2025 Study Groups (Jan-June)

June Study Group

Voice Acting Workshop Insights

Carrie led a voice acting workshop focusing on character development and effort in animation. The session included a warm-up exercise with the "7 things" game and a main activity where participants had to create a voice for a cartoon character within 30 seconds. 

Animation Audition Character Development

The group discussed character development and line delivery for an animation audition. Carrie and Brooke explored different interpretations of a character stealing something, with Brooke explaining how she added depth to the character by incorporating justification and motivation in her second take. They discussed the trend of complex villain characters in recent animation, with Brooke noting the rise of stories told from the villain's perspective and the audience's interest in morally ambiguous characters.

Character Line Readings Exploration

Carrie led a discussion on character line readings, encouraging Brooke to try the second line and Michaella the third. Carrie provided feedback and suggested exploring the character's self-loathing and internal conflict in the father-daughter dynamic.

Princess Character Development Exercise

Carrie leads the group through a character development exercise focusing on a Princess character. Brooke and Michaella take turns delivering lines with different emotional undertones, including snarky, neurotic, and germaphobic interpretations. Carrie provides guidance on conveying subtext and offers an exercise to merge spoken subtext with the actual line. 

Robot Character Voice Discussion

The group discussed a character voice for a robot, with Michaella performing a test reading that Carrie found effective. The discussion then moved to a scene where a robot discovers a criminal attempting to pick a lock, with Brooke and Carrie clarifying that the lock was on the robot itself rather than the house.

Improv Scene Practice and Techniques

The group practiced improv scenes, focusing on establishing relationships and adding context through three-line exchanges. Carrie emphasized the importance of the "yes, and" rule, where participants affirm and build upon each other's statements. 

Improvisation Exercise: Emotional Delivery

Carrie explains an improvisation exercise where participants deliver lines with underlying emotions. Michaela, Brooke, and Michael perform a three-line scene about a patient with a tree growing out of their ear, with each actor conveying a different emotion. 

Improvisational Scene-Building Techniques

Carrie guided Brooke and Michaella through an improvisational scene, emphasizing the importance of establishing relationships and physical settings without being too specific. She encouraged them to build context and history into their improvisations, using examples like shared memories of popsicles to add depth. Carrie praised their efforts and suggested they continue practicing to develop their scene-building skills.

May Study Group

Marketing in Voice Acting Industry

Carrie and Joyce discussed the importance of self-awareness and marketing in the voice acting industry. Joyce expressed her intention to focus on marketing rather than auditioning, and Carrie explained the benefits of marketing, including the ability to control one's brand and target specific clients. Brooke also shared her struggles with understanding branding and how to effectively present it. Carrie offered guidance on how to translate a brand story into different social media platforms and emphasized the importance of consistency in branding.

Improving Vocal Endurance for Reading

Carrie and Joyce discussed the importance of vocal endurance and engagement during reading exercises. Joyce expressed her need to improve her voice strength and endurance, while Carrie suggested building up the strength through regular practice and recording sessions. They also touched upon the importance of mental engagement and physical well-being in maintaining good reading skills.

Improvisation Session Enhances Creativity

Carrie led an improvisation session, focusing on the "7 Things" game and an emotion-countdown exercise. The session aimed to enhance creativity, quick thinking, and emotional expression through improvisation.

Voice Acting Exercises for Emotions

Carrie led a series of voice acting exercises, focusing on various emotions such as exhaustion, surprise, pride, and jealousy. Participants were asked to physically embody these emotions while counting down from 10. The exercises aimed to improve the participants' ability to convey emotions through voice acting.

Emotions and Acting in Character

Carrie guided the team through an exercise involving emotions and acting. Brooke shared her experience of playing a character, while Joyce discussed the importance of releasing awareness and leaning into emotions. Karen raised a question about balancing authenticity with character portrayal, which Carrie addressed by emphasizing the importance of stretching one's personality and imagination. The team also practiced a three-line scene exercise, focusing on establishing relationships and adding information to the scene.

Role-Playing Scenarios and Character Interactions

Carrie led a discussion on role-playing scenarios, focusing on relationships and character interactions. The participants, Brooke, Joyce, and Karen, took turns playing different roles, such as a late employee, a coach, a best man, a celebrity movie star, a salesperson, and a manager. They practiced affirming, adding more information, and responding to absurd situations. Carrie provided feedback on their performances, emphasizing the importance of affirming and giving gifts to their partners. She also highlighted the significance of finding the game within the skit and the use of callbacks. The team ended the session with a discussion on improving their responses and moving on to longer scenes.

