Living Out Loud | The Voice Over Journey of Cat Smith

February 28, 2012
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Tour of Sonoma “Bachelor” style, part 2

Here is part two of the tour of Sonoma “Bachelor” style. This is all based on Episode 2 of this season’s the Bachelor on ABC. For more information, check out blog number 1. Today’s blog features more locals along with the local flair.

After date number 1, Bachelor Ben brings all of his ladies to one of the #1 hangouts in Sonoma, the Sonoma Plaza. It’s the park where we have our Farmers Market late spring through early fall. City Hall is in the center and we go there for garage sale permits and to pay the water bill. It’s the place to picnic, for kids to swing, and for high school kids to have a little freedom outside of their homes.

I in fact filmed part of a student film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula for my sister’s senior project. If you are all good girls and boys, you may get to see the out takes soon.

Here we see the “bachelor” on approach to see his “bachelorettes” for a group project. Behind him, the red awning is the Basque Boulengerie. If you are ever in Sonoma, walk down that alley on the right and talk to the workers over the tarp at 2 a.m. If you’re lucky, you can get freshly made cheese sticks and my word, are they delicious! The smell of bread fills downtown Sonoma every night.

Ben is walking through the “rose garden.” When I was in high school, this is where the stoners hung out. I think it has a better reputation now.

The bachelorettes gather in the “horseshoe” in front of City Hall to meet up with Ben. Isn’t it like something out of a storybook? Although I disagree with Kacie B’s assessment that we’re Mayberry, I do believe our little city is full of charm.

As I said the Farmers Market happens here and it is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if you can see in this picture, but the driveway is a horseshoe. The music takes place on the lawn and the booths line the drive.

Another charming part of the Plaza is the Grinstead Ampitheatre. It’s home to the parade awards ceremony, the yearly Bear Flag revolt reinactment, and the occasional band. Here, it is home to auditions for a play the bachelorettes will perform which was written by some local school kids. Three of them belong to friends of mine and I must say stole the show.

Hi Isabella! She’s the girl just to the left of Ben.

Although, when you talk of stealing the show, here was my favorite part, the really famous Ben of Sonoma letting out a huge yawn.

Here is where the bachelorettes and Ben put on their play for the kids and their guests. It was kind of fun pointing out all of the people I knew in the audience. As you can see in the picture, they put a sign up that says “Community Theatre.” Actually, this is the Sonoma Valley Women’s Club. It is home to some group, women obviously, but it is also a popular rental for private events and has an awesome stage. I most recently provided the karaoke on that stage for an after-Christmas holiday party. It’s a groovy little building about a block off the Sonoma Plaza.

The final location filmed within the City of Sonoma (they went into North County for the rest of the dates) was the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. I wasn’t going to mention Lady Gaga being in town over the weekend, but this is most likely where she stayed. I wonder if she watches the Bachelor?

I mentioned in Part 1 the article my friend Emily wrote for the Sonoma Index Tribune. In there she mentioned, and I’m paraphrasing, that they’ve had so many questions about

it after Ben.

Well, this completes our tour of Sonoma”Bachelor” style. We hope you enjoyed your stay. Please visit again soon. We are way better than Napa. Cheers!

February 24, 2012
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The learning curve

We recorded our first podcast on Wednesday and it was a lot of fun. That is, after I figured out all of the speed bumps. We didn’t get to record the second interview yet because of that learning curve, but we got lucky in that we recorded so many good stories in the round table and our interview with Jason from G5 was fantastic, so we’re breaking the first show into a two part episode. Part one will be loaded tonight and as soon as we can get together with Gary from Out in the Vineyard, we’ll load that half.

The reason I’m blogging today is simple. I want to remind everyone working in a home studio environment not to panic when things don’t work. The wave in your audio editor not having any peaks or valleys when you hit that record button can be heart stopping. But just breathe. There are several things to check before deciding everything is broken and running out and buying new things.

