Post by Goatmon on May 5, 2009 7:35:07 GMT
So, you're interested in voicing someone from Gunnerkrigg Court? Awesome!
As a guy who loves good voice acting, and follows the work of quite a few of them, I know it can be fun to imagine how a character from a comic or a book might sound out loud.
And, for those of you who actually try to figure out that right, it can be pretty tricky. So I thought I'd throw out a few ideas and suggestions for certain characters, and general tips for any potential auditioners, as well as those who have already auditioned but feel they could still do better.
All of this is merely my opinion on how some of the main cast might best be expressed. This is all for the sake of helping out the auditioners, so if you have any suggestions or disagreements, I welcome any and all feedback. Of course, if I ever get bored with the thread, we could just throw all of this into the vocal performance thread. For now, I think there is enough data here to merit a thread on the subject of working on specific voices.
Finding The Right Tone (Name that Personality!)[/u][/size]
Gunnerkrigg Court has a pretty diverse cast, and no two characters are completely alike. And, while there are any number of ways a character might sound, the best voices tend to express the characters' personality.
First! I want to remind all of you that, sometimes, a natural voice works much better than anything else you could whip up. Maybe you think your own normal speaking voice is rather boring? Well, maybe the character is kind of boring, so give it a go!
Let's look at some of the main cast.
Antimony, for example, is probably the least energetic member of the main cast (At least, on the surface). Let's be honest; She's a very bright girl, but she is anything but peppy or outgoing. At a glance, the girl would seem very dull and boring to anyone that hasn't gotten to know her.
For this reason, a mostly-monotone voice works in her favor (big kudos to both leading ladies, who are trying for the part. I'm sure everyone will be very happy to have either one of you, whoever wins).
Reynardine
One of the trickiest characters, largely because he has a very different personality depending on what form he's in, which calls for a different take on his voice in each form, each with unique mannerisms and general tone. As Sivo, he had a very calm and composed demeanor, and was generally polite and very articulate. For this reason, along with his huge size, a deep and calm, not monotone, voice would suit him well.
As an anthropomporhic child's toy, he could not be farther from that polite attitude. Overemotional and seemingly not quite aware of how ridiculous he is, a much more cartoonish voice would suit this form, as well as a much more mischivous and aggressive attitude. You could think of him as a muppet, or anything else that fits the bill that might help you figure out a proper voice for him.
As the larger, more wolf-like version of Antimony's toy, Renyardine is more composed and mature, although he retains some of his childish whimsy while losing his wild temper and mood swings. His desire to protect and stay close to Antimony is also less subtle, here. You might think of this version of Reynardine to be a more serious, and far less hyperactive equivalent of his cousin, Coyote.
James Eglamore
One of the most indistinct characters, Eglamore's personality is one of the most normal. At least, during regular school hours. He seems a lot more serious when the situation calls for it, so his range would probably call for a straightforward masculine voice with a bit of a serious undertone from time to time. Although this could mean anything, really. It just means his voice is pretty indistinct and you should feel to experiment.
This brings me to another subject;
Situation is Everything
Sure, you may have the right tone of voice, but do you have the right attitude for the scene? Always remember that a voice should always reflect what is going on at the time, even if that something is actually nothing!
Is the character in a big hurry? Maybe running somewhere? They probably won't have much breath for talking, then, so you might try sounding a little winded, and taking longer pauses between words or lines. Maybe the scene is very quiet, in which case maybe the character might sound a bit bored, depending on the who/what/where.
Also important is remembering who the characters are talking to; You don't talk to your mother the same way you talk to a classmate, and Tom has a pretty good grasp on interpersonal relationships that has made itself present in his work, so it's good to remember that.
Zeta/Zimmy
One of my favorites, Zimmy is not quite the bad girl stereotype, but definitely short-tempered, and perpetually moody. On the surface she's independant, fiercely protective of those she cares about, and determined to ensure no one thinks otherwise. Deep down she's a lost, confused, terrified child, certain that she is all but alone, save Gamma. A classic case of shallow overcompensation.
Zimmy's dialogue would likely be mostly spat out, even hissed, most of the time. She's short, and abrupt more often than not, probably giving the impression that she really doesn't feel like talking to anyone, and is trying to get through a conversation as possible and get on with things, but not so fast that she'll avoid snapping at someone or throwing a few nasty words around if she's on the defensive.
Personally, I can't wait to hear auditions for Zimmy. Hell, I'd throw my hat in the ring if I could get this stupid voice-altering software to work.
Anyway, that's all for now. I'll add more general suggestions/character personalities to the thread if I ever get any new ideas (or some good suggestions from you guys), but I suppose this will do in the meantime.
