yoda117
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "yoda117" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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01:27 pm
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Why I'm not using LJ as often...
Remember, a vote for me is one less vote for the other guys.
=-P
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03:14 am
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Heh, one more thing or two about VOICE
For those following along, I'm currently in a pic or two on the Voiceoverxtra.com as part of their coverage of the event.
Cool stuff!
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02:55 am
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VOICE 2008 (Day 1 & 2)
Well, the day started off like most other trips. went to the airport, played the usual dance and transferred flights in PHX (not a bad airport, as they go). Flight got to LAX a little late & I called shuttle service to get to the hotel.
Frigging thing took over 2 hours to get me there. It was less than 12 miles from the airport. Grr...
Got there, checked in, and immediately hit the red carpet gala. The thing was more than half over, but what the hell, right? Anyway, first thing I noticed that the guy standing next to me was none other than Kyle Herbet. It was nice to finally meet both him and Kara Edwards.
It gets better from there. I'd no sooner walked oin the door when I got a mad rush from a HUGE chunk of the VO-BB crowd. To have the emcee, Dave Corvo stop what he was doing to come give me a hug was almost worth the trip. To then have that followed by Marian Massaro, Melissa Exelberth, Rachel Rauch, Pat Fraley, Bob & Eric Souer (I stole Bob's cufflinks... as he was wearing them; returned tem of course), Bobbin Beam, Connie Tertwillinger, and so many others was all I needed to convince me that I'd make the right choice in coming.
Today started out with a great introduction and keynote address. From there it was all business, as Deb Munroe got right to business with the art of auditioning. Gabrielle from voicehunter.com went through imaging (very cool stuff), and then with Richard Horovitz (aka Inavder Zim) which totally rocked. Later in the evening, I got to the open panel & met the cast of "The Land Before Time" (and learned the Bob Bergen had been contacted by a studio I'm visiting out here... it's great when a friend helps out, and there are few folks as nice & as talented as Bob).
Yeah, the box earned nearly 20 signatures in the past 2 days.
I also chatted with the guys from Enhanced Audio, who have a rocking new stand out (definitely woth checking out, and yeah I'll see a studio test tomorrow), and spent time at the tech terrace. LOL! That turned out to be a mistake, as everyone came out of the woodwork with issues, and I quickly got tapped as one of the resident experts (nearly missed a panel, hehehe).
waaay too much happened, and the best of the best news was that I got word back that I am in the studio at 10:30am on Monday. WOOT!
I'll post more as I can, but despite what the naysayers have said, VOICE 2008 is definitely shaping up to be a hit.
Cheers!
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04:38 am
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Safe travels everybody!
I know that a lot of folks are either in transit, or getting ready to travel to Baltimore or Los Angeles.
Have a safe trip, everyone. I'll see those of you heading to LA, some of you in a studio, most at the VOICE Conference.
I'll miss the rest of you who are at Otakon this year (it's still a little twinge to miss my first Otakon, ever since there was an Otakon).
Take care, and I can't wait to see all the pics, and hear all the stories.
-Greg
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09:03 am
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o_O
Apparently either karma is overdue, or I owe someone big time.
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12:03 pm
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Uhm... okay, if you say so
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10:57 am
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As luck would have it
Well, VOICE 2008 is quickly approaching. I'll be going, along with a lot of other fellow VAs, and I suspect a lot of folks aspiring to join in the fun.
When I was in LA about three weeks ago, scheduling conflicts kept me from being able to attend a Dodgers game. It was a bit heartbreaking, but that's how the die was rolled, so you just go with it.
Turns out that was a blessing in disguise, since Monday August 11th the Dodgers are hosting the Phillies at 7:05. Not only will I get to see the stadium, but I'll get to watch my home team whomp on the Dodgers a bit (at least I hope so).
I know a few friends have already expressed interest in going with me, so it's looking like it could be one hell of a party to conclude the conference with.
(if you're also interested, ping me and we'll set something up)
See? Sometimes things work out in your favor...
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11:27 am
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Initial proofs
Well, two big things have been keeping me from putting up a website. Permission (long story on that one) and the lack of a good logo. The second reason has been quite an amusing tale as I have learned that those in the graphic arts, even those with talent, are flaky at best. I went through more firms and freelancers than I care to count. Prices varied, and to get a good graphic artist you're going to pay a lot, but money was never the issue... competence, talent, and communication was.
Anyhoo, after much consternation, I finally found someone who seemed to fit the bill. Going with my own personal style, we decided to focus more on a 50'ish rat pack kind of theme. I submit to you, the humble reader some initial drafts of where we're going with this.
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10:21 am
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Fun while it lasted
For those who haven't heard as of yet, Voice123 decided to kill their forums yet again. Last year, the company decided to shut down parts of the forum, in response to criticism that their system wasn't working properly and that they appealed to various bottom-feeding methods. However, they'd decided that it was probably smarter to just let volunteers run the board and use it as an SEO generator rather than to kill it outright.
This morning they apparently changed their minds and instituted a new forum, accessible by paying members only and controlled solely by their own staff. From the other boards there is already talk of massive deletion of critical posts and editing of user posts by board moderators.
