Developing Characters Using Pictures, Descriptions & Abstractions

By Eric Hunt

One of the most popular ways to develop a character voice is by looking at a mock-up of the character you will be voicing.  Getting a sense of their facial expression, their posture, their attire, their physical features, their age, even their environment... is extremely helpful when first jumping into playful exploration.  Practice identifying the details in the picture(s) you receive and let those details help you make choices.

Sometimes the producer or animator you are working with won’t have visual renderings of the character for which you are auditioning.  In those cases, you will most likely receive a description of the character.  This can be challenging because you must create images in your mind based solely on words.  It can also be helpful because you must create images in your mind based solely on words.  Don’t worry, you read that right.  That process works well and is desirable to some but others find it hard to conjure up images.  Many who find success with this process equate it to the classic comparison of reading a book to seeing a movie.  Most of the time, many of us would agree “the book was better.”  

Often times our minds can create wonderfully complex images that are rarely lived up to the actual visual production.  It is important when you work with character descriptions that you trust your imagination.  

Sometimes character voice actors are asked to create a voice for a thing, like a nose or the color green, rather than a person, an animal, or some other creature.  Working with abstractions like those can be challenging but locking in a great fit for a voice is very satisfying.  Take, for example, a recent run of Geico commercials featuring a talking pothole in one and a talking parking garage pipe in another.  

Creating characters for voiceover work requires more than just a versatile voice.  Your physicality plays a big role in connecting with your characters and developing them to whole new level.  Watching video footage of Robin Williams during his work on Disney’s Aladdin is good way to get an idea of the effectiveness of getting physical with your characters.

Exaggerations

By Eric Hunt

A great way to build your repertoire of character voices is to focus on real people and then exaggerate certain qualities. Many people claim that they do not have the ability to create character voices. Everyone has the ability to create character voices. Certainly, there are people out there who have a much greater capacity to do it then others but we all experience a wide array of characters everyday on which to draw during our creative process.

Perhaps you have a crotchety old aunt who’s rather off her rocker and who speaks with an ethereal nostalgia at family gatherings. Then when everyone least expects it, her tongue sharpens and out comes the screeching venom of 90 years of irritation, making her loosely fit dentures hiss and sputter. If you can imitate a third of that and commit to a few character-specifics, you’ve got a character that might give Tweety’s owner a run for her money!

The Versatile Character Voice Actor

By Eric Hunt

Stage actors, as well as many television and film actors, view their voice and body as one instrument.  Many acting schools focus on either the voice or the body as the root to good acting.  

Kristen Linklater (author, “Freeing the Natural Voice”) delves deeply into the details of how the voice functions.  How free our voice is to express emotion is a direct reflection on how connected we are to our own emotional experience, she says.  When we come to understand and experience how our voice is affected by the range of human emotions we all feel, we can connect to any emotion and become more effective actors.  

The Alexander Technique, on the other hand, expounds on Constantine Stanislavski’s view that physical tension will inevitably inhibit the actor’s ability to portray the “spiritual life” of their character.  Alexander Technique goes beyond the physical aspects of character development to include the impact physical tension and bad habits have on breathing and vocal production.  

Simply put, an effective and versatile character voice actor should cultivate an elastic instrument.  This includes both the body and the voice. 

You may think that we as voice actors have no need to increase our physical awareness and control because we are not seen.  It is true that our physical characterizations can not be relied upon to help us convey our message, but physical characterizations can become invaluable as we begin to create characters.  An old man with painful sciatica doesn’t stand like a cheerleader, for example.  

Creating an elastic instrument doesn’t happen overnight and maintaining it is an ongoing process.

Have a Great Time!

By Eric Hunt

“Stage actors are amazing!  They’re great with voiceover because they’re trained.  And not only are they vocally trained but they have this way of being free, and being goofy.  In my world, the bigger, the better!” 

