One of the best in the industry and a top voice on the ProComm Voices roster, Lindsay Ayliffe has been winning clients over with his voice for years. He took a few moments to share his experiences in the voice over biz for our latest feature…

1. How long have you been in the voice over business and what got you started?

I’ve been doing VO’s full time since 1994. Ten years prior to that, I worked as a copywriter for various ad agencies and did a lot of in-house VO’s (I hate those in-house guys now, right?). In my last job working for an ad agency, I was the Senior Copywriter/Associate Creative Director on a large restaurant account. Once I realized the voice actors I hired were having way more fun (and making more money) than I was, that was the end of being an employee. My first professional gig was through ProComm. Annie Lalley and I were booked to play Rhett and Scarlett for a pizza chain in Athens, Georgia. I was so excited that I rented Gone With The Wind to make sure I nailed the accent, and found out — to mah evahlastin’ suhprahz — that NOT ONCE did Clark Gable speak in a Southern accent in the entire film.

2. How would you characterize your style, sound, or signature read?

“Warm. Positive. Life is good and I’m just happy to be here.”

3. Have you had any interesting, unique, funny or scary experiences while voicing that you can recall?

Once, I played a tough, blue-collar termite for a pest-control company. I literally had to chew through an entire bag of pretzels while I talked.
Once, I was a vest on a radio spot for a men’s clothing store. Pin-striped.
Once, I was asked to sound “taller”. Seriously.
Once, I auditioned for the part of George Jetson in a radio spot and ad-libbed a dog bark just for fun. I didn’t get George, but I got an SFX fee for Astro. And a renewal a year later…
I’ve been the voice of water at a water park.
I’ve screeched like a velociraptor for an insurance spot.
I’ve been an “interior designer” for a mall spot. (That coded description got a big laugh from my gay brother.)
Scary experiences? Any session that consisted of multiple, unnecessary takes on a “screamer” script. I love what I do, but I don’t have a spare set of vocal cords.

4. Do you have any heroes, mentors or others in the business that you look up to or have influenced you?

When I worked as a copywriter on the Winn-Dixie account in Jacksonville Florida, we often hired a local voice actor named Cochrane Keating. He had the smoothest, most natural baritone voice I’d ever heard and his attitude made every session a pleasure. I don’t have those pipes but I do my best to emulate his good nature & professionalism.

5. What is the best advice you can offer people who are just getting started?

Talent and availability are the two most important assets — not necessarily in that order. Go on ProComm’s website and listen to the talent. If you can do better or have a completely unique voice, make a demo and send it in. If you’re lucky enough to get signed, make sure you’re available all day long, every week, year ‘round. Oh, and say “YES” to every scheduling request. (You can go on vacation once you’re established.)

6. What would you be doing if you were not a voiceover talent?

You mean a real job? Hmm. Copywriting was always a pleasure, so I’d write more. If money’s no object, I’d immerse myself into learning how to compose electronic/techno music. I’m a big fan of Moby, Zero 7, et al.

7. What is the most important thing you’ve learned since you started in this industry?

I’ll make it plural…the most important things:
Take care of your voice – and ears – like a violinist takes care of his fingers. It’s all you’ve got.
Be available.
Return emails, texts, and voicemails as quickly as possible.
Be easy to work with.
Be professional.
There are no guarantees.

8. Is there anything you would like to add?

Yes. I was a client before I was a talent, so I know what I’m talking about here:
My main job as a voice actor is to make each session the easiest part of my client’s day. That’s what relieves her stress and makes her happy. Which means she calls ProComm again. Which means ProComm calls me again. Which means I get to keep doing the thing I love.

]]> http://www.procommvoices.com/wordpress/voice-talent-feature-lindsay-ayliffe/feed 4 http://www.procommvoices.com/wordpress/remembering-bill-thomas http://www.procommvoices.com/wordpress/remembering-bill-thomas#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:22:19 +0000 Chris Porter http://www.procommvoices.com/wordpress/?p=1194

We lost a great one this past weekend with the passing of voice talent Bill Thomas.

Bill was a throwback, a character, a curmudgeon, as well as a true professional, and if you ever had the chance to get to know him you probably have a story or two to tell. To honor Bill, I’d like to share some of those stories, along with some of the incredible work that Bill did behind the mic.

Bill will always be remembered for his big voice. As fellow voice talent Joe Van Riper said the other day, ‘God must have needed a better voice’. And that’s saying something, coming from a guy like Joe.

He was such a staple at the ProComm studios that it’s hard to imagine him not being around. Before the days when everyone had a home studio you could usually find Bill in the ProComm talent lounge talking politics (As Bill would say, he was ‘somewhere right of Atilla the Hun’ in his political views), sharing stories and arcane trivia, or just dozing on the couch between sessions, with Mike Burke, the studio cat napping on top of him.

I remember one session years ago working with Bill and Lindsay Ayliffe on a spot for Chili’s. Given a short piece of country music and a few lyrics Bill and Lindsay brought to life this classic scenario of overbearing boss and quirky employee, sitting around the campfire… in the office. It was Bill’s idea to have the boss join in the sing along.

Bill Thomas and Lindsay Ayliffe for Chilis

btw, that’s Bob Morgan, another great talent from the old days as the announcer. I imagine Bob and Bill are up there in heaven right now riffing on Bugs Bunny characters.

