People are talking about
VOICE 2008

It began on Thursday, August 7th with a Red Carpet Networking Reception attended by nearly 500 professional voice talent, agents, casting directors, producers, studio engineers and others. From Friday, the 8th through the following Monday, VOICE 2008, the second-ever conference for voiceover talent, featured nearly two dozen specialized programs, three amazing panels, a special evening with AFTRA and the cast from “Land Before Time,” a banquet with professional entertainment, and an interview with two of the most creative personalities in the world of voiceover - Dick Orkin & Christine Coyle of The Famous Radio Ranch.

What follows are just a few comments we’ve received from some of those who attended this amazing event. For more comments, please visit www.vouniverse.com or your favorite voiceover discussion board. The buzz about VOICE was literally everywhere!

From VOICE 2008 attendees:

You have no idea the amazing gift you gave me, that was VOICE 2008. To have the wonderful experiences of meeting new friends and spending that special time with you both (James & Penny), was truly invaluable and more than I could have ever dreamt of. I must also say without the amazing tips you both gave me on that night before the meeting with TGMD, I know the outcome could have been so very different and I will always be truly indebted to you both.

With my very best wishes.

Speak to you soon.

Ian "Lofty" Fulton
(Australia)

|||||

Oh my god, was Voice 2008 a hoot or what?

Thanks so much. The Canadian, and more specifically the Vancouver contingent thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The presenters were informative, funny, warm, friendly and inspirational. What more could we want?

And of course it was so great to meet both of you again.

I hope there is a Voice 2009. I can certainly understand why you would like to skip a year, and possibly refer people to Deb & Bob's cruise in Sept '09 - but they are only accepting 75 attendees. What are the other 400 voice actors going to do

If there is anything I can do to assist you for next year, please don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks again. It was a blast !

John Spackman
Vancouver, BC

Comments from VOICE 2008 Presenters & Panelists:

What can I say! This weekend will go down as one of the most memorable, exciting, emotional, and important of my life. You all are just awesome! I KNOW how much work went into this! If there were any glitches only you know, because those of us who attended experienced nothing but a flawless event. Thank you for including me. I am so happy to call you all friends and colleagues. You touched so many lives this weekend. You changed so many lives. You enriched so many lives. Myself included!

Now, get some much need rest!

Much love and respect!

Bob Bergen

|||||

Hello James

Hope you've recovered from what must have a been an exhausting, and exhilarating Voice 2008.

My partner, Pam, and I had a wonderful time, learned a ton, and met some really great people from around the world.

Thank you, and Penny, so much for putting this together. We both plan to attend again next year, and will tell our friends in the biz that Voice is an excellent investment.

With everything we have going on in our lives (we just completed over two hundred scripts for a local television station, and a meditation CD), our first love is still to get into the booth and talk. We are already using information we picked up at Voice 2008, and are going at our business with renewed vigor. This voice business can be a very solitary one, and gatherings like the one you folks organized are extremely valuable.

Thanks again
Bill and Pam

Bill Lawrie
Technical Director / Partner
SOUNDSWRITE Communications, Vancouver, Canada

|||||

Dearest James and Penny and the ENTIRE staff at VOICE,

Words can’t begin to express how honored I was to be a presenter and a participant of VOICE 2008. It goes down in the books as one of the best weekends I’ve had to date!!!!

I was overwhelmed at the response for the Improv Session and learned more than I could have hoped or imagined from all the other Presenters. To think that the two of you were responsible for such an enormous undertaking still blows me away and I am forever grateful for the opportunities you have created just by allowing me to “Play!”

You are truly an amazing team and what you have created will benefit the voiceover community for decades to come.

I felt like I was at the Academy Awards of voices!!!

Having the opportunity to meet and mingle with ALL of the folks at VOICE has forever changed me. What an honor!

See you very soon I hope! I have to plan a mini vacation to San Diego so I can come celebrate your success!

Thank you again for EVERYTHING!

