Well, it's been sometime since my last confess...I mean post.
I am an aspiring voiceover talent. Sure, I get work now. Small time stuff compared to national talent and work, like network promo which is my goal.
I have begun a postcard campaign to market my services to radio station to be their "voice".
400 cards, 400 stamps, 400 mailing labels. I have another 600 cards to send out.
I am also doing a cd marketing campaign via Voicehunter.com. They are sending out a cd to 5000 radio stations.
I am also doing a cd mailer to TV stations for promo work.
And today, I am starting my VO coaching lessons via Brain Tracks Audio in Los Angeles. Coach Nancy Wolfson is highly recommended in the world of commercial voiceover and even promo.
If all goes well... and I don't need all 14 voice lessons, then I'll see about a demo produced through Brain Tracks.
As for present work, I have commercials airing in New York and Dallas for upcoming Ultimate Doo Wop Shows from Canterbury Productions.
That's about it for today. Have to prep for my lesson. Wish me luck!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Moving
I hate the physicality of moving one's possessions. It's a pain in the you-know-what!
I like moving to a different city...it's an adventure.
I hate moving b/c it costs time and more importantly money.
2-1 against. I hate moving.
Moved from Perrysburg (Toledo) to Huron OH, about 45 miles west of Cleveland.
I am now 60 miles east of Toledo. Meaning I can commute there if needed.
The move is complete. Took the moving company, ABC Movers of Toledo, almost 12 hours, including the one hour drive here and back. Gotta pay for the drive time as well.
Three guys, two trucks. A 23 footer and a 16 foot. What does this mean?
My wife and I have too much crap! Two people with no kids should NOT have this much stuff.
Needless to say as we unpack we are staging things off to the side for a garage sale Saturday October 25th, weather permitting.
I will be selling pretty much every cd and dvd I own. With everything being downloadable these days I can replace whatever I sell at ease and for less than I originally paid for the hard copy version.
Lots of clothing to be had.
I must have 8-10 boxes marked "radio". Gotta go through it and see what can be purged. Or ripped to a hard drive first, then purged at the sale.
The home studio is back together....not quite liking the setup at the new place as I did the old....but I can adapt and overcome (thank you USMC training).
Except...the either the floor is leaning to the right... or my computer desk has about had it and is leaning. Can't tell. I think it's the desk and floor both.
Ideally we're in this house for 10-12 months, then either we land contract this one....b/c we both hate moving... we buy a house locally....or my wife gets a gig at another V.A. location, preferably Wilmington NC.
We'll see.
Until then....Huron OH it is.
Matthews out.
I like moving to a different city...it's an adventure.
I hate moving b/c it costs time and more importantly money.
2-1 against. I hate moving.
Moved from Perrysburg (Toledo) to Huron OH, about 45 miles west of Cleveland.
I am now 60 miles east of Toledo. Meaning I can commute there if needed.
The move is complete. Took the moving company, ABC Movers of Toledo, almost 12 hours, including the one hour drive here and back. Gotta pay for the drive time as well.
Three guys, two trucks. A 23 footer and a 16 foot. What does this mean?
My wife and I have too much crap! Two people with no kids should NOT have this much stuff.
Needless to say as we unpack we are staging things off to the side for a garage sale Saturday October 25th, weather permitting.
I will be selling pretty much every cd and dvd I own. With everything being downloadable these days I can replace whatever I sell at ease and for less than I originally paid for the hard copy version.
Lots of clothing to be had.
I must have 8-10 boxes marked "radio". Gotta go through it and see what can be purged. Or ripped to a hard drive first, then purged at the sale.
The home studio is back together....not quite liking the setup at the new place as I did the old....but I can adapt and overcome (thank you USMC training).
Except...the either the floor is leaning to the right... or my computer desk has about had it and is leaning. Can't tell. I think it's the desk and floor both.
Ideally we're in this house for 10-12 months, then either we land contract this one....b/c we both hate moving... we buy a house locally....or my wife gets a gig at another V.A. location, preferably Wilmington NC.
We'll see.
Until then....Huron OH it is.
Matthews out.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Well...let's see.... what have I been up to of late....
My wife and I are moving to the Huron/Sandusky OH area. She just took a job with the Veteran's Administration there. Most of the facility is state run, however two floors of the out patient clinic are federal. She scored a Federal gig. Nice! Great bennies. Pretty much can't get fired. She has a union. All in all everything I'm against...meaning government, unions, etc.... but works FOR me in this situation. Call me a hyporcrite. I don't care.
Job front. Still don't have a fulltime gig. Working the freelance; imaging, voice over, commercial production and consulting. Whatever I can do for revenue. Haven't taken to the street...yet.
