Some nice voice-over honors...

Please indulge me a Peter Pan moment, but, in Carolyn Leigh's words from that 1954 musical, I've Gotta Crow...

November was a happy month for voice-over recognition as two narrations from my VOA Learning English American History series "The Making of a Nation" received honors in two prestigious competitions.

Learning English (aka Special English) is a broadcast and web-based service for people learning English around the world. 

For readers outside the industry, every year, TIVA-DC (The Television, Internet, and Video Association of DC) presents its Peer Awards, honoring "Tbe Best and Brightest of Washington DC." These prestigious honors recognize "the professionals of the Metropolitan Washington (and mid-Atlantic) media community who have demonstrated excellence in their work, as judged by their peers." 

The Peer Awards are presented every November at a gala at the National Press Club, and it means so very much to be honored by one's professional peers on this special night. 

A very special night at the Press Club                                                                           photo courtesy www.simplyarlie.com

I received my first Peer Award for Long-Form Narration in 2010 for "Confessions of an Airplane Lover," which celebrated a life-long love affair with airplanes. It is perhaps ironic that my winning entry this year would be for the "Making of a Nation" program I produced and voiced on "The Events of 9/11," chronicling as it did the evil and perverse use of airliners.

Detail from CD Label                              ©2012 Steve Ember

Writing, producing and voicing this program, actually one of two dealing with those horrific and life-changing events brought the unfolding drama back more vividly in my mind than I might have imagined as I set out on the project, gathering audio to integrate into the narration. Nonetheless, or perhaps because of the enormity of those events, I was energized to produce two of the most intense programs of my career. I was very pleased with the results at the time, but it could not compare with learning that a jury of my peers in voice-over and production had decided to honor the program I submitted to the competition.

Detail from CD Label                             ©2012 Steve Ember

I was also once again pleased this year to learn I was a Finalist in the 2012 Association for International Broadcasting International Media Excellence Awards. The program described above was Finalist for "International Radio Personality of the Year." Another Making of a Nation program I produced and voiced, "Depression Arts and Culture" was named Finalist in the category "Most Creative Feature-Radio."

The AIB honors occasioned a trip to London in early November to attend the gala and then head up to Scotland for my first visit to that inviting country. Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting images from London and Scotland on my pages on Foto-Community. Hope you'll stop by and have a look. (Click on ALL > at top right and navigate the folders "London" and "Scotland.")

Oh yes, and a listen..My voice-over web site is long overdue for an updating. When I've seen to that, I'll post the audio for the two narrations described above and link it to my wee bloggie. Meantime, happy to shoot you a high quality mp3 (especially if you are casting voice-over talent ;-)

Back to you, Tinkerbell....

Happy Thanksgiving

"Pussy's Prayer" caught my eye in a shop in Inveraray, Scotland earlier this month.

It reminded me of the importance of taking note of, and being thankful for, all that warms and enriches our lives with love, whether four-legged and furry or...

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving. 

And please consider adding the love of a shelter pet to your family this Holiday Season.

Steve and Mewer