Now, many people praise actors that are seen on TV or on the big screen, people well known for their sex-appeal or their chemistry with other actors. While these people should definitely be commended for their ability, it seems like they are the only actors who truly get praise.
But what about voice actors?
As someone who has dabbled in voice acting, I am very surprised at how little some people know about voice acting. Not only are there misconceptions, but due to the lack of knowledge, there is also a lack of good starting tips for upcoming voice actors. Since I have an audition coming up soon, I figured I would address a few of these misconceptions, as well as provide some advice (learned through my own personal experience) to people looking to start recording.
Many people assume that all voice acting means is an actor reading lines in front of a microphone, calmly and passively. While yes, one is reading lines in front of a microphone, there is certainly nothing passive about it. Many people use wide and vibrant gestures while they work, waving their arms wildly when they are recording shouting, or cupping their mouth with their hands when whispering. Vocal acting takes a lot of the same energy that on-screen acting does, those movements just aren't seen when the final product is created.
Another misconception is that voice acting is merely a person making silly voices when talking. In sense, this is sort of true. Many famous voice actors (Mark Hamill for instance) can manipulate their voice in order to give life to hundreds of different characters. But it isn't enough to change one's voice, just as in on-screen acting, it isn't enough to just speak lines. One must be able to convey emotion in that voice, to animate the character in a way more than an animator can. This is the real struggle of voice acting.
My first (and only, so far) experience in voice acting has been in voicing various characters animated by a good friend of mine in high school. While this was nowhere near a professional setting, I did learn a lot during that time. For example, I learned early on that one doesn't need to actually yell into a microphone in order to portray loudness. Doing so can strain the voice and provide improper feedback on the mic. It is much better to just move closer to the mic.
Another good thing is to not be afraid of bodily movements when recording. If the voice you are recording is that of a slimy, creeping monster, don't be afraid to hunch over and gnarl your hands while recording. If your character is a strong and heroic one, don't be afraid to pose Superman-style while you speak. Actually acting like the character you are voicing makes the recording believable, not just to the audience hearing the voice, but also to yourself. The most important part of voice acting is this: If you, the actor believes in the character and in the voice you provide, than the audience will too.
