Karen@KarenCommins.com

Karen Commins

Award Winning

Atlanta Audiobook Share-rator™

Archives for 2006

The keys to a successful business

Yesterday, Drew and I, along with a couple hundred other people, went to an all-day Internet marketing seminar at a major Atlanta hotel convention center. We both are researching some new business ventures, but we were primarily interested in learning about driving traffic to our existing web sites. If someone is offering a free teleconference, webinar or seminar on a topic in which I’m interested, I take advantage of every opportunity to learn something new. Even one bit of useful information can give me a competitive advantage.

The company sponsoring yesterday’s event is in the business of selling web sites to people who want to sell products. The marketing principles for a web site promoting a service like voice-over acting and a product line are the same. As with brick and mortar companies, my on-line presence is an extension of my off-line business. I heard some very useful information about improving my search engine rankings and some clever marketing techniques that made the day worthwhile.

Of course, spending a rare weekday with Drew was the best part! 🙂 A nice lunch at the hotel was included in this slick presentation; after all, you needed to keep your strength up if you were going to be able to sign your name on your check or credit card slip when you made your major purchase later in the day.In looking over some of my material and doing my own research, I ran across a free e-book titled Starting Your Internet Business. The book is offered on a site that interacts heavily with eBay merchants and Entrepreneur Magazine, and the book seems to have some good tips about setting up your on-line business.

I was particularly interested to note the comments in chapter 11 about the merchant account. A merchant account is the company that does your credit card processing for you. Voice talent who accept credit cards tend to use PayPal to perform this service, but businesses selling a product need to provide a secure, click-and-go ordering and credit verification system in their interface. If you have a heavy volume of credit card processing, you should consider getting your own merchant account as not everyone has or is comfortable using a PayPal account.

The company presenting the yesterday’s seminar was charging a special workshop rate of $999 for the merchant account. When I say special rate, they said the normal rate was $1800! However, to entice you to sign up at the workshop, the rate was discounted. To report all the facts, I should mention that this rate would apply to all of the sites that you purchased. The presenting company was really pushing 6 sites; I won’t even tell you how much they wanted for the site set-up and monthly programming.

However, Chris Malta, the e-book author, mentioned that a merchant account could be obtained for less than $200!. I’ve been thinking about getting a merchant account for my voice-over business and will look into the sources that he lists. Obviously, it pays to do your homework and shop around for your services. I wondered how many of those people yesterday signed up for the full package, not even knowing what product line they wanted to sell, much less a comparison cost of other providers’ web development and hosting fees. Also, while I’m on this tangent, the presenting company yesterday kept discussing drop-shippers as a source of products, but they never bothered to mention that you probably have to pay to get access to the best directories of suppliers.

I haven’t finished reading everything in the free e-book, but he also talks about some basic business items like a tax ID. At first glance, a voice-over person might not think much in this book would apply to his or her situation. However, lessons can be extrapolated from every book on business!

I particularly wish that every person dreaming of a career in voice-over who plans to write to me would first read chapter 9, The Real Business World. The author wrote that if you only remember one chapter in the book, it should be this one. Malta included 3 typical e-mails that he has received, along with his analysis of each person’s chance for success. If the subject were voice-over instead home business and drop-shipping, I could say that I have received similar e-mails and had similar gut reactions to them. In addition, the drop-shipper who wrote asking to be removed from the directory listed recurring problematic themes that I have noticed from people who write to me for guidance.

While I personally respond to everyone who contacts me requesting information, I also have noticed that 99% of the people never bother to thank me for my time (and time is money, you know!) or give me any indication whether my communication with them was helpful. I make this statement not because my ego needs stroking, but to point out the decline of courtesy in our society. Simple courtesy is a much-desired trait in business and in life.

In short, you CAN make your dreams about your business into a reality….by doing your own research, taking consistent action toward your goals, always learning new things and treating others with respect.

 

A prosperity mindset will yield better-paying jobs

I was reading the tremendous ongoing discussion about non-union voice-over rates on the Voices.com VOX Daily blog. Many people rightly pointed out in their comments that the rates are too low. However, some talent questioned how they could ask for higher rates without having their clients go ballistic and/or running for the hills.

