VO Buzz Weekly

EP 37 Dave Fennoy: Voice of HULU

How to practice and refine your skills and grow as a voice actor.

In this episode of VO Buzz Weekly, Dave Fennoy shares fun stories about the odd jobs he did to support himself that you will want to hear all about. He reflects on his friendship with Don LaFontaine and others who have influenced his life and VO career.

Find out what Dave does to practice and refine his skills in order to keep growing and learning as a voice actor. He tells the fortuitous story of how he landed the voice of Hulu.com and what he would be doing if he wasn’t in the voice over business.

Hear more about his background in music playing in bands, touring and writing songs and how it has helped his voice over career. Dave answers the What If question thoughtfully and from the heart and describes his essence in three words. The episode closes with valuable advice for voice actors that will motivate and inspire you as well as how Dave defines happiness for his life.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 36 Dave Fennoy: Voice of HULU

How to reinvent yourself in the ever-changing areas of voiceover.

Chuck shares a cool Tip of the Week about Effective Practicing for Voice Actors while Stacey recommends viewers read Nita Whitaker LaFontaine’s poignant and emotionally raw book, Finding My Voice. Meet the Neumann Endorsed Artist, Dave Fennoy, the Voice of Hulu.com, Lee Everett in The Walking Dead, live show announcer and more.

Dave shares how watching VO Buzz Weekly is teaching him and displays the official Dave Fennoy swag. He tells how he got started in the voice over business by way of working as a disc jockey in the Bay Area, and all the fortuitous twists and turns that lead to his full-time career in the business.

With more than 50 video games to his credit, Dave talks about what he loves about doing them and how he protects his voice during long recording sessions. He reflects on his current character, Lee Everett in The Walking Dead games, which happens to be his favorite to date.

Hear what he is still working on improving in his voice acting and how he continues to reinvent himself in the different areas of voice over and trends in technology. Dave talks about the thrill and challenges of live show announcing and the find out the story behind his signature dreadlocks. The episode closes with what his greatest accomplishment in life is and what makes him most proud.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 35 Don LaFontaine Tribute

More fun stories about voiceover legend, Don LaFontaine.

The celebration of the life of Don LaFontaine continues with Joe Cipriano and Paul Pape explaining the inspiration for creating the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab and what voice actors can do to support the Lab.

We learn what Don did to keep his golden voice healthy and how the movie trailer for the GUNSLINGERS OF CASA GRANDE changed his life. We hear more about Don and his only agent Steve Tisherman’s relationship including Don’s funny nicknames for him and Don’s other best friend, actor Steve Susskind, is lovingly remembered by the panel of guests.

Nita Whitaker LaFontaine openly discusses her raw and poignant book, FINDING MY VOICE, that she wrote following Don’s passing and expresses her gratitude for the village of friends and family that surround her and her daughters.

Each guest reflects on how they would like Don to be remembered and give more insight about the amazing qualities Don possessed. Viewers get to see the state-of-the-art Lab and are encouraged to use it to honor Don’s memory and philosophy of giving. Nita talks about the kind of father he was to their daughters and how Don never did anything small, demonstrated by taking an original bedtime story and turning it into a movie with an A-list cast and crew and original music. Paul tells a touching story about Don also being a giving, loving, father figure to other people’s children as well.

The episode closes with a photo montage with the exquisite voice of Nita Whitaker LaFontaine singing a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein song. Rest in peace Don LaFontaine, forever will he reign as the King of Voice Over.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 34 Don LaFontaine Tribute

Learn about the life, work and legacy of the king of VO, Don LaFontaine.

We celebrate the birthday of the King of Voice Over, Don LaFontaine. Hosts Chuck Duran and Stacey J. Aswad have the privilege of celebrating the life, work and legacy of Don LaFontaine with four people who knew him the best. Their guests are Don’s wife, singer, actress and author, Nita Whitaker LaFontaine; Don’s agent for his entire career, owner of TGMD Talent Agency, Steve Tisherman; Don’s best friend, voice actor and co-founder of the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab, Paul Pape; dear friend, co-founder of the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab, CBS and FOX comedies promo voice, Joe Cipriano.

Viewers get to hear how each of them met Don and how their relationship with him continues to influence their lives today. Get insights in to Don LaFontaine as a talent, friend, husband and father from personal stories about his humor, intelligence, loyalty, generosity and Pay it Forward philosophy. Nita, Steve, Paul and Joe share many poignant and funny stories about Don that will leave viewers with the knowledge that Don LaFontaine is truly one of a kind and will forever be remembered as a great man and an amazing talent.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 33 Bill Farmer: Voice of Goofy and Pluto

What it takes to survive in the gowing voice over business today.

The episode continues with Bill explaining the misconceptions he finds when teaching people who are wanting to get in to the voice over business. We learn more about his teaching and new demo business he started with his son. Bill and Chuck compare notes about voice over demo producing and what ways you can keep your creative juices flowing.

Hear what Bill thinks it takes to survive in the voice over business today and catch up on his current projects. More fun stories are told involving George Lucas, hilarious odd jobs he did to support himself like impersonating Ronald Reagan and working with puppets, plus we rally the viewers to get Goofy a well-deserved star on Hollywood Boulevard.