I don't think I can say anything from a personal perspective on this save to say "ouch!".
I get the sinking feeling that things might have just gotten worse for the folks using that particular service, and that the online world of VO just took a major hit in the credibility department.
I'm viewing this as proof positive that this is why, as a talent, one might want to utilize a service such as V123, Voices.com, etc. But that your best best is the same as it's always been. To pound the pavement, and market yourself. Nobody will ever know your brand as well as you do, and frankly, if you're not willing to market yourself and provide that bit of faith and trust in yourself to put it all on the line, then why should anyone else?
On a semi-related note, I finally have a graphic artist for the site. It's been one hell of a ride trying to find one who didn't flake out or produce "clippy" work (bit of advice, avoid thelogocompany.net like the plague; very poor work), but I managed to find a good one and we signed the contract for logo and related stuff about two weeks back. A lot of this is being done by hand, so it'll be another week or so before I see the initial drafts. I won't go into too much more detail save for this: think swinging 50s, Rat Pack.
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01:02 am
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There are few things worse than dealing with an adult acting like a child
Small vent session here
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12:11 am
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When voiceover goes horribly wrong
I'm sorry, but this is actually kind of painful to listen to. I hate to down any actor, regardless of experience or skill (though that doesn't mean I won't call it as I see it), but this is probably the worst game voiceover I've ever heard.
I dare you to make it through the whole thing.
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01:19 am
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Some things I've learned upon returning from LA
- Having a good book to read or an iPod with video is a godsend when on a cross-country flight.
- Mont Blanc makes some really nice cufflinks and the Starwalker Cool Blue is just SWEET.
- Rodeo Dr. isn't as swanky as NYC (sorry guys, but you're not).
- LA weddings are unlike anything else I've ever seen.
- Never be afraid to try something outrageous. Or if you are afraid... follow the fear (managed to get into a studio to watch a session simply by asking).
- I need a good headset for my phone. It makes things much easier.
- You never realize how much you take your car for granted until you get a crappy rental.
- Taking some classes at PSU and also going full bore in NYC and on the Philly scene this summer might be fun, but it's not the smartest move I've ever made.
- John Hardy and David Yurman cufflinks aren't as expensive as I'd have thought, but Neiman Marcus is overpriced most stuff.
- Whenever traveling, make sure to pick up at least one present for a friend's birthday (you know who you are, and it's being shipped as we speak... you will be surprised).
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01:53 pm
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There & Back Again
Well, Sandy & I made it out to Los Angeles with minor incident (PSU's antiquated ANGEL system and a sleepless night due to last minute projects not withstanding; not only did I have to burn the midnight oil becaus some folks in my group project team decide to go against the originally stated purpose of the project... then give me grief about it because it required more time than originally planned, but PSU's submittal system decided to die the night before, requiring me to e-mail my version of the final paper from my phone, while we were enroute to the airport... and to use that damn submission system when we finally mde it to the hotel). unfortunately, Sandy got stuck next to a rather rude, and large (as in nearly double my size) woman for the longest part of the trip. I was concerned that there might be a murder on the flight... Sandy doesn't take people* nonsense lightly (as those who have met her will attest).
Landed, got the rental after nearly an hour wait (Hertz was understaffed... completely underwhelmed by service compared to Avis), and braved LA traffic. At this point, Sandy was seeing the results of my improv training & time in NYC. I did thing with the rental that defied the laws of physics... and most insurance policies (just kidding). We got to the hotel about an hour later (36 mile trip... not bad for LA traffic during rush hour), checked in, and crashed.
Friday we toured through LA, & did some tourist stuff, and a bit of work. Made sure to hit Rodeo drive (got some stuff from Tiffanys & David Yurman).
Saturday was light, as the wedding was later in the day, and it was blazing hot (110... so much for the mid-70s the groom promised). The wedding was lovely, as expected & a good time was had by all (though it was amusing to see Sandy & I be seated with the bridal party... despite not being part of the wedding, she went to school with the groom, & all of the groomsmen; save for the groom, bride, & the best man she hadn't seen any of them in over 10 years, which was a bit akward, especially sine one of them still had a thing for Sandy apparently; his wife wasn't amused).
LOL
Sunday was nice. We went to the Grove J saw a movie and did some shopping. We tagged up with my friend Rachel, who's out here training with Pat Fraley & Bill Holmes, and had a nice dinner. it was a bummer that Bob, Connie, & some others couldn't meet up, but that's how it goes...
ended up catching a free movie at the hotel while packing everything after dinner. All in all, it was a good day :-)
Today we were up at the crack of dawn again, and braved horrific traffic (managed to do the trip in less than an hour again), only to find out that her flight to Orlando is delayed by 2+ hours. My flight to Chicago is about to board, but I'm stuck for a layover in Tuscon for a bit. Can't be helped, but I've no love for layovers, or switching flights, & I get both on this trip, lol. Also not looking forward to the 10:15PM arrival in Philly. Meh, such is life.
Well, time to head back home... no place like it!
