A Fish Story and Your Studio

Lake Quinalt Lodge

A few weeks ago, Cameron and I traveled to the Olympic Peninsula to spend a few days at the beautiful, historic Lake Quinault Lodge. The weather was unseasonably perfect with sunshine and comfortable temperatures. It was a perfect getaway.

Before we made it to the lodge, we took a detour to Neah Bay to enjoy the Makah Museum and grab some smoked salmon Cam read about in Yelp. The museum was spectacular with many Native Makah artifacts and loads of historical references and information about the Makahs. It was well worth the drive.

Take Home Fish Co.

Our other destination, Take Home Fish Company, was quite a surprise. When Cameron told me about it, I imagined a well-lit store with a refrigerator case packed with smoked salmon and other delicious Pacific Northwest treats. To my shock, my imagined fish shop was nothing more than a garage, slightly modified to be used as a fish shack.

Diesel flavored smoked salmon swam through my thoughts.

We walked in feeling skeptical about the offerings. Diesel flavored smoked salmon swam through my thoughts. The guy behind the small counter presented us with a number of options, which were neatly vacuum packed and ready for immediate sale.

This was it? I admit, I hadn’t taken the time to check out Yelp to see what this place was about. I was close to walking out without spending a dime. Cameron was a more willing customer and decided on two vac-packs of smoked fish, one salmon the other deep sea black cod.

Makah Bay

As we drove away from Neah Bay with our purchase, I started thinking about the many voice talents starting out who create their magic from a closet, spare bedroom and other home areas that don’t resemble a studio, even remotely. If an area can be treated and used to record and the result is flawless fidelity, what does it matter?

I’ve read studio descriptions from established talent who don’t record in a closet or bedroom but have an acoustically designed booth of some sort. I congratulate them for making the financial decision to invest in their recording area. But, it’s uncool to trash talk those who work out of something less and still deliver amazing audio.

Evidently the clients don’t care as long as it sounds good.

The deliverable is what the client is most interested about. I’m pretty sure they care 1% or less how or where their ready-to-use sound was created. They know what sounds good for their project. I’ve read about jobs being done in hotel rooms with comforters, blankets and pillows used to create a satisfactory recording environment. Evidently the clients don’t care as long as it sounds good. It they did care where it was recorded few people, if any, would record on the road.

Lake Quinault

And, as for the smoked fish? Best. Smoked. Fish. EVAR! It was tasty and the perfect first meal at the Quinault Lodge. We gobbled down the fish along with some cheddar cheese, sourdough bread and a few glasses of port. Kimm, the owner of Take Home Fish Co. didn’t need a fancy store or state of the art tools to create what will be tough to beat by anybody else smoking fish. He had talent and an understanding of how to best use his workspace.

© 2015 J. Christopher Dunn

Other posts you might find interesting:
6 Questions to Ask Mr. Google!
Your Next Client Could be a Return Call Away
Are You Available?

Watch and Learn – 6 Video Series for Voice Talents

Are You A Watcher or A Listener?

It’s possible you prefer one over the other when learning or discovering new ideas and methods. I’m more of a watcher and appreciate professionals who take the time to produce enjoyable content.

In my three prior posts 12 Voiceover Podcasts You Should Not Miss (Part 1, Part 2) and 5 Reader Recommended VO Podcasts Not to Miss I gave you a number of podcast choices that related in some way to the business of voiceover. I received comments about several video selections that people enjoyed as well, and that is the subject of this post. Watch and learn.

 

By far, the watchable with the most recommendations was VO Buzz Weekly, hosted by Demo Producer/Director Chuck Duran and Voice Actor/TV host, Stacey J. Aswad. Each weekly episode features entertaining guests and deep-dive interviews. You’ll be fascinated with the backgrounds and journeys that many top voiceover professionals have made. Past shows include Townsend Coleman, the man behind the voice of TMNT Michelangelo; voiceover educator and active voice actor; Pat Fraley and voiceover coach Nancy Wolfson.
VO Buzz Weekly on YouTube

 

Consistent and unpredictable (in a good way!) best describes East West Audio Body Shop. Almost every Monday (6PT/9ET) The Home Studio Master, Dan Lenard and VO Studio Tech, George Whittam host a live 90-minute webcast that covers a wide range of interesting VO topics. From audio processing, hardware selection and mic technique to interviews with established audio and voice talent professionals. Recent shows covered demos, new voiceover awards and a fan roundtable. As an added feature, a chat room gives you instant access to the hosts where they can read your questions, comments and opinions.
East West Audio Body Shop on YouTube

