Part 2 of the Thom Pinto interview . . . .

This is part two of the interview of VO great Thom Pinto, from LoveThatRebecca.com. It's worth it for that pictures of Thom over the years alone. Thom is a great teacher and influence, and he is both generous of spirit and a truth speaker. There is another part coming soon too, so be sure to get your Thom on!

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Have voice, will travel . . . .

Last Thursday I made the trek to Emeryville for a callback audition at Leapfrog Games. I had read for four characters in a new game they are producing, and they called me in to give reads on three of them. It was an awesome experience, and I felt quite honored to make it to that point. Of course, there is no way of knowing how it will turn out, but I felt good with my performances and the booth director was enthusiastic and positive. We shall see . . . .

The lobby at Leapfrog Games in Emeryville, CA.

One thing that really surprised me was the attitude of people when they heard I was coming from Mendocino. I know (BELIEVE me, I know) it is a three hour drive each way, and I don't mind it so much. I realize that I have to go to the job---it's not going to come to me. But one person literally said "Are you crazy?" when I told her where I was coming from (this was another voice actor.)

I look at it this way: I have to be willing to do what I need to do to make it in this business. If that means driving a couple of hundred miles to get a shot at a job, so be it. It doesn't matter to the client how far I am coming from. They just want the best performance I am capable of.

So I am ready to load up my iPod with tunes and podcasts, gas up my Saturn, and hit the road if need be. There is a whole range of possibilities out there, and limiting myself because of where I live is not going to bring them to me.

Have voice, will travel!

That running over cup . . . .

So, here it is, March 2013, and I am posting the first blog post of the New Year. It's a quandary---when nothing's happening, I feel like there's nothing to post, and when I'm busy it seems like I haven't got the time. Right now it is the second part of that range of possibilities that is what has made posting difficult.

If I put aside my day jobs---and there are several that I work at to pay the rent---here are my current projects:

1. An audiobook for Redwood Audio (booked through ACX) titled Politics and Passion; Toward a More Egalitarian Liberalism ;
2. an audio tour for the Kelley House Museum in Mendocino, which we are in post-production on;
3. a call back audition (this Thursday) for an eLearning project received from my agent at Stars.

Via Inkjot Comics

On top of these, I have begun rehearsals for the next Hit and Run Theater shows, coming to Hill House in Mendocino on March 29 and 90. All this makes for one very busy person. I am grateful that all this is happening, and feel like the work of the past years is finally bearing fruit. I will do my best to make time to keep this blog posted on new happenings, and updates on all that is already going on. My cup runneth over!

The Santa sessions . . . .

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this. (Via bigbangvoiceover) Happy Holidays, folks.

Beginning work on an audio tour project . . . .

I did preliminary work on a new project this week: an audio tour narration for one of the local area museums, the Kelley House Museum. It entails a number of passages detailing the historical events surrounding the landmarks in our little chunk of the Mendocino Coast. It is quite interesting, and has a lot of information that I wasn't aware of.

I will be working once again with Beth Richmond, alternating reading the various passages with her. Putting my voice in people's heads is an interesting challenge. There will be music and sound effects added by us as well, and the tour is designed as an app that will include pictures and illustrations also.

We did a walk through of the whole tour yesterday, which gives us a chance to see each of the stops on the tour and relate it to the real world, as well as timing the reads to fit a leisurely pace. I've lived on the North Coast of California since 1990, but I was unaware of some of the more colorful elements of our area. We were with several of the people who actually give walking tours for visitors, so we got a real sense of the tone and passion for this information from them. They are obviously very committed to sharing the history of our home with those who are interested. What a real asset to get that kind of insight.

Coming up with sounds and music will be a challenge, but I am happy to be a part of this project. Another new adventure in voice overs!

A chat with a voiceover great: Thom Pinto . . . .

Okay, it's been too long (the generic "I should post more" post), but I've had something I've come across that deserves attention.

This is an interview with one of the best in the VO business, Thom Pinto. I have been fortunate enough to have been instructed by this guy at Voicetrax in San Francisco over the years, and he is someone I feel grateful to consider a mentor for my work in voiceover. The interview is by Rebecca Michaels on her podcast Love That VoiceOver.

The interview is a joy to listen to, full of memories and insights into the business. Just having a chance to hear Thom chat a bit about his experiences and career is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in voiceover. This is part one, so I'm looking forward to hearing more!

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A tool in my kit . . . .

One of the tools in my tool kit for voice over is working with a local improv group on the Northern California Coast called the Hit and Run Theater. This crew has been at it for several decades, and for the last three years I have been fortunate enough to be a part of the festivities.

Improv is an amazing discipline, and emphasizes skills which are vital for script analysis and character development. Add into the mix a need to work well with others and get out of your own way, and I believe it is an invaluable part of my voice acting arsenal.

And as these photos by my wife, Bessy of our performances at the Hill House in Mendocino last weekend show, it's a heck of a lot of fun.

I give Doug Nunn an on stage neck massage, much to 
Christine Samas' surprise.

At the end of our improvised opera on pickles, 
Steve Weingarten prepares  to deliver the death blow to me, 
as  Kathy O'Grady, Dan Sullivan, and Christine look on.

A bit of imrovised song with me, Kathy, and Steve.

Doug cures my character of hyperactivity, at least momentarily,
as Jill Jahelka appreciates the moment.

Improv has given me a new way to look at my voice work, and I am glad I have it! I owe a big debt of gratitude to all the Hit and Runners.