The VOHeroes Podcast

Hey there, hero! This one is worth listening to without the distraction of video. Wear headphones or earbuds, seat them properly and listen. And, I'm gonna warn you. I tear up a bit in this podcast episode. Because of the power of human breathing. How breaths are used run the gamut from comedic to tragic to frantic to romantic. And I'm on a mission to give you a permanent permission slip...

Hey there, hero! It's a pretty simple question, but we might fly right by it because we see it as a huge issue. We face things all the time that have the potential of being an issue... ...but it might be worth taking a moment and determining whether it's actually real or not. When you're worried about something...take a moment and survey whether you're worried about nothing. I...

Hey there, hero! We hear the phrase "game changer" all the time. And we take for granted that it's a major shift that leads to a victory. Is that always what it means? And is it always huge, monumental or unexpected? I'd love to know how you define a game-changing moment or development or shift. Can you even recognize it? When you haven't experienced the effects of this &q...

Hey there, hero! The rest of that quote (from Helen Keller) is really important to know. Life in general, and our chosen path in life (being an artist) specifically, has some twists and turns in store for us. Some unexpected stops, some uphill climbs and some out of control skids. Some bends in the road. Unless...you are watching, vigilant and prepared. I wonder how you handle the unpredictable. E...

Hey there, hero! Taking care of ourselves is paramount - as actors, voice talent, writers and other creatives, we don't have an office infirmary and an in-person support community when we are in need of self-care. And one area where your personal mental and physical health can be threatened is when you choose to disagree with someone's point of view...especially in online communication....

Hey there, hero! I feel like I'm a weird artist. When I'm designing a performance, I work toward something that I can rely on, in a character, in business, in life, and then, if I can, lathering, rinsing and repeating. And I feel like I'm in the minority - I see most other artists achieving great performances, and then instead of repeating those performances, immediately trying to c...

Hey there, hero! When trying to understand a problem or challenge, while getting to the root of the problem and then on to the solution, we often ask "Why is this happening?" Great question. It's worth getting an answer, and one way to do that is to use a process that some call "about five WHYs" - asking "why?" over and over. Begin with the general question and d...

Hey there, hero! We continue with the second of two episodes hearing from NAVA's Carin Gilfry, and in this installment, she gets a bit more personal about her own decisions when it comes to AI, and in particular why she decided to take the plunge... ...and arrange to have her voice modeled for future AI and synthetic use. You might be surprised that a talent would not only consider doing this...

Hey there, hero! One of my fave people in VO is NAVA's Carin Gilfry, and in this first of a two part series, she shares with us how NAVA (the National Association of Voice Actors at navavoices.org) is working on behalf of all voice actors and lots of different areas: DEI, representation, insurance and more. Including...AI and synthetic voices. If you want to know what the NAVA group is up to...

Hey there, hero! Do you find the random irregularity and odd, weird opportunities that are the bulk of our business...annoying? Does the lack of a regular, traditional 40-hour work week make you...irritated? I want to help you be at peace with this - and help you with a bit of advice on how to help set up your performer life so that you're prepared for these opportunities. Because the opportu...

Hey there, hero! Clara Tristan is an excellent host and a wise woman. She casually dropped that phrase...when you create something, you automatically serve others...with me when I appeared on her podcast. And it so resonated with me, and hopefully for you - specifically because of the type of business we're in. I mean, you can doubt your level of experience and accomplishment, and look at you...

Hey there, hero! As a performer, you've made the choice to be in a very weird, counterintuitive, awesome, creative world. And it has its own quirky way of presenting us opportunities. There's a phrase we dive into in this episode to help us recognize those quiet moments of opportunities: "Listen carefully, because opportunity sometimes knocks softly." When I heard that phrase,...

Hey there, hero! There are lots of strategies and tactics to help us to get better at what we do, but there is one thing we will sometimes do that likely won't help at all. And that's guessing. Or listening to someone online who likely is guessing as well. In this episode, I show you why this probably won't work, give you some better options to stay on course, and some things to avo...

Hey there, hero! I know there are times when I've told you that it's an advantage to be brief. To be essential. Focused and tight in your communication. One big exception: asking for help or support. Don't worry about giving too many details. When you need help, and you're frustrated, tale a moment to give as much information to the person helping you as you can - you will do s...

Hey there, hero! I'm feeling sheepish. I feel like sometimes I might be failing at reminding you that you're an artist. My priority lately has been you ways to maximize your focus, do your busy work easier and faster, manage your productivity and so on. And with the number of auditions you could be getting, I've given you ways to make that process easier and more reliable. But what...

Hey there, hero! If you haven't seen the announcement from Amazon that they are going to give Kindle authors the option to have the audiobook versions of their titles read by synthetic voices, well...it's happened: https://www.kdpcommunity.com/s/article/Invite-Only-KDP-Beta-for-Audiobooks And there's really nothing we can do to stop it. But... ...there are some very big positives th...

Hey there, hero! You get a lot of choices in life, and some you very much want to take advantage of. Others, not so much. Some are a hard "no." Especially if you don't feel qualified or up to the task. As a coach, there can be a tendency to not want to be perceived as anything less than a superman. That you're capable of anything and helping anyone. And I can tell you that this...

Hey there, hero! Remember when you couldn't wait to open your inbox...juuuust in case you had gotten an audition or seven while you were away from your email? Remember that feeling of anticipation? Or curiosity? Or joy? You likely had anything but a feeling of dread, right? How do you feel now? Have things changed for you? Do you dread having to do an audition? And most importantly, doing and...

Hey there, hero! If you're like me and you're engaged in the pursuit of a successful, satisfying and profitable VO and acting career, you work really hard to get better. Better at everything. Skills. Strategies. Planning. Execution. Results. So things are a bit easier in the long run... ...so you can experience joy and happiness. Let's remember to take a moment to enjoy those achiev...

Hey there, hero! The fact is, you're going to make mistakes. And you're going to be disappointed, feel less than and that wish that you could get a do-over. But don't let that be your norm. That's certainly one way to look at it, but there may be another to consider. If you know you're not going to be perfect, if you know that there are times when you don't have enoug...

Hey there, hero! Solving problems for yourself or others likely require asking questions. In some cases, those questions are straightforward, and the answers you get will get the job done. But many times, the question being asked isn't quite getting to the heart of the matter. There's more information required, or context needs to be added, or the solution is found from an entirely diffe...

Hey there, hero! "Scary hours." Weird name. Interesting concept. Effective? Why not try out creating a scary hour for yourself and let me know? Might scary hours be an effective way of getting stuff done for you? Or do you have enough in your life that's a little bit frightening already? Let me know in the comments below. REQUEST: Please join this video's conversation on VOHero...

Hey there, hero! The strike against the TV/Theatrical/Streaming contracts and the members of the AMPTP continues, now months in for both writers and actors. Writers are really hamstrung in terms of what they can work on, but our strike is slightly different as there are many areas of work, covered by many different contracts... ...many of which are voice over based, rather than on-camera. (And wha...

Hey there, hero! It might have been a book I narrated. Or it might not.  I'm not sayin' one way or the other. But a listener brought up a nonetheless interesting opinion: that there are some print books that should not be made into audiobooks. Too complicated. Too controversial. Too many pictures. Too outdated. Too boring. Too...whatever. Do you agree? What kind of content would stop you...

Hey there, hero! I apologize in advance for this episode. Not really, but kinda. I just got off a very difficult Zoom Q&A session, with hundreds of people in attendance, most of which had had questions and had absolutely no idea how to behave in that situation. I have thoughts. And advice. And I need to vent. Once you watch the video, let me know...was I too harsh?? Hit me up in the comments b...