Voice Actors Are Green People, Too

Kara Edwards is one of voice over’s greenest spokespeople for how voice actors can make simple choices to save energy, trees and more.

Although this article follows Earth Day, published today on Thursday April 23rd, it doesn’t hurt to be sensitive to the environment every day of the year, not just on one day of global observation.

Kara Edwards blogged about a number of ways voice actors specifically can contribute to a greener, cleaner world.

Edwards cites that several items on the following list came from the book “1001 Little Ways to Save Our Planet” by Esme Floyd.  Edwards also added some of her own thoughts to the mix.

1. Add a potted plant to your studio for each piece of electric equipment you own. It will help counter the negative effects of radiation while freshening the air you breathe.

2. Use a fan. Our equipment is hot, so add an energy conserving fan to your studio to avoid having to crank up the AC.

3. Add a fresh bowl of warm water to your studio each morning… this will help maintain humidity that is depleted by electronic equipment.

3. Set up near a window if possible. This way you can use natural light during the day instead of turning on a light. It is good for your eyes and your spirits to look outside!

4. Power down. Turn off your mic and pre-amp when not in use. Shut down your computer at night. If possible, unplug as well. Even when items are turned off, 5% of electricity is still being consumed.

5. Use envelopes from junk mail as scrap paper for your notes. Conserve paper.

6. Dust and vacuum! Keeping your equipment and vents clean will increase their overall efficiency.

7. When possible, buy used equipment. Just make sure it is in proper working condition!

8. Don’t throw out old equipment. Sell it or find a place that will recycle it.

9. Did you know it can take hundreds of years for a compact disc to degrade? By sending audio through e-mail, you are saving our planet!

Source: Kara Edwards’ Blog

The Voice That Rocks

Working on a shoe-string budget, production took place on 7th February 2009 in North Yorkshire near the City of York with what can be best described as a documentary without picture. It reveals the working life of the voice-over actor with commentary from talents who have voiced for the BBC, ITV, Discovery Channel and Disney.

The writer and producer, Kris Henderson said, “Because of the nature of the voice-over industry it was decided that we keep the long running tradition of ‘actor who does not appear on camera’ and produce the documentary without picture.

The Voice That Rocks is based on real-life stories about the voice-over industry in the United Kingdom, France, New Zealand and the United States. It is written and produced by Kris Henderson and stars Alan Bainbridge, Arthur Burton, Claire Dodin, Darren Altman, Finley Woods, Ian Pinnell, Bryan Cox, Bobbin Beam, Carl Welden, and Sini Manner. It has a proposed release date of 20th May 2009.

Source: Kris Henderson

Vote for Your Favorite Game Show Announcer

What’s a game show without an announcer?

A contest is going on right now where people can vote for the favorite game show announcer, among other categories, in the 2009 Game Show Awards.

The list includes announcers whose presences have made a significant impact on the program they are working for, ranging from inter-generational favorites to newer shows airing within the last decade.

Announcers on the list include:

Joe Cipriano, Deal or No Deal
Rich Fields, The Price is Right
Johnny Gilbert, Jeopardy!
Charlie O’Donnell, Wheel of Fortune
Burton Richardson, Family Feud
Mark Thompson, Don’t Forget the Lyrics!

To vote for your favorite announcer, make sure that you visit this link:

2009 Game Show Awards

Source: Ron Levine

Holly Franklin, Voice Actress, Launches New Site

Holly Franklin, a Dallas-based voiceover artist, is a popular children’s entertainer and voiceover talent. Like nothing you’ve heard before, her energetic voice ranges from a baby, to a quirky cartoon character, to a young mom next door. She also has a flair for making animal sounds and now has a new website, HollyFranklin.com, promoting her work.

Franklin can currently be heard as the voice of Gracie Baxter on the hit series, BOZ the Bear, and is also the voice of My Little Pony’s Sweetie Belle.

Some of her commercial clients include AT&T, Atmos Energy, Bennigans, Cash America, Direct Energy, Indiana Farm Bureau, Hasbro, Mastercard, Nationwide Insurance, Parkland Hospital, Pier One, Sam’s Wholesale Club, and Samsung.

Coming in September 2009, Holly will be seen (and HEARD) on PBS’s Barney and Friends as the zany Mother Nature and Gardener Maya.

Source: Holly Franklin

Rick Lance Adds SaVoa Membership to Resume

Rick Lance, “The Voice of Americana,” recently received accreditation and membership into the elite 100 plus and growing group of voice over artists and voice actors known as SaVoa. SaVoa is The Society of Accredited Voice Over Artists.

He is accompanied by many other well known talent at the top of their field.

Rick Lance specializes in the very industries that move our country, the United States of America, forward, including Manufacturing, Agriculture, Construction, Community Banking and Finance, Outdoor Sports, Travel, Education and Entertainment.

His member SaVoa ID is 09007.

Source:  Rick Lance

Robert Axelrod to Headline at Anime Fest No Brand Con

Voices.com Premium member Robert Axelrod, who starred as the voice of Lord Zedd in the runaway hit The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, just finished a lead voice in Elye Sackmary’s video game Dawn of Darkness.

Axelrod used a Russian accent to create the role of Thanatos.

A veteran of the Anime and character voice acting scene, voicing roles on over 20 animated series, Robert Axelrod has remained an active part of the voice over community.

