It is a cool late winter New England morning. I awake to the sound of the wind blowing through the bare branches of the naked trees. Looking out the window, the sky is still dark but soon the sun will be glistening off the snow. I've had a good nights sleep, and good thing, because the last 14 weeks have all lead to this.
It's February 21st, 2014, and it's Studio Day, the day I record my first professional voice over demos. I'm nervously excited--or excitedly nervous, I can't decide which--but I feel ready. My coach Angela and I have taken the last three weeks going over my scripts, and my best friend Duncan will be joining me (he doesn't know it yet, but I've decided to start introducing him as the founding member of my Entourage.) And last week, I took a test trip into town to make sure I know where the studio is (thanks to another friend, Bob, for the ride over there.)
7:45 AM. After breakfast and the usual morning getting ready, it's time to leave. I grab my backpack containing the supplies for the day: notebook and pens, water and more water, two sets of scripts--my marked up scripts and clean copies for the studio--and $200 cash; I have the studio for two hours at $100 each. I am leaving a little earlier than needed, I don't need to be there until about 10:15, but I have a near phobic fear of being late, especially for something really important like this. Besides, I have to pick up Duncan, and we are driving into Boston, and I don't want to take a chance on the Friday morning traffic.
The plan is to park at the Museum of Science-Boston, and take the Green Line C train to the Hynes Convention Center stop. Arriving at the museum around 9, I figure we have a half-hour to 45 minutes to kill, so we wander around the place, then head off to the train.
At the appropriate stop, we get off, walk down Newbury St, and right to the building--Cybersound Music. Perry Geyer, the owner, who is also my sound engineer this morning, greets us. It's a small studio-reception area, two recording booths and a booth with the engineering equipment. The booth I'll be using is Studio A, the larger and more updated studio. I have a microphone, headphones, and a TelePrompter off of which I can read the copy. There is also a piano and glass window through which I can see Perry and Duncan. Perry will be signaling me that we're rolling.
Sound check, and it's time to start. Angela has called in via Skype, and, as the demo producer, she calls the action. We have 11 scripts to record in two hours, and it takes me 15 minutes to complete the first one. This leaves me just over 10 minutes to complete each of the others. Are we going to make it? But a pattern develops---one take of the complete script, then several takes of each sentence, and a final recording of the whole. It's interesting why we do it this way. Let's say we want a perfect take of the sentence "I like chocolate milk." They can take the "I like" from take one, and put it together with the "chocolate milk" from take three. And you have a perfect recording of that sentence.
For the next hour and 45 minutes we complete one script after the next--some I do quickly, others take more time. Finally, the last script--good thing it's a short one, because Angela calls "That's a wrap" with literally 30 seconds to spare.
And with that, the recording is complete. I take off my headphones and rejoin Perry and Duncan. We talk as Perry sends off the files to Such A Voice's post production team (out of the two hours in the studio, there's about 50 minutes of actual recorded material); it will take about 5- 8 weeks or so to get the final edit back from them. I pay, Perry gives me his card, and the business of the day is done. It's 12:40 PM.
Before leaving the neighborhood, Duncan and I grab lunch, and we take the train back to the museum.
It's a little after 4:00 by the time I get back home after dropping Duncan off, and I just now realize how exhausted I am. It's been a stressful day--in a good way. I have passed an important milestone in starting a new career, and am excited to get the finished product back. I also realize that I have been so focused on the business at hand that I've completely forgotten that I've had a camera with me all day----now I don't have any pictures of the experience!
I have dinner, but by 8:00 I just can't stay awake any longer, so to bed I go, knowing that it's been a good day, and it's only the beginning.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
My Favorite Place That I've Never Been
True story. A friend of mine--ok, it was me---was playing around on the net, and, well, you know how it goes: you start looking for one thing and you end up in an entirely different place. And I discovered my new favorite place to which I've never been.
Medicine Hat is a city located in southern Alberta, Canada about 100 miles from the US border at Harve, Montana, and 190 miles southeast of Calgary. For those who are interested, it is geologically located at 50 N latitude and 110 42 W longitude. The city encompasses an area of roughly 45 square miles and is 2,365 feet above sea level.
The Legend
But that’s enough statistics for now. Let’s tackle the burning question: Medicine Hat? Where did that come from? Well, like many place names, it came from Indian, or First Nation, history. The name Medicine Hat derives from the native word “saamis”, or medicine man’s hat. Here’s the legend as told on the city’s website:
A City Is Born
Like many cities of the North American West, Medicine Hat was influenced by and has a history tied to the railroad. When the Canadian Pacific Railway came through the area, the builders had to stop to build a bridge across the South Saskatchewan River, and that’s when it all began. This was in 1883. Eventually the Northwest Mounted Police arrived to maintain law and order among the railroad and First Nations. Finally, in 1905, Alberta was incorporated as a province, and in 1906 Medicine Hat was incorporated as the new province’s largest city. The Railway’s mainline still goes through the city.
When the railroad first arrived in the area, a happy accident happened which still resonates. In fact, one of the city’s nicknames comes from it—The Gas City (other nicknames are "Canada's sunniest city" and "Oasis of the Prairies"). While drilling for water, the crew discovered a major natural gas deposit, found to be one of the largest in North America. The city leaders decided, in 1903, to form a city-owned utility to provide gas to all residents. This utility still exists today.
