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January – Cooking up VO on the road

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
For many Voice Talent, working while traveling is very realistic.  We create our own working recipes; working our own hours and business plans. Voice Acting is one of those rare jobs that allow you to take your work with you wherever you go….if you know how to master this recipe!
Living her life with a pilot, travel is a must for VO Chef Deb and she’s truly mastered the art of Cooking up a Voice project or two while on the road.  There is tons of ingredients and methods to keep in mind that will help make working on the road the perfect recipe.  From holidays to business travels, family events to good old fashioned Camping…..VO Chef Deb is here to help you take your Voicing Kitchen on the road.
  • The Traveling Voice Talent
  • Organizing/Preparing to travel
  • Equipment needs
  • Which Portable Booth to use
  • Accommodating Ambience intrusions
  • Internet reliability
  • Hotel Checklist
  • Recording Room Tone
  • Quality
  • Source Connect
  • Taking REAL Holidays

February- Marketing and Finding a Home for Your Personality  –

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
We are not cooking up Voices, we are cooking up personalities!  If you don’t know what you’re creating, then how can you make it tasty to the rest of the world?  This is what VO Chef Deb specializes in!  Don’t miss out on this valuable webinar!  Finding out where you fit in to this saturated market is very important so you can stand out amongst the rest.  Work with VO Chef Deb hands on as you read copy and she dissects what is marketable about you and your voice and where it fits in todays market gumbo.  You need to find what is unique about you – so you can sell yourself to the rest of the world.  Let VO Chef Deb do exactly that –

Hands on copy reads

  • Find out Who you are
  • Discover where your personality fits in the market place
  • What steps you need to take next
  • How to brand your personality

March – Landing and Understanding the Agent

With special guests (TBA)
Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
Whether you are new or already have an agent, this webinar is for you! It’s like the head chef of the kitchen.  The agent is your ticket to high budget and National campaigns but without experience and understanding, its very hard to stay at the top of their checklist.  Most agents are saturated with talent and are never looking for more, however they are always looking for the next ‘Big Thing’.  Without the agent it’s hard to grow and those of us who have agents, truly don’t understand what is required of you to be the top chef in your kitchen.  Taking this webinar will help you to understand what is required of you to book or maintain an agent and some insight into the agents world.
Most talent only care about landing the agent, but not about the agent themselves.  After 90 minutes with VO Chef Deb, you will never view the agents job the same again and you will become a valuable member of your team.  With special guest agents that will tell you exactly how it is from their point of view.  This is a must for all levels!
  • Do I really need an agent?
  • What agent is best for you?
  • Is my agent exclusive?
  • How many agents am I allowed?
  • I’ve landed the agent, NOW WHAT?
  • Why doesn’t my agent give me enough auditions?
  • What is my agent doing for me?
  • What are you really paying for?
  • Difference between a good agent and bad agent?
  • How to keep in touch with your agent?
  • Dealing with multiple agents
  • Talk with the agent directly – Special Guests TBA

April – Voicing for Apps – Vocal Workout

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
The newest genre to add to the Voicing Kitchen is Voicing Applications, and this is skyrocketing in the marketplace.  It’s only a matter of time before you will be asked to cook up some applications.  There are many genres covered in Voicing Apps, so it’s important you find out where you fit in the mix.  This genre combines most of the Voicing markets from Video Game and Animation work to Voice Prompting, Narration, Commercial, Audiobooks and more. Find out what the latest trends and skills in Voicing Apps are and how to apply them into your craft.  Test your skills in VO Chef Deb’s voicing kitchen and see if you are ready for this rapidly increasing phenomina.
  • What constitutes an App
  • Average non-union budgets/rates
  • Understanding what is needed from the talent
  • Different kinds of apps
  • Hands on copy reads – recorded and directed
  • Creating an App demo
  • Where to find work
  • Staying current

May – The do’s and don’t of working from home -self direction, self doubt and more.

