Happy New Year!!
As I put away last year's external hard drive and plug in another TB of back-up goodness, I find myself looking forward to the year ahead...
2010 has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
In the spirit of all things new, I am very excited to debut my updated commercial demo! I had the pleasure of working with my long time voice coach Nancy Wolfson and Santisound Studios in LA in early December. Nancy did an amazing job of putting together a nice collection of old stuff, new stuff, and stuff that filled in the holes that were previously left unfilled. The recording process was a blast, and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with someone I greatly admire, and count as a dear friend.
And since we are on the topic of newness, I also added a new technology to my studio this month, Source Connect. Now, in addition to ISDN and phone patch, I can be directed live through this interesting new technology.
So, it's a new year with new technology and a fresh demo...I'm liking 2010 already!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Why Smartphones Really Are Smart...
On November 21st, I embarked on a 3 week trip that would take me from Florida to Texas to California. As a full-time voice actor, this meant packing up the laptop, MicPort Pro, and my Lawson microphone so that I could continue working while I was away from my studio.
Prior to packing for my mega-trip, I took a day away from my studio to drive across Florida and watch a NASA shuttle launch (something everyone should do at some point in their life- wow!). I wasn't expecting much to happen that day, which is why I was shocked when I returned to my studio and discovered I had missed a very important e-mail from one of my clients. It seems he needed me to record a couple of radio spots and when I hadn't answered him, he was forced to get another voice. In our business this happens, but it's never fun when it does! Here's the kicker..he would have been able to record the following day if only I had been able to let him know I would be back in my studio by then.
Enter the Smartphone! I remember looking at Smartphones when I first moved to Florida and deciding I really didn't need one because I worked from home and rarely left my house during normal work hours. Shame on me. What I didn't realize is that not having access to e-mail 24 hours a day actually tied me to my computer, and therefore made it difficult to ever leave...for fear I might miss something. Had I had a Smartphone on the day of the shuttle launch, I would have been able to schedule the session for the following morning and kept my reputation for always being reliable.
So, what did I do? I bought a Smartphone the following day. Specifically the Blackberry Storm 2.
OK- back to my mega-trip (which I am currently in the middle of). I was on the road last week somewhere between Dallas and Lubbock, TX in an area so rural I hadn't seen a building for over an hour. 'Ding' goes the Blackberry. It was the SAME client from the shuttle launch day asking if I could record 2 spots the following morning. In a matter of minutes I had Googled studios in Lubbock, booked the studio time, downloaded the script, and confirmed with the client. All on my handy little Smartphone, and all in the most remote area imaginable.
Needless to say, the Blackberry had more than paid for itself with just one booking.
In our business it is vital to always be as accessible and reliable as possible. It isn't enough to travel with all of our recording gear, we have to be able to put it all into action in a matter of moments. Because I was able to book a studio and because I had my own microphone with me- I was able to ensure the same consistent quality my client had come to expect of me.
I may have been slow to grab onto this new technology, but I am ever so glad to have joined my smart friends by getting my own Smartphone.
Prior to packing for my mega-trip, I took a day away from my studio to drive across Florida and watch a NASA shuttle launch (something everyone should do at some point in their life- wow!). I wasn't expecting much to happen that day, which is why I was shocked when I returned to my studio and discovered I had missed a very important e-mail from one of my clients. It seems he needed me to record a couple of radio spots and when I hadn't answered him, he was forced to get another voice. In our business this happens, but it's never fun when it does! Here's the kicker..he would have been able to record the following day if only I had been able to let him know I would be back in my studio by then.
Enter the Smartphone! I remember looking at Smartphones when I first moved to Florida and deciding I really didn't need one because I worked from home and rarely left my house during normal work hours. Shame on me. What I didn't realize is that not having access to e-mail 24 hours a day actually tied me to my computer, and therefore made it difficult to ever leave...for fear I might miss something. Had I had a Smartphone on the day of the shuttle launch, I would have been able to schedule the session for the following morning and kept my reputation for always being reliable.
