A Successful Leap of Faith

    As always, it’s too long between entries. This one will jump back a year because the end of 2015 marks one full year working in the voice over industry. At the end of 2014 I had enough money in the bank to last me a good 6 months. I know that many people would need much more than that in order to justify a “leap of faith” but it was now or never for me. Things had been going in a steady upwards pace for over 2 years and I didn’t see it slowing down! So leap I did, carrying the momentum I started to feel. I have to tell you, it was a scary, freeing experience that first month.  But signs that I did the right thing were popping up everywhere. My new demo sounded amazing, I landed my wonderful Agency, SBV, 3 months later I booked my first big union job with McDonalds, and I started to become so busy that after the 5th month I started to think to myself.. This better keep working because I no longer have time for a second job! 

Perhaps you wonder, “Well, how do you know you’re ready to quit the day job?” To be honest.. I don’t think anyone really “knows” they are ready. It’s more of a feeling. I had spent 3 years learning, coaching, networking, and upgrading my equipment. 3 years building a base of clients that needed voice work from me at least once a month. 3 years of learning how to find new work and clients when weeks were running dry. And 3 years simply getting better at what I could do. There was nothing left that I needed to spend money on other than coaching and classes (and food and rent and bills) So I took the leap.

Yes there were points in that year that I began to get nervous. There were two very dry months where perhaps I spent a bit too much on coaching or splurged on a workshop or two too many. And maybe it was faith in “the world will provide” or the "Luck of the Irish" but I managed to pull through with a last minute booking every time, or a repeat client saving my butt. You can’t take a leap of faith in your career without the confidence that you are good enough to succeed. And you definitely can’t stop working your ass off every single day, switching up your routine, finding new ways to get people to hear your voice, auditioning smarter and better and at times, more often! 

Here’s a list of things to keep in mind if and when you decide to take your VO career to the next level. 

Turn the time you spent working the “other job” into more time spent working on Voice Over. This means adding the 20 - 30 hours a week from the job you just quit, to more auditions, workshops, classes, self marketing, and networking. 

• After a long day of auditions or recording, and a few hours of marketing. STILL GO OUT. You will start to get tired and you will be tempted to choose “Netflix and Chill” instead of hanging out with your friends or going to an event that could further your career.

• When money starts to dwindle and make you nervous. Work harder, go out more often, pre-occupy your brain with the NOW, and not the future. Never appear like you NEED work, and don't let the lack of cash stop you from following your routine. (This one is hard, I know) 

• Don’t bore yourself with a routine. Switch up your plan of attack from month to month. Getting stuck marketing the same way, or only taking a workshop on a Wednesday and only with one teacher or place can run the risk of boring you and making you lazy. Seek out new teachers, new classes, new friends. There are wonderful people all around you, find them. 

• Try not to automate your social media. Not everyone is cut out for social media marketing. Do your darnedest to not allow a “bot” to run your social media for you. It is spotted very easily, and makes you look impersonal and at times fake. (If you don’t know what a “bot” is, or have no idea what this means… GOOD) 

• Find a way to give back to the community that gives to you. Don’t always go to networking events to make a connection or to meet someone that can help you. Sometimes.. go and help someone else. You will find that it is just as fun and (sometimes surprisingly beneficial) to make it your sole purpose to help others at networking events. It’s pretty easy to spot who needs help actually, just look for a reflection of you from a few years ago. 

That should be enough to keep you going strong as you keep kicking ass out there. I’m coming up on my 5th year of pursuit into the Voice Over industry, and I couldn’t be more excited for 2016!! I’ve spent the majority of 2015 coaching with Jeff Howell, Dave Walsh and the occasional amazing workshop with Jodi Gottlieb in order to prepare myself for the world of Promo and In-Show narration. I am very confident that I’ve gotten to a place where I can cut the new demo’s so that my agents can get my style and sound into the right ears! I’ve decided to go with Chuck Duran again for these upcoming demo’s. I just love the personal touches he ads and the care he takes in making sure my signature voice shines through each spot. I can’t wait to share them with you all, and see where I land in a few months from now. 

