Royalty-free Music. If you're in the market for fresh music for your production library look at Fresh Music based in Hanover, NH. You can download a single song with 2 to 4 versions for $27, or download a CD. For $189 you'll receive 5 CDs' worth (about 50 tracks). They have over 2000 tracks (125 CDs) to choose from.
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You can contribute recordings! International Dialects of English Archives, or IDEA, is an invaluable resource for actors and anyone else who needs or wants to hear what English sounds like spoken in different regions of the English-speaking world or by non-native speakers. Founded by Paul Meier, voice artist, dialect coach and Professor of Theatre and Film at the University of Kansas, the Archives is the work of many, and more contributions are needed. Those of you with recording studios are equipped to contribute and if it interests you, please see the instructions on Becoming an Editor or Submit Your Own Recording. I especially appeal to those of you in Louisiana who might be able to record the Cajun dialect! All good-quality recordings would be welcome additions to this extraordinary project. ___________________________________________________________________

Preservation of Digital Art. Not all the digital work we do is art (but a lot of it is - it's just art that generates money), but some of the same challenges apply. Will your award-winning commercial that you've lovingly preserved as an mpeg still be accessible in 10 or 20 years? This story on NPR's Morning Edition 29 March 2007 addresses that question.
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MCM News
a few highlights

Easter's on its way.. . and I am the Easter bunny! At least, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula I am. Bottom Line Marketing of Escanaba, Michigan produces advertising campaigns that are "disruptively different" and they are great fun to work with. You can hear the bunny spot here. The spot they asked me to do for Hilltop RV Superstore of Escanaba should be available soon on my air checks page.

Welcome to new client Advertus Media of Westfield, MA. I first contacted Adam Wright at Advertus two years ago and he wrote me that he would be "happy to keep you on file should the need arise". The need finally arose - illustrating the value of keeping in touch - and the result is this beautiful piece for Wing Memorial Hospital on the importance of regular mammograms. Great work, Adam!

Adopt a greyhound. It was an honor to work with Cody Young, a student completing an Associates degree in Media Arts at Collins College in Phoenix. For his final project he produced a PSA for Racing Home Greyhound Adoption for which I provided the voiceover - currently viewable on Youtube. Cody will continue at Collins for a B.A. and is especially interested in editing, motion graphics and special effects. He plans eventually to have his own production company.

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Birds tell on you. A voice-over colleague posted a new commercial demo recently. Very nice stuff. He included a piece on Costa Rican travel with the lovely, haunting voice of a Common Loon in the background. Anybody see anything amiss with that? (hint: the Common Loon is the State Bird of Minnesota). Ask me how you can avoid avian bloopers!

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That's all for this month.

Keep moving forward -

Mary C. McKitrick
Drop me a line!
413-320-1181

© Mary C. McKitrick, 2007. All rights reserved.