Comments

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  Lani Minella August 10, 2012 at 5:56pm

  Bryan, It never hurts to add a slight bit of compression like 2 to one in order to stand out from the crowd. More useful for commercials but if you don't overdo it, it's a good idea.  Make sure you listen again once compressed to eliminate noise that will have been boosted by the compression.  Happy to help
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  Bryan Saulsbury August 10, 2012 at 2:40pm

  Hi Lani,

  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to host this forum!  I have an auditioning question for you.  Should the track be dry?  I have heard some folks use compression, eq ect to stand out and wondered what the industry standard is for this.  Currently I am mainly auditioning for P2P sites and anything I can find on my own.

   

  Thanks,

   
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  Lani Minella July 7, 2012 at 4:18pm

  Just sent out a message regarding the respiratory virus going around....RSV

  Please be careful and if you start to get a scratchy throat, don't rush out and start taking antibiotics or it could lead to Thrush.   Rest and decent supplements and healthy diet are about all you can do.  I lost my voice by working despite being sick.   But the show must go on.   Let me know if anyone found something that helps.   I've tried herbs, the Rx stuff, Mucinex D, etc.
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  Lani Minella December 2, 2011 at 1:30pm

  It's funny DC, the guy who hired me that I'd worked for before is in Jersey and so is another one that hired me a a few of my peeps for an MTV app and we've never seen any money from that either.   
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  Lani Minella December 2, 2011 at 1:11pm

  Warning.  Be careful working for a company called Gameshastra

  http://www.gameshastra.com/     I have been owed money since January and always hear a promise to pay with no results.  Enough said.  Wishing everyone happy holidays and good health!
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  Lani Minella November 16, 2011 at 8:36pm

  Thanks William and everyone for trying to follow my trains of thought.  I'd like to add that I recently signed up for another pay to play site and just to let you know how stacked the odds are, it took me over 250 auditions to land 4 jobs paying $200 each.  But times are tough so I'm trying anything I can to be able to pay the bills. I've also worked for 2 clients in India who haven't paid at all, one since January and the other since September and that was only for $100.   You can't  get most clients to pay a deposit up front. Everyone is in a hurry, so if you really want to play it safe and insist on getting that up front payment,  good luck and I hope it works out for you.   Otherwise let's all hope for better times and more culpable clients.
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  William Williams November 16, 2011 at 6:48pm

  Insightful info! 
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  Lani Minella October 9, 2011 at 5:47pm

  Another quick note about demos.   For the most part, demos are used to get your foot into an agent's door, for a profile on Voice 123 or other pay to play sites and I know some people say they get jobs from people listening to their demos, but that is more rare than common.   There are voices that I seldom hear on demos that the industry tends to like....David Attenborough, Linda Hunt, are just two.   Never talk back and forth between two of the same voices.  Once is enough.  Try to get my opinion or that of someone who HIRES voices as far as what your best voices are--before spending money on producing that demo.

  You will most always have a better chance of landing a job by auditioning with the client's copy, not submitting a generic demo.  And for goodness sake, don't be one of those talents that can't live up to their demo. Happens way too much.

  A client presumes you can easily do what they hear on your demo. But they may ask you to do it Older or younger or with a different attitude.  If you're not in complete control of your chops with the acting ability to apply instant methods to every voice you do....you need to work on that skill before sending out any demo.     I do provide coaching but this is not a pitch for that.  Thanks and good luck everyone!
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  Lani Minella September 29, 2011 at 10:45pm

  For those of you reading this, I replied directly to Alicia. For all others I would be willing to assess your ideas for your demo and give suggestions before you simply pay someone to "do you up one real fancy-like"

  Best to all
  
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  Pamela Mitchell-Almand September 13, 2011 at 2:02pm

  Thanks, Lani...good comments all! If you can recommend any proactive agents, I'd certainly appreciate it! Both SE regional and West Coast/East Coast would sincerely be appreciated! If this is not a proper channel for that, please feel free to respond privately if you have the time or inclination! 

   

  And though I started doing this with the first national Tylenol spot in 1995, I've found excellent ideas and information in your blogs! Thanks!  

  Pam Almand

  The Captain's Voice