Hey there!
This has been a year of the one-a-day video challenge for me. And it’s been rewarding, valuable and inspiring…for me.
What about for you?
If you’ve watched one or more of these videos, I’d love to take the temperature of the room, and find out what you’ve gotten out of these, and what you’d like to see more of (or less of).
Would you care to share?
(Click/tap ↑↑↑↑↑↑ that red YouTube button to subscribe to my channel. You’ll get notified when I release new videos.)
Hope this helps!
David
All Episodes
Five Ways To Have An Excellent Coffee Date With Me
Five Ways To Have A Crappy Coffee Date With Me
Taking Advantage Of The Wisdom Of The Tribe
How To Be A World Class Complainer
The False Nobility Of The Struggle
Watch Out – The Rules Are Going To Change
Coaching vs Consulting vs Facilitating
The Perils of Live Performance And Why Jeremy Kappell Should Not Have Been Fired
Let’s Welcome To The Stage…Failure!
Don’t Confuse Price With Value
The Two Things Most Talent Try to Accomplish Way Too Soon
10,000 Hours To Become Good At Something? Not Really.
The Trick Charlie Munger Uses To Make Better Decisions
Everyone’s A Customer, Not Just Your Customers
“What do you mean, you’re a ‘process guy’?”
Pay Attention To Your Storytelling, Not Removing Your Breaths
How To Conquer FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
The Problem In Every Commercial Script
The Job In Every Commercial Script
The Secret In Every Commercial Script
Voice Over Is REALLY Hard. Until It Isn’t.
Helping Make Resolutions Stick
ACX Jobs: They’re ALL SAG-AFTRA-Friendly
Non-Union? You Can Still Open An AFTRA H&R Account. What?
Who Says You Need To “Feel Like It?”
Your Day Job Might Just Be Worth Keeping For A Bit Longer
Want To Learn Something Really Well? Teach It To Others
Don’t Confuse What Works With What You Like
The Lost Keys And The Microphone In My Elevator
My Insane Backup System Plus Two Helpful Tips
What Open Loops Are And Why They Work So Well
Two More Things For Which You Can Use Open Loops
Three Things Not To Say Or Do…When Trying To Learn Something New
Front Burner and Back Burner Project Management
How To Properly List The Accents and Dialects You Perform
My SAG-AFTRA Presentation On VO Demos (Part 1)
My SAG-AFTRA Presentation On VO Demos (Part 2)
A Simple, One-Word Decision-Making Question To Ask Yourself
How You Can Use The MVP Model As A Performer
The Robocall Equivalent Of Unsubscribe
Making Your Links Irresistible
HTTPS Is Not Just For Banks – It’s For You
The Threat That Made Me Create a New Page For LAME
The Resource You Must Guard Most Carefully
How New Media Is Using The Oldest Ad Model Ever
Killing Customers With Kindness
I Found Out What She Was Podcasting About
How I Answered Voices.com’s Inquiry
Turning Mountains Into Molehills
Motivation: Your Three Big Needs In A Cool Little Package
Go Ahead. Multitask. But Try It Like This.
The Prodigy Game Doesn’t Deserve This Treatment
What Fair Markets Are, And Why Voices.com Isn’t One
Trevor’s Three A’s From Apple On Killing Customers With Kindness
Getting Ready vs. Getting Started
You’ll Never Believe Who Got Rejected By Harvard
There Is No Failure, Only Feedback
Who Is Your Most Dangerous Adversary?
73 Videos In, My First Hater Appears
If You’re The Smartest Person In The Room, Do This ASAP
Your Glasses And Crucial Laptop Positioning Info
One More Insanely Over-engineered Piece Of Gear: My UPS
The Crazy Backward Way IKEA Prices Their Stuff
Voices.com Complained To YouTube That I Violated Their Privacy
For Your Health: Not Perfect. Just Better.
