VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio – #653 – Moods…All the Moods
Voice Coaches Radio. Everything voiceover. Okay. Alright. Here we go. Another episode of Voice Coaches Radio. And, uh, I am going to admit, I am going to do my best. I am going to breathe. I am going to Try to focus on on the subject matter at hand Because like the update that I have for you personally is not going to be a good one And it has made life very challenging But you know before we get into any of that if you are a first time voice coaches radio listener Uh, I will just apologize ahead of time.
Uh, just a little update here. Uh, first of all, my name is Marissa. It's very nice to meet you, if we have not gone through this before. Uh, but, you know, as these episodes tend to begin, it's like I like to fill you in a little bit about what I've had going on. Sometimes it's personally, sometimes it's work wise, sometimes it's just like, you're not gonna believe the nonsense.
Uh, on the way to the studio to, to record this episode of what I went through. But, um, in this case, uh, I have been dealing with a very sick dog, um, my, my dog, Penny. She is about to turn 15, October 1st. And on, uh, August 21st, we were given a diagnosis kind of out of the blue, uh, that she had stage 4 kidney disease.
Now, you can be like, well, Marissa, she's old. And I can be like, yeah, cool, so is your grandmother. But it kind of shocks you when all of a sudden they're like, yeah, she's got cancer, right? Like, that's not a fun moment, no matter what. And, um, I, like, I knew it wasn't going to end well, right? Uh, because how can it?
Like, it's not like the kidneys are suddenly gonna be, like, super good and clean and working, uh, all over again as she's, you know, about to be 15. So, for the last month, um, I have been her hospice care. And it has been 24 7 while I have been attempting to continue to move forward with all the work that I do, whether it is coaching, whether it is, uh, the radio work or any of the commercial work that I do.
I've not been auditioning, auditioning for anything, because how can I? Um, life has been very hard. And there has been a lot of moments that have been little glimmers of, I don't want to say hope, because again, the outcome was always, uh, you know, what we knew it was going to be. Um, Just before last week's episode was released, uh, it was Thursday afternoon that I, I had to have a company come, uh, they came right to the house, and, you know, I got to hold her in those last moments, and, devastating, uh, I, I have, I, I will a thousand percent be honest in that I have not been handling it well, uh, but, As, like, actually one of my mom's friends pointed out, sometimes our pets, they're less pets and they become sort of people, um, in our lives.
And, like, my dog Penny was most certainly, uh, my never growing up toddler. Uh, you know, and I could, I was so in tune with her. Like, I could read her like a book. Um, and I think her me as well. You know, it just came to a point where, you know, people said to me that she will let you know when she's ready, and she just wasn't.
And, and then I had made that choice late Wednesday, and then she let me know. And it was like the weirdest moment. But we had come in from outside and She wanted to get back on the couch and I could see that and I was just watching her and her little body trembled Because what the kidneys do is they release toxins when they're in this stage and I was just like, okay Hold on and I picked her up And I wanted to help her and what she did was her little tiny head and her little tiny neck at the 6.
6 pounds she now was. She wrapped that around my head and neck as tightly as she could like a person giving a hug saying thank you and I love you. And It was that moment right there where I was like, I, I've made the right choice. And I, I went and I immediately sent an email to the company that ended up coming the next day and they were absolutely amazing.
If you are in the Albany, New York area, uh, the surrounding area, they do travel a bit. It's, uh, called In the Comfort of Home and I wouldn't recommend anybody else, to be honest. Um, you know, I'm not going to say that it was cheap, but it shouldn't be. Um, and it was, I, I could not have done that in a vet office.
That, that would not, I mean, that would have been bad for her, it would have been bad for me and my family. Um, so. It's all said and done, and as I'm recording this episode, I know that she's actually a week later now, um, coming home. Uh, I'm going to be getting that delivery shortly. Um, so, trying to get this, you know, situated so you're not getting a really bad version of me, uh, because I will be honest.
You know, there's been moments where I've like just completely lost my voice from from holding back tears So it's just it's been very rough But you know, I just I didn't want there to not be a bookend to this knowing that I've talked about it prior so now you kind of know what's been going on for me on this end and You know, it just like I said before it's like the show must go on So it's like throughout all of this.
I've had to put that brave face on I've had to go I've got how to do work It has been like the best distraction that one could possibly have in a time like this. Um, so You know the moments that I don't have that distraction I'm like a hot mess all over again but you know i'm realizing as i'm saying all this i'm holding my necklace and my necklace has Uh multiple things in it because it's like a charm Um, but like you can see through this locket and it's got my grandmother's heart that she used to wear every single day it's got The, the letter M, which you might think is for Marissa, but in reality, it's actually for my grandmother's sister, who became kind of like my grandmother when she passed, when I was eight.
