Post by Lady Stardust ★ on Jan 18, 2019 23:31:35 GMT -8
Whether we like it or not, criticism is not only an inevitable part of the entertainment business, but constructive criticism is actually vital to one's growth as a performer. This guide is intended to help you not only break down criticism you receive in a healthy manner, but also assist you in critiquing others' work in a manner that will be beneficial to them, too.
In this article, I'll also be providing specific examples of what constitutes an unhelpful critique and how you can say essentially the same thing but in a helpful and constructive manner instead.
Tips for Giving Criticism
First off, decide whether or not a critique would be welcome/appropriate.
While people who give a critique generally mean well, there are certain situations where it would be awkward or not entirely helpful to critique someone. For example, I occasionally see [well-meaning] anime fans on Twitter decide that they'll give "constructive criticism" on a voice actor's performance in a dub...and while this is okay to chat about with friends or in a Reddit thread or whatever, it's not really appropriate to go directly to the actor with said criticism because 1) they were simply performing the role the way they were instructed to by the director and clients who chose them for the project, 2) the project is already recorded and released, making such criticism really a moot point, 3) voice actors in localization projects generally have very little control over how the characters are to be performed.
A good rule of thumb is, "is the person seeking feedback on their work?" For example, if they post a sample on a forum or server in a place where people ask for feedback, chances are a critique would be welcome and encouraged. If they're just trying to show off a finished project they were in, possibly not so much. If you're not sure, you can always ask "are you open to critique on this?"
Critique the performance, not the person.
Avoid ad hominem attacks. In most circumstances, criticizing the person themselves isn't productive---keep it about their work. People are much more likely to get defensive if they feel like you are attacking them rather than giving feedback on their skills.
Bad example: "You're not very good at doing effort sounds. This probably means you're not cut out for videogames." (This language basically tells the person they're not good at what they want to do, and while effort sounds being lacking is a valid critique, it's not being framed constructively here.)
Good example: "Since you want to work in video games, your effort sounds will need a lot of improvement. For instance, your pain efforts sounded more like you were annoyed than hurt." (In this example, you still get the point across that they need to work on their effort sounds, but the language used places the emphasis on the performance itself rather than attacking the performer. In addition, it includes a specific example as to in what way the effort sounds were lacking.)
Be specific.
The more specific your feedback, the more information the person has as to how they can improve. This doesn't mean you have to be nitpicky, but it does mean that when you point out something that needs improvement, it's a good idea to give an example of how it needs improvement.
Bad example: "Your microphone quality doesn't sound good. You should probably fix it or get a new one." (Here, you tell them there is a problem with their microphone, but you don't tell them WHAT exactly the problem is. Someone is unlikely to go out and buy a new microphone just because a person on the Internet said so, especially if the sound quality issues aren't directly related to the microphone itself.)
Good example: "Unfortunately, your performance is hindered by the poor recording quality. For example, there is a lot of room echo, and the sound distorts every time you raise your voice. I'd recommend turning the gain down on the louder lines to avoid so much clipping." (In this case, you point out exactly WHY the sound quality is a problem---room echo + clipping---and you give them a tip on how to improve the clipping which is an easy fix.)
Be tactful.
Harsh and blunt criticism isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if you're in a situation where you are paying a coach or teacher to point out the errors in your work so you can quickly improve. However, you still need to remember that you are dealing with an actual human being on the other end of the computer screen. You can be critical while still using your words in a way that reflects kindness and compassion---which is especially important if the person is a newcomer to the voice acting community who is just getting up the courage to ask for feedback. You don't need to sugarcoat or coddle someone, but you don't need to come across as a pompous jerk, either.
Be practical.
Don't give vague, pretentious comments like "I feel there is just this essence in the voice that is lacking something" or write a long and flowery novel about something that could be summed up in a paragraph or two. Be clear in your comments and make sure it's something the person can actually take action to improve upon.
A common "bad critique" I see very often is "it needs more emotion". That's vague and not exactly helpful. What do you even mean by "needs more emotion"? (Also, keep in mind that not everything needs to be big and loud to be impactful.) Be specific in what you feel the performance was lacking and how you feel it can be improved.
Bad example: The second voice on your demo needed more emotion. (What?)