Had some interviews last week in Cleveland for marketing...and even an Admin Asst position. They wanted a lot for very little. State of things these days. Empoyers are in control.
Trying my network to get some part-time work in Cleveland and/or the Sandusky area. Looks like I have something part-time lined-up. If Cleveland works out then I'll do both and juggle. Decent part-time hours, with minimal driving, would help augment the freelance income. I really need more monthly clients as those are contractual (to an extent) and it's monthly $$$ one can count on....until the dreaded "Dear John" you get aka The Canellation Notice. Hear that? That's the vaccum created when my bank account sees the "Dear John".
I NEED to go back to school. I don't WANT to....but NEED to. Looks like computer graphic design or physical therapy assisant. Two different ends of the spectrum. The former is more in-line with staying in the media field and being creative. The latter....being employable, although in Ohio there's only about 50 jobs per year available for that field. There u go. But if/when you get one your good to go.
Have something in the works, that if it pans out, would mean fulltime employment for at least the next 12 months as it would be a contract situation. Which isn't a big deal. Most employment anyone has is at will in Ohio. So a contract situation, where I get paid no matter what, is actually a good thing. I can go back to school and in the long run be better off should this potential opportunity work out.
I'll know more next week....and hopefully know for sure by the end of October, early November. It would be a great Xmas present to get this potential gig. For the other parties involved it's a no-brainer for them to agree to terms... but when has a "no-brainer" ever been just that? Most times common sense escapes people, even smart business types. Can't see the forest through the trees kind of thing. More on that ONLY if it materializes.
Still waiting on a potential VO client to sign papers. I should never have mentioned them below as a new client when the Agreement had yet to be signed. Always a jinx!
Facebook. One word....addictive. I like it better than Myspace as it's more adult (not much though). FB is a good networking tool. Linedin is professional, less personal, and a great networking tool as well.
Until later....adieu'
Matthews out
My wife and I are moving to the Huron/Sandusky OH area. She just took a job with the Veteran's Administration there. Most of the facility is state run, however two floors of the out patient clinic are federal. She scored a Federal gig. Nice! Great bennies. Pretty much can't get fired. She has a union. All in all everything I'm against...meaning government, unions, etc.... but works FOR me in this situation. Call me a hyporcrite. I don't care.
Job front. Still don't have a fulltime gig. Working the freelance; imaging, voice over, commercial production and consulting. Whatever I can do for revenue. Haven't taken to the street...yet.
Had some interviews last week in Cleveland for marketing...and even an Admin Asst position. They wanted a lot for very little. State of things these days. Empoyers are in control.
Trying my network to get some part-time work in Cleveland and/or the Sandusky area. Looks like I have something part-time lined-up. If Cleveland works out then I'll do both and juggle. Decent part-time hours, with minimal driving, would help augment the freelance income. I really need more monthly clients as those are contractual (to an extent) and it's monthly $$$ one can count on....until the dreaded "Dear John" you get aka The Canellation Notice. Hear that? That's the vaccum created when my bank account sees the "Dear John".
I NEED to go back to school. I don't WANT to....but NEED to. Looks like computer graphic design or physical therapy assisant. Two different ends of the spectrum. The former is more in-line with staying in the media field and being creative. The latter....being employable, although in Ohio there's only about 50 jobs per year available for that field. There u go. But if/when you get one your good to go.
Have something in the works, that if it pans out, would mean fulltime employment for at least the next 12 months as it would be a contract situation. Which isn't a big deal. Most employment anyone has is at will in Ohio. So a contract situation, where I get paid no matter what, is actually a good thing. I can go back to school and in the long run be better off should this potential opportunity work out.
I'll know more next week....and hopefully know for sure by the end of October, early November. It would be a great Xmas present to get this potential gig. For the other parties involved it's a no-brainer for them to agree to terms... but when has a "no-brainer" ever been just that? Most times common sense escapes people, even smart business types. Can't see the forest through the trees kind of thing. More on that ONLY if it materializes.
Still waiting on a potential VO client to sign papers. I should never have mentioned them below as a new client when the Agreement had yet to be signed. Always a jinx!
Facebook. One word....addictive. I like it better than Myspace as it's more adult (not much though). FB is a good networking tool. Linedin is professional, less personal, and a great networking tool as well.
Until later....adieu'
Matthews out
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Pistons pep rally today
Well... the Pistons Pep Rally tour wrapped up today at International Park downtown Toledo on the river.
Great turnout for two weeks of promotion on a 500 watt station. We did get some help from media partners FOX Toledo , BCSN and The Toledo Blade.
