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Know your limits. Push a positive quality too far and it can too easily flip into its negative aspect. Ever experience being a comedian on stage, telling a funny story to a highly appreciative audience ... and then barreling on way past the punchline until the joke totally falls flat, and you bomb? Me neither. Well, actually I did experience it in a dream once, a very long time ago. It might have meant that I didn't have enough confidence in my performing talent. Or it may have been my subconscious clubbing me over the head with the obvious realization that I'm just not funny. Dreams have a way of revealing the truth. They say that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Well, religious and philosophical doctrine aside, good intentions CAN carry us off the deep end. Going too far in whatever we're doing and totally blowing past that something "good" and over into its flip side. There IS a tipping point at which a positive quality becomes negative. Such as when care about a neat, clean appearance turns into vanity. When wanting to spend time with someone slowly becomes an obsession. Or when concern for your health transforms into hypochondria. It's a fine line that separates the two. Moderation vs. Excess. Too much of a good thing often perverts it. "I'm 51% sweetheart, 49% b*tch. Don't push it." That fine line never fails to crack me up. In fact, I use it on the landing page for my on camera work , because it's ideal for describing the polar opposites that many actresses like to play. Me included. Especially when a role can mix the two and deliver the unexpected. Like the sweet neighbor lady who turns out to be a serial killer. Or the tough, uncompromising district attorney who goes to bat for the unjustly accused. Or like Dolly Parton, playing the brothel madame with a heart of gold in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Fun stuff. This type of fine line demonstrates what happens when we push someone too far. That line is crossed. That last straw finally broke the poor camel's back. That sweet little old library lady phantom in "Ghostbusters" turns vicious. And usually, one way or another, you get slimed in the aftermath. Messy. Stubborn, colorful characters who like to assert themselves The other type of fine line is when we push a positive quality or behavior in ourselves too far. What comes out is usually the opposite than our intended result. And it's usually not received well. We end up sliming ourselves. Again, messy. It's moderation taken to excess. And sometimes we don't know we've even crossed it, because where that line sits is situational, depending on geography, culture, and the mood of the people around you. Assertive vs. Aggressive I learned firsthand about this fine line when this straight-talking Midwestern gal moved to the South. As a woman, my Northern assertiveness was perceived as a bit too aggressive down here. What works in one area of the country can be interpreted quite differently in another. Fortunately, I learned how to soften my approach by watching successful Southern women. Whether it was a business deal, a social interaction, or whatever, they got away with saying the darnedest things, especially when they smiled while they said it. Let's not even get into the whole "bless your heart" thing. For those unfamiliar, it's a phrase added like an after-thought to the tail end of a very caustic comment that transforms it into an apparent compliment. Or at least confuses the heck out of the listener. It's a verbal weapon dipped in honey, best wielded while wearing the warmest smile this side of Southern sweet tea. No one's every going to mistake me for a true Southerner, so I can't pull it off, but it's a marvel to behold. Determined vs. Stubborn Determined is "good." You've made a decision and you're resolved not to change it. The word "determined" conjures up images of leadership, thoughtful analysis, and the Dudley Do Right of conviction. Stubborn is a stick-in-the-mud. How much it bothers you depends on how badly you want to get the stick out of the way. You see, there's stubborn and then there's STUBBORN. Stubborn is when the other person doesn't agree with your position. And you can't get them to change their mind. STUBBORN, on the other hand, means that the individual has gone off the deep end and refuses to see reason or consider other possibilities, even when all the evidence suggests that they're mistaken. Yeah, this fine line can be a hard one to parse, especially when it's applied to YOU. Not so hard when it's applied to others. Fortunately, you can usually expect your significant other to let you know when you've tipped the scales. Don’t worry. They will. Colorful Character vs. 1st Rate Jerk We’ve all met someone who’s lost sight of that line. Usually at a party after having had too much to drink. A little off-color humor is OK. Usually. Someone who thinks he's hilarious when he's obviously ... not... begins to slide over to the jerk side of the line. If he persists in what we consider truly obnoxious behavior, he is crowned "first rate jerk." Or worse. Likewise, an entertaining soul is great for laughs, but when those jokes turn into insults at someone else's expense, the line has definitely been crossed. Same thing for Mr. Friendly who morphs into a creepy touchy-feely guy, especially when he's focused on sweet young things. 'nuff said. I think we've all experienced these people at one time or another. And yes, they can be women, too. One type of fine line is pushing someone too far and receiving sudden blowback. The other type is pushing your own good quality or behavior to excess, only to watch your good work or reputation blown away. Tweaking 'til the cows come home Here's a fine line that I bump my head against professionally: Excellence vs. Perfection It's that compulsion to tweak and make something that's "good" that much better. The cold, hard truth is that perfection is a goal imagined differently by each person, and often constantly reset. The tweaking, rewrites, reorganizing, etc. can go on forever, begging the questions: When is enough, ENOUGH? And good, GOOD ENOUGH? The answer: usually when it involves limited available time and money. Or patience: yours, friends, family, or co-workers. Or when someone grabs whatever you're working on and hits you over the head with it. That's a clear indication that you might have slid into obsession. It helps to know where that fine line is for you and how to stay on the less painful side of it. Or, if not, to invest in some protective head gear. As a guideline, know your objective. Plan your work, taking into account your deadline and budget. And do the best you can. Aim for excellence, but don't drive yourself (and others) crazy about getting everything "just so." Most people won't be able to tell the difference anyways. That incremental improvement may end up costing more time and money than it's worth. At least that's what I tell myself every time I obsess over the details. It's commendable to devote time to developing skills and improving a piece of work, but when the real world comes calling, something has to give. Don't let it be your peace of mind. Laura's Quick Tips Every positive quality has its negative counterpart. Pushing too hard for a "good" result can cause you to lose sight of your goal - and flip you into more harmful, destructive territory. Perhaps without you even being aware of it. If you're unsure if you've crossed that line, ask those whom you trust. We all need a wingman once in a while to pull us back from the edge. It all boils down to this: Moderation vs. Excess. A little bit goes a long way. Too much of a good thing can just ruin everything. If you like living close to the edge, go ahead, fine, skirt up nice and cozy to that line - IF you can pull off the balancing act. Just make sure you're aware of what you're doing and what that tipping point is for you. Know how to readjust if and when you cross it. And if you like pushing other people's buttons ... well, you'd better know their fine lines and be prepared to deal with the aftermath. Slime and all. The fine line is all about maintaining our balance in life. Want to read more on the subject? Check out this blog post on keeping a balanced perspective. I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Go ahead. Try stuffing it all in. But ... copy for a 60 sec commercial is NOT going to fit nicely into a 30 sec spot. Sometimes things fit. Sometimes they don't. We're taught these lessons early. Square peg in a round hole. Nope, unless we're making that hole a whole lot wider. Those cute pre-pregnancy pants a few weeks - or months - or, let's get real - a few years - post-baby. In your dreams, mama. That new waist size, courtesy of your new little bundle of joy, may be here to stay for a LONG time. Like forever. And while we're talking tiny tots, there's ... Baby vs. the Bathtub. If you're a parent, you probably already know where I'm going with this. When he was a small toddler, my son was terrified he’d be sucked down the drain with the bath water. Totally freaked out doesn't even begin to describe. it. 