The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over (28 page)
Read The Art of Voice Acting: the art and business of performing for voice over Online
Authors: James Alburger
Profile:
Guardians see change as a possible source of trouble, and do what they can to avoid it. They worry about things going wrong and like to make plans to prevent mishaps—for themselves and for others. Close personal relationships are important to them. They know the rules, follow orders, and believe in leaders, although they don’t want to be the leaders. They are happiest when everything goes according to schedule, with no surprises. Consistency, tradition, and routine are their watchwords.
© RISC, 1999
Cell 5F “Jugglers”
Descriptive traits:
Carefree, Fast track, Happy-go-lucky, Materialist, Practical, Risk takers, Self-confident, Self-indulgent
Profile:
Jugglers are the original multitaskers; they like to try things, to experiment with new sensations. They do not, however, expect any permanent change to result from this experimentation. They desire freedom (but not independence), and avoid all limitations, restraints, and schedules. They enjoy relationships, but focus on having fun rather than on community. They have two goals: money (which brings both possessions and respect), and personal expression—and, they often use technology to achieve them, as well as for entertainment. Their only worry is that something beyond their control may go wrong and limit their free activity.
© RISC, 1999
Source:
RISC 3-D Socio-cultural Cells, copyright RISC, 1999. Reprinted by permission of Marshall Marketing
Cell 5S “Wannabes”
Descriptive traits:
Consumption, Enjoy Life, Hardworking, Hedonism, Materialistic, Results-Oriented, Security, Survival, Vanity
Profile:
Wannabes want to be… either Jugglers who seem to have everything they want, or Daredevils who seem to have all the fun. Wannabes themselves are good at finding what they want and work hard to get these “prizes.” They don’t really understand the world—but as long as things don’t change, their energy and activity let them achieve the entertainment and distractions they seek. They are loners, to some extent, and have no strong sense of connection to others— except as sources of recognition. They dislike plans and schedules, and make them only out of a sense of survival.
© RISC, 1999
Cell 6 “Contenteds”
Descriptive traits:
Careful, Cooperative, Homebodies, Local, Loyal, Predictable, Religious, Small pleasures, Togetherness
Profile:
The Contenteds are quiet, comfortable people, for whom familiarity and consistency are preferable to spontaneity and novelty. They live their lives in small groups—at work, at play, and in the family. Some anxieties exist, usually concerning potential dangers and difficulties. But Contenteds have a strong sense of personal pride and competence, and feel entitled to self-expression and fulfillment.
© RISC, 1999
Source:
RISC 3-D Socio-cultural Cells, copyright RISC, 1999. Reprinted by permission of Marshall Marketing
Voice acting is
theater of the mind
! You do not have the advantage of props, flashy lighting, or scenery. All you have are the words on a piece of paper, and your individual creativity. From the words alone, you must create an illusion of reality in the mind of your audience. In order for you to create a believable illusion, you need to know what is going on in the mind of the character you are playing. You also need to know your character’s role in the story, and his or her relationships to other characters, objects, and the product or service. To learn what is going on in the character’s mind, you need to analyze the script. (See
Woodshed Your Copy
on page 128).
Analyzing, or woodshedding, a voiceover script is very much like reducing a play to its essential parts. The more information you can discover in the copy, the easier it will be to create a believable performance. Single-voice spokesperson copy is frequently information-based and may not require much analysis. However, dialogue copy and story-based scripts are short theatrical pieces and must be thoroughly understood to be effectively performed.
Although analyzing a script is helpful in understanding its component parts, it is important to realize that
overanalyzing
a script can kill spontaneity and cause the voice actor to place too much focus on technique and thinking about what he or she is doing. Remember, to be effective, technique must become automatic and occur without any conscious effort. Study a script just long enough to discover what you need to know, then put the script down and let your instincts and training do the rest.