I would like to address this question by stating that you have to develop a prosperity mindset. Nothing is more powerful on this planet than the words that you think and speak. (You would think, of all people, someone in the voice-over industry would be aware of this important Universal rule! smile) To change anything you dislike in your life, including the rates you are currently charging your clients, you must first change the thoughts that you think.

If you want to read a life-changing book on attracting prosperity into your life, I cannot recommend too highly The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder.

This book was recommended to me 3 years ago, but I just read it in the last few weeks. It was written by a minister and has references to God and Bible. I’m not a religious person, but I didn’t find the references excessive or offensive. The advice on changing your mindset to one of prosperity and abundance is incredibly practical; already, I have seen results from applying the principles in this book!

You may say you wish you could attract clients who have bigger budgets. The difference between a wish and a goal is that a goal is written down. While I have other business-related books to recommend later, I love the book Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want And Getting It by Henriette Klauser. The author gives countless delightful examples of how people used the power of their words (and remember, nothing is more powerful!) to chart a roadmap for their lives. I think this is a great book to start getting you to think in possibilities.

The best program I have ever heard on goal-setting was delivered by Brian Tracy. Click here if you’d like to order his CD titled 21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires

If that program doesn’t sound enticing enough, take a look at the others on that page and see if something else strikes your fancy. Whether you listen to Brian Tracy or some other speaker, you can always have the opportunity to improve your thoughts and your mind whenever you are in your car or by loading the CDs on your iPod or other .mp3 player. I recently listened to a teleconference with celebrated speaker Zig Ziglar, who is still going strong and on top of his game at almost 80 years young.

He said he doesn’t listen to the radio when he’s in his car but instead tunes into Audio University, or his name for audio learning programs. He concentrates on improving his mind by listening to various audio programs on all manner of topics. Sometimes he learns something new, while other times the programs serve as a refresher to something he needed to remember.

I, too, like the philosophy of Audio University. I’m bored listening to the same Kelly Clarkson songs played over and over and over on the radio every 6 minutes, and I can’t abide the endless negativity and fear-based reporting found on TV. Give me a good audio program on my iPod any day! Enriching my mind will in turn enrich my bank account!

I was cleaning up some clutter, which is another thing that holds us back and probably another blog topic for another day. I found a notepad from a conference at which Louise Hay spoke on 10/18/03, just days after I lost my dad. I wrote that she said:

Struggle, pain and suffering have created nothing.
Be here for the joy of it.
Atmosphere within and around you should be one of constant joy.

I also wrote that she said to:

* Make a list of delicious memories from the past, things that make you feel good.
* Make a list of how you would love to live.

Also during my clutter clean-up, I found a Christmas card, and I will leave you with the sentiment from its cover:

Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts

to finding peace of mind and happiness.

 

Can podcasting be integrated in corporate training?

This post is my recent response to a training e-zine about using podcasts to deliver content to a remote workforce.

I applaud the reader who wishes to use podcast technology in his or her company’s training efforts. However, like any training vehicle, the trainer must evaluate whether the technology is the most effective means for communicating the message.

I read that CapitalOne and IBM have successfully integrated podcasting into their corporate training environments. I believe that part of their success depended on the fact that both companies equipped their mobile users with iPods.

In the example given of a sales and customer service force consisting of 130 people, I would imagine that not everyone has the same level of computer skills. I also think that they may not have portable players or same level of expertise in using them. Your employees may have some resistance to using their own portable devices for playback of company training messages. Your IT or finance department may not have the resources to purchase the same device for everyone. The IT department may have instituted security restrictions that prohibit downloads of .mp3 files or the connection of personal devices to corporate computers.Deciding to provide audio content means other training issues must addressed. How will you demonstrate the process of accessing the audio files and copying them to myriad laptops or portable players? Who will provide support when the employees experience problems? Since the recordings would be internal training products, how would you notify the employees that new audio content is available?

For these reasons, I recommend that you fully involve your IT department in your plans. In implementing this change, I suggest that you post .mp3 files on your intranet in conjunction with a blog or user forums. A blog is short for web log. Once the software is configured, designated authors can rapidly post content to a web site without knowledge of HTML or any intervention from your IT department.

I realize that your remote staff probably does not have any more time to spend at a computer. Blogs can be maintained and archived by date and categories, so the remote workforce can quickly see new postings and find relevant past articles. In the blog, you could post your short time-sensitive updates, product development updates, answers from instructor-led sessions and other items that require more frequent updates and interaction with your sales force.

