#MCVoicesBlogs

[mcvoices]

Episode 4: Into the World of Voice Acting

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

Hey, it's MC...Voices!

Great day, voicemates! It's my 4th week here in Certified Voice Artist Program - Batch 26. And as I kept on saying, it's been really really productive ever since I joined here. We had a lot of topics covered throughout the week, a lot of practical activities and... assignments too. During the 4th week session, they offered a comprehensive look into the business side of voice acting, covering essential tools and practices for advancing in the industry.

For the morning session, our trainor was Miss Lyn Gonzales, she welcomed us and proceeded to talk about what we need to do after CVAP. This includes the preparations in doing voice artist demo reel, she provided us valuable tips on creating a compelling reel that will capture the attention of potential clients and employers in the future.

We also delved into making our own voice acting resume, highlighting the importance of showcasing relevant experience, skills, and training. Also the significance of a service agreement in formalizing contracts with clients. Having discussed clients, we were also provided by insights into setting rates based on factors, creating accurate and professional price quotes that reflect the value of services.

Miss Lyn also highlighted the warning signs or recognizing potential red flags in voice over work, we learned to identify them and be prepared for unrealistic deadlines, unclear project details. This will help me in making informed decisions in the future.

With that being said, we were also introduced by finding right opportunities in building a successful career. Networking within such communities can lead to valuable connections and opportunities. I was really glad that if ever I will be in the situation, I will be prepared and know what things should I be aware of because of what we have discussed in this session.

In the afternoon session, we listened to the live feedback of trainors for those voicemates who submitted their outputs. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to submit my work due to some circumstances. But then, I took down some notes and some things that Trainor Papa Lem and Sir Navi said that I really think would help me improve. Their words and advices to help us improve, encouraged me to do a whole lot more.

I believe that this session was a guide in navigating me into the professional landscape of voice acting. From building my portfolio to understanding industry standards and opportunities, the insights, motivations, and words of improvement and encouragement were gained in this whole session.

And I know that even after this training, this program, I would still do a lot more. I am capable of doing things, once I set my heart into it, I know I can and I will do it.

So, this will not be the end since this will be the start of something that my talent and skills opened up for me and my character that will keep me here.

from me to you,

MC

[mcvoices]

Episode 3: Echoes of Artistry

Embrace your uniqueness and stop comparing yourself to others.

Hey, it's MCVoices!

Great day, voicemates! It's been 3 weeks since I joined the Certified Voice Artist Program - Batch 26. I am actually proud and I feel confident right now on what I already accomplished into becoming a voice artist. Week 3 opened another topics and things that I should really remember and take note of into continuing this path.

Our session began with an in-depth discussion on various acting techniques. Our trainer, Miss Janeane Santos, shared valuable insights on how to use facial expressions and gesture movements. These are often overlooked, but then it is crucial in bringing authenticity and emotion to our voice performances. I really think that we can better convey the emotions and intentions behind the characters we voice.

We also explored the concept of orchestrating vocal expression, that involves pitch, tone, and volume, to create a dynamic and engaging performance. Miss Janeane also presented some examples for us to exercise during the session and she emphasize the importance of varying our vocal delivery to keep the audience captivated and execute the voice that we want to convey. We were encouraged to do tongue twisters to improve our delivery and articulation, it was really fun and effective way to practice our skills.

One of the highlighted part of the session was the proper voice care, that is very essential to a voice artist. Techniques for maintaining vocal health, such as staying hydrated, warming up before sessions, avoiding strain, were discussed. I really loved the discussions and all the learnings that we had with Miss Janeane.

For the afternoon session, our guest speaker for it was Miss Donnah Abuyuan and she discussed about the dubbing process in pre-production, production, and as well as post-production and also from doing Character Breakdown, Character Guide, Scene Breakdown, and Actual Script and up until in remembering the things to do when doing script translation.

This can be quite challenging, as I may have an experience in doing this since I was an intern in CreatiVoices but then I really feel that this is one of the most important things to remember in my journey on becoming a voice artist.

We also did a dubbing challenge wherein we had to choose from one of the characters in Digital Circus - Filipino dubbed and asked to impersonate the character. I did Zooble since I really think that it fits really with my voice and how she talks, and her character resonates well with me.

