Free Public Service Announcements For Myanmar Relief Efforts

Once again my friend Peter O'Connell has stepped up to the plate.

Ever the one to work at finding a solution to a problem, Peter has written and produced 2 public service announcements to get the word out on how to donate funds directly to UNICEF for the cyclone relief effort in Myanmar.

If you know of any radio station or television station program directors, internet radio stations or podcasters, please tell them about these ready-made, ready to broadcast PSAs.

Again, tell your contacts to go here.

This is what our global social networks are really for!

An Amazing Night For A Great Cause

I am walking on air today, with a huge grin on my face!

If you know me, you probably know that besides being a VO, I'm a family caregiver.

I care for my mom who had a stroke in '94 that has left her paralysed on the right side and wheelchair-bound.

I also cared for my dad. He died in 2003 as a result of Alzheimer's Disease.

Some Background

Joan Baker, a top VO here in NYC wrote a book called "Secrets of Voice-Over Success" where a whole slew of top voice over talent each wrote a chapter about how they got started and succeeded in our awesome industry.

Not only is it a great book, but all profits from the book go to the Alzheimer's Association, because Joan's dad died from the disease and she wanted to do something that could raise money to help find a cure for this awful disease.

I met Joan, because after buying the book, I emailed her thanking her for both putting together the book (it's really great!) but also for doing what she's doing to raise awareness about the disease that took both of our fathers.

We started an email correspondence and then I actually trained with her. She has since become a friend and I'm in awe of her energy and talent. Joan is an awesome lady!

Voices Remember

Well, last night, Joan held another fundraiser for the Alzheimer's Association. It was an intimate event called "Voices Remember" where several singers and Broadway performers sang and used their voices in memory of those who lost their voices to Alzheimer's.

Because this was a cause close to my heart,
because Joan was putting it together ,
because she was bringing together top VO's and VO industry leaders,

I decided to attend.

I am so glad I did.

Joan & I

The talent that was gathered in that room, to support a cause so important to our society today was just amazing.

Not only did I have a great time, but it was heartwarming to know that all these people were there for the same reason. Because they knew how important finding a cure for Alzheimer's Disease is. (Yeah, OK, there was some networking going on, but frankly it had the feel of an intimate dinner party, and I felt really lucky to be there!)

Yes, I met some of the top voice over artists and industry people in the country today.

Stewart Wilson-Turner (the creator of VoiceBank.net) & I

Yes, I got a night out,
Yes, I got a respite from my caregiving duties.
And.....

Yes, I got a kiss from both "The Don" and Joe Cip!

But what was even more important to me was that I showed up, supporting a great cause and validating to myself that as a working voice talent, I am doing what I love and showing up for my dreams. I am so happy to belong to an industry where the people are nice, generous and talented!

It's a night I won't soon forget!
(OK...how appropriate a comment is that for an Alzheimer's event! ;-)

Do You Believe In Magic?

Sometimes in this business (and yes it IS a business..more on that in a minute) you hear about/learn from some amazing talent. Bob Fraser is one of those people. Bob posts on several of the Voice Over groups I'm on, and a post this week really resonated with me.

Voice Over is work. It's what I do. It's my job. IT'S MY PASSION. It is NOT a "quick way to make a buck." I wanted to share this post as a reminder to those of us who are working at what we love, and as an eye-opener to those who think that Acting/VO are easy! (This is a long post, so grab a cup or glass of something, pull up a chair and read on)

Thanks Bob!

* * * *

Do You Believe In Magic?

There are basically two types of actors who read my stuff, study my computer-based programs, or come to my seminars:

Working pros who are looking for ways to improve their acting income, and newer performers who are anxious to start making money acting.

I think I attract those types of actors because they know that my entire focus is on the money-making part of being an actor.

The success part.

The show BUSINESS part.

As my pal, Charlie Holliday, loves to say, "They don't call it show art!" And I do my best to provide good information for actors who want to make money in show business.

But the fact of the matter is, I know the truth - and the truth is that the only actors who are really going to succeed in our business, are the ones who understand (probably before I launch into one of my rants) that they must take effective action, in order to see the fruition of their dreams.

Not to put too fine a point on things ...YOU HAVE TO WORK AT IT!

