When I went full-time freelance, it wasn’t long before the idea of having a mic booth equipped with ISDN began to appeal to me. Aside from the intial start up cost, it was a no-brainer. I’d already burned out an engine in my treasured Camaro just driving to and from busy studios an hour-and-a-half away. And there were possibilties I’d never be able to drive to.
Now I’ve finally burned out that original Musicam Roadrunner (may it rest in peace) and am learning the new buttons on its replacement. But I still don’t regret the cash outlay. Aside from helping me make money with my voice, it occasionally helps me meet the most interesting people…both inside and outside the booth!
Just this week I got a call from actor David deVries, who’s touring in a road version of “Wicked” and needed a quick place to phone in some voicework for one of his clients. Since he wasn’t allergic either to clutter or cats, my studio was a great match. And I met a new friend. Things went well enough, he’s coming back for another session later in the week and I hope to be able to do some networking with him. (I also hope to visit him at work and see the show before the run ends in Durham.)
But so far my favorite ISDN story was the morning I stumbled down to the studio from my sickbed for a scheduled audition. Fortunately, the flu I had didn’t effect my vocal powers, but I was sure glad there was no “video phone” hooked up.
As I adjusted the copy and my headphones and checked my supply of Kleenex, the engineer’s voice in Florida said, “Okay, hang on, I’m patching you in with the other studio to record the spot.”
Confused, I stammered something about only being contacted for an audition. “You can do the voice, can’t you?”, came the response.
“Sure.” (It was just a couple of lines as a comic waiter with a German accent.)
“Great. Stand by.”
And standing there in my studio booth, looking like something my cat would have refused to drag in, I hear this lovely voice in my headphones say, “Hi, this is Lauren Hutton, who am I talking to?”
I acquitted myself nicely in a couple of takes, did a polite sign-off with my fashion model/screen actress voice partner, and let her do her spokesperson thing while I crawled back under the covers…again, so very very grateful to be working behind a microphone, out of sight, in my little ISDN booth.
— over and out —