We just flipped the calendar over to 2012 and I love that nice feeling of getting to start all over again with a clean slate.  A fresh new year is ahead of us and I'm optimistic that it will be a good one.  There have been some optimistic signs in the economy and in my state of Calfornia, which has been hit especially hard, we're starting to see an uptick, as well.  

 Thank you for stopping by my wehsite, by the way. My name is Cammie and I thought it would be nice to personally check in and tell you how much I appreciate your visit.  I enjoy your emails and working with many of you, either as voiceover clients or as voiceover students.  All of the wonderful people I meet are the riches of my life.

One thing that I have learned from you is that there is a lot of curiosity about voiceovers.   I have been in the voiceover business since I was in college, which was back in the late 70's.  Ouch!  Fortunately, age is not a discriminating factor for doing voiceover work, thankfully. Isn't that good news for all of us?

Voiceover is my fulltime business and my clients literally span the globe.  No two days are alike although a lot of days start very early, thanks to the 3-hour time difference between the east and west coasts.  I'm not complaining, though.  Doing voiceovers from the comfort of my own home means I can go to work in my jammies and slippers.

All of the curiosity about voiceovers leads to a lot of questions.  Do I work in Hollywood?  Do I have an agent?  Does a limo pick me up and drive me to Universal Studios?  Do I know George Clooney?  The answers to these questions are:  No, no, no and no.

 In actuality, I work from my home studio, just outside Sacramento, California. I rarely need to drive anywhere but when I do, I drive my 2005 Toyota 4-Runner.  The closest I've been to George Clooney was when I went to the movie theater in Livermore to see him in The Descendents.

I'm social but love solitude.  I'm open and friendly but competitve.  I like to work hard but I like to play even more.  And I do play  everyday.  Ski. Kayak. Garden. Camp.  Read. Hike. Bike. Bake sourdough bread.  Drink good wine.   Hang with my husband Jeff.  Life is good!

Voiceover is one of those rare businesses in which it's enjoyable, creative work  and you can earn a living at it.  Life is too short to not enjoy your work, don't you think?

 If 2012 is your year to take that step into voiceovers I say GO FOR IT!  Take a class or workshop and find out if this is what you've been looking for.

There are literally dozens of companies and individuals around the country that office voiceover classes, one-on-one coaching and speciality voiceover workshops.

Shop around and find someone you feel comfortable with.  A voiceover coach is someone you should like, have respect for and someone that knows how to teach.  Ask a lot of questions.  Personally, I would want a coach that does voiceovers fulltime for their living.  These are the people that know what it's really like and the ones that keep up with the trends.

 Of course, if you live in  the Sacramento area, central CA, Northern CA or the San Francisco Bay Area, I would be happy to talk with you and discuss voiceover training from my home studio, which is nicely equipped with the latest recording equipment.  Sessions are booked at your convenience, 7 days a week.  Here's my menu of voiceover services:

Voiceover 101

This is the introductory class you need to decide if voiceover is for you.  Voiceover 101 is a 90-minute one-0n-one session in which you'll learn the skills one must develop, the tools you'll need and where to find the paying jobs in voiceover.  You'll also get time behind the mic along with an analysis of your current level of skill.  You'll go home with all your questions answered, a folder full of great info and practice voiceover copy and an audio download of your recordings.

Price:  $100.00

By reserved appointment at:  cammie@cammiewinston.com

 Ongoing Voiceover Coaching

We all learn at our own pace and have our own goals.  One-on-one training is the most effective way to get you where you want to be.  All voiceover sessions are custom tailored specifically for you.  Sessions are 90 minutes long with at least 60 minutes of that time spent behind the mic.  You'll hear the growth in your skills from session to session!

These sessions can also be used for:  How to build your own home studio including sampling different microphones, training on audio editing software, writing your business plan, developing your own unique voiceover brand and marketing your voiceover business.

Price:  $100.00 with a 10% discount applied with the purchase of six lessons.

By reserved appointment at:  cammie@cammiewinston.com

Email Voiceover Coaching

If you have a home recording set-up and want practice with both your voiceover and audio technical skills, email training is a great way to go!  Get a new and challenging voiceover lesson every week that you record, produce and email to Cammie.  She'll give you a written critique of your work and then send you a new assignment.  This is a great way to build your confidence behind the mic and get you prepped to compete for paying jobs.

