My Word with Douglas E. Welch

Our friend, Janet Wilcox, will be starting her UCLA Extension voiceover class again in just a week. If you are interested in getting started in the industry, this could be the class for you. I will be speaking to her class about New Media this session, as I have done in the past.

Class Description:

Pursuing a Career in Voice Overs

Do people say you have a wonderful voice? Gain a comprehensive understanding of the tools needed to excel in TV and radio commercials, animation, narration for documentaries, and other areas of voice over work. Instruction includes breath and microphone technique, script analysis, finding characters spontaneously, and how to keep it fun, even when the pressure’s on. Participants also learn how to pursue a career in voice over.

Janet Wilcox’s Bio

Writer, producer, and actor with extensive experience on both sides of the microphone. Ms. Wilcox has written and produced promos for HBO, ABC, and The History Channel, among others. As a voice over talent, she has been heard on Lifetime, HBO, E!, Cinemax, and AMC. She is the author of Voiceovers: Techniques and Tactics for Success.

The Podcast Community on Facebook has come together this season to record an audio version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This reading is based on an edited version of the story created by Dickens himself for his own live readings.

This project is in addition to our 6th Annual Live Reading of A Christmas Carol which is happening this Sunday, December 18, 2012 at 6pm EST.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Listen to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Our cast includes:

• Douglas E. Welch – Career Opportunities Podcast
• Michael Falkner – The Weekly Podioplex (part of the Chronic Rift Network)
• Bryan Lincoln – Fullcast Podcast
• Paul Ellis – It Was A Dark & Stormy Night
• James Bennett – All Things Geek
• Heidi Jenkins - Castlecast
• Paula Berinstein - The Writing Show
• Jason James - thenutgallery.com podcast
• Michael Lawshe – Eclipse-1 Media
• Peter Lythgoe – The Zzipp & Co. Podcast
• Browncoat – thenutgallery.com podcast
• Megan Enloe – Podcast Community
• Rish Outfield – The Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine
• Hatton Humphrey – East Coast Conservative Podcast
• Rosanne Welch – WelchWrite.com
• Lauren “Scribe” Harris – Pendragon Variety Podcast
• Lauren “Skrybbi” Nicholson – Pendragon Variety Podcast
• Raven Wei – Pendragon Variety Podcast
• Tim Dodge - Podiobooks ACTS OF DESPERATION and PURGATORY
• R.E. Chambliss – Podiobook Dreaming of Deliverance

Produced by Douglas E. Welch and WelchWrite.com

Interstitial Music and Sound Effects provided by Michael Lawshe of Eclipse-1 Media

Join the Podcast Community on Facebook

Our 6th Annual LIVE Reading of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol will take place on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 6pm EST/3pm PST.

Our annual holiday reading of this classic Dickens’ story. We bring together frends and family to read sections from a condensed version of the story — said to be made by Charles Dickens himself — for his own live, public readings. Follow Scrooge, Bob Crachit, Tiny Tim and all the familiar characters as they both teach and learn what Christmas is all about.

Tune in while you prepare your Christmas cookies or wrap your Christmas presents. Join the “spirits” of the season!

Click Here to Watch/Listen Live to A Christmas Carol

Consider having your own reading of A Christmas Carol, or other favorite story, as a way to gather friends together and share a unique experience. You don’t have to broadcast it like we do, but why not share it with the world!

This year’s show is sponsored by WelchWrite.com, Eclipse-1 Media and New Media Interchange.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Enjoy more Christmas Carol in your own home!

Free download of “A Christmas Carol” – Text/ePub/HTML/Kindle versions available

The audio CD of Patrick Stewart’s one man version of A Christmas Carol is absolutely amazing. We saw the show several times here in LA and met Patrick one evening. His version of “A Christmas Carol” was the driving factor in starting our own yearly reading of the story.

More “A Christmas Carol” on Amazon.com

Looking for a little Halloween-appropriate listening for tonight? Listen to Ghosts of the Internet 2011!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Listen to Ghosts of the Internet 2011!

More photos from the event

The whole family participated in this annual live reading yesterday and here is the recording of that event. We had a great time, as always, reading, noshing, joshing and laughing.

Techmunch Panel: Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content

Watch “Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content” from Techmunch – iTunes Ready Video

Moderator: Douglas E. Welch (@douglaswelch), New Media Consultant & writer/producer of A Gardener’s Notebook. More at DouglasEWelch.com

Sara O’Donnell (@averagebetty), Producer and Host of AverageBetty.com

Diane Cu (@whiteonrice), Photographer and Publisher of White on Rice Couple.com

Sandi McKenna (@McMedia), Host of Midlife Roadtrip.com

John Trefry Video Producer, Docstoc.com (formerly Video Producer Mahalo.com for Recipe.com Videos) and founder of 4wordthought.com.

