Voice Over and ASMR

By: Nate Myers

There are videos on YouTube with thousands, often millions of views. The titles are outlandish to the uninitiated:

“ASMR Dental Face Mask”

“Satisfying Slime ASMR”

“Fastest ASMR | Dentist, Eye, Cranial Nerve, Sleep Clinic, Lice, Ear Exam, Ear Cleaning, Makeup Spa”

Let’s talk about what’s going on in the ASMR world. What it is, popular mediums, and how it may or may not be considered voice-over work.

What is ASMR?

ASMR is an acronym that stands for “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.” It’s a term to describe a sensation people get when they watch or listen to stimulating videos. Most commonly, it’s described as a pleasurable, “tingly” feeling running down your spine. It can be powerfully relaxing and even help insomniacs with sleep.

Although the term ASMR might sound very scientific, it’s far from proven science. Many people don’t understand it, can’t experience it, or don’t even care. Despite this, some content creators garner millions of views, followers, and even dollars through the art of ASMR.

ASMR’s most common content comes from soft audio created using everyday objects, conversations, and roleplay/storytelling. It can be someone whispering into a microphone or tapping, scratching, touching clothing, glass, or the microphone itself. It can be the sound of pouring a can of soda pop into a glass. Any pleasing, quiet sound can be used to create ASMR.

These “triggers” often are the title of the video. Maybe slime isn’t your thing, but you really like the popping sounds of bubble wrap or a paintbrush. ASMR isn’t inherently sexual, and although there is a sexual ASMR audience, there are similarities between ASMR triggers and sexual turn-ons. Triggers vary from person to person, and the ASMR world can span all of that to help viewers experience something.

Popularity of ASMR

Although ASMR origins are vague, it started in the 2010s and has increased in popularity exponentially. If millions of views on YouTube aren’t convincing enough, look at these stats.

YouTube Channel Subscriber Counts:

1.    Gibi ASMR: 4.45 million

2.    WhispersRed ASMR: 2.53 million

3.    Gentle Whispering ASMR: 2.21 million

4.    Latte ASMR: 1.88 million

5.    ASMRMagic: 1.44 million subs

Twitch Follower Counts:

1.    Amouranth: 6.03 million

2.    TheNicoleT: 1.26 million

3.    Leynainu: 906 thousand

4.    IJenz: 681 thousand

5.    gonsabeellla: 639 thousand

ASMR content creators, especially female ones, are killing it online, with average viewers in the thousands every time they stream on Twitch or post a new video to YouTube. IJenz has been watched for 209,125 hours in the last seven days (November 13, 2022). Her followers are putting in some serious time.

The r/ASMR subreddit has more than 258,000 members as of the time of writing.

The numbers speak for themselves! ASMR is a popular online phenomenon, and ASMR fan counts are growing month over month.

Is ASMR Voice Over?

Here at The Voice Shop, our specialty is Voice Over. The commercial voice over industry is structurally VERY different from ASMR. Voiceovers for radio ads, Super Bowl commercials, and vodcasting are usually professional in nature and operate in the world of contracts, agencies, and networking.

However, ASMR hasn’t been commercialized in a serious sense. The business case has yet to be proven. However, there is room to play for most brands. For example, TikTok often features businesses creating ASMR content using their product. An electric guitar’s natural noises can be recorded: switching pickups, knocking on the wood, turning the volume knob, etc. Results are mixed, but the viewership is there.

Okay, so Voice Over is commercial, and ASMR is usually not. However, there are many similarities. The primary similarity is through equipment needed. Both voice-over and ASMR use microphones, pop filters, sound treatment for the room, audio interfaces, and audio-editing software (DAW).

Another significant similarity is, of course, the use of the human voice. Most prominent ASMR content creators use their voice as a primary stimulant.

Conclusion? They’re not the same, but they aren’t dissimilar either.

Will there eventually be a bridging of ASMR into commercial voice over? Time will tell. But today, all signs point to ASMR being another category among narration, animation, and the like.

Living To The Extreme, In The World Of Voiceover

By Keith Brunson

There are very few people like Sean Letourneau. Home-schooled, Sean is accustomed to being WITH himself. And he likes it that way.

Sean Letourneu as a child.

