Doug Honorof is one of the most sought after dialect coaches and dialogue consultants in film and tv (imdb.me/dialectdoug). He has taught at Voice One since 2000 and has lectured extensively around the country including in the Acting Department of the Yale School of Drama. His client roster includes Broadway stars, well-respected film, television and voice actors and some of the most talented newbies in the business!
We had the privilege to speak with Doug to offer you all a little insight into the world of accents and dialects. Here's what he had to say:
Why should a voice actor study dialects?
Learning to shift your voice can up your bookability for lots of reasons. For one, directors like working with actors who can make adjustments without freaking out. If you study voices and really go deep with them, it can open you up -- make you more empathetic -- help you see from a different perspective, maybe, and that can make you more flexible; more responsive, more spontaneous, more available to the director -- less prickly when you get a note. And, frankly, more credible. And what voice actor doesn't want that?
What is the biggest challenge when learning a new dialect?
The sooner you learn to self-adjust, the less frustrated you'll be. Because you'll get a lot of feedback when you play "dialect parts." And it isn't always productive feedback. Many people in the business will project their anxieties about accent work onto you. In some cases it's because they don't understand your process -- and why should they -- maybe your process is very private -- but sometimes it's because they've had bad experiences in the past with actors who don't know how to incorporate the voice work organically, so the vocal adjustment itself jumps out or gets in the way -- makes the actor less emotionally available or less expressive. Or maybe they've worked with actors who don't have the training they need to keep the voice consistent. That creates an editing nightmare for a v/o or on-camera production, so you can't really blame them for worrying. And some directors don't really have the rhetoric they need to talk about voice work clearly, so you're left trying to guess the real meaning behind their notes so you can get on with your own work. And you need to understand those notes.
Are certain dialects easier to learn than others?
Not exactly. But if you haven't heard an accent or voice type much, you may have to do a lot of listening up front so you can build up a long-term memory to work off of.
What advice would you give to someone who struggles with learning dialects?
Play a little. Explore. Learn to make all the sounds of all the languages spoken around the world -- not just the sounds of your own language or of a so-called "standard" dialect. Learn a notation system so you can keep track of the sounds you are learning -- you'll need that for recall. Learn as much as you possibly can about the history of English (or whatever language you are working in) -- and about how to guess pronunciation from spelling, if possible. Eventually you should be able to teach yourself dialects, though it's always helpful to get feedback, but when you are starting out, it's super important that you work with a trainer who has a keen ear and who won't dishearten you, but also won't try to make you feel good about work that isn't your best. And then force yourself to practice reading copy or scripts in accent without locking into a read. These are learnable skills for all of us, not for just a select few, either.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 23-29) and what's coming your way next week.
Explore the role dubbing plays at Netflix, with interesting nuggets from the dubbing and subtitling team at Netflix themselves!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 16-22) and what's coming your way next week.
Seventeen's Leah Campano asks Rosalie Chiang questions about the VO industry, her career and more!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 9-15) and what's coming your way next week.
The students of Voice One show their appreciation for #Teacherappreciationweek.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (May 2-8) and what's coming your way next week.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 25-May 1) and what's coming your way next week.
Elley Ray Hennessy shares her wisdom regarding voicing animated characters.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 18-24) and what's coming your way next week.
Part four of our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 11-17) and what's coming your way next week.
Let’s tackle big, old, ugly fear. Here are five ways to conquer your fear of trying improv, or anything new.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (April 4-10) and what's coming your way next week.
From Robin Williams to Tina Fey, here are 25 reasons why improv will not only make you a better actor, but will change your life!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 28-April 3) and what's coming your way next week.
Aaron sits down with Lori Alan to discuss a voice actor's role in animation and up coming class, Talk to the Booth Lady.
If you are a future VO superstar, join our youth Summer program coming up in June 2022! Classes available for students 4th-12th grade!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 21-27) and what's coming your way next week.
Video games have become a sophisticated and immensely popular form of entertainment and recreation, and the voice acting involved keeps evolving.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 14-20) and what's coming your way next week.