I suggest starting a checklist. If you have Windows 7, this is a good use for the sticky note feature they have. Here are the few things that caused me grief yesterday that you can go ahead and add to your checklist right now:

One microphone was recording perfectly until I plugged in a second. I was using a TRS ended mic cord. That is the one they also call a phone jack if you’re not up on cord phrases. It has the silver pointy end rather than an opposite to the end you plugged in the microphone. (I hope that visual got through.) I had a feeling it was the cord and when I switched to the other cord everything worked perfectly. Having a sound company, I can’t tell you how many cords have been the cause of my heart attacks. I’ve learned to always start there.

Another problem I had was in using my USB mic later to record an intro to the episode. No sound again, but this time I’m sure it’s not the cord as it’s the same mic I use daily to record auditions at my parents house a.k.a. my studio. When I realized nothing was recording to Audacity, I checked the upper right corner to the microphone input level. The slider didn’t move and in fact, I don’t believe the pointer switched to a finger for the option to click. I can’t tell you why this happens, I can only tell you how to get around it.

Right click on your speaker icon on the task bar in Windows. Choose “Adjust Audio Properties.” From there click “audio” and then make sure your mic is selected from the drop down menu. Click on volume and adjust there. You will have to go back and forth through audacity and this volume dial until you have it where you want it. It’s a pain, but in a pinch it will get you through recording until you have time to sit down and find out why you’re USB mic isn’t just working with the program automatically.

This last tip seems obvious, but usually, that’s what gets me in the end. Both set ups I have for recording are USB whether I’m using the mic that plugs directly into my computer or the mixer. If you click record and have nothing, you probably have the wrong mic input selected at the top of your workspace. Instant fix in that case.

The bigger the projects you attempt get, the more little annoying problems will get in your way. That checklist I’m suggesting can save you time in a panic situation. Every time something causes you to hit a speed bump whether it’s a cord or a drop-down menu choice, add it to the list and the next time you have a problem, refer to that list to save time.

Good luck and Pop Corny Podcast will be loaded on YouTube later tonight! Happy listening!

February 20, 2012
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Can’t seem to get enough Cat?

Then move on over to the Pop Corny Podcast blogs as well! Here I tend to only discuss things going on with my voiceover career with a sprinkle of life every once in a while. Over at the show blog, I’ll be discussing all the things in the news I find interesting and either know won’t be on the podcast in the coming week, or we ran out of time for previously. My new blog can be found at the official Pop Corny Podcast website. It should be a really fun read.

My co-host Gina has a blog filled with her finds of the week and the show has a blog as well. The Pop Corny Podcast blog will have two posts weekly: what’s coming up on the show and a recap including links and information on everything we discuss or the people we have on the show. There will occasionally be announcements as well. The show also has a FB page, but we don’t have enough “likes” for a unique URL yet. Please take a minute and search for us there by Pop Corny the Podcast (notice this one has “the”)

February 18, 2012
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5… 4… 3… 2… the countdown begins!

Friday we will load our new podcast, Pop Corny, to the YouTube channel. Once it’s recorded, I’ll do a report on how easy (or not) it is to get it loaded on iTunes. For now, the excitement is mounting! Gina has been here with me all afternoon preparing content for that first round table. I’m taking a break from writing our press release to write this blog and include you all in the anticipation. She will be back after a dinner break so we can do even more planning. It’s going to be a great show!

Have I shared the format with you? Here is what we will do every week in a 35 minute show:

Intro
Greeting
Sponsor
Emails
Roundtable Discussion
Promo
B Topic- (shorter and an extension hopefully of one of the roundtable topics)
Listener Voicemail
Promo
A Topic- (longer and to do with pop culture current or coming trends)
Wrap Up
Outro

We’ve got it timed to the second but have decided we will have bonus downloads and let the guests talk longer if they are so moved. This way, instead of commanding the audience, we have their attention without losing it and they have the option to listen on.

