Anthony Mendez' Post-amp

What happens outside of my voiceover studio

Lessons from a paper clip

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I was clearing out the key dish and came across these paper clips. What struck me was how very different they were. Yet, when most people think of "paper clip," they picture the first one. That is, unless you happen to work with the second or third on a regular basis; I'm sure that, in that case, no other paper clip will do.

Excuse the anthropomophism, but I'm also sure that the second and third paper clip have no illusions of being like the first one. They do the same job, just differently; Under certain circumstances, even better.

This Holiday Season, let's be grateful for what makes us unique. Into the New Year, let's resolve to not worry about how others do what they do, but rather to do what we do in the only way we do it. There are those out there that will appreciate it. Not to mention, you won't get bent out of shape.

-Anthony

It's the experience not the soda

Aluminum-coke

Two dollars for 8.5 ounces of Coke? Heck yeah! Look at that bottle! I felt cool just walking around with it. I even let it hang out of my back pocket (after all the soda was gone) as I walked down the chilly streets of Manhattan this past February. It wasn't about the soda (I used to drink three 20-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola a day,) it was about the experience; How it made me feel and how it stimulated more than just one sense.

What is is about design that stimulates us? As a former architecture student, I can tell you that it's definitely about how it makes us feel. The best architects don't design homes. They create an experience by manipulating light and space. The walls are simply a product of the journey-by-design. In the same way, the experience we create can have a lasting impression on both our professional and personal relationships.

There have been no posts on this blog since November of last year. I was experiencing. I was living. I've made no secret of my intention to not discuss voice-over for voice-over discussion's sake. While I love the field that I work in, most of the discussions around that space don't create much of an experience for me. Instead, I enjoy electronics and how its technology impacts our entertainment. I enjoy entertainment and how its marketing impacts its inherent design (main titles, on-air promos, billboards, etc.) And I enjoy design itself and how the creatives behind it think and, in turn, make me think. Technology and design is what drives my consumption; My purchasing decisions (albeit emotional) revolve around how good those products make me feel (my wife provides the counter-balance or economic justification - in short, she has "veto power.")

So, there you have it. No holier-than-though blog post about how you should focus on the experience you create for your clients and buyers. Just one man's intention to slow down and enjoy those little things created by his fellow, creative, and technical man that bring a smile to his face after plugging them in or opening them up.

-Anthony

iPads, Pizza, and Cocktails at AdAge's IDEA Conference 2010

I went to an all-day party yesterday with a few new friends. It had to be a party, because there was music, laughter, and drinks. They called it the IDEA Conference. Creatives, marketers, and artists gathered to discuss ideas. Sounds like an excuse to party to me. Had it not been for the absence of dancing, you wouldn't be able to tell me otherwise.

The new friends I speak of were sitting at my table and in my Blackberry. Since I had been following the twitter hashtag #IDEAConf, I had already made a few friends before the conference. We shared laughs, conversations, and ideas - just not all in-person (since I didn't get to meet everyone at the actual conference.)

It was quite an experience being surrounded by such creative and brilliant people. Working in an isolated environment, as a voice-over artist, I'm not usually involved in the thought process from the "other side of the glass." Not to mention, that by the time a voice-over comes into the picture (no pun intended,) much of the ingredients are already in the pot and cooked. So, this was an opportunity to learn about the ideas that generated not only some of the most recognizable recent commercial campaigns, but some of the most forward-looking businesses and products as well. Little did I know that I would also come away from this conference inspired and with a few new friends.

I arrived relatively early at the venue and grabbed some breakfast from the wonderful spread. The setting was intimate and seemed to be intentionally set up for conversation and brainstorming. Which is exactly what we did during one of the afternoon sessions, called the Interactive Workshop, where together we worked on tackling the challenge of education in this country and around the globe. Each group was assigned a creative director and off we went. Not only were the ideas being exchanged lofty yet thought-provoking, but I got to see firsthand how creative directors can bring several ideas from several different people into one cohesive thought and presentation.

