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Work Remotely (aka work on a beach)

March 10, 2022 by Amy Taylor Fernandez Leave a Comment

Work from home really means work from anywhere.

People joining the workforce today have new bargaining power when it comes to working remotely. My millennial daughter corrected me when I called it “work from home” as it really means you can work from anywhere that’s not the office. It’s not just from the dining room table anymore! I have nieces and nephews that go to the Caribbean for weeks and even months at a time. They are working remotely. They are living their best life.

In 2022, employers can attract better candidates by offering the option to work remotely 1-2 days a week (or more.) Recent college grads most likely finished their studies remotely, so doing things online is woven into their fabric. Asking prospective employers for remote workdays is as normal as asking for any negotiable benefits.

I used to have a unique experience to be able to work from home or whilst on vacation and my clients rarely knew where in the world I was or what time zone I was in. It’s been great to be able to pack up my remote rig and set up shop at my destination. Here are some things I’ve learned through working remotely.

Microphones always get flagged by TSA.
Always ask if the hotel room has carpet or tile. (Carpet is good for acoustics, tile is bad.)
Don’t book any airport hotels.
Get hardwired internet whenever possible.

Of course, these bullet points only pertain to my industry since I need it to be relatively quiet to record voiceovers. Most people can work in noise. However, Internet is key for anyone working remotely.

I’ve been doing so many Teams/Zoom sessions lately where people are on mute while I’m recording. I’ve heard myriad background things when they unmute themselves to give me direction;

Jackhammer

Sirens

Honking/traffic

Baby crying

Drive thru loudspeaker

Dog barking

Phone ringing

Low battery smoke alarm warning (change the battery already!)

Oven timer

I’m sure I’m not the only one hearing all of these remote work culture noises. And I’ll bet you’ve heard even funnier things on your conference calls. They happen. It’s accepted. It makes for interesting meetings. Am I right?

Nowadays, I say let ‘em work from anywhere. If you’re lucky enough to get paid to do your job elsewhere, good on you. You’re probably a more productive worker because you’re grateful that you can work on a beach somewhere.

Shifting Gears

January 22, 2022 by Amy Taylor Fernandez Leave a Comment

Many of us have made life-altering shifts since the start of the pandemic, whether consciously or unconsciously. Working and schooling from home have become the norm. Our routines have been interrupted. Paychecks stifled. Plans altered or cancelled.

The ability to roll with these changes is key.

I am lucky that my voiceover work has been home-based since 2006. Not much changed for me when the shutdown started. What did change? Everything else. My almost empty nest was suddenly full again. I went from working alone at home to having a college kid and a high school kid attending on-line classes and my husband working from home all in one week. We all claimed a nook of the house in which to work or study. My husband and I shared what had been my office. We made it work because we had to.

Our ability to pivot and live harmoniously was key. We cooked together, ate every meal together and had great conversations. No one was running off to practice or rehearsals. As sad as that was, it was peaceful at the same time. Our family connection grew stronger.

The quarantine really boiled our daily life down to its essence. We weren’t traveling or eating inside restaurants. Our gym was closed. We left the house for provisions only. We shopped for our elderly friends. We got to know our neighbors.

In March of 2020, I kept busy recording a lot of health-based PSAs, physician and hospital announcements regarding Covid 19 protocols which were constantly changing. There was also a stream of voiceover work regarding telehealth visit instructions. The next wave of voice work came when the vaccines rolled out. Information about where to get the vaccine, who was eligible, and which one was being offered all needed recorded announcements. Things were calm for a long while until the booster shots became available. Most of the voiceover work was steady but did not have the urgency that the initial vaccine announcements did. Then Omicron hit. A flurry of airports and government entities joined the healthcare industry in adding new Omicron-related rules. At the time of this blog, my daily recordings are about where to get PCR tests, where asymptomatic people can get rapid tests and the shortage of at-home tests. Telehealth visits are also ramping up again.

This pandemic has taught me a little about what is important in life. As things lean into the realm of normalcy and we get back to our old ways (for better or for worse) I’m trying to hold onto some of the good habits that have sprouted from this two year period.

Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

December 13, 2021 by Amy Taylor Fernandez Leave a Comment

Aretha Franklin had no idea Zoom would later become the world’s gateway of communication when she sang those words in her 1985 album “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” Nor could she have imagined the countless memes about Grandma being on mute or kids photobombing their parents’ meetings. The advertising industry is having a field day with the addition of Zoom to our daily lives.

