Maria Pendolino

Disabled Voice Actors Database

February 1, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

It’s 2023, and with the New Year comes a new opportunity for me to focus on what is really important. And no, I don’t just mean petting my cats and annoying them as my husband and I cheer loudly for the Buffalo Bills — although that does top my preferred list of activities, no matter the year (sorry kitties). Instead, I’m referencing the passion that I have for supporting my fellow community of voice actors and, more specifically, disabled voice actors.

As some of you may be aware, I live with a disability. When I was only 22 years old, I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, a really painful chronic condition that can affect mobility. At age 32, the pain became so severe that I had to get a double knee replacement.

Though I am grateful to be gainfully employed as a self-sustaining professional voice actor, I can’t ignore that living with a disability makes it harder for me to do what I do. I doubt there’s any easy field for anyone living with a disability. It just so often feels like the world isn’t made for us, period.

Being An Advocate

It dawned on me sometime this year that I am fortunately in a position where I can enact change within my industry. Armed with this know-how and more than a little bit of frustration with how the entertainment industry as a whole can be shrouded in disability erasure and downright ableism, I partnered up with my friend, Nick Germain. He started the first version of the Disabled Voice Actors Database. Together with a volunteer steering committee, we brought it to its current incarnation today. It’s my pleasure to now introduce this database to you!

Introducing the Disabled Voice Actors Database

Truth be told: the idea for the Disabled Voice Actor Database was inspired by the existence of a few already-existing databases that target other communities within the voice acting world, namely the LGBTQIA+ community (QueerVox) and people of color (PGM VO List).

Although the communities that we serve are different, the premise is the same: to help chip away at the inequality that non-white, non-able-bodied, and non-straight voice actors face within their field. Although we’d all like to think of the entertainment world as progressive, the reality is that disabled actors still make less money and get offered fewer roles than their able-bodied counterparts. Disabled actors are also often passed by for roles that center on disabled stories. A popular hashtag on social is #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs.

It’s our hope that the database will give casting directors easy access to a range of very talented voice actors who happen to also live with a disability. I will sleep well at night if I can know that there is no longer an excuse for anyone to ever say they didn’t cast a disabled voice talent in a role because they “couldn’t find someone.”

The Disabled Voice Actors Database originally started out as a spreadsheet, but it wasn’t long before it outgrew this humble abode. Version 2.0 is snazzier and more user-friendly than ever before. Along with Nick, voice actors Satauna Howery, Tony Jackson, Tyler Berman, and Lindsay Sheppard were also instrumental in making this happen. There was also a team of volunteers that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the database was functional.

Join Us!

Of course, a small list of voice actors does not make a database, so if you’re a voice actor with a disability, I would love for you to get in touch and join us! Simply access the intake form at disabledvoiceactors.com. The database is free; we only allow vetted casting directors and other professionals to view it. That makes the general public can’t search for you.

One note: if you’re under 18, you’ll need your parent or legal guardian to complete the intake form.

Are You A Casting Director Or Voice Seeker Looking For Disabled Talent?

Hey! Nice to have you here. I’m happy to share some tips on navigating the disabled voice actor database to send you on your merry way.

First, go to disabledvoiceactors.com. You’ll see a section called “Voice Seeker Access Request.”
Fill out your information. The more info you’re able to provide, the easier it will be for our amazing team of volunteers to vet you and grant you access to the database.
Once you’ve been approved, you’ll receive unique login credentials that you can use to access the database.
Start perusing and find your next amazing voice talent hire!

Anyone with questions about the database can reach out to disabledvoiceactors@gmail.com, and we’ll help you. As always, thanks for listening and for following along

Maria Pendolino is a professional voice actor with more than a decade of experience. She also happens to be disabled. Her highly-recognizable cheery voice can be heard from your car radios, televisions, and computer speakers. Brands that have chosen Maria as their voice acting representative include Dannon, Geico, Panera, and many others. Maria is passionate about helping her community both on and offline and feels strongly about building a better industry (and the world) for anyone living with a disability.

