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AUG 27-30: ANAHEIM, CA VOICE 2014: Where Voice Over Careers, Business & Friendships Start & Grow April 14, 2014 By James Alburger and Penny Abshire Executive Producers of VOICE  Are you "on the fence" about whether to attend
VOICE 2014?
Making plans to attend
VOICE 2014 could just be the best decision you've ever made for your VO career!
This fifth edition of the international voice over industry's major convention takes center stage in Anaheim, CA - at the edge of Disneyland - from August 27-30, 2014. (Click for immediate convention details.) We find when working with students that unless they can stay motivated, all the equipment and training in the world will never make them a successful voice actor. And that's what attending the VOICE convention gives you ... motivation and encouragement to keep going when the going is tough! It's one of the reasons why we held the first VOICE convention in 2007. We wanted to get all those wonderful minds and voices together so they could inspire and help each other! FUN MOVING FORWARD  VOICE has more than fulfilled that goal with each and every convention.
Sure, we have a lot of fun. Sure, we have the best, top-notch voice over talent and coaches teaching on a variety of valuable subjects. And, yes, there are networking opportunities galore. But it is exactly this interaction with others of like mind that gets so many people "over the bumps in the road" that would otherwise keep them from fully realizing their dreams. It gets them back on track and gives them fuel to propel themselves forward! YOU ARE NOT ALONE ... So many people tell us that attending VOICE is life-changing - or more accurately, we think, career changing. There is something very magical about surrounding yourself with others who share your passion - whether it be voice acting, dog training, scrapbooking, or Star Trek! It's not having to explain why you feel so strongly about what you do - or why you choose to do it. There is great strength in the validation that you are traveling in the right direction and that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. FOR 'NEWBIES' & WORKING PROS  Some people new to
voice over wonder if VOICE might be too intimidating, or if the experience might be
overwhelming. Ask anyone in the VOICE Convention Facebook Group and you'll learn that VOICE is the perfect place to be for anyone who wants to learn about voice over and to meet others in the industry - no matter their level of experience. And what about those who are working pros? Over the years, VOICE has attracted more top-level professionals, producers and agents than any other voice over event. VOICE even has an on-site ISDN studio available for those who need to take care of business during the convention. LEARN & SHARE KNOWLEDGE ... And there are still more valuable reasons to take advantage of what happens at VOICE. For the seasoned pro, it's making contacts with other professionals who are already highly successful in their field - to learn from them - for them to learn who you are, to hear advice from them that could help you become even more successful - and to have the opportunity to give back by helping others as someone helped them. For others, it quickly becomes clear that there is no better place to be than part of a group that understands you and your dreams, and wants only to help you succeed. That's what VOICE is all about! For all convention details now, please click here. TALK ABOUT SUCCESS STORIES ...  We've had some wonderful success stories, which
include Lofty Fulton (a seasoned pro and top "trailer" guy in
Australia), who first came to VOICE 2008 in Los Angeles.While Lofty was in L.A. he was signed by one of the industry's largest talent agents - certainly well worth the trip for him. During his attendance at VOICE 2010, he landed a well-known New York agent, and when he came to VOICE 2012, he was in the U.S. at just the right time to be featured at the ProMaxBDA convention and perform on stage before the people to know in L.A. We can't think of anyone in the United States who could match his travel expenses, but he will be the first to tell you that it was worth every, single penny! DREAM BECOMES REALITY  Beau Bridgland is another VOICE success story. Beau was a newbie to voice over and had never been away from his home in England - or even been on an airplane! But he had a dream. So he made it his goal to be at VOICE 2012. During his time at that event he met and hung out with his idol, Wally Wingert, spent time with stars like Maurice LaMarche, Rob Paulsen, Joe Cipriano, Dave Fennoy, and many other pros who were at the event. He was so motivated that he came back "across the pond" a year later to study with several people, and had the opportunity to visit lots of studios and make unbelievable connections. We're quite certain he would tell you it was worth his time and money to be at VOICE. STARTED BIZ PARTNERSHIP  Then there was the
