The Voice Of Carl's Jr. And The Many Lives He Leads

By Keith Brunson

Music is a language unto itself. Phil Buckman knows that. The 52-year-old bass player from Queens that lives in Los Angeles has been in and out of bands all his life. And these days, it's "PETTY CASH."

At one time, it was Filter.

Music is the very core of his soul, and it's the desire that fuels his fire. "I was four or five years old when I decided I wanted to be a rockstar," says Phil "and discovering KISS," Phil explains that sort of ended all consideration as to the course his life would take.

Phil is also a voiceover artist for commercials, and you know his voice from the world-famous Carl's Jr ads.

Carl's Jr. TV ads feature Phil's voiceover work. 

"Voiceover has made a huge difference in my professional life and its' made up the majority of my income, even when I was a series regular on a network TV show," says Phil. His first ads were with Jack in the Box. So much for wood sheading. In the ad world, brands like that can take a lifetime to achieve. That…is where Phil started. He was discovered by casting director Elaine Craig (who happened to see him on a TV show and thought he'd be perfect for a Jack In The Box radio commercial she was casting) and Rick Sittig, founder of Secret Weapon Marketing & Radical Media.

Phil Buckman built a career in entertainment, including a lucrative "gig" as a voice-over actor.

Rick led Phil to Activision Extreme Sports games, including games for the great Tony Hawk, the skateboarder, and world-renowned Pro surfer Kelly Slater. This genre of voice work is Very specific. It's very hard to get. So, it says a lot about a voiceover artist if there doing this kind of thing. Now connect the music he plays to the genre he voices, and you'll have a clear understanding of who Phil Buckman is. I saw him in the movie "Hired Gun" 30 months ago, so I am familiar with who Phil is. But you're meeting him now.

Phil is a well-rounded artist. He's a musician, an actor, a photographer, and a voiceover artist. The hustle it takes to maintain a great lifestyle in LA sustains only the very best in the media world. Life inside the epicenter of entertainment is complex. The business requires that you not only be talented at the work, but you must have talented people who help you find the work. And that's how the agent/talent relationship contributes to life there. Phil is represented by Atlas talent. But it was his first agent Jeff Danis who opened doors for Phil. "He gave me my shot," says Phil.

"I auditioned every day," says Phil. "Every day that there is a chance, I'll read." Phil addresses this as an emphasis because constantly proving yourself is just part of it. It's about grinding out the talent in your heart to communicate to the entertainment public that you are relative. Phil first landed into the clutches of Carl's Jr in 2000.

Phil lends his voice talent to another Carl's Jr. ad.

He was empowered by Jordan Mendleson, the brainchild of the highly charged television campaign that used sex to sell hamburgers. Phil was the voice. It worked. “He understood the value of a voice's contribution to an ad campaign," says Phil. "He made me feel more than being "just a voice."

But the evolution of the home studio has augmented the production landscape. And sometimes in conditions even less. "I've recorded from the back of a tour bus before," Phil tells me. "I started, and things were set up in a studio format, and now, everything is done in the home." This new phenomenon has resulted in too many high-end artists competing for fewer high-paying gigs. "It is what it is," says Phil.

And with his wife, who writes pop music working, Phil also is involved in raising children. "We did plan the way it has occurred," he says. "We wanted to start a family right away and did." But as Phil tells me, "the high volume of commercial work that has been available in past years for union workers is way off from what it used to be." Phil's union SAG/AFTRA provides guaranteed rates and offers the elite artist benefits the non-union announcer is not privy to. This level of talent led to voice work with KNBC-TV in LA. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0118720/

If you're interested in becoming a person Like Phil, you can find out if you're right for the work. At The Voice Shop https://www.voiceshopcoaching.com, voice over classes are offered remotely to anyone anywhere or in-person in class in the New York City area. Voice classes are offered from beginner to expert. And there are specialty classes to perfect dialects accents, and everything is designed to help you identify where you fit in the voiceover world. The Voice Shop is a sister company of Creative Media Design in New York. https://www.cmdnyc.com   CMD offers translation in (80) different languages. When you become a student of The Voice Shop, you become exposed to the people who hire voice talent in the world of entertainment and production.