Geico Commercial Female Voiceover

January 3, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

Geico is well-known for its clever advertising campaigns. As a millennial, Geico’s gecko commercials are a favorite memory of my youth. A “core memory,” as the youth of the 2020s would say. Little did I know that I, Maria Pendolino, would one day grow up to be a Geico commercial female voiceover. After all, when these commercials first came out in 1999, I was in the prime of my TV-watching days. After I returned from school, I used to go into the living room and turn the TV on for an hour or so to relieve whatever stressors were facing my adolescent psyche.

This was when everyone still had cable — there were no streaming services to peruse, and even satellite TV was a bit of a splurge for most people. And there was no targeted advertising based on our browsing habits. This landscape created a bit of a monoculture where we all watched the same episodes and specials simultaneously. It also meant we all watched the same commercials. More specifically, we were all watching Geico commercials.

What makes Geico commercials so popular?

Long before I was ever in the market for a car or home insurance, I knew that Geico could save me 15% or more on these expenses. That’s the power of a clever marketing campaign. “Clever” is a great way to describe Geico commercials. Even in the early days, before “viral marketing” was even a phrase in our collective conscience, Geico knew that making commercials that were funny and enjoyable to watch would have an impact.

Consider this: the introduction of Geico’s famous gecko character came to be because so many people confused the name “Geico” with “gecko.” The gecko’s first appearance broke the fourth wall by speaking directly to the audience, asking them to kindly stop confusing the name “Geico” with the word “gecko.”

Fast forward to 2005, and the gecko (whom we are pleased to inform you have the real name of Martin) was voted “America’s favorite advertising icon.” Throughout the years, Geico has tried (successfully) to incorporate different characters and subplots into their advertisements, but Martin still continues to pop up now and then to this day.

Which leads us to the question — what makes Geico commercials so beloved anyway? It’s human nature to naturally detest advertisements. As a result, we often see companies trying too hard to “come to peace” with their ad efforts. Geico is successful because they don’t try too hard. They’re naturally funny and endearing. They’re entertaining, which means that people want to watch them.

Who does the voiceover for the Geico commercials?

Let’s give credit where credit is due. There have been a lot of different voiceover artists who have used their talents to bring Geico commercials to life over the years.

First, let’s start with the case of Martin. There has been a long list of actors who have played the amphibian, including Thomas Bromhead, Dave Kelly, Richard Steven Horvitz, Andrew Randall, and even Kelsey Grammar. But the voice actor most commonly associated with Martin is probably Jake Wood, an actor very famous in his native UK for playing in soap operas.

Aside from the Geico storyline, some of Geico’s other famous ad campaigns have included the caveman (played by John Lehr) and the camel (played by “This is Us” actor Chris Sullivan).

Who does the female voiceover in Geico commercials?

If you’re wondering who provides the female voiceover in recent Geico commercials, there’s a good chance it was me, Maria Pendolino.

My Geico journey started in 2022. To date, I have provided voiceovers for three popular Geico commercials, as you can see here:

“Secret Identity”

In typical Geico fashion, this commercial’s humor is just the right amount of “out there” or “absurd.” In it, we see an office worker trying to hide the fact that he’s a famous superhero. Unfortunately, his efforts fail when he forgets to remove his superhero costume before coming to work.

While this commercial features a few different talented on-camera actors, it’s my announcer voiceover that comes in near the end, announcing the benefits of bundling your insurance with Geico.

“Special Effects”

This sci-fi themed Geico ad features a starship team preparing to fight off an intruder, only the “intruder” is nothing more than a man in a motion capture costume with ping pong balls glued on. We’re led to believe the movie didn’t finish their special effects. My voiceover comes on in the end to warn viewers the dangers of cheaping out on their special effects….and of not bundling their home and car insurance.

Maria Pendolino: here for your voice acting needs

As you can see from the above posts, I am the kind of female voiceover talent who is pretty much down to voice anything. In fact, if you’re planning a funny ad campaign, I definitely want to hear from you.

Aside from the Geico commercials, you may have also heard my voice speaking for brands like Dannon, Hoover, The Knot, Xfinity, and Glad Trash Bags. Being somewhat of a “vocal chameleon”, I can happily adjust my services to whatever style you’re looking for, but I especially pride myself on being a conversational, approachable voice that’s welcoming to listeners.

If you’re looking to book your next commercial, feel free to check out my demos or request a live audition. I can’t wait to see what you and your advertising teams have in the works!