😘 No, I told him, we don’t throw out the baby with the bath water in this family. Besides, he wouldn’t fit through that tiny drain hole. He wasn’t having any of it. Fear and imagination are pretty powerful together, even in a little boy not quite two years old. He wasn’t convinced that his mother wasn’t pulling a fast one until he’d tested the drain thoroughly with all his bath toys. Can't really blame him. It’s human nature. We believe what we believe until it’s proven without a doubt that it’s otherwise. And still, that’s not always enough. But that doesn't mean we can still push the elephant through the doorway. Align expectations within given restraints. And work from there. Forcing an elephant through a doorway leads to a shattered doorway. And one really pissed off elephant. Chipmunk chops to the rescue There are other truisms regarding fit. Like "one size fits all." Ha! No, sir, it doesn't. Unless you're talking tent dresses. Or long bolts of cloth that can be wrapped and wrapped and wrapped around all sizes of bodies. Fit certainly applies to the business world, though we usually assign different names to it like: Budget Deadline. The 30 second commercial radio spot. Let's talk about that last one. One of my clients had written a radio commercial script that, when voiced, would run nearly 60 seconds. 54 seconds, to be exact. No problem, except that it needed to fit a 30 second spot. Hmmm. Some options here: Significantly cut the copy to the essentials. There was clearly some unnecessary verbiage that didn't need to be in there. Repetitive phrases, an abundance of adjectives, and details that could have been left out. Spring for longer air time. Break the copy into two different commercials. Since it was for a local attraction, each commercial could come from a different person's perspective and serve to reinforce the overall message (that this place is something to see!). Or, alternatively, keep the radio commercial simple and to the point and provide all the extra detailed information on the company website. Take on the challenge and voice it at break-neck speed. I'm talking chipmunk chops. To the point that even Alvin, Theodore, and Simon would have a hard time understanding what was being said. And the client chose to ... play Dave Seville. He'd always liked the cartoon and never had a problem understanding what Alvin and his brothers were saying. Okayyyy.... I'm no Alvin, but I did squeeze it all in. Though I thought it sounded more like a little rodent lawyer barreling through the disclaimers on a car commercial than a cute chipmunk singing in a Christmas special. In other words, not so good. The client concurred and that's when the cutting began. We went from 54 seconds to 43 seconds. OK, a start, but clearly not enough. Then another round of cuts. And another. And then - voila! - an honest-to-goodness 30 second commercial that was much more to the point and actually more interesting than the original. Having a hard time gauging the REAL length? Ask a pro. All this could have been easily avoided. When in doubt about how long the written word takes to properly voice ... ask a voice actor. Or better yet, work with a reputable agency or production company – they’ll know how to create a top notch spot for you. And save yourself a lot of aggravation and trouble. So you want some general guidelines? My friend Samantha Boffin, voice actor, director, and former BBC producer, says that the rule of thumb followed at the BBC is three words per second. And, she notes, numbers usually work out to be more words than you'd think. For example, “2022” would be at least three words (twenty twenty-two). Prices, too, take longer to say than you might think. $2499.99 is at least "twenty-four ninety-nine ninety-nine;" more if you say "two thousand four hundred ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents." Before beginning any job, I like to ask the client how they want numbers, acronyms, and unusual names to be voiced. Just to avoid delaying the project with pickups. And, hey! It's always best to get the job right the first time, if you can. The rule of thumb followed at the BBC is three words per second. - Samantha Boffin, former BBC producer When it comes to copy, the truism is ... true. Less IS more! So many scripts are truly over-written. Instead of throwing everything in commercial copy - plus or minus the kitchen sink - focus on the message and be succinct. Then think about these points: Give the words space, so that the voice actor has something to work with. You'll find that intonation, pauses, and other delivery techniques can elevate the written word and create something memorable for the listener. Make sure that the copy is written to be spoken. I've worked with corporate scripts that were clearly lifted from their websites. They're pretty easy to identify because they read as formal dissertations, not as conversational or even casual instructional speech. Overlong phrasing is also a giveaway. A complex sentence may be fine on the page (or website), but it can be rather awkward to say aloud. It's always a challenge to make those types of script sound like they're being said naturally. And they can sometimes be hard for a listener to follow. Break up long phrases into shorter sentences. One idea per sentence. Keep to the point. Use action words to convey the message. It'll give the spot "legs" to lead the listener or viewer from one point to the next, beginning with your "hook" (or attention-grabber) and ending with your call to action. Laura's Quick Tips Let the copy breathe. Give the words space, so that the voice actor can really bring your message alive. Write the copy as a person would speak it. Don't just lift text off your website. Not sure where to begin? Reach out to one of the many excellent ad agencies or production companies who've raised creating commercials and videos to an art form. Not sure who to call to help you with your project? I'm familiar with quite a few excellent advertising agencies and video production companies, and I'd be happy to recommend one or two in your area. Same thing with voice over talent - my network extends around the world. I'm sure I can help you find the right voice for your project - just describe what you have in mind! Feel free to reach out to me here. In the meantime, if you'd like a few ideas on how to match voice talent to your project, Read about it here > I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

"Having a teenage daughter is like having a cat that only comes out to eat and hisses at you when you try and be nice to it." I saw this on a dish towel at a little gift shop. It cracked me up, because it perfectly sums up how my husband sees his relationship with our daughter. At least for now, during her teenage years at home. I suspect it's because they're too much alike, though neither may admit it. Teenagers, especially girls, can be challenging. I know, because I was one, and I did more than my share of throwing up challenges. It's all part of the push-pull dance kids do with their parents as they assert their growing independence. It is what it is. Even when it's at its most frustrating. What I'm really looking forward to is the next phase in our daughter's life. Seeing who she becomes as a young adult. The work she chooses for herself. Where she'll end up living, the new friendships she'll make ... maybe even a special someone, too? She may even come to us asking for ... *gasp!* ... advice. But the real fun will come when she discovers that mom was right about a few things all along. Heh heh heh. Managing the mercurial teenager. Yeah, right.... From the terrible twos to the trying teen years, parenting ain't easy. All we can do is remember that we ourselves were there once. Not that it helps all that much, except to give us perspective. Seems that parents deserve a graduation ceremony, too, once our youngest flies the nest. Mom has to laugh when the chickens come home to roost You know that time-old threat that parents toss out when a kid is being particularly difficult? "May you have a child that is just like you." Ha! I didn't even have to wait for her to have a baby of her own. No, karma zinged her a good one recently, when she landed a baby-sitting job with a baby and a toddler who were not going along with the program. Meaning, her program where she puts them to bed, they quietly go to sleep without a fuss, and they STAY THERE. It's not that she exactly had the baby from hell, but she did have one that was clearly not happy with her parents' plans to go out and leave her behind. To say that she protested loudly is an understatement. Apparently, there was some crying involved. All evening. For hours. Apparently at the top of her lungs. That advice about raising babies that I thought wouldn't be asked of me for quite a few more years? Turns out I didn't have to wait that long; my phone didn't stop ringing with pleas of "Mom, what do I do NOW?" and refrains of "That baby won't stop crying!" Being a good mom, I naturally empathized with her and offered my best advice. All of which came straight from my experience of having to deal with HER as a highly vocal, unhappy tyke. While I felt badly for her, I couldn't help relishing the music to my ears when she blurted, "I don't know how you did it." Do you see me smirking? Of course, you do. Naturally, I took the opportunity to remind her that Mother's Day - the time to appreciate all your mother put up with to take care of you - is coming up. Now please excuse me while I try to wipe the smile off my face. (It's hard.) We're judged by the company we keep The time with our daughter, though, has truthfully been mostly wonderful. And I can see the quality of her character reflected in her choice of friends. If we are truly judged by the company we keep, then I don't think I have to worry about what sort of a human being I've raised. During their senior year of high school, many of these kids were on edge. Would they get into the college of their dreams? Would they even get into ANY decent school? As admissions decisions rolled out over the months, these boys and girls banded together to celebrate each other's acceptances, console and support each other's disappointments, and cheer one another on throughout a very stressful time. We love watching her interact with her friends. Just this weekend, a group of girls arranged a surprise decoration