silently and back to me

I had an audition for a voice over at Nickelodeon yesterday. The only problem is, I, uh, didn’t know about it, because the details on the reading came via e-mail during a period of a couple days last week when all e-mail sent to me went flying off into the gamma quadrant of the Zarkon V Nebula.

Luckily for me, the director of this project was really into reading me, and we were able to reschedule for this morning.

Okay, I know I’m supposed to maintain some professional detachment, so when I don’t get the job it’s less of a disappointment, but I had a crush on this project as soon as I read the breakdown. After I met the director and grokked what sort of story she wants to tell, I was hopelessly in love with the project. I really, really hope I get this job.

I’ve talked about how much I like going to Nick
in the past, but I’ll just do it again for those of you who didn’t listen to RFB #4: Nickelodeon just feels good to me. It’s not intimidating like Disney, it’s not corporate like some other places, and I really feel like I’m walking right into a Nickelodeon cartoon. Some of my happiest childhood television memories are of Nickelodeon shows, like You Can’t Do That on Television, Mr. Wizard, The Third Eye (SCARY!) and Danger Mouse, too, and I did lots of things with Nickelodeon when I was a teen idol, including getting slimed several times and hosting the Kid’s Choice Awards, so I think that makes it easier for me to find a happy place when I audition for any Nickelodeon shows.

The other reason I always find a happy place at Nickelodeon is entirely due to the guard who works the parking garage gate there. I don’t know his
name[1], but he is one of the kindest, warmest, and friendliest guards
people I’ve ever encountered. I realized today that he plays a very big part
in why I love going to Nick so much, and why I always give good
auditions there.

He is the first person I encounter when I pull up. He is a gentle, grandfatherly, white-haired man in his late 60s, and always seems to be smiling. He always makes me feel at ease, and gives me (and everyone else who comes in, I’m sure) the impression that he really wants me to book the job, like it matters to him, and he believes in me. I realized today that I’ve always picked up a bit of his kindness and warmth and carried it in with me. It’s nice to be so utterly at ease when I walk into an audition, you know? It makes a big difference.

I probably shouldn’t disclose too many details about the story that I auditioned for, but it is a wonderful, funny, charming animated short about a geek and a goth who are starcrossed lovers.

I’m sure you’re all surprised to hear that I read for the geek. I used my sense memories to recall the Kyra crush and did my best to be the kind of guy who "you want to take his glasses off, and mess up his hair, because he’s so cute and he doesn’t know it," according to the director, who I really, really liked.

I honestly don’t know if I’ll get the job, because I’m worried about how deep and manly my awesome voice is. Even though I know I can get the teenage voice down to second nature wth enough practice, I have done this long enough to know that when someone else comes in and nails it, they always hire the "nailed it" guy over the "could nail it with enough practice" guy. That’s just science, and you can’t argue with science (unless you’re one of those "global warming is a myth and evolution doesn’t exist" moonbats, in which case arguing with science is sort of your whole reason for existing, right?)

Anyway, I had a blast reading for this project, and I was so excited when I left, I totally forgot to steal a camphone snap of the hawesome four foot tall SpongeBob made out of LEGO in the lobby. If I get the job, or the next time I’m at Nick, I’ll grab a picture of it on my way in, because I’m usually skipping with nerdy excitment whenever I’m on my way out.

Whether I book this job or not, I’ll be watching for it when it airs, and I’ll be sure to post about it, because it’s the type of show that I know WWdN readers will love.

[1] In comments, formerlyme says, "Hey Wil, I used to work at Nick. I know exactly who you’re talking
about. His name is Don, and he’s the most awesome security guy ever."

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37 thoughts on “silently and back to me”

  1. Wil it sounds like you really enjoyed your time at Nick, which is probably half the battle won when you’re auditioning for a part.
    Mr Smiley Guard-Man sounds lovely, glad he could help make you feel at ease.

  2. Good luck, Wil. 🙂 I don’t know what more I can say. You always do have a good time when you go to their studios and I’d be just as bananas as you are.
    I will definitely be giving the show a look-see regardless. You’ve made me dream of the olden days of Nick that so utterly miss.
    Rocko’s Modern Life and AAAAAAAAHHHHH!! Real Monsters. I miss them so.

  4. Did you audition at that place in Burbank? I always thought that was an odd spot for Nickelodeon to occupy. “Across the street from a Chevy dealer and the DWP” just doesn’t seem like an obvious choice for a place to build a Nickelodeon studio. Anyway, good luck with the gig.
    Incidentally, does the nice security guard remind you of Sam the security guard from the classic Nickelodeon show Today’s Special? I’m pretty sure that would count as ironic if we agree to use the Fark definition.

