On Saturday, I enjoyed leading an On-Going Workshop where we talked a lot about getting out of our own way, and how sometimes when we’re caught up in the daily grind of life it’s difficult to get into a creative, playful mindset… while standing alone in our padded closets! The struggle is real! When you have the energy of your coach or fellow Voicers with you, it seems so much easier to tap into a more spirited performance mindset!
Here are a few tips for shaking off a bad day or going from your corporate day job vibe into revving up your Voice Over Mojo! [Read more…]
I hope you know I think of you often. As a mentor and friend to the VO industry, as I go through my day as a full-time voice actor, I often catch myself thinking… This would be a great thing to share with up-and-coming talent!And ‘marketing’ – aka self promotion – is on that list! 
A voiceover career is primarily a creative enterprise. You get to walk into a small room, talk to a microphone like it’s your best friend, record that sound, maybe edit it (and other audio engineering tasks), become a master of your computer, the internet and social media, market yourself online and at conferences, have a “so what do you do?” elevator speech…all sorts of cool stuff, right?
This episode of Joy’s Talent Spotlight will feature the handsome and talented Jesse Estrada. We all know Jesse as our TVAS coach and engineering savior! Jesse fell in love with all things “voice” as a young man listening to the raw emotions coming from the radio, and found it all to be very intriguing. He got into radio just out of high school, but sadly realized that the income potential was too low. In 2002, Jesse temporarily left the world of radio. 
Uh, yeah. Auditioning can totally mess with our minds. We’re so determined to get those bookings! One crucial thing to remember… The voice over business is about selection not rejection. You won’t be right for every project that lands in your inbox. But you will be perfect for MANY!
One of the things about VO is that nobody’s experience (AKA “the journey”) is quite the same as anybody else’s. Two people can sign up at the same pay-to-play site, for example, put up essentially similar demos, and do everything like each other, and one will succeed and the other won’t book anything.
A question came up in a recent audiobook class about pseudonyms, and whether you need them in other areas of voiceover. 
When my two sons were in high school, I had a rule: Tell me where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Call me BEFORE you’re late.
Last month we took some time out for some camaraderie and VO social-ness! We ate, we laughed, and enjoyed some live music out on our patio. This was our very first social at TVAS 2.0, and it did not disappoint! Many of you brought loved ones along to share your home-away-from-home, and had a chance show em what you’ve been doing. It’s so nice to share your playground with those closest to you. Between studio tours and getting to know your VO pals better, it was a beautiful day! Thank you all who could make it! 