Good example: The second voice on your demo doesn't feel believable to me. While the quiet, subdued tone can work for this particular character, there still needs to be some type of feeling and intensity behind the words. Since the context of the line is being upset at her mother, you can play it as her shutting down emotionally but putting on a brave face to act like it doesn't affect her---but I'm not getting the sense that it actually is still affecting her under the surface. (This example points out exactly WHY the read fell flat and gives pointers as to the subtext that should be going on to add more emotional layers to the read.)
When giving negative feedback, frame it constructively.
Rather than just focusing on "this part was bad", focus on "how can it be improved"? The core of constructive criticism is less about finding flaws to attack and more about identifying where and how improvement is needed.
Bad example: "The voices in your demo reel all sound the same."
Good example: "I felt there was a lack of variety in the vocal types showcased, making it difficult to tell when one spot ended and the next began."
Find at least one positive thing to comment on, too.
Even if you think the person's demo reel was a piece of hot garbage, chances are you can at least find some place where they had potential or made a good acting choice. People are much more receptive to hearing their weaknesses if you comment on their strengths as well, and focusing only on weaknesses can make them feel discouraged.
Be as objective as possible.
Try to avoid letting your perception of or relationship to a person bias the review you are giving. This means...don't give someone a great review on their demo simply because they're a friend who cast you in a project of theirs, and on the flip side, don't give someone a negative review on their demo just because they happen to beat you out for a lot of the roles you want to book. Approach as "blindly" as possible when listening to the work and giving your critique.
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Tips for Receiving Criticism
Decide whether the criticism is valid.
Note that just because you don't like or agree with the criticism given doesn't necessarily mean it's not valid. And while someone doesn't necessarily need to be a better or more experienced performer than you are in order to give a proper critique, a random troll with no industry experience who leaves a YouTube comment about how "your voice sucks" isn't really worth taking into consideration. Meanwhile, if a teacher, coach, or experienced industry peer gives you feedback, it's usually a good idea to at least take it into consideration.
Decide whether the criticism is valid.
Note that just because you don't like or agree with the criticism given doesn't necessarily mean it's not valid. And while someone doesn't necessarily need to be a better or more experienced performer than you are in order to give a proper critique, a random troll with no industry experience who leaves a YouTube comment about how "your voice sucks" isn't really worth taking into consideration. Meanwhile, if a teacher, coach, or experienced industry peer gives you feedback, it's usually a good idea to at least take it into consideration.
Resist the urge to get defensive.
When someone criticizes your performance, the natural human instinct is to immediately jump back with "Well I did it this way because..." There are times when giving context or clarification can be necessary, but before hastily writing back, take the time to think about what the person said and see it from their point of view. Even if you know why you gave a certain read, others might not be hearing what you intended to convey.
Don't get too attached to a certain read having to be a certain way.
Being willing to adapt to feedback is an important skill in the professional industry. You can't get married to a performance, because the director may ask you to read the line differently or take the character in a different direction than what you had in your head. While it's okay to be passionate about the choices you made, listen to others if they feel like those choices aren't really resonating for them. It doesn't mean you have to change the read if the person critiquing you isn't the one hiring or directing you, but it's worth at least taking into consideration that your way might not be the only way.
Dismiss anything that is outright trolling.
If someone's intentions are not to give you helpful criticism but rather to bully or make personal attacks, you do NOT owe them your time or attention. There is a school of thought out there that even hateful comments are "worth taking something away from", but I don't believe it's worth wasting your valuable time or mental energy on people whose goal is simply to be malicious. Don't seek out negative comments by searching your name on Twitter or reading YouTube comments unless you're sure you can handle it. The general Internet is often not a very nice place, so if your goal is helpful critique it's better to stick to voice acting-related communities. Also, resist the urge to fight back at negative comments---99% of the time, nothing good can come from engaging hateful people.
If a critique ultimately isn't good advice for you, take what you can and throw away the rest.
Not every piece of feedback, even if well-meaning, will ultimately be the right answer for you and your career. Sometimes even a teacher may give you acting advice or technique that you find doesn't really end up working out for you specifically, and that's okay. The best thing to do is see if there's anything you can learn from it and discard the parts that don't really apply to you or work for you.
When you solicit feedback, thank the person for taking the time to write you a critique.
It can be disheartening when someone asks for constructive feedback, you spend time writing a thoughtful piece breaking down their performance, and they either don't respond at all or get defensive about every point being made. Remember that while it's okay to (politely) ask for a critique from a peer you look up to or a casting director for a project you auditioned for, people often do not have the time to review your materials so if they do take their time to do so, it's polite to at least respond and thank them---whether or not you agree with their assessment.
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