Feb 06 2013
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comedy radio, comedy writing, funny radio, pond radio, radio writing, sam pond, Sketch, Teaching Technique, Voice Acting, voiceover class in san francisco

new comedy class dates

Hello All You Voice Actors and Yes Even You Copywriters,

In order to accommodate a few fine, talented folks, the “Funny From Nothing” class will be held beginning Tuesday, March 5th and the three subsequent Tuesdays. All at 6:30. And still held at our far-too-beautifully-decorated-to-be-a-respectable recording facility. Voice actors and copywriters invited. Oh, and spread the word.

“Funny From Nothing” 

Join us for “Funny From Nothing”, where we pull funny out of thin air. A voice acting course? You bet. Comedy writing? Yes, that too. Improvising and and writing on our feet? Yes, a lot of that. Many of these techniques were designed for my recent course at Pixar Studios. Four Tuesdays beginning March 5, 6:30-9:30. $325

  • Perform the funniest scripts in advertising.
  • Write on your feet.
  • Comedic techniques, tools and history.
  • Discover your authentic comic voice (or voices).
  • Learn the springboards to comedy, both writing and performing.
  • Great for voice actors, writers and copywriters.
Student Reviews
“If you want someone who can mainline humor from a script directly into the actors’ brains with concise and discerned direction, Sam Pond is your person. Working with Sam has helped me to crystallize what it is about me as a voice actor that can make a script come to life with humor, poignancy and connection. He is skilled in cultivating the rare environment of focus along with creative play, between all involved in a project, to make it greater than the sum of its parts. If you want someone who sucks all the fun out of acting, with a focus on how much more important he is than you, Sam is not your guy.”
Bella-Lisa Teeling, Voice Actor, San Francisco
“Every time I have worked with Sam, I have come away from the session with new knowledge. Especially, if there’s comedy involved, hire Sam Pond to direct it. I have never worked with anyone who has such an immediate understanding of what makes us laugh. Sam conveys to the actor what needs to be done, but also tells them WHY. When an actor has that information, the performance will always be better. Sam reinforces the importance of the characters and their interaction. We always explore the relationship between them. Why are they there, why are they talking to each other, why doesn’t one of them just leave!! The time and detail that Sam puts into ‘handcrafting’ the dialog, and the exploration of the characters brings about the best performances. Honestly, I think Sam Pond could get a great performance out of just about anyone.”
Brian Sommer, Voice Actor, San Francisco“Sam brought his years of experience to the class through his extremely specific direction and coaching. Being new to voice-over, I never felt confused or overwhelmed by his feedback, because it was very clear. I learned how to find the conflict or tension in a scene, how to listen as the character, and most importantly how to let go and let my voice do the work on its own. Sam created a relaxed and playful atmosphere where I felt free to experiment with my voice and did not feel any pressure to be “on”; yet he still kept the class focused and on track. My experience was both challenging and incredibly fun.”
Aurora Simcovich, Voice Actor/Stand-Up Comedian, San Francisco

“As you may remember, I expressed a bit of anxiety early on about being able to be “real.” Getting to this place of being myself–I mean, who’s that? I still can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was that got transformed in there, but, whatever it was, I know it stemmed from the trust we had in you. Because you were open, real and available. You explored and questioned with us–without judgment. You were curious and delighted to learn something new. How infectious is that?!   I had a notion, coming into this, about comedy– and it didn’t include me. Even though I’d done funny parts in plays years ago, in my mind there were the funny people and the rest of us. But the gift you just gave me is the realization that when relaxed, listening and available, funny things can happen–even for me. But here’s the thing–now, every time I go into the booth to audition I imagine you out there. And I think of what it was like to just tell a story. Not acting being real. Being real. Being me. And I suppose that’s it. That’s what you gave us. I have a reference, now, to what’s real, to that elusive “me” behind the mic.”
Amy Ingersoll, Voice Actor, San Francisco

“Sam is a quadruple threat of voice over teacher, writer/director, and comedian. As a teacher, he is attentive and clear. He taught me to analyze the structure of a script, in order to bring out a unique performance, while still encouraging my point of view. As a director, he is accessible, casual, and smart. While I was in the booth, I felt like we were working on the script together. I never felt intimidated or lost with his direction. And best of all, Sam is funny! He had me cracking up constantly. And he has such a creative take on voice over character work, I found myself thinking, “I never would have thought of that”. I hope to work with and learn from Sam again… and again.”

Sally Clawson, Voice Actor, San Francisco

“When it comes to creativity, Sam is king. Not only does he create some of the best ads in the world, he is incredible to work with. As a voice talent, I have worked with many, many, many producers. I have never worked with a producer who is better than Sam Pond.”
Max Magill, Voice Actor and Educator at MaxVox, Ohio

“It has been my honor to have Sam use me as voice talent on several of his commercials, including a TV spot that won ADDY Gold. I also had an opportunity to view Sam’s work in a competitive atmosphere when I was Bay Area ADDY Awards Chair. I can safely say that in my opinion, he is the best radio writer/ producer in the Bay Area.”

J.S. Gilbert, Voice Actor, San Francisco


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