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2015 VOICE ARTS® AWARDS
See And Congratulate Nominees In 2nd
Annual Voice Arts
® Awards Competition
October 12, 2015

(VOXtra) - Celebrity voices and those enroute to fame mix broadly among nominees announced for the 2015 Annual Voice Arts® Awards - an expanding international awards competition presented by the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS).

From the scores of nominees highlighted below, a winner will be chosen in each award category and all will be honored at a Gala on November 15 at the Pacific Design Center in Hollywood, CA, starting with Red Carpet arrivals at 6 p.m.

Also at the Gala, acting/voice over icon William Shatner will receive the Voice Arts® Icon Award (presented last year to James Earl Jones). On the previous day at the Pacific Design Center, SOVAS will present its annual That's Voiceover Career Expo.

SOVAS describes the Voice Arts® Awards as "showcasing the best work in professional voiceover acting, creative direction and communications" in the fields of advertising, audiobook narration, movie trailers, video gaming, animation, television, radio, and casting.

Entries to this year's awards program closed on August 31, and the number was "up 300 percent" from the inaugural program in 2014, notes SOVAS Chairman and CEO, Rudy Gaskins.

"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude from the voice acting community," Gaskins tells VoiceOverXtra, "and are especially pleased to see that both companies and individuals have taken upon themselves to stand behind their work by entering it to be counted."

Last week the nominees were notified in advance of a public announcement, and Gaskins says "the social media sphere exploded in a way we never expected."
See also the competition's jurors and highlights of the 2014 Voice Arts® Awards Gala and that year's winners.
An extensive listing of all persons connected to nominated works is at the SOVAS.org website. Following are highlights featuring the voice actors involved in each.

AUDIOBOOKS

AUDIOBOOKS - OUTSTANDING AUDIO ENGINEERING


In Freedom's Cause

Writer/director/producer: John Fornof
A full cast, Skandar Keynes, Brian Blessed, Billy Boyd, James Cosmo, Joanne Froggatt

The Beam: Season 2
By Johnny B. Truant, Sean Platt
Voice actors: Johnny Heller, R.C. Bray, Chriss Patton, Ray Chase, Jeffrey Kafer, Stephen Bowlby, Donna Postel, Emily Woo Zeller, Tara Sands, Rachel Fulginiti, Ralph Lister, Eric Martin, Julia Whelan, Adam Verner

The Tempest

By William Shakespeare, read by a full cast

With Lee in Virginia
Writer: Robert Liparulo
A full cast, Brian Blessed, Kelsey Lansdowne, Kirk Cameron, Chris Anthony, Sean Astin


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - BIOGRAPHY, BEST VOICEOVER

So Many Roads: The Life and Times of The Grateful Dead

By David Browne, read by Sean Runnette

A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain

By Marc Morris, read by Ralph Lister

Fear and Loathing in America
By Hunter S. Thompson, read by Malcolm Hillgartner

The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered

By Laura Auricchio, read by Grover Gardner

In Search of Sir Thomas Browne
By Hugh Aldersey-Williams, read by Simon Vance


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - SCIENCE FICTION, BEST VOICEOVER

The Silver Ships
By S.H. Jucha, read by Grover Gardner

Red Rising
By Pierce Brown, read by Tim Gerard Reynolds

Acceptance
By Jeff VanderMeer, read by Bronson Pinchot, Carolyn McCormick, Xe Sands

Occult Assassin #1: Damnation Code

By William Massa, read by James Foster

Yesterday's Gone, Season 2
By Sean Platt and David Wright
Read by Maxwell Glick, Robert Bray, Tamara Marson, Brian Holsopple, Ray Chase, Chris Patton

AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - MYSTERY, BEST VOICEOVER

The Ambassador’s Wife
By Jake Needham, read by Steve Marvel

Dry Bones
By Craig Johnson, read by George Guidall

Conundrum
By Susan E. Cory, read by Lisa Flanagan

Gun Street Girl

By Adrian McKinty, read by Gerard Doyle

Time to Time: Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective, Book 6
By Don Pendleton, read by James Foster


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - AUTHOR PERFORMANCE, BEST VOICEOVER


Tim Gunn: The Natty Professor
By Tim Gunn; read by Tim Gunn

O, What a Luxury: Verses Lyrical, Vulgar, Pathetic & Profound
By Garrison Keillor, read by Garrison Keillor

Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons From a Small-Town Obituary Writer

