Walla…
That’s not a new Australian greeting nor am I going to say it twice and call it a city in Washington state. It is however, one part of another area of voice over called either Automated Dialogue Replacement or Additional Dialogue Replacement, nobody seems to know which one it is so everyone just calls it ADR or looping for short.

Always interested in extending my skills, I recently took an advanced class in ADR from renowned teacher and overall super talented guy, Pat Fraley, and his guest instructor for the day, Barbara Harris, who’s company is responsible for the ADR aspects of hundreds of feature films such as No Country for Old Men, Inglourious Basterds, The Book of Eli and countless others.

This arena of voice over includes replacing inadequate or poor audio for specific dialogue, usually done by the stars themselves or it could mean bringing in another actor to voice match the star when they weren’t available. It also includes normal background “people” sounds that one would hear in any group setting (non-people sounds are done by foley artists and that’s a whole other subject). Those background people sounds can be either intelligible or unintelligible and that’s where the term “walla” shows up. Then there’s another term “shoutouts”, where you might have someone in a street scene yell “Taxi” or in a restaurant scene some anonymous voice calls out “waiter”.

Another area of ADR is that of “efforts” or exertion sounds where highly experienced actors are called upon to use another unique skill set, that of coughing or sneezing, laughing or even throwing up. There’s the grunts and groans and heavy breathing, someone has to do those as well. Then there’s the sound one makes when he or she is hit in the face or the stomach or when you fall down. Each and every one of these sounds is unique and specific to the position of the actor in the scene, all viewed on a monitor while recording the sounds. Does he have his mouth open wide or is he gritting his teeth, is he hunched forward or arched back, every position has a different sound and it’s the job of the voice actor to know just what that is.

That’s why the voice actor in this part of the business is just as important as any other, his performance needs to be so good that it’s never even perceived, if he’s poor at his job it may draw attention away from the main part of the scene. It’s an area of acting where you’re not drawing attention to yourself, where your performance must blend into the background, where it can be dull and lackluster, where you can mumble your lines or slur your speech… and you’ve done a great job!

My thanks to Pat Fraley, Barbara Harris and D.B. Cooper for imparting their talent and experience to further my education, knowledge and abilities. Also, to Andy at Buzzy’s Recording in L.A. for his expertise and hospitality.

Pat Fraley can be found at  http://patfraley.com/
For more info on Barbara Harris check out her listing on IMDB at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364456/
Buzzy’s Recording studio in Los Angeles  http://www.buzzysrecording.com/

This article was originally published on the blog for MCAI-OC and is reprinted here with permission.

About the Author:
Brian Page is the owner of Vocal Images and is a voiceactor and theatrical actor located in Southern California, and is a current member of the Orange County VO Peeps.  He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Media Communications Association, International (MCA-I) Orange County/Los Angeles Chapter and has recently joined the corporate international board as well. He can be reached at 714-404-7591 or email at voiceactor@yahoo.com. His web site is at http://brianpagevoiceovers.com/.

In this meetup, we’ll talk about methods you can utilize to establish yourself in today’s online world – and then we’ll kick it up a notch by discussing techniques that will really get you NOTICED!  Start developing your 2011 business plan now by documenting and writing down your goals for the New Year!  Make sure to bring your pencils – we’ll be kicking off the meeting with a lively round-table discussion sure to get you motivated!

It is my great pleasure and honor to have special guest speaker Dennis Backer at this meetup.  Dennis has been in the video production business for over 30 years, producing videos for businesses and corporations of all sizes.  He started designing and optimizing websites several years ago, as he found the need to get his own video production business, Media by Design, Inc.,  more leads.  He formed Seo Excell and has many satisfied clients on the first page of the search engines.

According to Dennis,  ”SEO Excell is a local search engine optimization, internet marketing and website development company. We drive traffic to websites by getting them ranked in the first page of search results on the major search engines including Google and Yahoo. Businesses’ are listed in national, local and industry specific directories, including mobile directories, thereby increasing exposure in their industry.”

