 |
Weblog Archives |
|
 |
« this ain't no holiday | Main | it's a race to remind you of days i can't find »
March 25, 2004
i see elvis, i hear god on the phone
And now, another entry from the "I really need a break from the Just A Geek rewrite" department . . .
Last Wednesday, I had the awesome session for Super Robot Monkey Hyper Force Terrific Mega Madness Hella Hella Bitchin GO! That session led to an audition on Friday for the freakin' head of voice over casting at Disney Feature Animation for a new Disney project. If I book that job, I'll be one of two leads on the show!
It was a very different experience from what I'm used to in the "on-camera" world, and I think I may have cost myself the job by tensing up, but I won't know for sure for another few days.
Here's how on-camera auditions work: I walk into the room, hope they don't immediately hate me, then read the scene. Usually, there are several scenes I have to prepare, and if the casting people don't hate me after one of them, they tell me to read another one. (Of course, I have to prepare all seven scenes, or whatever, just to be sure. Can I tell you how much I love it when I spend the time it takes to put together seven scenes, and then they only let me do one of them? Almost as much as I love it when I prepare seven scenes, they only let me do one, and then they never take three fucking minutes to call us back and give us any feedback. That's the best.)
Lots of things can happen during that one scene that sort of tip me off that they may not be giving me maximum love: talking to each other, looking out the window, flipping through other people's headshots and resumes -- oh, sighing heavily is my personal favorite. When something like that happens, I know I'm done, and everyone's time has been wasted.
Because it's like that in on-camera auditions, I have to be a perfectly oiled fighting machine when I go into that room. If I'm Voltron with five lions, I'm good. But if I'm Voltron with all those little spaceships, I'm doomed. If I'm Donkey Kong on Colecovison, I'm in like flynn (from Tron, of course.) But if I'm Pac Man on Atari 2600, I am on my way to the landfill of ET cartridges in the middle of the desert.
I've done enough of these on-camera auditions to perfectly read the room. I have a Sixth Sense about things that lets me know if the Signs tell me I'm Unbreakable.
Go ahead. I'll wait.
Okay. The point of all that is, if people look at each other, or talk, or whatever, I know I'm sunk.
Let's contrast this with my very limited experience in Voice Over calls, shall we?
On Thursday afternoon last week, I got the sides for Friday's audition. They contained a picture of the character, accompanied by a written description of his personality (13 years old, thinks he's tough, sort of sarcastic, give his partner lots of shit but is ready to defend her in an instant, etc.) and two pages of sides that I am supposed to prepare and perform. Before the session on Wednesday, I would have been way too scared to attempt a character voice, but I felt confident, and I gave myself permission to do one.
I walked around my neighborhood, with one hand cupped to my ear, and just fooled around with different voices. One was too pinched, another sounded too much like Beast Boy, still another was just too "mature."
After about a mile or so, I found one that I liked. I went home and tried it out for Ryan and Nolan, and they thought it sounded cool, so that's the voice I took with me into the booth on Friday afternoon.
When I walked in, it was the same thing as Wednesday's session: a lone music stand, headphones and a microphone to keep me company on my side of the glass. A director, a casting director, and a producer sat on the other side.
This time, I remembered to put my headphones on right away.
The director talked to me a bit, and one of the producers told me that he'd bought an old game of mine at a game shop in Burbank. (Okay -- that was really weird.)
I read my first line, and waited for someone to read the other part. After an awkward pause, I looked up, and they were all looking back.
Oh fuck. I'm supposed to just keep going. Way to look like an amateur, Wheaton.
Now, if this was an on-camera audition, that would have been the mistake that extinguished my torch, and sent me off the island, but I just cleared my throat, apologized, and started over. I read the entire script, performing the other character's voice in my head between my lines.
When I was done, the director told me I'd done well, and they all began talking. It was the most disconcerting thing in the world to watch them talk about me, see their lips moving, and have no idea what they were saying.
I felt a slight tightness begin in my chest when she pushed the TALK button.
"We're going to go through the whole thing now, bit by bit. Let's just start with lines one through four." She gave me some direction, and I took it. The tightness in my chest relaxed.