Overall, this session was incredibly informative and it provided us with deeper understanding of the technical and creative aspects of voice acting and dubbing.

Oh! Before I almost forgot, we actually did our Zoomarte. Together with my BRmates, we were the first one to perform and I had fun. My character was the Princess and another Godmother called Kumpas, it was my first time to do two character voices and it is live. If you're a little bit curious, here's the link of our performance - https://youtu.be/BI0MNEHDUiY?si=ngufbRny3-feE6Po

This will not be the last, so stay tuned for more!

from me to you,

MC

[mcvoices]

Episode 2: Journey to Niche!

Take risks. It's not about winning or losing. It's about trying.

Hey, it's MC...Voices!

Great day, voicemates! Another week, another blog! It's been like 2 weeks since I joined the Certified Voice Artist Program - Batch 26. It's becoming a lot more productive and as I progress through the program, Week 2 became a whirlwind of knowledge and insightful discussions.

I actually woke up early and joined the Zoom meeting before it started, 'cause I was really excited for what they have prepared for us. For this week, we delved into discussions about essential equipment/s needed for professional voiceovers, voiceover-specific vocabulary, basics of audio editing, and finding our own niche. In the afternoon session, we focused on developing our voices, marketing our talents, voice variety, creating character voices- wherein we actually tried doing it by some hands-on practices with scripts, and using social media as a marketing tool. So this is like a recap on what we actually did and discussed throughout the whole session.

Morning Session: Building the Foundation

So for the morning session, CVAP prepared some recorded videos that talks about basic equipment required for doing voiceover professionally. And our trainer for this was Mr. Bryan Dave Perez which where he gave us advices and some recommendations too on what equipment should we use such as microphones, cables, and other things that a voice artist needs. I actually listed them down, just for future purposes and if I already had the means of buying it then, I would. I was also happy to see that the video that was shown is at CreatiVoices Studios at Makati City. We were taught about voiceover vocabulary related and basic audio editing also that I greatly appreciate. I really think that these are some things that we need to know and learn, like for starters.

And lastly, about finding my own, unique niche. I think it's really important to actually know what you want. What particular skill that you need to focus to, or like what you need to establish, what voice you have, what can you do - type of projects, character voices, voiceovers that you enjoy doing and you still want to study.

This made me think that identifying a niche is crucial for standing out in the voiceover industry. It's really important that I must align my niche with my strengths and passion, but could still experiment, explore, and like discover where my voice fits best.

Afternoon Session: Refining Skills and Marketing

"Do something today that your future self will thank you for."

This is how our afternoon session started, our trainer, Mr. Harlem Jude Ferolino aka Papa Lem, introduced to us on how we develop our voice and market our talent. Building a strong online presence and networking with industry professionals were the key points of the discussion. We were also taught about the 3 Elements - Pitch, Volume, and Tempo which leads into the formula in Creating Character Voices - Pitch, Pitch Character, Tempo, Rhythm, Placement, and Mouthwork. In this part of the discussion, I was getting entertained by how we did some hands-on exercise by doing lines, voiceovers, script for advertisement etc. Even though I didn't actually volunteer, I tried them a lot by myself, muted and did a lot of samples by saying the same as what the other voicemates did.

I also loved that fact that the session ended with some "Voice Pappy Thoughts" that made me feel like I could do a lot. By the phrase "DO what you LOVE. LOVE what you DO" and that is somewhat interconnected on finding my NICHE that highlighted the whole session.

After the Q&A session with Papa Lem, I was called for a Zoomustahan and for me to answer questions on what we talked about for the whole discussion for Week 2. I shared things about that most unforgettable part of the session and that is finding my niche and do what i love as I love what I do. I really felt like I've gained a deeper appreciation for voice artistry as well as myself. For taking greater steps, finding my purpose, and for doing what I really love.

Week 2 has been incredibly enriching. From the morning session up until the afternoon, this has been a lot but it further equipped me with the skills, knowledge, and even confidence that I really need in order to continue the path that I'm taking in this dynamic industry.

