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heyguido
MMD
Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Posts: 2507
Location: RDU, the Geek Capitol of the South
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 Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:10 am Post subject: |
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Amen.
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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?" |
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Whit
Backstage Pass
Joined: 27 Feb 2009
Posts: 431
Location: Cincinnati
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:48 am Post subject: |
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This is a little long. I thought it would be fun to give it a little thought and write it out.
- sang with the children's choir at the local music conservatory and annoyed my sister by pretending I was speaking a foreign language (gibberish) or "rehearsing my lines" in the aisles at the grocery store
- theatre from junior high on
- recorded my first jingle at 15, and was like wow, recording is FUN. And they paid me!
- BFA in theatre
- Formed a band, played in multiple bands, one of which included a guy who owned a studio that mostly did music but also some commercial work
- was referred by this friend to another mostly corporate studio when they were looking for some voice actors to demo a spot
- the producer of that spot came to see my band play that night, and told me the studio was actually looking to hire someone in client services
- 2 weeks later I started working there, had some of the best times of my life, and learned how much vo is exactly everything I want to do,
- After 5 awesome years there I had a baby, and as we saw what I was making from vo on leave, it made no financial sense for me to go back. So I didn't, which was scary and excellent. |
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Rob Ellis
M&M
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:57 am Post subject: |
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reluctant pre-pubescent piano student
Drummer/singer in a junior high garage band
Lead part in Senior Play in High School
News Intern at local TV station
BA in Communications
10 years in radio in small, medium and one major market as a jock and Production Director
10 years in sales (good training for the marketing part of this job IMO)
15 years in Toastmasters/public speaking
5 years Adult Education teacher
8 years full time VO
Several years of community theater
Lifetime of fascination with the spoken word
An understanding and supportive spouse 
(and no I'm not as old as the numbers above would indicate---the Sales, Toastmasters, and Adult Education parts all took place more or less at the same time) |
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Jason Huggins
The Gates of Troy
Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: In the souls of a million jeans
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:04 am Post subject: |
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| Rob Ellis wrote: |
An understanding and supportive spouse |
That's the key right there! |
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vkuehn
DC
Joined: 24 Apr 2013
Posts: 688
Location: Vernon now calls Wisconsin home
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| Rob Ellis wrote: |
Lifetime of fascination with the spoken word
An understanding and supportive spouse
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Those two strengths probably overcome a lot of shortcomings in all the other attributes that have been listed here. |
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DougVox
The Gates of Troy
Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 1706
Location: Miami
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:20 am Post subject: |
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- Began working on my speaking skills at about 1
- Started working on my reading skills around 3 or 4
- Still doing both
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Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com |
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vkuehn
DC
Joined: 24 Apr 2013
Posts: 688
Location: Vernon now calls Wisconsin home
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:50 am Post subject: |
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| DougVox wrote: |
- Began working on my speaking skills at about 1
- Started working on my reading skills around 3 or 4
- Still doing both
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Most of us work too hard at making our lives look complicated.
Thank you for reminding us that sometimes simple is good.  |
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Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4931
Location: Location, Location!
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:26 am Post subject: |
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| Philip Banks wrote: | | Helps if you can bore people witless on the subject of how your experience somehow qualifies you yet excludes others. |
That's a most excellent point and if it wasn't directed at me, it should have been.
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Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com |
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todd ellis
A Zillion
Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 10529
Location: little egypt
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:43 am Post subject: |
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my story is pretty much the same as everyone else's
but i'm unique, galdangit!
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi
Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11075
Location: Portgordon, Scotland
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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| JeffreyKafer wrote: | | Philip Banks wrote: | | Helps if you can bore people witless on the subject of how your experience somehow qualifies you yet excludes others. |
That's a most excellent point and if it wasn't directed at me, it should have been. |
It wasn't because we've all done it!
The trick for me is to admit I know nothing so experienced directors tell me what to do and I simply do it. I am an uncomplicated soul. |
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Fran McClellan
The Thirteenth Floor
Joined: 15 Feb 2010
Posts: 1314
Location: Middle of Nowhere, PA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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- There was a contest at my place of employment at the time to be "the voice" of the company (auto-attendant, long distance error messages, VOIP on hold message, etc). I won and that kind of sparked my interest.
- Research, training, practice, demo
- Did VO part-time for 9 years while working a full-time corporate job
- Got laid off from the day job this past January and have been full time VO ever since (YAY!  )
- Still researching, training, practicing, learning
_________________
Back into the murky lurk from whence I came
--
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon |
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Gregory Best
The Gates of Troy
Joined: 04 Aug 2005
Posts: 1853
Location: San Diego area (east of Connie and south and east of Bailey)
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Speech team and theater in high school led to part time radio gig at 16. Full time radio for 13 yrs. Tired of moving around the country to move up the ladder. Back to college with businesses degree and law school which lead to working for government in environmental law and negotiation for 25 years. Part time in vo biz since 2004. Building a retirement career. Won't need to have a day job with a retirement income. Hoping to figure out health insurance costs for my wife and I. That will dictate how soon I will switch to full time vo. Hoping soon.
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Gregory Best
greg@gregorybest.com |
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Tracy Kinkead
Joined: 17 Nov 2012
Posts: 13
Location: Muscle Shoals, AL
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| Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Bob Bergen wrote: | | Don't be offended if someone questions or challenges you based on your past experience. Prove them wrong. |
Great stuff Bob, thanks.
I never was offended. I was just surprised when I first started researching and dabbling in VO. But again, I think it just happened to be the first couple of voice artists I encountered early on.
I got into VO with very humble expectations. The last couple of years has far exceeded those expectations...why should I be offended?
The radio industry has changed so much over the years, it's hardly recognizable to when I started. And for someone who wants to do "real radio", it's been a source of extreme frustration and disappointment.
With VO I've been able to build something on my own, that is all my own...and that has taken the edge off the frustration and disappointment of radio. I truly have never been more professionally satisfied than I am right now.
Always good stuff when I come to lurk here...thanks.
_________________
Tracy Kinkead
www.renegadevoice.com |
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi
Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11075
Location: Portgordon, Scotland
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| Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| Tracy Kinkead wrote: |
I got into VO with very humble expectations. The last couple of years has far exceeded those expectations... |
I loved reading that! Tell us(me) about it. |
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Bob Bergen
CM
Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 981
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| Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:01 am Post subject: |
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| Tracy Kinkead wrote: | | The radio industry has changed so much over the years, it's hardly recognizable to when I started. |
So is the vo industry. Today, more people are working and competing than ever before, yet fewer are making a living at it. And much fewer are enjoying the kind of income and career that the average working voice actor enjoyed just 15 years ago. I say this all the time, I am beyond grateful I got in when I did. |
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