  6. Good luck, Nick has some happy Memories for me, pete & pete, alex mack, are you afraid, and about 20,000 cartoons featuring the vocal talents of Tara Strong.
    Only other person I’d want to get the job more than you would be John DimAggio, Rob (not meatloaf) Paulsen or Mark Hamil but none of them would be suitable.

  7. You? The Geek? No way. pfft.
    Seriously though, Nicktoons have always been great entertainment for child and adult alike. So, good luck and do be sure to let us all know when the show airs.

  8. 1. Here, have a small handful of “get the gig” mojo. If it works out, then perhaps that mojo can be channeled through a karma conduit back for the July timeframe when a potential promotion will make itself known.
    2. Coming from ‘moonbat’ land in Kansas, I’m more than happy to vote these evolution-challenged (in every sense of the phrase) moonbats OUT in November. Don’t F*CK with my science!

  9. Hey Wil, I used to work at Nick. I know exactly who you’re talking about. His name is Don, and he’s the most awesome security guy ever.

  10. If I’m not mistaken, the folks at Invader Zim used him as the prototype for “Old Kid” that was voiced by Jhonen in the first episode. According to the commentary track, everybody loves him.
    You may remember The Third Eye, but do you remember The Tomorrow People?

  12. Oh, I hope you get the part! The TV show sounds so cute and it’s awesome that you used Kyra as sense memory. Hopefully that works! Needless to say, if you get the part, I will watch that show. If I don’t watch it for whatever reason, my much younger brother will probably watch it regardless of who does the voiceovers (it sounds like the type of show he would get into). And like everything else he watches, Nickelodeon or whatever, he’ll blab to me about it when the opportunity arises. I love brothers. So, since I talk to him on a regular basis, either way, I’ll know what’s happening on the show.
    And, yes, you do have an awesome, deep, manly voice and I absolutely love it! I’m sure that I’m not alone on that.

  13. It’s nice to know there are places like Nickelodeon that can evoke such wonderful memories. And since Nick’s the only channel that’s ever on in my house, I know I’ll “see” you if you get the gig. Good luck!

  14. We’re BIG Nick fans over here. Not only did I grow up watching it, but so have my kids. (youngest one is 1 and the oldest will be 13 soon)
    I hope everything works out for you. When the first person you meet after getting out of your car is super nice and friendly, you can’t help but to know that the rest of your day is going to go wonderfully.
    I’m glad the interview went well. It sounds like a great show and I can’t wait to see it premiere.

  15. You know, I wish I had some real great and spicy comment, but I don’t. But I wanna post anyways. Coz I just finished reading “Just a Geek” and I totally, totally, totally, understand all your posts soooo much more. Like this one. So all I gotta say, Wil, is this…
    Prove to Everyone and Self-Doubt will be kept silenced once again! 🙂
    /me crosses her fingers, toes, and anything else that can be crossed without too much pain

  17. My favorite Nick cartoon is _Angry Beavers_. My two (then) teenaged daughters would get up “early” (11 a.m.) on a Sunday morning so that we could watch it together. Good times.
    Break a leg. 🙂

  18. To send you the best mojo, I submit the following:
    Captain: Are you ready kids
    Kids: I I Captain.
    Captain: I can’t hear you.
    Kids: I I Captain
    Captain: OHHHHHHH
    Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
    Kids: SpongeBob SquarePants!
    Captain: Absorbent and yellow and pourous is he!
    Kids: SpongeBob SquarePants!
    Captain: If nautical nonsense be something you wish!
    Kids: SpongeBob SquarePants!
    Captain: Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish!
    Kids: SpongeBob SquarePants!
    Captain: Ready?
    Captain and Kids: SpongeBob SquarePants, SpongeBob SquarePants,
    SpongeBob SquarePants!
    Captain: SpongeBob SquarePaaaaannttss!!!
    Captain: HA HA HA HA !!!!
    Sing it allowed in your best teenaged voice, and enjoy

  20. so I decided that I should say hi and see what was up in your world. I found this site signed up because it is the only way I could talk to you…Your probably going wtf??@&!lol You and I have the same aunt and uncle first three letters of thier names are the same you meet my grandparents when they where alive Roy & Marion. If this means anything to you at all e-mail me at [email protected] since this is a veiwable comment by others if you e-mail me, just so that i know it’s you and not one of your fans anwser what is our aunt and uncles name and what they do for a living. then i will give you my real e-mail addy and maybe we can chat.. yes there is a reason behind this… Well I gotta jet so hope you will e-mail something back soon.. and I cannot believe I just did this..lol

  21. When I read ‘Danger Mouse’, I had a bad feeling that there might be an inferior US series with the same name as the great Cosgrove Hall creation. After looking on Wikipedia though, it would appear that they are the one and same.
    Danger Mouse is one of the greatest cartoon series ever (and the sequel(ish) Count Duckula is pretty damn funny too). I have the DVDs for both series, so I can re-live those memories of Childrens TV after school with the unforgetable voices of Sir David Jason and the late great Terry Scott.
    My kids now enjoy them too.

