VO

Voiceover- SOUND4VO in Nashville!

September 26, 2014 by Dan Friedman

BookDetail October 4th – Home Audio Studio Guru, Dan Friedman and Booth Camp’s own, Joe Loesch will conduct a one day voice over workshop in Nashville at Creative License, Inc. 5532 Maplesong Drive. They’ll tackle topics every voice actor needs to hear. Plan to join two of the nations most sought after coaches on this special day!
Contact alan@actorsschoolusa.com – Book it now!

Sound4VO's Dan Friedman-097 Dan Friedman will offer tips on breaking down copy and how to deliver the unwritten messages within the script. He’ll give advice on recording auditions so you can be sure you are sending exactly what your agent or client prefers to hear, both sonically and in your performance. Dan will have several microphones on hand to help you discover what to listen for and how to sound your best. Signed copies of Sound Advice – Voiceover From an Audio Engineer’s Perspective will be available. https://sound4vo.com/.

20ec7f46-f58c-4e25-81ee-bffe8fdefb6c Joe Loesch will share the latest innovations from IK Multimedia and unique ways to set up your portable studio on-the-go. You’ll learn how to incorporate the use of a teleprompter app for your online projects and auditions. Joe and Dan will put you through the paces of an audio audition. Record, playback and critique.
Some lucky students will go home with some pretty grand prizes!
http://JoeLoesch.com

Contact Alan Dysert at alan@ActorsSchoolUSA.com to book SOUND ADVICE today!

Voiceover – My FaffCon Wrap-up and …Now What?

September 25, 2014 by Dan Friedman

Another FaffCon has come and gone and …WOW, they just keep getting better and better. Each and every FaffCon holds a special place in my heart. My friend and fellow “Faffer” Brad Venable wrote in his latest blog how “transcendent” the FaffCon experience can be. Definitely check it out. Many people, including myself, have either had a similar experience, will have a similar experience, or experience this transcendence every single time. Pretty cool.

This FaffCon took place at the Westward Look Resort and Spa in Tucson, AZ. A place that seemed to get more beautiful every time I turned around. Thanks to a year and a half of acting classes, where I learned deep relaxation/meditation techniques, I was able to take full advantage of the meditation labyrinth. IMG_1385I also enjoyed a massage and my first ever facial (Didn’t know what to expect, thought it might be silly, but actually …ITS AWESOME). These experiences were a great way to start the unconference. All of this (plus the learning opportunities, reconnecting with old friends, making new friends) as Joey Schaljo so eloquently described it… “exfoliated my soul!” Haha, brilliant!!

Upon returning home, the goal is to keep that momentum going. For me this means taking a day to rest, collect my thoughts, and reflect on all that I learned and experienced. Once that day is done, its time to begin putting it all to work. My first task is follow-up. Plans get made while at an event such as this and I find that following up immediately with the people with whom I made those plans is critical. Next, I go over my notes and set goals. I also write a blog about it. 😉

Some goals will be simple, easily attainable and require just a small amount of effort. Other goals will be bigger and the ingredients needed to achieve them will need to simmer awhile to develop. Voiceover is, after all, a Crockpot career. As a relatively new solopreneur, goal setting, list-making and tracking will need to become a part of my everyday routine. Thanks to all that I learned from so many amazing people over this past weekend, I should have an easier time with all of it. I’m so grateful to everyone who shared their experience and expertise over the weekend. More importantly, thank you for your love, support and friendship. It isn’t often that, as adults, we make friends who will last a lifetime. Over the last few years, thanks to FaffCon, I have made several.

What’s next? I’ll be heading to Nashville on October 5th to co-teach a workshop with Joe Loesch. Nashville is a great city and I’ve heard they might even have a recording studio there should I need to use one. 😉 After that, I’ll be heading to Ft. Myers for the November to Remember VO Event hosted by Randy Thomas. In December, I’ll teach a voiceover workshop at my acting home, Screen Artists Co-Op. Then, almost before you know it, FaffCamp in San Antonio!

I look forward to seeing everyone again very soon! I wish you all phenomenal success in your VO career.

