BLUE WAVE

voiceover

Representation

Blue Wave is proud to offer more inclusive representation in VO and less gender-oppressive casting.

Celebrating The New Disabled Voice Actors Database

Media Production, Advertising, Representation, Public Health

Here at Blue Wave Voiceover, we are committed to presenting voices that look and sound like America. We’re proud to feature talented voice actors on our roster that span the generations and come from diverse backgrounds. When we talk about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as a country, one thing that is frequently left out of that conversation is Accessibility for disabled people. Many disabled advocates have called for the phrase to be rewritten as “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility” (DEIA) in order to truly be inclusive. 

To that end, we’re proud to be a partner and champion of a new resource for both voice actors and voice seekers in our little production universe here.

Introducing The Disabled Voice Actors Database

On December 3, 2022, in honor of the International Day of Persons With Disabilities, voice actor and Blue Wave Voiceover collective member Maria Pendolino supported the launch of The Disabled Voice Actors Database. This database serves as a central dashboard that empowers casting directors and other voice-seeking industry professionals to source high-quality, talented voice actors who also happen to be disabled. 

The Disabled Voice Actors Database includes talent that identify as disabled including wheelchair users, neudrodivergent talent, d/Deaf talent, Blind talent and more. This database is important for a number of reasons. Studies have shown that people living with a disability still make less money and have higher unemployment rates. Even with its digital embellishment, the society we live and work in leaves little room for any interpretation that isn’t physically or mentally “able-bodied”. 

Unfortunately, this is a theme that continues throughout the world of entertainment, including voice over acting. Although the industry may often cite inclusivity and progressinve-ness as values, so often disabled voice actors are looked over for parts — even when these parts involve the portrayal of a disabled character! 

A New Beginning for An Important Disability & Accessibility Resource

Maria and The Disabled Voice Actors Database founder Nick Germain made it their mission to make sure that there would never be another easy excuse to pass over disabled voice talent. Inspired by similar databases serving the LGBTQIA+ community (QueerVox) and People of Global Majority (aka BIPOC/POC) (PGM VO List), they created Version 2.0 of The Disabled Voice Actors Database. 

Like so many good ideas, the database started as a Google Sheet, but it wasn’t long before it outgrew those rows and columns. The Disabled Voice Actors Database 2.0 exists as a sophisticated AirTable that is free to join and only visible to vetted voice seekers. Other voice actors that were instrumental in making the Database come to life were Satauna Howery, Tony Jackson, Tyler Berman and Lindsay Sheppard — a hard working team of volunteer steering committee members. 

Steering committee member Tyler Berman said “To accurately cast and give voiceover talent a chance to go out for both disabled (and more importantly) typical characters is why I feel this will help break the stigma of voiceover actors with disabilities only being able to voice disabled characters. You see on-screen actors with disabilities perform both types of characters all the time so why not voice over actors? You only hear their voice and the voice actor could be very capable for the role.”

How To Search For Talent With The Database

In order to protect the privacy and well-being of the voice actors in the database, The Disabled Voice Actors Database is only visible to vetted individuals. In order to pass the vetting process, an applicant must be in a position to seek out and hire voice talent, and must also be willing to provide a fair wage and humane and reasonable work process, which may need to include accommodations. 

It’s easy to request to be vetted — simply visit www.disabledvoiceactors.com and follow the button labeled “Voice Seeker Access Request”. Once we’ve done our due diligence we’ll send you your login credentials along with a short tutorial on how to best use the database. 

The Disabled Voice Actors Database is free for voice actors to join. How To Join The Database As A Disabled Voice Actor 

In order to make sure our database helps as many voice actors as possible, we’ve made it free to add your name. The only stipulation is that if you’re under 18, you’ll need to ask your parent or legal guardian to add you to the database. 

If you have any questions or comments about this new endeavor, The Disabled Voice Actors Database volunteer steering committee would love to hear from you at disabledvoiceactors@gmail.com.