Phil is no longer a student. "I probably could learn something new, of course," he says. But with family life and professional life combined, when you're at Phil's level and still active, managing life becomes an art form in itself. As for life as a rock star, Phil is still active and still playing. And despite the changes in the entertainment landscape across the decades, music remains the driving force in his heart that fuels the fire for everything else. Some things never change.

Meet The Life-Long Student Of The Art Of Voice Over…Mr. Tim Phelan

By Keith Brunson

He’s a never-ending student of the art form of voice over. He is not training to get a booking. Tim Phelan has those - endlessly. But Tim, 55, who lives in Devon, Pennsylvania, is an artist who wants to keep improving, always keep learning, and always hire a coach to perfect his skill just one percent. You’ve heard Tim before, but you’ve never seen him until now. www.timphelanvo.com

Voice-over artist Tim Phelan has a familiar voice due to his successful voice acting career.

His forte’ is documentaries. But if you ask Tim what he REALLY likes to do, it’s storytelling. Here’s one of his hallmarks for PBS, called “The Ornament of the World.”

Watch and listen as Tim performs voice over for a documentary.

So, you’d think that if Tim is voicing documentaries, his style would be set, and very little could be learned. But that’s just not true. Despite his obvious success, Tim is a student of voice-over, and his journey has involved continuous instruction. This has made him the voice-over artist he has become, and he’s still learning new techniques. His interest in continuing education involves some of the best teachers in the business. And this is where it has led. The Discovery Science Channel’s documentary, “Silicone Valley, The Untold Story.”

Tim Phelan’s voice over skills are utilized in a Discovery Science Channel documentary.

Tim made the switch to the world of the voiceover artist in 2009 when he was laid off for the fifth time selling employee benefits when he came to admit, “I never had a passion for selling that stuff.” So, feeling washed up, he hired a coach for a one-time-only voice-over class that cost him $60. “He told me I’d have to engineer my voice and buy equipment, self-market myself, and I got VERY discouraged,” says Tim. “I had quit after one class.” But a week later, I felt like giving it ONE more try, and everything just clicked with that class from the same instructor.” This second class touched Tim’s heart, and he scheduled with that teacher repeatedly.

Since those early years, Tim has studied with some of the most accomplished teachers out there. Tim names several that are top of mind. “But in 1997, dreams of becoming a world-class athlete brought on a new attitude. “I was training with the best athletes in the world, but I lost that day, and I told my parents at the end of the race on that payphone behind me in the picture, “Time to get a “real” job.” But just like the runner that he was in 1997, getting voice-over jobs has its ups and downs.

Tim, during his time in training as an aspiring triathlete.

Becoming a voice-over artist does Not require a “great voice,” whatever that is. It requires that you’re able to tell a great story. If this story touches Your heart, you can find out all you’d ever want to know with Zero experience by contacting The Voice Shop www.voiceshopcoaching.com. There are entry-level classes, advanced, dialects; you name it. There are nine pro instructors, all of whom are active in the world of voice over themselves. Voice theory is not taught. Voice technique is the focus. And to call and ask questions costs nothing. And, if you do become a student, you then get access to the producers, casting directors, and agents that pull the strings. And you have no boss. You have no one telling you when to work and what to do. It’s all up to your level of interest. So, if you can imagine that you might like to become a voice-over artist, The Voice Shop can guide and direct you. Classes are held online or in person if you live in the New York City area.

As for Tim, today he’s most likely auditioning. And that’s how you get work. You learn where to go for auditions, typically during the morning, and calls come in shortly afterward. Tim is presently in a growth curve toward e-learning, corporate videos, and commercials. But the backbone of his foundation is his heavily educated talent. You’re no different. Because as first lady Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Life is what you make it. Always has been, Always will be.” Tim agrees.

The Creative Muse. The story of a voiceover artist and far more…

By Keith Brunson

Let me introduce you to “The Creative Muse.” She’s Sheryl Bernstein, and she IS an original. Trained and still active in voiceover, Sheryl is a believer, teacher, and certified coach in the law of attraction. For the uninitiated, that’s neuro-linguistic programming. And you recognize it if you’re mainstream as Tony Robbins. But the NLP movement is Not new. It’s been around thirty years before author Rhonda Bryne made the 2006 movie “The Secret.” It was made for $3.5 million, the film grossed $65 million, and that was 16 years ago. So, what was the big deal with this “secret?”