We did this all the way through the rest of the script. After a few unsuccessful tries on line . . . I think it was eight, that tightness came back, and my eye began to twitch (it's been doing that a lot the last week or so, as the JAG deadline draws looms closer.) The old Voice of Self-Doubt, that's always ready to jump in and whisper in my ear when the voice of Calm Reason would be so much more useful said, "Dude, you suck at this. You know that your voice sounds too deep, they know your voice sounds too deep, and they're getting impatient with you. Just do the fucking line and let's go home."
I read the line again, and the director said, kindly, "Wil, your voice is getting a little tense and pinched. See if you can relax it some more."
It wasn't until later, when I was driving home, that I realized how I'd screwed myself. I listened to the Voice of Self-Doubt, and when I became tense and nervous, so did my voice. It's a good learning experience, and I won't repeat the mistake on other VO auditions, but I wish I'd learned this lesson in a risk-free environment, instead of an audition for the head of freakin' voice casting at Disney Feature Animation.
After each take, they'd tell me to hold on, then conference with each other. By this time, I was so totally insecure, I was certain that I could read their lips: "Forget it. He's just not right." "His voice is too deep." "He's fine for on-camera, but he doesn't have what it takes to be a voice actor."
Of course, they weren't saying anything like that, but the good old Voice of Self-Doubt was doing a great job of dubbing them. With each conference, I grew less and less confident, but I ultimately finished the audition.
I looked at my watch, and noticed that I'd been in there for almost 35 minutes. That's unheard of in on-camera auditions. I realized then that they must have been into what I was doing, and they were trying to help me sound my best, to do my best work.
I punched the Voice of Self-Doubt squarely in the fucking nuts when I walked out of the booth, and saw my friend Hynden, from Teen Titans, sitting in the waiting room.
"How did it go?" She said.
I told her all about the stupid Voice of Self-Doubt, and asked her what it meant if they kept someone in the room for a long time. She told me that it meant they liked what I was doing as an actor, and they were trying to help me iron out a few kinks, and settle into the character's voice.
I told her about my experiences in on-camera auditions, and she said that VO auditions are completely different.
I was so stupid, man. I was SofaKing stupid. I'm chalking it up to inexperience, though. Now that I know what to expect, the fucking Voice of Self-Doubt can just stay wrapped up in electrical tape and bailing wire in the trunk, next to Corey Haim.
So here's what happens now: They'll take all the takes I did, and cut together the very best performance they can. They'll do the same for the other actors they saw for this part, and then they'll all sit down and listen to all our tapes. After this Aural Thunderdome, one of us will get the part. I honestly don't think I'll get it. I had to work very hard to stay in this character's voice when I freaked out, and if it came down to me (who had to talk around the stupid Voice of Self-Doubt) and someone else who didn't, they'd obviously hire the other guy.
But I think I did a decent enough job taking their direction to at least remain in consideration for other parts.
In other news, I've been asked to write for another magazine. If that happens, I think I'll be ready to officially call myself a writer, because I'll have more things to do than write this weblog and work on a book. I'll have actual regular deadlines and everything! It's crazy, isn't it? Just a year ago I never would have thought any of this would be possible . . . but here I am. :)
On top of that, I've just been added as a contributor to VH1's Best Week Ever blog (maybe I'll end up on the show more, too. I mean, c'mon, "Liquid Ice . . . also known as water?" You should see the stuff that didn't make it. Seriously. I slay me. Or something. Heh.)
I would like to close by pointing out that I haven't made a single Pixies reference in this entire post, even though I typed it with Bony Fingers.
(d'oh.)
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.wilwheaton.net/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/500
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference i see elvis, i hear god on the phone:
» Sabotage! from whatimeanttosay.com
i see elvis, i hear god on the phone Why trackback? To give credit, where credit is due when it inspires an entry. The whole self-doubt, self-sabotage is close to me as well. Back in high school I had terrible... [Read More]
Way to go Wil!!!!!11one
Step 1: Voice Overs
Step 2: Blockbusters
Step 3: Oscars and super-rich retirement
I can see it all now.
