Getting Started In Voice Acting: Mastering Your Voice Technique, Reading & Recording
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Voice Acting 101: What You Need to Know to Get Started
Voiceover work is a hot and highly in-demand job for creatives, and one that keeps growing. From audiobooks to animated features and series, to advertisements, voiceover for the visually impaired, and so much more, there are endless possibilities and ways to make income! If you’re an creative looking to stretch your horizons and talents, it’s definitely an area you’ll want to learn and get into. Plus, you can often work from anywhere in the world! One of the challenges facing voice actors starting out though, is not knowing where to start. There are so many factors that go into having a successful voice acting career, but building a strong foundation and learning the basics is a must if you want to get anywhere. You’ve been using your voice your whole life, but do you really know how to use your voice? What happens during a recording session? There are a few things every voice actor must learn before getting started, and we’ve got a veteran voice actor to teach you all you need to know! Van Gunter has been a Cannes Gold Lion award-winning voice actor for over 20 years and co-owns Boutwell Studios, a Post Production Audio Facility. Boutwell produces commercials for television, does custom sound design for video or motion pictures, original music scoring for jingles or soundtracks, and works on specialized projects, such as ADR, podcasts or radio dramas. He’s voiced for NASA, Valvoline, BBVA Bank and Pandora, among many others. Van is a true voice over professional and is excited to share his years of experience with the Stage 32 community. You will leave this webinar with an overview of how to prepare your voice, how to work with a voice script and know how to explore your career options.
Create Your Own IP: How to Adapt Your Existing Script into a Podcast as Proof of Concept
A Writer/Director/Producer Who Has Worked With Dreamworks, Disney, Warner Bros. and Paramount and Who Produced His Own Podcast Based On A Script He Wrote Shows You How The world of podcasts has exploded and become an industry to be reckoned with. Over 125 million Americans listen to podcasts on at least a monthly basis, and individual shows can have millions of fans. We’re not just talking about nonfiction works like SMARTLESS or CRIME JUNKY; fiction podcasts are also thriving as more writers are turning to the audio medium to tell incredible stories. An art form in its own right, podcasts have also become a proving ground for stories to be adapted for television or movies. Shows like THE DROPOUT, WECRASHED, and THE THING ABOUT PAM would never have been greenlit or aired if they didn’t first find success and a fan base in podcast form. There might not be a better time than now to adapt your feature screenplay to the podcast medium. If you've had difficulty gaining attention for your screenplay, turning it into a podcast and attracting an audience may provide proof of concept for your story to move it to a show or feature. This type of intellectual property is golden. Adapting your screenplay, of course, easier said than done. Writing for audio is a very different process than writing for a film or TV. Podcasts are written to be experienced as real time events, which is entirely different from a feature or TV script. A good podcast must paint a picture with only words and sounds and be paced to pull a listener in despite any distractions around them. It must also be structured into short episodes that defy traditional film or TV act structure. So, how do you turn 100 pages of a script into a multi-episode podcast? How does writing character or story arcs change when adapting your feature script to multiple episodes? Having a better understanding of what goes into a great comedy, drama, or genre podcast and the rules and expectations that come with this unique format can position you for success in telling your story and finding an audience. Mike Disa is currently the director of the highly praised Netflix show Paradise PD and has been working in the industry, both in television and features, for two decades. With no film training or knowledge of the byzantine workings of the entertainment business, he eventually found success and has worked with studios such as Dreamworks, Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and many others. Over a fascinating career, Mike has worked with some of the greatest and most infamous people in Hollywood including Steven Spielberg, Eric Goldberg, Ralph Bakshi, Glenn Close, Steve Oedekerk, David Tennant, Amy Poehler, Adam Sandler, Jeffery Katzenberg and Roy Disney. Always an innovator, Mike recognized the interesting time right now for developing material based off of IP and took it upon himself to adapt his feature script SENTINELS: POINT OF NO RETURN into a 12-part podcast series, which is now produced. Having recently gone through the experience Mike is excited to share his approach and his lessons learned writing the adaptation exclusively with the Stage 32 community. Mike will walk you through the nuts and bolts of writing a fiction podcast and give you the tools you’ll need to adapt your long form script into this new medium. He’ll begin by discussing what the state of podcasts looks like today, including what kinds of podcasts are possible and the different formats of fiction podcasts that people are writing and which ones are currently popular. He’ll then delve into how to approach your podcast adaptation and which things you should decide on from the outset. This includes deciding on the format