Speaking of city government, the leaders consist of a mayor (currently Dr. Keith Clugston), and eight aldermen, or council members. The mayor is also a council member, for a total of nine. Terms run for 3 years, and Mayor Clugston was elected in 2012. There are, of course, various committees within the council.
The People
A city is only as good as the people who live there, and from what I’ve read, these are a young and vibrant people. According to the 2012 city census, the official population was 61,180 as of June 1st. Out of that, the largest age demographic is the 25 to 44 year old group, with 27 percent of the population, or 16, 681 people, with men in the slight majority. Overall, however, there are more women than men in Medicine Hat, at 50.4 percent of the population. And it doesn’t cost much to live there. The city has one of the lowest property tax rates in Alberta, thanks in great part to the city gas utility.
What To Do
According to the census, Medicine Hat has a great quality of life, in part to do the social life of the city. The Esplanade Arts and Heritage Center hosts all manner of concerts and shows. There are 618 acres of parks, and 57 miles of hiking/running/bike trails. The city was also on the Torch Relay for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. The torch passed through town on Saturday, January 16th, 2010. And that is not the only Olympics related event in Medicine Hat. In honor of the 1988 Calgary games, the city built the world's largest teepee.
This is just a little taste of the city. Overall—having obviously never been there—this city seems very interesting and I am looking forward to visiting our cousins to the Northwest.
Medicine Hat is a city located in southern Alberta, Canada about 100 miles from the US border at Harve, Montana, and 190 miles southeast of Calgary. For those who are interested, it is geologically located at 50 N latitude and 110 42 W longitude. The city encompasses an area of roughly 45 square miles and is 2,365 feet above sea level.
The Legend
But that’s enough statistics for now. Let’s tackle the burning question: Medicine Hat? Where did that come from? Well, like many place names, it came from Indian, or First Nation, history. The name Medicine Hat derives from the native word “saamis”, or medicine man’s hat. Here’s the legend as told on the city’s website:
The legend tells of a winter of great famine and hardship for the Blackfoot nation. The elders of the Council chose a young man to save his tribe from starvation. Setting out with his new wife and favourite wolf dog, he journeyed down the ice-bound South Saskatchewan River. After many arduous days they made their way to the “breathing hole”, an opening in the ice, located on the river between what is now Police point and Strathcona Park in Medicine Hat. This location was a sacred place to the First Nations’ people: a place where the water spirits came to breathe.
They made camp and summoned the spirits to appear. A giant serpent rose from the misty waters and demanded the sacrifice of the woman in exchange for a “Saamis” or “holy bonnet” which would endow the owner with special powers and great hunting prowess. The young man tried to trick the serpent by throwing the body of his dog into the river but the serpent was not fooled, and finally reluctantly, the woman was thrown into the frigid waters.
The man was told to spend the night on the small island (Strathcona) and “in the morning when the sun lights the cut-banks, go to the base of the great cliffs and there you will find your Medicine Hat”. And so aided by the magic of his Saamis, the young hunter located the much needed game, saved his people, and eventually became a great Medicine Man.
A City Is Born
Like many cities of the North American West, Medicine Hat was influenced by and has a history tied to the railroad. When the Canadian Pacific Railway came through the area, the builders had to stop to build a bridge across the South Saskatchewan River, and that’s when it all began. This was in 1883. Eventually the Northwest Mounted Police arrived to maintain law and order among the railroad and First Nations. Finally, in 1905, Alberta was incorporated as a province, and in 1906 Medicine Hat was incorporated as the new province’s largest city. The Railway’s mainline still goes through the city.
When the railroad first arrived in the area, a happy accident happened which still resonates. In fact, one of the city’s nicknames comes from it—The Gas City (other nicknames are "Canada's sunniest city" and "Oasis of the Prairies"). While drilling for water, the crew discovered a major natural gas deposit, found to be one of the largest in North America. The city leaders decided, in 1903, to form a city-owned utility to provide gas to all residents. This utility still exists today.
Speaking of city government, the leaders consist of a mayor (currently Dr. Keith Clugston), and eight aldermen, or council members. The mayor is also a council member, for a total of nine. Terms run for 3 years, and Mayor Clugston was elected in 2012. There are, of course, various committees within the council.
The People
A city is only as good as the people who live there, and from what I’ve read, these are a young and vibrant people. According to the 2012 city census, the official population was 61,180 as of June 1st. Out of that, the largest age demographic is the 25 to 44 year old group, with 27 percent of the population, or 16, 681 people, with men in the slight majority. Overall, however, there are more women than men in Medicine Hat, at 50.4 percent of the population. And it doesn’t cost much to live there. The city has one of the lowest property tax rates in Alberta, thanks in great part to the city gas utility.
What To Do
According to the census, Medicine Hat has a great quality of life, in part to do the social life of the city. The Esplanade Arts and Heritage Center hosts all manner of concerts and shows. There are 618 acres of parks, and 57 miles of hiking/running/bike trails. The city was also on the Torch Relay for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. The torch passed through town on Saturday, January 16th, 2010. And that is not the only Olympics related event in Medicine Hat. In honor of the 1988 Calgary games, the city built the world's largest teepee.
This is just a little taste of the city. Overall—having obviously never been there—this city seems very interesting and I am looking forward to visiting our cousins to the Northwest.
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