Week 9 - Voice Casting

30.04.2019

After a long and much-anticipated Easter break, it has been made evident that nobody wishes to volunteer for a university indie game voice acting. None of the attempts to gather the needed actors were successful, drawing the open audition to an end.

Thankfully, I had my back-up plan with previously made and talked about arrangements in regards to the recording, surrounding the members of our game group and some other classmates. I've decided that now was the time to ask around who is definitely interested in participating in this activity and hand out the necessary scripts. My choices wrapped around the following:

1. Hope - Laura Marcus Neal / Kerris Garbutt / Abbie Foster

2. Teddy - Abbie Foster

3. Busker - Li Chenhao (Rylan)

4. Puzzle Master - Alex

5. Huxley - Adam Watts

6. Humphrey - Billy Spendlove

7. Librarian - James O'Farrell

Ideally, I knew I wanted to cast Laura as Hope as she most closely came to the imagined portrayal of the character. With her continuously monotone voice that did not have high jumps in her pitch, she was best suited for the apathetic type of an outcast the main character was envisioned as. Alternatively, Kerris and Abbie would be incredibly suitable choices, considering their voices are close to match one of a 14-year old girl.

For the rest, I followed our team's initiative of including ourselves within the game, hence why I wanted to cast the team members themselves into the characters they were drawn as. I can't say I was particularly enthusiastic about most of this, because I was unsure whether or not the actors would be able to execute properly. But in the spirit of team play, it could be given a shot.

In the meantime, I decided to focus on the necessary equipment I would need when it comes to recording and checking whether or not such was available in the Media Store at uni, as well as revising and obtaining some tips when it comes to directing voice actors and executing a role as a voice actor.

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03.05.2019

1. Voice casting tips: - Players are actually listening to the performances more than they ever have before, therefore pay all the attention required when directing it; - The pace of production is much faster than work on animated TV series. Scripts are long and preparation time is short; - Voice actors have to master the act of cold reading; - Actors work fast from long scripts that they don't usually see before the session; - Actors get one line in two takes and move on; - Directors are looking for people who can truly convey the heart and soul of a character; - The technical aspect of video game casting restricts the actor to the microphone, where a turn of the head could mean that the microphone doesn't pick up the actor's line; - When people speak, their bodies move with micro movements that are kind of imperceptible to an eye. It's important that those two things match; - Think about who talks to whom, where the key is to get a sense of voice separation; - Cast as closely to the talent's resting voice, so that they don't have to strain too much in their acting; - Provide all character and audio references available, which includes character bios, any group or "ethnic" background, and especially any character screen shots or portraits. Seeing the latter in the studio can really help them visualise a performance and give it depth; - Allow for pick-ups. Planning them beforehand allows you to line-item these costs up front, when they're more manageable.

2. Tips for voice acting: - Analyse the script at home - take time to completely submerge yourself into it, into the setting, each character, and the voice required; - Determine the tone; - Know the role; - Warm up - you should read through the script, focus on delivery, and drink plenty of water; - Adhere to directions - the casting director will typically have some set directions and the actor should follow them as closely as possible; - Be physical - not only will this help one better voice the role, but casting directors actually like to see when a voice artist also has acting skills. If you bring life to the voice and tie in movement, you'll set yourself apart from others; - Make the role yours - don't be afraid to bring in your own notes into a performance, you should completely own it.

3. Voice Over Equipment: - Microphone - the quality of your microphone will have a large impact on the overall quality of the recordings; - Preamp - or pre-amplifier, amplifies the electrical signal generated by the mic and converts it into a language your recording device (computer & recording device) will understand before it enters the system. It also serves as an interface that supplies power (48V phantom power) to the condenser mic; - Headphones - you need to be able to hear the recording, so good closed back headphones are essential; - Mic stand - you shouldn't handle the mic. When it stays in a fixed position, your recordings will be more consistent and even-sounding and free from rattles and vibrations; - Shockmount - it suspends a microphone with rubber or elastic bands (or utilises similar kinds of suspension systems), which eliminates most of the vibration and handling noise the mic would otherwise pick up; - Pop-screen/pop-filter - sensitive condenser mics can easily pick up the plosive sounds that the mouth makes and create ugly pops on the recording. A pop filter is a screen that diffuses these sounds; - Recording/editing software - There are many audio recording software programs, which pretty much do the same thing but vary in their complexity and ease of use; - Acoustic treatment - being able to hear the ambience (echo) of a room is very undesirable for all recordings, so it must be controlled if you aim to achieve professional results. Essentially, create a home studio.