All posts by Overnight Radio

When you are in charge of yourself.

February 20, 2015Commercials, Generalaudio production, Commercial, creative radio, radio, radio production, radio sales, radio scripts, radio stations, script writing, scripts, targeted advertising, voice over artistsOvernight Radio

The employer/employee relationship. One built on trust and mutual respect. An acknowledgment of the hierarchy of the corporation…where one person is in charge of the other. Almost in a parental role. Some employers would say EXACTLY like a parental role.

In my limited experience in life, conversations with colleges in my industry (radio broadcasting) and others, the sentiment is usually the same with managers/employers. When you take on an employee, you take on another responsibility. And well you should. They have taken a semi-oath to be faithful to you and your company for a significant part of their lives. Everything they do within the 8 hours a day you pay them for is for you.

But it’s not just managing employees workload you need to deal with, as employees have issues on TOP of your regular duties. Sure you are in charge of answering questions, handing out work orders, quality control AND answering to your bosses. But what if Susan needs the day off to get her kids? Fine, you will get John to cover. But John already has a big workload that needs to be finished this afternoon. Call in Steve, he never lets you down! Except today, because he is late. So, as it always does in a position of ‘power’, it all comes down to you. YOU are the one in charge so YOU are the one held responsible.

For Overnight Radio Inc., the employer/employee relationship is something of yesteryear (at least in radio production). We use a different model. Since we are literally a group of people radio stations hire out to handle their daily production needs, we couldn’t possibly follow the employee/employer model with our clients…the paperwork alone would render us unusable. We use the more independent system of ‘colleague teams’ or ‘group work for hire’.

With this scenario, not only do we fill a need for stations looking to outsource their production to a solid team of producers/voice over artists, but we come with an added bonus of a client NOT needing to fill out any forms, NOT trying to cover employee days off, and NOT needing to give any personal attention to anything other than the business at hand.

Barbecue with this model, everyone works for themselves. Meaning, as an ‘colleague’ there is NO ONE ELSE that can solve your problem but you. If you can’t make it in, you don’t get paid. Also meaning, no one has added pressure of finding someone to fill in for you, to help you with whatever issues you have. These are yours and yours alone to deal with.

For example, say one of our voice over artists is down with the flu. You wouldn’t even notice, as it’s up to us (as one of your colleagues) to pass it on to a similar sounding voice which we have procured a long time ago…along with a back up for that one and the next one too.

As well as if someone has scheduling issues because of something unforeseen, once again, that is none of your concern…your production will STILL be delivered.

All you have to concentrate on is handing out the workload.

We are built as a group of real people here at our studio’s in the forest city, as well as a network of colleagues, and everyone is in charge of themselves.

What we have found in our almost 20 years of existence, is that firstly, it makes everyone more responsible for their own ‘product’ (their work) and secondly, it makes them much more proud to do it.

For us, it’s a win-win…and for our clients, it’s a win-win-win.

People working together without the constraints of a class or hierarchy system. It’s something that works, AND works independently of supervision.

Correcting Miss Takes

February 16, 2015Commercials, Generalannouncers, audio production, creative radio, radio production, radio scripts, script writing, scripts, voice over artists, voice talentOvernight Radio

I can tell you that mistakes are a part of my life…and unless i am mistaken, a part of everyone’s life.

You can take all the precautions you like, but it’s like trying to stay dry in a rainstorm…you might be pretty dry, but some part of you will be wet.

It’s not all bad though…really, what it is, is harm reduction. The theory that life can’t exist without some sort of harm (you can’t even eat without destroying a life form, be it plant or animal)…but it’s up to each us to reduce it as much as possible.

The same theory applies to work. Be it farming, air travel, or municipal politics. We will all make mistakes…but the best of us have found a way to minimize it, preferably before someone else sees, and if they do see, a way to clean it up immediately.

In the radio broadcast industry (creative section), since it relies on a lot of opinion, there are more instances than normal, simply because some differences of opinion are mislabeled as mistakes. But there certainly are mistakes. And it can be exacerbated by the fact that a lot of us work in isolation due to the internet allowing us to work together, yet alone.

In the latter case, working alone brings the point of keeping an eye on one’s mistakes to a sharp focus. Working in groups always has the comfort of someone else watching your back…even if it’s for personal gain to be in the right: ‘hey dude, you said that totally wrong” as opposed to actually looking out for you. Regardless, the outcome is the same…less mistakes are let out of that production studio. But working alone, means you need to create a habit…a habit that forces you to go over once more what you have gone over so many times already while in the process of creating it.

I know when it comes to radio commercial production with me, if i am alone in the studio (and even when there is a team in here), i create ways to double check everything WHILE doing something else, so the double checking doesn’t drive one insane (after producing 100 spots). Case in point, this morning when i produced a spot, after rendering to an mp3 for delivery, i listen WHILE i put together the next template for the next commercial. This is my first draft listen. It can’t find small mistakes, but it CAN find big mistakes…such as a part being slid out of place accidentally, or something of the like.

Once that is done and the next template is up, it’s time for the second listen-through. This time I have the script up in front of me, while the spot is uploading to the clients FTP. I can read along with the commercial playing WHILE it’s uploading.

