Voice Acting For Dummies by David Ciccarelli

Author:David Ciccarelli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2012-12-07T05:00:00+00:00

Spotting vital project information before an audition

Job postings provide important information about the client and project. By thoroughly reviewing this information, you can fully grasp what is required before submitting your audition. Figuring out whether or not you can meet these needs is a very important decision to make.

In this section, we examine four important areas of client requirements that can give you a better idea of what the job posting is about.

Artistic requirements

When you view job listings, consider artistic direction, which gives you instruction on how the client wants your read to come across. This may include how old your voice sounds, the register of voice you speak in, or vocal characteristics, such as mood. Artistic direction also can relate to a manner of speaking or characterization.

You need to be honest with yourself and objective about your voice and abilities and discern whether you fit the specifications for artistic requirements. Not everyone has the skills that the job listing asks for so when reviewing job listings, look at what artistic direction the job requires and do those auditions you have the confidence you can deliver.

Artistic requirements include the following areas:

Vocal range

Ability to produce a certain voice age

The tone quality of a voice

Characterization

For example, a role is being cast for a boy’s voice aged 7 to14. A grown man probably shouldn’t audition for this role because his voice is too deep for the range needed. Women whose voices sound younger or can be made to sound younger may want to audition, because a woman’s voice falls within a treble range similar to that of a child, and a woman can more easily stretch her voice to sound like a younger boy (although the perfect fit would be a boy in that age range).

In addition to knowing if you’re a good fit, you also need to be able to interpret scripts well and direct yourself. Most voice actors working independently from home spend time developing their skills in the area of self-direction. As we discuss in Chapter 5, you can inspire yourself in many ways to create a more effective and believable performance.

Kids are sometimes best for the job

When a job listing asks for a child’s voice, sometimes the best actor for that job, surprise, is a child. Many children have been cast to give a more authentic read in their normal speaking range. The cast of the Backyardigans, a show for preschoolers, is a good example because all the characters were voiced by children, lending greater authenticity to the characters and more connectivity with the audience.

Another great example is the cast of Dora The Explorer. The original voice of Dora, Kathleen Herles, didn’t do anything out of the ordinary to change the way she spoke when voicing Dora, a role she booked as a child. She simply delivered her lines with feeling as Dora in her own voice. As she got older, she needed to adapt her read slightly to keep with the younger Dora voice she started with.

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