I'm sorry for yelling, but THAT is a good piece of information.

What brought on the yelling?

Well, as you have probably gathered, I am a well-known recluse. I like being at home with my family, my bird (Boyd), my books, and my computers. But in the last month or so, I've been going out to see a few plays and participate in a couple of 'panels' - at various actors' gatherings. I don't know why I get invited to these things, as I am clearly anti-social and pretty much the working definition of a hermit - but I do get invited and I go, with my adorable wife, who comes along to gently remind me to be nice.

Anyway, as a result of my recent forays into the real world, I have run into quite a few actors.

Now, while it is sorta nice to be recognized (if you could call it that) - "Oh you're that guy who writes on Now Casting. What's his name?" - the problem is that I meet far too many actors who sadden me.

There are a lot of actors out there who seem to befully invested in the belief that there is a one-step method to show business success.

"Can you introduce me to an agent who can help me? I'll thank you when I get my Oscar," is the most common conversational gambit. I try to point out that there is no golden ticket to get "in" - and that it's a waste of time to keep looking for one. But people don't listen. Frankly, it's frustrating to see our school system turning out so many educated people who still to believe in magic, wizards, lucky charms... and, just possibly, enchanted beans.

This adult belief in a magical solution is probably the main stumbling block for those actors who are having a hard time of things. Especially those who continue to insist that their careers will 'happen' -somehow - as long as they believe it will and continue to intone that plaintive (but clearly magical) incantation ... "I want to be a working actor, I want to be a working actor." Not to mention the poor unfortunates who go to endless parties and spew out the all too common - "I'm an actor... do you know any casting directors who will give me work? I know I can be a star, if someone would just give me a chance" - elevator speech.

Don't they know that while they are in that 'mode,' they're about as interesting as an Amway salesman at an orgy?

The part that saddens is that I am certain that these actors - the sort who believe that there must be a secret passageway that leads directly to the red carpet ... and all they have to do is find someone to give them the key - are going to suffer tons of frustration and disappointment - for a very long time.

AND they are leaving themselves wide-open to the early onset of bitterness - which is a kind of mental cancer. Believe me - eventually bitterness metastasizes into regret, grief, anger and depression.

My prescription?

Throw away your magic beans!

JUST. WORK. HARDER.

It's not a good plan to lollygag around, acting for free in theatre and student films - for years on end - hoping that the Wonderful Director of Oz will appear one day, in a sparkle of pixie dust, and discover you.

Spend a lot more time looking for a paycheck for your performing and a lot less time schmoozing with adults who believe in magical chants, secret handshakes, bewitching potions, enchanted headshots or Staples' Magic Button.

Please, oh please - do not continue to believe in fairy tales - because if you do ... you will not live happily ever after.

Which brings us to talent.

Oh, that word!

Shakespeare said, "Talent will out!"

But he didn't add "Talent will be well paid, respected and successful."

(Because Willie was a sharp cookie and knew better.)

Talent is a gift - and if you put it to use, it may pay the bills.

The critical phrase is ... "IF you put it to use."

Jennifer Hudson is a recent case in point.

Meteoric is a word they use.

Has she got talent? Yes, by the truckload.

But everyone is turning her bio into a Cinderella story, a fairy tale ... "first she lost on American Idol and all looked hopeless ... but then she got a lucky break and went on to win the Oscar."

The erroneous conclusion being drawn from Jennifer's story (and others like hers) is that her talent was 'discovered' and well rewarded ... and that ours will be 'discovered' and rewarded too.

But did you know that about four years ago Jennifer was working on a Disney cruise ship - in a big heavy costume with five-inch heels and tons of make-up - belting out Disney ditties for a paycheck?

The point is this:

If a tremendously talented future Oscar winner can 'go on the road,' working on a cruise ship to earn money with her talent ... oh, never mind - I'm sure you get the point.

Listen, after you throw away your magic beans, your next move is to stop wasting your time looking for a one step solution - and start looking for acting work that pays.

ANY acting work that pays.

That's the first step.

That's putting your talent to use.

Go on the road if you have to.

GO. GO. TO. WORK. FOR. MONEY.

And please don't invite me to anything ...I'm staying home this month.

* * * *

If I lived in L.A., I would take him out for a drink!

