In this Telegraph story on audiobooks, more compelling than the facts and figures on audiobook sales are the actors' insights into performing for the medium. It's a nice glimpse into the process from a decidedly British point of view, but certainly of value to Yanks and other species of voice talent.
Just when I started to think my near-gig experience with the 007 franchise had firmly settled into the archives, a funny thing happened.
Without going into details that can't be revealed (for various official purposes): a good friend of mine and his wife were in London recently on a mini-vacation. There, she met up with a friend who works in the same rather important line of business. The talk somehow turns to my Bond gig, and it's learned that the London friend's boss communicates directly with Daniel Craig on a fairly regular basis.
My friend, tongue firmly in cheek, asked that Mr. Craig be informed through this new channel of his inadvertent burgling of a nifty gig from a poor, hungry actor. While I have no doubt that he delivered the request properly, the way these things go, by the time it gets to Mr. Craig he's likely to have been told that some sod named Davis in the city of Houston has invited him to go on a dig.
That would be in keeping with my luck regarding the whole affair.
There aren't enough superlatives to describe what a tremendous online forum the VO-BB is (and nobody likes an overwritten script anyway). Therefore, I'll just ask you to join me in a hearty Congrats and Happy Birthday to the site, born five years ago today.
My pal (and creator & manager of the site) DB Cooper also deserves more thanks and salutations than I can adequately express here. Here's to many more!
My good friend and VO colleague DB Cooper was in town a couple of weeks ago for the Austin Game Developers Conference. We've worked together long-distance, via phone and e-mail, but this was the first time we've actually met up in the "real world". DB and other conference-goers wrapped up the week at Guero's, so I happily crashed the party. With permission, of course.
Earlier in the week, DB shared her expertise for technology company Level 3's Red Couch interview series:
(In a nutshell, for those who may be new to this blog: In 2007, I got a gig to be a voice match for an unavailable Daniel Craig in what was to be a Casino Royale video game from Activision. The recording sessions were suddenly put on hold, after which I sat on ice for months before finally learning that Craig had agreed to voice the part after all. By that time, the game had become a tie-in for the following Bond film, Quantum of Solace.)
The audition itself isn't a perfect voice match, but I'm still happy that it was close enough to get the nod.
(If the Flash player doesn't work, you can download the mp3 here.)
Voiceover greats Marc Cashman and Pat Fraley lend their insights on audiobook performance to a new article at Backstage.com. Highly recommended reading!
This past January, I auditioned for a voice role (Library Skull) in the Will Ferrell movie Land of the Lost. I didn't land the gig --- that honor went to voice actors Adam Behr and Daamen Krall --- but it was fun to give it a go.
Here's my original audition if you're interested. (mp3)
On second thought: yes, he does.
Actress and author Deborah Puette gives an in-depth, first-hand look at taking the plunge into her first VO demo. Her work with producer/voice actor Ed Cunningham is also documented on video. Highly recommended!
(Courtesy of Backstage.com)
You may change your mind after reading this excellent article from gaming site 1up.com.
Hardcore gamers are notorious for attacking "bad" voice acting in games; some of the vitriol is deserved, but a sub-par voice performance usually isn't due to a lack of talent. Working videogame actors discuss the challenges presented in this unque genre of VO.
I watched the montage of deceased luminaries on last Sunday's 81st annual Academy Awards, and couldn't put my finger on just what seemed to be missing. When it dawned on me a few moments later, I was stunned; the Academy had omitted the passing of the man who literally invented --- and then perfected --- the art of the movie-trailer voiceover. Don LaFontaine voiced over 5,000 trailers in his long career, and became the standard by which all other trailer voices are measured. He was, quite literally, the voice of the art form celebrated by the Oscars.
It's too late for the Oscar telecast, of course, but I urge you to let the Academy know how you feel about this glaring omission.
Bang Zoom! Entertainment has been running a series of voice acting workshops around the country, answering the eternal question: “how do I become an anime voice actor?”. Anime News Network sat down with workshop teacher Tony Oliver, a longtime voice actor, director and producer, to find out what it's all about.
Link
Ever been told you should be doing voiceovers? Ever told someone they should be doing voiceovers? Here's a brief but must-read article on the reality behind what the next step actually entails.
