George The Tech’s Performer Friendly Podcast

Hosted by George The Tech Whittam

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525

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Aug 2026

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About the show

George The Tech Interviews the Pro Audio, Voiceover, and Podcast Industry Influencers. George Whittam travels the country and interviews some of the best in audio. This is also the home of the entire catalogue of Voice Over Body Shop and East West Audio Body Shop episodes.

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August 17, 2026Episode 3621 hr 9 min

GTT Spotlight: Narration Voice Coach and Voice Actor Thom Pinto

Voiceover veteran Thom Pinto joins George the Tech for a trip through more than four decades of VO—from cutting quarter-inch tape in radio to voicing trailers for The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and more. Thom shares stories from the golden age of LA voiceover, explains how he’s stayed relevant as the industry has changed, and talks about his current focus coaching documentary and docuseries narration. George and Thom also dig into what today’s talent needs to succeed: versatility, self-direction, a dependable home studio, and auditions that sound polished without sounding overproduced. Timeline 00:00 Zoom, Tech Changes, and Old-School Stories 13:00 Meet Thom Pinto 19:00 From Radio DJ to Production Director 21:30 Discovering Ernie Anderson 22:00 Working with a Voiceover Legend 27:00 The Golden Age of LA Voiceover 28:30 Getting Signed and the “Bean” Nickname 30:00 How Casting and Auditions Have Changed 35:00 Versatility, Longevity, and Staying in the Game 39:00 Bill Ratner and the Art of Working Fast 42:00 Thom’s Brief On-Camera Career 44:00 How Thom Became a Voiceover Coach 46:30 Buzzy’s and the Classic LA Studio Era 48:00 Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and the Movie Trailer Years 50:30 Filling In for Bill Ratner 53:00 What Today’s Successful Voice Actors Have in Common 54:30 Why Voiceover Is Harder Today 56:00 Why a Professional Home Studio Matters 57:00 Don LaFontaine and the Home Studio Revolution 58:15 Bo Weaver: Remote VO Before It Was Normal 1:00:00 ISDN, ipDTL, Source-Connect, and Adapting to New Tech 1:03:00 Coaching Becomes a Bigger Part of Thom’s Career 1:06:00 Finding His Lane in Documentary Narration 1:07:30 Voice vs. Interpretation 1:10:45 Coaching “Primetime Narrators” 1:13:25 What Thom Hears in Audition Audio 1:15:00 When Processing Makes an Audition Sound Too Polished 1:18:15 Stop Editing the Life Out of Your Read 1:20:00 How Much Comping Is Too Much? 1:21:55 Where to Find Thom 1:22:15 Final Wrap and Thanks

July 27, 2026Episode 36156 min

GTT Trusted Partner Profile: Commercial Voiceover Coach Hugh Klitzke

Many voice actors know the term conversational read—but fewer understand what actually makes a performance feel authentic. George welcomes Hugh P. Klitzke to discuss the evolution of conversational voiceover, the changing casting landscape, and why coaching has become more important than ever. Hugh shares his unconventional path into voiceover, lessons learned working behind the scenes at a New York talent agency, and how those experiences shaped his teaching philosophy. They also discuss Hugh's popular Open Studio coaching sessions, the value of letting performers observe real coaching in action, and why creating genuinely helpful free content has become one of the strongest ways to build trust in today's voiceover community. Whether you're a newer talent or several years into your career, this episode offers valuable insight into developing stronger performances—not just better recordings. Episode Timeline 00:00 – Introduction and podcast setup 03:10 – Hugh's musical background and unexpected path into voiceover 10:45 – Working behind the scenes at a New York talent agency 18:20 – Why Hugh eventually began coaching actors 26:40 – Leaving the agency and launching his own coaching business 33:15 – Building the Conversational VO brand 40:30 – Why conversational reads are harder than they sound 49:05 – The philosophy behind Open Studio 58:20 – Helping experienced voice actors solve performance problems 1:08:15 – Creating free educational content that provides real value 1:15:40 – Final thoughts and where to learn more

