:23:23  When Jerry follows somebody on Twitter, he acknowledges when he’s “followed” back and sends a link to his demo.
0:24:10  Dan and George comment on the variety of perspectives.  
0:24:30  Derek uses HootSuite to organize Twitter.  He’ll also follow back and provide a link to more information.  He’s started relationships with production companies in a more friendly way.  He also has had VO friends refer him for jobs.  It’s about fostering relationships.  
0:27:34  Jerry talks about blogs.  His blogs start with an audio version of him doing the blog via SoundCloud.  
0:28:27  Lisa is pressed for time to even do a written blog.  She tells the story of a client who wanted her to cast for a job she had.  She used social media to search for people.  She couldn’t find contact information on some people’s social media pages.  
0:31:39  Break
0:33:37  They’re back.  
0:34:30  Lisa says kids use Twitter for “open texting.”  
0:35:21  George tells about a ringtone kids used that older people couldn’t hear.
0:36:00  George asks what has happened to Facebook to make it less attractive.  Jerry comments that you have to pay for larger reach.  Derek says Facebook is now the pay-to-play of social media.
0:37:20  Dan asks if buying “likes” is pointless.  Discussion follows.
0:38:25  Derek puts something on his Facebook business page.  And then he shares with his personal pages, which is free way to get his business page out there.
0:39:16  Jerry gets better reach when he puts a link as a comment instead of a post.  Derek feels Facebook is secretive.  Twitter is open and out there.  George says features on Twitter come from users.
0:40:58  John says once Facebook tried to monetize everything, it turned into “click bate.”
0:41:37  Dan asks if social media actually generates work.
0:42:16  Trish uses TweetDeck https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/ to for things like “need female voice talent” and TweetDeck finds those words anytime they appear.  Her biggest clients have come from Twitter five years ago.
0:43:52  Derek says you still have to do the searching for clients.  He explains the client research he does.  He’s created copy for potential clients and sent that to them as an audition based on his research.  He was careful not to criticize existing client voicing.
0:47:09  Trish talks about HootSuite https://hootsuite.com/ and her many, many social media accounts.  
0:49:33  John talks about Jab, Jab Right Hook about the languages each social media site uses. http://alturl.com/7osix
0:50:00  Lisa describes the differences between sites.  She doesn’t like nonstop promotion on Twitter, for example.  Don’t forget the human connection.
0:52:45  Break
0:53:59  They’re back after the Sponge Bob message.
0:54:20  Dan talks about the “time suck.”
0:55:07  How do you stop social media from being a “time suck”?  Jerry gives his tips.  
0:56:24  John likes BufferApp.com, for scheduling Tweets when most of your followers are on.  He also likes http://www.tweriod.com/ for scheduling tweets.
0:57:52   Lisa talks about managing her social media time being a full time mom.  Keep an eye on scheduled tweets when current events intercede and make them inappropriate.  She has to be careful and disciplined to manage her work and time.
1:00:25   Dan asks Derek how he does it.  He uses HootSuite to schedule blogs.  If you find the right tools, you eliminate the time suck.  He also uses timing for tweeting in other time zones in other parts of the world.  Get it done and get out.  He likes Twitter for current events.
1:02:39  George asks if anyone has used SocialOomph (https://www.socialoomph.com/)?  George says it takes scheduling to another level.  It can rotate through pre-loaded tweets.  
1:03:34  Jerry asks “Can you tweet too much?”  Derek says yes, especially if you’re self-promoting.  He talks about Trish’s approach with Twitter with 30% business and 70% personal.  He asks, why not share your humanity?
1:05:07  George talks about queueing up tips on SocialOomph.  
1:06:15  Dan asks if that got him business.  
1:06:50  Jerry says sharing good things you find is helpful to people.  
1:07:25  John calls it “content marketing.”  You feed content into the machine for your target audience.
1:08:12  Derek has built his social media “friends” that way.  He then talks about a book called “Launch,” by Michael Stelzner  http://alturl.com/w8jny   and how sharing with others creates relationships.
1:09:28  Questions from the audience:  Q: Personal Social Media vs. Dedicated VO Brands.  How do you separate those or do you need to?  A: Lisa doesn’t share info about her kids.  She recycles her writings from time to time.  
1:12:31  John restates the question: do you promote yourself on a personal page or a professional page?  He talks about how personal our voice and brand are.  So, on Twitter he combines it.  On Facebook, he does have a business page mainly for his demos.  And then he watches what he says on his Facebook personal page.  