To create effective theater of the mind, your performance must reflect real life, exhibit some sort of tension, contain something the listener can relate to, and have a sense of honesty and a ring of truth. These are all elements of good theater and should be incorporated into any voice acting performance, regardless of the type of copy or the length of the project.
When creating a character for your performance, keep in mind the following basic elements of good theater:
- Interesting characters with wants and needs “at this moment in time”
- A story or sequence of events that builds and leads to a climax
- Conflict in one or more forms
- Resolution or nonresolution of the conflict, usually in an interesting or unexpected manner
- Closure in which any loose ends are satisfactorily resolved
Uncover these elements in a voiceover script and you will be able to understand your character better.
Visualization is a powerful technique that can help bring your characters to life, and this exercise will do just that! The first time I used this exercise in my workshop, the result was amazing. We witnessed a total transformation and the student, who was having difficulty finding the proper voice and attitude, was able to create a completely believable character that she did not know existed within her. As I’ve mentioned before, for a character in a script to be “real” to a listener, everything about the character must flow through you just as if you were the character.
Once understood, the following visualization process can take as little as only a few seconds to a minute or so. However, as you learn this technique you may want to spend some additional time relaxing your body and mind prior to doing this exercise. Of course, in an actual session you won’t have much time for a lengthy visualization, but by then the process should be second nature.
Define your character in as much detail as you possibly can, including physical appearance, clothing, hair, posture, mannerisms, and other features. Begin by thoroughly woodshedding your script and making choices for your audience, back story, and character. Visualize this character in your imagination. This character description and image will become important later on, so don’t skimp on the details.
You may find it helpful to do this as a guided visualization by listening to track 9 on the CD or recording the script yourself. Take your time with this, and don’t rush it. The clearer and more vivid the visualization, the better the results, and the more believable your character will be.
At first glance, this visualization may seem a bit unusual. However, when you give it a try, you may be surprised at what you are able to come up with, not only with physical changes, but also with the sound of your voice that results from creating a believable character.
With your character in mind, close your eyes and take a slow deep breath through your nose. Fill your lungs completely. Exhale slowly through your mouth to relax. Repeat with another long deep breath… and slowly exhale. Don’t forget to keep breathing.
Imagine yourself standing in front of the microphone, or in the voiceover booth. See yourself in your imagination—it’s as though you are observing yourself from across the room. Create the image of yourself as clearly as you possibly can, in whatever manner works for you. When you have a sense of seeing yourself standing in the room, take another long deep breath… and slowly exhale.
Now, imagine the character you will be playing coming into the scene in your imagination. See the character walking in. Notice how the character is walking. Observe the posture and physical movement. Notice what the character is wearing: What do the clothes look like? What kind of shoes is your character wearing? Is your character wearing glasses or jewelry?
As you observe this scene, see yourself look at your character’s face. Notice any facial details, color of the eyes, appearance of the skin. Does your character appear to present any sort of attitude or have interesting facial expressions? When you have a clear image of the character in your imagination, take a long deep breath… and slowly exhale.
Now, as you are observing the two of you in the room, imagine seeing the real you step out of your body and come to the place from where you are observing. As the real you steps out of your body, imagine the character stepping into your body. Everything about the character is now reflected in your body: The character’s posture, the way the character stands and moves, the character’s physical appearance, facial expressions, and mental attitude. Everything about the character is now expressed through your body, mind, and voice.
Allow yourself to fully experience this transformation. Notice any tension in your body. Be aware of how you feel as this character—physically, mentally, and emotionally. When you have a sense of the transformation, take a slow deep breath; exhale, maintain the physical, emotional, and mental state; open your eyes, and begin speaking the words in your script.
There is
music
in your daily conversations, and there is a great deal of music in any voice acting performance. Some of the basic elements of music are pitch, tempo, rhythm, volume, quality, and intonation—all of which are present in every sentence you speak.
It is the music of your performance that will convey the subtlety and nuance of the meaning behind the words. Find the music in the way your character speaks and you will create a believable character.
