SYNOPSIS
The Founder's Series VO Lab Panels continue with a stellar group of promo voiceover performers. Our panelists are the promo voices of networks like ABC, CBS, Telemundo, NBC, Fox, The Food Network and of programs like Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Entertainment Tonight, The Academy Awards, The Kennedy Center Honors, The Emmy Awards, The Critics Choice Awards and more.
Join us for an afternoon of conversation, laughs and industry insights from Joe Cipriano, Randy Thomas, Sylvia Villagran, Townsend Coleman, James Arnold Taylor and Kevin Gershan, as they share what they have learned about promo and other areas of voiceover with you.
Moderated by Kevin Gershan, Producer/Director for CBS Television Distribution
PANELIST'S BIOS
Joe Cipriano
Joe Cipriano is one of America’s premiere voiceover artists, representing the country’s top Television Networks, TV shows and Movies for more than 30 years. Joe is the recipient of the Don LaFontaine Legacy Award which is awarded based on character, longevity, talent, professionalism and the passion for giving back to the voice over community.
He is also an author, contributing to several books on the art of voice over and having written his own book along with his wife, Ann Cipriano. “Living On Air – Adventures in Broadcasting” A funny and charming coming of age story about a small-town boy who grew up on the air in radio. It’s a humorous tale of the characters he met on the way to becoming one of America’s finest voiceover talents.
Joe is also a co-founder of the Don LaFontaine Voiceover Lab.
Randy Thomas
Randy Thomas made history as the first woman to announce The Academy Awards©, Emmys, SAG Awards, AFI and Miss America, just to name a few. She has announced The Oscars nine times and The Tony’s twenty times, Thomas, who has been opening doors for female voice artists for over 30 years, was also the first woman to announce the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and most recently the Kennedy Center Honors. For a decade beginning in 2003 Randy was the voice of Entertainment Tonight. She is currently the voice of ABC's Nightline.
Sylvia Villagran
Sylvia Villagran is one of the top female voices for TV network promos, live award shows, national commercial campaigns and narration.
She currently lends her promo voice to NBC, CBS, TCM, the CW and the Disney Channel. She’s the Live announcer for the Critics Choice Awards, MTV VMAs, Teen Choice Awards, AFI tributes, Writer’s Guild Awards and the historic 2012 and 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Her national commercial campaigns include Samsung, Cigna health, Crest and Payless shoes.
Sylvia also does all this in Spanish.
Townsend Coleman
Townsend Coleman is perhaps one of the most recognizable voices on TV. For 16 years he was the voice of nearly all of NBC's Must See TV and Comedy Night Done Right prime time comedy promos, including hits from Seinfeld and Frasier to 30 Rock and The Office, as well as promos for The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Call with Carson Daly and Saturday Night Live. He now voices prime time comedy promos for ABC and the daily on-air promos for Live with Kelly and Ryan.
James Arnold Taylor
James Arnold Taylor is one of the most versatile voice actors in Hollywood today. He has provided the voices for cartoon legends such as Fred Flintstone, Huckleberry Hound, Wile E. Coyote, Leonardo the Ninja Turtle, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Johnny Test. James is also heard daily on Fox as the voice of Animation Domination, is a voice double for Johnny Depp, Christopher Walken, Michael J. Fox, Jay Baruchel and Ewan McGregor, to name a few...he's even the voice of the Strawberry Mini Wheat!
James also created his own critically acclaimed one man stage show, which has toured world-wide called, Talking to Myself, taking the audience on a fast paced, multi-media ride through the life of a voice actor where he performs over 200 voices live. Additionally, he has a series of Day in the Life videos on YouTube that showcase different aspects of the voiceover experience.
James has been a regular host of the biggest Star Wars conventions and events on the planet; Disney's Star Wars Weekends and Star Wars Celebration, interviewing Star Wars royalty, such as Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid and many more. He's hosted behind the scenes events for Disney, Cartoon Network and LucasFilm.