If you want to get more insights from Bob, subscribe to his newsletter: Show Biz How-To

So, what do you think?

Using the right words

When people first find out that I speak more than one language, I often get asked "Don't you get confused?"

It's as if the fact that I speak two languages is a hardship. Actually, quite the opposite is true. It's a gift. Having a second vocabulary opens up the world to me, it doesn't shrink it.

I admit, when I was a kid, I did sometimes mix my languages.
Notice I didn't say mix UP.
I combined them not, because I was confused, but because I was choosing just the right word that fit the meaning I wanted to convey. And sometimes that word happened to be in a different language than the one I started my sentence in!
Luckily, my parents pretty quickly made it clear: "Finish your sentence in the same language you started it in!" It was another exercise in finding the right word in the particular language I was speaking in.

Now, some languages are just more precise in certain concepts than others are. Take the Inuit who have over 200 words for our word "snow," describing all its different facets.

So what does this have to do with Voice Over?
A lot actually.
As a voice over artist, I work with words every day.
All types of words: silly words, sales words, medical words, technical words. They all convey a meaning.

My job is to bring that meaning to life.
As voice talent, we're not just reading, we're telling a story, and to do that well you need the right words.

This is not as obvious as it seems, especially when you're dealing with a script that was translated incorrectly.

I often record bilingual scripts - one version of the script in English, the second in French. Sometimes the translations leave something to be desired.

So here's my advise: If you need to have a script translated, use a professional translator.

Do not use "Sophie in HR" who happens speak French. Or "Maria in A/R" who happens to speak Spanish.

I speak French fluently, but when it comes to translations, if a client asks me for that service, I provide it by working closely with a professional translator to make sure that my client gets the best and most accurate script possible.

Yes, it makes my voicing of the script a lot easier.
But, more importantly, using the right words will make my client look and sound good to their clients. And happy clients are always a good thing!

100+ VO Resources!

As a Voice Talent, I'm always on the lookout for information and resources.

Well, the great gang at Voices.com just made that search a whole lot easier!

They just published a list of 100+ Industry Resources for Voice Over Talent, and I'm honored to be listed in their blog section!

Check it out. Bookmark the page! It's worth it!

My thanks to Stephanie Ciccarelli at Voices.com for this great list!

Voice Talent: What business are you in?

Think about that question for a minute.

It's not so obvious.
When I was "behind the glass" as an engineer/producer, the voice talent that I loved to work with the most were the ones that made my job easier!

They had talent, they knew what to do, and they were pleasant to work with.
They helped me do my job well, by doing their job well.
Now that I'm in front of the mic, I realize that my job is to make my client's job easier!

My friend, and amazing voice talent Bob Souer, has just written a great post about what business we are really in a voice talent. It's a must read!

Enjoy!

VO Cold Remedies - Take 3

My friend, and talented Voice Over artist Peter Drew posted yet more remedies that voice talent can use to help prevent or shorten the span of a cold.

Hope this helps!

"As we all know, there is still no cure for the common cold, but there are a
few things you can try to reduce a cold's severity.

• At the first sign of a cold, try Oregacillin from Physician's Strength. The
  active ingredient has been isolated from Greek oregano oil, which has been
  used for thousands of years to fight infections. A Johns Hopkins study showed
  that the active ingredient in Oregacillin kills viruses better than
  pharmaceutical antivirals. I use it and it does seem to prevent a cold from
  getting worse and cuts the time a cold hangs around.

• Try nasal irrigation and zinc. For more info on nasal irrigation, visit this
  site: http://www.ent-consult.com/#nose-and-sinusitis From what
  I've heard, zinc lozenges are much less effective than zinc ointment that is
  put inside the nostrils.

• Gargle with salt water. Recent research indicates that much of a cold's
  infection actually resides in your throat. Gargling with salt water can help
  clear out that infection. Over the counter cold products and decongestants
  dry up mucous production, which can actually prolong a cold because there is
  no mucous to carry away the infection and products of the body's immune
  response to the cold.

