Webchat Video: "Idiot Work versus Genius Work"

Thanks to everyone who participated in our live webchat! If you weren't able to join us, the archived video is now available.

Let's face it: You're a genius. You know this. But does anyone else?

In this webchat, I talk about what I call Idiot Work, and contrast it with the only way anyone has ever discovered to experience freedom and get maximum enjoyment out of life: tapping into (and selling) what you and you alone have to offer.

If your natural genius is going under-utilized — if you're stuck in the mind-numbing purgatory of brain-dead "work" — you cannot afford to miss this video.

Click here to watch "Idiot Work vs Genius Work" (47 minutes)

Live Video Chat Friday 10/23 — "The Art of Dropping Out: Disengaging from Cultural Expectations for Fun & Profit"

Join me for a live webcast on Friday, October 23 @ 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST).

I'll discuss a topic that's sure to raise a few eyebrows. (So what else is new?)

Conventional society wants nothing but good things for you — and from you. If you do what you're told, you can own a nice home, drive a nice car, work a prestigious job, bank an impressive salary.

The catch is, to experience these things often requires you to relinquish much of your unique identity. From the moment we step into the "system" (and sometimes before), we're pummeled with the idea that suppressing your true self and adhering to the expectations of others is the key to success in life.

In this interactive chat, I'll challenge several cherished cultural norms, and suggest ways you can move beyond conventional thinking, into a life of abundant freedom.

If you haven't already, please listen to my podcast "Sacred Values of the Middle Class — and Why You Must Reject Them" before tuning in.

We'll start exactly on time, so log in a few minutes early to make sure you don't miss anything.

I'd appreciate hearing any thoughts or ideas you have on this topic ahead of time. Email kevin@kevindelaney.net, or leave a comment below.

Click here to access the live chat on Friday, October 23 at 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST)

Live Webcast Monday 10/19: Does Money Grow On Trees? Examining Your Early Wealth Programming

Join me for a live webcast on Monday, October 19 at 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 EST).

To one extent or another, most of us grew up with the idea that it's hard to make a buck. We saw our parents slaving at jobs — we internalized the perspective that money isn't easy to come by, and that unpleasant toil is a necessity in life.

What were your family's attitudes toward prosperity and success? In this interactive chat, I'll talk about how the messages we receive in our youth can directly impact our present financial state.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Please take a moment and email me at kevin@kevindelaney.net, or leave a comment below.

We'll begin our broadcast exactly on time, so log in a few minutes early to be sure you don't miss anything.

Click here to access the live webcast on Monday, October 19 at 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST)

2 Big Voiceover Workshops in Pittsburgh — November 7 & 8

I'll be returning to my hometown of Pittsburgh in November to teach two of my most popular workshops on VO: my five-hour Commercial Voiceover Intensive, and the renouned Creating Unforgettable Characters.

Both workshops will be held at Mr. Smalls Studio on the North Side. Attendance is extremely limited; only eight people will be able to attend each session.

As a special bonus, I'm offering a free 30-minute phone or Skype coaching session if you sign up for both workshops.

For full info about the Pittsburgh workshops in November, click here.

New Blog from Kevin: The Wealthy Bohemian

I've just started a blog about success, prosperity and happiness — The Wealthy Bohemian.

Here's a sampling from the first post:

"Most of the trappings typically associated with 'wealth' leave me cold. Keep your tacky art, forget the the gaudy furniture. Give me instead the freedom to move about as I please, and an abundance of time to be able to do what I want. That, in a nutshell, is my concept of success.

"Naturally, money plays a major role in this. Money is essential to everyone, whether you have a little or a lot of it. But money is only a means to an end; it’s a tool to allow you to have (and do) what’s truly important to you."

Please check it out! While you're at it, leave a comment, and subscribe via RSS feed.

I'll be starting a separate mailing list for Wealthy Bohemian-related news and info, so if you'd like to be included in it, drop me a line at kevin@kevindelaney.net.

Click here to visit The Wealthy Bohemian Blog

Women in Animation Voiceover Workout Group Meeting — Tuesday, 9/8

I'll be Guest Directing this month's Women in Animation Voiceover Workout Group on Tuesday, September 8, from 7-10 p.m. at MJ Productions in Burbank.

These sessions are always a ton of fun, and are open to both women and men!

I'll be talking all about my special techniques for putting VARIETY into your character performances.

We'll work with real animation copy, and all of your work will be recorded.

To RSVP, contact Linda Lee ASAP: tennisbabelee97@gmail.com

WIA members are $15, non-members are $20.

Let me know if you'll be there. I promise, it will be a night to remember!

The Levelator — Free Program for Making Your VO Recordings Sound Great

If you aren't "Levelating" your spoken recordings, odds are they don't sound as good as they could.

The Levelator is a free, downloadable program for Mac & PC that enhances spoken-word audio. I'm not an engineer, so I can't tell you exactly all the things that it does, but its basic function is to make the levels of a recording even, so that everything is at an appropriate, equal volume.

I tend to put a lot of range into my auditions. I especially like to play with a character's intensity — sometimes getting louder, sometimes almost whispering. So long as I set the recording levels so the loud stuff won't "clip," I can feel free to go as soft as I want, and The Levelator will bring those parts up to an even keel with the rest.

When you submit an audition, the last thing you want is for your listener to 1. strain to understand you because the recording level is too low, or 2. suddenly get blasted by a loud part, which causes them to reach for the volume control — or worse, click to the next audition. (I want my auditions to blow people away, but not like that.)

