Connect on LinkedIn? I'd laugh in your face...

Follow the dance of the other person

Where do you go to network online?

For any creative freelancer, that is one of the single most important questions to be tackled. And it was a subject discussed by game writer Alanah Pearce and developer Mike Bithell on the Play Watch Listen podcast.

During that chat, they both dismissed LinkedIn as a platform relevant for them. Bithell says he would ‘laugh in the face’ of anyone who suggested connecting on the platform, while Pierce (who has a vast online following across platforms) says that she doesn’t use LI primarily because it’s where she gets the most unsolicited, inappropriate DM’s from men [see 19.30 mins onwards in the video below].

Now, just to play devil’s advocate - I’ve got video game work from LinkedIn. And Bithell goes on to admit that many people in the gaming community ARE active on LinkedIn and he’s not attempting to represent the industry as a whole. But it’s a timely reminder that you need to pay attention to where your audience is spending time digitally if you want to be intentional in your network building. You’ve got to ‘follow their dance’, as Bithell says.

For example, Bithell and Pearce are both most active on X/Twitter, which has long been considered the platform of choice for the game dev community generally. But I personally can find that platform so toxic, I need to be super selective of how much time I spend on it. Thanks to developing my content repurposing game, I’ve managed to turn my X account into a viable outlet for me again. And by using the Lists function, resisting the ‘doom scroll’ on there has been easier for me.

So here’s your reminder to check in with where you’re spending your time. Where are the people you want to work with hanging out… and is that digital space a place you feel happy in?

Voice Acting tip of the week:

The art of the self-direct.

95% of my work is self-directed, with nobody else listening in while I record. A lot of corporate, elearning and audiobook work goes this way, so it’s essential to get good both at the recording part - and also in managing the feedback and revision process after it.

Behind The Scenes project of the week:

It’s the beginning of awards season in Voiceover world with the announcement of the One Voice Awards nominations. As a perennial awards-bridesmaid (19 x VO nominations and counting), it was lovely to receive yet another nomination for Best Male Voiceover of the Year.

Whether you like the idea of awards or not, it’s a great reason to keep your portfolio and showreels up to date. The submissions process for One Voice always forces me to review my latest projects and pick out my favourite projects. So on that note - please find my 2024 work showreel below!

Media Recommendations:

Every week, I share three podcasts, articles or interviews that I’d strongly recommend. This week…

1. Brands add AI restrictions

   This Ad Age article notes that brands are insisting on stronger AI safeguards in their contracts with creative agencies with growing concerns over copyright/IP conflcist of interest.

2. How AI is affecting video game actors

   David Smith offers a great overview of how AI is affecting voice actors in the gaming industry in this detailed piece for The Guardian.

3. Character Select podcast

   Actress Anjali Bhimani and casting director Julia Bianco commenced their new podcast, talking to actors/composers/writers/directors about their favourite gaming moments.

Favourite Writing of the week: Uncle Vanya

'I've wasted my whole life'.

Anyone else get that fear?
I know - a cheery thought to start the week with 😅

But deep down...
That's the thought that keeps me chiselling away at my career. I don’t want tot leave anything on the table.

The quote comes from Anton Chekhov, a writer who saw the absurd and the tragic in the every day.

@chrisnaturallyrp

‘I’VE WASTED MY LIFE’ from Uncle Vanya. #chekhov #antonchekhov #unclevanya #vanya #monologue #theatretiktok #simonstephens #britishvoiceov... See more

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Thanks again for reading, and until next week Honey and I wish you a wonderful week!