JMC Voiceover Source Connect
jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com
202-738-1151
  • Home
  • My Demos
    • Commercial
    • Crisis Commercials
    • Medical
    • eLearning
    • Corporate
    • Automotive
    • TV Promo
    • TV Narration
    • Radio Imaging
    • Telephony
    • Political
  • Recent Work
  • Demo Production
    • Demo Production
    • Demo Production Guide
    • Commercial
    • Medical
    • eLearning
    • Corporate
    • Automotive
    • TV Promo
    • TV Narration
    • Radio Imaging
    • Telephony
    • Political
  • Coaching
    • Coaching
    • Voiceover Coaching Guide
  • Photo Gallery
  • Success Club
  • Podcast
  • Events
    • Euro Vo Retreat
    • VO Atlanta
    • One Voice Conference USA
  • Public Speaker Training
    • Public Speaker Training
    • Public Speaking Coach
  • Giving Back
  • Blog
  • Contact

A Season to be Thankful

by J. Michael Collins

Christmas is always a magic time for me and a season to be thankful. The memories never fail to conjure warmth, peace, and the love of family and friends. It is a time to reflect on a year gone by, and to dream of the blessings of the year to come. It is also an opportunity to reflect upon all the things and people you are grateful for and let them know how you feel.

My list is too large to enumerate, and no accounting can ever cover all those who have contributed to a rewarding and fulfilling 2015. Here, at least, is a partial attempt.

A Season to be Thankful for The Voiceover Community

To all of you, my colleagues and friends, thank you for being the kind, supporting, and genuinely decent people you are. I cannot think of another profession where those competing for work are so genuinely supportive of one another. It never fails to take my breath away when I see how helpful, warm-hearted, and deeply good voiceover people are. It is a privilege to belong to this community, and I am grateful to all of you.

Those Who Make My Job Easier

Jenn Henry, Michelle Falzon, Steve Black, Tony Mack, I’m looking at you. Thank you for being there when I need you, always reliable, and always delivering quality…..I’m honored to have you as colleagues and friends.

My Coaching and Demo Clients

I wish I had more time to coach. I love teaching this business to new talent, and working with established pros to increase their bookings. To all of you who have put your trust in my coaching and demo production services in the last year, you mean so much more to me than you can possibly know. I eat, sleep, and breathe your success, and I feel every up and down in your career as acutely as I feel my own. You break up days spent in the solitude of the studio, and your progress always re-ignites my passion for the business. Many of you have become good friends and fierce competitors. It sounds contrary to common sense, but few things bring me more joy than seeing you book a job for which I’ve also auditioned. Thank you all for your brilliance, diligence, and your incredible talent. You are each one a blessing.

A Season to be Thankful for The Conference Organizers

Gerald Griffith, James Minter, Randy Thomas, and all the others out there…….what a service you are providing to our community. In 2015 I had the privilege and pleasure of presenting at VO Atlanta, The Midwest Voiceover Conference, and The VO Mastery Event. These gatherings, and the others out there like them, offer so very much to new and seasoned talent alike. I have personally watched people build careers from the information learned and contacts made at these events. Moreover, the chance to commune with people who live and breathe the lives we all share allows us to build friendships and professional relationships that will be with us throughout our careers. I’m looking forward to doing it all again in 2016, and adding WoVO Con to my list next April! To those of you who make these events happen, your hard work does not go unnoticed, and you have my deepest appreciation for all you contribute.

The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences

This young organization, of which I am proudly a member, has brought style, flash, and substance to the voiceover industry in a manner the industry has never enjoyed before. Under the capable leadership of Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker, SOVAS has created the Voice Arts Awards; an unprecedented celebration of the hard work we all do every day. It was a joy to attend this year’s gala in Hollywood, featuring industry leaders from every side of the business and luminaries like William Shatner and Malcolm Jamal-Warner. The chance to spend time with so many of my most talented colleagues was a wonderful gift, and the excitement of everyone who won brought home what a value this event is to our business.

The World Voices Organization

This year saw WoVO begin to come into its own with growing membership numbers and more involvement in the greater community. As a non-union talent, we need an organization to stand up for the value of the hard work we do, and to educate new and experienced talent alike about how to preserve our worth. I’m a proud WoVO member, and look forward to watching the group continue to expand its presence under the strong guidance of its President, Dave Courvoisier.

My Agents

To those who represent me, thank you for another year of your hard work, and our shared returns. Thank you also for the work that you do to preserve rates and standards within our industry, in spite of unprecedented pressure. Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like an agency audition, and each one of you is instrumental in my success.

Online Casting Sites

Despite the continuing controversy in this business segment, there is no disputing its ever-growing relevance to how we do our jobs. This year saw the big two continue to present well over a hundred opportunities daily to their membership bases between public jobs, private jobs, different genders, and different languages. There is nowhere else where talent can go to access such an abundance of work, and while commercial rates continue to be generally less than desirable, this year saw in stark relief what I have been long predicting: The increase of quality narration jobs across online casting platforms, often at rates well higher than union scale. We also saw quality smaller sites begin to stake out a larger footprint for the first time, offering more and more options to the talent base. I’m thankful for these sites, and I’m grateful for the people who work for them and support their members.

A Season to be Thankful for My Clients

To all of my clients……thank you for putting your faith in my ability to bring your scripts to life. You put the food on my table, and allow me to live a life that still feels like a dream sometimes. I am honored to have your business.

My Wife, Anna

Perhaps not VO related, (yet,) but without you, I would be nothing. Thank you for your love, your support, and your tolerance. You are my whole world.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and a very Happy New Year to all. Thank you for all the blessings.

-J. Michael

 

Filed Under: Blog

Primary Sidebar

Archives

Subscribe

"*" indicates required fields

Receive News & Updates
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

RECENT TWEETS

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 02:03:31

Breakfast. Vegas style. https://t.co/NismlGEQug

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 04:03:48

What an awesome night!

