During your Foundation Coaching with us here at SOUND ADVICE we typically cover the three primary laws of Improvisation because they happen to apply to all

performance. They are:

1) “Yes… and” Meaning when you are offered a ‘reality’ by your scene partner, audience or simply from the circumstance of the scene you are given, such as, “Nice shoes, Joe”… you need to AGREE with that statement (the ‘yes’ in ‘yes…and’) and then ADD to that reality. (Thus the ‘and’ in this phrase.) Rather than throwing this reality aside by stating, “What? I’m barefoot and who’s Joe.” Doing that would deny the reality established and throw the scene under an on-coming bus. (Ouch. That’s a BIG no-no.) Instead make it your objective to agree and add to what ever you may be given. That will further the scene and make you a very valuable talent.

2) Reference Base. This means you must continually make yourself familiar with every frame of reference you can that deals with popular culture, film, Internet, commercial and TV. This is an on-going pastime for some, while others repel this vital element entirely. This is precisely why at SOUND ADVICE we highly encourage you to ‘study the medium’ you intend to work in: film, commercial, television and web. Doing so will expand your ability to convey concepts and speak to subjects that truly interest you—which makes you remarkably entertaining! (Plus it makes you a rather well rounded individual. BONUS!)

Today, if you happen to be on an audition or a gig and you’re given direction that’s unfamiliar to you or you don’t know what you’re talking about in the script—YOU NEED TO LOOK IT UP!! If you still need help—just ask! It’s inexcusable today to try to carry on blind, given the fact we have such easy access to the Internet.

If it’s a term you thought you knew the meaning of but you’ve never seen it in this context, there very well may be a definition you never knew existed that is tripping you up. Check out FREEdictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com) or Merriam Webster’s (m-w.com). Heck, they’ll even pronounce it for you!

If you don’t know who it is they are referring to, or the film or TV show is something you’ve never encountered, there’s always Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) or Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) to spike your memory or even just clue you in on precisely to whom or what those auditioning you or who’ve hired you are referring.

Beyond that, you should be continually expanding your reference base by studying at least three to five hours of television a week or by checking out www.hulu.com for classic TV and film.

3) The Rule of 3. Or, as we typically refer to this very vital principal as ‘The Rule of 3, or 4 respectively.’

It’s best known as a tool in comedy, but it applies to all storytelling, whether it be dramatic or comedic. At SOUND ADVICE we contend all communication, especially art, is best received when delivered within this structure. The Rule of 3 is the very scaffolding upon which we best receive all communication. It could be seen as something of a law not unlike like gravity. It’s always there—to deny or avoid it usually lands you on your bum. If you apply it, things seem to hang together better and makes even difficult text far easier to convey. Within this simple structure upon which communication travels, we first establish what we are saying, we then further this notion by adding to it or repeating the device, then we typically do one of two things: we either a) conclude (change), or b) continue to build and change occurs on the fourth. Regardless, completing each full ‘beat’ by breaking it down into 3 to 4 beats in and of itself makes it easier to ‘eat the elephant bite by bite, rather than attempting to swallow it ‘whole’ and thereby overwhelming yourself. In other words, The Rule of 3, or 4 respectively lends itself to meter and phrasing, which can be especially helpful when it comes to making commercial text sound natural. It’s ultimately music we know already! Cool.

These three items were once elementary training when it came to Improvisation. Sadly, today they seem to be going the way of the dinosaur. Yet Improv still encourages you to think on your feet and flat out PLAY! Crucial stuff, no matter how you slice it, no matter the medium.

In the meantime, to learn a bit more about Improv, check this out…

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/improv

Every single promotional piece you send out is auditioning for you when you’re not there: so any and all promotion is an opportunity to make yourself that much more accessible to the work. The more traffic you drive to your site with postcards and emails and links the greater your opportunity for auditions and bookings.

Yet you’ll find, as you continue on your merry way, many very well-meaning professionals quick to offer you their two cents as to why postcard mailings and demo web sites, “…aren’t at all necessary”. They doubt the effectiveness of direct mailings and will attempt to discourage you from doing the same.

