I did it! I'm sure I've driven some of you nuts in the past few days and for that, I'm sorry. I didn't want to jinx anything. I was afraid if I said something, what I wanted to do, just wouldn't happen.
I've had a dream....for the past 27 years and was afraid to follow it. I was afraid that if I tried and was told I wasn't any good, that my dream was done.
So, here it is.................
voice over work. There. I'm sure for some of you it was 'duh' or 'that's it?'!
Yep, that's it. I worked at Burger King back in the early 80's. We had to call back our orders on a microphone. First time I picked that thing up, I was HOOKED! I LOVE talking on the microphone (my EB family can attest to that). Over the years, I've taken a few classes on voice over but they were mostly about how to break into the business. Big deal. Didn't really help because I didn't know if I had the skills....or the talent. So, today, I found out.
I got an email from American Eagle Casting this week asking if I was still interested in their voice over workshop. I had inquired back in July 08 and they just recently went through their contacts for this upcoming class. My weekend plans were canceled (Jeff and I were going camping) so now I was available to take the class. The class was offered at Zone Music in Cotati (CONVENIENT just a mile away!!!) and being taught by Kathy Garver. Some of you might remember her as "Cissy" on a Family Affair from back in the 60's. Kathy has a Masters' degree in Communications from UCLA and a Bachelor's degree in Voice Work again, from UCLA. She's been in the business for 25 years and knows what she's doing.
I was very nervous about going. Just because I like to talk on a microphone, doesn't mean I have any talent. Can I do a cartoon voice? Can I speak with another actor and read/act out a script? What about commercials? Tags? How was my diction? Elocution? Enunciation?
We spent 5 hours reading and recording scripts. Car commercials, descriptions of paintings for museum tours, commercial scripts with multiple actors, cartoon characters. I took direction, created my own characters, and read the most convoluted tongue twisters I'd ever heard of! (Ask me when you see me and I'll read a few!). I had a BLAST!!!
In the end, I needed to ask Kathy. "Can I do this?" "Am I any good?". This would tell me if my dream was just that.....a dream, or if I could actually work in this field someday.
Kathy told me, I'm good. Some of my reads were a bit over the top and she had to bring me down a notch (another big surprise). I came up with my own motto to get through my reads "Drink a glass of wine, then read my line". That's what I need to do. Chill out a bit and go for it!!!
So there you have it. My dream has been to do voice over work and be good at it. I might just have a shot!!
Oh, one more thing.....when I got to the class, the casting director was there. She asked me "Have you ever modeled?". I said no, but funny you should ask....I was in a print ad campaign recently for an association I belong to. "You have a great look. What are you doing Monday?" She asked. "I'm working...". "OK, never mind. I'll find someone else".
And that's show business!
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