The VOHeroes Podcast

Hey there, hero! The pundits are out with their predictions for this year. I have my predictions as well, and I guarantee you that mine are right and theirs are wrong. And there's joy in what I'm predicting. I think you'll be surprised. And what are your predictions for the new year? What are you looking forward to, hoping for, maybe even prepared to be disappointed over? Let me kno...

Hey there, hero! If you find yourself talking to yourself when you're by yourself... ...that's not only OK, it's a mark of genius. That's what the Internet says, and I'm going with them on this. I don't want you to feel anything but joy and wisdom if you're an inveterate self-talker. And I'm not limiting my support just to those who murmur or mutter to thems...

Hey there, hero! This is the final episode of the podcast for the year. And as I recorded this episode, I was wading through my inbox, which is currently filling up with listicles of The Best XXXXXX Of The Year, or Our Predictions For The Best XXXXXX Of The Upcoming Year. I tend to look at those things as fun, maybe interesting, but ultimately not very useful. Want a healthy alternative? Do your g...

Hey there, hero! There’s a lot of value in having workable expertise, value in having expertise that’s exceptional, and it’s something I think most of us strive to acquire. There’s also a lot of value in being dependable, being reliable, being a rock to others in your life…to show up, hit your mark and do the work. If you had to choose one or the other (I’m sure we’d all like to strive for both, b...

Hey there, hero! Space mathematician Katherine Johnson said, about the new strategies, tactics and calculation being created for the moon landing, “There were no textbooks, so we had to write one.” Ever faced something brand new in your acting, voice work or writing? It’s not like working in a factory doing repetitive activities that have a long history of experience. There are very few “explainer...

Hey there, hero! You’ve met people in our business who’ve been trained to say yes to everything. When asked what they are best at, they never say never. They say yes to anything. They can play any role, voice any character, write in any genre…each with world class capabilities. Yeah. Don’t be that guy. But…are you being honest with others and yourself as to what you truly are capable of doing, or...

Hey there, hero! The people who aren’t in our line of work simply don't understand the kinds of numbers we face every day. Actors, voice talent, casting, directors/producers...there are a lot of people who want to do what we do. And if those people knew the actual stats, most would likely rethink that desire. And sometimes, we need to remind ourselves just what we're wading into when we...

Hey there, hero! Deciding to pursue a performance related career also guarantees an immense amount of weirdness. You can't even begin to predict what's going to happen, like you can in some more traditional lines of work. In this episode, I reveal the strange cascade of events that resulted in me booking a multi-season run on NBC/BBC’s sci-fi series HEROES, playing the creepy, evil Puppe...

Hey there, hero! The amount of effort it takes to learn something new, and to become facile at something, can seem like a humongous effort; once you get to a point of competence, you can and should feel really good about that accomplishment. It's a good 95% of the full journey to get to that point. Enjoy. You've worked really long and hard to get there. To then become really expert at so...

Hey there, hero! As kids, our parents often gave us limited choices (if they want to save valuable time and keep their sanity). But you're not a kid anymore. If you're trying to decide between a couple of presented options, there might be one or two that you could consider... ...even if no one's mentioned them as a possibility. You could take a moment when a list of choices are give...

Hey there, hero! I just got a really convenient, healthy, awesome phrase dropped in my lap. It immediately made sense, and helped me soothe any anguish I have (not much, but it rears its ugly head from time to time) about the uncertainty of our business. And maybe it will help you, too...at a number of levels: decoupling the result from the process of auditioning or spec writing, giving yourself p...

Hey there, hero! One of our most famous and revered actors used the title of this podcast as the answer to a question asked of him by an industry rag. The question was, “What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about the business you’re in?” I want to drill down on this, and why, even if you’re not at Brian Cox’s level of notoriety yet, you should learn from this statement as well. Ever feel...

Hey there, hero! Early in my career in radio, I thought the more inclusive and general I was with my on-air content, the more people I’d attract. I learned that having the audacity to bring my own very personal sensibilities to everything I do was a much better approach. Just being me was the more attractive and authentic thing to do. It didn’t make everyone happy, but it was the path to truth in...

