VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #496 – Comfortably Uncomfortable
Voice Coaches Radio. Everything voiceover. And welcome to this week's edition of Voice Coaches Radio. I am Josh Teller, she is Marissa Lanczak. Uh, and we are delighted to have you joining us. We are so delighted to be joined by... Your dog! Yeah, you would never know she's here because she's just like curled up next to me and just staring at me.
Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. Uh, so what type of, so your dog is a Miss Penny? Yeah! And what type of dog is Penny? Uh, she is a Shorkie. So she's a Shih Tzu Yorkie mix. Oh, and she is Tiny. She's what, like five pounds? No, she's actually, she's um, What were they, they just weighed her, it was like nine and a half pounds?
Oh man, I'm just very strong apparently. Um, and I guess my weight system is all thrown off because like my cat Well, she was a lot of hair too at that point. I shaved her down yesterday because it's been so freaking hot. Um, that uh, You know, she was just, she would look at me on the couch and she was just like, ah, ah, mommy, it's hot.
Uh, like I just, you know, read her mind. I mean, like I said, my cat's way. 20 plus pounds a piece. So, um, I'm, when I picked up your dog, I was like, Oh, that's light. That's light as a feather. Extremely light. Cool. That's different. Her interaction with Marcy was, uh. So Marcy, as some of you have heard, uh, uh, is our studio dog of sorts.
Also Will's dog. Um, and she is, she's, I mean, she's a puppy. She's not even a year old yet, I don't think. No, and Penny's going to be 12 in October, so. Yeah, Penny is, uh, Penny is, uh, is an old lady. And Mars is a young lass, and uh, Marcy had some energy, and Penny, not feeling that energy. Penny always thinks she's gonna like dogs, and then all of a sudden she's like, Nah, still like people more.
You know, usually people are like, um, I definitely like animals more than I like people. Penny's the opposite. Yeah, that's cause Penny doesn't know many people. If she did, she'd be like, people are generally the worst. And she'd be right, she'd be right. People are awful. Us included, us included. So, Penny, welcome to the show!
It's delightful to have you. She's right in front of the microphone, but... She also just turned her head and used my shoulder as a chin rest, so... I mean, I get it. It looks comfy. It looks like a comfy spot. Yeah. Just nestled in the crook of your arm. Got nothing to say? No. You leave the talking to Mommy? Okay.
That's all I got. I promise. She's here. Can't get a word in edgewise. We're not just making this up. No, this is true. There, there, there could be pictorial evidence. There's not going to be, but there could be, we could take pictures. Um, but, uh, so welcome Penny. So excited to have you. Love dog. I love having like animals in the, uh, you know, wherever.
So when I was in fourth grade, we had a class bunny. Oh, we had a class dog in third, third grade. That's awesome. Like, yeah, our, our, our was a bunny. It was our teacher. Her friend had a, had a bunny and was on like sabbatical or something like that, and so we inherited the bunny. And he used to just kind of, it was, it was a, you know, big ol big ol bunny, or could've been a rabbit.
I don't know the difference. Um, it was a big ol big ol boy. His name was, okay, his name was Molson, which is a Terrible name for a bunny. Uh, it's a great name for a dog. I used to know a dog, big golden retriever named Molson, fit perfectly. For a bunny, it didn't, it didn't, so we ended up calling him Mickey.
Um, and so it was our, and, and he literally used to just hop around, pooping everywhere, just, you know, chilling in a booth. Yeah, that's all they do, because I have one of those too. Yeah. Like, I'll clean his cage, two seconds later, it's... Did I ever tell you about the, uh, the bunny story at our house? No, I don't think so.
Oh my, I don't know if this is, uh, if this is safe for air. Um, so, uh, a good, one of Declan's, um, babysitters for a long time, uh, Nicole, she had a bunny. named Bruce Wayne, um, because of course. And, uh, and, you know, my son would love playing with, with, with Brucey because, you know, he's a little bunny. He was hilarious.
And so, she was going on vacation to Florida for a week with her family. And she was like, hey, instead of having just some neighbors look in on it, would you... Would you want to take the bunny for the week? You know, and, and that way, you know, we have a lot more interaction. Deck, I can play with him, it'll be great.
And we're like, yeah, that sounds amazing. And so, that's what happened. And we played with the bunny every night. And we had a cat, who, not our cats now. If we had our cats now, that'd be terrible, because they're hunters. But, our old cat, who was super old at the time, she did not care at all. That mole, that um, that Brucie was around.
And so, yeah, so this was good. So, uh, later in the week, must have been a Wednesday or a Thursday, I don't know. It was Wednesday actually, I was here, I was working late that night, working till 9, and I had a demo, I had a student in the booth, and I get a phone call from my wife, and she does not call me, you know, when I'm in session, she'll text me if she needs me, but when she calls if she knows that I'm in session, something's not right.
