You're Hearing Voices

This week, I'm chatting with Chip Taylor, the head coach of the Hamline University Pipers football team.  We discuss the following topics: Coach Taylor shares insights into his coaching journey and philosophy, emphasizing player development, leadership, and mentorship. Team dynamics, player recruitment, and the balance between academics and athletics. Coach Taylor also reflects on memorable moments and challenges in his coaching career. Coach Taylor walks through a typical game week, emphasizing preparation and tough practices. He discusses his coaching influences, interactions with referees, and motivational strategies tailored to individual players. Check out this week's episode!

This week, I'm chatting with Javier Corrales, professor of Political Science at Amherst College and author of "Autocracy Rising: How Venezuela Transitioned to Authoritarianism."  We cover the following topics: The rising trend of autocracy globally; The autocratic tendencies in El Salvador under President Bukele; The erosion of democratic norms and institutions in various countries, including the United States and Hungary; Analysis of American political opinion on autocracy and its impact on foreign policy, particularly regarding Ukraine; The autocratization process in Venezuela and Maduro's consolidation of power; and Examination of the Latino vote and its divisions, with insights into Trump's appeal among certain segments and the Republican Party's shifting stance on immigration. Check out this week's episode! Javier's book: https://bit.ly/javierbook  

This week, we chat with actor and filmmaker Steve Lichtenstein, creator and star of Never Too Late—a sci-fi short delving into AI, climate change, and the human experience.  Steve shares his inspirations, the acting and filmmaking journey, and why he believes storytelling can spark thought and change. Check out the website:  https://www.thenevertoolate.com  

This week, Dan engages in a conversation with Robin Bose, India's leading golf journalist.  Dan and Robin delve into the transformative impact of LIV Golf and the implications of the proposed merger between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). Interview highlights: LIV Golf's Genesis: Robin Bose sheds light on the origins of LIV Golf, tracing its roots to Greg Norman's vision of a select group of elite players guaranteed substantial prize money. Influence and Expansion: Reflecting on LIV's influence, Robin argues that its coexistence with the PGA Tour has not diluted the sport but rather diversified the field, creating greater opportunities and financial rewards globally. Proposed Merger and Future Prospects: Robin offers insights into the proposed merger between Live Golf and the PGA Tour, discussing initial agreements and ongoing negotiations. He outlines the potential structure of the post-merger entity, emphasizing the roles of key figures such as Yasser Al-Rumayyan and Greg Norman. Learn more about Robin: https://www.thegolfinghub.com/   Don't miss this week's episode!

This week, Dan chats with Jason Hamilton, aka "the Nerdy Novelist," as he exposes us to the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and creative writing.  Jason discusses the dynamic nature of AI tools like Pseudorite and Chat GPT, highlighting their evolving capabilities and the challenges they pose, such as content filtering issues.  He emphasizes the enduring importance of fostering human connection in creative endeavors, even in the face of advancing AI technologies.   Jason also shares insights into his approach to creating YouTube content that remains relevant in the rapidly changing AI landscape, as well as his future focus on profitability in self-publishing.  Check out Jason at https://nerdynovelist.com/ Enjoy this week's episode!

In this episode, Tahani Mustafa, Senior Palestine Analyst for the International Crisis Group, provides insights into the multifaceted Gaza conflict. From the grim reality under military occupation to the complexities of Hamas's rise and the questionable viability of a two-state solution, we delve into the duration of the conflict, critiquing Israeli actions and exploring intentions behind open declarations by Israeli officials. Below is a summary of some of the topics we discuss: Pre-October 7th Situation: Grim reality of Palestinians under military occupation. Critique of Oslo Accords as Palestinian capitulation. Rise of Hamas and Complexities: Lack of progress towards a two-state solution. Questionable viability of a two-state solution. Duration of Conflict and Intentions: War of attrition between Hamas and Israel. Criticism of Israeli actions indicating an intent to commit genocide in Gaza. Israeli officials' open declarations to remove both Hamas and force Palestinians out. Check out this week's episode!

This week, Dan chats with Steven Heydemann, who serves as the Director of Middle East Studies at Smith College. We cover the following topics: Understanding Middle Eastern Conflicts: The intricacies of Palestinian-Israeli relations, dissecting Hamas and the PLO differences. China's and Russia's roles in the Palestinian conflict, shedding light on their involvements. Insights on Syria: U.S. ambivalence and Russia's intervention in Syria, and missed opportunities for early U.S. support. Turkey's Position in NATO: Turkey's contentious role within NATO, and the value of having Turkey in the Atlantic alliance despite President Erdogan's leadership style. Check out this week's episode!

