VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[DCE]

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry I have been out of touch with your group for some time. Thank you to all of the kind people who helped me and offered to help with my e-learning projects.

I have been on hold with my e-learning projects for FIRST Robotics because I have been taking care of my daughter who is now 18.

She suffered a head injury back in August of 2009. As a result she has Traumatic Brain Injury. It makes it very difficult for her to do a lot
of things, especially outside of our home. I am trying to encourage my daughter to get into voice acting. She is 18 now and feeling like she would like to do something, but right now because of her injury she is severely limited on what all she can do.

I've encouraged voice acting because she has always had a keen ability to replicate voices from movies etc. I think she would make a great voice actor, something she could do while being home recuperating from this horrible condition.

She is a wonderful girl who is not feeling independent at this time. Ever since she was 5 she has been working with us giving back to the community by working in Cub and Girl Scouts, church, school, and giving her all
to the FIRST Robotics program.

She was someone who wanted to go to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University to get her degree in Homeland Security /Intelligence.

Now we are not sure what the future holds, but we do know she still has a lot to offer and do.

I was wondering if I could ask for your advice on how to get started in voice acting? I have a nice microphone and Pro Tools and Adobe Soundbooth. From there we would love any help or guidance on how to get started.

She cannot study for very long at this time as she has memory and cognitive issues. So maybe some advice more like a fast-track approach on what you really need to do to get started and get out would be very helpful.

I want to help give her back some purpose. Any and all help and information on how to get started would be deeply appreciated.

All my very best,

Diane

P.S. Have a beautiful, happy and healthy holiday season!

Please email me at: weightmn@hotmail.com

Thank you!

[imaginator]

wow...and we think WE have obstacles!

not knowing how much the memory trouble will hamper you, i would first get her set up with your mic and computer and just play with the sound of her voice...so she can hear what she's doing in playback.

then have her observe various voice styles...from commercials to audiobooks to cartoon soundtracks...and see what she can reproduce in those various styles.

i never had benefit of any acting lessons, but have it on very high authority that acting is one of my strong points. and it started with me doing the things i heard being done by mel blanc on the old warner bros cartoons and daws butler/don messick in the early hanna-barbera characters. i also discovered recordings of network radio shows from the 30s, 40s, and 50s during my college years and what i've absorbed from them helped me with character, timing, and imagining. not just funny voices...but characters and feelings and getting ideas across with just the voice. those are important for even the straightest of voice jobs.

it will take a lot of time, and i hope that doesn't frustrate your daughter. but being able to focus on what her voice is doing will make her a valuable voice talent. in the process, she'll become more at ease with bringing words to life, mic technique, and so on.

get some of the various paperback books on voice acting (my favorite is still "word of mouth", which has just had a new edition). they'll have ideas to help develop different ways of approaching copy and scripts....and will doubtless have things you can use in developing the non-talking parts of the biz.

make sure to keep up with the computer skills needed to work from a home studio. that will mitigate her limited ability to travel.

hope there was something in this longwinded post you could use.

i didn't have the physical obstacles you two are dealing with...but i did develop what i have over long years cooped up with a tv, a tape recorder, and lots of stuff to read. that method might not work for everyone, but it proved to be the base for what i've been doing over 30 years now.

keep us posted on progress...both vocal and medical. and best wishes to you.
_________________
rowell gormon
www.voices2go.com
"Mr. Warm & Friendly Voice...with Character!"
Rowell Gormon's Clogged Blog - http://voices2go.com/blog

[Oddio]

Hi Diane,
My heart goes out to you and your daughter. Bless you for what you're going through.
I'm no expert but my gut tells me you should involve your daughter with some sort of musical instrument. Not only is it fun to just plunk around on a keyboard or guitar...it helps build cognitive thinking. (I read somewhere that kids who played music scored better in math than those who never did.)
Perhaps a keyboard with multiple sampled sounds would be fun...it sure sparks the imagination.
As for voice work, how about getting her some books to read aloud and help her develop voices and personalities for the characters? She could well be on her way to doing audiobooks someday.
I love that you have audio gear she can play around with. Give her some songs to edit! Or have her build little stories using sound effects and music.
A great FREE source for sfx is www.crazysoundsnap.com Or maybe it's just www.soundsnap.com. There are a bunch of free ones out there, just google/bing search "free sound effects."
That would be my suggestion, and keep on doing what you're doing best...pouring buckets of love on your daughter!
Scott
_________________
Scott Burns
scott@bookscottburns.com
www.bookscottburns.com

[Dale Leopold]

Diane,

So sorry to hear about your daughter, Despite her hardships she's lucky to have a mom who is looking out for her so well.

The book-reading suggestion is a good one. If she wants to hear the results of her reading on the web (without worrying about competing with professional talent), she might look at http://www.librivox.org. They're always looking for audiobook narrators, and although it isn't paid work, it could give her a sense of accomplishment as well as being excellent practice. If she's having memory issues she could start with a favorite book of short stories rather than a fat novel.

I also like the musical instrument suggestion. Music draws on a different part of your brain, and it may prove a surprisingly good way to build other mental abilities. My grandfather suffered a stroke in his 70s and had great difficulty speaking, but he could sing, say grace and curse clear as a bell!

Best wishes to you and your family.
_________________
Dale G. Leopold
Bilingual ISDN Voice Actor (English & Spanish)
"Low Maintenance/High Drama Voiceovers"
http://www.DaleLeopold.com

[jsgilbert]

Diane,
I can only imagine what you are going through. I have worn a number of hats in and around voiceover and would be happy to answer any specific questions. I also have quite a collection of v.o. and actings books that I would be happy to give you.

Feel free to contact me at my personal email address at jsgilbert@pacbell.net if there is anything I can do to be of help and/ or f you are interested in the books.

Best Wishes to both you and your daughter.
_________________
j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

[KarenL]

All of the above are wonderful suggestions.
Your daughter's story brought to mind the story of another young woman, Melody Gardot. She sustained serious injuries in an accident when she was 19, and music was and has been a vital component of her recovery. You have probably explored many avenues for recovery for your daughter and heard many inspiring stories. I hope that this article is helpful and inspiring:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melody_Gardot

How various therapies can aid in the development of neural pathways is amazing!

I wish you and your daughter all the best...
_________________
Happy to be here.
www.KarenLehman.com

[DCE]

Thank you so very much to everyone who responded. You are a great group of people, I am privileged to be in your company!!

I love all of your suggestions. We will be taking your suggestions and getting everything set up for her to practice.

I do love your suggestions about music and I totally whole-heartedly agree about music. My daughter has been a saxophone player since fifth grade. She was in three bands a day in junior high and high school (major band geek, LOL!!) If she wasn't going to do the homeland security career, she wanted to be a professional jazz saxophonist, so much so that she had a private lesson with her smooth jazz idol Dave Koz last Xmas, that was amazing!!!!

Sadly she can no longer play saxophone as she is in too much pain and cannot even remember how to play very well or remember the music. This has been a devastating blow to her, as she was a serious sax player. She is however taking baby steps on the piano. She wants to surprise her daddy and brother that she can play a Christmas song. It has been a struggle as she is having to re-learn music notes and try to retain them... that is very difficult. I do agree it is great for her brain to help build pathways and strengthen others.

If you should think of anything else please keep us posted as I think this will help build up her confidence and give her something positive to do while recuperating.

Thanks for the book ideas and links to websites, very helpful!
Will keep you posted and let you know how she does or if we stink at it LOL

Thanks for all of your kind comments and well wishes, they are deeply appreciated.

Happy Holidays and God Bless all of you!
Most Sincerely,
Diane