“At around ten years old, I began to wonder what it would be like to be around people.”  His childhood went fine. No negative childhood experiences. And so it was in these early formative years that Sean pondered what he could do to illustrate his alter ego. He wanted to work in a business opposite to his solitary educational upbringing.

Fast forward to three years ago, and Sean got his fill of the public.  Working as a barista, Sean began to get enough of people and their coffee quirks.  “People really love their coffee, and I’m an introvert. I’m not social; I’m inward.” So, the experience of making coffee became a whole new world for the little boy that wanted to do something creative that did not involve a team effort. Enter Voice Over. Sean, who had never worked in any form of show business, got himself a voice coach and began to study the art of the voice. He had no experience.

Sean smiles for the camera while voice acting in the studio.

“Studying the voice brought me into an entirely different world than what I thought was possible,” says Sean.  And that’s when Sean learned to take an interest in extreme voices.

“When I walk in that booth, I leave my body behind,” Sean explains; for a quiet child with limited social access growing up, voiceover offered him a chance to spread his wings.

“I do well with loud, angry characters, and in fact, it is my favorite character to voice.”

Naturally, you’d think an introvert would become an introverted voiceover artist, but the reaction was the opposite for Sean.

These loud, obnoxious voices have a place in the voiceover work. They’re typically voice used in anime and character work. “And that is exactly where I was headed until it happened.”  Sean was chosen out of hundreds of voices to be the voice of Microsoft. The work is anything BUT extreme.

“OF all the places I could have wound up given my ambitions, I would never have thought that Microsoft would want that soft, calm voice that I hear in my head.”

At 23 years old, Sean is a paradox.  To be in his early 20s and voicing for one of the most distinct brands in the world, one would think that Sean would have never been considered. “I enjoy scumbags, raspy voices, characters that upset the scene, but then suddenly, I’m voicing that mellow voice I would hear in my head as a little kid when I was homeschooled.”

So, what’s going on here? “I have no idea,” he says. I always thought Microsoft would require years of training and auditioning, yet it just showed up…with no warning.” Sean goes on to say, “All I did was look inward, and from it came a very outward experience.”

“I’ve only been in this for three years, and I can say that it is a LOT of hard work and vocal coaching, but to do well, you can’t do it for the money.”  Sean alludes to voiceover as something that wannabees want to do because they think there is a lot of money in it. “And there isn’t good money in the beginning,” says Sean. “You must simply audition daily, stay true to yourself and keep on studying.”

Sean sees the prospect of getting into extreme characters as a matter of time. “It’s true. I keep to myself that I am quiet and inward, but to become an extreme character is my destiny.” And to become that, Sean will continue his daily practice of audition, study, rinse, and repeat.  But until then, Sean celebrates three years in voiceover, he’s heard by millions, and the style is anything But extreme.

Let’s Talk About Sex And Voiceover

By Keith Brunson

Sex has always been a hot topic. It affects every area of our lives. It’s in conversation globally every day. It’s practiced by some of the earth’s 7.8 billion people. In advertising, it is the industry’s mantra, “Sex sells.” Research has proven that it does. People are interested in sex. And the naked truth is that one hundred percent of all human beings were created due to a sexual act. So, when it comes to sex, it’s a subject that is talked about a lot, every day, everywhere. It is…what makes the world go around.

You may not know, but audio plays a big role in our sexual sensory perception of women. ”If you get turned on by the sound of your partner's voice or sounds made during sex, chances are you would enjoy audio erotica,” says Anne Hoddler-Shipp, a sex educator. She understands the success of the audio-only sexual experience. “The more we explore what turns us on, the better sex we’ll have.” And hearing, seeing, and feeling are the three aspects of sex that create the experience.

Over a dozen companies distribute sexually explicit content produced for women. “For far too long, sexuality has been defined by men,” says Gina Gutierrez, creator of Dipsea, a San Francisco audio erotica firm. www.dipseastories.com “We’ve heard so many stories from women who question if something is wrong with them because they don’t get spontaneously aroused as is so often expected.” Well, enter the power of audio. From Dipsea’s site, you can listen alone, with a partner, or even before a date to heat yourself up. Sexologists confirm audio erotica for women is a long time coming. It’s been around for fifteen years, but the industry has taken off in the last few years. According to Forbes, in 2019, eight million dollars was raised to develop the genre.

