Vox Talk

Greetings and welcome to the first annual 60 Second Pitch Contest Awards show sponsored by Voices.com. I’m your host, Stephanie Ciccarelli.

Before we publicly recognize the finalists, I’d like to give a brief explanation of what a 60 Second Pitch is.

For 60 seconds, candidates will be pitching their services, letting everyone know who they are, what they do and how their product or service can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Three voice actors will be chosen from this group of outstanding participants as winners, but truth be told, everyone who entered the contest is better for it as the true prize is being able to confidently converse and promote your business.

The criteria being judged includes: clarity, purpose, passion, creativity and professionalism.

And the finalists for the 2007 60 Second Pitch Contest, in alphabetical order, are:

Alison Pitman, Amy Snively, Amy Taylor, Betty in Boca, Bob Green, Bryan Cox, Chuck Patterson, Doug Barron, Jason McCoy, Janice Downes, John Weeks, Karen Commins, L J Jackson, Marc Cashman, Mike Holmes, Rajiv Hasan, Robert Jadah, Thom Wilkins, Tracey Rolfe, Troy Lund and Vicki Amorose.

Prizes for the winners of the 60 Second Pitch Contest are as follows:

First Place, valued at $2500.00 includes a Five-year Premium membership subscription to Voices.com, a website optimization package, a public relations campaign, a featured article on the #1 voice over blog VOX Daily, Julie Williams’ “Proven Voice-Over Techniques” CD, and coverage in the Biz segment on the VOX Talk Podcast along with a link on the Voices.com home page for one week.

The 2nd place winner receives a prize package valued at $1000 which includes a 3-year Premium membership subscription to Voices.com, website optimization package, a public relations campaign, the “Proven Voice-Over Techniques” CD courtesy of Julie Williams, and an acknowledgment on VOX Daily and VOX Talk with a link to their website.

And 3rd place, valued at $500 receives a one-year Premium membership subscription to Voices.com, website optimization, a press campaign, the “Proven Voice-Over Techniques” CD courtesy of Julie Williams, and an acknowledgment on both VOX Daily and VOX Talk with a link to their website.

In no particular order, here are the top three finalists for the 2007 Voices.com 60 Second Pitch Contest...

Thank you also to all of our finalists and voice actors who entered the contest this year.

On behalf of the team at Voices.com, I’d like to thank you for listening and for showing your support to all of the participants who entered the contest. If you’d like to leave a comment or warm wishes, you can do so by visiting podcasts.voices.com/ and click on VOX Talk where you’ll find this special episode entitled 60 Second Pitch 2007.

Salutation:

Hi guys, I’m Stephanie and welcome to VOX Talk! Today, we’re joined by Betty in Boca, Amy Taylor and Adam Fox. As they say in the biz, on with the show!

The Loop:

Harry Potter Narrator Jim Dale in Bethesda

In audio book news, Washingtonian.com reports that Broadway actor and Harry Potter narrator Jim Dale took time to share his experiences at the Borders bookstore in Bethesda, gaining a whole new audience by giving voice to Harry, Hermione, Severus Snape, Voldemort and more. The 17-disc audio set of the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is selling almost as quickly as the book.

Not only was Dale one of the first people to know the fate of Harry and his friends, he was also one of the first to come up with voices for J.K. Rowling’s characters. He even earned a spot in the Guinness World Records for providing the most voices in an audio book thanks to his work on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, in which there were 134 characters.

To learn more about Jim Dale, Google Jim Dale and Harry Potter or visit Jim’s website jim-dale.com

News #2

Male voice-overs more popular in South Africa?

In voice over news, it appears that South African advertisers prefer women to be seen and not heard. AllAfrica.com reports that recent studies covering 1650 radio, television, print and billboard advertisements in South Africa, Mauritius, Zambia and Zimbabwe, aimed to establish how women and men are represented and portrayed in advertising, monitored over a period of two weeks last December.