Oh! Before I forgot, I was also tasked by Hosts Janna and Ron H to choose a number that contained lyrics from BINI's songs. I chose number 4 and lyrics from Na Na Na - BINI showed up and from the wheel of character voices - Tiyanak appeared. I was really laughing and tossing around, I felt a lot of emotions while I sang (?) or like I just did it embarrassingly. Can you imagine? Tiyanak that could sing! HAHAHAHAHAHAA (sorry, this is so funny to me). But well, I really did enjoy doing that kind of impression. Batch 26 voicemates, hosts, and even our trainers, I believed they were having fun as well. They said they love it. I'm so glad. I'm happy I did that. It was so fun, I think it is the highlight part of the session for me.

And I just feel like I could do a lot more.

I suppose there will be a whole lot more so stay tuned as I continue to share my journey and the insights I gather along the way!

from me to you,

MC

[mcvoices]

Episode 1: Here I go, CVAP!

Hey, it's MC....Voices!

Uhmmm... this is new to me. I've written a lot of essays, poems, stories, even songs, a lot of narratives that I could think of. But this, this is the first time that I would actually write a blog. So yeah, hoping whoever reads this will stick up with me until the every end.

Great day! This is how I would start my day or like a week now, including what I would say in this blog. I'm MCVoices, you could call me by that name or could be MC. I'm an aspiring voice artist, currently exploring more of my interests here and there. This blog, would absolutely talk about those interests while I joined the Certified Voice Artist Program here in the Philippines - currently in Batch 26 this 2024.

Joining CVAP is a really great opportunity for me. I really think that this program is the best place to hone my skills and turn my passion into profession and to think that it could be really one of my hobbies as well because I am really into using my voice. I really wanted to know, to learn how to use my voice well. Whether it's for voicing characters, doing voice overs, dubbing, and a whole lot more. So, here's a look into my journey throughout the program and the incredible experiences, my thoughts, reactions on what we did during the sessions that came with it.

As I dive into Week 1 of the Certified Voice Artist Program, I find myself intrigued and full of excitement with how I gained knowledge, practical exercises, and invaluable insights from industry experts.

Understanding the Role of a Voice Artist

The first step was all about understanding the basics. We were introduced about what it means to be a voice artist. Sir Navi Garcia, provided us with his inspiring story on how he became a voice artist, how he started from scratch up until being a trainer as he is now. He shared his personal experiences and strategies for staying on his ground, improving skills, and maintaining a good mindset. One of the most inspiring message that I got throughout the session was with the Pochology "Someone out there need to here your voice."

Every voice has the potential to reach someone, could be to touch a hearts, to provide comfort, to inspire change. It's kind of heart warming and this phrase resonates deeply with me, especially as I embark my journey to become a voice artist. And in order to be successful in doing this, I need the confidence. The confidence to step up, to speak up, to voice it out. Confidence is built through practice, perseverance, and embracing feedback. I really think that the field of voice acting is ever-evolving, and continuous learning is essential.

After the morning session, I realized that I am always inspired by people, but then, I really should be inspired by myself the most. I should be. Since that session, I realized that my voice is not just a tool for personal expression but it has means to reach, connect, and impact others.

During the afternoon session, we did a practical activity wherein we have to introduce ourselves within my BR group. My group that includes - Ton, Gracy, Cath, Marco, Keysie, Seb, Karissa, and Flamm alongside with our Guardian Mentor Mr. A, Mentor Jon, Mentor Mark, and Sir Ron as our Watcher. We introduced one by one during the breakout session, and then we decided to create like a party list introduction during an election. I really enjoyed doing it, it was really fun to actually be with them and create memories with the rest of the group. We presented it first and ended up laughing with our jokes and how we perform, we actually did a great job. I was having fun, really.

In conclusion, Week 1 really left a big impression to me. I've gained a lot, learned lot, had fun with the rest of the group, voicemates, with the hosts and people in charge during the session. As I continue this journey, I am really excited to apply these lessons, grow my skills in this dynamic and creative field, take this opportunity to lead me for greater purposes. We all have something with us, a reason, a purpose, and a voice and that there is always someone out there who needs to hear it. So, I will embrace it and share them with the world- because you never know who might need it and how much they might need to see and hear exactly what I do.

For now, stay tuned for more blogs about my CVAP journey! More updates as I progress through the program and share more insights and experiences from my journey to becoming a Certified Voice Artist!

from me to you,

MC