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
Here we are, the envy of everyone – working from our kitchen studios in the comfort of our jammies!  That’s VO Chef Deb’s favorite uniform.  There is much to be considered in this ambitious endeavour so in this 90 minute Webinar, VO Chef Deb will tell it to you like it is and help better prepare your recipes for what not to do when working from home.  When most of the work that comes in is self directed, this can be a huge benefit, but it can also be daunting and a complete cooking nightmare for those that have a hard time self directing, or are tired of talking to themselves.  It can be lonely and along with that comes a ton of self doubt.  Let VO Chef Deb help you put it all into perspective.  This is a MUST for anyone working from home – even if you’re not entering the Voice Kitchen.
  • Organizing
  • Working Environment
  • Family Needs
  • Time off
  • Scheduling
  • Self Directing
  • Settling on the right take
  • Overcoming Insecurities
  • Complacency/Comfortability
  • Business Needs and so much more

June – Finding Work on Your Own – with special guests

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
There are over 1 million commercials aired everyday (and that is only a small percentage of this industry) yet there are NOT 1 million talent, so how do you cook up your own work?
Repeat clients are vital to your long term success.  Finding them however is not always easy!  So let’s say you’ve landed some agents or are working on it, but now you just want to make some money to pay back the investment you’ve made and be successful.  We would like to think that work just lands in our lap, or that we can make it just off of our agents and this is possible; if you’re in the right market.  Most of us are at home trying to make a modest to high income and while we may know the skills, there is so much more to this industry.  The Voice market is 40% skills, 40% business and 20% who you know….and if you’ve only worked on the skills, you’re still missing 60% of what is required of you to be successful.  In this hands on webinar, we will hear from other Chef talent who have made it, are trying to make it and those that are getting no where.  You will walk away with a clear understanding of what you need to do to find your special ingredients to land work on your own and not rely on others to land it for you.  Finding your own work is VO Chef Deb’s claim to success, so allow her to share her expertise with you and help you create a recipe that will make a difference in your career.
Bullets:
  • Not relying on others to find you work
  • Researching industries you will prosper in
  • Creating a successful marketing campaign
  • How to pitch a potential client
  • Staying in touch with your clients
  • Special guests – Talent who are doing it themselves
  • When to give in
  • When to change direction
  • How to keep steady and organized and so much more

July – Rip and Read Workout

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
There is nothing better than a good old directed vocal workout for only $39.95.  Join VO Chef Deb for a hands on workout that will push your limits and keep guiding you to the next step.  It’s invaluable to hear others acting and directing time.  There is more to learn than just your time on mic.  No matter your skill level, getting direction time is so important to your advancement, so let’s get our acting hats on and cook up some good reads in Deb’s kitchen.  No matter what your genre, let VO Chef Deb get a sample of your tasty treats and allow her to guide you into perfecting your recipe to success.
  • Entire 90 min is reading copy with direction
  • Commercials
  • Animation
  • Narration
  • Telephony
  • Promo
  • Imaging
  • Apps
  • Audiobooks and more
  • All sessions recorded for your review

August – Audition Do’s and Don’ts

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
There is so much to creating the perfect audition recipe and if the clients and agents don’t tell you what you did right or wrong, how can you know if what you are doing is working?  Let’s put your audition techniques to the test.  This hands on audition workout will help you put into perspective what is working for you and what isn’t.  Whether you are auditioning in person or online, you may be making a ton of mistakes and you don’t even know it, no matter your experience level.

As a previous Casting Agent, VO Chef Deb has seen first hand many mistakes and successes made by the talent and unless you have the privilege to be in the casting room, these are secret ingredients not shared by most.  VO Chef Deb is known for her candid honesty and direct approach.  She also feels that no recipe to success are owned by any one individual, so she likes to share all her recipes with you.  This is a great hands on experience that will shed some light into areas you never would have even thought of.
You don’t want to miss this one!!
  • Walk through the audition from beginning to end
  • Bring in your own current audition or work on one you choose
  • Hands on direction time and critique
  • How to speak to clients
  • Pre-Recorded audition vs in person audition techniques
  • Following directions
  • What they say behind your back
  • What makes a good audition
  • What makes a bad audition
  • How to make your auditions stand out
  • Slating and so much more

September – Creating a bio and cover letter that gets noticed

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
Creating a tantilizing cover letter and a biting bio is an absolute must and it’s not something many teach.  Many talent turn to the professional cover letter and bio, but do we really work in a PROFESSIONAL or CORPORATE type industry?  If we are selling our personalities, does your bio and cover letters reflect what you are selling, or are you conforming to the norm and doing what you think you are suppose to?  If you want to create marketing material that will stand out, then this is one webinar you don’t want to miss.  Submit your cover letter/bio to VO Chef Deb prior to the webinar and watch and listen to her cook up a recipe that no client will forget.  This will help you know how to brand yourself better and create marketing material that will get you noticed – GAURANTEED!