At the Techmunch food blogger conference on Friday, Bakespace.com announced their new cookbook app for the Apple iPad — Cookbook Cafe!

Cookbook Cafe allows anyone to produce a personal, organizational or fund-raising cookbook and deliver it directly via the iPad. I was asked to create one of the first cookbooks for the app and it is now available in the store (Don’t worry, it’s FREE right now!)

Sharing Christmas with Friends includes some of my cookie recipes, but also the recipe for my Super Secret Christmas Chili!

If you ever wanted this recipe, this might be the easiest way to get it.

Please check out the app on your iPad and give it a review and rating in the iTunes store. This will help spread the word!

Thanks!

Here are some screenshots of my cookbook in the iPad App. Thanks to Ric of his help in grabbing these!

Can’t see the slide show – Click here to watch it on Flickr

This started to roll out here in the US yesterday, but I see today that the LA Public Library now has the ability to check out Kindle format books via its online eBook Catalog.

Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download free software to read Kindle books on almost any device including Windows and Mac computers, iPhone, iPod Touch and Android device. I have “checked out” several eBooks via the existing methods, but I think this Kindle method will open up the number of titles available and also make them easier to download and read.

Hello all!

This is a busy week for me — surprisingly busy for December and you can join me at 3 different events. Two are focused on your career and one on blogging and New Media.

Here is the info and links for all of them.

Douglas

Social Media and Your Career Panel

Panel: Social Media and Your Career – Registration now open! – Part of Social Media Week 2011

Registration is now open for this panel discussion, which is part of Social Media Week 2011 – taking place throughout the world! — Douglas

LOS ANGELES

Social Media and Your Career

Wednesday, September 21 at 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Congregational Church of Northridge

Building the career you deserve means becoming both director and promoter of it–No one cares as much about your career as you do. This means taking the lead in ‘Telling people what you do and how you do it!” Social media provides the tools needed to develop the jobs and projects that make one’s career unique and fulfilling.This panel will give practical information about how to use social media to build the career you desire. We’ll talk not only about the “why” of social media, but also about “how” it can, and should, be used, so that you are in control of all aspects of your career.

LOCATION
Congregational Church of Northridge, 9659 Balboa BoulevardNorthridge, 91325

Register for Free Today!

TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference

I  have just been asked to moderate at panel discussion at the TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference being held in Santa Monica, California on Friday, September 23, 2011.

TECHmunch is a series of conferences in cities across the U.S. designed to help food bloggers gain the hands-on digital media, marketing and business skills they need to make their blogs more personally and financially rewarding. Each conference features leading experts in a range of disciplines — from digital publishing and search engine optimization to public relations and online advertising. TECHmunch was created by BakeSpace.com Founder Babette Pepaj, who serves as its producer and host.

I will be moderating the session titled, “Tips on Creating and Distributing Mouthwatering Multimedia Content” with panel members Sara O’Donnell (@averagebetty), Producer and Host of AverageBetty.comDiane Cu (@whiteonrice), Photographer and Publisher of White on Rice Couple.comSandi McKenna (@McMedia), Host of Midlife Roadtrip.comJohn Trefry Video Producer, Docstoc.com (formerly Video Producer Mahalo.com creating videos for Recipe.com).

If you are a food blogger, or just thinking of becoming one, TECHmunch could be a great way to jumpstart your knowledge and connections. Join me on September 23, 2011!

Register for TECHmunch

TECHMunch Web Site

My wife, Rosanne Welch, will be attending a book signing on Thursday, October 13 at 7pm at Book Soup on Sunset Blvd for this book by Janet Wilcox that includes a chunk of scenes from one of her unproduced pilots. There will also be a reading held in New York City.

Rosanne and I met Janet while teaching at UCLA Extension and she asked if Rosanne had any unproduced work she could consider – and ended up really liking the one she sent.  So though Rosanne never saw the piece performed on film, she now knows tons of aspiring actors are using her words to polish their craft. Kind of fun.

I have also been a guest speaker on new media and podcasting at Janet’s UCLA Extension Voiceover class for the last 2 years.

Working voice actors, some our friends, will be reading scenes included in the book for a live demonstration of voice acting.

According to Amazon.com “Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides: How to Audition Successfully for Both Traditional and New Media” by Janet Wilcox teaches actors how to audition for anything from webisodes to Shakespeare. Scripts, acting technique tips, and exercises keep a performer toned and ready, while industry experts give advice on how to audition professionally.

Book Soup

October  13th - 7PM-9PM

1818 Sunset Blvd.W. Hollywood, CA 90069

 

Actors Connection

Sat. Oct. 22nd – 2:30-4:30

630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1410(between 44th & 45th)New York, NY 10036