Price: $120.00 per 4 week period

Contact:  cammie@cammiewinston to get started!

Sixty Minute Voiceover Tune-Up

You've taken a few voiceover sessions, possibly even produced your first voiceover demo, yet, your voiceover career is going nowhere.  Help is on the way with the Sixty Minute Voiceover Tune-Up.  In this session we work on whatever you want whether it's your voiceover skills, your marketing plan or some pump-you-up motivation.  Let's get you back on track with your voiceover career.

Price  $80.00

By reserved appointment at:  cammie@cammiewinston.com

Thanks for stopping by.  Drop me a line and say HI.  And all the best to you in 2012!

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, it's been awhile since you've heard from me.   Please know I am not ignoring you and yes, I'm still teaching and coaching voiceover.   When it gets really busy around here I must run my business like a hospital's Emergency Room Triage: whatever or whomever is bleeding gets worked on first. Tight time deadlines on projects forced me to put the voiceover newsletter on the  back burner.  Fortunately, today is relatively quiet and so YOU are my top priority and there is much to share in the wonderful world of voiceover!

 

In this edition of Voiceover News we'll discuss:

 

• What's new at Voiceovers International?
• What kind of money can be made in voiceovers?
• Help!  I've stumbled and can't find my motivation!
• Voiceover Training Options

 

What's New at Voiceovers International

 

It's now been over a year since Jim and I moved out of our midtown Sacramento office and while I miss the groovy vibe of the artsy midtown district, working out of my home studio in Plumas Lake has been FABULOUS.  If there is a perfect home-based business, voiceover is IT!  I still am teaching and coaching voiceovers out of my home studio.  My 12-year old cat Wilma really enjoys meeting new people and loves joining  the sessions.  Come on up and see us! 

 

Signs of an improving economy: new clients I've signed on this year include an ad agency in Seattle specializing in infomercials.  If you're an insomniac please let me know if you hear my voice on TV.  Additionally, "How To"  instructional narrations are  on the upswing and any and everything to do with education is providing plenty of narration voiceover work.  If you speak Spanish fluently, there is definitely a need for your voice, as I'm discovering by the number of inquires I get weekly.  I continue to see the industry grow and branch out in NEW areas! 

 

Coming this summer:  a NEW and IMPROVED cammiewinston.com website.  The plan is to add more detailed resource info, a Click to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter  and a feature page for YOU,  to showcase your voice demos!  This newsletter will also be retooled, revamped and should look like a million bucks.  I'll keep you posted!

 Is there money in Voiceovers?

 

A new report published by Voices.com reveals that the voice and speech industry continues to grow and is currently valued at $12.3 Billion!  The 2010 Report on the Voice Over Industry is published, highlighting three growing fields in the entertainment industry; audiobooks, mobile gaming and podcasting.

 

From mobile Internet to radio that you can listen to anytime, anywhere and with audiobooks available for download at the touch of a button on revolutionary mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPod Touch and now the newest Apple product, the iPad, the prospects for working voice actors has never been so bright.

 

Help!  I've stumbled and can't find my motivation!

 

It happens to all of us at one time or another.  We start out on a new venture (like a voiceover career) full speed ahead, ready to set the world on fire.  And, then we don't.  The next thing we know, six months, a year---or more----flies by and we no longer keep the Yeti or Snowball plugged in the computer.  Heck, you don't even know where your microphone is. 

 

Here's a book that'll help you get back on track.  It's for creative types----like voiceover people----who at one time, really, really, really, really wanted to build a freelance career.  And then stopped trying.  Don't beat yourself up any longer!  Find a copy of this book, read it and your motivation will come back.  I want you to come back!

 

IGNORE EVERYBODY And 39 Other Keys to Creativity

By Hugh MacLeod

 

"Hugh's book will kick your ass and push you out of your zone of mediocrity and stagnation."  ----Guy Kawasaki, cofounder of Alltop.com and author of Reality Check.

 

Voiceover Training Options

 

Curious about the voicever business?  Voiceover 101 is a 90 minute private session in which you'll learn everything you need to know about starting a voiceover career including the skills you must develop to be competitive, the tools you'll need, where to find the jobs, what kind of money you can earn and also includes a vocal analysis of yoru current level of skill.  This session is taught out of my home studio and is priced at $100.00.  By reservation only at 916-956-2466 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            916-956-2466      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

 

Summer Voiceover Training SPECIAL OFFER!