So there was a bunny emergency? Uh, he died. What?! Uh, in my son's room, uh, they put him in the cage, and he had a massive and fatal seizure and died. Oh my god. Um, in front of my child. And who at the time was like, three. Uh, and so my wife calls me and she's like, I think the bunny's dead, I don't know what to do.
And I'm like, alright, you gotta calm down, alright, calm down, tell me everything. And so she's explaining it, and all of a sudden, and she's a mess, understandably, and all of a sudden I hear my son in the background crying because it's past his bedtime, he just saw a bunny die, and uh, and I'm like, wait, whoa, Declan's awake, and she's like, yeah, and I was like, alright, I still have another, I have to finish this session, I still have another, like, you know, 45 minutes here, you need to figure it out, get yourself together, get your adult Pants on, sweet cheeks.
Yeah, I was like, get yourself together. I will be home in like 45 minutes, at which point you can do whatever you want. I don't care. We can, you know, commiserate together, but for now, I need you to buck up and take care of her son. Pull it together! And, uh, and so, and so she did. So I get home. So, um, she, she called the, the vet, or the animal hospital, and they were like, you know, you know, what happened, blah, blah, blah, how old, and I'm like, we don't know, like has this ever happened before?
Like, again, Transcribed Don't know, not our bunny. Uh, so we ended up, she ended up having to call our friend Nicole and being like, Hey, uh, has he ever done this before? And she's like, no. And I'm like, okay, that's not good. So, uh, we find out the bunny was, uh, 12 years old. Now that is old for a bunny so and that's the thing like we called she called the animal hospital back and they're like We just found I was 12 years old and the lady was like, oh, no He had a seizure like that's old like most bunnies don't live past like eight and we're like, well had we known that Probably wouldn't have taken him realize we had a geriatric bunny in our house.
And so I get home and He's in the cage, uh, or he's in the carrier on, on the couch. And I look at him like, oh no, he dead. Like, he dead. Like, I was like, well, maybe not. No, he dead. Like, it was obvious. And so my wife ended up, so I'm, I, my wife ended up. taking him to the animal hospital. Thankfully, they held on to him because it was like, we're gonna put him in our freezer?
Like, I don't want a bunny here. So they, they held on to the bunny. They were, they were great about it. Maybe you guys overstimulated him. I mean, did I tell you like when I went to Boston a couple weeks ago, when I got back, like I had told the neurologist, I'm like, yeah, all my concussion symptoms that I've been, you know, thinking were gone from my concussion back in January.
Like everything was heightened. She's like, Oh, you just overstimulated yourself. So maybe that's what you did to the bunny. We could have, I, I have no idea, but. But, um, but they're like, seizures in older bunnies is not, that's super common. And of course, I mean, I didn't know that. I've never had a bunny before.
Like, we had a bunny in fourth grade, but like, it didn't take care of it, it just ran around and pooped. And I was like, oh, a bunny. It just ran around And so I, um, so my wife takes him. Uh, to, uh, to the animal hospital, and I'm lying in bed with, with my son, trying to get him to go to sleep, and, and, um, And he goes, uh, he goes, he goes, Daddy, I think Brucie's, Brucie's sick, and I was like, yeah, buddy, I think so.
Um, he goes, uh, you think he'll get better? And I was like, I don't know, bud, I, I, I don't know. And then he goes, yeah, he was hopping like this, and then he did this, and he flipped his hand over and I was like, yeah, that's what I heard, bud. That's what I heard. And I was like, it's okay to be sad if, if, if, you know, if you're sad, I, it's, that's okay.
I was like, are you sad? He goes, no. And I was like, all right, cool. Night. Has he ever brought it up again? Occasionally. Occasionally. Very rarely. Very rarely. Daddy, remember when the buddy did this? Occasionally. Well, here's the thing. He knows that Bruce was sick, went to the hospital, and stayed at the hospital until Nicole came back to pick it up.
And all of that is a thousand percent true. No lies were told. He's just never seen him again. That they had it in the walk in freezer in the, uh, in the, you know, I mean, listen, that's neither here nor there. Um, so, uh, so yeah, so that was exciting. That's my bunny story. Anywho, um, so hopefully, uh, so don't, don't, don't bring your bunny into the studio because it.
No, I won't. Um, you're clearly bad luck, so I'm not. Honestly, God, no, honestly, God, I, I, uh, because it was, like I said, it was a Wednesday night. Thursday morning, I went to the gym in the morning. And, uh, when I got there, uh, the, the owner had a, a basset hound at the time, and, um, and was like, yeah, she was digging around in there, ended up, you know, finding a, a, a bunny and, and, and killing it.
And I was like, oh my God. That was two. Yeah, I'm never bringing my bunny anywhere near you. And then, on the way home from the gym, uh, the street next to where I live, dead bunny that was run over in the road. Penny, you're not allowed to tell your brother any of this. That night. When I got home from work again, because I worked late again, when I got home from work again, there was a bunny in my front yard and I was like, you better leave, bud.
