Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
Join professional voice actor, audiobook narrator, and author Mike Lenz as he shares stories from some of the most amazing and inspiring people from all areas of the voice-over industry to help you achieve your dream of becoming a professional voice actor.
Mon, March 24, 2025
146 - Finding Your Voice: Carmen Seantel’s Journey into Audiobook Narration
On this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast , I’m joined by Carmen Seantel , an emerging audiobook narrator whose warm, soothing, and expressive voice is already making an impact in the industry. Carmen is passionate about bringing stories to life and believes in the power of audiobooks to create a safe and accessible space for all readers. We’ll dive into her early journey in narration, from working with top coaches and immersing herself in ACX.com to attending the Audiobook Publishers Association Conference—where she overcame social anxiety to network with colleagues, publishers, and producers. Carmen shares her experiences navigating the industry, the lessons she's learned along the way, and how her personal background brings authenticity to her performances. If you’re just starting out in audiobook narration or looking for inspiration on breaking into the industry, this episode is packed with insights and encouragement. Tune in for a candid and inspiring conversation with Carmen Seantel ! Check out more episodes over at : https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link : https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw
Mon, February 17, 2025
145 - Donovan Corneetz: Voice of The Today Show & Promo Pro
In this episode of the Mike Lenz VO Podcast , we sit down with Donovan Corneetz , the talented voice behind The Today Show , as well as a leading force in promo work and radio imaging. With years of experience, Donovan has become a go-to voice for high-profile commercial, promo, and television projects, showcasing his unmatched versatility. Whether he’s delivering the perfect radio imaging sound or bringing fresh energy to national promos, Donovan’s ability to transform his voice makes him one of the most sought-after talents in the industry. In this conversation, Donovan shares his journey, his approach to voiceover work, and how he’s mastered the art of adapting his voice to fit various styles, from the caring dad to the energetic party guy. Tune in for an inside look at what it’s like to be the voice behind major brands and television programs, with invaluable insights for anyone looking to thrive in the voiceover world. Check out more episodes over at : https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link : https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw
Mon, January 20, 2025
144 - From Struggles to Strength: Izzy Tugman on Voiceover, Faith, and Wellness
On this episode, I have an amazing conversation with Izzy Tugman, a dynamic voice actor celebrated for her impressive versatility across audiobooks , animation, video games, commercial, and corporate narration . Beyond her professional achievements, Izzy opens up about some of the personal struggles she’s faced along her journey and how they’ve shaped her perspective on life and work. We explore her newfound faith and how it has brought renewed purpose and direction to her life. Izzy also shares how practices like yoga and meditation have become essential tools for cultivating peace, inner calm, and resilience—both personally and professionally. From her insights into building a sustainable VO career to her honest reflections on growth and self-discovery, this conversation is filled with inspiration, practical advice, and heartfelt moments. Whether you’re an aspiring voice actor, a seasoned professional, or simply seeking motivation to navigate your creative path, you’ll find valuable lessons in this episode. Don’t miss this powerful and uplifting conversation! Follow Izzy Tugman : https://izzyvoice.com/ Check out more episodes over at : https://mikelenzvopodcast.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link : https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw
Mon, November 11, 2024
143 - Samantha Boyer Interview
Welcome back to the Mike Lenz VO Podcast! Today, we’re thrilled to have Samantha Boyer with us, an inspiring artist and content creator who brings a touch of storytelling magic and nostalgia to her work. Samantha’s journey began with childhood influences like Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross, sparking her passion for creating inviting, imaginative worlds. Over the years, she has transformed this passion into a full-time creative career and built Haven Hollow —a fictional, cozy escape designed to re-energize the soul and rest the heart, offering others a place to find peace and inspiration. In this episode, Samantha invites us into her creative process and shares how she balances the soulful, artistic side of her work with the realities of running a creative business. From finding inspiration to managing the demands of content creation, Samantha’s story is both motivating and heartwarming. So grab a cup of tea, settle in, and join us for a cozy, inspiring conversation with Samantha Boyer as we step into Haven Hollow together. Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw
Mon, June 03, 2024
142 - Marisa Blake Interview
Marisa Blake is a Latina Actor, Voiceover Artist and Musician. You can find her on screen in Netflix’s Florida Man, DC’s Swamp Thing and Spectrums Original Long Slow Exhale. She haswon multiple awards for her audiobook narrations, including a 2023 Audible’s Best of for Dykesto Watch out For, featuring Jane Lynch ,Carrie Brownstein, and Roberta Colindrez, an AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of The Year 2020 for We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez and an Earphones Award for Arianna Davis’ What Would Frida Do. Marisa was recently nominated for a 2023 Audie Award for her work in Across A Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande. She takes pride in, and has immense gratitude for the opportunity to voice Latine Literature. She is currently the Spanish Voice for Kohls in the US, and one of the regularSpanish voices for Sherwin Williams in the US and recently did a bilingual campaign for Frito-Lay. Marisa voices everything from promos to E-learning, commercials to IVR, and even somevideo games and animation! She voices the promos for her local new station and you can alsofind her performing with local bands behind the microphone, the cajon or the drum kit. She isa proud Mama to three of the coolest dudes on the planet. To read the full transcriot of this episode and to listen to other episodes, head over to miklenzvopodcast.com , and please leave a rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast!
Mon, January 15, 2024
141 - Cris Dukehart Interview
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Cris Dukehart is an Audie Nominee and Earphones Award Winner, and has recorded over 300 audiobooks across multiple genres. On this episode we talk about Cris's journey into the VO and audiobook world, and her amazing journey from a little cottage in Pennsylvania to her mountaintop house in the Caribbean. https://www.crisdukehart.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, December 04, 2023
140 - Jamie Muffett Interview
Jamie Muffett is a voice actor, podcast producer, audio engineer and educator who divides his time between New York City and Philadelphia, PA. He's worked with some of the worlds biggest companies, production studios, and games developers. He work primarily from his own studio in Bucks County, PA, and studios in NYC and Philly. Past and current clients include: Google, Starbucks, Warner Brothers, Lucas Film, LEGO, Porsche, Mercedes, Ubisoft, Samsung, McDonald's, NBC, EA Sports, ESPN, Marriott Hotels, Amazon, Etihad Airways, FIFA, Disney, IKEA, National Geographic Channel... Jamie has lectured on voiceover at Syracuse University, He's a Backstage Magazine 'Expert', he hosts the 'VO School Podcast' and he holds a monthly VO workshop at his studio in Philadelphia. He is also co-chair of VOcation Conference held in New York City every September. Jamie's website is https://www.jamiemuffett.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, September 11, 2023
139 - Chris Johnson Interview
Chris Johnson is a professional Voice Actor, based in Los Angeles. He has voiced a wide range of projects over the years including commercials, corporate videos, eLearning modules, video games, audiobooks, narration and many more. Chris has also been the lead singer and songwriter for many projects including the band Starch Monkey, Between the Sun and the upcoming project entitled Pharaoh's Kitchen. He is the recipient of the 2020 "Male Emerging Artist" award from ISSA (Independent Singer- Songwriters Association). You can learn more about Chris and contact him through his website at: http://www.vocalcj.com Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, June 12, 2023
138 - Tom Dheere Interview
On this episode I take a deep dive into the voiceover industry and the impact artificial intelligence (AI) is having on our industry, with VO veteran Tom Dheere. As a New York-based voice actor with over 20 years of experience, Tom Dheere has narrated thousands of projects for hundreds of clients in over a dozen countries. Tom's experience as a corporate trainer as well as a voice talent makes him uniquely qualified to help both aspiring and veteran voice talents navigate the voiceover industry. He specializes in marketing and business consultations as well as diagnostics, strategy sessions, and mentorships. As a classically trained theater actor, Tom received his Bachelor of Fine arts in Acting/Directing from Montclair State University. His training continued at the National Shakespeare Conservatory where I studied Shakespeare, Chekov, ballet, and more. After NSC Tom was trained as a voice actor by Hope Noah, Dan Duckworth of Voiceovers Unlimited, and has taken numerous voiceover classes at many conferences. Tom started coaching in 2011 with Edge Studio as the Business and Money 201 and Marketing 201 instructor. In 2012 he began private coaching as The VO Strategist. Since then Tom has worked with hundreds of students in both one-on-one sessions and public speaking engagements. Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, May 08, 2023
137 - Paige Reisenfeld Interview
Based in Richmond, Virginia, Paige Reisenfeld is a classically trained soprano and stage actor turned SAG-AFTRA audiobook narrator. Perhaps she should have paid attention to the signs, as she was voted “Best Reader” in kindergarten, a clear portent of things to come. Her voice has been described as deep, full, melodic, and sensual. She has been complimented on her “great tone and inflection”, as well as her ability to perform male and female voices and various accents. This allows her to switch between genres easily and she has narrated thrillers, romance, historical fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, and nonfiction. On the rare occasion she is not in her soundbooth, she plays cooperative board games (competitive ones are not allowed in the house), gardens, lifts weights, and spends time with her three cats and partner, fueled by all things cheese and coffee. https://paigevoice.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, February 06, 2023
136 - Landon Beach Interview
On this episode, I talk with award-winning author Landon Beach about his career, and about his recent book Narrator , which is narrated by the amazing Scott Brick . Landon was born and raised in Michigan but now lives in the Sunshine State with his wife, two children, and their golden retriever. He previously served as a Naval Officer and was an educator for fifteen years before becoming a full-time writer. He is also the award-winning author of Huron Breeze , which was named Mystery of the Year for 2022 by bestthrillers.com . Here's a brief synopsis of Narrator : By the time playwright and actor Shawn Frost had won 2 Tony Awards by his late twenties, he was seen as a theater prodigy—a meteoric rise that the performing arts community had not witnessed in almost a hundred years. His work? Shakespearean in scope, character, and popularity—boundless and beautiful. His own character? Flawed. And in a place like New York City, where failings get magnified, Shawn Frost finds that, even from the heights of artistic sublimity, no one is insulated from the demons that have caused the best of entertainers to fall from grace. After surviving an accident that almost costs him his life, Shawn leaves NYC and the theater for the quiet, picturesque Pacific cliffs of Carmel-by-the-Sea and starts a new life as an audiobook narrator. As he rises through the ranks, narrating bestseller after bestseller, Shawn Frost once again flirts with artistic immortality. But. As his limitless skills emerge in the exploding arena of voice arts, so do his flaws. Then, he experiences every audiobook narrator’s worst fear: He is kidnapped by two obsessed fans, determined to make Shawn perform their novel… Or was he? Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind psychological thriller from #1 Bestselling Author Landon Beach. https://landonbeachbooks.com/
Mon, January 09, 2023
135 - Mike Cooper Interview
Mike Cooper is a British voice talent who swapped big city life in London for log cabin life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Mike is recognisable from his many years on air with the BBC World Service, and as the narrator of countless television documentaries and a growing library of audiobooks. A disruptive influence in school, Mike's first break in narration came at age six, when his teacher realised he could tell the afternoon story better than her (and she could get a nap by way of a bonus!) When he's not in his home studio, you'll find him enjoying hobby farm life and tending to some charming pet goats, three horses - including a delightful mini horse called Annie - and a growing hobby farm menagerie... https://www.mikecoopervoiceover.com/ To check out other episodes, head over to mikelenzvopodcast.com !
Mon, October 10, 2022
134 - Danielle Harris Interview
Danielle Harris is a voice actor from Atlanta, Ga. Originally born and raised in Indiana, she has had an interest and intrigue with voiceover since her early teenage years. It wasn't until she was in her early twenties that she sought out to attempt to get voice acting training around 2012, then again in 2018, both times unfortunately being sidetracked by life and her work in government. Danielle worked as a 911 dispatcher, radio operator for 8 years then was promoted to Supervisor and Training coordinator over Emergency Communications for the last 5 years before she ultimately made up her mind to end her 13 year career to pursue her passion in voiceover full time. She has since worked with brand names such as Canva, Microsoft, Walmart, Sonos, Michelob Ultra, Dollar General and more. In between vo life and work, she spends all her time with her 2 year old daughter Arrow, husband Adam and their dog Knuckles and cat Loki.
Tue, July 12, 2022
133 - Mandy Fisher Interview
With a home studio, Mandy Fisher has the ability to tell your story, your way. Equipment includes: Source Connect/ipDTL Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Rode NT1 Neumann U87 MacBook Pro Whether it’s an explainer video, a narration, or a simple tagline, Mandy is your go-to voice. Not sure what you want? No problem. She can provide you with several quality options. Have a strong vision? Great! Mandy can take direction and bring your project to life. https://www.mandyofish.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, April 18, 2022
132 - Brad Hyland Interview
Brad Hyland was born on April 1 st , 2016. Well, not really- but that’s what he’ll say is when he really started living! That’s the day he started full-time as a voice actor… after quitting a first career that spanned 35 years. His first formal VO training actually started nearly thirty years ago...working hard on all aspects of business with one-on-one coaching and master classes. He spent two decades dabbling in standup comedy and movie extra work, as well as honing his pipes as front man for a rock & blues band for eight years. That love of performing is now satisfied daily as an actively booking voiceover talent, coach and mentor. Brad works from his home studio near Washington DC, serving customers all over the world. He can tackle just about any assignment with his versatile voice and ability to take direction. Some of his favorite work includes being the voice of Santa for the Elf on the Shelf, Narrating films for Crazy Horse Monument and Craters Of The Moon national parks, and booking multiple character voices for video games. The core of his business however, is commercial, corporate & film narration, as well as explainers and voice messaging of all kinds. He is a multiple OneVoice award winner and a 2021 SOVAS nominee for Best Best TV narration. He loves keeping in touch with the voiceover community and has begun to share his expertise by mentoring and coaching others in the industry with his tips for auditioning, booking and connecting. https://www.americanvoicepower.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, March 14, 2022
131 - Rosie Okumura Interview
Roșie Okumura is an LA based voice actor, musician, and YouTuber. Rosie uses her voice acting and musical skills to prank call internet and phone scammers! Having already developed a growing career as a voice actor, Rosie's life careened off course when her Mother was scammed out of $2,000. Determined to get her mom's money back, Rosie started investigating the dark world of online scammers, posting her first "revenge phone call" video on YouTube. Now, a million subscribers later, Rosie is one of the internet's most popular influencers, advocating for scam victims, and embarrassing the people behind these crimes in hilarious ways. Rosie is known for her impression of Apple's "SIRI" and Britney Spears! https://www.rosieokumura.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, February 14, 2022
130 - Mike Lenz Update
This episode is filled with resources for you to move your career forward. I provide an update on how 2021 was in my VO world, and discuss having a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset as we move into 2022. I also talk about the importance of creating a team around yourself to help elevate you to the next level, understanding the system your operating in (voice-over, social media, casting sites, tech) and making the most of the people and courses that will help shorten your learning curve. Links: https://vosuccess.com/ https://www.v123pros.com/ https://votechguru.com/ https://www.tawnyvoice.com/ Voice 123 15% Discount Code link: https://bit.ly/3BsPSaw LinkedIn Edge Discount Code link (discount is built in): https://www.thelinkedinedge.com/?wpam_id=6
Mon, December 13, 2021
129 - Anne Cloud Interview
Anne Cloud has been writing her own story for a long time: from moving to New York days after college graduation (without a plan) to buying an old school bus on a whim with a hope of converting it into a tiny home on wheels. She has gone her own way in her voice over career as well. Striking out with a vengeance into the genres that interest her most and actively seeking out the people who could help her achieve her goals. Anne lives in a 200 foot skoolie with her husband and three small kids and traveled full time for nearly two years, pulling a cargo trailer decked out with a broadcast quality remote studio along with them. This set up allows Anne to work full-time as a Voice Actor from wherever they happen to land. Anne has had the opportunity to train with incredible coaches and friends, and work with dream clients like The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kia Worldwide, and Khan Academy Kids. Living and traveling in a converted school bus with her husband and three wild monkeys, this versatile and colorful voice talent enjoys the flexibility her sweet gypsy lifestyle gives her to work anytime, day or night. Whether she’s winding up a mountain in her tiny home on wheels, rambling through the desert, or parked at her North Carolina farm, Sweet Gypsy VO is always ready to go. https://annecloudvoiceover.com/
Mon, September 20, 2021
127 - Roy Worley Interview
Growing up on the outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee in a large extended family, Roy Worley learned the art of storytelling from his grandpa, Paw Neely who instilled a strong sense of family, hard work, and a love for Christ. As an extrovert, Roy loves being around people, talking and laughing over a strong cup of coffee. These days Roy and his wife Rebecca call the Chicago area home. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education , Roy felt God’s calling upon him to commit full time to preaching and teaching the Word of God and entered Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary in his hometown of Memphis where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. Over the years he has served as both a pastor and foreign missionary. He and his wife were privileged to live in Chile for six years where they shared the Lord’s message in Spanish (yep, he’s fluent), helping Chilean Christians learn how to study the Bible for themselves and how to share their faith with whomever was interested. Now, when not working as a full time voice actor, Roy is the Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church where he has the privilege of teaching the Bible, supporting his fellowship with love and kindness, and ministering to those who are hurting. His warm, clear, baritone voice can be heard narrating videos, directing people in phone messages and narrating audiobooks (non-fiction, fiction, western novels and kids books). Roy is honored to call companies and organizations like Tiffany & Co, Firestone, Pizza Hut and Wounded Warriors his voice over clients and publishers like HarperCollins and Macmillan have tapped into his deep baritone well for audiobook narration as well! When not recording, Roy enjoys lifting weights, expanding his creativity by spending time outside in his large backyard planning his spring vegetable garden and creating beautiful landscapes of vibrant flowers, shrubs and trees. He also loves to imagine he’s on his own DIY home improvement show, r efinishing
Mon, July 19, 2021
126 - Richard Rieman Interview
Founder and CEO of the 501(c)(3) Nonprofit "Imagination Videobooks," Richard is known as "The Storybook Wizard." He is a top Audible narrator who helps authors give their books a voice. His team has produced hundreds of audiobooks, including Richard's own award-winning book, "The Author's Guide to Audiobook Creation." Children's Accessible Videobooks Creator - samples at https://imaginationvideobooks.org - Benjamin Franklin National Gold Medal Award in Audiobook Nonfiction for producing, directing, and co-narrating "Football Flyboy" by Lisa Reinicke. Independent Book Publishers Association. - Five-time EVVY Gold Award Winning Audiobook Narrator and Producer at Audiobook Revolution, http://audiobookrevolution.com/ - Author of Global eBook Gold Medal Award in Writing/Publishing for "The Author's Guide to Audiobook Creation" http://bit.ly/audiobookcreation - Produced best-sellers including "Auschwitz #34207" and "Shot Down" - Audible Approved Narrator (Top 10%) Veteran Network, New York, Chicago and Washington DC Radio News Anchor and Correspondent
Mon, June 14, 2021
125 - Natasha Marchewka and Katherine Tole Interview (Voice 123 Course)
Recording voice-over projects daily since 2006, Natasha Marchewkahas grown her business exponentially through referrals from happy clients throughout North America and around the globe. From Electrolux to ZipRecruiter to Adventures By Disney, clients continue to return to her product and service worthy of their most important business projects. https://natashamarchewka.com/ Katherine Tole is a voice actor specializing in video games, narration, commercials, eLearning and animation. Katherine has been an avid video gamer since she was a kid and understands what gamers are looking for in their characters. From grunting to spell casting, she has decades of experience listening to the characters that came before her. https://katherinetole.com/ Natasha and Katherine have created a fantastic course on how to maximize your Voice 123 profile. I've taken their course and it's worked amazingly well for me! Here's the link to their course: https://v123.katherinetole.com/
Mon, May 10, 2021
124 - Jessica Taylor Interview
You’ve heard Jessica Taylor on television, on the web and on the radio for projects large and small. She has a range from youthful cool to polished sophistication. A touch of vocal texture adds depth and realness to her vocal imprint. She shines when it comes to taking direction, and has a sixth sense for understanding what it is people want. Her keen intuition and gut instincts fuel her creative process, and she's ready to take risks to get the read right. Jessica books projects that ask for vocal qualities and deliveries similar to the sounds of celebrities like Kristen Bell, Rashida Jones, Tina Fey, Anna Kendrick, Scarlett Johansson, Emma Stone, and Jennifer Lawrence. Jessica lives a mostly joyful life with her husband, three sons and five hens in Boulder, Colorado. She's a Mom, wife, sister, daughter, an avid cook, knitter, hiker, reader, traveler, homeopathy nerd and consumer of art in any form. https://www.jessicavo.com/
Mon, April 05, 2021
123 - Julie Wilson (AHAB) Interview
JULIE WILSON is Senior Manager of Digital Production Platforms and an award-winning executive producer at Penguin Random House Audio. She started her career at Random House in 2007 and has produced over a thousand audiobooks for adults and kids, including several graphic novel adaptations. Her recent production credits include working with Alicia Keys, Ben Folds, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ruth Reichl, Willie Nelson, and The Tiny Chef. She is also the co-creator of AhabTalent.com, a global online casting platform for voiceover. She is a native New Yorker and an avid urban gardener, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing from Colby College.
