Is there anything better than a tropical vacation? Not in my opinion and our favorite tropical destination is the small strip of islands south of Miami known as the Florida Keys.

My first visit to this island chain was in 1979 as a 19 year old college student spending a summer as a nanny, taking care of two little girls, for a Long Island, New York family who just happened to have a vacation home in the Keys.

I've been hooked on the Keys since and my husband Jeff, too, since we married in 1993.

We're wrapping up a 11 day Keys vacation on Friday and too soon we'll be heading back to reality in Sacramento, CA.

But, we're also happy to be heading home. Being self-employed makes it difficult to be away too long from the business and I must admit....I also miss the routine of my work.

Days on end of lazing in the sun, snorkeling, boating, fishing, eating out and basically doing nothing is fun.....for awhile....but it's good to get back to reality, too.

Next week I'll be back in the office, rested, tan and ready to get back to work. And as long as I know when we can return to our tropical paradise I can keep my nose to the grindstone.

Next scheduled trip to the Keys: September, 2009. Four months to go!

We just formed a new group, Voiceovers International, on Facebook for voiceover professionals, audio producers and ad agencies and marketing groups.

The business of voiceovers is growing and changing rapidly and our hope is that our new group will be a forum to connect, share ideas and build relationships.  

 We'll also post upcoming events, workshops and mixers that we hold at our midtown Sacramento studios.  

Everyone is welcome to join...the more the merrier! 

We'll be talking to you on Facebook.  

After months and months of being hounded by well-meaning friends I finally bit the bullet and joined Facebook a few weeks ago.

That explains my temporary absence of new blog entries on my website.  Sorry.  I did not expect Facebook to be so, well, fun.  There was no way I would of ever imagined that I'd spend several hours....every day.....just goofing off on Facebook.

 Being a hater of learning new technology (hey, I'm a baby boomer, give me a break!) it did take me awhile to figure the whole thing out.  Still, there's things that make no sense at all to me.  For example, when someone "sends" me a hamster.....what the heck am I supposed to do with it?  I must admit, it did put a smile on my face to see that cute little brown and white furball gift.  Which is probably  the whole point of Facebook.

Finding old friends is another amazing feature of Facebook and I've recently connected with old radio buddies from my  KYMX Radio days. These are people I'd lost track of 15 years ago. 

Now I want to find more old radio jocks going back to my start in radio back in 1979 including KMNS Radio in Sioux City, Iowa, KVRF Radio in Vermillion, South Dakota and WOW Radio in Omaha, Nebraska.  

For those of us working in or interested in learning more about voiceovers, I believe that Facebook has amazing potential in buiding a voiceover network.  I always say that producers like to work with voiceover talent they know and by connecting with other voiceover professionals it could serve as a foot in the door.  

 So, the next time you are on facebook, look me up.  I'd love to be your friend.   

What do you do at Voiceovers International?

Audio!  And for almost any application....radio, TV, internet, business seminars, training modules, voiceover demo production and much more.  Voiceover coaching is also available with Cammie on a one-on-one basis....which is the fastest way to learn and become competitive in the lucrative business of voiceovers.

  Surprisingly, in today's voiceover world it's not so much about having a "good voice" as much as having a trained and skilled voice.   I'd recommend taking the Voiceover 101 session, which is a private 90-minute class that covers everything you need to know about getting into the voiceover field. 

 Besides training there anything else I need to get started?

Yes, you will need a professional voiceover demo that showcases your vocal abilities.  It's the standard in the voiceover business and is difficult to secure paying jobs without one.  Also, you will need a home recording studio set-up, which we cover in Voiceover 101.

Do I need to join the union or get an agent to get jobs?

No, you don't need an agent to get voiceover jobs.   Down the road, as your level of skill increases, you may want to get an agent but in my own experience it's possible to build a nice income in voiceovers on your own, with hard work and patience.

Is it difficult breaking into the voiceover business?

No and yes.  It depends on YOU.  If you love being behind the mic and have a passion for the business and are willing to work hard......voiceovers can be the best thing you ever did!

On the other hand, if you are easily discouraged, if  practicing behind the mic feels like a chore and you get frustrated, then maybe this isn't the business for you. 

So, only you can answer that question.  And most times, you won't know the answer until you've taken a couple coaching sessions, starting with Voiceover 101.

How much training will I need?

The answer is different for each person.  It depends on your current level of skill, what your goals are and how quickly you want to start competing for work.

How much do private coaching sessions cost?

The price of private voiceover coaching sessions is $100.00 for a 90 minute session.  Sessions are microphone-intensive and you will break a sweat.  You will also hear positive growth in your skills from session to session.  