As you can see there are two weekly guests and this week ours will be Jason Ghiselin and Gary Saperstein. Jason is a long time (since high school!) friend and part of the team for G5 Radio. We thought he would bring a warmth to our introduction of the hosts. Instead of interviewing each other and continuing the show with only two voices, we will bring him in to ask us a series of questions so the listeners can get to know us and want to come back for more.

Gary Saperstein is one of the owners of Out in the Vineyard. They provide tours and events catering to a positive LGBT lifestyle in and around Sonoma County. They have luxurious events and outstanding entertainment opportunities. The travel tours are extraordinary. He will be joining us to discuss the recent rulings in Prop 8 and what it all means and of course, what’s predicted to come. This is a serious subject, but trust me, we will keep it light as well.

From my days on the Sun: co-host with Ken Brown

On Thursday morning, we will be on the air in Sonoma (but also available for a listen or view online) with Ken Brown and his cohost for the day, Smokin’ Joe Herrshaft. Smokin’ Joe and I had our demos made at the same spot. His is rad. I should get him to share it in my blog. I’ll see what I can do. Our time slot is 9 a.m. and if local, that spot on the dial is 91.3 FM. The call in number from anywhere if you’d like to question us or show support is 707.933.9133 and they’ll put you on the air. To listen or watch the streaming video from the studio, just go to SunFM and click stream it now.

To be a featured listener on our very first show either call 206.339.0541 and leave a voicemail or email us at popcornypodcast@gmail.com. Tell us what you find interesting in the news right now whether it’s the most serious thing you’ve ever heard or something really ridiculous. We will play or read our favorites. Just think, you can be our biggest fans before the show even starts! And don’t forget: Subscribe at YouTube PopCornyPodcast!

February 16, 2012
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The next YouTube reality stars

As part of our Pop Corny podcast, Regina and I have decided to create a YouTube reality show to air on the same YouTube channel. We thought it would spice things up and help with building our audience. The theory is that if the viewers go through a life change with us, they’ll invest deeper and want to listen to the podcasts more frequently. I mentioned a post or two ago about my ad on Facebook but now I will flesh the story out for you.

The reality show will follow Regina and I for 90 days on a weight loss journey. It will be more of a documentary than a Biggest Loser competition. This show will begin no sooner than a month after our podcast begins. There will be 10 episodes airing one weekly. Both of us will form a weight loss team. We will each have a nutrition expert and a fitness guru. In the end, we will have a big reveal party and find out who the winner is. That party will be a fundraiser for our town’s ACS Relay for Life. Whichever of us wins will have that money credited to our fundraising efforts. I’m going to win by the way.

Remember, if you want to know the second it starts and don’t want to miss a thing, make sure you go to the YouTube channel for Pop Corny and subscribe.

Last night, we met our applicant for the filmmaker position. Beth is amazing! We are so lucky to have her. And somehow while interviewing each other, we managed to come up with a couple of really unique ideas that I think will make this show that much better. For example, her friend Jen, who we also met, will be sculpting for us. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

At any rate, she’s already sent me the first draft of the outline for the show and I don’t think any of the YouTube audience will be disappointed. They will have to be patient though because it’s over a month away. I can’t wait to win!

February 15, 2012
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Big news, so-so news, and Miss Monotony

I am pleased to announce that I have booked my first job through Voice 123 and at $400 the service has more than paid for itself. However, since I have until May to up my subscription, this first paycheck is going to my hotel bill at Voice 2012 (voice over convention. You should go!). The Disneyland Resort was where I just had to stay so I’m paying the price. But really, I’ve been to conventions before where we’ve stayed in a seperate hotel and you really feel the distance when doing that. Not too mention, if I stay somewhere else, the instances of my running into Goofy drastically decrease.

Once I have the project turned in and invoiced, I will let you all know how seemless the payment process is. I’ve had several questions on that front and since this is the first time I’m able to invoice, I can actually answer the question. I’ve been assured that Voice 123 backs us all the way on such issues so I’m going into it very confident. Also, once I know the spot is being aired, I’ll load a sample and finally announce what the project was.

