January 2007 RAP
January 2007 Highlights
Production 212: A Fine Balancing Act
By Dave Foxx
A few weeks ago, I got an email from Terry Trouyet in Baltimore who works
at WVIE-AM, asking about compression and equalization. His boss complained
that his work had way too much bottom end and that it simply rumbled every
time it came on the air. I was a little unsure of the facts because with the
exception of the first few months of my career, I’ve always worked on FM.
So, I went to an engineering friend whose opinions I trust and asked how
compression and EQ affect a station that uses Amplitude Modulation. My, oh
my, did I learn a lot. Terry’s problem wasn’t compression at all. It was
purely EQ.
Interview: Joan Baker, Voice-over Actor/Coach, New York,
NY
By Jerry Vigil
Correction: In this month's interview, we printed an incorrect email
address for Joan. Those wishing to contact her can email her at
joanthevoice@pushcreative.tv.
This month’s RAP Interview dips into the voice-over biz, and we chat with an
amazing talent and voice-over coach, Joan Baker. Joan is the author of
Secrets of Voice-Over Success, and has performed hundreds of promos and
commercials for TV, film and radio throughout her highly regarded career.
ABC News, American Express, HBO, The New York Times, Lens Express, Sony
Music, JP Morgan Chase and Showtime represent a few of the clients who
regularly call upon her unique sound. And Joan also has it going on live!
This past December, she provided the live voice announcements for the
“Museum of the Moving Image Salutes Will Smith” to be aired on Bravo TV.
Prior to authoring Secrets Of Voice-Over Success, Joan built a lucrative
following among people (actors & corporate executives) seeking training in
the art of voice-over acting. Nancy Grace and the late Johnnie Cochran are
counted among her high profile students. Today she travels the country as a
lecturer and seminar leader through a variety of arts institutions. She’s
the creator of “Make Millions With Your Voice,” a very success seminar
through the Learning Annex.
As if her VO acting and coaching career isn’t enough, in 2001 she co-founded
and now oversees business development and public relations for
Manhattan-based advertising firm Push Creative. And her contributions have
not gone unnoticed. She won three PROMAX/BDA Awards for two TV campaigns she
co-produced for SPIKE TV, a Gold Promax/BDA, two Excellence in
Multi-Cultural Marketing Awards, and two Telly Awards for a series of spots
she co-produced for Black History Month.
In honor of her late father, James P. Baker, who passed away from
complications of Alzheimer’s disease, Joan contributes all royalties from
the sale of Secrets of Voice-Over Success to the Alzheimer’s Association.
If you’re thinking about venturing into the VO business on a large scale, or
if you’re in it and want to push yourself further, this month’s interview is
a must read. Be sure and check out Joan’s VO demo on this month’s RAP CD!
Test Drive: BravoSE Disc Publisher from Primera
By Steve Cunningham
I’ve looked in vain for an all-in-one publishing solution that I could
afford for quite awhile. But look for yourself — printers with mechanical
arms to shuffle discs are expensive. Even Primera’s own Bravo and Bravo II
printers, with or without burners included, start at two large retail. That
is out of my league. So when the company introduced the BravoSE disc
publisher that includes a burner, an inkjet printer, a robotic arm to make
it all work, and a street price around $1400, I knew it was time for a
review.
Radio Hed: What is Your Problem?
By Jeffrey Hedquist
Every commercial is designed to solve a problem. Before you can create
one that works, you first need to be clear on what the problem is. Once
you’re clear, your next steps in the creative process will be easier. How do
you get clear? Turn the problem into a question, in fact several questions.
Not the same ones your client brought to you, but questions from different
points of view.
Q It Up: The RAP Network Speaks! - Who are your favorite
voice talents to work with, and why?
Q It Up: Voice talent -- the producer’s perspective. Who
is your favorite voice talent to work with, and why? Is it the one-take
wonder? The guy/gal who needs no direction? The guy/gal who takes direction
better than anyone you’ve ever worked with? The voice that’s makes your
production sound better than anyone else? And if you want to also go to the
extreme, tell us about your least favorite VO talent to work with -- but
let’s leave out those peoples’ names!
Feature: What's In Your Toolshed?
by Steve Pigott
For years and years, people have used the saying "a bad workman always
blames his tools." In production however, sometimes "a good workman" can
also blame his tools. You can be technically and creatively brilliant, but
if you haven’t got the right quality of tools in your box, then you’re
instantly on an uphill struggle. Think about what our "tools" actually are.
OK, so they may not be big bulky things that fill up a shed, but they are
equally important instruments that enable us to do our job efficiently and
to a high standard. Radio production tools can be related to tools of other
trades in certain ways. If you buy a cheap basic drill, then you’ll get
substandard results compared to the Black and Decker 18V GELMAX with a
two-position gearbox! In our language, buy substandard tools…get substandard
production.
...And Make It Real Creative:
By Trent Rentsch
It’s funny, even as we skidded towards the edge of the bridge, I knew we
were going to be okay. After all, your life is supposed to flash before your
eyes right before you die. The only things flashing at that moment were the
past 3 days. The constant reader already knows a bit of my back story, but
the rest of you deserve a bit of a set-up. I live in Raleigh, NC, while my 3
children live with their Mother in South Dakota. I parent as best anyone
can, considering the 1,200 miles distance, and since quantity of time
together is difficult, I do my best to make every second we do spend
together count.
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