June Study Group
This month's Study Group demonstrates improv exercises to strengthen on-the-fly performance for voiceover, especially giving A B and C reads with distinct variations while meeting script specs. After a discussion of how to stay loose and say what comes to mind, the group does warmups including the seven-things game, a countdown arm and foot shake routine, and a collaborative room-building mystery scene. The main activity is an “expert” improv game using PAPA PAO elements like voice, action, posture, prop, and obsession, where participants pitch exaggerated theories such as starting a dad donut shop and indoor banana-tree gardening in kitchens, followed by Q and A in character. It ends with one more expert scenario about a Triple A-style roadside help network using everyday cars for highway breakdowns.
(You can watch the video directly on Loom to be able to click on timestamps)
00:00 Welcome and power issues
05:28 Improv for voiceover tips
09:01 Seven things warmup game
15:20 Body warmup countdown
17:31 Build a room story
31:49 Expert interview improv
35:17 Expert Donut shop theory
46:42 Expert indoor banana chemical
59:33 Expert roadside help service
01:09:19 Wrap up and office hours
May Study Group
This month's session is an improv study group focused on voiceover training through scene immersion and the yes and principle. Participants discuss how saying yes and helps them explore emotional angles, and how being inside the scene helps with character, tone, and reducing self-judgment. The group leads warmups including emotional countdown from 10 to 1 with different emotions, a “seven things” game, and an “expert” roleplay where a character answers panel questions, featuring examples like a tank-mermaid Sound of Music production and a Hawaii food critic. The session also covers character-building tools like using props, VAPOP0 elements, and hand palm positioning, with closing encouragement to attend a series of interviews mentioned by the facilitator.
(You can watch the video directly on Loom to be able to click on timestamps)
00:00 Travel and welcome catch up
03:36 May study group goals
09:27 Voiceover warmup emotional countdown
19:28 Seven things quick game
21:47 Expert news conference game
24:00 First expert panel and QnA
37:11 Second expert Hawaii food critic
48:22 Final expert magical board game
59:06 Group feedback and takeaways
01:06:26 Next events and closing
April Study Group
In this month's Study Group, I welcomed Terah and Nikki to our Voiceover Success Intensive study group and used improvisation games as practice for audition readiness. We warmed up with seven things categories, built a shared 3D room by adding objects step by step, and then did improv scenes in pairs using yes and, avoiding negation, and not asking questions. We role-played high stakes and lower status dynamics, then did a mall mom and teenage daughter scene. I shared voiceover tips about effort, immersing in actions, and reacting to your environment. No action was required, but I asked you to practice building a room on your own.
(You can watch the video directly on Loom to be able to click on timestamps)
00:00 Welcome and event start
08:35 Improv basics and yes and
11:24 Seven things warmup game
18:36 Building a shared room
32:37 Moving into two person scenes
41:13 How to run a scene
43:55 Park ranger mystery scene
51:18 Mall mother daughter scene
54:55 Scene feedback and tips
58:18 Upcoming schedule and closing
March Study Group
This month's Study Group includes voice acting improv warmup and scenes. We started with Seven Things, then did scenes using VAPAPO tools, voice, animal, posture, action, prop, obsession, with lots of feedback on physicality and giving your scene partner gifts. We worked a pool best friends swimsuit scene, a hot garden sisters bees and butts scene, and a farmer’s market tomato salesman vs buyer saga with a callback to the coffee guy. I also talked about audiobook channel ideas, AI voice monetization risks, and outreach updates. No viewer action was requested.
(You can watch the video directly on Loom to be able to click on timestamps)
00:00 Arrival and casual updates
08:22 Improv seven things warmup
11:42 Audiobook channel ideas discussion
19:27 Personal updates and acting return
24:17 Voices outreach and momentum
32:14 VAPAPO character building
38:43 Friends pool swimsuit comedy
48:19 Scene feedback and guidance
01:02:14 Farmer market tomato soap opera
01:08:10 Wrap up and goodbyes
February Study Group
I hosted our improv study group warmup and scenes with the group. Tatiana shared a recent voiceover booking for a local theater in the DC Maryland Virginia area, and we celebrated how branding helped her bio. We played a seven things game, then worked on scene skills like relationship establishment, purposeful small talk, and committing to character. We did three scenes, conference elevator, playground parent and unsupervised kid, and animal adoption center with a dropping off volunteer. I did not ask for any specific action from viewers.
(You can watch the video directly on Loom to be able to click on timestamps)
00:00 Welcome and scheduling reminders
03:37 Check in and announcements
09:38 Group warm up shakes and counts
21:16 Improv goals and discussion
25:50 Elevator conversation scene
33:09 Playground child and parent scene
46:13 Animal adoption center scene
55:20 Feedback and improv coaching
January Study Group
I hosted our New Year voiceover study group, celebrated some good news, and did a silly improv warm up to shake energy loose. We discussed how improv builds your acting muscle for auditions and helps you respond with truthful imagination, not to match strict lip flaps or pre-timed dubbing. We played build the room, named the mystery montage, then ran two person scenes at the DMV and in a salon, focusing on stakes, motivation, and yes and listening. I asked everyone to write down takeaways and, for next time, get past transactional conversation quickly.
(You can watch the video directly on Loom to be able to click on timestamps)
00:00 Happy New Year check in
05:25 Work updates and study group
09:41 Questions on improv for voiceover
21:25 Build the room game
29:56 Naming the mystery room scene
34:11 Two person scene roleplay
45:46 Salon and church conflict scene
53:52 Motivation and staying in character
57:18 Takeaways and closing notes