of our daughter's bedroom to celebrate her recent college decision. Two friends spirited her away while the others coordinated with me to come and fill her room with streamers and balloons in her new school's colors, accented with various chocolate goodies. (They know her well. Like her mom, my daughter is a proud, card-carrying chocoholic.) It was so heart-warming, seeing her surrounded by her smiling, cheering friends. In a nutshell? You're a success if you've raised a person of good character. Mom and Dad are graduating, too Last week was the end of the school year for seniors, with only AP exams and graduation ceremonies ahead. It was a whirlwind week for the parents, too: A reunion of her elementary school classmates, all celebrating their next steps in life. Farewell events sponsored by her athletic team and theater group. A party that paid tribute to the graduating seniors, sponsored by the school. Games, events, and so much going on that it was hard to believe she still had to take a few exams and finish a project during all that hoopla. But what a nice way to finish your high school experience. Especially since she's our last child, it felt like we, as parents, were graduating, too. From parents of school-age kids to empty-nesters. Which we are, even if it's rather strange to think that this stage of life is finally here. Laura's Quick Tips Enjoy your kids while you have them with you. Even the unpleasant bits. You're a success if you've raised a person of good character. Life moves quickly. Savor the memories and look forward to new adventures. I've been asked what I'll be doing as an empty-nester. Retiring? Moving to Florida? Downsizing and traveling the country? Nope. I can't imagine myself retiring or picking up stakes and settling somewhere else. No reason to! I have plenty of interesting, creative stuff going on right now in my life, thank you very much: voice and film/TV acting. Coaching business folks on how to become more comfortable and effective on camera. Speaking to groups on a range of topics. And as an empty-nester, I'll have time to focus once more on myself. Something that was pretty much shelved while I was raising our kids. As I see it, empty-nesterhood will be a time of greater creativity and the freedom to explore it all. Hey! Who wouldn't enjoy that! You can see what I've already started creating on my YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3KlVoPd . I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Sprung from Covid jail! In-person networking is BACK. Earlier this month, I attended my first in-person networking conference in two years. Yes, everyone was required to be vaccinated. Yes, virtual attendance was possible, too, thanks to trusty, now oh-so-familiar Zoom technology. And yes, it felt to everyone that we all had just been sprung from a two-year jail sentence. VO Atlanta 2022, the largest voiceover industry event of its kind in the world. And people came from EVERYWHERE. How lucky for me that it was in my hometown, just a 20 minute drive away! Way back in 2018, this conference was my very first exposure to the wider voiceover community. So much talent and expertise! More information than I could possibly absorb within a few days. Fast forward to 2022, and here I was ... a speaker, as well as an enthusiastic attendee. Reinventing yourself - and the way you do business - is a constant. Might as well be in charge of the change. As the past two years have showed us, expect the unexpected. Change is a constant. And it can hit us over the head HARD with a 2x4. Just like Covid did. But even without a pandemic to force us to adapt, we should be able to adjust to shifting circumstances. Especially if we see it coming. Or decide to make a major change ourselves. Plan when you can and anticipate problems. Because 2x4s and bricks dropped out of the sky onto our heads hurt. Reinventing yourself later in life I talked about pivoting careers, rebalancing work and family, discovering your true talents and turning them into new businesses. What I call personal reinvention. Because none of us is just one thing in life. And I've lived it, having reinvented myself more than once, both personally and professionally. It was a terrific experience. The session was well-attended and the Q&A was full of interesting people who were doing or looking into some reinvention themselves: changing careers, turning hobbies into businesses, re-entering the work force, and creating a fulfilling retirement for themselves. As a group, we discussed the practical and the psychological. How to take the germ of an idea and turn it into a business. How to navigate the ups and downs of early entrepreneurship. All while juggling existing work and family obligations to prevent anything from slipping through the cracks. Not an easy balancing act. But certainly doable. It meant a great deal to me when people came up afterwards to say how helpful my session was to them. This is a topic I had been mulling over for a few years. The majority of voice actors begin their careers in other fields, some related to the industry, but most not. I thought this topic would be of relevance to others. I'm gratified to find out that was so, and look forward to addressing other groups in the near future. The subject of reinventing oneself, figuring out life's next phase, is certainly not restricted to voice actors! Joining a well-regarded blogging community As a regular blogger over the past two years or so, I am grateful to have been invited to join a group of voiceover bloggers, many of whom are very well-known in the voiceover community. Thanks to Josh Alexander, who introduced me as one of his new blogging buddies in his recent post . You'll find many in this group to be quite entertaining and informative about the business of voiceover, demonstrating (once again) how wonderfully supportive and down-to-earth the people in this industry are. Another benefit to in-person events! You make - or re-establish - connections beyond what you can do on-line. Or at least more quickly. After all, you're seeing the whole person, probably spending more time with them, and getting a better sense of who they are and what they offer. People are generally more cordial, too, when there's a real live person standing in front of them. There are always those who like to attack, or at least disparage, from the relative safety or anonymity of the screen. They may not be the types to attend conferences that build stronger communities. Even if they did, very few are "brave" enough to act out in real physical time what they'd perpetrate in private. Conversely, the many good and decent people attending in-person events are usually happy to be there. By and large, they're there to meet new people as much as they are there to learn, which fosters a more welcoming atmosphere for everyone. In this (almost!) post-Covid world, it feels like we're springing back to 3D social interactions beyond the imposed 2D limitations. Can the 4th dimension be far behind?! The biggest thrill of all was to finally see people IN PERSON. Who knew, before Covid, the degree to which human beings are truly social animals. I'd made new friends on Zoom through webinars, conference calls, and virtual group practices. When we're confined to our little boxes, Brady Bunch style, we all look to be about the same size. Usually a collection of heads and shoulders. But shazam! Like the genie released from the lamp, it was like we'd suddenly grown to our true dimensions. Funny how some guys I'd imagined to be of average height turned out to be so tall. No one towers over another on Zoom. But I'm a bit of a munchkin, standing a petite 5'3" without heels, so my sense of proportion must have gone out the window these past two years. Being isolated behind a computer screen will do that to you. Did you ever read Flatland ? It's a fictional account of a three-dimensional object visiting a two-dimensional world and the perspectives of those 2D creatures, especially when encountering an object that exceeds their physical boundaries. A middle school mathematics teacher had recommended it to me, and it made a big impression on me at the time. As an adult, I can appreciate its greater message about limitations, social strictures, and especially how we're prone to restricting our own thinking to what we can readily experience. But in this (almost!) post-Covid world, it feels like we're springing back to 3D social interactions beyond the imposed 2D limitations. Can the 4th dimension be far behind? Well, in a way, technology is enabling that. We can connect with people all over the world in different time zones. We can watch replays outside of their live broadcast. Not truly 4th dimensional stuff (experiencing everything all at once without the limitations of time), but it's a fair substitute. Covid accelerated this development and I'm hoping that this use of technology stays with us, at least to complement in-person events for those unable to physically attend. Laura's Quick Tips Get out there and be with people when you can! When you're once again comfortable attending in-person events, feeling that the threat of Covid is behind you, take a deep breath and enjoy being with other people again. Try something new and different. Have you been thinking of starting a business or turning a hobby into a new career? Take the first step and explore the possibility. After all, if you don't take a risk, you'll never discover the reward. Give a hug. Receive a hug. You won't realize how much you've missed human interaction until you've had one. Now that we're all starting to pop out from behind our screens in 3D, I, for one, am looking forward to more in-person networking events. The whole meet and greet thing, making new acquaintances, creating new partnerships. And doing some public speaking. In addition to talking about Reinventing Yourself Later in Life (or really, any time), I also talk and work with groups on two other topics: How to Become More Comfortable and Effective On Camera (great for business people or anyone else making videos) an Introduction to Voice Over (with real scripts, for adults, kids, and teens) Looking for a speaker for your next event? Hey, even a Zoom-based one. Email me at laura@lauradoman.com. I'd love to customize one of my presentations for your group! I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

