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Post by USSTheater on Feb 18, 2017 18:32:59 GMT -8
I'll be honest, I don't know much about what it takes to be a voice actor/actress, but I want to be a fun and agreeable producer to work with, so I'm seeking insight early. What are some of your personal preferences when it comes to voicing for someone? How do you prefer to do your voice acting; just record your lines and send it via email? Or some other way? I heard something about voice-acting over Skype, but I don't know how that would be possible. After you agree to do a project, do you like to receive the whole script or just your lines?
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Post by Rebekah Amber Clark on Feb 18, 2017 18:48:54 GMT -8
Well, I wouldn't call it a preference, exactly, but I've only ever been asked to record lines and then send them in via e-mail or Skype file transfer. As far as voice acting and Skype goes, I think you're thinking of a recording session with live direction over Skype, or even recording with the entire cast at once. As I understand it, each voice actor involved records themselves on their voice acting microphone WHILE they're in the Skype call; then you can ask people to do things over again immediately, and/or the cast can actually interact (vs. reading lines separately without hearing each others' performances until the finished project). I've also been in a few productions where Skype text-chat groups are used to let the cast hang out, get to know one another, and keep the production organized with announcements, scripts, etc.
As far as the script goes, it depends. Personally, I really don't like getting *just* my own lines, because how would you read "What did you do?"
OK; Character A: "...And then he asked if I wanted to ride the elephant!" YOU: "What did you do?"
Now how do you read it?
Or;
Narrator: "Bob looked up, blood dripping from the knife. He stepped over the lifeless body towards his wife. She looked at him in horror and said --" YOU: "What did you do?"
I mean, that's pretty extreme, but the script is still pretty important for context. Even if you give direction, you'd have to spell out the situation anyway, which might take longer to write out than the script itself. =)
On the other hand, if the script is really long, compared to the character I'm reading for; let's say that was scene 1 of chapter 1 of a 500,000 word novel, I'm playing the wife, and 3 lines later she's murdered. There's a flashback with about 7 more lines for me to read in chapter 14. I don't need all 500,000 words, obviously! But the scene (or part I'm in) is helpful for me to have. =)
All of this is just me personally, though! Other voice actors might disagree with some or all of it. =)
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Post by USSTheater on Feb 18, 2017 19:23:22 GMT -8
Thanks for posting Razzle! Even if it's just personal, it still helps me get the game plan in my head on how to act later. =3 I really appreciate your thoughts and comments. What you said about the script lines has especially been of help: I've always felt kinda iffy about just sending them their lines and a brief description on how I would like it said, but I didn't think the whole script was something they would want to read through. =D
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Post by Lady Stardust ★ on Feb 26, 2017 23:30:27 GMT -8
I need to at least have context for my own lines (sometimes the full script is too long, but even just sending the scenes with my character in them is fine in that case). Having only my lines can be confusing because I don't know what or whom I'm reacting to, so it's very likely that the line will sound out of place when put in the scene. For instance, I've been in videos where I was given only my character's lines with no context, and no retakes or redirection. So I'd read a line that I assumed was supposed to be spoken casually, only to find out my character was actually in this huge cavern with a battle going on outside...and then there are a bunch of comments about how the "VA sucks", even though I had no way of knowing what was going on. So now, I try to ask.
Live direction is cool if it's a big project and/or the director actually knows how to direct...nothing like getting on Skype and having them just read the lines in their own voice and make me parrot it back to them (see the etiquette thread!) Like I don't even mind a line read if I'm not getting it right away or it's needed for comedic timing, but at least let me TRY it first!
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Post by Anairis Q on Mar 1, 2017 9:54:39 GMT -8
Live direction is cool if it's a big project and/or the director actually knows how to direct...nothing like getting on Skype and having them just read the lines in their own voice and make me parrot it back to them (see the etiquette thread!) Like I don't even mind a line read if I'm not getting it right away or it's needed for comedic timing, but at least let me TRY it first! Ick! That's the worst. Totally negates your creativity as the actor. It depends what it is! With animations, I love getting a script and a storyboard/animatic. Especially animatics; sometimes I'll go over the script in time with the animatic and it always brings out more character than when I'm working on the script by itself. For video games and other formats, just sending a script is fine. Though I really hate when I get scripts with JUST my character's lines. It gives me no context at all and makes me overdo takes just because I'm not sure what the connotation is. It's like an audition all over again.
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Post by USSTheater on Mar 1, 2017 21:33:04 GMT -8
I need to at least have context for my own lines (sometimes the full script is too long, but even just sending the scenes with my character in them is fine in that case). Having only my lines can be confusing because I don't know what or whom I'm reacting to, so it's very likely that the line will sound out of place when put in the scene. For instance, I've been in videos where I was given only my character's lines with no context, and no retakes or redirection. So I'd read a line that I assumed was supposed to be spoken casually, only to find out my character was actually in this huge cavern with a battle going on outside...and then there are a bunch of comments about how the "VA sucks", even though I had no way of knowing what was going on. So now, I try to ask. VA is awesome! I may work at a slow pace, but this board is my bread and butter. I literally have nowhere else to go to find people to voice for me, or to talk about movies, or who are even remotely interested in what I do! Thank you for your comments. It sounds like just sending the actors lines is a really bad idea, it's hard for them to preform their best when they don't know what the context of the situation is.. Thank you! It depends what it is! With animations, I love getting a script and a storyboard/animatic. Especially animatics; sometimes I'll go over the script in time with the animatic and it always brings out more character than when I'm working on the script by itself. For video games and other formats, just sending a script is fine. Though I really hate when I get scripts with JUST my character's lines. It gives me no context at all and makes me overdo takes just because I'm not sure what the connotation is. It's like an audition all over again. Thank you so much for commenting! It sounds like segments of script are the best things to send to an actor; where they have a bit of background before their lines, their lines, and the reaction to their lines from other characters. As far as animatics go, I'm not familiar with that term yet. XD It sounds a little like animation: I'm better at syncing the character to the actor's voice, so I don't animate until after the lines are recorded. Is that a bad way of doing it?
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Post by kravvyshot on Mar 2, 2017 14:00:39 GMT -8
An animatic is kind of a bare-bones video of how a project will look. It gives you an image to look at without necessarily having every frame completed, which can be very helpful for seeing exactly how a character might do something in a scene!
Animating to a performance is probably the better way to do it, but sometimes, going back to do pick-up lines to better fit an animation just can't be helped. If it's gotta happen, it's gotta happen, and most actors are willing to be good sports about it.
I think one of my preferences--not a requirement, mind you, just a preference--is when I'm able to take a bit or writing, or a scene from an animatic, or a piece of direction and put my own spin on it! You know, where folks aren't always so attached to what's written on the page that I can't really add anything to it. Of course, it would have to be in the spirit of the project, and if it's important to say iwhat's on the page in a very certain way, that's cool. But I like it when producers let me play! Get under the hood! Fiddle around, maybe even come up with something they themselves didn't even expect!
I really get the most out of projects where I'm working WITH my producers rather than FOR them, you know what I mean?
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Post by Caesár on Apr 7, 2017 10:41:11 GMT -8
So far I have only recorded lines by myself and emailed them instead of live directing on Skype. Definitely something to do in the future because it's better than having to look through all the sound files lol and it's also a great way to learn how to work with a director and improve my performances.
In general the live feedback works better so they can give tips while you're recording which makes it a faster progress for both parties lol
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