As in other countries, women in advertisements in South Africa predominated in still images (print and billboards) rather than in voice and sound (on television and radio). Men's voices dominated in voice-overs, a finding in line with global research. At 24%, SA and Zimbabwe had the lowest proportion of female voice-overs in the entire study.

To learn more about this study and read the full article, go to allafrica.com or visit the VOX Talk show notes.

News #3

In closing, an interview with Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, has been published on OrlandoSentinel.com. One little known fact shared in the interview was that as a child, Nancy Cartwright had made her hero the famous voice actor Daws Butler, the voice of Yogi Bear among others, her pen pal!

To read the interview, go to orlandosentinel.com and search for Nancy Cartwright in their Entertainment section.

The Biz:

Today in The Biz, Betty in Boca is joined by Amy Taylor as they presents us with another comical slice of life, this time about voice over jargon and the Average Joe.

Thank you Betty and Amy! To let Betty know about any experiences you’ve had with people outside of voice acting, send her an email to bettyinboca@earthlink.net

Tech Talk:

This week in Tech Talk, Adam Fox shares some great tips for how to pick appropriate music beds to accompany your voice over recordings.

Thank you Adam. As always, you can hit Adam up with your feedback and podmail at Adam@DefiantDigital.com ☺

VoxBox:

In the VOX Box today, I’d like to remind everyone that there is going to be a special episode of VOX Talk arriving between episode 39 (that’s this episode) and episode 40. This Friday July 27th, we’ll be airing the 60 Second Pitch awards show via the VOX Talk podcast feed. Stay subscribed to find out who the winners are and to keep receiving VOX Talk!

Farewell:

Again, don’t forget to tune in to the 60 Second Pitch contest awards show. If you haven’t subscribed already, go to podcasts.voices.com/voxtalk or track us down in the Apple iTunes Podcast Directory by searching for VOX Talk or my name, Stephanie Ciccarelli. Bye for now!

VOX Talk PODCAST: EPISODE 38

Salutation:

Hi there, I’m Stephanie and welcome to the show. Today, we’re joined by Elie Hirschman, Adam Fox interviewing Bob Oakman, and by some raw audio from one of our “Transformers”. Are you ready for this?

The Loop:

Bryan Cox Voices Iron Hide in Transformers Movie

In entertainment news, Bryan Cox, a voice actor and comedian from Saskatchewan in Canada is the voice of Iron Hide in Michael Bay’s Transformers movie, playing in theatres everywhere. A friend of Bryan’s has also formed a Facebook group in honor of this great achievement. I’ve joined it myself! If you know Bryan, you should too.

Learn more about where to sign up in the VOX Talk show notes at podcasts.voices.com/

News #2

Facebook Voice Actor Explosion

In voice over news, the new online hangout for social networking is none other than Facebook.com! You can join several different groups for voice over to discuss topics among fellow voice actors and get to know others in the biz. The Voice Acting Hub now has 83 members and is going strong. Come join the fun!

Signup for a free Facebook account by going to Facebook.com

News #3

In closing, voice over coach Scott Shurian made headlines in the Salt Lake Tribune this week, a fitting tribute to a voice actor who is not just a master instructor but a veteran, aged 75, who has voiced over 7500 narrations and commercials over his career.

To read the article, search for “Salt Lake Tribune and Scott Shurian” or visit the show notes here at VOX Talk for the link.

The Biz:

Today in The Biz, Elie Hirschman talks about his experience voicing an avatar for SitePal!

Thanks Elie.

Tech Talk:

This week in Tech Talk, Adam Fox interviews friend and voice over colleague, Bob Oakman.

For those of you who recognized Bob’s voice or thought you’d heard it before on the podcast, you’re right! Bob recorded the intros for Adam’s Tech Talk segments. A special thank you to Adam and Bob for putting this interesting and entertaining interview together ☺

VoxBox:

In the VOX Box today, it’s the last call for the Julie Williams “Proven Voice-Over Techniques” workshop hosted at Voices.com this Saturday, July 21st. The workshop takes place between 1-3 p.m. and there will be food, freebies, and a prize as well as a spectacular opportunity to review Julie’s newest release. Take the review CD and chocolates home – they’re yours to keep! There's still room at the table, so register on the VOX Daily blog now to reserve your spot or email me at Stephanie@voices.com to RSVP.

