Voiceovers International is moving!  Last week we learned that the Sacramento Art Complex (where we are located) is embarking on a major renovation, to start within the next six weeks.  Which means lots of noise, dust and a ton of mess.  Which doesn't work for an audio-based business like ours.  

So we must find a new office space.  Which, we've learned, is going to take some time in finding the right place.

In the meantime, we are putting our voiceover workshops on hiatus until this fall.  However, we will still be offering our voiceover demo packages and individual voiceover coaching sessions from our own home studios.

 There are several of you that have been working diligently on developing your voiceover skills and are getting close to starting your voiceover careers.  We are still here for you!  Business will still run as usual and we'll only be a phone call away.  

 Jim and I have enjoyed working with you and thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your journey into voiceovers.  

At Voiceovers International our philosophy is to teach and equip you with the skills needed to compete and win paying voiceover jobs.  Jim and Cammie work full-time in the voiceover and audio production industry and know firsthand what it takes to get the job!

About the workshop instructors......

Cammie Winston has been a professional voiceover artist for 30 years.  She is one of the national telephone voices for Verizon Wireless and the official voice of the Sacramento Public Transit System.  She has voiced thousands of commercials and audio projects that have aired locally, nationally and internationally.  She also spent two decades in the radio industry, including a long stint as midday air talent on Mix 96 in Sacramento.

Jim Naylor is an award winning audio producer.  He has worked in radio both producing and on air for nearly 20 years.  Jim has produced thousands of radio commercials and imaging pieces, over two thousand for Talk 650 KSTE alone.  Jim is a producer and on-air talent for NewsTalk 1530 KFBK.  His business, Naylor Audio Productions, produces messages on-hold, radio commercials as well as national and international audio projects.

Join Voiceovers International on FACEBOOK.  We'd love to have you be part of our growing community of voiceover artists!

 Effective October 1, 2009

 Now....simplified pricing on all voice demos.  Basic demo pricing starts at $300.  Additional time is available at $100 per hour.  

Basic Voice Demo Package:  $300.00

A great value!  

Includes:

• 1 hour behind-the-mic, recording copy of your choice
  

• 2 hours finished production time.

3 hours total time commitment.  

Want help with selecting scripts?  Want more time behind the mic?  Want more production?   Already have a demo but want to update or add to it?  Additional time is $100.00 per hour.  

In our experience most demos can be completed in 3 to 5 hours ($300 to $500). 

 Please call our office at (916) 446-2004 for more details.

We get many calls from people who are interested in getting into the voiceover business.  It's an intriguing prospect for people who have been told they have a great voice;  maybe they've spent a lot of time reading stories to kids or have made announcements on PA systems and loved it. 

It seems like an easy way to make money.    And besides, it's just reading outloud, right?

No! No! No! The pros make it sound like it's an easy way to make money. However, if it really were that easy we would all be voiceover millionaires.  

The last thing the voiceover industry needs is a good reader with a nice voice.

It's skill and training that turns a voice into a voiceover artist.  And that doesn't happen overnight.....even if you have a great voice.

 The voiceover industry has changed dramatically in the past decade and nowadays  the voice in demand is the one that can take direction from the pickiest director, deliver a compelling read that draws the listener in and have the ability to tell a story as opposed to reading a script. And can do all of those things in a relatively short amount of time. Time is money and if you can't deliver the goods, well, the director, the producer and the engineer are not going to be happy.

Over the past year we've watched.....and heard....some amazing transformations in the voices we've trained.   These people are now getting voiceover gigs and can be heard on the radio, on the telephone and on speciality projects, too.  For clients all over the country!

Yes, training takes time, money and patience....but the rewards are out there.  Be encouraged!   

One of our students, Jennifer Harris, has won voice auditions for several  PSA's that can be heard on KAHI Radio.  Because Jennifer has her home studio up and running it's been easy for her to audition at the drop of a hat.  She's a busy mom who home schools her kids and is involved in the ballet, too.  Even with her busy life she's found that building a career in voiceovers works well for her.

Thanks to Jennifer for sharing a yummy recipe with us today:

Carrot Haystack Cookies  

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon non-aluminum baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup chopped or broken pecan pieces

1 cup shredded carrots

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup unrefined coconut oil, warmed just until melted

Freshly pressed ginger to taste, about 1 teaspoon

Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and oats. Add pecans and shredded carrots.

In a separate bowl combine maple syrup, melted coconut oil and ginger which has been pressed with a garlic press or finely grated. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix just until combined thoroughly.

Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden.

Makes 2 to 2 ½ dozen cookies.

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.

Can you give me an example of your work?

Sure.  Jim is an audio producer/engineer and specializes in Messages on Hold for phone systems.  He also produces image liners for a Sacramento radio station plus he produces custom sound effects and speciality audio, too. 

My area of expertise is voiceovers and I voice commercials for radio, TV, telephone systems, websites, instructional training films,  public transportation systems, kiosks and much more, for clients around the world.   

Jim and I also teach voiceover workshops in our midtown Sacramento studio.

I've been told that I have a great voice.  How do I get started in the voiceover business?

  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 a couple  voiceover workshops to learn as much as possible about the business....and to see if this is really something you want to do.

 Besides taking a couple voiceover workshops is 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.

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 I've been able to build a nice voiceover business all on my own.  

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 classes.

How do I know what classes to take?

We have 3 levels of classes:  introductory, intermediate and advanced.  Start at the beginning and work your way through the curriculum. The classes are fun, educational and are based on our real-life working experiences in voiceovers.  Our mission is to prepare you to compete with those that have been working in voiceovers for many years.  We're serious about our training program and make sure you get more than your money's worth.

How much do the classes cost?

A 3-hour class is only $75.00 and includes all materials, practice copy and downloads of the audio recorded during class.  Individual vocal coaching is also available at $100.00 per hour.

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 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!