You can set up the blog so that comments are allowed, which enables your remote workforce to respond to the postings with questions and comments. The questions and comments might highlight areas requiring additional explanation that would be suitable for audio content. The blog could advertise new audio content as it is available.

Everyone can listen to the audio content when sitting at their computer. At a minimum, you could publish instructions so that everyone would be able to burn the files to CD and could at least start listening to some content in their car. Those employees who know how to copy the audio files to their own devices can do so and build buzz for the portable training efforts.

Your audio content could be focused on new training topics as needed and the monthly talk show that you envision. In your talk show, you could interview and feature people from different facets of the company. You may even think about replacing all of the internal newsletters and funneling that content into your talk show program. Another interesting use of audio content might be a short segment which summarizes all of the blog entries for the week.

Once you have decided to create audio content, you have a couple of options for creating the actual file. (Technically, the file is not a podcast unless it is automatically syndicated over the Internet.) If you plan to produce your recordings in-house, make the commitment to invest in a quality microphone and software which will allow you to record and edit the audio files.

Spend the time to learn the software so that your recordings sound polished. You are competing for the attention of busy people, and your recordings should sound as good as anything s/he would hear elsewhere. You may wish to integrate music and sound effects into your recordings. Like any training delivery method, you wouldn’t want to transmit your content to the learning community unless the message was clearly articulated and easily understood. The audience could become confused and frustrated listening to audio with poor sound quality

Outsourcing the audio file creation process to a professional voice talent can relieve you of the production burden and provide you with more time to develop your scripts. A professional voice artist can perform your script fluidly and flawlessly as though she is an employee of your company. You can locate a voice actor for your project by using on-line search engines and casting services or by calling a local talent agency. You can request that voice talent submit a short audition from your script so that you can select the voice that is most compelling for your copy.

As a bonus, some talent may have previous work experience in your industry and would bring that credibility and authenticity to your project. For instance, I hold a Master’s degree in computer information systems and have over 20 years experience in the IT field, while a fellow voice talent friend has a similar background in molecular biology.

Rates for talent affiliated with unions are published at www.sagaftra.org. However, podcasting per se is not listed on the charts since it is a new medium. Rates shown are for the talent only and do not reflect any costs for studio rental. Non-union talent have varying rates depending on the scope of the project. You may be able to negotiate a contract based on the frequency and length of recordings required.

I and many other voice actors record in our own studios and are able to send you an .mp3 recording with crystal clear clarity in short turn-around times, usually within 24 hours. While I can’t speak for other voice talent, my fees include my studio production time. I also work with my clients on script revisions to ensure that their message conveys the intended meaning.

I would advise that you keep the length of your initial recordings to 15 minutes or less. You will need to evaluate each part of the process to determine the best method to produce each recording, and your remote staff must get accustomed to receiving audio training.

 

A Voice Actor’s Business Address Won’t Be on Easy Street

Two events happened this week that are tied together. First, as I frequently do, I received a call from someone who wants to get started in voice-over. As is so often the case with these types of phone calls, the person told me that other people have told her that she should do something with her voice, so she is eager to start her career in voice-over. She wanted to know if I could recommend teachers in Atlanta. I gave her my referrals, and the call concluded.

People ask me this same question so often that I have created an advice page and a recommended book list on my web site to address the answers. I never discourage anyone from pursuing their interest in a career in voice-over. I think if something interests you that you owe it to yourself to explore it. You don’t want to go through life with regrets wondering how your life could have been different if only you had [fill in the blank].

In addition, it’s not my place to tell you the challenges and pitfalls that await you in this career. If you are serious about voice-over (or anything else, for that matter) and have a passion for it, the challenges along the journey won’t matter to you. You will view them as opportunities to grow and experience new things.

However, I also believe that you shouldn’t do things just because other people tell you that you are good at it and should do something about it. People tell me all the time that I am a fantastic marketer and that I should work for an advertising agency. While it’s true that I love marketing, I only love it when doing it for myself or when I can offer unsolicited advice to someone else! If I had to depend on my marketing skills to earn my living, I doubt I would enjoy it so much.