I also received an email yesterday from a voice seeker. It said the following:

“Cat, we loved you but went a bit of a different route. Thanks so much for your great audition though and we will keep you in mind for future work.”

I can’t tell you how thrilling it was to receive that email. All of those auditions floating around the universe and the most feedback I usually get is a “project opened” announcement and never hear anything again. Not to mention, it was great to hear that someone liked me and would consider me in the future. I printed that email for my scrapbook.

On the bad news front, Eco Beeps will not be in the Sonoma International Film Festival. It was a really good chance since they love to include locals, but as our age group is 3-8 years, we missed their minimum age of 10 years for a children’s film. Maybe Mr. Parker will consider doing a project slightly older in the future. Maybe not. Always try though because you never can tell where your foot won’t be slammed in the door. In the meantime, I’m assuming this new project of his that I’m voicing will end up at the Kids First Film Festival again.

Regina and I are meeting with a filmmaker tonight to see if we’re a good match for the YouTube project which will accompany our podcast, Pop Corny. The launch of the podcast is still set for February 24 so please go subscribe on our YouTube Channel and don’t miss out! (Like I’d let it slip by any of you?) This film addition of Pop Corny won’t start until about a month in, so when all of our ducks are in a row, look for a big announcement, and trust me… it’s big!

And now I leave my glamorous blogging life to the monotnous tasks of paying bills and updating my website. Keep checking back. Expect blogs often: Same-ish Cat time, same Cat channel!

February 14, 2012
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The hardest thing about self employment

The past few weeks I’ve been dealing with a lot of negativity. I know what I do all day long. I know that every tiny detail I’m working on is part of a much bigger picture and therefore, very important. However, there are many people who will look at you as lazy, boring, or available because you are at home whether you are at a desk or on a laptop on the couch in your pjs. I actually get accused of all three. Wait, there’s one more: obsessive.

I need to make $3000 more than I normally do and preferably within a month. There are three conventions coming up and that requires money. Voice overs is not my full time persuit as it doesn’t pay the bills yet. However, my main money maker is still working for myself. So to the untrained eye, it may appear that I spend a lot of time on Facebook or that I’m just playing around in Photoshop.

My current employees.

My roommate wonders why I don’t move my office from my parents house to ours. He also sits up every night mocking me for continuing to work on my computer into the wee hours of the morning. “You need to learn to relax.” I’m actually not stressed. I like working for myself or I wouldn’t do it. I just don’t like the constant mocking or the people who get hurt feelings because I’m not hanging out with them when all I’m doing is staying home.

The office has to stay at my parents house for two reasons. It helps me feel like I’m leaving every day to go to work. That helps me avoid a lot of the invites out and the roommate annoyances. The other reason is it’s just not possible to set up sound proofing at the other house yet. I need the quiet so for now it’s a no brainer.

After all of that venting, I just want to say this is not a complaint blog. It’s meant to show that if you’re having troubles with other people in working for yourself, you’re not alone. I need to stand up for myself and say, “This is how I pay my bills and if you like rent, let me work.” I imagine the mocking won’t stop but all you can do is try to accomplish as much as you can in a day when there are no distractions so that when there are, you can let yourself relax a little bit. Prioritizing and list making are your most valuable tools so that you don’t get behind in work and miss deadlines. It’s a juggling act. As long as you’re aware of it, I’m aware of it,… we’re all aware of it… we’ll be productive. And the next time you see someone working on the home computer, don’t assume it’s nothing. Be curtious of other people’s time.

Here are a few blogs with great information on disciplining yourself while working from home:

Good luck with shooing the distractions. If you have some helpful tips for working from home, please share them below. How do you deal with nay sayers? How do you avoid temptation? What is your response to to being clearly lazy since you’re self employed?