Wil is t3h r0X
Posted by: Matt at March 25, 2004 02:18 PMHey Wil, don't sweat the audition. Even in your tense state, you still obviously managed to impress them! Hey, you live and learn. (and then get Luvs?)
Hersch
Posted by: Herschel at March 25, 2004 02:20 PMSo THAT's where Corey Haim has been all this time...
Posted by: Sarah at March 25, 2004 02:23 PMWil! That's so great! Auditions suck...they are never fun, but it sounds like they truly made and effort and want you for this part. At least you didn't burn any bridges, right? Things are definitely looking up, eh, Wheaton?
Posted by: Abby at March 25, 2004 02:26 PMYo, Will:
Your big mistake? Not watching Rocky 1 and 2 right before you went on. "Yo, Mick; I ain't goin down no more!" That'll kick Self Doubt's bony ass every time.
You are Skurg! Men love you! Women love you! Children love you! You're the champ!
Go Skurg! Go Aqualad!
Wil, mang, your metaphors -- lion/spaceship Voltron, Donkey Kong Colecovison, Sixth Sense/Signs/Unbreakable -- rawk.
Hating you now, writer-boy.
. . .
Done with the hatingness now.
You probably did well in the audition. Relax, and write, bay-bee!
CU
I'm sure things aren't as bad as they seem. I know you did excellent.
Are you on VH1's Best Week ever anytime soon? I know you might not know the exact shows you're in, but should I stay glued to VH1 to see you? I'd love to hear your comments. I'm sure your wit is much better than a lot of the jackasses I've seen in the past.
Posted by: Amber at March 25, 2004 02:34 PMre: "Best Week Ever," I write a daily column about TV shows for Zap2it.com, and I wrote a blurb about that show a week or two ago. in it, I mentioned that the producers should use you more. if it weren't for the fact that -- on a good day -- about 13.48888 people (the .48888 being a small cousin in Massachussetts) read my column, I could say that maybe I had a hand in you getting to post on the "BWE" blog. but I think it's just because you're funny and clever.
I'm throwing the goat in honor of your new writing gigs and imminent take-over of the VO world as I type this. it makes typing hard, but worth it.
Posted by: courtney at March 25, 2004 02:35 PMI hope that you get the job so that you prove Mr. Voice of Self-Doubt totally wrong.
Posted by: Beth Pizana at March 25, 2004 02:35 PMHey Wil... 35 minutes in the booth! [insert Cartman VO: "kickass!"]
Good luck, and I'm sure it'll at least lead to more auditions for them, so it's more than just a learning experience.
RE: The Pixies: I sure hope no one tried to buy you a Pepsi and molest you in the parking lot at Disney.
Posted by: edwood at March 25, 2004 02:38 PMOh yeah, and are you sure Self Doubt can fit in the truck with Corey Haim? I mean, I saw him at the end of the Dickie Roberts movie & well, he is totally chunk-a-licious. So, you might want to let Corey go free. He needs the exercise.
Posted by: Amber at March 25, 2004 02:39 PM...Cory Haim is still alive?
Posted by: Monique at March 25, 2004 02:39 PMY'know, these are the reasons I come back to this place everyday! It's good to know that the "high and mighty" actors are real people, and still get nervous at auditions and the like. I love it!
Also, your post today has been one more victory in my own battle with the Voice. I'm an amateur actor/director/writer who has done a LOT of theater, but only 2 commercials and 1 indy film, and have been thinking seriously about looking into voice work for a LOOONNNGG time. Your post has encouraged me to get past my doubt, and go for it!
Thanks!
Posted by: Tim Van Bruggen at March 25, 2004 03:13 PMHey- longtime lurker here.
As a voiceover casting person/producer, I can tell you that if it had been me, I wouldn't have kept you in the booth for over a half hour if I hadn't heard something I really liked. Not worth my time, and not worth the animator's time either. Most of us can usually tell within the first few sentences whether you have something we want to work with, and from there it's just either 'wow, this wasn't what I was originally thinking but it's a possibility' or 'yep, he's nailed it'. The latter doesn't happen often - but boy, the former sure does! Then you need to spend a little time with the person. And I have kept folks in the booth after I knew what they had just to see how they were to work with...
