Behind the Mic: Tre Mosley

As a VO talent Tre Mosley likes to give the client exactly what they want, but with his own style and personality. You can say that he likes to bring personality to the work. He’s easy going, loves what he does, and enjoys having FUN while he does it.  Tre does his best to get the work out to the buyer as fast as he get it in. We’re in the service industry, no matter how you look at it, and it’s his job to serve you with the quality work, every time.

What radio VO work have you done in the past (stations/markets)?

Nothing at the moment…but I’m available.

What are you up to presently (freelance/on-staff at a station)?

I just did some work for WBHJ in Birmingham, Alabama.

What do you love about your job?

Creating, I love the process of voiceover,  the energy of it all…and the final cut is the result of that work. I feel like booking the work is the pay, and the actual pay, well…it provides me a means to support my family.

How did you get started as a VO actor?

Working in customer service and in the Mortgage Industry, always doing impersonations, being silly, plus I was in the choir and drama in school. Natural performer I guess. When they laid us off, I took my severance and started looking more into “narration”. I didn’t know it was called voiceover until I started my research on it.

What was your first gig? Any memorable ones since then?

I read Spanish pretty good, (sometimes) and I read a ‘JUST SAY NO’ PSA campaign. 250.00! BIG TIME, lol. I was chosen to narrate a short piece on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which had to be approved by the King Family. They said it would have made Dr. King proud.

Who are your VO idols/mentors?

Dave Fennoy, Joe Cipriano, Al Chalk, I could go on and on.

If you weren’t doing voiceover, what else do you think you’d be doing for a career?

My mom taught for 40 years … I think I would be too. That or an attorney or salesman. I can talk anyone out of anything.

What did it feel like the first time you heard your voice on the radio/television?

I literally sat there, and said “that’s…me?” Beaming. The coolest moment was when my mom heard it that I kinda teared up a lil.

How has new technology changed the way you work?

Cuts down a lot of editing time…remote recording is awesome! Source Connect has saved my hide numerous times.

What gear do you use on the road? In your studio?

In studio: Apollo Twin, My Mac, and my AT 875r shotgun, recommended by George Whittam.  One the road, my Presonus or Scarlett gets the job done, and my Macbook has everything the big boy in my home studio has. If I’m in a hotel it’s pillow fort time or my Porta Booth. If I’m traveling to visit family, they ususally have a quiet room set aside for me.

Which production system do you use and why? Any favorite plugins?

I’ve been with Adobe Audition since forever, but Cubase was the first one I learned how to use. They’re 1 and 1 A to me.  Plugins are so….expansive, it’s just so many of them! Maybe something to take out breaths or clicks, and for fun I like using the plugin that makes you sound like you’re on a phone call and prank my friends with messages, calling from unknown numbers. I’m a good friend, just a bad one too!

Have you ever had a voice coach? Would you recommend it?

Every major profession has some type of continued training. Sports of course. Lawyers and teachers have to be certified every so many years to keep their job. Why not us?

How do you schedule/prioritize your work? How much time do you spend auditioning for new work?

I take what the day gives me most of the time. If I have a heavy VO workload that day, I try to knock it all out, then audition and market, then relax alone (read: Xbox) or spend time with baby (My wife Danielle), Slow day means more marketing and auditions. Weekends I do PA announcing as well. I know when to turn it all off though.

How do you market your services to potential clients?

Calls, Emails, or I walk up to you and strike a convo while I’m in your establishment, and see where it goes. We exchange cards and then I’ll send out a thank you email a few days later just as a reminder that we talked, along with sample of my work (if I didn’t show them on the phone when we first met) and go from there.

When it comes to VO work, studio & gear, what are your most ingenious methods/discoveries for saving time and cash?

ASK ! That one thing has saved me from a lot of stress and worry. We’re sometimes conditioned to do it all by ourselves. Asking for help is a STRENGTH not a weakness

What is the best voice processing trick or voice-over technique everyone should know?

Less is more….I try not to process at all, let the engineers handle it.  Don’t get me wrong I use it, but not enough to say “Hey try THIS!” I don’t want any mean emails saying “You said to do this and now I sound like a duck!” In the words of the singer Shaggy, “Wasn’t me.”

Do you have a different approach to reading radio imaging copy as opposed to TV/Radio commercial ads?

Oh yeah…more energy in imaging versus Tv and Radio. Well, they each have their own energy, but radio imaging (at least for my market) is very bombastic, you gotta be cool, have energy, swag, and all of that. Rarely for a commercial on TV and Radio do they ask for that.

Can you offer 3 helpful tips for newbies trying to make it in the voice-over industry?

Be nice, even if they say no. ASK, you wont know unless you put it out there. Say thank you, don’t assume and feel entitled. Manners and professionalism are VERY important. I got more but you asked for 3 lol.

If you could go back in time and hang out in any decade which one would you go back to and why? 70’s…things just seemed so much COOLER back then.

Favorite 2 pizza toppings? You assume I eat pizza…I DO ! Bacon, and sausage.

If you could invite one person to dinner, living or dead, who would it be? My grandpa, wait….ugh this is tough! I’m gonna cheat a lil. My grandma because we never met, and my grandpa because I know how proud he’d be of me. Are you trying to make me CRY!?! ☺

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