Although I missed two presentations (Gagan Biyani of Udemy and Nathan Martin and Eamae Mirkin of Deeplocal) because I had to run out for a voice-over session for the NBA in the middle of the day, here's a rundown of the rest of the presenters and what I learned from each one:

  • Chris Czarkowski, VP Sales for Syfy, welcomed us. He set the tone for what this conference is all about - an appreciation of great ideas that come from great imagination.

  • Tony Post, Pres & CEO for Vibram USA, told us the story of their Fivefingers shoe and was a testament to believing in yourself and your ideas even in the face of underwhelming support.

  • Christine Mau, Brand Design Director for Kimberly-Clark, illustrated how design can not only overcome internal objections but change external perceptions as well.

  • Rana Sobhany (pictured,) iPad DJ & author of "Mobilize," almost made me get up and dance (I'm sure I wouldn't have been alone,) but, more importantly, was an example of how someone can position themselves first in a previously-non-existent category and use that platform to send a message that people will listen to (and maybe even move to as well.)

  • Tim Westergren, Founder of Pandora, looks at music as an incredibly powerful way to allow people to re-connect with life. I learned that a powerful idea will grow organically.

  • Mick Ebeling, Founder, Not Impossible Foundation and Eyewriter Project, pushed us to think with no limits and not to judge your ideas too early in the thought process or risk creating mediocre work.

  • Mary-Ann Somers, VP Strategic & Operational Marketing for Coca-Cola, made me realize that there is indeed a balance between gut instict and research where one doesn't necessarily override the other in creating success.

  • Russell Weiner, CMO of Domino's, and Tony Calcao, VP / Group Creative Director of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, wowed us all with what it really means to be both transparent and relentless.

  • Michael Shuman and Adam Kidron of 4food taught me that there are new ideas hidden within old ideas (healthy and delicious ones at that.)

  • Finally, there was Dushan Zaric, Creative Mixologist and Partner at Employees Only and Macao Trading Co., taught me that in order to be great, "you have to give a piece of yourself." Perfect technique without the right energy eminating from your mood (and your heart, if you will,) yields less than stellar results.

I can't say enough about the IDEA Conference. It truly was a mixed bag of wonderfully talented and creative people with nothing but the desire to do great work born out of great ideas and no-limit thinking. If I can sum up this learning experience in one line, it would be this:

The IDEA Conference teaches you that your strongest currency is your imagination and ideas.

Bravo! See you next year. Thanks, AdAge and David Teicher for the invitation and the opportunity to tweet on your behalf.

-Anthony

Marking change

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There are certain things that mark a point of change in your life. For me, it used to be music. I would remember what event happened when by remembering what songs were on the radio at the time. Now, as a Dad, the points that mark shifts in my life are usually events that occur in my children's lives. I don't know if that's because I can't remember the last time I heard a song for adults, radio is dead, or because so much of my focus is on my kids. Regardless, it's their lives that now seem to mark mine.

About a week ago, my daughter started kindergarten. It was yet another major shift in our lives and our daily routine. But for the first time in the past five years, this one simple event marked more than one change. For the first time, it marked change not only in our family life, but in my career. It marked a return to my "self" in both signature and acceptance. It marked a change in representation. And, oddly enough, it became the unofficial start of the fall semester of voice-over. Many freelancers experience the slow-downs of late summer. No matter how much you prepare for it, it's a double-edged sword. On one side, it tests your will; your dedication to your work. On the other side, it encourages you, because you know it will only get better once everyone wakes from their summer stupor.

Above all, this moment is a tug of war between the past and the future; pulling you away from the present. I'm all for being in the moment, but there are moments when thinking about the past can give you an appreciation for where you are now. It can also give you hope for where you're headed. Just don't spend too much time there, because there's a lot going on in the now and you might miss it. Here's to a great fall for all freelancers and creatives. 'See you in class. Bring an apple.