By Heather Lende, read by Heather Lende

Easy Street (the Hard Way)

By Ron Perlman, read by Ron Perlman


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - CRIME & THRILLER, BEST VOICEOVER


Amid the Shadows
By Michael C. Grumley, read by Julia Whelan

The Good Girl
By Mary Kubica, read by Lindy Nettleton, Johnny Heller, Tom Taylorson, Andi Arndt

Huntress Moon: The Huntress Series, Book 1
By Alexandra Sokoloff, read by R.C. Bray

The Cartel
By Don Winslow, read by Ray Porter 

Abide With Me
By Ian Ayris, read by Karl Jenkinson


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - CHILDREN'S PRE-SCHOOL (Infant to 12), BEST VOICEOVER

Under a War-Torn Sky
By L.M. Elliott, read by Elizabeth Wiley

Big Hero 6
By Disney Press, read by MacLeod Andrews

Dory Fantasmagory
By Abby Hanlon, read by Suzy Jackson

Josephine
By Patricia Powell, read by Lizan Mitchell

Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere
By Bernice Fischer, read by Matt Wolfe


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - TEENS, BEST VOICEOVER

Prince of Shadows: A Novel of Romeo and Juliet
By Rachel Caine, read by Kyle McCarley 

Court of Thorns and Roses
By Sarah Maas, read by Jennifer

Black Hill Farm (Book 1)

By Tim O’Rourke, read by Anna Parker-Naples

Talon
By Julie Kagawa, read by Caitlin Davies, MacLeod Andrew, Chris

The Moon Dwellers: Dwellers Saga, Book 1
By David Estes, read by Julia Whelan and Will Damron


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - CLASSICS, BEST VOICEOVER

Little Big Man

By Thomas Berger, read by Scott Sowers

The Egg and I
By Betty MacDonald, read by Heather Henderson

One Hundred Years of Solitude
By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, read by John Lee


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - HISTORY, BEST VOICEOVER


In Freedom’s Cause

Writer/Director/Producer: John Fornof
A Full Cast, Skandar Keynes, Brian Blessed, Billy Boyd, James Cosmo, Joanne Froggatt

Fracture: Life and Culture in the West, 1918-1938
By Philipp Blom, read by Ralph Lister

The Renaissance

By Will Durant, read by Grover Gardner

The Zhivago Affair

By Peter Finn and Petra Couvee, read by Simon Vance

With Lee in Virginia
Writer: Robert Liparulo
A Full Cast, Brian Blessed, Kelsey Lansdowne, Kirk Cameron, Chris Anthony, Sean Astin
 

AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - INSPIRATION/FAITH-BASED FICTION, BEST VOICEOVER

The Bishop’s Wife
By Mette Ivie Harrison, read by Kirsten Potter

Grounded
By Angela Correll, read by Lyssa Browne

In Freedom’s Cause
Writer/Director/Producer: John Fornof
A Full Cast, Skandar Keynes, Brian Blessed, Billy Boyd, James Cosmo, Joanne Froggatt

With Lee in Virginia
By Robert Liparulo
A Full Cast, Brian Blessed, Kelsey Lansdowne, Kirk Cameron, Chris Anthony, Sean Astin

Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn
By Lori Benton, read by Kate Forbes


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - NON-FICTION, BEST VOICEOVER

Working Stiff — 2 Years, 262 Bodies And The Making Of A Medical Examiner
Read by Tanya Eby
Authors: Judy Melinek MD and T.J. Mitchell

The Gift of Cancer: A Miraculous Journey to Healing UNABRIDGED
By Brenda Michaels, Marsha Mercant, read by Carol Monda

How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics
By Eugenia Cheng, read by Tavia Gilbert

On Immunity
By Eula Biss, read by Tamara Marston

Saving Baby
By Jo Anne Normile and Lawrence Lindner
Read by Gabra Zackman


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - METAPHYSICAL, BEST VOICEOVER

The Hospital: The First Mountain Man Story
By Keith C. Blackmore, read by Robert Bray

Human Plus: Post-Human Series, Book 4
By David Simpson, read by Ray Chase

Your Word Is Your Wand

By Florence Scovel Shinn, read by Hillary Hawkins

Peace is Every Step

By Thich Nhat Hanh, read by Edoardo Ballerini

Lycan Fallout 2: Fall of Man

By Mark Tufo, read by Sean Runnette


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - SELF HELP, BEST VOICEOVER

Play It Away: A Workaholic’s Cure for Anxiety
By Charlie Hoehn, read by Ray Chase

