:COLOR KEY
General Session
Breakout Session
Mastery Session
Break
Panel
PLEASE NOTE THE MASTERY AND BREAKOUT SESSIONS ARE ADD-ONS AND HAVE ADDITIONAL FEES. YOU MUST HAVE A GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THESE.
Panels are considered general sessions and are included with your admission ticket
**To Register for Optional Breakout and Mastery sessions - which are add-ons, please do the following:
Click the button to register.
Click on tickets.
Scroll down past General admission if you already have that ticket and you will see the add-on sessions! See you there!! :)**
Day 1
Friday
November 10, 2023
8:15am-9:00am – Registration
9:00am-9:15am – Opening Remarks – Val Kelly (Owner/President/CEO/Executive Producer, Mid-Atlantic Voiceover, LLC)
9:15am-9:30am – Break/Overlap
9:30am-11:00am- Breakout Session - Val Kelly: "Let's Play"
Join Voice Actor/Owner/President/CEO/Executive Producer of Mid-Atlantic Voiceover, LLC for a very special breakout session! Often times in VO and in life – when we get older, it’s harder for people to give themselves permission to play. In this 90 minute session, Val will lead attendees through a series of fun VO activities that allow them to explore their creativity and playful side when it comes to developing characters and adding versatility to their VO performances. Scripts and props will be provided! This is a “voices on”, performance-based session! Attendees should be ready to dive in and have a blast!
9:30am – 11:00am – Breakout Session – Ana Clements: Be Your Own Cheerleader
Congratulations on investing in yourself and learning the HOW of Voiceover. Ever wondered about your WHY or should I say your WHY NOT? Do you want to know what’s stopping you, what’s holding you back? Are you curious about how to get out of your own way? In this talk we discuss how we all second guess ourselves and how to live and work with our own inner critic. With practical takeaways to help you become aware of your own patterns of behavior and move you forward in your voice career. When the conference excitement has faded and it’s just you and your recording space, this talk will help you help yourself.
9:30am – 12:30pm – Mastery Session – Vanessa Richardson:
Vanessa has hosted over 9 top True Crime and Storytelling podcasts for Spotify on multiple platforms. Spotify Studios original, Serial Killers, has been their top rated podcast for over 6 years. With past growth and recent changes in the podcast space, Vanessa has seen the podcast business transform and has insight and knowledge to share about Podcast types and trends; How much the Podcast industry is currently worth; Being cast vs creating your own show; How Podcasts are monetized and; What are your odds in the Podcast space? The session will start with an improv warmup (and learn why that’s important) and attendees will get the opportunity to read from various actual podcast scripts with direction and of course time for Q&A at the end.
9:30am-12:30pm – Mastery Session – Marc Scott: From Search to Send: How to Find a New Lead and Send an Introductory Email
In this mastery session, I'm going to walk you through the entire process of finding a new lead, getting an actual email address and drafting an introductory marketing email. Each participant will be given the opportunity to get real time, personal feedback on their email so that by the end of the session, you've got a template you can use over and over again.
9:30am-10:30am- General Session – Laura Schreiber: Everything E-learning!
Have you wanted to get into eLearning but are not sure how? Learn all about the current industry trends, different genres within eLearning, current trends in booking, and what those of us who are casting are really looking for! We’ll talk about where to find this work and what your rates should be. Everything from workflow and best practices will also be covered.
9:30am-11:00am – Breakout Session – Yolanda Spearman:
Balancing 2 Careers - what’s your availability?
11:00am-12:00pm – General Session – J. Michael Collins: Conversational Commercials in 2023 and Beyond
J. Michael Collins isn't just a conference owner and demo producer. As one of commercial voiceover's top-booking talent for over 25 years, JMC continues to book high-profile work like his 2023 Telly-winning national campaign for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. In this rapid-fire session, JMC will walk you through the subtle but critical techniques that separate booking reads from those that are barely hanging on to the shortlist in today's market and show you why what you think of as "real and authentic" may actually be years out of date already!
12:00 or 12:30pm – 2:00pm – LUNCH ON YOUR OWN (Not included)
2:00pm – 3:00pm – General Session – Joe Cipriano – Promos
2:00pm – 3:00pm – General Session – Monique Bagwell: The Voice from Nowhere: Learning how to create a General American Accent
Is your accent or regionalism preventing you from getting certain work in the American English market? By learning the intonation, oral posture, and phonetic sounds of General American English, you can begin to understand the tools needed to broaden your voiceover market. The session will include helpful tips and vocal awareness exercises to help you learn how to neutralize or soften your accent or regionalism.