1:14:25  Jerry keeps things separate.  George asks if you can automate dealing with “likes” on your personal page.
1:15:12  Derek says discretion is key.  
1:16:22  Jerry keeps his timeline on Facebook clean.  He deletes old posts.
1:16:49  Harlan Hogan break.
1:19:04  Back to questions.  Q: Google Analytics and how do we quantify the return on investment?  
1:19:34:  Trish doesn’t.  She explains.
1:21:03  Q: “The way to make money in social media is to make advocates.  And I make advocates by….”
1:21:24  A: Derek tries to show clients that he knows what he’s doing.  
1:22:16  Jerry is big fan of sharing the wealth and advocates for the people he does business with.  Then they become return clients.
1:23:04  Lisa doesn’t use day-to-day Twitter for getting business.  To her, being a good advocate for her customers is being reliable and have them come back to her.  
1:24:12  Trish goes back to question about separate pages.  She can’t imagine using Twitter for personal reasons!  That’s what Facebook is for, in her view.
1:26:39  John says it’s relationship building, starting on social media.
1:27:10  Dan starts a lightning round for pet peeves on social media.
1:27:31  John: Blatant nonstop self promotion.
1:27:50  Trish—reposting the same thing over and over on Twitter.  It doesn’t create interaction.
1:28:33  Lisa: constant self promotion on Twitter, especially in politics, and no communications because of scheduled tweets.
1:29:42  Jerry: negativity without something good to say in between.
1:30:02  Derek, 1) don’t beg for likes for no reason; 2) Blogs with no last name, no link; and 3) people who don’t post in groups, but only comment with negative comments and start a problem.  Post something original every once in a while.  Trish doesn’t like people who post but don’t comment.
1:30:59  George: humble braggers.  “I just booked a job with…”  It’s overdone.  Post things more helpful to the community.
1:32:00  Dan says Derek’s #3 is his #1: people who want to participate in the Monty Python Argument Clinic (Yes I do; No you don’t) or incredibly passive aggressively throwing out bait.
1:32:48  Dan thanks the group.
1:33:42  Plug time:  John follow him on Twitter and his blog (voiceovergenie.com/blog).  
1:34:05  Trish: voiceovercafe.org  where she and others have guests.
1:34:33  Lisa: lisaricevoice.com  Follow her on Twitter.  She follows back.
1:34:57  Jerry: JerryReed.com , Jerry’s Voice is the blog, and his brand “Warm Tone, Natural Finish,” which he just trademarked.
1:35:27  Derek  thevoiceofyourbusiness.com/blog
1:36:50  Derek says we didn’t talk about YouTube at all as a platform.  George suggests a show all about YouTube.
1:37:41  Break for VoiceOverXtra and Voice2014.
1:40:40   Whence came these two radiant celestial brothers clip.
1:40:55  They’re back.  
1:41:11  Donors thanks especially for sustaining donations.
1:41:48  EWABS Clickers still for sale.  
1:42:09  George talks about the clicker debate on the audiobook page on Facebook.
1:42:30  Future shows: dark next Monday.  
1:43:12   Sept. 8-Voice2014 show will air.
1:43:23   Sept. 15: Fan Roundtable.  Limit 25.
1:43:43  Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to the show on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/ewabsshow Look at the earlier shows.
1:44:26  George says EWABS is now on Stitcher.  http://www.stitcher.com/  The EWABS podcast feed is at http://ewabs.podbean.com/
1:45:03  Thanks to the sponsors: Harlan Hogan, VoiceOverXtra, Edge Studio.
1:45:30  Thanks to wives and Dan’s mom, and the staff.  Kathy Curriden the show producer, Jack de Golia for show notes, Tim McKean for EWABS Essentials, and Lee Pinney for the podcast.
1:46:20  A new record for show length!
1:48:16  End of show

EWABS Episode 154 August 18, 2014 with Connie Terwilliger

Episode 154, August 18, 2014
Guest: Connie Terwilliger (and her class at San Diego City College)
0:02:02 Dan and George appear. They do an intro and thank sponsors.
0:04:00 The George meets Dee Snider story.
0:05:33 Questions from the audience. Q: What’s the difference between peak and RMS
normalization? A: George discusses. There are two ways to measure levels in an audio file.