Five ways to mitigate the negative consequences that come along with time change.
Part three of our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (March 7-13) and what's coming your way next week.
One of the most highly influential players in voice acting history
Exclusive interviews with 2K Games Casting Manager Tom Celia, E-Learning Entrepreneur Angeli Fitch, MoCap Legend Walt Gray IV, AND workshops starting this weekend!
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 28-March 6) and what's coming your way next week.
Part two of our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
A quick look at what's new, what's here this week (February 21-27,) and what's coming your way next week.
Our four part series of what you can do outside the booth to find greater success in voice over.
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!
Why are explainer videos on the rise and what does it mean for voice actors?
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 24-30, plus a peek at next week.
In anticipation of her upcoming class on American Accents, Aaron sits down with renowned dialect coach of stage and screen, Lynne Soffer, for a brief interview.
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 17-23, plus a peek at next week.
Get out of your own way and own your year in VO by applying this advice.
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 10-16, plus a peek at next week.
Aaron meets with Walt Gray IV to discuss the why voice actors should know how to audition through self-tapes.
A quick look at what's coming your way. January 3-9, plus a peek at next week.
Sally shares an experience that shifted her perspective on perseverance in voice over.
Aaron finds out what Marika Casteel has to say about acting and voice over
Wishing you happiness and good company as we wind down the year
We felt so inspired after our Professional Invitational with Rowen Wagner from Moose Toys, we just had to write about it!
Aaron asks Gavin a few questions about Commercial VO and his new class at Voice One.
A Tech Tip clarification from our brilliant instructor Jim Edgar
Three steps to stop listening to yourself while performing commercial VO
Take a look at the awesome classes coming your way this month, and join us in-person in San Francisco or online via Zoom.
Many actors are affected by dyslexia, but it isn't talked about enough.
Check out what we have in store for you this month!
Voice Acting is more than just reading, no matter the sales pitch.
Interview and Q&A with Tom Celia - Recording Available!
How the pandemic changed dubbing and what that means for the future
Join us on September 8 and meet Cliff!
“I will quite often come out of the booth drenched in sweat, but those are the things that I live for.”
This weekend only! Save $50 on your class registration!
'Twelve Minutes' required much more time in the booth
A quick look at classes starting this weekend and next week!
Voice actor Kayleigh McKee discusses her experience in voiceover and progress in representation
Blizzard's Casting Director Wants You to Bring Truth to the Fantastic Worlds of Video Games
Join us this Thursday (8/5) for a *FREE* Webinar!
A Discussion of VO and Mocap in Video Games
Meet and perform for some of the best in the industry!
Making your audition stand out and connect to the listener is the route to success. Here are some great suggestions how.
Everything you need to know about why, how, and when to take the Voice One Core Curriculum this semester!
Standing out in a crowd is difficult, especially if you are consciously or unconsciously emulating what you've heard before.
What's up with the recent changes to Audacity?
Entire Core Curriculum is available from July 19th to August 8th in our Summer Fast Track!
Interview and Q&A with Tyler Rhoads on July 9
We now have fun and affordable offerings for you every Friday night!
Much has changed in Voice Over in the past few decades.
Tackling the issue of representation in the audiobooks industry comes with a number of unique concerns
An interview with a voice casting director on the state of the industry
Kelly Tran's seeming sudden prominence in the public eye is rooted in years of dedication to the craft.
Come meet our next guest talent agent!
Solid advice on being the voice actor that directors want in their projects.
Steve Pogatch – Lead Audio Producer – Pandora/Sirius XM/Stitcher (Studio Resonate)
Emi Lo, Apphiya Yu, and Shawn Gann discuss their perspectives on Asian-American representation in Anime and more
Knowing what works is great, but knowing what doesn't work can save you a lot of anguish.
What makes acting in animation believable and bookable?
Anjali shares realistic advice from what she has learned over the course of her amazing career.
Award season always brings up the question about recognition of voice acting by the Academy
We spoke with the legendary dialect coach on learning accents
Embracing your "imperfections" can make you a better creative collaborator.