A Sound Connection: An Interview with Dan Friedman - Part 2

“It bothers me so much to see companies out there that are taking advantage of people or, you know, preying on their hopes and dreams. I mean, I have never, ever told anybody that this was easy, as being a voice actor, and I never told them that it was fast. I've always said that it's a crock-pot career, it's not a microwave meal." -- Dan Friedman   This episode is the second half of my interview with audio engineer, voiceover coach, and author Dan Friedman as we talk about voice performance, the changes the pandemic has brought to the voice recording industry, and how his family helps inspire him as a voice teacher. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes.  If you have questions for me, just visit www.audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the www.audiobrandingpodcast.com webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available.   An Expressive Job We start the episode with Dan’s practical vocal advice on everything from breathing through your diaphragm to staying hydrated, and a look at the differences between voice and television acting, something he’s particularly familiar with after filming a television pilot. “It's expressive,” Dan says about voice performance. “This is an expressive job, so it doesn't really work so well on camera, but it works really well for voiceover.” Dan also talks about how he’s working to preserve some of the unique qualities of voiceover that might get lost in the age of new media and streaming video. "I'm old enough that I can certainly help teach a new generation how to be the best that they can be at this and help communicate more effectively because we really are losing a lot of that in our society."   Communicating Your Intentions Dan tells us about some of the more memorable clients that he’s helped with communicating their intentions, and how a good performance brings the words on the page to life. “When you're not communicating that and you're just reading the words off the page,” he says, “obviously it's not really moving anybody. But when you're trying to present these things, let's present them in a way that people want to connect with it emotionally.” We also look at how the pandemic has changed the home studio market and made the technical aspects of voiceover, from soundproofing to microphones, more accessible than ever before. “Now it really comes down to talent and the environment they're in,” he explains, “and to how they ultimately sound and whether they'll be able to do all that.”   No Day is the Same As the interview comes to a close, we share anecdotes about how, in voiceover, no two days are the same, and Dan takes the opportunity to tell us more about his family. “I've got the platform,” he jokes, “so I'm going to brag on my kids for a second.” He tells us about his wife and children, and how their support has inspired him as a voice coach, “If I can turn out kids that are this good,” he says, “I must be able to teach somebody something.” We end the show with a look at some of his upcoming projects and how you can get in touch with him. As he puts it, “I love seeing great people being successful.”   Episode SummaryThe distinctive challenges of video and audio performancesHow streaming video and social media are changing voiceoverEffective audio communication and bringing a script to lifeHow Dan’s family has inspired him and how to reach out to him   Connect with the...