Maria Pendolino is a professional voice actor with more than ten years worth of experience. A trained professional actor, Maria worked for years in New York City before she moved to a home studio in Buffalo, NY, where she still works to this day.
http://animationWhen you work with Maria, you join the ranks of many other major brand companies who have entrusted Maria to capture their character’s voice. She proudly works in many different fields ranging from corporate voice overs to e-Learning videos to animated shows and movies. Get in touch today to see how Maria can bring your project(s) to life.

Talent Buyouts & Usage In Perpetuity – How To Attract Top Talents

June 21, 2022 by Maria Pendolino

If you’re producing content, chances are – you want the best talent involved in the project to achieve the best results for your clients. When you’re planning your project’s budget and terms, there are a few talent-friendly things to keep in mind to make sure top working actors and content creators consider your casting.

My name is Maria Pendolino and I’ve been a working pro voice actor for more than a decade.

My voice has been featured in commercials and industrials for brands like Hoover, Dannon, American Express, Monistat and Pillsbury – among many others.

The Good News Is?

Top talents like me want to audition for your projects! When top talents see a casting posted on an online casting site or receive an email from their reps with terms like “all media in perpetuity” – they are likely to pass. Why? Let’s talk about it!

Let’s start with some key definitions, so we’re all speaking the same language.

What is “usage?” Usage is the use of a talent’s likeness in a piece of creative. Their “likeness” could be a voice performance, an on-camera actor’s appearance in a commercial or a content creator’s sponsored post.

What is “in perpetuity?” In perpetuity is an indefinite length of time, aka forever.

What is “all media?” All Media encompasses literally all the types of media that exist today, or could be invented in the future. (Will the International Space Station start broadcasting content in the night sky?)

What is a “buyout?”A Buyout is a payment in exchange for a performance for a duration of time. The hiring entity isn’t going to track how many times a piece of creative airs. Buyouts are common in non-union talent contracts.

If you take away only one piece of information from this piece, I hope it’s this:

Why Does This Happen?

You pay a talent once to use their likeness in your creative and then you can use that creative for however long you want without having to re-negotiate rates or renewals. Or, do any kind of tracking of the piece of creative throughout its life cycle. And you can run it on any media platform that you choose. Simple, right? If you’re not a signatory to a collective bargaining agreement, it’s the wild west – there aren’t any “standard” contracts or governing bodies to refer to.

With stock footage availability and actors & content creators having broadcast-quality home setups, it’s easier than ever to generate a piece of content to traffic. And if a talent is working direct with a brand or production company, there may not be an agent or manager looped in to discuss and negotiate terms. If it’s a non-union project, collectively bargained union contracts and terms aren’t in play.

So, What’s The Problem?

While a buyout in perpetuity is simple, clean and easy for clients and producers, it can be extremely detrimental to talents and content creators who work on commercial advertising projects – particularly those who are early in their career and aspire to join a performer’s union in the future.

The moment a talent signs a buyout in perpetuity for all media on a piece of commercial creative, they could be hindering their ability to ever work in that product/service category again, especially if they eventually want to be considered for union campaigns.

Let’s Consider An Example

Let’s say that a talent who is early in the career and not in a performer’s union yet agrees to a buyout in perpetuity across all media for their voiceover performance in a Coke spot. They receive a one-time payment for the usage of their voice.

Two years later, the talent has joined the union and now is offered the opportunity to be “THE VOICE” of Pepsi in a campaign. As is typical with union broadcast contracts, Pepsi wants exclusivity in the “Beverage” category. Technically, the talent cannot sign the Pepsi contract in good faith. Why? Because they granted the use of their voice, to Coke two years ago in all media, in perpetuity for that one-time payment. So, that Coke spot could start re-airing – violating the exclusivity clause that Pepsi has requested.

The talent has essentially created a forever conflict in “Soda/Beverages” and would never be able to enter into an exclusive agreement in the category. On larger campaigns and union projects, exclusivity and conflicts in a category are tracked very closely. Brands don’t want their talents appearing in their competitors’ advertisements.

So, What Can You Do?

You can do right by your talents and content creators by asking them for time-bound buyouts that reflect how long you or your clients ACTUALLY intend to use the piece. You can also limit the media to the platforms that the piece will actually be trafficked on.