I also am great at math, and I have a natural aptitude for logic. I spent years working as a programmer and LAN administrator because I fell into it easily and then thought it was the right path for me. I wonder why I would think it was the right path when I always felt stressed out and miserable. I knew that I was not being true to myself. Only when I listened to my heart and realized my life-long dream of becoming a voice-over actor did I find peace and fulfillment.

Sometimes I hear from people who say, “I’ve wanted to do this all of my life!” Unfortunately, a more common theme that I hear when people call and e-mail me about going into voice-over is that they want to escape from their current circumstances. I often hear desperation in their voice, which is not an attractive quality. They see voice-over as a glamorous and easy way to make money. This business looks as easy as talking, and hey — they already know how to talk….sign me up!

In my first sentence, I promised that this post would discuss two related things. The second thing was that I read Stephanie Ciccarelli’s excellent article on her VOX Daily blog. Stephanie pointed out that the newcomer’s misguided sense of the industry is fed by our media, which portrays celebrity voice actors having an easy life of working minimum hours for maximum pay.

Stephanie’s comments centered around the voice-over sessions that TV viewers are shown. A viewer may think that a voice-over actor suddenly creates a new character voice on the spot. The best character voices are those for which the actor has been practicing and knows the character’s entire history. Trust me – after studying character voice development with Pat Fraley, a man of 4000 voices, I can tell you that truly memorable character voices don’t just come out of nowhere because you can’t replicate them, and you couldn’t sustain the listener’s interest in them.

The VOX Daily post did not address one very crucial aspect that is also overlooked by the wannabes who call and e-mail me for information in starting their new exciting career. Voice-over is a BUSINESS like any other. As a business person, I am responsible for the success of my business. In addition to being the sole commodity of the business (which is a lot of time and energy in itself!), I am in charge of all executive decisions and implementation plans regarding advertising/marketing/public relations, purchasing, accounting, information technology, publishing, art and legal matters pertaining to the business. In my copious spare time, I help out in the mail room.

I have also noticed that newcomers tend to request information and contacts without performing their own research. They are eager to start making the BIG bucks and don’t want to waste time doing mundane things like listening to demos of established talent, reading books, taking classes, practicing and developing their cold reading and interpretation skills, studying the marketplace, creating a business plan, etc.

My husband Drew is a senior software engineer for a large HR/payroll company. In the 2+ decades that he has been in the computer industry, no one has ever asked him how to get started in that profession. People realize that certain educational requirements must be met to gain an entry level position. Years of experience are necessary to move up in salary. In addition, Drew isn’t in the public eye when he’s working, so people can’t SEE him at work. I guess sitting all day at a computer screen wouldn’t look exciting anyway.

Of course, now that most people have a computer, many people seem to think they could do what he does just because they have a computer at home. Even when I was a LAN administrator, people would ask me questions rather consulting the help screens in their software. I usually had to read the help screens in order to find the answers. People would then ask me how I knew so much!

I digress a little bit only because I see people stampeding to the voice-over industry because they think it’s a source of easy money for virtually no work, just as people think that writing computer software or maintaining a computer network is easy simply because they know how to send an e-mail message.

Drew is also a professional photographer. When he has been on assignment, many people have asked him questions similar to those that I hear from the voice-over wannabes: How did he get started? How did Drew land the current job he was on? Who can that person call about getting similar jobs?

Drew has a theory about the shortcut mentality that seems to plague the performing arts. He thinks that people see someone else making money at an enjoyable activity that they think they know how to do. A photographer is just taking pictures? I could do that! You mean people actually make money for talking, and that field is called voice-over? What fun! I could do that! Drew thinks that if someone discovered a profession in which people could make money for breathing, walking or sitting on your sofa drinking beer and watching TV, people would be flocking to join it.

Stephanie asked: Can just anyone be a voice actor? In answer, I have quotes from 3 people:

A man is what he thinks about all day long. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart . . . Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. Carl Jung

A man to carry on a successful business must have imagination.  He must see things as in a vision, a dream of the whole thing. 
Charles Schwab

For me, voice-over is a dream come true, and a business that thrives because of my imagination. I think we are all endowed with special talents, gifts and skills, and we see the world in a different way. Anyone can be whatever their heart truly and deeply desires, including becoming a voice actor. I just wish that more people would make conscious choices and realize that doing things for the wrong reasons will not bring fulfillment.