  22. I have loved Nick for a very long time! I have enjoyed many, many shows on that network. My son is almost 16 and STILL watches shows on that station. If I am walking by I will join him just as I did when he was 4 and 5. They have such a variety and the humor level is outstanding. It is one of those things that are fun to sit and do with your child.
    I hope that you get this job.

  23. I remember watching nick as a kid and enjoying danger mouse and the tommorrow people. Another gift of british scifi. I went back and watched the tommorrow people recently and I almost fell down laughing at how bad it was. Oh well it is always better in my memories.
    Hope you get the job. I have been catching nick occasionally lately so i can see Avatar: the last air bender which is pretty freakin cool. You get this gig I will certainly check out this show as it sounds neat.

  24. come on now everyone knows that the end all and be all of nick was “You can’t do that on television”. but maybe i m just showing my age (same as yours wil!).
    And I may be alone in this opinion, but I think that you always kept a very youthful quality to your voice. It is very recognizable and i can still hear that young teenage you there.

  25. Yay, something else to root for Wil about! Sounds like a wonderful place (I loved Nickelodeon in its younger days [and mine, hehe]) and a wonderful story and I’m sure they’ll love you. Keeping my fingers crossed for you! =D

  26. “Hey Wil, I used to work at Nick. I know exactly who you’re talking about. His name is Don, and he’s the most awesome security guy ever.”
    Bizzare. I used to work in an office and we had a mailman like that. He’d come in in the morning and just brighten everyone’s day, and his name is Don, too.

  27. Funny, Nick is a totally different experience here in the UK, probably becxause they’ve tried to make themselves distinct from the US version as much as possible. In the Good ol’ days, Nick Uk and Nick US were practically the same. Same shows, same inserts, the lot. Since then Nick UK has deviated into this horrible monstrosity that’s less about fun and more about “what do the kids think is cool, and how can we exploit that?”. The inserts Nick UK use at the moment are damned near annoying. Thankfully though, NickToons UK still shows stuff like Ren & Stimpy, Rocko’s Modern Life, and Doug. Swish!
    Good luck with the job. I won’t be sending you vibes in the form of annoying TV theme tunes, but I will keep my fingers double-knotted for you.
    Wow, I know how to babble on, eh?

  28. “The Third Eye”
    Oh. My. God. Thankyouthankyouthankyou.
    I’ve been going nuts for months trying to remember that Nick scifi show that had the two kids and their red and blue rocks. No wonder I couldn’t find it, since it was aired as part of that “Third Eye” anthology series.
    “Under the Mountain”. Thankyouthankyouthankyou.

  29. Ahh…Mr. Wizard’s World. I so loved that show growing up. Between that and Cosmos, I came so close to going into science rather than music.
    But at least geekary can satisfy that passion those shows managed to stir up 🙂

  30. I see you’re a Wilco fan. I give massive kudos for Wilco fanmanship.
    If you haven’t seen them live, do so with vigor. They’re some of the best concert-putter-oners ever. Plus, if you haven’t yet purchased their live album, do that too! It’s got most of A Ghost is Born, but in MUCH better form/arrangement and energy level than the album versions – plus Nels Cline is a fabtabulous guitarist.
    This comment had nothing to do with your entry. I am t3h winz.

  31. “Wil, Wil, Wil,” he said, shaking his head sadly. “Not everyone who disagrees with the global warming theory is a moonbat. Look at this link, from Canada’s National Post newspaper. It’s an open letter from 60 prominent scientists who aren’t convinced of the theory.
    “Love the blog, but I probably share your parents’ politics more than yours.”
    http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=3711460e-bd5a-475d-a6be-4db87559d605&rfp=dta

  33. If you can get 60 scientists together to say just about anything, then why believe anything at all that scientists have to say??
    I think it’s important that we clean up the environment, and take care of what we have on this planet. I think everyone would agree that flying into L.A. and seeing the smog is not attractive. However, I just don’t think that you we can put all the eggs in the global warming basket yet either.
    Either way, I love the blog and good luck with the Nickelodeon gig!

  34. I beleive in global warming, but not evolution. Because I see that with enough time, things get worse (global warming) not better (evolution). But don’t let me think for you. Does that make me half moonbat?

  35. OK, I was worksurfing. I admit it. But hey, if I hadn’t been, I would have seen this on the Adult Swim Site! Now, I realize that folk can quibble that it’s not the same Dangermouse, and those people can bite my shiny metal ass. I’ll be looking out for this!

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