need a coach

[BigDave]

Hi Julie,

You and I have chatted a little on FB and I warned you I was going to ask this. I worked in radio for 18 years and just got out 7 years ago. I was Production Director at every station I worked at.

I've done a little freelance VO locally here, but I want to get a real career going. I know I need coaching and I'm hoping to find someone who can help me find my "real" voice. Being a PD, I had to do everything. Some things I did well, some things not so. I need an unbiased pro to help me figure out what I do well and help me do that better. I'm in Vermont so it's not likely that I'll find someone locally. I don't mind cyber-coaching.

I'd really appreciate any recommendations you can make or advice how to go about finding the right person, because I have to believe that's important.

Thanks,

--David

[BigDave]

I read the older post below regarding long-distance and have contacted Nancy Wolfson. I hope to have a session with her soon, but any other advice suggestions are appreciated.

[Mike Sommer]

If you can't get in with Nancy, check out Marc Cashman. As a matter for fact if you've never done anything like VO before
I would say try Marco first. He'll break you of all your preconceived and misconceived notions and you may have of VO,
and get you flying right.

[BigDave]

Thanks Mike. I have a session scheduled with Nancy. If things don't work out with her, I'll give Marc a try. I have lots of experience "like" VO as I worked in radio for 18 years. Because of that, I no doubt have plenty of preconceived and misconceived notions to get rid of! :D

[Mike Sommer]

Yes Radio is the maker of many bad habits.

Acting is one of those things where you are always taking classes, or joining workouts groups. it's a never ending process.

[Dave_Wallace]

I hate to jump on to the "RADIO IS BAD" bandwaggon, because Lord knows it can be profitable career (just ask Howard Stern). However, I would like to echo what Mike said when he says that radio is a bad thing in the context of VO. The acting styles are just totally different. Radio seems to work best with those booming loud, bass-deep voices and that announcer-like, grab-your-attention delivery. VO, by far and large, requests more "conversational" delivery. I can't tell you how many auditions I've gotten where the instructions read, "don't sound like an announcer." On the (exceptionally rare) occasion when they do want announcers, it's almost always in the context of a parody.

Again, not blasting radio in its entirety. It just doesn't typically go hand-in-hand with VO, and any good coach out there will be sure to tell you that. There are a good chunk of radio broadcasters I know who effectively made the transition from radio to VO, but it was always the ones who realized that it was just that--a transition. They knew they couldn't just keep doing what they'd already been doing.

[Mike Sommer]

Radio is not a Bad thing. Radio is a creator of bad habits.

In radio one is constantly told how to say or do things the Radio Way, "W-NnnnnnnnBC." It's not their fault, it's just been ingrained and beaten into so much, that when every the get in front
of a mic they just automatically go into radio mode; it's like Pavlov's dog.

The one good thing that your get out of radio is cold reading skills. Most everything else can be forgotten.

[Scott Pollak]

Smiling as I read this, so I gotta throw out my story here:

- About 10 or so years ago, as I decided to foray into voiceovers, after about 25+ years in and out of radio, I sent Julie my 'demo' which I'd culled together from my zillions of radio spots over the years. I knew Julie thru mutual friends in the Christian broadcasting biz. Julie nicely responded: "It's not bad.................. for a radio guy." She went on to nicely explain to me that I had to lose the radio-ese and that phony announcer delivery. She was the start of my re-training myself. And Nancy Wolfson was a big help, too.

[RickRileyVoice]

I need to throw my vote in for Nancy Wolfson. I constantly run into areas of copy that I attack totally differently because of her coaching. She's not cheap, but her course is extensive and covers more angles to attack delivery than you could possibly imagine.

I don't think I even read a piece of copy any more without utilizing at least something that she's taught me. She takes her teaching seriously and the voluminous amounts of work she's put into her curriculum, is proof. IMO, Nancy is money WELL spent!