Make it messy.

Make it messy!

That's what voice directors want from actors.

So says Beth Park (senior voice director Baldurs Gate 3).

In this video, Beth provided a fantastic insight into what made three actors stand out amongst a mass of auditions.

@bethparkdirector

Advice to actors for self tapes from someone who has watched a lot of them 💖 #selftape #audition #actorslife

Three quick takeaways:

1️⃣ 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆.

Don't try to fit what you 'think' a client wants.
Embrace what they give you as an artist, then explore it creatively.

2️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗛𝗬𝗦𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟.

Ground the character in a physical reality.

At drama school, we had an exercise called 'object exercise' which was ALL about this.

Very often, it's the tension between a dialogue we're having and a separate physical activity (ie. trying to get dressed while having an argument, fixing a broken tap while calming someone down) that gives LIFE to a scene.

3️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗬.

It's easy to get sucked into crafting the 'perfect' take.

Whether it's an audio or visual, there's always the temptation to over-prepare the life out of a scene.

Instead, focus on connecting with the essential truth of what's going on (see point 1) rather than sweating the small stuff.

Not saying there isn't more to the art of auditioning than this.
I'll be the first to confess I still grapple with a lot of this.
But these tips a lovely reminder to start the week with.

Voice Acting tip of the week:

Make your ‘competition’ a selling point.

On occasion, our egos like to set us in opposition with our peers, usually due to survival instincts. What good things are THEY doing that I’m not?

But this can easily end exhausting bouts of imposter syndrome when any creative is chiefly in competition with themselves more than anyone. So flip that script.

By framing yourself as a resource to other creatives and being willing to offer referrals, you prioritise a client’s need above your own. This is good karma, helps build organic, non-salesy relationships, and means you’re more likely to be top of mind when someone DOES actually need your skills.

Behind The Scenes project of the week:

I’ve been watching Ripley (the Netflix adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talent Mr Ripley) and marvelling at it’s noir aesthetic. However, it’s the performances which make the drama truly shine.

In the below excerpt, Andrew Scott provides a great insight into how he refuses to label his character. He also talks about how the acting process is as much about finding the character within you as ‘transforming’.

@kevinmccarthytv

From my interview with Andrew Scott for RIPLEY. #andrewscott #ripley #filmmaking #thomasripley #netflix

Media Recommendations:

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

1. Linkedin makes moves in short form video

   Yet another platform is belatedly planning to harness the power of short form video, this time in a business context. How much this turns Linkedin into Tiktok is yet to be seen, but as good as reminder as any to explore what makes good UGC (user generated content) if you’re a business.

2. Monkey Island voice actor who knows their worth

   Frank insight into the negotiations so many creatives face behind the scenes. Alexandra Boyd discusses how she refused to return to a beloved character due to the developer having a strict budget.

3. Open AI-rrrrrrgggghhhhhhh

   Open AI revealed they’ve developed their own AI text-to-speech model but are currently holding its release until more security safeguards are in place.

Favourite Writing of the week: The Strongest of the Strange

Charles Bukowski’s poem is a great reminder that (for better or worse), embracing your own strangeness is the quickest way to creating the most interesting work.

@chrisnaturallyrp

THE STRONGEST OF THE STRANGE by Charles Bukowski #bukowski #bukowskiquotes #charlesbukowski #charlesbukowski🎩 #charlesbukowskipoem #poetry... See more

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