And since the event was 3-6pm on a weekday... when most are still working... I think it went well. I left at 5pm and there was about 150-200 people there including Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner... who I enlisted to do a promo for WNWT AM 1520 "Toledo's Radio Home of the Pistons"
The Pistons put on one heckuva show! TWO tour busses, one for the support staff, plus "pop-a-shot" for charity and more. The Detroit Shock were to have had players there...but alas no one could make it.
All Pistons on this one. Dance team AutoMotion were great!
All in all 70 people, aside from the three players and coaches, made all of this come off. The City of Toledo gets props for allowing us to get the Pistons to International Park on very short notice. Of course...the Mayor is a big fan. That always helps.
Pictures of the event to follow later. I took A LOT of video.... 2.2GB worth, lol! IF I get the gumption to try to edit it and post I will.
CM
Great turnout for two weeks of promotion on a 500 watt station. We did get some help from media partners FOX Toledo , BCSN and The Toledo Blade.
And since the event was 3-6pm on a weekday... when most are still working... I think it went well. I left at 5pm and there was about 150-200 people there including Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner... who I enlisted to do a promo for WNWT AM 1520 "Toledo's Radio Home of the Pistons"
The Pistons put on one heckuva show! TWO tour busses, one for the support staff, plus "pop-a-shot" for charity and more. The Detroit Shock were to have had players there...but alas no one could make it.
All Pistons on this one. Dance team AutoMotion were great!
All in all 70 people, aside from the three players and coaches, made all of this come off. The City of Toledo gets props for allowing us to get the Pistons to International Park on very short notice. Of course...the Mayor is a big fan. That always helps.
Pictures of the event to follow later. I took A LOT of video.... 2.2GB worth, lol! IF I get the gumption to try to edit it and post I will.
CM
Pistons are in town
I am not a basketball person. However, the reason I mention the Pistons are in Toledo today is b/c my client, Matrix Communications' WNWT-AM 1520, carries the Pistons for radio.
We are hosting their Pep Rally Tour to
day at International Park downtown. It's from 3pm-6pm. Players, coaches and the dance team Auto-Motion will be there.We'll be doing the usual radio fare; banners, tent, getting player and coach audio. The usual. I'll shoot some video for use in TV promos. Pays to have a TV station in the mix! I miss the radio atmosphere... but not the usual business/politics that go with it. So this will be fun interacting with those that show up for the event. Given the time frame... and most people will still be working... I don't know how many will show... but it's good to get the station out and about. We still need a promo vehicle. That will come soon. Then we'll have a moving billboard for the radio and TV station, WMNT-TV
A new website is forthcoming for radio. Once that is up and running then we will work on the TV side.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
It's about time, huh?
Well...looks like I've decided to dip my toe into the "blogger-sphere". I don't know why. I really don't have a lot to say... and if I do I don't know how well informed I am about the topics I'll talk about. But I guess that's the point. This is a "space" to share my thoughts and ideas on topics that are of interest to me.... and possibly to you. I don't know how often I'll blog...or about what.
For now... how about this....
First, I'd like to announce that I've signed a small market rock station to my voice over/production client list....
Welcome to WBRR-FM/Bradford PA.
For those that know me you'll know that I worked from 1994-2000 at legendary rocker WMMS "The Buzzard", and also at heritage oldies WMJI/Majic 105.7.
While there I got to know a then part-timer named Dan aka "Igor". After WMMS we went and did our own things....I went to Raleigh NC to work for AMFM, later Clear Channel. "Igor" got a fulltime radio gig and got into voiceovers and production himself, which later included K-Rock/Cleveland.
Anyway... fast forward to downsizing affecting each of us. I'm of course officially out of work since April 11 2008 when Cumulus Toledo let me go where I was Director of Creative Services for the 8 station cluster as well as Program Director for talk WTOD/Supertalk 1560.
Dan....er "Igor" finds himself in Bradford PA... near the New York State border.
Thankfully "Igor" thinks I sound good as a rock image voice and cons management there into hiring me to be their new "Voice". "Igor" is an extremely talented producer... so HE will make me sound better than I am.
So there's the story of how I snagged WBRR-FM.
And I've also just signed another small market rocker... Welcome as well to .... KEAU-FM THE ROCK HOG @ 102-7 in Great Falls MT. No website yet...hence no link.
A lovely sounding lady by the name of Tammie Toren, a longtime Great Falls vet, liked the way I sounded on local FOX affiliate KTGF-TV and wanted me to be her voice talent.
I will be providing voice and production for KEAU-FM.
And let's see.....
OH YES. Congratulations... publicly.... to my wife who just scored a new job with the Veterans' Administration in Sandusky OH. Great opportunity for her to get back into the Federal government. She worked for the USPS for 14 years before earning her degree and working the private sector for a few years. She was "downsized" this past Spring two months after I was.... which forced her to look for a job and lo-and -behold there was a Fed gig she was qualified for.