Becoming the Kind Father
By Calvin Sandborn, read by Michael Puttonen

The 22-Day Revolution
By Marco Borges, read by Timothy Andres Pabon, Beyonce, Dean Ornish (MD)

The Gift of Cancer: A Miraculous Journey to Healing UNABRIDGED
By Brenda Michaels and Marsha Mercant, read by Carol Monda

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
By Marie Kondo, read by Emily Woo Zeller

AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - ROMANCE, BEST VOICEOVER


Cross My Heart
By Abigail Strom, read by Robert Bray and Amy Rubinate

Green Darkness
By Anya Seton, read by Heather Wilds

Drama in the Church Saga
By Dynah Zale, read by Karen Pittman

The Tempting of Thomas Carrick
By Stephanie Laurens, read by Matthew Brenher

Her Heart’s Captain
By Elizabeth Mansfield, read by Anna Parker-Naples


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY, BEST VOICEOVER

The Lord Collector: A Raven’s Shadow Novella
By Anthony Ryan, read by Steven Brand

Voices in the Night
By Steven Millhauser, read by Adam Grupper, Alyssa Bresnahan, Jonathan Davis

Poison: The Fate’s Forsaken Prequel Novella

By Shae Ford, read by Derek Perkins

A Load of Hooey

By Bob Odenkirk, read by Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Jay Johnson, Jerry Minor, Megan Amram, Paul Tompk

Leaving the Sea
By Ben Marcus, read by Andrew Garman, Andy Paris, Brian Hutchinson, George Guidall


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - FICTION, BEST VOICEOVER

Black Sam: Prince of Pirates
Alex Hyde-White as Sam Bellamy
Dave Fennoy as Quintor
George DelHoyo as Edward "Blackbeard” Teach
Jim, Taylor, Tamara Meskiman as the Phineas Family
Scott Brick as Gov. Shute

Written in My Own Heart’s Blood
By Diana Gabaldon, read by Davina Porter

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
By Gabrielle Zevin, read by Scott Brick

The Wife
By Meg Wolitzer, read by Dawn Harvey

The Cake Therapist
By Judith Fertig, read by Tanya Eby


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - FANTASY, BEST VOICEOVER

Wrath: Adrian’s Undead Diary, Book 5
By Chris Philbrook, read by James Foster

The Cycle of Arawn
By Edward W. Robertson, read by Tim Gerard Reynolds

Harbinger: Fate’s Forsaken, Book 1

By Shae Ford, read by Derek Perkins

Euphoria

By Lily King, read by Simon Vance and Xe Sands

Ascension: The Trysmoon Saga, Book 1
By Brian K. Fuller, read by Simon Vance


AUDIOBOOK NARRATION - BUSINESS OR EDUCATION, BEST VOICEOVER

You Can Do This: Hope and Help for New Teachers
Tami Romani

Origins
By Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Goldsmith, read by Kevin Kenerly

Alibaba’s World
By Porter Erisman, read by George Newbern

Recession Proof Graduate
By Charlie Hoehn, read by Ray Chase

StorySelling
By JW Dicks and Nick Nanton, read by Ray Porter

SPANISH

OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL DEMO REEL, BEST SPANISH VOICEOVER


Erik Bravo, Voice Actor

Kristy Liles, Voice Actor

Roberto Sanchez, Voice Actor


OUTSTANDING TV COMMERCIAL, BEST SPANISH VOICEOVER


Hyundai Puerto Rico

Fabian Toro, Voice Actor

"Inside Out” Hispanic TV Trailer Campaign – Pixar Animation Studios
Christian Lanz, Voice Actor

Canon Maxify / "Back office” / "Tras Bastidores”

Allen Alexander, Voice Actor 

Estreno Superserie Dueños del Paraiso
Roberto Sanchez, Voice Actor

Time Warner Cable Deportes – L.A. Galaxy

Francisco "Paco” Galvez, Voice Actor

OUTSTANDING SPOKEN WORD OR STORYTELLING - BEST SPANISH PERFORMANCE

Voice Attack
Erik Bravo, Voice Actor

Poema: Renunciamiento/Poem: renunciation
Fabián Toro, Voice Actor

Super Series Promo Telemundo Internacional
Elvis Castillo


SPOKEN WORD - ENGLISH

OUTSTANDING SPOKEN WORD OR STORYTELLING - BEST PERFORMANCE


In Freedom's Cause
Writer/director/producer: John Fornof
A full cast, Skandar Keynes, Brian Blessed, Billy Boyd, James Cosmo, Joanne Froggatt


