NANCY WOLFSON GRADUATES????

Dana Baron · **Voice Talent** Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 1

I'm Dana Lyn Baron, and I have been a client of Nancy Wolfson's for a couple years now. She also produced my commercial demo almost a year and a half ago. Here's what I know of her: she's relentlessly honest with her clients. She doesn't let them get away with any B.S. She knows the voice over industry inside & out. Her advice & instruction is worth EVERY PENNY. No WONDER she is in such high-demand!
Here are some results of my work with her: I have representation NOT ONLY in Los Angeles, CA, but also with several regional agencies. I am now MAKING MY LIVING at voice-overs, and I thank Nancy for being a BIG part of my success.
Obviously, we the Talent must "deliver the goods" in the end, but the guidance we receive from our teachers & mentors BEFORE we get into that booth is CRUCIAL. Nancy provides that guidance.
There is a handful of TOP NOTCH teachers out there (Nancy has said as much). It is our job, as professionals, to continue upping our skills & keep abreast of changes in the trends of our industry. We GO to these TOP people to keep it up. Nancy is, hands down, one of the people you go to in this town.
Someone digging for negative comments about this woman is either a) Green with a capital G or b) has a major chip on their shoulder.
Wise up. Nonie can work with Nancy Wolfson or not. Obviously, it's her choice. One of the things I've really grown to LOVE about the voice-over world is that it's filled with ADULTS. People who take their craft seriously & RESPECT their fellow artists & teachers. Nonie could stand to learn something about this.

Rachel Robinson · **Voice Talent** Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

I'm going to heartily agree with Adam, Bob and Dana; not only on the subject of how useless it is to troll for negative commentary, but also to intimate that this is a BUSINESS. We are all buying and selling product here; and it is neither fair nor reasonable to expect someone to give away a valuable service that ultimately helps us; and helps us to help ourselves. You wouldn't want someone who wants to use your voice, your editing, your talent, and your precious time in wretched excess of what they're willing to pay you (on occasion, something pitifully small) and nor can Nancy be expected to give her time away. She is frightfully busy and often works twelve hour days - not to pocket your hard-earned money but to help you learn how to EARN MORE OF IT. As for feeling like a 'number', try to understand how you'd feel if you had five minutes between appointments and someone wanted to chat it up with you or ask you to drop an hour just for the hell of it. She's not doing it to be offensive, she's doing it to be effective and efficient. I credit a huge portion of my success and my visibility in the voice over world to Nancy, and have the accolades to prove it - not the least of which is landing the gig for the new voice of Coca-Cola. If I had to do it all over again, I would have gone to Nancy Wolfson before I'd seen anyone else.

Blaine W. Parker, Jr. · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 2

Short Answer: Nancy rocks. Use her. End of story.

Long Answer: Settle in. This'll take a minute or two. I can tell you about my experience, and the feedback from people I've referred.

I was good before visiting Nancy. I'm better for having been there. So is my demo. (Or, I should say, demos. I've done both commercial and narration demos with her.)

Her one-on-one sessions are about the same price as a session with a good shrink, and infinitely more usable. Her price for a demo is also very reasonable, considering what you actually get. (There are people in LA that love to keep you hanging on for endless classes, and charge a fortune for a demo.)

I've recommended Nancy to several VO people I know. One fellow (many years experience, and who is trained as an opera singer) has been doing phoners with her from North Carolina.

One afternoon, my cell phone rang. It was him. He sounded a little odd, like his word had just shifted. He said, "I had to call you because I didn't know who else to talk to. I just finished my first session with Nancy. Wow." Nancy admitted to him that he had excellent chops, then proceeded to turn his brain inside out. He couldn't believe it was possible to get that much out of a single hour--least of all on the telephone.

I also sent a radio sales manager to her. He runs a small station in SoCal's Inland Empire. He was doing a lot of VO for his clients, and the work was brutal. I implored him to see Nancy. After one session, his performance was remarkably improved. He'll probably never be a VO pro, but he's eminently more listenable. He, too, is effusive in his thanks for the referral. (Which always cracks me up. You'd think the way these guys gush, I'd actually paid for the session.)

There's another VO guy here in LA who sounds a bit like me. I referred him to Nancy. Not only does his demo now sound nothing like me, I'm a little worried that he actually sounds better than me.

If her emails seem enthusiastic, well, that's the way it goes. She's very much an A-type. She's excited, enthusiastic, and a staunch ally. She also remains one of the greatest champions for my career despite the fact that I haven't paid her a cent for anything in well over a year.

As for no free consultations, so it goes. Them's the breaks. A lot of extremely busy, in-demand professionals don't offer a freebie. An argument can certainly be made for the strategic marketing value of free initial consultations and money-back guarantees. But look at the woman's website. I don't know a lot of consultants who can serve up a portfolio like that.

