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J. Michael Collins

Why We Bought VO Atlanta, and What Comes Next

by J. Michael Collins

As many of you read about last week, Anna and I are thrilled to have gained the rights to keep VO Atlanta going through a sale agreement with the previous owner and conference founder Gerald Griffith. Most of you have read the articles that were published by various media sources about the acquisition, but I wanted to use this space to give you a more personal look at the reasons for the acquisition, and what comes next for the conference.

I’ve been speaking at VO Atlanta almost since the beginning, and Anna has joined me there for the last several live conferences. In some ways, it’s become a bit of a VO home for us, where we get to see our friends and colleagues, meet new ones, and it is also where we’ve watched the JMC Demos team form and come together into a cohesive unit. It’s where we met A.J. McKay, Jenn Henry, and numerous other people that our various businesses would not be as strong without…..in addition to becoming some of our dearest friends.

We’ve also watched VO Atlanta serve as a launchpad for more careers than we can count. People who are fresh off the bus one year, and expert speakers with thriving careers three or four years later. That kind of magic is something we couldn’t let disappear, so when Gerald made it clear he was stepping aside, we knew we had to find a way to step in.

As you’ve heard, I’m actually taking a secondary role in all of this. My job will be coordinating the presenter lineup, X-sessions, and making sure that the content is of the quality you have come to expect from this signature industry event, and then some. Anna, however, will be quarterbacking the event experience in her role as CEO. Indeed, her new LLC, Anna Collins Events, of which she is also CEO, is now the entity that owns VO Atlanta. I’m proud to see the strong woman that I’ve known and loved for so many years take the lead in this venture.

For those of you who have come to our EURO VO Retreats, or attended the One Voice Conference USA in Dallas in 2021, you have seen firsthand the attention to detail and quality that an Anna Collins-managed event offers. Going forward, we expect to bring the same level of personal touch and care to VO Atlanta. While we probably can’t have lobster night and serve Dom Perignon like at the retreats, we CAN make sure that the attendee experience is foremost in everything we do. That means things like free coffee and water stations, without long lines. And it means finding ways to make the experience more affordable without compromising on quality…..indeed while always looking to raise the bar.

Anna has already been engaging with hotel leadership to make clear that we’ll be expecting service improvements for future conferences. More staff, a return of room service, more frequent housekeeping, and faster service at restaurants. We expect our guests to be looked after. And this is just the start.

I do want to address the question of our relationships with other industry events because I think this is really important. Just like in the voiceover business, and the demo production business, we approach the conference business from a perspective of abundance. It is our sincere belief that there are plenty of ticket sales to go around, and that voice actors should attend a variety of events throughout the year, not just those we are involved in. VO Atlanta is our new baby, but we are excited to continue to partner with our colleagues in England to co-produce the One Voice Conference USA in Dallas. We’re also big supporters and sponsors of the other top events in our industry like That’s Voiceover and the Voice Arts Awards, VOcation, MAVO, Voxy Summit, VO North, WoVO’s mini cons, and more. Find the ones that are right for you in terms of proximity and content, and do as many as you can. They will all enrich your career in one way or another.

The voiceover industry is a community. It’s a wellspring of kindness and quality humans doing amazing things. With the continuation of VO Atlanta, our goal is to provide one of many wonderful homes for the people who make this industry such a special place. With your help, we’ll achieve that goal and more!

 

Filed Under: Blog, Voiceover Industry Tagged With: voiceover conferences

Improv Your Way to Better Voiceover Results

by J. Michael Collins

 

If you ask most people to play word-association with the term “acting,” they’ll usually respond pretty quickly with the word “scripts.” Indeed, for the layman the two seem to go hand in hand. Obviously, most acted content, whether on-camera, theater, or voiceover is in fact scripted. After all, we’d be fairly lost without a story, right? However, what is often unnoticed by the average viewer, theatergoer, or listener, is just how many elements of a performance are driven by good improvisation skills.

The improv techniques actors bring to bear in their performances are often lost on the public because they seem so natural. A pause, as though in thought. A sigh, a chuckle, a conversational “well” or “but” added before a scripted line. Even a stammer or a stutter can be an extemporaneous improvisation that transforms an otherwise mechanical performance into something authentic and relatable. When done with skill and cleverness, improv is invisible.

Broadway producer and actor Rob Schiffmann has said that in improv, “The key is to use something that is a mystery to you, and then follow it. And let it reveal itself without too much concern for solving that mystery.” Robin Williams, perhaps the most skilled improv actor showbiz has seen, said, “You’re only given one little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.”

The question, of course, is where does one refine that little spark of madness?

Improv skills come naturally to many, but very few actors can improvise on an elite level without exercising their abilities in an environment designed to train and grow them. To many, the first name that comes to mind when we think of improv is The Groundlings.

The Groundlings are an LA-based improv and sketch comedy organization, and have been home to many legendary performers including Will Ferrell, Kathy Griffin, Phil Hartman, Lisa Kudrow, Phil LaMarr, Conan O’Brian, and Tyra Banks, among countless others.

