3 Tiny Steps

There are three things I was reminded of this week which are essential to being a great voice actor.

First, always take time to watch or listen to your work. In the past, I have been guilty of not watching the shows I voice. For years, I was asked very specific questions about DragonBall Z I did not know the answers to. It was less than a year ago that I sat in a room with 2 other DBZ voice actors and watched movie 13 in its entirety. What did I learn? It's a good show...no a great show. So, I came home and scoured YouTube for any episode I could find. I even found a scene I had forgotten about in which my characters have a lengthy conversation. WOW! 'Me' talking to 'me'- I was very proud!

DB Cooper said something at the VOICE conference that stuck with me. "If you want to voice video games, you have to play video games!" Sounds simple, but it is easy to get busy and forget to go back and review your work. I own one of the video games I voiced 3 characters on, yet I rarely play it. I plan to change that.

When I watched our friend's baby last week, I finally had time to sit and watch cartoons while rocking and rocking...and rocking. I started with a DVD of the upcoming show Raggs in which I voice a puppy. I knew this show was great, but watching the show as will be seen on tv was incredible. I then watched 3 DVD's of Solty Rei in which I voice Celica. My goodness there is some incredible acting in that show! I learned so much listening to the other actors and how they delivered their lines. I also learned 2 very important things about myself...

1) I am a much better voice actor than I realized.
2) I am not nearly as good a voice actor as I thought I was.

OK- what I realized is that I'm very good, but I can still be better! I plan to continue training and learning as much as I can.

The second step in being a voice actor is being confident in your work. I was reading a thread recently over at the VO-BB that talked about how much to charge for your work. It became a back and forth conversation between seasoned professionals and those new to the business. The 'newbies' thought taking lower paying jobs was fine as long as it helped in their learning process and added clients to their resume. The professionals did not want to see anyone taking lower rates, lest that become the norm for us all. Now, I am generalizing and paraphrasing- but you get the idea.

It occurred to me that it wasn't so much about money as it was about confidence, or lack there of. I believe in my abilities and do not choose to be underpaid for them. I also know the expense that went in to my studio, the time it takes to properly voice a script, clean it up, and send it off. I know there is only one voice on earth that sounds like mine...and it is mine! So, I believe I should be fairly compensated for the use of it.

If we were all equally confident in our voices, regardless of experience, we would not be willing to settle just to add a name to a resume.

Now, I could discuss that topic for pages- so I will move on the step number 3...share.

On Wednesday nights, I teach English as a second language to adults from all over the world. I have students from Russia, Thailand, Taiwan, Panama, Mexico, Cuba, etc., etc. Our only common language is English, so it is the only language spoken in class. Sometimes I have to be very creative in explaining certain words!

Last night, one of my favorite students from Mexico asked me about the word 'catalogue'. It seems he could not pronounce it correctly and needed a 'trick' to help him say it. I thought for a few moments before it hit me. I wrote the words 'cat' and 'log' on the board and had him say each word. Then I had him say them faster and faster until the two words eventually ran together. I told him to 'roll' the middle a bit just like in Spanish. Try it...eventually you will say 'catalogue' perfectly!

I am not a speech therapist by any means, but when you are forced to teach words- you will think about them more closely. Try doing this when you receive a voice over script, take each word and watch it 'jump' off the page as you read it! Don LaFontaine says to 'love' the words. Trust me- if you share your language you will learn to love it through fresh eyes.

I believe these three easy steps will make you a better voice actor. Review, Be Confident, and Share. Simple things that will make a big difference!

What Have You Learned This Week?

What I learned this week...

1) As you know, we lost a friend last week. Her memorial service was beautiful and truly honored the person she was. I was reminded that during ultimate crisis, it is possible to maintain your dignity. It is possible to die beautifully, peacefully, and confidently. Learn from tragedy, become a stronger and better person, don't wallow in self pity. It is possible. Melissa taught us this.

2) If you are thinking about having children, do not offer to babysit a newborn. You will not want children after the fact. Even if he is a perfect baby, he will be an incredible amount of work. Nothing else will be accomplished in your day besides changing your outfit at least 3 times after being puked on, peed on, and 'everything else-ed' on. I learned this week to admire all mothers and fathers. Whether you stay home full time with your baby or you work and come home to your baby...you are my hero! If in fact you work at home and have a baby, would you kindly let me know how in the world you do it?!

3) If it is the first beautiful weekend for you to plant flowers, don't plant them all in one day. Your hands, arms, and back have gone soft over the winter. Take it slow, otherwise you will HURT all over for days afterward!

4) Tennis shoes should be worn with socks. Period.

5) The price of flowers has gone up...be prepared.

6) Finally, I learned this week that there is nothing more beautiful than the sound of newborn finches 'laughing' inside your newly installed bird house. Spend five minutes one evening watching and listening to a mother bird feed her young. You will be glad you did.

Oh one more thing I learned...there are many people in this world that do not appreciate this punctuation mark (...). Personally, I love it.

What did you learn this week?

In Memory of Our Friend

My husband and I lost our friend Melissa today. After six months spent battling a very rare and aggressive cancer, Melissa Greer has gone home.

Melissa leaves behind her husband, Roger, of almost 8 months and her 2 1/2 month old son, Connor, whose actual due date was only 5 days ago. Connor was delivered early in order to give Melissa a chance to fight her illness.

We met Melissa when she was hired to work alongside my husband as a meteorologist on the WBTV team. Her smile is what struck you first, big and beautiful. Then you noticed her eyes, so full of life, so full of fire. She was barely 5 feet tall, and all spirit.

Melissa dated one of our best friends for several months. Two wonderful people not destined to be together, yet the admiration continued long after the break-up. The four of us rang in the New Year together in 2006.

I believe it was sometime in June that Melissa first met Roger. Instant love from what I hear. They decided to marry and set the date for that September. I remember hearing that Melissa wasn't feeling well on her wedding day, most figured it had to do with nerves.

Sadly, it did not. Melissa, 4 months pregnant with her first son, was diagnosed with one of the rarest cancers known last November. I will never forget hearing the news soon after my husband received a call from work. It didn't make sense.

It will never make sense.

My husband and I went to see Melissa one day while she was at work. She had not put on her wig or make-up yet, she was about 6 months pregnant with Connor. She was so beautiful. Chemo was tearing through her body, yet there she sat...working on the 7-day forecast. Tiny, but oh so tough.

I saw Melissa for the last time on April 1st. Several of her dearest friends had organized the baby shower she was unable to have prior to her son's birth. She was beautiful, but she was also very tired. I told her how strong I thought she was, she explained that she had not been given a choice...she was strong because she had to be.

Melissa also told me that she no longer held on to any fear. She did not fear dying. Her faith renewed, she knew she would be going home to her Lord Jesus Christ. I'm sure her smile is lighting up His kingdom at this very moment.

Melissa fought hard and never lost her positive attitude. She was proud of the person she became during her battle. She died today with dignity. She died quickly...peacefully, surrounded by family.

This Sunday, my husband and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary. We realize how fortunate we are to have these times together. We will celebrate, but we will have heavy hearts.

We wish Roger and Melissa could have celebrated their own anniversary. God had a different plan, and though we don't understand...we know it is as it should be.

Please take a moment to celebrate today. Breathe deeply, smile greatly, kiss your loved ones...and say a prayer for a family that has only just begun the healing process.