So, let’s now talk about OhCleo. www.Ohcleo.com is a Swedish audio erotica company named after Cleopatra. Its distinction is that it is Very voice-over-artist friendly. Creators are charged nothing to post naughty stories on the platform. And they may do so frequently, and from that, they will develop a following. The voiceover artist is the writer and the producer. OhCleo is the distribution platform. Here’s a link, less explicit, to give you a listen so you’ll get the gist.

Celine Fierro leads OhCleo out of Stockholm.

The company’s approach is not pure raw content. What highly distinct is the quality of the storytelling before things get down to the nitty-gritty. And content comes in all story formats that deliver the fantasy. But one thing is sure: "Women like more dominant audio,” says Celine.

As it turns out, while visuals stimulate men, women are more audio-oriented. “And Americans are the most receptive of any country that listens,” Ms. Fierro says.

“And “hit audio tracks” are difficult to create.” Celine alludes to the fact that not anyone with a sexy voice can succeed at this. “Our best content creators are musicians or people who are comfortable with their sexuality.”

Dave Jackson understands this. Dave is a heavy metal singer and a voiceover artist. “A lot of the music we sing is sexual in nature,” says Dave. “And we spend most of our evening being looked at and looking back in a flirtatious way.”

Dave Jackson performs music on-stage and voiceovers in the studio.

“Our entire goal on stage is to get a reaction,” says Jackson, “and we know how to present sexuality to people, so I understand why musicians are good at this.”

Celine explains the importance of audio erotica for ladies. “As women, we spend all of this time trying to look sexy, but no time is spent teaching us confidence.” She goes on to explain that having a good, confident self-image is important for your personal growth. “But when it comes to sex education is trial and error.” And this underscores why the audio erotica platform continues to grow worldwide.

So, if you’re reading this and you’re a voice-over actor, here’s a new and original niche. Think about it. It’s just you, a microphone, and an audience that will never see you. Just like sex itself, audio erotica is a private experience.

Keith Brunson is a professional writer and host of The Voice Choice https://www.thevoicechoice.tv

The World’s Most Prolific Drug Smuggling Pilot Becomes a Voiceover Artist For His Book, “Smuggler”

The World’s Most Prolific Drug Smuggling Pilot Becomes a Voiceover Artist For His Book, “Smuggler”

By Keith Brunson

Roger Reaves was born in 1943 in southern Georgia and grew up dirt poor.

But his instincts expanded amid his poverty. He dreamed of the nice things that a wealthy man could enjoy. And farming wasn’t providing the life that Roger wanted, so he started making moonshine.

“I made thousands of gallons of moonshine, and it really paid off.” At 21, Roger got his pilot license with the intent of becoming a missionary pilot ferrying men of the cloth to Central America.

But, in 1973, Roger’s original intent changed when he agreed to smuggle 300 pounds of marijuana piloting a small Cessna 182. It paid $10,000. No handling of the product, “just an air taxi job,” No guns. No violence. “Just flying,” he tells me.  Next, Roger bought a Cessna 207 and flew 1100 pounds of marijuana, and it paid $40,000. “That sounded pretty good to me,” says Roger. And he continued flying marijuana for eight years.

But in 1980, Roger met purely by happenstance at a party, Jorge Ochoa, the brains behind the Medellin Cartel. And that evening, Jorge introduced Roger to the infamous Pablo Escobar. That chance meeting made Roger the original pilot for the Medellin Cartel headquarters out of Columbia.

From 1980 to 1982, Roger flew cocaine for the cartel. As the demand for cocaine increased, Roger hired TWA pilot Barry Seal. The movie “American Made” depicts Barry, played by Tom Cruise. “And Barry used Mena, Arkansas as his safe haven to land.”

Roger’s final load was a ton of cocaine worth $400 million, and he did that by barge in Australia. But in 1982, Roger was caught. This began what became a 33-year stint in prison.

During prison, Roger escaped five times but was always captured and, on one occasion, was punished by being placed in what we know of as “the hole,” which Roger refers to as “the shoe.”