Mr. Wonderful Is Actually More Wonderful Than I Thought
Let’s Finally Close The Digital Literacy Gender Gap
The Guaranteed Way To Completely Avoid Criticism
The Two Things People Judge About You Within Seconds
Are You Committed? Or Just…Interested?
Audible Retail Samples: Why They Suck And Why It Doesn’t Really Matter
How To Voice Copy That’s Set In Italics
Dyslexia, And The Palindromic Poem. The Wha?
Increase Your Chances Of Being Seen And Heard On Facebook
Jamie Has Some Thoughts About Fiverr
Is Simply Discouraging Distracted Driving Enough?
“Young People Are Just Smarter.”
The Real Purpose Of The “Can You Hear Me?” Phone Scam
An AMA Preview: The Word “Ethnic” – A Slur, Or An Essential Adjective?
10 Rules of Profitable Self Discipline from Napoleon Hill
AMA (Ask Me Anything): Here Are The Answers (Part 1)
AMA (Ask Me Anything): Here Are The Answers (Part 2)
AMA (Ask Me Anything): Here Are The Answers (Part 3)
AMA (Ask Me Anything): Here Are The Answers (Part 4)
AMA Answers Part 5 Plus A Medical Warning
Last AMA Answers (#6): Gear, Services and Success
A 7-Word Reminder: “Don’t correct people when it matters little.”
Do You Have A Plan? And Is It The Right One?
What’s Your Next Big Move? Are You Ready?
Build Your Future On Your Own Platform, Not Someone Else’s
I’m Leaving Facebook: Why Groups and FB Live No Longer Spark Joy
Time To Accept That I’ve Failed At Something – Happily
Crowdfunding Without The Internet: Pulitzer And The Statue Of Liberty
The Amazing Power Of Recognition And Badging
Might We Have A Possible Cause For Alzheimer’s?
Why Podcasting And Radio Are Out Of Whack
Value Enthusiasm, But Value Persistence More
Ten Ways To Make Money With Podcasts Besides Ads
One Quick Question To Find Out How Important Something Actually Is
The Workflow For Producing These Videos (So Far) Part 1
Why Not Wade? And…Why Not You?
Audiobook Narrators: How Paymasters Work, And The One I Recommend
Why Gen Z And Millennials’ Love For Audiobooks Is Crucial
American Idol: It’s All About Story, Not Just Singing
Less Beating Yourself Up, More Talking Yourself Up
Resist Oversharing. Instead, Start A Dialogue.
Vocal Care: It’s All About What Works For You
3 Biases You Should Be Aware Of
3 More Biases You Should Also Be Aware Of
Wow. People Really Grokked Biases. Let’s Tackle Fallacies.
Three More Fallacies You Need To Watch For
Two Last Big Creativity-Crippling Fallacies
A New Lead Source For Performers: Voice Assistants And Smart Speakers
A Great Way To Handle Trolls and Haters
Quantity Does Not Usually Equal Quality
Is Facebook Truly A Monopoly? No More Than Microsoft Was.
Fear Of The Unknown, Or The Day Before My Surgery
A Strange Aspect To Performing That Should Be Cause For Protest, But Isn’t
Want To Grow? Don’t Go It Alone.
How Am I Doing? I’m Gobsmacked. That’s How Am I Doing.
Why I Give My Agents 10% Of Everything
Not Just Explainer Videos, But Video That Explain Things Spectacularly
Mental Floss To The Rescue: Skills You Can Pick Up On YouTube
What’s Better Than Willpower? Grit.
Regarding Apple’s App Store: Be Careful What You Wish For, Pepper
Of COURSE You Wonder What Porter’s Five Forces Are. Who Doesn’t?
Don’t Waste Your Time: Talk Shows Aren’t Meant To Be Fair
Sooner Or Later, I’m Really Going To Tick You Off
Just Because You Can Do Something Doesn’t Mean You Should
Wait, What? Audacity Records In The Background?!