Why HR Is An Important Part of Running a Successful Media Company

Media Production, Advertising, Representation

If your lifelong dream has always been to run a successful media company – like producing commercials, working with voiceover artists and actors, then chances are that you didn’t lay awake at night dreaming about processing payroll and running exit interviews. Dealing with all of the nuance that comes with running a business and employing people isn’t sexy – but it’s critically important. And it can be very expensive – and even legally daunting – if you get it wrong.

Now, don’t get us wrong — we’re not saying that HR and People Ops isn’t a noble profession. It’s just not always the first thing that people think of when they imagine a future where they’re coordinating big-name TV commercials, being on an international film set, and drafting television ad copy for a Superbowl Spot.

But guess what — HR is an important part of every field, including showbiz. Yup, it’s HR’s world out there, and we’re just living in it.

Why is HR an Important Part of Running a Media Company?

Human Resources (HR) is a critical and important part of running a media company. We often like to think of creative services as being their own world. As much as this may be true — trust me when I say that things can get weird in this industry — at the end of the day, it’s a business like anything else. Yes, we get the privilege of working in a field where we can express ourselves and take creative liberty, but at the end of the day we still have to do what every other business does, like pay taxes and follow labor laws.

So where does HR come into the mix? Someone smart and old once said, “no man is an island”. We would have to agree (though we’d also, politely, amend that quote to include all humans including those who aren’t men).

The truth is, anyone who forms a creative company on their own will quickly realize that they can’t do it all alone. When this realization dawns on them, they will have to get to hiring. Which brings us to our first reason why media companies need HR:
A proper HR approach helps you find the right people.

Hiring Creative People for Creative Projects

If you’re looking for somebody to help with a creative project, like a freelance voiceover artist, you’re going to want to look for somebody with specific skills and/or interests. For example, in the world of voiceover, it might be necessary to seek out a voice actor who has experience targeting the Millennial demographic, or a voice actor who can sing at a professional level as well as speak. You might also be looking for someone from a specific background – like a talented African American actor.

Most likely, the first thing that you’ll do when you need to find a specific person is post a job ad. Congratulations, you just took your first step into the HR world!

Find an HR Subject Matter Expert!

An HR consultant can help you find the right people for your job — not just any person. Onboarding new talent is expensive, and it’s not a mistake that any company wants to make, no matter how small you are.
HR helps you stay up-to-date with labor laws

Anytime a company hires an individual, whether it’s as a contractor or employee, they are bound to local labor laws. This can become very complicated in the globalized world of remote work, so many folks without experience in HR may choose to work with a consultant to help them through the hiring process.

You'll need HR Tools to run a production and media company that works on-location on film sets like this one. From the cinematographer, to the actors and lighting specialists shown on an outdoor street - they all will need HR support. Good HR Helps You Retain Employees

We all know that it’s not true that “nobody wants to work anymore” — but certainly nobody wants to work for low pay and terrible conditions anymore, and can you blame them? Life is short and work can so often be challenging.

The problem is, sometimes it can be hard to know what exactly your employees are looking for. And people can be shy! Working with an HR professional can help you stay aware of where industry trends are headed towards so that you can stay ahead of the curve and remain a place that somebody wants to work. They can also help you ensure that employees are staying challenged and avoiding boredom, an often overlooked feeling that can motivate some employees to leave.

The bottom line is simple. If you’re in the middle of making big things happen as a media entrepreneur, don’t let HR considerations fall by the wayside. There’s a reason why you’ll find an HR department at every notable company.

Things Change Every Day

At Blue Wave Voiceover, we proudly work with media production companies around the world to help bring their content to life. We’re happy to provide freelance professional voice actors for commercials, industrial videos, narrations, political spots, and more! And we know that every company that we work with is different and might be dealing with changing local, state, or federal policies that apply to hiring and working with talent. We are always happy to understand your HR policies and procedures in advance to ensure that your session and shoot go smoothly. Get in touch today if you’d like to learn more about working with our talent voiceover artists! 