Participants will learn about the intonation that is associated with the General American Accent
Participants will learn about the oral posture that is associated with the General American Accent
Participants will learn about the common phonetic sounds associated with the General American Accent
2:00pm – 3:00pm – General Session – Michael Scott: Turn Your NETWORK…Into NETWORTH $$$
Learn engaging and effective networking techniques. Avoid inappropriate, pushy, and “salzzzzy” approaches to growing your business. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of being an introvert or extrovert and how to use them to your advantage in small and large group settings. Enhance your networking skills for when it matters most with key stakeholders and decision makers. Attendees will learn how to maximize their conference experience, build community, and develop an elevator pitch to seal the deal!
2:00pm – 5:00pm – Mastery Session – Jim Fronk: 3 Hour Website Creation Mastery Class
In this MAVO Mastery Class you will learn the "must have" elements needed for your VO-Website. Together, will work step-by-step through the process of building YOUR professional and effective voiceover website. Showcasing your talent, demos, and personality. Whether you're new to website building or have some experience, this learn-by-doing course will provide you with the skills and tools necessary to create, update and expand a website that sets you apart from the competition. Participants will have a BRAND NEW WEBSITE at the end of the class!!!
2:00pm – 5:00pm – Mastery Session – Sean Pratt: Sean Pratt Presents - A Non-Fiction Audiobook Narration Deep Dive!
What we’re going to cover - The ‘TED Talk’ performance concept I use for all my narration projects. - Finding the ‘path through the paragraph’ and why it is essential to enhance your overall performance. - The concept of “Paragraph Colors” - ‘The 4 Voices of Non-Fiction’ and how to use them in your narration. - Answer your questions about Non-Fiction audiobooks and the audiobook industry.
2:00pm – 3:30pm – Breakout Session – Colleen Evanson: Detective-ing Your Script:
From the punctuation used in dialogue to the page number of your scene, learn from a TV writer about the context clues given in a script that will help you improve your performance by better understanding story and character needs.
2:00pm -3:30pm – Breakout Session – Kelly McGee: Script Analysis
Kelly will work directly with guests on script analysis and tapping into our vulnerability when drilling down on reads. Discovering what is important to each read and what is being sold besides the product or service.
3:35pm – 5:05pm – Breakout Session – Carin Gilfry: In-Show Narration, Moving the Story Forward:
From murder shows, to home renovations, to the secret mating life of axolotls, in-show narrators have one important job... to move the story forward. Join veteran voice actor Carin Gilfry (narrator of Final Moments and Sleeping with Death on Oxygen) for a look into this unique genre of voiceover. Learn where to find the work, how the recording process is done, how to spin a great story, and even read some scripts of your own.
3:35pm-5:05pm – Breakout Session – Angelina Bruno & Andrea Beane – AB2 Talent: "Building Authenticity from the Inside Out”
With a market demanding authenticity, how do you get there? How does it apply to commercial auditions? Interested in learning how to create authenticity from the inside out? Do you find yourself blocked? Join us for an authentic body mind
approach with AB2 Talent’s Andrea Beane and Angelina Bruno. You’ll learn
relaxation techniques to ground you, ways to remove blocks and organic approaches to add to your voiceover toolbox. We’ll finish the session by utilizing your newfound tools with actual scripts and an opportunity for feedback.
3:30pm – 5:30pm – General Session – Dan Friedman: Zen4VO - Connection Confidence Communication.
5:00pm/5:30pm – 7:30pm – Dinner on your own – Not included
7:30pm-9:00pm – Animation Panel: Sirena Irwin, Katie Leigh, Michael Scott, Vanessa Richardson, Colleen Evanson
9:00pm-11:00pm – Networking/Social Event/Guest Speaker fast intro
That's Day 1!!
Onto days 2 & 3 now!!
Keep Scrolling!!!
Day 2
Saturday
November 11, 2023
Day 3
Sunday
November 12, 2023
8:15am-9:00am – Registration
9:00am-9:15am – Opening Remarks – Val Kelly
9:15am – 10:15am – General Session – Paul Schmidt: I ASKED OVER 50 VOICE ACTORS WHAT’S HOLDING THEM BACK – HERE’S WHAT THEY SAID.