Where do I go when I'm ready to have my voice demo produced?

We offer professional voice demo packages, including custom copy with full production, including music, sound effects and sweetening.  You will sound like a star!

I've got more questions!

Give us a call at 916 446-2004 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            916 446-2004      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email me at:  cammie@cammiewinston.com.

Hang on to those mushy bananas hanging out in your fruit bowl and whip up a batch of this banana bread.

This particular recipe is unbelievably good. I gave a loaf of it to Mayo on Saturday when she came in to the office to record Verizon phone system prompts.

Mayo texted me later that day and told me her 2-year-old daughter Mia ate it "like there was no tomorrow". Adults seem to react the same way. It's that good.

I've named the bread for my late mother, who was easily one of the best bakers in the world and who used to make it for us when we were kids.

Bernice's Banana Bread

2 large bananas, mashed with a fork

1 -1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large loaf pan with PAM. Mix together flour, soda and salt. Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in mixing bowl and cream on medium for 2 minutes. Add banana, sour cream and flour mixture. Beat about 30 seconds longer or just until blended. Pour in loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Enjoy!

The world of voiceovers is one of curiosity for many. Think about it. We hear voiceovers everywhere from radio commercials to movie trailers to telephone phone prompts but there is little info out there about the actual business.

Which means we get lots of calls from people asking lots of questions.

"What's it like to work in voiceovers?" How do I get started in the business?" "How much money can I make?"

Today I will tackle the question: What's it like to work in voicovers with "The Six Truths About Voiceovers". There are literally dozens more but I narrowed it down to these top six. The rest will be discussed in my voiceover book, to be published in 2010.

The Six Truths About Voiceovers:

1. The voiceover you record "in your head" always sounds better than the one you actually recorded.

2. The bigger the voiceover project and the bigger the paycheck, the better your chances are that you'll come down with a horrific head cold on the day you're to record.

3. There is no crying in voiceovers, however some directors (not naming names!) will give you plenty of reasons to shed some.

4. When a client requests a voiceover ASAP what they are really saying is they need it RFN.

5. The Federal Government is not offering bailout money to the voiceover industry

6. Voiceover artists don't need a BAILOUT because the voiceover business is going and growing strong in 2009!

Interested in learning more? Sign up for our Introductory classes held monthly at our midtown Sacramento studio. With more than 30 years of fulltime experience in the voiceover industry, we are able to teach you the practical, real-life voiceover skills needed to to be successful in the voiceover business.

One of my favorite stories is about the time I went to a pizza restaurant and a 50-ish lady in line in front of me was ordering a mushroom and meat pizza. The 16-year-old behind the counter asked her what kind of meat did she want on her pizza? The lady got a puzzled look on her face and said that she couldn't remember what they were called but said that they were round and spicy.

You mean pepperoni?, the suddenly sarcastic teenager quipped.

The lady, now red-faced, said "yes, that's it.....I want a mushroom and pepperoni pizza!"

I must admit that I silently chuckled to myself and then went back to the office and shared the story about Pepperoni Lady with everyone there, as well. Who on earth forgets what pepperoni is?

Of course, that was before I knew anything about fluctating hormone levels and the major changes a woman goes through in the midlife of her life. Since turning 50 this past November I now know that I have much more in common with the pepperoni lady than I ever imagined.

I know what's going on. My hormone levels, which have kept me on an even keel all my life, are now fluctuating madly like today's stock market. And we all now how ugly that is.

In the past few weeks I have lost 1 slipper, 1 important tax form, and a new black suede jacket with fur cuffs and collar. Poof! Gone. Absolutely NO idea where any of this stuff could be. On the other hand, I have found a box of Cheerios in the fridge and a half gallon of 1% milk.....in the freezer.

Yes, I know, it's funny. Really, I try to have a good sense of humor about these things. What other option do I have?

I know that my hormone levels are low and then too high and then non-existent....sometimes all 3 on the same day. And, it's driving me crazy!

Oprah has the answers to female hormonal problems, of course, because she knows The Secret, for goodness sake, and perky Suzanne Somers has the answers because she invented the thigh master and you know once you invent something like that you become an expert on everything. Dr Phil's wife, Robin, has the answers because she's married to Dr. Phil who is famous because he knows Oprah and everyone is living la vida loca with their cures for the menopausal woman.

Except me. Does anyone else besides me find it crazy getting health advice from celebrities?

Meanwhile, I will continue to embrace these changes in life with a sense of humor, the support of my friends and the love from my long-suffering husband.

Stay tuned, hang on and brace yourselves.....this could get interesting!