Mon, March 01, 2021
122 - P.J. Ochlan Interview
A multiple Audie Award winner, Odyssey Award winner, multiple Earphones Award winner, and multiple Voice Arts Award winner, P.J. Ochlan's work behind the microphone began in 1987 as a young voice actor with many commercials and promos. Since then he has lent his diverse talents to virtually every voiceover genre. Most notably, he is a widely acclaimed and record-setting audiobook narrator with hundreds of fiction and non-fiction titles to his credit. P.J.'s voice work is enhanced by his mastery of accents, distinctive characters and versatility, as well as his proficiency with English, French, Italian, German and Mandarin. He is also the founder of Dr. Dialect and co-founder of the Deyan Institute of Voice Artistry .
Mon, February 01, 2021
121 - Sean Pratt Interview
SEAN PRATT HAS been a working professional actor in theatre, film, TV and voice-overs for over 30 years. He holds a BFA in Acting from Santa Fe University, NM. He has narrated over 1,000+ audiobooks….and counting! He has been an audiobook narrator for 22 years (aka – Lloyd James), recording over 1000+ Audio Books in almost every genre. He narrates for such companies as Blackstone Audiobooks, Tantor Media, Gildan Audio, Harper Collins, Penguin Random House, and Christian Audio.
Mon, December 28, 2020
120 - Laya Hoffman Interview
On this episode I chat with Laya Hoffman! Laya's voice is genuine yet unique, culturally flexible and confidently warm - a fun, fresh female voice that makes an impact for your project and cuts through to your audience! Delivering broadcast quality sound with ease, on budget and under deadline for 20 years. As a full time voice-over actress, Laya helps companies grow revenue, deepen brand awareness and cultivate identity by connecting with customers through the power of Voice. Her passion is bringing your story to life, and making it sound like you heard it in your head - easily and efficiently. Laya presents a warm, relatable tone in a wide variety of styles, that is as versatile as it is timeless for a range of voice-over services. Specializing in commercials, promos, corporate narration, explainers, e-learning, animation, IVR, telephony, live announce and more. Clients such as Google, Honda, AAA, Four Seasons, Accenture, Coca-Cola, HP and hundreds more have selected Laya's voice for its national sound and culturally flexible tones. Yet, they keep coming back for her holistic, full-service approach, direct-ability, attention to detail and synergistic studio style. With a unique professional resume that includes club DJ, on-air radio host and senior marketing executive among its titles, Laya brings an instinctive ear, for cadence, tone and tempo as well as a true understanding of business outcomes, acumen, client relations, deadlines and current trends to her voice work.
Mon, November 23, 2020
119 - Charlie Lovett Interview
Charlie Lovett was born in Winston-Salem, NC in 1962 and grew up as the child of a book-collecting English professor. He spent his summers in the rural North Carolina mountains and felt an early affinity for the countryside. He was educated at Summit School , Woodberry Forest School (Virginia), and Davidson College (NC) and in 1984 went into the antiquarian book business with his first wife, Stephanie. About the same time he began to seriously collect books and other materials relating to Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland . Lovett now has a large collection of Carrollian rare books and artifacts, including Carroll’s 1888 typewriter and one of six privately owned copies of the first edition of Alice in Wonderland . Lovett has written or edited nine books about Lewis Carroll, including Lewis Carroll: Formed by Faith , the first full length study of Carroll’s religious life (UVA Press, 2021). He has served as the president of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America , as editor of the London based Lewis Carroll Review , and has lectured on Carroll in the US and Europe at the Smithsonian Institution, Harvard University, UCLA, Oxford University, and elsewhere. In 1997 Lovett received an MFA in Writing from Vermont College (now Vermont College of Fine Arts). During his work on this degree he researched and wrote Love, Ruth , a book about his mother, Ruth Candler Lovett, who died when he was two years old. Maya Angelou called the book “tender, sensitive, and true.” After completing his MFA, Lovett lived with his wife Janice and daughter Jordan in England for six months, becoming closely connected to the village of Kingham, Oxfordshire. Ten years later, he and his wife purchased the cottage they had rented in 1997 and renovated it. They now spend about 6–8 week a year in Kingham, and have traveled extensively throughout the UK. His experiences in England are the basis for several of his novels. For eleven years, beginning in 2001, Lovett served as Writer-in-Residence at Summit School in Winston-Salem, NC. He wrote plays for elementary and middle school students , nineteen of which have been published, including, Twinderella , which was chosen from over 750 entries as winner of the Shubert Fendrich Playwriting Award. His plays have been seen in over 5000 productions in all fifty states and more than 20 foreign countries. Lovet
Mon, October 19, 2020
118 - Mike Lenz Update
On this episode I share some thoughts on Systems Thinking and hiow the VO industry is really a Complex System (and what that means for you!) I also talk about my VO course available over at vosuccess.com and some of the changes that are coming in the New Year. I also touch on the importance of creating authentic relationships and growing your network and the importance that my faith has played in my journey. Lots of great stuff this episode!!
Mon, September 07, 2020
117 - Val Kelly (MAVO 2020) Interview
Val Kelly is a bilingual, French/English Voice Actress. Val started her voice-over career in 1999 after being told her whole life how "cute" her voice is and that she should do something with it... and so she did....!! Val has been actively booking Voice-over work for years now and had her commercial demo produced by Emmy award winning sound designer, recording engineer and producer "Uncle Roy" Yokelson. Val is currently working on her animation & animal sounds demos. Val's specialty is in voicing characters for cartoons, talking toys, apps, videogames, children's e-learning, radio & tv commercials and short films. Her clients include "Hasbro toys", "Hungry Howie's Pizza Place", "Essence Cartoons", "Roam and Wander", "Mymoonah", "The Foreign Candy Company", "Theory Films", independent YouTube videos and many more. Val is the hostess of her own podcast called "Live with Squacky". It's a unique and lively, interview style show that dives into the worlds of voice acting and entertainment. In addition to being a Voice actress, Val is the Owner/President/CEO/Executive Producer of Mid-Atlantic Voiceover, LLC. Val is in charge of running all aspects of the company and is the Executive Producer for the Mid-Atlantic Voiceover "Get Inspired" Conference as well as the Mini MAVO online conference that take place in November. The Mini MAVO2020 Conference will take place on November 6-8, 2020 online.
Mon, August 03, 2020
116 - Jim Seybert Interview
Jim Seybert has been telling stories for more than sixty years. As a young boy he would dictate stories, telling his parents to "write this down." Fast-forward to the present, and Jim lends his clear, confident voice to some of the most interesting stories of the day: military histories, political commentary, true crime, heroic memoirs, and great fiction. When he is not recording in his studio on California's pristine Central Coast, he walks quietly along trails in the Sierra Nevada, cooks gourmet meals for friends, and watches films with his wife Rhonda and their Chihuahua, Lucy.
Mon, July 06, 2020
115 - Edoardo Ballerini Interview
Edoardo Ballerini is a two time winner of the Audiobook Publishers Association’s Best Male Narrator Audie Award (2013, Beautiful Ruins , by Jess Walter; 2019, Watchers by Dean Koontz). He has recorded nearly 300 titles, from classic works by Tolstoy, Dante, Kafka, Whitman and Camus, to best-sellers by James Patterson and David Baldacci, and spiritual titles by The Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hahn. On screen, Ballerini is best known for his role as junkie "Corky Caporale" on The Sopranos (HBO) and as the star chef in the indie classic Dinner Rush. He has appeared in over 50 films and tv shows, including a series regular role in the critically acclaimed Quarry, (Cinemax) and recurring roles in Boardwalk Empire (HBO), 24 (Fox) and Elementary (CBS). Ballerini's work as a narrator has garnered international attention. Articles on his work and career have appeared in The New York Times , The Guardian (UK), Aftenposten (Norway) and MediaPost <em class="x-el x-el-span c1-1w c1-1x c1-7z c1-2
Mon, June 08, 2020
114 - Sarah Puckett Interview
Sarah is a fan favorite for her sweetly husky voice and her passion for creating a unique audio adventure every time. She has brought over 100 books to life in audio. Providing full narration and production services from her Midwestern home studio, American actress Sarah Puckett provides a clear and passionate read that engages listeners. Sarah is professionally trained in narration acting, production, and audio engineering, blending these elements together to create a unique listening experience that draws the listener deeper into the story.
Mon, May 11, 2020
113 - Kabir Singh Interview
Kabir Singh is a professional voice actor and street poet for hire. His voice is perfect for connecting with young, urban audiences as well as the African-American community. Kabir is available to provide outstanding voice over services for commercials in the sports, electronics and motivation advertising sectors and much more. Clients include Nike, Pandora, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Nintendo, and the NBA.
Mon, April 13, 2020
112 - Cindy Kay Interview
Cindy Kay moved 11 times before the age of 5, grew up in a multilingual/bicultural family, and came to audiobooks from teaching. A narrator with a home studio in Salt Lake City, Cindy Kay is Chinese-Thai-American and has titles with The Audio Flow, Bee, Blackstone, Highbridge, PRH, Recorded Books, Simon & Schuster, and Tantor. She's most recently been working in Literary Fiction, Nonfiction, Erotica, and Thriller.
Mon, March 09, 2020
111 - Tom Mailey Interview
Join Mike Lenz as he spends time with his good friend and VO colleague Tom Mailey. Tom is no stranger to the entertainment and communication world, having started in theater at a young age and then moving into radio, television, and a career in public relations. Tom is relatively new to the VO industry, having started about 2 years ago. Tom discussed the challenges and successes he's had in the early stages of his VO career.
Mon, February 10, 2020
110 - Mike Lenz Update
Do you know your "why?" On this episode I update you on my journey in the VO world and cover some topics that are critically important to focus on in your journey: 1. Understanding your "why." 2. Having perseverance. 3. Not falling into the comparison trap. 4. Defining what success means for you. Enjoy!
Mon, January 06, 2020
109 - Jocqueline Protho Interview
Jocqueline Protho is the Founder of The Audio Flow and Three One Six Audio - an audiobook production and publishing company serving indie authors. She has always loved audiobooks and with over 20 years of experience in talent acquisition, it was only a matter of time before she combined both of her passions. Jocqueline prides herself in helping indie authors bring their stories to life with a new way to do audio that is making its mark in the industry.
Mon, December 09, 2019
108 - Shannon Parks Interview
Marguerite Gavin (Shannon Parks) has been a professional audiobook narrator for over twenty years with over 500+ titles, numerous Audie nominations and Earphones award s, and a devoted fan following. She has been described as a “genre-defining narrator” by Audible.com ; having a “sonorous voice, rich and full of emotion” and as having the “coveted ability to disappear as the narrator, letting the story take the limelight it deserves” in Audiofile Magazine . Her narration spans nearly every genre from mystery , science fiction and fantasy; romance; and children’s fiction to a huge variety of nonfiction and documentary work. She is also a seasoned theater veteran, acting and directing in hundreds of productions . As a highly respected acting teacher , she was on the graduate acting faculty at Catholic University of America; directed children of all ages in Shakespeare for many years; and now coaches narrators in the art of acting the audiobook. She is the lucky mom of two (almost grown -up!) children. Marguerite is blessed to live at the Delaware seashore where she can usually be found in her recording studio; at the theater or frolicking in the ocean. Proud member of SAG/AFTRA/AEA
Mon, November 04, 2019
107 - Mike Lenz Update
On this episode I provide an update on my journey. I discuss the voiceover consulting I'm now doing as well as provide a discount on my friend Tim Tippet's Audition Ready Audio Course. I also talk about my journey into the audiobook narration world and how and why my audiobook work has increased dramatically. Lots of fun stuff on this episode. Here are some links: Voice Over Consulting - https://mikelenzvoice.com/consulting/ Audition Ready Audio Course - https://votechguru.thinkific.com/courses/audition-ready-audio-course?ref=6e5f9e
Mon, September 30, 2019
106 - Laila Berzins Interview
Laila Berzins is a Voice Arts Awards nominated LA Based American voice actor with a decade of experience, comedian, and songwriter extraordinaire, providing a wide variety of accents and delivery styles. Her deep & resonant voice works well with Commercial, Corporate and Promo reads, while Laila's experience and personality in Animation and Video games will leave you with VIBRANT audio and a smile on your face! Broadcast Quality Vocal Booth, Source Connect, IdPTL, Phone Patch Capabilities, happy to work under tight deadlines and with various time zones. A big kid at heart, Laila has oodles of fun with every project she joyfully undertakes. She works in numerous cartoons for clients like Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, YouTube and Funimation , in games like God of War 4, Final Fantasy Explorers, World of Warcraft, Star Trek Online, State of Decay 2, Atlus Fenrir for Sega, and Smite. She also lent her voice to various narrations for Microsoft, Lyft, Nike, Motorola, Weight Watchers, Toyota, and Intel, and commercials for Target, SoCal Gas, Google, Nature Valley, and Hidden Figures . LA Based female voiceover artist Laila Berzins vocals are warm, smooth, silky, young, seductive and professional. Her numerous male/female character voices range from young to old, and sweet to sassy. Musically she is a natural Alto, with both the upper resonances of a younger woman, and the diction and lower range of a more mature woman.
Mon, September 02, 2019
105 - Tony Pasquale Interview
Growing up, I was always the entertainment in the family. I could be found recording radio programs (just to hear the announcer) or making voices and sounds with my mouth. After a while, my mother would get a little fed up with all the noise, and yell, "Tony, quit exploding all over the house!" Deep down I know she loved all those sounds I made...pew pew... Fast forward through high school and working overnight at a "traditional country", AM radio station (yeah that's a thing). Afterward, I moved on to college where I interned for promotions at Radio Disney, Providence. Promotions was fun, and that's where I discovered the pure, raw energy of live events. For 15 years, I worked up the ranks in the live event industry with my core being a creative director, producer, and show director. I produced shows all over the US, Puerto Rico, Asia, and Europe. The entire time working in production, one thing always stuck with me...voice over work. Being a voice talent never left me. Whether I was being cast for commercials, a video narration; or even being a live announcer in the Georgia Dome! I recorded in studios while on the road, or MacGyver'd a studio in my hotel room. Now, as a full time voice talent, I get to be part of brands like Pedigree, UPS, GQ Magazine, Deloitte, and many more! This is what I was built to do. I'm fortunate to be that final piece for a production team; adding the "voice" to all their hard work. Let's connect! Drop me a line and let's put a voice to your project (see what I did there with "voice"? It's a pun.) Project credits: Walmart, Liberty Mutual, Subway, Comcast, Marriott, Cox, Intel, Suzuki, Yellow Tail, MetroPCS, Pearle Vision, and Stonyfield Organic. Specialties: voice acting, voiceovers, live event, live announcing, show production, theme development, radio, explainer videos, elearning, video production, audio production, product launch, brand launch, technical director, producer, creative direction, presentations.
