In their final 2025 episode of The Wolvo Show, veteran voice actors Tim Powers, Barri Tsavaris, and George Washington III pull back the curtain on the isolated world of the recording booth to discuss the "art of the second take." This episode tackles a major pain point for casting directors: receiving multiple audition takes that sound virtually identical. The trio explores why a "mustache change"—shifting inflection on just one word—is a one-way ticket to the "no" file, and share professional strategies for delivering radical range.

The conversation dives into the mental gymnastics required to stay fresh. Barri explains her use of a color-coded "Emotion Wheel" to find nuanced shades of feeling, while Tim and George discuss the importance of changing the "moment before" to alter the energy of a read. They also debate a controversial strategy: "flipping" the audition by putting the wild, creative take first to survive the brutal three-second "ear test" during open casting calls.

Highlights include:

• Navigating "Celebrity Specs": How to capture the vibe of a Scarlett Johansson or John Ham reference without falling into a hollow impression.
• The Reality of the Numbers Game: George reveals his count of 42 "Morgan Freeman" style auditions in a single year.
• Professional Standards: Why listening back to your work is essential for quality control.
• Directability: Why showing range is more important than delivering a "perfect" final spot.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The main topic is the restructuring and reinvention of the core mentorship vertical within the World Voices Organization (WoVo). The organization's mission is fundamentally "actors helping actors."

• The Problem: Previously, WoVo's mentorship was often unstructured, serving mainly as a "troubleshooting" or one-time advice service rather than a cohesive program for growth.
• The Goal: The new initiative aims to provide structured, supportive help to both experienced actors and, most crucially, those with less experience to help the industry grow.
• The Team: The initiative is being led by Nikki Lulow (a 20-year industry veteran and problem-solver/former teacher) and Rebecca Howe. George Washington III praised both women for their dedication to helping others and bringing new energy to the program.

Nikki and George, Tim, and Barri, discussed the intentions behind the new, structured approach:

• Preventing "Unpaid Coaching": The program is designed to be a short, structured term (e.g., 12 to 13 weeks, once a week) to prevent the mentor-mentee dynamic from turning into an endless, unpaid coaching relationship.
• Focus on Solving Problems: It’s about "teaching someone how to fish" rather than just giving them a fish. Mentees will focus on one specific, agreed-upon goal to ensure progress. Mentors act as a guide to help deconstruct issues and find solutions.
• Symbiotic Relationship: Mentors gain significant insight into how others run their business, discover new software, and learn about different approaches to the industry, making the relationship mutually beneficial.
• Vetting and Safety: The leaders stressed the importance of vetting mentors to ensure high standards and that mentors are not just selling services. They aim to create a "safe space" where mentees can be vulnerable and ask for help.

The mentorship program is a perk of WoVo membership (available to both Pro and Associate levels).

• Rollout: There will be a slow, hand-selected rollout of a small group this fall to test the structure before it is widely implemented.
• WoVoCon: Listeners were encouraged to attend the upcoming WoVoCon conference in New Orleans to meet the leaders and discuss the program in person.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an episode of the official Wovo podcast, hosted by Tim Powers, Barri Tsavaris, and George Washington III, where they discuss career paths in the world of voice acting. They address the transitions or "pivots" in a voice actor's career and how these can be unavoidable due to life circumstances. The episode also emphasizes the importance of staying connected with the acting community despite having to take on alternative jobs to support oneself.

#VoiceActing #VOPods #VoiceoverCareers #CareerPivots #TheVOCommunity

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.