As a guy who loves good voice acting, and follows the work of quite a few of them, I know it can be fun to imagine how a character from a comic or a book might sound out loud.
And, for those of you who actually try to figure out that right, it can be pretty tricky. So I thought I'd throw out a few ideas and suggestions for certain characters, and general tips for any potential auditioners, as well as those who have already auditioned but feel they could still do better.
All of this is merely my opinion on how some of the main cast might best be expressed. This is all for the sake of helping out the auditioners, so if you have any suggestions or disagreements, I welcome any and all feedback. Of course, if I ever get bored with the thread, we could just throw all of this into the vocal performance thread. For now, I think there is enough data here to merit a thread on the subject of working on specific voices.
Finding The Right Tone (Name that Personality!)[/u][/size]
Gunnerkrigg Court has a pretty diverse cast, and no two characters are completely alike. And, while there are any number of ways a character might sound, the best voices tend to express the characters' personality.
First! I want to remind all of you that, sometimes, a natural voice works much better than anything else you could whip up. Maybe you think your own normal speaking voice is rather boring? Well, maybe the character is kind of boring, so give it a go!
Let's look at some of the main cast.
Antimony, for example, is probably the least energetic member of the main cast (At least, on the surface). Let's be honest; She's a very bright girl, but she is anything but peppy or outgoing. At a glance, the girl would seem very dull and boring to anyone that hasn't gotten to know her.
For this reason, a mostly-monotone voice works in her favor (big kudos to both leading ladies, who are trying for the part. I'm sure everyone will be very happy to have either one of you, whoever wins).
Reynardine
One of the trickiest characters, largely because he has a very different personality depending on what form he's in, which calls for a different take on his voice in each form, each with unique mannerisms and general tone. As Sivo, he had a very calm and composed demeanor, and was generally polite and very articulate. For this reason, along with his huge size, a deep and calm, not monotone, voice would suit him well.
As an anthropomporhic child's toy, he could not be farther from that polite attitude. Overemotional and seemingly not quite aware of how ridiculous he is, a much more cartoonish voice would suit this form, as well as a much more mischivous and aggressive attitude. You could think of him as a muppet, or anything else that fits the bill that might help you figure out a proper voice for him.
As the larger, more wolf-like version of Antimony's toy, Renyardine is more composed and mature, although he retains some of his childish whimsy while losing his wild temper and mood swings. His desire to protect and stay close to Antimony is also less subtle, here. You might think of this version of Reynardine to be a more serious, and far less hyperactive equivalent of his cousin, Coyote.
James Eglamore
One of the most indistinct characters, Eglamore's personality is one of the most normal. At least, during regular school hours. He seems a lot more serious when the situation calls for it, so his range would probably call for a straightforward masculine voice with a bit of a serious undertone from time to time. Although this could mean anything, really. It just means his voice is pretty indistinct and you should feel to experiment.
This brings me to another subject;
Situation is Everything
Sure, you may have the right tone of voice, but do you have the right attitude for the scene? Always remember that a voice should always reflect what is going on at the time, even if that something is actually nothing!
Is the character in a big hurry? Maybe running somewhere? They probably won't have much breath for talking, then, so you might try sounding a little winded, and taking longer pauses between words or lines. Maybe the scene is very quiet, in which case maybe the character might sound a bit bored, depending on the who/what/where.
Also important is remembering who the characters are talking to; You don't talk to your mother the same way you talk to a classmate, and Tom has a pretty good grasp on interpersonal relationships that has made itself present in his work, so it's good to remember that.
Zeta/Zimmy
One of my favorites, Zimmy is not quite the bad girl stereotype, but definitely short-tempered, and perpetually moody. On the surface she's independant, fiercely protective of those she cares about, and determined to ensure no one thinks otherwise. Deep down she's a lost, confused, terrified child, certain that she is all but alone, save Gamma. A classic case of shallow overcompensation.
Zimmy's dialogue would likely be mostly spat out, even hissed, most of the time. She's short, and abrupt more often than not, probably giving the impression that she really doesn't feel like talking to anyone, and is trying to get through a conversation as possible and get on with things, but not so fast that she'll avoid snapping at someone or throwing a few nasty words around if she's on the defensive.
Personally, I can't wait to hear auditions for Zimmy. Hell, I'd throw my hat in the ring if I could get this stupid voice-altering software to work.
Anyway, that's all for now. I'll add more general suggestions/character personalities to the thread if I ever get any new ideas (or some good suggestions from you guys), but I suppose this will do in the meantime.