 

When your voiceover appetite is leaning towards something more geeky and technology based, George Whittam has you covered with Edge Studio’s, Whittam’s World. George is the go-to guy when it comes to the studio side of your voiceover business. Each week he discusses a specific topic in depth and provides real world advice and suggestions about how to get the most out of your personal studio. George is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Audio Technology, which makes him a welcome specialist.
Edge Studio’s, Whittam’s World, on YouTube

 

There are days when a voiceover pick-me-up is called for. Amy Walker delivers with a fun, sometimes quirky weekly video. She’s talented and has no hesitation going over the top with her brand of entertainment. Known for several videos featuring convincing accents, Amy is also a comedian, a singer, and a motivational spirit. Her latest submission is a Joan Rivers tribute and Amy does an amazing job of channeling the energy of the recently passed comedian. Her videos are like a good bag of chips without the nasty calories. Once you watch one, you want to watch another.
Amy Walker on YouTube

 

Could it be possible to know so much about the voiceover business that creating an ongoing, weekly without repeating content appears effortless? Check out Bill DeWees from Voice-Over-Training.org. Each week Bill reaches into his bag of experience and pulls from it an interesting observation on just about any aspect of a voiceover business. Suggestions on dropping the announcer sound in favor of creating a real sounding voice is one of his most popular videos, along with building a money saving home studio, and a tip about reducing narration mistakes. Many hours of voiceover education from the convenience of your computer screen. The second best part is it’s free.
Bill DeWees, The Voice Over Expert, on YouTube

 

Do you use Adobe Audition? Would you like to dabble in production? Mike Russell will teach you how to get more out of Audition and encourage you to go beyond just recording your voice. The series of Music Radio Crative videos expertly covers many areas of Audition you may not have considered. Several episodes cover podcasting and production tips and tricks to use with your studio recordings. Make your voice sound better; general Adobe Tutorials, and adding effects to voiceovers are a few from the list of Mike’s most popular videos.
Music Radio Creative on YouTube

These are only a tiny number of mind expanding videos related to voiceover and I’m sure there’re more. What one video do you watch that’s been a huge help for your voiceover business? Leave a comment below. I’d like to know about your recommendations.

© 2014 J. Christopher Dunn

 

Other posts you might find interesting:

5 Reader Recommended VO Podcasts Not to Miss

Your Next Client Could be a Return Call Away

The Disturbing Voice Disappearance

12 Voiceover Podcasts You Should Not Miss (Pt 2)

Previously in part one of 12 Voiceover Podcasts You Should Not Miss, I introduced you to six podcasts to educate and inspire you about voiceover. I’m amazed at the amount of FREE information available through podcasts and I always feel listening to them is time well spent. I can’t think of another way to get educated passively.

This post continues with the second half of my recommended list.

 

Voice Coaches

Sometimes this podcast is too short. Warren Garling and Chris Scharling find topics that could use more time. They’re that interesting. They entertain well together and discuss methods to improve your VO business. From insightful interviews with industry professionals to marketing tips, and professional suggestions, each episode is delivered with humor and openness. Make sure to listen to the entire podcast for hilarious outtakes.

 

The Producers Podcast – Voiceover and Radio / Audio Production

While Ryan Drean’s professional focus is Country Imaging services at TM Studios, 360 Country, he is one guy that has many audio interests. His podcast is a blast to listen to and his easy going approach with the professionals he interviews gets answers and stories seldom heard elsewhere. Ryan talks with producers, voice talent and other audio industry professionals.

 

VO Minute

New to the voiceover biz? Been in it for a while? This podcast is just right for you. Host and Voice Actress Allison Moffett provides useful VO tips; suggestions for improving your studio business; tech info and personal experiences in bite sized episodes. Allison’s bubbly, upbeat delivery is fun to listen to and sure to be one of the most positive parts of your day.

 

Voice Acting Mastery: Become a Master Voice Actor in the World of Voice Over

Known for numerous video game credits, Voice Actor, Crispin Freeman is the go to guy when your interest is voice acting in animation and video games. He’s been in the business for close to three decades and has the expertise to answer your most pressing voice acting questions. Interviews with agents, voice actors, and producers are typical of what you’ll find in his biweekly podcast.

