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My beloved agent recently sent me this video showing a parody of his worst nightmare when dealing with talent, and their “personal commitments.”  (Is that a hint Jeff?)

You see, being a voice over artist is just like being doctor (except for the saving people’s lives part and the 10 years of Med School) in that you’re on call 24/7… well more like 18/6, accounting for east coast time difference. And because voice over is usually the last piece of the pie for a project, (a commercial, a promo, a trailer etc.) it often needs to be done today, tomorrow…or sometimes…yesterday. So good communication between actor and agent is essential to a flourishing career.

I must admit over the course of my career I’ve had a few “high priority” excuses of my own when trying to change my audition/job time. Like, having to attend my daughter’s “Mommy and Me” class graduation (after all, I am the “Mommy”) and my son’s kindergarten field trip to the La Brea Tar Pits. (Hey, I was one of the drivers. I had to go!)

I’ve learned through many trials and tribulations over the years, if I want to take my precious Bijon to get him coiffed at the doggie salon or get myself a long, long overdue mani-pedi I book out!  (which means I’m not available during that time period). Because if I don’t,  Inevitably when I thought I was free, a voice over job would come through in the middle of my third toe being painted bubblegum pink.

As a matter of face, up until recently, I still kept my pager (a.k.a.bat phone) with me, until I was forced to join the new Millennium and trade in my stupid phone for a smart phone. I retired my faithful companion whose ding-a-ling would send me into a Pavlovian state of excitement. Knowing that that lovely little beep….beep…beep meant only one thing… Voice over work.

Thanks to my wonderful agents and assistants (and I mean it) they make it possible for me to be “soccer mom” and professional voice over artist. And I have learned to support them by giving them lots of notice. Oh, Gotta go now. Time to pick up the kids.

Today’s Tasia Tip: He who is available more often, wins the job. Be flexible and available. If you have to book out,( and who doesnt’) try to  give your agent advance notice. Watch the video again and again. Laugh and learn.

Till next time.. this is Tasia Valenza signing off ” from the Closet”

I recently had the opportunity to interview Tasia Valenza, an actress who shared her story of how giving back has brought her the peace of mind that she sought for decades.
Tasia Valenza had a very successful career as a television actress, earning an Emmy nomination for her role as Dottie in All My Children. Tasia transitioned into voice-overs, and she is now one of Hollywood’s top voice-over artists. Even with all of her success, Tasia says that her greatest role in life has been one of giving back. Read More..

Barry James, Rewind 100.3 Chicago

Check out this video:

I like to jokingly refer to myself as a “Recovering Actress.”  After 16 years of an on-screen career, I escaped mostly unscathed (except for being murdered 5 different ways. (refer to IMDB for more details) and found my way into “The Closet”… the place where I make money with my voice. You see my closet is my recording studio, and I am a voice over artist.

Many voice over artists have a designated studio, but being a slightly compulsive multi-tasker, I get great satisifaction from doing a “mean read” for a producer…and organizing my shoes between takes. Besides, the clothes themselves are great sound proofing, and much more aesthetically pleasing than the standard black waffle foam that usually lines the booth.

Working in the closet, allows me to do the job that I love, while also balancing motherhood, wifedom, and an extensive hat collection.

I hope you’ll peek into “The Closet” from time to time as I share my stories… and my voice.

This is Tasia Valenza signing off… from “The Closet”.

Actress Tasia Valenza, who plays Shaak Ti in tonight’s Clone Wars episodes “Clone Cadets” and “ARC Troopers,” has enjoyed an extensive and varied career in film, video games, and animation, with an acting range that’s landed her recurring roles as Dottie Thornton on All My Children and voice-over stints as Aurra Sing and Poison Ivy in the Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds and Batman: Arkham Asylum video games respectively. That’s not to mention the dozens of characters she’s portrayed on shows like The A-Team, Cheers, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and scores of other acting and voice-over roles.

While rubbing elbows with the likes of A-Team‘s ‘Hannibal’ Smith and Star Trek‘s Captain Jean-Luc Picard would get most TV fans downright giddy, Valenza keeps her geek in check — just the repose you’d expect from Season 3′s newest Jedi Knight.

We asked Valenza a few questions about her role as Shaak Ti, and what qualities she was able to bring to her character:

How did you like joining the select club of actors to voice Jedi Knights in The Clone Wars?

As an actress and voice-over artist, these are my favorite kinds of jobs because I get to put a foot in both worlds. It’s a gift. I get to play a wonderful role but I’m not subjected to the hours of make-up that would be required to become Shaak Ti. I actually normally record in my closet, but for Shaak Ti I came out of my closet to record with the other actors in the studio.

You record in your closet?

I record in my closet because the clothes and the shoes are great for blocking out the sound. It’s a big walk-in closet so I have one wall which is just for the studio and the rest are for the clothes. The bonus is I get to organize shoes in between takes.

Are you aware of the deleted scene from Revenge of the Sith in which Shaak Ti is executed by General Grievous?

I had no idea that Shaak Ti almost didn’t make it! How fortunate for me so that I could “give her life.”

What kind of direction were you given for your character?

That she is very calm, subdued, and has a Spanish accent. She was written to have an accent with a Spanish flavor, maybe something on the Brazilian side. They definitely wanted to add that Latin dimension to her — I guess they felt she should have an exotic flair to her. She has a calm yet authoritative nature that’s very grounded. She doesn’t need to show off — her presence is enough.

Will we be seeing more of Shaak Ti in Season 3?

I sure hope so!

Finally, I see you played a character named “Bonita” in an episode of The A-Team — so who’s scarier, Asajj Ventress or B.A. Baracus?

I’m gonna go with Asajj, for sure. She’s just rockingly scary.

Originally published in Soap Opera Weekly. Click image to enlarge