August 25, 2008
July 10, 2008
Helium Happenings
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.
June 12, 2008
Still Has That New-Car Scent...
The main site has a new look and feel.
It may yet get a few tweaks here and there, but I think it works. It was time for a change.
June 04, 2008
More D'oh! for Homer.
...and for his family, too.
Per their new deal with FOX, the lead actors on The Simpsons (Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria) will be paid nearly $400,000 per episode.
I haven't (and probably won't) check out the inevitable internet comments decrying them as overpaid, but I imagine they'll probably go something like this:
"Voice acting is just talking into a mic! Besides, my brother's friend's cousin can do all the Simpsons voices perfectly and would be thrilled to do it for the low low fee of (A) a daily bag of Cheetos and (B) Jessica Alba's phone number."
Okay, I have to admit, I might do it just for the last item.
June 02, 2008
More Than Movie Memories Lost in Universal Fire
It's been widely reported that the recent blaze at Universal Studios Hollywood destroyed several well-known movie sets, including the town square from Back to the Future. The cause of the fire has been traced to an accidental spark from a blowtorch used on construction of a nearby set.
What hasn't been reported in the mainstream press is the loss of a veritable treasure trove of original music recordings. From Deadline Hollywood Daily:
...inside the video vault that was billowing thick black smoke were 1000's of original Decca, MCA, ABC recording masters from the last century including a wide range of music from Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters to Judy Garland and The Carpenters. "This is a tremendous loss in music history. A very sad day indeed. It's too bad they saved the videos that they have backups on instead of the master recordings in which they do not, although they may not have had a choice since the fire had already engulfed much of the music side of the vault," a source just told me. Universal Studios can't confirm what has been damaged or destroyed music-wise at this point because it doesn't yet know what exactly was housed in the storage rented to Universal Music.
It's a real tragedy, even in the digital age, that these master recordings weren't better protected.
May 07, 2008
'Quantum of Solace' Videogame Site Launched
From MI6:
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.
May 05, 2008
New Client: Rove Mobile
Happy to have Rove Mobile as a new client; I'll be voicing an introductory video clip for their new application. Rove creates IT and business software for handheld devices.
April 25, 2008
Engineered for Success
Since setting up a MySpace page a few years ago, I've pretty much made it a home for VO networking. It's worked pretty well in that regard for me, and I'd like to think that those MySpacers who've come to me for VO advice have found it worthwhile.
I can't take all of that credit, however. A few months back, a gentleman named Chris Doohan left a comment on my page asking for suggestions on breaking into the voiceover biz.
Given that Mr. Doohan is the son of the late, great James "Scotty" Doohan of Star Trek fame, I half-jokingly advised him that he had something of advantage in breaking into show business. Chris seems to have inherited his dad's good looks and upbeat personality, along with at least a fair measure of his talent, so I figured he could certainly make quick inroads if he wished. I then gave him some general information and wished him well.
Turns out I was right. It didn't take long for Chris to get his VO career going, and a more appropriate first gig I can't imagine: he'll be voicing various characters in a new animated Star Trek series produced by NEO f/x and Farragut Films. While it's not an official Paramount production, the series promises to be true to the style of the original animated adventures, and the voice cast is highlighted by Trek alums Tim Russ (Tuvok on Voyager) and Chase Masterson (Leeta on Deep Space Nine):
So, as I said, I can't take any real credit for Chris' gig. Still, I'm glad he thought highly enough of me to ask for some tips before getting underway.
More info on Starship Farragut, The Animated Episodes here:
NEO f/x and Farragut Films Journey to the Animated Frontier
More info on Starship Farragut, The Animated Episodes here:
NEO f/x and Farragut Films Journey to the Animated Frontier
February 21, 2008
Voicey Awards 2008 Winners
Looks like I bet on the right horse, at least in one race; congrats to Jeffrey Kafer for his win in the Best New Voice category.
Jeff won, and deservedly so, but I get to keep the nifty new graphic (thanks, Stephanie!) on my web page:
Here's a complete list of all the winners. Kudos all!
Best Child Voice: Brandi Munro
Best Teen Voice: Jesse Springer
Best New Voice: Jeffrey Kafer
Best Male Voice: J.J. Wilson
Best Female Voice: Debbie Munro
Best Foreign Voice: Lili Wexu
Best Voice Team: Adam Fox and Kara Edwards
Best Personal Branding: David J. Lawrence
Life Time Achievement: Pat Fraley
To hear the awards presentation, go to the VOX Talk page. Bow tie optional.
