Voice Acting Information

(this discussion was written in January 2008)A computer with USB port or an audio in plug.A microphone; either one that plugs directly to your computer, or one with an interface that converts the microphone’s signal into a digital audio signal for your computer.

The simplest solution is to get a good quality USB microphone, such as the Blue Snowball <http://www.bluemic.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Products&file=index&prod_id=18> or the Samson C01-U <http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1810&brandID=2>. You can find both of those mics for around $100.

If you’re not interested in voice acting as a career and can’t spend that amount of money, you can try a USB computer microphone ($8 to $40). I’ve heard of people who like mics made by Logitech <http://www.logitech.com/> and Plantronics. I don’t recommend using a microphone installed in your laptop computer. In general, the sound quality is not as good as you need for audio theater.

Other well-known-but-not-too-expensive microphones include the Sure SM57 <http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/WiredMicrophones/us_pro_SM57-LC_content>. This mic and other professional mics have XLR connectors. Most professional condenser microphones (usually more expensive: the Studio Projects C1 provides good quality for a comparatively low price <http://www.studioprojectsusa.com/c1.html>) use an XLR connector and require phantom power, which is power supplied to the mic through the cable.

If you get a mic with an XLR cable, you’ll need hardware to transfer the sound signal from the XLR cable to your computer. This could be a sound card that accepts XLR connectors, or it could be an audio interface. If your mic needs phantom power, be sure you get an audio interface that can supply it. An example of an audio interface is the Edirol UA-25 <http://www.roland.com/products/en/UA-25/index.html>, which accepts XLR and 1/4-inch cables and provides audio to your computer through a USB cable.

You can also find audio interfaces that provide audio through a 1/4-inch patch cable. In that case, you would probably need a 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch adapter, since your computer probably has a 1/8-inch plug for input.

Wetware:

These are the most critical pieces of equipment in this list. Take care of them. Use them.Ears. If they contradict anything in this essay, trust your ears.Mouth and throat. Avoid making sounds that hurt your throat.

Software:

Use audio recording and editing software to record the audio signal going into your computer. There are many, many applications available in all different price ranges. Read the user manual to learn how to use the software and get it to hear the audio signal from your microphone. Learn how to make mono recordings; for a recording of one person a mono file will contain the same amount of audio information and take half the space of a stereo file.Here are a couple of free applications that can do the job. Both of these are available in Mac and PC versions:http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/

Process:

Record your lines into an audio file. Record a line as many times as it takes for you to feel you’ve done it well.Sound Effects: Don’t add sound effects to your takes, such as “pencil drops” or “claps hands.” However, do record sound effects that are made by or with the aid of your mouth and throat, such as “swallows,” “coughs,” “hums tunelessly,” or “shrieks.”The post-producer wants to be in control of how those sound; someone will ask you if they want you to record effects.

Listen to your recordings and check that the quality is good. Are there breath pops? Is there clipping or over-modulating? Did the fan on your computer come on and make a lot of extra noise? Did you bump the mic stand or cable without noticing? Does the quality of your voice change at some point — maybe you changed position relative to the mic.

The post-producer has the most time-intensive job of all. Show respect for his or her time, and remove extraneous sounds, such as when you were interrupted because the neighbors were having a fireworks display in the back yard.

Follow the directions from your director or producer about how to format and name your files. If there are no other directions, save every take from each scene in a file, and use the naming convention: ProjectName_episode#_Scene#_CharacterName_YourName..mp3. Save it as an mp3

Performance Tips

Auditioning Basics

Watch for casting calls posted to the Giant Gnome Yahoo Group. Each casting call should tell you what group is producing the play, who wrote it, whether it is a series or one-off, and provide some description of the play. The posting should also provide a deadline, and specific instructions about how to save and name your files and where to send them.The main portion of a casting call describes the characters for which you can audition and provides one to three lines for each of the characters being cast. For example, there will be an indication of the sex, age, and basic attitude of each character, to give actors clues about what the director is seeking in an audition.You may also be asked to display special skills or sounds that are scripted for the character, such as shrieking, laughing, or talking while eating.

Because our actors and our audience are both members of the group receiving the posting, it is rare to receive the entire script.

Read the character descriptions carefully to guide your performance. Read the technical details carefully to make sure you submit your file as requested.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Before you submit, remember that submitting an audition is a promise to do your best and follow the director’s guidance if you are selected. Now submit your audition(s) by the deadline, and keep your fingers crossed.

Each casting call posted to a group should be followed up with a cast list posting to the same group. If you have been cast, you should receive a personal e-mail from the director including a script and other details.

Audition vs. Assignment

When you audition, send only one take. When you record a role that has been assigned to you, most directors enjoy receiving multiple takes of each line. Here’s why:When staging a traditional play, a director has weeks of rehearsal to work with actors. The director can help the actors develop and shape their performances.In internet-based audio theater, the director has very limited time with the actors. Therefore, the director listens to auditions a different way. The director searches for a performance that is close to the director’s concept; someone who won’t require a lot of guidance to give the performance the director expects.

One except to this guideline is when you submit several different character voices for a single audition. Say you think a character might have either a Southern accent or a Cockney accent. Submit one audition for each accent, and be sure to label the files so that, if you are cast, the director can tell you which accent to use in your performance.

Once you have been cast and have been given the assignment, the director wants performances of each line that fit well with the performances of the other cast members. At this point, multiple takes are usually very helpful.

