 A reported 600 voice actors cheerily attended the kick-off Red Carpet Networking Reception Thursday night. Here, L-R, are Margaret Lorenz, Melissa Exelberth, Bill Holmes and Tracy Pattin. More photos.
Voice 2008 Report: Thursday, Aug. 7
VoiceOverXtra's Bloggin' Dream Team is reporting on daily events at Voice 2008 - the voice-over industry's major annual conference, Aug. 7-11, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles. Look for continuous updates at the VoiceOverXtra home page. Team members are voice actors Bob Souer, Kara Edwards, Dave Courvoisier and Bobbin Beam, led by webmaster John Florian.
We've Only Just Begun -
A Day of Discovery ...
Dave Courvoisier
 The Carpenters did NOT have Voice 2008 in mind when they had their 1970 hit, yet hard to believe so much has been achieved, and nary a single presentation has yet been made.Today was a day of discovery, making new friends, putting faces to voices, putting faces and voices to e-mail messages, and generally getting to know new/old friends again/for the first time. Does that make sense? Penny Abshire shows us the AOVA banner at their vendor booth at the conference.
This hotel is very well appointed, and you can tell from all the $60,000+ cars parked out front that this is a venue used to catering to the Rodeo Drive crowd. Although it's a vintage hotel, the accouterments are lavish, and the place is spotless. More, with photos ... 'Amazing Day' Starts At Paramount
Studios Watching Randy Thomas
Kara Edwards
 Well, it's finally here - the VOICE conference is officially in full swing - and what an event this is shaping up to be! Let me start from the beginning of this amazing day. Since I was still on East Coast time, I woke up around 5 a.m. and struggled to lay in bed until 7 a.m. Just before 8 a.m., my phone rang and it was my friend and fellow voice actor Caryn Clark. Since she is very close friends with Randy Thomas (voice of the Oscars, Emmys, Hooked on Phonics, The Insider, ET - and everything else you can think of!), she had been invited by Randy to visit the LA set of The Insider and ET. Caryn and I had made plans to tour LA today, so Caryn asked Randy if I could come along. She said yes!! More ...
Day Begins at Dan O'Day's International
Radio Creative & Production Summit
Bob Souer
 The Dan O’Day International Radio Creative and Production Summit (in Los Angeles) kicked off again this year with a closed door session for those of us whom Dan lovingly calls his Repeat Offenders. (The term means we’ve been to the Summit at least one previous year.) We had a very nice crowd of folks there and talked about a number of issues, some related more to those who work at radio stations and some related more to those of us who work as voice-over talent. More, with photos ... Right after the Dan O’Day Summit meeting, several of us piled into cars and headed over to the opening Red Carpet Reception at Voice 2008. I was delighted to run into my friend Amy Snively there. More, with VO-BB friends photos ...
Working the Registration Booth
& Red Carpet Reception
Bobbin Beam
 It's here! Voice 2008 is here. Thursday night. Man it's been a hectic day! I have to be at a 7 a.m. meeting tomorrow and I am really wiped out so this will be short. I arrived and got into my room about 11:30 - worked registration a couple of hours and had to race back to the room to record a bunch of things for some clients and send the files and get dressed for the Red Carpet Networking Reception.
I like the hotel's wi-fi. It's screamin' fast! Then at 4: 45 the staff met in the penthouse to toast to the start of VOICE. More, with photos ...
Huge Red Carpet Reception Opens Conference;
470 Attendees More Than Triple 2007 Event
John Florian
Down the red carpet is - who? Joan Rivers?
 "How are ya, sooo good to see ya," gushes JR look-alike entertainer Helene Weinberg to a reported 600 voice actors as they stride into the Red Carpet Networking Reception tonight - the kick-off event for Voice 2008. Sure, "Joan" induces smiles - but the smiles are already wide as acquaintances are renewed from Voice 2007, and email pals study nametags and excitedly meet people they've only known through a keyboard and computer screen.
Show co-executive producer James Alburger also has lots to smile about. For one, tonight is his birthday and halfway through the reception, "Joan" leads everyone in a Marilyn Monroe-style oozing of Happy Birthday, to the very obviously pleased voice actor, coach and author.
But tonight Alburger, co-exec producer Penny Abshire and event producer Denise Chamberlain are also celebrating the feat of more than tripling the event's attendance from the 140 voice actors who helped launch Voice 2007 the previous year in Las Vegas. As of this afternoon, 470 people had registered for this event, he says. And many of the additional people at tonight's reception might add to the total in coming days, he says.
Introduced by emcee Dave Courvoisier, Alburger also gets a cheer when he says, "Voice actors don't get the recognition they deserve. We want to change that." Abshire concludes with the pledge to hug everyone (that's 470 and counting).
For more smiling faces, see the Red Carpet Networking Reception Photo Page.
Packing for the Trip to Los Angeles;
Will Meet the Famous & Infamous!
Bobbin Beam
I write this about 1 hour before I get into the car and head north 100 miles for the City of Angels. I started packing yesterday. Put stuff into the car last night, and will finish this morning. My computer and mic set up will be the last thing to be packed as I gather email and take care of some business & auditions and reply to clients. More ... |
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