As we walked into the tempanyki restaurant I promised my husband Jeff that I would not mention to a soul that it was his birthday. At this particular restaurant the staff likes to come over to your table and sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY (with drums, nonetheless) when they catch wind of these type of celebrations. Which my reserved husband does not enjoy at all.

Food is prepared benihana-style, which means you're seated at large tables with other diners. Strangers. Sometimes they become friends by the end of the meal. Other times they remain strangers.

This evening we quickly knew that our fellow diners were friends. Drinks were ordered, soup was slurped and soon we were watching our talented chef juggle knives while building onion volcanoes and stir-frying calamari cubes.

Conversation was lively, spiked with laughter and lubricated with cocktails when our waitress asked the all-important question:

Is anyone celebrating a birthday tonight?

Jeff shot me "the look", which was caught by the friendly lady sitting next to Jeff and before you could blink, the cat was out of the bag. Everyone at our table knew it was my quiet, attention-dodging husband's birthday!

Our new friends, who obviously felt like part of our family now, asked the question:

"How old are you today, Jeff?"

I actually like this question because the answer always astounds people. This simple question quickly can turn into a quiz show.

So I said "guess".

First guess: 45. Higher, I said. 50? Nope. One of our new friends shaked his head left to right and said he certainly couldn't be 55???? Nope, I quipped and stuck two thumbs up to indicate go even higher.

By now the whole table was looking at Jeff like he was some sort of circus exhibit. He really does look 45. And, I just told them that he was even older than their new guess of 60.

Jeff's real age? 63. But really, he looks at least 15 years younger.

Jeff always says that he looks younger because he married a younger woman. 13 years younger, to be exact.

I just hope that I look half as good at 63 as Jeff does today!

Yep, I've been writing this Blog for one year now. I originally started it out of curiosity. I wanted to know: What exactly IS a blog? Why does everyone have one? If everyone else has one....I've got to have one, too!

From what I had been reading on the web, a Blog is a good way of having a platform to voice one's own opinion. A Blog would be my own personal soapbox, so to speak. Who doesn't want that?

Over the last year I've used this soapbox/Blog to talk about things I love: doing voiceovers, my kids and grandkids, my husband Jeff, our cat Wilma, my hobbies. I've used it to complain and brag, share funny stories and then later in the year, I started sharing some of my favorite recipes. Ironically, the recipes get the most hits of everything I've posted! Food is indeed the common denominator.

The interest in recipes did surprise me. And, it almost makes me rethink my business model. Maybe I should open a voiceover bakery. Can't you see it....."I'd like to order 2 -60 second radio spots, light on the energy and could you throw in a dozen of your pumpkin whoopie pies, too?"

If you haven't tried my whoopie pies, I highly recommend whipping up a batch on a dreary winter day. Works better than pharmaceutical anti-depressants! Click "Recipes" under the tags to find these ooey gooey treats.

I will be posting more recipes in the weeks to come. At our voiceover workshops we always have a "treat of the month" and then I post the recipe. And, if you have a recipe that you'd like to share, by all means, let me know. The more recipes, the merrier, I say!

The Blog has also been a great forum for voiceover artists and aspiring voiceover artists everywhere. In the past year Jim and I have taught dozens of workshops with over 300 people in attendance. All thanks to the Blog!

In addition, in 2008 there were 4105 hits on this Blog, coming from all corners of the world including every state in the union and as far away as Ethiopia.

It's been quite a journey, to say the least. And I thank YOU for being a part of it. It's the people that make any journey a great one and this has been amazing!

Here's to a fabulous 2009!

It used to be, back in the old days (like 5 years ago), that all voiceover work was done in a professional recording studio. The client, producer, engineer and voice talent would all drive to a local recording studio and produce audio.

Nowadays a very high percentage of voiceover work is produced in home studios. In my case a good 80% of all the voice work I do is done in my home studio. Clients love voiceover talents that have home studios as it as it saves them money and time. And with today's advanced audio editting software a professional sound is easy to achieve. Not only that, but it creates opportunities for you as a voiceover talent to do work for not only local clients, but for clients spanning the globe.

While putting together a home recording studio sounds like an expensive proposition, in reality it is surprisingly affordable. In most cases, a quality-sounding studio can be put together for less than $300.00. Really!

This is a "must-take" workshop for anyone serious about building a career in voiceovers! Our next session of building your Home Recording Studio will be will be scheduled in May. This is also a great opportunity to "try it before you buy it"including a variety of microphones, mixing boards, etc.

Make your reservation by calling our office at 916-446-2004. Cost of the workshop is $75.00 and includes all materials.