 

Voice Over Experts

One of the first podcasts I subscribed to is provided by the folks at Voices.com. I was looking for a repository of stories from industry professionals, people who were successful in what they do. I wasn’t disappointed and found each episode enlightening and educational. What happens when you have too much radio in your sound? Check out this podcast for the answer.

 

Voice Over Marketing Podcast

When your VO business could stand an injection of marketing know-how, John Melley delivers what you’ll be looking for. You love what you do otherwise you wouldn’t be doing it, right? Learn to make more money and REALLY love what you do. John has useful information specific to your business that’s easy to access and a pleasure to hear.

 

I’ve received a number of suggestions since I published part 1 of this two part post and will share them with you next time. If you have a favorite podcast that helps you with your voiceover business respond in the comments section with your suggestion.

© 2014 J. Christopher Dunn

 

Other posts you might find interesting:

Your Next Client Could be a Return Call Away

The Disturbing Voice Disappearance

Five Ways to be Remembered by Your Clients

 

 

The Disturbing Voice Disappearance

Early yesterday morning I discovered my voice had checked out. Speaking was no longer possible.

Concerned, I opened my mouth and the attempt to say what was in my head, “Hey, what’s going on here?” was futile. I laid there silent. My heart was making up for the lack of sound with hard pounding in my ears. Shaking my entire body, it felt like it might jump right out of my chest.

Thinking maybe I was parched and my vocal cords needed a splash of lubrication, I got up from bed and went to the kitchen for a drink of water.  After the drink, I formed a small question in my mind and then engaged in what I hoped to be my first words of the morning, “Have I lost my voice?”

Silence. Still nothing. My ability to speak was gone.

Concern ratcheted up to full-blown panic as multiple, unanswered questions raced through my mind. Since I rely on the use of my voice to make a living, the biggest question was, “What am I going to do, now?”

With a refill of water, I moved over to the kitchen table, grabbed a chair and sat. My head in my hands and fingers running through my hair, I made a mental list of tasks to take care of when the rest of the world is up and moving. Call the doctor being the first.

I downed the second glass of water and tried to speak again. “What am I going to do!?” I heard the words in my head but my outside voice was gone. Checked out.

If my primary tool to earn a living went AWOL, what other skill or talent could I rely on to put food on the table? I came up with a number of freelance possibilities including audiobook editor, photographer, blogger, personal cook, weed puller, dog walker and mime.

They all seemed somewhat pale in comparison to being a voice actor. I’ve learned to express emotions through my voice. Now the best I could do is facially emote and gesticulate, two things I do well in the booth. But, take those talents outside the booth, I know I’d be tossed into the house of crazy.

What seemed like hours had only been moments at most. My head was still full of questions like, “What have I done?”

The kitchen blurred and then dissolved as I found myself in bed, looking at the dresser on the other side of the room. My heart was still loud in my ears and continued to shake my body. After a moment, the fog cleared and I uttered in a whisper, “It was only a dream.”

Could you reach deep inside and find something worth your attention and passion if you lost your voice, or the primary tool for making your living? What would you do?

© 2014 J. Christopher Dunn
Image by patricia m

 

Other posts you might find interesting:

Your Next Client Could be a Return Call Away

Five Ways to be Remembered by Your Clients

Are You Available?

Let the Sound Touch You

Since you’re reading this blog you probably have, at the very least, heard about audiobooks. If you’ve been in the voiceover business for any time, you may have had the opportunity to produce a multi-hour audio masterpiece or may have timidly considered doing so.

Many of the same things to keep in mind while recording voiceovers for commercials, web explainer narration, and other short projects will also apply to long form narration. Because you are going to be in the booth awhile, you need endurance, a comfortable chair (if you site while recording) and as always, stay hydrated. Narrators that have done several books could probably add additional items. These are the basics, the commonalities for all voice recording.

Here are a few more suggestions. What I’m about to share with you should not replace practice, perspiration and patience to learn audiobook narration and production. Instead, the following should be used besides what you are already doing. To get the most out of the what follows, It will be necessary for you to set aside some time and use your ears. All you have to do is listen.

Listen to News

Every morning while I’m brewing French Roast and making my oatmeal, I listen to a PodCast of the Global News from BBC World Service. I have my ear on accents and emotions.

The show is typically hosted by somebody from the UK. I like a good Brit accent and I’m rarely disappointed.

Beyond the host, I take note of speech patterns, voice types, and the urgency of people being interviewed or providing actualities. I’m fascinated by accents, so I find it interesting to hear how different nationalities speak English.

