guest post

Today I turn the blog over to the United States Marine Corps veteran Paul Matthews, to talk about how his service prepared him for his voiceover career.

I was elated to be asked to contribute to J. Michael Collins’ blog, especially on such an important day for Americans and Veterans worldwide.

You see, this holiday is a unique one. Rather than honor the veterans surviving, this holiday honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This concept, this ideal, is one many folks can never truly comprehend. For it is the reason we service people and veterans sweat, train, and desire to fight for our country. And if the sacrifice is such that we do not make it home, it’s ok. We know what we signed up for. Veterans just ask two things; One, let no sacrifice be in vain, and two, NEVER FORGET. So… on this holiday, this old Marine asks that you never forget. EVER.

I joined the U.S. Marines right out of high school, to escape my small-town existence. What a world did I discover! I learned the true meaning of hard work, teamwork, and brotherhood in the Marine Corps. I learned to rely on that person that was a stranger just weeks ago and whom I now call my brother. I saw the seeds of hard work grow into a disciplined, focused U.S. Marine. It was then life truly began. Although those lessons seemed harsh or even hidden, I look back on the foundation that built the man I am today.

However, do these lessons weave into the fabric of today’s endeavors in the voice-over world? Actually YES. Quite easily.

Determination: “Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees” – Thomas Monson

When we start our voiceover journey, we learn that there is much more to voiceover than having a ‘good voice.’ How much formal training should I have? When will I be ready for a demo? In the military, determination is the name of the game. Despite the obstacle in front of me, a tower, a forced march, or even an unidentifiable enemy, WE MUST PUSH ON. Only determination and sheer will help us succeed. Voiceover is no different; focus and determination will see me through. This attribute has been burned into my soul thanks to my military training.

Planning: “Plans are nothing; Planning is everything.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

In my job in the Marines, we facilitated the movement of troops and supplies over Sea, Land, and Air. It was our duty to ensure our troops, their vehicles and supplies got to the fight, no matter where it was. In voice-over, you must also plan. You must set goals and dreams, obtainable stepping stones to define your own success. We had to define the goal, then plan backward to make it happen. Just like voice-over. What is your goal? How are you going to achieve it? Take definable steps toward your goal. Make a plan. Blaze your path to success.

Comradery: “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny….” C.S. Lewis

The Marine Corps boasts the largest fraternity in the world. It is true. No matter age, location, race, or gender, any Marine is part of the fraternity. Even as I write this, my phone buzzed with a message from a brother Marine I served with thirty years ago checking in and saying, ‘I am thinking of you today.’ I have heard from three different Marines this weekend. All are part of a fraternal organization that sees only green and refers to one another simply as “Marine.” The voice-over community is the most similarly connected group to this mentality I have ever seen. I have met talent from all over the world. People I’ve never shaken hands with but affectionately call “friends.” The VO community welcomes one and all; we are here to aid each other and root for each other. I’ve never been a fast runner. I hate running. However, I’ve had my brother finish a three-mile run and turn around and run it with me, urging and rooting me on the whole way. In VO, you’ll never starve for support. We are here to lift up, root on, and build confidence in each other.

I spent thirty years doing what I was trained to do in the Marine Corps but in the civilian world. When I left the service, I thought I had left my fundamentals and training behind. But as I have found out, every step along our journeys may be different but still the same. We need DETERMINATION, PLANNING, and COMRADERY to find our way in voice-over. And thankfully, our community is with us every step of the way.

Paul Matthews

USMCR 1988-1994

www.paulmatthewsvo.com

“Don’t be a dick.”  Simple, right? What does it really mean though, “Don’t be a puppy-kicking baby hater?” In broad strokes, sure, that one is simple enough; but is there a gradient? While, “Don’t be a dick,” might not have a full 50 shades to overanalyze there are things easily taken for granted that amount to joy-sucking, and…being a dick.

