Quick, call the kids in! This is about as exciting as your day is going to get so enjoy it.
My friend Julie Williams of VoiceOver Insider (be sure to sign up) and voice-overs.com forum fame was kind enough to send me a bottle of Entertainer’s Secret to evaluate for you people. Thanks Julie!
From their website:
“Entertainer’s Secret Throat Relief is a spray formulated to resemble natural mucosal secretions and designed to moisturize, humidify and lubricate the mucous membranes of the throat and larynx.
This unique, easy to use, non-medicinal throat spray:
* Supplements the throat’s natural moisturizers
* Comforts, soothes
* Restores vocal quality Safely, Quickly, and Effectively
One can spray Entertainer’s Secret into the throat while saying “Ahh”, but a more effective way is to take a quick breath inward while spraying into the mouth. To insure that the upper throat is reached, one should tilt the head back, aim the nozzle in the nostril and inhale sharply while spraying.”
There was no way I was going to spray this stuff up my nose so I opted for the “quick breath” method. In a word: Meh.
It does give you a slight tingling feeling, and I suppose it lubes up the pipes a bit but it really isn’t anything to write home1 about. Considering flames didn’t shoot out of the nozzle and I haven’t lost my voice it certainly isn’t harmful, so if you have dry scratchy throat problems go ahead and give it a try yourself, just don’t expect to see rainbows and unicorns.
It is advertised as tasting like honey and apples. To me it tasted like Windex and liquid pig shit,2 but I’m no Gordon Ramsay so what do I know? It is more convenient than brewing up some tea so it could have a place in your studio bag but for home I think I’ll stick with my Throat Coat and Marlboros.
I know this wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement but apparently some people swear by this stuff so if you would like to try it yourself contact Julie and she will hook you up with a good price.
1. or perhaps blog…
2. I mean that in the best possible way.
When I’m not busy water skiing over sharks in my leather jacket or starting jukeboxes with my fists, sometimes I hang out with the other cool kids just to see what kind of trouble we can get into.1 “The Man” is always trying to take away our microphones but they just better watch out who they’re messin with.
The gang, smoking behind the school after the Marice Tobias workshop on Sunday:
pictured: Bob “The Knife” Souer,2 Melissa “Ex-con” Exelberth, Trish “Stiletto” Basanyi, Diane “Spike” Havens, John “Brass Knuckles” Havens, Rick “Killer” Party.
1. Take that society!
2. Bob appears courtesy of The Bob Souer World Tour™
Very sexy update: Since a few of you asked for it, I came out from the behind the bushes at Julie’s place and got the info for her photographer. Check them out here.
Holy freaking cow, these are probably the best headshots I have ever seen. For crying out loud, I’m only human:
The debate has been raging for years over whether voice talent should use headshots or not. The argument from one camp is that your voice should speak for itself and you should not allow seekers to come to a preconceived conclusion about your sound or delivery based on your appearance. Others maintain that using a picture humanizes the talent and makes them seem more approachable. Of course if you also do any kind of on-camera or print work, a headshot is absolutely necessary but what if you are just a VO? What if you look strikingly different than you sound, as is the case with some talent in animation who bank on doing child voices but may be much older? What if you are afraid that the photographer may not be able to Photoshop out your hunchback?
I know some of you may not be quite as genetically blessed as Julie or myself,1 but unless you have some gargoyle2 in your family tree, then I say go for it. Go to Julie’s site and click on the gallery to see it done right and then decide if you think headshots are a good idea or not. Also check out some of her fantastic demos below. She might tap dance as well but I’m not sure.
Commercial Demo:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Animation Demo:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Where do you stand on the headshot issue? Let us know in the comments.
On a completely unrelated note, I read somewhere the other day that in some cultures if you blog more than two pictures of someone you are then considered legally married.3
1. I’ve got my Mom’s cheekbones.
2. Or Slovenian.
3. I’m just saying.
Hey guys, I know this is kind of last minute but please try to make some time to help this guy out. It really is a worthy cause:
Wanted: The finest and most generous voice actors and singers! GelderHead Productions is now accepting submissions for the sixth edition CD of Holiday Magic 2008, A Gift for Children of all Ages, a holiday recording to brighten the holidays of the children and their siblings at Children’s Hospitals. CD’s will be distributed in December. Please submit a song, story, riddle or rhyme, anything that welcomes Holiday time! Please make it less than four minutes. Character voices are encouraged. All entries must be complete and fully recorded for use. The top 15-20 will be selected based on creativity, generosity and theme and will receive artist exposure, be included on the CD with acknowledgments, receive a copy of the CD and receive the GelderHead Award of Excellence for Creativity and Generosity.
Holiday Magic 2007 was a huge success with great talent and 1500 copies going to five Children’s Hospitals in San Diego, Orange County, Milwaukee, Miami, and Albuquerque for the children spending their holidays in the hospital, and their siblings.
Deadline for submissions is Friday November 7th, 2008
Send e-mail to: Jeff@GelderHead.com or call 619-795-1740.
So Jeff puts together and prints up a zillion of these CDs, then distributes them for free to sick kids stuck in the hospital during the Holidays, and you’re too busy to even record something for him? What is wrong with you? This is not how your mother and I raised you.
I was on last years CD and was given a copy and he really puts together a top notch product for the poor little sickos, so get off your duffs and produce something for this thing post haste. You could use the good karma after what you were up to last weekend.1
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