Episode 57: Roy Samuelson

Cheryl’s sitting in front of a microphone, in a home-based audio studio with red padded walls, a loosely crafted script and staring at the monitor on a desk which has the recording software where she’ll be recording a podcast episode with her guest Roy Samuelson. She breathes, presses the record button and begins their conversation...

And so ends a very rudimentary example of what “audio description” is. Whereas for over two decades my guest Roy Samuelson has gained critical praise working extensively in the ever-growing area of Audio Description, to which he’s received two SOVAS Award nominations; in 2019 and 2021 in the narration and audio description categories.

Audio description, or AD, is an invaluable tool that allows access to television programs, movies and other visual media to blind and low vision audiences.

As the Founder of the Audio Description Network Alliance, ADNA, Roy is a catalyst for quality and excellence in audio description, through the inclusion of blind professionals in every aspect of audio description. He advocates for all aspects of AD to be in parity to sighted. He’s the host and producer of the ADNA podcast where he interviews and highlights the many talents and roles that are essential in making AD possible.

Roy’s deep, soulful and commanding vocal skills have garnered him incredible success behind the microphone, contributing to literally thousands of vocal promos on NPR’s radio station, KCRW, in Santa Monica, CA . In other television and film projects, he often provides voice matches for top Hollywood stars.

Commercially, Roy has voiced Intel tags for the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards, major brands such as Quaker, State Farm, DirecTV, Ford, and Target, to name a few,and for the past 13 years has been the owner of the Good Loop Group which provides casting services for TV and feature film ADR and Loop Groups.

To contact Roy Samuelson

Biz email: [email protected]

Biz websites: https://www.roysamuelson.com/ theADNA.org KevinsWay.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/audiodescriptiondiscussion Podcast and a video, expanding on audio description https://www.20k.org/episodes/athousandwords https://www.emmys.com/events/210809-audio

Thanks for listening to this episode of 19 Stories: from fear to Hope.

If you enjoyed what you heard in this episode, make sure to follow 19 Stories wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. It would be greatly appreciated if you gave a nice review and shared this episode as well.

To give feedback or a story idea: [email protected]

To contact me via VO work, I can be reached at: [email protected]

To listen to my demos: https://www.cherylholling.com/

Follow me on Instagram: @cherylhollingvo

See you next time :-)

Theme Song Credit: 'Together' by For King & Country

Outro Music Sample: 'Breathe' by Chad Lawson