So give yourself a little credit! (and I wish I were in the position to hire you for something!)
Posted by: sndmaven at March 25, 2004 03:55 PMI have a Sixth Sense about things that lets me know if the Signs tell me I'm Unbreakable.
You know, some times the pop culture references come pretty fast, but I got that one. M.Knight's thriller trilogy. Cool.
Thanks for the inside - seriously inside - look at voice work/casting. It's something I wanted to do, but never broke into, and now I get to hear what it's like for a pro.
Also, it's refreshing and cool to get such an intimate perspective on someone famous like yourself, and yet, the famous part wouldn't matter because the blogs are so readable, so personal, so down to Earth, it's a treat even if I'd never seen any one of your movies. (meanwhile, I'm trying to find out when Teen Titans is on here in Canada). And by that, I also mean you sound very much like someone I know, and someone I'd like to know.
Anyhow, this has gone on a little long, so apologies, but since I've been reading your journal for a while and not posted, I guess I had a lot to say.
If I ever win the lottery or something, there's a script I've written with a lead that you'd be perfect for.
Not because of anything you've done on camera, but from the person I've gotten to know through WWdN.
Until then, I'll be just another geek, but a loyal fan of WWdN.
hey wil,
yey for the audition! i hope you get it!! i'm sending good luck mojo for you!
have fun, well done for the new writing job too!! yey!!
take care
rach
You walking around doing voices... that should be a sight to see!
- Paulinhakz
Sao Paulo, Brazil.
You walking around doing voices... that should be a sight to see!
I do it all the time. You should see the looks I get. And the guys in white coats following me around with a big net.
Posted by: Robert W. Leu at March 25, 2004 06:05 PMWil,
I cherish every entry you make on your weblog as if it were your last. Because I know that sooner or later you will have too many books to write and
too many magazine columns and too many auditions and voice overs, not to mention your devotion to your wife and kids; and that one day you will tell us that you just don't have time for your weblog. So I cherish today and look forward to tomorrow. Thanks so much for sharing your time with us.
Your friend, Freeman :)
Posted by: Freeman in Louisiana at March 25, 2004 06:12 PMHi Wil, I hope you get the job, that would be really cool.
Just had a thought. I think you'd be really great reading audio books.
I hate the damn voice of self doubt. It screws us all up. I really hope that you get the job, that would rawk. I certainly consider you a writer, Mr Wheaton, Sir. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Posted by: angry at March 25, 2004 06:43 PMMagzines! more about the magzines! What magazines? When? or are you under embargo?
Posted by: erika at March 25, 2004 07:07 PMDoes anybody NOT hear the Voice of Self Doubt in situations where you are being evaluated? You just have to suck it up and not run off the stage / out of the room, which you did. You've done it all year and are well on your way to creating a whole new career for yourself.
That makes 3, if I'm counting right, which is pretty impressive by itself. Good job.
And, as a master of self-deprecation myself, I'd like to say: chill, dude. Now, if only I could take my own advice :-/
Byron
Posted by: Byron Servies at March 25, 2004 07:57 PMWil
Try to ignore that self doubt. Your getting auditions so you should be happy for that, and do your very best. Aqua Lad or monkey boy would never listen to self doubt, so you should not either.
Your Buddy in Seattle
Terry
Posted by: Terry at March 25, 2004 08:13 PMHey Wil,
Don't be so hard on yourself all of the time. It hurts you, hell, it hurts me. I think that you are a person worth knowing, which is why I come here everyday. I think that you have all kinds of work to be proud of and you should hold your head high and take confidence in that. This World has a warped sense of success, or is that just America. What is success? Money? I am NOT successful. Fame? I am NOT successful. A career? I am a downsized Chemist - slightly successful. A happy family, a roof over our heads, a family dinner almost everyday, clean, healthy children? I AM successful.
I love reading your blog. You have been successful, and you are successful, and you will be successful in the years to come.
*climbs down carefully from her soapbox*
We love you , Man.
