Celebrating some big wins!
Mentioned in this episode:
Libsyn is my podcast host/distributor. libsyn.com
Dave Jackson taught me how to podcast.\xa0 www.schoolofpodcasting.com
Keith Norton is a voice actor.\xa0 https://wingmanvoice.com or linkedin.com/in/wingmanvoice\xa0
Jen Olaya is a voice actor.\xa0 jenolaya.com or linkedin.com/in/jenolaya\xa0
Who\u2019s Line is it Anyway? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163507/
VOcation is a voiceover conference in NYC https://www.vocationconference.com\xa0
Sean Pratt is my audiobook narration coach. https://www.seanprattpresents.com \xa0
Level One Class at Glass City Improv (Toledo, OH) https://glasscityimprov.com. \xa0
Erin Kanary was my primary improv teacher.\xa0 https://glasscityimprov.com/about-us\xa0
Jeremy Natter also taught my improve class.\xa0 https://glasscityimprov.com/classes/level-1\xa0
The Attic is a bar in Toledo, OH.\xa0 http://www.theatticonadams.com
To learn more about Mark and Level 2 Audio, visit www.level2audio.com. \xa0
Nancy Wolfson was my first voiceover coach.\xa0 https://braintracksaudio.com\xa0
David Rosenthal is the CEO of the Global Voice Acting Academy (GVAA).\xa0 He is my medical narration coach, and he is producing my demo. https://globalvoiceacademy.com, https://www.davidrosenthalonline.com\xa0
Audible https://www.audible.com.
Amazon https://www.amazon.com. \xa0
My ACX Profile https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A10FSORRTANJ4Z\xa0
Westgate Toastmasters https://3159.toastmastersclubs.org/
Matthew Dicks http://www.matthewdicks.com
Storyworthy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Storyworthy-Engage-Persuade-through-Storytelling/dp/1608685489/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=storyworthy&qid=1584537503&sr=8-1
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I\u2019m celebrating some big wins!\xa0 March 2020 has been a great month for me.\xa0 I\u2019m celebrating 10 episodes of this podcast.\xa0 Level One Improv Class is done.\xa0 I recorded my medical narration demo.\xa0 My audiobook demos on ACX are halfway done, and I\u2019m plugging along on my Toastmasters journey.\xa0 Things are going well, and I\u2019m excited about what lies ahead.
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Since I started this podcast in December 2019, I have had hundreds of downloads and, according to my podcast stats, my listeners are in 22 states and 10 countries.\xa0 Thank you for listening! \xa0
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I also want to thank Dave Jackson for teaching me how to Podcast and my classmates at the School of Podcasting for their support and advice.\xa0
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When I first realized I needed to take an improv class, I was on a lunch break from the VOcation Conference in New York City.\xa0 It was a beautiful September afternoon in 2019.\xa0 I was chowing on some BBQ and hanging out on a bench in Riverside Park with dozens of other voice actors.
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Keith Norton and Jen Olaya, in particular, recommended I take an improv class.\xa0 They told me it would help me become a better voice actor.\xa0 My brain didn\u2019t make the connection between improv and voiceover at first.\xa0 I didn\u2019t have my \u201caha" moment until this month (March 2020). \xa0
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Everything I knew about Improv, I learned about 20 years ago from a TV show called Whose Line is it Anyway.\xa0
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Throughout the VOcation NYC conference, other presenters and students mentioned improv.\xa0 When I got back to Ohio and continued audiobook narration lessons at the end of September, my teacher, Sean Pratt, also suggested I get improv training.\xa0 I found an Improv Class at Glass City Improv in Toledo, OH.\xa0 I signed up for Level One Improv Class.\xa0 That\u2019s the \u201cbeginner\u201d class.
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Improv Class started Monday, January 25, and was taught by Erin Kanary and Jeremy Natter.\xa0 Classes were 2 and a half hours long every Monday for 8 weeks.\xa0 Our last class was Monday, March 9.\xa0 We were supposed to have a show on Friday the 13th of March, but it was cancelled due Ohio\u2019s new social-distancing requirements. \xa0
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Improv class taught me to say, \u201cYes, and\u2026\u201d\xa0 After all, that\u2019s the mantra of improv!\xa0 \u201cYes, and\u2026\u201d
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In the process of learning, I had a ton of fun.\xa0 I didn\u2019t know what to expect, but I must say that each class was like a grown-up birthday party full of games.\xa0 It was so fun, and I laughed so much, that my face hurt from laughing and smiling after every class.\xa0 The class had great chemistry.\xa0 Not only did we have fun in class, but we also bonded after class over drinks and conversation at a local bar called \u201cThe Attic.\u201d\xa0 It was great.\xa0 We had a blast. \xa0
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Apart from becoming a better improvisor in class, over the 8-week class, my narration skills, timing, and delivery all improved.\xa0 I became more spontaneous, and I felt like I could make different choices with the material I was narrating.\xa0 I think improv class helped me make the most out of my medical narration demo on March 11, too.\xa0 Mission accomplished!\xa0 Improv helped me become a better narrator.\xa0 I had my \u201caha\u201d moment after 8 weeks of improv class.