This is a signature mark for VO Chef Deb, so for only $39.95, you can’t go wrong.  EVERYONE should own this webinar.  The contents of this webinar are the only ones Deb won’t give away for free.  One of her specialties, so at this price, you’ll get more than your money’s worth.

  • Where do you place your bio/cover letter
  • What should be in your bio
  • Incorporating your branding into your bio
  • How to think the clients way
  • Making best use out of your cover letters
  • Who to send your bio/cover letters to
  • How to adapt them to your individual needs
  • and more than you would have ever thought of

October – Adding Layers to your Characters

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
It’s VO Chef Debs favorite time of year again!  When everyone is more themselves.  It seems that once we put on a mask or costume, we feel more freeing to make a complete jerk of ourselves and not worry about what people think.  That’s what creating effective characters is all about, but it’s all done one layer at a time.
You have to take a little bit of this, mix it with a little bit of that – and you will create the perfect recipe to unique and captivating characters that will bring your clients back again and again.  But remember characters are in EVERYTHING you do, not just in animations and videogames.
VO Chef Deb will work with you hands on, to further develop characters you are currently working on, or didn’t even know you had.  She will guide you through creating effective layers that will help you be consistent in your characters and to bring them to life everytime.

  • The base of your character
  • Making them unique
  • Adding quirks
  • Keeping them natural
  • Physicality
  • Placement
  • Risk
  • Cataloguing
  • Getting back into character with ease
  • Pacing
  • and so much more

November – The World of Audiobooks – is it for you?

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
One of the closest genres we have for full time VO work, but it can also be one of the most underpaid and most daunting.  For some audiobooks come easy, for others it’s a ton of work.  However there is much benefit to joining the ranks of the award winning Voice talent who work in this overwhelming and popular industry.

If you’re any good, you will see steady money and potential rewards.  This industry is changing all the time and adapting to our recording needs.  You can take it all on yourself, or there are ways to farm out your editing, or not do editing at all.   You can even pick your own hours, but usually if you take on this industry, it’s FULL TIME!

This incredible 90 min webinar will enlighten and guide you through the Audibook industry, from directing your scripts, to telling you exactly how it is in this industry and where you may fit.  You will have a much better understanding of what this industry requires of you, where to find work and whether or not you will find it worth pursuing.

If you’ve ever contemplated the audiobook industry, or are currently in it and looking for more, this is the webinar for you.

  • Read audiobook scripts with direction
  • The nitty gritty of the industry
  • where to find work
  • how much time it requires
  • to edit or not to edit
  • choosing the right styles
  • Expected Rates
  • Where the industry is now
  • and more than you thought you knew!

December – Preparing your business for 2015

Let’s see what VO Chef Deb is cooking up this month:
It’s the end of the year and this is a good time to start preparing for the new year ahead.  Without proper goal planning, organization and implementation, you will have a hard time seeing success.  There are many talent out there that aren’t even that skilled and yet they are still succeeding.
This industry is 50% business, 40% skills and 10% who you know.  How much of your time are you investing wisely?  Many of us are actors with a passion, but our business skills are usually not up to par with what is required of a small business owner.
Let’s get you prepared for 2015 RIGHT!  The one thing VO Chef Deb knows is business!  So let her share her insights, techniques and experiences with you so that you can help your business prosper in 2015.  She will look at your current business plan and tell you what is missing and how to make it more successful, or help you develop a business plan that suits your drive and personality.  Creating realistic goals and homework to follow through.
This is one webinar EVERYONE can use.