Now Hear This! - 2009, November (Fall Back)

[JoeActor]

Autumn is upon us - what better way to warm up... your vocal chords!

Post your auditions and short audio bits here. Others will listen and comment.

Fall fun for the whole family!

Cheers,
Joe J Thomas
Joe J. Thomas Acting Portfolio (http://www.JoeActor.com)
SoundsGoodToYou.com - Joe J Thomas - Voice Actor (http://www.SoundsGoodToYou.com)

p.s. The prior thread is here:
http://www.voice-overs.com/forum/leads-reads/3377-now-hear-2009-october-oooohhhh-scary.html

[Thom]

I'll start this month with a real gig, an audition, and a couple voices... Now the gig wanted a "William Conrad" Bullwinkle kinda read... which got me thinking about Paul Frees, which .... let me to the audition...well here it is (uh...they are :smiley:)

Thom

[Scott Pollak]

Thom... wonderful! Just delightful! Superb!
Geeze, what other superlatives can I conjure up here? So glad I didn't audition for that one!

Going 180 degrees in the opposite direction, I just couldn't help but share this one. The directions said:

"Ideally, we are looking for a mature male (40+) who is fluent in english but has an eastern european accent (or similar).
when reading the script for audition, please note the following directions:

start off serious/straight, then try to take it to a more hopeful/magical/lyrical place towards the end."

Now obviously I don't have an Eastern European accent, so I didn't even bother. I just told the story.

[Jon Morss]

Thom - Very nice vintage character sounds.

Scott -- Well done. Sounds like you are certainly in your comfort zone.

I don't post these too often anymore but I thought I would throw another out just for S&Gs. This was a 60 sec Radio spot and they were looking for a Father and Son thing ala Gomer Pyle and SGT Carter. I just did my interp of it and came up with this.

[JoeActor]

Thom: good mix! (Monkey Joe's!)

Scott: love the ending - how'd I miss that? in the zone for you.

John: strangely, I like the Dad read better than the son - he's got a nice intensity...

Great posts all!

Joe

[Scott Pollak]

Thanks J & J.

Jon: I liked the presentation of both of your characters but the voice tones were SO close that at times it was a bit difficult to differentiate between father and son. But that's a problem we all have when trying to do two voices that aren't radically different in a cartoony sort of way. But nicely done regardless.

[Thom]

Thanks Scott, Jon, Joe...

Jon - agree with Scott - on characters, the pacing of the son and dad are too similar, even though the vocalization is slightly different - try recording all son's dialog at once and Dad's at once, and "step" into each character completely.. put a "burden/age/experience" on Dad's shoulders that the Son shouldn't have.. and a naivety and enthusiasm -lightness on the son

Here is my version of the eastern euro character -

[Scott Pollak]

Thom... LOL... can't help it. I could only think of the Keeper of the Crypt when I heard your Robot read. Well done, of course, but very Boris Karloff-esque.

[Lee Gordon]

I thought I had killed the L&R section after I posted a demo on October 22nd and nobody else posted anything for the rest of the month. Nevertheless, since Jon has posted his father & son demo (and you know we audition for all the same things), I'll post mine as well.

[JoeActor]

Lee - you and Jon should mix 'em together... I'd love to hear that!

[Thom]

Crypt Keeper and Boris - :cool:

[Scott Pollak]

Trying to interpret a client's wishes can be like trying to understand a woman sometimes, I swear. Sorry ladies, but it's true.

Here were the client's directions:

Mature, male VO talent needed for Chicago area hotel. This 60 second spot lets the traveler know about the different amenities in the hotel. This should be a mature, friendly read in a mid to lower register, comfortable and casual, not "selly" at all - more like you are talking to a friend. This spot only plays in one hotel and is not broadcast.

I sent in the attached and got a 'not likely'.

Oh well, thank goodness a LOT of good steady NON-AUDITION work (the best kind!) has been coming in from past clients lately!

[Dan Dunlap]

I also gave the Robot Trailer a shot...as yet, unopened. I hate when that happens. Especially when I had to record at the radio station I work at and edit out the HVAC howling in the background.

