Certification..so close!

  Friday I spent an hour working toward the certification of my studio in the use of Source-Connect software. I tried to ask all the questions I thought would eventually be asked either by me or my client during a remote session. I'm sure the technician lost patience with me but he was very professional about any impatience he must have been feeling.

  We managed to open the ports (I'm not the most computer or internet saavy person) I'd need to use the software and a few other simple things I barely understood. Finally, though, we were ready to send a file from my studio to his to test my studios capability to competently deliver quality audio. The file was about twenty minutes long and it seemed to go fairly well. The technician said he'd email me about the results when he's finished.

  I'm waiting a little impatiently to know..

  The technician and my session seemed to go just fine. However, right after he and I finished, I called a local engineer friend to test my system and I couldn't understand why I was receiving echos when I spoke. I heard no echo of the engineer and he heard no echo of himself or of me but I kept hearing me about a second later repeat myself. So I guess I'm not there yet. Believe me I'm still working on that. In fact I'll address that tomorrow and I'll keep you 'posted'.

  I found my impersonation of greatness on Youtube by searching with the words "mark fiore national day of service martin luther king" (without the quotation marks). Go listen and tell me what you think.

Characterization!!

  You can bet that I was delighted when I won an audition last week for a characterization (impersonation) of a historic personality. Guess who? Well let me tell you--Martin Luther King! Out of approximately thirty auditions, mine was preferred by the client.

  Naturally I'm pleased. I performed the line given me and an additional one they requested. I was honored to be the talent whose voice will be representing King in the museum for some years to come I suspect.

  This blog is supposed to offer some learning opportunity with each post so what is this weeks lesson? I guess it is to keep on trying and never let up. If it is your goal to work successfully in voiceovers, you must never quit. I attribute my success, such as it is, to my persistence and my never say die perspective.

  I win very few auditions. Not because I'm appreciatively less talented than my peers but because that is the nature of this business. One must persist. Simply continue to try, plug along, don't be dissuaded by infrequency of selection. Just continue to throw your hat in the ring along with the others. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.

  By the way, I did a very respectable impersonation of Dr King.

  I'll keep in touch and keep you abreast of my voiceover exploits. Until next time..

Almost Certified..

Once again, distractions have kept me from my weekly blog entry. Well, finally I'm back and ready once again to share what has transpired since last I wrote.
As always my notes pertain to voiceovers and , in that connection, I'm to be soon certified in the use of the studio-to-studio recording software Source-Connect. As soon as the holidays were over, I was supposed to schedule a time when the people at Source Elements could certify me. Just as the holidays ended and January 5th came around, my computer crashed! Obviously I've now had to postpone the session for certification. Bummer.
The benefit of being certified is that whenever a prospective client needs someone in this region who has source connect, they can confidently consider me because it will be listed in my profile on the Source Elements website that I'm certified in the software. This means that my bandwidth and network configuration and my proficiency in the use of the software will all insure that a great consistent connection can be attained for the project at hand. It bodes well for me to look good and professional to all prospective clients.
Fortunately the issue with my computer seems to be minor and I will be back up shortly. So stay tuned. You should soon be hearing all about my certification in the Source Connect software and you can be sure that I won't be shy when sharing. Until next time, peace.