Mike’s Week on the Mike (23-29 March)
Not so much of a week on the mike as a week loosely connected to it. Sure enough, Film24 and the BBC World Service featured, as they do so often, and on Wednesday we put the first series of “Dinosaur Secrets” to bed for the History Channel (that’s all fourteen episodes now in the can).
What made this week particularly interesting were two events I attended: the first was on Tuesday and was entitled “ProGob 2009″. This was organised by some people who work in television continuity and presentation, and was a gathering of those in the industry in London. I met a few people I’d not before, watched one or two few people I know quite well get amusingly squiffy (you know who you are), and had quite a fun time in the bar at Soho House myself.
Then on Thursday night I found myself back at The London Studios on the South Bank, for the final goodbye to the old London News Network Transmission Centre. I worked in TX at the South Bank for nearly nine years, first as an announcer for Carlton Television, and then (doing that “hopping to the other side of the glass” thing I do) as a Network Director/Transmission Controller for the ITV network, until I left in late 2002 to go to the BBC as a News Director. Thursday’s event marked the official end of ITV transmission from central London (though the last programme was switched to line the previous Friday). ITV’s Southern Transmission Centre is now based at Chiswick Park, under the auspices of Technicolor Network Services. My time on the South Bank was overwhelmingly a happy one, and though this event was tinged with emotion, it was great to see some familiar, though recently absent, faces.
Mike’s Week on the Mike (16-22 March)
I’m pleased to report another busy week. There’ve been several appearances at the BBC World Service in my regular role as newsreader, plus I was also asked to the promotions department there to voice a corporate video for the Digital Radio Mondiale consortium (of which the BBC is a part) ahead of a couple of conferences in the coming weeks.
Wednesday saw me making one of my regular trips out to Reading to Matinée Sound and Vision to add my voice to an online training course being produced by WhP in France. Then on my return, I voiced another corporate in my home studio for Hi-Gloss Productions here in London for a client of theirs in the UAE. Thursday found me at the Palace of Home Shopping, with some promos for QVC, and Friday rounded things off with my regular continuity work for movie channel Film24.
Finally, my week on the mike extended to a night of karaoke with my mate Toby on Friday, which was terrific fun! If you’ve always wanted to try karaoke but the idea of singing to a whole room of strangers puts you off, then why not try private karaoke with a few of your friends? We visited Lucky Voice in London’s Soho, and had such a good time that they’re worth a plug here too!
Mike’s Week on the Mike (9-15 March)
It’s true that I wouldn’t want every week to be as madly busy as last week was, and thankfully things calmed somewhat this week, which allowed me time to go looking for new work and to sign up for some more online directories.
Aside from the usual BBC World Service and Film24 commitments, the London Oncology Clinic asked me to provide the voice for their latest online video, describing the various forms of scans used with cancer patients. They had really good feedback to the first one, which we did last year (which is here). The new video will be up in a couple of weeks, and I’ll post a link when I have one.
Good feedback too for F1 driver, Nick Heidfeld’s new website, which went live recently. I’m the English voice for the Web TV sections on the site, and the third segment went online this week. It’s a feature on Nick’s visit to CeBit in Hannover, and you can find the video here.
Mike is now listed on Starsnsites Voice Talent Forum
Apart from here, you’ll find me listed online in a number of places, and I’m pleased to add Starsnsites.com to the list.
As well as hosting a directory of voice talent, they have some interesting reading on classes, auditions and marketing for those trying to get into the business.
Mike’s Week on the Mike (2-8 March)
What a busy week it’s been – and, gratifyingly, most of it from repeat business, which is always heartening!
The National Geographic Channel, who I hadn’t worked with in almost a year, invited me back to voice two programmes for their “Megastructures” strand. The first of these goes out on Wednesday night, 12th March at 9pm, and the second a week later on the 19th (both will doubtless do plenty of repeat business of their own, if you’re interested in catching them).
This week also saw me spending three days working through my agent, The Voiceover Gallery, updating a whole load of materials I voiced last year for the ACCA, the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, along with my colleague Dominica Warburton. Three days in a studio owned by the ex-bass player for Def Leppard. Rock on…
Met Film also invited me back for the second week in a row, this time to voice an internal video for John Lewis from my home studio. Aparently my voiceovers last week for the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For Awards went down well on the night. In addition, having worked together for the first time last summer, Function Films got me in to voice a corporate video for their client, Turbine Services Ltd.
So, apart from my regular gigs for the BBC World Service and Film24, nearly all of my work this week has been from people I’ve worked with before. They obviously think I’m doing something right and repeat business is, after all, the finest form of freelance flattery.
One new bit of business for a new client though was especially interesting: Atlanta-based All Voices International asked me to help out with a client of theirs in Los Angeles, who was looking for a replacement British voice for her documentary project on the life of the Polish actress, Helena Modjeska. A combination of Source-Connect and Skype meant that London could talk to LA, while Atlanta held court and recorded in the voice track. Not a phone patch or an ISDN line in site. Is this a sign of things to come?
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