At Sound Advice, we have extensively surveyed scores of your target market audience and produced literally thousands of demos to date. What we’ve discovered is: the Talent who consistently mass promote work the most. The talent who don’t do so usually have a much tougher time establishing themselves in this field and maintaining steady work.

This is elementary for ANY business to succeed. It’s Marketing 101.

We highly recommend you promote yourself repeatedly to industry professionals, region by region, no less than four to six times a year.

The postcards promote the site, the site promotes the demos. The more you promote, the more accessible you’ll be to the work, the more you’ll make your name known, the more likely you’ll see a return on your initial investment by securing steady work in this business.

That in essence is the job, beyond maintaining your skills.

It’s important to note that your web address and your web hosting are two distinctly separate entities. (If you are somewhat web savvy, please pardon the simplification here, but it’s important to clarify the following for those less informed.) Far too often as many of our technologically green, albeit enthusiastic Sound Advice clients report as we begin their demo production process that they’ve “already secured my web site. I’ve got my name already! It was cheap! It only cost me $10!” Unfortunately, far too often this poses a problem when it’s time to establish their web hosting. Here’s why: Your web address is NOT your web page, nor is it the location where your page will ultimately reside. It is simply a name that points TO your site, it ISN’T the site itself. In fact, you can have numerous web addresses all directing toward the very same site. For example, we have numerous addresses such as voiceoverinfo.com and voiceoverdemos.com that all lead directly to our Sound Advice site.

Once your site is created, it will then be hosted at a virtual location on the Internet, such as Dreamhost, Pair or Go-Daddy (all web servers). That hosting is typically secured for a year at a time.

However, if you have secured your web address (your domain name) for only a year at a time, as many people do, and you have done so four to six months prior to establishing your hosting, then your address will expire four to six months in advance of your hosting–rendering your site completely inaccessible with that specific address once it has expired. It will appear to you your site has simply vanished. It still exists on the Internet at the location it’s hosted, however without that all-important web address, it will not be readily accessible.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Why don’t I just renew my web address for $10 again?” If only it were that simple.

You should be aware that you are always contacted a good 30 days in advance of the expiration of your web address. (You always have the option of placing your hosting on an auto-renewal basis.) That said, so many allow these things to lapse, figuring it’s such a small fee to pay to renew. However, there’s a far greater problem that’s about to rear its ugly head.

There are groups in various locations throughout the world whose entire mission is to snatch up random addresses once they expire. This is an existing underground business that is a very real threat. You may be thinking, “What would they want with my own private web name? That doesn’t seem very likely.” I’m afraid this is more common than not. These forces are extremely aggressive. Their entire objective is that once try to renew your web address they will hold your name hostage and opt to charge you an exorbitant fee in order to get your name back, often as much $1000 or more. These “cyber-squatters”, as they’re called, often utilize programs, or ‘bots’, to snatch up domain names the very moment they become available. This places innocent small business owners, such as yourself, in a rather precarious position and with very little recourse because, unfortunately, you will have likely had this web address included on all of your promo, which is now rendered useless.

An entirely new web address would have to be secured to effectively access your site again. This would also require re-writing the code on your site to accommodate the change that would ultimately impact your email address. Most email addresses are typically edited into the flash element on your site making them a hyperlink, which requires a professional web designer to alter, costing you even more. In other words, none of this is a quick and easy fix. But wait—lest we forget to mention the necessity of reissuing all of your promo to reflect the new web address AND your new email! Well, so much for a quick and cheap “web address”, eh?

Our suggestion: when and wherever possible, secure your web address and hosting AT THE SAME TIME, rather than months apart, which is precisely what we do at Sound Advice! And whenever possible, do so for a good ten years at a time to avoid any interruption of service or promotion as it is likely you are only just getting started in this field.