July 7, 2026Episode 3601 hr 15 min

GTT Spotlight: Animation Director, Voice Caster and Coach Andy Lerner

In this episode of the GTT Performer Friendly Podcast, George Whittam talks with voice director, casting professional, producer, writer, actor, and VO coach Andy Lerner about the intersection of performance, audio, and modern voiceover. Andy shares how he moved from engineering and comedy radio production into directing and coaching, including his work in the SpongeBob SquarePants universe during COVID. He also offers practical advice for newer voice actors on training, rejection, improv, mic placement, and avoiding overly edited, lifeless auditions. Timeline 00:00 — Sponsor Message 00:31 — Sticking With Acting 01:49 — Meet Andy Lerner 03:29 — VO Atlanta Highlights 05:55 — Bridging Tech And Talent 08:34 — From Engineer To Studio Builder 14:02 — Comedy Commercials Era 15:19 — Edgy Ads And Changing Norms 18:09 — Joining SpongeBob During COVID 22:01 — Directing A Legacy Franchise 26:48 — Remote Workflow And Cast Praise 29:01 — Fans, Conventions, And Voicelings 33:27 — Neurodiversity In The VO Community 35:54 — Showrunner Role And ADR Pickups 38:56 — ADR Fixes Explained 39:50 — Why Andy Coaches Newbies 42:41 — Handling Rejection Gently 44:50 — What Casting Wants 47:44 — Be 401, Not 400 50:13 — Training Before Voices 51:29 — Mic Placement Mistakes 53:21 — Stop Over-Editing 01:00:08 — Workflow And Software 01:03:14 — TwistedWave Special Paste 01:06:05 — Know Your Genre 01:09:42 — Workouts And Where To Find Andy 01:12:22 — If You Feel Cringe, Quit 01:13:49 — Stick With It Anyway 01:15:23 — Final Thanks And Wrap

June 22, 2026Episode 3591 hr 0 min

GTT Trusted Partner Profile: Video Game & Animation Voice Casting Director Kim Hurdon

What makes a voiceover audition feel bookable — and what makes casting hit pause? George the Tech sits down with Kim Hurdon of KH Casting for a deep conversation about the casting side of voiceover, especially in video games, animation, and remote audition workflows. Kim explains why human performance still matters most, why over-editing can hurt more than help, and how actors can avoid sounding processed, artificial, or disconnected from the role. They also explore the post-COVID home studio divide, the value of hub studios and engineers, video game realism, effort sounds, PCAP, inclusive casting, NDAs, and why booking often comes down to fit — not just skill. Timeline 00:00 Sponsor and Sound Check 01:07 Meet Kim Hurdon 02:19 Headphone Geek Out 04:39 Audition Mistakes: Editing, Breaths, Music, and Overprocessing 08:29 Kim’s Casting Origin Story 12:55 The Home Studio Divide After COVID 16:01 The Gaming Boom and AAA Workflows 18:38 Mics, Movement Rigs, and Remote Recording 21:59 Authenticity in Games and Inclusive Casting 25:01 Efforts, Levels, and Clipping 29:01 Hybrid Workflows and Hub Studios 30:57 The Laptop Mic Disaster 33:03 Building a Studio Checklist Mindset 34:52 Ensemble Sessions vs. Solo Sessions 36:26 PCAP Explained 38:21 Gameplay Lines and Alts 39:09 Booking Fit vs. Skill 41:36 Game Timelines and NDAs 43:49 NPCs and Long-Running Game Work 45:22 Favorite Work and Family 49:05 Zoom Auditions and CAVA 51:24 AI Laws and Advocacy 52:56 Conferences and Community 55:15 How to Book More 56:09 Coaching Without Overdoing 59:02 Where to Find Kim 59:15 Final Wrap and Thanks

June 8, 2026Episode 35857 min

GTT Trusted Partner Profile: Jodi Gottlieb, Voiceover Coach

In this episode, George talks with Jodi Gottlieb, a voiceover coach with more than 20 years of industry experience and a background working with major networks. Jodi shares how she coaches established voice talent who are ready to raise their game, especially in commercial auditions where subtle, natural choices can make all the difference. George and Jodi discuss common audition mistakes, why dramatic pauses often work against you, how to use two different reads strategically, and what it really means to “show range” without ignoring the specs. They also explore the impact of AI on the voiceover industry — including Jodi’s concerns about lost opportunities and her belief that audiences can still hear the difference when a performance is genuinely human. 00:00 Sponsor and Offer 00:31 Booth Mindset Tips 00:56 Meet Coach Jodi 02:56 Audio vs Video Podcasts 04:17 Remote Sessions Connection 08:23 Who Jodi Coaches 11:37 How She Started Coaching 15:46 Commercial Specs Myth 20:26 Disqualifying Reads 25:31 Directed Auditions Help 27:09 Demo Production Process 29:43 What Makes Demos Work 29:51 Demo Spots Under 10 Seconds 31:16 Variety and Money Voice 33:00 Audition Takes and Specs 35:59 Specs vs Reality in Sessions 38:02 Stop Over Editing Auditions 42:02 Separate Roles and Take Breaks 47:03 AI Voices and Industry Shifts 52:12 Calling Out AI and Audience Detection 56:26 Wrap Up and Contact Info