UPDATE: A fellow voice talent shared her experiences, in a response to this post in another forum. Here are her thoughts:
My reality: $14,000 later with a professional demo and directors, agents and actors telling me I'm competitive and the top student in the working professional classes, agents all told me "I have that niche filled." and "I'm sorry, you're too old to portray children. You can't possibly understand their motivations."
An audiobook startup is happy to use me for character work in exchange for copies of the books and a small mixer board they outgrew. My voice is on another "resume job" display in a museum of coin-op amusements.
I return to working on advancing my day job career with dreams of building a studio of my own to record the antique children's books I've collected.
For everyone who makes it big, how many are working with broken dreams?
It becomes available every four years. It offers no pay. It's one of the most exclusive and prestigious voiceover gigs in the world.
For 52 years, Charlie Brotman has served as the president's announcer for the inaugural parade. tomorrow --- Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 --- Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, at which point Charlie will extend his streak to 10 presidents and 14 parades.
He's had the job long enough to be a little fuzzy on the details of landing it, but even Charlie has to "audition" each time the gig comes up:
Brotman isn't sure how he got the announcing gig in the first place, although he believes Eisenhower remembered him as the announcer at Griffith Stadium when the president threw out the first pitch for the old Washington Senators in 1956.
By now, one would think that Brotman's selection for the job every four years would be automatic, but he has to break through layers of bureaucracy to make his pitch anew whenever there's a change in administration. Once he had persuaded Obama's workers that he was for real — "I'm sure they Googled me and asked references and that type of thing," Brotman said — they invited him on board and even started asking him for help with the parade script.
Here's a salute not only to our new Chief Executive, but to the voice of experience that will help usher him in tomorrow.
Even if you're a fan of both fast food and videogames, you've probably never spent much time wondering just what connection exists between Spyro the Dragon and the Taco Bell Chihuahua. For those of you who have, this article will put your mind at ease.
The piece takes popular characters from games and other media, and reveals the voices --- sometimes with surprising results.
(Hat-tip to voice talent Doug Turkel for mentioning this via Twitter. Thanks!)
Backstage.com hosts an excellent article on Honing Your Commercial Technique. Authored by actor and VO artist Heidi Schooler, and featuring advice from top voice actor MJ Lallo, the article highlights four specific skills an actor should take into every audition.
To be launched soon: Do That Voice! The David Houston Voiceovers Podcast.
It'll be available here and on iTunes. Keep watching!
If you're not the blinking type, you may have seen me on the most recent episode ("A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall") of Friday Night Lights:
Behind-the-scenes pics here.
John Florian at VoiceOverXtra has published the results of their “How’s Business Lately?” survey of voice talents, Conducted in late October 2008, the survey asked participants to compare their current job volume and income with what they experienced at the same time in 2007.
There's a mixed bag of results, with many reporting an uptick in business but also expressing concerns about the future. Worth a look.
I fired up the scanner recently to get more of my old photos in digital format. A couple of them stood out; these are the production and on-air studios at KELI-FM radio in San Angelo, where I got my broadcasting feet wet:
Both are from 1987. (There! I dated myself.) It turned out to be an ideal place to learn about radio, from broadcasting to production and everything in between. I started out babysitting the semi-automated reel-to-reel machine, moved to doing top-of-the-hour news and weather, and got on the mic as much as possible without skewering the station's easy-listening format. I eventually took on production duties, and wrote ad copy as the Creative Services Director.
I went on to other air talent and production gigs at Top 40 and Country stations, but the above studios hold my fondest radio memories.
Note how he captures the essence of the copy in one solid take. Philip has pointed out that "performance is king" when it comes to VO; this clip displays a regal talent most of us can only aspire to.
I've had a few opportunities in the last year or so to work as an extra on the TV series Friday Night Lights, as much of it shoots here in the Austin area. Couldn't fit it into my schedule on most days, but last Wednesday I decided to get in on the action.
I'd hoped to work as a Coach, but the only slots left for my type and age were for Parents. I showed up at the ersatz home of the Dillon Panthers, ready to shoot a scene where parents rally for their "sons" as they're bused off to an away game.
We waited as Panther cheerleaders engaged in the shoe-polish ritual:
It was cloudy most of that morning, until around 11 or so when the sun decided to remind us that it might be October, but central Texas doesn't really see Fall until at least November. Between takes and multiple camera setups, I tried to shield my face from the solar onslaught --- I'd left the sunscreen at home. By the time we were done waving and cheering (mostly in pantomime), I knew without even looking in a mirror that my mug was going to be lobster-red.
