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Political Voice Over Commercials And The Effect Of Being Neutral

Demos, Political Voice Over Talent, voiceover, Voiceover Career

Political Voice Over matters. Because we, as voiceover talent speak for the people.  Turn on the TV. Take a look outside. Depending on where you are you may see calm or you may see mayhem. And unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that what federal and local leaders decide for us has a substantial impact on our daily lives. This is a time where being neutral is impossible. Covid 19 and the effects that it has had on our economy will affect everyone. And the racial tensions in the United States are boiling over AGAIN! We all have a voice in this. So what do you do if you are a voice-over talent asked to do voiceover that hurts or hinders the causes that you stand for?

I’ve never understood how people could vote against their own interests. Yet tens of millions of Americans do it all the time. I guess I don’t understand them because I completely comprehend cause and effect. Candidate A says that beer is banned and you are a beer drinker. Yet you voice a commercial for that candidate? He is also against microphones that cost below $2500 because lobbyists and his donors are expensive mic manufacturers. So now you can’t crack open a brew when you want to and he has demanded that you get these super expensive mics. How do you stay neutral enough to do political voice over ads for Candidate A? I can’t.

Candidate A is hurting me and my business. And even if I attend AA meetings (I don’t actually consume alcohol) and earn enough money from doing political voice over for his ads to buy that Neuman U87, I know that he is simultaneously hurting my industry and all the best parties that I attend. This changes life as I know it. And even if I benefit in the short term, I lose overall.

Voicing Commercials for Politicians that Align with my Values

I recently completed my Political Voice Over demo. I decided to do one because I am passionate about the effects that all politics and policies have on our daily lives. I was born to take the side of the less powerful. My family came to the United States as immigrants in the 1960’s. Most of my grandmother’s sons served in the armed forces before they returned to buy homes and had families. It was important for them to educate their children well and be part of what happens in the neighborhood to its people.

My father and uncle were always a part of some action committee, political office, or school position. Both of my parents served as PTA president at my school at some time. When I faced repeated harassment and bullying and physical assault, which included being choked once, by the NYPD, my father knew what Captain to go see at the precinct.

Because my father was a vocal member of the community board and worked with the police in some cases, he spoke with the person in charge after an officer put his hands on his teenage son (who was just walking home.) Still, the policies on a citywide level prevented any action from being taken against the assailants. Effectively, my voice was silenced. So when I think about the voice over work I do, I think about having a voice first, and what I am representing.

Who Am I Voicing This Ad For? Know Your Candidate

I consider that the candidate that I am endorsing might actually win and take an anti-immigrant stance, or encourage the use of the police as a militant arm of indiscriminate racism. I consider that that candidate may win and take a public health or environmental stance that can harm communities that lack the resources to fight back. I consider that when Candidate A pays me for that political voice over, I’m gonna have to pay it back in the form higher taxes on the middle class and poor, to the benefit of his rich donors. There is no benign effect. It will come back on me.

Dane Reid African American Political VoiceoversRecently I was asked to do political voice over work for a national figure that seemingly supports the same police tactics that terrorized me as a child. I was honored that my talent was considered good enough for the national stage, but I had to decline. I asked a fellow African American if he would be interested in the referral because he voices ads for both sides of the aisle. I have also been asked to do political voice over for pro second amendment rights in a state that borders the one I grew up in. Understanding how guns get into the hands of criminals and the harm that is caused with those guns, I had to also decline. Cause and effect matter to me. I help them win and they make me lose.

What I Stand For

There are causes that represent other groups that have little to no immediate effect on me. But I stand for them because it is the right thing to do. I have a unique opportunity to be in a position where I may be called on to be a voice for the voiceless, to be the strident messenger for the silenced, and to communicate the narrative of the muted. Sometimes those people look like me and speak like me, but can’t speak up like me.

Check Out My Political Voice Over Demo Here

      Political

 

Dedicated to the memory of my brother Julian who died suddenly in late May. Born and raised in the UK, he was passionate about British and global politics. We never missed a chance to trade political barbs with one another. Brexit was his Achilles heel.

