March 2005 RAP
March 2005 Highlights
2004 RAP Awards Finalists Announced
Complete list on the RAP CD track sheet.
Feature: Producing in a Language You Don't Understand
By John Pellegrini
As of the year 2000, according to the US Census Bureau there were 32.8
million Latino or Hispanic residents in the United States representing
somewhere over 12 percent of the total population. That number is low,
considering many "residents" are not counted for whatever reasons. That
number is also low because in the four years since that Census report was
taken, there have been increases. I'm not stating any of this for political
reasons, but I am bringing this up because this is something that many of
you are already facing or may soon have to face: producing commercials and
promos in Spanish. What makes this more interesting is when, like me, you
don't speak the language at all.
Interview: Harlan Hogan, Voice Actor, Chicago, Illinois
By Jerry Vigil
Some of you reading this were yet to be born when Harlan Hogan started
doing voice work. Some of Harlan's "greatest hits" include Raid ("kills bugs
dead!"), Heinz Catsup ("Good things come to those who wait."), Life Cereal
("the cereal even Mikey likes."), Head & Shoulders ("because that little
itch should be telling you something."), Michelob Lite ("Who says you cant
have it all?") and more, including "You deserve a break today," "When you
care enough to send the very best," and "Hey Culligan Man!" Harlan also has
two books out, "VO: Tales & Techniques of a Voice Over Actor" and "The Voice
Actors Guide to Home Recording." Harlan's voiceover career spans over 30
years. He tells us the secret to his longevity and more in this months RAP
Interview. The RAP Awards Finalists are on this months RAP CD, but you can
check out Harlan's demos on his website at
www.harlanhogan.com.
Test Drive: Three Nearfield Monitors
By Steve Cunningham
My old faithful Yamaha NS-10M studio monitors are dying. I noticed that
the foam surround in the right woofer is starting to crack, and Yamaha
doesn't make the woofers anymore. I suppose I could look on eBay for
replacements, but buying speakers sight unseen doesn't seem very smart. Time
to look for some new nearfield reference monitors, preferably powered ones
since there are so many really good active monitors on the market, and cause
I want 'em (that's why!).
The holiday bills have arrived, so I've decided to focus on monitors I can
buy on the street for less than 600 bucks, and hopefully a lot less. I also
want to stick with 5"-6" woofers to get a fair bass comparison (this will be
important later). I corralled a few pairs of monitors that meet that
criteria, set 'em up in my studio (aka The Cave) and gave 'em a workout
using several months of RAP CDs (thanks Jerry!).
Radio Hed: Directing Voice Talent II
By Jeffrey Hedquist
Director prep: First, you need to understand the script and what you want
the voice talent to accomplish. A way of clarifying this for yourself is to
listen to a performance from a commercial, film, video or TV show that you'd
like your actors to emulate in feel, tone and attitude. That gives you a
target to aim at. Determine in advance how you'll direct them to achieve
that. This will vary depending on your actors skill, experience and your
relationship with them.
Production 212: Advice to a New Broadcaster
By Dave Foxx
Every year, about this time, I get a letter from a student of
broadcasting, asking for advice on how to pursue a career in radio or
television. Well, I've never been one to shy away from giving my 2-cents
worth, even if its only worth half that. If you're a regular reader of this
column, you've already read me spouting off about most of this, so this
month you're allowed to skim. Its a kind of "Readers Digest" version of
several columns. Today's letter came from a 17-year-old high school student
who is debating whether to go to college for a communications degree (bad
idea), or to jump in, feet first (which is probably worse.) What follows is
an edited version of my response.
Feature: Digital Soul
By Ed Thompson
With the bankruptcy of Quantegy, the last American manufacturer of
magnetic tape, analog is dead. I just read its obituary in the February 10th
issue of Rolling Stone. Its about damn time. I'm surprised someone didn't
pull the plug on the life support machine years ago. Why? Because digital is
better. Bold statement and I know. Ill soon read scathing emails from "true
believers" who, like Jackson Browne, Neil Young, Lou Reed, or a colleague
from north of the border, say that analog is "warmer" and has more "soul."
That may be. But, unless you're in a soundproof room, with very high end
processing on ultra sensitive studio monitors and have ears trained to hear
certain frequencies, who'll notice? Joe and Jane Listener? Not likely.
...And Make It Real Creative:
By Trent Rentsch
Need a Creative idea? Take a moment, nearly any moment of your life. If
you cant use that moment, try another one you have a lifetime of ideas
available, you just have to pay attention to them.
Monday Morning Memo: The Future of Advertising - An Open
Letter to Advertisers from the Wizard of Ads
By Roy H. Williams
Google tells me it was the often-quoted Greek orator, Anonymous, who
first said, "The only thing constant is change." Though I agree that change
is ever with us, it cannot be said that its truly "constant," for such a
word would imply that change happens at an unchanging speed. Change within a
society accelerates and decelerates like a roller coaster; slugging and
clanging up a tedious hill of evolutionary progress to reach the critical
tipping point, that eye-of-the-storm where begins the careening,
wounded-duck plummet that is the always-messy signature of a paradigm shift.
Late 2003 was just such an eye-of-the-storm tipping-point signaling the
arrival of the current paradigm shift, our first in 40 years.
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