Here are the Top Five Things you can do to help protect the future livelihoods of talented actors and creators:

Offer Time-Bound Buyout Terms for Commercial Advertising Projects Advertising doesn’t last forever. Offer time-bound commercial buyouts, with the option to renew at the end of the term.
Remember Talents In Budget Discussions When you’re starting a new project and discussing budgets, timelines and media with your clients, keep your talents in mind at the start of the conversation.
Make Realistic Decisions About How & Where Creative Assets Will Be Used It’s possible that at the time you put out a casting call or make inquiries with talents and content creators that you won’t know exactly how long or where creative assets will be used. That’s OK.
Use Simple Contracts Instead of Boilerplate Release Language A talent should not be asked to execute all-encompassing releases that include verbiage or terms that are not applicable to a particular project.
Be Open To Negotiation With Your Talents It’s a two-way street. While there is an inherent power dynamic between a hiring entity and a job seeker, you can level the playing field just by being open to negotiation.

Are There Times When Buyouts In Perpetuity Are OK?

Typically, buyouts in perpetuity for the following types of media would not cause commercial conflicts for talents:

Non-Broadcast Educational Content / Explainer Videos
E-Learning Training & Webinars
Telephony & IVR Systems
Corporate / Internal Industrials
Live Announcing or Voice of God recordings
PSAs that promote awareness of an issue for the public good

Thanks for reading. And, thanks for remembering the working actors, talents and content creators in your next commercial advertising project.

Maria Pendolino is a working voice actor with more than eighteen years of performance experience. Maria has worked in theatre, television and film in addition to her voiceover acting career. You can learn more about Maria on her website, www.voicebymaria.com, and you can follow her on Instagram @mariapendo. Maria’s fun fact is that she and her husband Eric were featured on an episode of HGTV’s flagship show HOUSE HUNTERS.

A Digital Producer’s Meditation & Tips for 2022

January 9, 2022 by Maria Pendolino

Dear 2022,

Hello. It’s uh, nice to meet you. We think? We come in peace. Oh, uh, here is a welcome gift. We brought you a fruit basket. Please take it as a token of our appreciation. Hopefully, this bribery will be sufficient to change the frankly abysmal vibes that your predecessors, 2020 and 2021, have left behind. You have a lot of cleaning up to do, but we’re sure you’re up for the task. What we’re trying to say is, we’re really hoping that you’re going to be different. Please prove us right.

Remote Life Tips for 2022

We’re optimists here at Voice by Maria HQ, so we’re sure that 2022 won’t need even need this note of desperation to convince 2022 to bring us good fortune. After the last two years that we’ve all had, it wouldn’t be outrageous to think that we deserve something positive out of this decade, right? You know the popular saying that we all have embroidered and handing on our walls—from every dumpster fire there emits a rainbow of pure joy and wonder. If you need a little bit more peace and quiet for your mind, I made a (parody) (satirical) (ridiculous) guided meditation and tips for 2022 made especially for digital producers. We’re sure you won’t regret it. Check it out below!

Even if the road ahead of us remains rough, there are two important things to keep in mind. The first is that if there is one thing these past two years have taught us, it’s how resilient we are. We’re not even being cheesy—most of us have never lived through something as universally traumatizing as a pandemic, and we are doing the best we can.

The second is that we are wiser and more prepared than we were in 2020 or 2021. This is especially true for remote workers. While those of us who work from home are very fortunate in many ways—we don’t have the unfathomably tough work conditions of the amazing folks on the frontlines, we don’t have a commute, and we can often work in our pajamas—there are also many challenges to this way of working.

But maybe you’ve been too busy updating your Asana board or tracking your KPIs to keep track of the wise tricks that working from home for two years has taught us. Don’t worry, wary warrior of the world wide web—in this article, we have collected the most important things that remote work has taught us.

#1 Pets and Children Don’t Understand the 9 to 5 Concept

The concept of a 9 to 5 job has been deeply ingrained in our culture ever since Henry Ford told us that it should be. Dolly sang about it, Sheena sang about it, and chances are that most of us have worked at least one 9 to 5 job in our lives. But the problem is that the 9 to 5 model and the remote work model just don’t really mix.

