Passion Fruit Productions

January 2008

"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." -- Carl Sagan

Ok, so I admit it. I cheat. I never bake from scratch. Baking is just not my art. I figure if it comes in a box and I can just mix and bake why should I try and reinvent the wheel? It’s not that I can’t follow directions; it’s just that I prefer the ones that say, "cut, place on tray and bake at 350." While the fantasy Norman Rockwell scene of me dancing in the kitchen wearing an apron covered in white flower and vanilla extract does get to me sometimes, I am quickly seduced by the short cuts when I think of what else I can accomplish with the time saved. After all, the boxed stuff tastes great—no one will really know the difference, right?

Wrong. Let me apologize to all the expert chefs and food critics out there whom I offend with my short-sided thinking about the art and soul of creating authentic and pure food experiences for others. I apologize because I do know there is a difference. I do know that to the discriminating palate, there is a huge difference between boxed and from-scratch. Just as I profoundly know the difference between just reading a script cold and starting from scratch.

As a voice talent, before I even begin to "cook" the copy I have to first prepare and gather key ingredients that will make my read truly a performance. This is my art—the art of voice. And I know that to deliver the best experience, I simply can not take short cuts or, for the sake of convenience, leave out even the tiniest grain of salt.

So, here I have gathered the ingredients for a truly delicious performance:

Disinfect utensils. ~ Clean my heart and head. Just as bacteria can come lurking when we can’t even see it, my own junk can creep in to my head when I’m not looking and mess with my art. Journaling daily cleans out any junk I have stuck in my head and heart, so it doesn’t find its way into my glorious work.
Warm oven, greese pan. ~ Arrive early to prep and warm my tools: Drink water, apply lip balm, speak out loud and use my techniques to access my authentic self.
Flour, eggs, butter and sugar. ~ My champions. I add to the mix the amazing team of people who support and encourage me to rise and flourish.
Pour in love, heart, soul. ~ Just as great chefs pour their heart and soul into every morsel of their food, I pour my own heart and soul into my read to create a memorable experience that will satisfy and linger.
A pinch of this and a dab of that. ~ Let my nuances flow into my read to make it mine, the same way great chefs instinctively add those special ingredients that no one can duplicate to make it "theirs."
Confidence. ~ Confident cooks claim their work and creations; they sign their names to their recipes. I have to believe and know that my message, my signature voice tastes great.
Bake, decorate, serve hot. ~ Edit, polish and serve hot. Just as nothing leaves a head chef’s kitchen imperfect, nothing leaves my studio that isn’t flawless to the discriminating ear.

And, just as my dough won’t rise if I leave out the details, neither will my work elevate the hearts and minds of those I serve if I leave out thoughtful care, timely preparation and my key ingredients--the best of me. Ahh, it tastes so good!