The report is peppered with events of all types. Thankfully, I don’t have the life experience of intensely tragic events and can only imagine how I might feel after witnessing a car bomb explosion or other catastrophic happening. I can, however, hear somebody who’s experienced that in person talk about what they saw and express their emotions. I listen for the pauses, the way a person formulates what they say before they say it. Emotions are high.

To counter the doom and gloom, there are stories of happiness. I’m listening for emotions again, cadence and impact. I know how I react when I’m happy, excited or elated. Recognizing how other people react to the same, could allow me to add an element of that in my next audiobook project.

After 30-minutes, you’ll probably come away with something vocally interesting plus a little more knowledgeable about what’s going on in the rest of the world.

Another source of the same type, is the NBC Nightly News Podcast featuring anchor Brian Williams. Again, listen to how people tell a story, specifically folks being interviewed. What is it about the way they speak, or their delivery, that makes what they’er saying authentic?

Where Audiobooks Live

Audible is where most audiobooks become available. The front page of Audible.com has two links to lists that you should check out, Best Sellers and New Releases.

The Top Story Tellers

The Best Sellers list has two options available: Audible – Past 7 Days and The New York Times. I recommend taking a look at both but focus more on the Audible list because it features the top sellers of the Audible.com catalog.

In any given week, the Audible best sellers list represents a variety of genres and narrators. This audiobook buffet allows you to sample a number of successful titles. I recommend starting with the top 10, working your way through from number ten to number one. Listen to each of them.

Pay attention to the delivery of each particular genre. Narrating nonfiction is different from fiction. The tone of a thriller might have a distinct edge. Romantic reads may have a delivery that’s more warm and heartfelt.

How character voices are handled is another area to take notice. Particularly, how women and men deliver the opposite sex’s dialog.

Try to imagine what it is about the book that landed it in the top 10. It might be because the author is recognizable and the print version has had a long life in many literary lists. Maybe the narrator has brought the story to life, lifted with words with emotion, intention, and clarity. In your mind, come up with your own reason for the title’s success. While you could argue that a valid assessment of an audiobook can’t be made in five minutes or less, I counter that you can tell that you like the taste of something with just a sip or a bite, and in most cases you know why.

Typically, top selling books are narrated by established names. Four that come to mind are Maya Angelou (16+ audiobooks), Scott Brick (555+ audiobooks), Jim Dale (33+ audiobooks) and Barbara Rosenblat (246+ audiobooks). While you’re listening to the samples, take note of what you like about the narrator. Does the narrator have a way of keeping you interested with the pace of the read? Do they sound sexy or sleazy when speaking the details of a torrid night with chocolate? Is the delivery over the top, or just right? What can you learn or emulate from those at the top of their game?

The production values are high as well. Most of the top talent are recored with the assistance of an engineer who monitors fidelity, delivery and continuity. You won’t hear noisy rooms, outside elements, or distorted audio. These books are pristine. If you decide to produce audiobooks, this is the quality to strive for.

Schedule some time every week to review the top sellers. Most audio samples are five-minutes or less. Think of it as research and education.

Give an Ear to Newbies

The second list on Audible.com to focus on is New Releases. Here you’ll find samples from multiple genres narrated by talent of varying skill. A number of the narrators on New Releases are folks who are just starting out. It took courage to jump into the audiobook pond, and if being successful is important, they will improve with each book they produce.

When listening, ask yourself if you are good or better than most of the narrators you’re sampling from this list. By your comparison, can you identify how you might improve a particular read? Listen to the production quality. Can you hear room echo or reflections? Do the noises from the surrounding environment seep into the performance? Are the edits clean and does the pace reflect the current mood? Does the narrator suffer from a bout of dry mouth and could stand to be hydrated more? I’m not asking you to be hypercritical, just identify what works and what doesn’t work for you. Take time to listen for ways to improve your own delivery; or, if you haven’t taken the dive off the high board, take some mental notes on how you would narrate and produce your first audiobook.

The Rest of the Story

You will probably find during your listening sessions that one of the audiobooks you previewed caught your attention. It had your interest right up to the abrupt ending of the audio sample. What to do? Buy the complete audiobook. Here you’ll get to enjoy the entire production on your own time. You’ll find it immersive as your mind builds upon what your ears hear. It’s a great form of edutainment. Possible tax deduction? Maybe. Consult your tax adviser for the correct answer.

