MY JOURNEY TO TEACHING VOICE-OVER, AWAY & BACK AGAIN

I've been teaching my introduction to voice-over class for the past few weeks at Antioch College. The students are from different backgrounds and taking my class for different reasons. Each student is a unique expression of God and Universe, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to share what I know and love with them. It's not just a one-way street either of me talking and teaching. Each person in my class offers me wisdom and sparks creativity which I then give back to them. It's a cycle of energy. It's really something.

For a while I got too far away from how I can share and serve what I know to help people interested in what voice-over ("VO") is all about, my experiences, what's worked and not worked for me and give opportunities to teach performance and recording techniques and skills behind the microphone. I did this for a few years when I lived in the Detroit area, coaching students towards their first commercial demo production, bringing in top LA/NY and Chicago Talent/Teachers for VO training events (Pat Fraley, Sherri Berger) and co-teaching character voice and looping classes with Pamela Lewis (Author, Talking Funny For Money, and long-time New York VO performer and loop group talent.) 

Life happened. My family and I moved from the Detroit area to the Dayton, Ohio area 9 years ago. The move from a smaller performer's union market (SAG-AFTRA/AEA) to an almost non-existent performer's market was tough. My closest union based opportunities were 1 to 1 1/2 hours away in Columbus or Cincinnati, as were advertising agencies and recording studios. I did try and continue teaching voice-over, creating my Spring Into Voice-Over workbook as a companion to a 1-day introduction to VO. The workbook has insights to all areas in voice-over to work, as well as beginning acting, vocal and microphone technique. I found Rephraze Studio in Dayton, which caters mostly to musicians, but worked wonderfully for my students to be able to record in a professional studio with an engineer. I also managed to book some voice-over commercial and corporate narration jobs; Nationwide, Huntington Bank, Battelle, Ohio State Lottery. 

 I reached out to Sonic Arts recording studio in Cincinnati, went to lunch with the owner and brainstormed with his manager about bringing void-over training there. That never happened, but when I was contacted by Bad Robot productions about looping some ADR for the film Super 8, I was able to use the studio without going to LA.  Los Angeles Actress/Inspirational Coach Wendy Braun says, "This or something better," as her mantra when faced with auditions and meetings, meaning believing in getting the job she's going for, or that a better opportunity will come from the audition/interview if not chosen. I felt that with my Sonic Arts relationship.

Sonic Arts closed. Voice-Over jobs in Ohio continued going more and more to non-union performers (as of last week when talking to 2 Ohio talent agents, I was told about 80% of all voice-over castings that come through are non-union, including Ohio Lottery.) I was sent an audition opportunity from my New York agent narrating audiobooks directly for Audible, and received the 1st of three 9-week contracts, each with a list of around 20 books to try and complete in that time for a very generous flat fee, one of which paid for my Whisper Room sound proof booth and state of the art recording software and equipment (a big much-needed for the work step-up and out of my walk-in closet! "This, or something better!") So, audiobook narrating, along with raising my son and being a full-time volunteer when opportunities presented themselves at his school, became my full-time focus. Teaching was put on the back burner. 

I took a stab at my first attempt to create content and take record videos of myself narrating in my Whisper Room from my Spring Into Voice-Over workbook, and posted them on my You Tube channel, offering the mini-videos as free lessons. The videos are still posted and I'm working on how to make more free lessons, specifically focusing on audiobook narrating, as well as adding audiobook and more into my workbook, which I hope to publish and narrate. I was inspired revising my workbook for the class I'm teaching now. Lots of revisions as lots has changed in 9 years, mostly having to do with digital media and where audiobooks have risen, along with commercials, to be the top performance and money making voice-over genre.

Teaching has gotten me to revisit my own education and training, and I'm constantly researching, taking webinars, reading (I am a huge proponent of training no matter what level of success achieved in any business or career) so I can be current with what I share to those interested in learning what I know and have experienced. Because, let's face it, my experiences are just that - my experiences. From my perspective. Not lore. Not set a path set in stone to follow verbatim. Just ideas and suggestions for what I've learned from teachers or on the job experiences over several years, coupled with some life learning and lessons too, I'm sharing to help or inspire others. We all need more of this in the world. People co-opping their life and work experiences, failures and successes to help and inspire others. 