April Study Group

Vocal Health

Carrie, Brooke, Trenise, Michele, and Jerry discussed their health issues, particularly the cold weather and its impact on their voices. They shared remedies for maintaining vocal health, such as staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and using throat coat tea. They also discussed the effectiveness of functional medicine, marshmallow capsules, and homemade teas with garlic, ginger, manuka honey, and cayenne pepper. 

Voices.com Client Quality and Payment

Carrie and Brooke discussed the quality of clients on auditioning platforms like Voices.com. Brooke raised concerns about auditions not being listened to, even after completion. Carrie explained that the quality of clients varies and it's easy for anyone to post a job on these platforms. She also mentioned that Voices.com doesn't seem to hold clients to a standard. Brooke noted that some jobs are managed by Voices.com, which might be more professional. Carrie suggested that Voices.com guarantees payment if a job is booked, but takes a percentage. Brooke also mentioned a feature on the platform where clients can pay to feature their job for a faster response.

Source Connect vs Source Connect Now

Carrie explained the difference between Source Connect and Source Connect Now, stating that Source Connect is a paid software for high-quality audio transmission, while Source Connect Now is browser-based and free. She advised that if a client requests Source Connect, it's likely they expect the paid version. Trenise suggested not investing in Source Connect until a job requires it. Carrie also discussed IPDTL, a software for ISDN hardwiring, which is less commonly used now. She recommended using Source Connect for most cases.

Improving Confidence With Alphabet Game

Carrie discussed the importance of confidence and positivity during directed sessions, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the process. She also introduced an improv game, the alphabet game, where participants had to name a food item starting with a specific letter. The game aimed to encourage quick thinking and creativity, with the understanding that there are no right or wrong answers.

7 Things Game Categories

In the meeting, the team played a game called "7 Things" where they had to come up with seven items related to a given category. The categories included restaurants, lakes, and clothing brands. The team members took turns naming items, with each person contributing one item to the list. The game was played in pairs, with each pair taking turns naming items. The team had fun and enjoyed the game.

Voiceover Preparation Exercises and Room Theme

Carrie led a series of exercises to help the team prepare for voiceover work. The first exercise involved counting and shaking out the body to loosen up before entering the booth. The second exercise focused on visualization, where each team member added an inanimate object to an empty room, with the goal of maintaining a consistent theme. The team then discussed the name for the room they created.

Creating Depth in Character Performances

Carrie leads a discussion about creating depth in character performances. She emphasizes the importance of understanding a character's specific motivations and backstory, rather than relying on generic emotions. Carrie suggests that actors should keep asking "why" to uncover the layers beneath a character's actions. She also recommends the technique of imagining having a secret to add complexity to a performance. The group then prepares to practice two-person scenes with specific relationships and contexts to avoid generic interactions.

Improvisation Session for Voiceover Actors

Carrie led an improvisation session where participants were paired up to engage in short scenes. The participants were given various roles such as parent and child, boss and employee, and doctor and patient. They were encouraged to affirm and build upon each other's statements, and to establish relationships and heighten the conversation. The session also touched on the concept of high and low stakes in improvisation. The participants found the session helpful and enjoyable, and Carrie emphasized the benefits of improvisation for voiceover work.

Voice Coaches for Career Development

Brooke and Carrie discussed potential voice coaches for Brooke's career. Carrie recommended coaches Allison, Everett, and Dave, with Allison and Everett being suitable for beginners. Carrie suggested focusing on commercial coaching as a starting point, as it is a transferable skill. Brooke expressed uncertainty about her direction, considering her diverse interests in animation, video games, and accents. Carrie reassured Brooke that she is on the right track and that coaching could help her improve her skills.

Voiceover Auditions and Coaching Discussion

Brooke discusses her voiceover audition statistics, noting that she has submitted 116 auditions, with 57 listened to and 5 shortlisted. Carrie suggests offering a beginner's workshop for voiceover coaching in late April. They discuss the importance of professional coaching to improve skills and calibrate performance. Brooke mentions working on a marketing letter for local businesses and asks for Carrie's feedback, which Carrie agrees to provide during office hours. They also touch on the challenges of finding the right tone and pacing for voiceover work.

March Study Group

Improv Games for Voiceover Warm-Up: Carrie introduces the group to improv games for the day, starting with "7 Things" as a warm-up exercise. She explains the rules and objectives of the game, emphasizing the importance of speaking off the cuff and getting out of one's head. The group plays a round of "7 Things" with various categories. Carrie then introduces a new game called "Build a Room" to help with visualization and creativity, explaining its rules and purpose in relation to voiceover work.

Improvisation in Voiceover Work: In the meeting, Carrie and Akosua discussed the importance of improvisation in voiceover work, with Akosua being a beginner. They played a game called the Press Conference, where Akosua was an expert and Carrie and Trenise were reporters. Akosua was to create a character and answer questions about a new initiative related to swimming or water. The team emphasized the importance of saying "yes, and" to build on the momentum and creativity in improvisation.

