5 Questions for a Professional Voice-Over Talent – Rich Brennan
Today’s 5 Questions for a Professional Voice Over Talent are answered by Rich Brennan, a professional voice over talent based in Long Island, New York.
1. The beginning: When did you know you wanted to be a voiceover talent; how did your career begin (please include what year it started) and then when did your passion for voiceover develop into something professional?
This is a long one, lol. In 1997, I was recently separated; a woman that I’d met asked me (during one of my down’ days) what I’ve always wanted to do. I said that I’ve always wanted to get into radio or music (I play the drums). This conversation lasted a while – with her suggesting that I apply for an internship at a local radio station (102.3 WBAB- which happens to be the station that I listen to); I told her she was nuts..lol, since I was 35 (at the time) and internships were meant for college students. So, throwing caution to the wind; I applied and was accepted. While working in the production department. I took a real liking to it; to the point where my (brief) internship was 99% doing production. 6 mos later, I was hired, part time, as a production assistant for a 3 station cluster: WBAB/WBLI/WGBB. I had built up the responsibility of writing copy; voicing and producing it; getting client approval and putting it on the air, within my first 6 mos. Having a little more than a year (in production) I was, occasionally, entrusted to run the production dept. while the production director was out of the office (be it on errands or had taken the day off). It wasn’t too soon late that the production director would go on vacation (for a week) while I took care of things. I really loved doing that. I would turn down overtime at my full time job to make $9/hour at the radio station. In 2000, I started my own production company (JustMyVoice Production); using the knowledge that I’d gained at the radio station.
2. What is the one thing you know now that you wish someone had told you when you first started out in voiceover?
Why I waited so long to get into this biz, lol
3. What do you see as the biggest professional or personal obstacle you face that impacts your voiceover business and how are you’re working to overcome it?
Getting heard. I’m east of New York City – Long Island – and getting heard is a tough one. 100% of the work I do get is, pretty much, everywhere but in my area. Working to overcome it is the tough one. I’m hoping to retire from my full-time job, this year; which will give me the time I’ll need to put 100% of my time into getting “out there”. I do have an extensive contact list, that I reach out to from time to time; but I’m planning on making a bigger web-presence (if/when I retire from my f/t job). I’m also planning on redesigning my logo and webpage.
4. What personal trait or professional tool has helped you succeed the most in your career so far?
I’d have to say that my proficiency with computers helps a lot. I also seem to pick up on things fairly quickly. When I started carts and reel-reel tapes were still being used for productions. Then came the computers: The Audacity (’98?) was my first feel with digital software; then there was SAW plus32; then Cool Edit; followed by Adobe Audition 3.0 and now I use Adobe Audition CS5.5.
5. In your development as a voice over performer, who has been the one particular individual or what has been the one piece of performance advice (maybe a key performance trick, etc.) that you felt has had the most impact on your actual voice over performance and why?
Ed Banas (a former production director with WBAB) would be the guy I’d call a ‘mentor’; I learned A LOT from Ed about writing/voicing/producing spots. Eric Wellman (former music/program director- now the PD for WAXQ in NYC) said to me; “just keep doing what you’re doing”. He didn’t offer any direction or suggestions but just said: “Keep doing what you’re doing”. I felt good about that.
I now LISTEN to voices and tones and can appreciate the work that goes into those recordings. I only hope that one day I’ll hear myself on national ads; or documentaries. It’s also nice to know…that there’s no age limit or restriction when comes to voiceovers; for as long as you can speak – you can work.
