My first session!

I had a chance to record in a professional ISDN studio... my very first time! It was a truly amazing experience - by far, one of the coolest experiences of my entire life!

I was contacted by Studio Center in LA, who has a studio here in Memphis, and they asked me to come in and audition. They told me to be prepared and to have my own material.

So I squeezed in as many voices into as short amount of time as possible. In the producers own words, he was "blown away." He asked me to do more, which I wasn't really prepared to do, but luckily for me, I had a few things I'd previously written and memorized. I did three or four bits off the top of my head like some fake movie trailers and a George Bush speech.

He actually interrupted the producers in the other recording booth so I could do some characters for them.

On TOP of that, he sent me a copy of my audition, fully-produced with music he did himself... for FREE. Overall, a really, really great experience... and LOTS of fun.

Yes, I bumbled a couple of words from being a little nervous, but I quickly got over it and just had a great time!

Here is what I did for the audition: http://manof1000voices.com/Documents/NightBefore.mp3

I was told to come back mid-December (no date yet) and have enough original material for 5 - 10 of my best voices, around 15 seconds a piece. I stayed half an hour after only having supposed to have stayed a few minutes, so I'm going to try to double the "order" just in case he wants to be entertained again. He was Paul Shanklin's first producer (the political impressionist that is often featured on Rush Limbaugh's show).

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Permalink Reply by Michael Murphy on December 6, 2008 at 9:49am
Good going!

Mike
Permalink Reply by Jon Bailey on December 6, 2008 at 4:11pm
Thanks, Mike. It was just amazing. Kid in a candy store... I'm tellin' ya.
Permalink Reply by John Iron on December 7, 2008 at 8:56am
You have got to be one of the best character voices I have ever heard...Pat Fraley look out, here comes J.C. Bailey! :-)

My first time in a pro studio had a similar effect on me...what an ego trip! (I mean that in a good way - like in confidence boost).

Keep us posted on your progress!
Permalink Reply by Jon Bailey on December 7, 2008 at 4:48pm
I wished I could say it was all ego and pride, but honestly, I felt tiny and insignificant! Like, "what am I doing here?!?" But after I got comfortable behind the mic, I just had a great time with it. And then the producer and I talked shop for awhile... I'm a tech junkie too. It was just a really fun experience... like the first time at Six Flags or something! What "boosted" me was the kind words of the producers. I enjoyed entertaining them almost as much as they enjoyed being entertained!

I'll be sure to keep everyone up to date! I should know more in a week or so.
Permalink Reply by Barry Trussell on December 10, 2008 at 9:01pm
Gosh J.C., I thought I was listening to Frank Caliendo. What a great job you did. Good luck on that dude!
Permalink Reply by Jon Bailey on December 11, 2008 at 2:17am
Ha! Thanks, Barry. I got word today that I'm to go back next Tuesday and record again! Ya! And I found out more about Studio Center. They are primarily a production company. They produce commercials, shows, movies, music, the works. But they also act as a talent agency. Apparently, they pre-screen the talent VERY closely, as I had to get by the local producer, the agent in Virginia, and the big cheeses in LA before being accepted. The agent told me over the phone that he was VERY impressed and the local producer had just raved about me. He said that the normal protocol was to send 10 talent auditions to the bosses in LA at a time, but he was so confident in me that he is sending mine all by itself. The only drawback? I will have to sign an exclusive contract with them. But I'm beginning to think that it may not be the worst idea! There isn't that much of an outlet for voice work where I live. It won't be a lifetime contract. It will get me some experience and hopefully some extra money without having to quit my job. PLUS, I get a free demo out of it! That ALONE saves me thousands of dollars.
Permalink Reply by Michael Murphy on December 11, 2008 at 4:14am
But exclusive really keeps you from anything else thay may come along. I would bounce it off some people here that have been in the business a bit. Just send them a message and ask their thoughts.


Mike
Permalink Reply by Jon Bailey on December 11, 2008 at 9:59am
That I know, but as I said, voice acting in the Memphis area is extremely rare and I can't do it from home, so a year with Studio Center may not be a bad idea to cut my teeth on and then move to something else. But I've been talking with Bob Bergen and others about it, so thanks for keeping an eye out for me!
Permalink Reply by Michael Murphy on December 11, 2008 at 10:04am
Glad to hear you spoke to someone with experience.


Mike
Permalink Reply by Jon Bailey on December 11, 2008 at 10:20am
Learned my lesson earlier on. Stuck in a contract with a lazy agent who is going to try to charge me commission for anything I get elsewhere, even though she's NEVER found me work. Trying to figure out how to terminate my contract with her so she won't get paid for work I found on my own - losing MY money to her.
Permalink Reply by Dina Monaco-Boland on December 16, 2008 at 9:31pm
Cool, very cool!!! Really enjoyed it!!!

Isn't it just pure joy to do what you love to do? Great story!!!

Hope things went well for you today and wishing all you the best!!
Permalink Reply by Jon Bailey on December 17, 2008 at 3:02am
OH, OH, YES IT IS!!! I so look forward to doing this for an actual career! I HOPE! I HOPE! I HOPE! I go back in a couple of days... supposed to have gone back Tuesday but we had an ice storm warning and we had to reschedule.

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