I apologize for the great gap in between posts. I have been very busy. In the beginning of my last blog I mentioned that I had been auditioning like crazy after joining Voices.com. That was no lie and I continue to do so, I am averaging about 12 auditions a day, some days 20, some days 10 but that site never rests and the jobs keep showing up. It took me about 100 or so auditions before I booked my first Voices.com job, and the believe it or not, it was a VIDEO GAME. Nothing HUGE that shows up on the Xbox or your PS3, but instead a "Find the Missing Objects" type game for your tablets and laptops. The game is called Snark Busters: High Society and I am lucky enough to have voiced ALL the male voices in that game. It's actually pretty fun, and currently only about 3 buckaroo's. Go download and play today. Let me know what you think. :-) Snark Busters : High Society
That was the begining, and since then, I've booked 6 other jobs ranging from voicemail recordings, instructional video's, and my first radio spots for Vermont Federal airing later this summer! I am continuing to take workshops as often as I can afford them at Talkshop and anywhere else I can find. They are proving to be very helpful and I continue to learn. I attended Rob Paulsen's first live podcast at the Jon Lovitz theater in Universal City, that was incredibly inspiring and fun. My second time meeting Rob, and 1st time meeting Maurice LaMarche. The guy on your right is my good friend Morgan, a sound engineer at Technicolor, (one of his many jobs) A great guy.
My home studio seems to be working just fine. A good friend of mine and producer of many things (including Crittick) Brendan Bradley suggested I find a way to prop up the box and stand while auditioning rather than sit, since then, I've been booking jobs. :-)
Still actively seeking an agent, if I can book on my own, I am guaranteed to book with an agent, and those jobs will pay much better. It's just the fine art of GETTING ONE!! Arghhh.
Until then, I will continue to do what I do; Use my talents daily to hopefully achieve a working career as a voice over artist. By the way. What do you think of my new HTML website!? JayPreston.com
It sure has been a very eventful and life impacting time since my last post. I began weekly workshops at Talkshop in Sherman Oaks, went to a few VO seminars, just recently joined Voices.com and have been auditioning like crazy. My next blog will focus more on all that. But today, I want to share a story. You may find this inspirational, you may find it entertaining, or may just find it a good read. However you find it, I hope you enjoy.
Every morning I make myself a pot of coffee. I've been doing that since the first day I tasted it. And I've always enjoyed coffee mugs, who doesn't? About 10 years ago, I went to Vermont and we stayed at this beautiful little bed and breakfast called the Londonderry Inn. (If you ever get a chance to visit, please do, and if you do because of this blog, mention it. Also tell them how much you wish they still had these adorable mugs.) I remember having breakfast at that Inn the day before we left and was drinking coffee out of the most perfect mug I've ever held.
My first instinct, was to steal it. I was a different kind of kid back then. However I looked around, and noticed they were selling them. Now for me, back then, that usually wouldn't have made a difference. But I felt that this mug deserved to be purchased. It was too unique and special. So I got up at the end of the meal and decided to buy one. Brought it back to Boston and began drinking from that mug pretty much every day. It was my favorite mug. I brought it to college in New York, brought it back, I toured the country for 3 months out of the year for two years, and every time in between I would drink from that mug. In 2005 I moved to California and took this mug with me and used it almost every morning. What makes it so special? Is that what you were wondering? It's not too big and it's not too small, the round belly on it fits more coffee than you think, and actually keeps the coffee hotter, longer. Most mugs this shape are far too big, but this is normal coffee mug size in my opinion. Fits in your hands perfectly, and is microwave and oven safe! You know, for when you want that 'oven warmed' coffee. If anyone was around when I was having my morning coffee they would always comment on what a great mug. I always agreed, and never thought much on it. Until October. My girlfriend, also a coffee drinker, but more of a mug lover (meaning she collects coffee mugs) Wanted to get one, and I thought, well of course, and actually I should have TWO!! So I went online and searched for the Londonderry Inn, found their website and e-mailed them asking if they had anymore of those mugs. They said they no longer carry them, and haven't for some time. But they did sound a bit surprised I still had one. I then asked if they were the ones that made it, or if someone else did. They told me it was Deneen Pottery that created those mugs. I looked them up online found their website, which is fantastic and sent out an e-mail asking where I could get another mug similar to the one I love. I did this right before work and had to head out of the house, but I figured I'd go on Facebook and see if they had a page, that way I would remember to check back when I got home. They sure did have a page, and I "liked" it. Then I went off to work. While at work, I got a facebook message from one of the Admin's of Deneen Pottery, Heath, saying that I was their 500th fan and they wanted to send me something special. That pretty much blew my mind, because what are the flipping odds??
What are the odds, that I buy a mug about 10 years prior, before Facebook existed (or definitely before I was on it) in a lodge in Vermont, carry that mug with me for 10 years (and don't BREAK IT) like it SO much that I actively SEEK out another one, "like" a Facebook page, and boom, I'm the 500th fan and am getting "sent" something special. I'm no spiritual guru, but that's pretty fate-like...
So I'm at work, telling everyone the story, how crazy it is. Then I stop and think about it. I work at the Tam O'Shanter Inn. The first Lawry's restaurant and one of the oldest family owned and operated restaurants in LA. One of Walt Disney's favorite restaurants. Pretty much a landmark. And it looks like this.
In addition to that, it is celebrating it's 90th year anniversary this year. The Tam, needs a coffee mug like this. In fact (and most important) I want a coffee mug with the Tam O'Shanter Inn on it. I decide in that moment, that I'm going to make it happen. They would sell, people would love them, and they just...plain...FIT. So I message Heath back and forth about how one would go about ordering, designing etc. And on Oct 24th I schedule a meeting with the head of Marketing for Lawry's, On November 3rd I have said meeting. I bring the material, and of course. My Mug. They love the idea and begin to jump through the necessary hoops and pass it under the necessary eyes. I began seeing design idea's and asked for updates for the next 30 days. These mugs are each handmade and take a while to design, so I was getting a bit nervous, especially if we wanted them by the end of January. On Dec 13th I was told that the Tam ordered 300 mugs!!! Absolutely incredible. Not only that, but they loved the idea so much, that they are ordering a 4 mug collector set to be dispersed throughout the year. One style mug with it's own unique artwork for each quarter this year in celebration of the 90th anniversary! Exactly one month later, I don't know how Deneen Pottery did it, but on Friday January 13th, the mugs showed up at the Tam O'Shanter. And here it is.
I know, you are wondering, about the trolls. I'm a collector of all sorts of things. And for some reason that was the best looking picture out of all the ones I took.. sooo... yeah. But how fantastic does that look? Now that's what the Tam looked like in 1922 when it opened, and as the mug collection for the Tam progresses I'm assuming we will
get one that has the current look of the Tam on it and hopefully a special anniversary one. The next one will be a St. Patty's day Tankard.
I couldn't be more excited and pleased that this little idea I had worked out so well. It sure is a good feeling when you set your mind on something and make it happen. Even if it is as small as a coffee mug. Which pulls it right back around to Voice Over, I set my mind on it, and I'm making it happen. If I can do a coffee mug, I can do me. So here's to you, here's to us and here's to making the best out of the life we have. Make each and every day count! CHEERS!
From this in 2002
To this in 2012
Deneen Pottery is a family business that was started in 1972 by Peter and Mary Deneen. Made today in St. Paul, MN (in the same place and by the same great people.)
Much like the history of the Tam O'Shanter.
Oh yeah, and be sure to check out Crittick.com
And my latest project! Advertisement reviews with the Mac