0:07:10 George puts an example from Twisted Wave up on screen.
0:09:38 Q: What do you think of this audio sample?
0:10:44 Listen the sample.
0:11:30 A: Levels peaked at only 12.
Dan said it sounded like he was in a tube. The sound in
the booth needs to be damped. Listen with sealed headphones to make sure edits are
seamless.
0:13:21 Q: Is radio/TV imagining different from VO? A: Dan says it is VO, but it’s a very
different, VERY competitive marketplace. Image and promo have a unique style.
0:16:09 Break
0:17:12 Spongebob promo.
0:17:25 They’re back.
0:18:12 Q: There’s been TMAX
1 headphone chatter. How can you read the specs to
compare? A: George says accurate specs are hard to get and don’t matter that much with
headphones. You have to try and return if not right for you. Check out
http://www.headphone.com/ and http://www.headphones.com/ headphone.com has a
comparison feature. Another place to look: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/
0:20:08 George reads reviews about headphones before deciding which to try out.
0:20:41 Dan talks about his use of headphones. You need a quiet room with good monitors
gives a more truetolife
rendition.
0:21:32 Q: Jimmy has just set up his personal studio. What can he use to hold his laptop?
George has a music stand at his website, http://vostudiotech.com/amazon/ for about $50.
0:23:25 Dan has a secondary monitor on the wall.
0:24:19 Tip of the Week: How to improve auditions technically.
0:25:26 Dan’s standard practices:
Record at the proper level
Record in mono, one track
Slates: don’t slate if they don’t want them, if they do, keep it simple.
Leadin
time: half a second.
Clean things up. Get rid of of clicks and pops
Processing: use a little compression, but keep it natural
Focus on being yourself.
0:27:35 Dan comments after the video.
0:28:50 Break
0:29:50 Whence came these two radiant celestial brothers—one from the east and one from
the west!
0:30:06 They’re back, with Connie Terwilliger and her class at San Diego City College.
0:30:53 Dan asks Connie for her view of the VO industry today.
0:31:40 Connie says everything and nothing has changed.
0:32:25 In the old days, Connie didn’t have to market. She’d “network” with lists her agent gave
her. After a break in her VO career, she reentered
the VO world. She set up her websites:
http://voiceovertalent.
com/ and http://corporatevideo.com/ back in the 90’s. She set up a studio
at home, with ISDN, and she had to learn the basics of editing. She doesn’t like negotiating. To
set a price you need to know the shelf life and eyeballs—how long and how many? What’s the
client’s budget? Serious marketing is part of the biz now. Even with agents it’s different.
0:37:20 She’s noticed in the last year that she’s doing more work at other people’s studios and
getting cast more off her demos again. It’s hard not auditioning what isn’t right for you.
0:38:42 Dan comments on the role of demos in getting cast. He’s noticed people finding your
demo online get work.
0:39:14 Connie talks about how internet searches can be targeted specifically, so you need to
have specific demos.
0:40:05 Connie talks about website optimization as part of the VO job. She goes on to describe
her class at SDCC.
0:42:38 Connie talks about her background, starting in college radio. She wrote PSA’s for the
station. She went on to grad school where she did TV and radio. After school, she moved to
San Diego and got a job in TV and did live staff announcing.
0:45:26 And now, as a talent, you’d have to negotiate for what to charge for this kind of work.
0:46:03 Dan shifts gears to ISDN. Connie discusses what ISDN is.
0:48:00 Connie’s ISDN cost is around $50 a month, but elsewhere, as much as $600 a month.
It’s going away. Copper is being replace with fiber.
0:48:34 George talks about his discussion with the developer of SourceConnect about how
there’s no direct replacement for ISDN. Still it’s difficult to have ISDN if you don’t have it already.
0:50:30 George says ISDN gear is for sale on eBay and the price is dropping.
0:51:49 Harlan Hogan time! http://voiceoveressentials.com/
0:55:02 Now it’s time for questions for Connie: Q: If you live and work in San Diego, how much
do LA clients insist that you go up there. A: She doesn’t have agents in L.A. for that reason. It’s
hard to get away and go up there. If you live in Orange County, you could pull it off if you’re not
working full time. The commute eats up too much time.
0:58:02 Q: What is the most mistake newcomers make? A: Not understanding their own voices
and where they fit in the continuum from notsogood
to great, to understand if they have the
potential to make money in the business. You have to be competitive.
