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“To adlib or not to adlib; ah that is the question!”

ByHarvey Kalmenson

“To adlib or not to adlib; ah that is the question!” Whether it is nobler or not nobler in the minds of most men, is definitely not the question; it’s the challenge that counts! (Besides… we’re talking about actors and actresses.) The search for the answer to the actor’s commercial voice over performance decision making…

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Kaplan, Solovey, O’Shea, and of course the Pulchritudinous Mrs. Glassberg

ByHarvey Kalmenson

Not a sports team; they influenced my life, although I can’t attest to whether or not they did so on purpose. They could be anybody, but today they belong to me. They were my teachers at Public School 233, from the second through the fifth grade. In retrospect, I don’t think they cared for me….

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Pet Peeves

ByHarvey Kalmenson

Many of the subjects I write about are generated from the literally thousands of questions I’ve had to deal with in our world of the commercial voice over. While commercial voice over is definitely an acting craft, there is a certain amount of difference between how the actors relate during the commercial VO audition and…

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Self-Direction – Part 2

ByHarvey Kalmenson

Self-direct as opposed to self-destruct. As always, the basic rules are so simple sounding. The problem for many actors is the lack of detail and observance of the basic rules. 1. Before studying your audition script, read and understand the directions. If the producer took the trouble to put their directions in writing, it behooves…

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Self Direction – Part 1

ByHarvey Kalmenson

Home recording studios no longer represent the rich man’s toy. Nor are they just products of the Los Angeles marketplace. The home recording studio has arrived, and continues to grow. Shrinking hardware and software prices have made the home studio economically within reach of the journeyman voice over talent. Today, more and more voice over…