[Scott Pollak]

Dan, nicely done and great fidelity there. Not to worry, I couldn't hear the HVAC at all. That's one of two reasons I hate recording anything at the radio station where I do some p/t work: super noisy computer fans in the production room and uber-compression.

Your delivery was a fraternal audio twin to Thom's.

And not to worry, either, about them not hearing your audition yet. This client, with only ONE exception, has listened to 100% of the auditions on all previous projects. I'm betting you, me and Thom all get heard.

[Dan Dunlap]

Thanks, Scott. Uber-compression...I'm feelin' that. Thom's got what you call a "set-a-pipes" on him. The client's listen ratio is becoming more and more of a factor in my decision to audition for projects. Handy feature in the battle against time-wasters. BTW...I'd stay at the Felix. I thought you were smoooooth.

[Thom]

Robot - still not opened - liked your read Dan.. Scott - don't understand those not likely ratings, maybe they were looking for more Chicago, or mid-west, or happy gangsta (Good spoof material - Happy Gangsta Hotel... ...)

RE: Pipes :smiley:

[Dan Dunlap]

Thom...thanks for laff...now, stop polishing your pipes! LOL

[Scott Pollak]

Thom...thanks for laff...now, stop polishing your pipes! LOL

... or you'll grow hair on your palms....

:sick:

[Chrisrice]

Got 2 to post today that seemed like decent fits for me... one was looking for a "Paul Rudd or Jim from The Office" type read, the other was after a Denis Leary sound. Hopefully you can figure out which was which.....

[Scott Pollak]

Chris,

I, too, answered that same "Dennis Leary" lead and got a 'not likely'. Seems like I'm getting equal doses of 'not likely' with 'considering' or 'likely hiring' now. It's one extreme or the other. Although the 'likely hiring' usually means: not.

What IS it with Dennis Leary??? Used to be we'd see endless requests for James Earl Jones type of reads, then Sam Elliott, now it's Dennis Leary. I'll be glad when this phase passes.

I actually preferred your first one, the "Jim" from the office read. Not that it reminded me of him, but I felt like you were more in your comfort zone there.

[Chrisrice]

Leary's a hot commodity these days, with the success of Rescue Me. I've gotten other gigs looking for the kind of read he does for the Ford F-150 spots. "The Ref" is still one of my X-mas faves, love that flick. On that one, I think I got a "maybe", but was tied for 15th or something. And the other read is definitely more of my comfort zone.

One nice thing I've noticed the last week or two is that the quality of leads I'm seeing from V123 seems to be getting better... there was even one on there today for a $2500 national spot, and several over $500... it'd be nice to see that be a continuing trend!

[Scott Pollak]

sssssshhhhh, Chris!!! Don't tell anyone! Everyone else here thinks V123 is Satan's playground! Let's keep the good stuff to ourselves!
:diablo:

[Lee Gordon]

Dennis Leary is the new Don LaFontaine. I assume you guys are talking about the "Animated TV Project." Despite a bit of poor-mouthing, that job looks like it pays pretty well. I got a "Maybe" but that represents only a 25-way tie for 15th place. If I'm not even getting hired for my (4-way tie for 1st place) Likely Hirings, I'm not spending any of that "Maybe" money any time soon.

I did get a Dennis Leary gig recently, but not for very big bucks, I'm afraid.

I also auditioned for a tag for some Acura dealers on Voice123 today. In my notes I mentioned as an aside that my last 3 cars have been Acuras. They gave me a Not Likely (8th place). I don't mind not getting the gig, but thanks for rewarding my loyalty, d&^$)*s.

[Scott Pollak]

The other 'not likely' I got yesterday was for that same Acura ad, Lee. At least I feel like we're in good company.

[vocal cawd]

Great reads by all of you! Fascinating to hear comparative reads .The eastern European piece is finely written

[lanceblair]

They wanted an investigative reporter for a website. No script. So they got an investigative look into their audition request.

