VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Ed Fisher · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:06 am Post subject: CHARACTER ASSASSINATION

I'm definitely finding a trend.

Clients are hiring me doing "Character" voices much more than using my own.

Only trouble is...maintaining that voice. I find I can start out with one kind of distinct voice in a :60 ..and by the time I get to the end...the voice tends to drift and wander off course.

Its hard to maintain. Ninja

Props... to those who make a living doing this well.
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Eddie Eagle · M&M Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393

Time to contact Bob Bergen or Pat Fraley and get some practice and training.

Bruce · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:31 am Post subject:

For those who would like a distillation of years of acting training and experience into a few sentences, here's my take...

"See" what your character looks like. Work up some shorthand in your mind of their life experience. Put yourself in the place (in your mind) where the character is speaking from.

If you're doing a longer piece scan later in the copy for a key phrase or two that will be quintessential to your character and practice those, then wend your way from the open to those last lines.

I'm on my fifth audiobook in a series and there are now a dozen people who work in the sheriff's office (8 men, 4 women) and I have developed personalities for all of them and I "see" them when I read/act their lines. The sheriff is 50, gruff voiced, mild Arizona accent. One deputy is 60, bald, good old country boy. One is 30, smart, cocky, almost no accent. One would be a cowboy if he weren't a deputy. Another is from Oklahoma, tall and lanky, and thinks he's good with the quip.

Most of all, commit to your characterization. BE that person every moment you're delivering their lines. For great examples of commitment to character watch an episode or two of Tracey Ullman's show.

B
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Monk · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:27 am Post subject:

For my character work, I have to have a physical connection with the character. So if he/it talks in a particular way, my body needs to hold that as well and be the character.

(really rough when playing a worm)

But some physical change in yourself will help hold the character, even if it's a slouch or tilt of the head.
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DeadDillo · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:32 am Post subject:

I bow to Bruce's multiple personality disorder.
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Frank F · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:40 am Post subject:

Arrrrrrgggghhhh, There's no work in VO and that sounds like work to me.

I am doing two audio books with several characters and I too have to visualize each in my head; then become the character when they arise. Bruce's wisdom speaks volumes (of characters).

It is really difficult for me as I am NOT a character actor. I am more the big voice pro-nouncer type. So this is a challenge which I am gladly stepping up to accept.

Frank F
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Jason Huggins · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:55 am Post subject:

Frank doing an audiobook??

Frank F · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 12:52 pm Post subject:

I know, I know. Most of you must be in shock! But they talked me into it. So I said, Yes!

I am already assassinating the characters well.

FF
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Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 12:21 am Post subject:

Character work is very pacific and involvulates a grate deel of mental and fizzical disconnection. I, myself, personally, start from the point of where I'm at and stay there. If you begin the commencement at the start and build a continuum around the point of set off you'll find that you discover the end termination soon finishes.

The key, I was once told more than several times (eightveral I seem to recall) is to get "In the Mood". Whilst I accept that Glenn Miller and his band were innovative I fail to see why that particular piece helps. Worth a "try" or "touch down" as the colonials like to say.

That'll be $8.

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

While this won't work with audiobooks, for shorter pieces think about where the character is at the end. Work on those lines first.

The first thing I do when I get a script, even if it's a medical narration, is read the last paragraph.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 5:12 pm Post subject:

If it's a short price, such as a commercial, I do each character separately and then assemble them.
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