that will work best for your story, how to adapt your writing style to short form when you’re used to writing features or television, and whether you will use a narrator or go full “radio play”. He’ll also give you tips on how to plan for sound while starting to write. Mike will next go into detail on breaking your long form story into multiple short form episodes. He’ll give you tips on extending your story and show you where to put episode breaks within it. He’ll go over building tension between episodes between episodes and what goes into good cliffhangers on podcasts. He’ll also talk about how to avoid needing recaps between episodes. Next Mike will spend time talking about other writing challenges that come with this format, including how to paint a picture in audio form without creating awkward dialogue, the process of holding on to your subplots without your storytelling getting choppy, and how to use your first episode to grab your audience. He’ll also offer tips of how to give your characters separate voices. Finally, Mike will use his own podcast SENTINELS: POINT OF NO RETURN, which was originally written as a feature, to illustrate the process of adapting for podcasts. He’ll even share samples of both the feature and podcast versions of the SENTINELS script. If you’re excited about podcasts, curious about writing your own or adapting your feature script into one and don’t even know where to begin, start here. Praise for Mike's Stage 32 Webinar: FIVE STARS FOR MIKE!!! He is super-awesome! Can't wait for the next session. -Robert S. "Mike Disa is definitely one of the best. He provided advice that is actionable." -Martin R. "I loved how engaging Mike was. It felt like he was genuine and addressing each of us almost individually. I have honestly never had a better Stage32 experience!" -Elle C. "It was great to hear from Mike. What a professional and what great advice from someone who knows the business and the craft of writing for podcasts." -Mary S.
How To Write Characters A-List Actors Will Want To Play
If you’re an independent filmmaker, one key part to getting your film greenlit will probably involve casting recognizable talent for your lead role(s). Whether it’s as a condition for financing, or a means to attract financing, you need to have written a part that top talent will want to play. It’s not enough to have a great concept, you need to have great characters. In this exclusive Stage 32 Next Level Webinar we are going to unpack what makes a character compelling, what actors look for in a role, tips for your writing or rewriting process, and common mistakes to avoid. The goal is to give you the tools to assess your protagonist (and perhaps your antagonist) and make them the kind of roles top talent will be eager to play. To help you on your journey is Claudia Myers who is a writer, director and producer who has worked on nearly 2 dozen films. Recently she wrote and directed ABOVE THE SHADOWS on Hulu which stars Megan Fox, Jim Gaffigan, Olivia Thirlby and Alan Ritchson. She also wrote, directed and produced FORT BLISS starring Michelle Monaghan and Ron Livingston and KETTLE OF FISH starring Mathew Modine and Gina Gershon which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. You will walk away feeling confident that the characters on your page will grab the interest of the top talent you envision playing them.
Actors: How To Know if a Rep Is Right For You
All actors want representation. It’s often the first step actors take in their careers. After all, agents and managers are the ones that are connected to the industry. They know who is casting and where the auditions are, and they’re positioned to help you succeed—at least in theory. Many reps are incredible allies and partners for actors and transform careers for the better, but not all are created equal. Some reps unfortunately don’t carry their weight and fail to champion a client—sometimes they’re not as connected and in-the-know as they suggest, sometimes they might not be as invested in you as they should be. It can be common for actors in this position to blame themselves for lack of opportunities, even if the fault lies out of their control. But having a bad rep doesn’t mean you’re untalented and it doesn’t mean you can’t make it in the industry; it just means it’s time to recognize where the problem lies and to take back your own power. And, if you've decided to go without a rep, it's important to know that you have the power to move the needle on your career. Many actors will sign with an agent or manager immediately because they feel it is better to be represented than have no rep at all. However, it’s important to make sure you and your rep have the same goals for your career and that you both will do what needs to be done to get those goals accomplished. If that’s not in the cards, it’s time to make a change. Every actor should first and foremost consider themselves their own representative—managers and agents will inevitably come and go throughout your career, but you will always need to be your best advocate. It’s therefore critical to understand, as your own representative, when the people in your corner are really in your corner, and when perhaps there is more you can do as an actor to find more success. When making these difficult decisions, remember that an actor’s world doesn’t start and stop with their rep; there is so much you can do before signing, after, and in between. It’s time to understand how to take control of your own career and hold both yourself and your representative accountable (if you have one). Elizabeth Guest is an actor, writer, director and producer based in Los Angeles and has appeared on