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Hi there!
Well now then, readers - its almost December and as we race forward into the lowering light with our teeth gritted and a determination not to switch the heating on - I have something to warm your cockles. Well, it warmed mine so I'm wafting the heat in your direction becuase I'm nice like that.
Drum roll please....I won! Yeah I won, I won - the award. Remember? I mentioned it...honestly, pay attention at the back. You can read all about it below.
I also have another agent - this time its even more exciting...
Low Light (did you get the reference above? I'm on fire honestly) has moved forward - two new episodes since last issue of Words Out Loud. The Mims are tearing up the neighbourhood. Literally.
There are more updates and project info below so I hope you'll...
Read on for more details! |
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LOW LIGHT
written and narrated by Melanie Crawley.
Episode 11: The Old Dark Track has just been released. Florence the Boar has given Elle the opportunity to test her skills. The Mims' intention seems to be revealing itself but there's the swirling wind causing panic and injury as well as a rise in negativity among the neighbours. Ruby's got herself involved though and that can only be a good thing. Well, Gavin's pleased anyway. 24 hours to go until Mimmertime (as our Gav would have it...)
Low Light is an audiobook-soap really, a fully narrated, ongoing drama with humour and lots of characters. And its northern:
On a cold northern street, murder is afoot! Meet the neighbours - the well-meaning, the curious and the devious. Those with seemingly humdrum lives and those who gaze out into the low light and begin to imagine a different world...
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WARM UP YOUR FREELANCERS! |
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THE ONLINE WORLD CAN TURN US INTO COLD FISH...
I've been a freelancer for more than half of my working life. The first chunk of that was in a different industry (decorating nightclubs in Manchester, story for another time) in the 90s. We were still in the analogue age then really although things were changing in that respect - the internet, email and mobile phones were fully embedded in working life but we'd yet to move fully digital - no social media, apps, smartphones. So my interactions with clients were often in real life - yes I spoke to people on the telephone! Email conversations were more involved and often referred to real-life or phone conversations too.
Of course much of this human interaction was a result of me turning up to a venue with loads of drapery or props in my arms and asking where the long ladders were. Now though, my ladder work (as it were - I'm trying here!) is done over a satellite signal.
For my latest blog (yes I'm tipotoeing into new territiory) I've had a little think about how things have changed - this stems from sometimes feeling a bit less human now in the 2020s when contracted for projects or if a new customer sends an enquiry than I did back at the end of the last millenium. Which is surprising really, given all the many forms of communication we now have.
Maybe you feel the same? Have a read anyway and when you've done that - maybe we could go for a coffee! (Too much? Never mind, you'll have forgotten this by the weekend). I hope'll have a little look at least and let me know what you think! ;•)
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EVEN MORE CHUFFED I am...
...to announce that I've only gone and won it! The award for 'Best Use of Humour' at VOX 22! Its for the 'Manningham Concrete, Bradford radio advert produced by Rick Loynes for Bauer Media.
We had a lovely evening wobbling about and drinking prosecco and it was so lovely to see clients and fellow Voice Actors alike in a convivial setting!
You can see me failing to give a coherant acceptance speech below!
VOX is an annual industry event for seasoned voiceover professionals. |
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I'm now represented by DESTINY TALENT
As an actor I haven't been represented since just before the first COVID lockdown. Then I was with an agent in Manchester but they closed their doors while I was on tour with a fabulous two-hander called Tannie & Tannie - our final date was the Saturday night before Britain locked down the following Monday.
Since then, I've been focussed on voice work as you know and the only acting work I've done outside of that has been some (really enjoyable) Research and Development projects for productions developing their scripts (both Sheffield writers).
Now though? Well, now, I have a new agent and very happy I am! Destiny Talent is a fairly new agency, based in London. They go above and beyond the usual channels of finding work and have great relationships with regional theatres so my fingers are crossed that you'll find me on a stage near you in no time...
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Industry arrangements...
I've done a shout out before for B Double E - a double act who provide great support for voice actors. Rob has helped me with voice reels in the past and Helen designed my brand identity.
Recently Helen has set up a 'client only' group with regular check-ins to help with marketing, website and many of the other online and digital dilemmas one encounters as a freelancer working remotely.
Her knowledge and passion for the world of recorded words is a wonderful thing when thinking about promoting a business in this field. Last week Helen helped me understand a bit more about analytics and getting better search results online so expect me to pop up more often when you're searching for voice people. Or you could just contact me directly...
A big thank you to Helen - take a look at B Double E's website - the business is also very ethically conscious and environmetally sustainable. They also commit 10% of their profits to The Bumblebee Conservation Trust - which is pretty amazing.
Check them out here!
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UPDATE - New Projects in the Studio |
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Don't Leave by Pru Heathcote
I do love a mystery thriller. This one is also a ghost story...or is it?
I've just delivered recordings for this prize winning novel by Pru Heathcote. The book won the 2020 Lindisfarne Prize for a debut thriller set in the North East.
Full of accents from the North East, I've channelled my partner's nan in some of the character voices and as a big, big fan of Northumberland it was lovely to settle into the atmosphere and landscape of the place - so convincingly described by the author.
'Jane is a young woman grieving for her child, who is taken to a remote holiday cottage on the Northumberland coast. From the moment she arrives at the cottage with her much older and over-protective husband, Peter, Jane keeps catching glimpses of a little girl and hearing a child crying. Peter is convinced these are hallucinations, as Jane has been diagnosed with schizophrenia – a diagnosis she doesn’t agree with. She sets out to discover who or what the child could be. A ghost? A real child? Or something else?'
Don't Leave was recorded in my studio for W F Howes Ltd and will be released later this year.
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...THANK YOU
Thanks also to my comedy and acting pals for their encouragement with Low Light, you know who you are!
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Crawley Voice Studio is a trading name of Melanie Crawley -
Voice Actor. Melanie narrates audiobooks, acts in radio drama and sketch comedy, provides voiceover for corporate and commercial projects and for many other applications.
Audio samples, client details, studio spec and other information is available at the website
Or contact via:
Email: voice@melaniecrawley.com
Phone: 07976350741
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