Posted by Dale on Jan 24, 2011 in
Voice Over Most books/blogs/opinions about Voice Over are directed to the beginner. Why? Well that’s easy, The Novice is desperate to get in, make “One Million Dollars” and live the good life. And for that they are more then willing to hand over a small fortune.
Ever wonder why so many people are teaching voice over?
10 years ago I could count on two hands the number of Voice Over teachers/Demo producers. Now the pages of The Voice Over Resource Guide is filled with those who would love to help you on your path to the “Easy Money” that is, Voice Over.
Short answer… It’s a steady paycheck in the “Hard Money” that is, Voice Over.
Some people do just love to help others, me included. So much so that I’ll meet with anyone and give them all the advice that I can pretend I know, For the the low low price, of a cup of Coffee. Meaning you buy me coffee and I’ll talk about what I love, Voice Over, till you get sick of me.
This offer stands whether you can meet me in LA, or over the phone.
My take is, that I’d rather save you a whole lot of time and more importantly, Money. I won’t be your coach and I won’t make your demo and I won’t be your guru, but I believe I can be your friend and help set you on the right path. Be that Voice Over or a Cheese maker in Nepal.
Tags: acting, Voice over advice, voice over blog, voice over demo, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Mar 24, 2010 in
Voice Over 
It’s been my experience that when a big account goes, it goes. You’re the voice, then you’re not, and that’s that.
After all why would they bring back someone they got rid of. That would be like bringing back the first Darren Stevens from Bewitched.
The other part of winning a big account is losing a big account. It is inevitable, at some point, the ride will end, the bars will lift off and some kid with bad acne and no motivation will ask you to exit while someone else takes your seat.
“Easy Come, Easy Go.”
is easy to say when it’s coming. Try it when it’s going. That’s the hard part.
I was talking with another Voice Over talent today about “the going” part. He said that he wished every voice over could get a big account and then lose it. It provides a perspective that you just don’t get when it’s coming.
The tendency of big accounts is lazy and entitlement.
The hard work somehow doesn’t seem as important and you begin to feel like you deserve the checks.
When that goes, if you’re not in the right place mentally, it can lead into a major downward spiral. Then you get desperate, and that’s the kiss of death for a read and a career.
I personally have had the big accounts and lost them, and have wrestled with every emotion that comes with that.
Luckily, I’ve now had the experience of having one of those big accounts come back, and having lost with the ability to say “Easy Come Easy Go”, while it was going, I can now fully enjoy the coming (back), with an appreciation and understanding that only comes from losing.
Tags: acting, actor, artist, How to act, Voice over advice, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Oct 29, 2009 in
Uncategorized After many years of resting on my laurels, which at times was very uncomfortable, as it turns out laurels can be quite prickly. I’ve decided to reinsert my self into the role of pupil and search for enlightenment.
I was searching for some sort of shaolin monk to teach me “The Path”, but when I found out how much Monk’s were charging these days, I settled on an acting class on Pico Blvd.
The questions are: Why? Why Know? Why an Acting class?
The answer: Cause it was time.
I just knew it was time to get back out there, and you know what, I have no purpose other then that. I have little idea where this is going to lead me and even less expectation.
All I know is I needed artistic stimulation with a little direction thrown in. You know something to add a little flavor to the soup.
I think that at some point every artist needs some type of class, seminar, or workshop to reawaken vision, or on a less esoteric note, get some blood pumping into stagnant muscles.
Only thing is, that you have to be ready to except it’s consequences.
Side effects can include: Hard Work, Artistic Rebirth, Telepathy Powers, Success.
Tags: acting, actor, artist, How to act, Voice over advice, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Oct 28, 2009 in
Uncategorized 
Hoping for two new pilots I just did to get picked up. Mall Cops “Mall of America” a show that picks up where Paul Blart left off, but with less Blart and more officer. The Pilot aired Thursday October 15th. The other, as of now has no air date. It’s called “Conveyor Belt of Love” and is just what it’s name says. 5 Women watch 30 Men come by on a conveyor belt and decide if they’re interested. I want the show to get picked up simply for the opportunity to get a t-shirt. Who wouldn’t want a “Conveyor Belt of Love” T-shirt? Well, maybe my parents.
