This week on the VO School Podcast we are talking about voiceover conferences!

Working as a voice actor can be a lonely profession, especially if you work predominantly from home. One way to get out of your booth and meet your peers, agents, producers, and coaches is to go to one of the many voiceover conferences that take place around the world each year.
What exactly is a VO conference? Why should you attend? What can you leave with that you didn’t have when you arrived? How do you choose which conference to attend? And how can you make the most of the connections that you make?
Joining me this week are Gerald Griffith, founder and CEO of VO Atlanta, the biggest voiceover conference in the world. And Dave Courvoisier, voice actor, Emmy Award winner and president of World Voices Organization and the WOVO Conference. We take a peek behind the curtain at the planning of a major voiceover conference to learn how much work is involved in the preparation and oversight of such a major event.

How do you get your first voiceover job? That’s the subject of this week’s VO School Podcast! 
We investigate four tactics that will not only help you book your first gig but regularly work as a voice actor.

How do you market and brand yourself? Should you reach out to an agent for representation? How do pay-to-play and online marketplaces fit into your career (and should they)? And how do you reach out to marketing and advertising agencies to promote yourself? We also discuss how getting recommendations from other voiceover professionals is vital to a successful career.
I’m joined by The Voiceover Network’s Rachael Naylor and Bodalgo.com’s Armin Hierstetter, two highly respected and well-known members of the voiceover industry. We have a frank—and surprising—discussion about booking work as a voice actor in the 21st century. And most excitingly (not really), I reveal that my favorite word in the entire world is, in fact, German!

Is it who you know or what you know? It’s both! So this week we have devoted an entire episode of the VO School Podcast to networking! Skill, a great demo, and perseverance are all crucial for a career in voiceover, but if people don’t know who you are it’s all rather irrelevant.
With the help of three extremely talented voice actors who regularly tear up studios across L.A.—Tim Friedlander, Brad Venable, and Jay Preston—we will explore how you can become a network ninja, both online and in-person.
Does walking into a room full of strangers scare you? Are you bamboozled by the plethora of online groups and social media platforms? We delve into all of this and discover that the secret to effective networking is simpler and less frightening than you’d imagine!

I also put Brad, Tim, and Jay on the spot to see if they can put into practice what they preach!

A voiceover demo can make or break a career! As a voice actor, it’s your shop window, your calling card, and your spokesperson. So what makes a killer demo? How can yours be irresistible to casting directors? Where do you go to get one? And how much do they cost? This week on the podcast, we delve into demos with two of the industries top demo producers.
Terry Daniel is a 20+ year veteran of the voice industry: not only is he a voice talent, coach, and demo producer, he is also one of the most well-respected industry commentators.
J. Michael Collins is a multi-award winning demo producer, coach, and voice talent with over 20 years of experience voicing and casting for some of the world’s biggest companies.
Join us as we discuss the dangers of self-producing, how a bad demo can result in you being blackballed, how a good demo is an ambassador, and we throw in a squirrel anecdote for good measure!

This week on the VO School Podcast, we examine the intriguing and sometimes treacherous world of coaching!

Who needs coaching? Where do you find reputable teachers? And what can a great coach do for your career? These are some of the questions we delve into.
I’m joined by two well-respected coaches who offer their services to voiceover professionals across the globe. Anne Ganguzza is an L.A.-based voice talent, coach, and business and technology expert. She utilizes her background in technology and education to help students meet the ever-changing demands of the current voiceover marketplace. MaryLynn Wissner is a legend of the voiceover industry. With 30 years as a casting director for some of the worlds biggest corporations, film and TV companies, and video games studios and over 25 as a coach and mentor, MaryLynn is a highly sought after and widely known teacher at the top of her game.
Join us as we take deep dive into the world of coaching, workshops, scams, plans and social media for cats!

This week on the VO School Podcast, we’re talking technology! More specifically, what you need to set up your own home studio for voiceover.
What is the first and most important consideration? Do you have to spend a lot of money to get professional results? Do you have to be a tech expert? And what common mistakes can you avoid? We also share some insider tips to optimize your recorded sound without having to spend any money at all.
Joining me this week are Amanda Rose Smith, audio engineer and producer from New York City, and Tim Tippets, voice talent, audio expert, and educator from Chicago. Embrace your inner sound geek and join us for a chat about all things audio!

This week on the VO School Podcast, we’re getting serious! Starting out in voiceover is fraught with potential pitfalls and we dive in headfirst discussing the many banana skins a new talent faces. In this episode, we explore new talents, vulnerabilities, and what they can do to recognize and mitigate predatorial tactics.
Joining me this week are two industry veterans with over 50 years of voice industry experience between them. They are known and respected for their honesty and they don’t disappoint!

Paul Strikwerda, an experienced Dutch talent and writer who moved to the U.S. in 1999, is the man behind Nethervoice, one of the industry’s most popular blogs.

Erik Sheppard started in VO 25 years ago, is owner and head agent at Voice Talent Productions, president of the VO Agent Alliance, and host of The Outspoken, a no-holds-barred YouTube channel devoted to the reality of a career in voiceover. 
Prepare yourself for an unflinching look at the reality faced by new entrants to the voiceover industry.

This week’s episode of the VO School Podcast is devoted to the voice actor. If episode one was an outward look at the industry as a whole, episode two is looking inward and exploring the skills and personal traits needed to become successful in this industry.
What are the skills a voice actor needs to compete? Does success require certain character traits? And can these be learned or are they innate?

We also explore some of the biggest hurdles a new talent must overcome.
Joining me this week is Jodi Krangle, a highly sought after Canadian voice actor whose credits span the globe over the course of a ten-year career. Also joining me is Jim Kennelly, a 30-year veteran of the voiceover industry. He is the owner and executive producer of Lotas Productions, a full-service voiceover studio in Manhattan. Jim is co-founder of Realtime casting and is a respected forward thinker and voice talent advocate.
Listen below for episode two and to get each new episode delivered to you directly subscribe on iTunes, GooglePlay, or Stitcher. You can follow VO School on Twitter @VOSchoolPro. 

Welcome to the first episode of the VO School Podcast. My name is Jamie, I am a full-time voice actor, audio engineer, and Backstage expert. Each week, with the help of two industry professionals, we will discuss the ins and outs of the constantly-evolving voice industry.
Each episode will build upon the last to give you a comprehensive guide to the art, craft, and business of voiceover.
This week, we take a look at the industry as a whole, looking at the lay of the land from the perspective of a new entrant. Is the industry growing? Contracting? Has it plateaued? And where is it going next? How does a new talent break in? Do you need to be in New York or LA? And is age a barrier to entry?
We also discuss effective ways to reach out to producers and industry professionals, and how social media can not only be fun and personal but a powerful tool to advance your career.
I’m joined by producer, editor, and audio engineer Amanda Rose Smith and Emmy-winning producer, coach, and CEO of the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, Rudy Gaskins.