Rooted in the basic philosophy that you can be, do or have ANYTHING, my first experience with NLP was reading Napoleon Hill’s book “Think and Grow Rich.” Thereafter came Earl Nightingale with “The Strangest Secret in the World.” Mind focus and goal setting are the regiments of NLP, and it’s been going on for a very long time, yet it continues to be repackaged, rebuilt, and reprocessed. You’ve no doubt come across it in some form or another, whether it has been in the last month or many years ago. It teaches people how to have the life they want and to achieve that by not just thinking positively but by being enriched with the promise of the future by virtue of your mind. “I’m happy to be alive,” says Sheryl. “I can’t wait for tomorrow.”

Sheryl is an instructor and teacher of this mindset and believes that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. “Practicing the law of attraction is not just a way of thinking; it’s a way of being,” says Sheryl. “You can create anything you want, but you have to know how to apply the law.”

Sheryl Bernstein, “The Creative Muse,” is a teacher, coach, and voice-over actor.

This metaphysical concept is just part of what makes up the voiceover artist, author, and teacher who IS Sheryl Bernstein. “There’s a lot more to me than that,” says Sheryl. And much of her past encompasses doing not just voice work but standup comedy, mentoring, writing, and all things of which are creative. https://www.SherylBernstein.com. But if you love the world of creativity, part of that world does, in fact, include the world of taking a page and making it come to life with your voice using a microphone. And Sheryl’s been doing for so Very long; there’s no reason to create an accurate chronology because Bernstein does live in the world “Of Possibilities.”

Thinking “positive” and believing that there is nothing more to success than that; has its’ critics. But Zig Ziglar, a popular yesteryear positive thinking guru, once spoke of it as originating in the late 19th century though its’ technically been around for hundreds of years. Sheryl still advocates the law of attraction and sincerely believes “you attract what you are.”  So as this applies to Sheryl, she always wanted to become successful at the profession of presentation. That includes all things thought of as some form of show business nowadays. And because succeeding in the business of show is so exceedingly difficult, Sheryl has a permanent place on the positive thinking landscape. Although it was my Professor, John Carr from the University of Tennessee, who once said, “it would be easier to become a cardiologist than to get anywhere in broadcasting, movie-making or writing books.” John went on to say, “Those who can’t Do, TEACH, which is why I am here,” said the Professor, “Those who can’t Do, Teach.” (John Carr/1980) RIP.

The Professor may have felt he was right when he delivered that banter to me in 1977, but I believe in the power of possibilities myself. If you can “hold it in here (pointing to my head), I feel you can have it here. (gesturing to my clasped hand).” But I didn’t write that. Well-known Canadian self-help author Bob Proctor did. And Bob is still lecturing at 87. Bob is still living in the world of possibilities. And so is Sheryl. But both Sheryl and Bob, Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, and Esther Hicks all believe that if you think about it long enough, whatever it is you really want, you can manifest it into reality.

Sheryl helps others tap into the power of possibilities by offering coaching services.

If all of this is a little too “groovy” for you, then check the fruit on the tree. All these philosophers have one thing in common. They believe in creating your destiny, and you do it with your thoughts. And for the big dreamer who wants to be a voice in cartoons or the voice of an audiobook, you NEED strong support. It is no less different or complex than becoming a cardiologist, which is guaranteed if you interact collegially for (12) years following undergraduate. But the truth is, working in the voiceover business, in film making, in any form of creativity is a difficult science to master, but that’s one aspect of what The Voice Shop teaches.

 The Voice Shop, located in NYC, is where anyone can attend remotely or in-class and learn if they have the right stuff to become a voiceover talent. The curriculum is multi-layered from beginner to expert, and the fundamental reason it exists is to help talented people become who they want to be. The school is comprised of expert teachers who focus on your goals while you focus on their instruction. It’s a unique place of education that allows talented people to learn first-hand if they have the right stuff to succeed. It is not for everyone, but neither is a career as a heart surgeon. In fact, Sheryl herself, although not referring to The Voice Shop, explains it this way: “It’s all about mindset. It’s about a unique set of features to be confident.”

Voice coach Mike George guiding voice acting students at The Voice Shop in New York City.