“SEO Excell specializes in local search engine optimization which allows potential clients in a local area to easily find your business listing, effectively   increasing your customer base. It is crucial for local businesses to have optimized websites to facilitate being found on the internet. We use 6 effective ways to optimize your website and gain high rankings on major search engines, and look forward to sharing these with you in our meetup.”

I, for one, can’t wait!  Hope to see you all there!  Remember to bring those business cards – this group is growing and getting stronger by the second!

Hey Peeps!  Get ready to jump start your New Year and VO career with all of your favorite Peeps!  Save the Date - Our next meetup is scheduled for Friday, January 14, 2011.  More details to be posted soon!

Wow. 2011. Can you believe we’ve gone through another year?  Time sure flies when you’re having fun!

As 2010 winds down, let’s all take some time to reflect on this past year and start thinking about our VO goals for the New Year.  What are you striving for in your voice-over career?   Is it landing that elusive national commercial? Oh yeah!  How about getting that agent?  Perhaps it’s getting your home studio set up and fine tuned.  (and by the way, I recently had industry expert George Whittam from Eldorado Recording Services stop by to fine tune my home studio – HIGHLY recommended! – Watch for my blog post coming soon!)  Or maybe you have your eyes on acquiring some shiny new equipment.  Perhaps you’re contemplating finally getting more acquainted with Social Media!  Hey – How about stepping up that marketing plan for your business?

For sure, those of you looking to grow your business in 2011 know just how important it is to establish an online presence.  You also know that a good marketing plan will allow you to foster and nurture your existing client relationships, as well as secure new ones.  You need to be able to showcase your talent and your business, and a big part of that is making sure that your name and your brand is found easily and readily online, as well as ranking high in all those search engines!  Did you know that this is possible, even if you don’t have a website yet? Well, you can find out how at our next meetup! Our special guest, Dennis Backer, will educate us on some key practices and techniques to help you get your brand NOTICED! Don’t miss this one, folks!

As for myself, one of my own personal goals for the New Year is to continue to grow this group to national fame and unselfishly share the vast talent, knowledge and experience that is so extensive in our Peeps family.  I’m starting to write down my goals for the coming year, and am dedicated to growing my VO business with a new and improved marketing plan, and am absolutely committed to providing my clients with exceptional customer service.  I’m also looking forward to continuing my own personal voice coaching business and doing my ultimate best to inspire, motivate, and share my passion for this business with aspiring new talents.  I truly believe I have found my calling, and it’s a great feeling!

And one last goal for all of my Peeps, their families, and loved ones  - May The gift of love, the gift of peace, and the gift of happiness be yours throughout the Holiday Season!

Many Blessings and Happy Holidays,
Anne

It was a great time this year at the 2010 OC Media Holiday Gala!  Six (6!) different OC media organizations were represented this year.  In addition to The OC VO Peeps, the sold out event included attendees from the OC Media Alliance, Orange County Digital Arts, OC Screen Writers Association, the Professional Communication Exchange the LA/OC Chapter of MCAI, as well as the Orange County Film Commission.  The gathering was held at Dave and Buster’s in Irvine on Dec 1 and everyone had a great time kicking off the holiday season with lots of laughs, great friends, and great food.

The evening began with lots of mingling and networking over cocktails.  It was great catching up with old friends, as well as seeing and meeting a lot of new faces!  There were three large tables (actually covered pool tables) decorated festively for the season, with my favorite chocolates strewn across the top, thanks to Committee chairperson  Eva Crabbs.  Seriously, I had to stop myself from snatching them all up!  We then moved on to a wonderful buffet style dinner, complete with roasted chicken and blackened salmon over spinach – YUM!

Fabulous door prizes were then given out by the wonderful and entertaining trio of Tim Keenan from Creative Media Recording, Art Kirsch, Founder of OCShowbiz and Day Job Productions,  and Brian Page from Vocal Images.  Thanks to the many generous donations, everyone came out a winner!  The VO Peeps donated two authentic VO Peeps t-shirts which went to lucky winners Rick Sherman from Sherman Sound Suite, and our very own Eila Ulyett.  Some of the other door prizes included a series of Larry Jordan Final Cut Pro training classes donated by Travis, tickets to the Newport Theater Art Center donated by Brian Page, a collector’s edition Avatar DVD from the Media Alliance, and a large selection of classic Hollywood film DVDs, enough for every attendee, generously donated by Grace McKay of Electric Pictures.  Other prizes were generously donated  by Rick Sherman, Eila Ulyett, and Amy the Writer.

