Voice Actors Produce Moving ‘Global Thank You’ Video For COVID-19 Workers And Families
By John Florian
VoiceOverXtra
Pandemic in the air – and now, flashbang: pandemonium in the streets.
Today as we process what and how we as individuals and a community might address the deadly plague of racial injustice, let’s think how our voices recently became a key to calming fears and moving toward solutions in countless media campaigns about tackling the COVID crisis.
And as happens in today’s increasingly virtual world, an idea spawned on social media that propelled a group of voice actors to create their own video thanking people who are risking their health and lives to protect ours.
When this “Global Thank You” video recently debuted, a commenter noted how it demonstrates that “Voice has always been the touchstone for human communication.” So true.
See this video. See it again. SHARE IT WITH YOUR WORLD. Then return to learn the backstory …
COMMENTS ABOUT THE VIDEO …
- “Beautiful idea, thought and script.”
- “So well put together.”
- “What a powerful and moving piece!”
- “Love that this video represents the global fight.”
And: “Oh man, this is VERY well done, Bev.”
The “Bev” in that last comment is full-time voice actor Bev Standing (pictured) who tells us that the video bubbled up from a virtual watercooler chat. Literally.
Bev is administrator of the Facebook #Watercooler – Voice Over Chat – a group open to all, currently with about 800 members dedicated to VO talk (excluding self-promotion).
“We were all chatting one Saturday morning (in the Watercooler group) and I said, this is my idea,” Bev recalls.
“I wanted to do a video that was reflective and inclusive of the world. Everybody knows somebody who is directly impacted (by the COVID crisis) in their work. So this video would be a thank you and acknowledgement that we haven’t forgotten you.”
Bev says: “They all said, we’d love to help.”
“I reached out to J. Michael and asked, ‘Can you write this?’ He said ‘Sure.’
“Humberto did all the audio and video engineering.
“Brad Hyland’s friend Sarah did the signing. We forget there are people out there who can’t hear.
Bev adds that the “easiest” part of her producer’s role was asking voice talent to read the copy.
“I sent them a few lines and they read them in their own native language.”
And from start to finish, the video was completed in just three weeks.
VIDEO CREW & CAST
The video’s participants and creators are (in order of appearance in the video):
- J. Michael Collins, voice and writer
- Oki Mikito, voice
- Humberto Franco, voice, audio and video engineer
- Linda Joy, voice
- Stephane Cornicard, voice
- Paul Strikwerda, voice
- Sarah McLeod, voice
- Shelley Avellino, voice
- Peter Dickson, voice
- Susie Valerio, voice
- Brad Hyland, voice and associate producer
- Rona Fletcher, voice
- Bev Standing, voice and producer
- Lindsay LeBlanc, voice
- Sarah Smith, signing interpreter
“Everyone was willing to help, without question,” Bev says. Which once again shows how “the voice over industry is such a welcoming place to be.”