{"id":2545,"date":"2024-01-12T10:02:58","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T10:02:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=2545"},"modified":"2024-09-30T15:15:55","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T15:15:55","slug":"animation-voice-acting-with-dian-perry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-essentials\/animation-voice-acting-with-dian-perry\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Started in Voice Acting for Animation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Voice actor Dian Perry shares her tips for becoming an animation voice artist and doing voice over for cartoons.<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re reading this, chances are you\u2019re a professional actor with a Spotlight membership. Maybe you\u2019ve already secured your dream job and, if so, that\u2019s terrific! But perhaps there\u2019s another acting genre that you\u2019ve always been curious about: what would it be like to work as a voice actor on a cartoon?<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing quite like the thrill of creating original character voices, bringing an animation script to life, and then watching the finished characters move and speak with the voices you created for them. I hear you \u2013 \u201cGood heavens, yes! I\u2019d love some of that! But it\u2019s impossible to get into!\u201d Actually, it isn\u2019t as impossible as you might think.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from some natural ability (of course), you need three key things: training, a great animation demo, and a voice agent. It may seem like a pretty steep mountain to climb, but if you\u2019re determined and take it one step at a time, you will reach the summit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get Some Voice Training<\/span><\/h3>\n

Like every other corner of the acting world, if you want to work in it, you need some training. Even if you\u2019re a seasoned pro in theatre, film or television, creating character voices and acting in front of a mic is a whole different ball game. You\u2019ll be required to create unique voices for characters who are often larger than life, but also need to ring true. SpongeBob SquarePants may be a sponge living underwater, but he\u2019s still a believable, walking and talking being.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also need to be able to sustain that character voice for three to four hours, embody the character (<\/span>with<\/span><\/i> physicality but <\/span>without<\/span><\/i> extraneous noise) and bring a scene off the page, while at times performing with no other actors present. Oh, and you\u2019ll also need to employ your razor-sharp wit and comedic timing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I know – at the beginning, it can feel a bit like juggling chainsaws. But when you work at it and improve, you\u2019ll have the chance to use every creative cell in your body. Enrol on a course, attend workshops and <\/span>get some coaching<\/span><\/a>, so soon you\u2019ll be ready to take the next step.<\/span><\/p>\n

Create an Animation Voice Reel<\/span><\/h3>\n

An impressive animation reel is absolutely vital to getting work in this coveted field, and creating one takes thought and preparation. You\u2019ll need to corral about eight to ten of your strongest characters, opening with the one that sounds the most like you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each clip should sound like it was lifted from an actual cartoon. Recording a series of \u2018silly voices\u2019 with a long, wacky music bed simply won\u2019t cut it, so choosing the right demo producer to work with is really important too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As for scripts, it\u2019s best to write them yourself (who knows the characters you\u2019re embodying better than you?), but some demo producers can help with this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure your reel demonstrates:<\/span><\/p>\n