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One of my improv classmates and I have special voices for our pets.\xa0 Spoiler alert!\xa0 I just watched Frozen II, and the character Christoff talks for his reindeer \u201cSven\u201d too!\xa0
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My theory is that more improv classes can help.\xa0 There are at least three levels of improv classes at Glass City Improv.\xa0 So, I plan to sign up for Level Two next time it is offered.\xa0 I already miss laughing and playing games!
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Favorite warm-ups:\xa0 10-second story, Zip-Zap-Zop, Da-Do-Da-Do, and object work exercises.
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Favorite games:\xa0 \u201cGone in 60 seconds,\u201d \u201cGoogle Translate,\u201d \u201cNew Choice,\u201d \u201cAdvice Panel,\u201d and \u201cFreeze.\u201d
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I had a blast in Level One Improv Class, and it has made me a better narrator.
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Do you love a story with a happy ending?\xa0 Then, you will like my medical narration demo story!
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In October 2017, I visited Level 2 Audio, the nearest recording studio to my home.\xa0 The owner, Mark, kindly offered to meet with me for about an hour to show me his studio and talk with me about my idea to narrate pharmacy continuing education journals into audiobook format. \xa0
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Refer to Episode Two of this podcast.\xa0 Mark is the one who got me started on my Voiceover Journey two and a half years ago.\xa0 After we met, he gave me the name of a coach (Nancy Wolfson) and some information to consider.\xa0 The rest is history. \xa0
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Without Mark\u2019s knowledge, I spent almost two and a half years figuring out what to do with my original idea and ultimately learning the business of voiceover and training to be a voice actor who specializes in medical narration and e-learning.\xa0 Mark and I had not spoken since October 2017.
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Between fall 2017 and March 2020, I worked with David Rosenthal, among other coaches.\xa0 The first time David and I ever spoke, I didn\u2019t know how much work I needed to become proficient at medical narration.\xa0 After reading scripts with him in a private lesson, he knew what I needed to do.\xa0 For starters, I needed to take a 3-part group medical narration class.\xa0 During the group class, I improved dramatically.\xa0 After a year of various voiceover training classes, including private coaching with David, I was finally ready to record my demo!\xa0 Everything I did over the past two and a half years helped - from improv class, to audiobook narration class to support and input from my accountability buddies.
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This is all going to seem very serendipitous, but in a round-about way, Mark kicked off my voiceover career, and I am very pleased to say that he recorded my medical narration demo in his studio on March 11, 2020.\xa0 The demo is in post-production through David Rosenthal right now, and I hope to have it by the end of the March 2020. \xa0
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As a surprise bonus, Mark offered to include my demo on the \u201csamples\u201d page of Level 2 Audio\u2019s website, which features professional voice talents the studio recommends.\xa0 I am flattered, and I\u2019m looking forward to sharing the demo with Level 2 Audio soon.\xa0
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Something in my life came full-circle on March 11, and it felt good!! \xa0
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As I have been working my way through audiobook narration classes with Sean Pratt, I have been recording and uploading my demos to ACX.com, which is a matchmaking site that connects authors and narrators who want to record audiobooks to sell on Audible, which is Amazon\u2019s audiobook seller.\xa0 My goal is six demos on the site, and I have 3 now.\xa0 Half way there! \xa0
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The last milestone I want to share is that I joined a Toastmasters Club in January 2020.\xa0 After 3 months of being a guest, I finally joined.\xa0 I love my club!\xa0 Toastmasters is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.\xa0 My club is called Westgate Toastmasters Club 3159, and we meet in Toledo, OH. \xa0
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Why would I want to join, and why is this a mile stone?\xa0 I wanted to join to become a more confident speaker, communicator, and leader.\xa0 It\u2019s a milestone because I\u2019m at the beginning of a journey to gaining even more skills that will help me in my voiceover career and in life.\xa0 A journey begins with a single step!
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October 18, 2019, was my first meeting.\xa0 The Table Topics Master was Joe, and the theme was \u201ccelebrating grandparents.\u201d\xa0
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I didn\u2019t know anything about Toastmasters meetings, and I got called to the front of the room to share a 1-2 minute story about my grandparents.\xa0 I told a story about the small town where I was raised and the Grandma who wrote me many letters when I left for college, got married, and started a family.\xa0 I saved her letters, and when she was on her deathbed, I read the letters to her.\xa0 She had Alzheimer\u2019s Disease.\xa0 Her memory had faded, but on her last day, I sensed she knew who I was and enjoyed hearing me read those letters to her. \xa0
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Little did I know that the \u201ctable topics\u201d part of the meeting was a contest, and I won The Best Table Topics ribbon for my story.\xa0 That meant more to me than I can say.\xa0
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I need to give credit where credit is due though.\xa0 I had just read the book Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks the week before my first Toastmasters meeting.\xa0 I used what he taught me about storytelling to win the ribbon.\xa0 (The secret is out!)
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I was so excited about winning the ribbon at Toastmasters that I Tweeted about it.\xa0 I\u2019m not a big Twitter user, but I saw an opportunity to thank the author for the lessons I learned and give Mike, who invited me in the first place, a shout out.\xa0 I\u2019m glad I put the message out there.\xa0 The author of Storyworthy - Matthew Dicks - congratulated me in return! \xa0
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At each Toastmasters meeting, I learn even more lessons about storytelling and speech craft by hearing members speak.\xa0 I\u2019m excited to be a new member, learn, and grow.\xa0
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