VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Diane Maggipinto

Hi friends.

You know it was bound to happen; the story of voice talent working from home during the pandemic. We've built home studios to wfh. Great idea! Wink

George Whittam gets a shoutout (as "George the Tech") and here is the link

https://www.npr.org/2020/04/30/848203547/voice-actors-create-home-studios-so-they-can-work-during-pandemic
_________________
sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

todd ellis · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 6:39 am Post subject:

i love how this is, somehow, an amazing new thing.

i know, i know ... hollywood, et. al.
_________________
"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

Moe Egan · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 7:03 am Post subject:

What Todd said.

I'm also fascinated that the rest of the world is now wondering what day it is- and making 'bad commute due to two dogs on the stairs' and 'working in your jammies' jokes. It's like the rest of the world has elbowed their way (or were forcefully shoved) into our little monastic WFH club.
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 981

Well...it really IS new to a huge percentage of professional voice actors. We never needed a home studio to work. Home studios have been a necessity for those outside the major markets, voicing solo in genres like promo, IVR, audio books, e-learning, etc.

For animation it's counter productive. We work ensemble. Acting is reacting. With a cast of 10, all with great but different home studios, it's a mixer nightmare attempting consistency and continuity. But Like Eric states in that NPR piece, we are keeping animation production IN production. From the writers, to artists, editors, musicians, etc. VO is actually the only professional acting genre still active during this disruption.

For televised animation it takes a good year from voice record to on air. For features it's 2-5 years. My gut tells me that when this disruption is over, much will be redone via ADR. And, for actors whose home studio is comparable and compatible to what is needed for a production, producers have the option of utilizing their home studio for pickups, perhaps recording pilot pitches, etc. But all involved feel the majority of the industry will go back to in studio ensemble recording when this disruption is over. It's just better for the finished product.

But if a buyer needs solo recording from any of us who now have broadcast quality home studios, we are now available and able. We always just had too many options available to not need to work from home. This virus turned the industry upside down, and in less than a month most if not all of us are business as usual.....just from home.

todd ellis · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 7:36 am Post subject:

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 8:23 am Post subject:

I wonder if all the, say, Jet Blue agents wfh are all -- we got this, we've had this, move aside, your jokes are lame.
_________________
sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com

Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 8:25 am Post subject:

todd ellis · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 8:31 am Post subject:

Bruce · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:06 am Post subject:

I'm a little confused about this "ensemble" business for animation. I've now seen dozens of interviews with actors from animated feature films who describe working alone all or most of the time. They do each line a few to "dozens" of times to give the editor/directors options to mix with all the other actors' lines. "I never met my co-star until the premiere" is a line I've heard many times on interview shows.

I've done lots of ensemble work for commercials, narrations, dramatic works, and the like, but of the many animation pieces I've done, never with other actors in the studio.

Ensemble work in animation is wonderful, but it appears there's always been more than one way to skin a puddy tat.

B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 981

You are talking features, Bruce, and in particular celebs. They are mostly recorded solo but this is due to schedules. They record cartoons between other gigs, and most cast members have very diverse schedules. Those of us who are non celebs often work ensemble. Not always. But as often as possible.

But there are far more series animation recorded daily than features. The bulk of the work is series. Even then we sometimes record solo, but gain just due to scheduling. It is not ideal.

Be it a series or feature, whenever possible all actors are recorded in the same studio, same mics, etc., for consistency.

sounddguy