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APAC/AUDIES WEEK How To Meet Audiobook Publishers At APAC & Guide To Event-Filled NYC APAC-Audies® Week May 10, 2018  By Tom DheereVoice Actor, Audiobook Narrator & Coach Last year at this time I wrote an article for VoiceOverXtra on how to help audiobook narrators - both newb and vet alike - successfully navigate APAC/Audies week in New York City - mentally, physically and logistically. It was such a hit that we decided to do it again! Anchoring the week are:
So here is everything you need to navigate and enjoy all the wonderful audiobook events in the city from May 29 to 31 this year (and you can take it further if you attend BookExpo America and BookCon). Note: These are a mix of APA-sponsored and independent events. If you have additional tips or tricks to share, please post them in the "Comments" below! But first, let's start with fresh advice from three veteran APAC-goers on how to make the most of your day at the conference, networking with colleagues and audiobook publishers ... HOW TO MEET AUDIOBOOK PUBLISHERS AT APAC  ADAM VERNER: 'BE A MANATEE!'First, as with all conferences, you can either be a shark or a manatee. Be a manatee!  MEGAN TUSING: 'LISTEN!'My survival tip: Listen.  JOHNNY HELLER: HAVE A PLANIf I could give just one tip for those attending the festivity-packed APAC Week Extravaganza, I would say attend the Johnny Heller 4th Annual Splendiferous Narrator Workshop.  YOUR GUIDE TO APAC/AUDIES WEEK GETTING TO NEW YORK CITY  I assume the majority of you will be flying into New York City. As a New
Jersey
native, I've used Newark International Airport my entire life, so I can
speak
the most intelligently about that one. The easiest way to get to Manhattan from EWR is to take the train. They have a new station there that will take you to Penn Station pretty quickly and inexpensively. I used JFK for the first time this year but what I can say about it is that you basically have two choices: take the subway for $2.75 or take a cab which will cost about $70 (that's including tip). They both take roughly 45-60 minutes to get to Midtown, but it's up to you to reconcile the cost with the ease of having someone ferry your luggage for you so you don't have to lug it up and down the subway stairs. I've never used LaGuardia so feel free to comment if you're familiar with it. WHERE TO STAY  If you haven't found a place to stay yet, the Hudson New York, Central
Park Hotel (pictured) is once
again a popular destination for many APAC attendees. Here's the address: 358 W 58th Street, New York; click here for details and reservation. Or call 212-554-6000. FYI: This is a good time to see what points you've saved up from your various hotel stays over the years and see what you can cash in. Even if you don't have enough points for a free night, some hotels let you cash in points in exchange for a discounted rate. AirBnB is can be a fun and relatively inexpensive option. I've used it many times over the years and never had a problem. There are also many hotels in New Jersey, just a few minutes west of the Lincoln Tunnel. For instance:
 If you buy a Metro Card for
the NYC subway you can use it on the PATH system,
too. Of course, Uber and Lyft are other popular options. Taxis can get
pricey.
I prefer the subway. If you take the subway, click here to download the MyTransit NYC smartphone app, which shows you subway maps and alerts about delays and shutdowns. If it's a beautiful day, walk! A special walking treat on the West Side is the High Line - an elevated railway converted to a walking path festooned with floral life and sculptures. The extra-fun part is that the beautifully landscaped High Line walkway starts (or ends, depending on your perspective) right next to the Jacob K. Javitts Convention Center (site of APAC). NEED TO RECORD?  If your portable recording gear or hotel
pillow fort doesn't work for your auditions and recording jobs during
the
week, check out Edge Studio at 115 West 45th
Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues), Floor 8.
The studio is open Monday through Friday from
10 am to 6 pm ET. To book: email production@edgestudio.com or call
888-321-EDGE (3343). Studio time costs $25 per 15 minutes to record
an audition; $200 per hour to record a job. Both rates include an
engineer.