Until then, let’s focus on the present, and make each day worth waking up for. 

Happy New Year friends!

~Jay

Welcome to Hollywood, Now MAKE A CHOICE!

All you need to do, is a make a choice. 

Well, that’s not ENTIRELY ALL you need to do. But it is definitely the first step, and chances are you won’t be able to do do it right away. When I first started acting many many moons ago, my “choice” was, to be an actor, I chose to be on the stage. I didn’t realize back then that that was my 'choice'. But now that I look back at this roller coaster of a path I’ve been on. I realize. it was exactly my chosen focus. Being an actor on the stage. I achieved that for myself while living in New England. I was always on the stage in one form or the other. It was indeed grand. Then I made a “choice” to move to LA and I sure did. Then you know what happened? I forgot to make another choice. I started wanting. I wanted to be an actor, I wanted to be in films, I wanted to be on TV, I wanted to still do improv, I wanted to make video’s for this new thing called youtube with my buddies, I wanted to find a way to get back on stage.. I think you get it. 

I spent 4 years wanting to do it all, and hoping that I could. I did this film over here, and then I did that improv show over there, and I took this class to meet this agent and then that class to meet this casting director, I then did some background to get on this TV show and I kept .. kind of .. inching forward in all directions. Then (Hollywood catch 28) just as you made some progress, the industry changed, or you booked something that took you away from the door that was about to open etc. Needless to say. I wasn’t getting anywhere. Was I living, Was I having fun? Sure, but I was getting fed up. 

Just as I was about to throw in the towel, a window opened to a world I really didn’t know existed. Voice Over. I looked in that window, and smelled what was baking in that kitchen and I had a long talk with myself. I then made a choice. To give up trying to be open to all avenues. To choose to become a voice actor. To put all my resources, networking, money, and focus into one aspect of this entertainment industry. All the little goals in life, became little vo goals, all the big goals became bigger vo goals. Everything pointed in one direction, and a path became clear as day. Still hard as F*#*&K to get going and figure it all out. But at least my path was clear. And goals became easy to achieve. 

I went further with this focus idea. Within VO is many area’s. Video games, Commercial, Promo, Animation, narration, audiobooks etc. I felt it would be best to focus on one at a time. All classes and workshops and practice would be in one area, become great at that and then move to the next. If you’ve read this far and have been following my career, you already know this works. If this is the first thing you are reading of mine, and you got this far, it’s because part of you knows this is making sense. Or perhaps you know this to be true already, you just needed to hear it again. 

It’s very hard to CHOOSE one focus, especially out here in LA. But fear not. All that other stuff your good at. On camera, improv, photography. It will still be there and believe it or not, it will start to happen more and more often for you. Because people will want to work with the successful happy you, you will randomly be asked to go out for an on camera audition or commercial, and you’ll book that because you no longer have a fear of NOT booking it. I’m so busy with VO every day that I don’t have time for the other things, and yet I do. The friends I make will have projects, and they’ll want me to do a bit part here or there, and I always seem to have the time. With my focus and attention in one pot, I’m still very much enjoying them all. 

You start to better define who you are, and people have a clear view of what you can do. For example, let’s say you need some new professional pictures taken. Do you hire the guy who is a photographer, sound engineer, film editor, actor, and works as a bartender at night? Or do you hire the full time photographer, who takes pictures every day? Some of you will say, well whoever is cheaper, or whoever takes better pictures or blah blah.. not the point. You know the point I’m making. With a clear defined focus, you will know exactly what you are after and everyone you meet will know exactly what you do when someone they know needs someone with your skills. 

Accomplishing goals will start to become easier too. Make sure to have your end goals. The lofty ones, then the one’s that may take a year or two to achieve, then the one’s that you achieve in 6 months, and all the way down to your daily “to do” lists.  With those in place and marked on your calendar, you can’t go wrong! I mean, you can, but it will usually be harder to fail. Let’s not forget about Murphy and his laws. Expect that every now and then he will be there, helping you struggle. But go forward and chance that horizon! 