Voiceover – What I Took With Me On My Summer Vacation

August 25, 2014 by Dan Friedman

I spent quite a bit of time relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather we had this summer. For me the highlights were seeing Steely Dan at the Biltmore Estate (they were incredible) and I also spent a week out on the beach at Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This was the first time I had ever been to a beach outside of the beaches in Florida. Ocracoke was pristine and beautiful. We brought our two kids, our dog and (since they were too young to stay home by themselves) our two new kittens along with us. I’m sure we looked like the Beverly Hillbillies driving the nine hour drive to and from the beach. The car was jam packed!

Ocracoke Sunset However, the voiceover business doesn’t stop when we go on vacation. So naturally, I had to leave some room in the car for a travel rig so that I could continue to do auditions and, yes, do a couple of jobs that came in during the week. Since returning, I have seen several posts in social media, and received a few inquiries regarding a travel recording setup. So today, I’m sharing my list of gear with you. This setup worked well for me and I received excellent feedback from my clients on the sound quality. The following is what I brought along. Nearly all of it fit into my computer bag.

My microphone – The Sennheiser 416. It’s lightweight, offers excellent rejection of the surrounding environment and is very sturdy. The 416 has become my go to microphone in my regular studio setup as well. This is helpful as using the same microphone presents one less variable in my overall sound whether I am in the studio or on the road.

My preamp/interface – The Centrance MicPortPro. It is very compact and the preamp offers plenty of headroom and low self-noise. I placed the windsock on the microphone (eliminating the need to also bring a pop-screen) and placed the mic and the MPP inside the Sennheiser mic case for easy travel.
Ocracoke Lighthouse

My recording device – I brought my MacBook Pro and my iPad. I travel with both. Yes, this is heavier and takes up a bit more space, but editing is much easier on the laptop and the iPad is much more useful for viewing scripts.

A ProLine PLDMS1 mic stand. This little stand is quite sturdy. It folds up easily and fits in a computer bag. The only drawback to this stand is that the mic clip adaptor screws on really tight without much effort. It required pliers to remove it. This was annoying, but not a show-stopper.

Because you can never be too prepared, as a backup to all of this, I brought along my Apogee MiC.

A packing/moving blanket. I needed something to use while laying out on the beach! Actually, I did my recording from the back seat of my car. Modern cars can be quite effective as emergency vocal booths. I used the packing blanket to throw over the two front seats giving me increased isolation from the large front window and thus less sound reflecting off of the glass. Yes, I could have also used it as a beach blanket.

The most important item was one that was already provided… high-speed internet. This is a must for sending and receiving files. Also, while it wasn’t necessary on this trip, with high-speed internet access I could have used ipDTL or Source Connect Now.

So, there you have it… my travel setup. Keep in mind, everyone’s sound and situation are different. What worked well for me may not be the perfect setup for you. In other words, whether you are in your studio or out on the road… your mileage may vary. 😉

I hope you have had a fantastic summer! What do you bring out on the road?

Voiceover Websites

June 11, 2014 by Dan Friedman

Its always an honor to be recognized by your peers. Voiceover talent Dane Reid has listed Sound4VO among his list of “Top 10 Voiceover Websites”. I’m thrilled to have been considered and listed among the nine other fantastic voiceover industry websites. Be sure to visit each of them.

Thank you so much Dane Reid.

Please check out Dane’s video:

Dane-Reids-Top-10-Voiceover-Websites

I Want Your GREAT Voiceover Demo!

January 14, 2014 by Dan Friedman

Many of you may have seen or read that I will be speaking at the VOAtlanta2014 Conference in March. I’m very excited for the opportunity and my goal is to make the experience educational, fun and interactive for everyone who decides to join me. The topic I will discuss is voiceover demos. Over the last 14 years I’ve created many of them, heard thousands of submissions and have also written several blogs about the topic. I know what I like and why I like it. BUT… I want to hear from you!

