Voiceoverist Philip Banks
Presenting the refreshing and hysterical perspective of VOICE 2010 from the talented and very funny Philip Banks. Yes, there is a smattering of truth in there too. Thanks to Taji’s Voice Emporium for the link.
These are my friends, old and new, who were at VOICE 2010 and I’d like you to virtually meet them if you haven’t had the pleasure to meet them personally. Unfortunately, I didn’t get pictures with ALL of my friends there so there are some glaring omissions for which I apologize.
I am grateful for the friendship of each and everyone one of them.
Kara Edwards & Dave DeAndrea at VOICE 2010 Red Carpet Reception
Voice Talents Dave DeAndrea, Peter K. O'Connell and little Doug Turkel
Voice Talents Doug Turkel and Kara Edwards
Voice Talents Peter K. O'Connell, Kurt Kelly and VOICE 2010 co-host Dave Courvoisier
Voice Talents Peter K. O'Connell and Connie Terwilliger
Voice Actors Pat Fraley, Doug Turkel, Connie Terwilliger and Liz deNesnera
American Voice Talent Peter K. O'Connell and Austrialian Voice Talent Matt Cowlrick
Voice Talents Jeffrey Kafer and Peter - what's the deal with my hair - O'Connell
Seattle Voice Talents Jeffrey Kafer and Erica Risberg
Voice Talents Amy Snively and Pam Tierney
Voice Talents Pam Tierney and Peter K. O'Connell
The VO-BB Gang was adorned with the necklaces signifing we voice talents as dolphins swimming among sharks. The sharks were never identified as far as I know.
At VOICE 2010's first general session, the great Pat Fraley brought on special guest Brad Garrett who's comedic voice over abilities are amazing.
Fellow Buffalo Voice Talent Dan Lenard presenting a break-out session at VOICE 2010
Three broken bones in her leg couldn't keep Voice Talent Liz deNesnera from presenting during her Telephony break-out session at VOICE 2010
My friend Doug Turkel and I were given a private tour of the new Don LaFontaine Voiceover Lab at the Screen Actors Guild office in LA Video link of the tour is here: https://blog.audioconnell.com/2010/06/09/audioconnell-in-los-angeles/
Michael Woodley, Administrator of the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab
The beloved Souer Boys, Voice Talents Bob Souer and Eric Souer
George Whittam's presentation on technology may have been one of my favorites. He's also the technical designer of the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab
Voice Talents Zurek - owner of Voiceover Universe - and Peter K. O'Connell
Voice Talents Meg McClellan and Bobbin Beam. Bobbin served again as Co-Host of VOICE 2010 with Dave Courvoisier.
Stephanie Ciccarelli from Voices.com and Voice Talent and owner of Voice-Overs.com Julie Williams at the Voice-Overs.com reception
audio'connell Voice Over Talent president Peter K. O'Connell presenting at VOICE 2010
Voice Over Xtra!'s John Florian with Voice Talents Peter K. O'Connell, Trish Basyani, Doug Turkel, Bobbin Beam and David Kaplan
Voice Over Master Don LaFontaine
Yup, I was at VOICE 2010.
Yup, that was almost a week ago and nope I haven’t published a darn thing on this here blog and that a’coz I had a trade show to attend in San Diego (where I am now) and have been busy and tired and making some money.
I have pictures and stories to tell about VOICE 2010 which will come in due time.
But the story that I want to share with you first is that of my visit to the new Don LaFontaine Voiceover Lab at the Screen Actors Guild Foundation’s Actor’s Center.
It’s scheduled to open on June 25, 2010 and its administrator, Michael Woodley, liked one of my blogs posts about the Lab so much, he invited me for a tour when I went out to VOICE 2010.
Here’s the tour:
The PLAN was that I would take a 6:00 a.m. flight from Buffalo to Chicago then on to San Diego where I had some marketing activities to manage before driving up to Los Angeles for VOICE 2010. So Wednesday morning begins….
4:00 a.m. ET (1:00 a.m. PT) Alarm clock has the temerity to awaken me. I remember to turn it off and stop the second alarm from going off lest it awaken Mrs. Audio’connell. I am a good husband, I think to myself. Mrs. audio’connell merely snores at this observation. Total Travel Time: 00:00 hrs.
4:30 a.m. ET (1:30 a.m. PT) Face washed, teeth brushed, dressed in the bathroom (again, lest I wake she who snores) I done the audio’connell baseball cap and drive off to the airport. I laugh as I think of Liz deNesnera’s reference to it being “O’Dark :30” when she left yesterday morning for LA. The birds don’t mind, they are awake and chirping. Stupid birds. Total Travel Time: 00:30 hrs.
5:00 a.m. ET (2:00 a.m. PT) Car is dropped off at the lot, bag is checked at United, security is a breeze. I go over to the US Airways Club but it’s locked. Oh, they don’t open until 5:15 a.m. My, I AM early; I shall go buy my four newspapers – oops, two of them including the local paper haven’t been delivered yet. The shopkeepers say they are always late…much like their reporting. Total Travel Time: 01:00 hrs.
5:30 a.m. ET (2:30 a.m. PT) Having broke fast at the Club, I saunter over to Gate 12 and ask the gate agent if I might be upgraded to Economy Plus for the BUF to CHI route and she graciously does so…then she promptly boards me…on the plane, I mean…I mean I get on the plane. Oh bother, moving on. Total Travel Time: 01:30 hrs.