A final suggestion – if you’ve been considering audiobooks as your voice path, watch Professional Narrator, Sean Pratt’s (188+ audiobooks) YouTube video, “So… You Want to Be an Audiobook Narrator?”

Now that you have a few tips to help you with audiobook narration and production, I hope you’re feeling somewhat empowered. Understand that your first book will be tough, but those that follow will become easier. Your next audiobook will be potentially better than the one before.

 

Other posts you might find interesting:

Find Your Voice-Over Answers in These Five Amazing Books

Five Tips for Better Client/Talent Workflow
JewelBeat: A New Royalty Free Music Source
Are You Available?

Get it to Your iPad with Instashare

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I use my iPad to read scripts. The printer sits quietly while I type. I’m sure it wonders (yes, I gave my printer human qualities, thank you very much!) if I’ll ever touch it again. I’m sure it’s jealous of my iPad.

To get scripts to my iPad, I was using one of the popular cloud-based file share services. A few weeks ago, my computer would not connect to the service and I had a stack of scripts I needed to get to my iPad NOW! My printer saw this as the perfect opportunity to remind me that printing was a push of the print button away. Not to be persuaded, I switched to another file share service and finally got the scripts to my iPad. Work proceeded.

This little scenario got me wondering if there was something I could use that wasn’t Internet dependent. A piece of software that I could install on my Mac and iPad, to quickly copy files using my WiFi connection. I thought about it a lot and within a few days, BLAM!, the piece of software I was thinking about became available. If I didn’t know it takes months for applications to be developed, I would have thought the programers wrote the software after a Vulcan Mind Meld with me. And, they’re probably not Vulcan anyway.

The software is Instashare, developed by Lukas Foldyna and Martin Karasek, the team of developers who make up TwoManShow.

Instashare from TwoManShow on Vimeo.

Lukas and Martin have made installation and configuration amazingly easy and quick. First take a trip to the App Store and download the Instashare App to your iPad. Next, point your browser to InstashareApp.com and download the Mac version to you computer. While the Mac version is BETA, I’ve found it to be trouble free and plays well with the other applications on my Mac.

After installation, launch Instashare on your iPad then the app on your Mac. Using your WiFi network, both machines will look for each other. On your Mac, you’ll see in the drop window that your iPad is displayed as a destination for any files you want to copy. Your iPad shows your Mac as a destination. Copying files goes both ways. On your Mac, drag and drop a file to the drop window. Your iPad displays an alert requesting that you approve the transfer. Tap approve and the file is copied. Simple, right?

You can open copied files directly in Instashare or tap the ‘Open in’ button and you’re presented with installed apps that can open the file. When you’re done with the file, delete by tapping “Edit”, tap the red circle with a line in its center, then tap delete. Since you were working with a copy on your iPad, the original is safe on you Mac.

If you’re not a user of Apple hardware, the Instashare website indicates that Windows and Android versions are coming soon.

I’m sure I’ll still have some use for the file share service. But since I started using Instashare, I haven’t had the need. The icon for the service sits in my menubar waiting to be clicked, promising me that it’ll behave. It’s in good company though, my printer anticipates my return as well.

Other posts that you might find interesting:

• JewelBeat: A New Royalty Free Music Source
• 10 Things to Keep in Mind when Building a Home Studio
• Five Tips for Better Client/Talent Workflow

VoiceWorld Toronto, It’s a Voice Conference

You may or may not be a professional voice person but you are somebody who enjoys learning about the biz, right? Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading a blog about voiceovers. Now that I have that out of the way, I would like to direct your attention the information below. You’ll find details about VoiceWorld Toronto Conference.

This will be a key opportunity for you to meet like minded people, hear from experts that have been doing the voiceover craft for decades and enjoy the beautiful city of Toronto.

VoiceWorld Toronto Conference

Date: Saturday May 4th, 2013
Time: 8:00 am – 5:30pm
Location: Toronto Hilton Hotel

Prepare to be educated, equipped and empowered

• Audition like a pro — understand the do’s and don’ts of auditioning in person and online.
• Learn the ins and outs of the voice acting business, and what it takes to be a successful voice-over talent.
• Get into business — explore ways to turn your voice acting talent into a business.

