VAM 105 | Know Your Genre: Better Voice Acting Through Immersion
Welcome to episode 105 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 is about how essential it is to understand and immerse yourself in the different types, genres and styles of voice acting if you want to truly be a successful professional. Other voice acting teachers may use different terms to make distinctions between different flavors of voice over, but for the purposes of this episode, I’m going to talk about voice over jobs first in terms of categories, dividing them initially into “narration-based” or “character-based” voice over. Then I’ll get more specific, referencing project types like commercials, promos, narration, animation, video games, anime, and so on. Within each project type, there are then different genres you’ll want to familiarize yourself with, like science fiction, fantasy, real-life-drama, slapstick or romantic comedy, etc. And finally, each genre has the potential to be made with a different style depending on what studio is producing the project and what audience the project is intended for. Each voice over project therefore is going to have its own specific flavor and intention.
In order to excel in voice over it is crucial that you familiarize yourself with the body of work that already exists in each genre and style of voice acting. You also need to be aware of past and present trends and conventions that are commonly referenced or currently used in each genre. Industry professionals will often reference such trends or tropes when collaborating with you, and they will expect you to know what they are talking about. This is because the most successful trends in each voice over genre also tend to be the most influential. Many subsequent projects will reference influential titles that came before them. If you are not familiar with these titles and the conventions they’ve established, you will be at a severe disadvantage when it is time for you to perform.
The best way to make sure you are up-to-date and well informed on the latest voice over trends is to immerse yourself in them! Fortunately, it has never been easier to stay up to date on what’s relevant in the diverse world of voice acting! I want to spend this episode outlining some of the most popular types, genres and styles of voice over and how best to immerse yourself in them. You’re going to find that internalizing this kind of knowledge will greatly increase your marketability as well as your ability to collaborate in the industry.
Download Voice Acting Mastery Episode #105 Here (MP3)
Hi Crispin ^_^ Thank you for sharing as always-Quite informative, but also another very important episode. I might be mostly fit for the Fantasy/Adventure genre beyond of my character, especially my ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ character- Cassie, the Human Sorcerer. I’m still improving of my voice skills with improv session in order I can be good with both Horror and Comedy genre. Thanks again for the new episode and I can’t wait to hear more.
You’re very welcome! Glad you’re enjoying the episodes and glad that it’s giving you insight into your characters!
Great episode. Keeping your ear open lets you know who does what for who. For example, the voice that comes out for an ad selling pick up trucks is going to sound different than the voice selling kids’ yogurt. Just like how a character voice that sounds good in Spongebob will be wildly out of place in Justice League.
I always try to keep up with the latest cartoons and anime shows, not only for my love of animated storytelling.
Thank you for your time and wisdom.
You’re very welcome! Glad I could help you listen to voice over more attentively! That will certainly help you in the future!
i have check out the episode yet but i will later i love this podcast. Mr freeman have you ever thought about writing a book you would be great at it i’m sure
I may in the future. We’ll see. Glad you think I would write a good one.
I always get casted as the sidekick/helper character. I may not get casted as say Sailor Moon, but I’ve been casted as Sailor Venus more times than I can could count.
Very lovely episode full of great information. Suppose I’ll have to get started on watching the TLOR trilogy~! Can’t wait till next time.
~ Kalyn
Excellent! It’s always good to know your sweet spot! That’s where you’ll make the most money. You can always learn to expand your vocal range as well, but might as well make money getting cast for what comes naturally to you!
CRISPIN!! I just had a breakthrough on “acting paleontology”. I was listening to an interview with Bryce Papenbrook, and he mentiond his character Masaomi Kida, and I thought about the similarities between Kida, and another character. Both characters present themselves a certain way, but when we get to see who they really are, we see their hiding childhood pain. After I made the connection between the two I realized “these two characters are the teeth to the same dinosaur!!”. Now if I have to play a character like them, I might have a good idea about where they’ll be going
Wonderful! I’m glad that it’s making more sense to you. That’s the kind of comparisons and recognizing of similar patterns that will help you immensely in the future!
Hey crispin i am working on many things its slow going but its going all the same i sill have some trouble finding my character type. I have a question what do lelouch from code geass, hollow ichigo from bleach, L from death note and light from death note. what do these characters have in common. those are the 4 character i have done in front of my friend please any way you can help would be great. i have one more thing to ask have you ever seen an anime call steel angel kurumi i’m just asking
Finding your character type in voice acting can be difficult since it can be hard for you to listen to your own voice in an objective way. It’s best to try to get feedback from others who have experience with casting characters, whether that means taking class with an experienced acting teacher or getting feedback from friends of yours who work in the voice acting industry.
As far as your question about anime characters, I’m not intimately familiar with those characters. I know Lelouch because I worked on Code Geass myself, but I don’t really know Ichigo and I have only passing familiarity with the Death Note characters. As I talk about in this podcast episode, I would advise you to look to more popular storytelling franchises to find character types. Look for the tent pole titles that influence other storytelling. I mention a number of different titles in the episode itself. Have you listened to the episode and have you been able to figure out which character types from those major tent pole titles might suit your voice the best?
I have never seen the anime Steel Angel Kurumi.
Mr. Freeman, I appreciate the insights that you provide in every podcast. I have listened to the majority of them and have always felt that I have learned something valuable each time. I especially enjoyed this episode, as it is easy to think that you need to invent your own path when you first get into something. I feel it is important to be creative and do your own thing, but the majority of the time if you take the time to learn what others have already done you can get to the creative part more quickly.
Excellent job on the Podcasts, I hope you will keep doing them for awhile.
Mr Freeman can you give me more information about your classes i ask because i need all the informaton on voice acting. i swear to god i will be a voice actor noone will stop me
All the information for my classes is in the Classes Section of this website. I try to make that section as obvious as possible. Was its placement or information unclear in some way?