Dessert and coffee were then served, along with a special surprise birthday cake for Dennis Backer, from SeoExcell.  Kazoos were passed out, and the crowd all gamely participated in an award winning rendition of “Happy Birthday”, as well as many other holiday favorites.  And of course, it was then that I realized what a great warm up tool the kazoo is for all of us who are voice talents! Try it – you’ll be amazed at how well it works!

The fun times continued long into the evening, and I found myself wishing that I had more time to spend with these wonderful, warm, and unbelievably generous people – who are now fast stealing a special place in my heart, and many of whom I am proud to say are my friends.  My warmest wishes to all for a blessed and wonderful holiday season – I can’t wait to see what the New Year holds for us!

Make sure to check out more fun party pics at my Picassa Web Site!

Oh – and by the way, speaking of holidays and gifts – shameless plug starts here – Are you looking for that perfect holiday gift?  Look no further - Get your authentic VO Peeps merchandise for that special someone on your list – so hip, so fun and trendy – and they make great holiday gifts! 

Hey Peeps!
Today we are taking a moment to look at a more in depth view of one of our super talented members, Rob Gallas – how he got started, his history in the music business, and what really fuels his passion!  The VO Peeps are fortunate to have such an amazing talent as Rob as a member of the group and wish him all the best and continued success with his career.  Read on for more of his inspirational story!

“I feel very fortunate to be the youngest of six children.  Music was always a part of whatever was going on in our home.  Mom would be making her famous homemade pizzas on Saturday night and the Lawrence Welk show would be on TV in the background.  At one end of the house my oldest brother would be spinning David Bowie’s, “Diamond Dogs” and at the other end my sister would be listening too Leo Sayers’, “Endless Flight.”   Probably the most memorable was my dad singing. He was vocally trained and had a huge, full baritone that would not only fill the house, but if the windows were open and he was singing in the bedroom, you could hear him clearly down at the other end of the block.  These are the sounds and people who sparked my deep love for music and interest as a singer, songwriter and performer.”  

“My professional singing career started 22 years ago.  I answered an ad in the Recycler that read, “band looking for singer.”  The description was, “singer wanted, influences the Byrd’s and The Cult,” a marriage between old school and new school rock at the time.  I auditioned and got the gig.  After playing and writing for about a year the band, Black and White World, were signed and recorded two albums.  We were lucky enough to play around Southern California’s local venues, get some gigs out of state and some radio airplay.  A few years later, I was approached by another band that had lost their singer.  They invited me to one of their rehearsals, I sang a few of their tunes, and we hit it off.  These guys, a band called Undercover, had been around quite a while and had a following in the Christian music scene.  I was lucky enough to record another album with Undercover called “Forum.”  This album led to more airplay internationally and bigger festivals around United States and Europe.  After UC, I got back together with some other local musicians and formed the band Oscar.  We hit it hard, wrote some solid, catchy songs and showcased for several labels in Los Angeles, but we never were signed.  We did a lot of things right, but we also did some things wrong –one of them was not following our instincts.  The band ended up dissolving about four years later.  Regardless, it was a good run, lessons were learned, and friendships were gained.”

“There were some other projects along the way, but that pretty much brings us to the present.  I now play in a band called Straight 78, a cover band that plays funk, soul, R&B and disco from the 70’s –artists like Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Joe Cocker.  We are one of the premier cover bands in Orange County playing all of the local venues, weddings and corporate events.   It’s a great gig and gives me a chance to honor the heroes that influenced me and were a big part of shaping my voice.  People love it because it’s fun, high energy music that makes you want to move.  We have developed a song list of approximately 70 tunes and we are starting to write originals again, getting the creative juices flowing, and hope to record some of those originals in 2011.”