Chapter 14
, “Character Copy,” explains in detail how to find and sustain interesting and musical character voices.
Study film and television actors. Observe how they deliver their lines and interact with other characters. Listen to the dynamics of their voices. Notice that most actors use a lot of vocal variety and inflection. They also move and express emotion physically as well as verbally. Mimic what you see other actors do and how they speak so you can get the experience of what they are doing. Study their techniques and apply them to your style. You will soon find the point where your stretch becomes uncomfortable. To grow as a performer, you need to find a way to work past that boundary.
Be willing to experiment and risk moving beyond your comfort zone (Core Element #7,
Gamble
). Practice the techniques to develop the skills that will make moving outside of your comfort zone easier. Don’t worry about how you will appear or sound to anybody! As a voice actor, your job is to perform the copy and your character in the best manner possible. Leave your inhibitions and self-conscious attitudes outside the studio door.
Stretch beyond what feels comfortable. It is better to stretch too far than not far enough. It is easier for a director to pull you back after setting a character that is too far out there, than it is to stretch you further. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to perform. Each performer is unique and different techniques work better for different performers. Do what works best for you to make your performance real and believable.
As you stretch your abilities, you will probably feel uncomfortable at first. Remember to be nonjudgmental and to not worry about how well you are doing. Each of us has an individual concept of some point at which we feel we would be going too far, or over the edge. Practice taking yourself just a little bit over that line until you begin to feel uncomfortable. Then take yourself a little bit further. The more you move beyond the point of discomfort, the faster you will develop the ability to create any character.
You must be willing to risk total failure. Intend to perform to the best of your abilities. Become the character and do whatever it takes to make the character real. Remember that you are uniquely you, and that you are interesting just as you are. Also remember that the people you are working with have insecurities of their own and may actually know less about the business than you do. Know that you know what you are doing. If you never risk, you can never learn. Use each audition or session as a learning experience. Keep an attitude of always being in training.
Make each and every performance seem as if it is the first time. It is very easy to get sloppy by take 27. Take 28 should sound as fresh and real as take one—only better. Unless your director tells you otherwise, you
should maintain the same energy and attitude for each take. Use the director’s guidance as a tool to help you focus in on your best performance. Add a little spin to a word, or shift your emphasis here or there with each take, but keep your energy and attitude consistent. This becomes very important to the editor who needs to put the final project together long after you have gone. Variations in your performance energy can stand out very clearly if you are not consistent, and make the editor’s job a nightmare.
As you learn how to create believable characters, you will discover that your characters may want to say and do things in a certain way. After all, if the characters you create say things exactly the way you do, what would be the purpose of creating the character?
To be real, each character you create must have its own personality, mannerisms, thought processes, and speaking style. Every subtlety and nuance of your character contributes to its believability. Forcing your character to say or do something that is not appropriate will instantly take your performance out of character.
Scripts are often written with a specific attitude, phrasing, or delivery style in mind, yet what the writer had in mind may not be what ends up being recorded. Provided your delivery is
in character
, it is perfectly acceptable, for example, to contract or uncontract words that aren’t written that way. This is closely related to the idea of changing or removing punctuation marks to create a more natural and conversational delivery. Your objective as a voice actor is to bring your character to life, and you should strive to do whatever is necessary to create that reality. You can’t change the words in the script, but you can change the way you say the words. The way your character speaks will always have precedence over the written script. This will be true until the director tells you otherwise.
Play the part! Enter a studio with the attitude of a professional there to do a job and with the confidence that the character you create will be exactly right. Be friendly, cooperative, and ready to work. Making money does not make you a professional. Acting professionally makes you money. When you act like a pro, the people hiring you will believe that you are a pro and they will respect you. Remember that this business is all about creating believability in the mind of the audience. When you enter a studio, your first audience will be the people who hired you. Make them believe you are good at what you do and prove it with your performance.
Become the child you once were! Pretend! Play! Have fun!