My friend LindZ Reiss blogs about how she has discovered that in order to do different character voices, she often makes physical adjustments to how she stands or moves. What about you? Do you do the same thing? Or do all your characters come from basically the same physical space?
I don’t know of many people who have all their characters come from the same physical space (I mean, they all come from you, but not in the same physical manner). I know of none who do character VO on a professional level who do this.
What makes VO harder than other forms of acting, at least in my opinion, is that one does not have the advantage of using physical props or visual aids in order to convey their message to the audience. Therefore, a voice actor needs to accentuate the physical aspects of their performance in order to bring that character to life in a recording.
Bob Bergen has a great explanation for this, but my best interpretation is this: our perception dictates our reality. This goes the other way too. Therefore, for me to give you the perception that I am a specific type of character, I need to make my reality precisely that when I perform. If that means acting like I have false teeth, hunching over, and acting like I have arthritis in order to be a character who is older, then that’s what I need to do. If I need to lean a bit to the side because I use a cane, then I know that will bring something to the character as well.
We all have our own methods, but going to the physical plane as one of the first steps in creating a character is a very powerful one…
at least it is for me.
Cheers!
-Greg
http://www.gregoryhouser.com
Greg,
Thank you for those additional insights. This is a part of voiceover work where I don’t spend much time so it’s interesting to hear from those who do.
Be well,
Bob
since i’ve almost always worked in a constricted space, even in my radio days, i do it all in my mind. but my VOICE is gyrating/hunched/jumping/whatever during the time i assume that other persona.
mel blanc said treg brown started photographing him during an early rehearsal. when asked what he was doing he replied, “mel, you’ll never believe it unless you see it, but you have a different face for every voice you’re doing.” mel, of course, was oblivious to that aspect…he was just being the character.
Rowell,
Thank you. It makes sense that the physical space where you’re working will influence how much you can move or pose.
Be well,
Bob
Since I need to sit while I’m recording, my process is very much like Rowell’s. Once I’ve read over the dialogue a couple of times I then do something else like walk around or make a cup of tea. The creative process needs to be free, and allowed to develop. I wait until the “divine (with a small d) visitation” occurs. Often a voice will come first, and then the physical aspects follow. I allow the character to improvise some dialogue. I’ve been told I use a lot of facial expressions.
I know this can sound kind of “way out there” but that’s how I develop my characters.
Chris
Chris,
Thank you for the additional insights.
Be well,
Bob
I also vary my stance and physical characteristics not only when doing different characters but when bringing different attitudes to a piece of copy. For example, if I’m doing something that is extremely business-like I’ll probably stand a little bit straighter and tighter. If I’m doing something sassy, I may lean on one hip with a hand on that hip.
In addition to the way I hold my body, I’ll place my voice in different areas of the vocal cavity. Sometimes it’ll be in the back of my throat, sometimes deeper in the chest or up in the nasal cavity, etc.
They run re-runs of the Jack Benny show here in Chicago and Mel Blanc was a regular on the show. It’s amazing to watch him work since he created so many different characters in that show.
The one thing I remember from various acting classes is that if you believe your audience will believe.
Arlene Kahn
Arlene,
Thank you for adding your comments to the conversation.
Be well,
Bob