Just before the final command of "check the gate" from the 1st AD, things changed a bit:
Nice timing, cloud cover. Sure, maybe you looked threatening, but you didn't even produce any rain to cool us off.
On an up note, Kyle Chandler ("Coach Taylor") was kind enough to say hi as he hurried to wardrobe. Reports of his being an exceptionally nice guy are confirmed.
My article on Getting Started in Voiceovers is featured today on Helium's home page. A hat-tip from me to the Helium team.
Also featured are excellent VO articles by Natalie Nicole Gilbert and Doc Phillips. Give those a look while you're there, and take a look at the larger Helium community; it's a terrific resource for articles on just about any topic imaginable.
UPDATE (7/11/08): I received a message from a Helium user after yesterday's front-page showing:
I read your article on voiceovers (congrats on making the front page of Helium) - you have an excellent writing style, phenomenal understanding of words and their use in the English language, and easily share your knowledge without sounding pompous. Thank you for bringing your talent to Helium.
C.M.Erickson
Coffee sub-channel steward
C.M. didn't leave an e-mail address, so I hope it's okay if I offer humble thanks here for those kind words.
Turns out I have more in common with Daniel Craig than just a similar vocal quality:
Daniel Craig Injured While Filming Bond
The report states that Craig "sliced the tip off of one of his fingers during the shooting of an action scene". As it happens, years ago I sliced the tip off of one of my fingers during the shaving of an action figure.
"Huh?" You're no doubt asking. Long story short: Once upon a time, customizing action figures was a hobby of mine. An attempt to slice away some excess plastic from one such superhero resulted an errant slip with an Exacto knife. (If you've never had the pleasure, I can guarantee you that a brand-new Exacto blade is sufficiently sharp as to cut flesh without any pain --- at least for a few seconds, after which the pain pretty much leaves no doubt you've been cut. I do not recommend the experience.)
An ER doc managed to sew the disc-shaped piece of skin back where it belonged, but it would literally be one year before the nerves healed completely.
I'm sure you'll agree that all this is further proof as to why I'm a perfect substitute for Daniel Craig.
/sarcasm off
IGN pulls back the curtain on voiceover recording sessions for the new Hulk video game (based on the upcoming movie starring Edward Norton):
VE3D Video for The Incredible Hulk (PC) - Dev Diary Vid #4
Short but revealing interviews with the actors (including William Hurt, Tim Roth and Liv Tyler) give an insight into the approach taken to performing their characters, and also to the surprises that even experienced film actors encounter when voicing a game --- get ready to grunt and scream for your supper!
In light of some of my recent posts, I think this video only serves to underscore that voice acting is more than just saying one's lines when the red light goes on.
With this story all over the news of late...
A Video Game Star and His Less-Than-Stellar Pay
...it was probably due to rear its ugly head again.
By "it", I refer to the deluge of internet commentary that inevitably follows any and all media reports of voice actors seeking residuals for videogame work. It ranges from the stupefyingly uninformed ("You get paid big bucks just to sit there and talk into a mic, so STFU") to the kind of union-bashing, anti-residuals snark that evokes the ghost of mogul Lew Wasserman (who once famously said "When my plumber fixes my toilet, I don't pay him every time I flush the @#%$ thing!"). The first opinion isn't worth wasting keystrokes refuting, and the second I'll address later.
Somewhat more reasoned are the arguments that game programmers don't get royalties, and that because their contribution is at least as vital as the actors, the latter shouldn't keep getting paid after the fact. Yes, I have heard tales of game companies overworking and underpaying its programmers, testers, and developers; and if this is becoming the norm rather than the exception, then that's an inequity that also needs to be addressed. Generally speaking, though, a simple (but key) distinction is often lost in this argument: members of the creative team work on salary, while the voice actor is a freelancer.
Viewed without this information, it's easy to think of our VO actor as being greedy, an unscrupulous sod; trying to squeeze out yet more money from a game, a few bucks at a time, after already sitting on a king's ransom. Mine isn't an unbiased viewpoint, but I'm nonetheless here to tell you that it just ain't so. It's important to remember that sales-based residuals aren't "bonuses" or "extra money", as many people out there seem to think. They're deferred payments against the lifetime value of the work. In other words, when residuals are part of a negotiated contract --- something that's not currently part of SAG and AFTRA's "new media" agreements --- the studio is essentially saying "your work is worth X, but that's too large an amount for us to pay up front. Therefore, we'll pay you a smaller percentage up front, and if the game is a success, then we'll pay you the remainder of that value over time." Samuel L. Jackson and Ray Liotta get weekly checks for their movie roles not because their performances are stellar, but because their client (the studio) is on an installment plan. (This is one reason why the studios, long ago, agreed to the royalties system proposed by SAG; it places a risk on the part of the actor --- he stands to lose 80% of the value of his work --- alongside the financial risk incurred by the studio on that project.)