 

Filed Under: Demos, Political Voice Over Talent, voiceover, Voiceover Career Tagged With: Atlanta Voice Over, Breaking Into voiceover, Home voice over studio, Political Voice Over, Politics & Voiceover, Top Rated African American Voice Talent, Voice Actor, Voice Over, Voice Over Career, Voice Over Professional, Voice Talent, voiceover, voiceover career, Youtube.com

I Am NOT A Voiceover Expert!! Here’s Why!

About Voice Over, Uncategorized, Vlogging, voiceover, Voiceover Career

I am not a Voiceover Expert. I am a student. I taught a class yesterday called “Intro to Voiceover” to a group of excited students who knew nothing about voiceover. Most of them were local Atlanta actors who wanted to break into the business or to wet their beak. But the first thing that I told them is that I myself, even after 15 years, am a student of voiceover. The second thing that I told themwas “this is an intro course and after this, you’ll need extensive training and coaching to really get into the business and I will recommend others who specialize in guiding your career.”

See here’s the thing. It’s not that I don’t know what I’m doing, but it’s that I know that every day I am learning and in order to keep learning and grow my voiceover business, I need to keep the humility of a student. The other thing that I know is that many people in the industry with a cell phone camera bill themselves as a voiceover expert. Some of this is driven by the ability to sell courses, classes and advice to new students. Some of it is ego-driven and done for likes among peers. A friend who does a lot of great coaching and demo production once confided in me that there is more money in voiceover coaching and demo producing than there is in voiceover itself. I think that’s telling and a warning as to how students should invest their money in growing their businesses.

My Interviews

I do interviews as a way to learn valuable information from long-established and well-respected voiceover experts. I started it also to meet people in our industry and to watch them first hand conduct their businesses. Joe Loesch taught me to wake up every morning, get dressed and go to work in work clothes as I would for a corporate job. Dave Fennoy taught me to give every character a past, present and future. Anne Ganguzza taught me the value of consistency in marketing. And Joe Cipriano reminded me that relationships in business will help propel you forward faster. These are things that I may have taken longer to learn, but listening to voiceover experts whose opinions I value, helped put these things in perspective.

Why I Vlog

I love motivating people to be their best as I love being motivated by others. It cost money to buy equipment and travel to people’s homes wherever they may be. But I enjoy doing it. It pays when people recognize me and thank them for helping jumpstart their careers, but private lessons are a minuscule part of what I do. And after several lessons with me, I refer students to other coaches. That seems counterintuitive, but my focus is on continuous learning and advancing education. As for actual profit from vlogging, I make none. No ad dollars. No endorsements and no courses to sell. In full disclosure, my content is a form of advertising my business, but I mostly do this because I truly just love content.

Learning then Teaching

One of the biggest themes in my life has been learning and teaching. I am an avid learner. I grew up in a book store in New York that my father owned and learning was the central theme of my life. At a certain age, I realized that I had a passion for teaching people what I had learned. I eventually went on to work in the school system for 5 years. So, I love to impart information. In addition to wanting to share what I have learned in voiceover, I wanted to present that info in a fun way, in a way that you don’t see enough of online in our industry.

Telling Voiceover Stories

I wanted to fill a void that wasn’t being filled. There is plenty of advice in the voiceover industry. There are plenty of experts of varying levels doing podcasts, Youtube, Facebook Live shows and IGTV and I love a lot of that existing content. Some of the shows I enjoy are Ask Dave Fennoy and VO Buzz Weekly. But what I thought that I could do differently was to tell stories. I watch a lot of youtube videos from creators and enjoy the travel stories, the tech stories and the human stories that are told through video and narration. As a voice guy, I have always had a passion for verbally telling those stories. With a Panasonic GH4 in hand, I can tell those stories now cinematically as well as with my voice.

