Bev Standing and TikTok, IATSE, Robert Munsch, Shatner in Space, Barbie

Introduction

Hi there and welcome to Vox Talk, your weekly review from the world of voice over. I’m your host, Stephanie Ciccarelli from Voices.com. In today’s show, you’ll hear about Bev Standing and TikTok, IATSE setting a deadline for strike action, William Shatner’s triumphant return to earth, the new Music Producer Barbie and the Vox Talk community spotlight.
News 1: Bev Standing and TikTok Settlement

As reported by the Verge, TikTok has agreed to settle a lawsuit with Bev Standing, the voice actress who said she was behind the app’s original text-to-speech voice. Bev’s story has been followed closely in the voice over community, most recently covered by VoiceOverXtra and Music Tech.

While Standing and her legal team are bound by a non-disclosure agreement and cannot discuss the details of the settlement, her lawyer Robert J. Sciglimpaglia shared with VoiceOverXtra that the parties have reached an amicable solution.

To be linked to more on this story, visit the Vox Talk show notes for episode #93 for links to coverage on The Verge, Music Tech and VoiceOverXtra.

News 2: IATSE to Strike on Monday if agreement not reached

As promised, we’re following up on where the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees is regarding their negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Deadline reports that unless a deal is reached by Monday October 18th at 12:01am with the AMPTP, IATSE will go on strike. To keep up with the latest news, visit the Vox Talk show notes for a link to where you can see the IATSE strike counter. Right now, it is counting to Monday morning at 12:01am.

What’s on the table? Issues considered outstanding to IATSE are wages, including living wages; meal breaks; weekend rest periods; pension hours required for a qualified year; terms and conditions for New Media, and sustainable benefits.

As a reminder to us all, IATSE is a labour union representing over 150,000 behind-scenes professionals in the entertainment industry, which includes live theatre, motion picture and television production, broadcast and trade shows in the United States and Canada.

Is this potential strike affecting you? Be sure to join in the conversation in the Voices forum at community.voices.com.

News 3: Shatner’s Return from Space

Captain Kirk has now gone where no other sci-fi actor has gone before!

Blue Origin successfully completed the second human spaceflight on board New Shepard on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. The flight, which had been originally scheduled for Tuesday October 12th, was delayed due to high winds.

The flight Shatner was on included three other private citizens, Dr. Chris Boshuizen, Glen de Vries and Audrey Powers.

Upon landing, Shatner was hugged by Jeff Bezos and took a few minutes to share his thoughts. The event was live streamed via Blue Origin’s YouTube channel. Watching William Shatner describe his experience and share so vulnerably was impactful. His new appreciation for the uniqueness of our planet, its design and the vastness of creation beyond the covering of its blue skies was a thing of beauty to watch.

To see the astronauts greeting family and friends, as well as hear Shatner’s commentary, start watching the video around the 2 hour and 42 minute mark. The video is linked in our Vox Talk show notes.

Congratulations, Mr. Shatner and all involved.

News 4: Robert Munsch reveals that he has dementia

The author of “Love You Forever,” “The Paper Bag Princess,” “Mortimer” and many more childhood favorites has just revealed that he has dementia. Beloved children’s author, Robert Munsch, chatted with CBC’s Shelagh Rogers about his lifelong love of storytelling and diagnosis of dementia, this being the first interview he has done in ten years.

Munsch’s career has spanned four decades delighting children and their parents alike. While he is unable to do simple things like ride a bike, drive a car or write, his stories have remained with him. He even keeps up a 25-year or so penpal relationship with one of the kids who started writing to him when she was in kindergarten, who is now about 30 years old.

When speaking to Rogers, Munsch relayed that he is still able to speak his stories aloud, and that, "My stories, strangely enough, are all there. The stories will be the last thing to go, I think."
To hear Robert Munsch’s interview with Shelagh Rogers of the CBC, visit the link in our show notes.

News 5: Mattel’s Music Producer ‘Career of the Year’ Barbie Doll

Mattel announced September 13th the release of their new Barbie Music Producer, a doll de
signed to introduce girls to an underrepresented career where women make up less than 3% of music producers and shine a light on the importance of women’s stake in the industry.

Heralded as ‘Career of the Year,’ the new Barbie Music Producer doll aims to inspire young girls to reach for the stars in the music industry. Part of the release involved a partnership with organization Girls Make Beats, an organization dedicated to expanding the female presence of music producers, DJs and audio engineers – to inspire more girls to explore a future in music production. Through the collaboration, Barbie is funding Girls Make Beats scholarships to give more girls access to pursue their future dream.

To read the full press release, find the link in our show notes.

Vox Talk Community Spotlight

In today’s Vox Talk Community Spotlight, I’m pleased to share some news from voice artist Terry McGuire. After decades of news, industrial, commercial and mainly medical narrations, Terry is now using her voice full-time for mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. She produces and cohosts the Giving Voice to Depression podcast with her sister and best friend, Bridget.

On their website, the sisters write: We’re not therapists or experts. But we battle depression and have lost family members and friends by suicide. It’s in their honor that we began this project. It is our hope and commitment to increase awareness and reduce the stigma and isolation of depression, one story at a time. These stories could truly save lives.

The Giving Voice to Depression podcast is celebrating its eighteenth season. Congratulations, Terry and Bridget!