Strange Auditions

With voice overs, I audition almost daily and every so often we get the audition that is, well, stranger than the norm. Now, you have to realize that most auditions these days, come in the form of an email that we must print, interpret, record and then send back as an mp3. No longer are the days where we have a casting director guiding us or voice director giving us key notes and direction. Nope! Today we record in a wondrous vacuum called, “the home studio.” But hey, it totally beats traffic, and I don’t know where you live, but in Los Angeles, that’s HUGE!

Now, sometimes we get a lot of information and it can be helpful…or not. Sometimes we get a simple character description that reads:

“Average man or woman ages 25-55, real not announcery” and the script will start with, “Introducing…”   Seriously? Who talks like that, other than announcers and maybe salesmen? And that age description…oh yeah, that’s specific!

It’s with scripts like these that I step into my home booth, and suddenly feel like one of those monkeys from Madagascar. Seriously, I look at the dialogue and direction and think (with  a british accent), “today I shall fling poo.” Sometimes its supreme poo. Sometimes is classic poo. And sometimes it’s just really good poo.

The other day, however, was a whole new level of  “WHAT????” I actually had to step out of my booth and consult a friend in order to fling the appropriate poo.

You see, I received an audition that asked for, “A young kid, sounding 8-10 to play a 90-year-old man in an old-folk’s home. We want him to have the sound and innocence of a child.”  The 5+ pages of dialogue that followed, had this “kid”, hitting on old women and basically acting quite lewd and lascivious with his old fogey friends.

What we ended up creating had my friend and I cracking up. It definitely sounded like a little kid with a dirty old man’s mind. It was supreme poo! Whether I get called back or flushed, is anyone’s game. As long as I’m still flinging….it’s all good!

The Hosts for the Annie Awards!

Comedy always has a rule of 3, and this year are we in for a treat!  Rob Paulsen, Maurice LaMarche, &  Leonard Maltin,  will all 3 host the 40th Annual Annie Awards!

Rob Paulsen

Maurice LaMarche

Leonard Maltin

    

And for the comedy 4th, a special appearance from Seth Green.

Seth Green

I can’t imagine a better night of  animation, fun, laughs and awards!  Saturday night, February 2nd at 7pm-pst.

Ringtone – Moo-Feelin’ silly Friday

How does Farmer Brown call his “hot” farm animals? Brown chicken, Brown cow.  (Okay, think “bow chicka bow wow” from old porn or 70’s movies) Honestly, this is the silliest thing ever, but it’s so much fun to watch kids crack up over animal sounds and bovine farts.

Ringtone – Little boy says, “mom”

I have been having fun lately creating ringtones, using all my voice over characters. Here is my first one: A little boy repeatedly says, “Mom.” The idea came when my nephew changed his grandma’s ringtone to quacking and the next day where ever she went, work, mall, etc. people thought she had a duck in her purse. P.S. Her phone rings a lot! If you want to hear more ringtones, after you click on the link, click on my name.