Powder Burns: An Original Western Audio Drama
Announcer: Bill Burrows
Principal Cast: Maddy Burns, Matt Locker, Jeffrey C. Hawkins, Phil Carroll, Jason Babinsky, Chris McCarrell, David Gregory, Robert Vaughn, Wayne Gregory, Florencia Lozano, Lance Roberts 

Elemental War – Jovon Miller Productions
Debbe Hirata, Voice Actor

Training Daze

Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Choices
Kabir Singh & Jared Baisley

TRAILERS, COMMERCIALS, PROMOS & NARRATION

OUTSTANDING NATIONAL TV COMMERCIAL, BEST VOICEOVER


BJ’s Restaurants

Chris Fries

Nature Valley by General Mills
Maxx Hennard

Wendy’s – Fancy – ish

Robert Garson

TaxAct "You Got This”
Alison Fried

Hillary Clinton "America Deserves Better”

Pat Duke


OUTSTANDING TV PROGRAM NARRATION - DOCUMENTARY, BEST VOICEOVER

Dead End Express

Chris Fries

American Genius – National Geographic Channel

Jeff Wilburn

ESPN Draft Academy 2015
Diriki Mack

"Alien Sharks: Return to the Abyss” (Discovery Channel)
J.V. Martin

The First 48
Dion Graham

OUTSTANDING LOCAL TV COMMERCIAL, BEST VOICEOVER


McDonald's Fresh Ingredients "Muffins"
Jay Preston

Pizza My Heart Save Our Shores :30
J. Michael Collins

Chumash Casino Resort

Debbe Hirata


OUTSTANDING LOCAL TV PROMO, BEST VOICEOVER

KARE 11 Olympic Dreams

Beau Weaver

Local News Promo, Wav 3 News

Natalie Roers

KOVR Sacramento Sad Weather Lab #1
Beau Weaver


OUTSTANDING RADIO COMMERCIAL, BEST VOICEOVER

Aquaventure – on the rides
Guy Harris

Kapiolani Medical Center Pediatric Services
Cindy Ramirez

Las Vegas
Chris Fries

Radio, Fall 2014, National Radio Campaign
Natalie Roers

Precision Garage Door (Garage Sale)
Christina Smith

OUTSTANDING MOVIE TRAILER, BEST VOICEOVER

Nightcrawler
John Armstrong

A Haunted House 2
John Garry

Tom Clancy’s The Division Official E3 2015 Trailer [US]

Beau Stephenson


OUTSTANDING NATIONAL TV PROMO, BEST VOICEOVER

Dateline NBC Mystery Man
Lisa Flanagan

Black-ish

Sean Donnellan

Fresh Off the Boat
Scott Rummell

Travel Channel 4th of July Promo
Monique Coppola

A Haunting

Dave McRae

OUTSTANDING CONSUMER SALES VIDEO, BEST VOICEOVER


Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
Mike Carlucci, Voice Actor

Soft & Gentle compressed deodorants 

Natalie Cooper, Voice Actor

Domino’s Pizza Recruitment Contest
Pete Gustin, Voice Actor

Nintendos Rolling Western Walk Thru Video
John Grove, Voice Actor
 
Vantage Travel European Holiday River Cruises

J. Michael Collins, Voice Actor


OUTSTANDING BODY OF WORK, VOICEOVER

John Amos

Beau Weaver

Lara Parmiani


OUTSTANDING TV PROMO CAMPAIGN, BEST VOICEOVER

Ovation Network
Alicyn Packard

College Football on FOX
Chris Fries

Discovery Networks
Fabian Toro


OUTSTANDING VIDEO GAME CHARACTER, BEST VOICEOVER

Tahm Kench – The River King-League of Legends
Pat Duke Voice Actor "

