Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Look Me In the Eye

Having just returned from a fantastic week in Las Vegas where I attended the VOICE 2007 conference, I hope you will forgive me for the brevity of this post. I hope to gather my thoughts once I am caught up and write out the details of my unbelievable experience!

I did want to write one thing...

Eye contact is so important. Actually seeing your co-workers and friends any chance you get is invaluable. [Are you wondering if sleep deprivation has finally gotten to me?]

As a voice actor, most of my time is spent in a padded closet or behind a computer. Even when I am outside in the gardens, I am often alone. Sure, I see my husband on a regular basis, and we make time to spend with friends and family. However, it is very rare that I am able to see my fellow voice actors face to face.

We e-mail, we chat, we work together via ISDN, we even talk on the phone occasionally. It is not the same as looking each of you in the eye.

Now that I know what a wonderful community I work in- I am even more proud to tell the world, I am a professional voice actor! I know I am in great company.

Take the time to meet the voice actors you work with. Look them in the eye. They have beautiful souls.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Kara,

It was so great to meet you! You were right - we're instant friends.

Making direct eye contact is very important. That way you get to know a person instead of see through them.

Nearly everyone there understood that in order to network and make new friends, eye contact was critical.

Thanks for your undivided attention :)

Take care,

Stephanie

Kara Edwards said...

Stephanie-

Thank you for the comment! I told Frank F. that next year we need more time to sit around and socialize! I enjoyed every session, but it would have been great to chat some more! I guess the old radio girl in me always has something to say :) Of course, by day 3- I wasn't 'saying' much at all, just staring through the sleepy fog! Hah! What a great week!

Kara

Anonymous said...

Kara,

Great post. Sorry I didn't get to make eye contact in Vegas. Judging by the pictures I've seen I have to ask...

Do you know HOW to take a BAD picture? I'll bet even your drivers license looks good. What a smile!

Cheers,
Dave C.

Kara Edwards said...

Dave,

You are hillarious! Trust me- I always manage to photograph better than I'm sure I look in person :)

Next time- you better be there! I would love to meet you! I think it's time for you to bring the family to the Carolinas!

Kara