The pandemic shifted the way we work, go to class and communicate with others. The Zoom app is a big player in that shift and it is a great tool for communication.

However, voice talents like me have spent thousands of dollars making the best sound possible from our professional studios. Whether we offer connections via internet like Source Connect or ipDTL, or traditional copper wire connections like ISDN, we’ve taken great pride in ensuring we are providing the best sound possible to our clients. The connection must sound like we are in the same recording studio with the client. We have treated our booths with Auralex foam. We have purchased very sensitive condenser microphones that pick up every nuance of our performance; the words, the pauses, the sighs. It’s part of our craft and it sounds magical when heard through high-end technology.

Since it’s assumed everyone has Zoom now, clients expect to see me. My booth was not set up with a camera. At first, I was reluctant to agree to Zoom sessions believing the sound quality would be sub-par. In the beginning when asked to use Zoom, I clipped an iPad to my mic boom and fired up zoom on it. The camera angle and lighting were not great, but they could see me.

I did a Zoom session this week with another voice actor and I’ve got to say, it was nice to record some dialogue with no lag. We both recorded in our repective studios and sent the files to the editor to sort out, but the banter was more natural using Zoom. ISDN was a great service, but there was usually a huge silence between the 2 actors’ lines which interrupted the flow. With Zoom, I liked being able to see my friend, the director and the engineer. It made it feel like old times when I used to go into New York City for a recording. So now I’ve changed my tune. Zoom gives me the best of both worlds. I get to see my co-workers and not have to travel several hours to get to a session. My only requirement is the client request Zoom at the time of booking so I’m prepared for it! I don’t want to be caught off guard in my bathrobe. (Yes, sometimes I do sessions in my pajamas!)

The systems we voice actors had in place pre-pandemic work great, the sound is perfect and the end product is top notch. The majority of my sessions are still recorded via the tried and true; Source Connect, phone patch, ipDTL and ISDN. But Zoom has earned its place in the voiceover realm. This week, I’m installing hardware in my booth so that the camera angle is better. I may even get one of those ring lights. I believe Zoom is here to stay.

Voice Talent Job Description: Auditioner!

November 16, 2021 by Amy Taylor Fernandez Leave a Comment

Auditioning is my job. Booking a gig is the end goal. A typical morning for me consists of combing through auditions from various sources like agent and casting director emails, and VO websites. First I delete the ones that aren’t in my wheelhouse such as Adult Male with French Accent. (Mais non, je ne peux pas!) Second, I take the ones I think I’m suited for and write them on my to do list with agency name, client, proper slate, the due dates & times. For Example: ABC Agency – Brawny Paper Towels – No slate – Due Monday noon ET.

I then go into my booth with my iPad, scroll to the script that is due first, read the specs and hit record. I give a few reads and move onto the next audition, reading those specs and recording it. I do this until there are no more to read.

Usually it’s all recorded onto one long file. Then I take my list and my computer and do about an hour of editing, depending on how many auditions there are that day.

My list is really helpful because I can keep track of which agent sent me what. Once editing of the first file is complete, I go back into the agent’s email and see how to name the file. Agents are very particular about naming and will delete anyone who can’t follow the rules. It actually helps them weed people out.

I also make sure I send the file correctly. Some agents like me to upload to their FTP. Others prefer the auditions by email. Once I send that one off with a kiss, I start editing the next one until they’re all done.

If any more auditions have hit my inbox while I was editing, I put them on the list and repeat the cycle. If not, it’s time to record my dailies or my “paid gigs.” This approach is very different from the way I used to do things. Before I would always record the paid gigs first, then audition for possible gigs.

I changed my method when my booking ratio slowed quite a bit. It’s true that the early bird gets the worm in this industry. I’m up early enough to get my auditions out of the way before the workday starts, so I’m not keeping my paid clients waiting AND I’m getting my auditions in as early as possible so my agents can listen and send to their clients.

This system has been working for me for a while, but I’m constantly revisiting my techniques. I’ll keep doing it this way until bookings slow down. Then it’ll be time to roll up my sleeves and roll with the changes.

Voice Over Actor

Work Remotely (aka work on a beach)

Shifting Gears

Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

Voice Talent Job Description: Auditioner!

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