You may be the hapless victim of circumstance, but that doesn't mean you have to act or think like one. In the telling, this story is rather amusing. In real life, it was incredibly frustrating. Upsetting. And very hard on the bladder. This was the Gilligan's Island of bus rides. A short 25 minute trip that stretched to five hours. With nary a modern convenience (read: potty) in sight. I was on a ski vacation and took one day off to visit a nearby town for some shopping and sight-seeing. It started nice and easy. I arrived, I shopped, I drank some nice hot apple cider. It was a good trip, I thought, as I boarded the bus for the return. A blizzard had just blown up, but I was warm and comfy in my padded seat. Then ... word arrived that a tractor-trailer had just jackknifed across the only road in or out of town, blocking traffic in both directions and causing multi-car pileups. We weren't going anywhere. Not to worry, said the bus company. We might be delayed an hour, but we're pretty resourceful up here in the mountains and we'll get moving shortly. Uh huh. After 90 minutes, the bus finally began moving. Hooray! I'd still get back in plenty of time for the special dinner plans I'd made months ago for my family to celebrate us all being together. Or so I thought. Yes, we were moving, but at the speed of a tiptoeing mouse. Plan for the worst. Hope for the best. Plan B? Yeah, and throw in a Plan C for good measure. You never know. Stuff happens. That whole lemonade out of lemons thing. It was very, very slow progress. I decided I might as well make the best of the situation by finishing a business book I had on my iPhone's Kindle. I did. And I took notes. And I outlined a plan to apply what I learned to my business. I felt very good about the progress I made. Which was a lot more than that bus made. Hey, was that a snail that just raced past?! Biology beats the evil eye. Every time. The hardest thing about being on a bus creeping along in super-slow motion was recognizing that certain biological needs weren't slowed down in sympatico. We got hungry. (I ate the chocolates I'd bought to bring back to my kids.) We were thirsty. (Drinking as little as possible, because....) We needed a restroom break. This was not a tour bus. It did not come equipped with a toilet. It did, however, provide a large, moving barrier against the prying eyes of traffic for the guys on the bus to step outside and do their business along the side of the road. And then to jog a few feet to catch up with the bus and climb back on board. We women sitting by the windows could do nothing but give them the evil eye when they returned. Keeping our own legs tightly crossed, of course. Stay positive. Negativity just breeds more of the same and it doesn't make you feel any better. Fighting the dying of the light. And that of the phone battery. What do you do? No sense just sitting there fuming over a situation in which I had no control. Don't call me Pollyanna, but I did resolve to focus instead on any positives I could come up with: Well, I finished my book. Which was a good thing, because the eye strain from taking notes in the dark was getting to me. I'd come up with a new business strategy. Not bad for a vacation day. I wasn't outside in the blizzard. Thank goodness for at least being moderately warm! I wasn't hurt in the horrible wreck I saw as we slowly inched past the scene of the accident. Even in the dark, the pile-up was impressive. And I was able to nurse the last few percentages of battery power left on my phone. Just enough to have texted my husband the situation a few hours earlier and tell him to go ahead with dinner plans without me. The positive? Well, the best I could come up with on that one were the pity points I'd racked up to cash in another time. And I was impressed with myself that I could cajole 1% power to last as long as it did. Ultimately to the end of the ride. And there was one more. After finally arriving five hours later, I made a beeline to a popular restaurant where I'd earlier tried (and failed) to get a reservation. First to their restroom. (Ahhh!) Then to the hostess stand, where at such a late hour they were able to seat me at the bar. I actually had a wonderful dinner and a great conversation with another woman who sat next to me. A local, who told some terrific stories. Turned out, she had many more problems in her life than the temporary inconvenience I'd suffered sitting on a bus for five hours. She loved having someone to talk (read: complain) to and I realized that overall I had it pretty good in comparison. Laura's Quick Tips Focus on what you CAN do, not on what you can't. Adopt an attitude of gratitude. Think about the positives or, if you can't do that, how much worse it COULD have been. Remember: this too shall pass. The moral of the story? Sh*t happen. Deal with it. As best you can. Make the best of a bad situation and focus on thinking and doing something positive or constructive with it, rather than stewing in your frustrations. Negativity just breeds more of the same and it doesn't make you feel any better. Oh, and keep a battery-powered phone charger handy at all times. A Porta-potty wouldn't hurt, either. We've all been through stuff. The challenge is to put it in perspective. Sometimes that "stuff" is really awful. Most times, though, it's just awfully inconvenient. So, if you can, turn it around. Look for the silver lining, etc. Here are some other musings - drawn from personal experience! - on the subject: Read more about it here > I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Pursuing two similar careers simultaneously has its advantages. We've all heard of "the triple threat." That refers to a talented performer who is an actor, singer, and dancer. Someone who's multi-talented and has a competitive advantage because they are so versatile. That's not me. Yes, I can act. I think I can sing, though my teenage daughter tells me differently. Often. Dance? Hmmm... choreographic movement would be more accurate. I can certainly follow instructions, but the few dance classes I took in college didn't get me too far. One quick dance turn and I became so dizzy that I ended up wiping the floor with my backside. I am, however, a hyphenate. That is, someone who is active in more than one occupation simultaneously. In my case, as an actor in more than one medium: voice over and on-camera (film/TV). It's a nice balance. Voice over and on-camera work share many foundational similarities, such as basic acting training, though the work is pursued and performed differently. They're independent of each another; oftentimes when work is slow in one, it's can be quite busy in the other. And when a client needs a versatile actor who is trained, proficient, and experienced in both - it's a jackpot moment! They say: Diversify your investment portfolio. Diversify your income stream. I say: Diversify your activities. It's called BALANCE. And makes for a happy, interesting life. Similarities between voice acting and acting for film/TV It's the old peanut butter and jelly thing. Voice acting and film/TV acting go together very well. Provided, of course, that you enjoy (and have the time to pursue) both. One involves acting behind the behind the mic and the other in front of the camera. The similarities? You still have to know the story behind told and your role in it. In other words, the basics of script analysis or the who, what, when, where, and why: Who you are in the story What you’re trying to achieve Your relationships to everyone and everything going on in the story Your environment (time and place) and the situation you’re in Your journey (and the viewers or listeners who are on it with you) as you progress from start to finish It's a balancing act (no pun intended) I see voice acting and film/TV work as two halves of a whole. And when I need to divide my day between them, it makes for an overall satisfying experience. The best of both worlds. Like one day last week. Perfectly balanced between voice over and on-camera work. The first half of my day was spent in an in-person acting class. The other half was in my voiceover studio, working on a small job and a few auditions that had come in while I was in class. Half the day working face-to-face with other human beings in a dramatic, emotional scene, being directed and redirected to explore various character choices. Half the day working alone in my voiceover studio with business copy, following general specifications and directing myself to discover the story within and the best way to tell it. Maybe it’s the Gemini in me. I like communications in all its forms and I enjoy balancing two or more aspects of it throughout my life. (Writing would be a third form, but since Gemini is the sign of the twins and not triplets, I’ll leave it out for now!) Just like I enjoy balancing physical movement with sedentary desk work, home time vs. adventurous travel, healthy food with desserts. (Gotta find room for dessert!) The nice thing about fostering dual careers is that when one isn’t going so well, more attention can be put on the other. When film/TV auditions become slow, especially during the industry’s quiet seasons, voiceover