May 18, 2026Episode 35738 min

GTT Client Profile: Sara Van Beckum, Voice Actor

George the Tech sits down with longtime client Sara Van Beckham to unpack what it takes to build—and sustain—a voiceover career across multiple genres. Sara shares how acting training transformed her reads, why SOVAS sparked a major career reset, and how she transitioned to remote work long before it became the norm. She also gets real about vocal health, promo pressure, tech anxiety, and the standards that separate working pros from everyone else. Timeline 00:00 Sound Check Promo 00:21 “Kind, On Time, Good” — The Core Formula 00:37 Meet Sara Van Beckham 01:52 Conferences & VO Community 02:42 SOVAS Wake-Up Call 04:22 Switching to Atlas Agency 06:51 From Wisconsin to Voiceover 08:55 Acting Training & Meisner Influence 11:39 NYC Audition Hustle 12:49 Going Remote (2013 ISDN Era) 14:14 Vocal Surgery & Recovery 15:06 Audiobooks as Daily Practice 18:44 Cracking the Promo Market 19:52 Landing ABC & Fast Turnarounds 21:12 What “Pro Turnaround” Really Means 21:59 “Kind, On Time, Good” Revisited 22:32 Self-Recording Promo Work 23:39 The Ephemeral Nature of Promo 24:57 Live-Directed Commercial Sessions 25:54 Campaigns Come and Go 26:45 Relationships with Engineers 28:06 Actors as Their Own Tech Team 30:31 Tech Anxiety & Triggers 32:13 Advocating for Yourself 33:39 Confidence & Professional Standards 35:34 Everyday Gear Setup 36:50 Tribooth Studio Setup 37:41 Closing Thoughts

May 11, 2026Episode 35654 min

GTT Client Profile: Chris Fries, Voice Actor

George sits down with longtime client and voice actor Chris Fries to talk about what it really looks like to build a sustainable, high-level voiceover career. Chris breaks down how commercial work became the backbone of his business, why promo is a completely different beast, and how trust—not just talent—keeps you booked on long-running campaigns. They also get deep into studio design, workflow, and the gear choices that support fast, reliable sessions. Timeline 00:00 – Sound Check Promo 00:22 – Three Traits of Voice Actors 01:00 – Ramble and Rapport 02:31 – Meet Chris Fries 04:04 – Booking Commercial Campaigns 06:42 – Why Chase Promo Work 09:12 – Session Workflow and Downtime 11:43 – Long Running Campaigns 12:42 – Becoming the Owl Character 16:16 – On Set Ad Libs and Improv 22:34 – Tech Talk and Gear Plug 24:42 – Building the Home Studio 28:05 – Treated Office Workflow 29:34 – Video Game Audio Standards 31:34 – Motorcycle Commute Era 35:02 – Booth Gear Breakdown 38:04 – Mic Switching and Cough Mute 41:12 – Desk Side Routing and Monitoring 43:28 – Phone Patch and TRRS Setup 46:21 – Set It and Forget It 47:50 – Coaching Origin and Process 52:19 – Travel Rig Upgrades & Farewell