James Gordon”-Batman: Arkham Origins
Michael Gough

Video Game Character
Ellen Dubin

"Shagflak”-Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Michael Gough


Sunset the Game
Tina Marie Murray


OUTSTANDING NARRATION - TV OR FILM - BEST VOICEOVER

Little Boy
Narrated by Barry Ford

The Greatest Steaks of America

Narrated by Chris Fries

Kiss the Sky (Swedish Match)
Narrated by: Alex Hyde-White

Jane the Virgin
Narrated by Anthony Mendez

The Briefcase
Narrated by Chris Fries


OUTSTANDING TV ANIMATION, BEST VOICEOVER

Chumash Casino Resort Animation

Debbe Hirata, Voice Actor

"Alteration” a Short Film by Jean Sebastien Groult

Jenn Henry, Voice Actor

Julius Jr.
Steph Lynn Robinson, Voice Actor

Total Drama Island – Cartoon Network

Sunday Muse, Voice Actor

The Amazing World Of Gumball (Cartoon Network)
Jessica McDonald, Voice Actor


PRODUCTION, CASTING & WRITING

OUTSTANDING CASTING - AUDIOBOOK


And After: Until the End of the World, Book 2

In Freedom’s Cause

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

Arisen Omnibus Edition: Books 1-3


OUTSTANDING COPYWRITING

Hawaiian Humane Society Element 8
Voiceover: Cindy Ramirez

Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Rob Myers and Zach Bourque

A Haunted House 2
Bear McCans and Wayne Drake

Nightcrawler

Jack Teed, Daphne Peponides and Shawn Ferjanec


OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL DEMO REEL, BEST VOICEOVER

Andres Berrio
Director/Producer: Chuck Duran
Writer: Stacey J. Aswad

Jay Preston
Demo Producer: Chuck Duran

Barry Nicholson


Guy Harris
Producer: Guy Harris

John Grove
Producer/Director: Chuck Duran


OUTSTANDING NARRATION DEMO REEL, BEST VOICEOVER

Mike Brang
Copy Writer: Stacey J Aswad
Producer: Chuck Duran

Barbara Quesada
Producer/Director: Nancy Wolfson

Ellen Dubin
Director : Tony Daniels

Pat Duke

Tami Romani

Producer: Tim Keenan

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION - AUDIOBOOK

With Lee in Virginia

The Berserker and the Pedant

In Freedom’s Cause 

The Cartel 


OUTSTANDING VOICEOVER PODCAST

Interview with Roger Craig Smith

Sam Hughes

Voice Over Marketing Podcast
John J. Melley, Host/Producer
Susan Friedmann, Guest

VO Buzz Weekly
Chuck Duran and Stacey J. Aswad
Guest: Andrea Romano


OUTSTANDING PROMO DEMO REEL

Mike Brang
Copy Writer: Stacey J Aswad
Producer: Chuck Duran 

Dave Wallace

Scott Miller
Audio Engineer: Anthony Erice, AudioLab NYC

John Grove
Producer/Director: Chuck Duran

Satauna Howery
Associate Producer: Tony Mack
Producer: J. Michael Collins

Natalie Cooper
Producer: Chuck Duran


OUTSTANDING ANIMATION DEMO REEL, BEST VOICEOVER

Steve Marvel

Producer: Marc Graue, Steve Marvel

Guy Harris
Producer: Guy Harris

Pat Duke

Susheel Kumar
Producer: Marc Graue

Dave Fennoy  


For more about the Voice Arts Awards, the Gala, and/or That's Voiceover Career Expo, please visit www.SOVAS.org.

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Comments (5)
Union V/O Actor
11/16/2015 at 6:59 PM
I meant to add that if people saw the enormous effort Joan Baker and Rudy Gaskins and their team put into making this event a success, they wouldn't be so critical!!! Can't wait till next year!!!
Union V/O Actor
11/16/2015 at 6:55 PM
Last night was so much fun! Congratulations to all of the winners!
Union V/O Actor
10/14/2015 at 11:53 AM
@ j. valentine & Larry Wayne: most awards shows require a small entry fee - The Emmys are actually quite expensive to enter, as are the CSAs, etc.

I'm really shocked by some of the snarky comments and attitudes by fellow voice actors towards this award show. I've always known the voice over community to be very supportive of each other, so it was sad to read some of the hateful comments on different threads, tearing people down.

If you don't support the Voice Arts Awards, don't enter your work! But don't hate the award show or make passive aggressive comments regarding the talent or their respective bodies of work if you haven't even seen the entries.

My work was submitted this year by a casting director, who is a dear friend of mine, and I was really honored to be a finalist! Can't wait to meet everyone there!
Larry Wayne
10/13/2015 at 2:15 PM
It would be great if there were links included with each of the above so we could hear what makes these works so outstanding.
j. valentino
10/13/2015 at 12:48 PM
"SOVAS describes the Voice Arts® Awards as "showcasing the best work in professional voiceover acting, creative direction and communications"

Is this the "awards" that you must pay for yourself and also purchase an entry fee?
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