During prison, Roger became an avid reader. He read 3,000 books, and this led to Roger becoming a writer. It was in prison that he authored his memoir “Smuggler.” Roger tells me, “I actually wrote it to tell my grandchildren the full story because I didn’t ever think I would see them again.”

But Roger had been cleaned out financially due to his crimes. The government confiscated (25) airplanes, (7) farms, a mansion worth $15 million, and all his cash. So, Roger had to create income. He did that by self-publishing the book he wrote in prison. The response was overwhelming. Then, he self-produced his audiobook from his bedroom with no post-production, producer, or knowledge of how to make an audiobook. And again, the response has been tremendous.

Roger was not always well-read, but in prison, he became a reader and developed a strong affinity for literature. “A lot of books have been written in prison,” he says, “all the way back to 200 years ago when John Bunyan wrote “Pilgrim’s Progress.”

It was in prison that Roger learned he could do more than fly. He was a natural storyteller. Writing is one thing, but narration is an art form all its own. “It was challenging to get it perfect for the listener, and so the production process took a Very long time to get it just right.”

The audiobook “Smuggler” is 25 hours of content. It includes a story about him being shot down and tortured in a Mexican prison. It chronicles his lifelong obsession with money and adventure. And it’s blunt with the treatment that prisoners endure.

Through all this, his wife, Marrie, has been with him. Born in Holland, Marrie married Roger in 1964. She never flinched at the decades of waiting for the love of her life.

“I would never do what I did all over again,” says Roger, “because no amount of money is worth spending over 30 years away from your lovely family.”

Now, as would be typical, Hollywood has come calling. Making a movie deal that is attractive and authentic has been met with challenges. “I’m ready to do it, but it has to be a producer who will do what they say, just as I always have with everything I have ever done, written or spoken.”

Roger, at this writing, is approaching 80 years old in January. “There’s more runway behind me than there is in front of me,” he says. “I would love to bring this story to the screen, but I cannot wait for years.”  Roger is right. To consummate a motion picture or documentary can take years to complete, and Roger is aware That scenario will not work. “If I’m fortunate, I’ve got 15 summers left and would like to enjoy what life God has left to give me.”

So, from a poor Georgia farmer to a wealthy drug smuggler, the inmate to a now free man is telling his story; Roger Reaves is, in fact, a fascinating man. Here’s to hoping that he’s recognized for his storytelling ability using his beautiful voice and that he can once and for all…take his storytelling abilities to the bank.

Keith Brunson is a professional writer and host of The Voice Choice https://www.thevoicechoice.tv

The Instant and On-going Success of Voiceover Artist Carrie Olsen

By Keith Brunson

Carrie Olsen was born to be a voice-over artist. She took one class, and (21) days later; she accepted her first booking. That was six years ago. Since then, Carrie has not been without a booking. “I knew nothing. I was clueless. I’d never performed,” she says.

Carrie is the voice of Disney plus.

https://carrieolsenvo.com/carrie-olsen-disney-plus/

 Carrie also is the voice of HBO Max.

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OSA1/hbo-max-directv-give-the-people-what-they-want-watch-hbo-max

She’s a natural at big-client branding work. But let’s compliment her parents for their contribution. Her Father was a high school teacher, and her Mother was born in England. So, Carrie learned how to speak the Queen’s English at a very young age. “I fell in love with the process of communicating,” says Carrie. “And I entered the voiceover business at a time when I was able to be Me, and not a voice that I was not.”

Carrie is rare. As a full-time Promo talent for big brands, she represents a very small percentage of female voices. Only 14.4% of professional voiceover artists are Black females. It’s a corner of the voiceover market that is not in abundance. 59% are White males. 27% are Hispanic. Asians do not register on the survey; although they exist in Asia, they are not even a blip on the radar in North America.

A graduate of the University of Oklahoma in 2007, Carrie got a degree in International Business, “Of which has nothing to do with voiceover,” she says. “So, I appeared on the scene with no prequalification except an exceptional upbringing.” That voice also found its place in e-learning. https://carrieolsenvo.com/

“I was green, but after only 3-4 weeks following my first voiceover class, I began to get cast, and it hasn’t stopped.”