People will Listen, Let’s make it worth their while!

Till next time

~Jay

Getting started as a Voice Actor | Focus, Time, Friends

How's that Leap of Faith treating you?

Dec. 31st 2014 was my last day waiting tables. Now begins my 4th month surviving in LA as an Actor. 8 years in LA, and I am finally able to pay bills (high bills) with my skills. Bills with Skills! I don't know, that was fun to say again. So this "leap of faith" is nerve-racking, exciting, and insane. Every day I wake up I check my phone to see if the work I did the day before has gotten me anywhere. It's that small feeling of Holiday anticipation. 

Last time I posted about my new website, a new demo and a new outlook on life. In January, because of my demo, I was asked back in to where it all started, SBV. I met with everyone there, and they signed me!! It was a dream come true. Mary practically set me on this path of VO, was sent away twice to continue growth and NOW she's my agent (and I'm still growing).

Dedication, Focus, Hard Work, and NEVER giving up. I've been receiving amazing auditions ever since and just last month, on St. Patty's day of all days. I booked with McDonalds! Three TV spots and a Radio spot! It was an incredible full circle! EVEN MORE so, 3 years ago on St. Patty's day at the Tam O'Shanter, Yuri and Tara handed me their book, Voice Over Voice Actor. Back then I was just starting, with no professional equipment no agent and no idea what I was getting myself into, just hope.  This past St. Patty's they both joined me there once again, and we raised a glass to the days incredible booking. (*Note Tara raised some water) It meant a lot more to me than just a cheers to a great day. It was a feeling of gratitude and grace. I've been working my little buns off, and the people I have met, that I look up to, and learn from, have been true leaders and friends. I raise a glass (of wine) to that. 

Remember your Journey.

I will say this. If you are reading this at the beginning of your career, if you have the same hopes I did 3 years ago. I implore you to go back to the beginning of this blog. Not THIS blog, but of this journey of blogs. I went back today and read through what I had written three years ago. I noticed all the "beginner" mistakes I was making and then writing down on my journey. The little "success" I was making back then, felt amazing and when I read them now, I think "Silly boy". But to be honest, I was not silly, I was learning. With the very little money I had, and the serious "no clue" about the business. I realize that's why I started keeping track of my journey. So that I can always REALLY remember where I have come from. So beginners can start reading, and gain a hope and a reality check. This is my 4th year, and only ON this year do I feel like I've made considerable progress. I also, still feel like i'm at the beginning. Stronger & More professional but still just starting! A little voice fledgling in the vast world of opportunity. Making new connections each month, and plotting my next course of action. I have 5 agents for voice over now. Each one is sending me incredible opportunities daily.  But the competition is SO incredibly fierce in this business. There are so many talented Voice Actors. I will not allow myself to stop getting better. 

It Can NOT be done alone

Make friends with talented Voice Actors. We all spend upwards of 10 hours a day in our studio's. Auditions, emails, projects, recording. Many hours are spent trying to figure out how to book that next job. Well all the other professional actors out there are doing the same thing. With all the knowledge combined you can all achieve success faster. Think about it. If I make 5 mistakes this week, and you make 5 mistakes this week and she makes .. you get the point, and then we all get together and talk about our weeks. I will learn from yours and you will learn from mine, effectively saving us time in the long run. AND interacting with each other! A voice actor who simply hermits up and rarely goes out, has less ammo than those that interact. Life gives us the energy and the passion to continue living. Through networking and FRIENDS, opportunities and jobs WILL come your way. When you aren't asking for them, when you aren't hoping they will. If you are doing your job, and everyone else is doing their job. Opportunities arise. One of your clients may ask you if you know anyone that could voice this or that. They ask you, because they like working with you, and they figure, a friend of yours will be just as good, just as great to work with. If you have no friends to offer them, no one as talented as yourself. That opportunity disappears, they will never present more for you down the road. However, if you do happen to suggest someone, and that person wows them, two things happen. 1) They will ask you again the next time they have a need and you get to help out another friend.  2) That friend, will remember that. And you will be on the top of their list when one of THEIR clients does the same thing down the road. Work begets Work and so does good grace.  Here is an example of one of the most recent jobs I've booked through this very thing. I must thank Tim Tippets for sending the audition to his talented friends when his client asked. All the Voice Actors that booked, including Beau Stephenson, James Lax and myself are friends. (You may have to watch it on Vimeo) 

