VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Adam Verner]

Inspired by this list:
http://listverse.com/2011/02/08/20-greatest-voice-over-performances/

I wrote a blog post about "the definition of voice acting," which, in a nutshell, asks the question:
http://www.adamverner.com/blog/2011/02/15/fuzzy-lines-of-voice-acting/

With CGI "costumes" becoming more and more accurate, what should the definition of "voice acting" be? In the comments, a writer proposes that Andy Serkis as Gollum should be viewed as "acting," not "voice acting," due to the level of physicality required.

Also - the list has lots of cool voices
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Adam
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Natural Voice
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[cyclometh]

Acting is acting. We can't really draw too many distinctions between "types" because there's always something that blurs those lines.

I look at it as a continuum, not a set of discrete points. At one end is pure physicality- mimes and clowns, for example. At the other end, there's people who aren't ever seen either by camera or eye, like many of us here.

I still think Serkis should have at least gotten an Oscar nomination for his work in LOTR.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

[Deirdre]

Yes— acting is acting!

However, being a purist. . .

I think once your body is involved in the final production, whatever it is, it's gone beyond "voice acting" and you'd really have to call the performance "acting".
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DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

[Bob Bergen]

I say it's acting no matter how it's done or where it's presented. Acting is being truthful under imaginary circumstances. Whether by voice, body, stage, screen, sitcoms, soaps, acting is acting.

[ccpetersen]

Yes, I don't see a distinction here.

What Bob said.

c
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Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

[Gregory Best]

[jsgilbert]

I'll also say that there have been times when I've been in the booth and moved my body considerably more than I had in some on-camera or even theater roles. (more than many OTHER actors I've seen in film or theatrical presentations, as well)

The child who convinces his mother that he should stay home from school for a bad tummy is as valid an actor as any.

Perhaps with regards to mocap, we may look at adding certain requirements to the audition, such as "if you can't do a forward tumble, then don't bother auditioning".
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j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

[craigcrumpton]

First of all, that listverse list fails for not including character voice greats like Frank Welker, Daws Butler, June Foray and Jim Cummings (just to name a few).

And count me in with the "acting is acting" votes. One of the reasons "voice acting" has had a long, unfortunate stereotype for not being "real acting" (a common comment from on-camera actors, i.e. celebrity types) is because it's been treated like the red-headed stepchild of acting -- like somehow it's inferior to on-camera acting because it's "just the voice."

That's hogwash (or it would be except that hogs find this comment horribly insulting).

In truth, it just requires a different set of techniques and a different approach.

What Serkis did as Gollum for the LOTR Trilogy was only voice acting as it related to the video games where he reprised his role.

And incidentally, Serkis is actually as skilled in voice-only performance as he is on camera and the stage. I was greatly impressed with his performance as the title character in Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre production of "The Screwtape Letters."
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