About VoiceWorld Toronto

VoiceWorld, the industry’s premier conference, being held in Toronto in 2013, is an immersive experience focused on engaging voice actors from across Canada and the United States. Connect with amazing, influential people who can change your life through courses in artistic development, business and technology preparing you for success in the exciting world of voice acting. A breath of fresh air, VoiceWorld sets out to invigorate and intensify your love for the art of voice acting as never before with an action plan for you to take your business to the next level.

VoiceWorld Toronto Speakers

• Pat Fraley – Man of Four Thousand Voices, CESD Talent Los Angeles
• Elley-Ray Hennessy – Award-winning actress, Director and Producer
• Deb Munro – International Voice-over Talent and Coach
• David Ciccarelli – Co-Founder and CEO of Voices.com
• David Goldberg – Owner of Edge Studio
• Dan Lenard – The Home Studio Master
• Sunday Muse – Voice-over Artist, Author and Coach
• Dave McRae – The Voice Mann
• Stephanie Ciccarelli – Author of Voice Acting for Dummies
• Wayne Young – Audio Producer and Mixing Engineer

10 Reasons To Attend VoiceWorld Toronto

Early Bird Special ends February 28^th!

*Tickets are limited. Purchase your full conference pass by visiting, http://voiceworldtoronto2013.eventbrite.com/

Voice World Toronto
Join us in Toronto for the voice acting conference of the year on Saturday May 4th, 2013.

Go Paperless with Foxit PDF

When I was preparing to open the door of my voice-over business, I made a list of all the office goodies I needed. One of the items was a printer, and I had my mind set on a multifunction unit. I thought having print/fax/scan capabilities in one easy to use box would be the most efficient way to go. I made the purchase and printed off into the sunset.

Well, not really. You see, I bought an inkjet version and quickly found that I was going through cartridges faster than a Hummer guzzles a tank of gas. I found myself making my way though reams of paper as well. I had a huge box of printed scripts to recycle every month. It took little time for me to figure out that I needed something more efficient, more green.

I’d read that a number of my voice-over peers had made the migration to iPad for scripts. This appealed to me on several levels. With an iPad, my paper and ink cartridge consumption would be significantly reduced. My office would be more green. Plus, the iPad would be a super-cool buy, satisfying my inner gadget geekness.

I made the purchase, an iPad II/16-Gig. Next, was to load it with software that would make the purchase pay for itself. I needed something to read scripts. I used iOS Pages at first but found that it was missing the ability to handle PDF formatted files.

Fig. 1 – The primary view and main work area of Foxit Mobile PDF.

I tried several PDF readers (too many to list!) before finally arriving on what I believe to be the ultimate PDF tool, Foxit Mobile PDF by Foxit Corporation. It allows me to view and easily navigate PDFs, plus it has a number of ways to annotate or markup the text. I can bookmark, highlight text in multiple colors, type notes for phonetics, write direction notes, strike text and more.

Foxit Mobile PDF is perfect for the audiobooks I produce. Figure 1 shows my markups for a recently produced audiobook. I wrote in chapter numbers, typed in audiobook specific replacement text, and highlighted sections for pickups. The screenshot also shows the app’s toolbar, document navigation slider on the right, and page view and page number in the lower right.

Fig. 2 – Slide panel access.

The slide panel in figure 2 reveals 4 useful tools that allow me to navigate to a specific bookmark, review the chapters or outline of a document, see my annotations and search for text.

The one drawback to using an iPad for scripts is that markups during a directed session are a bit cumbersome, but it’s still doable. It’s not as easy for me to write in a quick note or strike words on the tablet’s surface as it is to do it with pencil and paper. I’ve caught myself a few times going for my pencil. Perhaps the natural thing to do would be to migrate to a stylus.

Foxit Mobile PDF is available for a limited time at no charge from the App Store.

I’m sure there are other PDF readers/annotators that you have used and I’d like to hear about them. Since I’m interested in trying out a stylus, I’m open to suggestions. Also, what are the things you’ve done to make your studio more green?

Figure 1 shows the markups made during the production of  Marc Allen’s  Amazon.com best seller, “How to Quiet Your Mind: Relax and Silence The Voice of Your Mind, Today!“, published by Empowerment Nation. Audiobook availability pending Audible.com review and approval. 

It’s All in the Script – 5 Tips for Better Reading

Have you ever read a book, magazine or newspaper and wondered why the type is so small? It’s because the publishers are trying to maximize space and cram as many words onto a page as they can. There are websites that do the same. The tiny text makes it difficult to read. Thankfully, most browsers have the capability to easily magnify the size of the text.