Asian American and Pacific Islander Voiceover

Representation

According to The Pew Research Center, a record 23 million people in America trace their roots to more than 20 countries in Asia. This includes East and Southeastern Asian countries like China, Korea, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and others. However, when it comes to Asian American and Pacific Islander voiceover representation in the media, there has been a historical

Group of friends from multiple culture backgrounds“whitewashing” of characters with AAPI heritage. In voiceover specifically, this has recently manifested in situations like Allison Brie, a caucasian actress, voicing a character of Vietnamese descent on the Netflix animated series Bojack Horseman. More recognizable, Hank Azaria, a caucasian actor and voice actor providing for many years the voice of Apu, an Indian-American character on Fox’s hit animated show The Simpsons.

AAPI Voiceover Artists

At Blue Wave Voiceover, we’re focused on elevating authentic voices from the AAPI community to give voice to characters, issues and platforms that are uniquely theirs.

Do you recognize any of these characters?

Asian Women enjoying an American dessert

We’ve started to see an increase in representation in the media landscape as it pertains to stories about and starring Asian-American and Indian-American performers. Crazy Rich Asians, the feature film that premiered in 2018 and was directed by Jon M. Chu, highlighted a full cast of Asian American lead performers. We’ve also seen television shows breaking through like Nora From Queens starring Awkwafina, Kim’s Convenience and Fresh Off The Boat which highlight a uniquely Asian American experience. We even have an upcoming Marvel universe blockbuster movie starring a lead of Asian descent.

Just because visibility is increasing, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t still experiencing and struggling with stereotypes. For many years, there were probably folks in America who could have only identified Jackie Chan as an Asian performer that they recognized. Part of the problem is that caucasian actors like Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and Emma Stone have been hired to portray characters with an Asian heritage – leaving the general American audience without the knowledge and access to the talented performers in the AAPI community.

We at Blue Wave Voiceover are proud to welcome and highlight this community

A headshot of Cherie Tay, an AAPI voiceover artist

Throughout the pandemic in 2020 and beyond, there was a disturbing increase of hate crimes and events targeting the AAPI community – especially the elder AAPI community. The racists perpetuating violence and a false narrative blame AAPI people for the chaos we are going through in this situation, building a barrier between us, as well as interrupting many work opportunities.

We are proud to highlight talented voiceover performers from the AAPI community at Blue Wave Voiceover and are thrilled to have such talented voice actors on our team. If you are looking for an Asian-American or Indian-American voice performer to authentically represent their community in your creative, look no further than, Mark Lee or Cherie B. Tay. The men and women on our roster offer such a wide range within their craft and are highly adaptable to settings that allow for a variety of performances and perspectives.

We need a culture that enlightens us

Blue Wave Voiceover Mark Lee photo

You’ve probably heard on more than one occasion that Asian and South Asian cultures predate American culture by millennia. As Americans, we’ve taken on aspects from their cultures that include exploring spirituality, our bodies, and our emotions. It’s just as important for us to highlight, promote, recognize and give credence to their cultures without appropriating or whitewashing their stories and narratives.

If you want to add a voice to your project that represents an authentic Asian or South Asian heritage, check through our catalog and listen to our voice actors’demos. You’ll almost certainly discover one with the tone you’re searching for. If you have any questions or would like casting assistance with your project, please contact us at casting@bluewavevoiceover.com. It will be our pleasure to provide you with all the information and voiceover samples that you need.

Happy LGBTQIA+ Pride Month from Blue Wave Voiceover!

Representation, Blog

The Blue Wave Voiceover collective is thrilled to raise our voices in celebration of and solidarity with LGBTQIA+ pride voice actors and people across the globe! This June – and all year-round! – we are joyfully celebrating and amplifying queer and trans communities and we are also continuing to fight every day for the liberation of all LGBTQIA+ people. We’ve seen real movement in 2021 towards more inclusive representation in VO and less cisheteronormative casting. But we recognize that there is still much work to be done to break down the queerphobic and transphobic barriers in voiceover and the performing arts. And we would be remiss not to acknowledge that 2021 has been one of the most dangerous years in terms of anti-trans legislation, attacks against the rights of trans youth, and fatal violence against trans and gender non-conforming people, particularly BIPOC trans women and femmes.