This is a death trap. This is a death trap in here, so. Run before. Yeah, I was like, you need to get out of here, bud. So anyway, so that's, uh, that's, uh, that's my story. That's, uh, that's my story. We can, if from, because we do have a lot of bunnies that, that, that float around in our backyard. And you can, at night in the summertime, hear them being killed by cats and foxes.
Oh, fun. They scream. This was a great story to bring up on the pod, you know? So loud. So loud. It is terrifying. Uh, so, yeah, so, um, voiceover, right? Yeah. I'm a little distracted now. I went to the gym this morning early because my folks are coming into town, and so I got endorphins flowing, like, I don't know So, like, I'm drinking a cup of coffee.
I don't even need it. I don't even need it yet. That's gonna happen, but, uh, for now. So, anyway, um, Um, so that was kind of an uncomfortable story, a little bit, a little bit. Yep, thanks so much for bringing it up. You're welcome. So, so appreciative. Um, speaking of uncomfortable situations... Right? You like that segue?
Um, one of the things that, that you're gonna find when you're, when you're in voiceover is that there are certain things that, that, I mean, that are right in your wheelhouse. Certain things that you're super comfortable with. And that's great. It's important to find those things. But it, it, it's just as important to be willing to push the boundaries a little bit.
To be willing to get yourself in, you know, outside of your comfort zone, a little bit into that. uncomfortable situation because that's how we grow. That's how we learn. I mean, that's just life, right? Like if you, the moment you step outside your comfort zone is the moment you start to, to grow and expand.
And, you know, those skills start to, uh, become something even more than they were before. And like, I, I like to tell students like when they're trying to pick out scripts and stuff leading into demos, it's like pick out something that maybe you wouldn't normally choose. And play around with it a little bit, because you might surprise yourself.
You might have a lot of fun with it. It is. And, and, and that's the thing. You may not use it. Because it may not be good enough yet. That's okay. Who cares? That's what it's there for. So, you know, for me, uh, you know, we talked about that, that science fiction audio book I did. That was way outside my comfort zone.
I was doing voices and accents, and I don't really do any of those things, because I don't particularly enjoy them. Now you do. I don't. Apparently, um, and you know, I'm, I'm super glad I did, but it was, it was a bit nerve wracking, right? Because all the things I've done in the past, pretty much everything I've ever done has been, you know, biographical.
It's been straightforward, right? It's been kind of non fiction and, uh, and you know, it was, it was, it's a risk, but it's totally worth it. And now, you know, I'm looking for things like that too, because you know, not only do I know I can do them, but I like doing them and that's what you find. But hey, if you find out you don't like doing it.
That's okay too. You the only way to find out though, right? Oh, absolutely. You gotta test the waters. Absolutely. And, you know, when you're, you know, when you're preparing for a demo, when you're picking out pieces, when you're working, you know, in that regard, that's the perfect time to do it because there's literally no downside.
You try it, you love it, you're good at it, amazing. You try it, you hate it, you're brutal, awesome, now you know not to do that. Right? But that's what we have to learn somehow, right? You can't just, you know, forever just, you know, pigeonhole yourself into one thing. Because A, you're going to limit yourself as far as your earning potential, as far as, you know, what you can do.
But, you know, like as you said, I mean, growing not just as a voice actor, but as a person too, trying out new things. You know, it's a microcosm for life. Right. Well, you know, and This is the thing that is always kind of interesting for me is like people I think just assume because of the coaching that we do It's like oh, well, we must just do everything and I didn't start dabbling into audiobooks until like a couple months ago, right?
but prior to that commercial work was all I've really ever done along with radio and like podcasting and stuff and commercials are are typically It's challenging for a lot of people because of all the different type of like, uh, we'll call it acting, I guess, that goes into a lot of those things, you know, making commercial copies sound like it's just flowing naturally, like these kind of things.
It's not usually the easiest for somebody, whereas a narrative read usually does flow rather naturally. For me, I can't say that it did at first, you know, it took some work, um, you know, and I realized like an engaging read. Like, yeah, I can do a straightforward, engaging read. That was my first, you know, dabble into the audiobook world, um, but the one that I've been doing now, like I was telling you earlier, this like teen novel series thing, there's multiple voices in there.
And I'm not gonna say that I'm like knocking it out of the park, but I will say that I think it's going rather well and, you know, the author herself is, is very pleased and has said that I've been bringing these characters to life and everything, um, but for my first go at it, like. It's kind, it is fun. It, there's a lot of act, there's a lot more acting involved, I find.
Yeah. Yeah, and, and again, um, you know, it's not for everybody. And, and, you know, it's funny because you mentioned audiobooks. A lot of people are very intimidated by them because they, it is, regardless, you know, there's It's, it's large chunks, it's hours at a time, it's a lot of work, and, you know, it, it, it is, you know, it, it forces you to, you know, try to maintain a, a certain level for a long period of time, and it can be intimidating to people.
Try it. Try it. You might find you like it. Now, I've worked with people, uh, you know, and students and others that have done audiobooks. Hate them. Do not like them. Not a fan. Right? Don't like doing all that extra work. Rather just do, you know, my short and sweet stuff. And that's fine. And if you've done an audiobook and you're like, not for me, great.
