The noise that surrounds the voiceover industry…from drama with pay to plays, to an endless list of conferences to social media groups to various associations and awards programs is a bit overwhelming. It feel sometimes like the “business of voiceover” has evolved into the “business of the business of being in voiceover”.

Rightly or wrongly, I try and stay away from the noise because for me, it doesn’t add much to my business…but that’s me, your mileage may vary.

What I came across recently was something that actually brought a smile to my face as it seems to be focused on actually helping new voice talents (as opposed to just trying to sell them something).

SOVAS, the group that has produced the That’s Voiceover!™ Career Expo and Voice Arts Awards since about 2013 have joined with a fairly new VO association group called NAVA (National Association of Voice Actors) to create a new voiceover scholarship.

Despite its lengthy title, The NAVA Brad Venable Scholarship in Partnership with SOVAS promises its award will ensure that the recipient receives credible, effective, and relevant training that will further their opportunities for success as voice actors.

Of course, what caught my attention was the fact that it is named after everyone’s friend, voice actor Brad Venable, whose untimely death a few years ago stole this wonderful person from his family, friends and the voiceover industry.

What caught my attention was Brad’s name AND the word scholarship…it took me back to Faffcon when I got to call Brad about winning a scholarship to FaffCon…he won the Fauxditions (unofficial casting call) for The Price Is Right and got to go to FaffCon 2 as the prize! He was also part of MVO and did the Movember fundraiser with us too. Then, early VO Atlantas…the list goes one.

Many more memories brought back happy times while thinking about Brad.

I think Brad would be tickled about this scholarship. He loved helping others, as he had been helped.

So if you’re new to VO and you may need a leg up, check out THIS LINK, get all the details and register if it suits you.

Brad would welcome you with open arms.

Tags: auditioning, commentary, faffcon, fauxdition, VO Atlanta, voice actors, voice over training, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice, voiceover blog by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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When I was working at WVUD-FM in Dayton in the mid-80’s, one of the young account executives came into my production studio to tell me he was going to take a radio sales job at WLZR-FM (which I thought at the time was somewhere near Indianapolis although those calls belong to a station in Milwaukee now).

Geography and my memory notwithstanding, the station’s nickname was Lazer. And the AE gave me a reel-to-reel tape of their station’s imaging, voiced by a guy named Mark Driscoll.  The radio industry nicknamed him “Mr. Voice”.

The industry folks at the time were clearly well aware of someone I was not…but someone I knew I would immediately never forget after hearing his radio imaging for that station.

I remember the mixture of voice and sound that came from my production studio speakers right now just as if it was then. It helped usher in a new sound at the time for contemporary hit radio (CHR). I wish I still had that Lazer demo. The excitement and energy of that station came flying through those speakers.

Mark Driscoll’s radio imaging work was among the first of its kind. And the copy writing!! Others were similar but they were not him.

The only thing I knew Mark Driscoll for was his voice work. Never knew or met the man. I was Facebook friends with him…heard some unique stories about him…but that voice…his production…you KNEW Mark’s work from the opening syllable and effects.

He was so talented.

Word came down from social media that Mark died this week at 72 years old. I hope he lived a happy life.

He left an indelible radio production mark on me. Wow.

Here’s some Mark Driscoll imaging work I found on the web and this probably isn’t even his very best stuff….but it’s still fantastic.

Tags: radio, radio imaging, requiescat in pace, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Soundtrax Chief Engineer Cameron Fitzpatrick overseeing another successful voiceover recording session in Raleigh, NC (July 2021)

What a great treat recently to get back into SOMEONE ELSE’S voiceover studio with other real voiceover people.

Look, it’s always nice to be cast in any voiceover project because….money.

But this recording session was even MORE fun because it involved not just going to somebody else’s studio but it was a GROUP session with anywhere from 2 to 5 people safely recording TOGETHER in the studio!!!

Voice Actors Peter K. O’Connell, Bonnie Marie Williams & Asif Samad at Soundtrax In Raleigh NC

Now, if you’re reading this and not very familiar with voiceover, all this excitement may seem rather silly. I get that.

But if you’ll remember back some weeks and months ago…when maybe you went back to work or celebrated a holiday with people you hadn’t seen IN PERSON in months or a year…you were excited and happy.

It’s like that.

Voice Actor and Soundtrax General Manager Becket McGough in session

It was great to see my VO pals again, in person.

Even better, I didn’t know all the voice talents I was working with. Some of them were new to me. New friends, yay!

One of them I had worked with remotely….they were in one studio and I was Source-Connected in from my voiceover studio. When I heard her voice today in person right next to me, I thought “where have I heard that voice?” 🙂

Male Voice Talent Peter K. O’Connell and Male Voice Talent Chadd Pierce At Soundtrax Recording Studio In Raleigh NC

Look, whether pre-COVID or post-COVID, often there are not that many group voiceover sessions outside of NY and LA (and those are becoming less frequent too). It was great fun to see, visit with and work with my voice acting peers again  – in person!!!