As a collective of voiceover artists who look and sound like America today, we Blue Wavers are extremely passionate about creating safer, more inclusive spaces for voice actors and people who identify anywhere along the beautifully diverse spectrums of gender, sexuality, and expression. We know this solidarity looks like advocating for LGBTQIA+ liberation in the present and also, remembering and uplifting the queer and trans activists of the past who paved the way.

This June not only marks another year of celebrating LGBTQIA+ people around the world and pressing for queer liberation, but it is also the 52nd anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn – a queer bar that still proudly stands today in the West Village – and the queer and trans patrons fought back, igniting protests that lasted for days and launching the Gay Liberation Movement. On the frontlines were primarily trans women of color, drag queens, and butch lesbians including Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major, and Stormé DeLarverie. Half a century later, we owe these courageous advocates everything for the progress we have seen and the victories we have won. Of course, there is still a long ways to go so as we continue to fight for justice for people of all sexualities, gender identities, and expressions, we remember Marsha P. Johnson’s words, “No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us!”

In celebration of LGBTQIA+ Pride 2021, we pass the mic to our amazingly talented artists!

And if you want to check out our LGBTQIA+ voice talents, search artist bios here.

Zia Amador (he/him)
“Being a trans and non binary voice actor is such a pleasure. Knowing that my voice can help be the representation that I so desperately needed as a queer teen means the world to me. Recently I had the honor of voicing a non binary character for an animation talking about coming out and the importance of being an ally. As part of this project I was asked to share my own coming out story! Something I love about being a trans voice actor is that the roles I get tend to be much more personal. It’s awesome to see us being represented more!”

Cherie B. Tay (she/they)
“I am so proud to be out and queer. To me, the word “queer” represents joy, fearlessness, and the pride in being comfortable with who you are.
This past year, I got to voice an animated short as a non-binary platypus! It was so well done, and I was honored to tell their story. I also voiced eLearning projects about LGBTQ+ inclusion in classrooms!
I wanted people to learn that who they love is not a thing to be shameful about. May we all find acceptance, kindness, and love!”

 

Allegra Verlezza (they/them)

“Being queer, genderfluid, and non-binary fills me up with so much joy and pride! As a gender studies student, I learned – in the very classrooms in which Audre Lorde taught decades before – that to “queer” something as verb means to trouble and deconstruct something, to destabilize and dismantle the power dynamics of something. And boy do I love queering voiceover and acting!
Recently, I voiced a project for a virtual Pride event where a bunch of LGBTQ+ voice actors voiced the same script of proposing to their partner and the video included all of our voices. I absolutely loved this symbolism that a “queer voice” doesn’t sound like just one voice – it’s a huge, diverse cacophony of voices!
I care very deeply about creating space in the voiceover industry – and everywhere – for LGBTQ+ talents, particularly those most marginalized in our community like BIPOC and TGNC actors, to be their fullest and freest selves. I believe queer and trans voice actors amplifying our authentic voices is a revolutionary act and I know there’s a future where we never have to compromise any part of ourselves to do what we love. Inside and outside of the booth, I fight to break down reductive binaries and harmful stereotypes because living beyond the made-up binary benefits us all!”

 

Queer, AAPI & Genderfluid Voiceover – Meet Cherie B. Tay

Advertising, Representation, Meet The Talent

Link to full profile: bluewavevoiceover.com/voices/cherie-b-tay
Email: cheriebtayvo@gmail.com

Cherie B. Tay – Queer, AAPI & Gender Non-Conforming Voiceovers

When you’re looking for an Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) and LGBTQ+ voiceover talent who can deliver your voiceovers with a warm and velvet smooth energy, look no further than queer, gender non-conforming voice actor Cherie B. Tay! Cherie (she/they) brings a powerfully puissant energy to every read and is proud to lend their youthful, compassionate sound to progressive causes.