6:00 a.m. ET (3:00 a.m. PT) The doors on the United flight. And we are ready for pullback from the gate. Until we don’t. And then the pilot advises a weather delay in CHI – a weather-related all stop. Nothing in, nothing out. Sounds like my flight has the stomach flu. Total Travel Time: 02:00 hrs.
7:00 a.m. ET (4:00 a.m. PT) Weather has gone from heavy thunderstorms in CHI to heavy rain which the pilot advises is a good thing. I reckon that with the time change, I have about 14 hours left to get to the VOICE 2010 Red Carpet reception. I still might make it. Total Travel Time: 03:00 hrs.
8:00 a.m. ET (5:00 a.m. PT) Our pilot, who is starting to sound more depressed than his passengers, says he’s called for the jet way to return so we can stretch out. When the gate lady comes on board she says we ought not to get off the plane (can she overrule a pilot? Nah). She thinks we’ll get clearance in the next five minutes. But I’ve decided a reclined bathroom break would be in order, so I get off the plane. Total Travel Time: 04:00 hrs.
8:05 a.m. ET (5:05 a.m. PT) Finishing my business and head for the bathroom sink I hear gate lady say if to get our collective butts on the plane, it’s leaving. Bathroom occupants scatter like mice on the Titanic, startled but refreshed. Total Travel Time: 04:05 hrs.
8:15 a.m. ET (5: 15 a.m. PT) We pull back from the gate…about 10 feet, and stay there. My thought was gate lady was punishing us for getting off the plane and she would show the pilot who is boss. Total Travel Time: 04:15 hrs.
8:30 a.m. ET (5:30 a.m. PT) The pilot gets on the PA and announces that the plane’s radar is on the fritz. While not yet desperate, he sounds pretty sad. He needs to get the radar looked at and he’s called for the jet way’s return to plane so we can all get off and talk to the gate agent about rebooking options. I am off that plane before the first class passengers because I have been through this drill too often for my own good and am first in line to have my gate lady chat. Total Travel Time: 04:30 hrs.
8:40 a.m. ET (5:40 a.m. PT) My flight options are not great because they mostly involve going through weather burdened Chicago. My original hope (and why I booked United and not US Airways where I have more status) was not to fly east to fly west because that just seems to make the travel day longer. My east west journey is 2 ½ hours old and I haven’t left Buffalo. Maybe I’m not as smart as I hope I am. Looking for lemonade in a world of lemons, I plug in my electronics for some valuable charge time. Total Travel Time: 04:40 hrs.
9:05 a.m. ET (6:05 a.m. PT) Most of the passengers who had gotten off the plane to talk rebooking are back on the plane but no “get your butts on the plane” announcement has been issued so I remain charging away in the boarding area. Because I feel the need (and likely because I was nudged by my Guardian Angel Dad – world traveler that he was) I go to speak to the gate agent and her face looks odd at that moment. I also notice bags are being UNloaded off the plane (big hint). I ask if we’re going to be able to get out, she says it’s not looking good and I say “well then I will just hang out with you and get myself rebooked.” She directs me to a new lady at the counter and we begin the re-booking odyssey. Total Travel Time: 05:05 hrs.
9:25 a.m. ET (6:25 a.m. PT) The plane empties and the line forms – behind me. I resist the urge to smile at my fortune and the clan behind me ain’t jolly. Total Travel Time: 05:25 hrs.
9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT) The main gate agent announces on the PA that all passengers must go down to the baggage carousel and claim their bags then go to the United Ticket counter (outside of security) to rebook their flights. Everybody…except me because I am in the middle of re-booking already. Again, I stifle a smile. Total Travel Time: 05:30 hrs.
9:40 a.m. ET (6:40 a.m. PT) My new gate agent wants to book me on a US Airways flight to PHL and on to LAX….the dreaded “fly east to fly west” debacle that I was trying avoid. Oh well. Anyway she can reach the US Airways ticket counter. I say “why don’t we call the US Airways Club in the airport?” She doesn’t have that number, so I pull up the handy i-phone and call the main US Airways Club number and they give me the local club’s number. Alas they can’t help us. We need to book the flight at the gate agent’s computer then walk to the US Airways ticket counter (outside security) to get the reservation blessed. Total Travel Time: 05:40 hrs.
10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT) After an unnecessarily long wait for my luggage to come off the baggage carousel, I traipse over to the United counter with my gate agent pal, she gives me her paperwork to take over to the US Airways counter, they get that all squared away and I am booked. Total Travel Time: 06:00 hrs.
11:20 a.m. ET (8:20 a.m. PT) Wheels to PHL. Total Travel Time: 07:20 hrs.
12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. PT) The Philadelphia airport is not known for great food so I do Chik-fil-a cause I haven’t had any protein all day. Cancelled San Diego Rent-a-car and set up car service in LA. Total Travel Time: 08:20 hrs.
2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT) Wheels up from PHL. I should land about 7:20 p.m. ET or more importantly (4:20 PT) Total Travel Time: 09:00 hrs. (Note this way also my approximate arrival time on my original itinerary.) Total Travel Time: 10:00 hrs.
2:15 p.m. ET (11:15 a.m. PT) This plane has free Wi Fi, maybe I’ll post my first blog from the air. Total Travel Time: 10:15 hrs.
4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) Blog posed to the web FROM THE AIR. Very cool. Total Travel Time: 12:30 hrs.
7:21 p.m. ET (4:21 p.m. PT) Wheels down LAX. Total Travel Time: 15:21 hrs.