So, if you have a unique dream that involves acting, singing, performing of any kind, you need to find your teacher, and you begin your journey with education with someone like Sheryl Bernstein or The Voice Shop itself. “It’s so easy to live in inspired action,” says Sheryl. “I’m a very happy person with students from England to Arizona.”  And if this resonates with you, consider this work as Your career. And in doing so, you’ll have an ah-ha moment that clicks. It may click to you. It may click away. And in doing so, as Sheryl puts it, “you can get out of your way.” Translation? You can find out if the thought in your head right now is a dream or a future reality. And that’s attractive.

Voice Over Trends for 2022

By Nate Myers

 2020 and 2021 were both incredibly disruptive to all trades. Voice Over was no exception. With the initial shocks long out of the way, here is our list of voice-over industry trends in 2022:

Remote Recording

The practice of recording from a home studio has become the new normal for many professional voice artists. In the past, professional studios were the standard with various equipment and recording devices to ensure the best take was captured, edited, and sent off. These days many studio artists have had to procure their recording equipment, soundproof a room or closet, and make a living from their home. We believe this trend will continue to entrench itself as the new normal in our industry.

 Angela Ohlfest, voice over recording actor in her home studio. See how she went from being a car dealer to becoming a voice-over artist working remotely:  http://www.voiceshopcoaching.com/blog/2022/1/19/i-was-a-car-dealer-now-im-a-voiceover-artist

Vodcasting Demand to Increase

With digital audio consumption at an all-time high, we will see an increase in the demand for Vodcasts. Many businesses and entrepreneurs have products and services that are much more extensive than a 30-60 second ad can cover. Vodcasts allow these businesses an infinite timeframe to explain the value they bring to the table and educate viewers about it.  https://www.cmdnyc.com/podcast-studio-recording

Authentic, Conversational Voice Over

The modern consumer is confronted with ads of all kinds throughout their day. One of the best ways to cut through the noise is to be authentic. Companies will continue to seek extremely authentic, genuine, and honest voice-over talent in their presentation. The days when only extremely deep or seductive voices dominated the market are long gone. Nowadays, and into the rest of this year, conversational voice over will take the lead.

Remote Learning Opportunities

Due to COVID swells in parts of the world, the ability to generate income from the comfort of your home has never been more important. Rather than attend an in-person class, many aspiring talents are looking to grow their voice over skillset at home. Remote training and learning opportunities will be significant for these future voice industry giants. http://www.voiceshopcoaching.com/

Equal Pay in Voice Over

For a long time now, voice over has been the great equalizer when it comes to pay for both male and female talent. VO jobs are paid based on intrinsic talent, effort, and experience. In a world struggling for equality, this is a significant trend that we hope will continue in 2022 and beyond.

Overall, we are extremely excited to see what the next year brings for the voice over industry.

The Man with No Plan

By Keith Brunson

In 1974, 22-year-old David Darby hitched a ride from Louisiana to San Francisco. He had $230.00 in his pocket. No one was expecting him, and he had no contacts in California. He had no plan.

Being a southerner myself, I can tell you that those who live in the south see California as the promised land. And since David was in Alabama and then Louisiana, nothing appealed more than makin’ the scene following the national exposure of the Haight-Ashbury counterculture scene of the Bay Area in the 60s. So, David took on life headfirst, and it made all the difference.

David had been raised in Montgomery, Alabama, where his Father worked in television and was heralded as a celebrity. David spent time watching his Father, and from that observance beginning at five years old, he set the stage for a life in the arts that continues today at 69 years old.

A young and observant, David Darby.

David is now a film and television producer and an A-list voiceover artist. And he did it all with no plan. No contacts. No idea what would happen. But instead of talking about it, he just did it. You may recognize this voice. Listen in.

David Darby’s voice overs and voice work are featured
in a wide range of mainstream media.

Unique to this vagabond was his interest in education involving his passion for the world of creation. “I went to college and took a lot of classes,” because as David explained it, “learning is how you advance your life.” That philosophy would make all the difference in the world and fed his healthy habit of loving vintage cars.

David became a vintage car enthusiast pursuing his passions.

His attendance at San Francisco State University in 1975 led to a job at Furman Films, where he learned all the skillsets of filmmaking. It was there he made his first film and had his girlfriend Jane, who became his wife, voice the narration. That professional contribution to his film led to a bond that has lasted ever since between them. But it didn’t keep the two anchored for very long at all. Both decided to travel the country for six weeks. Vagabond living. It became a central theme in David’s life. THAT and Jane, whom he married four years later. The honeymoon was in Paris, and it lasted for three weeks. So much for concerns about professional life, right?

