What better way to self deprecate than with Out Takes and Bloopers!

You know, sometimes when you're at a loss for creating content, especially free content, like my series Straight Shootin' with the Big Gun, you do one of two things. You create

1. A Best of Show...

or

2. Out Takes and Bloopers.

Well I chose to create the latter. Ten episodes worth of the funny behind the scenes stuff.

Oh my sides.

So enjoy at my expense.

A New Logo Idea. My identity crisis.

Recently, I started kicking around the notion that my marketing efforts just aren't working. God knows I've spent a fortune creating and promoting myself as the Big Gun. The notion that came from the fact that I've been doing advertising, marketing and voice work for over 20 years. I mean the logo was created by the same Hollywood design and movie poster company that created the graphics and movie posters for everything from Billy Elliot to Sideways to The Wrestler, not to mention the Raiders of the Lost Ark franchise. There was the photo shoot in LA, the travel, the website design, the business cards, letter head...on and on.

The logo was carefully designed with the Neuman 416 Shotgun microphone. Get it Shotgun Microphone. The actual gun I am holding is the real prop gun from the 1972 Dirty Harry Movie. The same one Clint Eastwood gripped oh so many years ago.

Then, because I'm not getting the work I think I should be getting, or the agents I believe I

should be working with, I start second guessing myself. Is it me? Is it my voice? Is it the economy? Hmmmmm it must be my logo. Yeah, that's gotta be it. I know, I'll start from scratch by pulling what I call a "Madonna". After all, she's the queen of reinvention and it works!

So, I started kicking around some new branding ideas. My last name is Victor, so I should go with

something based off the RCA Victor franchise? After all, that was the name I was called, or should I say relentlessly chided by in grade school.

Yeah great. I'll go with that. Besides, I can always use another law suit to give me something to do. So how do I make it my own...I know, I'll throw my trademark hair on the dog that should

change it up. Make it interesting and all. Yeah, that's the ticket and throw some sun glasses on the dog to show how really cool the dog is.

After I paid off the artist I realized what a stupid idea this was. So it was back to the drawing board. Then I thought, why not just go with my name - Ed Victor. Sounds like a great voice over name anyway.

Yeah let me try that.

But like all voice over people this new graphic designer threw the dreaded microphone in. The Microphone is the universal symbol of HE MUST BE A VOICE ACTOR! Right? The name looks fine but another microphone graphic...how pedestrian.

Now here's another idea speaking of microphones. Why not take my trademark hair. One of my most recognizable attributes and throw it on a microphone. I mean shit, it's the best of both worlds right? My hair on a microphone!!! Brilliant.

Yeah...until you see it. Looks like a Mr. Potato Head sort of thing, Or one of those M & M characters. Or a Weeble on a stick. It just doesn't work. Maybe I should change my name to Harry Mike. Yeah, Harold Harry Mike. Chances are Neuman will sue me for infringing on their fucking microphone design. And like I said earlier, just what I need another law suit to pass the time of day with.

So, after all is said and done, I think I'll stick with my original logo. The Big Gun. Unless someone else can come up with something better. This is my friends is my Identity Crisis.

The Client I Just Can't Seem To Get

As a voice talent/on-camera talent. I've been auditioning for the Michigan Lottery for going on 14 years now. That's right...14 years of reading copy about every game the Michigan Lottery has come up with. Last year, I put my foot down and told my agent in Detroit. No more. Do not ever

send me another Lottery Spot to audition for...ever. If you think you want to...don't! Just walk away and tell them I've got a conflict...Like 14 years of wasting my time.

As an aside, over the last 4 years - that's 4 years. I have been the voice of the Florida Lottery, Colorado Lottery, Georgia Lottery, Indiana Lottery and Missouri Lottery. Just to prove I can do LOTTERY!!!

Well, a buddy of mine who owns a film company shot me an email the other day, replete with a storyboard and script...for...you guessed it! THE MICHIGAN LOTTERY. I explained my past 14 year record - A million scripts...0 wins...A million losses. Nonetheless at his urging and his direction of "do whatever you want!" I proudly bring you this...my on camera audition of a shlub who just won a million dollars, yet is still a shlub. So enjoy. I mean hell, I put a half days effort into it, why shouldn't someone else get a kick out of it? Ohhhh and although everybody loved it...needless to say...Yeah - the Creative Director nixed it...I'm guessing, probably cause it wasn't his idea. Whatever dude...whatever. My days of Michigan Lottery Auditions are done! Really...I mean it!