American Idolizationism

Empty-dog-run

In this dog run, there is no dog. There is no owner. Hence, no pack order. So, obviously, there is no leader and no leader of the leader (i.e., the human.) That's what the picture says. That's what the photographer wants you to believe. The human. Me. Invisible. Standing there next to my dog. Also invisible. This is my morning routine. The walk. Then a stop at the dog run. Tea. Meditation. Almonds. Then the walk. Then home.

That bench is my throne. The park is my kingdom. On rare occasions, other humans and their dogs occupy my space. They just don't know it's my space and so I wait until they acknowledge me. Most of them are not entertaining (both human and dog.) I expect them to be. But that's selfish. Self-aggrandizing. And so I stop. Who am I to judge?

What are your expectations of others? Are they too lofty? Do you hate your boss or have clients you just can't satisfy? Do you have colleagues that you just find plain boring?

Is it time to do a little introspection and adjust your expectations of others? For many gurus, experts, and idolized creatives and talent alike - it's not only time, it's long overdue.

I will use social media the way I see fit. I will market the way I feel comfortable. I will not worship you. Instead, I will meditate and allow my voice to guide me. I will be "me." There are many facets of "me." There are many forms of expression. In each one, there will be varying degrees of "me" and varying degrees of expression. To expect them all to be the same is akin to expecting your chocolate candy bar to taste the same as hot chocolate or - God forbid - a chocolate truffle or - worse - a chocolate cake.

Are you guilty of idolizing those that put their pants on the same way you do? Let me simplify this - how many times have you posted to your "idol's" Facebook account or tweeted them only to receive no engagement whatsoever?

-Anthony

P.S. I know "idolizationism" isn't a word, so don't refudiate it.

Death of the Full-Time Professional

Atlas-checks

Forgive me, friends, for I have sinned. It's been seventeen weeks since my last blog post. Okay, I'm not actually asking for forgiveness; Neither will I try to justify my transgressions with stories of how busy I've been with life, voiceover work, or - worse - auditions. Those are a given (or at least should be.) It's just that sometimes I, as one who blogs, feel as if I have to explain; But to whom? Where is it Written that I have to write every day or every week for that matter? My blog is not my job. I am a husband, a father, and then a voiceover artist. Simply a voiceover artist. It's what I do. I don't have to justify what phase of my career I am in. Despite that, many freelancers feel the need to add "full-time," "professional," or both before their title. Not only is it pointless (other than for the slim chance that someone is actually Googling "full-time professional voiceover artist,") but it's a dead giveaway of just the opposite.

As a freelancer or creative, how do you define "full-time?" My week, for example, can vary wildly from 10 hours total time on the mic to 15 or 20 hours total time on mic. Hardly "full-time" in the corporate sense of the word. I only count time on mic because that's when I'm actually "voice-overing." The other times, when I'm on twitter, facebook, email, Google, and blogs I'm a twit (no clue what they're called,) friend (or fan,) sender, Googler, blogger, and subscriber - otherwise collectively known as a marketer. Even though the time spent on these activities can rival paid time on mic, I don't consider myself a full-time marketer. It, just like voiceovers, is just what I do. It's my virtual watercooler. I do it because I enjoy it, not because I have to. Where marketing and voiceovers differ, for me, is that voiceovers is what I wake up every day feeling like I have to do.

Now, again as a freelancer or creative, how do you define "professional?" I'm not asking you log onto M-W.com, I'm simply asking you what is your perception of that word? How do you define it and how does it define you? In my case, it doesn't. To place the word professional in front of what I do is almost akin to bragging about the size of one's male member (sorry, I don't know what the equivalent of that would be for ladies, but if you know please send me an email.) When I was in music, my business partner and I would laugh at all the other music studios' websites because it seemed that most would include what we called "the penis shot*." That is to say, a picture of their big mixing board with all the lights on. It was splashed across their home page as if to compensate for what they were lacking - actual mixing and recording skills. Need I say more?

