Unfiltered Thoughts

2022.12.16 – 0715 – Voiceover Dubbing Multi-SkillsYou don’t need to be able to understand the original language, in fact knowing it may be a distraction as you’ll be able to understand what you’re replacing. The work is invariably done in a studio as you will have to speak to time, not just for the specific lip-syncs but also for the ‘looser’ dubs, getting a duration correct for the scene is still important.
So, it can be quite complex: reading the script, watching the screen for the lip-sync, listening for the rhythm of the piece (the breaths and sighs, spot effects such as the door slamming or a gunshot), playing off other voice-dub actors (who also have to hit their ‘mark’ and start on time), keeping an eye on the timings, and acting the part (with appropriate emotions, panting after a running scene, shouting in an on-screen row…).  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.15 – 0714 – Lip-Sync, Phrase-Sync, Non-Sync, Bilingual and Narration DubbingDubbing can also be used to describe the voice given to animated characters or computer-generated characters in video games.

• Lip-sync dubbing – is when the new voice closely matches the lip movements of the original actor/presenter on the video so the difference is barely noticed which of course increases the audience’s emotional engagement. This is obviously difficult as not only are words different, but some languages are more complicated and require more or fewer words to convey the same meaning. Such work is usually recorded by specialist lip-sync professionals. [1]
• Phrase-sync dubbing – this is similar to the above, but there is less exactness in the lip-syncs, with dialogue matched phrase-by-phrase rather than word-for-word. This is faster and cheaper to produce.
• Non-synced dubbing – this is less accurate again, and so easier and cheaper to create and used when there is less need for the viewer to believe that the on-screen presenter/actor is actually speaking the lines. 
• Bilingual delay dubbing – is often seen on news and documentaries, when the original language is heard for a second or two before that dialogue volume is reduced and the translation heard over the top.
• Voice-over narration dubbing – when a new speaker replaces original dialogue which was not delivered by an on-screen speaker, so in corporate videos, adverts and so on. 