Bill talks about what he still loves about the voice over business after so many years as well as his menagerie of animals at home. We end the episode with Bill answering a fun What If question and he gives advice to his twenty year-old self.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 32 Bill Farmer: Voice of Goofy and Pluto

An informative journey with voice of Disney’s Goofy and Pluto.

A very Disney VO Buzz Weekly opens with Walt Disney World Host, Stacey J. and Chuck, Voice of Disney XD’s show I’m in the Band, sharing their Tip of the Week about using Facebook and Twitter to help grow your voice over business. Viewers are asked to submit their thoughts about VO Buzz Weekly and how it is helping them for the new Viewer Raves Page as well as make comments on the Buzz Blog.

Now more Disney magic with guest Bill Farmer, voice of Goofy and Pluto, who talks about his amazing journey into the voice over business, by way of radio and stand-up comedy. Bill does many great impressions like Don Adams, John Wayne, Yogi Bear, Pat Buttram, Wolfman Jack and many others throughout the interview.

You’ll hear the interesting story of how he landed the role of Goofy and Pluto, what it’s like to play such iconic characters for over 25 years and how he created the original voice for Horace Horsecollar. Bill effortlessly delivers a montage of Warner Brothers characters and demonstrates how he warms up his voice. The episode closes with Bill telling the story about being named a Disney Legend in 2009 and what has helped him sustain such a long career in the voice over business.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 31 Ginny McSwain: Casting Director

Great tips on the importance of knowing your natural voice.

Chuck and Stacey continue talking with Ginny McSwain who has great stories to tell, like how she became the voice director and voice of Lois Lane in the Superman television series and how she got the name Ginny Scorchy McSwain from the creators of the show, Bump in the Night. She shares a great tip about knowing your natural voice that is very important. Ginny responds from her heart about why she loves voice actors and being in the business.

Find out what keeps Ginny motivated year after year and hear how she describes her true essence. She closes the episode with her current projects, what she hopes for the future and a spontaneous show of support for Chuck and Stacey and VO Buzz Weekly.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 30 Ginny McSwain: Casting Director

Invaluable things you can do to break into the animation business.

Chuck and Stacey’s Tip of the Week focuses on the importance of online branding with respect to your domain name, email address and website look. Meet voice director Ginny McSwain and hear about her amazing journey into the voice over business by way of the famous Hanna-Barbera Studios.

Her fearless approach guided her to create the recording department and become the casting director and assistant director to the great director, Gordan Hunt. Primarily directing now, Ginny explains the process of how an animated show gets cast which includes Voicebank and listening to over 1000 auditions. Find out the essential tools a voice actor needs to be successful in animation and what Ginny calls the “TV Guide School of Casting.”

Ginny frankly discusses the celebrity presence in the voice over business and how she feels about it. She shares what she loves about directing animation and interactive games and how she has changed with the times. She tells invaluable things that voice actors can do to break in to the animation business and how to make the recording process go smoothly. Ginny closes the episode with an insightful explanation of the three genres of shows present in animation today.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 29 Debi Derryberry: Voice of Jimmy Neutron

Over coming fear and the things we love about the VO business.

In this episode of VO Buzz Weekly, Chuck and Stacey continue talking with the delightful Debi Derryberry and hear how she stays motivated and gets everything done in her hectic life. She shares how the Baby Banana brand began and how it has grown into award-winning children CD’s, a children’s book, merchandise and live performances.

Watch an excerpt from one of her music videos and hear Debi sing and play songs, on her fabulous pink guitar, including the first song she wrote when she was only nine-years old. Learn about her passion for animal advocacy with organizations that teach dog safety and help save orangutans.

Debi tells in amazing detail the story of how she overcame her fear of water and went on to become an advanced scuba diver and ride the whale in the movie Free Willy. She candidly shares what she loves about the voice over business as well as her current projects like Monster High, Speedy Alka Seltzer commercials and the documentary, Bible Storyland.

The episode closes with Debi, Chuck and Stacey moisturizing their skin thanks to Debi’s latest homemade creation, you don’t want to miss it!

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com

EP 28 Debi Derryberry: Voice of Jimmy Neutron

Voice of Jimmy Neutron shares advice that changed everything.

Host Chuck Duran’s Tip of the Week is an absolute must watch if you want an affordable home studio, and Stacey J. reads emails from loyal viewers in New Jersey and Los Angeles.

Allow us to introduce the effervescent Debi Derryberry, voice of Jimmy Neutron, the new Speedy Alka Seltzer, Draculaura from Monster High who shares her journey into voiceover by way of pre-med at UCLA and country music in Nashville. She describes her life philosophy and how being persistent has continued to help her enjoy and achieve success in her life. She demonstrates her vocal warmups and the ways she balances the demands of her thriving voice over, on camera and singing careers.

Debi discusses advice she got early on in her life that changed everything and how her family has supported her love of performing since childhood. She reveals what she thinks it takes to be successful in the voice over business today and what you can do to make it happen for your own career.

Watch more videos, get the latest voiceover news, advice and updates on contests and giveaways at http://VOBuzzWeekly.com