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SAG FOUNDATION VO SUMMIT
Q&A With Star VO Joe Cipriano:
'Stick To Your Goals, Against All Odds'
March 21, 2012

(VOXtra) - Star voice over performer Joe Cipriano has been heard on all major radio and television networks, including as the original image voice for Fox Broadcasting. He has live announced for the Emmy Awards, GQ Magazine’s Men of the Year Awards, The VH1 Honors and more.  

And over nearly three decade career he has voiced countless promotional announcements and produced and hosted shows of his own.

Yet one of his proudest accomplishments is being co-founder of the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab, at the SAG Foundation headquarters in Los Angeles.

And now through April 10, the Lab is hosting the SAG Foundation Voice-Over Summit 2012 - a series of sessions on all facets of voice over. Proceeds benefit the Lab, which was created to further the success of budding voice actors. (Click here for Summit details and registration.)

We recently asked Joe about the Lab, the Summit, and his advice for voice actors ...

Joe, for a person with talent and drive, how long would it take to become proficient enough to work full time in voice overs? And what's the key to success - talent, self-motivation/drive, business savvy, connections, geo location ...?

John, I've always believed that one of the most important keys to success is a true dedication to believing in your dreams and sticking to your goals against all odds. 

There is no shortage of people who will tell you that you'll never make it. I can't emphasize how important it is to believe in yourself. 

Golfers "visualize" their shots before they hit them. They actually see the flight of the ball in their mind's eye, they visualize the path as it leaves the tee and bends it's way towards the pin.  They "think it" and "they believe it" and then they hit it.

You can't beat confidence. 

See your end goal in your mind's eye and follow the path. So, believe in yourself...be confident in your abilities and your capacity to continually learn and improve and make a commitment to see it through.

LAB OF OPPORTUNITY

When my friend Paul Pape came to me with the idea of the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab, he and I were in absolute sync as to what the mission of the Lab would be. 

The Lab gives everyone who dreams of working in voice over the opportunity and the tools to fulfill those dreams. 

The Lab allows everyone to work with the best microphones in the world in state of the art studios, and the Lab attracts the best of the best in the business who donate their own time to inspire and teach newcomers and veterans alike.

The Don LaFontaine Lab provides free seminars and workshops for all AFTRA and SAG members and opens it's arms to all who are not in performers unions for a nominal fee.

We've always believed in the Lab being INclusive and not EXclusive. 

I personally feel that the Lab is a shining beacon, guiding all voice over talent towards being the best they can be. Via the programs offered at the Lab, more and more voice over talent are learning how to treat themselves and their careers with dignity and how to reach for the top of the business.

SUMMIT AT THE LAB

The Don LaFontaine Voice Over Summit, which is currently happening every Tuesday night until April 10th, is a great opportunity to meet and learn from the best in the business.

It's also one of the rare times each year where the voice over community cues up to support the Lab with their generous donation by purchasing the series. 

100% of all money goes to the DLF Lab and the fee is 100% tax deductible. It's the best deal in town with each seminar costing less than $37 each.

There are still some seats available on most nights. Please consider signing up for the remaining dates.

Joe, what gives you the most FUN as a voice actor? What do you enjoy doing most?

How many times have you heard a voice over actor say, "I'm the luckiest person in the world"? 

It's true. Doing what I do every day is such a gift and a total joy. 

I'm so fortunate to work in a field I love with some of the most fun and wonderful people in the business.

For me, the most fun is not knowing what's coming up each day. You never know what opportunity may come your way "tomorrow." 

It's those moments when I either get to audition for something new and fascinating or I get a call that I'm booked on something I've never done before that is so exciting.

I also truly enjoy helping newcomers in the industry and getting to see their joy when they begin building a career in voice over. 

RALLYING OF SUPPORT

Some of the nicest folks are in the voice over business and I know first hand from producing fund raising efforts such as Prime Time Voices for Children where we raised money for the Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, and my involvement as co-founder of the Don LaFontaine Voice Over Lab, just how generous and supportive our voice over community is. 

It was one of the first things the folks at the SAG Foundation noticed when we started making an outreach for support of the Lab. 

They had never seen such a rallying of support for any other project at the Foundation and were truly blown away by the amount of people who simply said, "How can I help?" 

Voice over folks rock!  :-)

So do you, Joe!

Also see:
Q&A with Jim Tasker

Q&A with Bob Bergen
Q&A with Mike McColl

For details and to register for the SAG Foundation Voice-Over Summit 2012, please click here, or visit:
www.sagfoundation.org/content/sag-foundation-voice-over-summit-2012

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