Smurf Justice Hits the Airwaves!

Yesterday I spoke to Seattle’s KOMO 1000 News about Bob Bergen’s “Smurf Justice for June Foray” campaign on Facebook. Here’s the story as it aired in drive-time yesterday afternoon…



Since the story is somewhat ‘evergreen,’ they tell me that it will probably be repeated over the 4th of July weekend. This is good news! That’s 3 or 4 days of on-air exposure for the campaign. Hopefully we’ll get a little traction and see the numbers go up on the ‘Smurf Justice’ Facebook page.
If you’d like to help us grow those numbers, here are a few suggestions:

• share and re-share the Facebook page with your friends
• post a fun June Foray trivia fact or video and link to the Facebook page
• use your other social media sites, like Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace. Again, including some interesting content so that you are not just spamming people.
• E-mail the story to your friends and family who may not be using social media. You are welcome to forward this page. Animation Magazine also did a nice piece which you can view here.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper

It's important to note that this isn't a protest of anything or anyone. We just think it would be cool for June-and for Smurf fans-if the filmmakers included the voice of the original Jokey Smurf in some capacity.

Thanks in advance for your help. Have a Smurf-tastic day!

-Dan

Branding Your Voiceover Business

There isn't enough talk on the voice-over sites about branding. Branding is who you are, and how you're percieved. It's so important to your voice-over business that I am going to explore the subject from time to time on this blog. We'll start with this short slide-show I found online.  Enjoy!

Creating a Brand Persona

View more webinars from Jason Levine.

Porky Pig Swearing Blooper

I remember hearing this as a teen. Never saw the video before now. Not sure if this is legit or not. Sure sounds like Mel Blanc. Can't imagine this playing in theaters, though.
Nonetheless, it is quick and funny! (And Rated PG)

The A-Team of Cartoon Voices

I was searching YouTube for the June Foray video that was shown at Voice 2010. I found it-and a couple of other fun voice reels! Enjoy.

Animation Magazine keeps Smurf Justice for June Foray moving

Animation Magazine picked up the story of our Facebook campaign to get June Foray a role in the upcoming Smurfs movie. You can read the story here.

Invasion of the Headphone Snatchers! (Uncut, unrated, extended edition)!

Last week I was priveleged to have my blog featured in VOX Daily at Voices.com. But the kind folks there have much better taste than I do, and know their audience better than I do, so a colorful analogy from Ashton Smith was omitted. I understand and respect their decision to keep things family friendly. But I feel that Ashton's comparison is so spot on-and funny-that it may provide that "a-ha" moment of clarity for some readers. I've got a one word anaology for acting while wearing headphones that is even more abrasive. But I'll stick with Ashton's PG version to get the point across.

Along with that, I am adding in a comment from Marice Tobias that a reader shared in repsonse to the article.

Now, without further ado, I present: INVASION OF THE HEADPHONE SNATCHERS! Uncut! Unrated! Extended edition!

Invasion of the Headphone Snatchers!

I am honored to say that todays blog has actually been published on Voices.com.

It's about my belief, and people much smarter and more experienced than I, that headphones get in the way of the performance.

Not everyone agrees! Read the blog for yourself on Vox Daily at Voices.com.

Smurf Justice for June Foray!

If you grew up watching cartoons, you grew up listening to June Foray. When I was a kid, I would get up at o’dark-thirty each weekday morning to watch Rocky & Bullwinkle before school. For the uninitiated, June was both Rocky the Flying Squirrel and femme fatale Natasha.



June was also

VOICE 2010 Photo Album

My head is still reeling from information overload at VOICE 2010. I promise to filter those thoughts soon and share them with you. Until then, here are a select few photos from the event.

VOICE 2010: Blog 6 (a quick testimonial)

Hello again,

I can't stress enough what a fantastic education and inspiration VOICE 2010 has been. Entertaining, too! I liken it to an accelerated college course for voice-actors. I told this to VOICE co-founder James Alburger, who said

VOICE 2010: Blog 5 (F'ing FUN companion to f'ing NANCY WOLFSON'S f'ing CLASS!))

This blog is R-rated, but very fun. You have been warned.

VOICE 2010: Blog 4 (Why you should be all over the internet)

VOICE 2010: Blog 3 (Game changing voice-acting tip)

VOICE 2010 is definitely proving its worth as a career investment.  The instructors a dynamic, informative and generous with their time and advice. If you aren’t here this year, start saving for the next one.  But if you did miss it, I have what I feel is game-changing advice. It comes, again, from Marc Cashman. I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing.

Marc reminds us that the reason film actors are so good in a role that they ‘become the character’ is memorization.  Relying on the printed page is a crutch. Does that mean you need to start memorizing your scripts? No. You can use a technique called ‘lifting the copy.’ That is, read the line to yourself, then look away from the script and speak the line without reading. The difference this made with one of the volunteers was amazing! A real transformation!

One side-effect: lifting copy makes for a lot of breaks in your read. But you can edit, can’t you? If not, you should learn. But that’s a topic for another time. For now just give this a try and hear the difference!

VOICE 2010: Blog 2 (That elevator voice & the sound of words)

Do you find yourself repeating what the Hyatt elevator is telling you? Me too! Especially ‘lobby.’  I even caught the hotel staff doing it.  I think it’s because the female voice-actor says ‘lobby’ the way you or I might say ‘delicious’ or ‘sexy!’

Those words have definite meaning and corresponding sounds.

One of the many great tips Marc Cashman shared in his session was

VOICE 2010: Blog 1 (Comedy, Online career, Networking)

Wow! Welcome to VOICE 2010! This is my first year in attendance at what is so far a great conference. 

If you were unable to attend, I hope you’ll gain a sense of the experience here in sunny L.A., and get some valuable information as we go-along. Normally I like to give you the full story when I blog, but as I’m between classes and gobbling down a quick lunch, I’ll give you some fortune-cookie sized tid-bits with a promise to elaborate later on.

Pat Fraley’s class on comedy was amazing. Upon calling for volunteers to act out scripts, a very loud voice started heckling Mr. Fraley from the back of the room.  An outgoing v.o. student? A belligerent party guest who never made it home last night? As it turns out, Pat brought along surprise guest Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond, ‘Til Death)! What a way to start the morning!

Important tips from Pat Fraley’s class on comedy: