Voice is God Gifted, yes it true and fact, but it can be trained, this also a fact. Nobody is a born singer or narrator or voice artiste, yes he/she may have a sweet, melodious voice by birth but still his/her voice needs to be trained enough to modulate, variate and able to perform professionally for required time. I am here to tell you about tips on how to improve your voice ( for voicing, dubbing, mimicry) so that you are able to have more base, uncharred, rhythmatic voice and have some control over your throat to produce variation and modulation in your voice as and when necessary. What ever you want to become in voicing arena, be it voice over artiste, dunning artist, mimicry artiste, performing actor, you need to modulate your voice according to the mood of the script. This is the first requirement of being a professional voice artiste. Anyway, lets begin with the training.
1. Like what a singer does every morning called "Riyaaz" you should also do the same every morning. You can take "Sa" only of Sa Re Ga Ma and then take a deep breath and start reciting "Sa" with your full base voice till your breath ends. Keep in mind you have to inhale fully and should go on saying "Sa" till the end of your breath in a continuous pitch without any breaks, variation or modulation of your voice. This will not only help you in having good base voice but also increase your voicing stamina.
2. If Main/Lead Voice Over is your target, you should everyday practice atleast two scripts with proper diction, pronunciation, modulation (as & when). If you do not have the stamina you may lose your voice in a lengthy script, that is your voice may be bold, enthusiastic, fresh in the first quarter of the script and may get tired or becomes low in the end. This is called the stamina of Voice, to remain one till the end specially in the case of background lead voice overs or narrators for documentaries or audio visuals. Similarly for other voicing fields, mimicry, stand up comedy, cartoon dubbings, simple dubbings etc. Record your voice everyday and listen. Everyday you will notice some improvement.
3. Yoga plays a very important role in keeping your throat & voice healthy. Everyday chanting of "OM" for 10 minutes will give similar positive results as mentioned in point number one. You can also perform other Asanas for throat as "Singasana" and "Bharamri Pranayam" which will clear your throat and keep you away from all problems.
4. One more Yog asana which is the most effective is 'Ujjhayani Pranayam' where full throat is contracted inside, and a sound is produced in reverse, that is you are producing sound by inhaling in through nose but throat is fully contracted and lips closed. When you breathe in fully, after that you release your throat muscles and release the breath through the left nostril, by holding the right nostril with your right thumb. A very effective way to exercise your tonsils.
5. To have a good feel of your voice and make it more fluent, one of a prestigious voice artiste once told me his secret which I am sharing with you, to speak 'om' or simple 'Aaaah' in an earthen pot or a 'mutka'. You can also practice your scripts like this before appearing for an audition or final recordings.
6. Stay away from very cold things, beverages, aerated waters, chocolates, pickles, chillies and anything very sour. Chocolates, Toffees and other paste like things form a layer on your tonsils, exposing it to infections. If you eat occasionally do try to clear your throat and I hope you all brush your teeth before sleeping. Try to gargle your throat by simple Ayurvedic Gargle Concentrate, diluted in warm water before going to bed everyday. This would minimize any chances for infection while you are in your sleep.
Radio Jockey
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Eligibility and Career Opportunities
ELIGIBILITY: Radio Jockeying is a talent based field. Even though no formal educational qualification is required, a degree or at least plus two is generally a pre requisite.
The most essential factor for a Radio Jockey is a good voice with the ability to modulate as per the occasion. Apart from that, an RJ should have a clear diction, accurate pronunciation, flare and fluency in the language. They should be able to control the pitches of their voice and learn to use them to the best effect. Another distinguishing characteristic to become a successful radio jockey is the speed of response, good sense of humour, individuality, creativity of mind, spontaneity and an intensive knowledge of music. Successful RJs have the ability to twist and turn their speech according to the situation.
Staying updated is very important for a radio jockey. An RJ needs to keep track of the happenings in and around the city. People will enjoy listening to an RJ, if they can sound different on the show. So qualities like mimicry, local dialects and comedy or humor items will help the RJ to carry on their shows
Personal Skills - Radio Jockeys should be diplomatic in character as they have to interact with people of different nature. They must maintain a down-to-earth and approachable attitude so that listeners can comfortably make calls and speak their hearts out.
REMUNERATION : Radio Jockeys are in much demand with the opening of the air waves to the private sector. The beginners in the initial stage can earn between Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 15,000 per month. For sponsored programs, software producing companies may pay between Rs 1400 to Rs 2500 per show.
After a few years of experience, the earnings can be raised double and depending on the popularity of their shows, RJ's can earn between Rs 15,000 up to Rs 85,000 per month. If you are recognised, then you will have all the right to demand your own price.
As a radio jockey, besides getting contractual good money you earn by doing Ad commercials. You can earn more by doing voice-overs for television and radio advertisements. RJ's can earn Rs 2,000-3,000 per hour by doing shows for the Indian diaspora on foreign radio. Another well-paid and upcoming option is radio broadcasting on the Net, which could earn you between Rs 40,000 to 50,000 per month.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES :
The career opportunity for a radio-jockey or programme presenter is increasing day-by-day with the advent of private FM channels, community radio stations and government owned local FM radio stations (LRSs) of All India Radio. The government in its phase-II expansion plan of FM radio has given license to as many as 337 FM radio stations in 91 cities. That means every major city is going to have more than one FM channel in the very near future. Metro cities are already having two or more FM channels.
The Indira Gandhi National Open University is also going to recruit its own announcers/compere for their exclusive radio channel Gyanvani. A radio jockey may earn from Rs. 8000=00 to 15000=00 depending upon the ability and skills and fulfilling the requirement of the employer.
Apart from the regular employment, there are opportuni-ties as casual or part time announcers or compere.
The most essential factor for a Radio Jockey is a good voice with the ability to modulate as per the occasion. Apart from that, an RJ should have a clear diction, accurate pronunciation, flare and fluency in the language. They should be able to control the pitches of their voice and learn to use them to the best effect. Another distinguishing characteristic to become a successful radio jockey is the speed of response, good sense of humour, individuality, creativity of mind, spontaneity and an intensive knowledge of music. Successful RJs have the ability to twist and turn their speech according to the situation.
Staying updated is very important for a radio jockey. An RJ needs to keep track of the happenings in and around the city. People will enjoy listening to an RJ, if they can sound different on the show. So qualities like mimicry, local dialects and comedy or humor items will help the RJ to carry on their shows
Personal Skills - Radio Jockeys should be diplomatic in character as they have to interact with people of different nature. They must maintain a down-to-earth and approachable attitude so that listeners can comfortably make calls and speak their hearts out.
REMUNERATION : Radio Jockeys are in much demand with the opening of the air waves to the private sector. The beginners in the initial stage can earn between Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 15,000 per month. For sponsored programs, software producing companies may pay between Rs 1400 to Rs 2500 per show.
After a few years of experience, the earnings can be raised double and depending on the popularity of their shows, RJ's can earn between Rs 15,000 up to Rs 85,000 per month. If you are recognised, then you will have all the right to demand your own price.
As a radio jockey, besides getting contractual good money you earn by doing Ad commercials. You can earn more by doing voice-overs for television and radio advertisements. RJ's can earn Rs 2,000-3,000 per hour by doing shows for the Indian diaspora on foreign radio. Another well-paid and upcoming option is radio broadcasting on the Net, which could earn you between Rs 40,000 to 50,000 per month.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES :
The career opportunity for a radio-jockey or programme presenter is increasing day-by-day with the advent of private FM channels, community radio stations and government owned local FM radio stations (LRSs) of All India Radio. The government in its phase-II expansion plan of FM radio has given license to as many as 337 FM radio stations in 91 cities. That means every major city is going to have more than one FM channel in the very near future. Metro cities are already having two or more FM channels.
The Indira Gandhi National Open University is also going to recruit its own announcers/compere for their exclusive radio channel Gyanvani. A radio jockey may earn from Rs. 8000=00 to 15000=00 depending upon the ability and skills and fulfilling the requirement of the employer.
Apart from the regular employment, there are opportuni-ties as casual or part time announcers or compere.
Katrina Priyanka at loggerheads
Bollywood's leading ladies Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif are set to battle it out to be India's youth icon.The two actresses, along with actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar as well as superstar Hrithik Roshan have been nominated in the entertainment category for the Videocon India Youth Icon Awards.
Versatile actor Rahul Bose has also been nominated for the youth icon award, but for his contribution towards social justice and welfare. Rahul is the founder of the NGO, The Foundation, which works for various issues like education and child abuse.
Conceptualised by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd in association with media partner Sahara India Media, the awards will be a platform to honour young individuals for their extraordinary contribution to society. It will be sponsored by Videocon.
Awards will be presented to people in categories like sports, technology, media, the arts, private entrepreneurship and politics apart from entertainment and social justice and welfare.
The nominations have been decided by a panel of experts including journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, filmmaker Shyam Benegal, tennis ace Leander Paes, renowned cardiologist Naresh Trehan, actor and social activist Shabana Azmi, singer Usha Uthup and Venugopal Dhoot, chairman of Videocon Industries Limited.