In the end, you call yourself what you'd like, but when a client is interested in you and what you have to offer, there are two things that are assumed:
  1. You will be available to do the work you're getting paid well to do.

  2. You will perform at the highest level of your craft to help bring their ideas to life.
Both of those point to an assumption of you being both "full-time" and "professional." Besides, in a world of 140 characters you can't waste time stating the obvious. Many of my producer and editor friends can easily spend upwards of sixty hours a week doing their magic while chugging down caffeine throughout the night and working under the gun to the sound of the cleaning crew. They assume number 1 and number 2 as well and don't ever refer to themselves as "full-time professional on-air promo producers and trailer editors." They just are.

How about you?

'Have to run, my full-time professional landscapers just showed up!

-Anthony

*See picture at top of article for an example of a "penis shot."

Compartmentalizing your brain

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I recently listened to an interview with riCardo Crespo and it made me think about whether or not I've clearly communicated my goals to my marketing department. riCardo is an advocate for having internal creative directors in order to better communicate with an ad agency. It makes complete sense as creative directors speak the same "language" and therefore begin the relationship with several commonalities. The challenge, as a freelancer, then becomes, "Who composes your marketing department and how often do you communicate your goals with them?"

In my case, as a lone freelance voice-over artist (cue Lone Ranger theme,) my marketing department would ideally be my representation. But the reality is that all of my agents and manager are my national sales department. My marketing department is actually composed of none other than me, myself, and I. So, the second part of the question would naturally mean that I need to schedule meetings with this singular trinity.

Once this creative meeting is scheduled, the next step would be to create an agenda with input from the rest of me... uh... the company. This agenda will consist of objectives. The intention is that during this meeting, I... sorry... we will come up with creative ways to meet these objectives (otherwise known as goals. "Goal," by the way is not a four-letter word. "Resolution" is - especially that of the New Year variety.) The goals should be simple and straightforward, because we don't want there to be any miscommunication. One final and crucial note; This meeting is closed to your accounting department.

I can't allow my accountant (my left brain) to hinder the no-limit thinking of my creative (my right brain) during this time of important ideation; Hence, the closed meeting. Don't worry, there will be plenty of time for both your right and left brain to work together during a future strategic meeting or, even better, a year-end review (another four-letter word depending on the context.)

The problem that many freelancers face is that their accountant is allowed into way too many meetings. If coming up with an agenda is an issue, then steal your accountants agenda and re-write it (then kick him out and lock the door.) Instead of thinking about how much money you need to generate, write down how many bookings you would love to have (daily, weekly or monthly.) Instead of thinking about how to increase revenue, think about how to shift your work to more passive income or, in my business, residual generating voice-overs (commercials) or recurring voice-overs (signature work, launch campaigns, radio imaging.)

This isn't meant to be a how-to article on generating ideas. My goal is to share a way to shift your consciousness in order to allow your artist to play. In turn, it will flourish in this no-limit environment - the accountant-less marketing meeting of the mind. Who knows, you might even have fun! Don't forget the entertainment in entertainment business. Schedule that meeting.

Here's a meeting I just had yesterday with my marketing department:
Agenda:
Increase engagement on my voice-over site by shifting the visitor's experience from an auditory one to a visual one. (i.e., Videos with audio will take center stage and replace audio-only)

Here's a meeting I had with my accountant department:
Response:
Adding more video would increase bandwidth and risk being shutdown or, worse, getting hit with exorbitant hosting fees.

Here's a subsequent meeting (after thought... emphasis on after) I had with my IT department:
Challenge:
There's more latency with video and therefore a higher risk of increased bounce rate.

