marice tobias voiceover workshop in atlanta

<em>FRONT ROW: Jill Perry, Pam Tierney, Kara Edwards MIDDLE ROW: Peter K. O'Connell, Caryn Clark, Melissa Exelberth BACK ROW: Bob Souer, Rowell Gorman, Alexander Vishniakoff, Debra Webb, Beth Whistler, Robert John Hughes CUT OFF ONLY DUE TO PHOTOGRAPHER ERROR: Mike Stoudt</em>

FRONT ROW: Jill Perry, Pam Tierney, Kara Edwards MIDDLE ROW: Peter K. O'Connell, Caryn Clark, Melissa Exelberth BACK ROW: Bob Souer, Rowell Gorman, Alexander Vishniakoff, Debra Webb, Beth Whistler, Robert John Hughes CUT OFF ONLY DUE TO PHOTOGRAPHER ERROR: Mike Stoudt

So I packed a bag on Friday and flew down to Atlanta for the Marice Tobias workshop on Commercial and Narration voice over at the very nice Captive Sound Studios. My friend Bob Souer has been singing her praises for a long time; Kara Edwards and I were talking about maybe attending about 6 weeks ago and since I could see some family while I was there, I decided to pull the trigger.

<em>Kara Edwards, Bob Souer and Melissa Exelberth</em>

Kara Edwards, Bob Souer and Melissa Exelberth

It was completely different than ANY other voice over workshop I have ever been to and I have been to many.

I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and learned much. And while I participated in the workshop, I am at a bit of a loss as to how to effectively summarize it because I think unless you’ve been through it, it’s very difficult to understand it. So my first piece of advice would be to take a workshop with Marice.

<em> Rowell Gorman</em>

Rowell Gorman

A lot of internal performer analysis (as it relates to vocal performance) for each student went on during her seminar. I think we all came away with a specific understanding of how effective personal analysis greatly affects the performance a voice talent gives. That kind of analysis helps performers to get out of their own way. The performance improvement was immediately evident and we (each workshop participant) all witnessed it and experienced it time and time again.

Now, you’ve likely just read that and had no understanding of what it meant. Well, some things must be personally experienced, not just read about. I’m not being coy or mean but instead honest.

<em>Kara Edwards, Caryn Clark, Melissa Exelberth, Robert John Hughes</em>

Kara Edwards, Caryn Clark, Melissa Exelberth, Robert John Hughes

Each voice over talent (as does everyone) learns in different ways and her seminar needs to be personally experienced, not read about. I would recommend you look at Marice’s schedule and if it’s possible for you, take the seminar.

And if you are especially lucky, you’ll get into a class with as many incredibly talented voice over performers as I did. This might be a record because we had 6 of us – about ½ the class – who’ve been long time friends from the VO-BB. There was an immediate and invaluable comfort level learning, working and performing among friends.

<em>Jill Perry and Pam Tierney</em>

Jill Perry and Pam Tierney

When I signed up for Marice’s workshop, I knew Bob was going and I knew there was a chance my friends Kara Edwards and Caryn Clark were coming (they did attend) but what I didn’t know for sure until I saw the list just before I came that the great character voice actor Rowell Gorman would be there, my pal Melissa Exelberth from New York would be there as well as the lovely and talent Pam Tierney from the toddlin’ town of Chicago. What a gift to have my friends there!

<em>Mike Stoudt, Debra Webb and Beth Whistler</em>

Mike Stoudt, Debra Webb and Beth Whistler

The voice talents whom I had never met previous to the workshop really capped off the experience for me and I am so grateful to have been included among them for a few days: Robert John Hughes, Alexander Vishniakoff, Beth Whistler (thank you for driving to the airport!), Debra Webb (who, I found out in setting up this link shares the same agent as me), Jill Perry and Mike Stoudt (who also shares mine and Debra’s agent).

Two VO folks who couldn’t make the seminar but who kindly came out to join our group at various times throughout the weekend were Smith Harrison and Craig Crumpton.

Not to put too strong a point on it, but there were certain voice over suspects who shall remain nameless (Karen Commins (complete with brand new web site), Lance Blair, September Day Leach) who call Atlanta home but had something (anything better) to do than visit with Team Tobias Atlanta after hours at our various pubs, taverns and dives (sometimes known as the mini-bar)! Hurmph! 😉

And finally, my most special thanks to my family in Atlanta who were so kind to let me stay with (or near) them. They had fresh hay in the stable for me to sleep on and let me borrow the mule’s blanket to avoid frostbite. 😉

I hope you get to enjoy a training experience at least once in your career a unique as the one I just enjoyed.

If you’ve trained with Marice, I would love to hear your general impression of the experience. And if you have already with any professional voice over teacher, tell us about it here.

PS. Here is a shot of the WHOLE group, (including and ESPECIALLY Mike Stoudt) courtesy of Bob Souer’s camera:

<em>FRONT ROW: Jill Perry, Pam Tierney, Kara Edwards MIDDLE ROW: Peter K. O'Connell, Caryn Clark, Melissa Exelberth BACK ROW: Mike Stoudt, Bob Souer, Rowell Gorman, Alexander Vishniakoff, Debra Webb, Beth Whistler, Robert John Hughes</em>

FRONT ROW: Jill Perry, Pam Tierney, Kara Edwards MIDDLE ROW: Peter K. O'Connell, Caryn Clark, Melissa Exelberth BACK ROW: Mike Stoudt, Bob Souer, Rowell Gorman, Alexander Vishniakoff, Debra Webb, Beth Whistler, Robert John Hughes

25 Responses to “marice tobias voiceover workshop in atlanta”

  1. Thanks for your post, Peter. I attended a Marice seminar last year in Seattle and know exactly what you’re talking about-it is difficult to describe the experience in a way that does it justice. And I also found a big part of it to be the amazing group of talent assembled. Most of us have stayed in touch, as well.
    I’m hoping Marice will schedule a Chicago seminar for the spring-I’ll be there!

