Isang magandang araw sa inyong lahat, okay lang ba kayo? I hope you are!
I would like to welcome you all to my 4th and sadly final blog for the Certified Voice Artist Program (CVAP), and I have to say its been quite the timeless experience this has been. These past weeks were some of the most engaging and exciting activities I've ever been in and it truly is quite saddening that it's all coming to an end.
The 4th week of CVAP was the most informative week so far. The presenters provided us with definitive information towards becoming a good voice talent, they taught us good voice performance traits, how to get clients, and even how to set-up our home equipment. This week built upon the themes of the third week, they gave us more exercises to help us practice and improve our speaking skills. They had us perform two live zoom activities that pushed our creativity and quick thinking skills.
The first zoom task was to recite Tongue Twisters to the whole class and the second one was a group activity that focused on dubbing an entire scene of you own making. Both of these activities made me quite nervous, but despite the light anxiety, the skills gained while planning and performing them made it all the more worth it. After the activities, we were given a talk by Miss Lyn Gonzales, who was project head. She explained what to expect once we complete this training and what we stand to gain if we stay or lose if we decide to go on our own path.
Please, for the last time allow me to share with you the highlights of the 4th Week of CVAP and my thoughts on them, from the live zoom activities, group works, and finally the assignments.
Tongue Twisters
The first zoom activity was Tongue Twisters and it immediately caught my attention. At this time, I had completed the Tongue Twister assignment as few day before so I was pretty confident in myself should I get called. But all that went out the window once I personally got called by one of the presenters. This was the first and only time I got called in to perform something over the zoom meeting, and my nervousness got the better of me. My voice was shaky and I couldn't properly visualize the words I wanted to say, but luckily I got an easy Tongue Twister.
This was an excellent preparation since these challenges help us improve the way we speak, and I am very lucky to have been given the opportunity to perform in front of the class. Even if I stuttered a bit, I still managed to pull through and complete the task. Hearing that approval from the presenters made all stress worth it.
More Practice Tips
A large part of the class this week was dedicated into providing us with more refined exercises and techniques that we can use to become better voice talents. These suggestions were very practical and I could understand how they are commonly used by those in the industry. We were told that we should read sample scripts out loud and record them. Afterwards, we compare it to other samples and to get a grasp on our own voices.
Many of our potential clients will insist on how their scripts should be read, some follow are certain rhythm that gives phrases a professional feel. So try to mimic everyday commercials or ads you see on TV, the internet and even hear on the radio. You can even use highlight lines to see which parts you need to express in certain way. You can underline lines to emphasize words in a line, or even add slashes or commas to indicate when you can pause during your voice over. All these techniques and more can be done so help you bee a better voice over artist.
Why Stay? And How to Get Started
One of highlights of the whole program for me was when Ms. Lyn explained to us what we should expect once he complete the CVAP program. She explained that staying will not only provide us with certain opportunities, but it would also help us gain a family in the form of the CVAP groups. Furthermore, there are more trainings that will help us achieve voice acting proficiency in a professional level. We are even given the opportunity to go into a buddy system where more experienced CVAP members can mentor newer ones. There is also an option to go into free dubbing training, which I am excited to participate in. I just hope I manage to find the time to participate in these exciting activities.
Lastly, she explained that we should expect to be rejected over and over again before finding a truly significant role. I learned that voice work is a long process, and sometimes luck is a key factor in getting a client. But above else, make sure that you have a great character. As they say: "Talent can get you to the door, but character is what keeps you in". Don't antagonize people and be friendly even to those who may see you as an enemy. Just take up project, don't think of the cost, all of it will pay off once you grow in talent.
Well that's all she wrote, this marks the end of the introductory CVAP program. It's a bitter sweet feeling, even in this short time I felt really happy interacting with so many people that share my passion. While I'm glad that this is not the end, it's a bit melancholy that I'll never see some of these people again. I wish them the best, and I pray for their success in the future!
If you want to learn a bit more on my thoughts on the week, please listen to my vlog below. And now for last time, thank you for the support and may God bless you in your future endeavors.