0:59:57 Q: Who did your demo or did you do your own? A: She does her own these days.
Connie explains. She feels she’s hit a plateau with auditioning. She continues to get work from
repeat clients, but not from auditioning. She’s going to go to a coach for a tune up.
1:02:25 Connie describes the “long tail” to graph VO work. There’s a small area with lots of
dollars, a large area with smaller and smaller dollars. George describes how much content is
out there.
1:04:00 George poses the question: “Are there more working actors than work?”
1:05:10 Q: How many agents do you have and how much work do you get from them and do
you use paytoplay
sites? A: About eight send her regular work, and she has innumerable other
places where her demo is parked, but only occasional work from them. She doesn’t do
paytoplays
anymore. She’s on the site at Voice123, but no longer a member.
1:07:21 Connie discusses the paytoplay
world. You have to understand as a newbie that
you’re not right for everything thrown at you.
1:08:37 Connie says the key is LISTENING—to any voiceover.
George talks about the analogy
with music. Always listen, listen to other performers.
1:10:38 Q: Is there a virtual option for Connie’s class? A: No. Her class is 16 weeks long.
1:11:22 Q: What’s the most important thing to focus on with a script? A: Connie tends to read it
aloud to figure out demographics, check specs, and then she goes for it. You need to
understand what you’re selling and to who.
1:13:02 Q: Are there videos or book on your exercises at your websites? A: Most VO books
have a section on warmups. Connie talks about experimenting with tongue placement.
1:15:47 Break
1:16:28 They’re back after Larry Davis’ Morgan Freeman making water spot.
1:16:45 Q: What about cardioid mics? A: Most of us use a good cardioid condenser mics.
Shotgun mics are used, too. George uses an AT875R, which is a good starter mic. They reject
more background sound.
http://www.audiotechnica.
com/cms/wired_mics/cae8c23cfe000574/index.html A large
diaphragm mic will pick up more sound around. He says you can buy either or both for under
$200 each.
1:19:52 Q: How many who go into VO compared to how many make a living? A: After what you
know what the business is then you can tell. Don’t ask your mom or best friend how you’re
doing. You want a truly objective opinion.
1:21:50 Connie talks about the Edge Studio weekly contest. You can listen to everybody else’s
recordings, hear issues, and learn from that. http://www.edgestudio.com/scriptcontests
1:23:06 George adds that for $27 you can have a sample audio evaluated for performance and
technical issues. Edge also has scripts.
1:24:22 Dan and George talk about what they’ll be doing at Voice2014.
1:25:42 Thanks to donors. Become a recurring donor!
1:26:37 EWABS Clickers! Last chance to order before they go off to California.
http://www.ewabs.net/
1:27:14 EWABS Essentials—work in progress. See gems from past EWABS shows at the
YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSdw5Ry09A0&list=PLDHBaemlTK_T7XgGnPiTq9zcc7Yc
VuZH
1:27:59 Next week, Aug. 25: Social Media Roundtable, with social media savvy VO actors.
1:28:50 Labor Day: No show. On Sept. 8, the show recorded at Voice2014 will air.
1:29:42 Sept. 15, the Fan Roundtable.
1:30:03 Thanks to sponsors: Edge Studio, Harlan Hogan, VoiceOver Xtra. Like us on
Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe and like the show on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/user/ewabsshow
1:31:16 Check out EWABS podcasts at iTunes and Stitcher.
1:31:51 Thanks to wives and families! And the staff: Kathy Curriden, producer; Anthony Getting
for the chat room; Jack de Golia, show logs; Tim McKean for EWABS Essentials, and Lee
Pinney for the podcasts.
1:33:56 End of show.

EWABS Episode 153 August 11, 2014 with Dave Courvoisier

Episode 153, August 11, 2014
Guest: Dave Courvoisier
Dan and George both in the same place!
George compares mics
Questions answered. Send them to ewabshop@gmail.com
0:01:10 Opening video
0:01:52 There they are in Santa Monica together.
0:03:00 Dan learns how to drive and park in Southern California.
0:05:18 Questions from the audience
0:05:46 Q: I’m using Audacity. What steps should I do after I record? A: If you don’t know what something does, don’t use it. George talks about a long discussion thread about mastering with
Audacity. He talks about settings. Use each tool separately and then listen to understand what each piece is doing. Levelator is a onestop, draganddrop that does something to files. It’s one size fits all. All these tools need to be tweaked by someone who understands audio engineering.
