Over the past month, I had the opportunity to take a five class series from professional dialogue coach Doug Honorof. Based in New York, Honorof has worked with actors and served as a script consultant on numerous film and television projects.
The series began with Articulatory Flexibility, which went through the nuts and bolts of how we make sound, and turn that into language. The intro class was a tertiary look at dialect charts, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and diagrams of mouth placement during specific sounds. While there was a lot of technical information introduced, it was broken up with group practice of the various sounds. It was a wonderful way to enter the world of dialectical study, and re-examine the capabilities of my mouth, an already-intimate instrument for the actor.
The following weeks were spent in Dialects I and II, where we prepared and practiced chosen dialects before workshopping them with Doug. As I struggled through Sardinian, Dublin, and Puerto Rican dialects, Doug would practice the accent alongside me, even while giving his instruction. I was floored watching him switch between eight different dialects in a day, making leaps across countries as well as demonstrating and explaining the tonal and cultural differences between domestic dialects.
Working with a dialect expert in an educational setting was invaluable as an actor. The voiceover world’s high-profile projects and producers are finally acknowledging the responsibility and consequences that come with casting actors to play across their cultures and experiences. There is a greater demand not only for stories about different identities, but for said stories to be authentically representative. If our current artistic mediums, particularly video games, wish to promote themselves as culturally-significant works, then producers need to honestly engage with the communities these stories come from, going beyond isolated projects, and working towards changing the culture of who is making games, writing scripts, and directing projects. The difference between engagement with or concession towards a particular group can mean the difference between a work being representative or exploitative.
While the ethics of voice casting are an ever-constant conversation, one that delves into the complexities of one’s identity, a good place for the actor to start is in the classroom, having the opportunity to understand the historical context and development of dialect as a facet of culture. Vocal affects and accents are just one part of a character’s identity, and stories are about characters not caricatures.
Reflecting on my experiences, I’m reminded of conversations I’ve had with fellow voice actors in regards to their work on games, the medium with perhaps the most fantastic and speculative settings. Their own dialects, whether native or learned, fluent or familiar, gave them a starting point to build voices for their characters, and better serve the world and story beyond their individual role.
Let’s say your next copy is for a working-class rebel in a cyberpunk setting. An actor could synthesize their dialect training, unique vocal sound, and the script’s specs to make a choice that is not only bold, but comes from a place of truth. Maybe that voice is how the actor imagines a historically working-class dialect like cockney would evolve in the future. The actor’s knowledge creates a voice that is authentic to both our own world and the world of the game, and can better represent the culture used for inspiration. In this way, for actor and audience alike, dialect can be used to reveal character and culture, whether real or imagined, and give real weight to the voices behind those stories.
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Texas-based company is making more opportunity for English dubbing beyond Anime
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Prolific voice actors of animation talk about their careers
by Clay Robeson October 1, 2020
Announcing October's Professional Invitational guest!
As a voice actor, you are your brand, but you can also become part of a company's "brand voice"
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A quick look at classes starting this week and next week!
Voice Actor phenom here to teach our VO Master Class
A quick look at classes starting this week and next week!
Voice One's new line of "Vocal Athlete" t-shirts are now available in red and black in the Voice One store!
Angeli Fitch e-laborates on her experiences in E-Learning
Announcing our first Professional Invitational guest of the Fall 2020 Semester!
Don't worry, a lot of people think that...
Check out what we have in store for you this month!
A quick look at what's coming to Voice One next week!
A quick look at what's coming to Voice One this week!
A quick look at what's coming to Voice One this week!
A quick look at what's coming to Voice One this week!
Join our official server! Open to current students, Voice one alumni, and prospective students too!
Sign up for both of our Advanced Character classes in June and save $50!
Download the Summer Brochure and check out our July-August classes!
Join Sally every Wednesday morning and start your day with a free 20-minute Vocal Workout!
We are excited to announce our new guest instructor for Anime Mania!
Our next "Nailing the Audition" guest is from outside the Bay Area!
Three 2-hour "deep-dive" sessions have been added to the class calendar. Join one, two, or all three!
Starting in just a few weeks, this class is the perfect class for beginning and intermediate voice actors.
We've got four incredible workshops coming your way next weekend! Find out more in this update from Sally!
We've moved this class on the calendar to better suit the online format
How to Manage your Training and Career During Social Distancing
Look who's coming to Voice One next week!
Join Sally in the morning or evening for an 8-person 2-hour voice over workout!
For the time being, all Voice One classes have been moved online. Here are the confirmed dates.
The schedule for the 2020 Summer Fast Track series is now available for online registration!
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Three steps to stop listening to yourself while performing commercial VO
Our February Professional Invitational guest is revealed!
In the voice over industry, you must stand apart from the rest, and in more ways than you might think!
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We've created a guide that you can print up and bring with you to your Super Bowl watching party. After the game, upload your answers and compare!
This interview with Christi Soper casts some light on casting at DreamWorks.
We'll be sending a new-and-improved commercial watching guide for 2020 - check out last year's guide and repsonses, and stay tuned!
Danny spoke with Leapfrog senior producer and fellow voice actor Chuck Wedge to find out why his upcoming "Sense of Play" class has been on his mind for over 10 years.
Sally suggests letting these four words become your mantra for 2020.
Sally toasts to 2020 with a story of a time she felt like she could conquer the world...
Sally ponders what would happen if actors were to give an audition as a gift to their client.
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Give the gift of learning this holiday season. Voice One holiday gift ideas for your list or theirs!
Due to popular demand, beginning in 2020, Voice One will now be offering online classes!
Happy Holidays! Our December 2019 newsletter has arrived, and is chock full of exciting announcements and offers!
We had such a great response to our Black Friday sale, we've extended it to Cyber Monday!
Here's a look at what's coming to Voice One between now and the end of the year. End the year with a strong finish as you continue to hone your craft!
An article from our upcoming Professional Invitational guest, John Kovacevich
We are excited to announce our special guest for the final Professional Invitational class of 2019!