Netflix's REAL ROB, the Emmy-winning CALIFORNICATION, NBC'S A.P. BIO, CBS's THE MENTALIST and more. She attended USC's School of Cinematic Arts and has spent the past few years writing and performing her own material. She has put up numerous plays at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater, one of which, called NICE GIRLS, was eventually turned into a digital series by Funny or Die. She also wrote/directed/produced and starred in the digital series GUEST APPEARANCES which won the Best Scripted Digital Series Jury Award at Austin Film Festival and the Best Short Form Jury Award at the Nashville Film Festival. She was named by Moviemaker Magazine as one of the "25 Screenwriters to Watch." Season one and season two of GUEST APPEARANCES will soon be streaming on FICTO. She has two feature films that are currently in post production. Elizabeth is a big believer in creating her own opportunities and is ready to inspire actors in the Stage 32 community to do the same. Elizabeth will draw from her own experience to teach you how to find your own power as an actor and how to know when to leave a rep that isn’t doing their job. She’ll begin by going over the roles and expectations of both managers and agents, what the differences are between the two, what an ideal agent and manager look like, and what a beneficial relationship between a rep and an actor should feel like. She’ll also discuss the separation of responsibilities that are standard between reps and actors. She’ll then talk about what to how to know when your rep isn’t doing their job. She’ll give you 6 red flags to keep a lookout for with your rep to determine if they might not be holding their end of the bargain. She’ll also share five things you should be asking yourself as a self check-in to make sure you’re doing all you can before blaming your rep. Elizabeth will teach you strategies you should try with your rep to repair the relationship and will give you tips on when to know it’s finally time to leave. Next, she will discuss the proper way to end your relationship with a manager and how to understand the legal aspects to avoid complications. Elizabeth will give you the tools and wherewithal to move forward with your career after leaving your manager or agent, including creating your own opportunities and finding ways to get yourself discovered without outside help. Finally, Elizabeth will explain what it means to take back your own power, how to craft the career you want and focus on the work to achieve your goals independently. It’s so important for actors in this industry to feel empowered and know their worth, and Elizabeth will give you the tools to do just that. Praise for Elizabeth's Stage 32 Webinar: "Liz was informative and inspirational! Great ideas about content creation!" -Bill H. "Elizabeth is terrific, and inspiring. Plus she is experienced and knowledgeable" -Dede R.
A Step-By-Step Guide To Making A Made For TV Movie
Plus! You'll receive a 9-Act Lifetime Movie Breakdown, The Screenplay and Shooting Schedule for the made-forTV movie THE PREACHER'S SIN and more! Many filmmakers think the only pathway to a career as a writer or director is to get their indie film into Sundance or become a TV episodic director. But there’s another pathway into the industry that filmmakers often overlook– Made for TV Movies. Stalking. Kidnapping. Murder. These are just some of the ingredients of the Made for TV recipe. But what sets a great TV thriller apart from not-so great ones? What’s the difference between writing movies for television vs. big screen? What budgets should you consider when writing a Made for TV movie? All of these questions and more will be answered in this exclusive Stage 32 webinar hosted by Michelle Mower. Michelle is the acclaimed writer, producer and director whose work includes Lifetime's highly rated movie THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER, starring Andrea Bowen (“Desperate Housewives”), A WOMAN BETRAYED, THE PREACHER’S SIN, WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER?, and the dark teen comedy THE NEVER LIST, starring Fivel Stewart, Jonathan Bennett and Booboo Stewart. You'll learn the types of stories and/or genres that television networks are buying and how to pitch your TV movie or screenplay to a network and to streamers like Netflix, HULU or Tubi. You'll cover business models including selling to a U.S. broadcast network to retain international rights? How casting plays a hand in getting these movies sold. And so much more. The market is hot for TV movies, but developing these movies can be challenging because you want to ensure your story includes all the elements that make a TV movie successful without being too paint-by-numbers formulaic. This course will take you through the process of developing, writing and producing Made for TV movie that will sell. Plus! Michelle will give out exclusive handouts to help you in developing and writing your made for TV Movie! Downloads include: Screenplay for "THE PREACHER'S SIN" Shooting Schedule for "THE PREACHER'S SIN" One Sheet for "THE PREACHER'S DAUGHTER" 9 Act Lifetime Movie Breakdown Official Synopsis for "A SISTER'S DEADLY PLEDGE" Praise For Michelle's Teaching “Michelle’s screenwriting workshop offered insights and techniques that helped me write better screenplays. Her class changed my life and gave me courage to go for my dream.” Stacy N. "This was wonderfully detailed and thorough. The presenter (Michelle Mower) was well organized, and easy to follow. It was rather thrilling to listen to someone who is not only knowledgeable but also wears so many hats! Once again, Stage 32, you've delivered a winner." -Crispin L.
