How can I help you?
I help actors to bring themselves fully into the copy or the character, to learn how to ask themselves the right questions to create winning self-directed auditions, to be the answer to the buyer's needs, and to explore possibilities and techniques outside of their usual safe boxes.
I also help writers, creatives and other buyers who need a voice director who understands their creative and practical objectives and who is able to communicate those ideas to the performers with specific, actionable direction.
What does that mean?
It’s different for everyone. Every person brings their own life experience to the mic, and no two people are the same. We are different people with different histories, quirks, sensibilities, strengths and weaknesses. The things that make you who you are are the things that will bring your life and spark to your words, and connect with the listener.
If you’re new to the world of voiceover or acting, we’ll start by establishing the core concepts of VO, discuss the various different kinds of voiceover and their styles, play with character voices, talk about home studios, learn how to analyze a piece of copy or a script to see what the important elements are, understand the ways that your audience, intention and emotion will affect the way that you deliver a line, and how to make choices that lead you naturally to that delivery.
If you already understand how VO works and you want to stretch and play a bit we’ll work on expanding your skillset. If you know and love interactive gaming but also want to sharpen up your commercial game, or if you’re great with narration but can’t quite loosen up and be playful for animation, that’s what we’ll address.
Or if you need an extra ear for an important audition, help defining your personal signature style, strategies for delivering poorly written copy conversationally, or have other challenges or areas that you'd like develop further, I can be of help with some insights and techniques.
If you’re currently a working VO pro who needs an experienced ear on a read, could use an extra bit of perspective on a piece of material that you’re struggling with, or maybe you’re having a hard time with self-direction, you find that you’re not booking in a particular genre and are looking for adjustments, or are in need of somebody to help push you out of your safe reads when you’re in a rut, I can help you identify and eliminate old safe-zone habits and offer up alternate approaches to expand your options.
The VO coaching process
Sessions together
Creating a safe place to explore and play is a big part of how I approach our time together, because that's where the real growth and flow happen. I'll always give you as the actor the chance to capture your instinctive take first. This helps us to see where the strengths are and what the blocks are. Then I'll find the right way to customize my approach to best help you.
Sometimes subtle shifts as simple as finding an emotional word that resonates, being able to visualize the surroundings, or making a physical or postural adjustment can be the difference between a good audition and booking the job. It’s my job to help you find that naturally and consistently.
Initial contact
We’ll usually make contact by email first. This gives you the opportunity to communicate to me where you're coming from:
- your current experience level
- your areas of interest
- whether you're already with an agency
- your sense of your strengths and weaknesses
- what your challenges are - what gigs are you not getting?
This gives us both the chance to find out if I can be helpful or not. I don’t sell any "10 Guaranteed Ways to Make Easy Money in VO" type of promises. What I will do is sharpen your copy analysis and acting abilities to give you the skills to create or build on a successful career for the long run.
I'll read your email, and email you back. We can schedule a session based on your answers, and be ready to take on your specific needs right from the start.
FAQs
“She has such wonderful insight into a script and seems to always have an idea that has the potential to help me create something truly unique."
David Cooley