Jessica
Hmm... Haim and not Feldman? Just one and not both?
And you could put Gary Coleman right in between them, nightstick and all...
*Shudders* Now *THAT would be a vision you probably wouldn't want going through your head on your next VO audition. If you don't get that part feel free to blame it on me. Just say "I blame YOU Frank* and I pormise I'll be nice from now on...
Well...maybe... >=}
Posted by: WebNuT! at March 25, 2004 08:27 PMHey Wil,
Guess what: everyone has the voice of self-doubt! Everyone has to fight it! Even the seasoned professionals. (Like yourself! Do you really still consider yourself an amatuer?)
One of the first modern writers to talk about the Voice of Self-Doubt was Timothy Gallwey, who wrote "The Inner Game of Tennis" in 1976. He talks about Self 1, the doubter, and Self 2, the achiever, as well as strategies to kick Self 1 in the nuts and let Self 2 go to town. There have been many great books written since in similar lines of thought. If you haven't read this book, I recommend it.
I'm a student of classical music so I know all about the audition scene. I know exactly how you feel. I also think that you'll get the job based on what you told us.
E-mail me if you want to chat about auditions!
Thanks again for sharing your writing.
Way to go on the audition! I'm sure you did a lot better than you think.
As far as that whole self-doubt business, though, you might want to investigate some psychological techniques to reinforce positive thinking. I'm a big fan of self-hypnotism, personally. It can be a major confidence-booster for some people.
Also, if you're eye really is twitching alot lately, you might need some extra potassium. It gets depleted with stress and causes muscle spasms. So, long story short, eat banannas.
Posted by: Stacy at March 25, 2004 09:17 PMLike all stories of heroes, we like to hear their adventures, success or failure, and learn from them vicariously.
Thank you for taking us on your adventures with you.
You are a Hero by your demonstration of honesty, self-revelation, and courage to try. Sometimes even dusting your self off after a fall and getting back up and going at it again, lesson learned.
And this mom says -- eat your bananas monkey boy, or tomatoes or potatoes. All high in potassium leached away by your nerves.
Posted by: Dornar at March 25, 2004 09:56 PMCompletely off topic...but not off the radar of your blog.
Google "weapons of mass destruction" and hit I'm feeling lucky (that's the important part) You will get the standard google error page, but wait...not the standard page. Read the whole thing, it's great. ENJOY!
I love Hynden's voice! Pass it on.
And, land-air-sea voltron > lion voltron
Posted by: Dave at March 25, 2004 10:30 PMSo what is with all of the pixies references? Are you going to go see them when they tour this year?
Posted by: Mike at March 25, 2004 11:36 PMSayeth Wil:
But if I'm Pac Man on Atari 2600, I am on my way to the landfill of ET cartridges in the middle of the desert.
Man, you're so fuckin' money and you don't even know it.
Posted by: Jeff at March 26, 2004 12:39 AMUnderworld?
Like the blog. Good writing. Esp. liked the rundown of the NL tournament you were in. Awesome.
Glad to hear the voiceover work is going well, too.
When are the political posts coming back? That wingnut in the White House has got to go.
Will
listen to me you have to get some books on improving your self confidence. That voice telling you that you'll lose in life will haunt you forever if you don't get rid of it. Every single person has the power to become great. Find the tools that will help you achieve that or else you'll be stuck at a dead end forever.
The Voice of Self-Doubt is a vicious bitch that needs to DIE!! >.
As far as calling yourself a writer... you ARE a writer. Being a writer isn't defined by how many books you write or how many mags you write for.
Hell, if that were the case, I'd have absolutely no right calling myself a writer.
A friend told me once, when the Voice of Self-Doubt was being particularly loud and I couldn't shut it up, that being a writer is either something you are, or you aren't, because the passion can only come from INSIDE yourself. If you wake up in the morning thinking about what you want to write that day, and go to sleep thinking about what you might want to write the next day, then you're a writer.
Getting published and paid to write, well, that's just a writer's dream becoming reality.
Posted by: Cami H. at March 26, 2004 05:20 AMOooh, I know you don't think you'll get it, but I hope you do. I watch Teen Titans just because you do a voice in it. Good luck!