 

SIX 90 minute private voiceover sessions for $500.00.    Save a HUNDRED BUCKS off the regular price!  Must be purchased by July 31, 2011 but can be used through September 2011.

 

Need a Voiceover Tune-Up?

 

Feeling rusty?  Individual coaching sessions will get you back on track and load you up with new practice materials, too.  90-minutes for $100.00. 

 

That's it for now!  Check in and say HI....and enjoy your summer!

 

cammie

 

Cammie Winston
Voiceovers International
(916) 956-2466 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (916) 956-2466      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
www.cammiewinston.com

 

Cammie Winston has been a professional voice artist for more than 30 years.  She is one of the national telephone voices for Verizon Wireless and the official voice of the Sacramento Transit System.  She has voiced thousands of commercials and audio projects that have aired locally, nationally and internationally.  She also is a popular motivational speaker for business functions and has spent two decades in the radio industry, including five years as an on-air personality at KYMX in Sacramento.

 

 

 I recently had the pleasure of speaking about the voiceover industry at Toastmasters District 39 Spring Conference held at the Hilton in Sacramento.  This is my second speaking engagement with Toastmasters and it was nice to meet both old and new Toastmasters  friends . 

Of course,  How to Break into the Voiceover Business was the title of my speech and I made it interactive so a dozen lucky souls (okay, that is subjective) had the opportunity to do some tongue twisters and other voiceover warmup exercises in front of the whole group.  We had some good laughs and I hope you learned a lot about the exciting voiceover industry.

What I know is this......Toastmaster members, with their razor-sharp public speaking skills,  have a great foundation already in place, to help  build a successful voiceover career.

The next logical stepin building a voiceover career is to train to be competitive and private voiceover coaching will grow your vocal skills quickly!  You want to run with the big dogs, right?  Private voiceover coaching IS the way. 

Now through July 31, 2011  I am offering the Toastmasters Special Training Program.  Get six 90 minute voicever coaching sessions for $500.00.  This is a $100.00 savings off the regular rate and will include lots of time behind the mic,  how to build a home studio, how to market your voiceover career and preparation for your first demo.

Call Cammie for more details or to reserve your space in this program, as we have limited availability during the summer.  Call  916-956-2466 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            916-956-2466      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email to:  cammie@cammiewinston.com

 

 

Are you LinkedIn?  Joining LinkedIn is free online and it can help you build your voiceover career and get paying voiceover jobs, as I discovered last week. I am now voicing a series of educational narrations for a company website.  LinkedIn can help you build your business!

 

Another online resource that has delivered some nice paying voiceover jobs is Craigslist.  Believe it or not, I voiced a series of Surfing Videos a few years back when I answered a Craigslist ad that a producer in Hawaii posted.  Yes, it's crazy that a middle-aged grandma was the voice of surfer videos, but voiceover IS a crazy business.  You just never know, if you don't put yourself out there!

 

More training options.......................

 

Individual Voiceover Coaching Sessions

90 minute sessions for $100.00 (10% discount with the purchase of 5 lessons)

Scheduled at your convenience

Intensive work behind the mic.  Intensive growth!  Gets you ready to compete sooner.

Taught out of Cammie's home studio.  Call 916 956-2466 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            916 956-2466      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

 

Email Voiceover Training

 

If you already have a home recording studio AND have the Voiceover 101 class under your belt then you are a good candidate for training via email!

Great practice using your recording equipment.  Great practice in editing and sending mp3 files.  Sharpens your auditioning skills.

Lessons and scripts sent weekly covering a vast variety of voiceover genres.  Receive  coaching lessons weekly.  VERY reasonably priced at $25.00 per week, per 4-week commitment.

Call Cammie at 916 956-2466 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            916 956-2466      end_of_the_skype_highlighting for info or to sign up. 

 

Have a Voiceover Demo......and you're not getting anywhere in your voiceover career?  Voiceover Marketing 101 can help!

 

Moving forward in your voiceover career can seem like a daunting task. Where do you start?  In Marketing 101 we develop a marketing plan to get you on the road to success.  We'll work on the look and feel of your voiceover business, your branding, the collateral materials that are worth investing in plus how and where to network your voiceover demo.

 

Sessions are 90 minutes long and are taught at Cammie's home studio.  Price is $100.00, by reservation only.  Call (916) 956-2466 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (916) 956-2466      end_of_the_skype_highlighting to set up your appointment.

