I’m giddy because I’m downloading the Leona Lewis album - Spirit. Does that make me gay?

April 8, 2008

A few months back I was bored and scrolling through PerezHilton.com (gay red flag #1) when I came across a youtube video of this gorgeous chick with the caption saying something about some unknown British girl wowing Simon Cowell of Britain’s “X-Factor” (gay red flag #2).

I watched the video and was pretty impressed with her performance. But what really impressed me more was how she so graciously accepted the the judges’ reactions to her performance. She looked very genuine in her complete and utter unawareness of just how damn good she is. And it wasn’t a well choreographed reaction either. It was the real deal. (The fact that I’m still writing about this calls for: gay red flag #3)

Now I don’t watch American Idol or X-Factor or any of these talent reality shows. I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m far too busy writing homo-mysterious blog entries here to do that.

However, I’ll watch just about anything with Gordon Ramsay. That dude’s a pimp.

I’ve never bought any of these talent show discoveries albums or singles or videos. My company once repped one of those idol finalists a while back but that was as close to that as I’ve ever gotten to those shows or anything related to it. Although the reality of the modern day music business is to respect Idol and what it’s done for the industry as a whole (good and bad), if anything I purposely avoided anyone from those shows because of one simple rule: I couldn’t imagine The Beatles ever being on a show like that. But talent always rises to the top no matter the road they took to get there. This chick and her abilities are certainly the exception and not the rule.

Simon is pretty right on with his comments here.

Then I forgot about it for a little while and went back to listening to “Abbey Road” for a few days when suddenly (I don’t quite remember if someone sent it to me or if I found it on my own) I watched this video where she sang that song that Kelly Clarkson first made famous a few years ago.

Leona blew away Clarkson’s version out Clarkson’s booty-hole! (gay red flag #4)

Pretty bloody well done!

Okay, maybe that’s a bit overdramatic but I thought it was obviously much better than the version below. What can I tell you?

Good but not quite as good when you compare side by side.

(I’m halfway through with the album so far and it’s prety damn good — gay red flag #5)

As I said in my first (and probably only) iTunes review for the album I hope this begins a great career without the BS that later surfaced for Mariah Carey’s career (the comparisons are unavoidable).

Nicely done, Leona. Hopefully this will turn out to be your “Please Please Me”.

(Gay red flags #6, 7, 8 and probably 9)

Does owning up to 9 gay flags in one posting make one gay?

Leona Lewis Spirit Album Cover

BTW, she is BLOODY GORGEOUS! And I’m not just saying that to cover myself.

(Okay, maybe a little.)

4 Comments | DO NOT CLICK HERE, The Beatles, internet, life | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by cap

Voice Over Tip: Don’t merely say the words, deliver the message.

April 7, 2008

I know I said that I was going to take a break from voice over subjects but I’ve had a heavy weekend and trying to make sense of a lot of information I’ve just received in my personal life. So before I start to blog something I’ll regret later (after all, I want to keep this as spontaneous and unedited as possible), I want to digest the information first. So while I do that privately (for now), I’ll share some potentially useful information instead.

Let’s get to it.

You’ve got an interesting voice. People tell you this “like, everyday… practically everyday… at least a few people have told me this… uh, like my friends have told me in the past… friends who are more like family… I can count myself as my own family member, right?… Okay, I’ve told myself that I have an interesting voice… Once.”

So all anyone has to do is just hand you a script of words and you’re bound to make millions to use your voice and just… read.

Here’s the reality.

Your voice is only half the story. Even in the “professional” level I hear people every single day with great voices who can’t book a job to save their lives. After a few months of this, people get frustrated, they get discouraged and they lose all sense of confidence and self. Then they get angry and this begins a bad habit of hating everyone and everything associated with life.

And that really doesn’t book any jobs.

As a professional voice over actor, part of your job is to interpret the message within the copy you audition for. Sometimes the message is very easy to find and very clearly stated. Often times it’s not.

Writers and producers write what’s in their heads. They rarely read their words out loud. So it’s no surprise when the readers (ie. voice over professionals) read these written words (usually read out loud for the first time at this point) and realize how unnatural these words sound. Then to really twist the proverbial knife, the specs for the script call for someone to “not sell, not sound announcery and come off very natural”. Well you try saying the following line with the above mentioned specs:

“The California Lottery is proud to present to you The Big Spin Lottery scratch off ticket for a limited time only!”

How do you say this as if you’re just shooting the shit with your best friend? How do you say this without sounding like some cheesy game show host?

Well, that’s the trick. The ability to pull that off is what separates a lot of the talent who book a job and the other 799 readers (with a great voice) who don’t.

Decipher the message of what the writer is trying to convey and use your ability as a voice over actor to not make the message sound like a commercial trying to sell something they don’t need.

That makes sense right?

Okay, next I’m really going to get back to blogging about more important things: me.

Here’s something random just because.

A rare bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise lackluster musical year (so far).

Speak it, Akon!

No Comments » | potentially useful info, voice over, work | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by cap