The winners will now be chosen through online voting and the awards will be distributed Sep 25.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Would Aamir and Shahrukh appear together ?
In what is probably the mother of all casting coups in Bollywood, SRK and Aamir might come together soon in a movie that has at its helm none other than Danny Boyle and Anurag Kashyap.
News is that both the Khans have been approached by Anurag Kashyap to work in his next project, 'Bombay Velvet'. Anurag is known for being a director with very high artistic integrity, his recent claims to fame being 'Dev D' and 'Gulaal'. Danny Boyle of 'Slumdog Millionaire' fame is said to be producing this venture- now we know what those talks with Aamir Khan was all about!
SRK and Aamir, as all of us would know, have a long history of bitter face-offs and cold wars and grudging public acknowledgements of each other's star power. The media has thrived on the Khan wars, and if this casting miracle is true, we're waiting for the mayhem this will unleash on television, in print and online!
The two Khans have been vociferous about the causes they believe in and have come together in a display of solidarity during the recent spat between producers and multiplex owners. And they have kept us entertained all the time, whether on screen or off it.
If they are individually responsible for fireworks at the box office, imagine what their cinematic union can do to Bollywood. We're keeping our fingers crossed and are eagerly waiting for the official confirmation.
Who's Harman ??????
Where is Mallika's ?
We may be seeing less and less of the Jat lady Mallika Sherwat lately, but behind her Twitter account she is actually shining… alteast by updating her status regularly. But what exactly she’s doing in the US? Last heard she’s doing a song and dance number for a Hollywood movie and walking the ramp for a known designer in Paris. Oh really? How about roping her in for some Sach Ka Sammna?Dil Bole Hadippa in Toronto. - Rani Mukharji
Its all about "film promotionke liye kuch bhi karega........
Rani again registering her presence with a fresh new slim trim sexy avtaar in Yashraj's" Dil Bole Hadippa"pairing up with Shahid Kapoor
giving tough competion to Bollywood's hot sexy babes.
giving tough competion to Bollywood's hot sexy babes.
Bollywood ‘bad boy’ Salman Khan eyes big screen comeback
Tuesday, 15 Sep, 2009
Bollywood actor Salman Khan displays a design by designers Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna at the Van Huesen India Mens Week 2009 in New Delhi, September 13, 2009. — AP Photo Media Gallery
‘I have realised that it is important to talk to the media,’ said Khan.
‘I feel if I keep silent, the media starts inventing stories about me, so it is better that I come out and talk on what kind of person I am rather than they telling others what kind of person I am.’
But Monday's Hindustan Times newspaper speculated that there may be another reason behind what it called Khan's ‘over-exposure’, suggesting that he might have ‘a lot more to lose’ if ‘Wanted’ flops.
Bollywood actor Salman Khan displays a design by designers Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna at the Van Huesen India Mens Week 2009 in New Delhi, September 13, 2009. — AP Photo Media Gallery On the catwalk in India Lost art?
Iconic images from Bollywood MUMBAI: After two years lying low following a string of box office flops, Bollywood's enigmatic ‘bad boy’ Salman Khan is set for a comeback, in three new films about to hit the big screen.
The first, ‘Wanted’, is out on Friday. The comedy ‘Main Aur Mrs Khanna’ (Me and Mrs Khanna) and ‘London Dreams’, about two friends who try to become rock stars in London, are set for release in the next two months.
Khan, 43, said he was confident ‘Wanted’ would succeed. The movie sees him play a gangster on the run from police — including a top cop played by veteran actor Om Puri — and from fellow gang members who want him dead.
‘It's the script of the film,’ he said. ‘It has all the ingredients of a Bollywood potboiler. When I read the script, I was 100 percent that it will click.’
Khan has been a controversial figure since he first broke into Bollywood in the late 1980s in the family drama ‘Biwi Ho To Aisi’ (A Wife Should Be Like This) and the romance ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ (I'm In Love).
He cemented himself as one of Bollywood's leading stars with hits such as ‘Bhaaghi: A Rebel For Love’, ‘Patthar Ke Phool’ (Stone Flowers), ‘Saajan’(Hearthrob) and ‘Hum Aapke Hain Kaun’ (Who Am I To You?) in the 1990s.
But in 1998, he spent more than a week in prison for killing endangered Indian gazelles in the northern state of Rajasthan, and four years later he was alleged to have killed a man in a drink-driving case in Mumbai.
