My Favourite VO Chef

No doubt about it. I’m biased. Yep. Where Deb Munro (VO Chef Deb) is concerned, you’ll find me in her (virtual) kitchen, drooling over her next yummy concoction and waiting to chow-down. She's my favourite VO chef. Fact.

First of all, her Voice-Over ‘recipes’ are well-prepared, easy-to-follow and always taste delicious. (After all, Deb’s a well-branded ‘Chef’, VO Actor, VO Coach, On-Camera TV Host + Coach and produces crackin’ VO demos) so she’s done her time in the kitchen and she’s still doin’ it. And secondly, she’s a Coach/Mentor and kindred-spirited friend. So this will be a quick, easy, loud and lively Debby Barnes Voice-Over Rah-Rah! for sure.

Especially so, because another valuable Edge Studio newsletter recently featured her blog: ‘Losing a Voice-Over Job – Making the Proverbial Lemonade Out of a Sour Experience’. And needless to say, I could hardly wait to dig-in with delight.

Man can she cook. And her particular ‘Job Loss Gumbo’ is a must for every VOT from amateur to pro. After giving us the ‘ingredients’ for her ‘dish’, she says: “The results of this recipe always change – so you must prepare yourself and be willing to accept the outcome. Luckily, the outcome of a job loss can actually be successful. (Which is good, because I much prefer writing recipes for success.)”

And she does. By reminding all of us that we are going to lose a job at some point in our careers, she goes on to assure us that we’re not alone. (That in itself is comforting.) And with this: “It’s important for you to embrace and learn from what happened.”; she shares an important truth.  Along with this: “You may NEVER know why you lose a job, but it’s important that you take the steps to care about what happened, and what you need to do in order to grow from the experience.” This right here, the care ingredient, was part of the recipe that I needed to savour the flavour of.  Because when I care, I always try to do what’s necessary in order to grow, and I bet you do too.

BTW: When I experienced an unexpected and uncomfortable professional situation awhile back, I tapped-into Deb's heart and her experience and found a chick that really does care; someone who was more than willing to whip-me-up a warm and soothing bowl of chicken soup for the voice and the soul.

Yep. Deb Munro is the perfect chef with ‘The Perfect Voice Recipe'. Rah-Rah!

Read it here: Deb's Blog 

And check-out Deb’s site:  www.DebsVoice.com


Who's your favourite VO chef?


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 www.debbybarnes.com

My VO Local

This week it’s a delight to highlight Gary Terzza and give him a lively (...and belated) Debby Barnes Voice-Over Rah-Rah! because he’s My VO local. 

You see, my Voice-Over journey started with him, (...through his Voice-Over Masterclass) so this shout-out is a no-brainer. It’s also a nice opportunity to publicly acknowledge and thank him for returning my call the day I reached-out to him for his industry counsel. (…not to mention the time he spent ‘spoon-feeding’ me through the VO basics.) He’s a big deal here in the UK, so calling little ‘ol me back to chat was no small thing. But this is 'how he rolls'. He always acknowledges and responds to people personally and professionally. And I’m so drawn to people with kind eyes, an attentive nature, and a smile I can hear over the phone. That's Gary.

Though Gary started at Great Britain’s ITV over 30 years ago, co-presented ‘City’, and has had his own radio shows as well, he’s now the continuity announcer that introduces some very popular programs for Channel4 and MORE4. He’s one of Channel 4’s best known voice-overs and he’s also a regular live announcer on the digital channel E4. And as I referred to above, he also gives Sound Training In Voiceovers through his 'Gary Terzza's Voice-Over Masterclass’. Phew. How he finds time to do all he does, as well as write blogs and coach students is beyond me, but I’m sure glad he does.

His recent post: 'Local Voice Over Jobs: Do They Exist?' was so enlightening and beneficial. He reminds all of us that there is life outside of P2P’s and it actually might be closer than we think. By asking us: “How about looking for voiceover work on your doorstep?”, he gets us curious enough to read on and think through the potential marketing benefits of contacting local VO leads in our backyard (…or back garden, as they say in the UK.) The fact is, cable and digital TV channels are popping-up all over the map. It’s no wonder Gary highly encourages us to look into locally produced programes. After all, they could have unique VO needs that WE might be able to meet; all accessed with a Google click (...or a phone call, for that matter). He even gives us a random example of what this kind of search would look like. And he ties things up nicely with, "You never know who is next door, so get knocking on those doors."

I'm certainly glad he 'opened the door' when I came 'knockin'. Yep, this grateful American is SO pleased Gary Terzza is My VO Local. Rah-Rah!, GT.