Now, there's no question that the marketing department's creative idea was going to be implemented. I never judged it during ideation. After the meeting, I presented it to accounting in a separate session. The accounting department raised some fiscal challenges that might present themselves down the road. At the same time, I had a discussion with my IT department. The IT department raised concerns that were later taken into consideration. 

The solution, was Amazon's CloudFront service. Which I'll be talking to you more about tomorrow and, hopefully, showing you a quick tutorial on how I set it up. Presently, all of the media (audio, video, and images) on my AnthonyVO.com site are stored on my Amazon S3 account and distributed via their CloudFront service. My webhost only serves up the HTML/CSS text files (i.e., small files when compared to media.) What's the cool part about it? The specific server that presents the media is dependent upon the visitor's location - it automatically chooses the closest server - thereby minimizing latency. Very technical, but overall still very creative (and super affordable - just in case your accountant was wondering)!

With CloudFront, I've addressed marketing (allowing more media,) IT (reducing latency and therefore bounce rate,) and accounting (minimizing bandwidth costs.) Before you think I've gone schizophrenic, I'm merely suggesting you compartmentalize your multiple roles in order to create more effectively. 

Does your number crunching get in the way of your creativity?

-Anthony

Overpriced?

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That, my friends, is a picture of where, just last Friday, I paid eight dollars for a cheeseburger and a cup of hot chocolate. It was freezing that day. Anyone with a few bucks in their pocket would have been glad to pay anything for something hot; But eight dollars for a single cheeseburger and a small cup of hot chocolate? You can get three times as much food at Wendy's. Not to mention I have yet to see a Wendy's without indoor seating (brrrr.)

This place, called the Shake Shack, sits on one end of Madison Square Park (no relation or proximity to The Garden) and, despite lack of refuge from the harsh Winter, draws a line of customers that any brick-and-mortar business would be envious of in this economy.

What is it about this no-frills, fast-food (gasp,) cheap outdoor seating restaurant that people seem to love? During Summer you'd better have a flexible lunch hour and lots of napkins if you want to partake of The Shack's somewhat limited gastronomical offerings, because you'll spend most of it waiting on line and salivating with the rest of the fans.


Bingo! That's exactly what this place has been able to create; Not customers, not consumers, but fans! Customers have wants. Consumers have needs. Fans, on the other hand, have desires. They desire not only a product, but, more so, an experience. The Shake Shack is well aware of this desire and how a major part of the experience is a communal effect created by doing something we normally hate to do - wait in line (just take a look at the background that loads on their site.)

It's no secret that Apple too has created fans. The iPad is neither wanted nor, some may argue, needed. The iPad will sell by virtue of Apple fans' desire. In the same way, The Shake Shack sells cheeseburgers... lots of them.

The question therefore is, "how has a plain looking place like The Shake Shack created such desire?" The product, without question is solid. That's a given if any sort of longevity is to exist. The answer lies in The Shake Shack experience. The perception is that being part of this young New York landmark is equivalent to being in the know. It's an initiation into cool.

Burgers, shakes, and hot chocolate are pretty boring without the "cool" personal experience. As are most voiceover and freelance talent (boring without personality that is - not shakers by any stretch of the imagination.) However, it's not you that has to be cool. It's the experience of working with you. Take the focus off of yourself and you too might be able to sell a "combo meal" for well over market price.

As an experiment (and to practice what I preach... shudder,) beginning tonight throughout the rest of this month, I will remove the present styling and design from my voice-over website and simply leave a header, sidebar, and content area with links. That's it. Let's see what happens.

See you "on line."
-Anthony

P.S. For the record, I prefer Wendy's burgers for value in today's economy. Thank you. :)
 

Email filtering on steroids

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Back in the days of "Lazy," I created a set of videos showing you how to have Google handle your domain's email. The idea was that Gmail provides such great features, especially spam filtering, that it would be best for you to have all of those same features within your own domain's emails. Despite filtering, email has become so intrusive that it causes productivity to suffer. As a freelancer, all we have is time and we need to use every minute of it wisely - while still being available for work. It's a challenge, because of the need to constantly check your email. But a challenge made much easier with Awayfind.