And she's definitely not sitting on her hands, waiting for new clients. When I started with her a couple years ago, appointments could be made about a week out. These days, it's more like three weeks out. And her rate is higher as well. People like working with a winner.

The way I look at it, this is my craft. It's how I pay my mortgage. It's worth every penny I've spent. That said, Nancy won't be for everybody. I can speak only to my own experience and that of the people I've referred. Find what works for you. There are a lot of people out there doing this kind of work. I've worked with many of them. After more than a decade in the business, this is the only VO resource I can recommend unflinchingly.

Hope that helps.

Cheers, all.

--Blaine Parker

Dana Rosario · **Voice Talent** Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 2

Blaine W. Parker, Jr. · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 2

Is Nonie really fishing for *negative* comments?

Or is she fishing for any and all comments?

She certainly sounds like she's considering giving it another shot.

And let's face it--charlatans abound. I've paid good money to some of 'em. (Drill down into Nancy's website, though, you can tell pretty quickly: it's a dry hole if you're looking for snake oil.)

Interestingly, one of the kickers for me was the same as for my Realtor, who's equally excellent: the education. Nancy went to Vassar. (He didn't go to Vassar, though he might've enjoyed it. He was a Phi Betta Kappa pre-med with a 3.7 GPA before he got into real estate. Even better, he didn't have a headshot.)

What's also amusing here is the profusion of obvious, Nancy Wolfson grads chiming in. Look at all those cool CD cover graphics. (Thank you, Jason Sikes at Village Green Studios.)

bp

Jeff Minnerly · **Voice Talent** Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 1

As someone who studied under Nancy Wolfson I can attest to what folks like Adam, Blaine, Rachel, Dana (both) and Bob are saying. I do not post on here but I will have to chime in on this. I can say this with 100% assurance-I would not be where I am today without the guidance of Nancy Wolfson. I studied via the phone with her a couple years ago after searching for the best teacher I could find. I have not once regretted my choice-not once. She is without a doubt the best in the biz. Yes, she is busy, the best in their field are. I have been kept very busy the last 2 years in my market after completeing my studies and demo with Nancy. My results speak for themselves as to what Nancy brings to the dance as far as coaching and guidance. Like many other Braintrack grads, I have pointed lots of fellow voice over friends to her and each one has raved about her and how she relates to them. She is the real deal, make no mistake about that. Generous, brilliant and very caring about her students.
Nonie, the phone studies work. I am proof. Nancy Wolfson rocks!

Jason Bowers · **Voice Talent** Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 1

It's good to see a lot of people coming to Nancy Wolfson's defense. Nancy is, hands-down, the best in the biz at what she does. I've been lucky enough to study with her in person as I'm in LA (where I work on the radio... yes I'm on the air in market 2 and I went to Nancy because she'd have me up and running for commercial VO in no time), but I'm sure the experience would be just as good doing a phoner. Think about it: a lot of VO these days is done via ISDN, so it's really no different than getting direction from the spot's producer who is in another city.

Also, having seen Nancy at work in person, I can attest that she really is THAT busy. I've never seen anyone who is better at time management while still being able to give 200% during a coaching session. $130 for her time is a bargain... I believe somebody else posted here about acting professionally and she will take care of you, and I can second that. As Nancy is as good at her job as I've been saying, casting and agents often come to her for help in finding the people that they need. Nancy has referred me for a number of jobs (and many of them have panned out).

Christopher Amodeo · **Voice Talent** Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 2

I would like to speak directly to the fishing
expedition launched, seemingly, in search of
reinforcement of some obvious misperceptions about
Nancy Wolfson. I would encourage you to stop. It
doesn't feel right to me that you're going down this
path...and so soon. Shifting out of this critical
place might very well be the best thing you can do to
further your potential voiceover career. We humans
have a tendency to fill in our "gaps" of information
with our own projections. Your negative experience may
have very little to do with Nancy. I am suggesting
this because having worked with Nancy for the last two
years I have an entirely different sense of who she is
than the one being proffered on your blog.

Nancy is an extraordinary teacher. I've gone from
being a complete neophyte to a WORKING professional
with a number of T.V. spots, including Blu-Ray,
DirecTV and Sybase in less than two years. I couldn't
have done it without the work I've done with Nancy
Wolfson. By the way, I've done many sessions with her
over the phone which were no less beneficial than
getting in the booth in front of her.

She is the consumate maestro of voiceover. She is
meticulous, has great insight and knows how to
maximally cultivate your intrinsic vocal capacity.
What Nancy does NOT do is coddle. Coddling won't get
you where you want to go in this biz anyway. She is in
high demand (for a reason) and, therefore, really hard
to get in to see sometimes, even for long-time
students. This isn't personal. She's that good and
she's that busy. AND this is Hollywood for crying out
loud! It is a very frenetic, demanding world and you
are seeking entre'. She is the guru. Hold up the
mirror to find out the issues.The truth is that you
would be fortunate to have the chance to work with her
because she could really help you.