• If you're prone to catching colds, then a good defense is necessary. Penn
  Gilette of Penn and Teller fame says, since he went on the road with their
  act years ago, he's become a fanatical hand washer. He avoids shaking hands
  with people if he can and if he does shake hands with someone, he's very
  careful not to touch his face until he can wash his hands. He admits it
  sounds obsessive, but he can't afford a cold that will prevent him from
  working.

• On hand washing, stay away from the antibacterial hand sanitizers you can
  pick up at the supermarket or drug store. Most of them contain triclosan, an
  antibacterial that has been linked to creating more resistant bacteria, and
  they don't have enough alcohol to kill viruses, which actually cause a cold.
  The only hand sanitizers that kill enough bacteria and viruses to be of
  value are the ones containing 60 percent or more of alcohol. The best way to
  sanitize hands is simple soap and water. Work up a good lather and wash rub
  your hands for at least 20 seconds and then rinse. Clean under your
  fingernails while washing, too."

Thanks Peter!

Remember...these are just suggestions, go see your doctor if you feel you're getting sicker than usual. You know your body best!

The rain in Spain.....

If you've ever seen the movie "My Fair Lady" you remember the articulation exercise "The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain."

As voice talent, we often "talk" a fine line between over and under-articulation.

Marc Cashman wrote a wonderful article that addresses some of those pesky little "bridge" words that sometimes fall victim to voice over mush-mouth!

Thanks to John Florian at VoiceOverXtra for posting this great article!

My "Elevator Demo"

We've all heard of the "Elevator Speech," right? Being able to tell someone what you do/sell yourself in :30 or less, basically in the time it takes to ride an elevator.

Well, when it comes to Voice Over, demos are already pretty short, and getting shorter. Anything much longer than :60 these days is considered "too long!" And people say that if you don't grab the listener in the first :10, they'll stop listening and go on to the next talent.

So my friend Philip Banks threw out a challenge to those of us on the VO-BB:

"Sell your voice in a 10 second demo.

Your sounds, your experience,

your reads, your personality in 10 seconds."

WOW! It was a challenge, and I had fun putting mine together.

Here is my contribution:

Liz's :10 Demo

Think about it. If you truly only had :10 to showcase what you do....could you? Give it a shot & let me know, I'd love to hear it!

Putting yourself out there!

My friend Bobbin Beam has a great post on her blog about the Art of Risk in being an actor.
It's absolutely worth the read!

As the cruise line commercial says, when you're an actor you need to "get out there!" no matter the risk! :-)

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2008 Voicey Awards!

Well, it was an honor just to be nominated!
Really it was!
I know that when you hear that, you're probably saying, "Yeah, sure!" but actually, even though I didn't win in my category, I was still really happy, and yes honored, to be considered!

And here's the thing, I was still able to let clients, prospective clients, colleagues and...ok, family ;-) know about the fact that I was in the finals. I got this great graphic to use as a promotional piece, and....there's always next year!

Frankly it was still a win for me!

As to who among my friends won:

Winner of Best New Voice - Jeffrey Kafer
Winner of Best Teen Voice - Jesse Springer
Winners Best Voice Team - Kara Edwards /Adam Fox
Winner Lifetime Achievement - Pat Fraley

Congratulations to all!

You can also go listen to the Voices Vox Talk Podcast of the announcement of all the winners!

Thanks to Stephanie Ciccarelli, and the entire Voices.com staff for all they do for the voiceover community & for putting together the Voiceys!

More VO Remedies

An other great voice talent, Kitzie Stern wrote a great piece on her blog about more voice over remedies.

Read the readers comments too!

Thanks to my friend Bob Souer for pointing me in the direction of Kitzie's blog!

Here's to staying healthy!

Searching for myself!

So....on his Blog today, my friend Peter O'Connell posted about "Google Placement" and SEO (Search Engine Optimization), all about our constant hopes of being on Page 1 of a Google search...or at least in the first 3 Pages.

So I went searching...for myself, so to speak!

Here is where I come up:

“French voice over” ranked #4! - THAT was a nice surprise!
“French voice talent ” ranked #6!
“Bilingual voice over” ranked #19 (page 2)
“French female voice over” ranked #69 (my TalentDatabase.com page)
“Female voice over” - I gave up looking for me! ;-)
“de Nesnera” ranked #2 (after my older brother - every "de Nesnera" is my family!)