Tell us a little about your broadcast-quality home studio. Where is it? What kind of equipment do you have? What do you like about it?

I built a custom recording studio/booth in my living room in Brooklyn.

I have a Synco D2 shotgun mic on a boom arm, a Scarlett 2i2 interface, and a Macbook Pro that I have to put an ice pack under for live sessions.

I love that I can record music and VO in 1 booth. I also have professional monitors above my keyboard so I have options about listening to playback.

I have an entire blog post about it!
https://www.cheriebtayvo.com/blog/cheriebooth2020

What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?

I used to be VERY quiet and shy. It took me a long time to find my voice and trust it. I also get intensely focused on things and want to be great at it immediately. Current obsession is Beat Saber on the Oculus.

How did you get into voiceover work?

I’ve wanted to do VO since 2010. I started chatting with people in Philadelphia about the industry and picked their brains about it. But theatre took over. I went on the road with a show, then kept working. Finally in 2019, I was working on a long running Broadway show, and André De Shields and Amber Gray kept telling me that I needed to get into VO work, and I listened. I had a LOT of help/advice starting from other VO cast members at my show.

https://youtu.be/BJMjHoZBMYw

Do you remember what your first voiceover job was?

I’ve done unpaid live announce and corporate VO work just from working as a stage manager on those events. My first paid job was playing a robot scientist on an audio drama podcast!

Do you remember the first political voiceover job that you did?

I’ve done a lot of theatre funding related political VOs since Broadway has shutdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RdStOjpDCE&ab_channel=RobMcClure

What has been your favorite voiceover project to date?

I played a non-binary platypus in an animation!

I want to give back to what my younger self did not have/see represented. It’s so important to me to pave the way for the younger generation and show them that it will be okay to love and be themselves.

Why do you think voiceover will be an important part of political advertising in upcoming elections?

I think VO will always be important to political advertising. We have to represent those who do not have voices and make the world a better place. Helping candidates who I believe in is very important to me.

What issues would you like to see at the center of the Democratic platform for upcoming elections?

Healthcare, Equal rights & protection for women and LGBTQ+ people, Global Warming, Economic and Social Justice.

What is your biggest voiceover pet peeve?

People thinking that it’s “easy” and that they “just have to have a good voice”. It takes a lot of work and investment in equipment, classes, coaching, learning, and time.

If you could tell political clients one thing that would help you do your job better, or help them get what they want faster – what would that one thing be?

Give the full script once it’s done, get all the pickups from everyone who has input, then give the full pickup list back if needed (instead of one change at a time).

What advice do you have for aspiring voiceover talents that want to work in the political arena?

Keep learning! Keep going!

https://youtu.be/fYqlZ3qn0aM

What hobbies do you have outside of your voiceover work?

Photography, Music (ukulele), Technology, Videography, Theatre, Cooking.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I have a full press page with a press kit! https://www.cheriebtayvo.com/press

If you’d like to book Cherie B. Tay on your next political voiceover project, please visit their profile here and get in touch!

Diverse Gender Voiceover

Representation, Blog, Meet The Talent

Supporting Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Diverse Gender Voiceover Artists

As a collective of voiceover artists who look and sound like America today, Blue Wave Voiceover includes talents who identify across the diverse spectrum of gender. Blue Wavers are deeply passionate about voice actors of all gender identities having equitable access to inclusive and affirming casting opportunities. We’re excited to see that the wider voiceover world is evolving towards more inclusive casting, particularly for actors who face daily discrimination, like transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) voice talents.