This Is Your Moment. Avant. from VES Creative on Vimeo.

I wish the best to each and every one of you. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter and never hesitate to reach out. We will all rise together! www.JayPreston.com

Here's another recent video from my friends at Next Quest! I voice 3 characters in this episode. Such a blast:

Leap of Faith - 2015

A new year about to begin, and with it, greater success!!

I look back, and almost another 12 months have passed. Many of you follow along on social media, therefore I suppose I don't always feel as though I need to "blog". However, I still feel that it's important to keep some sort of log. A constant reminder and time stamp. So here we are again. 

2015 will be my 4th year of pursuing a career in Voice Over. I will begin THIS entry by saying...

 I QUIT MY DAY JOB! 

Today is the last day of 2014, and the FIRST day being a full time Voice Actor! It is also in some way, a leap of faith. Do I know if I will be a continued success, no. Do I FEEL like I will. Yes. It's a gut feeling, it's almost as if someone has been whispering in my ear this whole year coaxing me to make the jump, to leave behind guaranteed money and safety. As I write that, a smile has crossed my face. It wasn't just someone whispering, it was a year of different people in many different areas of success TELLING me that I'll make it. And you know what. I believe them. 

SUCCESS?! 

Now that word has some weight. Have I done anything HUGE? Have I booked anything monumental? Anything ensuring consistent great money? No, not yet. But what I have done this past year, is book consistently. Some small paying gigs, some very nice paying gigs, a few times a month, and for a few months, a few times a week. My VO income began to surpass my waiting tables income, so much so that I began taking more time off waiting tables. I began signing up for more workshops and classes, and at the end of the year I began seeking out VO coaches. The more I learned, the more I booked. Come December I knew, this is my time, because I needed more time to really get going. I needed to spend MORE time pursuing the craft, learning, networking, and being available for last minute bookings. So yes, this IS a step towards a bigger success. 

PUTTING MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS

I may have mentioned in a prior blog a conversation that I had with Chris Sista. He basically told me, I'm a photographer, a professional photographer, I have the best equipment because I want to be the best. Spend the money on what you are, your business. I don't charge people money and come over with a point and click, so why do you still have a usb mic. That was about 2 years ago, I've been upgrading ever since. I upgraded this year as well. I have a new Pre-Amp and a new Microphone. I will still use my Neumann TLM - 103 daily, but I now have a Sennheiser MKH416 and a John Hardy M-1 Pre. My sound quality has indeed improved! I've been actively seeking out workshops and coaching, continually learning new techniques and methods to attack copy. And the big one, I finally took advice from VO Actor friends that have the success I am looking for. I put money into a professional Voice Over Demo. After MUCH deliberation, weeks of research and questions. I chose Chuck Duran for this task. The consultation with Chuck was the deal sealer, he really got me. Got what I was going for, got my "Brand" my "Signature" and we put it into each peace. In 2011 my first blog post was talking about the demo's I had just made on my own. Since then, I updated and upgraded those demo's twice. And they got me work, they even got me agents. I was continually feeling good about them, and people were saying they sounded good. However, they still didn't compete with some of the demo's I would hear in the agencies I wanted to be in. The Top. The ones that get all the big ticket gigs. I want to voice for Nat Geo, Discovery Channel, I want to voice for Honda, Dunkin Donuts, Target, Microsoft! 

