Claim OwnershipThe VOHeroes Podcast
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Voice over is a heroes' journey. Make it your journey. Actor, voice talent and storytelling coach David H. Lawrence XVII takes you on a journey each episode into the art, commerce, science and mindset of voice over as a performing art, and as a profession and business. Presented by VOHeroes.com.
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Hey there, hero! Ever notice how some people look at acting, voice over or writing and think it’s a snap… …and not that hard to do? I had an aunt that would make snide comments like “Oh, I could do that. Who would think that’s so difficult?” She would say that phrase to make others feel small. And, likely, to try and make herself feel better about herself…and her life choices. In this episode, we’re going to look at just how hard being an artist can be… …and how the best at their craft make i...
Hey there, hero! To get from here to there, to move forward (or even, sometimes, backwards), we need to be in a state of motion. Not standing still, but rather moving toward our goal. That sometimes takes bravery. Like when you were first behind the wheel in driver’s ed class (for those of you who grew up in NYC, you’re excused - we’ll see you next time). Pure terror. But you got moving. And that’s what you need to do to “figure it out as you go,” as opposed to the perceived safety of not mov...
Hey there, hero! The Broadway actor André De Shields has quietly made a stunning career out of performing on one of the most exclusive sets of stages in the world, and although he’s a Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony-award winning actor, he’s not a household name… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/André_De_Shields …but De Shields’ recently-publicized three rules of life ought be memorized and put to use by everyone. Who knows? They might make the world a whole lot better of a place to be. After you hear t...
Hey there, hero! Permanence. Import. Outcomes. Results. We make lots of decisions, and we talk a lot about the size of those small, medium and large decisions - but another way of looking at them is…permanence. The long lasting results of all those decisions, if any. The effectiveness of a decision that makes for real change. But instead of size, what about potency? What about import? What about the long-term permanence of your decisions? I found a really awesome way of looking at the effect ...
Hey there, hero! Math. Some people love it, and some people scratch their head over it. But this particular math concept is simple: distance is distance, no matter how much time it takes. In a race, the fastest contestants usually win. But the work we pursue and reach for? It’s not a race. So there’s no medal for getting there faster. In fact, it might be better to take your time: you’ll miss less. You might even enjoy the run a bit more. But you have to be at peace with the fact that it’s no...
Hey there, hero! Looking back at when you were just starting out with something can be heartwarming and lovely as you reflect on how far you’ve come. Or, it can be regretful and cringeworthy, as you think about the rookie mistakes you might have made. My answer was a simple one - I spent too much on very expensive potential solutions: on gear, software, courses - and I doubt I was ready for any of it, because I didn’t have the preparation needed to understand how to benefit from some of those...
Hey there, hero! Sometimes, the most casual comments can be the most powerful. The moments of conversation that are the least charged can sometimes be monumental. I had one of those moments in a recent co-working session with Coach Trevor Algatt (long time collab and member of the VOHeroes and Narrate Your Own Book coaching squad). And I have a sneaking suspicion that what he had to say (about a...bag) might just land with a bang for you as well. What’s been the most casual takeaway from a co...
Hey there, hero! We’re a few years in on the AI onslaught. No doubt, you have had thoughts on this, both as an artist and as a lover of art. And, I’d be surprised if your thoughts haven’t changed and become more informed and nuanced over the years. I’d love to know what those thoughts currently are. Scroll down and let me know how you currently view AI and synthetic media when it comes to your work as an artist…as well as your enjoyment and consumption of art. Some thought starters: - D...
Hey there, hero! So there’s that thing you don’t want to do. That task that seems insurmountable, that conversation that seems uncomfortable, that project that seems confusing and messy. So you put it off. What do you tell yourself to justify your procrastination? It’s OK…sometimes there’s a really good reason to delay things. And sometimes…there’s just avoidance. And maybe, even fear. What are the different common things you tell yourself? How does your reasoning change, and stay healthy? Le...
Hey there, hero! Along the lines of what I've mentioned in the past, the rules change as our journey progresses, a hiker once said a version of the title of this episode. The scenery is going to be different as you move through your trek. The same thing happens for us as writers, actors and voice talent. You start off with a set of rules and scenery as a beginner that will be very different from the set of rules and scenery you'll be following and see as you get better and better at what you ...