Nobody knows this better than parents with young children who were set up with the task of watching their kids while working their job. Sure, it may be disruptive to hear a baby cry out in the middle of a C-suite meeting, but what can ya do? And good luck trying to explain it to your dog to not ask for attention until after 5 p.m. Our pets are thrilled that we’re home all the time, and they’re making the most of it.

Luckily, many companies are reacting to this incompatibility by offering flex hours to their employees. Often times this means being available at certain hours a day for meetings, but otherwise just finishing their work at their own discretion so that they can be there for their children and pets as much as possible.

#2 The Right Camera Angle Can Hide That Pile of Laundry

I’m pretty convinced that everyone does this, but if you never have, prepare for your life to be changed for the better. Over the past 7,500 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all gone to great lengths to perfect our “Zoom background”. But don’t even think about actually cleaning your room before a Zoom meeting again. Simply tilt your camera so that any mess on your floor or desk is out of view. No one will ever know. 😉

Tips for 2022 #3 Mute Yourself When You’re Not Speaking

This isn’t really a groundbreaking tip, and we’re not being facetious. We just thought we’d remind you to mute yourself when you’re not speaking.

#4 Nobody Knows That You’re Wearing Pajama Pants

If you’re still wearing business casual clothing to your Zoom meetings, we’re here to free you from that prison of fabric. The same thing goes if you’re wearing jeans. While some people do find it helps put them in the proper mind frame for working, voice actors, in general, rely on pajama pants to get them through the day. A uniform? A badge of courage? Who’s to say?

Tips for 2022 #5 A Watched Postal Worker Never Delivers

Yes, much like a watched kettle never boils, we’re pretty sure that a watched postal worker never delivers, so if you’re highly anticipating a special delivery, try to avert your eyes from your front steps. It’s better this way. Also, while we’re at it, let’s consider tipping our mail carriers for the holidays—it’s not too late and they’ve done some amazing work these past few years.

So, there you have it. Some tips to take you through the next year, whatever it does decide to bring us.

Female Sports Promo Voice

November 15, 2021 by Maria Pendolino

Is Monday Night Football a big deal in your house? How about Hockey Night in Canada? Or maybe your family is more about MLB?

In the household that I share with my husband and our cats, sports are a big deal (okay, maybe not to the cats, but have you ever met one? Not exactly easy to please).

My name is Maria Pendolino, and I have worked in the world of voice acting for more than a decade. As a professional voice actor, I am always thrilled to lend my voice to sports promos of any kind. With the help of my friendly (yet authoritative) voice, I can walk that delicate line between relaying practical info and stirring up excitement and pride. When it comes to sports voiceover, it’s about more than just business for me. It’s a melding of two of my lifelong passions.

Maria Pendolino: Monday Night Football Promo Voice Announcer

I live (and was born and raised) in Buffalo, so I’d like to say that I understand firsthand the sanctity of the Monday Night Football tradition. You can imagine my delight, then, when I got the opportunity to voice the Monday Night Football pre-kickoff promo for week 9 on November 8th, 2021, that celebrated the rivalry and the game between the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. Check it out here:

Why Hire a Professional Voiceover Artist for a Sports Promo?

Don’t underestimate the role that a professional voice actor plays in sports marketing . Any sports fan knows the importance of a compelling sports commentator or promo announcer. When it comes to high stake sports games, clear communication is necessary—ask any fan whether or not an attention to detail in sports is important, and they’re sure to say a resounding “yes”.

I’m available for promo work, game wrap work, and any other marketing communications for a sports team. I am happy to work with both local and national sports teams. The global sports industry is valued at a staggering 1.1 trillion dollars. With this much money on the table, it’s best to leave your promos up to the professionals. Trained voice actors understand how to engage and command an audience—a skillset that is only becoming more and more of a hot commodity in today’s world where your audience’s attention span is more elusive with every year that passes.

Why Choose a Female Voiceover For a Sports Promo?

Let’s face it—although the world of voice acting has started to embrace the female voice for things like Voice of God announcements, e-learning videos, commercials and corporate narration, but there are many areas where female voiceover artists are still in the minority. Sports promo, for one, remains a bit of a boy’s club. But that’s changing, and I’m delighted to be a part of the female revolution!

