Today we’d like to introduce you to Cliff Zellman.
Hi Cliff, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Many audio engineers and producers like myself began honing their craft as early as elementary school. Some of them were the kids on the “projection crew”, wheeling in the carts holding the 16mm projectors and a bird’s nest of cables and electrical plugs just so the rest of the class could sit through yet another viewing of “How Green Was My Valley” or the ever-popular “Nature’s Half Acre”, (narrated by the late, great Winston Hibler).
I was born in Los Angeles and in 1968, I was one of those kids setting up the gear, hitting the power switch, and watching the beast come alive. I loved the smell of the dust resting on the bulb as it heated to approximately that of the surface of the Sun… I loved all of it. But my favorite thing was listening to the incredible narrations. I hung on every word. I envisioned the recording studio and men wearing white dress shirts, black horned rim glasses, and plastic pocket protectors eyeing their meters. 45 years later I can still hear Mr. Hibler’s perfect interpretation of ”Now run along there little fella”.
Then came junior high school drama class, high school theater production and speech classes, electric shop, guitar player in a string of garage bands, and… the Radio Club! We built a small transmitter in electric shop and although it only had a 3-block broadcasting radius, we were talking to the world! We didn’t really care that no one was listening… we were talking! That was then and that was a good thing. We didn’t have sponsors or “gofundme.com… We loved it, we did it. We had a passion.
2 years into college, I left and enrolled in University of Sound Arts. It was a great learning experience and the very definition of instant gratification. I was an audio engineer! Only cost me 6 grand. As soon as I completed the program, I was hired as an assistant engineer in Studio City. That began a 17-year run as a rock and roll engineer, 15 of those years as the Chief Audio Engineer for Fidelity Studios between 1980 – 1995… A dangerous time. Infamous, to say the least. My last 5 years in L.A. was focused on recording voice actors for animated tv series’, aka Saturday morning cartoons. From Disney to DIC to Saban. It was very intense. I was working with the best of the best. I learned more than I could have possibly imagined just sitting next to some of the best animation directors on the planet. All I did was throw faders and absorb everything. As the engineer, I was right in the middle of the talent and the director. I felt and saw everything…. what was working and what wasn’t.
In 1995 our family moved to Dallas. We had a number of great reasons, some being to be closer to my brother, getting out of the crazy L.A. scene, recover from the ’94 earthquake and the cost of living was unbelievable. There was a good studio scene and I had a few offers.
Within a month I was brought in to RadioVision, an aggressive N. Texas ad agency specializing in automotive, as Director of Audio Production/Client Creative Services. I directed the Voice Talent, recorded, edited, and mixed the production. We did anywhere from 8 to 12 TV/Radio spots a day! This lasted 25 years. We went from old-timey reel to reel recorders to state-of-the-art digital studios within 5 years. They were extremely supportive in staying up to date and technically competitive. I was in heaven.
In 2004, I started the Dallas Voice Acting Meet Up Group, I have seen the explosion of people with a desire to pursue the “career” of a professional voice actor. Their reasons are as varied as their background and abilities. Unfortunately, many of these newcomers arrive thinking it is an easy way to quickly supplement their income. I hold my tongue and allow them to demonstrate their abilities before the lecture begins…
I then discovered the “Voice Over Convention” world. All over the country groups hold conventions covering all aspects of voice-over. There are speakers, students, sponsors, and fans. Sometimes the attendance can exceed 800 people!
I was asked to speak and hold workshops focusing on VoiceOver for Automotive. Since my first one back in 2008. I have spoken/taught at 9 VO Atlantas, 7 Faffcons, 2 VO Intensives, over 160 DVA Meet Ups, held over a dozen Dallas workshops, and appeared on dozens of VO Webinars and podcast. I have been fortunate to be a 7-time nominee for a Society of Voice Arts and Science Awards, Maybe I’ll win one next year!
I have been married to the same wonder woman, JoAnn, for almost 35 years and have 2 beautiful daughters, 28 & 20, and an amazing Border Collie named Lillie. Good girl!!!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I have been very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time on many, many occasions.
However, one of the challenges back in the day was to stay focused and not be seduced into the rock and roll lifestyle. The competition is fierce. Proving yourself day in and day out is exhausting to say the least. It doesn’t matter how you feel come downbeat. You have to be at the top of your game.
Another huge challenge is managing work and family time and even making time to just do nothing, in my earlier years, it was not uncommon to work 30 straight hours in the studio, that makes for no life. I missed countless family parties and get-togethers because I was “booked”.
A challenge I face often is telling a newcomer to the VO industry that they are not ready to produce a professional demo. I will not produce a demo if it won’t be advantageous to the talent. I will suggest a qualified coach to help them develop their skills further. Some are rather offended but usually end up thanking me in the end. If you are new to VoiceOver, please take it slowly, methodically. There is NO rush. The only shortcut is doing it the right way the first time. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, if you’re doing this because you need the cash…. forget it. Wrong reason and a surefire recipe for failure.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For over 45 years, I have been a Producer, Director, Audio Engineer, Editor, and pretty much recorded, just about anything & everything audio. My firm foundation in music has been instrumental (Pun intended) in my success on the “other side of the glass”.
I am very fortunate to have been dubbed the “Automotive Guy” within the Voice Over industry. This is a brand that was earned after producing over 22,000 car spots for 25 years with RadioVision. I continue to cast voices for my automotive clients across the country.
Within 2 months of my departure from RV, I was asked to join ACM Talent as Director of Talent Development for the newly established automotive division. ACM is a highly respected talent agency representing top-shelf voice actors around the world.
At the same time, I begin focusing on demo production for professional voice talent interested in automotive. I coach, write the scripts and direct the talent through the process. Then I do the final audio production and mix to create a 60+ second demo consisting of 6 or seven short selections spotlighting the acting skills, originality, versatility, and overall awesomeness of the talent. There is no difference in production quality between the demos I produce and a nationally produced automotive commercial. I have produce around 135 demos to date.
Since Covid, all sessions I’ve produced are done via Zoom and the recording is taking place at the talent’s professional home studio. After each session, they deliver the audio file via the web. There are many file transfers services available. This has really opened the doors to working with talent across the globe.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Thinking back on the many samurai movies I watched with my grade school buddies, what really stood out to me was the hero’s past… what he had to do to get where he is. Continually dipping his hands into hot ashes, strengthening them and his mind to later take on wood and bricks. Shooting bow & arrow while guiding a speeding horse. Hours of physical and mental training day in, day out for what seemed like an eternity. And always having a Sensei. There is a good reason you don’t have the same professor for four years of college. We must learn from many. Some of my “Sensei” didn’t have a clue as to the impact they made on my career decisions, successes, and failures. I am grateful to Mr. Rosenthal, my 8th-grade electric shop teacher, Mr. Baden from metal shop, Mrs. Yanuck, the high school drama teacher, and especially Mr. Usem, the 4th-grade projection crew teacher who entrusted me with the safe delivery, set up, and return of his “precious equipment”. I may not have had to put my hands in hot ashes, but I did burn my fingers many times on the hot projector grill. I am grateful for the blisters.
Contact Info:
- Email: cliff@a-mazingdemos.com
- Website: www.a-mazingdemos.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cliff.zellman
