VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

RayAnime · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:34 am Post subject: Stories from LA

Hey!

I've been MIA for the past few days, as I was in LA for one of Pat Fraley's workshops, and it was SO MUCH FUN!!!

Candi Milo was there, and she is one of the most talented--and fun--people I've ever met (which is why I flew all the way out to take the class in the first place) . . .

We had some Q & A time with an agent, learned a bit about humor and comedy and then went in for two rounds of recording--once with 1-3 people on a shorter script and then for an ensemble recording of a script for an animated show. It was such a cool experience to be in there in the booth with five other people and have Candi directing us through it the way a real ensemble session would actually work.

The group was broken in two, so I got to sit back and watch the first group go through the whole process before it was my turn to get in there. It was really neat--from creating characters and practicing separating them on the fly (we were double-cast), to remembering not to "overlap" our lines, to taking direction and changing up our character choices as we went through the script, it was just a really invaluable experience.

If something like this comes up again in the future, I definitely recommend it, especially if you're interested in animation! This was as close to actually recording as real show as it gets.

Anyway, I'm planning to go out to LA for the months of May and June to finish up my demos and just really dive into this whole "VO" thing I keep hearing about Wink

I don't know why, but I find it difficult to focus here in NYC. Maybe it's because I know more people in the VO world in LA, and it seems easier to find good training out there. In any case, I'm really excited. I always have such a great time out there connecting with people who are working on the same things I am, an it motivates me to keep moving forward . . . I think I'm just starting to find that in NY, but it's taken a long time.

Anyone else ever move or consider moving for VO? I'm not planning to head out there permanently (especially since NY isn't exactly a one-horse town or anything), but who knows . . .

TheVoiceOfBob · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:15 am Post subject:

That does sound great. I've wanted to take a class with Pat for quite some time. He mentioned in a recent email to me that he was looking to do a workshop in Charlotte sometime in the near future.

Fingers crossed!
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Deirdre · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:30 am Post subject:

Count me in the bunch wanting to move for the sake of VO.

I'm really quite blessed by the kind of work I've been able to hustle up from South Berwick, Maine— but LA is the place for me.
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bobfromboulder · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:07 am Post subject:

One of our Denver group, Stephanie Jones, just moved to LA with her husband after selling their house here.

There's something to be said for being able to get face-time with other folks in the biz, but (and this goes for anything, IMO) where you are is what you make of it.

Yoda117 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:15 am Post subject:

I too want to take a class with Pat. I don't know about eventually moving to LA though (though I was there for the riots and enjoyed flying into and out of LAX when the unibomber threatened to blow up a plane there... good times, good times).

NYC is more my kinda place... but I keep telling family that once my contract is up next summer, that if something is offered in San Diego... you'll find me there . Wink

/it's close enough to LA I guess
//their airport is a PITA though... need to fix that.
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RayAnime · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:42 am Post subject:

I will have to report back while I'm there and let you all know how it goes!

DB--wow, didn't realize you were in Maine! Brrr Smile

I was talking to a woman from Arizona this past weekend (at Pat's class)--she does very well out there, but she is also extremely good at marketing herself. I think the fact that you really do have to build your "business," not just your talent, is a good lesson for me to learn no matter where I end up.

Bob, I definitely recommend Pat's classes!! If Charlotte doesn't work out, I think it's well worth the trip to LA, especially if you're going for a character/animation workshop. It's so hard to find great animation training, and Pat's classes are probably the best I've been to as far as learning about the whole process. Bob Bergen's classes are awesome too, and his teaching is PHENOMENAL--I would say (just based on my experience) with Bob you spend a little more time working out your characters and with Pat you get more of an all-around experience (as far as working in a professional studio and experiencing things like the ensemble recording I mentioned). They are both very very excellent.

RayAnime · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:46 am Post subject:

Yoda, I hear ya . . . New York is definitely more my kind of place too.

That being said, I'm looking forward to my temporary move--I figure beyond the chance to finish my demos, it's a good non-committal way to see if I'll be able to stand LA for any extended period of time. As I discovered when I got stuck up in Boston for four years after finding it "charming" when I went to go look at schools, liking a place when you visit it does NOT always translate into liking it when you have to live there day-in and day-out.

glittlefield · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:03 am Post subject:

I think I enjoy a good challenge in life having moved from Austin to Maine. If I were to go back to SoCal, I think I'd be able to talk Andrea into going to San Diego as opposed to L.A..
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:43 am Post subject:

Rachel, you actually dared to post about a conference without posting pictures?

For shame.....
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Yoda117 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:21 am Post subject:

*readies wet noodles for the beating*

/too soon?
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Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor

Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones

bobsouer · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:29 am Post subject:

RayAnime · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject:

Yes, it was Janet! She is lovely Smile

As for the pictures . . . I always forget to bring my camera--but I'll see if I can track down the group photo of all of us with Pat & Candi.

No! Not the wet noodles! I knew pasta was evil . . .