_________________________________________________________________________

The next morning I found this through a repost from Pinterest. It seems to say it all:

February 13, 2012
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Tour of Sonoma “Bachelor” style

(The blogoverse has once again eaten my previous work on this Bachelor blog, so here I am starting from scratch again. This just in: Bachelor Ben was spotted at the Swiss Hotel this past Friday, February 10. I was at the other end of the patio and missed the commotion. Ce la vie, the most I would’ve done was asked for a photo for this blog.)

Episode 2 of ABC’s the Bachelor aired January 9, 2012 and caused such a commotion on Facebook that I was forced to watch the episode the next day on Hulu Plus. Bachelor Ben is a winemaker from my hometown of Sonoma Valley and brought his 12 “bachelorettes” to Sonoma for a series of locally inspired dates. Kacie B dubbed us “Mayberry.” Many of my FB friends prefer to think of us as “Mayberry on Crack.” I think we’re niether here nor there but the city with the best wineries on the planet, most inspiring film festival (Sonoma International Film Festival), and ultimately, the number one tourist destination because everyone wishes they could live here. And lucky Sonomans, we do.

I first heard the buzz of Bachelor Ben (Ben Flajnik) last year during the finale of the Bachelorette. Mom screamed that I needed to see the TV right now and when mom screams, well, I don’t usually panic because it’s always something on TV. But I looked and there he was, a dude from Sonoma not getting the girl. Everyone said he would be the next “Bachelor” and he was. At last year’s ACS Relay for Life in Sonoma, he came to do his laps in support. As Entertainment Chair, I was chained to the stage but the gossip certainly didn’t pass me by. In any case, he made the biggest stir in Sonoma when they came to town to film this episode. Apparently, they didn’t take to our locals doing their own reporting and well, darn. We may not get an exclusive. Whatever. And now for a tour of Mayberry, ahem, Sonoma Valley “Bachelor style.”

The first place everyone asks about is the mansion the 12 lucky ladies made home during their stay. That would be the Vineyard Knoll Estate in Glen Ellen and it is a vacation rental if you’re looking to recreate their trip and can be rented through BeautifulPlaces. According to an article my friend Emily Charrier did for the Sonoma Index Tribune, the night the episode aired “the business had so much traffic on its website that it nearly crashed.” You might want to get your reservations in soon.

His first date was with Kacie B, and if you ask me, she got to see the best of Sonoma.

The couple parked on the Sonoma Plaza and passed various businesses. Some of the featured images included City Hall which is in the heart of the Sonoma square (the park) and the Sonoma Cheese Factory. Their first actual stop was at the Ledson Hotel briefly stopping in to play piano at the Centre Du Vin.

Shopping on “the Square” is always a lot of fun whether you are a tourist or shopping local and one of the town favorites is Tiddle E. Winks. They have all of your favorite vintage candies and toys. I’ve gone in there for everything from Pop Rocks to Sock Monkeys. They are, quite simply put, rad. Perhaps you recall her running back into the store to buy something? Kacie B appeared with a baton she saw in the store window. I hate to burst everyone’s bubble, but that was a plant. What? Something in reality TV wasn’t reality? It happens.

Here we see the happy couple marching in their own parade down a deserted street in Sonoma. I guess you would think us Mayberry if we had no moving traffic between 10:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. Well, I just want to point out that barrior to the left of the screen. Downtown Sonoma is where all the nightlife in this town is. If there was no film crew, there would have been cars circling the Plaza looking for somewhere to entertain themselves. Even on a slow night, there’s cars so don’t be fooled. We’re small but not deserted.

Above- Left: The Swiss Hotel where I mentioned Ben was most recently spotted. It is next to Mary’s Pizza Shack, my friend’s family business and employer to my roommate. Also, it’s delicious. Middle: The cobblestone alley leading to Squire and Two Amigos Tasting Room as mentioned in my previous blog. Right: The Girl and the Fig which is the restaurant the couple dined at. I recommend the grilled cheese. Mmmm… I’m hungry.