So, life continue happening. My son in a couple weeks will be heading towards high school this fall. I have more time to expand into what I enjoy creating and sharing, which is easier now more than ever through the Internet and digital media opportunities to create content. I ask myself all the time, "What can I do?" "How can I be better?" "How may I serve?" Teaching is a huge part of that. I try to be a good teacher and inspire. I think the best teachers are ones for whom teaching is a calling, a passion. I'm not going to lie and say that's me. My calling and passion, I believe, has always been in performing. But through that calling I also believe I can experience more by sharing my passion and knowledge with those wanting to learn. It's a win-win.

Thank you for your audience.

Narrating at Brilliance Audio

I WAS ON A FILM SET YESTERDAY

From May 30th, 2018

I was on a film set yesterday. I SEE YOU. Thriller. Cleveland.

I'm Mrs. Braun. 2 scenes.

Drove up night before and stayed at Marriott Courtyard by Cleveland Clinic. 

Up at 4:30 A.M. Basecamp 5:30 A.M.

2nd AD, "Are you Teri?"

Key 2nd AD showed me trailer - "Honey Wagon" like first Indie (I was on) Ocean of Pearls - or Mooz-lum - attached to row of trailers with toilettes in between. Small with paper thin partitions - toilet, sink inside operated by foot pedal.

My make-up stylist and my hair said they were built in the '70's. That would explain the ashtray off my sink.

There was a narrow window with aluminum blinds with the opener wand broken off and a dead spider hanging curled from a middle slat, but a view of the Cuyahoga Channel (saw 2 skull boats going by.)

Hair/make-up had 3 stations. All were semi-cool air conditioned - anything better than the 90 plus outside though. 

And a cushion to lie flat on.

So, despite my feeling of weirdness taking my morning dump in my closet size room and then sitting with it sans fan (and hearing the same from the trailer next to me) I was in heaven with my own private space.

In between scenes I took my undies off and hung them on a wall hook to air out (so hot they were wet - nice image.) So, private.

Despite the script definition for my character having short, close-cropped hair (I was hoping for a wig cap) hardly anything was done to my hair. Little make-up. Looked like me, really. Just like the other films. Like Jack Reacher - had hotel concierge snap iPhone pic on 2nd AD request. Hair told me, "Director doesn't want anything different." Some product run through - a comb. I think it's the color for the frame - either works or doesn't. Like all things.

Wardrobe designer, lovely, drove up week before and she fitted several options on me. Settled on jean skirt with kind of long-sleeve cotton henley tucked in and long sleeveless cardigan. Slip on mules. If it weren't Florida in the summer weather out it would have felt much better on.

Brought Sam up with me to fitting. Finished school 5/18. After, we went to beach. We were in Lakewood where set was house on water (Lake Erie) 3 weeks. Went to find beach and had 2 no-go's before settling on Metropark Huntington Beach (1st was private, 2nd never found.) GPS doesn't trell you public or private on nearby searches, or where entrance is when you've passed it.

Steps only down to the water - 2 tiers - and we settled down (shade - lovely) to have Sam want to walk to other end. We did, settled. Music playing, so up again to midway between stops 1 and 2 and settled. Sam off on cement breakers. Me eyes closed on back on towels. Shade. Breeze. Waves lapping. Bliss.

Joined Sam and eventually we skimmed stones - lots of flat ones - like my dad showed me - then stood on shore and tossed baseball (brought gloves.) Sam kept us out there a while despite my few attempts to quit (he can make a game of anything and did extending our play changing what a throw back and forth's count was from back and forth ='s 1, to 4 rounds =1, 6=1, etc. Very fun day. He went back to rocks and I to towels.

I noticed (as I did when we sat down) a lady with stroller and lots of beach toys talking to her children trying patiently to get older daughter to come in and go. Kids were in swim shirts and she a very cool denim suit cover and sunglasses, and I thought they looked like they probably lived around the expensive area, but their accents said otherwise - British. I thought about my British director I'd met a few weeks back at the callback. Wondered if... sure, because in big cities like Cleveland no one else could possibly have a foreign accent!

I watched "Mum" take 2 loads of toys and a bag up all the stairs and tell her son and daughter she'd be back (and again to get out of the water - 2 more families they'd been playing with and me their with eyes on them) and thought about the huge pram and going up the stairs and decided I'd offer help as SO many had done for me over the years traveling (Spain, airports) alone while (my husband) rode his bike.

Mum accepted my help when she came back and I asked, "Where from?"

"England." I smiled and sort of looked at her like, "Yes, obviously," and she said that some people thought she was from Australia, which I guess is like those in Spain who thought I was British, having no discernment for the accent. 