An inside look at the research I conducted and my conversations with almost 70 voice actors all over North America, including Frustrations of the Modern Voice Actor, What We Fear, and What’s at Stake, and what you should be doing to market your VO business in 2024.
9:15am – 10:15am – General Session – Yolanda Spearman: Do VO your Way - Set goals to live the life you want!
9:15am-12:15pm – Mastery Session – Kelly McGee:
Open to Intermediate and Pro Voice Actors. Kelly will delve deeply into the process of script analysis, tapping into vulnerability, 'mining for gold' in scripts and setting yourself head and shoulders above the competition.
9:15am – 12:15pm – Mastery Session – Laura Schreiber: Book More Work by Understanding Current Commercial Trends:
Are you booking all the gigs you think that you should? Understanding today’s trends is essential. Studying the scripts that are out NOW and looking at what is on TV and the social media at the moment is a critical part of staying current in VO. In this breakout session we will work on strategies to stay on top of current trends, keep your reads fresh, and develop techniques to self-check your audio. We will look at current spots and scripts and work through reads together so that you can feel more confident when submitting your work.
9:15am – 10:45am – Breakout Session – Colleen Evanson: Basic Story Structure for Actors:
For those who no longer wish to be confused by random script pages they receive in auditions, this session will help you understand what the writers are looking for by giving you a better sense of overall story structure. Once you know where you are in a story, you'll have a greater understanding of how it effects your character and where they are in their emotional arcs.
10:15am – 11:15am – General Session – Ana Clements: How to Adapt Your Voice Talent to Audiobooks
If you are interested in corporate narration and e-learning, come along! I will talk about how to get started in audiobooks, how it feels to make a mid-life career change. Where you can find audiobook work and why you might want to. How to prepare for a project and how to know if audiobooks are for you. Let’s celebrate long form narration.
11:15am-12:15pm – General Session – Carin Gilfry and Tim Friedlander – NAVA – Platinum Sponsor:
As advances in technology shift the landscape of the voiceover industry and creative fields the world over, it is more important than ever to be armed with knowledge. The National Association of Voice Actors has been at the forefront of the discussions surrounding AI and synthetic speech and have helped to shape the path ahead. Join president and vice president of NAVA, Tim Friedlander and Carin Gilfry for this talk all about community, technology, and how to navigate this new world of voiceover.
12:15pm – 12:30pm – Break (to reset D for lunch, if necessary)
12:30pm – 2:00pm – Lunch (PROVIDED by MAVO)
2:00pm – 3:00pm – General Session: KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Sirena Irwin: Making the choices that elevate your career!
We are making choices daily. In fact, all day long from the moment we awake until we put it to bed, choices must be made. Even while we dream, we are making choices. Isn’t that exciting?! Exhausting, at times, yes. But, YOU, are in control of your choices. You. So, how do you ignite that creative spirit when looking at a text? What are the choices that are supported by the written material that invigorate – challenge – and surprise you? We’ll explore how to uncover the treasured opportunities that writers provide performers so YOU can better figure out how to make the thrilling choices that are supported by the writer’s words. Prepare yourself so you can do the work to elevate YOUR work.
3:15pm – 6:15pm – Mastery Session – Joe Cipriano: Promo Mastery Class
This special Mastery Class, is a compressed version of Joe’s weekend Promo Master Classes.
In this 3 hour session, Joe will present the core teachings of his weekend classes, with the emphasis on getting on mic and performing as much as possible. His learn-by-doing method allows the talent to become familiar with the requirements and constraints they’ll face in different types of promo sessions; timing, finding the story, creating the energy and emotion, interpreting the copy and the performance. During the class we will concentrate on the three different types of promo sessions you’ll encounter in your promo career;
1. Reading to Picture - hitting graphics, sots and sfx and developing your "Soul-Clock"
2. Tracking with timings, for promos that are cut and roughed, but not available to read to
3. Wild-tracking with “3 in a rows for speed” for promos that have approved copy, but spots have yet to be cut.
By the end of this Promo Mastery, attendees will have a full understanding of what’s expected of the voice talent for the common types of promo sessions and have the experience of actually doing it in a real-world situation.