With these processes, no time or very little time is wasted. And if mistakes are found, i can stop the upload and fix it. No harm done…the spot is fixed before anyone heard it.

The third and last read through is not about the production itself, but the clients notes and instructions. All read BEFORE i started the production, BUT once again AFTER it’s done in case something was forgotten or missed. This is an extra step some might not feel the need for, but i have learned to always trust my mind, but not my memory…so for me, it’s well worth the extra 5 seconds to scan the instructions.

These are but a couple of the many ways i personally check and re-check my work before it heads to the client. There are others of course, when it comes to creating an email, billing procedures/invoicing, creating work orders for our own team etc…but explaining them all might be moot, since my solutions may not work for someone else.

The point is, if you find yourself creating, and NOT checking your work for mistakes, you are making a big mistake.

Overnight Radio’s team prides itself on catching mistakes before they ever leave our production studios. And when they do slip out, we do our very best to clean them up immediately…something i have been told by account executives that is appreciated by the sales rep out on the road, waiting for something to be corrected.

We ALL make mistakes, so for you to assume you don’t, well i don’t have to tell you twice, that THAT is a mistake.

No one should judge you on the errors you make…only on how you fix them.

The value of real radio.

January 26, 2015Commercialscreative radio, radio, radio account executives, radio production, radio sales, radio scripts, radio stations, script writing, scripts, targeted advertisingOvernight Radio

I enjoy satellite radio, I think it’s great. We have a lot of our radio commercials running there. It’s of great audio quality, and the choices are endless. On long trips, it really passes the time and i can really get deeply into it.

But in my day to day life, satellite radio plays a minor role. While it always has it’s appeal, to me, regular broadcast or terrestrial radio is my main go-to. The reasons are few, but important.

The first has been noted many times over…for good reason, it’s true. Over the air, broadcast radio is local. If satellite radio is full of stars, then broadcast radio is full of family. The jocks know your streets, your neighborhoods, they know who played who last night and what bands just rocked the downtown. They know the politicians, they know the big wigs, and they know the little guys. Even the ads you hear are from people you likely know either well, or just by acquaintance through their lovely establishments. There isn’t a comparable feeling for me when i turn to satellite.

The other reason is, it’s free. A compelling argument for sure. Something in this day and age is relatively poignant. Broadcast or ‘free radio’ wants you to use them, for not even a dime. Just turn us on and rip the knob off.

Yes of course, nothing is free…and to be surprised when a commercial comes on is to be naive. They have to make money somehow, but to me, this is a fair agreement and augmented by the fact that you can turn it off immediately or change the station if you are offended. Which happens all the time.

One might argue that in order to avoid the constant changing of the stations to avoid commercials, one might purchase satellite radio. A fair point. Unless you remembered my opening sentence about our spots running there.

So even though you are paying to avoid the commercials, there they are. They found you! AND you are paying to hear them.

There is no escape from commercials. We live in a commercial society. It’s part of being a capitalist nation in a capitalist western hemisphere. It’s we do…and by ‘we’, I mean everyone.

That’s why, for me…free radio is the better deal…it’s more upfront about what it is.

I liken it to television and movies. Television being radio (i know, getting a bit convoluted). But each and every night, I watch some TV. It’s part of my life. There are international channels, i know, but it feels like home.

Whereas with satellite radio, it feels like going to the movies. It’s super fun and it’s an event. But that’s all it really is, an event. Sometimes there is a great event, let’s say…Avatar…and that’s when movies shine and you think ‘how could tv ever compare to this?”. and it can’t. BUT the movies can’t sustain that. So it’s an illusion. Cause next week, “Weekend at Bernie’s 9” is playing.

It’s great to go out, but it’s nothing like the comfort of home. That’s what radio is. Home.

It’s the greatest selling tool ever. Who doesn’t love home?

When you sell radio, you are selling people comfort, you are selling them family, you are selling them what they already crave. Comfort. Otherwise known as radio (the free and real kind).

Buy North American

January 2, 2015Generalannouncers, audio production, Commercial, creative radio, jingles, radio, radio account executives, radio production, radio scripts, radio stations, scripts, targeted advertising, television, voice over artists, voice talentOvernight Radio

When times are tough, things contract. Paychecks get smaller and people start to worry. It’s only natural. It happens in every industry and it’s cyclical…every 8-10 years or so. It helps keep the economy in check.

There are things industries must do in order to stay alive during these periods. They include but not limited to: cutting expenses, changing existing contractual obligations, and yes, even cutting staff.

In an industry such as radio, we are not exempt from any of this, and of course, radio being a medium that has endured more change than any other medium in recent history, it should be old hat by now. Especially considering the connected world in which we live in. It would almost be unthinkable of a station that is not using some sort of outside talent, production, or some sort of third-party service to keep their business running. In fact, i recall back in my early days working as a producer at a rock station, learning about all the digital delivery companies they worked with, delivering mp3’s to the station before the widespread use of email…i know, i am very old.

Today is no different…we are a company connected to many stations around north america and the globe. We work in tandem with creative directors, sales reps/account executives, station owners and the like to keep their clients happy with their commercial production needs.