Just like On Camera actors VO actors have to sweat the networks suits deciding, in their infinite wisdom, whether a show is a GO. Cool thing about VO actors is they can have multiple shows at the same time.
But just like On Camera actors, just because you did a show that got picked up or renewed doesn’t mean you can’t be killed off.
Now maybe your character won’t die a tragic death in a freak Tea picking expedition on the tundra in Tibet, but there might be a producer who thinks they can do your job better, and it’s the same end result.
So keep your fingers crossed, have your family and friends praying, knock on wood, send bribes, or carve a tiki.
What ever you do realize it all turns to dust, the flowers die, and shows all get canceled. 
And yes The Simpsons, One day, will get canceled.
Tags: acting, actor, artist, How to act, Mall Cops, Simpsons, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Jul 22, 2009 in
Voice Over The time it took me 30 minutes to say the word Toyota was the worst Brain Sweat I ever head. The word came out wrong once, the twice, and then my Brain starting Sweating, Thinking only about saying the word right, and thus assuring that I never would.
Normally a mess up doing Voice Over, is just that, but on occasion it becomes a monster threatening to send you to the Looney Bin.
Your Brain starts to sweat about not getting it right and you cascade into a down word spiral of self doubt and loathing. You start to think about how dumb you are for not being able to say a stupid word or phrase that a 3 year old could. in my cause “Toyota”
You start to wonder how stupid everyone listening thinks you are. About how stupid you’ll look when your ineptitude makes it onto some famous reel of stupid people. If fact somehow you’re entire life becomes stupid in the wake of your complete failure to say one stupid, dumb, stupid word.
The question is not so much how you got here, but how you get out.
My advice: Do whatever you can!
Namely remember the song from Sesame Street. “Oops I made a mistake that’s all.”
It’s life, it happens, and the only real way you’ll leave a lasting “BAD” impression is to panic and start acting like a weirdo. Make fun of it. Get goofy. Breathe. Think of playing baseball with Kangaroos. Anything to take your mind off of your Brain Sweats.
Oh, and you probably will find that you actually will begin to sweat for real!
I finally did say Toyota right. My secret? I took my Left Shoe off and waved it in the air while I read the copy.
Seriously !
Whatever it takes.
Tags: acting, actor, artist, business, How to act, voice, Voice over advice, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Jul 9, 2009 in
Voice Over From the outside in, Voice Over is one of the greatest jobs on earth. (Always: As long as you’re working.) To be honest from the inside out, it’s even better then that!
I love working in Voice Over and that is why I do it.
Unfortunately why most people get into it is for the lifestyle and/or the money.
Silly, Silly, People.
"I'm just in it for the Money!"
Though they both may be great products of a successful VO career, they don’t provide the drive for attaining a successful career.
The Hope must be fueled by the right desire. In my opinion, that desire is the WORK itself.
Money and Lifestyle make for false hope’s that are much easier to disappoint.
Tags: acting, actor, Add new tag, artist, How to act, la, Money, voice, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Jun 22, 2009 in
Voice Over Walked into a casting directors office today and had to make sure I was signing in for a voice over audition, and not for Kevin Costner’s roll in The Big Chill 2.
Never get cast as the Dead Man in a movie.
Things are slow, real slow. The office was scary quite, just as work for most is scary quite. The only thing you can do when it gets slow, is to get busy!
The more you think about the slow, the slower it’s gonna get. So get out there and do what you always wished you had the time to do. Do what you’re good at and get better.
Take a class, work on your craft.
One guy I know has dropped his golf handicap by 2 points.
I’m hitting the “To Do” list around the house, and our garden has never looked better. Might even make it to the Ukulele jam session I’ve been meaning to go to.
Never let slow draw attention to itself. It makes you do things like think about getting another job, and that’s almost as bad as thinking about teaching.
Tags: acting, actor, artist, business, Costner, la, Money, voice, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Apr 20, 2009 in
Voice Over When I started out as an actor I read or saw nearly everything I could on how to be an actor. I read Linkleter for voice, Brockett for History, Mamet for how not to act, and Cain for how not to blink. 
For the most part what I learned became part of my collective unconscious, however one piece of advise from some “How to Act” book from some unremembered partially famous actor, has continued to periodically surface in a check reminder.
No matter how good of friends you become with your agent, there will probably be a time when, for business reasons, you’ll have to leave for another agent.
