One of the things I really love about this business is the ability for my voice to be heard around the world (literally!). One of the things I don’t like so much about this industry is that it can be so impersonal. Many clients hire me through the Internet and we do all of our communicating via email, and I send them the completed audio files over the Internet. We never actually see or even speak to each other. The hardest part for me is the fact that everyone knows what I sound like (of course!!), and they even know what I look like because of pictures on my websites, while I have no idea of anything about them. There have been instances when I’ve been hired by someone in a foreign country and I couldn’t tell you how to pronounce their name or even if I was being hired by a man or a woman!
So, I really enjoy those occasions when I at least get to speak with a client on the phone. I also prefer using a phone patch whenever possible in order to get that immediate feedback and direction, so that I can be sure I’m giving them what they want. Recently I was contacted by someone in Germany to do a video narration. What I especially loved about this prospect was that he wanted to record via phone patch. Finally, an opportunity to “meet” one of my overseas clients! The date for recording has not yet been set, but the producer did already call me to introduce himself and talk through a few things. Fortunately, his English is quite good, so we should have no problem communicating effectively. : )
When I titled this blog entry, I had an old song running through my head by ELO. Anyone remember “Calling America”? I don’t know if it was one of their more well-known songs; it was off of the album “Balance of Power”.
A brief excerpt of some lyrics from the song…
“Talk is cheap on satellite
But all I get is (static!)
Information, I’m still here
Re-dial on automatic.
CHORUS:
Calling America (can’t get a message through)
Calling America (that’s what she said to do)
Calling America (that’s where she has to be)
Calling America (she left a number for me)
Calling America.
But I’m just talking to a satellite
Twenty thousand miles up in the sky each night
Yeah, we’re living in
In a modern world.
All I had to do was pick up the phone
I’m out in space, trying to talk to someone
Yeah, we’re living in
In a modern world.”
Fun lyrics from the 80′s…anyway, it’s stuck in my head now. Fortunately it’s a song I like. : ) I’ll let you know how the session goes! In the meantime I need to go dig through my tape cases…
I just found the “Calling America” video online to share. Looks like the early days of “Google Earth” in this video. : ) What fun. Enjoy!