It’s okay to not like things. Don’t be a dick about it. There’s even a song.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0la5DBtOVNI We see it daily…. ‘dick moves’ strewn across social media outlets. From celebrity to next-door neighbor, someone posts, “I like this!” and others are quick to fling poo at what they like/support and/or them personally for their expression. Another manner of such is to post one’s own poo fling at something/someone others favor. In our own little enclave, we relax to greatest hits like: “P2Ps suck.” “I love [insert event].” “This [insert event] sucks because” “You’re ruining the industry if you [insert one of 319 things]” “I’m new and [insert one of 319 questions]”. Negativity ensues and five comments into a thread everyone is acting like a dick toward everyone else because for some reason if someone is going to stir that pot, the stew is not complete without what we have to add….because, obviously, what we have to add is going to stop the room in its tracks and unify all to our perspective, right? Egos are cheeky like that, eh? By the time the thread finds its conclusion what’s the takeaway?

It is important to note, I have no amnesty. I am the occasional hypocrite, perhaps for even writing this. Adherence to such a mantra as, “Don’t be a dick,” requires continual measures of gut-checking, staying in the present moment, and sometimes my ego drives me to believe what I have to say will somehow make a difference in these spaces. Not so much. What it does do is afford me the opportunity to have endorphins released when people “like” and agree. In truth, I am sullying my own space and that of others because negativity is and breeds negativity. If I need validation, approval, and endorphin spooge, (which I do…don’t love to admit it, but, yea…it feels good, so…) funny anecdotes and dumb memes garner positive responses without crapping on someone else’s doorstep and are no less meaningful. One choice is 360 positivity the other is mixed at best.

You have a choice. Don’t be a dick. This component empowers well beyond our media, social and otherwise. This is all about knowing we have a choice in each moment and making the ones that best serve our own space, those continual measures of gut-checking, staying in a present moment, and understanding how we impact our sphere/space and all who encounter it. This is actually about, “living in gratitude,” (which is not necessarily the same as having gratitude for something particular.)Living in gratitude changes our perspective, it affords us the opportunity to ask ourselves, “How important is it?” “Is it a concern or a consideration?” Have you ever been running behind and that, “domino effect,” kicks in? We have the opportunity to not be a dick by taking each moment as it comes. We have the ability to stop the spread of our shit day, and/or even start a positive chain of events for another by simply being aware of our footprint on our heart and headspace as well as what we track across that of others.

Living the mantra, “Don’t be a dick,” means every day you eat rainbows and fart sunshine!…no, that’s dumb and unrealistic. (It is possible to barf Skittles and that’s a kind of rainbow, but I digress) It absolutely means we can 100% add to our own joy by not sucking it away from others.  Be kind. Be gracious. Be appreciative. Live in gratitude and much falls into place. One part of that can be before we take to the keyboard to be brilliant, insightful, and persuasive by way of pissing in someone else’s cornflakes, to remember, “It’s okay to not like things, don’t be a dick about it.” Or In the words of the incredible Craig Ferguson, “Does this need to be said? Does this need to be said, by me? Does this need to be said, by me, right now?” The answer is usually, “Probably not.”  Live. Laugh. Love…and don’t be a dick…it just makes a better life.

Today I turn the blog over to one of our industry’s rising stars: Brad Hyland. Brad’s an award-winning, professionally-trained VO with hundreds of high-profile credits under his belt, including as the voice of Santa from Elf of the Shelf. He also coaches, and Brad is one of 2020-2021’s Unicorn Award nominees at VO Atlanta for his contributions to the industry. He stands about 6 foot 11 and is built like a tractor, which is why he’s also the head of the JMC security detail at live sporting events and lobster hunts across America. Check out Brad’s fantastic insights below.

I first wanted to title this blog “NOBODY has hired me today.”

But that sounded too negative, so let’s try this…

“Never give up….and Love your returning customers.”

Those are my eight words of wisdom for the day. You’re welcome.

Never give up.