The remainder of their date was spent watching home movies of themselves in my old haunt, the Sebastiani Theatre. I worked there in the early ’90s as a projectionist and shift manager. I love that place. Everyone was so impressed that I could lift those giant movie reels over my head and load them onto the projectors. The equipment has really changed since then. But the inside happily is still very authentic. It’s a magical place to see a movie and sometimes a live performance. I had the priveledge of actually getting to sing on that stage with SonomaSong. And I think my sister was in the Nutcracker on that stage as well? It has a lot of history.

Here’s a glimpse at the historic inside of the theatre. And as the curtain rises on the end of their date, we’ll lower it on this blog. Stay tuned for part 2 of the tour of Sonoma “Bachelor style.”

While waiting for part two, pop over to www.youtube.com/popcornypodcast and subscribe! I loaded the interview from G5 radio and there will be more previews coming up as we approach our launch on February 24 of the new podcast, Pop Corny!

February 12, 2012
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Cat, where are you?

Sorry for the long time no see loyal readers. I wanted to check in and say what’s coming up in the blogs as I don’t have time to write a full one today. I also don’t want you to get bored so I better write something down!

The Bachelor blog is quite a project. I did start it, but it’s much more detailed than I thought it was going to be so that’s going to take an extra couple days.

As I said, there hasn’t been much blogging which is leading to a new blog topic: What to do when the world doesn’t understand that “at home” doesn’t mean “I’m not at work.” My roommate for example gives me a hard time because I’m always trying to get something done. Without going into that now, just know that a vent is coming hopefully with some valuable tips on how to handle the nay-sayers, invites out of the house, procrastination, etc. etc.

Regina and I are right on schedule with our first podcast. I’m looking at doing it for free (with visuals) on YouTube and making the download available on iTunes for a small amount. That research is also coming. And special sneak peak: We will have Gary Saperstein of Out In the Vineyards on our inaugural show to discuss the recent rumblings of Prop 8. It should be a great time for all. He’s corny like us and serious like Gina.

Finally, Craigslist I’ve found is not a good way to look for help when you need it. But guess what? I have a blog and I’m not afraid to use it. So, if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area and have a friend who would be interested in either of the following requests, please forward this blog on to them. Let word of mouth be more powerful than an asylum run by inmates!

Item 1:

Without giving away too many details as we do want to make an official announcement, as part of Pop Corny, we are working on a 10 week YouTube Reality Show. Our post in the want ads was to find us a student or hobbyist filmmaker who would like to work on the project with us. It would be sort of the documentary style of reality shows. Think: 30 Days. At any rate, everyone working on it is looking for experience and exposure so if as a filmmaker, you are too, let us know.

(Update to this: We are interviewing our first filmmaker so this position may be taken. Stay tuned for more information but do feel free to contact us if interested.)

Item 2:

My karaoke company needs an assistant. I have someone who usually helps me for the Olde Sonoma gig, but the first Thursday of every month I need help with Steiners Tavern in Sonoma. Requirements are that you need a vehicle that can transport my equipment (at least there, not necessarily back). We set up at 8 and I do most of that. We’re there until 1 or 2 a.m. I can only pay $50 per show, but you don’t have to do much work besides helping me lug equipment and keeping the occasional drunk away from me. You can even enjoy a couple of cocktails and sing.

If interested in either of those items, email me directly at voices@catsmith.net

Big blogs coming and hopefully more big news from the previous blog where I was unable to share any news! I’m working on that commercial demo and setting up more in the way of soundproofing for my studio. Lots of things going on and I will chat about them all! In the meantime, more stuff is going up on eBay so if anything strikes your fancy, I’ll be one step closer to the 3 conventions I’m heading out to.

Oh! I almost forgot! Look for a recording of the interview on Pop Corny that we did with G5 radio on our new YouTube page! Please go subscribe and you’ll know when I get it loaded! Right now there is a silly little GoAnimate video that we loaded just for fun.