 

 

Filed Under: About Voice Over, Uncategorized, Vlogging, voiceover, Voiceover Career Tagged With: Animation Voiceover, Atlanta Voice Over, Breaking Into voiceover, Dave Fennoy, Top Rated African American Voice Talent, Voice Actor, Voice Over, Voice Over Professional, Voice Talent, voiceover career, voiceover expert, Youtube.com

Recording VoiceOver In The Big Voice Over Studio

About Voice Over, Blog, Technology & Voiceover, The Studio

Your agent gives you a call and says that you booked a job that you auditioned for weeks ago. If you are anything like me, you auditioned for it and totally forgot about it, so the call is a welcome surprise. But then you are told that the recording is scheduled to take place at an outside studio. “Ok” This is different but as a pro, I’m ready to record wherever I need to.

But this still takes me for somewhat of a loop. Back in the day recording voiceover almost always took place in big time studios. Some talents were even flown in from whatever city they lived in to record in NY or LA. Some of that still exist but far less than ever before. Technology has eliminated the need for talent to come into “THE BIG STUDIO” as often. Things like ISDN, Source Connect and now new technologies like IpDTL have made giving talent direction in the comforts of their homes a lot more convenient.

And convenience is the name of the game in my voiceover business. I’ve spent a lot of money and time building a home voice over studio with great sound so that I can turn work around quickly to clients. But sometimes clients want VO talent to focus on voicing work and not engineering. That’s when the “In Person Studio Sessions” comes into play.

What To Expect?

When you get into the studio there are several people who may be there. There is the sound engineer, producer, client, copywriter and sometimes other talent. This may vary but you should understand the role of each one of these people in the process. There me be a lot of chatter around you as each person discusses the script, the sound and the voiceover read. Try to pay attention so you can get it just right for everyone in the room, although only one person will give you actual directions. It’s also good to know who everyone is because there may be an opportunity to network here.

Also there will be a script laid out for you, most likely in the booth. You should have received this script before the session but be aware that sometimes there are last minute changes that happened before you got there. Sometimes these changes occur while the client, producer and engineer confer about your read. You won’t always hear what they are saying and this can be nerve wrecking, but be careful not to let this unnerve you. A tense body is never good for your reads.

You Should Be Prepared

Preparation starts before you get to the session. You may get instructions from your agent. Be sure to follow them carefully. Know your lines if they have been given to you. Go back and listen to what you submitted for the audition. You may have recorded several takes and don’t know which one booked so get familiar with all of them and consider new reads just in case. Google the directions to the studio. Know where it is and how long it will take to get there in heavy traffic. Just like with a job interview, you want to get there 15 to 30 minutes early. And just like with a job, be familiar with the product before the interview. You won’t be asked questions about it but it will help you with the read. In the video I recorded related to this blog, I recorded for bump patrol, a product that I actually use.

Lastly remember that you are not recording voiceovers in your own studio. You are in someone else’s territory. Don’t touch anything!! Even if you are familiar with the kind of equipment in the studio, it is not yours. And also remember to dress appropriately. You want to be comfortable but not bummy. I wrote an entire blog on image that you may want to check out. This may be your chance to network for future work. When doing so, be cool about it. People do business with people they like. If they ask you for a card, have one ready, but also remind them that you work through your agent.

Have Fun

With everything to remember you keep in mind that this process should be fun and relaxed. If you spend most of your time in your own studio recording yourself, here is an opportunity for you to record and not have to do any editing. Use your body when needed to get the job out. Ask for feedback. You never get that at home alone. And remember that you booked the job above all other talent who auditioned so there was something they saw in you that got you in the door. Don’t Worry. Be Happy!!

If You Have Any Questions Or Comments Please Leave Below and Subscribe to My Youtube Channel For More Videos
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Filed Under: About Voice Over, Blog, Technology & Voiceover, The Studio Tagged With: Animation Voiceover, Atlanta Voice Over, Home voice over studio, In Studio Session, recording booth, recording studio, Top Rated African American Voice Talent, Voice Actor, Voice Over, Voice Over Agencies, Voice Over Career, Voice Over Professional, Voice Talent, Youtube.com

My Voiceover Studio- A GoPro Experience

About Voice Over, Blog, Studio, Technology & Voiceover, The Studio

One of the most popular video subjects on YouTube amongst Voiceover Talents and recording enthusiast is the subject of what’s in your studio. This topic, no matter how many times its posted and how many ways it’s recorded, always seems to get thousands of views per video.