opportunities often pick up. And vice versa. The challenge is when both are slow or, alternatively, both are in high gear and demanding of your time. I experienced this in my corporate career, too, though it took the form of a pipeline, with sales prospects who were at different stages of the sales process. Occasionally my pipeline was filled with potential customers all in the early stages of the sales process (translation: they weren’t yet buying and I wasn’t earning commissions). When the bottleneck wouldn't budge and I just had to bide my time, I focused on other activities: finding new leads, learning about the latest marketing and technical research to present to prospects and existing customers, or working behind the scenes to nudge the sales process along. All activities served the overall sales process. Knowing this helped me through the doldrums of the slow times (and assured the top executives that progress was being made). Sometimes, you just have to slug through the challenges. Juggling activities can help to not only move things along, but also shore up your confidence. And it can be a blessing in disguise. When business is slow in one area, it frees you to dedicate more time and attention to other customers who are buying. Know your priorities, be honest with those who book you should you run into an unavoidable conflict, and honor existing commitments. Too much of a good thing? Sometimes, you can't have it all. Or at least not all at once. Now for the reverse. Too much business coming in from both careers at the same time. A rather nice problem to have, though it can be stress-inducing. What to do, what to do?! Hello, priorities! And previous commitments! Once in a while, I've found myself on set for 12 hours or more when an urgent voiceover request comes in. Or on a plane, getting ready to take off for a vacation, when a revision to a previous job is needed. What do you do? In the first case, you honor the previous commitment and try to work in the new request as best you can. It may be tiring after a long day on set to come home and record a voiceover job, but it can - and has - been done. And done well. Sometimes the voiceover client is willing to give extra time, sometimes not. If you can't honor the request, let them know ASAP, so that they can make alternative arrangements. Or offer to find another talent who's available in your place. That's (to use a marketing phrase) value-add. As for the job that comes in while you're away from the studio? I've booked work in a travel setup I carry with me. Studio time can also be rented in many cities around the country - that's where networking with colleagues comes in, just to find out where the best ones can be found. From the perspective of the actor, it's much easier to work voiceover jobs around an otherwise inflexible schedule. Most voiceover work is recorded, edited, and delivered by the voice actor working alone. Quite different than being part of a large film or TV team made up of cast, crew, network, etc. that works in-person and on tightly managed schedules. The nature of the work allows a busy actor to manage things well when both voice over and on-camera opportunities come calling. And yes, there are times when it just can't be physically managed. If you can't block off your schedule in advance around firm commitments, you may have to turn down those other opportunities. Sometimes a client - either voice over or on-camera - can reschedule. Sometimes not. I find that honesty and forthrightness are the best policies. Know your priorities, be honest with those who book you should you run into an unavoidable conflict, and honor existing commitments. That's just good business. And sound moral sense. Laura's Quick Tips You’re a human being, not a robot! If you can, work different aspects of your job to do each day. The variety may provide greater overall satisfaction with your work day. Another option is to devote one day to one specific task and another day on a different one. You may find that you accomplish more per day when you focus on only one thing. If your work is getting you down, find different aspects of it that you enjoy and make sure to weave some of the enjoyable tasks in with those that you know you’ll just need to plough through. When you have more than one activity serving your overall purpose, you can relax (a bit) knowing that while one is slow, the other could be ramping up and producing. Keep your priorities straight and your commitments honorable. Few will fault you if you're just overly busy. Many more will resent and drop you if they don't think they can trust you. None of us is just one thing in life. So I say - as a Gemini with lots of energy and interests - mix it up and make each day as productive and enjoyable as possible. And be honest with yourself. Life is more than work. I’m an actor who mostly splits her time between voice over and on-camera work, but I’m also a mom with family responsibilities. And an active individual who needs “me time,” which includes daily exercise and private "please don't bother me for an hour" downtime. Balancing these different things pays off dividends in overall happiness and a sense of accomplishment. When one aspect of my life doesn’t seem to be going well, there’s usually another that’s steaming along satisfactorily. And even when something is truly going wrong, I can regain some perspective and see that at least something else is going right. It fosters gratitude, appreciation, and contentment. And peace of mind is worth a great deal. Find this interesting and want to read more about life on a film set? Check out some of the stories below! I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Film-making in your neighborhood. It's not all glitz and glamour! Ever see a film crew working down the street from where you live? If you live in Atlanta, like I do, it’s a fairly common occurrence. So many movies and TV shows are shooting here! There’s also a lot of filming going on that will never be shown in theaters, on streaming services, or on TV. I’m talking about projects like corporate training videos that are intended only for a company’s employees or customers. I had the pleasure of working on an industrial training film recently. Right smack dab in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. Complete with elderly couples strolling about, kids playing and racing bikes down the street, barking dogs, and leaf blowers galore. In other words, “real life” working conditions. Flexibility and humor will get you through most anything. It’s not the easiest shooting outside in a public space. For starters, you don’t have control of the environment. Natural lighting is constantly shifting (sun, clouds, changing angles, etc.). The noise is what it is. Cue the kids shouting to each other, dogs barking at every passerby, and homeowners tidying up their lawns any way they please. And of course, there’s always a plane or traffic helicopter somewhere up in the sky, passing directly overhead just when you’re in the middle of the shoot. So you work around it! What else can you do? Sometimes the background noises fit in nicely with the storyline. Most often, though, they don’t. So you start, stop, reset, wait for the right opportunity, adjust for the changing light, and go again. This shoot, for a regional power company, was especially fun because of the small, experienced, and very friendly crew. They knew each other well, were prepared for just about everything, and did a terrific job making the on-screen talent (me, in this case) feel welcome and comfortable. You can’t get better than that! Yes, we dealt with the noise. We waited for it to pass. The crew dealt with the quickly changing light conditions. Portable lights and reflectors were brought in to adjust for the fading bits of light as we were racing the late winter sun. My scenes were scheduled for the end of the day, so on top of the noise and fading natural light, the crew was battling fatigue. They had already spent many hours earlier in multiple locations filming other scenes with other actors, lugging around their equipment as they went. That they were so easy-going despite being visibly tired was impressive. It was clear that they knew their stuff and my scenes were filmed fairly quickly and efficiently. I’ve been on other sets where the crew was inexperienced and their jobs were poorly coordinated, when each scene seemed to take forever to shoot. Not here. And this crew knew had to handle problems Murphy is alive and kicking. Of course he is! Why should a film set be any different? If you’ve ever worked on a shoot, you’ll know that something, somewhere will go wrong. A piece of equipment will fail, there’ll be a problem with the environment, a crew member will be pulled away to attend another issue and they’ll be short-staffed, or there’ll be a (heaven forbid!) a problem with the talent. Not knowing lines, stumbling over tongue-twisting phrases, being difficult to work with. I’m pleased to say that didn’t happen here! Especially with the talent – I take great pains to be on-time and very well prepared! Here were three challenges that popped up that day. They will be very familiar to anyone who has ever worked on a film set! Lighting - especially working around natural and ever-changing light. Script Changes - there's almost always some adjustments. Equipment Failures - it comes with the territory. If you’ve ever worked on a shoot, you’ll know that something, somewhere will go wrong. There's a solution to everything. McGyver's shown us the way. As problems go, these were pretty minor and easily handled. But the real trick is knowing how to handle them. And a positive attitude makes it easier on everyone until they're resolved. Here's what our film crew encountered and how