It is a harsh reality that I never thought would apply to me, as my agent at the time was 150 years old, smelled of cigarettes smoked during prohibition, and could never remember who I was.
Only you will know when it’s time to leave and hopefully after much thought and sought advice. As a cartoon on the wall of a casting director reads:
Changing Agents is like changing chairs on the Titanic.
Rash and quick changing of agents in an effort to find the always elusive “Greener Grass.“, will more often then not make you wish you could Wonder Twins Power into the shape of a boomerang and find your way back to your old agent. You can imagine that Humble Pie is a big ole’ slice of bitter.
When it’s the right time and the right reasons, changing agents, no matter how good of friends you’ve become, can be one of the most useful tools you have to further your career.
Just remember
Be Good
Don’t burn a bridge if you don’t have to. Your Old Agent may be your next best New Agent!
Tags: acting, actor, Agent, business, How to act, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Mar 16, 2009 in
Voice Over 
Everybody want to be a Voice Over actor. I mean, it’s easy right?
The Good
You show up to work in your T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. You read a few words that you don’t have to memorize, drink coffee, eat free food, and then about an hour later go home to your fantastic VO pad, pour the Margarita’s and wait for the fat checks to come raining down like candy at a 4th of July Parade.
The Bad
You send out your demo, that cost you 1500 dollars, to potential agents for the 3rd time and for the 3rd time they tell you they have too many people with your voice on the roster. You take class after class, go to audition after audition, and then finally you get a booking… and it’s to be voice #2 for Sun Drop Soda.
It’s your big break! Your part consists of saying “Awesome!” and the commercial is going to run in the SouthEast and Wisconsin. You go home to your one room garden apartment, fire up the hot plate for afternoon Ramen and Beans and wait for your $250 check to arrive 2 months late.
The Ugly
Your Agent calls you in the morning (all good agent calls come in the morning), to tell you , that you just booked “The Voice Of…” You have multiple recording sessions from your new home studio, and you know spend more time on the phone with your agent then your girlfriend/boyfriend.
You buy the car/shoes/house/boat/ski condo on the beach (just cause you can). You pay for dinner… for the table next to you. The sessions just keep coming and the fat checks arrive in your mailbox like pre approved credit cards.
Then one day while watching your 70 inch Waterproof Hovercraft LCD that’s floating above the pool, you see your commercial… except the voice at the end isn’t you… somebody else is “The Voice of…”.
You call your agent, he says they went a different direction/lost the account/is as shocked as you.
It was your only account, the fat checks go anorexic. Your monthly bills rivals the GDP of Guam, but you’re so used to spending like Bradgelina and investing like Madoff that you find yourself sleeping in your friends garage next to his Ferret Farm wishing you could go home to your one room garden apartment, fire up the hot plate for afternoon Ramen and Beans and wait for your $250 check to arrive 2 months late.
Tags: acting, actor, Add new tag, artist, business, la, Money, voice, voiceover
Posted by Dale on Feb 23, 2009 in
Voice Over Rule number 34: The only person who understands the life of a voice over actor, is a voice over actor.
There comes a time in every VO’s life where the only person you can talk about VO is with another VO. And believe me, you will need to talk VO. But, no matter how long you’ve been married, together, around someone, if they don’t VO, then they don’t really know VO.
It’s like being home schooled. You just sit there learning from Mom, and if there’s no outlet with fellow students you become…well…home schooled.
A friend of mine once told me:
“The mind is like a dark alley way. A bad place to be alone.”
So too is the mind of VO actor. You have to make time to sit down over coffee, wine, pudding, whatever, to talk shop.
There’s enough examples of VO actors who don’t find the time to socialize and self therapize. They sit at home and stew over every moment of every read. They think of nothing but VO and tend to spiral down into actor self pity and/or self superiority.
These people tend to part conversations like Moses parting the Red Sea. We all know them and we all avoid them.
Telling your worries, problems, successes to a friend who is, say a Pharmacist, will get you pills not sympathy. (Most likely for treating neurosis.)
The need to vent about lack of auditions, bad agents, bad jobs, no work, is an important part of staying sane, with the most sympathetic ear always being someone who needs to do the same.
Open up conversation with a trusted VO friend and save yourself the therapist fee.
Tags: acting, actor, artist, business, therapy, voice, voiceover