January 28, 2008
We Knew That, but Thanks!
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.
January 17, 2008
Have You Hyrde?
Another pun? Mea culpa. Sometimes I just can't help myself. If we're still friends, though, let me tell you what's up:
In an earlier post, I mentioned the mobile-exclusive animated series The Hyrde. The first episode is now available for public consumption, no phone required. I confess to being a fan of the series, and happily admit my bias for its voice cast: DB Cooper brings the sassy to the role of Ghoul Gal, while Philip Banks is perfectly cast as the group's wizened leader, Inspector Spectre. Show creator Robert Feldman rounds out the cast.
Check out Episide One for yourself:
January 16, 2008
Xtra! Read All About It.
Many thanks are due to John Florian and the gang at VoiceOverXtra for a terrific write-up on the NBC Voice-Off contest.
While you're there, have a look at the Home Studio section, and check out the wealth of other excellent VO articles.
Xtra! Read All About It.
Many thanks are due to John Florian and the gang at VoiceOverXtra for a terrific write-up on the NBC Voice-Off contest.
While you're there, have a look at the Home Studio section, and check out the wealth of other excellent VO articles.
January 13, 2008
And The Winner (of the NBC Nightly News Unofficial Voice-Off) Is...
...revealed in this episode of VoxMarketising.
No one could be more surprised than yours truly. Many thanks to all who voted!
January 08, 2008
And This Little MI6 Agent Went...
Wii Wii Wii.
Okay. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me after that, take a look at the latest news in the 007 videogame saga:
Beenox Confirms Nintendo Wii Version
January 07, 2008
Deep Thoughts on Attraction
I'm pretty sure that everyone reading this will be shocked to learn that among most humans, a deep male voice indicates greater masculinity; no doubt you'd be equally surprised to learn that water is wet. Still, this NPR article is of interest...
In the first phase of her research, Apicella invited a group of Hadza men into her Land Rover and recorded them saying "hello" in Swahili. Then she played some of the voices for a group of Hadza women, asking them which they preferred.
Apicella found the women preferred the men with the lower voices.
And that paralleled another of her findings. The Hadza men with deeper voices also had more children than their squeaky counterparts. But she says voice alone probably doesn't explain that.
Apicella found the women preferred the men with the lower voices.
And that paralleled another of her findings. The Hadza men with deeper voices also had more children than their squeaky counterparts. But she says voice alone probably doesn't explain that.
...if only because of the twist on said conventional wisdom found in another article on the same study:
"We found that men with deep voices have more children than their high-pitched counterparts," Apicella told AFP.
"But those children were not necessarily healthier, so it doesn't seem like deep-voiced men are passing on good genes to their offspring, as has been hypothesized in the past, but probably has to do with them having greater access to women."
I'd be more worried about the implications of this question, except that I'm still struggling to figure out just what the heck the French babies pictured on the second article have to do with the Tanzanian men & women of the study...
Final Week!
We're having a terrific run, but now it's crunch time.
Voting in the Unofficial NBC News Voice-Off ends on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. ET. If you haven't done so yet, click here and log a vote for your pal Dave Houston --- yes, that'd be me --- in the comments. Feel free to pick two other voices, but you know they don't love ya like I do. ;)
Once you're done, just do me one more teensy solid and pass this along...
Voting in the Unofficial NBC News Voice-Off ends on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. ET. If you haven't done so yet, click here and log a vote for your pal Dave Houston --- yes, that'd be me --- in the comments. Feel free to pick two other voices, but you know they don't love ya like I do. ;)
Once you're done, just do me one more teensy solid and pass this along...
January 04, 2008
I Know, You're Sick of Me By Now. But...
...as long as we're in Massive Self-Promotion mode, I should announce that it's time for the Voicey Awards Nominations. Since I've officially got less than three years in the VO biz, I'm looking for a nod in the Best New Voice category. (Don't mind the "age 20 to 30" criterion; yes, that age range is fast becoming a fuzzy memory for me, but they've relaxed that criterion somewhat.)
Hey, it's not my fault that the contests fall so closely together...
Hey, it's not my fault that the contests fall so closely together...
Don LaFontaine on the Mend
You may or may not have heard about Don LaFontaine’s recent health problems. Happy to report that the Voice of God is on the mend and itching to return to work. Thanks to Stephanie with Vox Daily for the update.