they handled them: Problem 1: Fading sun and noisy neighborhood background. Solution : The crew worked around with extra lights, reflectors, and waited for the kids, dog, and occasional overhead aircraft to just go their merry way. Problem 2: Last minute script changes. Solution : This happens frequently when the words on the page don’t sound quite right when they’re spoken aloud by a real person. No disrespect to the copywriter, but sometimes the written word doesn’t translate as totally conversational when voiced. Or, as in this case, the director wanted the name of the company inserted earlier in the speech than as written. That’s the job of the actor, to make adjustments on the fly. Fortunately, these wonderful people also had decided to work with a teleprompter, which truly made my job that much easier. Yes, I had memorized all my lines, but it was sure nice to have everything – changes, included! – right in front of my eyes. Easy peasy. Problem 3: Technical snafu - a doorbell failed to cooperate. Solution : In this brief scene, my role as an employee of the power company was to ring the doorbell and warmly introduce myself to the homeowner. Well, said doorbell was on its coffee break. A minor inconvenience. As they say, “we’ll fix it in post.” (That’s post-production.) I pressed the doorbell while (off-camera) a crew member knocked on a window to alert the person waiting inside to open the door. He opened the door, I gave my spiel and it was a wrap! Laura's Quick Tips Go with the flow. Something is bound to go wrong at some point. Don’t get worked up about minor inconveniences. Trust that the pros know their jobs and are doing them well. Focus on doing YOUR job well. It’s about the only thing you can control anyways. And no doubt you want to be seen as the consummate professional you are: prepared, relaxed, and flexible. Humor is a great companion! As is a positive outlook. When you’re easy to work with, people want to work with you. Again and again. And if the crew isn’t terribly capable, bite your tongue. Smile. Be patient. They don’t need a critic while trying to fix a problem. All told, my three scenes, from beginning to end, were completed in about 90 minutes. All very pleasant. The nice thing about working with a small, tight-knit crew in an informal setting was that it fostered very comfortable, casual relationships between everyone. We got to know one another and talked between shots about home remodeling, landscaping options, and our own families. So they totally understood when I declined their offer for a beer afterwards, explaining that I had to run off to my “side gig” – my real-life role as a busy mom making dinner for my family. So what do you do after a job? Heartfelt good-byes in this case, followed by a thank you note and the expressed hope that we’ll have the opportunity to work together again. And another thank you and small gift to the kind person who had referred me for the job. A happy experience all around! They should all go this smoothly…. Find this interesting and want to read more about life on a film set? Check out some of the stories below. I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

When you do what you love, it's not work My first career was in IT systems development and sales/marketing. My second was as a mom up to her eyeballs in diaper duty, chauffeuring kids hither thither and yon, and cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry 24/7/365. Third time's definitely the charm, as my career in voice over and film/TV speaks directly to my passions for communications and performance. I truly love what I do. But (there's always a "but") ... there's still a lot that I have to do besides enjoying time behind the mic or in front of the camera. It's the less glamorous side of running a business: accounting, marketing, systems maintenance, etc. All necessary, not particularly fun. Redefine drudge work to be the foundation on which your business rises. And shines. No, drudge work isn't fun, but it's necessary. Having spent a number of years in the corporate world, I know that there's a lot of administrative detail attached to just about any type of work. Your choice is simple: just dig through it while it's manageable and use it to your advantage or get buried under it. Fortunately, I'm the the Uber-organized type, the sort who firmly believes in "everything in its place and a place for everything." I like order and clean, neat work areas so that I can clearly see what's what and what needs doing when. Early on, I learned the best way to keep things organized is to plow through the work as it pops up, keeping current as best I can to avoid massive backlogs of details screaming for attention. It doesn't always work out that way, but I certainly would rather not have to deal with late night deadlines if I can help it. Or have to sacrifice personal time on weekends or - heaven forbid! - during a vacation for paperwork. Making time for last minute voice over or film/TV jobs? Sure! Bring it on. That's fun! But to do so for paperwork ... eh, let's not go there, if at all possible. Better to eat away at the chores as I go. It's like the old joke: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The future's so bright, you gotta wear shades So what's the bright side of drudge work? Part of it is the pleasure of just keeping up, knowing that the IRS isn't going to catch you way behind in your tax payments. It's checking your pipeline and seeing if full of upcoming projects. It's peace of mind, knowing that important client emails are not being missed, because you're checking your inbox - and spam folder! - on a regular basis. The other part is keeping a sharp eye on where you're going: a brighter future. It can be hard to see anything beyond your nose if you've let yourself be walled in by mounting tasks that you haven't taken the time to work through. Instead of being imprisoned by undone tasks, seize control. Master them by just getting those tasks done. Turn them into your building bricks, the foundation of your business. And build your business on top of them. The bright side of drudge work is that it'll get you closer to your brilliant future. The stronger your foundation and the taller your business rises, the farther you can see the right opportunities for you and your clients. People will see you, too, as you become more visible in a competitive industry. Just remember to periodically check for leaks. Is your marketing plan still working for you? How about your financial support tools? Make adjustments as needed. Then step back to admire your work. And grab your sunglasses, because the taller you rise, the closer to the sunshine you are, with fewer obstructions in your way. The bright side of drudge work is that it'll get you closer to your brilliant future. A happy result can make it all worthwhile When you're first building your business, this process is all about "investing in your future" without seeing an immediate return. You don't just hang out your shingle advertising that you're open for business without knowing what you'll be selling, how much it costs to make, and how you'll make a profit. Or where you'll find your customers. You have to do a lot of leg work before you properly even get started. Later, as you progress and your business grows, it's just considered smart business management. You know the details of what's working, what's not, and most importantly, WHY. You're showing your customers and prospects that you're not only talented, you know how to run your business. Clients like dealing with creative people who have their heads on straight. They know they'll likely receive a quality product accompanied by excellent customer service. It's really the best of both worlds. And when your clients are happy ... you're happy. It kinda makes the whole record-keeping all worthwhile. Laura's Quick Tips Just do it. Get the support work out of the way so you can go play at what you do best - providing your customers with the top-quality products and services they need to solve their problems. Doing a little bit of administrative work every day adds up to staying current overall. Keep the long game in mind. You're working towards a successful goal! Redefine the meaning of work. When you consider all those unwanted support tasks a burden, that's what they'll feel like. And they'll drag you down. If you think of them as the means to free you to do what you truly enjoy doing in your business - well, then they become the foundational support that helps your business succeed. And how fun is that?! The foundational work is really the key for building a successful business. Once it's running smoothly, it's time to find the people who can help you shine. Interested in a few tips for building a strong support team? Read more about it here > I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