If you’re pursuing jobs on-camera while furthering your voice-over career, keep in mind it’s important to keep these two websites independent of each other. We discovered this fact from extensive surveying. The reason being: those most likely to hire you for voice-over want to simply IMAGINE what you look like. Therefore, we suggest you have a link to your voice-over web page from your on-camera web site, if you have one, but NOT the other way around

To illustrate this point, have you ever seen what George Jetson or Fred Flintstone looks like in real life? Unless you know them personally, this would likely be a dramatic departure from your reality. If you saw Ronald McDonald out of costume and make-up, you’d be disappointed. The fact is voice-over create an images in the listeners imagination. The objective of your web site is to maintain this illusion by keeping the on-camera web site independent of the voice-over ONLY site. Combining their purpose only confuses the issue.

There are only a handful of exceptions to this rule:

- Children and Young Adults (under 18 years of age);

- If you are over 70 years of age, and sound like it;

- If you are already established as a talent and known for your on-camera personae; such as Seth MacFarlane (creator of ‘The Family Guy’), Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson as well as many assorted, well-known animated characters), or you happen to be known film stars like Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy or Cameron Diaz, to name a few.

Your voice-over web site should be a single-page site, featuring:

- Your voice-over demos (mp3s ONLY);

- Your graphic logo, that furthers your name as a brand (which may be repeated on your on-camera website, again if applicable);

- Your contact information, and that’s it!

No bios, please. You will spend hours of time on these and only your family and very few of your friends will actually read them. Your resume is required ONLY if you’re pursuing stage or on-camera work, rather than voice-over. No resumés on the voice-over web page. Producers have absolutely NO need for a voice-over resumé. (Over the years I’ve only known of ONE talent agent who has required a resume and that was strictly for their in office reference and that’s it. Hardly seems worth the time and effort, now doesn’t it?) Let your demos speak for themselves.

Also, please avoid random cross-referencing other interests or professions such as painting, the fact that you offer scuba diving classes, writing, or even your NASCAR affiliations, for instance. We’re only interested in your performance related information.

Further, on your voice-over demo site, your demo tracks should be available only in the form of MP3s. Not as AIFF or WAV files—just MP3.

Also, avoid photos or using illustrations of yourself on your demo site. Here’s why: if your image is serious and your demo light-hearted (or vice versa), your image would contradict the effect you’ve set out to create with the demo track. So suffice it to say, we advise against it. Devote your theatrical pursuits (film and television) to your on-camera site ONLY.

Any promotional plan, in order to be effective, must be a single-minded approach. Don’t try to accomplish a zillion things with a single site.

By Kate McClanaghan, www.voiceoverinfo.com

Presentation is EVERYTHING. Especially to anyone in advertising or the talent business, which is why it’s vitally important that your demo website and CD look as good as your demo sounds. The more appealing and professional your promotional materials appear the more likely you are to elicit a profitable response.

Most demos out there are remarkably below par production-wise, but that is only half the reason they fail. The rest of the story lies in the outward appearance. If your graphics are not up to snuff, you’re likely to be considered less than reputable. If your packaging is unappealing, it’s likely to be written off as unprofessional no matter how great your demo may be.

Why would anyone bother to listen to your demo, if at first glance it looks less than appealing? You could pummel the market with your demo, but if it looks like a dog it will be a very tough sell. The fact is, it takes a relatively small amount of effort on your part to rise above the din.

Consider the audience your commercial demo is ultimately geared toward; commercial producers, copywriters, and creative directors, all of who are in advertising. It’s important that you understand the basic aesthetic standard that must be met if you expect to be taken seriously and to generate an interest among ad-agency professionals.

The first thing to appeal to any professional contact is the graphics. Great graphics create great interest. This is precisely why the artwork on your promo is as important as your performance on each segment and the overall production values on the demo itself.

So don’t have a cheap attack on your graphics. You’ll only succeed in burying your hard-earned demo if you do!

By Kate McClanaghan, www.voiceoverinfo.com

I can honestly attest in all my life I have never had so much as a sip of “green beer”. And certainly not because I’m not true to my Irish-American roots. Quite the opposite. The truth is I’m more Irish than anyone I know having grown up in America, aside from my immediate family and a small handful of very dear friends, who, like me, are first-generation Irish.

Yet, for years now, I have been challenged by pedestrian pub patrons, “But aren’t you Irish? You’re supposed to drink green beer ‘cuz everybody’s Irish on St. Patty’s Day!”