  2. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by AIGA-Atlanta, Peter O'Connell. Peter O'Connell said: marice tobias voiceover workshop in atlanta #voiceover #voicetalent #atl #atlanta http://ping.fm/S7e43 […]

  3. thank you for the kind words, good sir (and the entertaining fruits of your comedy rant on sunday)!

    i share your amazement at the unmistakable improvements we all heard in every single participant’s read after marice put us through our paces.

    with luck, we’ll see each other again at another such session before long.

    rg

  4. Greetings, Peter! Since I obviously did NOT remain nameless in your post, I want to clarify for your readers that the words of “having something (anything better) to do” are YOUR words, not mine! 🙂

    I really appreciate your wonderful report on the workshop, as well as the shout-out. I’ll even forgive you for teasing me if you’ll kindly change my web site link to http://www.KarenCommins.com. After all, as I blogged at the beginning of the year, Karen Commins is my new brand name!

    Cordially,
    Karen Commins

  5. Really wish I’d been able to make that … but I’ll be in Atlanta at the beginning of January and can’t afford two trips so close together. 😉 Still, I’ll definitely keep a look out for any of Marice’s workshops that are somewhat near. Hopefully some time in the future, I’ll be able to attend. (Does she ever consider coming to Canada? :)) How great to meet so many VO-BB folks! Glad you had a good time! All the best, –Jodi

  6. @Veronica- thanks for sharing your experience. I hope that Chicago seminar is in your future. You might be able to get Pam Tierney into that one!

    @Rowell- what a great ride it was and being able to share it with you made it that much more fun.

    @Karen- I’m so glad you called me out on my tease. I know you all had stuff going on and totally get it but I wanted you to know you were all remembered by us throughout the weekend…all in a very good way. We missed seeing you all at the fine establishments we frequented post-workshop.

    Best always to you all,
    – Peter

  7. Hi Jodi:

    Your comment popped in just as I finished writing back to the other commentators…you’re too fast for me 🙂

    It was great spending time with all of them, especially Rowell and Pam who I’d not met personally. And the other “new-to-me” voice talents really knocked my socks off.

    I don’t know Marice’s schedule but if she’s doing London and France sessions, I’m sure a Toronto session wouldn’t be out of the question. You should call her business partner Stacey Stahl and ask about it, maybe give her some insight into the market. You could probably make that happen.

    However you do it, I hope you get a chance to take a workshop with her.

    Best always,
    – Peter

  8. Thanks, Peter. I’ll definitely think about doing that. 🙂 All the best, — Jodi

  9. Peter,

    I’m ever so glad I got to share this weekend experience with you. I would point out that there were actually 7 VO-BB friends there. You counted all of us, but missed yourself.

    Be well,
    Bob

  10. Hi Peter,
    I recently took part in Marice’s LA workshop, and I agree, it was unlike anything else, and found it to be highly enlightening. I knew several fellow pals at the vo-bb and my friend Robert J Hughes were going to attend and I was thinking about you guys a lot this past weekend. I only wish I had all you guys at mine! However there were some very talented and high-profile individuals at the LA workshop.
    By the way, in your top photo (back row, Robert John Hughes is the last person on the right.
    All The Best,
    Bobbin

  11. @Bob & Bobbin: Thank you both for keeping me honest.

    Bob: You’re a great friend and a great inspiration as a VO and a person. Thanks for introducing me to Marice.

    Bobbin I just fixed my stupid caption error on RJH. Sometimes when these blogs post get this involved with tons of copy, links and photos – and the captions that each need – I really need an editor. So I appreciate you two volunteering 🙂

    Best always to you both,
    – Peter

  12. […] By the way, you can read about Peter O’Connell’s perspective on this experience on his blog. […]

  13. I confess I was also there in LA with Bobbin at the Marice workshop. It was very special and one must experience it. I was probably the least experienced person at the LA workshop and I got a lot out of it.

    The group was amazingly talented and very hgh caliber as is Marice. As our Governator said, “I’ll be back”.

  14. […] By the way, you can read about Peter O’Connell’s perspective on this experience on his blog. […]

  15. Hi Greg:

    I’m very glad you got to experience the Tobias Treatment as well. I imagine the LA seminar was very cool.

    BTW, thanks to Bob Souer I have updated the post to include the group picture that also features Mike Stoudt.

    Best always,
    – Peter

  16. I plan on making 2010 an MT year.
    …as long as one of you tells her I’m worthy! :-)………

  17. Liz,

    Gladly!

    Be well,
    Bob

  18. Awwww, Thanks, Bob! 🙂

  19. Hey, that’s right, now I can be a referer!

    Oh the power I wield! (Bwahahahahaha!)

    Eh, probabaly no so much 😉

    Best always,
    – Peter

  20. [bowing oh so low]
    I’m not worthy….I’m not worthy…. 😉

  21. Peter,

    You are a funny, funny man.

    Be well,
    Bob

  22. Liz, you are VERY worthy. I expect to see you at an MT workshop one of these days and in LA next summer at VOCIE2010.

  23. What Greg said, Liz. And that’s at VOICE 2010. Party’s at your room right? lol
    Bobbin

  24. OH YEAH! 🙂

  25. Well, I now have a roommate for VOICE 2010 … so I’m really looking forward to meeting those of you I know from the ‘net in person! And seeing those I *have* met, again. 🙂

    Wishing lots of good stuff to each and every one of you,

    –Jodi