Enjoy Your First Booking. Pay Close Attention To The Next Three.
Pattern Interruption And The Musicality Of Voice Over
Do You Still Have A Landline? Is It POTS? Wait, What’s POTS?
Increase Your VO Accuracy, And You’ll Increase Your VO Profits
Age Range Isn’t Really A Valid Metric For VO
How To Stop Jealousy From Killing Your Progress
Even The Bible (And Game Of Thrones) Has One-Star Reviews
How Much Is Enough To Make Per Hour?
With Royalty Share Plus, ACX Makes Hybrid Stipends Official
Wait, Vices Can Be Good For Your Health?
What A Lovely Thing To Discover: Praise From CourVO
I Figured Out What I Provide: The Onboarding Performers Don’t Get
You Don’t Need Permission To Care Or Contribute
It’s Not Just You. It’s The Superstars, Too.
Do You Sometimes Think Irrationally? Maybe. Here’s How To Stop It.
The Struggle Of Announcer-y Versus Non-Announcer-y Voice Over
How My VAs Support Me And My Team
The Often “Most Difficult” Concept I Teach
Please Unsubscribe From This List. But Don’t Do This One Destructive, Lazy Thing.
Don’t Mistake The Joy Of Knowing For The Joy Of Doing
Why Giving Yourself Some Simple Homework Can Be Life-Changing
One Weird Trick I Do That Makes My Note-Taking Superhuman
The Worst Thing About The Biggest Money-Making Entertainment Category
What Can We Grab From A Schedule This Strict?
Get Better At Executing Today’s Plan By Starting Last Night
How To Create Useful, Organized Audition File Names
Where To Find Related PDFs For Audiobooks on Audible
I’m Halfway Finished. What Have You Valued Most? What Can I Do Better?
Our Digital Attention Span Is Incredibly Brief
“Serves You Right!” She Actually Has No Idea How Right.
Create A Safe Environment For Self-Improvement
Why I Use One Single Channel For Crucial Communication
The Even Cheaper AT-2020 USB Plus Microphone?
Fred Willard (and Billy West) On Quickly Creating Authentic VO Characters
Leo Makes Your Searching Spectacular
On Asking For Things Performers Can’t Do
How To Battle The Urge of “Efficiency”
One More Best-Of-Breed Way To Brilliantly Complain
Changing Audacity’s Sampling Rate To 48,000 Hz
10 Words Of Encouragement When You’re Stuck
Seek/Give Mentorship That’s Appropriate To The Journey
Two Cases Where You Might Not Want To Simply “Follow Your Passion”
Having Fun With Headphone Volume
Please Stop Rushing To Perform
Something To Consider: Everyone’s Internal Menu
One Crazy Key To Creativity: Pure, Unadulterated Boredom
The Most Commonly Consumed Media Is…!
What’s Dangerous For Us To Care About
Please, Clever Copywriters…Stop Using This Term
Wait, Wait…What? They Actually Listened?!
Why You Should Take The Same Classes Twice
How Your Character’s Menu Informs Your Performance Choices
What Shouldn’t Be Your Metric For VO Success
Someone Awesome Who’s Also Rising To A 365-Day Challenge
Union Or Not, Start With Union Rates
O. M. G. Look What Matt Zurbo Did!
So Where Will That Huge Facebook Fine End Up?
Avoid That One Obvious “That Worked” Sound We Make
Why Union Members Can Audition For Non-Union Work
200 Auditions. 1 Booking. A Ghost. Really?
I Can’t Do One Thing I’m Asked To Do Every Single Day
One Of Your Secret Weapons: Agility
Do Networking Events Make You Anxious? Let’s Fix That.
Project X Is Just About Ready. I’m A Bit Giddy.
The Difference Between Mansplaining and Advice?
Too Late, Melissa. You Already Are.
Help Me Solve A Lovely Mystery!
