Newsletter

July 2010 · Newsletter Archive

"Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner."

- James Bovard, Civil Libertarian


Versatility

As stage actors we’re often taught we’re supposed to be everything. And certainly that’s the general consensus regarding acting as a profession. You’re supposed to be as well versed with Shakespeare as you are with Arthur Miller, as comfortable with comedy as you are with pathos, able to tackle Medea and turn around and just as easily play in a sitcom. For what it’s worth, none of these tasks are all that easy. They all demand a tremendously high skill level from you as an actor, yet we’re told that’s being versatile, that’s the job, and it’s simply what’s expected of us.

Well, Shakespeare, as much as I love him, is not for everyone. I’ve come to this conclusion after sitting through hours of poorly performed productions of the Bard (hours of my life I will never get back) performed by actors who love the text and are quite good in numerous acting styles, just not this one. (“I wish him the very best—elsewhere,” as my mother used to say.) They may not have yet mastered Shakespeare, of course in some cases there are those who will never master this particular style. That said this doesn’t mean the talent in question wouldn’t be incredibly effective in some other genre.

Essentially being versatile has to do with three things:

  • #1) ‘Becoming’ a persona far different from yourself, or portraying a character, which is a dramatic departure from the last.

  • #2) The ability to transfer your skills from one medium to another also denotes versatility. With advancing technology, mass media continues to meld into a single, more versatile source. The more you familiarize yourself with the few technical demands required in each medium the more confident you’ll be to deliver the best possible performance.*

  • #3) Versatility speaks to making yourself flexible enough to be prepared for what ever the production requires of you. For example, in theater, you typically have at least two weeks of rehearsal and then a week of previews before a production opens. It’s on the rarest occasion today you’ll be required to deliver only one perfect take. It’s preferred you deliver your very best from the first take till the last. Most often a variety of inflections offered among repeated takes, within the perimeters of the production, are most consistently needed and wanted from you.

* This could account for the reason so many stage actors have such a tough time making the transition to a new medium such as voice-over or commercial on-camera. They often give themselves too long a runway to get off the ground, even though they’re perfectly cast for the commercial, type-wise.

Acting is a card game: the objective is to lead with trump; lead with POWER. In other words, establish yourself with what it is you do best. The same holds true for voice-over!

What is it with Guys and Directions?

This holiday weekend, if the GPS is on the fritz and you find yourself lost among the pine after taking one too many wrong turns, ask yourself this: “What would Vader do?” That’s right, as in Darth Vader. (The very same.) You may find your experience and this recording engineer’s fate are rather similar. Enjoy! www.youtube.com

Social Networking and Your Privacy

We are often asked at SOUND ADVICE how social networking plays into the professional expansion of your voice-over business. No short answer, I’m afraid.

However, this article was recently brought to my attention. www.zdnet.com

Proving once again, it’s imperative we keep in mind the responsibility that comes with all the very public avenues we now have at our disposal to make ourselves known, connected and remembered.

Over the next few months I’m hoping to offer you greater assistance in this area with a very trusted source we’re confident you can consistently count on when it comes to promoting and renewing your site as well. This will be especially helpful to all our avid SOUND ADVICERs who are less than tech-savvy and in need of some real hand-holding technologically speaking.

So, stay tuned!! This is going to make your life so much easier it makes me flat out giddy!








Embracing Changing Technology

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Here at SOUND ADVICE, we do our level best to focus your attention toward upgrades that impact our culture, our industry, and your livelihood as a talent.

And it never fails, we are met with two distinct divisions of clients: those that embrace technology and those that have it foisted upon them in the worst way.

That’s nothing new. In fact it’s historic. Every so often we find ourselves longing to simply ‘set it and forget it’, don’t we? Yet in order to progress at anything we have to strive for better, smarter, easier... the next big thing.

With that we bring you this remarkable clip. It’s the very first 35 mm film—ever. Imagine that.

The camera was mounted to the front of a cable car in San Francisco on Market Street heading toward the clock tower on Embarcadero wharf in 1906. (All of which still exist.) It was filmed only four days prior to the great California earthquake on April 18th, 1906, and thought to be long lost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k

Hope you enjoy it and embrace change! (It creates your future and it’s inevitable.)

“By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea…”

Okay, this has less to do with voice-over and acting in general than it does with… well, LIFE. So maybe I’m not that far off, eh? One feeds the other: life and art. With that in mind… http://www.ted.com










Movies Featuring ‘Freedom’

Maybe I’m preaching to the choir here, but there are a handful of GREAT flix to share with every member of your family. I love films dedicated to entertaining audiences from 8 to 80 years old. I think you’ll find this true of our suggestions here. Keep a few of these on hand this 4th of July weekend or during your family getaways this summer in case of inclement weather. (And pray for rain!!)

If there are a few listed you’ve never seen, then treat your family… treat yourself! You won’t be disappointed. ALL of them are hugely entertaining!!

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) Fly Away Home (1996)
    Head Above Water (1996)
    Spy Kids (2001)
    Jaws (1975)
    Casablanca (1942)
    Mr. Deed’s Goes to Town (1936)
    Heaven Can Wait (1978)
    Bringing Up Baby (1938)
    Harold & Maude (1971)
    Apollo 13 (1995)
    Gone With the Wind (1939)
    The Right Stuff (1983)
    Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
    Cannery Row (1982)
    Master and Commander (2003)
    Election (1999)
    Raiders of the Lost Arc (1981)
    Galaxy Quest (1999)
    Sergeant York (1941)
    Ghostbusters (1984)
    Some Like It Hot (1959)
    The Incredibles (2004)
    Singing In the Rain (1952)
    Finding Nemo (2003)
    Risky Business (1983)
    Paper Moon (1974)
    Stand By Me (1986)
    The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
    Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
    Captains’ Courageous (1937) *
    The Sting (1973)

    NOTE: All of these super groovy movies can be found on Netflix!!
    * This is my favorite film of all time!!

Seize the Day

This summer get out… ride a bike, burn some burgers, take in a ballgame, sip some lemonade and blow an entire weekend from the vantage point of a comfortable hammock. It’s what summers are made for!

If you don’t feel you’ve earned such indulgences quite yet, and more work needs to be done, then enjoy this small vicarious thrill and ‘Carpe Diem’ …at least virtually. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

- John R. Wooden