Unfiltered Thoughts

2022.10.27 – 0665 – Creating a Character CataloguePlay around with it and practice and then when you think you have the character, give each a name (‘Smoking Susan’, ‘Sharp-suited Shaun’…) and a bit of a back-story to help you remember them, and then log each one in your ‘voice bank’ of voices that you can use for characterisations in the future. Your ‘catalogue of characters’ may include:·        their vocal and physical attributes·        a key catchphrase of theirs that, when you say it, instantly gets you into character·        what you do physically to ‘find’ the character: maybe a snarled lip, a particular throat swallow, placement of your tongue and so on·        a recording of you reading as this character, so you can find them again really easily.[1]·        Voiceover artist Elley Ray www.elleyray.com says “Always know the character laugh. This is key… If you don't have the character laugh, you do not know the character. For joy is the basis of all animation characters, even if they are villains and evil”.
You never know what complete voice or personality you can choose to use in the future, or even what small element you can steal or develop.
[1] In animation you may only voice two or three characters, but in audiobook narration (see the next section), you may have to voice five or ten. The ‘Harry Potter’ series is said to have 772 characters in it, more than 300 of them with speaking roles. Imagine keeping track of all those different voices! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.26 – 0664 – How To Steal A Character VoiceConcentrate on listening, not just hearing but truly paying attention to voices:·        their accent·        their pitch, projection, pace and so on (all the elements we have looked at before and with which you will by now be familiar)·        where they speak from – their chest, their nose and so on·        how they convey emotion in their voice. How do they (or might they) speak when they are frustrated, sneaky or passive-aggressive, inspired or indecisive?·        their mannerisms or vocal quirks (do they sniff every few words, or have a slight lisp, a stop-start delivery or whatever?).
And then mimic them. You’re not trying to do an imitation, but taking some of the elements or essence of that voice.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.25 – 0663 – Creating a Cast of Core Character Voices Creating a cast of core character voices(This section is also of use for the following part on ‘audiobook narration’ when you may be required to speak in the voices of different characters.)
When you’re given an audition animation script, is not the time to start creating a voice for the character you’re about to play. That process has to start way earlier with you developing your very own ‘cast of characters’ which you ‘know and own’, which you can either use ‘off the shelf’ or whose vocal attributes you can mix and merge to create a new voice ‘in the moment’.
So how do you develop a repertoire of core voices? Use your ears!
Vocal imitation is the basis for learning a language: we simply listen and try to make the same sound. It’s how we develop language, speak like our peers and parents and assimilate into communities.
So, pay attention to how people talk when you meet them or overhear them. All around you, there are people who sound amazing: a husky woman dragging on a cigarette as she talks with friends outside the convenience store; the eager and slick young man who’ll be your friend just long enough to sell you a used car; the plumber sucking on their teeth and shaking their head as they look at a dripping tap in the kitchen; the clichéd student, ‘upper class’ twit or Valley Girl and so on.[1]
Concentrate on listening, not just hearing but truly paying attention to voices: as we’ll talk about tomorrow …
[1] Some people come up with a new character by taking parts of the voice persona of a famous person. They are not trying to imitate that celebrity, but they can use the attributes of say Winston Churchill (jowly and low), or Donald Trump’s cadence, as an ingredient in creating another voice. And of course, the internet is a great source to find a million clips of celebrities, which makes research really easy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.24 – 0662 – Characters in Cartoons, Animations and Gaming Acting
Characters in Cartoons, Animations and Gaming Acting This is when the character you develop a voice for is heard but not seen in, for example:·        Cartoons·        Animations·        Anime·        Feature films·        Games·        Toys·        Robotics·        Puppetry·        Websites·        eLearning …
In this section, we won’t be looking at actors in drama (such as BBC radio’s ‘continuing drama’ “The Archers” – the world’s longest-running soap[1]) or the increasing number of stories dramatized in podcasts, but instead, concentrate on the more ‘extreme’ characters in formats such as those listed above.
There’s an increasing number of outlets for character voices in animation and games, but it takes more than ‘putting on’ a funny voice or mimicking someone you know to be successful in this genre. That’s because you have to work with other elements which are often pre-decided before you’re even cast, let alone have your voice recorded; there’s little room for improvisation, you have to fit your voice with the script, the character of the role you’re playing and their interaction with the other roles.
But first and foremost, you need to find the right sound that embodies the character you’ve been asked to play, and then act out their story with your disembodied voice. [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpgr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.23 – 0661 – The Variety of Voiceover Opportunities 2·        Gaming – Acting in character for online games·        Live events (aka ‘Voice of God’) – from large sporting arenas to smaller concerts, theatres, balls and awards events. These may be live or recorded·        Narration – Not necessarily audiobooks, but TV, radio or movie documentaries, and news articles. It may also include the voice-over in a film or TV show to move the storyline along, explain a backstory or add depth to the character as you can hear their thoughts, for example, in “How I Met Your Mother” or “The Girl On The Train” (?)·        Podcasts – scripted podcast (which is more like conversational narration), fiction (akin to audiobooks) and dramatization (‘voice acting’ or ‘audio acting’). Also, voice tracking for radio stations (providing recorded links for music shows which are automatically played in between songs to give the impression it’s a live show)·        IVR (Interactive Voice Response systems), phone system recordings (‘telephone trees’ and on-hold messages) – phone greetings for any size of company (“Welcome to … press 1 for accounts, 2 for sales…”)·        Promos and trails – usually for TV (“The Heat Is On”: Friday night at 10 on channel 10”) and movies (such as the cliched “In a world…”)
·        Radio imaging - (“You’re listening to 97.7 The Frog”)·        Toys and Theme Park animatronics - ·        Virtual Assistants – on games and information apps on services such as Siri or Alexa Most voiceovers specialise in a niche before branching out, and of course, the goal of every voice actor is to become the vocal brand of a product, service or production for a higher rate, higher exposure and longevity of contract.Let’s take a look at some of the voice skills required for some of these genres. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.22 – 0660 – The Variety of Voiceover Opportunities 1Voiceover CategoriesThese could be as wide-ranging as – but not limited to – the following: ·        Animation – which may include character voices in TV cartoon shows and movies such as Tom Hanks playing Woody in “Toy Story” or Kristen Bell as Anna in “Frozen”·        Announcements – recorded messages in places such as elevators, doctors’ waiting rooms, large stores and airports·        Audiobooks - a narrator reading word for word from a novel (including character-acting) or non-fiction book. These books are not usually written to be read aloud and doing so can be a long and demanding business·        Audio guides - for museums and galleries, describing displays and giving information such as restrooms and shop facilities·        Commercials (or ‘advertisements’) – for products and services and heard on platforms such as TV, radio, cinema/movies, websites and digital streaming platforms like Spotify·        Continuity – recorded or live announcements for TV channels, linking or promoting upcoming shows·        Dialogue replacement – speaking an actor’s lines in another language or replacing just one single line where there’s been a slight script change.  ·        E-learning – training or educational material either for staff (such as a new health and safety protocol) or for the general public (how to apply for a passport). The right voice needs to be engaging and sound knowledgeable·        Explainer videos (or ‘promotional videos’, and ‘corporate videos’) – these short videos literally ‘explain’ what your business does or what your product is. They can often be found on product or shop websites explaining features of an item, or used to explain say a Kickstarter campaign. Corporate videos usually explain the ethos or future direction of a company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.21 – 0659 – Specialised Scriptreading Skills This chapter is looking at the variety of scripts you may be asked to read as a voice actor and the specialised skills that are called for in those various styles.  They may be commercial or non-commercial and will be written and laid out differently because of the message, duration and intended audience. And what attracts you to, or will help you be good at one style or another, maybe the sound and quality of your voice and how you like to use it. For example, if you are naturally expressive then creating character voices may be of interest, in which case think of animation and video games work, as well as audiobooks. If you prefer a more natural or conversational style then maybe consider narration or e-learning. You can work across genres, but it’s best to start in an area that you’re most comfortable in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.20 – 0658 – Re-takes and Re-records Re-takes and Re-recordsIf at all possible, try to avoid having to re-do lines. Whether in a pro-studio or a home-studio, the re-take may stand out:·        It’s very difficult to recreate exactly the same setup - Make notes of mic and desk settings from your original studio session, to more easily replicate the original setup if you have to re-do lines later … or use pre-sets on the recording software so that as far as tech goes you are doing your best to sound the same·        And consider the time and conditions of your voice of the two recordings – what time of day did you record the first version? What had you eaten? How did you feel? Were you relaxed and properly prepared, or were you recording tired, after a difficult week of work and not enough sleep, or taking some medication? All of these issues will affect your voice and will be difficult to replicate exactly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.19 – 0657 – Avoiding Studio Hiccups Caused By HiccupsSneezing and hiccupsThis is another situation which will come sooner or later, and may either be a sneeze you feel approaching or one that suddenly attacks.  There’s not much you can do about the latter unless you are quick enough to turn off your mic or turn your head. Hearing a sneeze on air is rare, and not particularly pleasant. If you feel a sneeze on the way, and if you can’t go to another item or stop recording, try and head it off before it strikes[1]. There are various means which work because they force you to focus on a physical sensation other than your sneeze. It works in a similar fashion as when you pinch yourself to make yourself forget that your stubbed toe is hurting. Hay fever sufferers have some confidence in the fact that studios are invariably air conditioned and pollen is filtered out of the air before it reaches you After a sneeze, consider your colleagues. Is there an antiseptic wipe you can use on the mic or studio desk? If you’ve used your hands to catch it, try and wash them as soon as possible.  No one really understand why they happen (even babies in the womb get them), but hiccups and on-air work do not go well together. As you know, there’s no guaranteed way to get rid of them, and even though they may be funny or interesting for a while, they quickly lose their charm. Having hiccups is tiring and will take your mind off your work. Do what you can to limit the likelihood of an attack by not consuming food or fizzy drinks on air. If they do strike, reduce your ‘talking time’ and alert your producer who may be able to delay your mic-work or bring someone else in.
[1] Here are some ways: http://tinyurl.com/2rkayt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022.10.18 – 0656 – On-Mic Panting Being out of breathThis usually happens because you’ve run in the studio late or in the nick of time. You’ve probably not done a sprint, but the tense situation, panic and knowledge of what’s expected add to make a slight breathiness increase dramatically.
With a newsreader the problem is much worse than for music presenters: they only have short (or possibly no) audio to play during which they can catch their breath, and a tone of formality is expected of them.
There’s almost no way around breathlessness once it’s started, but to play a song, calm down, take deep breaths and refocus. If you have co-presenters they can take over for a minute or two while you regain your composure, or you may want to simply explain what the problem is and move on the best you can.
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