After the runaway success of 2003's ‘Tere Naam’ (In Your Name), the last five years have seen more misses than hits for Khan, yet he has kept his high profile and fans through regular appearances on television game shows.
Khan, with his trademark slicked-back hair, two gold earrings and t-shirts designed to show off his bulging biceps, puts down his appeal to a lack of pretence.
‘I don't behave like a star when I'm on television. I look like a common man and also behave like them, therefore the serial is popular,’ he said.
Asked what went wrong with his career in the last two years, he added: ‘I feel it was the length of the films that went against me.
‘Today, Indian audiences don't have the patience for long films and therefore the films flopped because they were lengthy films.’
Khan's three new films have been accompanied by a blizzard of pre-publicity, astounding the Indian media who have become accustomed to their requests for interviews falling on deaf ears or being accepted only reluctantly.
Column inches have been dedicated instead to speculation on the keen body-builder's love life after he was pictured with a string of leading Bollywood actresses, including former Miss World Aishwarya Rai.
His current girlfriend is the model-turned-actress Katrina Kaif.‘I have realised that it is important to talk to the media,’ said Khan.
‘I feel if I keep silent, the media starts inventing stories about me, so it is better that I come out and talk on what kind of person I am rather than they telling others what kind of person I am.’
But Monday's Hindustan Times newspaper speculated that there may be another reason behind what it called Khan's ‘over-exposure’, suggesting that he might have ‘a lot more to lose’ if ‘Wanted’ flops.
Ayesha Takia's sister to enter Bollywood next year
Monday, 14 September , 2009, 13:53Bollywood actress-turned-businesswomen Ayesha Takia says her 21-year-old sister Natasha Takia is all set to enter the Hindi film industry next year. She wants her younger sibling to be welcomed by the audience like Kareena Kapoor was.
"My sister Natasha who is 21 will be in films next year. Hopefully, she'll be welcomed in the industry like other star sisters. I'm very excited for her. Let's hope her career works. She's preparing herself, working out ferociously. When I started out I had no clue about these things. At least now when they know I'm her sister they'll give her a chance," Ayesha said.
"There're so many beautiful girls in this country. Maybe they'll watch Natasha at least the first time because she's my sister. But there's the downside. They'll start comparing us. Audiences are so unforgiving. They give you one chance, and then they let go," she added.
Ayesha said she would like Natasha to be received like Kareena Kapoor, who became a bigger star than her elder sister Karisma. However, other star sisters like Tanisha (younger sister of Kajol) and Shamita Shetty (younger sister of Shilpa Shetty) were cold-shouldered by the audience.
Audiences would now get to see more of Natasha and less of Ayesha on the big screen as the latter has ventured into the business world.
"I've done it (films) for so long. I'm now enjoying making my own rules. I'm having a ball concentrating on business ventures. My first boutique hotel in Goa is on. We are hoping to start it this season," she said.
Are Bachchans taking sweet revenge with Shilpa
When Shilpa’s publicist Dale Bhagwagar publicly admitted for the first time that what his client was facing behind the four walls of the Big Brother house was indeed racism, he fired up a gigantic hype for her in UK media. Taking advantage of the sympathy-factor in the controversy, he hammered every move of hers in the media. This further generated a storm of public emotions, which was felt in India only after the whole hoopla was created abroad.
Resultantly, by the time Shilpa emerged a winner on the show, she was an icon, ‘the diva from India’ who had suddenly ‘replaced’ the Bachchans as the ‘face of Bollywood’.
Next year, the actress popularly went on to anchor Bigg Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother. Apparently, the bitterness of the Bachchans was clearly visible at the next IIFA Awards (with the Big B also being its ambassador) which co-incidentally took place in UK that year. It is said that the deafening chants for Shilpa Shetty, made the Bachchans insecure and embarrassed them, as they felt terribly ignored. To add to the awkwardness, a fan of Shilpa flew a mini airplane above the IIFA awards venue, tagged with a huge flying banner greeting her. No wonder, in spite of the Bachchan’s past affinity towards Shilpa, they kept distance from her during most of the event.
Two years have passed since then, but the Bachchans don’t seem to have forgotten the embarrassment. And now, in the strangest development of sorts, Amitabh Bachchan, the biggest star India has ever produced, is gearing up to step into Shilpa’s shoes. After successfully anchoring the king of all shows; Kaun Banega Crorepati, Bachchan is said to be preparing to anchor Bigg Boss, clearly considered to be Shilpa Shetty’s domain till now.
Now why would a megastar like Amitabh Bachchan want to take over anchoring a show, which Shilpa was so popular with? One can’t help but wonder if this is sweet revenge!
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