The Training Effect by Marice Tobias
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Be Grateful.
I saw this posted on Facebook a few days ago, and it really resonated with me.
I believe in manifesting what you desire. I make Vision Boards every so often - I put pictures of places I want to go, health goals, the vo gigs I plan to voice one day, and even manifest monetary goals.
I've been doing Vision Boards for a few years now. As I look back at my old boards, it is absolutely amazing to see what has come into my life, because I put those desires out there to God/the Universe/insert your deity here, and made them happen.
But, there's also another Board I create and maintain.
A Gratitude Board. Or what I like to call, a Blessing Board.
On this board, I have pictures of the things in my life for which I'm grateful. There are also lots of words on this board, because frankly, it's easier to write these things out. I have a piece of paper glued to the board that has LOTS of space for me to write in, and every so often, I write down one or two things that come to mind that day that I'm grateful for.
I think it's important to not only put out there what you want to achieve, but to be so very grateful for all you have.
"It's not having what you want, but wanting what you have, that's true happiness."
Life's Lessons
There's an online bulletin board for voice over talent called the vo-bb.com. I've met some of my closest friends through interactions on that board. These are people from all over the world... we not only talk all things voice over, but as it happens, we share our trials and tribulations of life. The folks on the vo-bb.com are some of the most supportive, caring, loving folks on the face of this planet. And I've not even met most of them in person.
Mike was a regular on the board. I didn't know him very well, however.
I've not been a regular on the vo-bb in a while. Life has just gotten in the way, I guess. But when I do go on the board, Mike was the master of the "Gear" section, always offering his help on studio build outs and acoustics. Let me tell you, when you don't know a whole lot about this kind of stuff, when someone offers their knowledge, you are soooo appreciative.
I remember Mike would even go so far as to ask for the dimensions of the room. He would draw out a plan and go to great detail to explain what the best acoustical plan of action would be. The conversation thread could be miles long - he was generous with his time and knowledge.
Even an acquaintance's untimely passing can give us pause to think about what's really important in life.
You hear all of this time and time again, but TRULY consider this.
Give an extra hug to those you love... everyday.
Don't just tell them you care about them, ACT like you care about them. Show them.
Show appreciation for those in your life. Even those you don't know well.
Be kind. Give a smile to someone you don't know. You never know how much it will affect their day... but I promise you, it will.
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to leave the world a better place; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
You Don't Know Till You Try!
"Not sure your voice meets the specs of a project? Give it a shot anyway! You don't know till you try!"
Lori's asked to hear a story of my winning a job I thought my voice wasn't right for.
I must say, this has happened a number of times in the past year.
My "money voice" has been the happily amped, highly charged, Disney-esque toy commercial read. Now I can spit that read out so easily, it's just second nature. I can generally get it in one take, without really breaking down the copy or overthinking the read.
In the past 18 months, I've had some personal experiences (namely, a divorce, and all that comes with that) which have changed the shape of my perspective. This, in turn, has most definitely changed the way I interpret and read certain types of copy. I am able to lend a bit more gravitas and compassion to a read.
For example, I NEVER book the "hospital" read. You know the one... the "warm, compassionate, caring" read. But recently, I booked a large gig for that very read. The client definitely liked something about my sound when they heard the audition, regardless of whether my audition read fit the specs exactly.
Normally, I would likely not make auditioning for a gig like that a priority, however, I do try to submit on ALL auditions that land in my inbox. While specs are often somewhat specific (and, well, sometimes they're not), I think that in the end, the client only knows what they want once it graces their ears.
Here's another example: again, knowing my money voice is that hyped happy toy read, I DO audition for things that are sultry and sexy, and lately, land them! I've landed one very large account using this sexy, sultry read.
Point is this: you might have your "money voice" now, but know this can change, based on events in your life. Your perspective is ever-changing. Also, even though you're given specs with the audition, sometimes the client just "knows" what they want, once they hear it.
And you don't know if you're what they want, till you try!
My First LIVE ANNOUNCE Gig!
(This took place in early May 2011).
Tonight, I voiced my very first live announce gig. It was for a national awards show for a high school organization, with 15,000 screaming high school students in attendance. I didn't get to see the script until my 5 pm call time, just 3 hours before showtime... and I didn't get to see the nominee names until I read them off the page during the show. The hardest name was "Saravanapavanantham." That's the last name. I'm not making that up.
Most voice over people have a broadcast or radio background, so they're accustomed to ad libbing and talking on the fly. I don't have that background at all. I worked as a writer/in marketing in the financial industry all my working life before coming into voice over.
So, six years ago, when I met the woman who would later become my mentor when I was first getting started in vo, I was in sheer awe of her ability. A script would come in via fax, and she would grab it, run into her booth, flawlessly read it, sound great doing it, and then just come back to our conversation as if we weren't even interrupted. I recall being in NYC with her, eating lunch in a studio, and she practically hadn't finished chewing when she went into the booth to read a script she was hurriedly handed. On the other hand, when I was beginning in voice over, I had these weird rituals of brushing my teeth before each session, spraying God knows what in my mouth to keep it lubricated and stop mouth noise, and would drink apple cider religiously during my sessions. If I didn't do those things, I was so nervous I wouldn't sound right. (By the way, I haven't performed those rituals in ages. Ha!)