Hey there, hero! Sometimes, it’s not just A or B, one or the other. You can often be presented with and virtually frozen in place by a stunning and varied array of options in life, and if you’re confused by all the choices, that overwhelm can be paralyzing. We can spend so much time trying to be safe…to be correct…to make no mistakes. And that can lead to not making any choice at all. Think of all the things you might have missed in life by inaction, the interesting twists and turns your life...
Hey there, hero! “Return to the breath.” It’s a common phrase that helps you get back to your center when you’re meditating or doing any sort of calming technique. We self correct when driving as well - watching the wheel, making gentle movements on the wheel to stay in our lane. And we can use this minor adjustment technique in other areas in life, including staying on task as we move through the day, and staying gracefully focused on our task list… …as opposed to all the email/social media/...
Hey there, hero! I just want to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am to be a part of your journey, and to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of your storytelling support crew. That’s pretty much it. I’m just thankful. And here’s a link to Kindra Hall’s Stories That Stick (I highly recommend this audiobook - she’s amazing and will also make you a better storyteller): https://amzn.to/45s4yrg Thoughts on all this? Let me know in the comments below. REQUEST: Please join...
Hey there, hero! There can be a big difference between taking action, and hurting yourself by jumping to a reaction without really thinking it through. And there’s a difference between rushing to some action…any action…and taking just a moment to consider your options. Delta and AMEX and a couple who couldn’t wait to post with righteous indignation on Reddit are prominently featured in this episode. I don’t think they thought things through before their “bias for action” moment. What is your ...
Hey there, hero! Ever been asked to upload a perfectly square image as your profile pic? Sure you have, if you’ve created your profile on, say, ACX.com. The problem is that you’re usually working from a portrait-shaped headshot, that is usually taller than it is wide…definitely NOT square. So, you have to crop a section of just your face. And if you don’t get it just right, ACX will force the image to be square, and your face will get squished. No one wants a squished face. Here’s how to crop...
Hey there, hero! Unless you count the awards shows and box office (unfairly) as some sort of barometer of our success (please don’t), there really isn’t any sort of leaderboard or all-star ladder for creatives. Even best-seller lists only judge what’s selling well, not what’s the highest artistic quality. It’s not a race, right? We tell ourselves (and I tell you from time to time) it’s not a competition. We’re all pulling in the same direction, and helping each other. And yet, we look at our ...
Hey there, hero! Sometimes I feel like my cup overfloweth. There’s no end to what you can learn about our business, and our world, and life. And there’s more knowledge flowing in all the time. Do you have the energy to stay on top of things? Or are you good? Is your bandwidth stretched to the limit? Where are you on the “new knowledge” scale? Are you over the whole adding to your personal knowledgebase thing?? Let me know in the comments below. REQUEST: Please join this video's conversation a...
Hey there, hero! The story of life is filled with dependencies, with our journey being affected by the challenges in our lives. And when we think about how our situation might be better if we weren’t this or that or the other thing (the grass is always greener, isn’t it?), we can make arbitrary assumptions about how our challenges are so…challenging. And we need to remember that we get to choose to have these challenges (or not), and ya kinda have to live with your choices. There’s no sense i...
Hey there, hero! As if we don’t have enough things in the world today, helping us move toward the anxious end of the scale, and away from the calm end, right? Here’s a simple way to combat that. I was reminded of this approach by the teachers of The Anxiety Toolkit, a free course I’m currently taking that is offered by The Entertainment Community Fund. Hope this helps. If you’ve tried this, was it effective? Other ways you know of to ease the unease? Let me know in the comments below. REQUEST...
Hey there, hero! Every new advance (decline?) in the development of new AI tools can lead to more and more anxiety for performers. It can also lead to more options for our performance careers. This episode is designed to take a look at both the threat and the promise of AI and synthetic voices and faces in 2025. (If you’re watching this episode just a few months after it was published, this is all likely old news…but how to handle it as an actor, VO talent or writer is not.) Thoughts on AI? Q...
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