It was pretty interesting….Take a look:

The latest videos covered everything you need to set up an in-home studio, a video tutorial of a multi track audio editor, and how to get that multi track audio editing software absolutely FREE! Plus a lot more!

These videos are not currently available on the public blog…They are offered to people that have signed up for the newsletter first. As time goes, I plan on also posting these to the public blog.

Until now, these videos were only available to the students that took my Voice Over Success Formula course and classes….but for now they are only available to anyone who signs up….And it’s so easy!

Just look to the upper right hand side of this blog to find the form….Just put the email address you want the stuff to be sent to…and that’s it! I don’t use the address for anything else…just this Voice Over info….PROMISE!

After you sign up…leave a comment or write me back to tell me what you think, or if you have any questions.

Real quick tip I’m not sure I’ve shared yet…

Today I was auditioning for an internal corporate video that had a lot of industry jargon that I was not familiar with. So, I went to a couple sites that I always use for getting the proper pronunciations. And as usual, it worked great!

These sites actually give you the phonetic spelling of the word, but they also give you audio examples of how to pronounce the word, as well. VERY COOL!…..VERY helpful!

Remember….The last thing you want to do is to mispronounce a word on a clients copy. So first…Ask the client if you find words you’re not familiar with, (don’t be shy…they’ll be glad you asked.)  However….if the client is not available, then these sites are the next best alternative.

Check them out here:

http://forvo.com/languages-pronunciations/en/
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
http://inogolo.com/pronunciation
http://dictionary.reference.com/
And here’s another I just found recently from the VO-BB bulletin board:
http://www.howjsay.com

So, now there’s absolutely no excuses!     Have fun pronunciating!  (Save you time looking that one up….I know it’s not a word!  haha)

This kind of relates to the last post, but a former student sent me a demo to listen to.

She couldn’t figure out where the faint hum was coming from in her recording. She was asking if I thought it might be the microphone or something else. Wellll…..after listening several times, very closely, I realized what the low hum was….

TRAFFIC! Outside her window….the same window she cracked open to let some of the warm fresh spring air into her studio.

Remember as the weather gets nicer and you open those doors and windows to let a little fresh air in…You have to close them again, tightly before recording. Or you too may find yourself scratching your head, wondering where that “low hum” is coming from on your next recording.

Just a quick tip….Talk soon…

Actually, there is a way that you can kind of have your cake and eat it too. Simply stick to a simple schedule….nothing fancy or complicated. Literally block out specific time during the day when you work on your training or marketing….Then go out and have fun in the sun…AFTER you’ve finished your work.

I’m working on a simple scheduling technique that I’ll be releasing soon (maye today or tomorrow,) that will increase your productivity by at least 400% AND give you plenty of free time!  Don’t believe me? Well, just check back….

AND….Be sure to sign up to the newsletter on this page to keep up to date and to get free videos, tutorials and reports that I don’t always put on the blog.  Maybe this scheduling technique/report will be one of those bonuses. 

It’s not really hard, but it seems that a lot of people get overwhelmed in the details and not knowing exatly what to do. Soooo….I put this video together to let you break the tasks down into simple to follow elements.

Just go counter clockwise around the chart and complete the tasks. Before long you’ll be listening to your demo and sending it out to agents and producers!  So, take a few minutes (about 25 minutes to be exact, but well worth the investment in time,) and let me know what you think…

Leave a comment or question. Thanks!

Click HERE to get the easy to follow PDF of the chart in the video.

Just got back in the studio and a little rushed….But I wanted to get this up quick!  Let me know what you think.

I’ll let you know the regular schedule I’ll be doing them live. So, if you want to participate…ask questions, etc, you can. Or you can always watch the recorded video of the broadcast. I’ll have the all archived and they’ll cover all the different aspects of Voice Acting. Plus, we may even throw in some craziness and fun to break things up from time to time! 

It’s coming….tick, tock…this week….maybe tomorrow….

Mike Mortensen here….back in the saddle after taking some time to take care of some family matters.

I’m chomping at the bit and ready to dive back in and get things rolling! Sorry to leave some of you in the dark, but as they say, sometimes, sh#t happens!

Stay tuned…a lot more posts and videos coming up soon!  MM

The Fox animated TV series, The Simpsons is reaching a new milestone… TV’s longest-running scripted nighttime series marks its 450th episode!

After 20 years these animated characters (and the Voice Actors behind the animation) can easily claim the title as TV’s longest-running scripted nighttime series — period…. With the same Voice Actors that started it all! That the great thing about Voice Acting….you can play roles outside your age, gender or even species!

Had this not been an animated series, no doubt the actors would have been written out because they started aging or gaining weight, etc. But not so in Voice Acting! You can forever be the same lovable character you were 20 years ago…(as long as you keep training and exercising your intrument(s)).

So, that is why Voice Acting is the best gig in entertainment….the opportunities are endless!

Congrats to the Simpsons…. Dan Castellaneta  as dimwitted dad Homer, Julie Kavner is mom Marge, Nancy Cartwright is first-born Bart and Yeardley Smith is daughter Lisa…Also regular Voice Actors - Hank Azaria, for numerous characters including police Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy and convenience-store owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, and Harry Shearer, whose stable of roles includes Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert and Principal Skinner….Plus EVERY celebrity in the last 20 years has made guest appearances.

Here’s to another 20!