February 8, 2012
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May I introduce, Ambassador Cat!

The results are in and I am officially an Ambassador (fancy name for volunteer) for the Voice 2012 convention. Yipee! I actually found out a week or two ago, but was unable to make the announcement until now. What is an ambassador? I will tell you. And then I will tell you all about Voice 2012 which you still have time to sign up for.

The volunteers at Voice are called “Ambassadors.” They say, “One of the keys to the success of every one of our past VOICE conventions has been our incredible Volunteer Staff. Because our Ambassador staff is a highly visible part of the convention, we’ll be referring to those individuals as VOICE Ambassadors.” I still need to confirm that they have no problem with me wearing my Mickey ears while performing my duties. I intend to wear those suckers every waking moment. I even have a gold pair for formal night. If I could only find a sleep cap with ears?

It’s great that they accepted me as an ambassador as it will help me emmurse myself in the experience and hopefully meet more people at the beginning of the convention so I know people throughout. Also, it saved me a whopping half of my tuition fee. Yay! Other perks include a private “Toast to Voice” before the opening night party, behind the scenes acess to the presenters, access to a private lounge, and conference calls in advance with the amazing producers of the event.

It’s too late for you to have the fabulous volunteer experience that I’m going to have, however, there is still plenty of time to sign up for the ridiculously cool convention itself. And, there’s time to get in on the Early Bird discount which I think is 25% off. That deal ends the day after Valentine’s. But there are all kinds of options like day passes, etc. So if you’re already down there you could just pick your best day.

The programming schedule is now up at the site, Voice 2012, and it’s quite an amazing line up. The really cool thing about this convention as opposed to others I attend is that afterwards, they give you recordings of all of the panels. So I really only need to decided what’s important to see in person, but I will still receive all of the information. One that I’m excited to see is Crispin Freeman’s panel on dubbing anime. I saw him at Comic Con talking about the same subject, but it was so many years ago. Now that I’ve actually done dubbing for puppets I find the subject even more interesting so that’s definately on the “ToDo” list.

In the schedule there is also quite a few socializing opportunities which I also love. On Facebook, Penny Abshire has a group called Positive Thinkers UNITE. She will be hosting a special breakfast for everyone in the group. If you think you might be going to Voice, you should definately go join that group on Facebook. Another Facebook group to join would be the one for the event itself. The Voice 2012 page is where I’ve met so many people that I just can’t wait to meet in person. In fact, thanks to technology, I’ve already started developing friendships with several of them. I’m hoping to plan a cocktail meet up for everyone in the group.

Finally, from there website, here’s a breakdown of everything you can expect at Voice 2012:

The VOICE 2012 Experience

Nearly three dozen programs and seminars taught by top VO coaches and talent.
Two huge networking events.
Tons of free time to make new VO friends and hang with old friends.
Positive Thinkers and other special events.
Be part of our traditional “Bunny Slippers” morning on Saturday.
The big finale VOICE Banquet with a very special program to wrap up the convention.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL GET WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR ALL 4 DAYS OF VOICE 2012:

Free admission to the VOICE Red Carpet Reception Networking Event on Tuesday, June 12th
Four jam-packed days of information and networking opportunities
Downloadable recordings of most VOICE 2012 seminars and programs (not available for Day Pass holders)
Free admission to the VOICE Exhibit Hall where you can see the latest technology and meet the presenters.
Free admission to the VOICE Garden Party Networking Event (open only to full convention attendees)
Celebrate the official VOICE “Bunny Slippers” day (or “Funny Slippers) on Saturday, June 16th
Deeply discounted room rates at the Disneyland Hotel and Resort
Discounted Disneyland Park Hopper passes
And much, much more!

I hope to see all of you there! I’ve already got several pair of Mickey ears, my bunny slippers, and steno pad ready.

I'm hoping to catch up with old friends while there.

Did I mention it’s at the Disneyland Resort? Oh yeah.

May 2012
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