In addition, he also makes time to visit with his fans.

This weekend, Axelrod is headed to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to headline at the Anime fest No Brand Con, April 24-26, 2009.

No Brand Con is touted as Wisconsin’s Premiere Anime Convention.

Robert Axelrod will be joined by fellow voice actors Jason Griffith and Tiffany Grant who will also make appearances at No Brand Con.

Source: Robert Axelrod

David Sobolov Promoted Use of SAG talent in Videogames at GDC

Attention conference attendees: Kindly ignore that blood-curdling scream. It’s just a professional voice actor demonstrating the many ways to die in a videogame.

Screen Actors Guild actors attended the 2009 San Francisco Game Developers Conference March 23-27 at the Moscone Center, where SAG was an official event sponsor. Voice actor David Sobolov, most recently appearing as the arch villain the Arbiter in the top-selling videogame Halo Wars, and film and television on-camera actor Noah Segan, in San Francisco to shoot All About Evil, talked to developers and press about the benefits of using Screen Actors Guild members in games, which are growing increasingly cinematic in quality.

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Starz Entertainment Hires O’Connell for National Radio Campaign

To promote its two new hit comedies, Head Case and Party Down, Starz Entertainment secured the voice over talents of Peter K. O’Connell for their most recent national radio commercial. O’Connell is President of audio’connell Voice Over Talent and has been a professional voice talent for 27 years.

Head Case stars Alexandra Wentworth as Dr. Elizabeth Goode a brash and judgmental therapist who uses her own unconventional methods of therapy to treat the elite of the entertainment, sports and music industries who often appear as themselves on the show. Party Down is about a group of struggling dreamers (employed by the L.A. catering company “Party Down”) who are stuck working for tips while waiting for their big break in Hollywood. Starz currently airs new episodes of these two original series, back to back, on Friday nights on its national cable channel.

Starz Entertainment is a premium movie provider operating in the United States. Starz Entertainment offers 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz® and Encore® brands with approximately 17.7 million and 31.7 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs more than 1,000 movies per month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment provides quality movies and original, compelling content, viewed through our premium and commercial-free networks, or as a broadband download.

audio’connell Voice Over Talent is a worldwide, English language-based voice talent organization. The company also operates International Voice Talents, a company featuring professional foreign language male and female voice actors. audio’connell Voice Over Talent and International Voice Talents provide voice talent for commercials, animation, corporate narrations, documentaries, broadcast voice imaging, audio books, podcasts and messaging on-hold (MOH). Industries served by the two companies include advertising agencies, media and broadcast production companies as well as both large and small businesses around the world.

Mr. O’Connell also owns Voice Over Workshop, which provides professional voice over training to novice and experienced voice talent world-wide.

audio’connell Voice Over Talent, International Voice Talents and Voice Over Workshop are all a part of O’Connell Companies.

Source: PitchEngine.com

Voice over Artist David Houston Chosen for New Callaway Golf TV Spots

Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY), a global manufacturer of professional-grade golf equipment, worked with Austin, TX-based multimedia company FG Squared to produce the spots. Voice actor David Houston was chosen to provide the voice for the campaign.

In the spots (which include a series of :15 and :30 second TV commercials), Houston’s voiceover advises customers on Callaway’s Buy-Back Guarantee and 12-month warranty when purchasing pre-owned Callaway clubs. The commercials will run on The Golf Channel™ and various outlets during the Masters Golf Tournament 2009.

Callaway Golf Company manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf accessories, under the Callaway Golf®, Odyssey®, Top-Flite®, Ben Hogan® and uPro™ brands in more than 110 countries worldwide.

David Houston (davidhoustonvoice.com) is a voiceover artist, actor, and audio producer based in Austin, TX. He has been heard on numerous national TV and radio commercials, and also performs voiceovers for animation, corporate narrations, documentaries, broadcast voice imaging, audio books, podcasts and messaging on-hold (MOH). Houston was originally cast as the voice of James Bond in Activision’s “Quantum of Solace” videogame. Also an on-camera actor, David Houston has appeared in episodes of TV’s “Friday Night Lights”, and will also appear in the upcoming films “Ex-Terminators” and “Temple Grandin”.

Source: NewsWireToday.com

SCPR Receives 2009 Gold ADDY; 2 Voices.com Talent Recognized

On Friday, March 21, 2009, Southern California Public Radio, was awarded the 2009 Gold ADDY in the category of Radio Self-Promotion hosted by The American Advertising Federation-Inland Empire.  Credits included Craig Curtis, Programming Director, Betty St. Peters, Marketing Director, Rita Pardue, Production Manager, Anny Celsi, Production Assistant, Voice Talents Hettie Lynne Hurtes of SCPR and John Zech of Minnesota Public Radio. The gala event was held at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca.

The entry, “Think Elections, Vote Smarter” was the collaborative effort of three SCPR department —programming, marketing and production. The submission included photos of billboards, bus stop
signage, bus tail signs, magazine tear sheets and four spots that aired in the southern California area.

The 2009 Gold ADDY Award winners’ submissions will be forwarded to be judged in the Southwestern Regional ADDY competition. For further information please visit:
http://www.aaf-inlandempire.com/addy.html

Source: Rita Pardue