You know, that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. But again, the only way you're gonna know is if you try. Absolutely. Absolutely. And so, when you can do that in a, you know, in a private session by yourself, there literally is no downside to it. There's none. Right? No one's gonna hear you. No one's gonna make fun of you.
No one's going to... except for yourself, which is fine, right? But I mean, you're, there's, there's no risk. Some of the things I say to myself, like, I'm so awful to myself. Yeah, we, we, we gotta be kind to ourselves. We, we gotta be, we gotta be kind to ourselves a little bit. Uh, but we've talked about that, right?
Don't get down on yourself. Stay positive. Well, then there's also the moment where I'm like, Oh my God, this is written so... Awful. Oh, well, there's that too. Yeah. No, there is that that's a very Yeah, but keep that to yourself also. Yeah Like man this person don't know how to write, um, that happens sometimes but you know again it it's about pushing yourself whether it is, you know Into more of character whether it's you know into you know, a longer Uh, you know narrative that that you never kind of pictured yourself doing.
Um, that's okay That's okay. Try it out. I mean, one of the things I, I love for, for students to do is, is try every category that we have before you start to decide where you want to go. Do I want to do commercial? Do I want to do narrative? What type of commercial? What type of narrative? Right? Before you get into that, dabble.
Dabble in it all. Dabble in it all. Find what you like. Find what you don't. That's, you know, and, and finding what you don't like or what you're not good at, just as if not as, if not more important, right? But, the truth is, we don't know what we don't know. Yeah, you can't, don't assume, because, Hemi, what do we say about assumptions?
I'm not going to say, because I don't think I can on the pod, but you know, you know what it means. Your dog looks dead. No, don't worry, the dog's still alive in here. Dog looks dead. What? I just turned around and like, literally, She's very comfortable. She just flopped over in your arms, like, Penny, you all right in there?
Is our podcast that boring? Probably. Probably. She's like, I heard all the bunnies talk, and I was... out. She heard the story about the bunny and she's just depressed now. Yeah, don't blame her. I was, uh, I was a little bit too. I was a little bit too. Yeah. Bunny's in my house. Don't, don't do well. Don't, don't fare well.
Penny, you're not welcome at Josh's. Wait, she's a dog. She'll be fine. I don't trust you now. Bunny, bunny's a dog. But then again, she is a little bit of an older dog, so maybe not. Maybe, maybe not. It's a no go Penny. Marcy can come hang out at my house because I know Marcy's not going to randomly have a seizure on I don't know that.
I don't know that. I hope that, um, But yeah, so, so push yourself, you know, in, in, in all aspects of life, but in voiceover specifically. Find out, you know, where you fit and where you want to fit. But don't just be like, well, this is easier, I think I'll just stay here. You can do that. But again, you're limiting yourself, you're limiting your options, you're limiting your, your, you know, income potential, uh, and, and, honestly, you're, you're limiting a lot of the, the greatest parts of, of voiceover, of trying out different things, of seeing, yeah, I mean, who, you know, who knows what you're going to be good at and what you're not going to be good at until you find out.
So find out. Get comfortable being uncomfortable for a little bit. That's okay. Yeah, the life coaching me is going to pop out right now. It's going to be, uh, keep going and keep growing. Oh, wow. You're welcome. Um, Wow, how much do I owe you for that? How much do I owe you for that? Um, at least 25 probably. I don't think I have that.
Um, Penny can you spot me? Penny's like, uh, I got treats back home. I'll, I'll babysit your dog. No! Fair enough. Well, at least I didn't say I'd babysit your bunny because, uh, one spit and twice shy. Uh, so again, uh, thanks so much for everyone for tuning in and, uh, and listening to our rambling rambles. Um, but, uh, Josh at voicecoaches.
com, that's the quickest and easiest way to get in touch with either of us. Questions, comments, concerns you might have, topics you want us to discuss. Gus, we're happy to do so. You want me to tell you more of my, uh, animal stories? I'm happy to do that as well. ? Um, sorry. If you have a bunny. Sorry. If you hold your bunny tight.
If you have a bunny, hold it tight. Not too tight though. No, that's fair. That's fair. Um, and if you see a bunny in the, in your yard, don't, don't try to do that. Don't, don't try to hold them. Um, but uh, yeah, let us know what, uh, what we can do. 'cause again, it's not just our show, it is your show. Uh, so Marissa, thanks so much.
Uh, great to chat with you again, and thanks for bringing in Penny. Penny, it was so good to meet you. You wanna, you wanna say anything to your fans? To your adoring fans? Here, I'll make her collar move so you can tell she's really here. Okay, well yeah, that's something. That's something. She's like, stop it, Mom.
Yeah, no, I'm not interested. Not interested. So yeah, it's a strong silent type. I get that. I appreciate that. Not really my thing Uh, not really our thing Really if you think about it, um, so, uh, We will be back next week as you know, we will same bad time same bad channel. R. i. p bruce Um and until next time So long everyone visit voice coaches.
