Always fun to take a peek behind the scenes of a voiceover session to see just what the actors go through. This is a featurette from Happy Feet Two. It is done a little differently in that they had all the actors interacting. A lot of animated features don’t spend the time/money to coordinate a group session. As you can see from the laughter – the time it takes to record everyone together is probably quadrupled! But what fun.
Avengers Voices Dish on their Roles
One of my former voiceover students had a link to one of these videos and I kept following links until I found this one. Wally Winglert and Colleen O’Shaughnessey talk about bringing Ant-Man and Wasp to animated life in the Avengers.
Listen to their character development descriptions.
Animation Voice Demos
We talked about this in class last night and what should pop up today on the Voices.com VOX Daily – but a column about this subject – Animation Voice Demos – written by Melissa Altro, the voice of Muffy on Arthur.
In this article, she shares what she considers the 6 Key Elements for an Animation Voice Demo.
๏ Length
๏ Collection of solid character voices
๏ Writing
๏ Music/Sound Effects
๏ Direction
๏ Editing/Sound Mixing
Star Wars Clone Wars Voice Actors in Action
Always nice to see the behind the scenes action for voice sessions – and this one – Star Wars Clone Wars – is fabulous.
Lots of shots of the actors in the studio, plus split-screen with the end result. Interviews with many of them, plus outstanding commentary from the director of the series, Dave Filoni.
It is particularly interesting considering what we are working on in class this weekend. Creating a voice from an image. One of the actors here remarks, “I’m a lizard,” when she sees the sketch for the first time.
Also watch how they use their bodies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yphxFOOlGE&sns=em
Get inspired! Use this to help you really bring that little bit of copy you are recording this weekend to life.
Family Guy Session
This clip from a recording session for Family Guy isn’t new – been around for about 4 years, but it shows a pretty good example of what it is like to record for a weekly animated series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t926G1FFzL4&p=7A91AB5F3E632E5E&playnext=1&index=32
The Voice Actors of Fable III
Want another peek behind the scenes of what it takes to create the voices for a video game? This one isn’t quite out yet (October 2010), but their marketing machine must recognize the interest people have in the faces behind the voices.
“Fable III” is the latest in the Xbox 360 exclusive franchise and features a whole bunch of familiar actors including Simon Pegg, John Cleese, and Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley.
Orson Welles done by The Brain
If you have ever heard the original Orson Welles recording session when he goes off on the director and engineer, then you will enjoy this “cleaned up” version so that it is suitable for all audiences. If you have never heard the original, then imagine it peppered with the “seven” words (plus a few more!) you can’t say on TV.
Voice Actors or Celebrity Voices?
Found this great video with a bunch of great voice actors, casting directors and directors talking about the influx of celebrities in animation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFBDPgBV5DQ&feature=related
Although, please note that three of their names have been butchered! Correct spellings are: MJ Lallo, Pat Fraley, and Kevin Delaney.
Great Interview with Nancy Cartwright
This is from Fresh Air on NPR – 18 minutes of really great stuff.
Insight into how a cartoon character voice is created. Make note of how she talks about using the images to help find the voice. And then how sometimes it comes from inside your whole being. The second part has some fun off-script vocalizations.
Cartoons and Anime
SEGA and Monolith Productions provide a behind-the-scenes look (or listen) into Condemned 2. The voice over production trailer below shows some of the actors and how Art Currim, Voice Over Director, coaches the actors in key moments of the game. This is a fabulous production! http://www.gamingbits.com/content/view/3580/2
Frank Welker – Man of Many Voices
http://www.awn.com/mag/issue5.01/5.01pages/millerwelker.php3
Story from Animation World Magazine.
Behind the Scenes – Family Guy
http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/07/14/behind-the-scenes-at-family-guy-video/
See the voice actors in action.
LA Studios – Voiceover Production House – Major Animated Features
http://www.digitalpostproduction.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=28698
This is an article about an audio production house in LA that records the voices for some of the animated features. Read it for an idea of what the business is really like! There are also some video clips with interviews – very interesting!!
The voice of Scooby-Doo
http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/31/q.a.scoobys.voice.ap/index.html
Excellent interview with Neil Fanning — read about what he does to find the voice, how he warms up and what he has to do physically to produce the sound of Scooby-Doo.
Meet the VoiceStarz
http://www.voicestarz.com/ – When you get here – look for the bar of little boxes titled “Meet the VoiceStarz”. Start with the one on the left and watch all the movies – it will give you a much better idea of the cartoon voice business.
Gurgle from “Finding Nemo”
http://www.dvdtalk.com/cineschlock/austin/index.html – Follow this link to DVD Empire and an interview with Austin Pendelton, who played the voice of the fish “Gurgle” in Pixar’s “Finding Nemo.” Austin gives a vivid description of what it was like to record the voiceover for his character, and discusses the importance of listening as it relates to performing.
