Interview with Pure Gear

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Anndi McAfee

I was happy to participate in an interview with Pure Gear, a great company that makes cell phone accessories. They were looking to interview people with unique lifestyles that use their products and I fit the bill! A voice over artist has to be available and ready to record at a moment’s notice so my phone is incredibly important to me. I have to admit, I like all the cool more “sporty” gadgets Pure Gear makes since I TRY to hike or walk as much as possible and I always take my phone with me. Anyway, if you’re interested in checking out the interview (or you need accessories for your cell when you work out) here is the interview:

Rare Land Before Time song

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Anndi McAfee

SO there is one song in the Land Before Time series of DVDs I did that was actually never in any of the movies. Aria Curzon (ducky) and I sang “If We Hold On Together” (which was originally sung by Dianna Ross during the end credits of the very first Land Before Time movie) for a limited plush toy that was released of Ducky and Cera hugging each other. The version of the song that Aria and I recorded was embedded in the toy so that when you pushed a part of the toy, the song played. It was also released on the Land Before Time sing-a-long songs DVD. Luckily it is now on YouTube, so if you are a Land Before Time fan, and want to hear this rare version of “If We Hold On Together,”check out this link:

I love video games!

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Anndi McAfee

I just wanted to take a moment to express my love for video games. I was working on one this week, and the CGI animation was so gorgeous. I got so involved in watching all the cut scenes that I forgot I was there to work! Haha! My character is quite a bad ass, and i LOVE voicing bad ass women with bad ass attitudes. Video games are a place of fantasy, and since I’m not exactly a bad ass in real life (I would say I’m more of a playful person), I really get into the role when I’m working!

Green Apple Day

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Anndi McAfee

You ever have one of those days where you show up for work and you just can’t seem to get it together? It was one of those days for me.

I showed up to record a video game today all excited and dressed up a little (I had planned lunch with the boyfriend after). As soon as I showed up, the issues began. First, my cute shirt made too much noise. Now, I am no voice over rookie. I’m always aware of the sounds my clothing makes, and I make sure to wear clothing that allows me to move without making noise. But today, my shirt was not behaving. Also, I normally carry “just in case” comfy clothes in my car, but I had taken my bag of clothes out of my car this weekend so I could fit in my memorial day shopping. Do you think I remembered to throw it back in my car before work this morning? No, of course I didn’t. Luckily, one of the guys in the fancy side of the studio had an extra t-shirt, so I changed into that. THEN, I had “smacking” issues. Smacking issues are when the saliva smacks around in your mouth too much and the mic picks it up as an irritating “pop.” This is rarely a problem for me, but I had some allergy issues today, so that was just one more thing that was not going my way. The cure for smacking sounds is a green apple. Sucks up that saliva pronto. So I had to chew bits of that all morning too until my allergies cleared up a little.I have lived in LA all my life and usually have very mild allergies, if I even have any at all. Today they decided to show up in full force.

I have been a voice over artist for 23 years, but sometimes, even the most experienced of us have one of those days where a set of circumstances (not in our favor) just occurs and causes us problems. All we can do is just laugh at ourselves, give an amazing acting performance, move on, and remember that it happens to everyone!!

Radio spot for AT&T-always ask before you post!

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Anndi McAfee

One thing that has changed radically in the entertainment industry is the rules for sharing your work. We live in a facebook/twitter/blogging world where anyone can post anything. However, companies are VERY PROTECTIVE of their products and ideas, so you must ALWAYS ask before you post something you’ve worked on. Remember, if you are working for someone else, you do not own the project you work on.

I am posting a radio spot for AT&T I worked on a few weeks ago, and I made sure to tell the producers, when I asked for a copy of the spot, that I would be posting it on my blog. If you’re not sure if it’s ok to post, DON’T. If you’re not sure if it’s ok to share specific details about a project you’ve worked on, including the name of the project, DON’T. It’s much better to err on the side of being professional and discrete than it is to have an angry client who doesn’t want to work with you again! Check out my picture of me working on the sot too!! I have to give a shout out to my pal Andy at Buzzy’s Recording Studio in Hollywood for being the super cool engineer on this spot! I always enjoy working with him! Click on the link below the picture to hear the spot.