BIG HUGS!
Karly Rothenberg

|||||

At the risk of repeating myself (which I tend to do more these days), I want to thank you again for all your support at VOICE 2008. You put together a phenomenal event - not surprising for a minute.

Thanks for your consideration, but more importantly, your friendship.

Sincerely,

Marc Cashman

|||||

James & Penny

Wow, what a terrific event you guys put together at Voice 2008, and thanks so much for letting me be a part of it! It was great fun and anything I can do to help you out in the future I would be thrilled to do.

Townsend Coleman

|||||

It was a real pleasure to be part of Voice 2008 and it was wonderful to meet the both of you. We really look forward to participating in Voice 2009 in full next year. The conference attendees I spoke with had nothing but glowing reports about the whole weekend.

Let me know if Sound Advice and/or Big House Casting and Audio can be of any service to you in the future.

All the best,

David Guzzone
Casting Director / Producer
Sound Advice / Big House Casting & Audio

|||||

I wanted to take the time to personally thank you for all your hard work and for inviting me as a panelist for Voice 2008. You guys did a GREAT job, and I am truly sad that I have to leave and go home. I made too many new friends to count, including you, and I had such a thrill serving on the panel. Please enjoy some well deserved rest, and thank you again. I would love to be a presenter at the next Voice to even further give back. Thank you again, and please, let's stay in touch.

Oh! I almost forgot, Adrienne McWorter of Abrams asked me to call her when I'm back in NY so, thank you, thank you, thank you for that as well. Keep your positive thoughts going for me.

Rob Sciglimpaglia

Comments from VOICE 2008 Volunteer Staff:

Wow. You're all amazing. What an incredible event and to meet and work with you all! Everything was such a whirlwind, I only wish I'd been there at the hotel to spend more time getting to know each of you. we are all such unique individuals with so much to offer and share with each other.

Being the new kid on the block was a little overwhelming at first, and I thank you for your welcoming me into the fold. It meant a lot to me.

There's so much to think about all we did.... I'm delighting in remembering the time we spent together. Can't wait to do it again! Keep in touch... and all the best in your VO careers. Go out and make it happen!

Talmadge Reagan

|||||

Just want to let you all know how wonderful, giving and selfless you all are and how much I appreciate your service over the weekend. You all helped make everything run so smoothly and efficiently! I too feel so honored to work/play with each and every one of you and can't wait to meet up once again.

Here's to your success, prosperity and voices heard!

Hugs and love,

Martha Kahn

|||||

Two things: first, who’d a thunk working your tail off, practicing deliberate food & sleep deprivation, being key staff members to a major industry conference would be so much derned fun?

I’ve been to and participated in a great many conventions, trade shows and major community events. In my long list of experience, I’ve met lazy jerks, loudmouths, complainers, folks who pathologically love gumming up the works, incompetents, (Some real psychos) (I was in radio remember..) and vowed I’d learn to use the word NO whenever asked again.

I’ve never seen this before. All of you were a winning Super Bowl team member! It was almost spooky. I’ve been on a pile of championship hockey teams teams and sailboat regatta champions. (And on some we really did not get along) I’m fascinated by team and task group dynamics. I’ve studied teamwork and organizational structure. The most important element in this type of endeavor, as in retail, is the public interface. Who do the customers experience as the face of the organization? It was us and all of you were magnificent!

What a rush it was meeting all of you and working with you! No egos, (in this industry? in that town?) just quiet, driven excellence and cool as we maintained a consistency that bordered on spiritual. Perhaps we all heard that still small voice.

Powers will appreciate this as I Socratically ask: ”Why is this the the norm in this particular industry?” (discuss...) a gold star to the one who gets it.

What a boost to my faith in humanity. Imagine the possibilities!

Oy, I’m verklempt! (Sorry, too many SNL metaphors) (I told you I was hazing out!)

Love to you all and thanks for an unforgettable learning experience about life. ‘d do it again in a heartbeat as long as it was with all of you!

Ugh, nap time.......

Dan Leonard :-3)

|||||