Promax recap

Last week, I was in New York City for the Promax/BDA conference. Aside from meeting a few new faces and getting to know some great voice guys and gals, it was a time of learning about some of the challenges that promo producers face. I sat in on several sessions that, while not particularly geared to voice talent, were enlighting nonetheless. The highlight though was a session in which voice legends Don LaFontaine and Randy Thomas were interviewed, along with LA based agent Vanessa Gilbert, about their experiences on what makes a radio promo campaign successful. The only thing that dimmed the experience just a little was going in with the expection that Don would be in the room. But he was teleconferenced from his home office via software that resembled Skype. Don't get me wrong, still great, but most in the room were expecting Don to be there in-person. Still, just hearing him speak is always a treat. I also had a chance to spend some time with my agents at Atlas Talent. They have a great facility on East 32nd St that makes me sort of wish I was back in an office enviroment. The synergy that comes from having people close together can be a good thing, but I do enjoy the solidarity of a home studio. I'm sure the grass is always greener... Anyway, I also enjoyed getting to know some really talented voiceover people both at the conference and at the Atlas events. I'd namedrop for effect, but I'm afraid I'll leave someone out. Liz and Breana also came on the trip but obviously didn't take part in the conference. They spent their time seeing the sights and sounds, especially those that would interest a 12 month old. Bree especially loved chasing the birds in Central Park. The birds were really good sports. The funniest thing was whenever we'd walk out onto the street from our hotel, she would yell repeatedly at all of the people. But she did it with a smile on her face which resulted in quite a few reciprocated smiles from those passing by. She's quite the city girl. Here's a view from our hotel: