About
My work and interests have combined technology and creativity and linked selling, teaching and acting. They were not obvious bedfellows in the beginning. But looking back, they've all been about connecting with audiences and persuading them to follow along the thread of a story, albeit using very different styles of performance.
Voice Acting - commercial & artistic
From radio and TV commercials, to narration, storytelling, and dialogue replacement, my recorded voice has played a part in a varied collection of projects. There are several voiceover examples on the Advertising and Narration pages, but occasionally I'm asked for a description. So, throwing modesty to the wind, here's a written version of what you can expect to hear! The voice is acoustically low to mid range; musically baritone, with a colour palette ranging from dark brown cello to golden tenor sax; geographically Irish with an accent whose compass can swing west to the US and east to the UK; it speaks with convincing authority and switches to soothing, warm tones when the occasion calls — it commands attention and above all is believable.
Performance - before & behind the scenes
The theatre is a magical space. Another Declan* has described it as
a mystery. Acting and
Performance experience for me began
on stage; working to camera followed. On a stage of a different
kind, the role of Master of Ceremonies for live and recorded events
has combined aspects of both presentation and performance. Backstage
and behind the camera, microphone, and computer, I've explored the
magic in Multimedia — taking
ideas in words and complementing them with sound design for theatre, video,
photography, and graphics online and in print. For over 12 years, I was a freelance contributor to the creative
team with Mill Productions, a performance unit established within the Mill Theatre, Dundrum,
south of Dublin city, after it was opened in 2006; and I work on
story and project development for independent film and television production.
*Declan Donnellan, The Actor and the Target, (Hern Books)
Background - work & study
The early stages of my career were spent in the corporate world working in sales and marketing within the photographic business (Kodak), aviation (Aer Lingus), telecommunications (British Telecom) and advertising (McConnells). Following that, and some time devoted to business and technology training, my interest in the theatre led to the practice of acting and a course of study at University College Dublin, where I gained a master of arts degree in drama and performance studies. All of which has reinforced the value of seeing and experiencing things from many sides — and the joy of life-long curiosity.
If any or all of this could play a role in one of your projects, please get in touch.