It's hard to say goodbye to the comfortable and the familiar, especially when the leaving is out of your control. We're human. We like routines and we're most comfortable with the familiar. But we and everything in our lives are constantly changing. Relationships, goals, and jobs are not static. It seems that everything has a life cycle: a beginning and an end, and when over, then it's time to move on. Sometimes we leave things behind, sometimes they leave us, causing us to wonder why they had to end. They can be little things, like some of our favorite items stocked in the local grocery store that are suddenly missing. And can't be found anywhere else, either. They can be more significant, such as friendships that dissolve through arguments, people who move away and gradually lose touch, or relationships in which the parties just grow apart in different directions. We can feel sour about the ending, especially if we think we've been given the short end of the stick. Ideally, the parting would be sweet, with wonderful memories to carry us forward. Often enough, it's bittersweet. For example, this spring I'm excited to be a speaker at VO Atlanta 2022, the largest voiceover industry event in the world. But I'm also quite saddened that this will be the very last one year it will be held. Its founder, the highly talented Gerald Griffith, is moving on to other things. It's my choice how to take it. It's your choice: the bitter, bittersweet, or sweet ending Holding on too tightly is stagnation. "You can't live in the past." Yes, we've all heard that a thousand times. It's true, though. Being stuck in the past, constantly looking backwards, gives us no proper view of today or a vision of tomorrow. If we're mired in the past, we become rigid and cease to adapt, learn, and grow. This is the bitter ending. It just doesn't leave a good taste in our mouths, especially if we're resentful about the whole thing. If we let the bitter define us, we'll just drive other people away from us, too. Bitter can sometimes just be sad. Like holding on too tightly to earlier versions of ourselves, especially when we've clearly outgrown them. Haven't we all seen at one time the older woman who insists on dressing and acting like her teenage daughter? Or the older man flirting with girls a few decades his junior, posturing as one of their cool contemporaries? It's not just the older folks, either. A few years back, I was talking to a young woman about to turn thirty, and she was actively freaking out, terrified that she was hurtling into middle age and irrelevancy, and would forever be alone. She had no interest in hearing about all the good that the next decade promised. No, she wanted nothing to change. I wonder if she finally came to terms and realized the benefit of greater maturity, professional recognition, and a deeper perspective on life. Or if she's just frozen mentally and emotionally in her 20s, unable and unwilling to shed her old skin and grow. Releasing the old makes room for the new. Bittersweet cherishes the past, but is able to make room for the future. I think of it like a garden. Pansies are my winter flower of choice, but they do take a bit of maintenance. Removing old, spent blooms helps the plant provide maximum energy towards growing new flowers. Likewise, in the vegetable garden, we have to sweep away the muck of past, dead seasons to prepare the soil in the spring for young plants to thrive, grow, and produce. We miss the beauty of the past, but accept that its season has past. Now we go forward with the knowledge and experience we gained to prepare for what's coming next. And we look forward to it with positive expectations. As a mom, I'm watching my kids grow to adulthood and leave the nest. One has already done so, the other is in full preparation. I've enjoyed every age and stage they've been and I love looking at old photos, especially from when they were babies and toddlers. But my job is to prepare them for adulthood and free them to live their lives, hopefully with all the positive life lessons that their dad and I have tried to instill in them. Bittersweet, but I love watching them grow into the wonderful people they are and look forward to seeing them start their own new families one day. Appreciation and gratitude lead to contentment. Mark an ending. Commemorate or celebrate it. Then look to the future and move on. Maybe it's the chocolate lover in me, but I prefer a sweet ending. Not everything can be viewed in a positive light, but if possible, I will choose to regard it that way. Those favorite grocery store items? Well, they may no longer be available, but I've discovered other alternatives I enjoy or can now make from scratch myself. Yes, I'll miss VO Atlanta and fondly remember it, but there will be other events where I can share my experience as a guest speaker. As for my youth ... well, I'm still doing pretty well physically and I'm a whole lot happier now than I was in my 20s. Maturity and experience lend perspective and (shall I say?) wisdom, and a much greater acceptance of ourselves. Having weathered more of life, I think that as we grow older we also develop appreciation and and a sense of gratitude, which leads to contentment. Sweet. Laura's Quick Tips You choose your perspective: bitter, bittersweet, or sweet. Living in the past prevents you from enjoying the present. Keep the good, learn from experience, and choose wisely in the future. If your experience is truly awful, if your loss is overwhelming and unexpected, and if what life throws at you seems truly unfair ... you're right. I'm sorry for what you're going through. Take the time to mourn, to ponder why, and to wonder what the next steps should be. You have the natural need to do so and to work through the grieving process. But when it's mostly done - and it will be - lift up your head and choose how you will remember that which you loved and cherished. What its legacy should be. How you will take the best of it forward and leave behind that which is best not dwelled upon. You will choose life and growth. I hope you choose the sweet or bittersweet ending. Looking to figure out that next step after experience a difficult ending? We have more tools at our disposal than we realize. Read more about it here > I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Balancing between perfection and wiping out on the Slip 'n Slide of life “Practice makes perfect.” “Perfect is the enemy of the good.” So don’t practice. The perfect excuse for any kid looking to get out of unwanted work. (Excuse the pun.) As if that’s not enough to grind any parent’s teeth, the philosophers and religious folks have to kick in their two cents, too, proclaiming perfection is beyond our human grasp. Which again lends credence to the kid’s (think: teen’s) argument that there’s no point practicing their piano scales or drilling mathematics into their head. Kids. You gotta love them. No wonder parents resort to the tried-and-true “because I say so” argument. Here’s a better retort for parents: None of that is an excuse for complacency. Mediocrity. Just getting by. Sure, there are plenty of people out there who have no problem with coasting through life on minimal effort. But are they happy? Feeling fulfilled? Maybe yes, maybe no, but I bet that if you’re reading this post that you’re one of the many others of us who truly want to do our best in life and prove ourselves worthy in our own eyes and those of our friends, family, and society. We’re not looking for excuses. And we know that coasting through life can turn into one big Slip 'n Slide. Fun while it lasts, but you'll probably just get soaked and end up crashing into something. Balance. Do your best. Within reason. Perfection sounds like the ideal, but there's a catch Are you the type that gets caught up at the other end of the effort spectrum? Seeking perfection? Trying to get things “just right?” Guilty! I’ve been a bit of a perfectionist all my life, especially in areas where I pride myself. I can’t just dash off a quick article; I need to craft it “just so” – tightening the prose, balancing the sentences, making sure that the idea is expressed clearly and concisely. Same thing with my acting and voiceover work. I can spend WAY too much time preparing and tweaking a performance until its originally creative, organic life gets squeezed out of it by technical “improvements.” And that’s how an actor can be sure NOT to get booked. On TV and in film, where the camera magnifies everything, a character’s reactions must seem fresh and alive. The actor has to learn to live in the moment as the character, as if experiencing everything for the first time. It’s a terrific exercise in letting go of perfectionism. Really, there’s no advantage in trying to figure out the perfect performance, because casting itself is so subjective. It comes down to what the casting director has in mind for the role. Or the director, producer, showrunner, or network executive. Everyone’s mental image is different. And then an actor can show a very different interpretation that captivates the decision-maker, and suddenly the character is reimagined in a completely new direction. There’s also the very real possibility that a friend or relative is cast in a role that’s supposedly up for grabs. Or that the decision is made to “round out” an ensemble cast with actors of varying physical qualities, and so the choice is made beyond performance quality alone. Just because an actor doesn’t win a role – and only one person can be cast per role (unless you’re talking about very young child actors or baby twins who share a role) – doesn’t mean that his performance wasn’t good. It just wasn’t the best choice for the project at that particular time. Of course, actors are never told any of this, which is why so many suffer from self-doubt stemming from rejection after rejection. It takes some backbone to soldier on. But embracing perfectionism won’t help. An alternative to perfectionism What does work? Flexibility, open-mindedness, and a willingness to learn from others. These qualities are valued in many fields, but here's how they play out in the actor's world. Actors have to be flexible and open to interpreting a character’s goals, motives, and behaviors from different viewpoints. A new perspective can dramatically change how a character is played. As an example, imagine a plot in which a character is engaged in illegal activity. That character can be played as someone who’s chosen a life of crime. Or as someone out for revenge. Or as one naively involved in something they don’t understand. Or forced to break the law to save a loved one. All different performances. Each scenario creates a new set of reasons for