Voiceovers

The other day I had the opportunity of reading the script for Stream 57's phone system. They had just been bought by West Corp. (yay!) and I had to do an update with that information. I am occasionally referred to as the "Voice of Stream 57" hehe.

I LOVE voiceover work. This is definitely when my diction classes come into practice! It is so much fun to take on different characters. For example I did the voice of the snobby receptionist for the cartoon "Yu-Gi-Oh" :

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Since it had already aired in Japanese, we had to dub the original picture in English. Therefore, I had to watch the cartoon as I read the lines and match the words with the mouth of the character. It was so exciting to watch the final cut and hear my voice!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
If you have ever thought about voiceover work, the best thing to do is put together a demo. Find scripts online and practice recording yourself with Garageband or whatever program came with your computer. Then when you are ready, take a class and get a professional recording done. Happy recording!! :)

SNOW!

I was a little slow to get out of bed this morning. It was 8am and I had to get ready for an audition. Then I remembered there was a chance of snow. I ran to the window and jumped up and down at the sight of my backyard and trees covered in white! AND it was still coming down! I rushed to take pictures and get on my warm clothes. Being a Southern California girl, I am ecstatic at the sight of snow :) After two years in New York, I still get excited! I admit I am not a fan of cold, but snow is another thing entirely. I was so quick to open the door my alarm went off, but luckily I was able to turn it off before the cops were called haha. As I walked to the bus, I was grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't help but take in the beauty all around me as I stepped into the powdery, fresh snow. Needless to say it was a great way to start the day and the smile still hasn't left my face!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Smile :) It takes less muscles to smile than to frown.

TOP 10 REASONS TO SMILE

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide
Updated April 26, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Smiling is a great way to make yourself stand out while helping your body to function better. Smile to improve your health, your stress level, and your attractiveness. Smiling is just one fun way to live longer!

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive
We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away -- but a smile draws them in.

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood
Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious
When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress
Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you'll be better able to take action.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System
Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure
When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin
Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger
The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day -- you'll look younger and feel better.

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful
Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive
Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It's hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

Negative Ions

I had an audition the other day and was amazed at how energized I felt. Electricity was pulsing through my veins, a smile was plastered on my face, and I was overwhelmingly confident going into the room. It was a 5:10pm audition, the end of the day, and after I sang the casting director even said "you hit that one out of the park". So I started to wonder what it was that I had done differently that practically erased all nerves and brought such a positive energy into the room. I had spent the afternoon working in the living room where we just set up an Ionic Pro. It basically produces negative ions that trap irritants and allergens and in turn, purifies the air. I have read that negative ions can "lift your mood", and are found in abundance after a thunderstorm, at the beach, in the mountains, in the country, in pine forests, and near waterfalls. I found this statement on numerous sites:

"The normal Ion count in fresh country air is 2,000 to 4,000 negative Ions per cubic centimeter (about the size of a sugar cube). At Yosemite Falls, you'll experience over 100,000 negative Ions per cubic centimeter. On the other hand, the level is far below 100 per cubic centimeter on the Los Angeles freeways during rush hour."

Wow!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
Check into Ion producing purifiers. Anyone else know much about the Ionic Pro or machines like that? Anyone have a positive experience having one in the house?

Hello :)

I'm actually having a hard time posting this first blog. We are currently experiencing flash floods and wind gusts up to 70 mph (Really?? Is that possible here?). I am surprised the roof hasn't fallen off! My internet connection keeps dropping and I have to reset the router...wait...hope it connects...wait some more...yay it's back up!

First things first. I want to THANK YOU for reading my blog...commenting...adding your own tips...asking questions. I want this blog to be interactive, fun, educational, and inspiring. I am just a girl finding my way in this crazy entertainment business. So enjoy my blog and I look forward to hearing from all of you!

xoxo,
Lara

TIP OF THE WEEK: A friend sent me a text last night asking how to keep her voice strong and healthy so I thought I'd post some dietary tips I sent her. They work for me but are not always true for everyone. Let me know if there are others that work for you!! I am in no way a doctor but my ENT has passed this info on to me :)

Foods to avoid when singing a lot: dairy, caffeine, salty foods, chocolate (so sad...), citrus fruits, acidic foods like tomatos, spicy foods, alcohol