0:10:14 George comments on the process. Dan adds that there are better programs, like Adobe Audition or SoundForge, or on Mac, Twisted Wave.
0:11:30 TwistedWave has had an update that allows easy installation of “stacks (sets of
processing steps).
0:12:15 Audacity is like your first bike. It gets you around town, but there are better bikes out there.
0:13:50 Just because it’s free doesn’t mean Audacity is the right tool.
0:14:06 Q: There’s a lot of talk about ISDN alternatives. What about AudioTX? A: George says
AudioTX’s issue now is price, it has a “hasp” that you need but can’t replace, and it’s Windows
only. AudioTX is complicated to use for ISDN.
0:16:09 George shows all the boxes of parts needed to make AudioTX work.
0:16:35 George asks Dan if he was ever able to get AudioTX work on ISDN. Dan says, “Never.”
0:18:19 George points out ISDN gear is getting cheaper as ISDN dies a slow death.
0:19:19 Break while Dan and George “breathe on each other.”
0:20:18 Celestial Brothers moment from Grand Budapest Hotel.
0:20:35 They’re back.
0:21:30 Whittam’s World on shotgun mics. (Ep. 31:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ31DZBQg4)
0:28:59 Back to the guys. Discussion about shotgun mics follows. It’s not the equipment that
will get you the work.
0:30:40 They move on the the Scarlett 2i2. They recommended it once, but now there are
some quality issues popping up.
0:32:15 Price and reliability. Beware of bargain prices—QC may not be there.
0:33:00 Because they’re so cheap, buy two, to have a backup.
0:34:26 Break
0:35:55 SpongeBob!
0:36:18 They’re back with Courvo. He talks about his career on TV.
0:37:50 Dave describes his VO career and how he found the VO community so supportive.
0:39:42 Dave’s book, “More than Just a Voice,” is now out. The book pulls together the best of
his blogs over the last seven years. Dave discusses.
0:40:41 Where the title came from.
0:42:26 How is the book arranged? Dave describes the chapter organization.
0:44:29 George asks where he gets his inspiration for his blog.
0:47:00 Dave’s next book is on social media, but stuff happens so fast. He does print on
demand.
0:48:09 Q: Does report on tragic news stories get outweighed by positive stories? A: Dave talks
about how he builds emotional calluses.
0:49:55 Q: How truetolife
is Anchor Man? A: Dave describes real life work.
0:51:29 Dan asks about Dave’s station’s social media involvement.
0:52:35 Q: You’ve said it’s a challenge coming from one form of entertainment to another. A:
Dave talks about the “patterned speech” rut that he’s had to get coached past. He’s had to
“detune.”
0:54:14 Q: Do you prefer oncamera
or VO? A: After 30 years, TV pays the bills, but when the
time is right…
0:54:50 Q: What surprised you the most in VO and what was total BS? A: The surprise was
how giving the VO community is. As for BS—early on, he started gathering equipment and get
caught up in the “tech.” Dan calls it “severe acquisition syndrome.”
0:56:07 Q: Any tips on managing a full time while building a VO career? A: Dave has a site on
how to do this. Ask him to join. You have to find the balance. He’s up until 3 in the morning after
the 11 o’clock news to do VO work. He misses work during the day because of his day job.
0:57:21 Q: Do you sleep? A: I do, but not your hours, 311.
He automates his tweets and blog.
0:58:22 Q: How do you like the audiobook of your new book? A: Dave found it pretty easy. Fun.
Coming soon.
0:59:10 Q: What software to you use to automate your social media. A:
https://www.socialoomph.com/
1:01:06 Harlan Hogan sells books! http://voiceoveressentials.com/ (see career resources)
1:02:00 MixerFace coming soon. Good for iPhone, tablet, windows or mac:
http://voiceoveressentials.com/content/MixerFace.htm
1:04:09 Dan’s wife calls.
1:05:10 Harlan’s books.
1:05:53 Announcements. Thanks to donors, including monthly ones. To donate, go to
http://www.ewabs.net/ and click on the DONATE button, in the upper right.
1:07:29 EWABS Essentials:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=EWABS+Essentials. Check it out! Small bites
of great info.
1:08:16 Next week: Connie Terwilliger on Aug. 18
1:08:26 Aug. 25: Social Media Roundtable.