The Levelator doesn't average the volume level; if the entire recording is too quiet, it brings everything up to where it needs to be.

I use The Levelator for all of my spoken recordings, including commercials and VO demos I produce. No spoken audio leaves my hands now without having been "Levelated."

Try The Levelator and see what you think. It's a no-brainer program with just one function; you drag your file onto it, then wait for it to process.

Click here to download The Levelator for Mac & PC.

Webcast with Alicyn Packard — Archived Video Now Available

Our Video Voiceover Chat with VO artist Alicyn Packard was an absolute blast!

In addition to her credits in Nickelodeon's Olivia, as well as in video games such as World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade and Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Alicyn is the voice of Little Miss Naughty, Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Whoops on Cartoon Network's The Mr. Men Show!
Click here to watch a clip of Alicyn demonstrating her character voices from The Mr. Men Show at Comic-Con
This was an extremely fun chat, and Alicyn shared many insights into her process as a VO actress. We also talked about the business of VO, and answered many excellent questions submitted live by viewers.

If you missed the live chat, don't worry — an archive is now available!

Click here to watch the archived chat with Alicyn (45 mins)

Dave & Dave Gives VO Artists Free Studio Time

Dave & Dave Recording Studios in Toluca Lake, CA is giving actors free studio time through the end of the year!

If you've never paid for studio time at D&D before, and you bring in an ad from Voiceover Resource Guide #53, D&D will give you 2 free hours of studio time per month between now & December.

For full details on this amazing offer, visit Dave & Dave's website.

"Art of the Audition" Online Course Now Enrolling — Saturdays in September

My ART OF THE AUDITION online course is now enrolling for Saturdays in September!

This is the course I've given many times in Los Angeles, always with spectacular results and feedback.

For complete info, visit http://www.ArtOfTheAudition.com

Space is extremely limited!

Archived Video — 8/20 Chat "The Power of Self-Employment"

Our video chat on Self-Employment went extremely well! If you missed it, you can now watch it archived.

What is self-employment? How — and why — does self-employment differ so enormously from the commonly-accepted model of traditional employment?

I share my insights and experiences with being "professionally self-sufficient," and show you why, in order to create maximum freedom and prosperity in your life, the self-employed lifestyle is the only way to go.

Click here to watch the archived video (1 hour)

Archived Video — 8/17 Social Networking Chat

If you missed our live Video Chat on making the most of the social networking sites, you can watch the broadcast archived.

In this chat, I talk about the three social networking sites that you should definitely be a part of: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How can you use these free services to maximum advantage? What is "social networking" — and how can you best put it to use in your career?

Watch this video to find out!

Click here to watch the archived video (45 minutes)

KDUX Web Radio Interview - Part 2

Here's the second installment of my interview with Charlie Vann of KDUX Web Radio, in which Charlie asks me about my favorite voiceover roles, and I share some advice for those who want to pursue VO professionally. (6 minutes)


Click here to download the audioMissed Part One? Click here.

Archived Video — 8/10 "Reaching the Next Level" Chat

If you missed our live Video Voiceover Chat on Monday, you can watch it on replay!

I talked about some of the ideas put forth in my podcast for VoiceOverXtra.com titled "Reaching the Next Level." (Click here to listen to that podcast.)

I also addressed the issue of video VO demos. Some artists are now combining visuals with their audio demos. Is this a good idea?

Of course, your comments and questions play a central role in this vidcast. Check it out!

Click here to watch the archived video (30 minutes)
P.S. If you want to be kept updated about when future vidcasts will be, please send me an email.

The Voiceover Ninja Guide to Social Networking

If you're not using the Internet to build and maintain a powerful professional network, you're missing out on one of the major benefits the Web has to offer.

As a bare minimum, you should be a member of Facebook. Facebook is a social networking site that allows you to connect with others and share messages, pictures, videos and links via a constantly-updated news feed.

Go to Facebook.com and register. Then import your address book and find friends & contacts you can connect with. You'll be glad you did.

Another site you should be a part of is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is geared toward professional rather than personal networking; it's a great site for career-minded folks, especially entrepreneurs.

I greatly enjoy LinkedIn's groups; you can join associations related to virtually any career-related topic. There are at least five voiceover groups on LinkedIn, including my own Voiceover Ninja Group.

Lastly, you should be a member of Twitter. Twitter is something of a fad right now, a little like MySpace was a few years ago. Everybody's on it — which is why you should join up and start using it if you haven't already.

Twitter allows you to send and receive "tweets" — short bytes of info, much like text messages.

Once you've joined Twitter, you can join the "voiceover" group at Twibes.com, and start following some of the folks you find there.

(UPDATE: I now use TweetDeck to manage my Twitter activity. It's a great, free program you can download for Mac, PC and iPhone.)

With these three, you'll be very well socially-networked. Just make sure to visit the sites regularly (at least once per day) and to make full use of the resources they provide.

Incidentally, all three of these sites are free to join and to use. LinkedIn charges a fee for a "premium" membership, but you probably won't need it, at least not until you become a heavy-duty user.

It should go without saying that the instant you join these websites, you must seek me out and become connected with me. Here's how to contact and follow me directly:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KevinDelaneyVO

LinkedIn (personal profile): http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=12548735

LinkedIn (Voiceover Ninja Group): http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2026665

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KevinDelaneyVO

P.S. Another superb site you should join is VoiceoverUniverse.com. This is more of a homepage or portal for VO artists, but currently has 3,000 members and a major social-networking angle. Here's the link to my profile on Voiceover Universe. I'll write more about VO-specific websites in a future post.