With more than 2,000 students per year passing through their competitive, audition-based program, having The Groundlings on your resume as an actor is instant credibility in the eyes of many casting directors both for on-camera talent and voice actors.

Yet, other options exist as well. Well-known commercial actor, voice actor, and sought-after improv coach Scott Parkin has this to say about improv in general. “Improvisation is one of the most important tools in ANY actor’s toolbox because it supports, shapes, and can define an honest performance. As a voice actor defining and maintaining your character from start to finish is an important way to compete and stand out, and improvisation is the key to character definition and development.”

Scott continues, “On stage improv is a different animal but offers the easiest access to improv training. In voice over, generally speaking, the window to improvise on your audition is much narrower than on stage, but the skill sets are grounded in the same techniques. I would say find a fun local group in your own town …you don’t need The Groundlings or UCB to learn the basics.”

For actors of all stripes, it’s clear that being able to understand the principles of improv can be key to getting traction in the industry. Even if their skills are so strong that the audience never notices that they are improvising at all.

 

Filed Under: Blog, Voiceover Coaching

An Interview with Paul Stefano & Sean Daeley of The VO Meter Podcast

by J. Michael Collins

 

 

This week I had the chance to chat with Paul Stefano and Sean Daeley, two excellent voice actors who host one of the industry’s hottest podcasts, The VO Meter. As a podcaster myself and a big fan of The VO Meter, it was great to get a behind-the-scenes look at what makes The VO Meter so successful.

Here’s what Paul had to say about the podcast.

What sets the VO Meter apart from other podcasts in the voiceover space?
We try to be as upfront and honest about all the wrong things you can do on your way to a successful voice over career. Most people only tell you the good things that happen to them. We share EVERYTHING.
What was the genesis of the podcast? Why did you decide to do it?
It started out as a way to help people who were just getting started, like us at the time. There were a lot of podcasts for seasoned pros. We thought it would be fun to hear from somebody “just like you” so to speak who was going through the same trials and tribulations. That has changed a bit now that we are both seasoned pros, but we still keep that focus, of helping the “newbie” as much as possible.
What do you look for in a podcast guest?
We like to have people on who are like us. Tell it like it is, while also offering insight. Also, it’s important that they can laugh. Both at us, obviously, but also themselves.
Tell us about some of the most interesting guests you’ve had on.
Well, our first-ever guests were Michael Schwalbe, Moe Rock, Matthew Curtis, and Heather Costa. Prior to that we only did a back and forth conversation with ourselves. I’ll always remember that episode because frankly I was shocked anybody else wanted to talk to us! I’m also eternally grateful that we’ve been able to have most of my early mentors on as guests. People like Bob Bergen, Doug Turkel, Melissa Exelberth, Peter Bishop, Trish Basanyi, Terry Daniel, George Whittam, Dan Lenard and YOU JMC. Finally, we are very proud of the episodes we did on racial, ethnic, and sexual orientation diversity.
If there was a wish list of three guests you could get for the podcast, who would they be?
I can honestly say there isn’t anybody we haven’t had on that we’d consider a “dream guest.” Part of that is because the VO community is so giving. We’ve had so many legends on already that it’s an embarrassment of riches. Joe Cipriano, Kay Bess, Scott Brick, Mara Junot, Johnny Heller, Daniel Ross, Melissa Disney, we already mentioned Bob Bergen, the list goes on. Simon Vance reached out to US asking to be on, which blew our minds at the time. I guess I would say I hope we just continue to be blessed with people who are so giving of their time.
For those considering starting their own podcast, what are some of the benefits and drawbacks?
Don’t. Sorry, we’re full. Seriously, though, really understand what you are getting into. It takes more work than people realize. While we were new (ish) to VO when we started, I had a BS degree in broadcasting. I knew how to produce a radio show, which is essentially what a podcast is. It’s a full production. I spend hours on each episode and I think it shows in the quality.
Talk tech with us. What gear do you use to record, and what software are you using?
Well, as you may know, we have a segment called Questionable Gear Purchase, which talks about whatever gear we bought or sold since our last show. We are unabashed tech GEEKS. I almost never have the same mic from one year to the next, sometimes month. In fact, as I write this I’m waiting for FedEx to deliver a new Antelope audio mic to my house! Having said that we do love Sennheiser/Neumann products, as well as Studiobricks! Not, only because they are sponsors, LOL. I’m not only a client, I’m a member! It may be interesting to note that we record the show with Twisted Wave, over Source Connect and I still mix with Audacity.
If people want to listen to the VO Meter, where can they find it?
www.vometer.com, and follow us on Twitter @thevometer, or like our Facebook page.
Hire Paul Stefano for your next VO project at paulstefano.com
Hire Sean Daeley for your next VO project at dailyvo.com

 

Filed Under: Blog, Voiceover Industry

Graeme Spicer Joins This Week in VO with J. Michael Collins with a New News Segment

by J. Michael Collins

I’m thrilled to announce that This Week in VO with J. Michael Collins is bringing Graeme Spicer onto the team with an industry-first weekly news segment within the podcast.

