0011: Five Moments From Being On Set

well hey there hero in this episode of
the vo Heroes podcast I’m coming to you
from my voiceover studio rather than my
on-camera studio I didn’t want to lose
the ability to do a podcast episode from
in here and I kind of missed it and
we’re making some changes in here as
well if you’re watching the video
version of this you’ll see them shortly
but what I wanted to share for you this
week was some things that came to me
when a client of mine a hero a vo hero
pro got to work on set and what he came
away with I think it’s helpful for me to
remember and might be helpful for you
too and we’ll do that coming up next on
this episode of the vo heroes podcast
[Music]
so I always love it when a client or
student of mine branches out into
something that isn’t the norm and one of
my heroes who I’ve known only from doing
vo work with me and a podcast that he’s
a part of got a chance to work on set
and you know instead of just saying hey
I got a chance to work on set he
actually wrote a note and posted it in
our private discussion group on vo he
rose calm and it was nice I love those
moments when you stretch when you leave
your comfort zone or you return to what
you’ve done before because I think he’d
done on-camera work before and it had
been a while anyway he wrote something I
wanted to share it with you I just
wanted to take a moment to say a very
special thank you to David H Lawrence
17th you’re welcome I got to do
on-camera work yesterday for the first
time in a long time and I feel like the
camera-ready you class the secrets of
screen acting book and podcast and many
other times he’s talked to us about his
experiences via conversations outside of
these classes were a huge help in making
yesterday a big success that’s very kind
of you I appreciate that
the producer the director and the
production assistant all took a shine to
me and I ended up being in the middle of
a key scene because of it which is great
that’s what you want so this is my list
of to do’s that I put together from what
David has taught me number one be
prepared have a plan and bring
everything you need yeah yeah you’re
gonna have some downtime you’re gonna
have some time off in your trailer or
off in your dressing room or just off to
the side make sure you bring something
to occupy your time but keep one eye on
what’s going on on set right number two
introduce yourself to the people who
need to know you’re there and let them
know you’re standing by ready to do
whatever they need and it’s an
interesting kind of shade on that you
let them know you’re there but don’t get
in their way and that’s kind of what
he’s saying I’m here I’m ready whenever
you are which is great because so many
people show up with this
like need to be okay I’m ready to go we
ready to go is everybody ready to go you
don’t have to do that just relax you’re
there because you got booked the
production assistants gonna take care of
you you’re gonna sign your paperwork
you’re gonna get into makeup and
wardrobe whatever you need to do you’re
gonna do some blocking they’re gonna set
the lights up you’re gonna shoot the
scene from one angle you’re gonna it’s
all gonna be taken care of so bring some
stuff during those down times when
they’re turning around when they’re
adjusting lights when they’re changing
up what they planned on doing to
something more appropriate number three
stay out of the way but still within
eyesight of the people who need you
again very key to be available not like
off at the crafts table or off in your
trailer not paying attention you know
talking to the extras you know when
you’re when you’re or if you’re an extra
talking to the crew or trying to you
know be part of it just in case you need
me hey maybe you’ll promote me yeah just
you know relax and that’s what I’m
getting from all of this stuff and then
number four when there are breaks get to
know the people around you ask questions
if you can taking an interest in
learning more and I can tell you that
that is so appreciated if you’re just
basically chatting with somebody who
rarely gets chatted with you know you
think of gaffers you think of focused
pullers you think of grips you think of
people who are not necessarily the
glamour positions on the crew they love
talking with actors they let as long as
it’s not a chore and clearly it wasn’t a
chore for him and then there was a fifth
one a bonus one be perfectly happy to
stay late and do as many takes as they
need we had a problem with random people
inserting themselves into our shoot oh
like the person across the street as
soon as they would call action the guy
across the street would go ruining the
take yeah when the director started
apologizing to the actors for all the
retakes I just smiled and said no
worries I’m glad to do as many as we
need oh that’s like that’s like music to
the
Kruse ears when you’re not one of those
actors when you’re not a wack derp right
I’ve heard so many people call actors
that are filled with themselves or are
doing things that that just turn people
off to actors mostly and then it’s so
refreshing when somebody doesn’t do
those things so awesome
yeah so no worries I’m glad to do as
many as we need thank you David you’re
awesome
I so appreciate it and when I when I
read this I was like it brought back so
many memories of you know recent
memories just a few weeks ago but all
the way back to when I first started
doing on-camera work and how much fun it
was and how much it reminded me of what
it was like when I first started doing
radio couldn’t wait to get to the studio
couldn’t wait to get on air was like
nervous and with excitement and over the
years you know radio turned into a
different kind of business and it wasn’t
all that exciting to work in but to see
this to see this joy is just really
really great I
I so appreciate the kind words and I
think what we can all take away from
this is there is nothing in this
business that has to be achar everything
we are so blessed so fortunate to be in
a business where so much is awesome it’s
so cool to have a scene just flow and
it’s so cool to go in for an audition
and know that you’ve got it and then to
get that call and and and to see the
results on the screen
it’s just mmm it’s just great I wonder
what it’s like for you do you have that
joy do you have that what would it what
I’m coming from here is this this like
wondrous joy do you still have that joy
you still know what it’s like to feel
fortunate to be in the business is there
cynicism creeping in I don’t feel an
ounce of it here right so let me know in
the comments below I’d love to know what
you think because keeping things fresh
like this keeping things in perspective
and enjoying the fact that we get to do
this
a job instead of jobs that aren’t
necessarily so much fun mm-hmm anyway
let me know in the comments below on
viajeros comm I’d love to have you on my
list if you want to get on the list at
the very bottom of the page there’s a
little form you can fill out says get on
the list right at the top of the form
and I want to thank you so much for
giving me a little bit of your time this
week I thank you for listening and for
watching I’m David H Lawrence 217th and
I will talk with you soon.