So, what did I do? I bought a Smartphone the following day. Specifically the Blackberry Storm 2.
OK- back to my mega-trip (which I am currently in the middle of). I was on the road last week somewhere between Dallas and Lubbock, TX in an area so rural I hadn't seen a building for over an hour. 'Ding' goes the Blackberry. It was the SAME client from the shuttle launch day asking if I could record 2 spots the following morning. In a matter of minutes I had Googled studios in Lubbock, booked the studio time, downloaded the script, and confirmed with the client. All on my handy little Smartphone, and all in the most remote area imaginable.
Needless to say, the Blackberry had more than paid for itself with just one booking.
In our business it is vital to always be as accessible and reliable as possible. It isn't enough to travel with all of our recording gear, we have to be able to put it all into action in a matter of moments. Because I was able to book a studio and because I had my own microphone with me- I was able to ensure the same consistent quality my client had come to expect of me.
I may have been slow to grab onto this new technology, but I am ever so glad to have joined my smart friends by getting my own Smartphone.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A Confession and A Thank You
Confession time...I've been a very, very bad blogger this summer. Please accept my apologies. We all go through times where life requires so much of our focus that other things must fall by the wayside. Two things I have neglected lately are this blog and my own website. It is what it is, and I will try to do better in the future.
Running a business is more than a full time job. Freelancers don't 'clock in' or 'clock out'. We don't have scheduled breaks or lunch times. (I can't tell you the number of times I've worked straight through a meal...sometimes more than one meal in a day!) What we do have are deadlines and clients to keep happy. We have marketing to do and auditions to record. We have networks to be social with and e-mails to send. We have invoices to create and money to collect. It's a big, big job- and it requires a lot of attention to detail.
Then, life happens. It happens to us all. That's when we batten down the hatches and take care of the things that must be taken care of. Our focus becomes targeted, and it's easy to let the small things slip through the cracks.
Now, if I've learned anything in the last few years that I've been a business owner, it's that things always happen at just the right time. If we keep our eyes and ears open, opportunities to improve are all around us. Improve our business, our craft, ourselves. We just have to find a way to keep the ups and downs of life from interfering with our passions and willingness to be better.
And sometimes, something comes at just the right moment and reminds us that what we do really does matter.
Today, my something was a beautiful blog written by an old friend and former co-worker Kyle Whitford. To say that I am flattered doesn't do it justice. I am humbled.
Kyle's words came at the right time, I'm not sure if he knows that. He reminded me how lucky I am to have the joy that comes with doing something I am meant to do. So, thank you Kyle. And thank you to everyone that reads this blog and becomes a part of my world.
Running a business is more than a full time job. Freelancers don't 'clock in' or 'clock out'. We don't have scheduled breaks or lunch times. (I can't tell you the number of times I've worked straight through a meal...sometimes more than one meal in a day!) What we do have are deadlines and clients to keep happy. We have marketing to do and auditions to record. We have networks to be social with and e-mails to send. We have invoices to create and money to collect. It's a big, big job- and it requires a lot of attention to detail.
Then, life happens. It happens to us all. That's when we batten down the hatches and take care of the things that must be taken care of. Our focus becomes targeted, and it's easy to let the small things slip through the cracks.
Now, if I've learned anything in the last few years that I've been a business owner, it's that things always happen at just the right time. If we keep our eyes and ears open, opportunities to improve are all around us. Improve our business, our craft, ourselves. We just have to find a way to keep the ups and downs of life from interfering with our passions and willingness to be better.
And sometimes, something comes at just the right moment and reminds us that what we do really does matter.
Today, my something was a beautiful blog written by an old friend and former co-worker Kyle Whitford. To say that I am flattered doesn't do it justice. I am humbled.
Kyle's words came at the right time, I'm not sure if he knows that. He reminded me how lucky I am to have the joy that comes with doing something I am meant to do. So, thank you Kyle. And thank you to everyone that reads this blog and becomes a part of my world.
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