Mon, July 29, 2019
104 - Tim Tippets Interview
On this episode I talk with voice actor, composer and audio engineer Tim Tippets about his Audition Ready Audio Course. I took Tim's course and worked with him one-on-one on my Effects Stack and was blown away by the improvement in the quality of my audio! The Audition Ready Audio Course takes the mystery out of the technical aspect of voice-over that many of us struggle with. With a straightforward teaching approach Tim makes complex topics easy to understand and better yet, easy to apply. I was so impressed I entered into an Affiliate partnership with Tim and on this episode we share with you a special promotion exclusive to my podcast listeners that will get you a significant discount on his course. Listen all the way through the podcast to get your special discount promo code and then go to mikelenzvopodcast.com and click on the Audition Ready Audio Course link under the Sponsors section on my home page to access the course and enter the code. This course is one of the best investments I've ever made in my career and it will help you no matter where you are in your journey. Enjoy this episode and don't forget to take advantage of our special promotion!
Mon, July 01, 2019
103 - Maria Pendolino Interview
Maria Pendolino is an award-winning voiceover artist. A professional working actor for more than fifteen years, Maria’s style is natural, friendly, relatable and sassy. Trained in musical theatre, film, television and voice, Maria’s conversational delivery is youthful and on-trend – perfect to represent and speak to Millennials and Generation X. Maria specializes in commercials for TV, radio and the web, e-Learning and corporate narration, explainer videos, promos, in-show narration, character voices for animation, telephone systems, radio imaging and more. A two-time award winner, Maria received the 2017 Voice Arts Award for Best Voiceover in the e-Learning category and the 2018 Voice Arts Award for Best Voiceover in the Consumer Sales Video (Explainer) category. Maria’s professional home studio, based in Buffalo, New York, is equipped with state of the art audio equipment and offers remote connectivity options including Phone Patch, Source Connect, ipDTL and ISDN. She is a proud member of the Buffalo-Niagara Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) , the Buffalo chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and World-Voices (WoVO) .
Mon, June 03, 2019
102 - Mike Lenz Update
On this episode Mike provides an update on his journey. May has been a busy month of traveling and Mike discusses some of the lessons he learned, the importance of being diverse in your work, making sure you provide yourself with some down time to allow yourself to get in touch with your true purpose. Mike also talks about his short film - The Good Life - which will begin filming this summer! Links: Go Fund Me Page for The Good Life Short Film: https://www.facebook.com/thegoodlifefilmshort/?modal=admin_todo_tour Facebook Page for The Good Life - Short Film: https://www.gofundme.com/the-good-life-short-film
Mon, May 06, 2019
101 - Emily Pick Interview
Emily Pick's voice is described as SOUND APPROACHABLE, WARM, HIP, FRIENDLY, SEXY, INTELLIGENT, BELIEVABLE. Emily's career has included Commercial, eLearning & education, announcer, podcasts, character, accents & dialects, animation, tourism, documentary. Emily has a full home studio with live director/producer patch in capability. Raw files or finished audio delivered quickly and cleanly.
Mon, April 08, 2019
100 - Special Episode 100!!
Wow!! So hard to believe we made it to 100 episodes. I'm so thankful for my amazing guests and for all of you who listen to my podcast! On this special Episode 100, I asked my guests to come back and share a short clip of advice. Over 50 former guests responded, sharing incredible knowledge and insight. This episode is loaded with so much inspiration and information, you'll want to write these knowledge bombs down!! Thanks again for listening and here's to 100 more episodes! Mike mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, March 11, 2019
099 - Jenn Meyer Interview
Jenn Meyer is a proud Second City graduate, and professional full-time Los Angeles based voiceover artist who has lent her voice to A-List clients such as Disney, Mattel, Google, Red Robin and much more. From animation studios to big brand ad agencies and internal marketing campaigns, Jenn’s Voice has been sweeping across the nation. Most recently Jenn attended Faffcon “the voiceover unconference” in North Carolina where she taught Improv to voiceover artists. Currently, you can hear Jenn as the promo and trailer voice for Barbie’s new movies Dreamtopia “Festival of Fun” and Barbie “Dolphin Magic.” When Jenn is not behind the Microphone in her booth – you can find her behind the Microphone at various Karaoke venues in L.A. or jamming with friends on her Ukulele. To learn more about Jenn and her latest voiceover news you can visit her website at www.JennMeyerVO.com .
Mon, February 11, 2019
098 - Mike Lenz Update
Join Mike on this episode where he updates listeners on his journey into on-camera commercial work. Mike also discusses several important lessons and insights he's learned over the last 6 months and shares some scriptures that provide touchstones for Mike as he moves forward on his journey in faith!
Mon, January 14, 2019
097 - Dustin Rubin Interview
On this episode Mike inteviews writer, producer and voice actor Dustin Rubin. Dustin is a Voice Actor Providing VO for Commercials, TV, Radio, Narration, Audiobooks, Animation, Video Games, PSAs, E-Learning, Documentary, Corporate, Explainer Videos, Telephony, Explainer Videos, Non Profit, Promos & Trailers. Member of SAG-AFTRA Member of World-Voices.Org (WoVO) Member of Trailer Voice Artists Recent Work: Promo: Campaign for "TKO Total Knock Out with Kevin Hart" on CBS Sketch: The Late Late Show with James Corden (various) Commercials (TV) Clorox, T-Mobile, Wisconsin Cheese; (Radio) Reliant Energy Animation - Nathan's Kingdom (feature) Video Games - Telltale's "The Wolf Among Us" (ongoing) PSA - California Science Center Audiobooks - "My True Love Gave to Me", "The Watch", "Running the Books: The Accidental Adventures of a Prison Librarian", "It's Not Just Who You Know". All from Random House TV Narration - "I Forgive You" on GMC For more info and samples, please visit dustinrubin.com
Mon, December 17, 2018
096 - Jessica Lewis Interview
On today's episode, Mike interviews voice actor and podcaster Jessica Lewis. Jessica's voice is described as Humorous, Engaging, Collaborative, Creative, Visionary, Nerdy. Life is short; enjoy those you work with! Jessica has a friendly and clear American female voice, and has worked on projects from tv and radio commercials, narration, on-hold messages, corporate and explainer videos, e-Learning, video games and more! She's a small-town country girl who has traveled the world. Hard work and innovation are in her blood. Empathy's her gift and creativity & resourcefulness are her super powers. You can find out more about Jessica at jessicalewisvoice.com .
Mon, November 19, 2018
095 - Dave Walsh Interview
TrueTell™ founder Dave Walsh has enjoyed a truly multi-faceted career on both sides of the Hollywood glass, as successful artist, coach and director as well as studio executive. Walsh has been a key national and international voiceover talent for almost 20 years, fronting signature campaigns for commercial and television icons including AT&T, HBO, Honda, Entertainment Tonight (ET), Modern Marvels, Shell, NBC’s The Biggest Loser, Wells Fargo, The E! True Hollywood Story, CBS’ Big Brother and Hyundai. Dave has also spent the better part of the last decade coaching and cultivating the voiceover careers of some of the most established artists in the United States, Canada and Latin America. As executive at CBS/Paramount Television and owner of his own research consulting firm, Walsh Media, Dave was a marketing force behind some of the most established franchises in television history including ET, Frasier, Cheers and the entire Star Trek series library. The TrueTell™ is the merging of these diverse yet powerfully synchronistic career paths. Walsh has dovetailed his offbeat, quirky passion for identifying and branding the true value of voices with his recognition of the business culture’s general apathy yet hunger for authenticity in both communication and behavior. He believes this true “tell” is the key to building greater fluidity and trust in business practices as well as individual confidence, better performance and overall success. https://www.walshvoiceovercoaching.com/
Mon, October 22, 2018
094 - Drita Dumont Interview
On this episode Mike interviews trilingual voice actor Drita Dumont. She discusses her transition into voice acting and how she applies her VO expertise to to her other business in translation services. We also talk about the importance of staying positive and focusing on progress not perfection! https://www.dritadumont.com/
Mon, September 24, 2018
093 - Mike Lenz Recap
On this episode Mike updates listeners at the 6 month mark of his journey into full-time voice-over and podcasting. Topics include the process of working in the margins for 12 years, moving into on-camera work and the importance of continual improvement through coaching and achieving balance in your personal and professional life.
Mon, August 27, 2018
092 - Issa Lopez Interview
Issa Lopez is a bilingual voiceover talent, actress, singer and spokesperson with global, national, regional and local on and off-camera credits. As one of the most in-demand Spanish-English voices in the freelance world, she has been recognized among the TOP BILINGUAL voiceover artists available. With 24 years of experience providing exceptional voice products in both english and spanish, Issa’s voice can be heard in practically every realm of voiceovers as well experience with jingles, singing, songwriting, and demo projects.
Mon, July 30, 2018
091 - Jack Daniel Interview
Jack performed for years as a stage and film actor on the East Coast before moving to San Francisco, where he became part of a national touring sketch comedy group while teaching comedy and writing. After a performance, he was approached by a VO producer to try his hand at the craft. Some fits and starts later, he committed fully to the craft and moved to Los Angeles, where he is a full-time voice actor. He has studied with many of the great voice acting gurus, both remotely and in person, and is a strong proponent of working with the best to keep growing as a talent. Jack voices trailers for major motion pictures and games, promos for television and radio, and documentaries of all kinds, in addition to countless TV, radio, and web commercials. His studio is also part of soundBOX:LA studio group started by Tim Friedlander, and Jack fully owns the fact that he is a hopeless gear addict who loves the tech side. Recent work includes the movie trailer for Super Troopers 2, the national TV and radio campaign for Love Never Dies, a TV and web campaign for Jack in the Box, and ongoing narration for a YouTube channel with over 2 million subscribers, Strange Mysteries.
Mon, July 16, 2018
090 - Sophia Cruz Interview
On this episode, Mike talks with Sophia Cruz. Sophia is a LA bilingual voice over actor specializing in flawless and seamless English to Spanish voice overs! Whether you need Mexican Spanish, Latin American Spanish (LATAM) or neutral Spanish, she is your perfect choice! Perhaps your project requires her AmeriLatina™ style which is a fusion of both, either way she is happy to help you with the right sound for your project. Sophia shares her journey, the obstacle of overcoming a non-supportive spouse, embracing marketing, relocating to LA from Chicago and how she helps other voice actors determine their true value in the VO market.
Mon, July 02, 2018
089 - Jason Romano Interview
Jason Romano is a speaker, author, media consultant and church leader with over 20 years of professional broadcasting experience on the regional and network level. For 17 years, Jason was an Emmy-Award winning Senior Manager and Producer at ESPN. He has created and produced content for shows such as SportsCenter, Monday Night Football, Mike and Mike in the Morning, Sunday NFL Countdown, College Gameday, MLB’s All Star Game and many more. During his time at ESPN, Jason helped lead and grow the talent booking department, building relationships with the biggest names in sports as well as creating and managing the NFL on ESPN’s social media channels, growing them to over 6 million followers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Jason is now the host and producer of the Sports Spectrum podcast where he interviews athletes, coaches, and other personalities on the intersection of sports and faith. He also is a writer for Sports Spectrum magazine and contributes articles daily to SportsSpectrum.com . Jason has spoken to thousands of people at conferences, colleges, companies and churches. He’s a big advocate of social media, having built up large followings both for ESPN’s social feeds as well as his own personal brand. His first book, “Live to Forgive” is available now. You can reach him via email: JasonRomano22@gmail.com Website: http://jasonromano.com/ Twitter: @JasonRomano Instagram: @JasonRomano <p
Mon, June 18, 2018
088 - Rhonda Phillips Interview
Rhonda Phillips has had a long and successful career in both radio and voice-overs. She shares her journey into the world of VO and coaching (she loves coaching kids!), and discusses her Intro To Voice Over course. Great information and inspiration!
Mon, June 04, 2018
087 - Mike Lenz VO Update
On this episode Mike Lenz provides an update on his move into full-time VO and podcast production. Mike discusses the work he's been doing in the eLearning, corporate narration, and audiobook space. Mike also launched PodcastSnap, a concierge podcasting service that helps clients with all aspects of their podcasting neeeds. He spoke recently at the ATD 2018 International Conference about The Power of Podcasting. podcastsnap.com
Mon, May 21, 2018
086 - Tiffany Morgan Interview
On this episode Mike Lenz interviews actor, voice actor, writer and producer Tiffany Morgan. Tiffany is a stage, film and television actress best known for her roles on Nashville, The Mist, and The Walking Dead. We discussed the life of a freelance entrepreneur, and the growing wave of podcasting that Tiffany is involved in, with several podcast productions in the works.
Mon, May 07, 2018
085 - Val Kelly Interview
Val Kelly is a bilingual, French/English Voice Actress. Val started her voiceover career in 1999 after being told her whole life how "cute" her voice is and that she should do something with it... and so she did....!! Val has been actively booking Voiceover work for years now and most recently finished working on her new commercial demo with Emmy award winning sound designer, recording engineer and producer "Uncle Roy" Yokelson. Val is currently working on her animation & singing demos. Val's specialty is in voicing characters for cartoons, talking toys, apps, videogames, children's e-learning, radio & tv commercials and short films. Her clients include Hasbro toys, "Hungry Howie's Pizza Place", "Roam and Wander", "Mymoonah", "The Foreign Candy Company", Theory Films, and many more. In addition to being a Voice actress, Val is the Owner/President/CEO/Executive Producer of Mid-Atlantic Voiceover, LLC. Val is in charge of running all aspects of the company and is the Executive Producer for the Mid-Atlantic Voiceover "Get Inspired" Conference that takes place in November. Check out the latest news on upcoming events at midatlanticvo.com valkellyvoiceover.com
Mon, April 23, 2018
084 - Claton Butcher Interview
Claton Butcher is an audiobook narrator, voice over artist, and music pastor, with over 80 audiobooks to his credit. He has studied under some of today’s best and most prolific narrators, including Scott Brick, Sean Pratt, and Johnny Heller. He is also the founder of Two Words Publishing. Claton and his biggest fans: his wife, and their daughter - born in 2016 - live in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. Check out Claton’s Voice at twowordspublishing.com.
Mon, April 09, 2018
083 - Brandon Pollock Interview
Since Brandon Pollock began his voiceover career in 2011 he’s been trusted by companies all over the world to voice their projects. His experience includes: Commercials eLearning Industrial Narrations Audiobooks Animation And More… Brandon believes in getting it right and enjoys taking direction to deliver exactly what you’re looking for. Brandon prides himself on providing great customer service and understands that every project has a budget. Brandon currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina with his wife Lauren and their two daughters, Brynley & Ella Claire. Website: https://bpvoiceovers.com/
Mon, March 26, 2018
082 - Tawny Platis Interview
Tawny Platis is not only a fellow voice actor but also a fellow podcast creator who hosts her very own 'The Dirty Bits' podcast. Having started her own brick and mortar business right out of high school, Tawny gained a wealth of business knowledge that served her so well as she transitioned into voice-overs, coaching, and podast production. So much good stuff on this episode!
Mon, March 12, 2018
081 - Bob Merkel Interview
I had a great time talking with VoiceZam creator Bob Merkel about his amazing product. You'll find out that VoiceZam is so much more than a great demo player - it's a marketing resource to help propel your VO career, no matter where you are in your journey! And be sure to listen all the way through to get a discount code to try out VoiceZam for free! I love this product and Bob is truly committed to helping the voice-over industry. Enjoy!
Mon, February 26, 2018
080 - Julie Slack Interview
A collaborative artist like Julie Slack is driven to elevate your brand. Julie Slack instinctively and technically knows how to bring out the best in your words, your story, and your vision so that your message resonates with your core consumers. And those who have partnered with Julie will tell you that once you’ve worked with her, you'll always go back to her.
Mon, February 12, 2018
079 - Mark "Monk" Schane-Lydon Interview
Who is Monk? And why is he seen so often in a kilt? We'll get to that in a moment. First off, I am a voice actor and storyteller . From the stage to the screen to a quiet booth. Bringing a story to life is what I love to do. That script could be about a far-off land filled with mystical dragons, or a quick explanation of how your new online banking app functions. A voice over that conveys trust and honesty . My work has received Addy and Telly awards and I've received a couple of awards for my stage work as well. I record at Lodge Studios, a fully equipped Voice Over studio with iPDTL and Source Connect connections to the outside world. So how did I get here? After 6 years of fixing helicopters for the USAF, I jumped into broadcast school, and after a couple of radio stations , switched to animation and film work . From there I hit the stage and moved from behind the camera to in front of it. I started singing and performing, and the storytelling and narration followed. When I approached my first agent, he threw me into commercial work. So I understand the needs of production, and the pressures of getting it done right the first time. My masters degree is in Communications , getting the message to the target audience. It's amazing what you can do with a smile Now, about the kilt. You know, once you start wearing them, it's hard to go back to anything else. Believe me, go get a kilt.