So then I went looking for "Hire Liz" my website url...just to see, and came up #1 - not bad.

It was a worthwhile exercise...I'm doing well in some areas, and need to work on some others!

Then, when I was doing the "Hire Liz" search I happened upon another "Liz": Liz Stevens.
She's an illustrator, and I just love her style! I don't know her, but I'm looking forward to seeing more of her artwork!

So today I learned something about my placement in cyberspace and found some cool art!

Time well spent, I think! (Thanks for the push, Peter!)

I'm a 2008 Voicey Awards Finalist!

I just found out that I am also one of the finalists for the 2008 Voicey Awards in the category of Best Foreign Voice!

I'm REALLY excited & honored!

Good luck to all of us!

2008 Voicey Voice Over Award Finalists Announced

It's awards season, and that includes Voice Over awards!
The finalists for the 2008 Voicey Awards have been announced, and I'm thrilled that several of my friends have been nominated!!

Check out their websites, and you'll see why they all rock!

Finalist in Best Female Voice - Moe Egan
Finalists in Best New Voice - Jeffrey Kafer & Dave Houston
Finalist in Best Male Voice - Bob Souer
Finalist in Best Teen Voice - Jesse Springer
Finalists in Best Voice Team - Adam Fox /Kara Edwards (I don't personally know Adam, but if Kara works with him, he must be good!) & Terry Daniel /Trish Basanyi
Best Personal Branding Finalists - Kara Edwards & DC Goode
Lifetime Achievement Finalist - Pat Fraley

Oh....and I almost forgot, another friend, Connie Terwilliger, is one of the judges!

I wish everyone the best of luck!

...I wonder if they'll still talk to me when they win ;-)

I feel so much better now!

It has been a few days....OK over a week...since I've posted...so to all my thousands of readers I'm really sorry! ;-)

Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging, but I'm much better now & raring to go!...get ready!....she's baaaaaaaack!

So on that note of "feeling better."

As Voice Talent, one of the WORST things that can happen to you is to get a cold and/or sore throat. So we do all we can to prevent that from happening. But sometimes we just can't. So what can you do to at least shorten the duration, symptoms & effects of a cold so that you're not totally out for count & missing sessions?

Disclaimer: I am not a Doctor...(although I have played one in narrations!)

-When I first feel as if a cold is coming on, I hit my nose with ZICAM, it's a homeopathic remedy that really does work as long as you use it right at the start of any symptoms. You can find it at pretty much any grocery or drug store these days.

- Oscillococcinum (try & say THAT 10 times fast!) by Boiron: another homeopathic remedy that I have found helpful, as long as you take at the first sign of symptoms.

- Throat Coat & Herba Tussin Herbal Teas from Traditional Medicinals are great at keeping your throat soothed.

- A Neti Pot....OK to be blunt, this is a way to wash out your nasal passes with saline....it's not pretty, but it really helps keep your nasal passages clear. This is more a preventative measure, and I know several voice talents that swear by this little contraption. I have just started using one and it does seem to help.

- Vitamin C: The old standby. Studies are now suggesting that it may not be as effective in high doses as we once thought, but hey, you don't want to get scurvy, do you! ;-) I take it everyday, and add one capsule if I feel something coming on.

- Echinacea: This extract of the cornflower has also been said to help in the treatment of colds. Again, studies vary, but I have found it helpful.

- Entertainer's Secret: a throat spray that you can use if you have a scratchy/sore throat and you still need to record! It will help sooth your throat and make you sound less like you have...well...a frog in your throat! After the VOICE 2007 conference last year, many of us Voice Talents came back with what we have come to call "Vegas Voice" due to the dryness of that air, the smokey casino where the conference was held, and well, all the cheering we did! Entertainer's Secret helped a lot of get through he following week's recording work without making our clients wonder what had happened to the golden voices that thought they hired! ;-)

- Try to keep a positive attitude. I can tell you from personal experience that when you're down emotionally, it DOES affect your immune system and your body's ability to fight off colds. Try to be as positive as you can, or surround yourself with people who will support you as you're going through your "stuff."

So that's what I do! Again:
Disclaimer: I am not a Doctor!

