Welcome to episode 37 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In the last episode, I shared some helpful tips on playing villains in voice acting. I outlined 3 misconceptions about villains and then gave 3 guidelines for how to play them effectively. For this episode, I thought I would use the same format to show how to approach playing heroes in voice acting.

I’ve played a number of heroes in animation and video games, including the noble and sincere Superman in the Justice League: Heroes video game, the cocky and self-assured Iron Man in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 and even the brooding and distant Red Arrow in the animated series, Young Justice. So what does it take to play heroes well? Let’s find out!

There are 3 common misconceptions about Heroes:

• Misconception #1: One must adopt a heroic sounding voice in order to play a hero.
• Misconception #2: Heroes are boring to play from an acting perspective because they lack sub-text or a complicated psychology.
• Misconception #3: Heroes are so idealistic that they are hard to relate to emotionally. Also known as the Goody Two-Shoes syndrome.

I go into great detail on each of these topics. I hope you enjoy the second half of the hero/villain equation!

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #37 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 36 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

This episode of Voice Acting Mastery just happens to fall on Halloween, 2012. So in honor of my favorite holiday, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share my thoughts on how to play villains in voice acting effectively. The villain is one of the most popular types of characters that beginning voice actors tend to want to play, and I often get asked how best to portray larger than life villainous characters or psychotic out of control antagonists.

I’ve played a number of villains, such as the dark and powerful Duskmon in Digimon, the impetuous and unstable Electro in the Spectacular Spider-Man, the brooding and methodical Itachi in Naruto, and the maniacal and demonic Alucard in Hellsing. While these villains are definitely fun to play, they can also be challenging, because it takes a certain understanding of their mindset in order to portray them with depth and believability and to avoid sounding flat and one-sided in your performance.

There are 3 common misconceptions about Villains:

• Misconception #1: You need to have a deep or powerful voice in order to play a villain.
• Misconception #2: Villains are easier to play because they’re so melodramatic.
• Misconception #3: Villains do what they do because they’re just evil for evil’s sake.

I go into great detail on each of these topics. I hope you enjoy my special Halloween treat, an exploration of the psychology of the villain!

Thanks for listening!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #36 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 31 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In this episode I continue the discussion I began last time about how to act professionally in a recording studio.

In the last episode of this podcast, I explained how to think and act like a professional when you go into a studio to record. I talked about how important it is to have the right mindset when approaching other people in the industry. This “professional” mindset is the foundation for how to behave in any voice acting situation. If you haven’t listened to the previous episode, I suggest you do so now before continuing with this one.

In this episode I want to walk you through a virtual recording session and give you some helpful “in-studio” tips. I’ll start with your arrival at the studio, continue on to what you should and should not do when you’re in the booth, and I’ll end with how to make a gracious exit. When combined with the professional mindset you learned in the previous episode, this advice will help you behave more like a seasoned veteran.

I hope you find it useful!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #31 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 30 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In this episode I wanted to talk about what it means to be professional when you go into a studio to record.

As the cost of recording equipment has dropped, more and more people have decided to enter the voice acting field by creating their own home studio. While this is a wonderful convenience, it does mean that voice actors spend less time going into studio recording booths to audition and perform.

For some who are just starting out, you may not have had as much experience working at a professional studio. You may find the idea of walking into a room with producers, directors and an audio engineer intimidating. I want to help alleviate your fear by giving you some basic tips on how to behave when you visit a professional studio.

More importantly, I want to share with you the mindset you must have in order to act like a professional. Even as a seasoned veteran, I find it helpful to remind myself of this mindset before I walk into the studio to record. It raises my confidence level and puts me more at ease, which then improves the quality of my performances.

In this episode, I’ll focus on and explain the professional mindset, which is the foundation for your success. In the next episode, I’ll share with you some helpful in-studio tips that will improve your recording experience and enhance the impression you make on other industry professionals.

I hope you find it useful!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #30 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 28 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In this episode, I want to talk about voice over demos. Demos are one of the most important and at the same time most misunderstood components of a voice acting career. Your demo is important because it represents you as a voice actor. It’s your calling card in the same way that an on camera actor uses a headshot to represent him or herself. However, many people, especially those just starting out voice acting, misunderstand what it takes to make a good demo and end up falling into at least one of the following 3 major demo mistakes. Let me help you avoid those pitfalls.

Here are the Top 3 Demo Mistakes:

1. Making Your Demo Too Soon
2. Submitting Unprofessional Demos to Agents
3. Not Leading with Your Strong Suit in Your Demo

I expand in detail on each of these three subjects in the podcast episode. You may find the information surprising!

I hope you enjoy the episode!

One other thing. I’d like to make this podcast more interactive, and I’d like to hear from you, my listeners. So I’ve decided to give you a chance to get heard on the Voice Acting Mastery Podcast! I’ve created a phone number where you can call in and ask any questions you might have, or leave any thoughts or thank you messages you feel inspired to record for me. Just leave me a voice mail with your first name, what city in the world you’re calling from, and your question or message about the podcast. I’ll do my best to pick the most relevant questions or comments, play them on the podcast and respond to them.

The number where you can call in and ask your question is:
323-696-2655.

Please don’t forget to include your first name and what city in the world you’re calling from. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #28 Here (MP3)

Welcome to episode 26 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!

As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:

http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast

In this episode, I talk about a very important aspect of voice acting that is often overlooked and sometimes deeply misunderstood. I mentioned it in episode 22 of the podcast, where I outlined 5 Essential Steps for Voice Acting Beginners. It was step 3 in that list of 5 and it is this:

You must discover your Character Types.

It is vitally important to your success as an actor to understand which kinds of characters you can believably and competitively play. This is true of acting regardless of the medium in which you’re performing, but it is especially true in voice acting. Most people think that a voice actor can and should play any character they want to. While this is theoretically true, the reality is that there are always going to be certain types of characters that suit your voice better than others. Without understanding which characters are most appropriate for your voice, chances are you will try to audition for roles that do not suit you. Doing so lowers your chances of getting hired. This can make you incredibly frustrated as you try out for role after role and can’t seem to make any headway.

Let me help you avoid that headache. I want to explain to you just how important it is to understand which characters do and do not suit your voice. Armed with that knowledge, your chances of getting cast will improve astronomically.

Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #26 Here (MP3)