Mon, January 29, 2018
078 - Joan Franzino Interview
An established NYC producer at Pomann Sound once said Joan was his favorite "all-rounder." Joan Franzino has been a professional voice actor since the mid-90's and she's done it all (well, almost). Her home studio is top notch and upgraded regularly, her software and editing skills are the bomb, and you'll get your audio licketty split, swear. She's cast as the young mom, the smooth spokesperson, that sober sound in your head, the voice that makes your sales training sound easy, she can do a slick delivery in your car spots, or that sexy voice with a girl-from-next-door slant. On-camera, she's just as flexible. She has tons of experience with teleprompters, and is trained and practiced with an ear-prompter. On screen, She've been cast as a business woman, a perky spokesperson, mom, middle-aged beauty, and an easy-to-understand guide for your complex corporate message/training.
Mon, January 15, 2018
077 - Cameron Gregg Interview
Cameron has been pursuing the craft of acting since discovering its transformative effect at a young age. He comes from a family with a strong background in professional theatre. As a young adult he attended the Governor’s School of North Carolina as well as the University of North Carolina School of the Arts during his senior year of high school, both with acting concentrations. Up until this point Cameron had also been developing skills in voice over at two south eastern companies: Procomm Studios and Sunspots Productions. While training at Rutgers, Cameron delved into interpreting Shakespeare’s texts at the Rutgers Conservatory at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. While there, he participated in the annual Sam Wanamaker Festival, a celebration of Shakespeare’s plays performed by students from the UK’s acting conservatories. Most recent credits include a co-starring role in the season 3 premiere of the Emmy Award winning show Bloodline.
Mon, January 01, 2018
076 - Natasha Marchewka Interview
You know the voice that describes the benefits of owning an Electrolux washer? That’s Natasha. That voice who shares events overhead at that casino you visited in Upstate New York? That’s her, too. How about the voice that soothes you to calm while waiting on hold? There’s a good chance it’s Natasha’s voice. More than a decade in voiceovers, two decades in performance and three decades in customer service, Natasha adds professionalism and finesse to a video, a presentation, commercial copy…even voicemail. Natasha’s voice is described as a "Compassionate, Mom-Next-Door"; "Warm, 30-something, Business Professional"; Conversational, with a neutral-accent, natural, friendly, articulate with feeling and sincerity... You have found an experienced voice-over talent, capable of handling a large scope of professional voice recording jobs, at a price that does not include fees to third party web marketplaces. Hiring Natasha means hiring a seasoned voice to interpret a script that you need recorded competently and …done right the first time. And, she charges less than you would expect for top-of-the-line talent. Further, if her tone-of-voice is not your cup of tea…she is happy to pass on referrals of other pro female and male voice actors.
Mon, December 18, 2017
075 - Mike Lenz 2017 Recap
Mike Lenz recaps 2017 and offers some exciting discount codes for helpful voice-over courses!
Mon, December 04, 2017
074 - Rodney Saulsberry Interview
Rodney Saulsberry is the voice of choice for behind-the scenes narration. This Detroit native and University of Michigan Graduate, is one of the premier voice-over talents in the country. He is also a published author with three bestselling books, You Can Bank on Your Voice , Step Up to the Mic and his latest release, Rodney Saulsberry's Tongue Twisters and Vocal Warm-Ups . Saulsberry’s distinctive announcer voice is literally everywhere. He has announced promos for the ABC hit Dancing With The Stars and the ABC critically acclaimed Charlie Brown Christmas Special . He announced the 34th NAACP Image Awards and the Essence Awards specials on FOX Television and voiced promos for the Grammy Awards and Country Music Awards for CBS. Rodney can be heard currently announcing promos for the CW Network in primetime. As one of the top trailer voices in the business, Rodney’s voice has promoted many favorites: Red Tails, Tupac Resurrection, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Friday After Next, Drumline, Undercover Brother, The Best Man, Dumb & Dumberer, Finding Forrester, Soul Food, Crooklyn, and many more. Black Enterprise Magazine called Saulsberry “The voice of choice for behind-the-scenes-narration.” What do Zatarain's , Instant Tax Service , Twix , Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Verizon, White Castle, 7UP, Burger King, SBC , and Nestle Crunch all have in common? Saulsberry has been a voice-over commercial pitchman for all of these products and many others on television and radio. He can also be heard reading audio books, as well as narrating E! Entertainments, True Hollywood Story, about Motown R&B singer, Marvin Gaye . His imaging voice has represented NFL Films and several NBA Basketball teams that include the Los Angeles Clip
Mon, November 20, 2017
073 - Jordan Reynolds Interview
Jordan Reynold's voice is based in Los Angeles, California but has been heard all over the world. Voicing internationally known companies such as AT&T, BMW, Sprite, and Cisco - to voice dubbing celebrities - to screaming as various video game characters - to guiding thousands of customers on hold - to explaining hundreds of new startup businesses products online. His voice encompasses a broad spectrum from cool and conversational to a diverse body of engaging characters. Jordan produces voice over demos for some of the top voice actors today: demoswithchops.com He also played a key role in designing the Roswell Pro Audio RA-VO microphone : A high quality microphone made specifically for voice over.
Mon, November 06, 2017
072 - Nicole Britton Interview
Nicole Britton - I'm a voice actor who manages to jam 23 years of acting experience into my tiny booth every day; my passion for performance filters into everything I do . I am skilled in voiceover for Narration, e Learning, Corporate Training, IVR and Commercials and have a bevy of Characters and Kid voices on the tip of my tongue. I am proud to be a chicken "clucking " aficionado ;) Represented by RSH Management and Voice Hunter, proud member of World-Voices.org and SAG-AFTRA. After studying theater at CU/Boulder, I headed straight for the Big Apple to continue learning my craft at Playwright's Horizons Theater School. While working with award winning theatre companies such as Ensemble Studio Theatre and Blue Light Theater Company, I cultivated a diligent work ethic and an ability to interpret scripts and bring them to life. In Los Angeles, I worked as an actor and a stilt walker (yes, you read that correctly.) These outlets presented opportunities to travel the world whilst being creative. Never a dull moment, I was the lead singer in a rock band and co-wrote for several music placement projects. I currently reside in Atlanta, GA where I work full time from my professional studio. When I'm not in the booth, I enjoy spending time with my lovely little family and tending to our lovely little farm where I get so much inspiration from my chickens. Additionally, I play the ukulele/piano/mandolin/guitar/egg shaker and sing/dance/juggle - not all at the same time. Along the way, I have had the honor of working for Pandora, Walt Disney Imagineering/California Adventure Theme Park, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Willy's Mexicana Grill, Dollar General and many more.
Mon, October 23, 2017
071 - David Goldberg Interview
Mike Lenz interviews Edge Studio CEO, David Goldberg. Information about Edge Studio: We are VoiceSTA certified. We have 1000+ clients, 20+ years experience, and 0 complaints ever registered in the Better Business Bureau. Currently I oversee all areas of our business. I interact with everyone in the office daily to ensure that every customer is receiving the best possible experience. I am directly involved with marketing, production, casting, sales, career building, and internal operations. I am always available to customers and make certain that each is treated as though they are the the most important one that Edge Studio has regardless of how much money they spend. * Started a recording studio by myself and continued to grow the operation to a team of very impressive experts * Partnered with related businesses to further expand the suite of services offered to customers * Pride myself on only being an email or phone call away from any customer with any question or concern they have * Currently have three locations in Washington DC, Fairfield Connecticut, and New York City * Speak at numerous industry events and/or send a member of our team * Edge Studio maintains a level of recognition and professionalism currently achieved by very few companies Feel welcome to call us. We're all for speaking! Specialties: Audiobooks, Documentaries, Corporate training, eLearning, Commercials, Telephone Systems, Cartoons, Animation, Medical, and all types of Voice Over Production, Casting, and Training.
Mon, October 09, 2017
070 - Matt Rawlings Interview
For over 20 years Matt has specialized in concert promotion, promo, commercial, corporate, and Radio and TV imaging. Most recently the promo voiceover for ABC's "The View". Matt has had the pleasure of working with most of the major networks. He voices local and regional campaigns for Shane Co Jewelers, Subway, Crew Car Wash, Grange Insurance, Boost Mobile, Microsoft and hundreds of corporate narration's and product promotional social network videos. Matt's studio is equipped with broadcast-quality recording equipment. Connect via ISDN, Source Connect, or have your file of choice transferred directly to your computer.
Mon, September 25, 2017
069 - Evan Schmitt Interview
Evan is a millennial (born in 1990) and he loves telling a story, especially yours. In 2006, Evan narrated his first self-produced documentary, inspired by a chance meeting with ski filmmaking legend Warren Miller. Since then, he has lent his signature sound to hundreds of projects around the world. He also hosts a podcast where he explores the question, "What makes creative people creative?" It's called the Get Creative Podcast and it can be found wherever you get your podcasts.
Mon, September 11, 2017
068 - Mike Lenz VO Update
Hi, I'm Mike Lenz. I'm a professional voice actor, the author of Paid To Talk - A Journey Into Voice Acting , and the host of a popular podcast, Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting . I really appreciate you stopping by! I love being a voice actor and helping clients give voice to their projects, but my life didn't always look this way. In fact 10 years ago my life looked a lot different than it does today. Back then I was running my small brick and mortar business and serving as Mayor of my hometown. I'd been involved in politics for about 10 years and really thought that politics was my future. I’ve always been a creative person and I enjoyed the communication part of serving as Mayor - speaking to groups, and doing radio and television interviews. But honestly, the pressure was draining every creative bone in my body. Fortunately for me, I lost my re-election bid, and although I was disappointed at the time, that event forever changed the course of my life and led me down the path to the world of professional voice acting where I am today - and I’m loving every minute of it! After leaving politics, I had a lot of free time to explore other passions. One of those passions - screenwriting - led me to a filmmakers group, and at one of our meetings, a marketing representative from a voice training company came and passed out flyers. I decided to check out the company and as soon as I took my first lesson I was hooked. Getting trained was a lot of fun and it was an exciting day when my demo CD’s arrived in the mail. But that excitement was quickly tempered by the fact that I was now faced with the prospect of trying to go out into the world and get a voice-over job…and I didn’t have a clue where to start. Well, I can tell you that having spent a good chunk of change on my training and wanting desperately to get my first paying voice-over gig, I spent countless hours scouring the internet and doing research on the industry, cold-calling radio stations and production studios, and handing my business cards and demo CD's to everyone. Slowly but surely, the work started to come my way and I’m thrilled to now be able to record audio books, voice eLearning projects and explainer videos, voice commercials, and interview amazing and inspiring people on my podcast, all from the comfort of my home recording studio. As much as I love helping my clients, it's also very important to me to help others who might not be as far along on their journey. That's why I wrote my book, created my online course and launched my VO podcast. I meet so many incredible people and I'm thrilled to share what I've learned and
Mon, August 28, 2017
Tom Jordan Interview
Mike Lenz interviews voice actro and audiobook narrator Tom Jordan. I started voiceovers in 1994 – before the internet. I did some computer-based-training voiceovers that paid the rent for a few months, but was living and working in Long Beach, CA and these were the days before people had in-home studios, so whenever I had to audition, I had to drive to LA – in LA traffic! It just didn’t seem worth it at the time. Fast-forward to 2002 and the internet now allows home studios and emailing MP3s – a huge breakthrough. I start soliciting my VO skills to local cable TV providers – ones that had in-house video production. Got several gigs around the nation – mom and pop stores, mostly – TV and radio gigs. This was fun, but three kids and a full time job took priority. I had done corporate narration in addition to copywriting as my day gig for several years and, in May 2016 finally decided to turn my VO experience into something that could feed me in retirement – still many years off, but I needed to start somewhere. I hire a coach, Terry Daniel, and do a number of workshops, practice, practice, etc… Cut my demos in February. Apply to ACX in April and get hired within three days to do a six book romance series. Baptism by fire! I was approached by AB2 Talent in May and joined their roster. And now here I am. Networking and social media marketing daily and also meeting people in person. I’m the organizer of Orange County Voice Acting, which I started in January. We have 150 members now. It’s a lively group of newbies and VO pros. I’m having a total blast and love to share what I can with people who are actively pursuing a the VO adventure.
Mon, August 14, 2017
Elise Napier Interview
Elise Napier is a graduate from the University of Southern California, where she earned a BA in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience and Theatre. She is looking to continue to learn and pursue all avenues in the entertainment industry, specifically voice over acting. She's a quick learner, dedicate worker, and thrive with organization and color coordination. For more information please contact her at elisenapier2@gmail.com or visit elisenapier.com.
Mon, July 31, 2017
tim Paige Interview
About me: Hey, I'm Tim. I'm a husband and a father, first and foremost. I've spent over 3 years in the podcasting space, learning everything I could about what makes a podcast great. Prior to getting into this arena, I spent my time touring the country with a band of my best friends (including Liam, one of our project managers here). We got the opportunity to play on MTV, at the Bamboozle, on Warped Tour, and various other opportunities for not-so-humble brags. My background is in sales and marketing -- both online and off, and that's allowed me to help podcasters get amazing results. I've also been the voice for many incredible companies like TOMY Toys, Disney, AT&T, The Travel Channel, The UFC, Expedia, Honda, and more. I'm a nerd, and wouldn't have it any other way... and I eat, sleep, and breathe Syracuse sports (GO ORANGE!) For more information on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, July 17, 2017
064 - Andrea Emmes Interview
Audible Best Selling Narrator , Andrea Emmes was born in Hollywood, FL and grew up in both Tennessee and Rhode Island, started her career in musical theater. Cutting her teeth at The Trinity Arts Center in Rhode Island, Andrea eventually made her way to Orlando and began her eclectic career singing/dancing in various shows at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Pirates' Dinner Adventure, performing as a magician's assistant, headlining on the Las Vegas Strip and touring Los Angeles as an L.A. Award winning artist with her album, " I'm On My Way ". Having worked in tv, film and video games, Andrea, a total Book Nerd, now enjoys narrating audiobooks at her home studio in San Jose, California. Her wide range of character voices and dynamic/emotionally invested performances has reviewers and listeners alike commenting on how she effortlessly pulls listeners in, and has versatility and charisma . Fun Facts: Andrea has a Bachelor of Science in Game Art and Design; was a game designer for Disney Interactive; once interviewed Ernie Cline for his amazing novel Ready Player One as a Gamer Review for ForbiddenPanel.com and gets her gamer-geek on playing games of all kinds with her husband and their cat, Lucy.
Mon, July 03, 2017
063 - Tom Knight Interview
I’m a voice actor–which basically means that I love to talk–whether it be narration for commercials, documentaries, instructional films, industrial videos, trailers; or imaging voiceovers for promos and radio stations around the country; or IVR (phone prompts and messaging services) for phone directories; or any other kind of VO! I’ve voiced campaigns for Acura, Honda, Primerica, Akamai, Schlage Locks, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Roche Molecular Diagnostics, YAMAHA drums, Vic Firth drumsticks, Atlanta Institute of Music, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, Georgia Lottery, Southeastern Conference, Sportstime Ohio, and many more! In radio, I’ve been the imaging voice for 94.7 WDSD, WWTX 1290 AM, The Ken Coleman Show on WDUN 550 AM, and Lonestar 92.9 KDCD FM.
Mon, June 19, 2017
062 - Brent Allen Hagel Interview
Brent is the New Radio and TV Signature Voice of the NCAA and March Madness 2016! Also, he is the voice of the International Champions Cup Professional Soccer Tourament and is heard by millions of fans in Stadiums Worldwide. That voice that gets you pumped up for the game? Thats Brent! Clients like NCAA, Nutri-Shop, GoPro, HBO International Boxing, SeaLaunch, and Jiffy Lube, all count on Brent to get their message to the world. What are you waiting for? Send him a script and get your project Rockin!
Mon, June 05, 2017
061 - Brian Hull Interview
Hey there, I'm impressionist Brian Hull, and here is my channel where I do hundreds of impressions and have some comedy with them too! You may know me for my Disney and Pixar singing videos that have gone viral, but here is where the real magic happens! Come subscribe to check out my latest content uploaded every Friday!
Mon, May 22, 2017
060 - Dan Hurst Interview
Dan (Daniel Eduardo) Hurst is an experienced bilingual (English and Spanish) voice talent operating out of the Kansas City area. His business extends internationally, with clients including Maserati, Boehringer Ingelheim, British Petroleum, Kimberly-Clark, McDonalds, Volkswagen, Telemundo International, Shell, Hallmark, TransCanada, and many more, along with his national work for numerous infomercials, ESPN, MLB, and the Golf Channel, among others. When he’s not working, he spends time cheering for losing sports teams, getting kicked off of golf courses, and cursing his boat motor. For more information go to www.DanHurst.com
Mon, May 08, 2017
059 - Joe Loesch Interview
Joe Loesch is an award winning author, voice actor and spoken word producer. He trained for an acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse and now calls Nashville home. Joe has produced over a hundred audiobooks, voiced dozens of national commercials and several cartoons for the Disney channel. He produced the Baby Looney Tunes sound-books. Joe teaches voice acting locally for The Actor's School in Franklin, TN. He teaches nationally for Edge Studio in NYC. Joe is the voice of all characters for Dave Ramsey's "Junior's Adventures. For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, April 24, 2017
058 - Tracy Lindley and Sarah Kay Interview
Though I love to travel, there’s no place like my home in Missouri. I was born and raised just north of Kansas City, and being a Midwest girl, I believe in hard work and authenticity. I’ve always been fascinated with people and I’m the kind of person who strikes up a friendly conversation with the cashier at the grocery store, or the guy standing next to me in a long line. When I got to college and discovered that you can actually get a degree in communicating effectively with other human beings ( who knew? ), I couldn’t get signed up fast enough! Heading into my senior year, I had the crazy idea of becoming a TV advertising executive, so I landed an internship at a nearby cable station. One day, a producer asked me to read the script for a commercial and I suddenly discovered my passion for voice over! That was 10 years ago, and now here I am, recording in my home studio or with real people in their Kansas City area studios. When I’m not behind a microphone, I still hone my skills regularly by reading to my four young children or watching HGTV with my husband; when you’re in voiceover, the commercials become a lot more interesting! I love meeting new people through social media, so feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook , or Twitter . I’m half right-brained/half left-brained so, from me, you get the best of both worlds. I love pretty things, but I’m happiest when they are neatly ordered. You could say my world points to ordered chaos. In fact, my five—yes you read that right, five —children are all budding artists. They take after me in creativity; the ordered part, well, we’re working on that. Odds & Ends I have my Masters in Arts Marketing and Development. I love Pinterest; looking at pretty is a great way to spend an afternoon. I still use paper to-do lists, especially in stylish notebooks. My heart skips a beat when I check something off on my to-do list. I LOVE WHAT I DO! And, my goal is that you feel the same way about your work. So . . . Are you ready to expand your business with a greater digital presence? You can focus on what you love, and hand off the Newsletter, Pinterest board, revamped Website, or Social Media Management to someone who lives, eats and breathes Digital Marketing. For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, April 10, 2017
057 - Gabriel Kunda Interview
Gabriel Kunda is a professional voice actor recently signed by Atlas Talent Agency.