But this video is done with a twist. I show off and explain my studio using my Gopro Hero Black 3 Edition with a first person view. With my camera strapped to my head, I show you the main elements that keep my studio operating.
Why do people show off their home studios? Some of it is bragging of course. But some of it adds real value to people who are looking to build their own home studio. Many talents are also audio engineers and have expertise in acoustics and pro audio gear and can help other voice talents create the best and most professional sound. Sometimes Voice Talents create these Youtube videos to showcase to clients that they are working with the best gear themselves.
But for me, I just wanted to share. In the spirit of creating great online video content, I wanted to take you on a journey into my world and where I work. Just as a Dr. has a stethoscope, these are the tools that make a great voice actor sound amazing. A pro studio helps you land the job by telling the client that you are serious about your craft. And over the years, I have shown clients how serious I am.
Home recording studios are the center of much controversy too. It gets Voice Talent and audio engineers debating about how much do you really need in a studio to get the best sound. It pits Mac users against P.C. users and friends against one another. (OK, I’m not sure about that last part). But with technology constantly changing, making the home voice over studio smaller and less expensive, it makes you wonder why we even need ALL this stuff… or if we will need it in the next few years.
For now I enjoy my home voiceover studio and all its bulkiness because size does matter in this case. It creates great sound that clients appreciate. For a while, bigger is better for me.
GoPro.com
LookChina.com
Sennheiser.com
Neuman.com
UAudio.com
Owenscorning.com
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Whats in my voiceover home studio.

Filed Under: About Voice Over, Blog, Studio, Technology & Voiceover, The Studio Tagged With: Atlanta Voice Over, Computer, Gopro Hero 3 Black, Home voice over studio, Mac, Neuman, PC, Sennheiser, Voice Over, Voice Over Career, Voice Talent, Work From Home, Youtube.com

Atlanta Voiceover Vet Dane Reid Airs New Voiceover Youtube Series

About Voice Over, Blog

Voice Over Talents aren’t used to being seen, but as of last week, Dane Reid will have a new video in a series that fills a void in the voice over community.

Dane Reid

For close to 10 year this New York native and voice over professional has made his living by being heard and not seen; Something opposite of what we were taught as children. But when he is seen out in public and networks within Atlanta and elsewhere, he is usually asked the same few questions about his curious profession. Most often he is first asked “How did you get into that? which is followed by “You do have a nice voice.” and then “I’ve been told I should do voiceovers.


With so much curiosity surrounding his job, he decided to produce a series of Youtube videos about voice over. Certainly the idea is not new, but what Dane brings to it is a fresh fun energy. Many Youtube videos made by voice actors today lack entertainment value, scripting, viewer engagement or cutouts in the scenes. Dane Reid sought to change that and still allow viewers to follow a real life voice actor throughout his day.
Additionally Reid journeys to other cities towns and countries in search of voice work. Viewers watch him do auditions, commercials and even interview some the industries big voice over Superstars who share their stories and knowledge.
Shows air on Tuesdays at 7am online and his blog can be read and watched at his website DaneReidMedia.com by clicking the banners. With so many voice over newbies and aspiring talents, this new blog and channel are a must see.
Dane Reid Media
646-504-1376 Studio #
P.O. BOX 640055
Altanta, Ga 30364
or
Agency
Umberger Agency
1562 Steele Drive, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
404-372-1680
jeffrey@umbergeragency.com
Social Networks
Twitter.com/danereid
Facebook.com/DaneReidMedia
google.com/+DaneReidVoiceOver

Filed Under: About Voice Over, Blog Tagged With: Atlanta Voice Over, Press Release, Voice Over Channel, Voice Over Professional, Youtube.com

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