New Contract Agreements For AFTRA Voice Actors

For the first time ever voice actors who are members of The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) will enjoy streaming payments for their work on video games after the union negotiated a new 3 1/2 year agreement with representatives from the video game industry.

This new contract will see that performers are paid via a new cloud gaming fee. Artists will be paid a 15 percent one-time payment before the streaming payments begin. Also included in the contract are increased contributions to the AFTRA Health and Retirement Fund from 0.5% to 15.5%. There will also be an extra 3% added on to minimum compensations over the duration of the contract, with 1% being added immediately after the contract expires.

Ultimately, what all of this means is that the new minimum fee for AFTRA Interactive Media contracts will start at $809. The new minimum will increase again in May 2013 to $825.

Source: Gamasutra

Are Narrators A Part Of An Audio Production Team?

Not according to the Emmys.

The audio production team for the critically acclaimed nature series “Wild View” won a regional Emmy award for their work on the documentary, well, everyone except for narrator Mary McKitrick.

Photographed on left, McKitrick is holding the iconic statue but was not permitted take actually take one home. Evidently narrators are not recognized by the Emmys as being a part of the audio production team.

This struck a nerve in the voice over industry which instigated a call to action to have narrators fairly recognized at the Emmys for their contributions to audio productions. A Facebook page has been developed to draw attention to the issue and will be presented to the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) if enough support for the cause is shown.

The goal of this appeal is to have the NATAS review and update their awards criteria to include either categories for or the inclusion of narrators as E Award recipients in its regional and national awards and to finally get Mary McKitrick her Emmy statue.

To show your support visit A Statue for Mary on Facebook.

Source: CourVo

What Do Some Of The Top Growth Industries Have In Common? Voice Overs.

According to a new report by IBISWorld USA, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) leads the list of the ten industries expected to see the highest growth rate between 2010-2016. Also on the Top 10 list are video games and Internet publishing.

This is good news for the voice over industry. These sectors regularly require voice over talent for their audio needs and could become major contributors in the job market for voice talent as they grow.

The voice over industry is said to be over $11 billion strong which is divided across a huge span of niche markets including Business, Cartoons, Documentaries, Educational Video, Internet, Jingles, Movie Trailers, Music, Podcasting, Radio, Telephone, Television and Videogames.

Corporate projects currently lead the bread and butter jobs for the voice over industry. An increase in voice over jobs for video games would give talent the opportunity to stretch their creative muscles more often and with the growing popularity of Internet publishing as a new method for entertainment programming voice actors may see more opportunities to work on projects in online broadcasting.

Over the last two years Voices.com has seen an increase in Internet job postings which seems to suggest that there is the potential for these growth industries to lean more toward e-commerce sites to search for, audition, and cast their projects.

The future is looking bright.

Source: The Atlantic/Voices.com

Voice Artist George Washington III Voices ROOT Sports Northwest Television Promotions

Passion, connection, and quality is what ROOT Sports is all about. These were the qualities they sought for the voice of their new television network ad campaigns.

Root Sports, the nation’s premier regional sports network, selected voice actor, George Washington III, to provide liners and promotional spots for the television network’s programming.

DJ Hammond, Promotions Manager at ROOT Sports Northwest, said “We listened to many voiceover talents, but George really stood out. He took the time to understand the project and deliver exactly what we were looking for. His response time and communication throughout the process is also top-notch.” Throughout the year, you’ll hear Washington’s strong passionate voice when you tune into ROOT Sports Northwest’s broadcasts of teams in the region.

In their Northwest region, ROOT Sports’ programming includes the Seattle Mariners (MLB), Seattle Seahawks (NFL), Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers (MLS), University of Washington Huskies, Washington State University Cougars, University of Oregon Ducks, and Oregon State University Beavers (Pac 12), Gonzaga Bulldogs (West Coast Conference) and Seattle University Redhawks as well as The Dan Patrick Show.

A professional voice actor since 2003, some of George Washington III’s voiceover credits include CarMax, ESPN, McDonalds, Hewlett Packard, the Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee Lotteries, Hooters, EA Sports, Ikea, the Tennessee Valley Authority, ADP, Opera Carolina, the Charlotte Bobcats, IBM, Capital One, Whole Foods, Cox Cable and Mass Health.

Source: VO Evolution

Animation Voice Overs With Stevie Vallance

When it comes to voice overs for animation there are few as experienced and knowledgeable as Stevie Vallance.

A performer since childhood, her dynamic personality easily lead into a decades long career voicing animated characters. She offers up some useful tips for those considering a career in voice-over animation:

MYTH: Animation Voice-over is limited to actors who are already working.

FACT: They are looking for new voices that are brilliant. It’s easy to be ‘brilliant’.

FACT: You make $50,000+ a year for 4 hours work a week, in a 52-episode, ‘union’, animation series.

FACT: Double that if you play multiple characters, so you need to develop a multi-character repertoire.

FACT: A Voice-over Demo will seldom ‘get you a job’ but you must have a Voice demo in order to get an agent.

FACT: You must have an agent in order to audition for union work.