Mon, March 27, 2017
056 - Dustin Ebaugh Interview
Dustin’s honest to goodness voice and professionalism have been bringing brands to life for over 20 years. His clients rely on his keen understanding of how to connect with both the soul of the listener and the script – and the fact that he sounds as trustworthy as he is to work with. Dustin’s clear, natural and believable reads are ideal for narration, commercials, promos and radio & television station imaging. He has been heard nationally on network television and radio, broadcast cable, MTV and VH-1. Dustin’s corporate narration clients include: The United Nations, General Electric, Pepsi, Intel, Delta Airlines, UBS, Kraft Foods, The Four Seasons Hotels, UPS, Cisco, The United States Air Force, Pizza Hut, American Express and many others. Dustin has a fully equipped personal studio with ISDN, Neumann U87, Sennheiser 416, Fousrite Red 7, Focal monitors and all available connection and delivery methods. Dustin is honored to be one of the founders of World-Voices Organization , an industry association for voice actors. For more information about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, March 13, 2017
055 - Kelley Buttrick Interview
My website gurus tell me this page needs to be “personal” and “not salesy,” but my personal life isn’t all that interesting. Well, since I’m paying them for their expertise, here we go… When people ask where I’m from, I hold up my left hand like anyone born and raised in the Great Lake State of Michigan. I kept the non-accent but left the cold to live in Georgia. Since I have no coordination and therefore stunk at sports, I turned to singing and theater as a teen where I found it was much more fun to be other people than my bookish, nerdy self. Being on stage, I found my happy place and even made some money in high school entertaining at little girls’ birthday parties as Snow White complete with balloon animals and a Pin the Ears on Dopey game. College kicked off with me earning a minor in Theater Performance at Auburn University, but then breaking my AU Tiger mother’s heart when I was accepted to the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism, where I earned a degree in Public Relations. Like any student working her way through school, I probably annoyed you with telemarketing calls and may have even served you drinks and dinner if you ever dined in my college town. My best college job was as a DJ at WDDK in little ol’ Greensboro, Georgia. General Manager Chip Lyness not only gave me a job but a ticket to my future. His love of the broadcast industry was contagious, and I never looked back. Luck brought me cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans when I got a job as a VJ at a local television music video station in Athens, Georgia, which then led me to my first professional post-college job with a country station in Tucson, Arizona. Since I didn’t know squat about country music at the time, I drew a lot on that acting background. These work experiences introduced me to the magic of broadcast advertising. Spent most of my after-college life working in public relations and media including stints as a newspaper reporter, copywriter, on-air talent and non-profit communications director. After doing VO on the side for years, it was time to pull the trigger. Brilliant coach Paul Armbruster helped me channel my theater background and marry it to my broadcast experience by teaching me how to be a voice actor. When I’m not hanging out with my family or voicing at the mic, I’m exploring the outdoors in my red kayak, via my own two feet running, or behind the wheel of my black Jeep Wrangler. When being outside is impossible, I’m reading, playing board games with my family or geeking out on the web searching for more vintage mics to add to my collection. For more information about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, February 27, 2017
054 - Julie Williams Interview
Julie Williams brings almost four decades of voice-over excellence to the table. From showing travelers how to change their tickets at Orbitz.com, to instructing employees how to make the perfect Pizza Hut Pizza, to feature stories on HGTV, to teaching virtual high school Biology and Geometry eLearning course, a Savvy Woman Homebuyers series for Women’s Entertainment Television and helping lawyers with a Bar Exam study course, I have voiced hundreds of eLearning projects. I’ve also voiced hundreds of commercials over the past decades for such notable clients as Coca-Cola, Pampers, Imperial Sugar, Disney World, Foley*s, Dillards, and more. Most of her clients are repeat clients who return time after time. Why do I get hired so often? Because I communicate the story of the script by offering a transparency in which the focus is never on the me, but on the message. And that’s a skill I pass along to my students. An audiobook narrator with many titles to my credit, I’m proud to say I earned the honor of being an Audie Finalist in 2010 for my performance of Lord of the Ringless, by Dee Aspin–my very first audiobook! I’ve taught at the top VO conferences in the world. For more information on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com . yt6sf9w3
Mon, February 13, 2017
053 - Rudy Gaskins Interview
Emmy-winning producer Rudy Gaskins is CEO and Executive Creative Director of Push Creative, Inc., a full-service branding agency providing strategic marketing, graphic design and video/film production. Clients include Lexus, FOX News Channel, BET, American Express, Spike TV, ABC Television, Actors Federal Credit Union, History Channel, MSNBC, and NBC Sports. Drawing on his former experience as a filmmaker and writer/producer/director for PBS, Gaskins has recently expanded Push Creative’s production scope to include program development and is actively developing TV and web series in several genres. In an admirable gesture to elevate the quality and perception of the voiceover industry, Gaskins conceived and initiated the creation of two innovations that have had a very special impact on the TV marketing and promotions community: 1) In 2007, Gaskins created what has become Promax/BDA’s tri-annual event called “Speed Dating for Clients and Vendors.” The process, which is not unlike speed dating in the personal relationship world, has greased the rusted practices of how vendors and clients discern and create partnerships to achieve outsourcing objectives. 2) In 2009, Gaskins brought to Promax/BDA an idea to create and award category that, for the first time in TV history, would recognize the contribution of voiceover actors to the success of a multi-billion dollar advertising and marketing industries. With the passing of the legendary Don Lafontaine, Gaskins engaged Promax/BDA to inaugurate the annual Don LaFontaine Legacy Award which Gaskins presented to Don’s wife at the 2009 Promax/BDA conference. The Don LaFontaine Legacy Award is given annually to a voiceover actor who demonstrates humanitarianism in his or her life. Gaskins began his professional career after graduating from NYU’s Film and Television program. He wrote, directed and produced several award-winning short films before signing on as an apprentice film editor on Francis Coppola’s The Cotton Club . From there Gaskins went on to work with some of the most influential filmmakers of our time, including Jonathan Demme, Brian DePalma, Milos Forman, Spike Lee, and Alan Pakula. Having never lost his original passion for creating and directing, Gaskins joined PBS where he produced over 12 hours of programming spanning dozens of countries and cultures around the world. The PBS journalistic tradition was indeed fertile ground and a perfect complement to Gaskins’ next challenge as writer/producer/director with ABC News advertising and promotion. Here he oversaw the writing and production of on-air advertising for World News Tonight featuring the legendary Peter Jennings, 20/20 with Barbara Walters and Primetime Live with Diane Sawyer. Gaskins also produced and directed behind-the-scenes press package for ABC News and its national affiliates. Seeking to broaden his challenges, Gaskins took advantage of an entirely new challenge when he was tapped by Court T
Mon, January 30, 2017
052 - Joan Baker Interview
Joan Baker , author of Secrets of Voice-Over Success, has performed hundreds of promos and commercials for TV, film and radio throughout her highly regarded career. ABC News, American Express, Other clients include: King World, ESPN, BLOOMBERG TV and radio, SHOWTIME, HBO, NBA Entertainment, COURT TV, Imus in the Morning, Olay, Lens Express, Sony Music, JP Morgan Chase, American Express, Costco, and The New York Times Classified represents just a few of the numerous clients who regularly call upon her unique sound. You could even say that Joan’s talents reach the highest levels of American royalty and deep into the political power structure: She voiced a TV ad campaign for The Muhammad Ali Center and narrated a documentary about the founding of the William Jefferson Clinton Library, now a part of the library’s permanent display. And Joan also has it going on live! She provided the live voice announcements for the “Museum of the Moving Image Salutes Will Smith” which aired on Bravo TV. Prior to authoring Secrets Of Voice-Over Success Joan built a lucrative following among people (actors & corporate executives) seeking training in the art of voice-over acting. Nancy Grace and the late Johnnie Cochran are counted among her high profile students. Today she travels the country as a lecturer and seminar leader through a variety of arts institutions. She’s the creator of the powerful “Make Millions With Your Voice” seminars through the Learning Annex. She has been featured in numerous publications and TV segments: Interview Magazine, Adweek, Backstage, The NY Post, Media Week, Broadcasting & Cable, Cable World, NY Daily News, Radio World and Black Enterprise. Also on television’s Weekend Vibe, SHOWBIZ Today on CNN, Fox 5 NY, ABC News Now and E! News. She is represented exclusively by Innovative Artists. In honor of her late father, James P. Baker, who past away from complications of Alzheimer’s disease, Joan contributes all royalties from the sales of Secrets of Voice-Over Success to the Alzheimer’s Association of which she has become a steady patron and advocate for a cure. For more information about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, January 16, 2017
051 - Zippy Kaufman Interview
What’s the deal with “Zippy,” anyway? Long story short, the nickname “Zippy” comes from a character I played in a 2nd grade talent show. It was my first acting experience, and wouldn’t you know it- the name stuck! With that being said, should I call you “Christopher?” “Chris?” “Zippy?” I’m confused! It doesn’t matter- I’ll answer to any of the three! So acting’s been in your blood since you were a kid- pretty cool. Did you do anything with that passion? I was able to parlay my love of acting into a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the California Institute of the Arts, where I was privileged to get a mix of both classical and experimental theatre training from some of the top instructors in the country. They also had great Halloween parties. What happened after college? I got a job. Then what? I took standup comedy classes over at Mi’s Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, California. I enjoyed being a part of Westside’s community, and it led me to go through their improv training. I was lucky enough to be a regular performer, both as part of a house team ( Ghost Party Orchestra) , and as a member of their flagship improv show, Mission IMPROVable (as Agent Hammertime). Oh goodness, another nickname? Yup. I guess it’s kind of my thing. So, improv you say? Like what they do on ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ Well, Mission IMPROVable is sort of like that, but since a TV audience watching an 8pm show at home is a lot different than a live audience coming to watch a 10pm show at a comedy theater, the energy at Mission IMPROVable is unmatched. Plus, I think our games are better. But I’m biased. Ghost party Orchestra’s form of improv is known as longform. Basically, you put a group of performers on stage, someone in the audience yells out a word, and you do a full show of interconnected scenes based off of that one word. It can get pretty crazy. Wow- this Westside Comedy Theater sounds like a pretty cool place. What else did you do over there? Sketch comedy! There wasn’t a lot of it going on when I first got there, so some friends & I decided, “Why not us?” I co-created, co-wrote, co-produced, and co-performed in two regularly-running sketch shows while I was there: Kaufman & Kaufman Presents, and The Get Buck Variety Riot . First of all, that’s a lot of “co’s.” Second, this Westside Comedy Theater sounds like a pretty cool place. Where can I go to learn more about it, and what nights are you there? http://www.WestsideComedy.com If you’re ever in Los Angeles, I highly recommend you give them a visit. Sadly, you won’t find me there these days, as I moved to the East Coast. Wait, what?! But…but…you love WCT! I don’t get it! If you loved being there so much, why did you leave, mmm? Well you know the phrase “When opportunity knocks, you…” Wait. What is the rest of that phrase? I mean, I
Mon, January 02, 2017
050 - Mike Lenz 2016 Recap
Hi, I'm Mike Lenz. I'm a professional voice actor, the author of Paid To Talk - A Journey Into Voice Acting , and the host of a popular podcast, Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting . I’m so excited you're here because that means you have an interest in the voice over industry. Maybe you’re just beginning and don’t have a clue where to start. That’s OK, because that's exactly where I was 9 years ago. In fact 10 years ago my life looked a lot different than it does today. 10 years ago I was running my small brick and mortar business and serving as Mayor of my hometown. I'd been involved in politics for about 10 years and really thought that politics was my future. I’ve always been a creative person and I enjoyed the communicating part of serving as Mayor - speaking to groups, and doing radio and television interviews. But honestly, the pressure was draining every creative bone in my body. Fortunately for me, I lost my re-election bid, and although I was disappointed at the time, that event forever changed the course of my life and led me down the path to the world of professional voice acting where I am today - and I’m loving every minute of it! After leaving politics, I had a lot of free time to explore other passions. One of those passions - screenwriting - led me to a filmmakers group, and at one of our meetings, a marketing representative from a voice training company came and passed out flyers. I decided to check out the company and as soon as I took my first lesson I was hooked. Getting trained was a lot of fun and it was an exciting day when my demo CD’s arrived in the mail. But that excitement was quickly tempered by the fact that I was now faced with the prospect of trying to go out into the world and get a voice-over job…and I didn’t have a clue where to start. Well, I can tell you that having spent a good chunk of change on my training and wanting desperately to get my first paying voice-over gig, I spent countless hours scouring the internet and doing research on the industry, cold-calling radio stations and production studios, and handing my business cards and demo CD's to everyone. Slowly but surely, the work started to come my way and I’m thrilled to now be able to record audio books, voice e-learning projects and explainer videos, work with clients, and interview amazing and inspiring people on my podcast, all from the comfort of my home recording studio. I’ve been able to create a life that I love, and I want you to know that my weekly podcast, along with my website, blog, e-book, and <a href="http://vosucc
Mon, December 19, 2016
049 - Jodi Krangle Interview
Welcome! Did I mention that I love what I do? (You probably read that on the first page. ) I collaborate with clients all over the world from my broadcast quality studio, voicing national and international commercial campaigns for companies like Bissell, Kraft/Capri Sun and Visit Orlando, narrating documentaries & web/explainer videos along with shows on both Slice Network in Canada and HGTV in the US. I’ve even played the role of a fairy queen in a children’s cartoon (and wow, was that fun!). My journey to voice overs actually started with a love of computers. I used to sell computers when the 386-SX was new (remember those days?). That graduated to a love of the Internet and all that it could do (quite a lot!). I spent a number of years as an SEO specialist and media buyer for local companies, and along the way, incorporated my love of music and the Internet together when I created a songwriting resource website called The Muse’s Muse back in 1995. That was my testing ground for a LOT of Internet marketing methods. But back then, there was more than one search engine that mattered . The minute that changed … well. I knew I needed a change. I’ve been a singer all my life ( I even have a jazz/blues album out , if you’d like to hear some samples) and have always been comfortable behind a microphone. It naturally made for a fascination with what else I could do with my voice. I researched, I got coaching (I still get coaching on a regular basis – there’s always more to learn!), I made a demo (more than one!), and I switched my entrepreneurial focus. That was quite a few years ago now and I haven’t looked back. But what few people know? I’m a geeky fangirl at heart. I’ve been a member of a filk group called Urban Tapestry since 1994 and we’ve traveled all over the US, Canada & Europe performing our geeky fangirl songs for the folks that appreciate it. Ask me about Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, or tabletop gaming and you’ll be in for a lengthy conversation (if you want one, that is). Feel free to listen to my demos to see if you think I’d be right for your project. I’d love to work with you. For more information about this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, December 05, 2016
048 - John Florian Interview
John Florian Founder and Webmaster If you've ever written a "personal mission" for yourself, you'll understand when John says that his mission is to "Help people succeed in life and business through creative ways of communications." Indeed, that activates his two passions: voice-overs and publishing. As a voice over actor, John is called back by producers who want that "warm and friendly guy" (but don't typecast yourself! warn the coaches). And as a former editorial director/writer/marketer, John has created many business and consumer magazines and newsletters. Now these two communication fields merge with his creation of VoiceOverXtra - the voice-over industry's online news, education and resource center. John is also active in civic and self-improvement organizations, where he finds that "giving back" and networking continue to inspire. Email: johnflorian@voiceoverxtra.com Web: www.VoiceOverXtra.com For more information on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com.
