VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[RayAnime]

Okay, I'm editing myself again. I talk a LOT and sometimes it takes me a few minutes to realize I've said way way way too much. . . . . . . .

Hey guys! I'm getting ready to make a character demo and I just wanted to see if anyone had any insights. I'm not talking VO 101 here--I've certainly done enough research to know the basics (I've done the q&a's with people like Bob Bergen & Pat Fraley and have spent hours upon hours listening & re-listening to demos on voicebank).

I'm interested to know if anyone has any personal insights/ preferences/ opinions to share on what separates a good demo from a truly outstanding demo.

I'm not talking about on an obvious level; we all know that saying "Me and paw and mah cuzzin Southerny McSuthern is all goin down to the rodeo and git us some fried chicken" in some generic accent isn't exactly the best way to set yourself apart from the pack . . . I'm just trying to tune into the difference between a very, very good demo with well-written copy and unique and well-performed characters, and a demo that is just undeniably brilliant.

I'm just noticing that--in my opinion--even at almost the top level (as in, people I've researched on voicebank who are repped with great agencies but aren't someone like Candi Milo or Bob Bergen) there can be too much "explaining"--or talking to oneself in a way that's MEANT to explain--going on that doesn't happen so often in actual cartoon shows. I feel like when characters talk to themselves in actual shows, it's usually either in a frenetic, zany, I'm having a mental breakdown kind of way or in a self-reflective, "If I go I may never return, but if I don't, who will recapture our homelands from the evil lord Ryuku--oh father, I wish you were still here," almost melodramatic way. Not so much just a character talking about him or herself fairly even-keeled, with an energy that doesn't appear to be directed towards--or in response to--another character, and I feel like a lot of demos seem to present many of their characters this last way.

I don't know if any of this makes sense . . . I DO know I think way too much for my own good. Anyway, I'm interested to hear your opinions both on what I've ust said and on what you think makes an outstanding character demo in general.

I guess my approach right now is to take the characters I've been working on and beyond just finding or writing great copy for them, coming up with copy that sounds like it was pulled from a show, the same way commercial copy should sound like a real commercial, even if it isn't.

Thanks in advance for your input guys!!

[Jeffrey Kafer]

I don't know exactly what you should put on a character demo, mine is stuff from various projects I've done and whatnot. It's probably not great, but it's gotten me some work.

however, I will tell you to avoid imitating other characters! I don't care how well you can do Miss Piggy. I don't care if you can do Timmy from Fairly odd Parents as well as Tara Strong. I don't care if you can do Porky Pig. All of those jobs are already taken and the people doing them are better than you (I don't mean "you" as in you, Rachel, but the collective "you" of anyone doing this on their demo).

Do original characters! Have you tried finding some copy from kids books?
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[RayAnime]

You mean I have to take Fred Flintstone, the entire cast of Speed Racer and Rubik the Amazing Cube off my demo?

Aw man, back to the drawing board . . .



Oh by the way, when I say copy that sounds like it's from a real show, I don't literally mean copy that is identifiable as being from actual existing show . . . I just mean copy that is in keeping with the way a lot of current shows are written.

Maybe I'll check out some kid's books for ideas! I'll probably write a lot of my own stuff as well--I know some people say that's a no-no, but before I decided to pursue voice over was actually thinking about getting into writing for animation, and I watch WAY more cartoons than I should admit, so I feel like I have a good grasp on the current trends. Worst case scenario, I trust those in my life who are far more talented than I to tell me if it sucks, and then I just won't use it.

[Jeffrey Kafer]

might want to try some of the kids books based on cartoons: Spongebob, Fairly Odd parents, Backyardigans, Kim Possible. They all have dialog that's written in the same style as the shows.
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Deirdre]

Great material.
Good scripting, and great presentation, that's what sets demos apart in my ears.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

[Philip Banks]

I suppose you could gift wrap an explanation of "How to - What to" but the simple fact is that I have to believe you.

Silly story. My two stepsons formed a band with some friends. Their first big gig had no support act so I said that I had an idea. Two German Shepherd Dog glove puppets were customised and during the break in the gig they popped up from behind the bass player's rig and had a conversation. This was a heavy metal audience and they appeared to like it. Most people associate puppets with children so some months later I had a phone call from a friend of a friend's friend.

"My son is 6 in two weeks time and he says he wants your puppets for his birthday party" said his Mum. No idea what he'd seen and how he'd heard but I was not about to let a 6 year old boy down. The party was being held in a local hall on a Sunday afternoon so it was easy to arrange. Fee? Enough for a curry and I'll be happy.

Klaus and Karl (the dogs, complete with outrageous faux German accents) appear from behind an old piano and do their thing. Lots of photo's are taken and the Mums are getting into things too.

"Oh bloody hell!" cries one of the Mums "Hannah needs a wee!" In order to get to the loo Mother and daughter have to walk past the piano. Klaus and Karl look at each other and nod.

"Ok, vee vait" Both puppets stop in mid flow (pun intentional). act is started again on the return of a blushing Mum and a very happy Hannah.

"They ACTUALLY waited!" chuckled Hannah's Mum.

"They're good aren't they" concluded another Mum.

Who are they? I only know of a fat bald man hiding behind a piano with two bits of fake fur on his hands talking in silly voices.

A great character demo is when people believe you or in my case were putting something extra in the Mum's orange squash.

[Bruce]

My thoughts on character demos:

Do mostly original characters, not impersonations of existing characters.

Make us believe you are that character. Make us think for a moment that it's not you doing a character voice.

Do characters that clients are likely to want to pay for, that are really likely to appear in a commercial or cartoon.

Don't expect to make a lot of money off of character work unless you're diving into animation work big time.

---

I'm very good at character work (I'm told, and I like to think sometimes), but I'm a generalist...I do all kinds of voice work...and my income from character work the past two years has worked out to 6% of my commercial work, and commercials are 40% of my total voice income...yeah I did the math recently. So for me character work is the icing but not the cake.

Whatever you do, have fun with it!

B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[RayAnime]

Thanks for all the input everyone!

Philip, I want to see those puppets . . . or more importantly, hear their crazy German accents!

Anyway, I think I just need to let go and stop worrying at this point. I've been working on characters for about two years, I've had some amazing teachers, I've listened to demos on voicebank many a day for hours at a time and I've watched more cartoons than any adult should freely admit (seriously--my "maybe I should get into this business" moment came at 4am after I'd been sitting in front of the tv all day and night watching the same few episodes of Jimmy Neutron over and over again to catch all the nuances of the writing and performances), so I probably need to trust that I understand how it works at this point.

The thing is, this is SO important to me and I'm worried that the end result won't be good enough. I mean, I know I'm "good." I'm just afraid that once I make my demo I'll find out I don't have that indescribable magic that makes you great. I'm not looking for overnight success and I don't have unrealistic expectations about what expect from the animation world, I just want to feel like the potential to "make it" some day is there, whether it actually happens or not . . .

Jeez, I should pay you guys for therapy.

[RayAnime]

I just posted a link to a VERY ROUGH sample of some of my characters (read: NOT a demo) in the Entre Nous section if anyone wants to listen. I'm just trying to get a general idea of whether I'm on the right track or not.