AT&T radio spot

Hope you’re all having a great week!

Soup’s On Friday at 10pm on E!

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Anndi McAfee

Here’s a pic of me recording The Soup this week! I watch the show every week to make sure my sound is where it should be. It’s my job to make sure I know what’s going on with the show so that I’m always matching the energy and feel of it.

Voice Over Exercise

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Anndi McAfee

Sometimes we are spoiled by our engineers. They soften our Ps when we pop them, they compress our take to get our read within a certain time, or they perform many other little technical tricks they have up their sleeves that help make our jobs easier. But sometimes, an engineer can’t help us out, so we always have to make sure we are practicing our basic skills.

This is exactly what I had to do this week. I’ve been working on a campaign for a very well known acne fighting system, and part of this campaign comprises of reading a list of 1-800 numbers which must be completed in exactly 5.7 seconds. Additionally, they have required TWO clean reads. So here is an exercise for you I have put together (There’s never a dull moment as a VO artist, and there’s always the possibility for a new challenge! You’ll see why in the next sentence):

Read the following script of 1-800 numbers clearly, with each number enunciated (no forty nine, or twenty two, you must say four nine, and two two), all 0s read as “zero” (with the exception of 1-800), without shouting, but also like it’s the most amazing number you’ve ever read (but friendly, and not over-the-top), and get two reads at exactly 5.7 seconds (not a tenth over, not a tenth under).

Call 1-800-254-6007…that’s 1-800-254-6007

Call 1-800-233-3431…that’s 1-800-233-3431

Call 1-800-766-9817…that’s 1-800-766-9817

Call 1-800-694-7009…that’s 1-800-694-7009

Call 1-800-207-7070…that’s 1-800-207-7070

Call 1-800-832-2383…that’s 1-800-832-2383

Call 1-800-944-4746…that’s 1-800-944-4746

That’s just a short list for you to practice with. How’d you do?

This picture is of me reading my list of 1-800 numbers.

VO classes

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Anndi McAfee

A lot people ask me to recommend VO classes or coaches. The truth is, I have never taken any, so I can’t personally speak to any classes or coaches. But in my opinion, the best thing you can do for yourself if you’re trying to break in to the industry, or you’re still feeling your way around, is to take classes with companies who cast. Commercial casting offices are great places to get a feel for the audition process and are taught by people who call in actors with whom they have had some relationship. If they know your read, they are more likely to call you in for an audition, and that is definitely a good use of your time and money! With animation, I recommend working with an animation director. Again, who better to teach you the ins and outs of the industry than someone who hires actors AND works with the producers wishes for what they need for their project? Once you get a feel for the voice over world, you can ask whomever you are working with to refer you to someone who works more one-on-one at refining those skills.

The Soup is on tonight!!

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Anndi McAfee

Catch me as the VO announcer for The Soup at 10pm on E! Entertainment.

I can’t tell you how much I LOVE working on this show. I record Wednesday evenings, and they play my voice live during the taping on Thursday. We record me saying every possible show they think they will talk about, multiple bumpers, openings, and pretty much anything they can think of that might make it into the show. Then they edit everything together right before they record live, when they have a better sense of what will make it into the show. The show required a high energy read, so I always have to conserve my energy for the end of the day. I think my read for The Soup is the most like me. I just get to have fun and play around, and that is how I am when I’m not at work.

I have been to tapings of The Soup, and YES, there is a live audience. It’s so much fun (except when Joel makes fun of me!! hahaha). The writers and crew are so nice and fun, and Joel McHale is hilarious (and my favorite host!). I am lucky they hired me to be a part of their amazing show.