VO tip for the day!

Happy New Year!  We're off and running here at the ChopShop in Valley Village, CA.  Yesterday, I recorded tracks for my 4th demo of January 2016-- a wonderful new talent named Kara Andrews-- and I thought I'd share something that happened.  During the session, I asked Kara to give me an "a, b, and c" of a particular line in the commercial script we were working on. You know what that means, right?  Say the line three times in a row with just a small pause between each delivery.  Well, it also means say the line differently each time.  In fact, this is usually why a producer is asking for an "a, b, and c" in the first place.  Yet often times our natural inclination is to say the line a certain way the first time, and then say it essentially the same way the second and third time.  WE ALL DO IT!  WHY!?  Well, even us grizzled veterans of VO occasionally space out and forget our training.  But when I pointed it out to Kara, she said, "Oh man, you're right!  I think I was trying to perfect it the second and third time."  And I knew exactly what she meant.  I do the same thing when I'm auditioning, and have spent 22 years trying to rid myself of this bad habit.  We talked it over and agreed the lesson to be learned is-- Don't be afraid to fall flat on your face with your "b" read (the second time you say the line.)  Changing "b" just for the sake of making it sound nothing like "a" will break the mold you've established, and often times help you create a completely different yet equally brilliant "c" read.  Don't think about, just do it.  Don't plan your "a,b,c", just concentrate on making them as unique as possible.  Sure, you'll drop some stinkers.  But it's worth it if it means giving your reads the magic of spontaneity.  Even in a session, a producer will forgive your unlistenable "b" read if they get lightening in a bottle on "a" and "c." Trust yourself.  Surprise yourself.  Live the VO vida loca! :-)

Scroll down to watch the BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW with Ed Cunningham!!

Make your demo at Ed's ChopShop, 'cause he knows what to do with it once it's finished!

2013 has been a great year! We're proud to say that more than half of our clients this year have signed with Voiceover agents since making their demo at The ChopShop!  And the other half aren't giving up.  It can take months, sometimes years, for voiceover actors and narrators to find the right fit at an agency. Be persistent, and make sure your demo is getting into the right hands at the right time!  In the meantime, are you using the various voiceover casting websites to find work?  Are you posting your demo on the right websites?  Are you auditioning for casting directors?  Taking their classes and workshops?  A marketing consultation at Ed's ChopShop helped launch many a voiceover career in 2013.  Give Ed a call to schedule yours, and start 2014 off right!

Congrats to my clients!!

We recently helped Glen Brackenridge and three other ChopShop clients connect with and eventually sign with their first Voiceover agents, using their demo from Ed's ChopShop!! And within one week of signing with The Polygon Group in Burbank, Glen booked his first national TV commercial for Bose Speakers, currently running during all the NFL games! How's that for starting a career in Voiceover! Congrats to Glen and to all my clients who have been successfully putting their new demos to work for them. Check out their VO skills at www.edschopshop.com.

As featured in BACKSTAGE... Voiceover Demos Produced by Someone Working in Voiceover!

Bill Salyers quit his day job as an IT Professional, and is now the lead on the Emmy Award-winning Cartoon Network series THE REGULAR SHOW!  Dan Bakkedahl (Veep / Legit / Heat) signed with VOX for Voiceover!  Jonquil Goode landed the lead role on the Mattel Animation series EVER AFTER HIGH!  David A. Holloway, Jr. and Lauren Lux both just signed with their first VO agents! And Deborah Puette's demo just landed her a job with an Oscar winning director!!

Scroll down to watch the three-part video series that BACKSTAGE did on Ed Cunningham's voiceover demos.  (Ed's rates have gone up since this interview.  But he's managed to keep the price lower than 90% of the demo producers out there.) You'll get a straightforward introduction to Ed's ChopShop and see him in action, producing Deb Puette's commercial demo. After you watch it, check out www.edschopshop.com.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call or email...

Ed Cunningham
818-427-4296 cell
ed@edschopshop.com
www.edschopshop.com

Backstage Interview with Ed Cunningham (Part 1)

Backstage Interview with Ed Cunningham (Part 2)