As a 38-year-old Mother of two, Carrie wanted a profession she could operate out of the home, as she and her husband homeschooled their children. “Voiceover work is perfect because I can record from my home studio and still be with my daughter all day.”

Carrie is at work recording voiceovers in her home studio.

Carrie alludes to voiceover work, allowing her “to come out of my shell.” She further explains that the industry served her life goals in every shape, form, and fashion. “And I really have a great agent,” she comments. “So, everything just fell perfectly into place.”

Things falling into place have been occurring for Carrie since 2017. It makes Carrie a rare talent with a girl-next-door style that continues to supply her life with creativity and prosperity. This unique life outclasses a very large percentage of the people who preceded her. So, does beginner’s luck exist? For Carrie Olsen, yes, it does, and yes, it continues to. To sum it up, voiceover was what Carrie was born to do.

Keith Brunson is a professional writer and host of The Voice Choice https://www.thevoicechoice.tv

Voiceover Artist Vocal Health

By Keith Brunson

Andy Pearson is an audiobook narrator. It's a profession he has trained for all his life. Beginning in the 1970's Andy entered voice work as a radio disk jockey, "and I loved it," he tells me.

Fast forward 40 years, and Andy is still lovin' it.  

In the last fifteen auditions, eleven authors have hired Andy. Right now, he's narrating this book.

It's 480 pages long and will take 14 days to complete. andypearsonvoice@gmail.com

So, to spend this amount of time using the human voice requires vocal healthcare. Simply stated, to put the voice through this much use requires doing certain things to keep Andy's pipes operable.

"I don't use dairy or bananas on a recording day," he comments, "because it produces crud in my vocal folds." Andy is talking about the way his voice performs. "I also use steam and tea before I record to make the mechanics of my voice do what I want it to do." Andy also mentions sleep. "If I sleep more than 7 hours, it takes a couple of hours to get the grogs and frogs out of my voice."

The most successful narrator nationally is USA Today's best-selling writer Tanya Eby. Tanya holds the distinction of narrating 1,000 books. Her vocal care is almost non-existent. "Some people are really fanatics about this, but not me," she says. "I drink plain hot water when I narrate because it feels good to my throat," Tanya tells me. "Your voice is a muscle, so treat it like one. I walk daily, eat well, relax and enjoy life fully; otherwise, I do no warmups, and I'm pretty laid back about it." www.tanyaeby.com/blog

Voiceover narration artist Tanya Eby.

Vocal health is ultra-important for the voiceover artist. Nationally known Los Angeles-based artist Bill Ratner speaks of vocal exercises necessary to keep the voice in tune and highly operational.

Bill Ratner at the mic using his vocal talents.

He speaks about vocal exercising in the "The Voice Choice" vodcast about the Art of Voiceover https://www.thevoicechoice.tv episode two. "To keep my voice from aging uncontrollably, I take classes and exercise my voice daily to ensure that the voice performs at will."

Mike George, Head Instructor at The Voice Shop, uses a specific vocal regiment to ensure he can perform well. www.voiceshopcoaching.com

Voice Coach Mike George (right) instructing a voice student at The Voice Shop in New York City.

"The night before, I do not drink alcohol, and on the day of, I avoid dairy, even soy, but I do drink black coffee." Mike also adds that he avoids bread. "I also exercise and make sure that I get enough sleep."

Doctors have noted the lack of sleep as one aspect the human body needs as badly as it needs air and food. Sleep is a must-have for peak performance in any professional or personal life. "Sleep recharges the body," says Dr. David Smith, "and without it, your body just won't operate optimally."

Dr. David Smith

"I'm damaged if I sleep too much and sleep too little," says Andy Pearson. "It just makes it very hard to perform well,"  

The disciplines of maintaining an operable voice include avoiding phlegm-producing foods such as bread and bananas. And because no visual is involved, enunciation is affected when you don't respect your voice as you should.

Metal musician Ken Smiddy says good oral hygiene is vital to deliver an excellent vocal performance. On the night before a performance or the day of the show, "don't scream" so that when you perform, you can use that part of your voice when you need it. "Some people are very strict," Ken comments, and to perform well, "you Must treat your voice well."

Ken Smiddy in the recording studio before a vocal performance.