Voiceover people are FAR from normal under the best of circumstances 😉 but this voiceover session was a taste of normalcy for us.

The way life used to be.

I’m thankful.

Tags: commentary, source-connect, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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As you well know – if you know me at all – I am notorious late to seeing, listening or experiencing quality movies or music or events. I’m just busy and I have other priorities.

My feeling is I will see it or hear it or experience it when I am supposed to. I believe I have that kind of fate or guidance…spiritual or instinctive guidance, helping me through life and I appreciate it very much.

So when I tell you that in December of 2019 I have only now seen to 2015 Academy Award winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, you won’t be surprised.

Neither will I be surprised that you probably haven’t seen it either, because it’s a documentary and they don’t get the promo that blockbusters do.

Voice actors need to see this movie.

The brief synopsis is that this movie studies (quite movingly) the history and impact that background singers have made on popular music. You hear from rock stars you know (who’s respect for background singers is immeasurable) and from people you might not know but whom you have heard and sang along with.

As you witness the movie unfold, you will be amazed.

But the movie also studies why amazing singers prefer to stay in the back ground…or try to step forward without always resounding success.

Sound much like voiceover to you?

I think it sounds EXACTLY like the voiceover industry and if you are a voice talent, checkout Netflix or another streaming service and revel in 90 minutes of culture, talent, history and…personal reflection.

I hope this helps.

Tags: commentary, voice actors, voiceover, voiceover advice by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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I met Kermit yesterday at Raleigh Supercon 2018.

No matter the stage of their voiceover career, beginning, apex, downslope (and everything in between), I don’t get excited or nervous meeting voice actors…especially around the ‘big names’ when others sometimes feel intimidated. I know they or I are just one step away from the other side of that coin (big career/average career). So when we get together or I meet one for the first time, it’s just like meeting an ‘average’ new person…because we are all average. A peer. At least that’s my attitude.

So as is the case at most Comic-Cons or Super-Cons, there were lots of actors and voice actors, all at various stages of their careers. Many screen and voice actors participate in the Cons (there’s money to be made there, so good on them) but many of the voice actors are from the gaming or anime world, worlds that I am not very involved in.

But let me tell you, the audiences for these actors are VERY involved and that has to be very satisfying for the actors (I know it would be for me). Prior to the Raleigh Supercon, I was speaking with my friend Kara Edwards, the very popular and talented Anime Voice Actor, who was telling me the names of her fellow Anime actors who were in Raleigh. However, I couldn’t get anywhere near their tables…the crowds were too big!

Then, as I walked down celebrity row (my term, not the Con’s) I saw someone I knew of and wanted to talk with.

You might recall about a year ago I wrote a blog about Muppet puppeteer Steve Whitmire who, it had just been announced then, was fired by Disney as the puppeteer and voice of Kermit and had been let go from Muppets permanently.

Well Steve was at the Comic-Con and was just setting up his area. I hemmed and hawed about whether to bother him, but I decided to talk with him.

My goal was to let him know how badly I felt for him about the situation he left and that at various levels, we’ve all been there.

It turned into a very nice private conversation that I’m sure won’t be memorable for him after such a busy weekend meeting strangers. It made me feel better, though, that I got to tell him personally.

No matter whether you’re a screen actor, voice actor or puppeteer, this is a very emotionally draining business. Family and friends are nice during a bad spell, but sometimes it can be helpful to hear something supportive from people who fight similar battles (at various levels) everyday as well.

Well, that was my thought anyway.

Tags: voice actors by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Whether one acts on a stage, in front of a camera or behind a microphone, a performer is still a performer.

Yet for as many years as I have been a voice-over performer, I can still be surprised by some of the talents of my peers. It reflects poorly on me that I guess I subconsciously pigeon-hole them in my mind as only a certain kind of performer. I need to stop doing that.

Case in point, I woke up this weekend to see on social media that my friend and fellow voice-over talent Darren Altman had gone and got himself on Britain’s Got Talent. As an impressionist. How terrific is that!!! What I found especially interesting was the fact that the impressions were based on a variety of UK voices, with whom I had little familiarity. But when you watch the audience and the judges, they were enthralled!!!!

The other part I enjoyed was that Darren was FEATURED on the show. They didn’t just show the audition, they did behind the scenes, they taped him at home with his family and really gave him the star treatment.

Not that I am intimately familiar with the details on such shows but I believe they make performers sign a non-disclosure agreement of sorts, which means Darren and his family couldn’t talk about him being on the show or how it turned out. That must have been a crazy secret to keep. But well worth the wait.

As he states in the package below, he’d never done anything like this before. So a great congratulations to Darren on this very brave and very successful TV appearance.

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