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Keep Your Head Up...
(How My Crazy Sister Saved My Career)
Not
long ago I was visiting my crazy sister…. She is a marathon
runner. Okay that in and of itself does not make her crazy.
Running 3, 4 or more marathons a year might lead one to
believe she might be a little “touched”, but throw in a couple
of Ironman Marathons and all the training involved might make
one wonder. Then consider in her spare time (when she isn’t
working or taking her two “Pooches” for their morning 5k run)
she has started to teach others to run Marathons which means
she runs even more. Dedicated? Maybe. Inspired? Possibly.
Crazy? Probably……
On my visit, I had agreed to go
to one of her training sessions. This night they were building
the runners strength and stamina by running hills.
Well never having been a fast
runner I quickly moved the back of the pack and started to
climb the LONG hill ahead. I put my head down and started to
pound up that hill.
A short time later it was clear
that I was struggling. So up bounded my Crazy Sister to offer
some advice. “Keep your head up” she said, “it’ll make things
a LOT easier”. I tried it. I focused on looking forward and
keeping my head up. My breathing started to become less
labored, my shoulders stopped hurting and I began to feel like
I might be able to finish the run.
We talked about it later. When
you look down you curl your chest over. Then your breathing
passage ways are constricted and it is harder to breath. Plus
if you are focused on the ground and pounding your legs up and
down, you are not moving forward effectively.
I began to think about this. I
normally focus on what I am doing and where I am at any given
moment… hmmmm I guess ‘I’m looking at the ground’… This
constricts my breathing, keeps my focus in the same place and
I don’t move forward effectively, making me somewhat stagnated
and on occasion discouraged.
In fact it reminded me of my
first six months in Hollywood, I had never seen the Hollywood
sign!? Then a friend came to visit me and said “what are you
talking about, it’s right there!!” All I had to do is look up
and there it was, it had been right in front of me all the
time!
The bottom line is by keeping our
heads down we don’t breathe as well, there is not as much
oxygen in our blood and we don’t have as much energy. This
has all sorts of consequences, we are not as confident, not
willing to try new things, not as willing to let our true
voice come out and be open to what our inner Artist can
create.
Also if we are focused on the
ground we get mired in the day to day grind, not see the
possibilities that are right in front of us and stop moving
forward effectively. This can lead to stagnation, frustration
and discouragement.
In these uncertain times, it is
up to each one of us to “Keep Our Heads Up”, be proud,
confident and have a forward positive outlook. When you walk
into an audition or session, hold your head up, take a deep
breath and say to yourself “I am an Artist, a positive
energy, and a problem solver”, You will feel more confident,
have more energy and be more in touch with the Artist inside
you, which is YOU!
Looking to 2010 with Heads Held High!! ~xod
Group Rates
Available
Did you know that Voice Spot WCS offers group rates for most
of the workshops? If you know four or more talented folks
interested in pursuing voice-over then be sure to take
advantage of these rates!
More
information...
Is Your Demo
Out There?
For the voice-over talent actively pursuing
work you have given your demo to the studios in town
(hopefully!). When you gave your demo to the studio did you
have personal contact with the voice casting person (usually
the engineer in these parts)? Did you request a follow-up
meeting to discuss the merits of your demo? Did you at least
send a follow-up email to keep yourself front of mind at the
studios?
There are so many people that are interested
in pursuing a career in voice-over and even go so far as to
get a demo produced but that is often the final step for many
of these performers.
Some will go so far as to deliver their demo
to the various studios in town and again that is sometimes the
final step.
Then you get the more pro-active talent that
will produce an excellent demo, deliver that demo in person
(sometimes including something else that will help them stand
out in the crowd) and if possible a follow-up meeting will
occur to discuss the pros & cons of their demo. Always thank
the studio for their feedback and DO NOT be offended if there
is some negative feedback. They are only telling you how they
see it from their experience and perspective. What might
considered a weakness at one studio may actually be the
shining light for another studio.
A follow-up meeting after delivering your demo
should NOT be your final step. Sometimes it will take months
for a spot to come up where your voice would be perfect and
where the budget and time constraints lend themselves to try
out new talent.
Be sure to call the studios every 2 or 3 weeks
to let them know that you are still out there and available to
work. When we say available to work we also mean prepared to
work and all practiced up in performance for microphone. There
is nothing more devastating to your future work prospects than
showing up at a studio for a gig and not being prepared and
confident at the microphone.
Remember the quote "out of sight out of mind"
and that applies to voice-over talent for the studios. They
have a group of talent that they regularly call upon because
they know that those people are available and will be prepared
to work. If that person is you be sure to keep yourself "front
of mind" at the studio.
See TIPS for more information of interest...
If you found this information of interest please click to
email and let us know...
"On the Air"
& Demos
Check out the following voice-over gigs performed by alumni.
Find the
most recent spot...
CLICK to hear demos
from Voice Spot WCS grads...
Each of these audio samples was produced at different
recording studios in Calgary, Alberta (Canada).
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