This my friends. Is investing in your business. Voice Acting is my business. If I'm not booking something, I am taking classes to figure out why, and ready to book it the next time it comes around. If I send out an email for a chance to read for something huge, it better have the best sounding demo attached to it. So here it is. My new Demo for 2015

I am very happy with it. It has already opened a few doors and I have only sent it a few places. I've been waiting for the new year, with the new website to really start reaching out with it all. One of the best replies I received from a huge agency was, "This has your signature all over it"  <--That is exactly what I wanted to hear!

IT CAN BE DONE

Don't get discouraged out there. This is my 8th year in LA. This will be my 4th year pursuing Voice Over ONLY. The decision to FOCUS on Voice Over three years ago was a tough one. But it was probably the best decision I made, and it's the only advice I give out constantly to beginners. Focus Focus Focus, make your goals achievable. Have a lofty goal, one that's way out there, but then fill the path to it, with small achievable goals. Every goal achieved lights a bigger fire under that ass of success.

THE NEW YEAR

Join me. Here is my new Facebook VO page : https://www.facebook.com/JayPrestonVO I will be posting jobs, events, exciting news there instead of my personal page. People have told me that's an important thing to have, so why not have one. The new website will go live tomorrow, I'm very happy with the new design and layout. It's just as VO focused as I am now. My VO goals for the new year.

Continued Success ~ Gain More Knowledge ~ Learn what it takes to book a Promo ~ Book more Video Games ~ Book another National ~ Work Daily ~ Make Another Demo

The Happiest of New Years to you all.

May it be a healthy, surprising and prosperous 2015

Jay Preston 2014 Commercial and Explainer VO Mash UP from Jay Preston on Vimeo.

Networking in the VO world

Where do the months go?

I always think to myself, So much has been happening, I need to blog it. But I never get around to it, next thing you know it's over a year later! Hundreds of women have given birth since my last blog! (Including my SISTER!)

Rather than a complete catch you up, I will talk about something that I've been doing the last 10+ months that seems to be working. The next few blogs will hopefully catch you up a great deal and some will focus on ways to achieve success, on a moderate level. (For I have not yet achieved FULL Quit-my-job success...yet)

With that said, I will state, for the record, that without my Job waiting tables at the Tam O'Shanter for the last 5 years, I would not be where I am today. The one person responsible for giving me a head start on this journey and introducing me to some fantastic VO peeps, I met while working the lounge at the Tam on a Friday night. We became friends, and he's been helping me meet people, he's given me great advice along the way, he's pushed me to make smarter decisions all while being a genuine nice guy. It's a rare find out here in LA, a RARE find. And one day I hope to help him out in anyway that I can, not to "re-pay" him, But rather, to thank him.

 LESSON TO LEARN: Do not take your mundane day to day bill paying jobs lightly, you never know what it could lead to. You'd rather be out on a Friday or Saturday night, "networking", why not do it where-ever you happen to be.

On NETWORKING. 

BULL SHIT NETWORKING
I am not a general networker. I don't like talking to people I don't know, about nonsense or jibber jabber just to see if they can help me in any way while knowing full well, they are wondering if I can help them in any way. It's a disgusting necessity of the business as far as I'm concerned.  Being someone who spends much of his life really watching people and how the act and interact, I have developed a gift that is able to read through bull shit and lies, and when someone is talking to me just filling the air with b.s. because they realize I'm not who they hoped I'd be, it eats me up inside. I hate being around it.

FRIEND NETWORKING
The type of networking I do enjoy and am very good at, is when a friend introduces me to someone they know whom they think I should know. It levels the playing fields. It's more comfortable. It also doesn't happen as often as I'd like.

CUT-THE-BS-NETWORKING w/ A FRIEND
There is a third type  of networking that I find works well for people like me. But you need a good friend who is skilled at the first type of Bull Shit Networking. Luckily I have a few who are very good at it. One friend in particular has begun HIS voice over journey and I've been helping him out weekly to get started.  This networking genie can go into a room, talk to almost everyone, weed out the scrappers and find the people you REALLY want to be talking too. Then when his drink runs out, you bring him another, and you are seamlessly introduced to some good people. Then the two of us can keep a conversation going for as long as it takes, and chances are whoever we meet we like, and they like us, a friendship BEGINS. And THAT is what you are looking for. Or, should I say, THAT is what you SHOULD be looking for. A friendship. Not someone that can do something for you.