the character to be doing what he is doing. And how well he is doing it, his tactics, and the hurdles he has to overcome. The last thing an actor wants to do is to lock himself into one idea that he considers perfect. When auditioning or at a callback, it’s not unusual to be asked to try the scene in a different way. The casting director wants to see if the actor has range. And the ability to be directed. It’s essential, especially if you’re on a TV show with a script that can be revised up to the moment of filming. It’s the actor’s job to adjust and deliver those modified lines ASAP. Improvisation is one of the best exercises to flex that adaptability muscle. I especially love the improv games where lines and directions are thrown around like so many balls and you have to learn to catch, toss back, and redirect them instantaneously. No room for complacency there! Improv is one of the best skills to have in an actor’s toolbelt, so that we’re ready and able to handle whatever may be thrown at us. Good work delivered on time and within budget is more valuable than an idea never realized. Real world considerations There’s no sliding by in the actor’s world – or really, in any other profession either. People expect you to be able to do your job. Whether you’re an employee or an entrepreneur, employers and clients are not going to be thrilled at receiving work that’s just barely acceptable or just misses the mark. And on the other end of the spectrum – perfectionism – the time and energy invested in grooming something to that “just right” state doesn’t play too well, either. When does perfectionism apply? When time and money play a secondary role to the critical importance of getting things “just right,” as in medical, technical, and scientific research and mathematical studies. Even so, there is pressure to find the right answers quickly and within budget. It’s the bane of researchers and scientists everywhere. In the business world, considerations of time and money trump delivering a perfected product. Executives and employees are expected to make smart decisions quickly and perform expediently. Time is the enemy of perfection. And face it: there’s only so much that can be done within 24 hours. Individuals prone to perfectionism may find themselves in a bind, facing difficult choices: are you willing to miss deadlines to perfect what you’re working on? Are you willing to annoy or anger other people who are depending on you? Will you even have a deliverable when they need it? Most of the time, employers and client alike would rather have something that’s good and on time than a possible masterpiece-in-the-making that’s never finished. Or is terribly over-budget or draining resources from other areas. Laura's Quick Tips Perfection is a fine ideal, but the real world needs something a bit more practical. A balance. Good work delivered on time and within budget is more valuable than an idea never realized. Adaptability, flexibility, and open-mindedness provide more opportunities for success than a rigid mindset. This is not to say that the quest for perfection is worthless. Perfection makes a fine ideal. Reach for the stars. Imagine what can be. And work towards it. Just remember that it’s an ideal. Unless you’re truly financially independent and not beholden to others with deadlines, you work within constraints of time and resources. Focus on what you can deliver, prioritize, and follow through. Chances are that you’ll find most success that way. Interested in learning more about keeping - and maintaining - a balanced perspective? Read more about it here > I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

Changing Career Paths ... Wisely We're never just one thing in life. We wear many hats. We change up our roles - even our careers - as circumstances or our desires dictate. The trick is to know how to do so with foresight, thought, and planning. Otherwise, we may find ourselves battered by the vagaries of chance. Or, worse, dependent on the mercy of others. Sometimes, we get lucky. We fall into new careers, meet unexpected benefactors, and have the time of our lives. Sometimes. Hmmm. Sometimes, we win the lottery, too. Most other times ... not so much. We're much better off taking charge of our own destinies. Planning for our futures. Figuring out the next steps to ensure that there'll be money in the bank when we need it and that we're not risking the health and welfare of ourselves or our families to pursue our dreams. There is a process we can follow that maximizes the upside and minimizes the risks. It's not just for the young starting out in their adult lives. It's one we can take anytime when we feel the need to reinvent ourselves. I'll be talking about it in a breakout session at VO Atlanta 2022 , the largest voiceover conference in the world, on April 1. No joke! Here's the gist of it: Do something different. Start over! Or start something new. It's OK to start, not knowing exactly where you'll end up. You have a dream. A goal. Or perhaps just a general idea that you want to do something different. The first step is to clarify what you want and why you want it. You may need some time just to steel your nerves to actually go about it, especially if you're thinking of leaving a comfortable job and income and venture into a new role as an entrepreneur. This is the time to visualize in detail what that means and how it'll differ from your present circumstances. And to develop contingency plans for when good ol' Murphy and his pesky law come along to disrupt your progress. It's also wise to consider this transition into a new career as a journey. One that will take time to develop and require a degree of flexibility on your part. We don't always end up where we think we should. When we should. Impatience and unrealistic expectations can be your greatest enemy. Discovery is part of the journey. And you have more at your disposal than you think. Have you catalogued your existing skills and experience? Have you thought how they could be used - or adapted - in a new career? Sometimes the skills that were most valued and used at your last job may seem superfluous in your new career, especially if you're moving from a corporate technical career to an artistic one, like I did. But surprise, surprise! They may not seem necessary, but they can help distinguish you from the competition in your new career. In my case, my experience working in technology allows me to excel in corporate and medical voiceover narration, because I understand the concepts and can handle complex terminology. Business skills and a talent for organization provide valuable support in any field. If they're in your toolkit, you have a big leg up. So many people don't have either. You'll know to avoid commonly made mistakes and be less inclined to miss important details as you work in your new career. Your existing skills can be mixed and matched in different combinations to bring value to even the newest situation. Strategies for success Plan. Review. Revise and set new goals. Keep both a long and short-term vision. You'll know where you're going - and when you've arrived at each milestone along the way - by plotting your course. There are a number of tools out there to help you do so, as well as strategies for ensuring that you're on the right path. I'll mention two: flexibility in your thinking and expectations and mentors. I've touched on the importance of flexibility. Look also for a mentor who is just a few steps ahead of you in your new career. He or she will mostly likely be able to relate to your current challenges and provide practical advice based on their own recent experiences. Laura's Quick Tips Plan your journey well to a new career - and put fear in the back seat. Give yourself credit for what you bring to the table. Turn for regular guidance to those who are just a few steps ahead of you on the same path. And enjoy yourself! Yes, changing careers can be a scary prospect, but it can also be quite exhilarating, especially when you've taken the time to think it through. And as you reach each new milestone, you'll be able to look back on your progress and take pride in your success. Interested in knowing more? Join me on April 1, 2022 at 4:40pm at VO Atlanta 2022 when I expand on this post in "Reinventing Yourself Later in Life." I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY

It's the largest voiceover conference in the world! VO Atlanta has grown to be the largest, most learning-intensive conference within the voiceover industry. It draws the best of the best: coaches, demo producers, casting directors, agents, and - of course! - voice actors from all over the world to learn, teach, and network with one another. VO Atlanta was my very first voiceover conference anywhere, so I'm thrilled to be invited to speak this year on a topic near and dear to my heart: Reinventing Yourself Later in Life. I have reinvented my career twice before and I can't wait to share both practical and psychological strategies to help others along the same path, whether it's to turn a hobby into a career, re-enter the workforce after a prolonged absence, or to finally engage a life-long passion and develop it into a business during your retirement years. Come join me for a wonderful weekend, right here in my hometown! March 31 - April 3, 2022 Hilton Atlanta Airport I'm Laura Doman, a former tech industry sales executive, hands-on mom, voice & TV/film actress, and improv performer. I create memorable characters that tell my client's stories, from the friendly CEO touting new upgrades to your sassy best gal pal dispensing some necessary, real-world advice... Let's Talk! COMMERCIALS •  EXPLAINER VIDEOS • CORPORATE NARRATION •  ELEARNING • K12 • MEDICAL NARRATION • CHARACTERS & ANIMATION • TELEPHONY