Liz de Nesnera. Best of Both Worlds VO.

Fluently Speaking Your Script's Language in English and French.

A Sad Day for the VO Community and the World

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Today I feel as if my worlds have collided:
My Voiceover world and my Caregiving world.
Don LaFontaine, THE premier voice talent, that truly gave a face to our industry, passed away yesterday.
I was lucky enough to have met “The Don” at VOICE 2007 last year, where he spent over an hour answering questions from attendees, all hoping to gain some wisdom from his experience. He then spent another hour…or two…posing for pictures with each and every voice talent that wanted to after his talk…and that was pretty much every talent in the room! He was gracious to everyone and always had a kind and encouraging word to all committed voice talent.

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Question of the Week: How Do You Define Yourself?

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As the school year starts for kids all over the Northern Hemisphere, I think back to how we all define ourselves:

In High School & College were you:
The geek, jock, egghead, band member, cheerleader, yearbook editor, or goth?

At home are you the:
Spouse, oldest/middle/youngest child, parent, grandparent, or in-law?

As a voice talent are you:
The voice talent, engineer and producer?

As the owner of your own business are you:
Chief cook & bottle washer?

Fine.

But, how do your clients define you?
As: my voice of choice, a great person to work with, someone who delivers clean files just the way I want them on time and on budget? Someone who is fun to work with?

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Federer, Nadal, and Voiceover!

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I love Tennis. And it has been a family tradition for the past 25+ years to watch the Men’s Finals at Wimbledon every year.

This past Sunday I watched the epic 4 hour and 27 minute match between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. It was the longest match ever played in Wimbledon history and it was the best match I (& John McEnroe!) have ever witnessed.

Even if you’re not a tennis fan, bear with me…you’ll see how this relates to VO in a bit. [Read more…]

Demos Here, Demos There, Demos, Demos Everywhere!

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OK…in the old days…yeah, OK…not so long ago, when you decided to “Get into Voice Over,” you made a demo (a demonstration reel – demonstrating what you could do & the “sound” that you had). Years ago demos were on reel-to-reel tape, then audio cassette, then CDs and now, more and more they’re digital .mp3 files.

The world has changed. [Read more…]

Press 1, For More Business

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In the voice over world, just like in any other business there are niches and specializations.

When people say they want to “get into voice over” they are often thinking of the “glamorous” work of National TV commercials. You know the “voice” of Ford or Macy’s. But there’s a lot of voice over work that never makes it to the airwaves, yet keeps many of us working voice talent very busy.
I’m talking about “Telephony.” (Pronounced teh-LEH-fuh-NEE). You know…voicemail jail! Those infamous “For Sales, Press 1” recordings that people have complained about for years.

Well, I’m here to stand up and proudly proclaim: “Hi, I’m Liz, and I am a voicemail recorder.” Actually in our business we call them Interactive Voice Response or Message On Hold recordings (IVR and MOH for short).

Besides long form narrations, telephony is a mainstay of my business.
And I’m very happy with that!
Although it’s not looked upon by some as very prestigious, I see it as a very important part of my and my clients’ business.

Let’s face it, these days, the IVR/MOH system is usually your first contact with a company. It’s the first impression you get and usually that’s the impression you stay with when dealing with a company forevermore.

We’ve all heard horror stories of being trapped in a voice mail maze, or about the awful voice you had to listen to while on hold. That’s not the impression that a company wants project. Those awful recordings were probably recorded by – if I may be so bold as to to assume – the cute receptionist that was pressed into service to “just record this into the phone.”

Clients that hire me and my fellow IVR/MOH specialized voice talents know how important it is to give a good first impression. They know that by having an effective IVR or MOH system in place they are putting their best foot (or voice!) forward.

And lets be clear, I don’t want my recordings to illicit a “Wow, what a great voice” response. I want people to listen to that Message on Hold and say “Oh, I didn’t know this company offered that service, I’ll have to ask the rep about that when they get back on the line.”

An effective IVR or MOH recording will keep a company’s clients happy by routing them to the correct department quickly…which gets their questions answered quickly…. which keeps them coming back and doing business with the company. An effective Message on Hold recording educates customers about your business and your services

So the next time you are asked to “Press 1, for Sales” or to “Ask our representative about our 10% discount on bulk orders” say “Hi!” That pleasant sounding voice may just be mine!

And if you need a telephony recording done? Call me!

Free Public Service Announcements For Myanmar Relief Efforts

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Once again my friend Peter O’Connell has stepped up to the plate.

Ever the one to work at finding a solution to a problem, Peter has written and produced 2 public service announcements to get the word out on how to donate funds directly to UNICEF for the cyclone relief effort in Myanmar.

If you know of any radio station or television station program directors, internet radio stations or podcasters, please tell them about these ready-made, ready to broadcast PSAs.

Again, tell your contacts to go here.

This is what our global social networks are really for!

