October 2002 RAP
October 2002 Highlights
Feature: The Next Step
By Steve McKenzie
Why do some faces enthrall us, while others are overlooked? Why are we
captivated at the sound of one voice, yet ignore another? Humans are drawn
to beauty. We stare at sunsets, stars, oceans, and art because we enjoy the
performance. These things feed us, uplift us, inspire us. It is the reason
we enjoy music, movies, and art. In the same way, our commercials also must
climb this media food chain and achieve a higher level of acceptance and
response.
Interview: Joe Cipriano, Los Angeles, CA
By Tom Richards
Joe Cipriano is a broadcast veteran with over 30 years in the business.
He is most widely known as the voice of the Fox and CBS Television Networks.
He is also co-host of the world-wide syndicated radio music show, "The World
Chart Show." In 2000, Joe was named the voice of the Grammy Awards, and he
vocally represents the Grammys each year as the live announcer on the
broadcast. Other "live announcer" gigs include The Blockbuster Entertainment
Awards, The VH1 Honors, GQ Magazines Men of the Year Awards, Miss U.S.A.,
and many others. In 1988 the Fox Television Network chose Joe to be their
image voice as the fledgling company attempted to take on "The Big 3." Now
Joes distinctive sound is heard on over 200 Fox TV stations across the
nation for shows such as "The Simpsons," "King of the Hill," "Futurama," "Malcom
in the Middle," "Mad TV," and the rest of the successful programs on the Fox
Network. On CBS he is the voice of "Everybody Loves Raymond," "The King of
Queens," "Becker," "Yes Dear," and more. He is also the voice of several
radio stations across the country. This months RAP Interview gets a glimpse
at the television promo voice-over business as Joe talks about how he got
into TV promos, and we get a sneak preview at Joes latest venture,
PromoVoice.com.
Test Drive: MySoundStudio from Stomp Inc.
By Steve Cunningham
I have to admit that the students words gave me pause. When I mentioned
in my Radio Production class that I was reviewing a product called "MySoundStudio,"
several students rolled their eyes. One said, "It probably sucks. Anything
with the word my in its name usually sucks." But Stomps MySoundStudio
definitely does not suck.
Production 212: What Have I Gotten Myself Into This
Time?
By Dave Foxx
Well dear readers, after several issues with requests for material to
critique in this space, we got a bunch all at once. I thought it was slow
coming because people were afraid to have their work publicly reviewed, but
it turns out that too few people actually read the fine print at the end of
the column. Fair enough. I take back all the evil thoughts I was having
about you.
I'm gonna take on two producers in this column: Ryan Cota, Production Weirdo
at KRQQ in Tucson, Arizona and Garrick Whitehead, the Production Wonk at
Channel 4 FM in the United Arab Emirates.
Radio Hed: Inside the Box
By Jeffrey Hedquist
Every kind of writing assignment has its limitations. And we can refer to
these limitations as the dimensions of the box. With radio, you have the
immediate dimensions of 10, 30 or 60 seconds. Were more used to writing
within these boundaries of time. And of course, creating a radio commercial
has as its prime goal to sell products or services, not just to entertain,
inform, or stimulate for its own sake. But what about the other boundaries
of that box? What about budget, or the limitations of time, or available
talent?
Feature: A Little Knowledge Goes a Long, Long Way
By Craig Jackman
Before I get off on a rant, let me just mention that this all started by
reading a software forum. I love software forums. Anything I can do to
increase my knowledge of something I need to use everyday is something I'm
going to do. I wonder though why is it I have to search the Internet to find
information. Why is it in this business that knowledge is a bad thing?
I don't know about you, but pretty much everything I've learned since I
graduated from the Broadcasting program at Algonquin College has been
self-taught. Yes, I've had some great mentors (Jon Crowe, now with Focus On
The Family, Mike Guinta, and Tom Young among them) who've been patient in
pointing me in the right direction so I can discover on my own. To them and
others I'm eternally grateful, but the question to this industry is a simple
one: What the hell are you afraid of?
Production Library Review: Megabytes 3 from Caldwell
Media and HSK Productions
By John Pellegrini
So like most radio producers, its that last minute promo again. Or a
bunch of sweeper liners that the PD just handed you that were supposed to go
on the air a week ago Monday. All apologies, but you got to get them on the
air right now, so drop everything and get them done. Cursing (and thankful
that you have a sound proof studio) you close out your other projects and
get into the last minute crisis. And you just love what the PD scribbled in
block letters on the top of the copy: "MAKE THIS SOUND HOT AS HELL" or
something like that.
"Yeah right," you reply out loud. Ill just pull something out of my butt and
a miracle will occur. Well, maybe you don't need to fish for that miracle
quite so deeply. Two of your fellow rock producers have come to the rescue
with some really hot sounding effects that can help make the difference
between your usual chore of just keeping your PD off your back and instead
getting your PD to start thinking you're a genius. MegaBytes 3 from Sean
Caldwell and Hal Knapp, two veteran prod maniacs if there ever were any,
contains the kind of razor sharp imaging elements that virtually all rock
(active, classic, alternative, etc.), newstalk, sports talk, and even hot AC
formats require right now.
...And Make It Real Creative:
By Trent Rentsch
Out of the mouths of teens oft times comes complaining about homework,
but last week a gem so profound came out of the whining that its left me
questioning whether I have any talent at all.
Feature: Kill Their Darlings, or "There Are No Bells in
Radio"
By Blaine Parker
The script arrives. Oh, joy. We've been locked into producing a
client-written spot that opens with some fabulous slice-of-life scene. You
know, the kind of dialogue that's oh so realistic because the characters
call each other by name in every line. The slice-of-life is contrived,
uninteresting and has no strategic merit. The good news? The slice of life
doesn't truly hurt anything.
Discretion is the better part of valor (and sanity). This is a situation
where its better to just let the client have his fun and move on. After all,
70% of the script is boilerplate announcer copy that says what needs saying.
Not brilliant, but it puts the message out there to the people who need to
hear it. The spot gets produced; we move on to other projects. The end? That
would be too easy.
Monday Morning Memo: Why Do My Fingers Know This Song?
By Roy H. Williams
"Why do my fingers know this song so much better than my mind?" is a
question that has been asked by every piano player that ever played. Most
recently, it was asked by Monica Ballard's mom. Monica answered, "I don't
know, Mom, but Ill ask Roy tomorrow when I get to the office." Want to hear
something funny? If Monica had asked me the question 2 days earlier, I
wouldn't have known the answer, but as fate would have it, I had just
finished researching that very subject.
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