What is it about your demo that you like? What is it about someone else’s demo that you like? Do you create demos for voice actors? If so, do you have a favorite? Do you have a philosophy for demo creation? To your ears… who has the best demo you’ve heard? Other than the traditional commercial, promo and narration demos, how important are niche’ demos?

I could easily talk about demos, and almost anything related to VO, for an hour (or more) straight. But this isn’t about me. While most of us know there are some basic rules to follow when it comes to demos… they are also an expression of creativity and individuality. Demos are personal. Demos open and close doors to people within seconds. They are far too important for only one person’s opinion and voice to be heard.

If you have a great demo, this will be an opportunity to share it. If you create great demos, this will be an opportunity to share your work and promote your services. Do you have great demos on your talent roster? This is an opportunity to get your talent heard and promote your agency or production house. You just never know who may be listening in the audience. 😉

The level of promotion or discretion is up to you. Just let me know which you would prefer.

Send your voiceover demos to dan@sound4vo.com. Please put “DEMO” in the subject line and please limit your submissions to two (one male, one female, two categories, etc.). Tell me who produced it and/or what it is you love about it. If you produce demos, please also let me know if you have a philosophy or a strategy before you begin. Most importantly, let me know if you have any helpful tips for voice actors, that you wished every talent knew, before beginning the process of making a demo.

I look forward to hearing the demos and the information about them that you wish to share. Be advised that the demo and related information may or may not be shared at the conference and will be open to critique by myself or someone in the audience. But you won’t have anything to fear! Its a GREAT demo.

Voiceover – New Year, New Focus

January 1, 2014 by Dan Friedman

Happy 2014!

I have to say that, for me, 2013 was an incredible year. A year of dramatic ups and downs. A year that introduced new, and some completely unexpected, opportunities. As I look ahead to 2014, I know that change is in the air. Much of the groundwork for that change was laid this past year. The beginning of the new year is a time when most of us set goals and make resolutions. So, one of my goals for the new year is to focus on performance. Not just mine, but yours as well.

If you are working as, or wanting to become, a voice talent… this year could be a great year of change for you too.

Here is some good news, the technical side of voice work is getting easier. Manufacturers are introducing products that help take the recording environment out of the equation. From microphones that attempt to eliminate or adjust for room acoustics to better portable booths and other acoustic control devices, this area of recording technology continues to develop and improve.

ISDN… I think we all can see where and how that is going. Thankfully, voiceover talent finally have some alternatives entering the market that are both cost effective and easy to use. Best of all, they don’t require additional hardware to use them. (currently SoundStreak and ipDTL).

Accessibility and acoustics matter greatly and it is clear that our industry is helping to drive the demand for cheaper, easier, more effective and more reliable solutions in these areas. As they improve, the playing field will be leveled even further and vocal quality and performance will become even more singular differentiating factors among voice actors. All of that being said… you should still buy my book Sound Advice – Voiceover From An Audio Engineer’s Perspective. 😉

I encourage everyone with the passion and drive required towork in the voiceover industry to focus on your performance and deliveries first. If you are new to the industry, focus on getting proper training. If you’re already a working pro, invite a second set of ears to offer direction on your auditions. It certainly can not hurt.

As for my personal focus and goals for this year, I am expanding my teaching focus to include performance. I have been invited to teach voiceover at the Screen Artists Co-op in Asheville, NC. So, if you have an interest in voiceover and live in Asheville, Greenville or the surrounding areas, I hope you will come check out the Co-op. I have been focusing on performance by taking acting classes there since June (I begin my third block later this month) and can tell you it has been one of the best experiences of my adult life. Of course I will never abandon my love of production, mixing and recording technology or my willingness to share the knowledge I have gained in these areas with voice actors. If you think I am the right person to help you or a friend in any of these areas of the voiceover industry, please let me know.

I wish you all the best for the new year. I hope everyone has a happy, healthy and phenomenally successful 2014!

Voiceover- SOUND4VO in Nashville!

Voiceover – My FaffCon Wrap-up and …Now What?

Voiceover – What I Took With Me On My Summer Vacation

Voiceover Websites

I Want Your GREAT Voiceover Demo!

Voiceover – New Year, New Focus

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