April 27, 2026Episode 35529 min

GTT Client Profile: Marc Graue, Voice Over Legend

What does it take to survive (and thrive) through every era of voiceover? Studio engineer, producer, and VO talent Mark Graue joins George Whittam to share stories from radio hustle to Hollywood studios, working with legends, and building a career that adapted from analog tape to today’s digital world. From a near-disastrous timecode session to landing VO work at Hanna-Barbera, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons on engineering by ear, storytelling in demos, and knowing when to step away. Timeline 00:00 – Audio service promo 00:22 – Cold-call spec spots: the original hustle 03:12 – Breaking into Cherokee Recording Studios 03:36 – The Van Halen spec spot gamble 04:39 – Building a Warner interviews archive 06:10 – The open audition that led to Hanna-Barbera 07:39 – Buying Studio 5 and going independent 10:26 – Moving to Burbank and evolving the business 12:47 – Surviving the analog → digital shift 15:09 – The timecode session disaster 15:54 – Handling pressure when everything’s on the line 16:17 – Why great engineers use their ears, not just meters 17:13 – Storytelling secrets in voiceover demos 18:01 – Memories of Don LaFontaine 20:10 – The “voiceover gypsy” era 21:46 – Life beyond LA 23:45 – Travel, boundaries, and no mobile rig 24:37 – Coaching talent and modern home studios 25:32 – Gear graveyard stories 27:16 – Where to find Mark

April 6, 2026Episode 35433 min

GTT Profile: NYT Bestselling Author David Pogue

What happens when a seven-time Emmy winner realizes his audio isn’t good enough? We’re re-releasing this episode with CBS Sunday Morning correspondent, Emmy Award winner, and New York Times bestselling author David Pogue to celebrate his new book, Apple: The First 50 Years, which recently debuted on the NYT Best Sellers list. In this conversation, David joins George the Tech to break down how his echoey home office got upgraded to broadcast-ready sound—without a booth—and why most people misunderstand how to fix bad audio. You'll also hear about his years covering tech for The New York Times, and why he’s turning down voice-cloning deals in the age of deepfakes. If you record from home—or care about where tech is headed—this episode hits both. Timeline 00:00 — Big Question: AI Utopia or Dystopia? 00:30 — Introducing David Pogue 03:30 — What He Actually Does Day-to-Day 07:00 — His Music Background (Broadway → Now) 10:00 — The Windsor Castle Story 16:30 — Why He Needed Help With Audio 18:30 — The Big Misconception: “Just Get a Booth” 21:00 — The Facebook Thread That Changed Everything 23:00 — The Actual Fix 25:30 — The Last 5%: Clarity VX 28:00 — Workflow Friction (Final Cut Issue) 31:00 — Broadcast Reality vs Perfectionism 34:00 — The Challenge of Great Audio + Great Video 36:30 — The “Perfect Zoom Background” Problem 40:00 — AI Tools He Actually Uses 43:30 — Deepfakes: Real Risk or Overblown? 47:00 — Turning Down Voice Cloning Offers 50:00 — AI Lawsuits + Ownership Questions 54:00 — Where to Follow David Pogue

March 30, 2026Episode 35353 min

GTT Trusted Partner: Queen Noveen, Live Announcer and Coach

From closet booth to NFL sidelines—Queen Noveen didn’t just break into voiceover, she built her own lane. In this episode, she joins George the Tech to share how viral moments, relentless hustle, and smart social media turned into real bookings—including the San Francisco 49ers, NASCAR, and NFL Honors. But it wasn’t smooth. Along the way, she faced noisy apartments, blanket booths, online trolls—and figured it all out in real time. If you’ve ever wondered how VO careers actually take off today…this one’s a must-listen. Learn more at: www.queennoveen.com/ Timeline 00:00 – Soundcheck Promo 00:21 – Handling online hate 00:45 – Meet Queen Noveen 01:52 – Closet studio beginnings 02:59 – Juggling early jobs 04:20 – Moving from Connecticut to LA 05:15 – How voiceover found her 06:36 – Dealing with noise interruptions 08:44 – The “blanket booth” era 13:50 – Upgrading to a real home studio 15:51 – Self-directing vs. being directed 17:06 – Going viral on TikTok 20:58 – Managing comments & negativity 24:27 – Learning mic technique the hard way 26:32 – The story behind “Queen Noveen” 28:12 – Turning social media into bookings 29:19 – NFL Honors + 49ers breakthrough 29:54 – NASCAR opportunity chain reaction 31:24 – Inclusion, opportunity, and pushback 34:13 – Australia TV interview experience 35:43 – Editing yourself on camera 38:13 – Launching Ready. Cue. Announce! 39:59 – Curriculum + how it started 44:16 – Who the program is for 46:52 – Measuring student success 49:03 – How to enroll 50:28 – No “get rich quick” promises 52:16 – Wrap-up + community