AI Voices, script tips and what makes a game fun...

The subject of AI coming to take all our jobs has made another return within the voiceover community, as US union SAG-AFTRA announced its first agreement with an AI voice company.

But this makes it all the more important to keep informed about developments and not rush to judgement. The SAG AFTRA agreement with Replica, however ambivalent a precedent, is still one that offers consent, control and compensation to those who sign it.

That doesn’t make it a great deal, though. Replica approached me about using my voice in 2022 offering $400 for the rights to use my voice for an entire year on one platform. That kind of remuneration isn’t going to be a decent proposition for any fulltime talent.

My guess? Most AI voice companies are still working out how to actually monetise the tech they’ve developed in a sustainable and ethical way. Which makes it all the more important to take the heat out of the conversation whenever possible.

Easier said than done. But we gotta try….

Voice Acting tip of the week:

Copywriters: Make sure a script is editable.

There is no single format that voice actors use when compiling a script. Different people will like different fonts, sizes and line spacings.

The easier a script is to read = the greater the focus on the performance.

So before you send that PDF, maybe include a version as a document or ask the talent in question!

Behind The Scenes project of the week:

It’s vital to be able to hold a live directed session with a voice actor remotely, so that a client can listen in and give feedback immediately. But when it comes to which platform you should be using, the number of options can be overwhelming.

In the video below, I review the main options for a remote session - from Zoom to Source Connect - and how suitable they are for different projects.

Top talent of the week:

Emily Dean has been my voice agent for four years and I couldn’t recommend her highly enough. She represents a wide selection of voice and mo-cap talent, advocates for them constantly and is incredibly supportive. She’s also just thoroughly lovely and has leaned hard into the fox-based branding of her agency, Voice Fox. Check out her website here.

Media Recommendations:

Every week, I share three podcasts, articles or interviews that I’d strongly recommend. This week…

1. From (The Last Of Us) hero to villain

   I love this interview with voice acting royalty Troy Baker, who played a villain in HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ having previously played the hero in the iconic game version. In this podcast he talks about the different creative process as well as what it was like to revisit work in another medium.

2. What makes a game: Fallout - New Vegas

   Youtuber HBomberGuy’s review of what makes this game great - delving deep into the story, player mechanics and everything inbetween - is one of the most engaging and thought provoking assessments of what makes a game truly fun I’ve ever watched.

3. Virtual Characters with generative AI

   Article on NVIDIA’s new Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE) which can generate fully voiced NPC’s (non-playable characters) to games. While such tech may allow new types of games possible, it also runs the risk of eliminating both voice talent and writers from the equation if not used responsibly.

Favourite Writing of the week:

Give the name of this newsletter is Lend Me Your Ears, guess I missed a trick not sharing my version of the speech that quote is from. So here you go!

@chrisnaturallyrp

The iconic Friends, Romans, Countryman speech is a masterclass in passive aggression. #juliuscaesar #marcanthony #marcanthonytiktok #frien... See more

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Thanks again for reading, and until next week Honey and I wish you a wonderful week!