Mon, November 21, 2016
047 - Holly Franklin Interview
Holly Franklin is a spunki-licious voiceover star who lost count how many times people have asked her, “is that your real voice?” ages ago. She specializes in kid, teen and character voices and is best known for her work on My Little Pony, Barney, Owlegories & BOZ the Bear series. She also appears on-camera and in commercial print work. Whether it was cheerleading, theater or acting out Oscar winning performances for the neighbors while mowing the lawn – all the world has been a stage for this born & raised Texan. Holly went on to attend Texas A&M University where she met her nerdy Civil Engineering husband. After her brief stint as a high school health teacher, she got tired of getting asked for her hall pass. So, she turned in her grade book for a microphone, honed her raw talent by training with the best in the biz, and the rest is Hollypoppin’ history. She has 3 freaking amazing kids who tolerate her quirky parenting style, and even stranger voice. Holly has a soft spot for preschoolers and rodents, both of which she can imitate perfectly (not including the feet stomping and garden wrecking that you get with the real things). Ask any one of her many happy clients and they’ll tell you - she’s a funny, smart, speedy, flexible pro with an unbeatable squeak and a true claim to the “one-take wonder” fame. She can make your copy pop from her broadcast quality home studio or come to you…without the micromanaging mommy and with a voice that is guaranteed to bring your script to youthful life and make you look darn good. Find your favorite Hollypop! flavor and experience what real sweet tooth satisfaction tastes like right now! For more inforamtion about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, November 07, 2016
046 - Erik Sheppard Interview
Erik Sheppard – “Today’s Voice” has over 12 years of professional experience, voicing thousands of high profile projects across the globe ranging from corporate presentations to national radio and television campaigns. He is consistently the preferred male voice for many of the most widely recognized corporate, commercial and promotional production companies worldwide. Clients include Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Citibank, HSBC, American Express, Ebay, MTV and TV Land. When not in the booth, Erik is an industry blogger, host of “The Erik and Ember Show”, and organizer of the Voiceover Mixer series of networking events. He is the owner and head talent agent of Voice Talent Productions, a New York based agency representing an elite roster of voice talent from around the world. His career and related projects have been profiled in such places as Voice-Over Xtra, Voices, Voice123.com, The Voice Over Insider and countless other blogs and podcasts. If it is happening in the voice over industry, chances are Erik is involved. Erik coaches exclusively through the prestigious Edge Studio headquartered in Manhattan, NY. For more information about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, October 24, 2016
045 - Jay Preston Interview
Jay Preston VO. You've come here in need of a Voice Over for your project. Be it E-Learning, How-To Videos, Commerical Voice Over for Radio or TV and one thing is clear. There is a certain sound and quality you are looking for, and chances are, I can deliver it. From Warm and Natural , to Edgy and Sarcastic, I'm sure I can make your message ring Honest & True. As an added bonus, we are going to have a great time working together. For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, October 10, 2016
044 - Randy Thomas Interview
America’s premiere female live voice announcer Randy Thomas made history as the first woman to announce The Academy Awards©, The Emmy Awards©, The SAG Awards©, The AFI Awards©, to name a few. As the seven-time announcer of The Oscars©, and fourteen-time Tony© announcer, Thomas has been winning accolades and opening doors for female voice artists for over 20 years. For the past nine years she’s been heard daily by millions of people as the iconic voice of CBS Television Distribution’s “Entertainment Tonight©,” one of the most watched entertainment programs in the world. In addition to voice over, with more than 20 years of experience as a radio personality in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Miami, Thomas has gone on to achieve her dreams as one of the most recognizable voice-over artists in the world as well as co-author of “ VOICE FOR HIRE: Launch and Maintain a Lucrative Career in Voice-Overs ” (Watson-Guptill Publications, a division of Random House Inc.). For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, September 26, 2016
043 - Nydia Monarrez Interview
Nydia Monarrez was born and raised in Monterrey, N.L. Mexico. She has a degree in Communications and Public Relations. She studied Acting for 2 years using Eric Morris Method, the most organic and complete method in the Industry. Nydia is Bilingual (English/Spanish) and also has a background in, Training, Financial Services and Corporate Business. Nydia is currently a Full time, Professional Spanish Voice Over Talent, Actress, Host and Life Style Model. She is also a Yoga lover, Audio Books Fan and Happy Foodie! She lives in Chicago, Ill. USA. with her husband and 2 kids. For more information on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, September 12, 2016
042 - Cristina Milizia Interview
Cristina Milizia is a professional, full time voice over talent in Los Angeles, California. Her voice is youthful, sweet & upbeat! Conversational, millennial, approachable, fun, and hip are also accurate adjectives. Cristina's wealth of experience allows her to perform voice over fluidly in commercial, narration, IVR & telephony, e-learning, on hold messaging, Spanish, video games, mobile game apps, toys, & audiobooks. She works full time as a talent & as a voice over coach, and can turn around any new project within 24-48 hours. Her professional home studio set up will give you the top notch sound quality you need, while saving your money on outside studio costs. Additional services for professional sound design, editing, music production & translation services available upon request.
Mon, August 29, 2016
041 - Mike Lenz Interview
Hi, I'm Mike Lenz. I'm a professional voice actor, the author of Paid To Talk - A Journey Into Voice Acting , and the host of a popular podcast, Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting . I’m so excited you're here because that means you have an interest in the voice over industry. Maybe you’re just beginning and don’t have a clue where to start. That’s OK, because that's exactly where I was 9 years ago. In fact 10 years ago my life looked a lot different than it does today. 10 years ago I was running my small brick and mortar business and serving as Mayor of my hometown. I'd been involved in politics for about 10 years and really thought that politics was my future. I’ve always been a creative person and I enjoyed the communicating part of serving as Mayor - speaking to groups, and doing radio and television interviews. But honestly, the pressure was draining every creative bone in my body. Fortunately for me, I lost my re-election bid, and although I was disappointed at the time, that event forever changed the course of my life and led me down the path to the world of professional voice acting where I am today - and I’m loving every minute of it! After leaving politics, I had a lot of free time to explore other passions. One of those passions - screenwriting - led me to a filmmakers group, and at one of our meetings, a marketing representative from a voice training company came and passed out flyers. I decided to check out the company and as soon as I took my first lesson I was hooked. Getting trained was a lot of fun and it was an exciting day when my demo CD’s arrived in the mail. But that excitement was quickly tempered by the fact that I was now faced with the prospect of trying to go out into the world and get a voice-over job…and I didn’t have a clue where to start. Well, I can tell you that having spent a good chunk of change on my training and wanting desperately to get my first paying voice-over gig, I spent countless hours scouring the internet and doing research on the industry, cold-calling radio stations and production studios, and handing my business cards and demo CD's to everyone. Slowly but surely, the work started to come my way and I’m thrilled to now be able to record audio books, voice e-learning projects and explainer videos, work with clients, and interview amazing and inspiring people on my podcast, all from the comfort of my home recording studio. I’ve been able to create a life that I love, and I want you to know that my weekly podcast, along with my website, blog, e-book, and <a href="http://vosucc
Mon, August 15, 2016
040 - Joe Zieja Interview
It’s a balmy morning in Burbank, California, the sort-of/almost entertainment mecca of the world. The curtains are blowing softly in the breeze, and there is a low-hanging layer of smog sitting over the Los Angeles horizon. An army of absurdly large crows argues about breakfast and futures trading. Nearby, on the pack patio of a house in the hills, a three-year old girl is ostensibly doing Zumba, critiquing her mother’s merengue. Joe Zieja is, as usual, in a small room talking to himself. No, he’s not crazy; he’s a voice actor , part of the hidden pocket of showbiz. He spends hours a day reading scripts in his home studio, or traveling to local studios to do the same. Switching from commercial to promo to video game to public service announcement about the dangers of q-tips, Joe enters and exits the personalities of dozens of people hourly, but somehow maintains a two-fingered, tenuous grip on reality. When he’s not standing in a small room talking to himself, he’s sitting in a slightly larger room or coffee shop telling lies. Or truths. It depends on what you think about the art of writing and storytelling. His first science fiction novel Mechanical Failure has just released, and he’s working on the third book in the trilogy as his editor dutifully combs through book two. He does all this sitting in a room with no less than twelve musical instruments, all of which he uses in his various commercial and video game compositions. There is also a lightsaber. Where did all of this raw, creative impulsiveness come from? According to Joe, it mostly stems from his allergy to office life, though it’s hard to tell from his enigmatic comment on the matter. “I would rather choke on fragments of hot mufflers than spend any more time working for bureaucratic organizations behind a desk,” Joe says as he totally destroys that one level in Mega Man II, which is a super hard game. You see, Joe wasn’t always an annoying Hollywood art-o-crat. Joe came from humble beginnings in New Jersey, the elder of two boys raised by a loving fireman/businesswoman duo. It all happened in a sleepy suburban town surrounded by dairy farms and bluegrass festivals. The scarcity of activity wasn’t all bad, however; the bowling alley in the center of the town being the only thing to do made for a lifetime high score of 255, which is pretty impressive. But Joe wasn’t destined to stay in suburbia forever. At the age of 13, he declared to his parents that he would be attending the United States Air Force Academy. Nobody in the family had any idea why, including Joe, but he still did it anyway. In 2003, he left New Jersey to begin what he thought would be a long career in the air force. The first hauntings of what would become a career in using his voice manifested as he, almost randomly, became the official cadet emcee. Other than that t
Mon, August 01, 2016
039 - Mara Junot Interview
A seasoned pro African-American voice-over specialist with over a decade of experience, providing the 3-dimensional sound that promotes companies, services, and entrepreneurs around the globe. Mara has a naturally intuitive vocal ability that brings words to life with color and direct relatability. Her voice resonates with a warm, smooth, sensual or corporate tone for sophisticated projects, and a bright, vibrant, and upbeat delivery for standard narration. Affiliations include SAG-AFTRA union with accreditation from the World-Voices Organization and the Society of Accredited Voice-Over Artists ( SaVoa ). Mara's work has been featured by popular global brands including AT&T ™ , Microsoft , Nintendo ® , McDonald's ® , Oreck , Public Storage , USPS.com ® , Sygic mobile GPS , International Game Technology (IGT) and Walt Disney Company's ® T180 Studios . Mara currently divides her time voicing projects from recording studios in the Gulf, East & West coasts, in the Greater New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco Bay areas. For more information about this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, July 18, 2016
038 - Steve French Interview
Steve French is a NYC based voice actor who's voice has been heard on national television commercials, and most recently as the announcer for Match Game hosted by Alec Baldwin on ABC. For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, July 04, 2016
037 - Stacey J. Aswad Interview
If you have been anywhere near a television screen at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida since 2005 then you have been captivated by a vivacious and adorable woman telling you about the fabulous rides and attractions you're going to experience during your stay. The hyper-energetic, totally mesmerizing personality, known to her fans as “the human exclamation point” is Stacey J. Aswad. She is the Resort TV host of Walt Disney World's TOP 7 MUST SEES and MUST DO DISNEY TV shows that loop 24/7 and are watched and memorized by millions of people! How It All Started Stacey’s humble beginnings are in Binghamton, New York where she started competitive artistic roller skating at the age of five and went on to become a five-time national champion in the sport. Stacey began studying ballet to help with her roller skating training, which turned into her joining a professional ballet company while still in high school. She went on to earn a BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School in New York City and after graduation, she danced and choreographed professionally in New York and around the country. Seeking new and different challenges, and to see the range of artistic opportunities in other parts of the country, Stacey left New York and headed to the Midwest. Stacey continued her professional performing career in ballet, modern and jazz throughout the Midwest and also joined the faculty at The Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, Kentucky, teaching dance to middle and high school students. During this time, she developed an interest in acting and had a natural talent for it. After booking many regional commercials, industrials and voiceovers, she relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. There she scored some national commercials and voiceovers and the series regular role of Andi Ramsey, on the television series, 7TH STREET THEATER , now airing on multiple cable networks worldwide. Walt Disney World Meets LaLa Land In May 2005, after an intense audition process, Stacey booked the hosting gig for Walt Disney World’s, TOP 7 MUST SEES, television show and that exposure was the turning point in her career. When Hollywood composer agent, Richard Kraft and his friends saw Stacey’s show while on vacation at Walt Disney World, he tracked her down through her talent agent to ask her to be the host of his documentary, FINDING KRAFTLAND . She flew out to Los Angeles in September 2005 and spent a whirlwind five days shooting and becoming friends with the fabulous filmmakers. This fortuitous trip to Los Angeles confirm
Mon, June 20, 2016
036 - Richard Rieman Interview
With smiling Irish eyes and a rich, warm voice to match, Richard Rieman (Ree’man) is an Audible Approved Audiobook narrator *, audiobook producer, professionally trained Voice Actor, and author of “ The Author’s Guide to AudioBook Creation .” *Audible Approved producers are the best audiobook producers in the business. Most have narrated and/or produced 25 audiobooks that are available on Audible.com and have a verifiable record of achievement in the audiobook industry. These producers are identifiable on the ACX website by a special icon in their narrator profiles. Richard trained with Emmy-Award winning Voice Actor and VO Coach Melissa Leebaert , Award-winning Audiobook Narrator Sean Pratt, and took classes and workshops with David Goldberg at Edge Studio and Bill DeWees , one of the most respected VO Coaches. Richard is a four-time winner of Edge Studio’s National Script Recording Contests. For more info on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, June 06, 2016
035 - Gary Furlong Interview
Gary made his acting debut in the musical Godspell as a student. Since then he has pursued acting both on the ameteur and professional circuits. Most notably was his role as Tom Collins in Bare Cheek's production of RENT. Gary worked in Niigata, Japan for 5 years, during which time he took part in the Charity Musical. Over the course of these 5 years he was an actor, director and audio producer. It was during this time he discovered his interest in Audiobooks and Voice Over. Gary has lived in and traveled all over Japan, has lived in Texas, worked in Memphis, and has been all over Europe. He can perform in a General British, General American and Irish accent to a native level and can speak Japanese fluently. For more info on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, May 23, 2016
034 - Susan Bennett (SIRI) Interview
Bennett's career began in 1974 when she was recorded as the voice of First National Bank of Atlanta 's " Tillie the All-Time Teller ." [4] She has recorded messages for the public address system in all Delta Air Lines terminals worldwide, as well as voicing e-learning software and GPS navigation software , [5] and telephone systems . [6] Bennett's voice has also been used in numerous local and national television advertisements for Ford , Coca-Cola , Fisher-Price , McDonald's , The Home Depot , Goodyear , VISA , Macy's , Hot Pockets , Club Med , and Cartoon Network , among others. In June 2005, the software company ScanSoft was looking for someone to be the voice for a database project involving speech construction. ScanSoft inquired with GM Voices and selected Bennett, who happened to be present when the scheduled voice-over artist was absent.<
Mon, May 09, 2016
033 - Christian Rosselli Interview
From Fisher Price toy tape players and micro-cassette recorders in his early years to the latest technology, Christian Rosselli has been speaking and recording his entire life. A theatrically-trained college grad, he initially set his sights on New York City to pursue a career in casting for Film, TV and theater…not acting. A variety of entertainment industry jobs eventually led to his joining the voice over profession. And not just because people told him he had a ‘Great Voice.’ Christian is one of the most sought after male voiceover talents in the greater New York area and the country. His work is versatile and unique, encompassing a wide variety of projects and abilities. His gifted ear, passion for the creative process and skilled craftsmanship enable solid collaboration, bringing each message to a vivid and memorable life. His credits include work with such companies as AT&T, Buffalo Wild Wings, Geico, Lord And Taylor, M&T Bank, Purina, Spotify, USA Today, Reebok, United Healthcare, Boeing and more! For more info on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, April 25, 2016
032 - Tracy Lindley Interview
Though I love to travel, there’s no place like my home in Missouri. I was born and raised just north of Kansas City, and being a Midwest girl, I believe in hard work and authenticity. I’ve always been fascinated with people and I’m the kind of person who strikes up a friendly conversation with the cashier at the grocery store, or the guy standing next to me in a long line. When I got to college and discovered that you can actually get a degree in communicating effectively with other human beings ( who knew? ), I couldn’t get signed up fast enough! Heading into my senior year, I had the crazy idea of becoming a TV advertising executive, so I landed an internship at a nearby cable station. One day, a producer asked me to read the script for a commercial and I suddenly discovered my passion for voice over! That was 10 years ago, and now here I am, recording in my home studio or with real people in their Kansas City area studios. When I’m not behind a microphone, I still hone my skills regularly by reading to my four young children or watching HGTV with my husband; when you’re in voiceover, the commercials become a lot more interesting! I love meeting new people through social media, so feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn , Facebook , or Twitter . For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, April 11, 2016
031 - Phil Sutfin Interview
Prior to co-founding ACM, Phil has been at the vanguard for the voice-over industry as both a talent manager and agent at International Creative Management. At ICM, he helmed one of the largest voice over departments in the country offering complete services in commercials, promos, trailers, narrations, animation and celebrity endorsements. Most recently, Phil founded Flatirons Creative Management; a specialized voice-over management firm emphasizing innovation, personal attention and collaborative relationships between voice clients and industry creatives. As a talent agent, Phil began his career at Don Buchwald Associates before founding the renowned on-air promotions department at Schiffman, Eckman, Morrison & Marx (SEM&M). He has BFA from Colorado and an MFA from Columbia University. For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, March 28, 2016
030 - Jeffrey Kafer Interview
Ever since his first play at thirteen (his mother still has the bellhop costume), Jeffrey Kafer has been an avid performer on the stage and in voice-overs. He has narrated over one hundred books spanning all genres and won the 2008 Voicey Award for Best New Voice. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his family. For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, March 14, 2016
029 - Kiff VandenHeuvel Interview
Kiff VandenHeuvel is originally from Grand Rapids, MI and is an alumni of The Second City comedy theatre. He has performed in many film and TV in projects ranging from NETFLIX’s RICHIE RICH (where he was a series regular), NBC’s PARKS AND RECREATION , TNT’s THE LAST SHIP , and David Spade’s prank show FAMELESS for Tru-tv, HBO’s BEHIND THE CANDELABRA , last years Indie hit NIGHTCRAWLER , DANNY COLLINS (w/ Al Pacino) and the upcoming blockbuster BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. Kiff is an accomplished improviser and sketch comedy director, and he teaches voiceover, improv and directing at Second City Hollywood. Kiff has appeared in hundreds of TV and radio commercials and is well known in the video game community as the voice of Zachary Hale Comstock in BIOSHOCK:INFINITE and the voice of Walter in THE WALKING DEAD video game series. One of his unique skills is as a voice-matcher and impressionist. Kiff has appeared in several major motion pictures performing the voices of actors as varied as Vince Vaughn, Sylvester Stallone and Channing Tatum. Kiff lives in LA with his wife and daughter. For more information about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com . For more information about my online course How To Start (and Grow) Your VO Career, head over to vosuccess.com .