Raw YouTube Captioning
hey there it’s David H Lawrence the 17th
and it’s kind of hard to believe but
this little quest that I went on at the
beginning of the year this little
challenge I set up for myself a video a
day every day for a year I’m halfway
done
crazy I’d like to know from you a couple
of things if you would this is this is
audience participation time I would like
to know if these videos are useful to
you I mean really useful to you
and I’d like to know what you’d like to
see more of and I’d also like to know
what you’d like me to do better what
you’d like to see less of what you’d
like to see me
you know ratchet up a bit this is this
has been an amazing experience so far
and it’s not even finished yet I mean
we’re midway through the year and I’ve
learned so much this this whole process
has taught me things about myself it’s
caused me to experiment with things it’s
caused me to do a lot more reading this
year than I did last year last year was
a year of building of assets for me and
this whole process has also had so many
wonderful side benefits I’ve gotten to
know people that I’ve never known before
I’ve gotten to know a lot about
productivity and the process that I go
through things that I hadn’t even given
words to and I also have gotten to know
some people that I had never thought I
would get to know and I got to know some
things about people that I hadn’t
expected some good some not so good
but always interesting and so what I
want to know from you is is this a
reasonable part of your day I am I
taking too much your time am I taking
just enough of your time not enough for
your time I kind of doubt that one but
I’m just asking I just would like some
feedback so even if you haven’t left me
any feedback through the year please go
to vo – go go calm and let me know if
any of these videos have been useful if
they have how so and if you kind of
looked at this and wondered what the
hell are you doing why are you doing
this and you can’t tell why you can’t
see how this has been a benefit I’d like
to know that too
I don’t want to think that I’m just you
know talking to the ether and not not
really helping people that’s my whole
goal in life and this series of videos
is not something that I thought a lot
about when I made this challenge I
wanted to really learn more about the
video making process I wanted things to
get better and within the first two
weeks they got a hundred times better
and they’ve just gotten better and
better ever since and I’ve learned
little tiny things here and there and
that was one of the side benefits but
the truly amazing benefit here is being
able to say out loud some of the things
that I think have been helpful to me in
my career and hopefully have been
helpful to you when I elucidate them
when I actually give them a voice but I
want to know from you for sure so if you
would on vo to go go calm if you could
leave me a comment just give me your
impressions on what we’ve done so far
what you’d like to see more of for the
rest of the year and if this is
something that you find interesting I’d
love to know that over at vo – go go
comm if that’s where you’re watching
great look around we’ve got some great
stuff for you here and if you’re not on
vo – go go calm go there because if
you’re a performer we’ve got strategies
and tactics and and how to’s and tips
and tricks and all kinds of stuff
everything that I find I basically
memorialize on vo – go go so if you
would do that that would be great
we’ll get another whole half year of
things to go another 181 No 183
that’s right 183 videos to go and I’m
looking forward to it
it hasn’t been nearly the huge mountain
that I thought it would be the tough
slog that I thought it would be I love
doing I hope you do too if you don’t let
me know if you do let me know if you’d
like to join my youtube channel go ahead
and click on my head there or find a
subscribe button somewhere on the page
if you’d like to see the latest video
I’ve done click on that frame and
YouTube will play it for you I’m David H
Lawrence xvii thanks for joining me and
I will talk to you tomorrow.
Hey David. Yes! These daily snippets of VO tech, technique and business goodness has been very helpful and comfortable. Please keep it coming. I’ve enjoyed the first half and look forward to the second half and beyond. And I also just bought your Rehearsal Pro app for the iPhone and love it. Very easy to use, and a great way to learn lines and get off book. Thanks for giving back to the VO community. Have a great day!
Hi David – thanks for taking the time to do these. I generally batch listen episodes once a week (happens to be today for this week). What’s interesting is that because I go in with no expectations, I am open to hearing tidbits in most episodes that I wasn’t expecting and can apply to my business.
Can’t wait for the back half!