Farewell:

Well, that’s all for this week! We love hearing from you and thank you for staying subscribed to VOX Talk! You can subscribe to this podcast through the iTunes Podcast Directory, by RSS feed or by email on the VOX Talk website at podcasts.voices.com/. I’m your host, Stephanie Ciccarelli. Take care and we’ll be seeing you next week!

VOX Talk PODCAST: EPISODE 37

Salutation:

Hi there, I’m Stephanie and welcome to the show. Today, we have a special treat for you in The Biz and Betty in Boca in Tech Talk. Get ready for VOX Talk!

The Loop:

Apple iPhone, over 1 million sold

In technology news, Steve Job’s and his team at Apple have sold over 1 million iPhones since first releasing them a couple of weeks ago on June 29th, 2007, selling an estimated 5 - 700,000 in the first week alone. The iPhones were released at midnight on June 29th and even Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak lined up to get some.

The Apple iPhone is a three-in-one gadget embodying the traits of an iPod, a phone, and full Internet access. In order to activate the iPhone, you have to sync it up to your iTunes player. iPhones run for $599 a piece.

To learn more about the Apple iPhone and where you can get one, go to apple.com/iphone

News #2

Marc Graue’s studio projects

In voice over news, the Marc Graue Voice Over Recording Studio in Burbank, California, always has fabulous projects on the go. Most recently, the team at the oldest voice over studio in Burbank completed recordings for the Transformers video game with Frank Welker and Peter Cullen as well as ADR sessions with actors in the Transformers movie.

To read more about what’s going on at Marc Graue’s, check out his website at fixinthemix.com.

News #3

London, Canada opportunity to review Julie Williams Proven Voice-Over Techniques

And to wrap up, if you live in London, Ontario Canada or the surrounding area, you’re invited to participate in a review of voice over coach Julie Williams’ updated release of “Proven Voice-Over Techniques” at Voices.com! Each person who reviews the CD will receive their very own copy of Julie’s Proven Voice-Over Techniques and some goodies for your sweet tooth ☺

Spaces are limited to 15 participants, so if you are available on the afternoon of Saturday July 21st and would like to come, be sure to send me an email at Stephanie@voices.com to reserve your spot.

The Biz:

Today in The Biz, I’m pleased to present a gift from Joan Baker, voice over coach, author and performer.

I hope you enjoyed hearing this excerpt from Joan. To hear more from Joan Baker, tune in to Voice Over Experts for Episode 6 next week where Joan will be lecturing on the topic “The Myth of Rejection”.

Tech Talk:

This week in Tech Talk, Betty in Boca joins us to chat about recruiting free, pint-sized recording engineers.

Thank you Betty. Betty’s topic goes hand in hand with the Family Week on VOX Daily and we wanted to be sure that you heard her piece here on VOX Talk to coincide with it. If you liked Betty’s segment this week, let her know by dropping her a line at bettyinboca@earthlink.net. Join us next week with Adam Fox in Tech Talk!

VoxBox:

In the VOX Box today, I’d like to remind you that we are accepting entries for the 60 Second Pitch Contest until July 20th, 2007. That’s only a week away! A 60 Second Pitch lets people know who you are, what you do, and how you can serve them through your business. This week, we featured Bettye Zoller on Voice Over Experts talking about just how to go about this and why having an “Elevator Speech” or pitch is important for any voice actor.

To learn more about the contest and how to enter, go to voices.com/60secondpitch/enter.html. The Winners will be announced via the VOX Talk podcast on July 27th, so stay subscribed.

Farewell:

Well, that’s all for this week! We love hearing from you and thank you for staying subscribed to VOX Talk! You can subscribe to this podcast through the iTunes Podcast Directory, by RSS feed or by email on the VOX Talk website at podcasts.voices.com/. I’m your host, Stephanie Ciccarelli. Take care and we’ll be seeing you next week!

VOX Talk PODCAST: EPISODE 36

Salutation:

Hi there, I’m Stephanie and welcome to the show. In this holiday edition, we’re ready to go with segments from Elie Hirschman and Adam Fox. But before these gentlemen take center stage, let’s consume some voiceover news.

The Loop:

Brandon, Manitoba Wheat Kings Seek Part-time PA Announcer

In voice over news, the Brandon Manitoba Wheat Kings Hockey Club in the Western Hockey League is looking for a new PA Announcer.

The person selected will be responsible for attending all regular season and playoff home games, managing all aspects of the Wheat Kings' Game Night portfolio including commercial "voice overs" and coordinating the many in-game promotions during the course of a contest. As well, they will work closely with both Wheat Kings' game day operations director Drew Clayton and Howling the Night Away Productions.

To learn more about the position and how to apply, visit wheatkings.com

http://wheatkings.com/news_item.aspx?news_id=4025

News #2

Fran Capo Discovery Channel Spot

If you think you can talk fast, you should watch the YouTube video of Fran Capo clocking in at speeds ten times faster than an average human being. There’s gotta be something about her brochus! How does she do it?

Watch the video either at YouTube.com or by visiting Bob Souer’s blog linked from our show notes.

News #3

60 Second Pitch Contest

If you’ve ever found it hard to tell other people what you do for a living check out the Voices.com 60 Second Pitch Contest. On Monday July 9th, we’ll be hosting a webinar that will teach you how to structure a pitch about your business and give you tips on how to enter the contest to win some great prizes!

To register for the 60 Second Pitch workshop sign up for the webinar at voices.webex.com

The Biz:

Today in The Biz, Elie Hirschman talks about a timely and disgusting topic… allergies!

Elie thank you for bringing this issue up, particularly with all the pollen in the air lately. Good show ☺

Tech Talk:

This week in Tech Talk, we have a feature from our Defiant Digital correspondent, Adam Fox with some VO from Bob Green.

Thank you Adam! To let Adam know how you do what you do, send him a quick email at adam@defiantdigital.com

VoxBox:

In the VOX Box today, I’d like to share some feedback presented to our Voice Over Experts Julie Williams and Bob Bergen.

Here’s some praise for Julie Williams:

David K. Jones said:

Well said, Julie...and with "color!"

Your comments on the site member’s success or lack thereof were perfect. I've had great success and I too have been asked why a particular service doesn't work for an individual. Now, I'll just tell them to listen to your podcast! It should be mandatory for every new member.

Regarding your comments on "color" and practice:

I've been doing this for many moons, but I frequently surf the demos, listening to how others "sell" their copy. I'm always picking up new tricks or inspiration. Just like I did by listening to your podcast. Thanks!

Now, we some praise for Bob Bergen:

This comes from James Dawson:

I think Bob's comments are invaluable especially, as one who is transitioning from a producer and editor to voice talent.

Bob identified all the same problems I encountered with training and a demo I had produced by a New York City studio... too soon, too little variation, inadequate backing tracks.

Many thanks!!! Now I'm off to find an acting class.

And last not least, this comment comes to Bob from Paul:

This whole site is fantastic! I'm about to attend the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and these podcasts are very valuable! Before I start creating any kind of voice over demos, I'm going to do a significant amount of practicing and learning from this site's tips as well!!!

Thank you guys for commenting and supporting our coaches! If you’d like to listen to Voice Over Experts, go to podcasts.voices.com

Farewell:

Well, that’s all for this week! We love hearing from you and thank you for staying subscribed to VOX Talk! You can subscribe to this podcast through the iTunes Podcast Directory, by RSS feed or by email on the VOX Talk website at podcasts.voices.com/. I’m your host, Stephanie Ciccarelli. Take care and we’ll be seeing you next week!