Physiologically, the voice is composed of the larynx or the voice box. The vocal cords comprise the vibratory system of the voice mechanism. The vocal tract is comprised of resonators that give a personal quality to the voice, and the modifiers or articulators form sound into voiced sounds. With such complex anatomy in the voice, vocal health care is vital for anyone in voiceover to maintain.

"And that means that if I don't take care of my voice, I can't narrate, so I always protect my instrument," says Andy Pearson. "So, vocal health, well… it's everything."  

Keith Brunson is a writer and host of "The Voice Choice," a vodcast about the voiceover business. https://thevoicechoice.tv/

How to Start Voice Acting

By: Nate Myers

Voice Acting is a multi-million dollar per year industry. And it is growing! There is no shortage of voice-over projects coming down the pipe for an aspiring or experienced voice-over artist. There are opportunities in Animation, Podcasting, Radio, TV, Audiobooks, AI, and more! If you fall into the bucket of "Aspiring Voice Over Talent," this article is for you.

Sometimes it can be hard to get started. If you haven't taken your first baby steps, it feels like you must do everything at once. We hear it often from our students. Not to worry, this isn't the case.

First, let's answer the obvious question: "There's no better time than now." If you get hung up on the first step, it becomes a dream rather than a goal. Let's make it more concrete and lay out the steps you'll need to take starting with:

Voice Over Training and Personal Coaching

For the truly uninitiated, a class or two or three can make a world of difference in your comfort level with voice over, but even more importantly: define your path. As mentioned at the beginning, there are many sub-genres or niches in voiceover. You may like one or not know which is the best fit for your voice. This is where classes come in. The Voice Shop offers many voice classes covering diverse aspects such as audiobooks, podcasting, and the like. Check the up-to-date class schedule here: https://www.voiceshopcoaching.com/class-schedule

 Voice training classes are offered in-person or online
at the Voice Shop in New York City.

With a few voice classes under your belt, you've got solid footing and have a basis to put together something that shows off your voice talents and attach it to your job applications to showcase you at your best. We're talking about:

A Voice Over Demo Reel

A Voice Over Demo Reel is like a highlight reel of you and your best moments. It can be diverse to cover a wide range of voiceover opportunities, or you can have several with catered clips to appeal to different job openings. At least one solid demo reel is instrumental to getting started. And luckily, The Voice Shop doesn't leave you stranded after voice over class completion. We offer professional demo reel mixing services to draw out your voice's subtle nuance. It's a surefire way to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

Building an Online Following

Another thing you can do to stand out from the crowd is to build an online following which could include:

·        A Professional Website

·        TikTok or Instagram followers

·        Client Reviews

Potential clients will check you out on the internet when actively applying for voice-acting jobs. Make sure you're easy to find and that you put your best foot forward when they see you!

We can't give you the key to social media fame. But usually, the best path to success is steady and consistent posting. Slowly your followers will come to expect and look forward to the latest content from you. Keep up a regular pace, once a week or even daily, if you can. Film longer videos and split them into several reels. There are many ways to keep a content drip going, and this is the best tip we have for you at this point in the game.

Land Your First Gig

Getting your first job under your belt is a major milestone. There are many paths to landing the voice job. Still, most voice actors find their first break by finding an agency to represent them, volunteering and auditioning for voice-over work in your community (use your network), or the sign up for an online platform like Voices.

While no path guarantees viral success, we've seen our graduating voice acting students take these steps and go on to conquer their world in the voice over industry!

Best of luck to you!

From Actor To Movie Voiceover Artist

By Keith Brunson

Orson Wells spent a lifetime using his incredible voice. One of the millions he caught the attention of was a seven-year-old boy in east Tennessee, Calvin Cylk Cozart. "When I listened to him, he painted a picture, and it was only his voice. I never forgot it." It was the era in America of the Beatles, hippies, free love, and a social objection to the Vietnam war. And that was when Cylk had an epiphany about the power of the voice.

"Noticing the power of the voice impressed me early on." So, in a small community known as Karns, Cylk's wheels began to turn about the power of the human voice. He was watching. Listening. Observing. And that's when the positive impression of just the voice was imprinted on the young and impressionable little boy's heart.