Posted by: Tasha at March 26, 2004 05:33 AMEverything in my world is coming full circle. I just saw an add today for a computer that is all built into the keyboard. Looks a lot like my Vic-20. Now Wil Wheaton is doing all this voice work for animated stuff- I'm going home and watching The Secret of Nimh again.
Posted by: stoolpigeon at March 26, 2004 06:37 AMWell, I'd hope it isn't all that hard to ace a Disney casting call. Remember Gargoyles? The Disney afternoon 'toon all your ST:TNG alumni did voice overs for? They didn't even try to disguise their voices. Surely, that bodes well. So let's hope you're in like flynn.
Posted by: DL at March 26, 2004 06:52 AMYo Will,
I agree w/what my husband said above - I *love* the metaphors, esp. Lions Voltron vs. Spaceships Voltron!! Lions rule!
As a budding v.o. myself, I am so grateful you've posted your experiences here! It's good to know that even experienced actors get nervous in that little booth...though by the sounds of things, they liked you. A lot! Go kick the butt of that Voice of Self-Doubt!
Posted by: Beth Underkoffler at March 26, 2004 07:09 AM"Liquid Ice... also known as water?" - Oh man when I saw that on Best Week Ever the other day I fell off of my bed laughing, seriously. They should have you on there more often, especially since a lot of those guys were already on I love the 70's/80's/Strikes Back. Congrats on everything!! :)
Posted by: Emma at March 26, 2004 07:13 AMyou totally write these, thinking way WAY WAY in the back of your head, that one of those people on the other side of the glass knows about your blog. i hope you also know that s/he's gonna read this entry and either (1) give you another chance to come in so you can relax or (2) give you the job knowing that you're self-doubt won't be an issue.
either way, EVERY audition plants a seed so no worries.
best wishes, chris
(favorite Pixies song- Cactus)
keep the pixies references coming. its always so nice to check in and get the line of song that cues it up in my cerebral ipod (as im far too impoverished to have a real one lol). love love love love the pixies.
Posted by: michelle at March 26, 2004 07:28 AMWil, you are the chien Andalusia! You the chien Andalusia!
Posted by: Geoff at March 26, 2004 07:34 AMoops. that should have been la la la love the pixies... my inner grammarian got the better of me
Posted by: michelle at March 26, 2004 07:40 AMJust wanted to say that I love how diverse and still-changing your career is, and I love being able to observe it from this site in a way I'd never be able to for almost any other celeb.
Posted by: Pigeonrat at March 26, 2004 07:49 AMOngoing Bravos (or Doritos if you prefer) for taking chances and telling about them. Always nice to see an accomplished artist admitting insecurity without dispensing blame at the same time.
Suggestion: Write a story about Voltron confronting the henchmen of the Voice of Self-Doubt (and winning, of course) that you can read prior to your next (and all future) auditions. Remind yourself you're a good writer and a good actor no matter what the chow-mein-slurping, head-shot-riffling, hyperactive wanna-bes think.
("And I'll make the head! Back to Community Theater with you, Directroid!")
Posted by: David Vincenti at March 26, 2004 07:51 AMBreak A Leg!
(Not lierally of course but you know what I mean, heh)
} {
^_~
Wil,
I discovered your website by mistake, I was searching for information on an 1980's one-hit-wonder band called "Cutting Crew" when your March 14, 2003 entry titled "The Cutting Crew" popped-up in Google.
I was a Next Generation fan for the first few years, and your character was one of my favorite. I saw the first two feature movies, and I honestly never stopped to wonder why you didn't appear in them...and now I'm wondering why I never wondered, if that makes sense. I'm sorry to hear they cut you out of Nemesis...but if it makes you feel any better, I didn't go see it!
Anyway, it was very nostalgic to run across your website...good luck to you.
Dave
Posted by: The Dude at March 26, 2004 08:13 AMGood luck Wil! I hope you get the part! I just discovered your website and blog a few days ago, and I find it a fun read. BTW, I never hated/despised/or even disliked your character on ST:NG.