Starting with Episode 23, which will be released this week, Graeme will bring a short roundup of the latest happenings in the world of professional voiceover, covering all aspects of our industry. Keep up to date on the stories that are making headlines in our community with this concise weekly digest, brought to you by one of our industry’s most trusted talent journalists.

Also, in the interest of ensuring that This Week in VO is in fact a weekly podcast, Graeme will fill in for me from time to time as host, stepping in when my travels or work schedule makes it impossible to host a segment that week.

More About Graeme Spicer

Graeme Spicer is not just a successful voice actor with more than two decades of experience, he is also one of the industry’s most respected moderators, interviewers, and investigators. Graeme has made his name synonymous with ethics and integrity, holding the powerful in our industry accountable and exposing abuses among those who profit from the work we do. Graeme is a frequent leader or speaker on conference and webinar panels about ethics, online casting, business, and issues facing the voiceover business.

I’m excited to add his voice to This Week in VO!

Filed Under: Blog, Voiceover Industry

How the Metaverse will Change E-Learning

by J. Michael Collins

The metaverse.

Depending on your perspective, it is either the next revolution in human interaction, or a Mark Zuckerberg fever dream likely to amount to nothing more than a fistful of Shiba Inu Coin. Nevertheless, serious corporations, with serious money, are getting on the bandwagon. Facebook and Microsoft are early leaders, but the metaverse has piqued the interest of retail brands, gaming businesses, and now academic institutions are starting to take notice. (https://theconversation.com/facebook-the-metaverse-and-the-monetisation-of-higher-education-171036)

If you’re a voice actor who works in E-Learning, you’ll already have noticed the trend towards gamified, interactive, and personality-driven content. While there is still quite a lot of old-school formal E-Learning narration out there, the shift towards more creative content is impossible to ignore.

The advent of the metaverse will only accelerate this trend.  Imagine an academic E-Learning program in which students come to a virtual classroom or auditorium, and you’re the professor. Except you’ve pre-recorded the core material, and hundreds of possible responses to student questions and interactions which will be delivered responsively in real time by AI. Or training narration for surgeons where you walk them through a fully-immersed simulation of an operation, with your character wearing the skin of a senior colleague. Even something as boring as corporate onboarding may take pace in the metaverse in the future, with a smart-alec trainer voiced by an actor trying to keep it real with the new hires.

If you’re worried that AI will take some of these jobs, well, it will. But probably fewer than you think. Why? Character-driven content requires acting, and at its best AI can only hope to be as good as we are, never better. Low budget projects will migrate towards AI, but major brands and institutions that are less cost-sensitive will want the quality that only a real VO can provide.

What does this all mean for voice actors who play or want to play in E-Learning? Like so much else in VO, it’s time to sharpen your acting skills. If the metaverse truly takes off, E-Learning will start to resemble commercial, animation, video game, and other genres that have gone considerably more conversational. The days of “click next to move to the next slide,” might finally be numbered.

Are you ready?

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Predictions for 2022

by J. Michael Collins

In an annual act of self-immolation guaranteed to make me look like a moron, it’s time for predictions for 2022, both for the VO industry and the world at large.

Behold…..

INDUSTRY: Everyone will continue to panic about AI yet will be shocked at year’s end when most working talent have earned more than the year before.

THE WORLD: Sports prognosticators will have mouths agape as the Cincinnati Bengals upset the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl.

INDUSTRY: VO Atlanta will kick off a rocking 2022 full of live, in-person voiceover conferences that will fuel good spirits and revived friendships throughout the year.

THE WORLD: The rapid spread of Omicron will herald a clearer-than-expected end to the pandemic, and by the end of March the world will look a lot more like 2019 than anyone would have expected.

INDUSTRY: Commercials will become more and more geo-targeted, with different VOs attached to the same copy in different regions becoming more common.

THE WORLD: The expected party summer of 2021 will actually happen in 2022, leading to a short but intense economic boom. Travel stocks will soar starting in February.

INDUSTRY: More and more VOs will see the light that snark and conflict on social media isn’t a good look, regardless of who is right.

THE WORLD: Despite saber-rattling and skirmishes, neither the Ukraine nor Taiwan will be invaded in 2022.

INDUSTRY: 2022 will be the year of the anti-trend in casting…..with casting specs finding a happy medium between reads that have been trending hard for the last two years and more classical approaches.

THE WORLD: The Democratic Party will lose the House but retain the Senate.

INDUSTRY: There will be two or more dramatic mergers or acquisitions in the agency and management world.

THE WORLD: Emmanuel Macron will unexpectedly lose the French Presidency.

INDUSTRY: Jenn Henry will wear a tiara in public at a major industry event.

THE WORLD: Will take a deep breath and remember that we have more in common as human beings than we do things to fight over.

 

Here’s to a happy and successful 2022 for all of you!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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