#BeBrad Venable
January 07 2021... the world lost an incredible talent, a mother lost an incredible son, a wife lost an incredible husband, many stories and characters lost their incredible voices... and we all lost our incredible friend.
Brad was a pillar in the VO Community. So much so that over the last few weeks his friends coined the term and the hashtag #BeBrad. Brad was a man that encompassed so many wonderful virtues and inspired everyone around him to be a better person. We can all be pillars of the industry if we can be a bit more like Brad. In an effort to honor his legacy we are dedicating this page to help everyone... #BeBrad
And now you can visit Brad on NAVA's #BeBrad page as well.
RESPECT
Brad respected his craft. He always made sure to thank everyone who made any opportunity come his way. He never took anything for granted. He respected the VO Community. He respected his friends and colleagues and everyone he had the opportunity to work with. He respected everyone’s time, showed up early, and never lingered long after an event. He had incredible manners.
HUMILITY
One of the most talented guys we’ve ever watched work. The range, the commitment, the depth. Only now is he getting the recognition he deserved, which is sad, but also wonderful that it’s finally coming. He would never boast. You’d give him a compliment and he’d just say, “awe shucks”. There are those that know they are good. They intimidate when they are in a room with you. Brad was the opposite. He was humble as humble can be. Glad to be wherever he was. Willing to help anyone who asked. And if something was wrong with him, he would never let on. Humility, Talent, & Professionalism were all wrapped up together in Brad.
LOVE
Brad sure did love. He loved his wife. He loved his friends. He loved his family. He loved his fans. He loved his craft. He loved pretty much endlessly. He loved every opportunity he got. He loved every person that made that opportunity a reality. And you could see it clear as day. He worried, he stressed, he had all the normal human problems, but his love overpowered. Katie was at almost every session Brad did. They were always together. We loved seeing both of them. Every SINGLE event we held for the VO Collective, Brad and Katie were there. There was even a time where they couldn’t make the full event, but they made sure to stop by for 5 minutes just to say hi.
CURIOSITY
Brad loved to learn, and he loved to teach. He’s a man who took as much joy in seeing his friends learn and succeed as he did in his own personal success and growth. He was always striving to be the best, to find folks who were better than him and learn from them. Funny thing is, even when he was learning from those he thought were more talented, they were learning just as much from him.
Katie's
Corner
"Brad was the best partner a girl could ask for"
"Our board game collection is a testament to his grand love for me. Brad loved video games. He was excited and over the moon for every project he was a part of, but he was excited plus 10 when it was a video game.
He loved to immerse himself in the story. Early on in our marriage, it became clear that video games are not my cup of tea. Something in my equilibrium but I get massively motion sick watching most video games.
Brad discovered that I did like board games.
If you've ever been to our house,
then you know. There are over 300 board games in our collection.
Brad also would endure Saturday nights with the "old" men - current and former engineers for Texas Instruments and Raytheon -
so I could get my weekly fix." ~Katie
"There is a Korean word that I think describes what so many felt with Brad - Jung
Jung is that feeling of connection, that bond of love and affection. Brad had jung with and for so many people especially in the industry." ~ K
"He freely gave and never requested or required anything in return."
"He agonized when he was getting to read for a role that had been someone else's."
"It hurt him to the core when others would not stand up for him as much as he stood up for them."
"He was always striving to be the best at whatever it was - best voice actor, best husband, best friend."
Brad also did life at his own pace. He was methodical and logical and every decision was followed by hours of agonizing and researching and talking with people. Even down to our kitchen equipment. I remarked to Brad just days before he passed that other than the tiny size of our kitchen, it was a perfect chef's kitchen in regards to all the accoutrements and stuff.
"I keep thinking... Who were Brad's favorites?"
"The engineers for sure. Brad loved gear and had a technical savvy in regards to all things VO. He built and rebuilt his own computers every few years. Every piece of equipment came from the recommendation of one of the engineers he worked with most frequently."
Brad also loved his agents, directors, casting directors, coaches, studio owners, and of course, his fellow voice over artists. I am hard pressed to think of anyone Brad did not like or was not able to find even the slightest bit of Jung with.
"Brad. Loved. People.
He was always offering free advice and coaching. He made sure to understand everything from the union so as to help others. The stories I heard about Brad being the first person people would call when they got their card was testament to that.
He had a way of making things clear and understandable. My favorite over this last year was Brad popping "into" our zoom classroom to patiently explain a concept to my students.
He was also patient with me learning to sing and play new songs.
Brad was kind, talented, intelligent, thoughtful, wonderful. As much as he strove to be better and be the best, he was always lifting up those around him too. The best way we can honor Brad is by emulating his kindness, thoughtfulness, and genuine joy at others' success." ~ Katie
You only needed to meet Brad once for him to become one of your favorite people on this earth, but for those of us lucky enough to call him friend & family were truly blessed. Taken far too early in his life and career, Brad had so much more to give us. He was humble, he was sensitive, he was extremely talented and man did he have one of the biggest hearts that cared for everyone he met. Brad was truly one of a kind.
The voiceover world will never be the same without you.
To his amazing wife Kathryn and his family, Our hearts and souls and voices go out to you.
• If you'd like to add photo's and memories to this gallery.
The Brad Venable Award
Presented by The VoiceOver Network
at the 2022 VOND in LA event at Apogee Studios
Congrats to;
David Toback
The Brad Venable
VO Atlanta Scholarship 2022
Presented by SoundBox:LA & The VOC
with support from Bev Standing & Robert Sciglimpaglia.
Nominate a friend, a peer, a colleague, perhaps a student you teach.
Someone who you think would benefit MOST if they were able to attend VO Atlanta 2022!
Winners have been chosen!
Congrats to;
Zoe Dixon, Terrell Norris & Jennifer Drake Ford
In memory of Brad’s legacy, the Advisory Board of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Don LaFontaine Voiceover Lab has elected to posthumously honor Brad with the Don LaFontaine Spirit Award for exhibiting the same dedication and generosity of spirit that legendary voice-over artist, Don LaFontaine, was so well known for.
The #BeBrad Scholarship
The Voiceover Summit March 5th - 7th
Do you know someone who embodies #BeBrad?
If you know someone who has been a light, who has been there for you, done something that moved you… basically did the #BeBrad thing, nominate them to receive this scholarship below.
We will be awarding the winners of The #BeBrad Scholarship admission to this event, helping grow careers in an industry to which Brad was completely devoted.
Thank you in advance to our incredible donors, including many of our instructors who have donated their honorariums to this scholarship.
Nomination Deadline: February 20, 2021
The Brad Venable
VO Atlanta Scholarship
Celebrating the life and spirit of Brad Venable.
Cliff Zellman, Anne Ganguzza and Carin Gilfry
are honored to present the
Brad Venable Gift of Learning Scholarship for VO Atlanta.
Just describe in 100 words or less how Brad has made a positive impact in your life, growth and career.
One entry will be selected to receive: One full admission to VO Atlanta 2021 Plus, 2 X-Sessions of your choice.
Entries due by March 1
More Donation Oportunities
The Official Brad Venable Fund
More on Brad Venable
Listen to Tim, Jay and Brad in this wonderful podcast.
**If you know of anything else that needs to be linked here. Please email Jay@JayPreston.com