[Lucious]

i (http://www.box.net/shared/7u11ud9ypi)Ok, this audition is for Speedy. A cat from Brooklyn why specialize in making the best spaghetti in New York.
An interesting story on how I've been chosen to try out for this character. I was at work, when I use to work at a grocery store fooling around in different voices. I thought I entertain a kid who was crying and did a voice. After cheering the kid up some guy walked up to me and asked if I was a voice actor then ask if I would be interested in voicing as Speedy in the voice that I did for that kid and so here it is.

http://www.box.net/shared/7u11ud9yp (http://www.box.net/shared/7u11ud9ypi)

[lanceblair]

Documentary audition:

[FearlessRaccoon]

I sent in the attached and got a 'not likely'.

Hey Scott, I just discovered this particular forum, and think it's a great idea. I listened to your read and thought it was very good. But one thing that leaped out at me was the way you pronounced "Chicago" had a slight accent to it (I live in Chicago, btw). Also, "amenities" sounded a little funny to my ears. I would bet that this slight accent I'm hearing is what took you out of the running, more than your read which I thought sounded like what they said they were looking for.

Hope this helps!

Tom Test

[JoeActor]

Lance: Liked 'em both - good idea on the reporter one. I never know what to submit when there's not copy... excellent choice.

Lucious: I'd replace the chatter at the start with just a clean slate. The attitude is good for that copy, but I had trouble understanding the words...

Hey! Everyone already away on vacation?

How about some non-"L" names posting?!?!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Joe

[lanceblair]

Thanks Joe, about half the time when there's not a script but a very specific direction on a P2P audition I'll do this...or if I can quickly think of a suitable custom script I'll do that or pull out a recent job and read it with their direction. I've only won one gig this way, but I figure I'm showing how I can follow direction with any script, and it's a good exercise fwiw.

Happy Tofurkey Day! :)

[Lucious]

Joe: I think that's my trouble when doing doing this voice. The short period term I can deal but as soon as I have to keep hold of the voice then things shoot down hill in which I need to strengthen.

[Mike Sommer]

Lucious:

If your throat or anything hurts while performing this voice, be carful, you could be causing damage.

Try slowing down, and work on intelligibility of the voice. And don't just say the words, give them meaning,
imagine the scene and play in it; know the character he is speaking to, and talk to that other character.

[Lucious]

Will do. Thank you.

[lanceblair]

narration audition.

[Si Hill]

Hey Guys!

I'm posting this before checkin' out if anyone else auditioned...

One is for a client doing some serious name dropping "The Simpsons"... Sounds like a fun gig to be a flamboyant animated Perez Hilton type character haha I'm sitting in 1st with 6 others.. Finally my inner woman can come alive and love fashion to the fullest.

The other is for a GPS voice over. I totally didn't even think I'd be considered at all... not one bit... However I am sitting in 1st place 'likely hiring' with nobody else out of 18!!! There's my attempt at an African American accent at the end and I reeeeally don't think it's that great.. But just a heads up to anyone NEW.. unlike myself..ehem.. ha.. I took this script and changed the ending from "kick your ass" to "kick your dog" to "jihaad your ass"... soo, let's remember that making it your own counts!! ** I think my East Indian accent sounds a little Irish slightly sometimes lol

The Twitter audition.. oh man... I got a 'you will not be considered'... and I think I'm pretty sure I know why... I think I went a little far with making their script my own at the end lol

Anyways, It's good to be auditioning again!

Simon

[Si Hill]

narration audition.

Dudesky... voice of god! I loved it.

[Si Hill]

They wanted an investigative reporter for a website. No script. So they got an investigative look into their audition request.


So did you just make this up yourself?! haha That's going the extra mile!

[JoeActor]

Simon!

Good to hear from you...

Three in a row - Liked the Twitter one.


Well, the time has come to start a new thread.

Won't you all join me in the December thread here:
http://www.voice-overs.com/forum/leads-reads/3692-now-hear-2009-december-holiday-magic-time.html

See you there,
Joe J Thomas
Joe J. Thomas Acting Portfolio (http://www.JoeActor.com)
SoundsGoodToYou.com - Joe J Thomas - Voice Actor (http://www.SoundsGoodToYou.com)