In this week’s episode, I engage in a comprehensive 'Israel 101' discussion with Doron Ben-Atar, Professor of History at Fordham University.  We explore pivotal historical events, including: - The founding of Israel: Analyzing the impact of political anti-Semitism in Europe, the Zionist movement's quest for a Jewish state, and the significance of the 1947 UN partition plan. - The 2000 Camp David Summit and the Oslo Peace Accord: Unpacking the complexities of failed negotiations and underlying trust issues between Palestinians and Israelis. - Examining Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership and his role leading up to the October 7th terrorist attacks; Israel's evolving international reputation, and the emergence of anti-Israel sentiment within specific American groups. - Delving into the irrationality of prejudices such as anti-Semitism and their profound impact on Jewish identity and societal dynamics.  

This week, Dan chats with Satira Osemudiamen, a storyteller and PR professional, and president of Satira Media and Public Relations. https://satiramediaandpr.com/ Satira explains that storytelling is a key part of her profession, using words to persuade and invoke action.  She emphasizes the importance of tailoring storytelling to different clients and industries, considering their goals and target audiences.  Satira also talks about starting her own PR agency, Satira Media, and the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship.  She touches on the evolving field of public relations, the impact of technology and social media, and the importance of managing reputation and crisis effectively. Check out this week's episode!

After our annual spring hiatus, we're back with all new episodes! This week, we're chatting with Andres Mayo, immersive audio designer and mastering engineer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Andres has 2 Latin Grammys and 7 Gardel Awards, and credits in over 3,000 albums. Andres gives us a primer on the basics of immersive audio, and shares how the industry and the technology have changed during his 30 years in the business.  One of the noteworthy changes has been the increase in overseas clients that Andres works with, outside of the LATAM market. Andres has a great passion for promoting the audio engineering industry through Audio Engineering Society, a collaboration of producers, engineers, musicians, where artists and engineers from diverse backgrounds can share ideas and develop a roadmap for best practices in the world of audio. You can find more about Andres at www.andresmayo.com Check out this week's episode!         Andresmayo.com  

This week I'm chatting with Leo Notenboom of askleo.com.  Leo has a popular YouTube channel of the same name in which he answers all manner of tech questions. In fact, by way of giving himself a job title for his enterprise, he calls himself the "Chief Question Answerer" at askleo.com We talk about a number of tech issues, including how to preserve digital content after a person dies, why using a password vault is essential for online security, why you maybe shouldn't use your neighbor's wifi, and why you're never too old to delve into the world of tech. Check out Leo here: https://www.askleo.com

This week I'm chatting with Whit Ingram of beautiful South Jordan, Utah.  Whit is known as the "Witty Film Girl," and she specializes in social media campaigns, short films, and commercials. Whit talks about her early days in film, from doing lots of unpaid gigs for college friends and making mistakes as a rite of passage to get better at her craft.   She talks about her efforts to become a well-rounded writer and storyteller, as well as her quest to improve at the techical aspects of filmmaking. Whit also dispels the myth that it's necessary to go to film school to become a filmmaker, how to get clients to think outside of the box, and why working for exposure is a terrible idea, so don't even ask. Check out Whit at her website:  https://www.wittyfilmgirl.com  

This week, I'm chatting with Nerida Bronwen, actress of stage, screen, and voice who is known for her roles in 600 Bottles of Wine, Deadly Women, Lowering Awareness, and her voice over work portraying the character of Sashay in the Netflix series "LOL Surprise! Winter Fashion Show." We talk about her early acting ambitions, which stemmed from having supportive parents who loved film, music, theater, and art.  We also discuss trends in casting in Hollywood, Nerida's use of dialects in VO, and the physicality required for the role of Sashay in the LOL Surprise! series. Check out this week's episode, and check out Nerida at her website: https://www.neridabronwen.com/      

This week, I'm chatting with Jeff Williams, a voice actor from Amarillo, Texas.  Jeff is known for his laid-back, everyman, blue-collar style.  A chiropractor by trade, he got into VO in 2020 at the height of the COVID pandemic when his medical practice slowed to a halt.  Jeff recounts his early days as a musician, his medical background, and his early successes in VO, including over $100k in income in his first year.  We talk about how Jeff is seeking to expand his VO exploits beyond the freelance and P2P sites, a sober assessment of agency representation, and his desire to break into video games while continuing to grow his business. Check out this week's episode!