She said, "London," and that her husband was working there 2 months. 

"You're not with production, are you?"

"Yes."

"I'm playing Mrs. Braun, I'm Teri."

"You're kidding. I'm the director's wife."

I took the bottom of the pram as we went up.  She said, "I don't want you take all the weight."

"It's fine." (It was.)

On set I saw the director and said, "I met your wife."

"Yes, she said you'd rescued her." I always think it's a small world (Disney song) getting smaller (me.)

I was given entire script to read (rare)_ and like Jack Reacher it read like a really great fiction book. Much more insight into my character.

Talking with Director and telling him about reading it he (very surprised sounding) asked, "You mean you didn't read it before the callback?"

"No. I only got it after I was cast." (Standard for me.)

I wonder if this was a bit of a wonder for him - "How could she have acted that way without reading the script?!?"

Right after showing up to base (camp) I met actor playing Mr. Braun (I keep thinking of Hitler's girlfriend Eva Braun - am I only one?) Gave big hug - everyone is so nice. He is reason I have photos - he took with his phone - us (selfie) in shuttle - us and Director after wrap at last location - we had all melted but somehow looked refreshed - and us plus Greg Alan Williams and Jon Tenney (leads.)

1st set up was downtown - base camp at Flat Iron district - on street The Deer Hunter film was shot - on porch of "dilapidated middle class house" and supposedly next to house Robert DeNiro lived in during Deer Hunter. Owner (never saw) was home. I shot in front doorway holding open screened storm door so I got to see behind me the entry hallway and partial view of room behind. Paneled wall on left. Old wooden changing table with peeling Winnie the Pooh wallpaper tacked on to half (thought of Sam's nursery in Dexter, MI house and used the emotions nicely for 1st take.) They always shoot stars 1st and though I get to practice this way all the freshness also dissipates slowly before my takes on camera and thus lies 1 challenge of a Day Player.) Some kind of safe maybe along paneled wall next to Pooh table. Across very dusty shelving unit with wedding photo. Miscellaneous figurines. Against back wall to right of entrance to room lots of fishing poles. A shelf along wall in room with cat carrier on it. Dim lighting.

Our brilliant and grounding 1st AD, "Very allergic to cats," and could smell the "cat smell." (Not me - guess after living with them 31 years I'm numb.)

The porch could only have "6" people on a time - made me wonder when 6 and 2 cameras - A and B - were on porch for my scene - whole thing on slant - street on huge slope - very like Pittsburgh or Charleston, W. V. Porch overhang with dark green peeling paint chips hanging from it. Rusted iron porch rails. Rusted dilapidated porch glider. Perfect for scene. Felt empathy for Owner - being judged.

"Told inside is horrible - unlivable and not to use bathroom," et. al. Port-a-potty which another said would "never use" hadn't "landed" and "still hadn't landed" after hour or more and inside toilet was offered. I was going to drop trow behind shed in community garden until neighborhood gardeners appeared, and then thankfully during turnaround went to base camp with Jon who had to go.

Told him my shooting with film students in Texas story - gorgeous location - early morning - where's bathroom? Nearest 1/2 hour away. We'll be here all day taking me back and forth. So had students - females of course - hold blanket up to fence while I went. #1 thankfully.

Schedule had me wrapped before lunch. Ended up staying. Some open area with tents, tables and chairs - lovely really (some, "We're eating OUTSIDE?!?" because of heat really and what we're wearing.) Good food.

Shuttled back to base for touch-ups us in scene (minus Greg, he went earlier) and with kids and dad's - 2 boys whose IMDB credits read like seasoned veterans, and Jeremy (my son.) We were midway through his (and our last) scene our back before lunch. His make-up - a 3 hour job - a real treat to see up close - can't wait to see on screen. Lovely actor.

Note: End of entry - probably had to go to set. Rest of day filled with more of same - despite scorching temperatures even for Ohio humidity in late May, cast and crew did exceptional working through and supporting each other, and at one point a crew member gave one of the leads an industrial sized looking personal hand-held fan. That fan ended up being held by every one of us actors at some point, or one of the actors holding the fan to blow on another one in between takes. We were so comfortable with each other towards the end of the shoot I'd made a comment about blowing the air up my skirt save for it becoming some kind of a hashtag activist movement on social media and another actor had said he'd thought the same.  (I shared my Nana's phrase, "Whatever blows your skirt up," for 'whatever you want' and no one had ever heard it and laughed.) I See You is set for release in 2019.