An Amazing Night For A Great Cause

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I am walking on air today, with a huge grin on my face!

If you know me, you probably know that besides being a VO, I’m a family caregiver.
I care for my mom who had a stroke in ’94 that has left her paralysed on the right side and wheelchair-bound.
I also cared for my dad. He died in 2003 as a result of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Some Background
Joan Baker, a top VO here in NYC wrote a book called “Secrets of Voice-Over Success” where a whole slew of top voice over talent each wrote a chapter about how they got started and succeeded in our awesome industry.
Not only is it a great book, but all profits from the book go to the Alzheimer’s Association, because Joan’s dad died from the disease and she wanted to do something that could raise money to help find a cure for this awful disease.
I met Joan, because after buying the book, I emailed her thanking her for both putting together the book (it’s really great!) but also for doing what she’s doing to raise awareness about the disease that took both of our fathers.
We started an email correspondence and then I actually trained with her. She has since become a friend and I’m in awe of her energy and talent. Joan is an awesome lady!
Voices Remember

Well, last night, Joan held another fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association. It was an intimate event called “Voices Remember” where several singers and Broadway performers sang and used their voices in memory of those who lost their voices to Alzheimer’s.
Because this was a cause close to my heart,
because Joan was putting it together ,
because she was bringing together top VO’s and VO industry leaders,

I decided to attend.
I am so glad I did.

Joan & I
The talent that was gathered in that room, to support a cause so important to our society today was just amazing.

Not only did I have a great time, but it was heartwarming to know that all these people were there for the same reason. Because they knew how important finding a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease is. (Yeah, OK, there was some networking going on, but frankly it had the feel of an intimate dinner party, and I felt really lucky to be there!)

Yes, I met some of the top voice over artists and industry people in the country today.

Stewart Wilson-Turner (the creator of VoiceBank.net) & I

Yes, I got a night out,
Yes, I got a respite from my caregiving duties.
And…..

Yes, I got a kiss from both “The Don” and Joe Cip!

But what was even more important to me was that I showed up, supporting a great cause and validating to myself that as a working voice talent, I am doing what I love and showing up for my dreams. I am so happy to belong to an industry where the people are nice, generous and talented!

It’s a night I won’t soon forget!
(OK…how appropriate a comment is that for an Alzheimer’s event! 😉

Do You Believe In Magic?

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Sometimes in this business (and yes it IS a business..more on that in a minute) you hear about/learn from some amazing talent. Bob Fraser is one of those people. Bob posts on several of the Voice Over groups I’m on, and a post this week really resonated with me.

Voice Over is work. It’s what I do. It’s my job. IT’S MY PASSION. It is NOT a “quick way to make a buck.” I wanted to share this post as a reminder to those of us who are working at what we love, and as an eye-opener to those who think that Acting/VO are easy! (This is a long post, so grab a cup or glass of something, pull up a chair and read on)

Thanks Bob!

* * * *

Do You Believe In Magic?

There are basically two types of actors who read my stuff, study my computer-based programs, or come to my seminars:

Working pros who are looking for ways to improve their acting income, and newer performers who are anxious to start making money acting.

I think I attract those types of actors because they know that my entire focus is on the money-making part of being an actor.

The success part.

The show BUSINESS part.

As my pal, Charlie Holliday, loves to say, “They don’t call it show art!” And I do my best to provide good information for actors who want to make money in show business.

But the fact of the matter is, I know the truth – and the truth is that the only actors who are really going to succeed in our business, are the ones who understand (probably before I launch into one of my rants) that they must take effective action, in order to see the fruition of their dreams.

Not to put too fine a point on things …YOU HAVE TO WORK AT IT!

I’m sorry for yelling, but THAT is a good piece of information.

What brought on the yelling?

Well, as you have probably gathered, I am a well-known recluse. I like being at home with my family, my bird (Boyd), my books, and my computers. But in the last month or so, I’ve been going out to see a few plays and participate in a couple of ‘panels’ – at various actors’ gatherings. I don’t know why I get invited to these things, as I am clearly anti-social and pretty much the working definition of a hermit – but I do get invited and I go, with my adorable wife, who comes along to gently remind me to be nice.

Anyway, as a result of my recent forays into the real world, I have run into quite a few actors.

Now, while it is sorta nice to be recognized (if you could call it that) – “Oh you’re that guy who writes on Now Casting. What’s his name?” – the problem is that I meet far too many actors who sadden me.

There are a lot of actors out there who seem to befully invested in the belief that there is a one-step method to show business success.

“Can you introduce me to an agent who can help me? I’ll thank you when I get my Oscar,” is the most common conversational gambit. I try to point out that there is no golden ticket to get “in” – and that it’s a waste of time to keep looking for one. But people don’t listen. Frankly, it’s frustrating to see our school system turning out so many educated people who still to believe in magic, wizards, lucky charms… and, just possibly, enchanted beans.

