VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

PJHawke · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 4:35 am Post subject: Gotta love The Bard

Just feelin' good about my acting class yesterday...we presented the Shakespearean sonnets we'd chosen the week before, onstage... I am no actor (I've been onstage all of 2 nights in the last 22 years, and that was a bit role), but--I was actually embarassed by it--I ended up being the "star" of the class, the one all the other students commented most on. Primarily for intensity, and for giving the the most "modernly understandable" presentation of W.S.'s words, making it sound almost conversational...I strove to present it such that it would be "followable" to the 21st-century ear. Apparently it worked.

I share this because (in addition to being all swolled up with pride 'n all) I think I've found a valuable exercise in voice acting practice. Take something with a universally applicable sentiment that was written in a style way off from your cultural pattern of speech...and work on performing it verbatim, but so anyone else could follow it. I recommend Shakespeare because he wrote on all aspects of the human condition, everything from the lofty and idealistic to the petty and profane. If a non-actor like me can make Elizabethan English sound modern and conversational, a real pro can certainly make pretty much any copy sound coherent, no matter how it's worded. Just a thought.

Pat

Deirdre · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 4:42 am Post subject:

A Really Good Delivery of Shakespeare is one of the greatest gifts an actor can give an audience.

The reason stage or film acting classes are recommended to voice actors is because in them you receive ongoing direction on how to bring someone else's words to life.
Isn't that what we do as voice over people anyway?
Bring others' words to life?
The stage or film classes help to raise one's awareness of character and to harness your whole "instrument" to convey a message.
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billelder · Guest

Kudos, Pat!

mcm · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 5:53 am Post subject:

Congratulations PJ! I think you deserve to be "all swolled up with pride"! Your post was very fun and inspiring to read - wish I could have seen you on that stage.

Is this a weekly class?

Looking forward to hearing more "news from the front".

Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:46 am Post subject:

Big shout goin out to PJ .................Reeeeeeeeeespec' innit.

Of course it can backfire and a piece of Shakespeare ends up sounding like a voice over ......

http://thecorporatevoice.com/kikinshakespeare.mp3

mcm · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:04 am Post subject:

Richard, you are so Modern.

Pure Banks - thanks for making my day :wink:

Dan-O · The Gates of Troy Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 1638

Banksey - you crack me up.

Spacegypsy · Guest

That's definitely one for the Voice Over Sitcom, Banksey!

anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

ROFLMAO - now that should become a classic very soon! Right up there with Jeff's "spam headlines."

-Anthony

Deirdre · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 3:01 pm Post subject:

I especially like "AND NOW...."
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PJHawke · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 1:09 am Post subject:

Okay...maybe it *is* possible to make him a bit *too* contemporary...

At least Shakespeare never included the words "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!" or "BEEE THEEEEERRRRRE!"
Hmm...monster truck rallies in Shakespearean Elizabethen English... My microphone should be arriving in a week, I need to write up some copy on that and do a spot...