Thank you to my Celia Siegel Management team for helping me book the winning spot!

Now off… https://t.co/uIqOkSJAwp

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 02:03:38

Well, that doesn’t suck.

And congratulations to my co-winner Soraya Butler!!! https://t.co/XQ0gTBUn22

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 02:03:22

@KeaversVoice You won!

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 01:03:18

Time for the Reed Awards for political media. Thrilled to be nominated with my colleagues from Celia Siegel Managem… https://t.co/SjehF6wYd8

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 12:03:44

RT @academiaavoz: J Michael Collins @jmcvoiceover en A Voz Academia
#Locución #VoiceOver #actordedoblaje #actrizdedoblaje #doblaje #inteli…

@jmcvoiceover

March 28th 2023 11:03:30

The Weird Little Car came to Las Vegas, and the waiter cut off half of Tre Mosley and Mike Hathcote’s heads, but th… https://t.co/fHVs2vXyYE

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 10:03:58

@WhatHeSaidVO @DustinEbaugh I wish I could but I have to get caught up on work tonight, workshop tomorrow, Reed Awa… https://t.co/Nsx7naL09X

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 05:03:31

No rest for the wicked.

Our illustrious CEO Anna is heading home, but I’m off to Las Vegas to see what these knuc… https://t.co/dbwxIczO9o

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 05:03:10

@CherieBTay @CarinGilfry Great job!!! Wouldn’t want to go against you in an audition!

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 03:03:49

Goofy, Donald Duck, and a lobster walk into bar…. https://t.co/pSu4ce2rSI

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 01:03:16

You talkin’ to us?

The Bad Boys of VO, 2023 Edition.

And fried lobster.

VO Atlanta. Out. https://t.co/Qx4jqC1F4g

@jmcvoiceover

March 26th 2023 07:03:13

This is what community looks like.
It might seem weird to some to see owners of what you could think of as competin… https://t.co/lQoTyl2jdD

@jmcvoiceover

March 26th 2023 07:03:36

RT @markwaynevoice: My friends - voice coach ⁦@HearBradHyland⁩ (left) and demos producer/⁦@VOATLANTA⁩ #2 (whose wife, Anna, is #1, right) ⁦…

@jmcvoiceover

March 25th 2023 10:03:21

What time is it? Champagne thirty at VO Atlanta, because this is how we roll in the A-T-L! https://t.co/YlHaFQWbrg

@jmcvoiceover

March 25th 2023 01:03:53

They kidnapped me, I swear! https://t.co/lWkFtTQ3Gb

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 07:03:30

Well, we wish we didn’t have to, but we are literally out of places to put chairs, so with the exception of X-sessi… https://t.co/55je9PATYh

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 10:03:28

Looking forward to thanking these incredible talent for their service both to our country and our industry! https://t.co/L7bKk2ZQmZ

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 03:03:55

I am so proud of this beautiful woman right here who brought the absolute house down in the standing-room-only open… https://t.co/iGPnYUt7Zd

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:08

RT @RayColeIII: Just finished @MarcScott x session at #voatlanta2023, I now feel much more confident about sending marketing emails. You r…

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:02

RT @ustalent_: @BevStanding @VOATLANTA
VO ATLANTA 🎙️@ustalent_
#voatlanta #voatlanta2023 #atlanta #ustalent #vo #voiceover #voiceacting #…

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:45

RT @MarcScott: Day one of @VOATLANTA delivers. Anna and JMC know how to put on a memorable event!

#voatlanta

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:31

RT @AllAgesofGeek: How fun! @diana_kennedy is covering @VOATLANTA this year! ✨🎙️ https://t.co/tPOBO2mRXw

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:26

RT @_buf: First day at @VOATLANTA

The @CloseCredits signage looking good! https://t.co/ngyVGoqFY3

@jmcvoiceover

March 23rd 2023 08:03:24

VO Atlanta Keynote Debra Wilson is in the house!!! https://t.co/QegqgVcLx7

@jmcvoiceover

March 23rd 2023 04:03:32

@robvo @VOATLANTA Maaaaaaybe

@jmcvoiceover

March 23rd 2023 04:03:58

A little pre-conference nuttiness. See you tomorrow VO Atlanta peeps! https://t.co/ujzqaYOnJD

@jmcvoiceover

March 22nd 2023 06:03:59

Might as well inaugurate the step and repeat with Gene Lupo! https://t.co/fBE3oiqSfR

@jmcvoiceover

March 22nd 2023 02:03:27

The arrivals begin!

Heard God talking, turned around and found Maurice Scott! https://t.co/eldnftYCUC

@jmcvoiceover

March 22nd 2023 01:03:54

The unpacking begins… https://t.co/IiN6fZU6SD

@jmcvoiceover

March 21st 2023 01:03:51

The Kitten dominated game one, but what would happen in game two?

Tonight, on an all new Duckpin VO! https://t.co/all44OoUfT

@jmcvoiceover

March 19th 2023 12:03:37

@DanielButtreyVO A call for entries is put out a few months in advance. Anyone may submit, and uniquely in the indu… https://t.co/HNUG9OgSQb

@jmcvoiceover

March 18th 2023 03:03:53

@DanielButtreyVO Cheese, fruit, half a snickers, a muffin and a cookie. 😝

CONTACT
202-738-1151
jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com
  • Home
  • My Demos
  • Recent Work
  • Demo Production
  • Coaching
  • Photo Gallery
  • Success Club
  • Podcast
  • Events
  • Public Speaker Training
  • Giving Back
  • Blog
  • Contact

Privacy Policy
©2023 J. Michael Collins // Voice Over Site by Voice Actor Websites