--Sarah Noonan, Senior Casting Director for Animation Casting and Talent, Nickelodeon

(quoted from Ross Reports Animation & Voice-Over Casting Directory, 2006)

Ms. Noonan would know, having cast some of the biggest powerhouses out there, like Sponge Bob, Avatar the Last Airbender, The Penguins of Madagascar, Fairly Odd Parents, and Jimmy Neutron.  This is not to say that only those with training and experience in stage acting should pursue character voiceover work.  

What should be gleaned from this gem provided by a major industry player is that those of us aspiring to land a principal role in the next national-level animated television series should emulate the best of the best stage actors. 

The best characters are born out of those impromptu moments of creativity that can only come out in the absolute absence of inhibitions.  Obviously, those who are engaged in the pursuit of entertainment industry careers must accept that they will be fiercely judged, as this is the nature of entertainment.  The paradox here, though, is that the stage, screen, and vocal performances we have loved the most throughout history have been done by those actors who were able to transcend the critical eye of the public, immerse themselves in the moment, and basically have a great time!

Tip: After you have done all your preparation and you are ready to record, take a moment to remember: you’re in it to have fun!  Jump into it like a kid! 

Character Voices Aren't Just for Animation!

By Eric Hunt

Opportunities for creating characters in the voiceover industry have grown steadily and continue to expand with technological advances.  Character voiceovers used to be synonymous with animation for television or movies.  Today the application of that talent and acquired skill set has reached an entirely new level and now includes many new categories within the voiceover industry.   The allure of this type of voiceover work has only increased to match the industry trend.  The old heros like Mel Blanc and Walt Disney still command our respect but new ones have emerged bringing fresh talent and new insights into how to create engaging and irresistible characters.  While there is always a market for zany, seemingly over the top, character voices--like Tom Kinney’s Sponge Bob or Dan Castellaneta’s Barney Gumble (The Simpsons)--new trends are paving the way for more subdued characters--like Seth MacFarlane’s Brian Griffin (Family Guy).

With the advent of computer generated animation, the Second Golden Age of Animation is upon us.  During the First Golden Age, cell animation was the standard for companies like The Disney Corporation and Hanna Barbera.  It was much more labor intensive and ultimately confined to the restrictive flat world of two dimensions.  Now, with three dimensions, major leaps in realism, and refinements in character manipulation, the animation industry has grown exponentially.

There are a number of areas that have emerged beneath the larger umbrella of voiceover work that provide great opportunities for character voice actors.  They include: 

• Character-Driven Commercials
• Animated Television Series
• Animated Feature Films
• Video & Online Gaming
• Anime
• Animated Short Films
• Industrial Films
• Online Animation
• Audiobooks (Children’s & Other Fiction)
• Toys
• Theme Parks & Museums 
• Cell Phones & GPS Units 

Although you may have a specific area of interest, limiting yourself to just that area will stunt your ability to grow and get paid as a voice actor.  You should consider seeking opportunities in all of these areas.  In doing this you will gain experience to build a strong varied resume (a necessity if you plan to ever court talent agencies), improve your craft, make yourself more marketable and very likely come into contact with a number of different people involved in the process. 

Panning for Gold with Dynamite!

A Prospector’s Guide to Script Mining in the Voiceover Wild West...

By Eric Hunt

In today’s voiceover marketplace: a diverse landscape where cynical Lacrosse moms get as much work as Budweiser-swilling dulcet-tones, knowing where a voice fits into the exponentially increasing pool of opportunity has become even more important than the quality of the voice itself.  

Aspiring voice actors who bravely attempt to blaze a trail into the untamed frontier alone, without the experienced guidance of an established pioneer, may find themselves saddled with an ill-fitting and sorely lacking arsenal when the day is done.   

This all-too-common scenario emerges most frequently in the form of flat one-dimensional demos that serve an earnest new voice actor about as well as a book of matches serves a blacksmith.  

Script selection is as important as every other element in the demo production process.  Industry trends dictate that success will come to those who are able to showcase their versatility and range of marketability.  

Without access to a vast script library and a critical outside perspective that can help extract a wide range of characters and personas, demos will inevitably miss the mark. Once-eager and enthusiastic voice actors are left feeling discouraged and confused as to why they seem to be mired at an outpost while others, perhaps less talented, boldly stake their claims in the Land of Voiceover Opportunity.      