FACT: Non-union actors become ‘union’ when they are cast in a union show.

FACT: It doesn’t matter what you look like!

Stevie Vallance operates ToonedIn, a voice over animation workshop in Toronto, Ontario and has become one of North America’s most sought-after cartoon voice-over coaches.

For more info on upcoming workshops in your area, go to www.toonedin.ca

Source: Stevie Vallance

SunSetter Retains Popular Voice Talent for 2nd Year

SunSetter Products, based in Malden, Massachusetts, has secured audio’connell as the voice for the company’s SunSetter Awnings, the #1 best-selling retractable awnings in America. SunSetter Awnings are enjoyed by over half a million American customers.

“The SunSetter Awnings national television campaign has been great to work on because SunSetter Products and the producers did such a great job on the first spot, so now to be a part of it for a second year is really awesome and a special privilege for me,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell’s professional voiceover credits include national and regional voiceover productions for companies such as PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), Shell Oil, Starz Cable Channel, Time Warner Cable, New Jersey Tourism, J. Walter Thompson Advertising, Cleveland Browns, Harlequin Enterprises, and Pathmark Supermarkets.

Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, O’Connell owns audio’connell Voice Over Talent, a worldwide, English language-based voice talent business. The company provides voice talent for commercials, animation, corporate narrations, documentaries, broadcast voice imaging, audio books and messaging on-hold. Founded in 1982, audio’connell has served worldwide industries including advertising agencies, media and broadcast production companies as well as both large and small businesses. audio’connell Voice Over Talent is part of O’Connell Communications, LLC.

Source: audio’connell

New Voiceover Book By Terri Apple

Voiceover actress Terri Apple has a new book slated for release in March, 2011. The book is published by Michael Wiese Productions and is titled “Voiceovers: Everything You Need to Know About How to Make Money With Your Voice.”

Voiceovers offers extensive information covering everything new voice talent need to know about making money in the lucrative world of voiceovers. Along with interviews, readers can expect to find tools and tricks of the trade from industry pros.

Terri’s previous book, Making Money In Voice Overs, was #1 in its field. With thirty years experience, her voice has become a signature sound and is heard everyday across the country.

Some of her voiceovers include, Tasters Choice, Homebase, Cows/Cheese commercials, Milk campaign (Obie Award), Taco Bell, BMW, E! In the Soup, Bravo, A&E, ABC, CBS, NBC (Promo’s) Oscar Meyer (And hundreds of others).

Check out Amazon.com for more information.

Source: Amazon / Terri Apple

Building A VO Business with Social Networking

Over the last five years big corporations have been embracing social media as a means to connect with their customers. But it’s not just fortune 500’s who can take advantage of new wave marketing. Individuals, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and artists are all finding out that social media can make a big impact on their business.

Two voice over talent who combine their voice over and marketing skills are Terry Daniel and Dave Courvoisier. In a recent lesson on the Voice Over Experts podcast they discuss the use of social media for voice over artists and the multitude of free online marketing tools that are available to voice over artists today that were not available ten years ago.

Daniel explains, “You need to spend a pretty good amount of time on marketing every day. That could mean spending an hour on Facebook just searching not only for voice over groups but other business related groups that could potentially need your voice for a project. The opportunities, especially on Facebook, are endless.”

Talent agents, production houses, audio engineers, and marketing agencies all have profiles on social media sites. With a little research getting your voice out there could be as easy as extending a virtual hand and introducing yourself.

Source: Voice Over Experts

John Lee Wins Solo Narration – Male at 2009 Audies

Narrator John Lee was pleased to accept his Audie award in the category of Solo Narration – Male for his interpretation of Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo”, published by Blackstone Audio.

In his acceptance speech, Lee gave a heartfelt thanks to teachers and librarians everywhere, people to whom he acknowledged and credited tireless, unwavering dedication to instilling a love for reading and literature into children everywhere.

While on stage, he produced two very special items, his very first library card as a child and also his current library card from his neighbourhood.

Teachers and librarians are often the most ardent champions of the written and spoken word.  Thanks to people such as they, narrators, including John Lee, have been able to give back to their communities and the world by bringing the written word of the page to enjoy and cherish using storytelling as the vehicle for enriching the lives of all who listen.

Source: Voices.com

Katherine Kellgren Scores 3 Audies for Curse of the Blue Tattoo

Narrator Katherine Kellgren is at it again in the Bloody Jack sequel, “Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady”, authored by L.A. Meyer, winning 3 Audies in all for her creative portrayal of Mary “Jacky” Faber and as an integral member of the Live & Listen Audio production.

Stephanie Ciccarelli of Voices.com referred to Kellgren’s work, sharing that the “Classically trained, sophisticated and sonorous Katherine Kellgren narrates stories from the depths of her soul, combining talent and skill with pure passion infused by a love of the spoken word, uplifted by her father’s devoted ears.”

Honored by the nominations and humbled by her win as Solo Narration – Female, Teens and Distinguished Achievement in Production, Kellgren couldn’t have been more gracious or deserving of the awards.

Source: VOX Daily

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