There even exist a few voice actors, some for whom I have great respect, who are of the opinion that Hollick signed the contract, knew what he was getting into, and should stop bumping his gums about the lack of residuals. Leaving aside the fact that his contract doesn't cover the use of his voice for promotional purposes over the Internet: who are any of us to tell an unknown voice actor to say no to a six-figure payday, even one that isn't currently as equitable as it should be? As much as I admire those who stick to their principles when it's least convenient --- and they are to be admired --- actors have to eat. (Also, 100 grand is nothing to sneeze at, but it doesn't go as far when you live in NYC or L.A; and residence in these cities is pretty much required for an actor to do videogame VO work .)
Another such colleague has opined that voice actors shouldn't receive royalties for games, with the reasoning that gamers don't buy titles based on the quality of the actor's performance. This may be true to a degree --- mitigated in no small part by the willingness of those same gamers to flame bad voice acting in game forums --- but it misses the point by a mile. Again, TV and film actors receive royalties for their work not because of their sheer acting prowess, but because the performing unions fought to ensure that these artists --- regardless of the artist's ability or inability to act his or her way out of a paper bag --- aren't left with an inequitable share of profits. The unions understood well that competition for acting jobs is fierce, to a degree that few other industries and professions can relate to.
Or, put another way, in the form of a rebuttal to Lew Wasserman: your plumber doesn't have to audition for his next job against hundreds of other hopeful wannabe plumbers, hoping against hope that he'll land the gig. Taking it a step farther: If the plumber had fixed the toilet so that it spat out a thousand bucks every time it was flushed, he'd be justified in asking for a percentage of that payout. But I digress.
Bottom line: the percentage of actors who can wrap up one job, then count on another gig being in place the next day, is small. As in single digits.
All this may be moot, however, if SAG and AFTRA are unable to negotiate residuals into their new contracts with the studios and production companies (represented by AMPTP). The TV writers were reasonably successful in their quest, but that's no guarantee. We'll see.
9:30 call time. As has been the case on pretty much every film shoot I've been on, this meant finally getting into wardrobe around 10:45. Hurry up and wait, background peons!
Activision today officially confirmed the videogame adaptation of the upcoming James Bond film "Quantum of Solace", and launched a teaser website to promote the title.
[The website] gives fans access to some early concept artwork from the locations featured in the game, as well as the opportunity to sign-up to the community to vote on polls and ask the development team questions. This site will serve as the hub of activity for the game and will be updated on a regular basis.
Development studios are confirmed as Eurocom, Treyarch, Beenox and Vicarious Visions. The game will be released this Fall. Treyarch are understood to be heading up development on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles, with Beenox producing the Nintendo Wii version, and Vicarious Visions working on the hand-held platforms. Eurocom are understood to be developing the PC version.
Speaking about Activision's direction with the 007 licence, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said "Bond is one of the great videogame franchises of all time and that really was a result of GoldenEye 64. I think the key to re-energising the Bond franchise is going to be ultimately the highest possible game quality."
Last November, Activision confirmed a second 007 title was also under development.
How do I know? Because we're now fodder for The Onion:
Gotta love that our fictional VO guy's name ("David Cavanaugh") is the name of a minor character on the series. (Very minor, actually, since he only appears in a deleted scene.)
It's a funny read in any case, but sometimes satire isn't really satire:
"It's a daunting task, especially since you can't rely on such actorly tricks as facial expressions and body language," Cavanaugh said. "All I have is my finely tuned instrument and its subtle tones of honesty and vulnerability that envelope the viewers and make them feel safe and informed."
It's 100% true, even if he's putting it in flowery terms...
For what it's worth, the real "Previously on Lost" VO guy is Andy Geller.
After several weeks of false starts and reschedules that just couldn't be helped, I finally got together with Terry Daniel and Trish Basanyi as their Voice Overs On Demand Podcast guest. (Here's a direct link to the mp3.)