When the dust settles, the problem becomes obvious: It is tempting to choose scripts you “like,” instead of those that “like you” when first staring out.  

In one way, this can lead to a greater emotional connection to the material and thus help build a demo replete with “relatable” spots.  Upon closer examination, however, it becomes obvious that the voice actor has showcased only one or two styles where four, five, or even more may have been possible.  

A much greater risk, and potentially much more disastrous outcome, when picking scripts you “like” for your demo is self-sabotage.  Going outside your marketability on your demo can make you sound unprofessional and downright bad.  

Imagine the train-wreck that would occur if BIlly Crudup (MasterCard - “Priceless”) were to include a “Budweiser: Real American Hero” spot on his demo because he thought it was cool.  Similarly, imagine the catastrophe that would unfold if Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson) included a clip from Planet Earth (a Documentary narrated by SIgourney Weaver) on her demo because she was passionate about nature.

Like what you like but demonstrate who you are.

Current Style Trends in the Voiceover Industry

“Come down from the mountain and talk to someone!”

By Eric Hunt, Production Director, Studio274

 

These days, there is a greater need for a much wider variety of styles than ever before in the voiceover industry. With the emergence of the Internet and easy-to-use audio editing software, new markets are continually being created and expanded upon.  

 

Commercials, animation, audiobooks, and documentaries have been joined by podcasts, industrial and educational films and videos, videogames, a wide range of telephony, and many others.

 

But perhaps even more integral to this visible increase in opportunity is that “Voice of God,” as it is known and referred to in the vernacular of the industry, has gone the way of the dodo and been replaced by something different.

 

The change is rooted in the advertising industry.  Combine that with Generation Y’s arrival in the workplace: donning flip-flops, iPod in hand, and checking Facebook every 15 minutes, and it should be no surprise that holding on to the old VO norms of 10 or 20 years ago can only result in stagnant audio that is wasted on the deaf ears of a target audience that has unwittingly been pushed in a different direction.

 

Two big factors have influenced the advertising industry in recent years, according to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Roy Williams.  Internet browsing has trained the public to more quickly disregard empty words and message relevance has become more important than repetition. This has lead to a much greater emphasis on creating a “meaningful message.”  

 

Williams was able to nail down a pattern.  He says if you want your ad to succeed, which ultimately means “get noticed,” you’re going to have to:

 

    1.    Talk about things your customer actually finds interesting.

    2.    Write your ads in a style that rings true.

    3.    Avoid heroic chest thumping, such as “We are the number-one...”

    4.    Close the loopholes in your ads--ambiguous claims make you seem dishonest.

    5.    Use specifics. They’re more believable than generalities.

    6.    Remember that substance is more important than style.

    7.    Relate to the customer on their own terms.

 

While all these are important for those who need voice actors to remember, none may be as important as number seven.  The idea of relating to the customer on their own terms is what has ultimately driven “Voice of God” out and ushered in the era of the “next-door neighbor.”  

 

These trends have brought about an entirely new set of job requirements for producers and voice actors.  First of all, the term “voice actor” has become common.  The term itself invokes a certain style change.  The new stable of consumers don’t want to be “ordered around by a stern baritone,” says Slate.com’s Seth Stevenson.  

 

That perfect, clear as a bell voice and that carefully honed intonation, Stevenson says are no longer required or even sought out.  In fact, “textured,” or even “damaged,” voices have become quite desirable--if you know where to put ‘em!  

 

How do these trends impact other areas of the voiceover industry?  After all, commercials only represent about 20% of the entire industry.  “Real people” are showing up everywhere.  

 

Audiobook publishers and animation producers are using voice actors; Industrial and educational film producers are seeking out narrators that can talk to their target audiences like peers; even the narrated help menu on the installation CD that comes with your all-in-one printer isn’t likely to feature Don Pardo saying “Press power!”  

 

Instead, the actor sounds like someone else who probably bought that printer and needed a little help getting started...just like you.