Well, reluctantly I found myself (with a gun held to my head from OH) puting the heating on for the first time this Autumn. Only a smidgen though, hour in the morning, hour in the evening - watching the pennies.
A broadcaster friend of mine insists on wearing t-shirt and shorts for as long as possible each year, usually between the months of April and end of October, longer if he can stand the legs going blue. Furthermore, the sandals (without socks) are well worn.
As you probably know from previous posts and profile, as well as freelance (whoever will have me disgrace their station airwaves) radio broadcaster, I'm a voice-over artist. My technical set-up is simple, as is often the case when VOs have their own studio facilities. Some go out into the damp shed to record their work, some in the spare bedroom, some even in the downstairs loo - I would have thought this may not be the best idea for acoustics - what with all that ceramic!
I choose the option of a walk-in wardrobe, so I pull back the shirts, skirts and dresses (that's just my collection), and in goes the mic, with perfect soundproofing all around. I then close the door behind me, and hey presto, I'm good to go.
Every year, and for the last two years in Hinkley in Leicestershire, there is a large voice-over get-together/drunken mess of egos selling their voice skills, gaining new contacts and mixing with some legends in the business, and last year I met some jolly nice, and down-to-earth voice artists like Natalie Cooper. She's been in the business since God was a boy, and voices for....well...an abundance of radio and TV clients. As well as juggling domestic harmony with work, she travels, and has recently returned from California where she was a guest presenter, spouting about all the goodness of being a voice-over artist and her experiences.
If you're a voice amateur or professional, live in or near Wiltshire, and would like a good old natter with like-minded voice nerds, then you can tweet me @Roger_Clarke, I'll add your name to the list, and we'll arrange a gathering with drinks and polishing halos!