Don LaFontaine on the Mend
You may or may not have heard about Don LaFontaine’s recent health problems. Happy to report that the Voice of God is on the mend and itching to return to work. Thanks to Stephanie with Vox Daily for the update.
January 02, 2008
Now that your New Year's euphoria has passed...
...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.)
December 26, 2007
Hi, NBC News? You've Got Mail.
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)
November 27, 2007
Progress in WGA Strike Talks?
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.
November 22, 2007
Cat Officially Out of Bag.
Looks like the news is out elsewhere, so it might as well be out here as well:
MI6 News: David Houston to provide voice for James Bond in new videogame
According to several sources, voice-over actor David Houston will be providing the voice of James Bond in the upcoming 007 videogame from Activison. MI6 understands that Daniel Craig will be providing his likeness to the digital 007. [More...]
Vox Daily has also published the news.
Seems there's some negative reaction among die-hard Bond fans at the MI6 forums. If I recall correctly, however, several fervent 007 fans were also dead certain that Daniel Craig was a terrible choice...before Casino Royale was released. He's now quite the fan favorite.
At any rate, I'm simply hoping the rest of the production comes off without a hitch --- according to the studio, the Bond 22 film won't be affected by the WGA strike as I indicated previously --- so that fans can judge the final product. Still very excited about the gig, and looking forward to the sessions.
November 02, 2007
Striking News
Looks like a Writer's Guild strike is imminent, with the most recent reports indicating only the slightest chance of last-minute talks to avert a crippling walkout.
At first glance, the driving force behind this might simply appear to be a demand for wage increases. In fact, it's as much about the changing nature of entertainment delivery (DVD, streaming media, etc.) as it is about dollars and cents. From today's AdAge:
In the early '80s, the Hollywood's writers made what has become to be regarded as the worst deal since Manhattan was sold for some wampum and blankets: When the writers originally signed their pact with producers about how they would be compensated for work viewed on home video, they agreed that 80% of the revenue would immediately be kept aside for the studios, leaving only 20% of the revenue available for royalties. The upshot? While a film or TV show might sell for $19.99 on home video, a writer will typically receive less than a nickel from that sale.
"Welcome to class warfare," deadpanned Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer at Troy & Gould who specializes in internet law, and who formerly was associate counsel to the WGA from 1994-1995. "The home-video agreement doesn't even make sense for home video anymore, let alone the internet."
Mr. Handel explained that the 80/20 split of home-video spoils might have been tenable in 1982, when video cassettes were a costly media to produce and often subsidized by studios seeking to create a new revenue stream. But the cost of manufacturing a DVD is now pegged at 25 cents; digital distribution is, he argued, even cheaper, because there is no physical media to produce at all. [I'm reminded of the 80s, when the music industry charged more for the "brand-new" CD format, even though production costs had plummeted fairly quickly after the format became a hit. --- DH]Moreover, the studios are making more than they ever had before: Last year, all-media revenue from filmed entertainment -- money from home video, TV, theatrical release and pay TV -- grew 8% to a record $42.6 billion.
This is 100% speculation on my part, but there's a slight possibility that a writers' strike could push back the previously-mentioned videogame project I'm booked for. The game ties in with a movie release lated for 2008, but that film has (reportedly) already been delayed by script rewrites. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and continue to work as much as possible in the meantime.
UPDATE: Well, per some information in the link (provided in the comments by my good friend Mary), it looks like my speculation was probably correct. The strike is hitting home, even here in Texas...October 24, 2007
This Time, Free is Good.
If you've read any of this blog in the past, you'll know that I'm usually skeptical of things given away for free; in terms of value, one usually gets what one pays for. With that in mind, I'm pleased to be able to report a happy exception to that rule. (Many thanks to fellow VO artist Joe Rodriguez for finding this one first.)
Intuit, the makers of Quickbooks (you may have heard the name; it's the market leader in small business accounting software) has made their QuickBooks Simplestart 2008 accounting software available for free. While you'd be right in thinking that this package isn't as fully-featured as the paid editions, it's not a time-limited demo or a stripped-bare version either; it's a completely functional program that allows you to create professional-looking invoices and sales receipts, track customer and vendor contacts, and further organize your business expenses. I've started using it myself the past few days, and I'm glad to say it makes this aspect of the business less of a chore.