1:09:18 Labor Day: no show.
1:10:01 They’ll air the show recorded at Voice2014. “Live to Drive.”
1:11:08 Thanks to sponsors, Harlan, VoiceOverXtra, and Edge Studio. Edge has new ways of
producing demos. The goal is to launch the new Edge website by Voice2014.
1:12:19 Acknowledgements to the wives and staff.
1:15:22 George shows his new keyboard from eBay.
1:16:45 They sign off.
1:16:57 VoiceOverXtra spot. http://www.voiceoverxtra.com/
1:17:31 Voice2014 spot. http://www.voice2014.com/
1:20:11 End of Show.

EWABS Episode 152 July 28, 2014 with Rudy Gaskins

Show Log0:01:37  Opening video0:02:19  The show begins with a big radio sound!0:04:03   Hot weather in Southern California.  He was in Las Vegas last week in 110+ heat.  0:04:49  Ventilation in a pre-fab booth and how to add it your recording space.0:05:40  You need to exchange the air.  The first key after air circulation is having cool air to work with.  0:06:58  You may need to build a “muffler” to quiet air movement.  You can buy them or build them yourself with online instructions.0:08:22  Another trick: make the distance the air has to travel a lot longer.  Longer ductwork snaking around in the attic will quiet air movement.0:09:06  In a small closet, you may have to get creative with convective cooling.  0:10:30  You may have to install an A/C unit outside the house.  0:11:32   Dan tells his tale.  He cut a hole in the ceiling of his closet and installed a “plenum.”  0:13:37   This is why a booth in a garage is a bad idea, since there’s little cool air out there.  Also, “sound proofing” by making a booth air tight is unhealthy!  The best a basement.0:15:34  Break0:16:40  Radiant celestial brothers clip.  Name that movie (Grand Budapest Hotel).0:17:00  They’re back.  0:18:26   Q: What’s a good way to measure the “noise floor” of a personal studio.  A: George—there is no industry standard.  He’ll listen to a voice (between -6 and -3 dB) and room tone.  He’ll then normalize to 0 dB.  He then takes the room tone and analyzes the peak level for “noise.”  He feels -55 dB is a good level.0:20:34   Dan joins in.  Any noise below -55, -60, is much easier to remove with gating.  Don’t use reduction; it destroys audio.  Dan does a similar process.  He also looks at the frequencies of the sounds in the lower end of volume.  0:22:46  George talks about noise gates.  Q: Isn’t -50 kind of high?  A: low frequency noise isn’t as loud.  0:23:56  Q: If through EQ you get to -60, should you take it down further? A: It’s not your problem if you’re not a producer.  But if you’re going to process your auditions, downward expansion can be useful.  George doesn’t use a compressor without a downward expander.  0:25:54  Q: How do you export stacks in TwistedWave?  A: George describes that.  In the Stacks window, you’ll see an option that says manage stacks.  That will take you to a folder where you stacks are. Open the Stacks folder.  See George’s video on importing stacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0Wn9OZa6Xo0:28:23  Q: How do you change the settings in the effects stack?  A: If you want, go ahead, just don’t change the original.  Play back as you change the settings to see what they do.  0:30:50  If you have a question email ewabshop@gmail.com, write Question in the subject line.  They also have a voicemail box at ewabs.net.0:31:56  Break0:33:46  They’re back with Rudy Gaskins.0:34:54  George asks Rudy how he picked his business location in NYC.  0:36:18  Dan asks Rudy to tell us about himself.  He tells about his career. He got into sound engineering.  He got his start recording sound effects for a Coppola film.  He moved into directing and producing on NY TV. Then he went to ABC News doing promos and that got him into marketing. He then launched Push Creative. http://www.pushcreative.tv/ He met Joan Baker, a voice actor. http://joanbaker.tv/They married and that got him into voice work and spawned “That’s Voice Over.”  http://thatsvoiceover.com/ which led to the Voice Arts Award.0:40:31 Dan notices an Emmy in the background.  0:41:50  Rudy won his Emmy for the 2000 Olympic Games with NBC Sports, writing and producing promos and athlete vignettes.  0:43:20  Dan asks about the Voice Arts Awards.  Rudy explains “That’s Voice Over.”  This yearly expo led to the awards.  0:46:12  Dan asks how many categories are in the Voice Arts Awards program.  