Lisa Keys To Success
Updated: Mar 10, 2020
Sometimes it's all about the people you have around you. In 2014, Lisa Keys found herself working with people who were passionate about radio imaging and who knew what a great radio imaging voice can do for a radio station. People like Rob Vavrek, Program Director of 100.3 the Bear who was it's production and imaging guru since the station's inception in 1992, and later became PD in 2009. People like Gary McClenaghan who was producing there at the time - and is now the voice on great stations like Q100 in Atlanta, Indie 88 in Toronto and i92.9 WLMI in Milwaukee. And the voice they were working with? Jamie Watson who was featured on this podcast a little while back.
When your career grows up around people like this - it becomes infectious.
Lisa spoke to us about her success in voiceover to date, including being named to the Benztown 50 last year, how she has had success attending radio conferences, and what's in store for her at the VO North Conference she is attending this fall. You can hear Lisa on great radio stations around the world like: Voice of IMGR AC Production Service
To have Lisa on your radio station - contact her through here website
Lisa will be attending VO North in Toronto September 21 and 22 in Toronto. I will be moderating two panels at the conference and if you are serious about your voiceover career or looking to simply get started - I know Dervla Trainor who puts this on would love to see you there, as would I. ~Matt
Lisa's experience is a good reminder that creative professionals can grow by experimenting with new formats and meeting people across the industry. Voiceover skills can also translate into short-form entertainment, including dramatic narration and horror storytelling. Exploring emerging trends in AI-generated zombie videos could inspire creators to test new ways of combining voice, mood, and visual storytelling.
Radio imaging depends on a voice creating the right mood in just a few seconds. That same skill of setting a tone could be fun to explore in a completely different genre, such as a spooky radio-style trailer or horror narration. Making a zombie-themed video from a creative concept could be an unusual experiment for anyone interested in voice and atmosphere.
It's interesting how Lisa's career developed through collaboration with producers and program directors who understood the value of strong radio imaging. A behind-the-scenes video about recording sessions or the process of creating a station sound could be appealing to aspiring voice artists. Creating short visual stories about audio production offers a creative way to share that process.
Lisa's work across different stations shows how voice talent can become part of a broadcaster's identity. For freelancers building their own brand, consistent visuals can make a portfolio and social profiles feel more professional. Designing distinctive visuals for a voiceover brand is one area where AI image tools can help spark fresh ideas.
Radio imaging voices help give a station its personality, even when listeners may not know the voice artist's name. A short demo reel with visual examples of station branding could help prospective clients understand the range of a voiceover artist's work. Turning creative concepts into short promotional videos with AI could be another way to present those skills.