The voiceover business sure has come a long way since I broke into the biz, which are  more years ago than I care to admit.  Back in my day it was all about promoting youself to the local production houses and ad agencies in hopes that you could, with time and perseverance, break into the 'good old boys club' and develop a steady stream of paying customers.

It wasn't easy.

Today the business runs in a completely different way and we all must thank the world wide web for opening  up the voiceover business to well, the whole wide world!  

It still isn't easy.   But it certainly isn't impossible.  And it is definitely worth it for those who  train to compete.  The money can be very, very good!

The voiceover business has been very good to me and I continue to earn my living behind the microphone after more than 30 years in the voiceover industry.  I have learned a lot, feel very blessed and am at the point in my life where I want to pay it forward and share my years of experience with those who are intrigued, interested or want to learn more about starting a voiceover business.

 Intro to Voiceover is a 90 minute private coaching session in which you will learn how to start your own voiceover business, learn what equipment you'll need, what skills you'll need to develop, how to find the jobs, what kind of money you can make PLUS you'll also get time behind the mic reading copy along with analysis of your current level of skill. 

Price is $100.00 and includes a folder filled with everything you need to know about getting started in the voiceover business along with practice copy.

Sessions are taught in my home studio, just north of Sacramento, and are by reservation only.  

Please send me an email at cammie@cammiewinston.com for more information or call  (916) 956-2466 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (916) 956-2466      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

If you are curious about what it takes to make money in voiceovers this is the class to take!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.  

 

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy holiday schedules to stop by our studio last Saturday for our Holiday Open House. We had an impressive turnout of more than 80 people! We even had a couple people drive up from Oakland to join in the festivities. It was a fun group!

Jim and I were happy to take the time to spend a few hours of the holiday season with all the great people we've met and worked with this past year including students, clients and fellow voiceover artists.

We also gave away prizes including 3 workshops in a drawing and the lucky winners are:

Mike McDade

Monika Lopez

Sandy Klagge

Congratulations to our winners!

The food was a big hit and a big thank you goes out to
Dana B.'s Delectables of Livermore for providing a lavish spread of unbelievably delicious food. It was a huge hit! One of the favorites was a savory cheesecake that you cut in wedges and spread on crackers. Dana has graciously shared the recipe:

 

Artichoke Cheesecake________________________________________

Ingredients

2 ½ cups chopped bagels (about 2 bagels)

2 Tbls. olive oil

3 tsp. dried or fresh chives

2-8 oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1-15 oz tub ricotta cheese

1 can condensed broccoli cheese soup

2 eggs

1 Tbls. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. garlic salt

1-8.5 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1-15 oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped

1 cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine bagels, oil and 1 tsp. chives in a medium sized mixing bowl and mix well. Spray 9 X 2 ½ inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Press bagel mixture firmly into bottom of pan and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool.

With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, ricotta, soup, eggs, herbs, garlic salt and remaining 2 tsp. chives. Mix until well blended. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the bagel crust. Top with artichokes, ½ of the red peppers and ½ of the basil. Top with remaining cheese filling and smooth flat. Place remaining red peppers evenly over top layer. Bake for 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 minutes; until completely set. Cool completely, then refrigerate 6 hours to overnight. Run knife around edge of torte and release from spring form pan. (It is easiest to serve with pan bottom in place.) Top torte with remaining half of fresh basil just prior to serving. Serve with crackers.

Enjoy and Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!

 

This is it! Welcome to my Blog. As a child of the 70's all of this "blog-stuff" is somewhat overwhelming to me. Heck, even the word "blog" is strange. But, from exploring others blogs I discovered they are a good way to share info and experiences and my goal is to write about the wonderful world of voiceovers.

That's the plan, anyway.......to talk about voiceovers. And goodness knows after 25 years behind 100's of microphones I do have a thing or two to say about the business. Everything you always wanted to know about voiceovers but were afraid to ask. Or didn't know who to ask. The good, the bad and the ugly. And let me just say that most of it is good. Anytime you can bring home a paycheck and stay on top of the bills without feeling like you're actually working is a good thing. Which I've had the good fortune of doing for a long time now.

Will be voicing a narration for California Dental Association tomorrow. And, producing more voicework for Verizon Wireless over the weekend.

It's a good life!

By the way, be sure to check the Workshops Blog for upcoming voiceover classes to be held in my downtown Sacramento offices.