2003-04 Conservatory
Out of the Gates and Into the Lead!

Adrienne Wehr

Conservatory Chair

Once again, Conservatory is up and running strong. No matter how long you've been in the industry, keeping your skills finely tuned is an absolute must in today's ever-widening competitive environ-ment. We no longer compete with just our local colleagues. In today's commercial industry, we're up against a talent pool that spans the entire country. The Conservatory's mission is to provide our members with ongoing opportunities to stay sharp, stay smart, and get the job!

        To meet those goals, we kicked off this season with a weekend of workshops in October led by LA-based acting coach John Homa. He is a charismatic, highly skilled trainer who provides a vital acting workout for seasoned pros and novices alike. This was just the first phase of what we hope will be a long-term relationship between Homa and the actors of Pittsburgh. If you missed out, he returns to our market on February 28 and 29, 2004. Put aside that weekend to work with this acclaimed coach.

        In November, VO talent extraordinaire and Pittsburgh Local member Jeff Bergman offered us a world of inform-ation and expertise. In a two-part series, Jeff first met with our talent agents, casting directors, and ad agency representatives to determine their needs. The following evening he addressed those needs with our members in a captivating workshop that included: teleconferencing with AFTRA president John Connolly and casting director Mike Pipino; an overview of our industry offered through a letter written to our Local by famed commercial actor Bob Kaliban (the "Tidy Bowl Man"); and opportunities for our members to perform com-mercial copy and receive critique on delivery and mic technique by Jeff along with Tom Kikta, president of Digital Dynamics Audio.

        Jeff and Tom, both generous and outstanding educators, plan to offer in-tensive day-long workshops in 2004 dedicated to honing your VO skills. Don't miss out on these invaluable opportunities to improve your chances of landing those coveted VO jobs.

        Finally, it has been my true pleasure, as Chairperson, to build and grow the Conservatory over these past two seasons. Now, with a successful model for program-ming solidly in place and my responsibilities within the union ever-expanding, I am stepping down as Chair and from the core committee in order to allow the next generation of Conservatory, led by Ingrid Sonnichsen, to spread its wings.

        Ingrid and the committee will continue to bring you high quality, visionary programming starting with MEET THE NON-BROADCAST PRODUCERS in January. I will work in an ad hoc fashion on select workshops.

        Support your career by attending Conservatory, and support your union by being an active member. Discover the ways in which you can influence our collective destiny in this market. Taking action equals ownership and this union belongs to us all. OWN IT!