We’re too busy in the studio to squeeze in any time to write! But there hasn’t been a single peep on this “blog” for far too long. So I’m going to stop and put one up right now. I promise to make this worthwhile if you read it through to the end.

First off, the Good News is that the topic of conversation around our studio is that VO is NOT going away. In fact, demand for it seems to continue to grow. From Video Games that are using it more and more and more (and so on) to iPad apps to GPS systems and telephone IVR…. there’s just a lot going on right now in the world of VO. And there’s no sign of it letting up any time soon.  Video game voice acting continues to become more and more competitive and the bar has already been raised so high that it’s probably even surpassing Hollywood quality at this point. But I notice that a lot of iPad and iPhone apps sound the way games used to sound around 10 years ago (ala “Earthworm Jim”). As if the developers are just recording themselves on a whatever they can get their hands on, and throwing them into the finished product. I’m pretty sure that as time goes on, there will become a need to increase the quality of this VO as well. This means that a door is open right now that might be a little easier to break in than video games and original animation. Don’t expect to retire early on one of these gigs, but it could be the perfect way to gain experience and credits.

Although the economy still sucks and recovery is taking way too long, I do see a resurgence in entertainment-related jobs, and I think it’s all fueled by video games. As long as games are selling, they will keep putting them out. And that means more jobs for voice actors.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t get into this: If you’re still asking “How do I break in?” the answer is still the same: Get some training first. That’s still the most important thing you can do to start your voice acting career. Remember that it’s not just a pretty (or funny) voice that will land you those roles. It’s acting chops and the ability to know how to use your chords professionally. Make sure you are ready when you do get your shot. You need to be in good form, and have a very well-produced demo. It’s not enough to just want it badly. There are lots of folks who do. But what are YOU doing to set yourself apart from the others? What is going to make you special or different or give you an edge over all the other “wanna be” voice actors? Think about that, and take action.

And last, I’ll leave you with this one thought that is never truer than it is today. If you want something more out of life. If you have dreams for yourself and want to be successful, then you need to follow one simple plan. It almost sounds ridiculous because it’s so simple. But if you do follow it, you can’t miss.  You must understand that nothing of value is accomplished without constant and consistent action. Here’s the secret formula:

1. Set a Goal.

2. Make a plan to reach the goal.

3. Take Action.

4. Be extraordinarily Persistent.

That’s it! That’s all you have to do. That is the secret to success which I am giving away free.

Take action, and do not give up. If you keep taking action, you will get there. You will. Just keep trying.

Around this time of year it’s hard not get a little bit sentimental and gushy. I think that may that’s not such a bad thing. In fact, I find lately that I stop almost every morning to think about all of the things I’m grateful for. I actually list them up first thing in the morning. Once I start, more and more begin to pop up. And when I’m done, I find that I’m rarin’ to start my day.

Usually when I start my day this way, for one reason or another, more and more good things happen. I happen to think it’s more than a coincidence.

It’s pretty easy to think about all the negative stuff going on in our lives. Life can be very difficult – and I dare say most people face real hurdles and challenges on a daily basis. It’s easy to think to yourself: “Gee – I really envy those people who work in the voice acting industry. I hate my job. I’ll never get to do that. It’s so far removed from my life.” But if voice acting is something you want to do, I can give you one piece of advice that will get you one large step closer to actually becoming one.

Just decide that is what you are going to do. Make it a goal that you are going to reach. And I don’t mean that you should say “Boy, I sure wish I could do that. Gee, wouldn’t that be nice.” I mean that you write it down (anything worth doing is worth committing to by writing it down) that you are going to do this. You are going to be a voice actor. And just by doing that one thing, just the act of making that decision and making that goal for yourself, you have taken one giant step closer to making it happen. Don’t worry about how you get there yet. It is a proven fact that if you have a target, you will generally move in the direction of that target.No target – then you are moving around aimlessly.

Step One to achieving anything you want to achieve: Make it a goal. Make the decision and acknowledge your goal. Step Two: Do not give up. Step Three: Persistence. Persistence. Persistence. Those three things will get you anywhere you want to go. Anywhere. And the most solid truth I know I in life: The moment you stop trying, give up, stop moving toward your goal – that’s the moment you have sealed your fate. It sounds obvious, but 99% of all people make this fatal error. If you can make the decision and then stick with it, you will be miles ahead of everyone else. You will be in the 1% — just by doing those three things for yourself.

Happy Holidays! See you in the recording booth.

- Herman Sherman, Bang Zoom! Studios, Burbank, California

The Adventures in Voice Acting production team was invited to speak at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) in San Francisco last Friday. This prestigious gathering of Video Game Industry professionals is one of the largest of it’s kind in the world, and Audio Directors and all types of Audio Professionals were in attendance. Our presentation was entitled “Raising the Bar for Voice Acting in Games” and we discussed some ideas about how to improve performances, and generally what voice acting is all about. There were representatives from many top game companies including Microsoft, Square-Enix, Capcom, and Blizzard, to name a few.

On Saturday we held a Beginner-Level Voice Acting Workshop in a busy recording studio in Downtown San Francisco called Pyramind. They were wonderful hosts and the attendees seemed to enjoy the full day bootcamp experience very much. Here are some participants’ comments:

“Very hands on with a teacher who made the lessons personal.”

“Great workshop! I’d recommend it to others interested in this business.”

“I have taken many acting classes. But this course really opened my view about voice acting and I have a higher appreciation for dubbing.”

“I’d take additional classes in a heartbeat.”

“It was very hands on, in your face with real experience. You got to see the work from all angles and how much effort is really put into this. I think more people would sign up if they knew how amazing the workshop really is.”

“I wish it could have lasted longer.”

Tony Oliver led the group through a very intense voice acting workshop, going over everything from basic breathing techniques to getting into character, to how to “work” the mic.

He reported that several attendees showed real talent, and we’ll be watching them!

One of the editors at Bang Zoom put this short clip together and we thought you might like to see a bit of the AiVA Voice Acting Workshop at SDCC. Lance Henriksen, Hynden Walsh and Andrea Romano make guest appearances. Enjoy!

Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast & the Furious, Lost, Halo2) was just as sweet as ever when she stopped by Bang Zoom! Studios for an interview with Rosalie Fox from the Associated Press on Monday. Michelle was only in town for a couple days after being on location on a new film being shot in the Philippines for nearly three months. She’s off to Europe as her career continues to reach new heights. She had worked at Bang Zoom on a large-scale anime series, IGPX, which had been co-produced by Cartoon Network and Production IG. She remembered those studio sessions fondly — even when I pushed her to do take after take on one line.

Michelle spoke at length about her passion for voice acting, and as usual, opened up to share her experiences and insights with both fans and aspiring voice actors. To read what she said in the interview, you’ll have to look for the news coverage or check back again soon. Meanwhile though, here are some EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS of the interview in Studio 2 @ Bang Zoom!