Hey there, hero! The audience is listening (and watching and reading). And social media and review sites allow them to criticize, rate and review your artwork. And there are always outspoken members of the audience who have things to say. And they aren’t always respectful or constructive. Sometimes, they are downright aiming to hurt you. I have my own approach to ratings and reviews - I pick and c...

Hey there, hero! So you want to try something new, or do something you’ve never done before, or finally get off your keester and create the first of something. You might not realize how infinitely powerful that action is. And I do mean infinite. I checked, and did so with people who are better at math than I am. There’s a concept called “delta.” The delta of something is the difference between two...

Hey there, hero! Sometimes, a little thing can be a puzzler, and can be annoying, and when you figure out how to solve it, can be a bit embarrassing. For years, I didn’t enjoy the notion of shooting a vertical full body shot for my on-camera self-tape auditions… …until I did. I stopped being so precious about it, and made it easy. And gave casting directors exactly what they want: a look at me, he...

Hey there, hero! If you don’t know by now, one of my favorite hobbies is to brag on my VOHeroes Pro clients. (Given how real the struggle is to be a professional performer, and how we constantly have to manage our mindset when we inevitably don’t get the gig, each win is a savory morsel of delight.) Everytime that happens, I get a little giddy. I can’t lose. I always win. It makes me happy inside....

Hey there, hero! Ever notice how some people look at acting, voice over or writing and think it’s a snap… …and not that hard to do? I had an aunt that would make snide comments like “Oh, I could do that. Who would think that’s so difficult?” She would say that phrase to make others feel small. And, likely, to try and make herself feel better about herself…and her life choices. In this episode, we’...

Hey there, hero! To get from here to there, to move forward (or even, sometimes, backwards), we need to be in a state of motion. Not standing still, but rather moving toward our goal. That sometimes takes bravery. Like when you were first behind the wheel in driver’s ed class (for those of you who grew up in NYC, you’re excused - we’ll see you next time). Pure terror. But you got moving. And that’...

Hey there, hero! The Broadway actor André De Shields has quietly made a stunning career out of performing on one of the most exclusive sets of stages in the world, and although he’s a Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony-award winning actor, he’s not a household name… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/André_De_Shields …but De Shields’ recently-publicized three rules of life ought be memorized and put to use by eve...

Hey there, hero! Permanence. Import. Outcomes. Results. We make lots of decisions, and we talk a lot about the size of those small, medium and large decisions - but another way of looking at them is…permanence. The long lasting results of all those decisions, if any. The effectiveness of a decision that makes for real change. But instead of size, what about potency? What about import? What about t...

Hey there, hero! Math. Some people love it, and some people scratch their head over it. But this particular math concept is simple: distance is distance, no matter how much time it takes. In a race, the fastest contestants usually win. But the work we pursue and reach for? It’s not a race. So there’s no medal for getting there faster. In fact, it might be better to take your time: you’ll miss less...

Hey there, hero! Looking back at when you were just starting out with something can be heartwarming and lovely as you reflect on how far you’ve come. Or, it can be regretful and cringeworthy, as you think about the rookie mistakes you might have made. My answer was a simple one - I spent too much on very expensive potential solutions: on gear, software, courses - and I doubt I was ready for any of...

Hey there, hero! Sometimes, the most casual comments can be the most powerful. The moments of conversation that are the least charged can sometimes be monumental. I had one of those moments in a recent co-working session with Coach Trevor Algatt (long time collab and member of the VOHeroes and Narrate Your Own Book coaching squad). And I have a sneaking suspicion that what he had to say (about a.....

Hey there, hero! We’re a few years in on the AI onslaught. No doubt, you have had thoughts on this, both as an artist and as a lover of art. And, I’d be surprised if your thoughts haven’t changed and become more informed and nuanced over the years. I’d love to know what those thoughts currently are. Scroll down and let me know how you currently view AI and synthetic media when it comes to your wor...