Assignment Basics

Being Cast

If you are fortunate enough to be cast in a role, congratulations. The director enjoys your audition and trusts you do your best to create an audio play by submitting fully-committed performances on time. So please take the responsibility seriously.If you encounter any problem meeting a deadline — from family emergency to losing the script — let your director and producer know. Sooner, rather than later. The director or producer will post a message to the group listing the cast. Later, you should receive a personal e-mail with the script attached. In this message your director will tell you what he or she liked about your audition and what adjustment(s) might result in a stronger performance. If you have any questions about your character or the script, this is the time to ask them. You may want to review the audition file(s)you submitted, to remind yourself of your performance.

Multiple Takes

Most directors enjoy hearing multiple takes. But don’t simply repeat the line several times. Perform the line different ways. Need some suggestions? Here: Emphasize different words. Change the pace. Try it sarcastic and then sincere or fearful and then brave; then try combining both approaches.

Shouting

Susan Bridges of Pendant Audio wrote the following excellent suggestions for recording lines that need to be shouted: “It’s very important when you see a line that calls for shouting that you actually try to do it. It’s impossible to take a spoken line and boost the volume so that it actually sounds like the person is shouting. If you’re in doubt about the need for shouting, at least include one take where you are yelling. “The solution is to hit record, stand back, and actually shout. Then, check the file and see how it sounds. If it sounds soft, but it’s clear you’re shouting, and it doesn’t sound muffled or garbled, you’ve got the ticket. I can boost a soft line that sounds like shouting and it will still sound like shouting.”

Pronunciation

For most characters you don’t want to pronounce words too precisely. In daily life, we slur and contract words all the time. If you want to sound natural, do the same in your performance. However, it’s important that you pronounce words correctly. If the writer wants you to mispronounce a word (like NUKE-yuh-lur instead of NUKE-lee-are), there will be some indication in the script. If you’re not positive about how to pronounce a word, please check the pronunciation:

Use a dictionary.
Use Merriam-Webster online <http://www.merriam-webster.com/> (for American accents). This free online dictionary has an audio feature that can be very helpful.

Editing Your Recordings

Unless specifically requested, don’t do any processing of your recordings, such as reducing the noise. Your post-producer probably has better tools than you do, and also wants to be in charge of processing and noise reduction.You can edit your recordings to delete stray noise and awful takes.For example, if the phone rings during a take making the entire take useless, go ahead and delete it. If you cough, you can delete that sound. But make sure not to cut off the beginning or end of any of your lines. It’s much better to leave a little extra sound than to risk clipping too close to your performance. It’s easy for your post-producer to work with a little extra sound, but practically impossible to work with a line that has been cut off in the middle of a word.

Don’t delete too many takes (remember, your director loves having options), but feel free to delete truly awful takes.

Submitting Your Lines

When you received the script you should also have received instructions about how to format and name your audio files and where to send them when you are finished. Follow the instructions. Many directors and post-producers have personal preferences, which you should follow.If your director or producer has not confirmed your credit with you earlier, you should take this opportunity to tell him or her how you want to be credited. Feel free to include a recording of how it should be pronounced.

Confirmation

You should receive a confirmation e-mail from your director or producer that you lines have been received.

Additional Takes

Many people call these “retakes.” I dislike that term because it implies that the original performance contained some kind of mistake. However, the original take may be fine and the director may ask for additional takes to get a different emotion from the line.After reviewing your recordings your director may send you a message asking for additional takes. That’s a good and normal part of the process, so don’t feel bad about it.You may want to review your original takes to remind yourself of your performance. Try to replicate the physical set-up you used for the original recordings, and follow the director’s guidance for your performance.

It’s an excellent idea to record multiple versions of your additional takes.

Submit your additional takes the same way you did when submitting your original takes.

Waiting

You’re excited about your performance, and you want to hear it turned into a wonderful audio play. Unfortunately, that can take a long time. Please be patient. A lot of work to be done before the play is ready for release:

The post-producer will mix all the dialog together.
The post-producer will find and incorporate sound effects.
The composer will write and perform music.
An announcer will read the credits.
The post-producer will add the credits and music to the audio mix.
The executive team will review the final audio mix and approved it for release.
For every new series, Giant Gnome Productions has a policy of having two episodes approved for release before releasing the first episode. Obviously that makes it a longer wait for a new series to start, yet it also allows the production team some leeway so that the release schedule will not be affected if production takes an extra week or so in the future.

We know it can be hard to wait for your show to be released. Please remember that people are working hard to make the show wonderful. Watch the postings on the Giant Gnome Yahoo Group for updates.

Release

When an audio play or episode is released, it will be announced on the Giant Gnome Yahoo Group.Tell all your friends about it.Then please listen to the play, and give the cast and crew feedback. Tell them what you liked and why (and what you didn’t like and why, too).

Further Study

Take acting and voice acting classes. Listen to great audio theater, in addition to the amateur web-based work. A few of my favorite sources are:

BBC Radio 7 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/listenagain/>
BBC Radio 4 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/atoz/>
Old-Time Radio Antioch Internet Radio <http://radio.macinmind.com/>

Pat Fraley publishes books and CDs (and also gives seminars) about character voices, audio books, and other voice acting topics: <http://www.patfraley.com/> At James Alberger’s web site <http://www.voiceacting.com/> you can order his book on Voice Acting, and also find a lot of other useful tips and information.

Feedback and Version History

Please let the Giant Gnome know if this document helped you or if you have suggestions for how to improve it. E-mail us at acting_tips@giantgnome.com. First release

Date: April 16, 2008
Author: Perry Whittle Acting Director