Voiceover Stories: Real, Raw, and Relevant

In part 2 of Racism in Voice Overs and Beyond, our guest moderator Sherri Pullum has the panel go beyond voice overs in talking about racism.  Topics discussed are systemic racism; actionable steps to be a part of the solution; the most recent US presidential election and more. As with part 1, I invite you to listen with an open heart and mind.     Brief bios; links on our panelists and resources are below. Sheri Pullum our moderator is an actress, writer and producer.  She has a fabulous youtube show called Dreamers Unite which I highly recommend.    Joan Baker a veteran voice over talent, she is the co-founder of the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences and is the author of Secrets of Voice-Over Success: Top Voice-Actors Reveal How They Did it   Kadine Anckle is an Executive Producer and Voice Over talent. She is a graduate of Penn State and holds a master from New York Institute of Technology.    Heather Keets Wright is the founder behind Wright Creative Agency, a content marketing, and video production firm based outside of CLT North Carolina. She is an industry thought leader, breast cancer survivor, and advocate, writer, editor, and content nerd.   Tanya D. Jones is an award winning writer, producer, and director who executes storytelling for virtual, social, and television platforms.  From set life to real life, she is a certified professional coach. In 2020 she left her media publishing career to create Mama Bear Media Group LLC and Your Life Coached.      Zoë Flowers is an author and international speaker whose poetry and essays can be found in several anthologies and journals. In 2004, Zoë interviewed survivors of domestic and sexual violence. From Ashes to Angel’s Dust: A Journey Through Womanhood is the book that emerged.    Resources   Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla Saad   Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates   The Danger of the Single Story- TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie    

We are living in a time where systemic racism can no longer be ignored, calling for a much needed conversation.  As voice actors we are given the opportunity to ask ourselves how we are supporting black talent and why that's even important.  As humans we are being given an opportunity to  reexamine our beliefs and where those beliefs came from.   On this special episode (s) of VO Stories we are talking about racism in voice overs and beyond.  This is a two part series and my dear friend, Sheri Pullum is moderating  the discussion.  We have an esteemed group of black women in the entertainment industry sharing their insights and experiences on this panel.   I invite you to listen with an open heart and mind.      

Hi Friends - Happy Thursday.   Today I'm introducing you to my dear and talented friend, Sherri Pullum, founder of Pullum Productions. I asked Sherri to be my guest since she will be moderating an upcoming conversation on VO Stories titled "Racism in Voice Overs and Beyond". I feel you should get to know her and hear her intention - both for the episode she facilitates as well as in life. Here's a hint- your voice is involved.   New episodes of VO Stories, Thursdays.  

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! VO Stories is back!   This episode was recorded back in May, but this episode is still so relevant in these strange times of COVID. I'm talking with the down-to-earth and super smart Marc Scott, voice over talent and founder of the VO-preneur. As you listen to this episode ask yourself these questions:   1. How am I adapting during COVID?   2. How can I keep things moving forward with my voice over career?   3. How can I be a part of the solution?   Whether you are new to voice overs or a seasoned talent- there is opportunity for work. After talking with Marc, I learned that I need to get out of my head and change the narrative around working in times of a global pandemic. As my former legendary acting teacher Gene Lasko would say, "Be about the work!"   New episodes of VO Stories, Thursdays.

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! Here's something I've been thinking about lately (and I know we're probably all doing A LOT of thinking in quarantine): redo's.   If you think we need a redo in 2020, I should tell you about my 2019. So...with a little hesitation...here goes.   In this week's episode of VO Stories- I get real and share how my own personal pandemic (a breast cancer diagnosis) prepared me for our new reality - a global pandemic. While I'm still learning, growing and adjusting to this new normal - well, both of my new normals I guess -  I do believe that I discovered some gifts from that first upside down world that are serving me well now and may be of value to you too.     How are you finding loving ways to be with yourself in these unusual times? Let me know in the comments below. New episodes of VO Stories, every Thursday.

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! Wait - it is Thursday right? Today, I've got on a great guest for you. If you don't know him, you should! His name is J. Michael Collins. He's been at voiceovers for over 25 years, so he was the perfect person to talk to about how to navigate being a voiceover talent during this strange time. Many of you have questions - how do you market yourself, how do you find work, do you pivot? I think you're going to find lots of valuable nuggets in this one, so definitely take a listen! New episodes of VO Stories, every Thursday.

Hi friends! Happy Thursday (in case you've lost track - like me!)! I'm not sure about you - but I'm exhausted trying to balance it all. Being a working parent is one thing, but being a working parent while also teaching your child? Oh boy! So, I did what I always do in times like this - lean on you, my voiceover community. Today, I chat with Carrie Olsen, Darrell Brown and Christy Harst with how they're handling the day to day of parenting and working with this new teaching curveball thing thrown into the mix! New episodes of VO Stories, every Thursday.

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! Of course - it's not your typical Thursday. As you may know, we were set last week to continue talking about tech in voiceovers. But once I realized how much COVID-19 was impacting all of our lives, I had to regroup. I knew I wasn't comfortable operating like it was business as usual when our lives were being turned upside down. It didn't seem right to not address the elephant in the room. So for the next month or so, I'm going to be focusing on how we - as voiceover talent and parents - can shift our focus to teach our kids, how we market ourselves (can we market ourselves?) and what niches should we look at, if we choose to work right now? I'm talking about it all this month and you will not want to miss it. New episodes of VO Stories, every Thursday.

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! It's our first guest of the new month, and he's hear to talk tech! This guest wears many hats; he's the owner of a studio, an audio engineer, a voiceover talent and teacher - John McClain! Listen in as John and I chat about the difference between sound proofing and sound control, plus hear his top three "musts" when setting up a professional voiceover set up! New episodes of VO Stories, every Thursday.

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! I can't believe it's already March! Spring will be here before we know it and I, for one, am ready! With a new month, comes a new theme for me to explore on the podcast. This month's topic? Technology - as it relates to voiceovers, of course. Technology is the driving force in voiceovers; studios have it and need it, and these days, so does talent. I'm going to be honest with you - tech has ALWAYS been my Achilles heel. I get the feeling some of you might struggle too, and that's what this month is all about! Listen in as I talk through how the relationship between VO talent and technology has changed over time, as well as talk through some of my personal struggles with tech. New episodes of VO Stories, every Thursday.