Another favorite of mine comes from the ‘Welcome to Procomm’ skits that we sent to clients as promotional material. George Olsen was the writer on this piece. It still makes me laugh today. James K Flynn is our spokesperson, Harry Resonance, and Bill is the memorable Herb Glottle.

Welcome to ProComm – Herb Glottle

Here’s how ProComm producer and voice talent Dan Friedman remembers Bill…

From a whisper to a scream Bill Thomas could do it all. There are few voices that are as big and booming and yet still as versatile as was the voice of Bill Thomas. There are even fewer people left in this industry who have the knowledge, perspective and technical skill that Bill possessed.

While Bill was often cantankerous and opinionated outside of the booth, he was also supportive and caring of those around him. He could drive people crazy and even make a person angry when he expressed his personal views and thoughts about the world. However, he never said a bad word about anyone personally. In fact, whether you agreed with him or not, he would still treat you with genuine respect, care and concern.

He was always at his best when he was in front of the microphone. I will remember him most fondly for being incredibly diverse, remarkably charming and exceptionally talented. His comedic timing, microphone technique and copy interpretation were all pure perfection. He was generous with compliments to the talent around him, including the writers, directors and engineers. He had a great ear and never complained about doing more takes if needed. He generously offered to work “until the point of diminishing returns” as we would frequently say. It was as though he never wanted to leave the mic.

I will miss working with you Bill. I will end with the same words with which you often ended your recording sessions, “It was an honor and a pleasure.”

Dan Friedman

Dan put together some of Bill’s best material in this audio collage. It reminds me just how versatile he was.

Bill Thomas – voice collection

A lot will be said about Bill the voice talent. Here’s a note from fellow voice talent Anne Lalley about Bill the man.

I always told Bill that I loved him in every session. Bill was not only a great talent with an amazing voice, but more importantly, a true blue friend. I loved working with him. He was always so supportive in and out of the studio. Once when my car had broken down and I was worried about the expense, Bill stepped outside on the old ProComm front porch, opened his wallet and said, “Take what you need.” And he meant it, no strings attached. I’ll never forget his kindness.

Anne Lalley

That was Bill Thomas. A great talent, and a great guy.

So what do you remember most about Bill?

***updated***

Fellow producer and voice talent Zak Miller passed along this note:

I was going through my archives and found a Disney Tower of Terror tool kit from ’03 (hence the ‘wxyz’ ref) and thought I would let you guys hear some magic from Bill that you may have never heard.

He had such a range and a gift for this craft.   I always told him that when I grow up I want to be your voice!

Bill Thomas – Tower of Terror

The hospital read. It requires compassion, confidence, caring, and empathy.

For any voice over to be effective there needs to be an emotional connection between the words and the listener, but when representing a hospital or medical institution it’s especially important for the voice talent to bring these emotions to the read without becoming melodramatic.  In this installment of ‘Who’s that Voice?’, hear how some of the professional voice talent from the ProComm Voices talent roster approach this type of delivery for our clients.

One of ProComm’s most in-demand voices for hospital voice overs,  James K Flynn can be heard in markets from coast to coast. Here’s a sample spot for Fox Chase Cancer Center…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLnSmtE1buc

Grace Cantrell is another ProComm Voices talent who does a lot of medical voice overs. Hear her on this spot for Baptist Healthcare:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLKe4BD_RZo

Dave White provides the voice for cancer care at Brookwood Medical Center:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WVhhOt-Mbc

Check out Mare Carmody’s read on this TV commercial for Hospital for Special Care:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QtNfhehMnA

Listen to how Meredith Love’s read, combined with a rhythmic music bed, adds an edge to this hospital spot for Sacred Heart Hospital:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8oNrfpJ_Co

Another ProComm Voices talent who frequently gets called for his hospital read is Bob Jump. Here he is on a spot for Memorial Regional Heart Center.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtiWux9RF4s

When the subject is newborn intensive care, a more delicate approach is required. Listen to Anne Lalley on this spot for SMDC Healthsystem:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KjbXWDQUP8

Jacqui Fehl provides a compassionate voice for St. Thomas Heart Hospital.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1JovpaQMp8

You can hear more examples of hospital and medical voice overs in the hospital/medical business specific demo on the ProComm Voices site.

ProComm recently had the pleasure of working with a client on voice overs for a new video game that has just been released. ‘G.H.O.S.T. Chronicles: Phantom of the Renassaince Faire’ includes voice over work from Kiley Ayliffe, Grace Cantrell, Judy Corcoran, Saundra Cuyler, Rowell Gormon, Mike Harrison, Jason Jones, Bob Jump, Jim Kincaid, Anne Lalley, Chandler Smith, and Angel Tolentino.

Wanted to thank you again for the help with vocals for our game. During the testing phase of the game, the feedback was really positive about the character voices. The whole process went extremely smooth and we will definitely use your studio for future voice over projects.

- Mike/ Aisle 5 Games

The game is also getting nice reviews in the gaming community…

….Rounding out a solid package is the story telling. As you make your way through the park, you’ll meet a host of characters, alive and otherwise, that stitch together the animosity riddled strife that hangs over the renaissance faire. The ghosts genuinely feel put off by the new mischief making spirit, whilst the living inhabitants gossip with an almost morbid glee about the melodramatic plot regarding the park’s ownership. Strong writing and good voice acting seal the deal here.

- Kyle E. Moore/ www.jayisgames.com

Hats off to everyone involved and happy gaming!