Oh, and while I wouldn't be opposed to the idea, I assure you that this isn't a paid endorsement. It's rare that "free" and "worthwhile" go together, so I'm more than happy to let everyone know when it does.
July 03, 2007
SouthEast Film Association
The fine folks at SEFA, or SouthEast Film Association, were kind enough to list me as one of their featured Voice Talents, and even whipped up a nifty YouTube video featuring my demos.
If you don't mind staring at my mug for three minutes or so, go check it out...
June 19, 2007
Snap Shots
Introducing Snap Shots from Snap.com
I just installed a nice little tool on this site called Snap Shots that enhances links with visual previews of the destination site, excerpts of Wikipedia articles and IMDb profiles, inline videos, MP3s, stock charts and more.Sometimes Snap Shots bring you the information you need, without your having to leave the site, while other times it lets you “look ahead,” before deciding if you want to follow a link or not.
Should you decide this is not for you, just click “Disable” in the upper right corner of the Snap Shots bubble and opt-out.
June 17, 2007
No Frogs were Harmed in the Posting of this Entry.
After reading a recent post* by Philip Banks on the VO-BB forum, I whipped up this graphic using an online logo generator:
To my surprise, several of the members demanded to have this emblem on a t-shirt. VO-BB Board Czar D.B. Cooper informed me that it's a done deal.
I now proudly (?) add "graphic designer" to my many hats.
(Said garment can be purchased here if you're so inclined...)
*Since that part of the forum is closed to non-members: the phrase on the emblem was uttered by Mr. Banks, without any exlcamation or excitement, during a business phone call upon being prompted by his dog to play fetch with a favorite toy. The other party, according to Philip, laughed hysterically...
April 03, 2007
News
Signed on with Ciao! Talent Agency this week, one of the most respected talent reps in Texas and elsewhere. (While I have nothing but love for my out-of-state representation, it's nice to have an agent I'll be able to see in person from time to time...)
December 22, 2006
Turning the Tables on Fate
Opportunity does knock, but sometimes --- no, make that all the time --- you need to flip the script and go knocking on opportunity’s door.
I was looking through online job postings a short while back when I saw an ad looking for “freelance writers with an expertise in gaming”. Now, while I do fancy myself a decent writer and have played more than my share of videogames over the last, um, two decades or so, this wasn’t really the kind of gig I was looking for. However, one of the job duties in the ad caught my eye:
“…Drafting a script for our voice talent.”
I immediately drafted an email asking if that voice talent would be hired directly, and stating that if so, I’d be ready and available. I think my query took them by surprise, but it led immediately to an audition and --- one week later --- a gig. I’ll be voicing tutorials for a number of highly popular online games (including some MMORPGs, for those of you who speak “gamer”).
It just goes to prove the adage that you’ve got to go find the gigs; to sit around hoping that they’ll find you is to very nearly ensure that they won’t.
I was looking through online job postings a short while back when I saw an ad looking for “freelance writers with an expertise in gaming”. Now, while I do fancy myself a decent writer and have played more than my share of videogames over the last, um, two decades or so, this wasn’t really the kind of gig I was looking for. However, one of the job duties in the ad caught my eye:
“…Drafting a script for our voice talent.”
I immediately drafted an email asking if that voice talent would be hired directly, and stating that if so, I’d be ready and available. I think my query took them by surprise, but it led immediately to an audition and --- one week later --- a gig. I’ll be voicing tutorials for a number of highly popular online games (including some MMORPGs, for those of you who speak “gamer”).
It just goes to prove the adage that you’ve got to go find the gigs; to sit around hoping that they’ll find you is to very nearly ensure that they won’t.
October 24, 2006
I'm Just Too White & Nerdy
Many thanks to Stephanie at the VoxDaily blog for publishing my Getting Started piece. Visit the article over there, and you finally get to see a picture of yours truly:
...Psyche. Not me. (I'm not that white and nerdy.)
I don't know who that is, but it looks like Clark Kent on a tipsy karaoke outing, or maybe Drew Carey after six months of Atkins. Take your pick.
UPDATE: Part II is now on the VoxDaily blog as well, with a short add-on at the end.
October 22, 2006
Changes in the Works
A big revamp of the site is coming soon. Stay tuned...
October 06, 2006
Press Release
August 03, 2006
Have My People Call Your People...
Great news here at DHV: I'm now represented by Marla Dell Talent, located in San Francisco. Looking forward to working with them...