Posted by: Zanazaz at March 26, 2004 08:13 AMThey should ditch that idiot Mo Rocca and just go all Wil all the time, I'd watch that show alot more.
Idiot Mo had to ruin I love the 80s and now he's doing the same to Best week ever.
Posted by: Jenn at March 26, 2004 08:30 AMChecking your blog is the third thing I do at work each morning (first is check voicemail, second is email). I just have to keep from chortling too loud so the boss doesn't come up front and see what's going on.
I almost used this as a .sig, but didn't think anyone would get it:
"Oh, man, this isn't happening, it only thinks it's happening."
And the book adaptation of TRON (by Brian Aldiss) doesn't suck, either.
(TRON is actually one of my favorite movies; damn, Jeff Bridges was/is so cute!)
Tell that Voice of Self-Doubt to take a looooong walk off a very short pier; after being Aqualad, you don't think you can do VO work? The fact they kept you in there that long shows you've got potential -- if not for the twerp you read for, maybe for a really cool villian or something. (It takes talent to do a really good bad guy that doesn't sound totally lame or over the top.)
Things are going really well for you -- don't let VSD screw you up.
Posted by: Roberta at March 26, 2004 08:35 AM"I have a Sixth Sense about things that lets me know if the Signs tell me I'm Unbreakable."
LMAO!
Wil, Actors do something that is amazing to me, since I can't even imagine trying. I attempted to get onstage and sing kareoke one time and thought my chest would explode. I hope you continue to go for good roles.
-There are no problems, only solutions. - Tron
=)
d
Posted by: Clownie at March 26, 2004 09:15 AMWil,
I just wanted to say I like the way you described your voice over auditions, I almost feel like I'm there observing.
Thanks for sharing,
Kurt
Hey Wil,
I came across yer site thru a link on someone elses...KEWL site
Thinking back.."Lost Boys - Corey H"..yeh I agree with the others, LET HIM OUT DUUDE !! he SO needs the exercise :D
GooD LucK with the VO..you obviously had them thinking..knock em dead, sp0rt!
I think Id much rather see ya, ON CAM, personally..that cuute face just roxx ! :D but I wish ya the best
Posted by: MsSinMyMind at March 26, 2004 09:52 AMhmmm heres a thought...AUDIOBLOG hasnt been hit in a while...hows about a VO for us 'wee lil ones'
rock my world !! errm i mean 'our' world ;)
::ears poppin up::
:P
Posted by: MsSinMyMind at March 26, 2004 09:56 AMGood luck , Wil! I wouldn't sweat the audition. I think you did fine.
Listen, as a friend I am going to do the ultimate. Seriously. I am going to sacrifice a goat to help you get that part. Who better than me knows the power of a good sacrifice? I will do it at oh, say 3pm central time. I think that would be best because the sun isn't directly hitting your eyes like at,say 5pm. Don't be alarmed by the choice of animal. I got these fuckers grazing all over the place. I'm sure one won't be missed. I just have to prep the altar is all. I've done this for only one other person: that William Hung guy from the Idol show. Fucked up thing was he kept salivating at the sight of the goat.Weird.
Everyone's got a VoD running in their head. Punching it in the nads and doing what needs to be done anyway is how to live without it.
You're not alone. I'm just a secretary, nothing horribly stage-fright enducing or overly complicated, and my VoD runs.
Have a good day or a bad one, but own the day you choose to have. Don't let the VoD own it for you.
Posted by: Sarah at March 26, 2004 10:46 AMWil,
I think you did well! I did an audition once where after I was done, the room went dead silent, then the CD looked at me and said, "you have just shown me that you have NO IDEA what you're doing". I almost puked. That was my last audition - that voice of self-doubt reared it's head and won the fight. Fucker. And now...I work as a secretary in a place where people call me "girl". Stupid self-doubt....
Just do what you love, and don't stop for anything.
The Voice of Doubt is what keeps us from becoming asshats to people who Knew Us When after we get famous. VoD has its place, but "in the booth" ain't it.
Ghod, I love the booth. If you don't want the gig, can I have it? Huh? Please? 'Cuz the booth is my friend . . .
