On Saturday, February 23, I’ll be conducting a special workshop for voice actors:
IMPROVABILITY: Enhancing Your Voice Over And Writing Talents Via Improv
I don’t try to get people to give “better” performances. My job is to help them discover new approaches.
I call it “discovering reality.”
One of my favorite techniques involves the creation of “backstories.”
But not in the way you’d guess; the backstories I give voice actors often have nothing to do with what’s on the page.
For example, here’s a very good voice actor delivering her first take on a piece of radio commercial copy.
Then I give her a backstory that in no way is suggested by the copy.
Then she delivers a completely different, more interesting performance.
Yes, if she were to use that newly discovered attitude & voice, her delivery would need to be speeded up to fit the small commercial frame.
But that wouldn’t have been difficult. Her new character wasn’t different because she talked slowly; that same character could speak more quickly while preserving the attitude that gives her that special quality.
Do you agree — was the second read clearly more interesting and compelling?
Here’s where to register for my IMPROVABILITY workshop.