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Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. Uh, so what type of, so your dog is a Miss Penny? Yeah! And what type of dog is Penny? Uh, she is a Shorkie. So she's a Shih Tzu Yorkie mix. Oh, and she is Tiny. She's what, like five pounds? No, she's actually, she's um, What were they, they just weighed her, it was like nine and a half pounds?
Oh man, I'm just very strong apparently. Um, and I guess my weight system is all thrown off because like my cat Well, she was a lot of hair too at that point. I shaved her down yesterday because it's been so freaking hot. Um, that uh, You know, she was just, she would look at me on the couch and she was just like, ah, ah, mommy, it's hot.
Uh, like I just, you know, read her mind. I mean, like I said, my cat's way. 20 plus pounds a piece. So, um, I'm, when I picked up your dog, I was like, Oh, that's light. That's light as a feather. Extremely light. Cool. That's different. Her interaction with Marcy was, uh. So Marcy, as some of you have heard, uh, uh, is our studio dog of sorts.
Also Will's dog. Um, and she is, she's, I mean, she's a puppy. She's not even a year old yet, I don't think. No, and Penny's going to be 12 in October, so. Yeah, Penny is, uh, Penny is, uh, is an old lady. And Mars is a young lass, and uh, Marcy had some energy, and Penny, not feeling that energy. Penny always thinks she's gonna like dogs, and then all of a sudden she's like, Nah, still like people more.
You know, usually people are like, um, I definitely like animals more than I like people. Penny's the opposite. Yeah, that's cause Penny doesn't know many people. If she did, she'd be like, people are generally the worst. And she'd be right, she'd be right. People are awful. Us included, us included. So, Penny, welcome to the show!
It's delightful to have you. She's right in front of the microphone, but... She also just turned her head and used my shoulder as a chin rest, so... I mean, I get it. It looks comfy. It looks like a comfy spot. Yeah. Just nestled in the crook of your arm. Got nothing to say? No. You leave the talking to Mommy? Okay.
That's all I got. I promise. She's here. Can't get a word in edgewise. We're not just making this up. No, this is true. There, there, there could be pictorial evidence. There's not going to be, but there could be, we could take pictures. Um, but, uh, so welcome Penny. So excited to have you. Love dog. I love having like animals in the, uh, you know, wherever.
So when I was in fourth grade, we had a class bunny. Oh, we had a class dog in third, third grade. That's awesome. Like, yeah, our, our, our was a bunny. It was our teacher. Her friend had a, had a bunny and was on like sabbatical or something like that, and so we inherited the bunny. And he used to just kind of, it was, it was a, you know, big ol big ol bunny, or could've been a rabbit.
I don't know the difference. Um, it was a big ol big ol boy. His name was, okay, his name was Molson, which is a Terrible name for a bunny. Uh, it's a great name for a dog. I used to know a dog, big golden retriever named Molson, fit perfectly. For a bunny, it didn't, it didn't, so we ended up calling him Mickey.
Um, and so it was our, and, and he literally used to just hop around, pooping everywhere, just, you know, chilling in a booth. Yeah, that's all they do, because I have one of those too. Yeah. Like, I'll clean his cage, two seconds later, it's... Did I ever tell you about the, uh, the bunny story at our house? No, I don't think so.
Oh my, I don't know if this is, uh, if this is safe for air. Um, so, uh, a good, one of Declan's, um, babysitters for a long time, uh, Nicole, she had a bunny. named Bruce Wayne, um, because of course. And, uh, and, you know, my son would love playing with, with, with Brucey because, you know, he's a little bunny. He was hilarious.
And so, she was going on vacation to Florida for a week with her family. And she was like, hey, instead of having just some neighbors look in on it, would you... Would you want to take the bunny for the week? You know, and, and that way, you know, we have a lot more interaction. Deck, I can play with him, it'll be great.
And we're like, yeah, that sounds amazing. And so, that's what happened. And we played with the bunny every night. And we had a cat, who, not our cats now. If we had our cats now, that'd be terrible, because they're hunters. But, our old cat, who was super old at the time, she did not care at all. That mole, that um, that Brucie was around.
And so, yeah, so this was good. So, uh, later in the week, must have been a Wednesday or a Thursday, I don't know. It was Wednesday actually, I was here, I was working late that night, working till 9, and I had a demo, I had a student in the booth, and I get a phone call from my wife, and she does not call me, you know, when I'm in session, she'll text me if she needs me, but when she calls if she knows that I'm in session, something's not right.
So there was a bunny emergency? Uh, he died. What?! Uh, in my son's room, uh, they put him in the cage, and he had a massive and fatal seizure and died. Oh my god. Um, in front of my child. And who at the time was like, three. Uh, and so my wife calls me and she's like, I think the bunny's dead, I don't know what to do.
And I'm like, alright, you gotta calm down, alright, calm down, tell me everything. And so she's explaining it, and all of a sudden, and she's a mess, understandably, and all of a sudden I hear my son in the background crying because it's past his bedtime, he just saw a bunny die, and uh, and I'm like, wait, whoa, Declan's awake, and she's like, yeah, and I was like, alright, I still have another, I have to finish this session, I still have another, like, you know, 45 minutes here, you need to figure it out, get yourself together, get your adult Pants on, sweet cheeks.
Yeah, I was like, get yourself together. I will be home in like 45 minutes, at which point you can do whatever you want. I don't care. We can, you know, commiserate together, but for now, I need you to buck up and take care of her son. Pull it together! And, uh, and so, and so she did. So I get home. So, um, she, she called the, the vet, or the animal hospital, and they were like, you know, you know, what happened, blah, blah, blah, how old, and I'm like, we don't know, like has this ever happened before?
Like, again, Transcribed Don't know, not our bunny. Uh, so we ended up, she ended up having to call our friend Nicole and being like, Hey, uh, has he ever done this before? And she's like, no. And I'm like, okay, that's not good. So, uh, we find out the bunny was, uh, 12 years old. Now that is old for a bunny so and that's the thing like we called she called the animal hospital back and they're like We just found I was 12 years old and the lady was like, oh, no He had a seizure like that's old like most bunnies don't live past like eight and we're like, well had we known that Probably wouldn't have taken him realize we had a geriatric bunny in our house.
And so I get home and He's in the cage, uh, or he's in the carrier on, on the couch. And I look at him like, oh no, he dead. Like, he dead. Like, I was like, well, maybe not. No, he dead. Like, it was obvious. And so my wife ended up, so I'm, I, my wife ended up. taking him to the animal hospital. Thankfully, they held on to him because it was like, we're gonna put him in our freezer?
Like, I don't want a bunny here. So they, they held on to the bunny. They were, they were great about it. Maybe you guys overstimulated him. I mean, did I tell you like when I went to Boston a couple weeks ago, when I got back, like I had told the neurologist, I'm like, yeah, all my concussion symptoms that I've been, you know, thinking were gone from my concussion back in January.
Like everything was heightened. She's like, Oh, you just overstimulated yourself. So maybe that's what you did to the bunny. We could have, I, I have no idea, but. But, um, but they're like, seizures in older bunnies is not, that's super common. And of course, I mean, I didn't know that. I've never had a bunny before.
Like, we had a bunny in fourth grade, but like, it didn't take care of it, it just ran around and pooped. And I was like, oh, a bunny. It just ran around And so I, um, so my wife takes him. Uh, to, uh, to the animal hospital, and I'm lying in bed with, with my son, trying to get him to go to sleep, and, and, um, And he goes, uh, he goes, he goes, Daddy, I think Brucie's, Brucie's sick, and I was like, yeah, buddy, I think so.
Um, he goes, uh, you think he'll get better? And I was like, I don't know, bud, I, I, I don't know. And then he goes, yeah, he was hopping like this, and then he did this, and he flipped his hand over and I was like, yeah, that's what I heard, bud. That's what I heard. And I was like, it's okay to be sad if, if, if, you know, if you're sad, I, it's, that's okay.
I was like, are you sad? He goes, no. And I was like, all right, cool. Night. Has he ever brought it up again? Occasionally. Occasionally. Very rarely. Very rarely. Daddy, remember when the buddy did this? Occasionally. Well, here's the thing. He knows that Bruce was sick, went to the hospital, and stayed at the hospital until Nicole came back to pick it up.
And all of that is a thousand percent true. No lies were told. He's just never seen him again. That they had it in the walk in freezer in the, uh, in the, you know, I mean, listen, that's neither here nor there. Um, so, uh, so yeah, so that was exciting. That's my bunny story. Anywho, um, so hopefully, uh, so don't, don't, don't bring your bunny into the studio because it.
No, I won't. Um, you're clearly bad luck, so I'm not. Honestly, God, no, honestly, God, I, I, uh, because it was, like I said, it was a Wednesday night. Thursday morning, I went to the gym in the morning. And, uh, when I got there, uh, the, the owner had a, a basset hound at the time, and, um, and was like, yeah, she was digging around in there, ended up, you know, finding a, a, a bunny and, and, and killing it.
And I was like, oh my God. That was two. Yeah, I'm never bringing my bunny anywhere near you. And then, on the way home from the gym, uh, the street next to where I live, dead bunny that was run over in the road. Penny, you're not allowed to tell your brother any of this. That night. When I got home from work again, because I worked late again, when I got home from work again, there was a bunny in my front yard and I was like, you better leave, bud.
This is a death trap. This is a death trap in here, so. Run before. Yeah, I was like, you need to get out of here, bud. So anyway, so that's, uh, that's, uh, that's my story. That's, uh, that's my story. We can, if from, because we do have a lot of bunnies that, that, that float around in our backyard. And you can, at night in the summertime, hear them being killed by cats and foxes.