Not only can women more be heard as sports commentators more often than ever before, but it’s also becoming more common for female voiceover actors to provide the voiceovers for promos and sports packages. If you’re looking for a voiceover that sounds like Erin Andrews, you may be happy with my voice demos. I am also inspired and motivated by the other female voice commentators who are paving the way in the sports world, like Lisa Salter, Michele Tafoya, Lisa Salters, Maria Taylor, Suzy Kolber, and of course Beth Mowins, who was the first female commentator to call play-by-play and color commentary for Monday Night Football.

Voice Acting Services of All Kinds

A trained actor since the age of 11, I have been professionally involved in the voice acting business for more than a decade. My first voice acting gig was for a university right here in Buffalo. Since then, my voice has accumulated quite the travel history—it can be heard all around the country and the world in thousands of spots, including commercials, e-learning, medical narration, corporate narration, and more. Some of my big name clients have included the likes of Lowe’s, Glad, Xfinity, Google, Grubhub, and more. Check out an overview of my demo reels here or request a live audition.

From my fully-equipped professional home studio, I am able to present my clients with broadcast-quality audio that is ready to deploy. No expensive trip to a fancy studio in Los Angeles or New York recording studio necessary—just give me your required audio specs, and I’ll send a polished product your way. Get in touch with me today to see how I can bring your sports promo to life. I would love to hear more about your audio needs!

If you’re looking for a female voiceover artist for a sports spot, Maria Pendolino is your gal. A sports fan since childhood, this Buffalo native knows the important role that sports can play in all of our lives—especially when it comes to football.

The times are changing, and more and more sports broadcasters are opting for a female voiceover for their sports promos. If you’re thinking about hiring a female voice for your sports promo, you’re making a good choice. Female voices are shown to resonate extremely well with audience of any gender. Reach out to Maria Pendolino today and learn how her clear, compelling voice can ignite the right level of excitement in your audience.

Why You Should Hire a Professional Female Voiceover Artist For Your Next Project

September 14, 2021 by Maria Pendolino

When’s the last time you heard an announcement or commercial that stuck with you? Did the voiceover sound happy? Reassuring? Warm?

Did it sound female?

If you’ve observed that many of the voices we hear in the media are female, we’re here to tell you that you’re on to something. Gone are the times of the good ‘ole boy’s club—nowadays, more and more companies are turning to female voiceover help. Let’s take a look at why this is.

The (voiceover) Future is Female

First thing’s first: there is compelling evidence to show that listeners warm up more quickly to a female voice compared with deep male voices. A 2014 study performed by the University of Glasgow found that participants rated female voices and higher-pitched male voices as the most trustworthy.

It’s also possible that female voices resonate more strongly with consumers who often tend to be female themselves. It’s been over ten years since the Harvard Business Review declared that women “drive the world economy,” a phrase that came from the fact that women serve as the primary purchase decision-maker in most spending categories.

So what does this mean? If you’re starting to think about your next voiceover project, you should seriously consider hiring the help of a female professional.

A Professional? Can’t I Just Record My Own Voiceovers?

If you’re in need of voiceovers, it can be tempting to take the DIY path. Not only is cutting-edge software and hardware more accessible than ever before, but there is no shortage of videos out there that give us that boost of “you can do it” confidence, for better or for worse.

While a YouTube tutorial can be an excellent help for restringing your guitar or deep-cleaning your bathtub, there’s a lot at stake with voiceover acting. Even you have a “great announcer voice,” creating a high-quality, ready-to-go can be deceivingly complex. It’s not that we don’t think you’re capable of great things—but voice acting makes the list of tasks that are better handled by professionals.

This is because, whether you’re looking to advertise a product or deliver an important message to the mass public, your implementation must be exact. If a voiceover delivery falls flat, it can backfire and have disastrous consequences for your company or organization.

Bottom line: you’ll do yourself a favor by investing in the peace of mind that comes with using a reliable voice actor who will complete your project in a professional studio and deliver a ready-to-use product created with industry standards in mind. Voiceover actors are professionals, training for years to perfect their craft. They’re ready to help you.

While any professional voice talent will bring something different to the table, you should consider looking into using a female voiceover talent. You’ve got science on your side.