3:15pm – 6:15pm – Mastery Session – Katie Leigh: "All Together Now!" (Ensemble Animation Script Table Reads):
What's missing these days when recording for animation is often the other actors! In this workshop, we will create the experience of an actual recording session, from casting the show, to performance with live direction. Gain experience playing off your fellow actors and learning what is required and what is verboten when recording for animation.
3:15pm – 6:15pm – Mastery Session – Michael Scott: Effortless Efforts! BOOK IT & BRING IT!
Learn engaging tips, tricks, and cheat codes to land your Dream Role! Being cast in video games, animation, commercials, and many other areas of voiceover require you to perform realistic efforts (sound affects). This interactive session will focus on Military Callouts, Battle Chatter, In-Game Combat Techniques, Attack Efforts, Pain Efforts, Creature Voices, Comedic Timing, and Improv Performance Skills. Guidance will be provided on how to find employment opportunities both locally and internationally. Attendees will have an opportunity to practice getting into battle while learning to protect their million-dollar voices.
3:30pm – 4:30pm – General Session – Colleen Evanson: Writing for Animation: Whether you're interested in writing or just want to understand what's expected from your character performance learn the process that goes into writing a script for animation -- from basic story structure, story breaking templates used in writers rooms, typical character dynamics, and learning the difference between 11 min vs 22 min content.
3:30pm – 5:00pm – Breakout Session – Monique Bagwell: Let Your Body Do the Talking: Using Laban Efforts to Awaken Your Vocal Performance
Overcome the challenge of “give me 3 takes” by learning how to create dynamic and distinctly different reads using the (8) Laban Efforts. Participants will actively explore all (8) Laban Efforts physically, and vocally and then apply them to a copy of their choice. After this fun and engaging workshop, you need never fear multiple takes again!
Participants will actively explore the (8) Laban Efforts Physically
Participants will actively explore the (8) Laban Efforts Vocally
Participants will actively apply the (8) Laban Efforts to their Copy.
3:30pm – 5:00pm – Breakout Session – Sean Pratt: Audiobook demos - Do's and Don'ts :
This class explores: - Who listens to them and what they need to hear - What goes into making a great demo - When you should be creating them - Where they should be produced - How they should be recorded - Why the audiobook demo is different from other kinds of VO reels.
5:00pm (or 6:15pm if in Mastery) – 7:30pm – Dinner Break - On your own (not included)
7:30pm-8:30pm – Casting Panel – Sirena Irwin, Angelina Bruno, Andrea Beane
8:30pm – 10:30pm – Networking/Social
8:30am – 9:00am – Registration
9:00am – 9:15am – Opening Remarks – Val Kelly
9:30am - 10:30am – General Session – Sean Pratt: Why audiobooks are a smart choice to add to your VO career. This overview will show you what to expect from the audiobook industry with regards to - Who are the players in the industry - What are the trends in the audiobook world - When should you start exploring this venue - Where the jobs are found - How audiobooks are produced - Why it could be a great addition to your portfolio of voiceover work.
9:30am – 10:30am – General Session – Kelly McGee: The art of vulnerability in the VO business.
We all know that script analysis is an integral part of Voice Acting. Bringing vulnerability to that process is a necessary component to success. We are in the business of selling not only a product or a service, but also relatability and credibility. In her presentation, Kelly will cover why it is important to tap into that vulnerability when breaking down and delivering scripts for clients, casting directors and agents. Kelly will speak to the ins and outs of connection to not only what is written, but also what the underlying sell is on a script, how to drill down on that, and deliver a winning read.
9:30am – 11:00am – Breakout Session – Vanessa Richardson: Improvisational Theater class.
For anyone - beginner to seasoned improv professional! A little history and a lot of FUN! I studied with my mentor and dear friend Gary Austin, founder of the Groundlings, for almost 2 decades and have been carrying on his legacy by teaching a weekly class just outside of LA.
9:30am-11:00am - Breakout Session - Laura Schreiber - Branding Workship!
Do you stand out? Why are you different than other voice actors? Why should a client work with you over another talent? The answer can often be simply conveyed with your branding, but branding is no simple task. In this hands-on workshop, we will work together to freshen up your branding so that you walk out of the session with BOTH a better understanding of why branding matters and actual steps to start conveying your branding in your marketing strategy so you can reach your voiceover goals!