A young and impressionable Cylk Cozart discovers the world of voice over and narration.

Cylk first encountered being paid for his voice for the megahit television show "Miami Vice" in the 80s. Cylk voiced scenes for Phillip Michael Thomas, the actor opposite Don Johnson. The process was known as looping. Cylk was brought in to repair spots of audio that had been botched during principal photography. "It was just as you picture it," Cylk tells me. "The footage was displayed on a large screen, and I dubbed in my voice to support the actor in scenes where sound needed to be re-recorded." And in that very moment, Cylk connected to the power of the voice.

Cylk Cozart's name means "Running Water" he was born of a Cherokee mother and a black father in the hills of Tennessee.

Because of his strong Cherokee/African American good looks, Cylk was encouraged by observation to try acting. He would appear in (70) motion pictures or television shows. He had notable success and is probably best remembered for the movies "White Men Can't Jump," "Three To Tango," and "Conspiracy Theory." A long list of memorable credits kept Cylk busy for over thirty years. But the undercurrent of his appreciation of the human voice always continued to percolate.

Ten years ago, Cylk relocated from Los Angeles back to his community of Karns and did so to provide for his ailing mother. "It was very difficult to leave that life, very difficult," Cylk comments. "One day, I was in Malibu, and the next day I'm back in Tennessee with my mother, who always came first."

Cylk created a scholarship in his mother's name, "The Bettie Ruth Cozart Scholarship," at King University.

His mentor Denzel Washington advised him well. "You now have a substantial body of work, so you don't need to be in Hollywood." And Washington was right. Instead of being in Hollywood, Cylk created Hollywood for himself in Knoxville.

 Cylk performing voice narration in the recording studio. 

Cylk morphed his Hollywood career into that of an independent producer. Translated, Cylk now could develop his own movies and direct them as well. He would launch Cozart Enterprises. And this move created an entirely new beginning to a life he had left behind in California.

 Cylk performs, provides voiceovers, produces, and directs films for Cozart Enterprises.

Because of his affinity for basketball, Cylk entered into the story of who invented the game of basketball with his long-time confidante Keith Zimmerman. The film would be the story of Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball. And true to form, Cylk narrated the documentary, which became titled "Ball Of Confusion." "I always had experienced the world of basketball as something that connected people that would not have otherwise met." That led to Cylk remembering the power of Orson Wells' voice, so he narrated the documentary. Keith Zimmerman agreed. Who better to tell the story? 

A sample of Cylk narrating his film, "Ball Of Confusion."

Cylk would now begin to use his voice in a way he did before for filmmaking. "Ray Liotta, who narrated "Good Fellas" helped me to understand that fusing narration inside a story your telling can really make a film memorable."

The latest film Cylk narrates is called "Inherit The Land." This film is a story of two white women who willed eight hundred acres of land to a black family during the Jim Crow era. Cylk teamed up with yet another personal v.i.p. Jim Johnson. Together, they went to Marvin, North Carolina, the town where the historical event took place. It was there that Jim produced the on-location historical movie, and both Jim and Cylk cast descendants of the story to appear in the film. Cylk would direct and then narrate. "To use my voice to communicate the historic event was very moving," says Cylk. "Jim and I were both affected by the love this town offers and its' historical racial impact on the south.

A voice narration sample from Cylk's upcoming movie, "Inherit The Land."

Marvin, North Carolina, today is a town of 6,358 people with a black population of 7.61 percent. The mean income is $269,257.00 annually. It has a poverty rate of 2.41 percent.

"When you discover a place where racism has no part of the fabric of the town, it'll really make a deep impression," Cylk tells me. "The town has never experienced racial problems where equality on all fronts is the makeup of this quiet southern hamlet. I used the feeling of that love in my narration in telling the story, and I hope it really comes through."

"Ball Of Confusion" and "Inherit The Land" have yet to be released. Cozart Enterprises brands its productions in documentary form with narration and centers around actual historical events.

As for Cylk's future in new productions that have yet to be made, he has a unique perspective. "The best voiceover narration I will do, I have yet to voice."

And as the recipient of Joe Biden's 2022 Presidential Humanitarian Award, Cylk speaks to everyone when he communicates through his movies. "I hope Mom is proud."