 

Audiobook Master Class in Los Angeles

My plane may have touched down in Atlanta, but I’m still flying high following my fantastic Sunday audiobook master class in Los Angeles with my incredible instructors Pat Fraley, Hillary Huber and Kimberly Breault. We had just the right mix of instruction and recording during our 8 hours together. The workshop was extremely well-organized, relaxed and loads of FUN!

The class actually started on 24 May, when Pat sent the participants an e-mail in which he outlined the top 8 categories for audiobooks. For each type of book, Pat indicated the skills (e.g., storytelling, dialogue with character separation, energy) necessary to be successful with that type of read. He also attached a 10-minute .mp3 to that message so that we could hear various styles of audiobook performance. He encouraged us to start thinking of our possibilities in the industry.

The following week, we received another e-mail from Pat with instructions about selecting excerpts for the demo that we would create during the workshop. We were to choose 4 pieces of copy tailored to our interests and talent with the knowledge that we would record 3 of them. He attached Hillary’s audiobook demo so we could listen to a finished product.Hillary’s demo was much shorter in length than I expected. I previously have had 2 separate demos for fiction and non-fiction audiobooks; each one ran longer than Hillary’s demo. I had prepared them based on information I had learned from audiobook publishers and producers at Audio Publisher Association (APA) conferences.

However, as Pat and Hillary discussed during our workshop, longer segments are no longer needed. The audiobook publishers and producers have developed such keen listening ears that they know within a few seconds whether your voice is right for their project. They also can keep your voice in mind for other things. As I have observed with other areas in voice-over, longer demos apparently are also now a thing of the past with the audiobook crowd.

I also appreciated Pat’s pre-workshop guidance about the choice in excerpts. Although I have facility with character voices, he specifically said to take a dialogue piece between only 2 characters. I found his other suggestions about copy selection very valuable because they forced me to examine the skills I wanted to highlight. Even with his advice about other selections, I couldn’t decide on 4 pieces of copy and ended up taking 5 excerpts.

When Sunday morning arrived, I left my lovely room at the wonderful Universal City Hilton and made my way by cab to the recording studio.

Nine other people joined me for the workshop, which was held at the super cool and spacious Buzzy’s Recording Studios on Melrose Avenue.

We initially gave our excerpts to Kimberly, who kindly made copies of all of them for the recording sessions. As we introduced ourselves, Kimberly, who also is a trained singer, carefully listened to our speaking voices and made notes about each person. While Pat and Hillary demonstrated and discussed the performance skills, preparation and research needed to record an audiobook, Kimberly selected the excerpts that each person would record that afternoon.

After lunch, we had the great fortune to have a Q&A session with Kathe Mazur, an established audiobook narrator who records bestsellers primarily with Books on Tape. She told us that audiobook narration is an intimate profession that starts with having an intimate knowledge and acceptance of yourself and your needs. ‘Treat yourself like a Stradivarius’, she said. She explained that she records for six hours a day. Therefore, producers depend on her to do whatever is necessary so the she is relaxed and can give her best performance.

I was interested to hear Kathe point out that audiobook narration can be a tremendous exercise in self-love. She related the instance of making character choice that you didn’t like or think was the best choice. ‘Don’t end a sentence and hate yourself for how you did it.’ Instead of being critical of her own performance, Kathe thinks positive thoughts such as ‘You made a choice that you didn’t like, but you just created a book with 30 characters that made someone in a car feel like they were read to.’

Kimberly returned our excerpts and told us which ones to read before we were divided into 3 groups for the afternoon demo recording sessions. This set-up was ideal for several reasons:

1. We were able to work in 3 different studios, using 3 different microphones. Each of our segments will naturally sound different.

2. We could listen and learn from our fellow classmates. Not only did we hear their styles and selections, but we could learn from the directors’ and fellow classmates’ comments to improve their performances. I was privileged to be in the group with three very talented folks ‘ Len Brenza, Joan Loven and Craig Powers (who prefers to be known only as Powers) ‘ and I can certainly imagine all of them reading commercial audiobooks in the near future.