David, These videos are part of my morning routine in getting the day started. For the most part, I find I learn something with each one which means I am learning something new every day! They continue to help me grow in my VO knowledge and I find them very useful. And they are just the right length. So please keep doing what you are doing! It is like getting daily advice from uncle Bob about life in VO :-).
Hi David, like Chris these videos are a part of my morning routine too. I look forward to what you have to say or impart each day, and love that you have included subjects about general life stuff, as well as the ins and outs of performance, technical stuff and business. You give a good perspective on things which I find very helpful, and it is fun to get to know you just a bit better too. Thanks so much for all your hard work in these videos. Here’s to the second half!
Dear David:
Thank you for continuing your commitment of producing a video a day!
Just like life, most of the greatest benefits come from “showing up and taking what comes up!”
I appreciate you sharing what’s coming up with you with this video series…from surgery recovery to auditioning tips to learning about a neighbor’s podcast to tips on optimal note-taking!
I haven’t missed a single installment and look forward to the next 182!
I love your candor, passion and commitment to your tribe. I do not agree with everything that you say, but I am grateful for the way you challenge my thinking and my assumptions. Please do keep up the good work!
I love the authenticity in which you deliver each message. That personal touch makes all the difference! Your 365 commitment is extremely inspiring, especially to someone like me who struggles with staying the course. The variety of content keeps its fresh and shiny and I always look forward to the next video. Cheers to the next 182!
Hello David,
One, year, on my birthday, I decided to celebrate a year of birthdays. People laughed at my idea and thought that I was being silly. However, I found so many good ‘birthday gifts’ that happened to me each and every day of that year. Life is wonderful. If this had been the year that I had made that decision, your daily videos would have been at the top of the list of my ‘wonderful birthday gifts’ to enjoy daily. Your videos have given me more focus and purpose in my “narrating in my closet where I talk to myself’ world. Thank you for your enthusiasm. I congratulate you on your progress with this decision. It is much more profound than my ‘daily birthday gifts’ idea.
Janice
Hi there, David:)
Thank you for the gift of these videos! I enjoy and find value in every one of them!
I’ve watched every video in the series. I often get behind on the weekends and have to watch a few at a time on Mondays but that’s ok because they’re so short.
Regarding content, sometimes I find it extremely relevant to me, sometimes less so, but most of the time I learn something new and interesting, which gives the videos value for me overall. I find myself wondering if there is a practical and manageable way for you to have people to suggest topics, assuming there is enough interest in such a thing.
Looking forward to more daily videos. Thanks David :)
This is my first response. David I’ve been watching your videos since day one and I thoroughly enjoy them in part because you thoroughly enjoy doing them.
I’m a working on camera actor but an aspiring voice actor who’s picked up several tidbits from you along the way.
Please continue to lead the way and I will continue rocking with you.
David I echo what Paula said. I have learned something new and valuable each time I watch your videos . Sometimes it’s as though you tuned into what was holding me back and addressed it in that day’s video! I really appreciate all the time and care you’ve devoted to this project, especially while you were dealing with your surgery and recovery. Btw you looked marvelous in your Henley in a previous video!! Looking forward to your videos coming in the next half of the year. Thanks for all you do for your tribe and the field !
Hi David! Thank you very much for assuming this challenge that has benefited us all. Haven’t missed a single video. I’ve been a voice over actor for 25 years and now I’m also an on screen actor and I’m always eager to learn something new, different ways of doing things and other perspectives. Personally, I love it when the videos are short (4-5 mins) and have practical “tricks of the trade” (either about software or technical stuff, or how to label files, organizing, to slate or not to slate, etc.). Thank you in advance for the rest of the videos!
I watch these almost every day. They are nice and short but sometimes contain valuable info. I really loved your recent tips about note taking and planning your day. I value tips on the biziness side of V.O. the most, but god knows I can use all the help I can get on tech and acting too.
Thank you David for sharing all that you do!!
It’s been great to learn from your experiences!!