Oh, fun. They scream. This was a great story to bring up on the pod, you know? So loud. So loud. It is terrifying. Uh, so, yeah, so, um, voiceover, right? Yeah. I'm a little distracted now. I went to the gym this morning early because my folks are coming into town, and so I got endorphins flowing, like, I don't know So, like, I'm drinking a cup of coffee.
I don't even need it. I don't even need it yet. That's gonna happen, but, uh, for now. So, anyway, um, Um, so that was kind of an uncomfortable story, a little bit, a little bit. Yep, thanks so much for bringing it up. You're welcome. So, so appreciative. Um, speaking of uncomfortable situations... Right? You like that segue?
Um, one of the things that, that you're gonna find when you're, when you're in voiceover is that there are certain things that, that, I mean, that are right in your wheelhouse. Certain things that you're super comfortable with. And that's great. It's important to find those things. But it, it, it's just as important to be willing to push the boundaries a little bit.
To be willing to get yourself in, you know, outside of your comfort zone, a little bit into that. uncomfortable situation because that's how we grow. That's how we learn. I mean, that's just life, right? Like if you, the moment you step outside your comfort zone is the moment you start to, to grow and expand.
And, you know, those skills start to, uh, become something even more than they were before. And like, I, I like to tell students like when they're trying to pick out scripts and stuff leading into demos, it's like pick out something that maybe you wouldn't normally choose. And play around with it a little bit, because you might surprise yourself.
You might have a lot of fun with it. It is. And, and, and that's the thing. You may not use it. Because it may not be good enough yet. That's okay. Who cares? That's what it's there for. So, you know, for me, uh, you know, we talked about that, that science fiction audio book I did. That was way outside my comfort zone.
I was doing voices and accents, and I don't really do any of those things, because I don't particularly enjoy them. Now you do. I don't. Apparently, um, and you know, I'm, I'm super glad I did, but it was, it was a bit nerve wracking, right? Because all the things I've done in the past, pretty much everything I've ever done has been, you know, biographical.
It's been straightforward, right? It's been kind of non fiction and, uh, and you know, it was, it was, it's a risk, but it's totally worth it. And now, you know, I'm looking for things like that too, because you know, not only do I know I can do them, but I like doing them and that's what you find. But hey, if you find out you don't like doing it.
That's okay too. You the only way to find out though, right? Oh, absolutely. You gotta test the waters. Absolutely. And, you know, when you're, you know, when you're preparing for a demo, when you're picking out pieces, when you're working, you know, in that regard, that's the perfect time to do it because there's literally no downside.
You try it, you love it, you're good at it, amazing. You try it, you hate it, you're brutal, awesome, now you know not to do that. Right? But that's what we have to learn somehow, right? You can't just, you know, forever just, you know, pigeonhole yourself into one thing. Because A, you're going to limit yourself as far as your earning potential, as far as, you know, what you can do.
But, you know, like as you said, I mean, growing not just as a voice actor, but as a person too, trying out new things. You know, it's a microcosm for life. Right. Well, you know, and This is the thing that is always kind of interesting for me is like people I think just assume because of the coaching that we do It's like oh, well, we must just do everything and I didn't start dabbling into audiobooks until like a couple months ago, right?
but prior to that commercial work was all I've really ever done along with radio and like podcasting and stuff and commercials are are typically It's challenging for a lot of people because of all the different type of like, uh, we'll call it acting, I guess, that goes into a lot of those things, you know, making commercial copies sound like it's just flowing naturally, like these kind of things.
It's not usually the easiest for somebody, whereas a narrative read usually does flow rather naturally. For me, I can't say that it did at first, you know, it took some work, um, you know, and I realized like an engaging read. Like, yeah, I can do a straightforward, engaging read. That was my first, you know, dabble into the audiobook world, um, but the one that I've been doing now, like I was telling you earlier, this like teen novel series thing, there's multiple voices in there.
And I'm not gonna say that I'm like knocking it out of the park, but I will say that I think it's going rather well and, you know, the author herself is, is very pleased and has said that I've been bringing these characters to life and everything, um, but for my first go at it, like. It's kind, it is fun. It, there's a lot of act, there's a lot more acting involved, I find.
Yeah. Yeah, and, and again, um, you know, it's not for everybody. And, and, you know, it's funny because you mentioned audiobooks. A lot of people are very intimidated by them because they, it is, regardless, you know, there's It's, it's large chunks, it's hours at a time, it's a lot of work, and, you know, it, it, it is, you know, it, it forces you to, you know, try to maintain a, a certain level for a long period of time, and it can be intimidating to people.
Try it. Try it. You might find you like it. Now, I've worked with people, uh, you know, and students and others that have done audiobooks. Hate them. Do not like them. Not a fan. Right? Don't like doing all that extra work. Rather just do, you know, my short and sweet stuff. And that's fine. And if you've done an audiobook and you're like, not for me, great.
You know, that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. But again, the only way you're gonna know is if you try. Absolutely. Absolutely. And so, when you can do that in a, you know, in a private session by yourself, there literally is no downside to it. There's none. Right? No one's gonna hear you. No one's gonna make fun of you.