How to Build a Successful Career in the Horror Industry
The world of independent horror is like no other arena in the film industry. The appetite for new horror films is strong, consistent, and seemingly endless, as always-hungry audiences continue to seek out new titles. As a result, hundreds of horror films are made each year and the market itself is incredibly profitable. Yet in such a saturated market and with such a volume of horror films being released, it can be very hard to stand out. After all, out of hundreds of horror films, there are always only a couple BABADOOKs or GREEN ROOMs that have real staying power. A lot of people are able to work in the horror space, but staying in and thriving can be a lot more difficult. The challenge lies in figuring out what you can do to make your project and your work stand out. The independent horror film industry can be a difficult world to navigate, fraught with unique challenges and hurdles. Rules and trends that apply to the film industry on a larger scale can often differ when zoomed into just horror. It’s important, then, for filmmakers interested in the independent horror space to understand this market specifically and better operate within it. How do you get meetings, get your work read, create a name for yourself, and get attention? How can you create projects and own your craft to continue to work within the constantly changing space of horror cinema? The horror world does have plenty of obstacles, but there are many steps you can take at any level of your career to get ahead of the curve. Rebekah McKendry was the Editor-in-Chief for Blumhouse Productions as well as the Director of Marketing for Fangoria Entertainment. She is also currently a co-host of Blumhouse’s award-winning Shock Waves Podcast (along with Ryan Turek, Blumhouse's VP of Development) and host of Fangoria’s Nightmare University Podcast. Rebekah now serves as a professor in the renowned University of Southern California’s Cinematic Arts Department, specializing in directing and the horror genre. There are few people in the world who understand the world of horror filmmaking better than Rebekah, and she’s excited to share what she knows exclusively with the Stage 32 community. Rebekah will explore how to understand trends and tastes in horror, changes in distribution models and budgets, and how you can prepare for a long career. She will begin with a brief history of independent horror cinema, focusing on how horror tastes have evolved, how the genre has developed, what sort of trends have been created, how distribution models have changed, and social issues and problems that have come along with it. She’ll then delve into the current horror film market. She’ll outline the key players who are producing notable horror films and discuss the successful budget ranges that we are seeing right now. Rebekah will go over the production models that are being used in the horror space, including the conventional “studio” model, as well as the Blumhouse model. Next she’ll get into the microbudget film, what that looks like and what you have to maintain for it to work. Rebekah will then talk about distribution and how to navigate this part of the industry. She’ll teach you about the contemporary trends in horror films, outlining what’s popular and why, and what might be coming in the future. She’ll discuss the specific need and push for diverse voices within this genre and speak to the opportunity for social awareness in these films. Next Rebekah will teach you how to thrive in the horror industry as a filmmaker. She’ll go over how to craft a project, how to generate hype and get exposure for it, how to navigate conventions and festivals and what you can do to help get your script read. You will leave this webinar with a firm handle on this unique and tricky subsection of the film industry. Praise for Rebekah's Stage 32 Webinar: "This was awesome! Succinct but full of up-to-date information and very motivating. I love that she harped on "just make something!" So positive and supportive and I learned a lot!" -Allie R. "This was amazing! I was hesitant about spending $50 on this but it was worth every penny!" -Taylor D. "I thought Rebekah had by FAR the best webinar I have seen yet. She has such passion and coveys it- and she obviously has been in the industry and around it in so many ways her whole career - fantastic!" -Gail B. "This is exactly what I needed to see and hear, and Rebekah provided so much good information that I can apply to my projects." -Irene C.
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