David & Jane Darby living on the road enjoying the “vagabond” life.

In 1980, the two were on the road again. This time relocating to New York City, with, of course, no plan. But within three months, David was at ICM Films, and this is where things finally began to take shape in voiceover. But he’d also been able to become a writer, a producer, and a director. A renaissance man. By now, David could do every job, and he used that to his advantage. After all, in 1986, his son was born, and it became necessary to add structure to his life. That’s around the time when everything that had been clicking got moved up a notch. A big notch.

David in the sound booth during a voice-over recording.

By 1990, the allure of the announce booth took on a special meaning. ‘‘It allowed me to speak to the world, from the privacy of a small private room, and I loved it,” says David. “I was a product of my Dad, and Dad loved voice work, and we sounded identical.’’ 

From paint to airlines, SUV’s and credit cards, David Darby lends his voice to radio and TV commercials.

David then moved from voiceover to a serious career as a producer and director. And he’s still active. Along with a distinct group of superlatives, David remains one of the most dependable versatile talents of choice. He can write. He can voice. He can cast. He can direct. He can produce. And all of it came to be because of an influential Father whom he observed since childhood as someone to be just like. “I am a version of my Dad,” says David, “and he still affects my life each and every day.” David goes on to explain, “I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and it all began as I watched the life my Father led.”

And now, as yet another day rolls by, David lives in rural Connecticut. He works and still trains to remain up to date. His audio led to his directing career. And his life seems to be just like the kind of guy we’d all like to become. Not bad for a man with no plan.

The Voice Shop can help prepare you for a lucrative career in Voice Over, a rapidly growing 15 Billion Dollar industry. The Voice Shop is a voice-over coaching and education initiative. The Voice Shop’s mission is to establish and develop the skills necessary for you to succeed as a voice over professional. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, a wide range of voiceover classes, workshops, and private lessons are taught by esteemed industry veterans, both online and in person. The Voice Shop gives you the skills and industry-savvy knowledge of VO to take your career to the next level.
http://www.voiceshopcoaching.com/

I Was a Car Dealer – Now I’m A Voiceover Artist

By Keith Brunson

Imagine life as a car dealer. From sales to finance, all the jobs within it. All the customer deception. All the “noise” of daily operations. Now imagine you’re in that environment, and you’re a woman. Now imagine you’re a woman in the car business, and you stay in it for twenty years. Such was the case of Angela Ohlfest. “I love cars,” says Angela. “I do, but selling cars to people, well, that’s another thing.”

Angela pictured a red sports car in the high-pressure car dealership environment.

It was only a couple of years ago that Angela inhabited that world. Pressure to sell. Pressure to sell up. Pressure that yesterday’s success was null and void by the dawn of the next day. “You’re only as good as the day before, making Any day possibly your last without Any warning,” Angela comments, and “all of the signs were there that it was time to leave, so…I did.”

 Angela was unhappy with the pressures of working at a car dealership.

Now 45 and living in Scottsdale, Angela has completely reinvented her life as a voiceover artist, and it’s an entirely new world. There IS no pressure because there is no team. There is no supervision, and there is no boss. What’s there IS you. You and your creativity. That resonated for Angela, and so she reinvented her life in the world of voiceover artistry. Her specialty is in long-form delivery of content, emphasizing audiobooks. So, in the last two years, Angela has recorded over (90) titles. And this is unheard of. https://www.voiceoverangela.com

Her operation is a simple remote voice over home studio, using the Sennheiser 416 and computer recording software for editing and equalization. “I don’t know why things are working so well because I don’t think of myself as special,” she says. But tell that to almost a hundred authors, and you might get a different reaction. “I like being their voice and helping that self-publishing author get heard.”

Angela also teaches and mentors on-coming talent “because I wanted to provide the help that I couldn’t get when I started.”  This teaching mechanism covers everything a beginner needs to learn to become a voiceover artist. And that interest began because I love to read.

Angela enjoys reading and taking time to learn.

Oddly or not, Angela is very inward. “I’m a complete introvert,” she says, “and here in this little studio, it’s just me and the words,” and in that environment, Angela feels confident and happy.