No one's going to... except for yourself, which is fine, right? But I mean, you're, there's, there's no risk. Some of the things I say to myself, like, I'm so awful to myself. Yeah, we, we, we gotta be kind to ourselves. We, we gotta be, we gotta be kind to ourselves a little bit. Uh, but we've talked about that, right?
Don't get down on yourself. Stay positive. Well, then there's also the moment where I'm like, Oh my God, this is written so... Awful. Oh, well, there's that too. Yeah. No, there is that that's a very Yeah, but keep that to yourself also. Yeah Like man this person don't know how to write, um, that happens sometimes but you know again it it's about pushing yourself whether it is, you know Into more of character whether it's you know into you know, a longer Uh, you know narrative that that you never kind of pictured yourself doing.
Um, that's okay That's okay. Try it out. I mean, one of the things I, I love for, for students to do is, is try every category that we have before you start to decide where you want to go. Do I want to do commercial? Do I want to do narrative? What type of commercial? What type of narrative? Right? Before you get into that, dabble.
Dabble in it all. Dabble in it all. Find what you like. Find what you don't. That's, you know, and, and finding what you don't like or what you're not good at, just as if not as, if not more important, right? But, the truth is, we don't know what we don't know. Yeah, you can't, don't assume, because, Hemi, what do we say about assumptions?
I'm not going to say, because I don't think I can on the pod, but you know, you know what it means. Your dog looks dead. No, don't worry, the dog's still alive in here. Dog looks dead. What? I just turned around and like, literally, She's very comfortable. She just flopped over in your arms, like, Penny, you all right in there?
Is our podcast that boring? Probably. Probably. She's like, I heard all the bunnies talk, and I was... out. She heard the story about the bunny and she's just depressed now. Yeah, don't blame her. I was, uh, I was a little bit too. I was a little bit too. Yeah. Bunny's in my house. Don't, don't do well. Don't, don't fare well.
Penny, you're not welcome at Josh's. Wait, she's a dog. She'll be fine. I don't trust you now. Bunny, bunny's a dog. But then again, she is a little bit of an older dog, so maybe not. Maybe, maybe not. It's a no go Penny. Marcy can come hang out at my house because I know Marcy's not going to randomly have a seizure on I don't know that.
I don't know that. I hope that, um, But yeah, so, so push yourself, you know, in, in, in all aspects of life, but in voiceover specifically. Find out, you know, where you fit and where you want to fit. But don't just be like, well, this is easier, I think I'll just stay here. You can do that. But again, you're limiting yourself, you're limiting your options, you're limiting your, your, you know, income potential, uh, and, and, honestly, you're, you're limiting a lot of the, the greatest parts of, of voiceover, of trying out different things, of seeing, yeah, I mean, who, you know, who knows what you're going to be good at and what you're not going to be good at until you find out.
So find out. Get comfortable being uncomfortable for a little bit. That's okay. Yeah, the life coaching me is going to pop out right now. It's going to be, uh, keep going and keep growing. Oh, wow. You're welcome. Um, Wow, how much do I owe you for that? How much do I owe you for that? Um, at least 25 probably. I don't think I have that.
Um, Penny can you spot me? Penny's like, uh, I got treats back home. I'll, I'll babysit your dog. No! Fair enough. Well, at least I didn't say I'd babysit your bunny because, uh, one spit and twice shy. Uh, so again, uh, thanks so much for everyone for tuning in and, uh, and listening to our rambling rambles. Um, but, uh, Josh at voicecoaches.
com, that's the quickest and easiest way to get in touch with either of us. Questions, comments, concerns you might have, topics you want us to discuss. Gus, we're happy to do so. You want me to tell you more of my, uh, animal stories? I'm happy to do that as well. ? Um, sorry. If you have a bunny. Sorry. If you hold your bunny tight.
If you have a bunny, hold it tight. Not too tight though. No, that's fair. That's fair. Um, and if you see a bunny in the, in your yard, don't, don't try to do that. Don't, don't try to hold them. Um, but uh, yeah, let us know what, uh, what we can do. 'cause again, it's not just our show, it is your show. Uh, so Marissa, thanks so much.
Uh, great to chat with you again, and thanks for bringing in Penny. Penny, it was so good to meet you. You wanna, you wanna say anything to your fans? To your adoring fans? Here, I'll make her collar move so you can tell she's really here. Okay, well yeah, that's something. That's something. She's like, stop it, Mom.
Yeah, no, I'm not interested. Not interested. So yeah, it's a strong silent type. I get that. I appreciate that. Not really my thing Uh, not really our thing Really if you think about it, um, so, uh, We will be back next week as you know, we will same bad time same bad channel. R. i. p bruce Um and until next time So long everyone visit voice coaches.
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This week, Josh and Marissa discuss branching out of your comfort zone. Trying things and pieces that may not be what you’re used to can not only help you grow your career, but can also help you grow as a person.