We work in, or are wanting to work in, a field that
seems to require a delicate balance of ego. Not too
much, not to little. My own experience bears this out,
so, this is all been MY projection, too. I've done my
share of whining...I've just wisely limited it to
friends in lieu of blogs.My friends, btw, tell me to
quit whining!!

I'm convinced that there's enough ot there for
everyone.

Sincerely,

Christopher Amodeo

Lauren Karl · **Voice Talent** Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

I just wanted to say that I have only amazing things to say about Nancy because of her I have booked many commercials including Nationals. I also want to point out that she is a very smart business woman as well. That is why she can't just give out free information because people would eat her alive because of the valuable information she knows. It is like being a lawyer, which my dad is, you pay them by the hour for there information and advice. Remember good things like that don't come for free. So my advice is to think about the real reason why she is so busy and it is because she is in high demand because she is one of the best at what she does. So instead of thinking negatively as to why it is hard to get an appointment, be happy for her that she is in so high demand and I think that will tell you that clearly she is doing something right.

Debbie Deutsch · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 1338

This is the most fascinating thread! Thanks everyone for your perspective on these issues... Debbie Deutsch Very Happy

Janet Ivey · **Voice Talent** Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 1

I live in Nashville and found Nancy via the web in 2003. I began taking over the phone coaching sessions and she subsequently produced my demo. I have a fantastic client base now and truly believe that the leap in my voice-over work is indelibly connected to my work with Nancy.

She really is one busy lady, but entirely worth the wait to take a class with her and entirely worth her fee.

The great thing about Nancy is that she really is your advocate in this very competitive field. If she feels you are right for a job that comes into her periphery, she makes a way for you to audition.

I have found that more than talent, more than a great demo, this business is ultimately about relationships. So, give Nancy a call, take a class. She really is a rock star in the VO realm!

Janet Ivey
Nashville, TN

Caryn Clark · **Voice Talent** Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 1000

This IS a great thread!! Wow... all good stuff!! I'm glad to know of yet another resource like Nancy Wolfson myself. I enjoyed working with Peter Rofe'. My VO coaches have all said that there's nothing wrong with utilizing more than one coach for various times in your career, or types of study.

Thanks everyone for the testimonials. I'm going to find her site right now and check her out!!! THANKS!

Naomi Mercer · **Voice Talent** Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 1

I studied with Nancy Wolfson, produced a demo with her and signed with a voice over agency in the top 5 in Los Angeles. I also got other meetings with other agencies so I was able to choose who I went with. I am certain that I would have had much slimmer chances of signing with an agency if I'd studied with anyone else. Agencies look for her name on demos because they can count on them being made on the level they've come to expect.

If you want to work in the voice over field, Nancy has really cracked the code for giving a read that is what the writer wants to hear. So, if you pay top-dollar for top-of-the-line training, and you then book high-paying work, isn't that worth it? If you pay some cheap fair for a cheaper, less reputable class then, you might get lucky, but you probably won't sign with a good agent and you probably won't book. Therefore, the latter option would cost you more money at the end of the day.

I give Nancy my highest recommendation. She does the work! I'm serious, she works hard for that high rate she charges. She listens to your reads during classes while she's coaching you, deciphers your branding, WRITES your demo (lots of other people don't do this, they just use old commercials), helps you put together your whole branding package, and even writes your "seeking representation" letter in accordance with your branding. It was so worth the money to me so that I didn't have to write that letter from scratch--I really hate/suck at that part.

If you want to work, Nancy Wolfson is an excellent investment in your career.

Naomi Mercer

Joe J Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1521

I can't say enough about her.
When I started, I was a 98 pound weakling, and now I have abs of steel!
She cured my male pattern baldness, improved my investment opportunities, an deepened my relationship with loved ones.
She's so awesome, I've given up sliced bread!
Better than CATS, I'll use her again and again and again...

Ok, gang.

So, I don't know anything about Nancy.

What I do know is that a lot of the postings here read like a testimonial commercial, and many of the posters have only posted once...

Just sayin',
Joe

Nonie Craige · **Voice Talent** Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 46

Wow, First, I asked for some honest feed back about this Wolfson person as I am new to this business and don't know her from Adam, Adam, no pun intended. I am looking for guidance, not an argument, I am the last person to be negative, by the way.

Bob, I was not "fishing" for anything except some info about who this Nancy person was and I must say that I am really pleased with the info people are giving me, about her and about the positive experiences of phone work in general with a really good person, such as Nancy.

I have been working with an excellent private voiceover in Manhattan (in-person)and he is a stickler so I know what you mean, very very important to work with someone who demands the best!

I am just starting to do demos and now I have a very "good" feeling now about working with Nancy, so thank you again for those honest responses. She will be someone else who I can turn to who appears to be "the best" from this feed back, the best is very very good.
My best,
Nonie