voice over studio

Bill Stage Interviews VO gal, Amy Jeffries

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Ever since college, I’ve known the name “Amy Jefferies”.  She was in a broadcasting program I was in at AIC…a small college that’s since changed names…but Amy graduated a year earlier.  And we all held her in high regard because she got a job on the radio. She was doing exactly what we wanted to do.  She was a legend!

Amy Jeffries has been an incredible wealth of knowledge ever since I started…really, since before I actually started doing VO.

http://amyjeffries.com/
amy@amyjeffries.com

 

Quick Voice Over Audition {video}

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Auditions are a big part of Voice Over land….if you’re lucky.

As with any other VO, I audition for more jobs than I land.  You have to get in the mindset of “The Audition IS The Job”.  Look at it as if it’s all encompassing…even though the invoice only mentions one client.

Here’s a quick video of me doing a commercial voice over.

Bill’s Browser History

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bills-browsing-history-log

Every so often I take a look in my browser history to see if I missed anything important.  Could be an interesting story that I can pass on to friends or a marketing idea that I’d like to implement in my business.

Sometimes, I just make a video and narrate some interesting pages I’ve visited recently. Read more →

Artist’s Rendition

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My 7 year old daughter, Zoey, and I were talking vacation plans.  Well, not really “plans” so much as tossing out ideas on places to visit if we were given the chance.

We settled on California as our destination because some great friends of ours moved there recently.  Friends…and the fact that the weather is far superior than a Midwest February.  So our reasons to go are adding up.

I told her we needed to save up some money before we could go, because plane tickets for a family of 4 from Illinois to Cali is a little different than a day trip to the Wisconsin Dells.

So, she drew me a picture of my studio and wrote “1,000 for California” at the bottom.

(actually, she wrote “$100,0 for californa” but I believe she did it in a rush, so it’s understandable)

At first I thought she was billing me…but turns out she was willing me some more voice over work.  Seems to be working, so I’ve commissioned her too draw up some more scenarios with dollar amounts attached to it.

Here’s a side by side.

image2

credit: BSVO

credit: BSVO

Old School Equipment

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BS/VO

BS/VO

Do you have any old school equipment in your studio or at home? A reel to reel, cassette player, record player?  Or have you evicted all your analog?

Those poor tapes….

It’s super rare…only has happened twice in the last 10 years, that someone has come to me with a reel. Their facial expression clearly anticipating a negative answer, but transformed to shear joy when an affirmative answer arises!

My wife’s friends know I dabble in the realm of audiophiles & brought me a cassette with her grandmother talking into it. She had recently past away and it clearly meant a great deal to her that I was able to transfer the audio to a CD.

That being said, I’m happy I have my digital set up.  I can just “roll tape”, as they say, and let my kids riff. Every once in a while we get a gem, like this incoherent babbling I edited into a lemonade stand commercial.

We’ll call this…my son’s first voice over gig:

Coca Cola Rebranding

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I am very proud to have been chosen to be a voice over for Coca Cola’s new “One Brand” unification strategy in Mexico City.

In the 80’s, starting with Diet Coke, they opted to market each individual flavor as it’s own brand with it’s own logo. But now, they will all share a similar look and be proud to be apart of the Coca Cola ‘family’.

That similar look?  The red disc.  It’s been quietly a part of Coca Cola’s marketing since the 30’s, but you probably haven’t even noticed it.

Coca-Cola

Now…along with that red disc, they’ll have 4 distinct brands.  Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero & Coke Life (which is lower calorie & sweetened with Stevia)

coca-cola-4-bottles-logo

 

 

DIY Studiohacks

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When I first started doing voice overs, I would study every blog, every YouTube video and listen to every so & so who had something to say.  The general consensus was that closets were the best studio to start out in due to the small area in which to treat…and the treatment (clothes) were already in place. Read more →

E-Learning Demo

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libraries

 

Much of my work comes in the form of e-learning.  I can tell you all about common core.  I can teach you how to run the new Papa John’s point of sale system. I can walk you through your utility company’s new website.

As long as I have the script in front of me, anyway.

I don’t claim to know everything, but with the right words in front of me…I can make it sound like I do!

Whether it’s a whiteboard animation, a powerpoint lecture or a simple “how-to”, let me add clarity to your message.

 

      BillStageElearningDemo
Voice Over Paper Craft

That One Time I Made Myself Into A Paper Doll

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Voice Over Paper Craft

Voice Over Paper Craft

Marketing is something I’ve struggled with as a business owner.  I think we’ve all wondered what we could do differently to increase sales and stay “top of mind” when it comes to our clients.

Not all of us are as dorky as I.

Cold calling?  I’m no stranger to calling strangers.

Postcards?  Sure.  I’ve sent out my fair share of postcards.

Emails?  Yes.  It’s possible you’ve gotten an email from me.

Paper doll cut out of me, some equipment & different hair styles? Perhaps.  Actually,  that is a distinct possibility.

You may think I’d be embarrassed about this fact, and you may be right…but the fact remains, I am trying! You got that right!  I am trying my damnedest to get in front of past and potential clients with the hopes that they find me talented/charming enough to work with.

Please feel free to download your very own Bill Stage Voice Over Paper Craft and post a picture of the results in the comments below.

 

Voice Over Vacation

Voice Over Vacation Set Up Options

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Voice Over Vacation

Voice Over Vacation

I remember seeing Mike Rowe on an episode of dirty jobs recording a voiceover in a hotel. He was slumped over in a big comfy chair with a comforter thrown over the top of his head. He had a microphone in one hand a flashlight the other and the script balancing on his lap.

He was drenched in sweat. Read more →