 For some of these roles as you can tell, you have to be able to act, not just be ‘a voice’, and have to convey the emotions that are required for the scene and text.
[1] Here’s a scene from the Robert de Niro movie “Analyse This” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcEB5RUHlNw and more about foreign language dubs of English-speaking movies here: https://www.alphacrc.com/insight/how-do-you-dub-a-hollywood-star/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.14 – 0713 – Full-Dubbing Skills
Full dubbing (or ‘revoicing’) is when a whole new audio version of the dialogue is created, for example re-recording all of the characters in a Canadian English-speaking film, for the Spanish market. Again, the new words have to sync with the mouth movements of the on-screen actor. It may also be, not just actors, but presenters or interviewees or guests.
In both cases, you are not so much a voice-over as a voice actor – acting out the part with your voice. This isn’t a podcast/book about acting, but in short, you will need to master the script, understand your role, the character’s motivation in each scene and the overall story arc.
“(Netflix) research has shown that dubbed versions of hit shows are more popular than their subtitled equivalents. Netflix’s investment in dubbing has been growing, on average, between 25 per cent and 35per cent per year for the past few years, and the consumption of dubbed content on the platform is scaling even faster, up on average more than 120per cent annually, say company sources.”Hollywood Reporter [1]Over the next few pages/episodes, we will look at some of the different attributes necessary for some of those different voice-over situations. (Although remember that much of the background information on these styles will have been covered under different headings previously.)
[1] https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-s-global-reach-sparks-dubbing-revolution-public-demands-it-1229761/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.13 – 0712 – Dialogue Replacement SkillsDubbingAutomated Dialogue Replacement (ADR)This is when a line or more of a movie or TV dialogue that was recorded on location, is re-recorded in a studio. It may be because of sound problems on the original (a plane, a misplaced microphone), or a change in the script (perhaps because of a plot inconsistency, a mistake that hadn’t been spotted, for a different overseas market with different regulations (for example on swearing) or to have a different vocal sound (for example, the character is required to sing, which the actor cannot do to a suitable proficiency).
The original actor may not be available or cost too much to go to the studio to record just a small part of a script and so a replacement actor who sounds like the celebrity is used instead, their words being lip-synced to the video. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.12 – 0711 – Brand VoicesBrand voicesGo back and read ep 258You need to be:·        Adaptable and be able to voice different kinds of content – ads, phone system, podcasts, saving the client time and money·        On a retainer so you can do quick-turnaround records. Negotiate extra costs ·        Longevity – you will only get better at understanding what’s wanted with your vocal attitude and the ethos of the business, and may even start developing your style or suggesting to·        Have their own studio to assist in this – reactive·        Easy to work with – you will become part of your team, attention to detail Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.11 – 0710 – Audio Guide Narration SkillsSome of these parts may be played by actors, but often it may just be a narrator – the ‘glue’ that links all of the information together. They will do the ‘housekeeping’: the welcomes, how to operate the audio player, what’s in the exhibition, where the toilets and emergency exits are and so on: “now go through the door on your left…”, “you’ll be able to buy a copy of this painting in the gift shop later”, “the toilets are just here if you need them”, “please follow the arrows on the wall to the next gallery…” and “please return this guide to the desk at the exit” and so on. Then they will take dry facts and bring them to life, tell stories, and give something a sense of context in an engaging way.  Yours will be the ‘brand voice’ of the event, in synergy with the content, the demographic of the audience and perhaps too the sponsor in their tone, pace, and pitch. You may need to have a measured pace to reflect the slow movement around a gallery and that some people may have another first language. And your pronunciation needs to be spot on: imagine an exhibition of Italian paintings with an audio guide which mispronounces the artists’ names.[1]
[1] See more about this sub-genre of voice-over work, here: http://www.imagineear.com/ . Listen to the audio guide (various languages) to the 2021> Titanic exhibition that toured several countries: https://tourbuilderplus.imagineear.com/webapp/GndejL74ZiSzveQwCoqf/0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.10 – 0709 – Voicing and Producing Audio GuidesAudio GuidesThese are pre-recorded guides for places such as museums, galleries and historic houses or street walks and are often on players you pick up at the entrance, on a loop system, downloadable apps or mp3s. They may also be on playout systems at fixed points either playing continuously or on push-to-play buttons, on pick-up headphones, on video walls and so on.  They have some of the following attributes:·        They give audio directions for where to go and what to do·        Help make the information more engaging, connecting better with the audience and bringing the information to life·        They are less stuffy and more interactive than text-based information panels and signs·        They allow easy dissemination of information in different languages or for various age groups, think faster and more family-friendly perhaps in the style of the ‘Horrible Histories’ series ·        Guides may include dramatisations and sound effects to make the information more character-led and immersive, to bring information to life with a more friendly, accessible, conversational tone. So rather than a lecturer, a character (say a queen, or a relatable person such as a pauper, solider or artist), may read from a diary or newspaper, or give a first-person account (either real or imagined) to bring ‘history to life’·        Some may give the user a choice of what to hear (more or less information), some auto-play depending on their exact location, and others have to be manually selected to play, either from a number guide on the exhibit or simply un-pausing the continuous audio stream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.09 – 0708 – Voicing Audio Descriptions  Audio description – ADThis is a voice-over describing what is happening in the scene of a movie to benefit those who are visually impaired, who can hear the dialogue but otherwise may find the plot difficult to follow.
The script will be provided for you, in which elements such as the action, setting and costumes will be described, but also along with other visual elements that help tell the story: a facial expression of an actor, a character who overhears a conversation, and what is going on when there is no dialogue to follow.
You do not act per se, but narrate what is going on – not so immersed that you become part of the show, but not remote and robot-like either.
But AD is not just used for films and TV. It’s also required for educational videos, art and museum exhibitions, conferences, plays and so on too.[1]
For more on AD, listen to this BBC documentary: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b05ssqpl : “the practice of using evocative and poetic language to bring moving pictures to life has a much longer tradition. In early 20th-century Japan, Benshi narrators would interpret – and often elaborate on - Western and home-grown films for Tokyo audiences. The art form continues today. In Edwardian Britain, film explainers would bring an aural addition, often with musical accompaniment, to silent films.”
[1] More information: “A Comprehensive Training Manual and Guide to the History and Applications of Audio Description”  https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B08KH2PWXN/audiodescriin-20 and “An Introduction to Audio Description” https://www.routledge.com/An-Introduction-to-Audio-Description-A-practical-guide-1st-Edition/Fryer/p/book/9781138848177 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.08 – 0707 – Growls and Grunts, Snorts and SqueaksAnimal noises This is not giving a human voice to an animal, but literally making growls and grunts, snorts and squeaks. (Yep, we’re talking voices and noises here!) Very often these noises are incorporated into an anthropomorphic script that we looked at just now to better introduce the character, so a ‘dog’ may bark before a line (read in English).
Specific ‘actor-made’ barks and clucks, meows and moos may also be used in animation, where the sound has to fit the mouth movement in the picture (and the duration) so you can’t just use a generic sound effect of that animal.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.12.07 – 0706 – Staccato Chickens and Hissing SnakesThen read your lines with these attributes, threading the ‘animal sounds’ into human speech: words are perhaps growled (as a ferocious dog might) or in a bright and happy ‘puppy-dog’ style. Similarly, you can probably imagine how a cat may say ‘hello’ (with a ‘miaow’ in the voice), or how a chicken may talk (perhaps thinking of their head-bobbing, pecking style, so their voice may be quite staccato). A snake character may talk slowly with accentuated and sibilant s-sounds. A bear may sound deep and loud.
You may have a problem making sounds for animals that make no sounds, or whose sounds are not really known: how would you imitate a badger, a terrapin, or a specific bird such as a magpie, say?
Don’t forget that your character, say the monkey, may also go through other emotions during a story or script, so think how your usually excitable monkey may also sound, say, sad or thoughtful.
Your personal characteristics will include being able to work well with other members of the cast, who will be voicing other animals. You may also be asked to provide voices for more than one of the characters, say Enid the Elephant and Maurice the Mouse, to save time and money. Remember the crew of the Simpsons voice more than one of the characters in that show. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Castellaneta Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.