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Randy Thomas
November 8, 2016
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Randy Thomas has become one of the premier voiceover talents in a very competitive business - and she wants to give back to those who also want to pursue that career. On November 10th-11th, she will hold the VO Mastery seminar at two locations in Studio City, CA. Seating is limited for the two days of classes, but even those who couldn't get in can attend a networking and cocktail party reception at Sportsmen's Lodge, where they, too, can meet some of the voiceover stars who took the VO Mastery stage. Here, Thomas explains how she developed her voice talents, the competitive VO environment, and what VO Mastery can do for you.
You started in radio in 1973 at WORB/Farmington Hills, MI, but when did you realize you had a gift for voiceover?
A long time ago. I started out as a DJ, but I really wanted to be an actor. I first found my voiceover talents while working in radio, which led me to announcing on live TV. But we all have different paths to follow.
Did you do anything different, physically or mentally, to prepare yourself for a voiceover career?
Absolutely. I had to study and learn the art of voiceover. I had been a DJ for many years, but other than becoming comfortable around a mic and in the production studio, that doesn't really prepare you for voiceover. The actual art of voiceover consists of being an actor, taking words and letting them have meaning, and bringing them to life. That's different than a radio personality. I studied all kinds of voiceover. A lot of the best coaches helped me navigate my way through the difficult kinds of copy I would encounter, from animation characters to live announcing ... everything has its own niche.
Who were your voiceover heroes when you started in this profession?
First and foremost, Don LaFontaine; he was certainly more of a mentor to me than anyone else, and he became the greatest friend I've had. He wrote the forward in my book, "Voice For Hire." Also, Melissa Disney because, in some ways, not only does she do live announcing like I do, but she also does training films and movie trailers, which is what I want to do. She is what I call a true triple-threat.
When you were first chosen to announce The Academy Awards on TV, were you nervous and if so, how did you handle it?
Sure, I was nervous, but I'm used it. I didn't let that terrify me; I used it to give myself energy and stay focused.
What's the key to being successful in voiceover ... is it more adhering to the fundamentals of the art, or is it just a gift?
It's both. A lot of people have great voices today, but interestingly, it's not just about the voice. There used to be an archetype "voice" that was always worked into promotions and trailers - the Don LaFontaine "in a world where..." But today, everyone can have a place in this business, no matter what your pitch, tone, speed and cadence. It's all individual and you may have the perfect type of voice for an opportunity. But you have to identify the area in which your voice fits.
Like music styles, there seem to be trends in popular voiceover styles. There's been the uptempo Top 40 style, the mellow Jazz or Urban style, the snarky Alternative or Jack FM style, and so on. Should voiceover artists adhere to one style, whatever their strength is, or should they try to adapt to the trends and times?
While you have to be able to do different styles the best you can, everyone needs to identify their "money voice," the voice that is right there in the pocket, which they can deliver for any client who wants that voice. You have to know what your "money voice" is and how it can be used to sell the product. Whatever you do best, you bring that voice to the job.
Yet with today's leans in voiceover, it has become very demo-specific. You need to be able to address different types of audiences, so you should be able to offer variations on a read, using different parts of your range. There are different aspects to all the niches in this business, so you need to train for them.
Voiceover seems to be a very competitive business between independent contractors. Even with your resume, do you feel you're competing against others in this craft for every available gig that you want, or do you mainly focus on working on your own art?
I have to only focus on myself, but I also know that in reality, I am competing with other voices - specifically, younger female voices. The demo is lowering, getting younger and younger. I see what the competition is and who they are. I know what I need to do to remain true to my voice.
I only have control over what I do, so I need to be as prepared as I can be. I need to take my best shot at the audition and not worry about competition. There are only so many opportunities and so many people working. Part of VO Mastery is learning how to be successful in this business, the habits you need to have, how to market yourself and how to get your voice out there and find the right clients. We are covering all of that; it's not just training on how to be a better voiceover actor. It's how to succeed in business and the right way to do business. That's what J. Michael Collins will be bringing to the program.
When and why did you get decide to launch VO Mastery? In a sense, it's like you're training your future competition.
I first realized that when I wrote the book, "Voice For Hire," in 2008, I would be doing that. I believe I'm a giver ... a teacher at heart. I probably would've been a teacher if I wasn't doing this. I enjoy this kind of experience, to create a space in voiceover for those who want to learn and be in a room with accomplished voice artists. It's a great experience for pretty much all of us in voiceover. To be successful, I believe in the Don LaFontaine approach to voiceover -- work as hard as you can to get in the elevator that takes you to the top, but then send it back down to let someone else come up. I believe what you put out is what you get back. I get a lot out of doing this, and if someone rises to become a superstar from attending and learning at our event, I'll be proud knowing that I helped them along. You can't hold onto it forever.
For the first two years of VO Mastery, I was living in Ft. Myers, FL, and I really wanted all my New York and L.A. voiceover friends to visit me. Now that I'm back in L.A., I don't have to do that. I can invite all my animation superstar friends who are in town and know they'll attend.
Are there any other differences with this L.A. VO Mastery seminar, compared to the first two in Ft. Myers?
The first two years, when it was in Ft. Myers, Florida was a right-to-work state, so while I did have union people, I had a lot of non-union people, too. Here in L.A, which is unionized and where I am a union member, we'll have a much better showing of union folks. You'll have to up your game when pro-union paying actors are coming. We have to keep it great.
A guitarist can practice for hours and hours, and years and years, and become a pretty good player - but never become a great player like a Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton. Does the same hold true for voiceover talent?
Each case is different. A good coach can recognize what might potentially hold someone back from being success in voiceover, then help them address it and maybe help them get where they need to be. There are certain speech affectations that can be talked around, in that there are certain things you can do to compensate for that. Remember, there's a voiceover for everything today.
What's the biggest misunderstanding up-and-coming voiceover talent have about this business?
They all think that getting an agent is the endgame, but it's not. It's figuring out how to make a good living in a business environment where online marketing is the real name of the game.
How has the Internet and the digital platform impacted the voiceover business?
It has grown and created more competition. Today, anyone with a laptop and USB mic can think he or she is a voiceover artist because you can get great training at events like mine, where you can connect, network and create lifelong friends in the industry. I've tried to create something special and inclusive; we'll have about 100 attendees meeting all of my presenters, who are cordial so you can go near them and talk to them - as long as you're respectful - and can even connect with them over coffee after the session is over.
What new topics or issues will be covered at VO Mastery?
Everything is new. We have a different theme every year. This year, we'll delve into character acting, voiceover for animation, and the live announce business, so this will be fantastic. I don't even know yet how amazing it's going to be, but I do know the professionals who will be presenting will bring their "A game."
It promises to be an exciting time -- and for the folks who can't come to VO Mastery classes, they can come to an amazing event at 6p that night. It's a three-hour cocktail party on Friday night that's open to the public. You can come out and hang out with the voiceover rock stars, and meet the authors of the voiceover books. There will even be a singing segment. And we'll have Scott Carty do interviews with the voiceover artists for a live episode of the "Scott Carty Party."
And what of your future in voiceover and the business itself?
I just started a voiceover podcast, because I can see that podcasting will be the next big thing, but it'll be more personality-based. As far as voiceover, it'll be everywhere online. Industrial narration is becoming a really huge source, which is why corporation voiceover will be discussed at VO Mastery by J. Michael Collins.
For more information on VO Mastery, please click here.
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