I SO should've stayed in college! That's just one of a very few regret's I have in life. Hopefully once we're settled in Sandusky (Huron) I will be able to go back to school... maybe for Computer Graphic Design.... or the always employable medical route and go into Physical Therapy. Always jobs...and they pay quite well.
TOUGH for a longtime "radio person" to transfer broadcast job skills to another industry. Even tougher is convincing prospective employers that my skillset is essentially marketing, public relations, sales, management, customer service, etc.
The freelance is coming along but I'm no Joe Cipriano or John Wells...not yet. I'm trying though. Need to do some direct mail marketing and take some vocal acting lessons. Maybe this January.
And lastly... I've been working with Sonus Marketing in Brentwood TN, outside Nashville, on some Contemporary Christian Music tour radio commercials for their clients. Recently I've voiced and produced tour spots for;
Seventh Day Slumber
The Art, Music Justice Tour featuring Sara Groves
Fireflight (Louisville KY)
Shawn McDonald's "Roots Tour"
And then there's my third year as the voice/producer for Canterbury Productions "Ultimate Doo Wop" shows and their "Doo Wop Yule Pop" shows coming to Charlotte, Omaha, Toledo, Austin, Merrilville IN and more.
You can check out my VO demos here or here
Well...maybe this blogging thing wasn't a good idea.... I hate typing, LOL!
Matthews.... OUT!
For now... how about this....
First, I'd like to announce that I've signed a small market rock station to my voice over/production client list....
Welcome to WBRR-FM/Bradford PA.
For those that know me you'll know that I worked from 1994-2000 at legendary rocker WMMS "The Buzzard", and also at heritage oldies WMJI/Majic 105.7.
While there I got to know a then part-timer named Dan aka "Igor". After WMMS we went and did our own things....I went to Raleigh NC to work for AMFM, later Clear Channel. "Igor" got a fulltime radio gig and got into voiceovers and production himself, which later included K-Rock/Cleveland.
Anyway... fast forward to downsizing affecting each of us. I'm of course officially out of work since April 11 2008 when Cumulus Toledo let me go where I was Director of Creative Services for the 8 station cluster as well as Program Director for talk WTOD/Supertalk 1560.
Dan....er "Igor" finds himself in Bradford PA... near the New York State border.
Thankfully "Igor" thinks I sound good as a rock image voice and cons management there into hiring me to be their new "Voice". "Igor" is an extremely talented producer... so HE will make me sound better than I am.
So there's the story of how I snagged WBRR-FM.
And I've also just signed another small market rocker... Welcome as well to .... KEAU-FM THE ROCK HOG @ 102-7 in Great Falls MT. No website yet...hence no link.
A lovely sounding lady by the name of Tammie Toren, a longtime Great Falls vet, liked the way I sounded on local FOX affiliate KTGF-TV and wanted me to be her voice talent.
I will be providing voice and production for KEAU-FM.
And let's see.....
OH YES. Congratulations... publicly.... to my wife who just scored a new job with the Veterans' Administration in Sandusky OH. Great opportunity for her to get back into the Federal government. She worked for the USPS for 14 years before earning her degree and working the private sector for a few years. She was "downsized" this past Spring two months after I was.... which forced her to look for a job and lo-and -behold there was a Fed gig she was qualified for.
I SO should've stayed in college! That's just one of a very few regret's I have in life. Hopefully once we're settled in Sandusky (Huron) I will be able to go back to school... maybe for Computer Graphic Design.... or the always employable medical route and go into Physical Therapy. Always jobs...and they pay quite well.
TOUGH for a longtime "radio person" to transfer broadcast job skills to another industry. Even tougher is convincing prospective employers that my skillset is essentially marketing, public relations, sales, management, customer service, etc.
The freelance is coming along but I'm no Joe Cipriano or John Wells...not yet. I'm trying though. Need to do some direct mail marketing and take some vocal acting lessons. Maybe this January.
And lastly... I've been working with Sonus Marketing in Brentwood TN, outside Nashville, on some Contemporary Christian Music tour radio commercials for their clients. Recently I've voiced and produced tour spots for;
Seventh Day Slumber
The Art, Music Justice Tour featuring Sara Groves
Fireflight (Louisville KY)
Shawn McDonald's "Roots Tour"
And then there's my third year as the voice/producer for Canterbury Productions "Ultimate Doo Wop" shows and their "Doo Wop Yule Pop" shows coming to Charlotte, Omaha, Toledo, Austin, Merrilville IN and more.
You can check out my VO demos here or here
Well...maybe this blogging thing wasn't a good idea.... I hate typing, LOL!
Matthews.... OUT!
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