23 Mar Voice Acting: The Art of Making Funny Noises

Have you ever heard a character on a cartoon or video game and thought to yourself, “I could do that”? Well, that’s because you probably could? But the question is, would you want to do it for a living? Voice acting is a unique and fun career, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Here are a few things you should know before you quit your day job and become a voice actor.

Voice training is key.

There are many vocal muscles we don’t use – just try speaking with another accent for a day. So, it’s imperative that you start to stretch those muscles and build them up ready for the Vocal Olympics of a 30-hour book read. Vocal coaches can help get you ready for the games but there are also specialised coaches in accent training so you can add a few to the toolbox. General American (GenAm) and Standard Southern British (SSB) are the most requested but it’s good to have about 5 under your belt.

The booth is your stage.

Voice actors often work in small soundproof booths; a space where the walls are indifferent, offering nothing more than their sober silence. They won’t laugh if you make a joke, or cry along with you, so it’s up to each voice actor alone to bring their A-game and act their hearts out to deliver the content in an extraordinary and captivating way.

AD…AAAAGH (ADR)

We’ve heard tell that the bane of a Screen Actor’s work is ADR, also known as Automated Dialogue Replacement. It’s that painstaking process at the end of a movie where the actor has to go into the sound booth to re-record or add lines to their scenes for sound quality or post-processing. Matching the action and mouth movements can be hard work and a skill set all on its own but also think of all those incredible Dub Over Voice Actors! Now who wouldn’t want to be Brad Pitt or Monica Bellucci in French?

Your voice is your instrument.

Just like a musician must warm up their instrument before a performance, voice actors must warm up their voices. Preparing for a perfect performance means warming up in ways you might not expect – goofy noises and silly faces are just par for the course! To ensure optimal results from your vocal cords, even refraining from that morning cup of coffee may be required; after all, no one wants their recording sessions ruined by a Trojan hoarse! Use anything that will get your vocal cords ready to perform the vocal gymnastics required of a voice actor.

You have to be a master of impressions.

Voice acting is all about creating unique and memorable characters. This can include imitating famous people, animals, and even inanimate objects. It’s a lot harder than it sounds, but it’s also a lot of fun!

Script is your friend AND your foe.

Voice actors receive scripts that are often densely packed with dialogue and technical jargon and they have to deliver their lines with precision and emotion. But it is also the bible that helps you deliver the message, and honouring the text will often bring out the best in your vocal performance.

You have to be quick on your feet.

Voice acting is often done in real-time, meaning that the voice actor has to deliver their lines as the scene is happening. This requires a lot of quick thinking and improvisation, which can lead to some pretty hilarious moments.

Don’t thrash your voice like a race car. 

It’s your bread and butter so make sure you break often. A 3-hour read is your maximum before your vocal cords need to rest and recover.

In conclusion, voice acting is a unique and challenging career that requires talent, dedication, and a good sense of humour. At Magic Studios, we’ve partnered with incredibly accomplished up-and-coming young voice actors. Have a listen to some of their latest character demo reels below, created with our guidance.

Do you think you’re ready to step out of the ordinary and into an extraordinary career? If you’re up for the challenge, then why not have a look at our demo reel package to get your own character reel “ready and raring” to go!

So grab a microphone and start making funny noises for a living!