And we’re seeing an important shift in the world as well. More and more TGNC people are running for office like Brooklyn Owen, who is running for State Senate in Florida to pay it forward to the Jacksonville community who took her in when her family kicked her out as a teenager for being who she was. Many TGNC candidates are winning their races like Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride, the first transgender person elected to a state Senate and Oklahoma Democrat Mauree Turner (featured right), the first non-binary person elected to a state legislature. In mainstream media, trans visibility is at an all-time high with celebrities like Laverne Cox and Elliot Page taking to the covers of TIME magazine to tell their stories and Janet Mock directing the groundbreaking show “Pose” that spotlights NYC’s African-American, Latin and Hispanic LGBTQ+ ball culture in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Unfortunately, fatal violence and legal discrimination against TGNC people are also at an all-time high as increased visibility and progress is often followed by a conservative backlash, particularly against those most vulnerable in the community. And of course this leads to heartbreaking health impacts. According to The Trevor Project, more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth have seriously considered suicide.

As voice actors and humans of all walks of life, Blue Wavers understand how critical – how life-saving – it is to not only celebrate diversity, but actively build inclusive and safe spaces everywhere for marginalized people. So here are a few tips from us on how to create safer spaces for transgender and gender non-conforming voiceover artists and all TGNC people.

And if you want to check out our talented TGNC voice talents, search artist bios here.

1. Learn & Use Inclusive Language

LGBTQ+ History and Identity 101 are being taught more and more in schools. Young people are learning that there are more than two genders and that in fact, there’s a whole beautiful spectrum of gender identities that have existed across the globe for thousands of years. But not all of us have encountered such an inclusive education. Sometimes, it may even feel a little embarrassing to not understand certain terms or facts that we’ve never heard about something so personal as gender. But it’s never too late to learn! And this learning is urgently critical to creating safer spaces for not only TGNC voice actors, but all TGNC people.

To get started, here are some helpful definitions from the Human Rights Commission’s Glossary of Terms:

Gender identity: One’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One’s gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.

Transgender: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.

Gender Non-Conforming: A broad term referring to people who do not behave in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit neatly into a category. While many also identify as transgender, not all gender non-conforming people do.

Non-Binary: An adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid.

Cisgender: A term used to describe a person whose gender identity aligns with those typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth.

Even changing small but powerful phrases like saying “all genders” instead of “both genders” is important and makes a difference!

Check out The Trevor Project’s Support Center for more LGBTQ+ 101 learning.

2. Share & Ask Pronouns

Pronouns are how you like others to refer to you when not using your name. Just like gender identity, there are more than the two sets of pronouns that often come to mind: she/her/hers and he/him/his. People also use they/them/theirs and the singular “they” has been common in English for decades. Other sets of pronouns include e/em/eirs, ze/hir/hirs, ve/ver/vers, and more! Some people use multiple pronouns like they/she or they/he.

So how do you know someone’s pronouns? Ask! Nowadays, it’s common-practice – and totally okay! – to ask someone their pronouns. As in, “Hey my pronouns are they/she, what are yours?” or “I didn’t catch your pronouns before! I’m Marianna, she/her.” It may feel a little awkward at first but what’s more awkward – and harmful – is misgendering someone by assuming their pronouns. And according to The Trevor Project, “Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all or most people in their lives attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected.”

Meeting someone over email? Include your pronouns in your email signature and mention them when you e-intro yourself like “Hi Jamal, so happy to connect! I’m Em (they/them)!”

Does a person’s pronouns tell you their gender identity? Nope! Pronouns don’t equal gender identity. Folks who use the same pronouns might all identify differently in terms of gender. Folks who all share the same gender identity may all use different pronouns. And remember, no person “is a they.” They use them/them/their pronouns.

Golden rule: don’t assume. Everyone’s their own unique person so get to know them by sharing pronouns! 

Check out GLSEN’s Pronoun Guide to learn more.

3. Stay Teachable

All of this can often come with the big bad fear of messing up. But guess what? We all mess up! And we’re all going to mess up because we’re human. What’s important is staying teachable and accountable.

Accidentally used the wrong pronoun for someone? Apologize to them, correct yourself with the right pronoun, and move on. Then on your own time, practice!

Having a hard time learning new pronouns? Practice with a friend! Practice saying things out loud that you would actually say like “wow, they have the coolest voice!” or “yeah I hung out with them the other day and they brought their adorable dog!”