Role-Playing Exercise and Future Activities: In the meeting, Akosua, Carrie, Trenise, and Brooke discussed their recent role-playing exercise. Akosua and Trenise praised Brooke's performance, and Carrie provided feedback on their reactions and emotions during the exercise. Carrie emphasized the importance of natural reactions and emotional responses in their future work. The team also discussed their upcoming activities, including a workout session and office hours.

February Study Group

1. Voice Over Journeys and Support
   Carrie, Glenda, and Brooke had a meeting to discuss their respective journeys in voice over work. Glenda, who was attending her first live session, shared that she was at the beginning of her voice over journey and was looking to create a new demo. She also mentioned that she was stepping out of her comfort zone to pursue this goal. Carrie and Brooke, who were also in the early stages of their voice over journeys, expressed their excitement and shared their experiences of setting up their studios. They agreed to support each other in their respective journeys.
2. Voice Acting Tutorial and Client Needs
   In the meeting, Brooke expressed her need for a tutorial on various aspects of her work, including audio processing and recording techniques. Carrie advised Brooke that she didn't need to become an expert in processing, but should aim for a clean and pure sound. She also emphasized the importance of understanding the needs of clients and the type of work they require. Carrie suggested that if Brooke wanted to offer full-service production, she could learn more about audio processing, but for standard voice acting, it wasn't necessary. The discussion also touched on the importance of understanding the client's needs and the potential for self-learning in the voice-over industry.
3. Improvisation Techniques and Audio Issues
   In the meeting, Brooke and Carrie discussed technical issues related to audio recording and the use of a new mic stand. Carrie explained the importance of improvisation in voiceover work, emphasizing the need to exercise imagination and creativity. She also discussed the rules of improvisation, including the concept of "yes, and" to support each other's ideas. Glenda asked about her audio volume, and Carrie confirmed that she could hear Glenda. Brooke then asked a question, but the content of the question was not specified in the transcript.
4. ACX Sign-Up Process and Tax ID
   Brooke raised a question about the process of signing up for Acx, specifically about the requirement for a tax ID. Carrie clarified that she wasn't sure how Acx functions, but suggested that if Brooke was a DBA, she could use her social security number instead of the tax ID. Carrie also advised that while it's not necessary to register as a DBA before starting, it's advisable to consult a lawyer or financial expert for guidance. Carrie recommended reaching out to Rob Siglin, a lawyer and voice actor who represents many voice actors and can provide legal and financial advice. She also mentioned that Rob Siglimpadia has a book called "Voiceover Legal" that could be helpful for those entering the voiceover industry.
5. Acting Techniques for Voice Actors
   Carrie discussed the importance of acting techniques in voice acting, emphasizing that it's a skill that needs to be practiced and improved over time. She suggested that embodying a character and understanding the audience is crucial for a natural and creative performance. Carrie also mentioned that she's developing exercises for non-acting voice actors to help them learn acting techniques. Jerry expressed his concerns about the feasibility of acting without a genuine acting background, but Carrie reassured him that it's possible with practice and patience. The team also discussed the importance of finding stories in scripts and not being neutral in performances.
6. Improv Exercise
   
   
   • 7 Things Game With Carrie
   • Improvisation Session With Alphabetical Rules
   • Storytelling Exercise Insights and Challenges

January Study Group

1. Purpose of Study Group
   • To help people assimilate information from the intensive course.
   • Originally intended to assist with information assimilation, but evolved into a general Q&A and teaching session.
   • Focus shifted towards implementing voiceover knowledge rather than just acquiring head knowledge.
2. Importance of Improvisation in Voiceover
   • Improv classes are crucial for implementing voiceover skills and becoming better at auditioning and acting.
   • Improv helps in thinking creatively, being spontaneous, and avoiding self-judgment.
   • It complements the live events of the intensive course, such as office hours and workout groups.
3. Improvisation Activities
   • Warm-up exercises like naming seven things in a category to stimulate quick thinking and spontaneity.
   • Building a room collaboratively by adding one object at a time to create a story and enhance imagination.
   • Expert game where participants act as experts in a specific field and answer questions from a press conference, focusing on character development and spontaneity.
4. Character Development and Spontaneity
   • Participants develop unique characters with backstories and motivations.
   • Emphasis on physicality, posture, and facial expressions to enhance character portrayal.
   • Encouragement to stay in character, be spontaneous, and embrace the yes and approach to responses.
5. Feedback and Reflection
   • Participants appreciated the freedom and challenge of thinking on the spot.
   • Engaging in character-driven activities helped improve spontaneity and connection to the material.
   • The exercises aimed to enhance voiceover skills by promoting character development, creativity, and improvisation.