Actors and VO artists, it’s time to jump start to your career this year! Dates are now locked in for the next Tim & Sylvia Voice-Over Workshop and a few spots are already filled!

Tim Keenan, a Voice-Over Director and owner of Creative Media Recording has more than 25 years of spoken word experience.  Co-instructor, Sylvia Aimerito of Audio Girl Productions is a sought-after Voice-Over Actor and KRTH 101FM Personality with more than 20 years as a voice artist.

In this series of workshops, held on Tuesday Evenings from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm for 4 weeks, February 28th thru March 20^th, You’ll come away with tips on:

    * Improving your auditioning skills

    * New voice-over techniques

    * Different ways to deliver your best performance

    * Microphone technique

    * Effective self-promotion

    * What clients expect from voice talent

    * What makes an effective DEMO TAPE

    * Who to contact for V.O. work

    * Performing with other voice actors

Tim & Sylvia have been pulling together more sample scripts from actual voiceover sessions as well as industry related articles to share with you. The voiceover business is constantly changing and we plan to update you on the latest trends & techniques for finding voiceover jobs. You’ll walk away with some great resources for your V.O. business.

Join Tim & Sylvia Tuesday evenings, 6:30pm to 9:30pm for FOUR weeks in a row – Starting at the end of February – February 28th - March 20th. Here's the link to the web flier: http://creativemediarecording.com/vo.asp

The spots have been filling up quickly and class size is limited. To lock in your reservation, send a deposit check (minimum deposit is at least $200.00 of the total $375 fee) payable to Creative Media 11105 Knott Ave., Suite G, Cypress, CA 90630. The balance is due at the first class.

For more information contact:

 Tim Keenan  714/892-9469
creativemediarecording.com

 Audio for Video Tips: @Soundtrack_Pro

 Tips & Tricks for VO folks @tjkeenan

As a result of MCA-I’s annual year-end election, LA/OC Chapter Treasurer, Art Kirsch, began his service on the international Board of Directors in January 2012.  He will continue chapter duties while helping to guide the direction of the overall association. International president, Don Glass, of the Atlanta Chapter also started his term in January and said Kirsch was a welcome addition. “Art is full of great ideas and knows how to get things done.”

 Art Kirsch is well known in the OC media community as the publisher of SoCalShowbiz.com. www.socalshowbiz.com His monthly postings profile the movers & shakers of the industry as well as articles, events and calendars covering all the entertainment and media arts. He is also a film producerc urrently working on a documentary, “The Brick People.” Besides serving locally as an officer of the MCA-I chapter, Kirsch is on the board of directors of the Media Alliance of Orange County www.maoc.org and an advisor to the Orange County Department of Education Music & Arts Administrators. If that were not enough, Kirsch is also on the board of OC Screen Writers Association www.ocscreenwriters.org  and serves as the treasurer of OC MultiMedia Association www.ocmma.org

Two other members of the LA/OC Chapter have finished their term on the international board just as Kirsch begins his. John Coleman and Brian Page congratulated their fellow member on his election. The Media Communications Association-international (MCA-I) www.mca-i.org is a non-profit 501c3 charity which helps it members as well as serves the media community and the community at large.

MCAI members John Coleman and Art Kirsch, along with other OC professionals, have been teaching “at-risk” teens various media skills since September as part of the Santa Ana Library’s “Seeds to Trees” career training program.

Producer-director John W. Coleman, Executive Producer of Twin Oaks Communications     gathered a few of his friends to help the kids out, including Producer-Web Publisher, Art Kirsch of www.SoCalShowbiz.com. Kirsch is the treasurer of MCA-I’s LA/OC Chapter and Coleman is a past president.

He also enlisted screenwriter Mark Sevi, founder of OC Screenwriters Association; composer-musician Rick Sherman of Sherman Sound Suite and artist-animator, Terry Syndergaard of Team Video & Animation. 

Over the course of the 2011-2012 school year these media experts have been teaching professional skills and attitudes to a few dozen youngsters who need a positive direction in life. The students are having fun while learning the basics of various media skills in what could be described as an after-school program funded by a government grant. Coleman and friends have all reported the experience to be both challenging and rewarding.

MCAI Member and our chapter Treasurer, Art Kirsch, is the publisher of SoCalShowbiz.com.

This month he profiles three provocative ShowBiz professionals you should know more about­—read it at http://www.SOCALshowbiz.com and subscribe!

Know an MCA-i member that deserves special recognition— for service to the professional media community, MCA-i or the community at large?

It's time to gather nominations for our MCA-i chapter's Shining Star Awards. So, email our chapter president, Mark Alexander with the name!  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

He answered the phone and said yes when internationally renowned photojournalist Catherine Bauknight called, but it didn't take long for videographer/editor, Mark Alexander, to realize the documentary "Hawaii: A Voice For Sovereignty" was more than a job. Alexander is the president of LA/OC Chapter of MCAI and the CEO of Alexander Video Productions.

It became a "topical, important and timely" project and a chance "to make things right before they become permanently wrong," asserted Alexander.

The film is a source of professional pride and a call to conscience for the man who also serves as volunteer videographer and photographer for the San Dimas Sheriff's Mountain Rescue Team and owns Alexander Video Productions and Verdict Videos.

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Media production and consulting firm, Twin Oaks Communications, has been named the Official Video Production Company for the inaugural Event LIVE Expo at the LA Convention Center.

“We’re pleased to be associated with Twin Oaks which has a reputation for both quality and creativity,” said Dan Coffey, Event Director for Smarter Shows Ltd., the UK based creator/promoter of Event LIVE Expo.

Event LIVE Expo, is the pre-eminent convention of its kind for large events, bringing together everyone in the live event business from Promoters and Talent Bookers to Venue Owners and Facilities Vendors to Meeting Planners and Sponsors. With support from major industry leaders such as AEG Live and Apex Mobile Stages, Event LIVE Expo is the global gathering for previewing new technology & trends. The large-scale event industry includes sports, concert tours, music festivals, fashion shows, conventions and other gatherings both public & private. Twin Oaks will have a number of camera crews at the convention capturing the sights and sounds of the Expo including coverage of live stage acts.

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The Silver Dream Factory, OC’s only sound stage with standing sets, relocated to Anaheim in late 2010 and last month held an open house at their impressive new studio. Owner, Roland Cañamar, put on a great bash, complete with fabulous food and hilarious entertainment. But for me it was a busman’s holiday. I was there to see the facility.

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We often have a prominent guest speaker who is at the top of their profession but not often one who is a veritable ICON of the world of action/fantasy television. On April 20 you'll meet Renee O’Connor, best known for her role as Gabrielle, the petite powerhouse sidekick to Lucy Lawless’ Amazon, Xena. But Renee is also an accomplished Director, Producer and Writer.

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Curt Byk is a voice actor with a rich media background who recently joined MCA-I. In fact, although a new member of MCA-I, this isn’t his first involvement with the organization. While managing the US recording media business for a...

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