“I love using my voice.  I feel it is the conduit, the vessel I use to connect with others and myself.  There is no better release for me than to get behind a mic and give it up, let everything go, and just let it rip.  Some people are blessed and lucky enough to have that creative release, the ability to tap into something that is beyond consciousness, the unknown “voice” inside all of us.  For some it is a guitar, some a paintbrush, some a pen, for me it is my voice.  It’s that hand that reaches inside me and pulls out that thing that transcends.  For me it is bliss to find that spot.  It is all about connecting with the world around us.  There is nothing like being in that moment where you know you have the audience, you’re playing “with” the crowd not “to” the crowd and they become part of the performance.  Everyone is participating.  To make a person smile, to make them dance, to help them forget or remember, to help them cope or understand, to give voice (literally) through song with no expectations other than throwing that cry into the universe and filling it up with love – this is what makes me tick, this is my passion.   Some might think this is a bit dramatic, but for me it is the beat of my heart.  I say this with all sincerity, I love to sing.  I feel very blessed to have been given this gift and lucky to have family, friends and fans that have helped nurture and shape it along the way.  To share it with as many people as possible is one of my lifetime quests.   Thanks for letting me share it with you.”

Sincerely,
Rob Gallas

Go Rob! Peeps are proud!

For more information, please contact Rob at:

Rob Gallas Talent
rgallas@cox.net
949-354-1455
www.myspace.com/straight78
www.facebook.com/straight 78

As we get close to this Thanksgiving holiday and the end of 2010, I am reminded of just how very fortunate and truly blessed I really am.  This journey has been an amazing experience for me, one that I cherish and look forward to every single day.  I am so very thankful for all of YOU – my PEEPS – thank you for your friendship, love, and support as we embark on this new and exciting journey together.  I truly am blessed to have each and every one of you in my life.  And I am so excited for all of the wonderful things to come for our group – I know there will be an abundance!

As we sit at our tables this Thanksgiving and upcoming holiday season, let’s try to remember the importance and significance of simply being grateful, every day,  for all of those things you just can’t put a price tag on – your friends, your family, loved ones.  It’s green!  And it’s bound to make you feel good – studies have proven that you’ll be healthier for it!  Make it part of your daily mantra as a voice over artist – hey – why not put up a sign in your recording space!  It certainly can’t hurt, and chances are it will just make you happy – and your voice!   Who wouldn’t want that? And what a great way to achieve that warm sound before your next job or audition!

So thank you, my Peeps, from the bottom of my very grateful heart.  You are amazing, you are strong, you are pure talent.  Many Blessings, and have a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!

This year the holidays will get a special start! We’re joining with SIX (that’s right: 6!) other OC media organizations who are coming together to party and celebrate the holidays. It’s a wonderful way to make new contacts and renew old friendships. It’s time right now to RSVP for this great event on Dec 1st! That’s only a few weeks a way!

This year we’’ll be partying with members of the OC Media Alliance, Orange County Digital Arts, OC Screen Writers Association, the Orange County VO Peeps,the Orange County Film Commission, the Professional Communication Exchange and of course the LA/OC Chapter of MCAI! …and more! We’re also expecting folks from OCMMA and PVN! Not a member of any of those? Come Anyway! Don’t delay your online RSVP and Prepayment!

http://www.meetup.com/newmedia-82/calendar/15317680/

Our inter-organizational Holiday Party will be at Dave & Busters in the Spectrum. Last year everyone had a fun time and there were door prizes galore. (to see Photos of the ’09 party click here) this year will be even bigger and better! join us! Register online now! And spread the word!

The per person cost of the 2010 Holiday Party is $26. it includes dinner and dessert, doorprizes, entertainment and lots of fun. Bring your spouse and other guests as well! If you like, bring a gift (under $15) to add to the pile of doorprizes.

EVENT: 2010 OC Media Holiday Party
Date: December 1, 2010

Location: Dave & Busters, Irvine Spectrum

Time: 6pm to 10pm / Cocktails at 6 with no-host bar, dinner, etc at 7. Dress: Holiday Casual

Cost: $26 per person YOU MUST PREPAY AT http://www.meetup.com/newmedia-82/calendar/15317680/

NOTE: We’re using the MCAI Meetup Group Website RSVP for both the November meeting and the Holiday party so be sure to RSVP for the correct event!