Harlan Hogan Takes Your Voice Over Recording Questions in Free Teleseminar
February 24, 2009
Harlan Hogan, author of “Voice Actor’s Guide to Recording at Home… And On the Road”, along with his co-author, Jeffrey P. Fisher, are conducting an online survey to learn more about what voice artists want to know regarding recording voice overs (whether at home or on the road) with the top questions answered via a live teleseminar, TBA, facilitated by Dan O’Day.
If you’ve been waiting to read Harlan’s book or have read it and have follow up questions that you’d like to ask, make sure that you register for the call now and submit your question for Harlan and Jeffrey.
Here’s the link where you can do just that:
Register for Harlan Hogan’s FREE teleseminar and ask your question now.
Connie Zimet Medical Fund Will Give Voice to Voiceless Mentor
February 23, 2009
Connie Zimet, a well-known voice over coach and mentor based in Florida, is in the late stage of ALS, battling now not only for her life but the very ability to communicate with her son and those whom she loves.
There is hope for Connie to regain her ability to communicate, but she needs the support of the voice over community to realize that vital goal, with donations being accepted to offset costs for the purchase of special equipment that will allow her to communicate with her eyes using the aid of a computer.
Grammys Announcer Heather Halley Interviewed at Voices.com
February 20, 2009
If you watched the 51st Annual Grammy awards this year, you heard the voice of Heather Halley, a voice that has received numerous compliments from people inside and outside of the voice over industry.
Among other things, Heather acknowledges how important the voice over community is and gives a heartfelt account of what it is like to be an announcer at an awards show.
To read the interview, visit the VOX Daily blog at Voices.com:
Interview with Heather Halley, Voice of the 51st Grammy Awards
Source: VOX Daily
Audie Nominations Made Public; Most Entries Received Ever
February 19, 2009
The Audio Publishers Association (APA) has announced finalists for the 2009 Audies competition. Winners will be announced at The Audies® Gala on May 29 at the New York Historical Society in New York City.
Johnny Depp to Narrate Documentary on The Doors
February 13, 2009
Hollywood actor Johnny Depp is set to narrate a documentary entitled “When You’re Strange”, a glimpse into the trials and tribulations of a famous American rock band from the 1960s, The Doors.
Although its vocalist, Jim Morrison, died of a drug overdose (1971) eventually splitting the band up in 1973, The Doors continue to occupy their own niche within popular culture and endure to a degree through their music and Hollywood films, including the movie “The Doors” which starred Val Kilmer as Morrison in 1991.
The film which received positive reviews at the Sundance film festival, originally narrated by Tom DiCillo, is sure to reach new heights with Depp’s participation and devoted fanbase. DiCillo hopes that Depp’s narration will be added in time for the film’s screening at the South By Southwest festival in March.
Source: Tom DiCillo’s Blog
Michael Dobson is Batman in Batman: Black and White on iTunes
February 13, 2009
Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution recently announced the debut of the acclaimed graphic album “Batman: Black and White” in a motion comics series starring Michael Richard Dobson in the title role.
Google Exits Radio Market Online; Seeks Streaming Audio Instead
February 12, 2009
Google has left Audio Ads behind, closing the door on their marketplace that connected buyers of remnant air-time with audio producers.
The company entered the market in 2006 with great expectations that they could transform the way audio advertisements on broadcast radio were produced and purchased, never shying away from a challenge.
Google VP Product Management, Susan Wojcicki, says, “While we’ve devoted substantial resources to developing these products and learned a lot along the way, we haven’t had the impact we hoped for. So we have decided to exit the broadcast radio business and focus our efforts in online streaming audio. We will phase out the existing Google Audio Ads and AdSense for Audio products and plan to sell the Google Radio Automation business, the software that automates broadcast radio programming. Advertisers will continue to be able to use Google Audio Ads until May 31 and broadcasters will be able to publish inventory to Google until that date as well.”
As a recap, here’s how Google Audio Ads used to work.
Google Brings Advertisers and Radio Stations Together
Google has positioned the Audio Ads system to serve both top-level advertisers, as well as the advertising agencies themselves. Although advertising agencies already have media planning and media buying personnel, you can now buy commercials direction from local, regional and national radio stations.
How Google Delivers Ads to Radio
1. Google Audio Ads is powered by a station inventory management system and studio log.
2. Google links electronically with radio stations to search for inventory that fits your advertising criteria.
3. Inventory is paired with your advertising requests, called “Google Avails”.
4. Google delivers an automated order to the radio station and reserves the ad inventory.
Source: Techmeme.com and Google Blog
Can Some VoiceOvers Get Voice Artists in Hot Water?
February 12, 2009
When performing a voice over, is there the potential for the voice artist to be held responsible for what they are saying even though the artist themselves aren’t the parties being portrayed in an advertisement or voice over recording?
According to voice artist and lawyer, Rob Sciglimpaglia, the answer is a resounding YES.
Sciglimpaglia told Stephanie Ciccarelli of Voices.com, “One area of the industry that voice-over artists should be cognizant of is celebrity impersonating. Celebrity impersonating falls under the auspices of the area of law known as ‘right of publicity’ laws. The right of publicity is the right of an individual to commercially exploit their name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness.”
Sciglimpaglia went on to describe the potential risks of impersonation and also hit on the very real, potential consequences that could come from product endorsements.
For more information, read the interview in full at VOX Daily here:
Can Voice Artists Be Held Responsible for What’s Read in a Script?
Source: VOX Daily
Dave Fennoy Announcing at 40th NAACP Image Awards
February 12, 2009
Announcer Dave Fennoy will be the voice of the 40th NAACP Image Awards broadcast from Los Angeles’ historic Shrine Auditorium, Thursday, Feb. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.
The 40th NAACP Image Awards show coincides with the NAACP’s 100th anniversary and will kick off the organization’s year-long centennial celebration.
Making appearances at the 40th NAACP Image Awards are Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder and will.i.am who will be joined by Angela Bassett, Rosario Dawson, Omar Epps, Louis Gossett Jr., Hill Harper, Randy Jackson, Sanaa Lathan, Mo’Nique, Nate Parker, Tracee Ellis Ross and Cicely Tyson.
Founded on February 12, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization.
Dave Fennoy has one of the most recognized voices in Los Angeles. He has been the spokesvoice for numerous commercial campaigns, including McDonalds, Corona Beer, KFC, Toyota, Chrysler, and ATT.
Fennoy has also narrated programs for National Geographic and Discovery Channel, voiced promos for ABC, CBS, the WB, Fox, Showtime, Starz, the Disney Channel and been the show voice for several TV programs including Late Night with Gregg Kinnear, The Billboard Music Awards, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, and the NAACP Image Awards. Every Saturday night Fennoy introduces Showtime at the Apollo. His voice can also be heard on several cartoons and CD Rom games.
Source: Dave Fennoy re: announcing; event information source Monsters and Critics
Image: DaveFennoy.com
Getting Agents During Recessions Isn’t for the Faint of Heart
February 11, 2009
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, right?
As the global economy continues to struggle, voiceover talent are trying to find ways that they can get more voiceover work, many of which are trying to secure representation at agencies repping talent in New York and Los Angeles.
For some, finding an agent has been relatively easy, but for others, it’s been an ongoing parade of first impressions, demos posted in the mail and not much else.