Obviously if you are feeling sick for longer than is normal for you, go see a doctor! My husband, who rarely gets sick, got the flu last year, went to the doctor and was given Tamiflu right away which really helped....and then I did the same thing when I saw the synptoms coming on.

The key is to know your own body. If you feel something coming on, deal with it right away in whatever way feels comfortable for you, don't wait, that'll only prolong the discomfort!

Let me know if YOU have any tricks or tips to keep your voice healthy!

That's it for now! Here's to your health!

Boys & Their Toys...aka: Gear Envy!

In the voiceover buisness there are the working actors (I'm lucky enough to be one of those!), and then there are the Super Stars! Don LaFontaine is one of those super stars. He also happens to be a really great guy!

When I attended the VOICE2007 voice over conference last year, "The Don" was a featured guest. During the Q&A session, I asked him how he kept fresh after the scores of sessions he voices every day. He said he loved the words, and loved what he does. - It really is a great way to spend your days! - He also stayed at the conference till every last person who wanted to
shake his hand & have their picture taken with him was able to do so!

I was recently directed to an article on Don's new VO studio. Yep, serious gear-envy! But what's interesting is that although he does have all the best bells & whistles (as he says, he can afford it!) he still records his voice "flat" letting his clients deal with any processing in post-production. It's still cool to see what the big-boys are playing with!

On a side note, Don had a health scare recently, so please keep him in your thoughts as he recovers.

My thanks to Eddie Eagle for the heads-up on the above referenced article.

What goes around, comes around

One of the best aspects of being a voiceover artist is that I get to work out of my own home studio, without anyone looking over my shoulder every minute, of every day.

One of the hardest aspects of being a voice over artist is that I work out of my own home studio, without anyone to talk to all day!

There's a reason we VO's joke about being a bit strange: we sit in our padded rooms, talking to ourselves all day!

But one of the most amazing aspects of being a voice over artist is the fact that I have been blessed to meet the most talented, funny and generous group of people on the planet, both in person and "virtually" online: other voiceover artists.

This business, like many others I suppose, is built on relationships. But, regardless of what outsiders or newcomers to voiceover may feel, there truly is no "competition" in this business. I don't sound like Moe Egan, or Mary McKitrick. Bob Souer doesn't sound like Jeffrey Kafer or David Monteath. Each of us is unique in our sound, our delivery and in the types of VO we are best suited for. If a client likes the way we sound we get hired. If we're not right, hopefully one of our friends is!

There's a real sense of community. A group whose members are happy help each other along the way, and who celebrate each others victories.

I have been happy to pass along job leads to friends and I have been lucky enough to have leads steered my way as well.

My father taught me a long time ago that when someone does you a favor, you may not always be able to "pay" that person back right away - or ever - but if you help someone else, the good just keeps on going. The ripple effect is real.

I'm thrilled to be a part of a community that lives this ideal, and doesn't just give it "lip-service!" (Pun intended!)

I'm on the latest episode of the "Voice Overs On Demand" podcast!

I was just interviewed on a great podcast:
"Voice Overs On Demand" with Terry Daniel & Trish Basanyi.

Check it out!
Voice Overs On Demand! - Episode 9

You can also download it from iTunes.

It was so much fun!
We talked about my background and marketing and....well, GO LISTEN!

(It runs about 30 minutes)

Enjoy!

Be yourself, not someone else!

This will be quick, but (I think) profound.
The classic: "It may be simple but it's not easy"

My friend and FABULOUS British voice talent Philip Banks just posted this very "simple" admonition to all of us VO's out there, and which works for any entrepreneur:

"Do you know the name of the man who provides the voice for most film trailers? It's Don La Fontaine; there are a few other men doing the same job. Ashton Smith, Hal Douglas and Nick Tate to name three. Between them they account for about $12,000,000 in fee income. Call any agent in New York or Los Angeles and they've got "that sound" covered. What are most of the male voice in the USA trying to sell? The same sound, the same voice; their USP ......Me too! How far do you think it gets them? On a few web sites frequented by Voice Overs I posted this .......ME2 . My point is a fairly simple one but so few seem to want to take it on board.Is your business just a clone of another business set up by you in the hope of getting a share of the market? Wouldn't it be easier to sell YOU?"

Your story is unique: tell it! Works for me! (Thanks Philip!)