There is a tendency to cut off ties to your contracted business and try to do all the work yourselves in-house when things get tight, like say the recent great depression of 2008, of which we are still feeling some effects of today. There are some small reasons to do this and big ones…the big one of course, is to save money. We do the same thing. BUT cutting off a contract with something that helps bring in the much needed capital to keep the station running, a company such as us, is akin to stopping eating to save money. You NEED to eat to stay alive (you NEED to run commercials to stay in business), and you NEED to cook your food so you won’t get sick and die (you need to CREATE your commercials professionally so your business won’t die.)

Self interest aside, companies such as ours and others, are an essential part of the radio food chain. And to our clients credit during the recession, they understood that and kept working with us throughout the fallout. We could not be more grateful. And we know how hard it was for them, especially when added pressure of the ‘buy American’ movement came along as a result of 2008. Not only did these companies get pressure to drop ALL outside contracts, the ones that remained were pressured to be American-only…and i mean United States only.

It’s one of the reasons we increased our American voice talent roster recently. Since we have clients in the United States as well as in Canada, we have a voice-over team who reflects that, with careers and experience across both countries. Each voice talent has been well versed in local pronunciations for either side of the border and we can now claim to have enough American talent of origin to be considered properly under the “Buy American” movement.

Anything we can do to help our valued clients is what we will do…and one day i hope we can amend it to the “Buy NORTH American’ movement.

Be aware of your surroundings

December 16, 2014Commercials, Generalannouncers, audio production, creative radio, radio, radio account executives, radio production, radio sales, radio scripts, radio stations, script writing, scripts, targeted advertising, television, voice over artists, voice talentOvernight Radio

“Be aware of your surroundings”…

My fathers mantra. I can still hear him say it. It was almost a daily occurrence now that i think about it. I am sure it’s because i was a moronic teenager with a mullet, rockin’ out to the latest scorpions album…believing that they rocked only with hurricane’s…but i digress.

i must have looked pretty strange to him…but he saw something in me, something that might be able to be aware of what’s going on around him…and not just whats going on inside of himself. i am glad he did…because he was right…well, sort of.

i am very much aware of my inner thoughts, but because of him, i am very much aware of what’s going on around me, or at least, i would testify to that under oath in a court of law.

for me, knowing what’s going on around me is tantamount to intelligence. the more you know, the more it shows you want to know, which (to me) is intelligence. the want, the need to know more.

it is why i am always impressed by a voice talent who is able to leap from one read to another. one who knows NOT to voice a disclaimer the same way as the rest of the commercial (it’s a very specific sound and speed), one who can overcome their own neurosis and scream when it’s needed, one who can do a warm, loving read without thinking it comes off as cheesy.

we work with a lot of voice talent here obviously and we only work with the best. i am always impressed by what our team understands about the script placed in front of them. if the script calls for a goofy read, then a goofy read it is! if it requires a manly voice to sound vulnerable, then mr. mann softsell to the rescue.

but this talent is not inherited. this talent is learned. you have to WANT to know how to do this. and you can always tell the people who are not aware of their surroundings. who haven’t learned how to voice a disclaimer, or who can’t do a softsell, because they only have one read…say, a hardsell…and it’s totally ROCKIN (with a hurricane)…but it’s that and only that.

for me, anyone can do any read…the only difference is the sound of the voice. so if you find yourself being asked to do a particular read, maybe ask yourself if you really know what it is to do this read.

it sounds ridiculous, not knowing how to do something you hear and see every day…but in my experience, this is prevalent in the majority of voice talent i have come across.

it’s an interesting phenomenon, as we all suffer from it in some degrees.

for me, it’s fashion. i see a 3/4 length t-shirt, and to me, it looks great! to my wife, it looks super-80’s…so i now know that i cannot see good fashion right in front of me. i realize now, i need her help. but for a long time, i thought i knew what worked. only till someone said something, did i know to ask for help.

if you can’t do something (and you have been made aware of it), the best thing to do is ask for help. everyone is willing to help…it’s a very human trait to want to give advice. and i must say, that advice is the one thing you can’t get enough of. first of all, it’s free…and even though you can probably only use about 10 percent of it, it’s still well worth the price.

if you are just starting out, and you get a script with a disclaimer in it…and you read it the same way as the rest of the commercial…please take my advice…you are reading it wrong. if you are reading a hardsell spot, and you DIDN’T have to get the producer to turn down the gain on your mic channel, you are reading it wrong.

There are certain ways to read certain scripts, things people expect…things people deserve…things an audience would describe as respect. know your product…know what and how to read a script. and if you don’t…ask…there will be a million people ready to answer your question, and you only need to use some of them…it’s a great deal.

i do understand though…it’s hard not to see things from your point of view only…i REALLY want to rock my office outfit like a hurricane at my next staff meeting…but my wife says i am making a mistake. due to her track record, i will heed her warnings and cover my 3/4 length sleeve with a sport jacket.

bottom line: if you are a seasoned pro, lend hand to someone who is just starting out, newbies are all around you, become aware of them…and help them become aware of their surroundings.