This adult belief in a magical solution is probably the main stumbling block for those actors who are having a hard time of things. Especially those who continue to insist that their careers will ‘happen’ -somehow – as long as they believe it will and continue to intone that plaintive (but clearly magical) incantation … “I want to be a working actor, I want to be a working actor.” Not to mention the poor unfortunates who go to endless parties and spew out the all too common – “I’m an actor… do you know any casting directors who will give me work? I know I can be a star, if someone would just give me a chance” – elevator speech.

Don’t they know that while they are in that ‘mode,’ they’re about as interesting as an Amway salesman at an orgy?

The part that saddens is that I am certain that these actors – the sort who believe that there must be a secret passageway that leads directly to the red carpet … and all they have to do is find someone to give them the key – are going to suffer tons of frustration and disappointment – for a very long time.

AND they are leaving themselves wide-open to the early onset of bitterness – which is a kind of mental cancer. Believe me – eventually bitterness metastasizes into regret, grief, anger and depression.

My prescription?

Throw away your magic beans!

JUST. WORK. HARDER.

It’s not a good plan to lollygag around, acting for free in theatre and student films – for years on end – hoping that the Wonderful Director of Oz will appear one day, in a sparkle of pixie dust, and discover you.

Spend a lot more time looking for a paycheck for your performing and a lot less time schmoozing with adults who believe in magical chants, secret handshakes, bewitching potions, enchanted headshots or Staples’ Magic Button.

Please, oh please – do not continue to believe in fairy tales – because if you do … you will not live happily ever after.

Which brings us to talent.

Oh, that word!

Shakespeare said, “Talent will out!”

But he didn’t add “Talent will be well paid, respected and successful.”

(Because Willie was a sharp cookie and knew better.)

Talent is a gift – and if you put it to use, it may pay the bills.

The critical phrase is … “IF you put it to use.”

Jennifer Hudson is a recent case in point.

Meteoric is a word they use.

Has she got talent? Yes, by the truckload.

But everyone is turning her bio into a Cinderella story, a fairy tale … “first she lost on American Idol and all looked hopeless … but then she got a lucky break and went on to win the Oscar.”

The erroneous conclusion being drawn from Jennifer’s story (and others like hers) is that her talent was ‘discovered’ and well rewarded … and that ours will be ‘discovered’ and rewarded too.

But did you know that about four years ago Jennifer was working on a Disney cruise ship – in a big heavy costume with five-inch heels and tons of make-up – belting out Disney ditties for a paycheck?

The point is this:

If a tremendously talented future Oscar winner can ‘go on the road,’ working on a cruise ship to earn money with her talent … oh, never mind – I’m sure you get the point.

Listen, after you throw away your magic beans, your next move is to stop wasting your time looking for a one step solution – and start looking for acting work that pays.

ANY acting work that pays.

That’s the first step.

That’s putting your talent to use.

Go on the road if you have to.

GO. GO. TO. WORK. FOR. MONEY.

And please don’t invite me to anything …I’m staying home this month.

* * * *

If I lived in L.A., I would take him out for a drink!

If you want to get more insights from Bob, subscribe to his newsletter: Show Biz How-To

So, what do you think?

Using the right words

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When people first find out that I speak more than one language, I often get asked “Don’t you get confused?”

It’s as if the fact that I speak two languages is a hardship. Actually, quite the opposite is true. It’s a gift. Having a second vocabulary opens up the world to me, it doesn’t shrink it.

I admit, when I was a kid, I did sometimes mix my languages.
Notice I didn’t say mix UP.
I combined them not, because I was confused, but because I was choosing just the right word that fit the meaning I wanted to convey. And sometimes that word happened to be in a different language than the one I started my sentence in!
Luckily, my parents pretty quickly made it clear: “Finish your sentence in the same language you started it in!” It was another exercise in finding the right word in the particular language I was speaking in.

Now, some languages are just more precise in certain concepts than others are. Take the Inuit who have over 200 words for our word “snow,” describing all its different facets.

So what does this have to do with Voice Over?
A lot actually.
As a voice over artist, I work with words every day.
All types of words: silly words, sales words, medical words, technical words. They all convey a meaning.

My job is to bring that meaning to life.
As voice talent, we’re not just reading, we’re telling a story, and to do that well you need the right words.

This is not as obvious as it seems, especially when you’re dealing with a script that was translated incorrectly.

I often record bilingual scripts – one version of the script in English, the second in French. Sometimes the translations leave something to be desired.

So here’s my advise: If you need to have a script translated, use a professional translator.

Do not use “Sophie in HR” who happens speak French. Or “Maria in A/R” who happens to speak Spanish.

I speak French fluently, but when it comes to translations, if a client asks me for that service, I provide it by working closely with a professional translator to make sure that my client gets the best and most accurate script possible.

Yes, it makes my voicing of the script a lot easier.
But, more importantly, using the right words will make my client look and sound good to their clients. And happy clients are always a good thing!