They kept you for 35 minutes. They worked with you. To me, having run a few auditions in my previous life, that says you are under *serious* consideration.
If Nothing Else . . . you grew some new skills and new knowledge. I predict this will be The Summer of Air Conditioning (for at least one of us!)!
Courage! Faith! Don't just believe in the magic, RELY on the magic!
Posted by: Tom at March 26, 2004 02:46 PMWil,
Oh, I read this and it was like the last session with MY voice coach last week! She's been lecturing me about the "inner critic" that says exactly what your inner voice has been telling YOU!
She also coaches me through difficult parts, and so I think it sounds good that you got so much coaching and working through from the folks at Disney.
My teacher said that she always finds her inner critic is the most creative at finding a way to make its voice heard and so she tries to emulate that creativity to make HER voice heard. If that makes any sense.
In truth, when I'm up in front of the mike, I'm more concerned about mouth noises and stuff... ;)
Anyway, FWIW, when WE coach narrators for our stuff, we are usually pushing them to perfect perfection... so, think of it like that.... not like they think your teh suxxor and are just stringing you along...
confidence!!!
If I can do it (and I don't have any H'wood strings or connections) then YOU should be nailing it baby!
Posted by: spacewriter at March 26, 2004 06:46 PMWil---
FREE COREY HAIM! FREE COREY HAIM! He's been a prisoner of his own vices (and your trunk) for too long!
All you are missing now Wil, is a German pop single like Corey Haim....you are becoming the MASTER OF ALL MEDIA!
You rawk! (and congrats on all the awesome auditions...you totally deserve all your success! Minnesota is proud of you...I think I have single-handedly increased the readership of your site and book ten-fold...it's the only site I recommend to everyone!)
Jen
Posted by: Jen at March 27, 2004 09:01 AMYou consistantly have more comments on your post than VH1 does. How does that make you feel?
Posted by: Keith Coogan at March 29, 2004 07:33 AMWil, you're like my own personal celebrity. I don't follow gossip, nor tabloids, nor anything else. In fact, I look down on them. But I really like reading about your life. Weird, huh?
p.s. This comment box could stand to be a little bigger, more reflective of the width of the page itself where the comments appear.
Posted by: ilia at March 29, 2004 11:19 AMWil, I'm sending the good vibes for all your auditions, and I also want to say I LOOOVE Homestar Runner and it's thanks to you that I even know about it, and that I am now knee-deep in all the archive goodness!
\m/ :) :-x
For the record:
The "other" Voltron was made out of 3 "groups" of 5 vehicles, some of which were planes, some of which were cars (and yet all of them could fly when they created Voltron-weird).
And yet another digression-I never saw the *Third* Voltron (I remember them advertising 3 different Robot storylines, but only saw two..)
Oh well, time for my medication....
Posted by: Elektrik at April 2, 2004 03:09 PMWil....."WIL"....look at me...you-did-....fiiiiiine....you were the MAN.....if those fungus suckers couldn't see the depth and breadth of your VO auddy-thingy...well...then they are not pros....they are just there as window dressing....Breathe, Wil...just breathe....no,not there....that plant has a serious mold problem....California.....WHY DO YOU PUNISH THE BLESSED AND SENSITIVE?...
Posted by: pilch at April 17, 2004 08:38 AMJust cruising around, came across your site. Congrats on the writing -- it's great when an artist of any kind expands into other areas -- most people, like me, are frightened to leave their comfort zone. As a writer I've often thought of shooting my own scripts, for example, and I still plan to, but it scares the bejeezers outta' me. So good on you!
Keith: Les says hi. Drop me a line sometime at scripts@earthlink.net. -- Rob
Posted by: rob at September 23, 2004 12:52 PMP.S. Wil: Les says hi to you too, she was mentioning the "taking the wrong subway" incident (was it during "Toy Soldiers?") the other day.
Posted by: rob at September 23, 2004 12:54 PMPost a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)| Read |
|
| Listen |
|
Watch |
|
| WWdN Sponsor |
| Act |
|
|Electronic Frontier Foundation| |
| Fear |
| Look |
|