And then now in that locket as well, it's some of Penny's hair, her fur. So, you know, everybody that has made the intense impact on my life is right here with me at all times. And sometimes that's what you gotta do. Uh, you know, to get through. So, uh, thank you for bearing with me because I can't tell you when this is going to feel better, but, uh, I will say that I will still be providing you as much information as I can when it comes to voiceover, um, when it comes to, uh, you know, the questions that You guys have had or some students have had that I think are just important to tackle.
There's also been, um, some, some movement with the voiceover actors in the, uh, you know, video gaming community that we're going to be getting to a topic on, uh, coming up next week. So, so that, I mean, just some things to come, but you know, while I've been trying to distract myself a little bit on, uh, on this end, I, uh, I did see this actually made me kind of chuckle a little bit because I heard me doing this in my own head, but, you know, We talk about the fact that you can say words in so many different ways and I know one of the Things that we'll give to students right off the bat is is this like moods and more Exercise where it's like you get a whole bunch of different moods and then it's like well Can you apply that to whatever it is that you happen to pick up to read?
and it's just kind of getting you to play around with the bits of acting that are included in voiceover right from the beginning and And it's, it can be mighty challenging, to be honest. I mean, sometimes you just need the right kind of copy to bring, I don't know, suspicion to life. You know what I mean?
Like, you can't always, I mean, maybe some people could be, but that's a person that I would be like, huh, you're probably sketchy in life. Um, but, you know, there are certain things that you most certainly can do. with just about any copy. I mean, can you, can you just be happy with anything? Even if it's sad copy that's written, can you make it happy and bright based on how you're presenting it?
I'm sure. You know, it's gonna feel a little awkward, um, but, you know, some people are awkward in life and those are the characters that you end up kind of portraying. Uh, but, This thing that I saw, it's technically like, I don't know, do you call it a meme? It's not like, um, funny. Like, I feel like memes are supposed to be funny.
But it's just like a picture with, you know, a little typed out saying. But it says, try saying these without sounding sarcastic, right? And I most certainly can. Um, there's ten of them, ready? So I'm just gonna go through them real quick. And I mean, you could test yourself out with this when everything is said and done.
And I think that's a great challenge, right? Um, so, number one. That's great! Well, that doesn't sound sarcastic, right? It's good for you! Hey, have fun! Fascinating. Thanks for that. Well done, you. Good luck with that. Sounds thrilling. What a shame. Actually, that sounded way too excited, right? It's like, what a shame.
And then the last one is Wow! Like, I don't think I sounded sarcastic in any of those. And I just want to point out, my personality is sarcastic. So, so the acting is, it's, it's on par today with what it needs to be, regardless of, uh, my mood on the inside. So, uh, you know, try saying these sarcastic now, is what I want to do.
And, and this is, seriously, this is what I want to challenge you. Like, you've heard the things that I've said, right? These 10 things. Write them down, try this for yourself. Alright, can you make them not sound sarcastic? How about this? Can you make them sound sarcastic? Maybe throw another one of those things out there.
Um, you know, can you make them sound really sad? Um, you know, I'm sure you can do any of that. I'm not gonna do that because I probably could make them sound really sad right now and I just don't want to get in that mindset. Uh, not, not in this moment, not right, not me, not now, okay? Um, so let's go with sarcastic, ready?
Alright, put my Marissa hat on. That's great. Good for you. Have fun. Fascinating. Thanks for that. Well done, you. Good luck with that. Sounds thrilling. What a shame. Wow. I think I did that. I mean, you can go ahead. You can listen back to that. Tell me, did I get, did I get a 10 out of 10? Did I pass the test? You know, if this really was a test, I probably would fail it.
I failed like every single test I think I've ever tried to take. I may have talked about this on the podcast before. I like, now that I think back to like high school, I have no idea how I passed Spanish because I know at some point I had to sit down and have like an actual conversation in Spanish with my teacher and that was like the final exam.
I have that blacked out completely. I don't remember doing that. I remember sitting outside the room waiting to do it the actual act gone, uh But listen, thank you so much for for dealing with me, uh for bearing with me. I probably should say um Again, it's been it's been very tough and it's only been a week and I how i'm keeping You know sane in this moment right now and not just bawling is uh, kind of mind blowing to me to be honest Um, but I think you know again work has been a pretty good distraction So, uh, i'm appreciative for that, uh for it paying my bills and for that Uh, but if you've got anything that you want us to discuss here on voice coaches radio It is a simple email marissa at voicecoaches.
com Please feel free to reach out at any point and we'll be getting more of your questions more of uh You know voiceover fun and all that All those kind of things coming up next week as we continue with a brand new episode. Stay safe, everybody. Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
Uh, just a little update here. Uh, first of all, my name is Marissa. It's very nice to meet you, if we have not gone through this before. Uh, but, you know, as these episodes tend to begin, it's like I like to fill you in a little bit about what I've had going on. Sometimes it's personally, sometimes it's work wise, sometimes it's just like, you're not gonna believe the nonsense.