I "discovered" (I like to take credit for things) and wrote about Awayfind back in November of 2008. Now, it's all grown up with its latest incarnation, Orchant. If back in 2008 I called it a "secretary," it's since become my "executive assistant." Why? Well, aside from simply sending me a text about urgent emails, now it can also call me (and read me the actual email,) email me to any email address, tweet (DM) me, and even IM me! That's why when Jared Goralnick, contacted me about voicing the new video for Awayfind, I was honored and thrilled about telling a story about a product that I truly believe in.

If you know me, you understand how important it is for me to create time; Time for silence, time for craft, and time for fun. If I wanted to be miserable, I wouldn't have opted to become a freelancer in a line of work I love so much. Therefore, I can't allow myself to become overwhelmed with my choice of career and everything that comes with it. As long as email continues to be the preferred method of communication for my agents, manager, and clients, I will use Awayfind to sort it all out for me and ensure that I'm only interrupted when absolutely necessary.

This is the major reason why I don't have my number on my website - that's what I have agents for. Some of my colleagues don't agree with that, but in the end my focus is on continuing to improve on my self and my work. My clients - both existing and potential - will, in turn, benefit as well. (For the record, I do have my business number on my email signature.)

How do you balance being accessible and productive at the same time? I'd love to hear your opinion.

-Anthony

Don't Mind Your Business

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This time of year, it's easy to get overwhelmed with all of the business advice you'll find online, in magazines (remember those?), and in casual chats with colleagues. Everyone seems to have the answer for achieving success this year in one form or another. A term that has been coming up with more frequency than the bad Chinese takeout I had last night (sorry) is ROI - return on investment (intentionally not capitalized.) While this is an important measure, it's not as crucial as it's made out to be; At least not for everyone.

As I mentioned in "More Than MoMA," the problem is that who we are as artists is frequently overshadowed by who we feel we need to be as entrepreneurs; Better still, whom we are made to feel we need to be as business people. It's the beginning of the war of art. It's also common sense. If your product is not fully developed (in voiceover your product is your voice... your read,) then it's not ready to be marketed. No amount of measuring ROI is going to help you redirect your efforts into productive marketing if no one wants what you have to offer.

The real answer is actually quite simple - spend more time working on your product; on yourself; on your read. If you start redirecting too early on in your journey, you might end up going in circles. This is indeed a journey. Every individual talent carves her own path. What works for someone else will, most likely, not work for you unless you factor in all of the variables that directly apply to your business and experiences. Don't use someone else's numbers as a benchmark for making decisions in your career... especially in voice-over.

Instead, be inspired by someone else's success. Congratulate someone else on their success. Wish as much success for someone else as you would for yourself. But do not, under any circumstance, attempt to duplicate their success based on what they did or didn't do to achieve it. To quote Hugh MacLeod (from his best-selling book "Ignore Everybody:"

  • You are responsible for your own experience
  • Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb
  • Never compare your inside with somebody else’s outside
  • Avoid the Watercooler Gang
There are no real benchmarks in this business. If there are, I'd like you to show them to me. Someone else's numbers do not a benchmark make. Everything is in constant change; in flux. It's the way of the Universe. Therefore, any benchmarks that exist are no longer in the same place they were just a second ago.

Conclusion? Your ROI decisions are only as good as your ability to forecast! In voiceovers, some claim to do that as well. Don't get me started.

I wish you success this year - regardless of how you define it. Remember: Craft first. Business second.

I welcome your thoughts on this.

-Anthony

EDIT: Here's a quote from Investopedia:

"Keep in mind that the calculation for return on investment and, therefore the definition, can be modified to suit the situation -it all depends on what you include as returns and costs. The definition of the term in the broadest sense just attempts to measure the profitability of an investment and, as such, there is no one "right" calculation."