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(Watching) Video #1: The Biggest Misconception about Learning & Performing Accents & Dialects
Learn the key differences when using Accents & Dialects for audiobooks vs. stage vs. film vs. television vs. animation vs. commercial VO.
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The Biggest Misconception about Learning & Performing Accents & Dialects (Video #1)
Running Time: 31 minutes Tap the “Play” button on the screen to pause or resume the video.
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Hi! I remember looking into these classes a while back, always RIGHT when I wanted to learn an accent (so too late! Hahah). I’m in my 5th year of something I created called “Wigtober” – a sketch comedy series where I post (FB, insta, YouTube) a different wigged character every day of the month of October. I’m stuck with a basic southern, British, and Brooklyn I can do OK but always want to challenge myself to do those better/more specifically AND learn new dialects (even though for sketch, I’m not sure people care too much about authenticity but I do!) I coached on an Australian accent once and liked the end result (still not sure if it would pass the native test, though), but can’t for the life of me recall that accent now to use it again 3 years later. My accent goal would be to have accents down to a point where I could call on them easily whenever! This video was a good intro to how Jim might be able to help me accomplish that down the line!
Because in your sketch comedy series you don’t have your characters formally identify the accents you are attempting, you are correct: Most people won’t be terribly bothered by an inauthentic accent.
If you were to say, “Here I am, an Australian person,” THEN you’d be inviting more critical reactions — especially from Australians.
By the way, one thing I’ve learned from Jim is — to my surprise — that an Australian accent bears a marked similarity to a Cockney accent.
Part of what can help you to hold on to an accent is to make sure you create “anchors” that help you to come back to the accent. I do a lot of work on physicalization of the intonation elements, for example. These typically help to serve as something to come back to that can help to trigger the accent. I’ve got a lot of ideas that I share with clients, but then we commonly come up with more as we work. (It’s part of why I think small group classes can be even more helpful than one-on-one coaching – sometimes the best fix for you actually comes from the observation that another person in class shares with the group!)
The biggest commonalities between Cockney and Australian accents are actually the sounds, while the placement and intonation are quite different. Identifying what is similar to another accent and what is different is a big key as you keep adding skills – and accents – to your overall toolkit.
Thanks for sharing the specifics of what you struggle with, Liz!
So cool! If I can swing a class next time it’s offered, I will!
The next class is going to be offered VERY soon. Because you’re already on our Alert List, you’ll be notified before the rest of the world.
In the meantime, you might want to see what previous class members have to say:
https://danoday.com/accents-class-reviews/