Uh, on the way to the studio to, to record this episode of what I went through. But, um, in this case, uh, I have been dealing with a very sick dog, um, my, my dog, Penny. She is about to turn 15, October 1st. And on, uh, August 21st, we were given a diagnosis kind of out of the blue, uh, that she had stage 4 kidney disease.
Now, you can be like, well, Marissa, she's old. And I can be like, yeah, cool, so is your grandmother. But it kind of shocks you when all of a sudden they're like, yeah, she's got cancer, right? Like, that's not a fun moment, no matter what. And, um, I, like, I knew it wasn't going to end well, right? Uh, because how can it?
Like, it's not like the kidneys are suddenly gonna be, like, super good and clean and working, uh, all over again as she's, you know, about to be 15. So, for the last month, um, I have been her hospice care. And it has been 24 7 while I have been attempting to continue to move forward with all the work that I do, whether it is coaching, whether it is, uh, the radio work or any of the commercial work that I do.
I've not been auditioning, auditioning for anything, because how can I? Um, life has been very hard. And there has been a lot of moments that have been little glimmers of, I don't want to say hope, because again, the outcome was always, uh, you know, what we knew it was going to be. Um, Just before last week's episode was released, uh, it was Thursday afternoon that I, I had to have a company come, uh, they came right to the house, and, you know, I got to hold her in those last moments, and, devastating, uh, I, I have, I, I will a thousand percent be honest in that I have not been handling it well, uh, but, As, like, actually one of my mom's friends pointed out, sometimes our pets, they're less pets and they become sort of people, um, in our lives.
And, like, my dog Penny was most certainly, uh, my never growing up toddler. Uh, you know, and I could, I was so in tune with her. Like, I could read her like a book. Um, and I think her me as well. You know, it just came to a point where, you know, people said to me that she will let you know when she's ready, and she just wasn't.
And, and then I had made that choice late Wednesday, and then she let me know. And it was like the weirdest moment. But we had come in from outside and She wanted to get back on the couch and I could see that and I was just watching her and her little body trembled Because what the kidneys do is they release toxins when they're in this stage and I was just like, okay Hold on and I picked her up And I wanted to help her and what she did was her little tiny head and her little tiny neck at the 6.
6 pounds she now was. She wrapped that around my head and neck as tightly as she could like a person giving a hug saying thank you and I love you. And It was that moment right there where I was like, I, I've made the right choice. And I, I went and I immediately sent an email to the company that ended up coming the next day and they were absolutely amazing.
If you are in the Albany, New York area, uh, the surrounding area, they do travel a bit. It's, uh, called In the Comfort of Home and I wouldn't recommend anybody else, to be honest. Um, you know, I'm not going to say that it was cheap, but it shouldn't be. Um, and it was, I, I could not have done that in a vet office.
That, that would not, I mean, that would have been bad for her, it would have been bad for me and my family. Um, so. It's all said and done, and as I'm recording this episode, I know that she's actually a week later now, um, coming home. Uh, I'm going to be getting that delivery shortly. Um, so, trying to get this, you know, situated so you're not getting a really bad version of me, uh, because I will be honest.
You know, there's been moments where I've like just completely lost my voice from from holding back tears So it's just it's been very rough But you know, I just I didn't want there to not be a bookend to this knowing that I've talked about it prior so now you kind of know what's been going on for me on this end and You know, it just like I said before it's like the show must go on So it's like throughout all of this.
I've had to put that brave face on I've had to go I've got how to do work It has been like the best distraction that one could possibly have in a time like this. Um, so You know the moments that I don't have that distraction I'm like a hot mess all over again but you know i'm realizing as i'm saying all this i'm holding my necklace and my necklace has Uh multiple things in it because it's like a charm Um, but like you can see through this locket and it's got my grandmother's heart that she used to wear every single day it's got The, the letter M, which you might think is for Marissa, but in reality, it's actually for my grandmother's sister, who became kind of like my grandmother when she passed, when I was eight.
