VoicesCON 2020: Revolutionizing the Voice Acting Industry in the New Normal

The year 2020 was supposed to be a year of celebration at the end of the decade that was. But COVID-19 had other plans, and our lives will never be the same because of this virus. We saw institutions and businesses closing shop, and people losing their jobs. Worse, human lives were lost at such an alarming rate that brought hospitals to the brink of a crisis. Everyone was at a loss at what to do because no one saw this coming. Unprecedented, no one also had an idea of how to cope. But thankfully, there are still people and organizations that refuse to crumble amid such adversity, who would simply just accept the way things are but instead, are bold enough to become a trailblazer in paths that have yet been taken. 

One such example is Pocholo de Leon Gonzales, known as the VoiceMaster of the Philippines, who has the knack for turning challenges into opportunities. The founder of Voice Acting Academy (formerly known as the Philippine Center for Voice Acting [PCVA]), Pocholo saw it best to make the most of the free time brought about by the ensuing lockdown. He organized free webinars related to voice acting from April to June 2020 and saw that there was potential in continuing his voice acting workshops online. 

Pocholo is credited for organizing the famous VoiceWorx and Voice Act Now workshops since 2005, and is proud to have produced more than 2,000 graduates, most of which have already made their respective marks in the entertainment and voice acting industries. These include Rico Panyero (Richard Sarmiento) of YES FM 101.1 and DJ Lala Banderas (Marian Laurice Lempin) of Love Radio, vlogger MA Buendia, and Kathleen Sone (Voice Over Flowers YouTube channel). That’s why the VoiceMaster is also known as the man behind a thousand voices, for making it possible for hundreds of aspiring voice artists to enter the voice acting industry. 

After seeing that there is still a demand for voice acting training despite the pandemic, Pocholo instituted the Certified Voice Artist Program (CVAP), the first and only voice acting certification program in the world. It had its first batch last June and has already produced around 150 Certified Voice Artists (CVAs) to date.

More than just being a workshop in voice acting, CVAP is actually an indoctrination on how it is to be a voice artist in the truest sense of the word: one who sees the craft as an art, rather than just a money-making venture, and uses such as a tool to create positive social change. The program also aims to train voice artists to build their careers from home, as a response to the new normal. That’s why the students are taught the rudiments on how to build their own home recording studios in this regard. Its graduates are now busy working on their respective voice acting projects, vlogging, and live-streaming ventures, as well as running their own online radio shows under VG8 Radio. 

To celebrate Voice Acting Academy’s 15-year tradition and continued commitment to molding true voice artists despite the pandemic, CreatiVoices Productions, Voice Over Flowers, Creative Sounds Studios and CVAP are organizing VoicesCON 2020: Creative Online Network, with the theme, “The Future of Voice Artistry Amidst a Pandemic and Artificial Intelligence: Winning Strategies from Filipino Veterans and Rising Voice Artists”. 

This will be held online on October 25, 2 PM to 6 PM, and will be spearheaded by industry stalwarts Dennis Antenor, Jr. (Official Voice of the Philippines), Kathleen Sone (Voice Over Flowers), Danny Mandia (Father of Voice Dubbing), and Pinky Rebucas (Dubbing Director). They will be joined by Jeffrey Gusayko (Managing Director of CreatiVoices Productions), Andrew San Fernando (Broadcaster and DJ), Klariz Magboo (aka Gandang Kara, DJ, and Vlogger), and Reymar Pena (Vlogger and Station Manager of VG8 Radio), and Kelvin Lumibao (DJ/Voice Artist, Brigada News FM).

These icons, along with other upcoming voice artists, will share their experiences and know-how, to give both aspiring and experienced artists with the knowledge that could jumpstart their respective careers. The future of artificial technology and how this impacts the voice acting industry will likewise be discussed. The VoiceMaster will share his views about this and the future of voice artistry in the new normal, to cap the event. 

Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to learn from these icons for only 1000 Php. Visit www.voicescon.net now to secure your slot. You can also email the organizers at carren@creativoices.com and nikie@creativoices.com. See you there!