Her T-shirt merchandise says it all. “I talk to myself in a padded room all day and get paid for it.”  Voiceover gives her a sense of security that the dealership business never did. And it provides her with a sanctuary. “Absolutely an introvert. I work alone. I think alone, and I am alone.”

Angela is happy in her “sanctuary,” the in-home voice-over studio.

When you work in a car dealership, every day is about selling more cars. So how did she do it? “I don’t really know,” she says, “but when the signs appear to you that it’s time to leave, you leave…and I did, and no one seemed to care

However, In her New life, everyone cares, and she teaches and mentors others to become who they want to be. She is, in fact, a voice talent that is in demand. She’s found a place where people express themselves, and your emotions matter to everyone. Because it is That emotion that drives the effort behind the people in the audiobook industry. “I do love cars, but I have found a way to keep that love without working in it.”

Angela Ohlfest found her way into a successful voice over career.

So, whether you work in retail or molecular biology, if your life experience in the working world isn’t offering you that big emotional payoff, look at Angela’s life, and maybe you can find Your way out.

The Voice Shop can help prepare you for a lucrative career in Voice Over, a rapidly growing 15 Billion Dollar industry. The Voice Shop is a voice-over coaching and education initiative. The Voice Shop’s mission is to establish and develop the skills necessary for you to succeed as a voice over professional. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, a wide range of voiceover classes, workshops, and private lessons are taught by esteemed industry veterans, both online and in person. The Voice Shop gives you the skills and industry-savvy knowledge of VO to take your career to the next level. http://www.voiceshopcoaching.com/

The Story of Lia Perretti

By Keith Brunson

The leadership behind the workflow at Creative Media Design (CMD) is Lia Perretti. When you hire CMD, you're hiring Lia Perretti. And you're hiring a lifelong journey in the field of creative media that Lia decided upon early on.

Lia Perretti, Head of Production at Creative Media Design in New York City. https://www.cmdnyc.com/

Lia was born into the business. Her Father, Jim Perretti, was an award-winning creative director in the advertising agency business, and this translated to Lia following in her Father's footsteps. "He made my eyes open up to the world of creativity as a child, and it stuck," says Lia. While watching her Father lead and direct national commercials, Lia got the bug and still has it.

"I worked as Dad's stylist and production coordinator in the beginning, and I just loved the atmosphere and creativity that was all around me," she says. Lia was a natural in this business, and without hesitation, enrolled in the visual arts program at The School of Visual Arts https://www.sva.edu and then went on to graduate from Lynn University in Boca Raton. https://www.lynn.edu

Creative Media Design delivers voice-over work in (80) different languages and advertising services for Target, USTA, Schneider Electric, and GSK, to name a few. So, when you need a media organization to help you market your company, be it translations or production, marketing services, or what have you, Lia is your first point of contact. She's the Director of Production.

But Lia didn't just walk into CMD. Lia spent years in the ad agency business, learning how to put voice productions together. Starting in 1996, she was a production assistant at Pubicis Kaplan Thaler. So, Lia began at the bottom of the totem pole in production. She did not get special treatment because of her Father. For the uninitiated, the production coordinator is the person that is asked to do everything that others do not want to do. And that includes getting coffee and buying office supplies. Translation? Lia started at the bottom and literally "worked" her way up. That's a unique distinction for an advertising legacy. She sidestepped no job. She spent her early years devoted to the jobs that came along the way.

In 1998, Lia went to work as an assistant producer Lowe Bozell McAdams. She spent three years developing radio and television for Bank of America, The New York Times, Bausch & Lomb, and Jergens. Her contribution to the agency is hallmarked by becoming instrumental in winning the account of Jergen's skin lotion. If you are unaware, getting that skincare product as a client got Lia noticed.

Lia moved into a career at Havas worldwide, the fifth-largest agency globally, and oversaw the production of a 500-person organization. It was here that Lia got heavily involved in large-scale campaigns in film production from script to screen. From Volvo to Intel, Lia was involved in the explosion of the Blue Man Group and its contribution to pop culture.

Lia Perretti with The Blue Man Group

"That was a career highlight and serves to this day as a memorable experience that still remains a very fond memory," says Lia. "I knew this was a defining moment in my career, and we filmed in London." The commercial would air internationally and become a true hit with the television viewing public globally. "I'll never forget it."

