Everybody’s favorite voice coach Pat Fraley is in town this weekend courtesy of Toni Silveri’s All Coast Talent (of which I am proud and founding represented voice talent). Pat was in a couple of years ago to do a character voice seminar which I attended; he did an updated version today which I didn’t attend, though I will be in attendance on Sunday for his audio book class.

But three who did attend the character voice workshop today are some of my favorite folks from north of the border. I stopped by the seminar on their lunch break today to visit with them.

Elaine Singer and I first met at the first Podcamp Toronto a few years ago and I was very pleased to hear she caught wind of my announcement of the seminar from this blog and reserved her space. While not exclusive to her voice over talents, Elaine explained to me how she was looking to increase her Herbrew-based voice work. She enjoys it quite a bit and it occurs to me know I’ll have to have her send me her demo for the International Voice Talents page.

David and Stephanie Ciccarelli drove in from south of Toronto, London, Ontario to be exact, taking in Pat’s class and sharing some of their insight on the voice over world gained from their business, Voices.com. David and I spent a good bit of time reviewing some of the proposed changes they’ve alluded to on line at Voices.com, which I assume will result in the usual impassioned debate. From what he told me, I think they make sense but I’ll let David and Stephanie unveil it to the masses. Wonderful folks, the Ciccarellis.

I’ll post later how things went at the Fraley audio book class.

UPDATE: Here’s my Fraley review

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Tags: announcers, blogs, commentary, international voice talents, peter o'connell, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice, voiceover blog, voiceover meet-ups, voices.com by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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…a gun. Well actually a couple of guns although technically one was an automatic machine gun which I would consider more rifle like but my knowledge of guns extends only to these sentences really so don’t quote me.

Yes, when I was in Arizona (which is hot, damn hot in August) I visited the Scottsdale Gun Club where the public is invited to shoot guns with live ammo in their shooting range. ANY gun because they have hundreds including, yes, automatic machine guns. The kind boys used to play with as kids only these will actually kill something.

I was never much into guns. More like intimidated by them, fearful even. But when the group I was with went on the adventure to the club, I figured I should face my slight fear and I did.

We watched a training video, signed our lives away, picked the weapons of our choice, donned our ear protection (as we all wore glasses already) and into the indoor driving range we went.

Lord it was loud. Chest thumping loud as there seemed to be well over 20 stalls and almost all of them had people shooting all kinds of weapons. Combined with the echo that was the first startling observation.

Second was handling the guns. We were taught how to load our weapons (a Glock 9mm and MP5 machine gun like many S.W.A.T. teams use) and we fired. The power of these weapons, the force, the damage…these were the other things I noticed.

It turns out that in spite of my shaking hands, I’m not a bad shot.

The last thing I noticed was the variety of people shooting. Husband and wives (“the couple that shoots together…”) twenty-something women on what looked like a date, and a couple of really odd looking characters who based on appearances alone I would not allow to have a weapon.

But they have their rights and so we all went bang, bang into the night. It was fun and exhilarating and yet not something I think I will seek to do again unless the opportunity is similar to this trip. In some cases to avoid the accident, it’s best to simply stay off the road.

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Tags: commentary, silliness by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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When it comes right down to it, where would you rather be in August than in Phoenix?

OK, don’t answer that.

Anyway, here I is and t’aint no way I was going to let this trip go by with a visit with one of my most favorite professional voice over talents, Bruce Miles.

Tonight we had dinner my hotel, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort.

I know if you’ve read any of these “audio’connell in (city name)” I always say very nice things about the people I’m with. Well it’s because the people I meet with are nice which, in addition to us sharing professional similarities, is why we want to get together.

Just ask the people at VOICE 2008 this weekend.

In comparison to that large event, our dinner made up in quality what we lacked in quantity. Bruce and I share an affinity for history….mine America Presidents, his also American Presidents and every other damn historical thing. Puts me to shame.

And that awesome voice of his! I think if I got the opportunity to add any voice to my repertoire, Bruce’s voice would definitely be in the top 5.

If you get the chance to visit with Bruce in Phoenix, I highly recommend it, for the voice over stories and for the history lessons.

P.S. I bought a news camera to have in my briefcase now and this is the device’s first outing. Now next time I have drinks with Caryn Clark, unlike last time, I’ll be able to post a pic.

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Tags: announcers, audio'connell voice over talent, commentary, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice, voiceover meet-ups by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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The wonderful UK voice talent and my friend Philip Banks has a marvelous sense of humor but his latest posting on the VO-BB had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt (in a good way).

If you’ve ever done any voice over work this imaginary dialogue will ring loud and clear for you. Enjoy the shared experience.

If you are a creative director, audio producer or agency type….these were written by Philip Banks and he made me post them at gun point. 😉

DIRECTION AND RESPONSE
Direction – That was 35 we need to do it in 30
Response – It is ok for me to delete the client name and contact details?
_______________________________________
Direction – More hard sell
Response – throughout or just on the meaningless offers?
_____________________________________________________
Direction – Mmm not sure about your accent do you have another?
Response – I’m sorry I didn’t understand what you just said to me.
_____________________________________________________
Direction – Come back off the mic
Response – Shall I close the door behind me?
________________________________________________

Direction – Do you do “sexy”
Response – Yes and for an extra 20 you can leave the light on
_____________________________________________________
Direction – You’re sounding too announcery!
Response – It says on the script “Announcer” what part should I be reading?
_____________________________________________________

Direction – If you feel you can do anything to improve the script feel free
Response – Excuse the ripping sound
_____________________________________________________

Direction – I want to hear you really enjoy the experience of reading the copy
Response – Do you have enjoyable copy out there or shall use this and act my a** off?
______________________________________________

Direction – One more for luck!
Response – if you like, the sound engineer and me can grab one of your legs each and make a wish too!

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Tags: announcers, commentary, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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I don’t know Chris Brogan that well having met only briefly a couple of times (and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t remember me…lucky devil) but there is no doubt about his commitment to social media and its community.

To that end he has published a list of free internet publications (e-books) regarding social media. I know that in the voice over, marketing and advertising worlds (which, as we always note, collide here at voxmarketising) there are still more than a few souls who feel left by the side of the road on the social media speed racer.

Most of them will never even see this blog as they think blog is something that’s cured with a shot of penicillin.

And maybe it is.

But if you can’t get down to the free clinic this weekend, click on a few of these links then tell us which ones you felt were most helpful to you and why.

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Tags: advertising, blogs, commentary, internet, marketing, podcampboston, social media, social networking by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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My friends Sarah, Dave, Jerry and the gang at Full Circle Studios have entered a short comedy film into a competition on flickclick.com and it is now a finalist.

The film is called Boxed Out.

On their behalf I am lobbying you for your vote so they win the contest.

You’ll need to register on the site (for free of course) and can vote once a day if you’re up for it.

I’d embed the film here but then you’d have no incentive to see it on flickclick. Note that with that link, the film should start automatically for you to watch. Thanks for voting.

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Tags: commentary by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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