Production Obsession I've fallen into some social media redundancy traps. Obsessing over productivity, bombarding my posts with recent accomplishments both large & small, touting my perspective and viewpoint while constantly comparing myself to others in my field. I try to make my online persona as kick-ass as possible, reaching for engagement and validation from groups of people doing precisely the same thing... The more I obsess over being "productive", the more the "telling" of it becomes the most recognizable act in my communication chain. Once people do take notice, with shares & likes & conversation, it sparks a chain reaction, feeding an inflated sense of self-worth until I'm no longer sure if I'm proud of my work or caught up in the way it may be received on social media. Recognition currency often feels more important than even my accomplishments, and while I pat myself on the back for conquering every minor hurdle in my career journey, I often ignore the steps it takes to get me where I'm going. I get lost in the hustle. So, am I doing things or am I spending time saying I'm doing things? Self-promotion is a big part of the actor game, but it's really the how and why that's been on my mind, especially as they relate to my own industry. I know I need to share my work, get my name out there, and promote what I do. Plus? I really enjoy getting together with other voiceover talent, producers, and industry people. I also love what I do, and spend a lot of time practicing. Go to a conference, break into a genre, work with a new coach, release a new demo. I'm here for all of it, but this showing off what I'm doing part is still rough. Comparison Variations If I'm not hustling just like everyone else, there's a sharp pull toward feeling like I'm wrong. Scrolling online feeds, I find variations of Be the BEST! Win at all costs! Never show weakness! Always be Positive! Fake it till you Make it! Everyone appears to be doing incredible! And my stomach sinks because my own accomplishments pale next to this steady stream of AWESOME, while I hurry to catch up to the latest trend in a fast-moving game. I join new social networks, post my shit all over the place, and feel better for a day or two. Trouble is, as long as I'm feeling comparative and inadequate, it's easy to become addicted to being my "best self" rather than my true self. The true self that actually books work, connects with clients, and struggles with the day-to-day aspects of voice over, just like everyone else. The true self who puts in the hours, does the work, and rarely gets the proper credit. The guy who wears sweatpants and really needs a haircut right now...the "not-ready-for-Instagram" Christian. That guy's an artist, and vulnerable as hell. Hustle culture is obsessed with striving, relentlessly positive, devoid of humor, and — once you notice it — impossible to escape. New media upstarts glorify ambition not as a means to an end, but as a lifestyle. - Erin Griffith WATCH THIS So here's what I know I work consistently. I experiment, fail and try again. Sometimes things are slow and the gaps do lead to self doubt, questioning of the creative process, fear of failure, etc. I'm not failing. This is humanity, and I'm not a robot yet. References Griffith, E. (2020). Why Are Young People Pretending to Love Work?. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/business/against-hustle-culture-rise-and-grind-tgim.html [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020]. The Personal Philosophy Project. YouTube, (2019). Rejecting Hustle Culture. 17 Dec 2019. Accessed 2 Jan. 2020 Photo by Justin Veenema on Unsplash

New take on classic animation by Vimeo artist Matte CG "Afterwork" #burntoutrabbit #animation #vimeo #afterwork #watchthis

Ear Catching: UnitedHealthcare TV Spot Wedding Catastrophe Leo Burnett is back with another hilarious UHC TV campaign imagining all the all-too-real ways we might get into the healthcare system, including seagulls and marriage... #commercial #TV #unitedhealthcare #seagulls #marriage #funny #healthcare #voiceover

Great storytelling in 2019 World Series Nasa TV Spot VO talent, Glenn Steinbaum voices major inspiration in this new World Series spot for Nasa. Loving this delivery! #glennsteinbaum #voiceover #inspiration #narration #worldseries #nasa

Instant Pot ad hitting all the right notes NYC-based voice Julia Knippen grabs attention in this new Instant Pot Commercial, and I can't stop listening. Her sound is incredible - accessible, fun and inviting - plus? She's got great rhythm and tone, hitting all the right notes for a product I still haven't quite figured out how to use... Super Bonus An in-demand voice talent, Julia also owns and operates SoundVine Studios in Manhattan - one of the best places to work from! Book her voice, and her studio. Seriously, you'll love working with this talented phenom. #juliaknippen #voiceover #commercial #instantpot #soundvine #newyorkvoice

Mock Subway Ads Question MTA Intentions / Perspective Let's face it: we don't know enough about someone's individual situation to judge them. Living in NYC for many years has taught me how close we all are to poverty, and how much we all need to take care of each others' individual situations. Each day I ride the subway with strangers from all walks of life, and every single person has a story - not everyone is able to afford a subway fare, and that sucks. A few weeks ago some crafty mock subway ads appearing throughout the subway began calling into question the MTA's intentions behind the recent fare evasion crackdown. The ads are clearly fake but the motive seems to come from a place of empathy. AMNewYork's Nicole Brown writes about it in this recent article, and I highly recommend the read: "Swipe it Forward" #mta #subway #advertising #nyc

If My Take was Perfect, why do we need to do another one? - Roman Roy Episode 8 of HBO's Succession shows a fabulous recording scene in which Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) goes behind the mic to record a tribute message for his father, Logan (Brian Cox). When given direction by the engineer, this session goes off the rails! Totally worth a watch... Also congrats to the cast and crew on being renewed for a third season! #hbo #succession #TV #booth #recording

Pipes and styles that make me pay attention! I've got my ear constantly to the ground, listening for textural and meaningful ideas to incorporate into my job as a voice actor. Today's list includes a handful of voices with unmistakable vocal qualities both in and out of the voice over profession. Some have put me to sleep (in a good way), some have gotten me through documentaries and others have kept my attention with their message and intention no matter the situation. Ginni Rommity Liev Schreiber Diana Devitt Dawson Will Lyman Bob Ross Richard Thomas Julia Knippen Michelle Norris Mark Erlwine WhispersRed ASMR Josh Goodman Paige Clements Scott Rudin Bob Edwards Mara Junot Mike Rowe Gene Simmons Martha Stewart Howard Parker Russell Ferrante Anthony Bourdain Joshua Redman Tim Wise #voices

Sneak Peak into Design of Future Amtrak Acela The new Amtrak Acela interior design is looking very much like European Rail... These new mock-ups show a future high-speed system that makes me excited! #trains #travel #business Photo by Daniel Abadia on Unsplash

Streaming while you work? This internet station, created and curated by youth phenom Mason Kelter, is a simple, tune-filled sampling of contemporary hits and today's top tracks. Mason is a consummate professional, easy to work with and confident in his vision for the station. He's a clear communicator with a long successful road ahead, and I'm excited to see Vibes Online continue to take off! STREAM HERE: http://www.vibesonlinefm.com #radio imaging #streaming #ACH radio #voice over #vibes online

Sounds of New York: Manhattan During downtime between auditions, I take walks around the city with my iPhone camera and Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset and capture the sounds of busy Manhattan life. Take in everything around you - conversations fading into a crowd, cars and busses whizzing by, passing foot steps, horns and hums. It's hard to take everything about NYC for granted. But then again, why would you? #sounds #newyork #nyc #voice

Excellent for a dry, scratchy throat that needs to be ON GAME for a morning session I've been using these lozenges for about a year, at the recommendation of Lauren McCullough, and I now bring them with me to in-person auditions and studio sessions of all kinds. My goal is centered around vocal health, and much like the Voice37 Drops I reviewed earlier, these help out when performance looms. They're a great last-minute throat fixer if things get a little strained, and a long-term remedy during a dry session. #voice #health #reviews #vocalzone