Scripts can have issues with type size as well, along with other unhelpful formatting, that make for difficult reading. You’ll want to encourage your client to provide you with their best script possible. When you receive a script that is formatted to be easily read, your client is doing you a huge favor and will make your session run more smoothly.

Here are 5 suggestions you can share with your client that will make their scrips more approachable.

1. Use a readable font. Every once in a while I’ll receive a script with an unusual font. Comic Sans comes to mind along with any font that emulates handwriting or calligraphy. Suggest a font that was meant to be printed, such as Garamond, Georgia, New York, Times and Times New Roman. The reason serif fonts are preferable is because people can differentiate each letter more clearly.

2. Increase the size. Typically when I’m reading a script, it’s on a copy stand or held a good distance up and away from my microphone. That’s why the point size should be between 14 and 16. You will find this easier to read than most text application’s default size of 12 point.

3. Double space text. When I get a script I’ll usually take a pencil and start marking it up for my benefit in the booth. To give me room for added notes and marks, double space lines are a necessity. Single spaced text is next to impossible to read after it’s been treated to markups.

4. Ask for phonetic helpers. You might not know how to say every word in the script you receive. Error on the side of caution and ask for phonetic (fəˈnetik or fe ne tick) guides for uncommon names of people, places and things. If you come across an acronym, ask whether it should be spelled or pronounced. Reading the script with your client over the phone is a great way to identify words that need a helper.

5. Confirm that you have an approved final script. Noting sets a session back quicker and can add additional costs than receiving a script that has not been approved. Take a moment to verify with all stakeholders that what you’re about to record is in final form. Sure, there’ll be occasions when a line needs to be changed but that can be handled easily with a pick-up of just that line.

6. *Bonus tip: Request that the script be formatted using Microsoft Word. Ask your client to provide Word formatted scripts. If you receive a script with none of the tips from above applied, at least you’ll receive a file format that can be easily manipulated if needed. PDF files are the least desirable because of their inability to be easily reformatted. Copy and past from a PDF can end in disastrous, sometimes unreadable results.

What makes a script more readable or less desirable for you? Feel free to share both the good and bad examples.

Five DIY Home Studio Voice-over Tips

As work from home voice-artists, we are a segregated lot. Our time recording is spent in the lonely convenience of closets, spare bedrooms, under moving blanket tents and for the truly fortunate, a sound booth. Regardless of where we record, we are usually solo, self-directing to the point of our best performance. Sure, there are patched or ISDN sessions with directors talking to us from some remote location. Still, we are standing by ourselves, behind a mic and putting our best VO effort forward. We are alone.

Since there is usually nobody but me, myself, and JC controlling how my sessions go in my home studio, there are a few things that I do for each session to make sure when I’m done recording my time editing is used efficiently.

The following might seem obvious for some and super simple to others. For me, these tips give me an extended level of comfort and confidence when I’m by myself. These are things I’ve learned over time. Most often, corrections of bad habits.

1. Pre-read the script before you get behind the microphone. Read the words to yourself first. Read them out loud then read them out loud again. This gives your eyes, brain, and mouth an opportunity to get acquainted with the script. If you stumble on a word or a line trips you up, this is a great opportunity for you to find it before you get behind your mic.

2. Markup or woodshed your script with reminders. You’ve pre-read the script and have found the land mines and areas that need more or less emphasis. Don’t try to remember how to deal with the problem bits. Instead, grab a pencil and mark the script in a way that will be most helpful. Place underlines under words that you need to hit. Place dashes for breaks in the phrasing to remind you to take a breath. Highlight a line that needs more “Hollywood” and write in phonetic helpers.

3. Remember to read for time. If the script is for a :30 commercial, your read should not be longer than :30. It’s better to read for time instead of trying to edit for time. Grab a stopwatch and time your read before you enter your booth.

4. Develop a method to mark your takes. The best way to find a take out of multiple attempts is to look at the waveform of the audio file in your recording software. Using a clap between each take and a triple clap for a take that you think was “THE one” will help you quickly identify just what you’re looking for. Audiobook narrator Jeffrey Kafer uses a dog clicker instead of clapping.

5. Keep everything you record. When I first started doing voice-overs, I would record a few takes then stop to give them a listen. If I didn’t like what I heard, I ditched the entire track and started over. This was a huge waste of time and removed any option of picking up a word or line that might be useful in the final audio.

What have you found to be your most useful tip as a solo voice-over talent?