This week, I'm chatting with Heather Dykes, an Instructional Designer from Springfield, IL.  (https://www.myhdlearning.com) We talk about Heather's early days in HR, and her early decision to get involved in designing training programs rather than delivering them. We delve into the following topics: - The rudiments of training on leadership development, systems, policies, and "training the trainers" on a multitude of topics; - What makes for good training and bad training; - The nexus between the design phase of the training and the delivery of the actual training; - The training workflow, from diagnosing needs, working with SME develop learning objectives, to L&D consultation, design, review, and finalization; - How Heather handles revisions and the process of fielding client feedback (VO people take note - specify the number of rounds of revisions in writing!) - General HR topics such as the much-talked-about "open door policy," and the post-pandemic future of remote/hybrid work. Check out this week's episode!

This week, I'm chatting with Emmanuel Macaulay Afemikhe, a Nigerian-based voice actor who runs the Voiceover Workshop (https://thevoiceoverworkshop.com).   We discuss how Emmanuel got his start in VO after a stint as a stage actor in Abuja, and how he channels his passion for training and teaching via the Voiceover Workshop, where he has trained over 300 voice over talents.  The training at the Voiceover Workshop encompasses not only voice acting, but also marketing and branding. Check out this week's episode!

This week, I'm chatting with Susie Valerio, a native Brazilian voice actress based in Brighton, UK.   Susie graduated in Drama, Film & TV from Brunel University, and she later completed a two-year Meisner Technique program with The Impulse Company in London.    Susie does VO in advertising, games, narration and animation, among other genres. We discuss the following topics: - How Susie got introduced to VO though workshops in London; - Susie's initial skepticism at finding Portuguese VO work in the UK;  - Susie's early days working in a casting studio, assisting with casting for commercials and film; - the appeal for and interest in "International English" voice over;  - why Susie loves working in commercial VO, and the thrill of live directed sessions; - the danger of overpreparing for an audition, as relayed through Susie's work in casting. Check out this week's episode!    

This week, I'm chatting with Michael Givens, a noted director and cinematographer, who started his career as a photographer in the fasion and music industries before progressing into film.  Michael has worked with such luminaries as Sir Ridley Scott, Stephen Frears, and Sean McNamara, among others.  Michael also runs the Michael Givens & Associates Acting and Film Institute, where he teaches the Lee Strasburg method with a touch of hypnosis. We discuss the following topics: Michael's recent work on an upcoming documentary called "Our Happy Land," a story of Jewish emigration to the US; How Michael prepares himself before shooting a film by intense research, which includes voraciously reading as many as 60 books; Michael's aversion to keeping up with trends and how that tendency can distract from focusing on good storytelling; The benefits of hypnosis for actors and non-actors; and Michael's worldwide travels shooting films and commercials, with a story on how he narrowly avoided going to jail while shooting a commercial in Vietnam. Don't miss this week's episode! Learn more about Michael: www.michaelgivens.com Check out Dan's voice over demos: www.danvoice.com              

This week, I'm honored to be joined by Paul Knowlton and Aaron Hedges, the authors of the book "Better Capitalism: Jesus, Adam Smith, Ayn Rand, and MLK Jr, on Moving from Plantation to Partnership Economics." We discuss the following points: The story of "Mr. X," and the propagation of old-style, top-down, plantation-style economics. Why the economy doesn't have to be a "zero sum game" in the tradition of Gordon Gekko, and why looking out for the interests of your customers and suppliers can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes; Why one of Jesus' most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount, is laced with economic instruction for both the rich and poor; Why Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" is often misunderstood as an unfettered endorsement of laissez-faire economics.  Paul and Aaron reveal what Smith had to say about the importance of functionality of the state; How to engage your ideological opposites on matters of partnership economics, and how to find a common ground centered around the almighty dollar. "Better Capitalism" is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Better-Capitalism-Plantation-Partnership-Economics-ebook/dp/B095JD4R9P/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=better+capitalism&qid=1667243247&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjc2IiwicXNhIjoiMS43NSIsInFzcCI6IjEuNjEifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=better+capitalism%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1 Thanks for checking out this week's episode!

This week, I have the great pleasure of talking to a fellow VO pro, Ferlon Webster Jr.  Ferlon is based in Detroit, MI, and got his start in the news business, doing videography, editing, and camera work.  Ferlon started doing voiceovers as part of his news gigs, but found out that he loved the craft of voice acting so much that he decided to make it his FT career. We talk about his love of eLearning, his preferred VO marketing methods, his home studio, the performance training he has sought, his early experiencs on P2P sites, and how he has gotten on eLearning VO rosters and continues to seek out eLearning work. Check out this week's episode!