Voice-over for animation

282 Pages·2013·4.15 MB·English

by  Lallo

Voice-Over for Animation
This page intentionally left blank
L1
Voice-Over for Animation
Jean Ann Wright and MJ Lallo
First published 2009
This edition published 2013 by Focal Press
70 Blanchard Road, Suite 402, Burlington, MA 01803

Simultaneously published in the UK
by Focal Press
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Focal Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

Copyright © 2009, Jean Ann Wright. Published by Taylor & Francis. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.

Notices
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in
evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein.
In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the
safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only
for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Application submitted

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN-13: 978-0-240-81015-7 (pbk)
ISBN-13: 978-0-080-92777-0 (ebk)
ISBN-13: 978-0-240-81019-5 (DVD)
Contents
Acknowledgments
xv
CD Index
xvii
1 Introduction to Animation
Voice-Overs
1
Is This the Career for You? 1
Major Objectives of This Chapter 1
What Is Voice-Over? 1
Work Opportunities Available in Animation 2
The Animation Production Process 2
Traditional Animation 2
Computer Animation 3
Other Animation Production Processes 3
What Talents or Skills Do I Need? 3
How Difficult Is It to Get Work? 5
What Negatives Will Make It Difficult to Get Work? 6
A Positive Attitude 6
What Do I Do First? 7
How Do I Pick a Voice-Over Teacher? 8
Other Resources 9
You Are in Charge of Your Own Career 10
Support 10
Union and Nonunion Work 11
Early Experience 12 L1
v
contents
Do I Have to Live in Los Angeles or One of the Other
Cartoon Centers? 13
How Do I Finance a Start in the Voice-Over Business? 14
What Tools Do I Need Right Away? 14
Work in the Future 14
How to Use This Book 15
2 User’s Manual for Your Voice
17
Voice Basics 17
Warm-Up Exercises for Your Body 17
Warm-Up Exercises for Your Voice 19
A Calming Focus to Lose the Butterflies in Your Stomach 21
Posture for Good Voice Production 22
Good Breath Control 22
Resonators 23
Overall Sound Quality and Variety 23
What You Have to Offer 23
Learning to Mimic Sounds 23
Imitating Celebrities 24
Good Voice Production Habits 24
Introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet 25
American English Vowel Sounds 25
Consonant Sounds 28
A Sibilant S 28
Tongue Twisters and Other Warm-Ups for Your Lips
and Tongue 28
Short Twisters to Work Out Your Tongue and Jaws 32
Tips to Keep Your Voice Healthy 32
Some Common Remedies to Help a Voice Recover 33
Your Voice in the Morning 34
You and Your Dentist 35
L1 Voice Exercise and Care to Protect Your Career 35
Answer to the Question about Double Vowel Sounds 35
vi
contents
3 Animation Voice-Over Techniques
37
Chapter Techniques 37
The Microphone 37
Holding a Microphone 41
Headphones or Earphones 42
Copy on the Music Stand 42
Marking Your Copy 42
Slating 43
Good Acting 44
Practice Improvisational Techniques with Other Actors 45
Playing Comedy 47
Risk 48
Using a Wrinkle 48
Voice Placement 48
Human Sound Effects 48
Laughs 49
Cries 50
Animal Sounds 50
Pacing 51
Style 51
Energy Level 52
Tips for Reading Copy 52
Tips for Running Your Voice-Over Business 53
4 Dialects
57
Why Should You Learn Dialects? 57
Phonetic Vowel Symbols 58
Some Frequently Used Symbols for Diphthongs (Double Vowel
Sounds) in American English 59
Consonant Symbols 59
Other Sounds 60 L1
Suggestions for Using a Dialect 60
vii
contents
Tips for Studying a Foreign Dialect 60
Brooklyn 61
Educated Southern American 63
European Dialects 65
The Educated British Dialect 65
Cockney 67
Irish 70
Educated East Indian 73
Spanish 75
Mexican 79
Italian 83
French 87
Russian 92
Japanese 97
To Learn More 99
5 Developing Characters
103
The Process 103
Developing Someone Else’s Character 104
Developing Original Characters 105
Likability 106
Status 107
Summing Up Your Character 107
Your Characters as a Reflection of You 108
Types of Characters 108
Voice Placement and Mouth Work 109
Commonly Used Characters for Cartoon Work 112
Baby to Old Age 114
Robots 115
Shortcuts 115
More Tips about Comedy Characters 116
L1 Characters for Kids 116
viii
contents
Standard Character Development Acting Techniques 117
Getting into Character and Keeping in Character 117
Original Characters versus a Character in a Script 118
Character Files 118
Research! Research! Research! 121
To Be in Demand 122
6 Your Animation Demo
125
What Is a Demo? 125
When Do You Get Your Demo Made? 125
Listen to the Demos of Others 126
How Do I Find a Good Recording Studio and Demo
Director/Producer? 127
Direction 128
Demo Length 128
Demo Material 128
Copy 131
Other Demo Elements 132
Price and Other Issues 132
Rehearsal 133
Recording Day 133
Editing and Masters 135
Duplication 136
Packaging 136
Cover Letter 138
Marketing 138
Updating a Demo 139
7 Finding an Agent or Representative
and Looking for Work
141
Looking for Work 141
What Does an Agent Do? 141 L1
ix