In 2004, Lia would migrate to yet another famous ad agency, McCann Erickson. Many ad agencies in New York determine a person's production standard in advertising, and this shop is at the very top. It was there that she'd oversee major client accounts of Exxon, Kohl's, and the highly notable account of Verizon Wireless. During this period, Lia was the centerpiece of the entire production department. Practically every piece of communication that involved making the advertising product passed through Lia. This would set her up for a self-assured career, unlike any of her experience beforehand. She traveled to Australia to shoot the Kohl's account. She interfaced with the client and the technicians to bring the product to screen and set the stage for a lifetime of constant achievements.

In 2010, Lia would venture into freelance producing. Freelancing is where you invent every job you do. There is no supervision, no one to report to. You INVENT your jobs from one to the other. It's a unique period for the producer because what you create is what you become. And that's when Lia got involved with the cause of Breast Cancer and the philanthropy surrounding the disease. During this phase, Lia would get involved in the Avon Foundation for Women Breast Cancer Walk. Once again, Lia was the person that put the project together and made what the writers wrote an actual on-screen reality.

In 2019, Lia joined Creative Media Design. And as has always been the case, Lia serves as the glue to hold the entire production together. If you like the work, it's Lia's credit. Because although we often think of the life of a producer as strictly executive work, the opposite is true for Lia. She casts, oversees, communicates with the client, and delivers the end product. And all of this began because of her Father's influence. Her Dad led her into the field, and she remained in the field. It brings to the forefront the title of the popular television series from 1954 on CBS starring Robert Young, "Father Knows Best." And if you asked Lia right now, she'd affirm that show title to ring true.

Can I Do Voice Over?

In this article, we want to address whether you (yes, you, the one reading) could make money doing voice-over! But first, let's set the stage:

 Voice over is an over 15-billion-dollar industry. It's huge! Commercials, Radio Ads, Podcasts, you name it. The demand from companies for voice talent has never been greater. Before the pandemic, many of the best voice actors rented or owned a professional recording studio. They could go into the studio and record their voice with the highest quality equipment. This process had long been the industry practice. However, as with most things, March 2020 changed all that.

 These days, most if not all voiceovers are recorded from home. The equipment and recording quality you get from Amazon or Sweetwater products like microphones, soundproofing, audio interfaces, etc., is professional grade. Existing and new voice talent alike have purchased the necessary equipment to make a living from home. Using their voice. We have several relevant blogs if you are interested in this process or the specific equipment needed:

 Getting Started in Voice Over

You Can Do This Voice Over Job from Anywhere

Long story short: You can get excellent quality recordings from your own home from a small investment of $500-$1,000, depending on which equipment you choose. This investment may seem like a steep cost to enter the industry, but it's relatively affordable compared to starting your own business, getting patents, physical location rental, etc. And with that small investment, you're set to start making money with your voice!

But can YOU do this? Yes! Absolutely! You can! When most people think of the "ideal voice-over voice," you probably think of someone with a deep voice like Morgan Freeman, or an attractive voice or a radio voice. This common perception is totally wrong. Companies these days aren't trying to impress you with a fantastic voice. They want someone that sounds relatable, real, human. Can you be those things? Of course, you can!

Voice actors (from left to right), Kelly Wilson, Mike McGonegal, and Mary Catherine,

create voiceovers from their home studios in locations across the USA.

Mike George is one of our Industry Expert Coaches who teaches in-person and remote classes for The Voice Shop. His overall focus is "Be Authentic." During his classes, he helps identify the characteristics that make you unique and helps enhance those bits of you. It's a thoroughly enjoyable process that also prepares you to take steps into the Voice Over Industry! We have class offerings for everyone, advanced, intermediate, or even beginners. Our Fundamentals of Voiceover class is a popular favorite, and we highly recommend giving it a try!

 Voice coach Mike George provides voice acting instruction at The Voice Shop in New York City.

We have students from all walks of life, all age groups, and all demographics. Voice acting at this point is like the great equalizer. Everyone has a chance to succeed and begin making money, regardless of how your voice sounds. Isn't that a novel concept? It's true, though!

If you have any questions such as "How do I know which class to take?" "How can I connect with talent agencies?" or "How can I improve from where I am now?" you should schedule a free consultation with us! Send an email to: info@voiceshopcoaching.com and ask to set up a time with Jessica, our Director of Education.

Jessica can help you identify where you stand and what steps to take next in your journey to redefining "work."