In my observation these are the same folks who find themselves almost inevitably overindulging themselves in a bar in the middle of a work week every St. Patrick’s Day. Perhaps going so far as to paint terrific green, greasy shamrocks on their cheeks, sport prefab green felt derby hats and drunkenly rooting for an imaginary team in the stands of one-sided football game.

Perhaps it’s for just that reason I have refrained.

Call me something of traditionalist, but to me being Irish means something a wee bit more.

It means enjoying the company of others—and the more diverse and challenging the better. It just feels way more comfortable to us somehow. It’s the air we breathe. It’s how we’re wired. We prefer to mix it up.

And we appreciate a good story, both in the listening and the telling—each are equally rewarding and highly valued. Although expect to be interrupted. That should be a given. And you’ll have to forgive it, as that’s when we feel the most at home.

Story and the telling of it speaks to the core of our existence in being Irish. Regardless of how “inaccurate” the details of the story may appear. Unless of course the story is told by a family member or close friend. Then all bets are off. In that case we reserve the right to completely contradict it and fully embellish yet another version—even if just for the sake of the telling. This is something we lovingly refer to as ‘blarney’. It’s our birthright. We can’t help it.

Hospitality is another over the top traits of a true Irishman. We’re all about it and to a ridiculous extent. For example, tell me if this doesn’t sound even remotely familiar: “Cup of tea? Pillow? Place to rest your feet? Here this seat’s even better, try this one and get yourself comfortable. That’s better. You hungry?” It goes on. In fact, it’s incessant. Again, we couldn’t avoid this compulsion even if we tried. It goes deep.

And then there’s this thing called pride. Frankly, I can barely speak to it because, like so many of my fellow ‘Micks’, it’s tethered to so much humility it tends to be weighted down with a generous helping of humble pie on top. It’s not just dessert, too often it’s the whole damn meal.

That being said, the Irish, like the more interesting things in life, are not without their dualities, and in some circles have all but taken credit for the creation of civilization as we know it. Not sure if I can or would even want to own that distinction, but there you have it. I’ve seen it roll out on PBS, so it must be true. There you have it. The many contradictions abound.

Now, if you found yourself (or those you love) in any of these aforementioned characteristics, then maybe you too, to a greater or lesser extent, have some Irish roots. Or maybe “being Irish” is a bit more universal than this simple holiday may suggest.

I still like that these things are celebrated, as I see it, on St. Patrick’s Day—and that has nothing to do with green beer. Not a thing.

So, every St. Pat’s, I wear the map of Ireland on my face, sing at least one verse of The Patriot Game as my Grandfather surely did, slow and with feeling, even if it’s only to myself. And I do my level best to catch at least one of the following movies, which collectively I refer to as “Kate’s Irish Film Festival”.

In my mind, my Irish Film Festival takes place every year from the beginning of March lasting until at least the week following St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th.

Catch one or more of them, if you can, I highly recommend it—oh, and that’s another thing we “Paddies” are known for: stellar, first-hand recommendations of all things remarkable. And these films most certainly qualify.

Celebrate the day. Celebrate who you are and who came before you. But most of all, celebrate those you’re with right now and the future you’re creating every minute of every day.

Slainte’ !*

Kate’s ‘Irish Film Festival’ Selections
Agnes Browne (1999)
The Commitments (1991)
The Daughter of Rosie O’Grady (1950)
The Field (1990)
Hear My Song (1992)
In America (2002)
In Bruges (2008)
In The Name of the Father (1993)
Miller’s Crossing (1990)
My Left Foot (1989)
Once (2006)
The Quiet Man (1952)
The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
Waking Ned Divine (1998)
War of the Buttons (1994)

*an Irish toast, pronounced ‘SLAN-cha’, meaning to your health!

By Kate McClanaghan, www.voiceoverinfo.com

Here are a couple of home remedies to handle whatever ails you the next time you need a little sump’em-sump’em.  After all, we all find ourselves playing through a handicap from time to time and we need all the help we can get.

Herbal remedies are wonderful: they work great and rarely, if ever, have side effects, much like their chemical counterparts.

