Welcome to episode 79 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

This is the third and final part of my interview with the very talented young voice actress, Grace Rolek. Grace and I had the good fortune to work together on the show Steven Universe for Cartoon Network where Grace plays Steven’s girlfriend, Connie. You may also have heard Grace’s work in shows like Mulan II, Final Fantasy Advent Children and as the voice of Lucy in the Charlie Brown special Happiness is a Warm Blanket. Grace has been voice acting since she was 5 or 6 years old and is 16 at the time of this interview. I was eager to get Grace on the podcast so she could share with all of my listeners what it took for her to become a successful voice actress at such a young age.

As we wrap up our discussion, Grace tells me what it was like working on such an iconic character as Lucy from the Peanuts. She also discusses how even as a young child actress, she understood how important it was to behave in a mature way when at the recording studio. She ends our chat by giving her advice to aspiring young voice actors, which is the same advice she uses herself while pursuing her voice acting career!

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #79 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 78 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

This is the second part of my interview with the very talented young voice actress, Grace Rolek. You may have heard Grace’s work in shows like Mulan II, Final Fantasy Advent Children and as the voice of Lucy in the Charlie Brown special Happiness is a Warm Blanket. Grace has been voice acting since she was 5 or 6 years old and is 16 at the time of this interview. I was eager to get Grace on the podcast so she could share with all of my listeners what it took for her to become a successful voice actress at such a young age.

In the previous episode, Grace and I were discussing a feeling that almost all actors experience: nervousness. Stage fright is a common problem that many actors struggle with. However, Grace had suggested that it was possible to use one’s natural performance anxiety to achieve positive results. So we begin this episode with Grace sharing with us what techniques she uses to help harness her nervous energy and channel it in a constructive way into her acting.

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #78 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 77 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In this episode, I interview the very talented young voice actress, Grace Rolek. Grace and I met while recording the animated show Steven Universe for Cartoon Network. I was immediately impressed by Grace’s skill and her professional demeanor. I became even more impressed when I realized that Grace, who is now 16, had been voice acting since she was about 5 or 6 years old! From her roles in Mulan II and Final Fantasy Advent Children to playing the voice of Lucy in the Charlie Brown special Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Grace has done an amazing range of work for someone so young.

As a voice actor and a voice acting mentor, I’m often approached by young people who worry that they are not old enough to voice act professionally. While I always assure them that it’s possible to voice act at any age, Grace is living proof of that statement. She was generous enough to spend an afternoon talking with me so I can show my listeners what it takes to begin and maintain a voice acting career at a relatively young age. I’m very grateful to her for taking the time to share her experiences with all of you.

I’d also like to thank Andrew Feliciano, the owner of Voicetrax West, for allowing us to record this interview in his studio. Voicetrax West not only provides professional recording services to the LA area, but offers voice over classes as well. You can find more information on the VoiceTrax West website.

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #77 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 73 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In this episode, I continue answering questions from my podcast audience! For those who may not be as familiar with the podcast, in past episodes, I’ve given out a phone number where you can call in and leave me a question about voice acting as a voicemail. From time to time, I’ll pick the most relevant questions I receive and answer them here on the podcast.

For this round of Q & A, I answer questions from Wesley from Thousand Oaks, CA and James from Dallas, TX.

Wesley has learned through experience how important it is to act professionally towards voice actors. He’d like me to expand on that idea of acting professionally so that others can understand the value of acting professionally.

I’m happy to expand on the idea of professionalism and I’m glad Wesley brought up the topic.

I talk at length about how to think and act like a professional in episode 30 of the podcast. I also explain what is expected of professional voice actors in the booth in episode 31.

However, what Wesley seems to be describing is how someone who may be a fan of certain characters or voice actors should interact with industry professionals. What’s the best way to approach those whose artistic work you admire deeply?

Creative people, like anyone, want to be treated with courtesy and respect. No matter how enthusiastic a fan may be, if they cannot act in a courteous way towards a creator, the creator will want to avoid that fan. If you are a fan and you would like to join the ranks of industry professionals, I explain how to educate yourself and change your mindset so you can talk to them as an equal, and not like a fan who wants or needs something from them.

James had an opportunity to audition for a studio, but has yet to hear back from them. He worries that he may have made a bad first impression. He wants to know how to approach them so that he can make a better impression the second time around.

I explain to James that while it is true that we never get a second chance to make a first impression, I believe that it is always possible to impress someone in the industry the second time around. It just takes a little more work.

The best way I know to regain the interest of an industry professional is to go out and make good art. Go work on other projects. Start your own projects. Get out there and hustle a bit and apply your artistic skills in any project you can. Once you have created something or worked on something that is measurably successful, you can then share your success with industry professionals.

However, it is vitally important NOT to overwhelm those professionals with every little thing you might be working on.

I explain to James how to communicate his successes in projects in a professional manner so he can avoid annoying or harassing the very people he’s trying to impress.

I hope you find the answers useful in your own voice acting endeavors!

If any of my listeners would like to call in with your own thoughts, thank you’s or questions, the number is:

323-696-2655.

Please don’t forget to include your first name and what city in the world you’re calling from. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #73 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 66 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

This episode of Voice Acting Mastery falls near the end of the year in 2013, and in most of the Western world, the holidays are upon us. During the holiday season, many people spend time with family and loved ones. This also tends to be a time when people look back over the year and evaluate what they’ve accomplished.

Many begin to look forward to the new year and to think about what they hope to achieve in the future. It’s a time for year-end planning and New Year’s resolutions. It’s also a good opportunity to do some mental housecleaning while you visualize your goals for the new year. So in the spirit of planning for another orbit around our sun, I thought I would share with you my experiences and insights when it comes to getting motivated to accomplish your goals.

If you’ve ever run out of steam or felt overwhelmed when trying to achieve your dreams, this episode is for you!

Happy Holidays and all the best to you in you voice acting endeavors!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #66 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 63 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

This is the third and final part of my interview with UK and US based voice actress Jennifer Taylor Lawrence. You may be familiar with her work in the video game Killzone where she plays the role of Shadow Marshal Luger. In addition to her voice acting and on-camera acting accomplishments, Jennifer was kind enough to record the introduction voice-over for this podcast.

As we conclude our interview, Jennifer shares with me her advice for voice actors, especially those who are based in the UK. She also describes in detail how she approached and got accepted by her UK agent. I’m sure this will be enlightening and relevant for any of my listeners who are currently seeking representation.

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #63 Here (MP3)