IT'S not "Who you know", but "Who likes you"

Many people have the wrong concept about networking I think. From my experience it seems like a lot of people talk until they find out what you do, then, if it's something they think could benefit them they say "I should get your card" Or "Here, take my card, we should talk more". I'm guessing, but maybe 10% of those contacts come through. You should never force your card to people or force it from them. The exchanging of information should come organically. For instance;

One says something to the affect of; Damn, where has the time gone? We've all enjoyed each others company so much, but we really should "explore" the rest of this gathering. We should all stay in touch and grab a drink sometime etc. And someone else says Absolutely, Do you have a card? Oh thanks! Here's mine.

This all translates to, "You are someone I would like to work with" "I don't mind being around you" "You are a pretty cool person, we can get along" and other variations of, lets be friends.

When that is the kind of networking you accomplish, you are really making headway.

KEEPING CONNECTED

Always keep in mind that the person you just connected with is probably in high demand. 1,000's of other people are wanting to befriend him/her. So how do you stay in the front of their mind. A short email once a week, maybe once every two weeks. Find out if they are doing anything around town workshops wise or class wise, and go. See if any of your other friends have made a similar connection and go with them to an event. If a few weeks go by and you haven't had an email reply or haven't seen that person. Don't bug them as much, but don't give up either. Every now and then, shoot them another e-mail. Share with them something you've been doing that you are proud of. You never know when you'll catch them at the right time. But don't give up.

Keeping connected can be a hard thing to do. But when it pans out and you gain a friend in the business that you want to be a part of. Nothing feels greater. And one more thing, when you gain that friend, DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING FROM THEM, other than a friendship. If you are hoping and expecting them to hook you up with a job, then you are wasting your time. If you are truly new friends, you will be on there mind and jobs will happen organically through your new connection. Heck, you may even be able to get THEM a job through some more of your networking.

YEAH YEAH YEAH...bullshit.

You may think that I'm just spouting hopeful blah blah blah.. But It's happened to me already on both fronts, and it looks as though it may continue happening throughout the next few months. I've made some great friends over the last 3 years, some of them it took the whole 3 years to make, but I consider some of these VO people (who's names I will keep out of my blogs if I can, and may have already appeared IN my blogs in the past.) to be friends.

and Finally;

EXPAND THAT NETWORK

Don't limit yourself to the neighborhoods around you. There are VO actors in all states, and as you are auditioning for things, you will come across them again and again. Listen to their reels, reach out to them, many of them will reach back out to you. I came across a particular voice actor in New York that I continually noticed was booking job after job. Even jobs I was auditioning for. Rather than thinking, who is this ENEMY!!?? I looked up his website, listened to his work, then .. (small world) when I got my first VO agent a year ago, I realized.. this guy has the same agent! So I contacted him, and we've been friends ever since, he shares much needed knowledge with me, and I've helped him book a job a few months ago. Across the country networking. Keep your mind open.

Bring me that horizon

Wow, thanks for sticking around. Now I get to share with you the latest two things I've worked on. The first and most recent is an ad for Angry Alarms. I worked with this client on The Ories game for iPhone and iPad and they hired me back to write and record over 150 lines of dialogue in my Scottish accent! It has been such a blast to work on and am very much looking forward to the final product. I happened to have a kilt and a pretty funny idea for an ad, and they hired me to do that too! Here it is below.

Another job I am very proud of is this video below for the Honest Tea company.

Thanks for joining me again friends. Stay tuned. Next blog soon! 

"It's been a while" ~ he voiced with confidence.

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

Be Wonderful & Stay Fancy

~Jay

Stopping to Sip the Coffee

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