0:46:58  A display of the categories appears on-screen.0:48:00  Dan asks how people submit for the awards.  Rudy explains the process.  It’s all online.  http://sovas.org/home-vaa/  and https://www.facebook.com/VoiceArts.0:50:38  The nomination process doesn’t include sending in a demo.  Submissions get reviewed by a group of jurors who put out nominations.  This elevates how you feel about your work.0:52:15  Dan asks what the judging criteria are.  Rudy says they’re explained online.  Generally, they look at creativity, innovation, originality, and execution on the brand message.  The judges are all professionals—agents, publishers, producers, voice actors—who know what’s effective.0:54:20  The web address, voicearts.org (redirects to http://sovas.org/home-vaa/).  The event is on November 9.  Submission deadline: August 24 (it’s been extended).  There’s a cost to submit.  See http://sovas.org/rules-eligibility/#entry-fee for details.0:55:37  Rudy explains how the fee helps support the quality of the award itself.  The design includes a mic hanging upside down over a copy stand.  0:57:02  Sponsor time: Harlan Hogan http://voiceoveressentials.com/  He’s got everything you need except your voice!0:58:07  George praises Harlan’s return policy.1:00:30  Q: Do you have to be a member of SOVAS to participate in the award.  1:00:49  This leads to a pronunciation discussion SOVAHSSS?  Nevah-duh?  Neva-dah?  1:01:08  A: You don’t have to be a member, but members get discounts on several things.1:02:10  Q: Why do people have to pay to enter?  A: Again, it has to do with making this non-profit work.  You aren’t nominating yourself, you’re entering a field from which nominations will be chosen.  1:03:44  Rudy reviews the process.  There’s a lot to be gained for your marketing effort.  Get exposed to major producers without asking for a job.  1:06:37  Throughout the process, there’s buzz, win or not.  1:07:42   Awards are a line item in production company budgets.  This is an unknown in the VO world, but well known in other areas.1:08:55  Q: Do all the submitters get heard?  A: Yes, they listen to everything in order to select the nominees.  Rudy explains what the jurors expect.1:10:25  Some jurors want to stay anonymous.  1:11:00  Dan asks how jurors are selected.  Rudy explains.1:11:50  Q: How did you come up with this year’s Lifetime Achievement awardee, James Earl Jones.  A: Rudy explains.1:13:44   Rudy observes that when the James Earl Jones choice hit Facebook, the feedback was all positive.  1:14:31  Q: What were your greatest challenges?  A: He’s done a lot of things—launching the award show is the hardest thing he’s ever done.1:15:14  Q: Are the jurors names on the website?  A: Some, soon, on Tuesday next week.  Look for the “juror” button on the SOVAS website.1:16:05  Q: Where will entry stats be posted?  A: They won’t list all entrants.  Nominees will be listed.Note: During these few minutes, Dan replaces his malfunctioning microphone with a VO1-A from Harlan Hogan to fix the problem.1:16:47  Q: What do you think the awards will do for the VO industry?  A:  The award becomes a lightning rod for how we collaborate.  You’ll list your producer, copy writer, and others, as in other industries.  The pursuit of excellence doesn’t happen by itself.1:19:27  Q: How many nominees in each category?  A: It depends on the quality of work in that category, maximum of five.1:21:38  Break with information on VoiceOver Xtra1:22:29   Hear now from Sponge Bob Squarepants.1:22:42   They’re back.1:22:53  Announcements, including a Dan freeze.1:23:28  Donor acknowledgements.  1:24:49  Clickers!  Buy some today!  Go to www.ewabs.net to order.  1:25:23  EWABS Essentials at the EWABS YouTube channel.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSdw5Ry09A0&list=PLDHBaemlTK_T7X-gGnPiTq9zcc7YcVuZH1:26:20  Next week (August 4): no show!1:26:36  On August 11, Dave Courvoisier will be the guest.  Dan and George will both be in Southern California.  1:27:12   August 18—a surprise guest!1:27:19   August 25—Social Media Roundtable!1:27:40   September 1—The show will be recorded at Voice2014 and aired on this date.1:28:11  Thanks to sponsors, Edge Studio, VoiceOverXtra, and VoiceOverEssentials.  Click the LIKE button at YouTube!1:28:47  Thanks to the wives.1:29:08  Thanks to Kathy Curriden, Anthony Gettig, Jack de Golia, Tim McKean, and Lee Pinney.  1:30:30  End of show.