Whenever the genre of live announce was mentioned, I would squirm and wiggle and practically become ill. Hell, I can barely spit out a sentence NOW without stuttering. I recall auditioning for the MTV Video Music Awards a few times. I would let my mind wander about what would happen if I actually landed the gig... and I decided I would just have to decline it if I ever did land it. Just thinking about voicing something that was heard by thousands, live, would make me sick to my stomach because I "knew" I'd never be flawless at it.
When the opportunity came along to voice tonight's show, I spent some time thinking about it before I accepted. Actually, I think when I accepted, I even recommended someone else because I made excuses as to why I might not be right for the job. But, after I thought about it, this time around, the idea of live announce actually made me a little giddy, and I knew the time was right for me to try it out.
This morning, I woke up and felt a tad nervous (you know, kinda like when you voiced your first gig? Like that. That generally doesn't happen to me anymore, but it did this morning), and I posted that on Facebook. My friends were so wonderful and showed me they had confidence in me. I was really overwhelmed by the gestures of support. Their words meant a lot.
The show itself was crazy fast. Hectic. Loud with thumping music (which for me, is very helpful to set the "mood" and got me pumped up). Excited and screaming kids. Flat out cold reads... and such an adrenaline rush; so much fun. For these kids, this night was a really big deal. They'd worked hard to earn these awards. They were so happy to win, and there were actually many tears shed too. It was our job (I had a male counterpart) to ensure their night was special.
After the show, as I was walking out of the convention center tonight, it occurred to me, I did it. I did something I thought I'd NEVER do, EVER. I did it and didn't get sick, or pass out, or make a fool of myself. Matter of fact, I realized I have become what I always admired in others: calm, even-keeled, able to make changes on the fly, my feathers didn't get ruffled... I got the job done. I did something tonight most people could never fathom doing.
Here's what I figured out: You can accomplish ANYTHING you want. Things you might think are impossible... but they're not. Nothing is impossible. It might be a challenge, and you might have to work at it, but you CAN do it. Don't let negative thoughts or words permeate your mind. You are unstoppable. Make it happen.
3rd Annual NYC Voice Over Mixer - Who's In?
The 3rd Annual NYC Voice Over Mixer is coming up - Saturday, December 4, 2010, at Tonic Bar in Times Square. RSVP by emailing lindz@voicetalentproductions.com
So, who's going??
I've never gone before because it happens to fall on my birthday weekend, AND, more importantly, the SEC Championship gameday in which my beloved Florida Gators always play. However, chances of them making it to the SEC Championship this year are slim, and so I'm considering the trip to mix with fabulous voice over talent!!! Maybe I'll see you there?
Good Words to Live By
"How people treat you is their Karma; how you react is yours." - Wayne Dyer
While I'm a college graduate with a degree in English, I am by far not the most cerebral chick on the planet.
And, I'm not a Buddhist. However, I can appreciate much of the Buddhist way of thinking. I love this quote. I come from a family where we joke that our reactions are based on the premise of "Ready, Fire, Aim." I think my siblings and I pay special attention to not react like that in business or personal situations. So, if you have a client that is just annoying you by asking for a million retakes on a project you decided to cut him a break on and now it's taking up more time than you anticipated, or it's a personal relationship issue, remember this quote. Step back, take a breath, and think about how you're going to react. Know that your reaction sets the tone for what happens going forward.
We need our clients in order to be successful, so it often pays to be the bigger person.
No Paid Sick Days in Voice Over
When you're a voice over talent, you don't have paid sick days. As a matter of fact, not only can you not work during your illness because you don't sound like you're supposed to, but you really can't audition for future work because, while I might be able to pull off a hot sexy rasp now, when they actually schedule the recording session, I will be better, and won't sound like I do today.
My friend and fellow voice over colleague, Randy Thomas, has taught me a lot about the business, but one of the most important things she taught me was about staying well. Randy is the voice of "Entertainment Tonight" and has announced countless award shows like The Academy Awards and Tonys, so it's vital she stay well.
Randy turned me on to Young Living's Essential Oil called Thieves . I know this sounds crazy, but honestly, it works.
Thieves "was created based on research about four thieves in France who covered themselves with cloves, rosemary, and other aromatics while robbing plague victims. This proprietary essential oil blend was university tested for its cleansing abilities. It is highly effective in supporting the immune system and good health."
It's a combination of the essential oils of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary.
When I'm feeling the onset... even just a tingle in my throat... of sickness, OR if I'm around or have been around a lot of people (like meetings, flying on a plane, etc), I put a couple of drops on my tongue and chase it with water. Warning: be prepared... it's hot, and you may not like the taste. I happen to like the taste and the smell, but many people do not.
You can also buy a diffuser and diffuse the oil in your home. Just be sure to clean out your diffuser right away... I clogged mine b/c Thieves is a kind of a thick oil.
They also have Thieves mouthwash that I swear by. But I only use it when I know I'm getting sick. It is one of the most putrid-tasting liquids you'll ever put in your mouth. Also, it contains a small amount of colloidal silver, which I am cautious about. I don't want to turn blue!! LOL. But, it truly works.
So, now that I've been back on my Thieves regimen, I can say I am just about over this cold. Typically, a cold will last about 10 days, but I should sound back to normal by tomorrow.
Edited to add: Randy Thomas has been kind enough to share her information so that if you place an order with Young Living using this info, you will receive a discount. Thank you Randy! You can call the 800 number or go online and use this info.
800.371.2928 order number
Under my name Randy Thomas it is
Member number 677 546
Password: password
Marice Tobias featured in Broadcast Dialogue Article about Promo
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