Honestly, I don't stammer and stutter like that on most days. (Note to self: caffiene is b-b-b-bad for you.) I had a great time nonetheless, and they have my continued thanks for the invite.
MI6 reports that the new Bond game will be based on the same graphics engine used in Call of Duty 4.
What this will mean for me is...actually, I haven't the first clue. I do know that the COD series has some of the most incredible-looking games I've ever seen, and it looks more and more like Bond 22 (VG) will fall into the same category.
The folks at MovieMaker Magazine have named Austin, TX as the #1 city both for making movies and residing in, if you're in the film industry. (It's not half bad even if you're not in the entertainment biz, either.) MMM hasn't quite updated their online edition yet, so here's a link to the story.
Austin's status as a TV & film hotbed has been a not-so-well-kept secret for years, but it's nice to have a measure of "official" recognition.
Since my last post on the subject, I've done a good job of refraining from any reporting on the status of the WGA strike. This seemed a wise move, given that my optimism at the time proved a mistake. Still, those with their finger on the pulse --- or at least those who talk to people who also talk to those who are close to others with their finger on the pulse --- are reporting positive things from the current informal talks between the WGA (the writers) and the AMPTP (referred to as "producers" in most media reports, although in reality they're the CEOs and moguls of the major studios).
Even if this should prove to be another false alarm, I maintain that the mere fact of informal talks taking place at all is a positive step, given that just a couple of weeks prior, neither side seemed interested in talking. Cautious optimism from here on out.
...you'll have an easier time going here and voting for your pal David Houston --- that'd be me --- to win the Unofficial NBC News Announcer contest. The cool thing is, you get to pick two other voices (so as not to feel guilty if you think my entry sucks.)
You have all year to call in the favor I'll owe ya, but voting ends soon. Snap to it! (Please.)
Before I got into doing VO full-time, I spent many years as a guitarist and vocalist in rock bands. Of the many musician's jokes I've heard beat to death over the years, one sticks out:
How many guitarists does it take to screw in a light bulb? 12. One to screw in the bulb, and eleven to stand around arguing that they could have done it better.
The irony is, sometimes at least one of them is right. This was the reaction among tons of VO artists upon hearing film star Michael Douglas' questionable work as the new voice of NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. Voiceover artist Peter O'Connell has taken the collective groans of the VO community and set up an absolutely unofficial audition for the job. Judging by the stellar quality of the entries, I'd say NBC would do well to make the auditions official. Head over to Peter's blog and judge for yourself.
In the meantime, here's my humble effort. (MP3)
Nothing is certain, of course, but there are reports that talks between the WGA and the producers have quietly resumed; and even if there aren't any major breakthroughs at the moment...at least both sides are talking without rancor. Here's hoping this is the start of a deal both sides can live with.
Here's a must-listen for anyone involved in recording videogame voiceovers: this presentation by DB Cooper and Pat Fraley at the 2007 Game Developers Conference in Austin. (While it makes me even more disappointed that I wasn't able to attend, I'm gratified to be able to hear this after the fact.) It's geared toward audio directors, but every voice talent who wants to pursue acting in videogames --- and even those who've already done it --- can tap into a goldmine of valuable information.
The official synopsis:
"Audio directors have a right to know what to expect from the voice actors that are hired to voice games. The object of this program is to discuss and demonstrate directing techniques actors can easily respond to, scripting that will wring a fuller character from your actor, and audition ideas to ascertain that you’re getting the VO you really need for a part in a game."
Pat and DB are engaging, informative, and highly entertaining. Here's the link. (Scroll down the page a bit for the MP3 file; 70 minutes, 16 MB.)
Directing is a skill, just like delivering a tag into a microphone. As with any profession, some are more skilled than others.
Hear this principle in action as William Shatner takes direction in the voiceover studio. (Warning: after the Shatner clip, some NSFW language from the radio progam playing it).
Thanks to Dan Nachtrab for the heads-up on this article. The three above-named voiceover artists are profiled at, of all places, CourtTV's website.
All three are hugely successful and sought-after, but the interviews do illustrate that voiceover success is different for each of us.
Go into the booth to see and hear this VO recording session from the Cartoon Network - Adult Swim animated show Squidbillies:
http://www.adultswim.com/shows/squidbillies/stuff/recording/index.html
Nice to see a well-directed session that also encourages improv...