Mon, February 29, 2016
028 - Pam Tierney Interview
Pam Tierney is an accomplished Chicago based actor who hails from Indiana by way of Marquette University in Wisconsin. Extensive training from several studios such as Act One, The Acting Studio and The Green Room as well as completion of the Second City Conservatory brings a thorough knowledge of styles and skills transferable to commercials, film, television and voiceover. An established voiceover with a personal studio, this busy actor can handle a wide variety of characters and situations with ease. For more info about this and other episodes head on over to mikelenzvoice.com For more info about my online course head over to vosuccess.com
Mon, February 15, 2016
027 - Sean Pratt Interview
I’ve always been an actor, just ask my parents. Since the time I could walk and talk, I’ve been getting up in front of people and performing; a song, a play, a story, you name it. It just seemed to come naturally to me and I truly enjoyed entertaining people. It was not until I started acting in high school that I realized I had found my calling. For better or worse, a professional actor was what I was meant to be. Accordingly, I went off to college to study the craft of acting and the workings of the theatre. Attending the College of Santa Fe in New Mexico was one of the most influential events in my growth as an artist.The training I received there was excellent and the demands placed on me truly tested my commitment to being an actor. So, upon graduation, I thought I was ready to tackle the enormous job of starting my career. I could not have been more wrong. Though the classes I had taken taught me how to act, move, breathe, sing and dance, and have a working knowledge of the theatre and its history, they failed to teach me something crucial. I knew how to act, but I did not know how to make a living in the business of acting. Agents, pictures and résumés, getting auditions, the job opportunities outside of theatre, film and television, and dealing with the unions were only a few of the things I didn’t know about. On top of that, add the strain of paying the bills, having a relationship with someone, and dealing with the constant rejection of not landing the part. No one told me about or prepared me for how to deal with them. When I began to realize just how ill prepared I was at coping with all the complexities of managing my career, I was filled with frustration and anger. I also realized that I had two choices; either throw in the towel or begin the difficult task of learning how to get my career started. I chose the latter because what else could I do, I am an actor! I became a student all over again; talking to others in the profession, learning from experience, reading books on the business and finding healthy ways to deal with the strain of balancing the needs of work and life. I’ve been through a lot and have made many mistakes along the way, but the journey has been worth it. I have become what I wanted to be — a working, professional actor. Being an actor is a very tough profession! There is no security, no sure thing, and no one else to help you. It is the smart, gifted, and determined actor, who knows how best to focus their energies and use their talents, that stands the best chance of succeeding. They know that it all begins and ends within them. They have learned how to be seen and heard above the din of thousands of other actors out there. Simply put, they have learned how to “BANG THEIR OWN DRUM!” Sean was born and raised in Oklahoma and comes from a long line of storytellers and general mischief makers. He lives in Maryland with his wife, the actress Shannon Parks, and their two wonderful child
Mon, February 01, 2016
026 - Ray Chase Interview
I provide a friendly, trustworthy, or wry voice to any male voice over project, but I can also give you a serious, informative take on the copy. I definitely fill the niche of the 'iPod Generation' voice. Other than my normal voice, I provide a vast array of character voices, and have trained heavily in accents and dialects. I'm a big fan of collaboration, and will take any direction you give me. My ego comes last. Voice Genders and "Ages" I Can Perform • Teenage Boy • Young Adult Male • Middle Age Male • Senior Male Language(s) of Which I Am a Native Speaker: • English - USA and Canada I Offer my Services for these Recording Purposes • Commercials • Promos • IVR, voicemail, phone systems, and on-hold messages • Training, business presentations, sales, and web sites • Audiobooks • Videogames • Documentaries • TV shows and movies • Movie and game trailers • Podcasts • Adult content • Songs • Others (on-camera, infomercials, live announcers, spokespersons) Jobs I Am Willing to Take (Union-wise) • Jobs for SAG-AFTRA (US) signatories My Union Affiliations and Memberships • SAG-AFTRA (US) My Recording and Delivery Capabilities • I will go to any designated studio in my area • I have ISDN in my studio • I have Phone Patch in my studio • I have Source Connect in my studio • I can record and then deliver the audio files via Email • I can record and then upload the audio files via FTP Pre-, Post- and Production Services I Offer • I offer copywriting services • I offer translation services • I can deliver edited and finished voice tracks • I offer voice direction services • I have a music library and can add music to any project • I can add special effects to any project <div clas
Mon, January 18, 2016
025 - Heather Costa Interview
Heather’s voice has a wide range, and can become just the sound you’re looking for! She’s your quintessential hipster mom – sweet & spicy like a chai latte, with all the boldness of a French Roast. From skinny jeans and sippy cups to top quality recordings, this classically-trained opera singer turned professional voice-over artist is equal parts actor and entrepreneur. Most days, Heather can be found lending her versatile sound to clients around the globe, operating from her broadcast-quality, professional recording studio. With the convenience of a professional recording studio on-site, Heather can send voice-over work within 24 hours to clients anywhere! Heather specializes in Commercials, Explainer Videos, e-Learning, Narration, Radio Imaging, Network Promos, Animation, Documentaries, IVR and more… For more info on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, January 04, 2016
024 - Mike Lenz Interview
I’m so excited you're here because that means you have an interest in the voice over industry. Maybe you’re just beginning and don’t have a clue where to start. That’s OK, because that's exactly where I was 9 years ago. In fact 10 years ago my life looked a lot different than it does today. 10 years ago I was running my small brick and mortar business and serving as Mayor of my hometown. I'd been involved in politics for about 10 years and really thought that politics was my future. I’ve always been a creative person and I enjoyed the communicating part of serving as Mayor - speaking to groups, and doing radio and television interviews. But honestly, the pressure was draining every creative bone in my body. Fortunately for me, I lost my re-election bid, and although I was disappointed at the time, that event forever changed the course of my life and led me down the path to the world of professional voice acting where I am today - and I’m loving every minute of it! After leaving politics, I had a lot of free time to explore other passions. One of those passions - screenwriting - led me to a filmmakers group, and at one of our meetings, a marketing representative from a voice training company came and passed out flyers. I decided to check out the company and as soon as I took my first lesson I was hooked. Getting trained was a lot of fun and it was an exciting day when my demo CD’s arrived in the mail. But that excitement was quickly tempered by the fact that I was now faced with the prospect of trying to go out into the world and get a voice-over job…and I didn’t have a clue where to start. Well, I can tell you that having spent a good chunk of change on my training and wanting desperately to get my first paying voice-over gig, I spent countless hours scouring the internet and doing research on the industry, cold-calling radio stations and production studios, and handing my business cards and demo CD's to everyone. Slowly but surely, the work started to come my way and I’m thrilled to now be able to record audio books, voice e-learning projects and explainer videos, work with clients, and interview amazing and inspiring people on my podcast, all from the comfort of my home recording studio. I’ve been able to create a life that I love, and I want you to know that my weekly podcast, along with my website, blog, e-book, and on-line course are all designed to help you to achieve your dream. So please take advantage of these resources, and learn from the amazing and inspiring people I’ve had the privilege to talk with and learn from. They’ve helped me so much in my journey and I know they’ll help you as well. Thank you again for visiting, and remember, whenever I come across something a
Mon, December 14, 2015
023 - Nicole Fazio Interview
Hi. I’m Nicole Fazio. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest on the Old Price Dairy Farm in a home my grandfather and dad built. My favorite thing to do as a kid was go up to the mysterious silo outside the milking barn and listen to how my voice sounded when it was amplified. Living in this magical kingdom, I discovered my voice and was hooked. A true voice over darling, I have branded just about everything! After graduating from the prestigious University of Washington’s School of Drama, I was determined to book a national commercial. Who knew cleaning my voice teacher’s house to pay for classical voice lessons as a teen would quickly pay off! Having the good fortune of booking one of my early voice over auditions, I learned the voice over trade on the job while announcing multiple campaigns for the Hyundai Motor Company’s full fleet of cars. With access to tons of copy during frequent sessions, engineers, copyright editors, heads of the dealership, ad agency staff my career was born. In addition to cars, beauty has been good to me. With the money from my gigs, I used those first spots to create a demo that I sent off to production companies. This is how I landed the Bare Escentuals gig opening me up to the world of Direct Response (DR). Once again, I was given the gift of learning this form of voice over while being paid to invite women to indulge in a “makeup so pure, you can sleep in it.” Voicing this beauty pioneer, opened up doors with other production companies as my signature for Bare became a prototype that provided me numerous ongoing new jobs. A natural leader, it’s exciting that I make a living shining my light on these incredible inventions. When I was recently home in Washington teaching voice over workshops to teens and adults, I had the privilege of recording at Bad Animals recording studio in Seattle at the base of the Space Needle. After my session, the owner said, “You are the most enthusiastic person I have ever met.” The key I have found to being quality talent is to know your audience and transfer enthusiasm. If my read is not working, I change who I am talking to or why I am saying it. It is such a dream to use my joy as a strength to get excited everyday about something!Currently, I am delighted to be the voice of Wen by Chaz Dean, a revolutionary hair care that “takes the place of shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, de-tangler and leave in conditioner all in one.” Over the years, I have been passionate about sharing my knowledge of the industry with future voice over artists when they ask for advice. It is important to me to teach them how to record, edit and improve reads with organic techniques. I also enjoy variety that comes building demos and connecting them to industry professionals. Tweet me @NicoleMFazio if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way or send me an email via my contact page to discuss the possibility of us work
Mon, November 30, 2015
022 - Rosi Amador Interview
My name is Rosi Amador, and I am a native Spanish/English voiceover actor with no accent whatsoever in either language. I was raised both in Latin and North America so I’m a native speaker of both languages, bicultural and equally comfortable in both worlds. I can easily add an “Hispanic” accent to my English reads when required. My Spanish is best described as neutral Latin American; however, I can also infuse my Latin American Spanish with a Puerto Rican or an Argentine accent. My voice is best described as friendly, sparkling, expressive, pleasing, warm and enthusiastic. It can sound childlike and fun, or professional, serious and formal, as needed. My clients tell me I’m easy to coach and a pleasure to work with. I believe it’s because I’m very flexible and attuned to their needs. I’ll voice your message just as you’d like! Amador Bilingual Voiceovers’ mission is to be the foremost provider of Spanish and English voiceover services for clients who create content related to Hispanics and the Spanish language, and who serve Spanish-speaking markets. Our success is built upon our ability to provide evocative voice acting in flawless native English and Spanish or English with a Hispanic accent. We work as a team with our clients to exceed their expectations in a friendly and efficient way, and always with a sense of humor. Our bicultural background helps us maximize the cultural relevance and effectiveness of our clients’ messages. We started our bilingual Spanish/English voiceover company back in 1994, and are thrilled to wake up every day and use our voices to connect the messages of all types of organizations to a diverse audience. VIEW ROSI’S BIO / VIEW BRIAN’S BIO / VIEW SONIA & ALISA’S BIO We always offer quick turnaround and competitive rates. Our niche is in providing expressive, accent-free and culturally sensitive voiceovers in our native English and Spanish to our clients. From commercials for TV and radio, educational learning services on line, corporate narrations, audio tours, health/medical narrations, podcasts, audiobooks and apps, our voices adapt easily to each genre. In our well equipped professional studio we produce the pristine, broadcast-quality recordings your project deserves, in the format you specify, and deliver them to you by the method of your choice. You can give us feedback or even record us directly during the recording session by ISDN, Source Connect, ipDTL, Source Connect Now or Skype. Our professional bicultural team includes translators and savvy media producers. Our goal? To get your message to its intended audienc
Mon, November 16, 2015
021 - Marc Cashman Interview
MARC CASHMAN is one of the few voice-acting instructors in the U.S. on “both sides of the glass”—as a Clio-winning Radio and TV commercial copywriter, producer and casting director, and as a working voice actor. Creative Director of Cashman Commercials, he creates, casts and produces copy and music advertising for Radio and TV clients such as Kroger, Charles Schwab, Quizno's, Pella Windows and Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer among many, many others. Voted one "The Best Voices of the Year" by AudioFile Magazine—three times—Marc has been heard voicing Radio and TV commercials, documentaries, animated series and videogames, e-Learning modules and over 100 audio books. In addition to his production schedule, he instructs voice-acting of all levels through his V-O classes, "The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques" in Los Angeles, CA; as an adjunct professor of voice acting at California Institute of the Arts; and online coaching. He also pens a monthly Internet column, "Ask the VoiceCat.” Marc is also a keynote speaker at Advertising Clubs and Broadcasters Associations throughout the U.S. and other countries, as well as regional, national and international voiceover conventions. He's been interviewed in trade magazines and newspapers and on Radio, TV and Internet programs. For more information on this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, November 02, 2015
020 - Tim Paige Interview
About me: Hey, I'm Tim. I'm a husband and a father, first and foremost. I've spent over 3 years in the podcasting space, learning everything I could about what makes a podcast great. Prior to getting into this arena, I spent my time touring the country with a band of my best friends (including Liam, one of our project managers here). We got the opportunity to play on MTV, at the Bamboozle, on Warped Tour, and various other opportunities for not-so-humble brags. My background is in sales and marketing -- both online and off, and that's allowed me to help podcasters get amazing results. I've also been the voice for many incredible companies like TOMY Toys, Disney, AT&T, The Travel Channel, The UFC, Expedia, Honda, and more. I'm a nerd, and wouldn't have it any other way... and I eat, sleep, and breathe Syracuse sports (GO ORANGE!) For more information on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, October 19, 2015
019 - Denise Ashlynd Interview
Denise Ashlynd brings over 30 years of professional experience to her work in theatre, film, television, commercials, and voice-over. A native of Florida, she made her television debut on "Romper Room" at the age of 5. By age 13, she performed on stage in her first Equity production of "Fiddler on the Roof." Denise graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University with a B.F.A. degree in Music Theatre. While at FSU, she worked and studied with Joseph Papp, Roger Rees, Raul Julia, Nigel Rideout, and Neal Kenyon. She also had the privilege of working with Academy Award winning director, Jonathan Demme, on his film "Something Wild," which was shooting in Tallahassee at the time. Just after graduation, Denise earned her Equity card and moved to NYC, where she continued her training at Circle in the Square. On stage, she has performed Off-Broadway, in U.S. tours, regionally, and throughout 13 countries in Europe in productions of "Man of La Mancha" (starring John Raitt), "Hair," > "Jesus Christ Superstar" and Alan Johnson's "West Side Story" to name just a few. She has acted in and voiced numerous television and radio commercials, including "Massachusetts Lottery" and "PBS-Give Me A Break." Denise has appeared on film and T.V. in projects starring Christopher Walken, "When I Live My Life Over Again," Alysia Reiner "No Letting Go," Meryl Streep "Music of the Heart," Ted Danson "3 Men and a Little Lady," and Andy Samberg/The Lonely Island "The Comedy Awards 2011." She had the honor of s
Mon, October 12, 2015
018 - Larry Hudson Interview
Larry Hudson is a full time voiceover actor with his own studio and has been active in the voiceover industry since 2009. His client list continues to expand providing his voice to a wide variety of voiceover projects including, commercial TV and radio ads, documentaries, industrial and tutorials for corporate and web presentations. His current list of clients include Disney/Picture Head, Toyota, Lexus, KB Home, Kubota Tractor Corp, Quaker Oats, Tropicana, Apple, Google & Qualcomm just to name of few. Larry provides a clear concise baritone sound that embodies strength, power and sincerity. His signature sound is relaxed and conversational. Listeners are drawn in by Larry’s warm tones which he brings forth in a variety of genres. Larry's versatility enables him to bring light hearted fun to character pieces or deep sincerity to roles of a more solemn nature. For more information on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com.
