Cruise

I've never been on a cruise, but we began exploring some possible destinations this evening with some friends...sounds fantastic (I'm the only virgin cruiser in the bunch). Now I need to find a way to make a portion of it deductable. When I take other trips I always manage to call on clients or potential clients and pitch the "smooth voice." OK, I'm on a boat in the middle of the ocean...how can that be a planned business trip? Ideas welcome.
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/testimonials.html

Day of rest?

Sunday, a day of rest...theoretically. Following lunch today I have been trying to resolve the computer issues that have caused me to fall a bit behind in production. Well, I think I've got the glich straightened-out and, with luck, the voice work I've emailed will arrive successfully on the desks of those to whom I've sent them first thing in the morning. Now, about that rest...
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/oncamera-auditions.html

Food

I know the description of this blog mentions voiceovers, advertising agencies, etc., but one must fuel the system...and no one does it better than Lucia. We just enjoyed a new veggie pizza she invented that is absolutely the best I've ever eaten (topped off with a woody merlot...not on the pizza...in a glass). This must go in her new cookbook. Wow!
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/auditions.html

Dress for success

It's interesting, I find I sound better when I dress before sitting down in the studio to begin recording...a t-shirt and jeans just don't do it. No explaination, just the observation...dressing better equals a better sound (for me).
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/messageonhold.html

Writing...

A client called last week and asked if I would attend a "brain storming" session for an industrial video. The best part of the invitation was the offer of a pizza lunch...in a low carb world, that's an inducement. The day of the meeting the morning seemed to drag on forever as the image of the pizza filled my thoughts...then it was time for the meeting.
I arrived at the studio a few minutes early and immediately heard the owner's apology...the lunch had been cancelled, but they forgot to call me...nuts. I drove back to the condo and had a salad...
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/testimonials.html

Computers

The thing about computers is...they drive me nuts! Oh it's nice I can record voiceovers here in my studio and email them to clients, production houses or broadcast outlets without leaving home...I mean, that's really really nice. But computers, which I operate but don't understand, do things to me just when everything is going so well. Tonight I recorded a simple little 30 second spot and emailed it to the client and to myself (for QC). VIRUS is what my email program told me. So, an hour later with sweat pouring down my brow I send it again...not really knowing what I had done to fix it...but it worked! OK, is this like when I was young and would take things apart that were not working, put them back together and they worked? AAAHHH!
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/hiringavoice.html

Tea time...

There is nothing I enjoy more than a cup of hot tea after a long day (of course, that's after I've had a Manhattan). Right now, it's tea on the patio with lovely Lucia...then, back to work!
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/index.html

Time = Money

After finishing a recent project, the client called, approved the finished edit, but had a change in the copy she had supplied. No problem, people often have changes...but next she asked if it would cost anything to change the completed work! It is true, time is money and while changes can always be made, they must be paid for (unless I make a mistake...in which case it is my obligation to make the correction without charge).
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/related_links.html

Weekends

Weekends are when I get most of my work done...unless Lucia has a project for me. This weekend I'm building shelves for the storage area. Work will still be there when I get to it.
Bill

http://www.musicbuffet.net/sharp/millerclip.html

Voices of Baseball

Had breakfast this morning with a friend who has brought Ted Patterson to join us several times in the past. If you're not familiar with Ted, and you like sports and enjoy legendary announcers, check out two of his latest books: "The Golden Voices of Baseball" and "The Golden Voices of Football." Great reading and each includes a CD of some of the best moments in sports broadcasting.
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/auditions.html

A gem of an idea!

I had the opportunity to have lunch two weeks ago with Jon King, Sr. Vice President of Merchandising, of Tiffany's...you know, as in "Breakfast at." He told me at one time Tiffany's decided to compete with lower priced stores by offering gift items below $100. It did increase traffic and the number of sales, but the bottom line declined. With more people in the stores, the sales people couldn't devote time to each customer and customers accustomed to purchasing the higher dollar items found the crowded stores uncomfortable. Soon, against the advise of Wall Street and others, Tiffany's discontinued the lower priced merchandise, and sales receipts returned and surpassed their earlier levels.
Having more clients is not always the answer...having the right clients and providing your very best is...
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/oncamera-auditions.html

Ohio's treasure...Lake Erie

I spent almost a week last month on the shores of Lake Erie, it was great. While I was looking for new clients each day, I had plenty of time to enjoy the water, sun and fun to be found in and around our treasure to the North.
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/contact.html

I'm being sued and it stinks!

Yep, two people have filed against me for a car accident some four or five years ago. Due to the fact these two were under eighteen, the statutory time-limit to file doesn't begin until they reach that age of enlightenment.
Apparently, the scales fell from their eyes when...for example...the young man, who has spent the last three years in construction jobs, made a visit to a chiropractor complaining of a back pain subsequently assigned to the accident. Uh huh.
The depositions went well, the insurance company seems calm....it still bites!
Bill

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/brewsterscript.html

They get me every time.

I made a delivery to Wooster, Ohio, today...then took some time to shop and have lunch. I saw my favorite sign while there. There is a company with an entrance that is clearly marked: "Entrance Only" then beneath..."large trucks use North Entrance." When you get to the North Entrance it is clearly marked: "Exit Only" and beneath, "Large Trucks Enter Here." Apparently this is the area on earth where Only (capitalized) does not mean only...maybe Bill Clinton is making signs now!

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/related_links.html

I don't get it.

On my way to the office this morning I was listening to my usual drive-time radio station. Of course, I listen in a different way as I'm always paying attention to the commercials and promos instead of the news or music. One thing I noticed was the number of local advertisers who bought sixty (60) second spots. I know it makes sense from an economic point of view (a 30 second spot costs about 80% 0f a 60), but I heard lots of wasted time...which equals wasted money. Complicated plot lines, extraneous humor, and just plain fill...the "sell" could have been better delivered in a tight thirty.

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/hiringavoice.html

Rained out!

I try to get most of my recording done very early in the morning...before 5:00am on the mornings I don't run. But this morning there is a thunderstorm going past; as a result, I can't run and it's too loud to record any voice tracks. So, I'm working on some editing and making this entry waiting for everything to "blow over."

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/testimonials.html

Nice to have an office.

Sometimes it's nice to have an office to crawl into when everything else is swirling around. A few minutes ago our good friend, June, stopped by for tea. Soon I could tell that if I didn't get away I'd spend the rest of the evening in conversation...not that there's anything wrong with that...but I do have business to which I must attend.

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/auditions.html

I hate it when I can't deliver.

I recently completed a "message-on-hold" job for an Otolaryngologist's office, but now my contact isn't responding to approve, change, or just plain reject the piece. It drives me nuts when I don't hear anything on completion of a project!

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/messageonhold.html

Clients' questions!

I finished an article on clients either appearing in or providing voiceover for their own commercials yesterday, this morning two clients asked me what I thought about having them do their own on-camera. Life imitating art...
http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/shouldIappear.html

Sid Sizzle Returns

Just completed another "Sid Sizzle" commercial...it ain't art, but really pays the bills!

http://www.smooth-male-voiceover-talent.com/index.html