I really don’t need to talk much about never giving up, do I?

But…just in case… Never give up!

It only took me 30 years to finally “never give up “on my dream of being a voice actor.

I will never forget that sunny day in April 2015 while out for a bike ride… yapping incessantly about wanting to be a vo artist…my wife stopped in the middle of the bike path and said, “You have got to do this!” 

So, she retired, and I quit my 33-year career to become an entrepreneur.

Yikes, right?

Now, after five years of being full-time in the business, I can tell you that each day is a new adventure and I am genuinely grateful and happy every day for what I do.

Funny though, even though I was first trained long ago…and went into voice acting as wide-eyed as I thought a person could be… I still wasn’t fully prepared for the ups and downs one goes through on the way to making a real income in voiceovers.

So, if you are struggling in any way before you even think about giving up > CONNECT.

Connect with someone in the industry that you trust and respect.

1. Michael Collins has always been one of those people for me – as have many others…. like Brigid Reale, Bev Standing, Dana Rizzo, Josh Alexander and Pat Kirchner. Everyone needs folks like these in their corners.

The struggle can be palpable….and the ups and downs are downright freaky at times.

One week you’ll feel like there’s a cash drawer where your underwear drawer used to be… And other weeks are dismally quiet.  It’s just part of the territory…. and I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve had a slow week… wishing I had a dollar.

In 2017 I learned an early lesson about not giving up. I had booked one nice job voicing a spot for Prestone Antifreeze. They loved what I did and I was told I was in line to voice both the fall and winter anthem spots….and maybe be the “Voice of Prestone”. But two days before the session they called and told me I was OUT…because a new creative director had been brought in and he had someone else that he preferred.

Back then, a wise man gently told me, “Get the hell over it man… You were the ribeye steak, and he wanted salmon” (or something very much like that).

Sometimes it doesn’t matter how good you are, they just want something else.

Something else DID come around… Shortly after that, I booked the role of the voice of Santa for Elf on the Shelf. A fabulous customer that I dearly love…and a recurring role each year since then.

My wife has been a huge supporter and is always reminding me that the next great job is just around the corner! Ya got to LOVE being married to your own personal cheerleader :^)

Making a real living wage as a voice actor can be tough for sure, But the benefits are so worth it!

Returning customers are VO gold.

Returning customers always pull me out of a slow time.

My mentor told me one time that getting 100 returning customers can “float” your voiceover boat. That specific number of returning customers will be different for each person, but I’ll tell you… It’s the truth.

In fact, when I do hit a slow couple of days or even a week.… Inevitably, it’s the returning customers that show up in your inbox and shine a little light on your day. So find a way to love and keep every single customer!

Get excited about each new customer interaction.

And ZOOM into great customer relationships.

I try to let every new customer know a few things about my business when we connect to talk about a new project. That’s why I always try to get them on a quick zoom instead of just email or a phone call.

I love to meet new people…and visiting and chatting with people from all around the world on a quick zoom is some of the best time I spend every day. Also, I’ve discovered that my foreign customers are quite fond of WhatsApp.

I have had delightful chats with people all around the world using WhatsApp. It seems like a more conversational and friendly way for them to communicate. They send audio files for pronunciations, and sometimes like to just send me audio notes rather than typing me something.

Also – when you set up them as a new contact on WhatsApp, you will often see their picture as well.

My customers are my lifeline.

I let my customers know how important they are to me, and I never try to get just one job and then move on to the next customer.

I have discovered during (yep, here it comes) “these difficult times” that customers are not only used to using Zoom, but they are also very willing and open to meeting virtually and learning a little bit more about each other. If you are not offering zoom sessions to your customers, I highly recommend you start. Making legitimate and genuine connections with my customers is a very valuable part of my business.

I would love to hear from anybody that has a thought or a personal lesson learned about “never giving up”.

And if you’re struggling at all, I’d be happy to chat with you!

Brad@americanvoicepower.com