To relieve colds or allergies:

Yogi Tea… Take cloves, black peppercorns, 3-4 cinnamon sticks, crushed (green) cardamom seeds and slices of fresh ginger root. Boil the mixture in about two quarts of water for 30 minutes or simmer for up to 3 hours (tops). Lastly, add a strong black tea (either loose leaf or in tea bags). Freeze it or store in the fridge.

For stomach irritation and nausea (even for kids and pregnant women):

Ginger Syrup…Peel and slice fresh ginger and layer them in a wide-mouth jar adding sugar between each layer. Continue to layer: ginger-sugar-ginger-sugar. Then add water to slightly ‘float’ the mixture and cover. After 12-18 hours, drain and the mixture is ready to be given by teaspoonful. Store in your cupboard.  Make homemade ginger ale by mixing mineral water (such as Pellegrino) in a one-to-one ratio.

For diarrhea:

Bilberry Honey… Grind up dried bilberry or blueberry in a coffee grinder. Added half a cup of honey and mix. A tablespoonful might just do the trick.
Store on the shelf in your cupboard.

FYI: Herbs typically last for a minimum of two years. If you simply taste them and taste an herb taste, then they are still potent.

Of course, my favorite standard, off-the-shelf, homeopathic quick-fix for a cold or flu is one (preferably orange) Airborne and one (I suggest raspberry) Emergen-C in the same glass.

Ever see me sick? Exactly! I keep these on hand for just such occasions because it’s best if you catch it within the first 24-48 hours. Take this tasty concoction three - four times a day, every 4-5 hours, for 3-4 days. Then once in the morning, once at night for three – four days, then simply once a day for three to four days and that should hold you.  Works like a charm!

And it’s good to know ZICAM homeopathic cough spray works super fast and remarkably well, too—especially if you have a gig and you woke up with a looming problem just to add to your drama.

If your eyes and/or nose is runny try 50 - 60 mgs of zinc will allow you to get through the session without incident!  Nothing shy of miraculous here.  No wonder its so common to smear zinc (in cream form) on a baby’s fannie to keep it dry.  You’ll see a small bottle of zinc in all our studios at SOUND ADVICE very near the booth.

Of course, if your ailment persists or worsens be sure to seek professional medical attention.  Don’t mess around.  Take care of yourself!

After all, you’re depending on you!  May as well make the best of it!

By Kate McClanaghan, www.voiceoverinfo.com

Do you know what your ‘type’ is?

In other words, are you fairly aware of how people see you and what type of roles you’d most likely be considered to play?

Well, are you thought of as a warm, approachable, mom or dad-type?  As a rebellious teenager with a lot of attitude?  As a wise, albeit somewhat awkward professorial-type?  These are all types.

The fact is type can be elusive in this business probably because reality is relative.  But you should know, how you read as a talent and what you innately bring to the table can speak volumes before you even utter a sound.

Your attitude, how you look (your face, your build) have an entire performance built right into them. Your presence, whether you realize it or not, says a great deal. Hopefully, it’s saying what you intend it to say.  Therein lies the rub.

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By Kate McClanaghan, www.voiceoverinfo.com

I’d like to assume the aim of every talent we work with here at SOUND ADVICE, regardless of media specialty (television, film, stage or voiceover), is to become a seasoned journeyman. In other words, to be a professional through and through—one who never ceases exploring beyond the ‘safe’, the ‘comfort zone’, and forever aims to expand upon their performance abilities. One who intends to go the distance to deliver the best results and behave at the top of their form, often against unusual and often difficult obstacles and even great odds. In short, one who seeks to master their role in this business.

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by Kate McClanaghan, www.voiceoverinfo.com

I was about seventeen when I caught It’s a Wonderful Life on TV for the first time.  Thing was: the very first time I saw this movie Jimmy Stewart was already on the bridge and diving in after Clarence.  (I don’t think I’m giving anything away here, am I?)  Anywho, I LOVED it even then.  Of course, two to three years went by, but IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE had still not yet made it’s way into the collective Christmas psyche.  I remember asking people if they had seen this movie with Jimmy Stewart and his angel and, again having only actually seen HALF the movie I wasn’t describing it very well.

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