Click into it here: Gary's Blog

Or visit his site: Gary Terzza

Need some VO education? Gary's VO Masterclass

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And stop, look + listen if you dare:   www.debbybarnes.com

The Right Question

For Voice-Over professionals, getting our heads inside every text in order to communicate its message properly is essential. So when Edge Studio’s, Carol Monda expounded on this very issue in her blog, ‘That is the Question’ I was gripped. Carol’s an actor, voice-over talent and Audie award-winning audiobook narrator who’s worked for some of the best in the biz. So I was ready to hang on every word of this prolific talent’s post and highlight every thing I wanted to remember. There is such substance in what she shares that I knew immediately it would a be read + re-read type of blog. I also knew it would be a Debby Barnes Voice-Over Rah-Rah!

For me personally, what she writes is compelling. She reminds us to poke and probe our scripts with the kind of questions that bring about valuable results. (And in light of the kind of results she’s had in her career, we can’t ignore her wisdom.) Though most of us know how vital it is to actually identify the audience we’re speaking to, Carol further clarifies: “…our job is not merely to identify the audience, but to deliver our message directly to him or her.” Because in her words, “…the defined audience is best considered to be one person. This brings a level of specificity, intimacy and focus to our work.” I love this. 

In order to get to the heart of every message we’re appointed to convey, she’s spot-on to point us toward its infrastructure in order to ask ourselves some key questions. By doing this we can be much more authentic in how we ultimately deliver the copy.

Because I’ve always been attracted to language, the use of language, and the words themselves, I really appreciate the valuable tools she gives us to find more “…depth of meaning in a given piece of copy.”  She ties things up nicely by stating something I went-on to highlight: “The unpacking, unveiling, and unravelling of the words allows these words a greater meaning and a more sumptuous message. And isn’t the meaning the message?” Wow. For me, this is the all-important question. The right question.

Words colour our world so brilliantly and expressing these words for others in the way they need them expressed is imperative. Isn’t it? Rah-Rah! Carol. Rah-Rah!

Read it here:

http://www.edgestudio.com/VOQuestions

And check Carol out at:   http://www.carolmondanyc.com/


 Comment & Share!

And stop, look 'n listen if you dare.

www.debbybarnes.com

Intentional Listening

Hear ye! Hear ye! Another multi-talented VOT who’s written another meaningful VO article, entitled: ‘Voice Over - The Lost Art of Listening’. This time the thoughtful blogger is the accomplished engineer, producer, director and author: Dan Friedman. He's into intentional listening because he’s fully present and all about sound; switched-on and tuned-in. 

I know this guy, I thought. Yeah, I’ve read his book ‘Sound Advice’ in order to get an even better technological understanding of recording in my home studio. His 'Sound 4VO' blog is another wonderful resource I need and read. I’ve also listened to his particular perspective through the various webinars he’s offered. His advice is always sage, so a Debby Barnes Voice-Over Rah-Rah! is definitely in order.

Because he’s so wrapped-up in modern technology 24/7, I relished reading that his recent (2013) hiking trip afforded him time to listen to nature. And I could understand how he found it to be music to his ears. He writes: “Listening, truly listening, seems to be a lost art.” In my humble opinion, he’s right. We’re all so busy being and doing that most of us forget to stop and listen, really listen to the sound of life that encircles us. So, I too think intentional listening is vital.

Dan reminds us “…that listening is more important than speaking.” And one of the opinions he shared really struck me, “The best voice over coach is your ears.” I actually considered this to be rather profound. Our ears sharpen so many of our skills (...especially when it comes to editing our audio files.)

The other questions he goes on to ask his fellow Voice-Over colleagues are choice. And I for one, am going to start listening to these queries and applying them. Staying keen to what we hear…really hear, can speak to us. Perhaps what we absorb will not only bring about a beneficial change in us, but a favourable change in how we express ourselves in order to meet our client’s voice-over needs effectively. What a win-win.

Rah-Rah! to this hip, edgy, energetic, affable, down-to-earth and helpful Voice Over Talent & Audio Engineer who's ever so easy to listen to. Cheers! Dan. 

Read it here:

http://sound4vo.com/voiceover-the-lost-art-of-listening/

And check Dan Friedman out at:     www.sound4vo.com

 

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And stop, look 'n listen if you dare.    www.debbybarnes.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Essentials For 2014

 

 

   If you pray, join me in praying-in more daily essentials for 2014.

More selflessness…more generosity

More kindness…more goodness

More gentleness…more patience

More compassion…more hope

More consideration…more peace

More love…more love 

Ever let it be.       

Let's keep edifying each other as we journey forward together in 2014.

Happy New Year! And Rah-Rah!


Love + Peace,   Debby

 

 www.debbybarnes.com