Love mondays

“You must love the sound of your own voice” an old school friend remarked. I don’t mind it as it happens, but I get what they were saying. In an average day I probably listen to my own voice more than anyone else’s. Recording, editing, playback, re-recording, re-editing. It’s a wonder why I don’t go crazy? But here’s the secret. I love the process. The whole thing, from idea development all the way through to the delivery. I wake up with a spring in my step looking forward to the challenge of making another project tick. I get to do the thing I love everyday, what could be better than that?

How I got here. . .

Hi i’m Matt, ever since I can remember I’ve always been two things 1) A performer. 2) A Sport Nut. I suppose the initial plan was to combine these two loves into one and become an athlete but unfortunately I never quite made it at the highest level so instead I settled for Sports Commentator.

Best Decision Ever!

I started out honing my craft voluntarily but then in 2015 I got my Big Break. I beat over two thousand applicants to earn a place on a BBC Sports Journalism Traineeship. After a year of learning the ropes I was let loose as a Commentator, working up and down the UK at some of the countries biggest stadiums, commentating predominantly on football. Being a commentator isn’t as simple as turning up chatting sport and then going home. It takes a great deal of research ahead of time to find out more about the game/match/event ahead. Who is competing? Whats their story? How to make it compelling for the listener. All things that have to be considered and committed to memory. Not to mention practicing bringing to life the actions taking place in front of you through nothing more than the power of your descriptive, excited, accurate, intelligent voice - without any second takes.

A new adventure!

Understanding the importance of voice within live sport led me to a new appreciation for all voice artists. I expect a similar mutual respect exists between sports athletes of different disciplines. Whilst the role of VO Artist is different, the desire, research, skill and need to continually work to improve that skill is the same. I would enjoy voice over work I thought, but in order to begin undertaking a new discipline you need time. It’s unlikely that I could find that time, unless some kind of global event stopped live sport in its tracks and allowed for a new chapter in my life to begin…You can guess the next part. Seizing the opportunity that Lockdown had provided I dedicated a whole year to studying and practicing voice over, whilst building a professional booth in my house at the same time. By 2021 I was ready for a new adventure to begin, like Clark Kent emerging from a telephone booth, I was now Sports Commentator AND Voice Over Man!

the pizza loving, sport crazy, film nerd. . .

Four paragraphs in and this About Me page doesn’t really have much about me does it…aside from my love of performing and sport which I think I covered. I’ve lived in the same town my whole life, Hemel Hempstead. Initially with my parents, but now with my girlfriend in a lovely two bed on the edge of town near a delightful walking spot. I support my local football team Watford FC and run a podcast chatting about the ups and downs of being a Hornet fan. I am a big foodie but Pizza is the way to my heart, ideally a spicy one made with authentic Italian ingredients and wood-fired. On that note my surname is Mesiano and my family moved over from that boot shaped country in the 50’s, we still have family there and after thinking about doing so for about 20 years I’m finally learning the language. I enjoy keeping fit but mostly its to earn calories back so I can justify eating a big slice of cake and a glass of white at the weekend. When I’ve got the remote control in my hand I’m most likely putting on a Sports Channel - pretty much any sport, football, rugby, lawn bowles honestly I can watch anything. When Sport isn’t on the menu, I enjoy a good Action Film. Like most men my age I love the Marvel and DC Films and get really in to all the trivia about the different characters. I also adore British comedy, I could probably quote word for word whole lines of dialogue from Monty Python, Blackadder, Faulty Towers, Father Ted… There really is nothing better than dry British wit.