GKN Weekly Update 9/8/08

Well well well, what do we have here? Some eager readers, I hope?
Ready to take on the world in this Post-Labor Day put-your-white-shoes-away season? Well, alrighty then!

I hit the ground running last week with another recording session for ETS. Then I went to NYC for an on-camera audition for Rock Band 2. It was hilarious! I was a death metal head being interviewed on the red carpet.

I had an enlightening meeting concerning Project TERRA. We have a LONG road ahead of us to make it a reality but I am diving in head-first! Our marketing campaign will begin soon. If any of you have suggestions as to where to develop our Internet presence I'd love to hear them. I have an extensive list already but I welcome any additions!

I received another great review for narrating those stories on "Mini-Masterpieces of Science Fiction". I just updated my Reviews page on my website. You can check them out here.

Fellow VO talent Steve Anthony wrote some very nice things about me in his blog and I wanted to give him a shout-out and say thanks. You can read his blog entry here.

TIP OF THE WEEK: I'm sure that many of you heard that legendary voice over talent Don Lafontaine died last week. If you've never heard of him, I guarantee you have heard him. He was the godfather of VO's, narrating over 5000 movie trailers and 350,000 commercials & promos. He coined the movie trailer catch-phrase "In a world..." I never had the pleasure of meeting him but many of my colleagues did and they had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. He will be missed.

Don's passing made me think about how I got into voiceovers. Strangely enough, it was because of my mother! She was reading New Jersey Monthly and there was an ad from a local VO coach. She said I should look into it because I have a nice voice. Thirteen years and a few hundred recording sessions later, here I am! Weird, huh?

Then I thought about WHY I do voiceovers. At first it was because I was sick of acting, specifcally actors. I had a very bad experience at the conservatory I went to and I wanted nothing to do with the theater and those "Ramman-noodle eating insecure flakes" (my apologies, fellow thespians, I was an angry young man!).

Now I do voiceovers because I love it as well as the wonderful people in the industry. You know, YOU guys! The sense of community and belonging I feel are bring me immeasurable happiness. So here's the tip: do what you love and you can't go wrong.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: The prospect of a long day at the beach makes me panic. There is no harder work I can think of than taking myself off to somewhere pleasant, where I am forced to stay for hours and 'have fun'. Phillip Lopate

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Are you doing what you love? If not, why?

Have a great week!