Mon, October 05, 2015
017 - Val Kelly Interview
Val Kelly is a bilingual, French/English Voice Actress. Val started her voiceover career in 1999 after being told her whole life how "cute" her voice is and that she should do something with it... and so she did....!! Val has been actively booking Voiceover work for years now and just recently finished working on her new commercial demo with Emmy award winning sound designer, recording engineer and producer "Uncle Roy" Yokelson. Val's specialty is in voicing characters for cartoons, talking toys, apps, videogames, children's e-learning, radio and tv commercials. Her clients include Hasbro toys, "Hungry Howie's Pizza Place", "Roam and Wander", "Mymoonah" and many more. In addition to being a Voice actress, Val is the Owner/President/CEO/Executive Producer of Mid-Atlantic Voiceover, LLC. Val is in charge of running all aspects of the company and is the Executive Producer for the annual Mid-Atlantic Voiceover "Get Inspired" Conference that takes place in November. Check out the latest news on the upcoming "MAVO2015" Conference at www.midatlanticvo.com or click below to register now!!! For more details about this and other episodes, check out mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, September 28, 2015
016 - Anne Ganguzza Interview
A professional voice actor, coach, and producer located in Orange County, CA, Anne Ganguzza has an enthusiastic, energetic, and fun personality. Her voice is described as professional, believable, warm and friendly. Her voiceover experience includes corporate and industrial narrations, e-learning and online learning tutorials, telephone voice mail, IVR, on hold messaging, commercials, infomercials, live theater broadcasts, audio books, government/educational promotional videos and advertising, and more! She has many years’ experience in public speaking and corporate & educational training, and is an exceptionally clear and concise technical speaker, able to make your difficult scripts easy to understand! As a voiceover talent Anne offers a wide range of services, from voicemail and IVR/on-hold recordings to corporate narration and e-learning, commercial promos, and audio books. She’s great to work with and takes direction well. For more info on thisnand other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, September 14, 2015
015 - Bruce Jacobson Interview
Mike Lenz interviews award winning voice actor Bruce Jacobson. 2012 Telly Awards, New York, New York. Category: TV Automotive. Client: Dodge Dealers of El Paso. Voiceover Talent. 2008 Telly Awards, New York, New York. Documentary: History and Biography Category Winner. Voiceover Talent (Narrator), 2008. 2008 Summit Creative Award, Portland, Oregon. Other Website (CSI The Experience): Gold Award. SCA recognizes creative excellence in companies and individuals throughout the world with billing under $30 million. Includes all media and industries. Voiceover Talent, 2008. 2008 Summit Creative Award, Portland, Oregon. Institutional Website (CSI The Experience): Silver Award. SCA recognizes creative excellence in companies and individuals throughout the world with billing under $30 million. Includes all media and industries. Voiceover Talent, 2008. 2008 Texas Association of Museums Mitchell Wilder Award, Austin, Texas. Gold Award for CSI The Experience Website. Voiceover Talent, 2008. American Advertising Awards of Western Virginia, Gold ADDY Award. Radio Local: 60 sec. Voiceover Talent, Copywriter, Director and Producer, 2001. 2001 Silver Microphone Awards. Waco, Texas. National Finalist. Radio: 60 Sec. Glassner’s Mother’s Day 2001. Voiceover Talent, Copywriter, Director and Producer, 2001. 2000 Silver Microphone Awards. Waco, Texas. National Finalist. Radio: 60 Sec. Glassner’s Mother’s Day 2000. Voiceover Talent, Copywriter, Director and Producer, 2000. American Advertising Awards of Western Virginia, Silver ADDY Award. Radio Local: 60 sec. Voiceover Talent, Copywriter, Director and Producer, 1998. American Advertising Awards of Western Virginia, Silver ADDY Award. Television Local Single: 30 Sec. Voiceover Talent, 1998. Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau / New York, New York - Cable Advertising Award Finalist. Outstanding Achievement Creative Cable Commercial Production. PRIVATE Producer, Director and Copywriter, 1993. Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau / New York, New York - Cable Advertising Award Finalist. Outstanding Achievement Creative Cable Commercial Production. Producer, Director, Copywriter and Voiceover Talent, 1992. Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley, Citation of Excellence ADDY Award. Television: Local - Single - 30 Seconds. Copywriter, Director and Producer, 1992. Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley, Citation of Excellence ADDY Award. Consumer Magazine Category: Spread/Multi-Page - Black and White. Copywriter, 1992. Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley, Citation of Excellence ADDY Award. Multi-Media Division: Business to Consumer Campaign Category - Local. Copywriter, 1992. Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley, Citation of Excellence ADDY Award. Audio/Visual Category: Video/Film Sales Presentation. Voiceover Talent, 1992. Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley, Citation of Excellence ADDY Award. Television: Local Production Budget less Than $1,000, 30 Seconds. Copywrite
Mon, August 31, 2015
014 - Liz de Nesnera Interview
Growing up in a multilingual family, Liz spent a lot of time explaining to others that "No, I don't get confused speaking several languages!" In fact, it has been a boon to her voiceover career. She is native and neutral in both English and French, and as such, her voiceover clients get the best of both worlds. English and French Bilingual Female Voice Talent, - The voice of your brand on TV and Radio. - A professional voiceover for your non-broadcast narration. - A soothing voice for your telephone/on hold messaging. Liz has a voice that is clear and will ensure that your message will shine. She knows that your message is the star and she'll make it stand out from the crowd. Her native/neutral delivery in both English & French will allow you to confidently target the American, Canadian, and European markets. Contact her via email at Liz@HireLiz.com or by phone at 973-610-2019 to discuss your project. Check out her website at HireLiz.com For more information about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, August 17, 2015
013 - Peter K. O'Connell Interview
Before Madonna sang about her virginity, when making a phone call from the road meant plunking twenty five cents into a phone booth, before Michael Jackson's first plastic surgery and back when getting "on-line" meant waiting to check-out at the grocery store, Peter K. O'Connell was (and still very much is) a professional voice-over talent. As America's friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent, Peter's amazingly versatile vocal talent allows him to share many voice acting styles with his clients, who range from Fortune 500 Companies to companies who think $500 is a fortune. From his conversational everyman voice to his hard sell straight announcer performances, Peter's natural voice over abilities are favored by clients for commercials, narrations, e-learning, documentary, TV promo, radio imaging and live announcing. A natural born storyteller and an award-winning voice talent, some of Peter's professional voice-over credits include productions for General Electric, Kraft Foods, PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), Shell Oil, Pitney Bowes, U.S. Army, Starz Cable Channel, Bacardi, SunSetter Awnings, Deloitte, Time Warner Cable, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), New Jersey Tourism, First Financial Bank, N.A., Western Union, BlueCross Blue Shield, Darien Lake Theme Park, J. Walter Thompson Advertising, Cleveland Browns of the National Football League, Harlequin Enterprises and Pathmark Supermarkets. Peter K. O'Connell's voice-over recordings have been heard globally including London, England; Seoul, Korea; the Caribbean; Sydney, Australia; Toronto, Canada; Delhi, India and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Nationally across the United States, Peter's voice has been heard in all major markets including but not limited to New York City; Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Dallas, Texas; Dayton, Ohio and Buffalo, New York. OK you're right, if you're scoring at home, Dayton, Ohio and Buffalo, New York aren't really major markets but he has spent so much time there, Peter felt they deserved a shout-out. A native of Buffalo, NY, Peter grew up in the Nickel City and still lives there today - he even worked in radio there at WLVL, for, like a week. He truly developed his broadcasting and voice-over skills in Dayton at WVUD-FM as a top rated disc jockey and then as a commercial producer for the station. Peter produces his voice projects through his audio production company, audio'connell Voice Over Talent which is a division of O'Connell Communications, LLC. In addition to Peter's voice over work, which represents a majority of the company's production schedule, audio'connell also provides casting services for clients looking for professional female voiceover and audio production services for national and international clients. The voice over needs of foreign language clients are served through another O
Mon, August 10, 2015
012 - Dave Courvoisier Interview
Dave Courvoisier, author of More Than Just a Voice: The REAL Secret to Voiceover Success, is a highly successful long-time TV news anchor in one of America's most high-profile cities (Las Vegas). But he is also a busy voice-actor! He speaks and writes prodigiously for the voice-acting community, blogging for "Voice Acting in Vegas," the popular blog on his Courvo.com website. Among his myriad of achievements, Dave is proud to count several Emmys to his credit. He administers many online VO communities and forums, and as the Vice President of the Executive Board of World-Voices Organization, helps oversee the voice-over community's only Industry Trade Association. He has earned national respect for his work helping the plight of disadvantaged children through his weekly "Wednesday's Child" reports. For more info about this and other podcast episodes head over to mikelenzvoic.com .
Mon, August 03, 2015
011 - Melissa Exelberth Interview
Join Mike Lenz as he interviews Melissa Exelberth. Melissa is a NYC based voice talent and narrator, working globally from her ISDN equipped studios (one for each side of the Hudson) for broadcast & entertainment, commercials, promo, narration, film, documentary, multinational corporate communications, information driven programming, corporate branding, character roles, sizzle reels & storyboards, animation, book trailers, videogames and more – not only in English but in fluent Spanish as well. With a background in TV and film distribution, production, post-production and news having taken her to different parts of the world – giving her the chance to meet fascinating people – she gest the big picture and bigger story and bring that to her voiceover work every day. Gor more info on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, July 27, 2015
010 - Kira Buckland Interview
Join Mike as he interviews voice actress Kira Buckland. Kira Buckland is a Los Angeles-based voice actress originally from Anchorage, Alaska. She first got interested in voice acting at the age of sixteen, starting out by voice acting as a hobby for a large amount of Internet projects. In 2007, she won the AX Idol Voice Acting Competition and as a result got noticed by BangZoom! Entertainment, which helped get her foot in the door to the anime industry. After finishing college (she majored in Japanese), taking acting and voice classes, and continuing to voice act in flash animations and indie games, Kira moved to California to pursue a career as a voice actress. She worked various jobs in the meantime (barista, retail, waitressing, etc) and began auditioning with a few different studios. Since then, she has become the voice of major characters in all sorts of video games, anime, and other projects, and is now able to work steadily in the field. As an avid gamer, the most personally exciting role for her was voicing Honoka in the fighting game "Dead or Alive 5: Last Round". When not voice acting, Kira's hobbies include music (particularly classic rock), makeup, alternative fashion and costuming, fitness, and fine espresso. A geek at heart, her favorite series is JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (which she even has a tattoo from!) Also, she's had hair of every color at the rainbow at some point, but these days it's mostly blue. For more information about this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, July 20, 2015
009 - Dan Friedman Interview
Join Mike as he interviews producer, audio engineer, author, and voice talent Dan Friedman. Dan is a man of many talents. With over a decade in the voice-over industry, he has produced, directed, or provided his voice to thousands of audio productions. In 2010 he published a book, SOUND ADVICE - Voiceover From An Audio Engineer's Perspective. A first of its kind in the industry, the book covers audio engineering and studio session etiquette as it relates directly to voiceover talent. Dan continues to write a popular blog at his website, SOUND4VO.com. Dan was chosen to be among the top 10 "Most Influential Voice-Over Writers in 2011" in a Voice123 online survey. He is a home studio coach with Voicebank and Edge Studios and is also a voiceover teacher and coach for the Screen Artists Co-op in Asheville, NC. For more information about this and other episodes head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, July 13, 2015
008 - Lauren McCullough Interview
Mike interviews full-time professional voice actor Lauren McCullough in this episode of Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting. Lauren grew up with the Pocono Mountains in her back yard, among the quiet of nature and the magic of the stars. There, Lauren enjoyed performing, whether she had an audience of people or just the mountains. In her first role, Lauren played the Black Crayon, in the locally acclaimed first grade performance of the Crayola Factory, narrating the transformation of primary colors into secondary colors. On that stage, Lauren knew acting was her art. Packing up her box of crayons and dreams, Lauren moved to New York City to study acting at Pace University, at the foothills of the Brooklyn bridge in downtown Manhattan. She worked in NYC as a theatre, film and voiceover actor, while also directing and producing along the way. After seven years in the shadow of skyscrapers, she began to miss the companionship of the mountains. She found a home in the artist community of Asheville, NC nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountain range. Back in the embrace of mountains, she colors her world with hiking and vegan cooking adventures, while working as a full time voiceover actor. For more information about this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com .
Mon, July 06, 2015
007 - Karen Souer Interview
Karen Souer is a virtual assistant. What does that mean? Well, it means a lot of things! Mike has a great conversation with Karen Souer about her journey into the voice-over industry and the way she developed her niche as a virtual assistant. Karen can help voice actors with everything from editing and proofing, to connecting via skype and listening as the voice actor records, to help check for any mistakes in real time. Karen also specializes in doing research, helping with data entry, social media posting, and social media content writing. This is a great interview for aspiring voice actors as well as anyone interested in learning about other interesting ways to get involved in the voice-over industry. To learn more about this and other interviews, head on over to mikelenzvoice.com.
Mon, June 29, 2015
006 - Toni Silveri Interview
Join Mike as he interviews voice actor and talent agent Toni Silveri. Toni has worked as an actor, voice actor and singer, performing nationally and regionally in film, television and commercials, for over 30 years. She has been a working member of the Screen Actors Guild since 1980 and has screened and voted every year on the SAG Awards during her membership. At present, Toni’s talent agency, All Coast Talent Management, represents over a hundred actors across the country and abroad These talents can be heard nationally for Chevrolet, Hundai, Budweiser, Hunter Douglas, Capital One, PBS Kids, Disney, A &E, Discovery Channel, Worlds of Warcraft video game, and Promos for Eat Pray Love and Harry Potter, Seinfeld’s original production, “Colin Quinn, Long Story Short”, the Broadway return of “Les Miz”, and recently, the new ABC television series, Once Upon a Time, to mention a few. Her most recent booking was for The World Cup, 2014,Brazilvs.Mexico. She is the founder of the Western New York Voice Actor Workshop, which has gained national recognition as one of the best training grounds for voice actors in the country. Top professionals in the industry are invited regularly to share their expertise and experiences with her students. One of Toni’s favorite guest lecturers and luminaries is Pat Fraley, who has created voices for over 4000 characters, making him one of the top ten performers of all time to be cast in Animated Film and Television shows. Toni is a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers of America. For more information on this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com
Mon, June 22, 2015
005 - Evan Farmer Interview
Join Mike Lenz as he interviews actor and entrepreneur Evan Farmer. Evan is best known as the host of the home improvement show "While You Were Out" that aired on TLC and more recently Evan was the host of CMT (Country Music Televisio) Top 20 Countdown where he appeared every weekend counting down the top videos in country music. In addition to his acting credentials, Evan is an entrepreneur, an author of the book "Breaking In: The Formula For Success In Entertainment," a pilot, a philanthropist, and a husband and father. His passion for life and for the world of professional acting (and voice acting) is inspiring. For more information about this and other episodes, head on over to mikelenzvoice.com.
Mon, June 15, 2015
004 - Bob Souer Interview
Join Mike Lenz as he interviews professional voice actor Bob Souer. Bob is a full-time professional story-teller and narrator. He is the Audie and Golden Earphone Award winning narrator of numerous audiobooks; as well as broadcast and non-broadcast projects for corporations and ministries world-wide. You’ve heard Bob’s voice on CBS, NBC, PBS, the History Channel, the Military Channel, Audible.com, iTunes and many other networks and sites. Bob shares his journey into the voice acting profession and provides great insight into staying determined and not quitting in the face of obstacles. Head on over to mikelenzvoice.com for more information on this and other episodes.
Mon, June 08, 2015
003 - Rodney Saulsberry Interview
Rodney Saulsberry is the voice of choice for behind-the scenes narration. This Detroit native and University of Michigan Graduate, is one of the premier voice-over talents in the country. He is also a published author with two bestselling books, You Can Bank on Your Voice and Step Up to the Mic .Saulsberry’s distinctive announcer voice is literally everywhere. He has announced promos for the ABC hit Dancing With The Stars and the ABC critically acclaimed Charlie Brown Christmas Special . He announced the 34th NAACP Image Awards and the Essence Awards specials on FOX Television and voiced promos for the Grammy Awards and Country Music Awards for CBS. As one of the top trailer voices in the business, Rodney’s voice has promoted many favorites: Red Tails, Tupac Resurrection, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Friday After Next, Drumline, Undercover Brother, The Best Man, Dumb & Dumberer, Finding Forrester, Soul Food, Crooklyn, and many more. Black Enterprise Magazine called Saulsberry “The voice of choice for behind-the-scenes-narration.”What do Zatarain's , Instant Tax Service , Twix , Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Verizon, White Castle, 7UP, Burger King, SBC , and Nestle Crunch all have in common? Saulsberry has been a voice-over commercial pitchman for all of these products and many others on television and radio. He can also be heard reading audio books, as well as narrating E! Entertainments, True Hollywood Story, about Motown R&B singer, Marvin Gaye . His imaging voice has represented NFL Films and several NBA Basketball teams that include the Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers and the New Orleans Pelicans. For the past eight years Rodney has been the voice of the stock trading website Interactive Brokers TWS Tours . Animation is another strong suit for this versatile voice actor. Saulsberry is the voice of Joe Robb
Sun, May 17, 2015
002 - Tom Dheere Interview
Mike interviews Voice Actor and Voice-Over Strategist Tom Dheere. As a voice talentwith over eighteen years of experience, Tom has narrated thousands of projects for clients in a dozen countries for just about every type of project you can think of. He narrates other stuff, too. Stuff like Audiobooks, Commercials, Medical Narrations, E-Learning projects, Industrials, Video Games, Animation, Apps, and much, much more.His specialty is narrating ‘Explainer Videos’ a.k.a. ‘Whiteboard Videos.' Tom is also a voiceover business consultant. He helps you figure out what’s preventing you from getting to the next level as a voice talent “behind the scenes”. He's worked with voice talents of all experience levels to develop their business plans, time management skills, and much more. Tom shares the story of his journey into the world of voice acting and also discusses the business side of voice-overs and offers concrete advice for aspiring voice actors. For more information about this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com.
Sun, May 17, 2015
001 - Harlan Hogan Interview
Join Mike as he interviews voice-over legend Harlan Hogan. As Harlan's website says, over the years some very famous slogans have entered your ears via Harlan Hogan's voice. From Raids' "Kills bugs fast, Kills bugs dead" and Head & Shoulders' "That little itch should be telling you something" to the iconic, "It's the cereal even Mikey Likes". Today, Harlan's voice is still bringing us memorable slogans like, "How's that for trendy?" for Ford 150 trucks, "It's not home - but it's close" for Cracker Barrel and reminding PBS viewers day in and day out that, "This program was made possible by viewers like you. Thank you" Based in Chicago, Harlan sends his voice world wide from his state of the art home studio, via ISDN, Source Connect, CD/DVD and the Internet. In this interview Harlan shares his journey into the world of voice acting with great stories and inspiring and practical advice for aspiring voice actors. For more information about this and other episodes, head over to mikelenzvoice.com.
Sat, May 16, 2015
000 - Mike Lenz Voice
Mike Lenz is an entrepreneur, professional voice actor, audiobook narrator, author, podcast host, husband and father. Join Mike each week as he shares stories from some of the most amazing and inspiring people from all areas of the voice-over industry, as well as other incredible entrepreneurs, to help you achieve your dream of becoming a professional voice actor. For more information on this and other episodes, head on over to the web at mikelenzvoice.com
loading...