9:30am-12:30pm – Mastery Session – Ana Clements: Creating Characters and Telling the Authors Truth
I will talk about how to start in audiobooks, where to find work and how to create believable characters: why we aren’t just “doing voices”, how to mine the text for information and how to differentiate between characters long before you have added any accents or physical characteristics. We will also talk about telling the authors truth: acknowledging the investment that goes into writing and how to know which books will suit you and help the producers cast you. An opportunity for participants to read and discuss their initial thoughts on the scripts provided.
9:30am – 11:00am – Breakout Session – Laura Schreiber: Branding Workshop! Do you stand out? Why you are different than other voice actors? Why should a client work with you over another talent? The answer can often be simply conveyed with your branding, but branding is no simple task. In this hands on work shop, we will work together to freshen up your branding so that you walk out of the session with BOTH a better understanding of why branding matters and actual steps to start conveying your branding in your marketing strategy so you can reach your voice over goals!!
9:30am – 12:30pm – Mastery Session – Sirena Irwin: Putting Choices to Work
Join the mastery session that will help you to help yourself uncover the writer’s hidden treasures that will lead you to exciting performances. All participants will be given text to play with. Or you are welcome to bring your own (bring at least 2 copies, please). You will be getting behind a mic, playing with characters that come from text – trying various choices (supported by the text) and working toward coming to a place where YOU can make the choices that elevate your career.
9:30am – 12:30pm – Mastery Session – Monique Bagwell: Staying Ahead of AI: Creating Genuine Human Emotional Connections with Copy without the Emotional Hangover
Learn how to keep the human element in your reads, by creating and channeling genuine emotions without the emotional hangover using Emotional Effector patterns. This scientifically studied process is based on “20 years of research by experimental psychologist Susana Bloch and her colleagues” that was introduced to the acting world soon after. Monique Bagwell is a certified instructor in the Emotional Body which centers around the instruction of emotional effector patterns. Participants will learn how to somatically bring greater emotional depth and connection to their reads by learning the (6) basic universal emotions with breath, posture, and facial expression and then applying it to their copy of choice.
Participants will actively learn about the somatic process of creating 6 genuine emotions
Participants will actively learn the process of avoiding Emotional Hangover
Participants will learn how to apply the emotions in their copy, text, or script.
12:30pm – 1:30pm – Lunch(Provided by MAVO)
1:30pm – 2:30pm – General Session – Vanessa Richardson: Podcast Overview –
This session will be a Podcast Overview - What are podcasts? (Vanessa will describe all of the different types and trends); What’s it worth? (How much money is actually in this space); History and evolution of podcasts and how do I get in? (Navigating the vast and ever-evolving podcast space and where you might fit in.) There will be a lightening round where attendees will have the opportunity to explore different styles of reads as they act as the narrator from real True Crime and Storytelling podcast scripts.
1:30pm – 2:30pm – General Session – Marc Scott: Forget the FOMO: How to Pick the Social Media Platforms The Work for You and Forget the Rest
Do you feel like you need to be on every social media platform? And that if you’re not, you’re missing out on opportunities for your business? That’s just not true. In this session I’ll give you a basic rundown of the most popular platforms and help you make confident decisions about which ones are worthy of your time.
1:30pm – 3:00pm – Breakout Session – Michael Scott: Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh…The Secret World of “Voice Matching”
In the entertainment industry, celebrities are often unavailable or just too expensive, that’s where you come in! Learn about the NOT so talked about secret world of voice matching, looping, and dubbing for video games, narration, television, films and more. This interactive session will focus on Improv Performance Skills, Voice Matching Techniques, and Dubbing Strategies. Attendees will have an opportunity to practice matching million-dollar voices. FAKE IT until you MAKE IT…and someone has to match YOUR celebrity voice!
1:30pm – 3:00pm – Breakout Session – Katie Leigh: Toys, Games and Apps - Understanding the needs and demands of these specialized genres. Learn new approaches and useful techniques for interpreting the copy.
3:00pm – 3:30pm – Break/Networking
3:30pm – 5:00pm – Closing/Prizes Ceremony
(**You must be present in person to win a prize**)
Day 1
Friday,
November 10, 2023
Day 2
Saturday,
November 11, 2023
Day 3
Sunday
November 12, 2023
