Bringing you broken dreams.

I want you to give up!

While selectively browsing my bot-infested Twitter/X feed , I came across a pretty healthy reality check. Actor Will Mellor had been interviewed about his starring role in BBC drama Mr Bates VS The Post Office, revealing that he was on the brink of quitting acting for good when the audition came in.

What followed was the sort of soundbite I’d heard a hundred times.

Don’t quit!

You don’t know when success is just around the corner!

Only then did I notice composer and lyricist Annemarie Lewis Thomas’ comment…

Her take was a much needed reminder to be careful of the narratives you choose.

I’m not going to accuse Mellor of ‘toxic positivity’, because I believe you DO need an insane amount of drive and determination to work as an actor, or indeed forge a career as any kind of creative. But like any relationship, it needs to be reciprocal to some degree. If your chosen profession only treats you like dirt but you’re still clinging to the dream life that never quite materialised, it might be time to take a step back and draw up some fresh terms of engagement.

Voice Acting tip of the week:

Read it aloud

You might think that goes without saying, for a voice actor. And you’d be right.

But the same should go for the copywriter and anyone else who has to build stuff around the voice. ALWAYS read the script out loud before passing it to a voice talent to ensure that it makes sense, there are no obvious mistakes, and that it fits any visuals built already.

From a voice talent’s perspective, this is the first thing I do when sent a script to record. Before touching the brief, storyboards or music, I read the text aloud just to check it all makes sense. Then if there are any pronunciation queries left answered, I’ll add them in my response to a client.

Behind The Scenes project of the week:

A Voice Actors Preparation for a Directed Session

Directed sessions are typically my favourite way to record most projects and the safest way of insuring I and my client are completely aligned.

Yet for myself and a lot fo voice actors, running a directed session can seem quite scary to begin with. This is mainly down to the fact that talent often handles the practical running of the session (recording, take noting etc) in addition to the performance sides of things.

In this video, I provide a checklist of all the things I do to feel prepared but still creatively free to listen and respond in the moment.

Media Recommendations:

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

1. When agents go bad

   In this investigative podcast, Alexa Morden reveals how a UK acting agent skimmed money, withheld pay and lied to many of their clients. The case regarding Bodhi Talent emphasises the power dynamics within the acting industry which makes such abuse possible. A timely reminder to be careful who you trust, especially in the creative industry.

2. Streaming platforms made to Think(Box)

   Amazon, Disney +. Netflix, Vevo and Warner Bros Discovery have joined UK commercial TV marketing body Thinkbox. This marks the significant change in streaming platforms approach, integrating advertisements into their subscriptions in a variety of ways.

3. The bleeding continues…

   SuperMassive Games are the latest major games studio in the UK to announce they will laying off staff - approximately 20% of their total workforce. Will this provoke more thoughts about unionisation?

Favourite Writing of the week: The Vampyr

Acting Rule No. 1: Never judge your character

Sure, your character might be an emotionally disfunctional vampire who kills his own brother and his brother’s wife out of jealousy. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have feelings!

This speech by Strahd von Zarovich, the main villain in Dungeons & Dragons’ Ravenloft campaign, is a great example fo this.

The key? Focus on the characters argument and objectives rather than focusing on the externalities of how they sound. I always try one read in my normal voice just to ‘ground’ the character before adopting any accent or heightened physicality.

@chrisnaturallyrp

‘I AM THE ANCIENT’ - STRAHD VON ZAROVICH #strahd #strahdvonzarovich #strahdcast #strahdtok #dnd #dndtiktok #dndmemes #britishvoiceover #br... See more

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A workshop exploring social media for voice actors

After running the occasional workshop on how I have used social media to build a following of 450,000 followers across platforms, I have been invited to hold a 3 hour workshop going through my approach by Wonderland Voiceover. You can check out the details on the workshop, being held online on 19th March 6pm-9pm GMT, here.

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