And then now in that locket as well, it's some of Penny's hair, her fur. So, you know, everybody that has made the intense impact on my life is right here with me at all times. And sometimes that's what you gotta do. Uh, you know, to get through. So, uh, thank you for bearing with me because I can't tell you when this is going to feel better, but, uh, I will say that I will still be providing you as much information as I can when it comes to voiceover, um, when it comes to, uh, you know, the questions that You guys have had or some students have had that I think are just important to tackle.
There's also been, um, some, some movement with the voiceover actors in the, uh, you know, video gaming community that we're going to be getting to a topic on, uh, coming up next week. So, so that, I mean, just some things to come, but you know, while I've been trying to distract myself a little bit on, uh, on this end, I, uh, I did see this actually made me kind of chuckle a little bit because I heard me doing this in my own head, but, you know, We talk about the fact that you can say words in so many different ways and I know one of the Things that we'll give to students right off the bat is is this like moods and more Exercise where it's like you get a whole bunch of different moods and then it's like well Can you apply that to whatever it is that you happen to pick up to read?
and it's just kind of getting you to play around with the bits of acting that are included in voiceover right from the beginning and And it's, it can be mighty challenging, to be honest. I mean, sometimes you just need the right kind of copy to bring, I don't know, suspicion to life. You know what I mean?
Like, you can't always, I mean, maybe some people could be, but that's a person that I would be like, huh, you're probably sketchy in life. Um, but, you know, there are certain things that you most certainly can do. with just about any copy. I mean, can you, can you just be happy with anything? Even if it's sad copy that's written, can you make it happy and bright based on how you're presenting it?
I'm sure. You know, it's gonna feel a little awkward, um, but, you know, some people are awkward in life and those are the characters that you end up kind of portraying. Uh, but, This thing that I saw, it's technically like, I don't know, do you call it a meme? It's not like, um, funny. Like, I feel like memes are supposed to be funny.
But it's just like a picture with, you know, a little typed out saying. But it says, try saying these without sounding sarcastic, right? And I most certainly can. Um, there's ten of them, ready? So I'm just gonna go through them real quick. And I mean, you could test yourself out with this when everything is said and done.
And I think that's a great challenge, right? Um, so, number one. That's great! Well, that doesn't sound sarcastic, right? It's good for you! Hey, have fun! Fascinating. Thanks for that. Well done, you. Good luck with that. Sounds thrilling. What a shame. Actually, that sounded way too excited, right? It's like, what a shame.
And then the last one is Wow! Like, I don't think I sounded sarcastic in any of those. And I just want to point out, my personality is sarcastic. So, so the acting is, it's, it's on par today with what it needs to be, regardless of, uh, my mood on the inside. So, uh, you know, try saying these sarcastic now, is what I want to do.
And, and this is, seriously, this is what I want to challenge you. Like, you've heard the things that I've said, right? These 10 things. Write them down, try this for yourself. Alright, can you make them not sound sarcastic? How about this? Can you make them sound sarcastic? Maybe throw another one of those things out there.
Um, you know, can you make them sound really sad? Um, you know, I'm sure you can do any of that. I'm not gonna do that because I probably could make them sound really sad right now and I just don't want to get in that mindset. Uh, not, not in this moment, not right, not me, not now, okay? Um, so let's go with sarcastic, ready?
Alright, put my Marissa hat on. That's great. Good for you. Have fun. Fascinating. Thanks for that. Well done, you. Good luck with that. Sounds thrilling. What a shame. Wow. I think I did that. I mean, you can go ahead. You can listen back to that. Tell me, did I get, did I get a 10 out of 10? Did I pass the test? You know, if this really was a test, I probably would fail it.
I failed like every single test I think I've ever tried to take. I may have talked about this on the podcast before. I like, now that I think back to like high school, I have no idea how I passed Spanish because I know at some point I had to sit down and have like an actual conversation in Spanish with my teacher and that was like the final exam.
I have that blacked out completely. I don't remember doing that. I remember sitting outside the room waiting to do it the actual act gone, uh But listen, thank you so much for for dealing with me, uh for bearing with me. I probably should say um Again, it's been it's been very tough and it's only been a week and I how i'm keeping You know sane in this moment right now and not just bawling is uh, kind of mind blowing to me to be honest Um, but I think you know again work has been a pretty good distraction So, uh, i'm appreciative for that, uh for it paying my bills and for that Uh, but if you've got anything that you want us to discuss here on voice coaches radio It is a simple email marissa at voicecoaches.
com Please feel free to reach out at any point and we'll be getting more of your questions more of uh You know voiceover fun and all that All those kind of things coming up next week as we continue with a brand new episode. Stay safe, everybody. Visit voicecoaches. com for more voiceover news and information.
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa gets into a bit of a personal update as well as how can you bring moods to just about any copy put in front of you? Are you up for the challenge?