3. Best of all, we had the opportunity to take direction from 3 directors. In my case, I could even tailor my copy for each director. I knew that I wanted Pat, Mr. Character Voice himself, to direct me on the story with character dialogue. Kimberly told me that she picked my segment about marketing because she wanted to hear it. During my introduction, I had explained why I brought a highly technical computer-related passage, and Kimberly had chosen it as my third selection. I was delighted that Hillary would direct me on that piece since Hillary and I have voices in the same pitch range. I felt she would be the perfect one to help me if my voice became gravely.

In between our recording sessions, we talked further about the business of audiobooks, especially about the process of obtaining work and bidding a job. I was very happy to have a workbook that contained all of this juicy information so that I wouldn’t need to busily scribble notes! The worksheet that outlines the costs for producing a book will be invaluable to me as I move forward in the audiobook industry.

Even paying travel costs from Atlanta to Los Angeles, this audiobook masterclass was worth every penny! I have been to APA meetings and job markets, studied Audiofile Magazine and taken numerous other actions to obtain work in audiobooks. I have produced 2 10-hour books for a small publisher from my studio, but getting firmly established in the industry has proven difficult. Pat’s class is the only one that ties everything together. I have looked through the workbook several times since I have been home and have found some very clever marketing tips liberally sprinkled through it like parmesan cheese on plate of heaping spaghetti. I already have done some research and have thought of a potential way to get my next helping in my audiobook career. Um, um, GOOD! 🙂

Many thanks to Pat, Hillary and Kimberly for creating such a spectacular event! Thanks also to Andy Morton, chief engineer at Buzzy’s, for all of your help during our recording sessions and to Len Brenza for the ride back to my hotel when the day was over.

Hollywood Star Search

Dah-lings, I’m here in Hollywood, hobnobbing with all of the other famous people. 🙂 Of course, one thing I have always loved about being a voice-over actor is that you really can be famous and completely anonymous at the same time!

I was delighted when I realized that I would be flying to Los Angeles today of all days. Today, 17 June 2006, just happens to be Barry Manilow‘s 63rd birthday. You may think that he is just a legendary singer/producer/arranger/composer with millions of fans and record sales, not to mention an all-around nice guy. However, I invite you to read the page on my web site for his inspirational advice to singers, voice-over talent and anyone who must perform for a living.

I suppose you might think I am starstruck since I have seen Barry Manilow in concert (gasp) 49 times. I’m convinced that people become fixated on celebrities when something is missing in their own lives. Barry brought music back to my life, and he was one of the catalysts to my pursuing my voice-over career. It’s no wonder that I would seek him out on his birthday, especially since I don’t live in California. How often would I get the chance be around a bona fide star?

Before I continue, I should probably tell you that, even though I was thrilled to touch my favorite star, the cops were never called. In fact, I think I did a favor for him as I brushed away some dirt that had smudged the face of that magnificent star. Still, you should be prepared for the graphic pictures that follow. They are not suitable for everyone. Consider yourself warned!

I didn’t need a map of the stars’ homes to find Barry. I first used Google to find the general street address where I might find him. My husband has a GPS that provided me with landmarks in the area so I could pinpoint Barry’s approximate location. Even armed with all of this specific information, my quest took longer than I thought it would. Barry has always been somewhat of a reclusive celebrity, and I guess I should have realized it would be no walk in the park to find Barry in Hollywood, land of the stars.

Actually, it was a walk down Hollywood Boulevard that led me to finally find Barry Manilow and share a birthday moment with my favorite shining star!

Oh, c’mon now! You didn’t really think I was talking about seeing the MAN, did you? He doesn’t even live in Hollywood! Besides, I’ve got MUCH better things to do with my time than being a stalker!

Should you be interested in personally gazing upon Barry Manilow’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, here are the incredibly easy directions to finding it. Ride the Metro system Red Line to the Hollywood and Vine station, which gets my vote for most unique interior design in a subway station. Cast your eyes on the thousands of film reels on the ceiling before exiting on Hollywood Boulevard.

Across from the Metro station at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard is the beautiful Pantages Theatre. Barry’s star is directly in front of the theatre, on the threshold at Will Call, pointing inward. (Barry has some good company in front of the Pantages, including the stars for Billy Joel and Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber.) If you are standing at the Metro station facing the Theatre, I think the nearest crosswalk is to your right at Argyle.

And if you DO happen to run into THE MAN himself while visiting Barry Manilow’s star, please tell him to check out my web site and blog!