very serendipitous meeting of two great minds at VOICE 2010 - home studio experts Dan Lenard and
George Whittam, who met and talked of being business partners during the
convention. They now host the very successful and truly amazing East-West Audio Body Shop (EWABS) weekly Ustream TV show on Monday nights. Was it a good thing for them to attend a convention? We think they'd say YES! VoiceOverXtra STARTS HERE  VOICE has also been the catalyst for launching
an idea that has become one of the major information resources for the
voice over community. At VOICE 2007, voice actor John Florian proposed a website that would act as a hub for voice over news and information. VOICE provided the nutrients that allowed that seedling of an idea to grow into the amazing VoiceOverXtra online news, training and resource center - and which spread to creation of last year's Voice Over Virtual online voice over conference. John received the right encouragement to forge ahead. And aren't we all the grateful recipients of his efforts? HAD TO ATTEND ...  "I couldn't
afford to go, but I also knew I couldn't afford NOT to go!" That was the thought of voice actor Andy Boyns, based in Istanbul, Turkey, when he learned about VOICE 2010. Andy knew the importance of being in L.A. that year, so he made the trip happen by asking for and receiving help from his VO friends. He was very creative in raising and saving enough money to attend. And at that event he met his now very good friend and fellow voice actor, Mehmet Onur, on the plane enroute to VOICE! They both lived in Istanbul but had never met. Theirs has become a great friendship as well as a wonderful working partnership. EVEN A LOVE STORY ...  And then there's Larry and Elizabeth. This is
a love story that had its beginning at VOICE 2010. Voice actor Larry Davis was introduced from the audience by keynote speaker Pat Fraley, who asked Larry to come on stage so we could all hear his truly amazing Morgan Freeman voice. Elizabeth Stuart was in the audience. They met in the lobby after that morning session, talked about how they had attended the same high school in Texas - and before the weekend was over they had fallen in love and knew they would be together forever. It's a wonderful love story that continues to this day. Both Larry and Elizabeth are very successful voice artists. Do you think they're glad they came to VOICE? SO, WHAT'S THE POINT? The point of all these stories is this. "People don't come to VO events just for the learning - but for the fear of what they might miss by not being there!" That's a quote from the very gracious and talented voice talent/coach Rodney Saulsberry.
That's the true secret of success! And that's one of the reasons why VOICE was created: to help you know how to put yourself in the right place at the right time - and what to do when you get there. HOP OFF FENCE The VoiceOver International Creative Experience is the right place for so many who come. The only question remaining is: "What are you going to do to make VOICE 2014 the right place and time for you?" It's time to get off the fence - and into your bunny slippers! We'll see you in August!  For VOICE 2014 details and registration, please click here. ABOUT JAMES AND PENNY James Alburger and Penny Abshire are voice over coaches, executive producers of the VOICE conventions, and co-directors of the VoiceActing Academy in San Diego. James Alburger is also an Emmy-winning producer and author. And Penny Abshire is an award-winning voice talent, producer and author. Email: info@voiceacting.com Web: www.VoiceActing.com VOICE 2014: Click for details |
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VOICE 2010 was a pivotal and catalytic experience in so many ways. Many pixel friends became real friends, and I began to better understand the voice over journey I'd started back in 2005. Suddenly I wasn't the only English speaking voice actor I knew, and yes I had to commit to traveling across continents to meet my greatest support, Mehmet who lives just "down the road.
VOICE 2012 gave me a new perspective on producing internationally, and in preparation for my "International Voice Overs," and the unofficial video promos we made, I found myself able to tell the current time in 8 separate timezones. It was also an awesome opportunity to see more of studios and life in LA.
Always hoping some angel will send their private jet over to collect me this summer, but with or without me I'm sure VOICE 2014 will be a life changing experience for many.
Thanks to James Alburger and Penny Abshire, and John Florian for this article :-)