Maybe in 2020 you can create a mini series with what
You’ve learned from this challenge!?!?
Thanks again!!
DAVID,
You rock! It is unbelievable that you do one a day. I am in utter awe.
Some days I confess I just can’t get to watch but I usually do make time as you keep them manageable time-wise. You are always informative and clear and thank you. You’ve improved so much and I’ve enjoyed being on this journey with you.
APPLAUSE. MORE APPLAUSE.
jc
Your videos have become part of my evening routine. It feels like you’re a friend by this point. You welcome us into your home everyday and share your life with us – we’ve seen your health scares, your shoulder surgery, Madison’s music, and your love of my hometown, Nashville. It’s great to have your encouragement as I build this VO business.
David,
Congratulations on hitting the half-way mark. I have enjoyed your videos and the great variety of topics you cover. Everyone of them I find useful on some level, and look forward to the new one each day. “Keep on truckin!” Thanks!
Hi David,
I love when you talk technology (she still hates me) and give your best practices. I love the videos and look forward to watching them. I don’t know what I am going to do with myself after December 31st. Your videos are the perfect length for me. Some podcasts that I listen to are way too long or too long so I don’t finish listening. You are succinct and to the point and I appreciate that.
Thank you for your insights on the myriad of topics you cover.
Sincerely,
Mary
Hi David! I say keep doing what you are doing. As a fellow broadcaster, I can see and hear why you were successful for many years on radio! The topics you choose to discuss seem to tackle everyday life thoughts. I have my favorite topics (VO/broadcasted related) but honestly, even some of the topics I thought weren’t going to be useful knowledge for my lifestyle: turned about being very important. I think when you get people thinking (even if not out loud) you did well with your topic. Each video is well-thought out and informative…so, keep doing what you are doing. I’ll miss these but I also realize the commitment you make for each topic/video and I’m truly impressed you were able to pull this off this far and you seem to be going strong! Life happens and you did what you set out to accomplish, I’m along for the ride and enjoy seeing where I’m going next. Here’s to a great and strong finish!! BTW – I signed up for Tim’s course earlier today…good stuff.
Hi David,
First of all, I echo the kudos that others have given you for these videos – they’re great, and I applaud your openness and your dedication in making them. All the praise that has been heaped upon you is well deserved.
If you’re really, truly, honestly looking for constructive feedback, mine is this (and I’m aware I may be in the minority here): I find them generally to be just a little bit too long. I know that must seem ironic given that you’ve just done a video addressing why they are the length they are! And it’s not that my attention span is so brief that I can’t concentrate for that long – it’s just that I have lots of little windows of 3-4 minutes in my day when I might absorb your content, but not a lot of 6-7 minute windows.
I know that probably seems silly! If I can spare 3 minutes, surely I can spare 6 . . . I have no answer for that except to say that on more than one occasion I’ve opened your daily video but then failed to watch it specifically because of seeing how long it was. In fact, while I always want to watch them, I often put it off because I don’t feel I have the time, and so I’ve developed quite a back log.
Anyway, do with that info what you will, and please don’t take it as a criticism – I genuinely like your content and I admire you greatly for doing these. It’s just that after 6 months of this, I’m pretty sure this is a pattern in me that isn’t going away; and if it’s happening to me, maybe it’s happening to others, and so I just wonder if you might have more views on a lot of your videos if the length were generally a bit shorter.
With gratitude for all you do,
Brian
I also have enjoyed watching and have never left a comment (although I enjoy reading them). I am amazed at your commitment to doing this daily – some days I can’t find the time to listen (although I always make sure to catch up). Thank you so much for putting this out there. They are helpful, refreshing and I think the length is just right.
Many thanks,
Diane
Hi, David,
Thanks so much for including us in your challenge. Some of the videos are more informative for me than others, but I always come away having learned something! Greatly appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge and experience in an entertaining way. Looking forward to the rest!