VO ─ Tales and Techniques of a Voice-Over Actor

One of the country's top voice-over talents shares his secrets of success in an insider's guide to the industry. Actors, broadcasters, and anyone who has longed to earn a living by speaking into a microphone will cherish this insightful and often hilarious glimpse at the business. Coverage includes:

? Identifying natural talent ? Training a voice to make it commercially viable ? Gaining experience in smaller markets ? Making a demo CD ? Auditioning effectively ? Locating and signing with an agent ? Joining the appropriate unions ? Negotiating contracts ? Self-promoting to maximize exposure

This indispensable guide also addresses finding work in venues outside film and television, such as games, automated telephone systems, and Web sites. Aspiring and established voice-over actors will savor the behind-the-scenes details that show what actually happens during a voice-over recording session. Through it all, the author offers a personal account of the crazed clients, practical jokes, and coincidences encountered on the long journey to success.

Harlan Hogan has been a voice-actor for thirty-five years, and odds are, you already know what he sounds like. His commercial voice-overs include classic and contemporary ad slogans from ?Raid. Kills bugs fast, kills bugs dead” and Life Cereal’s ?It’s the cereal even Mikey likes,” to ?This PBS program is made possible by viewers like you” and ?Ford F-150. How’s that for trendy?” Twenty-six million online gamers hear him as the voice of Alistar in League of Legends, while filmgoers see and hear him in the fea-ture-length film Dimension. He’s equally at home narrating documentaries like Fannie’s Last Supper and Storm Warriors, as well as voice-overs for political candidates from mayors to presidents. He lives in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.