Other local recording studios include Abacus Entertainment, CityVox, CKP Media, CDM Studios, and Lotas Productions. JOHNNY HELLER'S SPLENDIFEROUS NARRATOR WORKSHOP  Tuesday, May 29; 9:00 am – 4:15 pm
Baruch College, Engelman Recital Hall 55 Lexington Avenue, New York Audiobook narrator/coach Johnny Heller's 4th Annual Splendiferous Narrator Workshop is a must! The really good news is that it's in the same place as it was last year, probably so Johnny can actually find it. He's navigationally challenged, you know. Johnny's workshop will again be filled to the brim with top-notch audiobook narrators and producers who share their deepest, darkest secrets about audiobook narration. It's a day of highly informative panels, and if you won their lottery you'll get called up for some live coaching! There are still some seats left but I would sign up sooner rather than later. Click here for details and to register. The closest subway stop to Baruch College is the #6 train at 23rd Street. APA's PRE-APAC NETWORKING SOCIAL  Tuesday, May 29; 5:30 - 7:30 pm
The West 79th Street Boat Basin Cafe New York Hosted by the APA, this is a great place to meet your fellow APAC-peeps, all 300+ of them! The closest subway stop is the #1 train stop on 79th Street and Broadway. If you're coming from Johnny's Workshop, walk to 23rd Street and 5th Avenue to take to N or R train to 42nd Street Times Square, and then transfer to the #1 train. When you get out of the subway, head west (away from Central Park). APAC - AUDIO PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE SOLD OUT! But if you have a ticket ...  Wednesday, May 30; 8 am - 6 pm
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 655 West 34th Street, New York This is the annual conference of the Audio Publishers Association, featuring educational tracks for narrators and publishers - and plenty of opportunities for the two to mingle. If you wanna get technical, the convention center sprawls from 34th Street to 38th Street, between 11th and 12th Avenues. There will be signs once you get inside. The #7 train was extended to 34th Street last year, right in front of Javits! That will make your commute much easier. Click here for more info about the Audio Publishers Association. DEEP DIVE AUDIOBOOK TECH WORKSHOP  Thursday, May 31; 9 am – 1pm
NDRI, 71 West 23rd Street, 4th Floor, New York Audio engineer extraordinaire Amanda Rose Smith will once again host this indispensable event. Training will include basic acoustics, signal flow, mic technique, software, and mastering techniques. Click here for details and registration. AUDIE AWARDS® GALA SOLD OUT! But if you have a ticket ...  Thursday, May 31; 6:30 - 11 pm
New-York Historical Society 170 Central Park West (at 77th Street), New York Click here to see all finalists. This black tie-optional affair features receptions and presentations of the Audio Publishers Association's prestigious 23rd Annual Audie Awards®, including awards for best female and male narrators. See last year's 2017 Audie Award® winners! For more about the Audio Publishers Association, visit www.audiopub.org. THE NAUDIES  Thursday, May 31; 7:00 pm - who knows…?
Connolly's Pub & Restaurant 121 West 45th Street, New York The 6th Annual "I Didn't Get Nominated for an Audie but Still Want to Drink in Public" shindig is hosted by socialites Johnny Heller, Jeffrey Kafer and Melissa Exelberth. It's free to attend but you pay for your own food and drinks. There are a bunch of subway stops nearby, so getting there should be easy. FINALLY: PROTECT YOUR VOICE! Your voice is your career. Protect it from noise, booze, and Conference Crud!
-------------------------------------------------------------------  ABOUT TOMOver two decades, Tom Dheere has narrated thousands of projects for clients in over a dozen countries and voiced more than 40 audiobooks. He is also a voice over business consultant, coach at Edge Studio, was the marketing consultant for the Voice Over Virtual online conference, and is also writer/producer of the sci-fi action comic book Agent 1.22. Email: tom@tomdheere.com Web: www.tomdheere.com Agent 1.22 SEE MORE HELPFUL ARTICLES ABOUT AUDIOBOOK NARRATION |
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Thanks for the heads-up about that link to Tom's sexy Agent 1.22 comic page. It's been updated, and here's the active link: http://www.agent122.com. Enjoy!
I'm biased because I live uptown but I think LaGuardia is best airport for getting to and from Manhattan. It is smaller (slightly less confusing) and a cheaper Lyft than JFK or Newark. The only downside is if you do public transportation you have to take the Express M60 Bus. This isn't a big issue—it is actually pretty quick for a bus—but you must buy your ticket from the kiosk before you board. Once on the island, you can transfer to the 456, 123, or ABCD subway lines to head downtown depending on where you are staying.
One other quick tip, from my experience last year when my apartment flooded (ask me at APAC!) and my family was living out of suitcases, you can sometimes find great discounts on hotels on the Upper West Side. Yes, those will be farther from Javits but still very convenient via public transit.
Both Google Maps and Apple Maps will give you reliable (IMHO) public transit directions. Don't be intimidated by the subway!
For people coming in from LaGuardia, you can take a shuttle into Manhattan at a good price. Check out this link: https://www.goairlinkshuttle.com/nyc-lga-airport-share-ride-shuttle/