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10:49 pm
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Heading to Los Angeles
What a week. Took dad to the Phillies game yesterday for Father's Day (he threw out a ceremonial first pitch... along with about 30 other dads, lol!). A great time was had by all.
Went to NYC today. Had a booking earlier on in the day and then spent some time with Melody Jones and worked on some stuff. Managed to miss the thunderstorms, thank goodness.
Now, I'm packing for California before doing some more studying for an exam. I'm out to San Diego at first and then off to Los Angeles for the majority of the trip. With some luck, I'd like to pay a visit to an ADR studio or two to learn a bit more about the process (though I'm hitting a few in NYC in the next few weeks). Going to a wedding on Saturday, a Dodgers game on Sunday, seeing what I can see in the meantime, and then flying back on Monday.
Whew! This is going to be tiring, but fun.
Anyway, for the folks out there, give a holler and we'll do lunch or something (haven't ordered tix for the game yet, so I can snag extras...).
Cheers!
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11:36 pm
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Bored in NYC? Stop by the PIT
Well, still running around... Getting ready for LA next week (for the folks there, if you want to meet up, just shout out). Actually, I'll be on the West Coast a few times this summer. Some stuff for the day job, and a VO or two.
It's all good.
But on the East Coast, if you're in the vicinity of NYC on 6/16 or 6/30, I'll be performing at the 7 o'clock show with the rest of my group at the People's Improv Theatre.
Regardless of whether you can attend my shows, the place is an awesome (and inexpensive) experience. Some of the best improv in the city can be found here (The Faculty, Big Black Car, Fancy Dragon, Harvard Sailing Team, The Apple Sisters, etc.)
Check it out!
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10:34 pm
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Here's a great case of corporate communication
I did this over three years ago...
Linky.
apparently now using clustered computing attack encryption is now considered to be groundbreaking.
I wonder what they'd think about some of my newer tricks.
*shrugs*
Guess it's only important if you know the right folks.
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02:36 am
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Well, no Otakon for me
On the one hand, this is a bummer. On the other, it's an opportunity.
I've chatted about this off and on with ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) neumaverick for the past few weeks or so... basically, I had a decision I had to make. There was a schedule conflict in August that had me in the position of choosing between going to Otakon (I've been to every one they've ever held) or to head out to Los Angeles for a voice acting conference. Obviously, both have a pretty big draw for me, but in the end it was obvious where I needed to be.
Registered for the conference in LA just a few minutes ago.
Sorry folks! But I promise to send back some pics.
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12:01 am
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Tired
ugh!
it's 11:56PM & thanks to NJ Transit's schedule, I'm stuck at Penn Station for another 40 minutes before I can hop on a train & go home.
If I'm lucky, I'll get home by 3AM.
To top it off, I'm starting to waffle on VOICE 2008, since I'm not sure how much benefit I'll actually get from it.
It's going to be a loooong night. :-)
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12:57 am
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No time to chat... stacking and racking
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07:46 pm
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Let's discuss the brillance of NJ Transit, shall we?
As I'm typing this in, I am riding on a NJ transit train from NYC to Philly. I'm not going to go into the rest of today's travel plans (long story short, I've got to fly somewhere tonight, returning before class in NYC tomorrow. Nope, today's post is dedicated to my friends working with NJ transit.
After a booking today (videogame; minor work, but worth enough to head into NYC), I had the joy of taking the E to the A (which wasn't an express), to a train, to Melody's place for some VO training. Why did I have to take such an unusual route (compared to just taking the A)? Because, in their infinite wisdom, the powers that be decided to shut down the main rails, causing my trip, whic normally runs 25 minutes from Penn Station to become 75. getting back was also fun, as you can imagine.
This pales in comparison to what happened getting out of NYC. I got into Penn ~5:20, just missing a train to Trenton. The next one wasn't until 5:56, which was a pain in the butt, but I've got 3 volumes of "Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service" (hope it becomes an anime) and "Watchmen", so I'm good. The 5:56 is an express, so this was good. 5:56 comes... and goes. No train. There's about 1,000 folks waiting for a train which would never come. At 6:10, the rocket scientists decide to announce that the express to Trenton is cancelled, and by the by, there's a 6:14 local to Trenton (it wasn't prevoiusly announced), and oh yeah, if you don't get it, you'll be stuck here till at least 7PM.
So now you've got close to 2,000 folks (those waiting from the express, and a ton of Yankees' fans) racing to catch the train. It didn't occur to the geniuses to turn on the AC (or the lights) to the train, so now we're all stumbling in the dark. Train doesn't leave until 6:20, because the crew was "screwing off" (their words, not mine), and then waited another 20 minutes because they screwed up the track scheduling. It's now 7:41 & I'n only now nearing Princeton Junction, when I should have already been home, packing.
AARGH!!!!!
Sorry, needed to vent.
On the up side, I ran into a game designer on the trip up. He was lamenting the lack of good VO talent due to V123 & (ther pay-to-play sites. Tossed him a demo, and already got a call for availability.
Cool beans, but you bet'cha that I'm taking an alternate route next time, lol!
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