2022.11.01 – 0670 – Voice Acting Mannerisms
Other voice mannerisms
Now consider ‘fleshing out’ your character. Don’t add to the words on the page, but don’t only read the words on the page.
· What are the voice qualities? More breathy, raspy, growly?
· Is the pitch higher or lower than your usual voice? (a lot of boys’ voices are done by women as it avoids the problems of puberty when the actor outgrows the sound of his character).
· What is the accent? Your accent and voice accent will have an effect on the viewer and their subconscious bias. Are animated scientists always German? Are baddies always eastern European or English? What about a character who’s portrayed as stupid, what accent are they usually given? What is the message that gives to viewers? If the character is intelligent or high status what is their accent? Instead of English accents, what about a Welsh one?[1]
· Does their background, image and storyline suggest that they may (on occasion or throughout the script) talk with hesitation, or a slight stutter? Do they swallow heavily, do lots of throat clearing or have a nervous laugh?
· The tempo: is it faster or slower?
· And the rhythm? Is it flowing, or ratta-tat-ta, or repetitive…?
· How do they laugh? Both in reaction to humour and apprehension.
[1] In the 90s British TV station Channel 4 had a series called Eurotrash, a late-night comical review of unusual topics mainly from Western and Central Europe. It was unusual in that the dubbed translations for the foreign interviewees, were revoiced in various British dialects, rather than the more traditional RP accents.
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